Voyager - Singapore-Hong Kong, 2/20-3/7/17 - Wes, Rachel & Rumor, LIVE!

[Mr Rumor]

It has been more than three months since Ginny and I left the Explorer, but I feel like I'm still cruising thanks to the string of wonderful live reports we've been treated to on this board since early December, and are still being treated to (thanks, forgap and WesW!).

 

It was one of Wes' high-spirited, photo-splashed blogs that inspired me to begin blogging our Regent cruises a few years ago. So I'm delighted to finally get to meet Wes and Ida and to share the blogging baton with him and the other member of the Three Blogateers, RachelG, whose live reports I've been a fan of for just about as long as Wes'. Rachel and I previously teamed up with Travelcat2 and several other CCers on the lively "Hot Spots and Headlines" (Istanbul-Istanbul) joint blog aboard the Mariner in September, 2015. It's going to be great to cruise with our Tulsa friends again--and to help George celebrate his birthday!

 

Although I visited several of the ports on this cruise back in my Royal Viking Line days, this will be Ginny's and my first Asia cruise together. Ginny doesn't do well with long flights, which had something to do with our skirting this part of the world until now. But when you have a bucket list to work your way through, you stretch. I did agree with DW that a pre-cruise Angkor Wat tour would be too strenuous following the long flights, so we opted for the post-cruise "Jewels of Hong Kong." I plan to also post on that experience from the comfort of the Kowloon Shangri-La.

 

We're most looking forward to visiting Vietnam. Manila is a close second, in part because we have so enjoyed the warmth, spirit and talent of the 150+ members of the crew who hail from the Philippines, and want, in our own small way, to support their emotional return home. Also, on a personal note, I am looking forward to honoring the grandfather I never knew, who, as a corporal in Company I of the First Regiment of California Infantry Volunteers, fought in the Spanish-American War in 1898.

 

We're not often the recipients of special offers or other financial breaks from Regent, so it was a happy surprise that shortly after we booked this cruise in October of 2015, Regent halved its business upgrade fare. I spotted the change and notified our TA, who promptly got Regent to issue a revised Guest Statement confirming our $4000 savings. I saw it as a good omen that we should keep this booking. Two mornings from flying out of the Duke City, I'm so glad we did.

 

On behalf of my blogging mates (I hope that other CCers on this cruise will join in, too) we're glad to have you along. I just hope that Joe and Josephine Internet won't be party poopers.

 

Wes, how about taking a quick break from the last days of your Auckland-Singapore blog to drop in and say hi. Over to you, too, Rachel!

 

Rich

 

[Zqueeze1]

Rich:

 

I hope you and Ginny have a wonderful cruise. I am so looking forward to reading the Three Blogeteers' comments and seeing your pics. Here's to seeing many new things and revisiting old memories. Have a San Miguel beer for me in the P.I. since we lived three hours west of Manila for four years.

Z and TB

[Travelcat2]

Rich - so glad that you "set the table" for your upcoming blog. Since this is a cruise that we cancelled, we will be very interested in your "take" on the ports that we have not visited previously. We have always enjoyed Asia very much and did a lot of land travel there prior to starting our "cruising life".

 

A suggestion for Ginny -- if she gets a prescription for Ambien and takes it when she is suppose to sleep, it will only keep her asleep for four hours (she can wake up if she needs to) and there is no after effect. That is how I get through the long flights (that plus the flat bed seats in Business Class). BTW, congrats on the Business Class savings - that is a substantial amount -- good for you:D

 

Love that you will be staying at the Kowloon Shangri-La. What a nice place to stay after a cruise.

[xrvlcruiser]

Rich,

 

I'm looking forward to your - and others - blog! They are always a treat.

Peggy

[Mr Rumor]

Thanks for the good trip wishes and comments, Roberto, Jackie and Peggy. Z, I'll be only too happy to have a San Miguel for you--wish I had one handy right now. Jackie, Ginny is not shy about popping a pill to help her sleep for a few hours straight on a long flight, and I can confirm that Ambien is part of her "arsenal."

 

Made the 70 mile trip down to our Albuquerque hotel this evening. Just 9542 more miles to Singapore! We fly out at noon tomorrow.

I was set to moan a little about the reoccurrence of a lower back issue on Tuesday that necessitated daily chiropractic treatments, ice and a regimen of "pelvic tilts." But I'm not complaining after just reading on Wes' Auckland-Singapore blog that Rachel broke her arm in a fall yesterday! The good news is that she and George are carrying on with this cruise and are currently en route to Singapore. Rachel, you are made of sturdy stuff! I can't think of a better place to begin your recovery than aboard the Voyager with George and your Regent family of friends. Heck, I'll even volunteer to take dictation if you decide you want to post!

Rich

[Travelcat2]

Sorry to hear about your back and also Rachel's arm. On Rachel's last cruise, George was recovering from surgery. I think that they deserve some healthy time and a lot of fun!

 

 

You are likely on the plane already and I hope that you were able to put your seat in a position that alieved your back pain.

 

 

Guess that your next post will be from Singapore!:D

[WesW]

Hi Rich & Ginny, safe travels and hoping like this segment (AKL to SING) we have similar fair winds & following seas.

 

Still waiting for the purser to firm up our meet & mingle location (Observation or Horizon Lounge).

 

Gilly, we are now Aperol happy but Avocado sad--as both Ida and I order a fresh half avocado with our dinner salads--they now have no avocados on board, tho we may get replenished today or at the latest in Singapore.

 

 

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Edited February 17, 2017 by WesW

[WesW]

Was editing an a duplicate post happened. Auto editing changed Gilly to Girly.

Edited February 17, 2017 by WesW

[Gilly]

Was editing an a duplicate post happened. Auto editing changed Gilly to Girly.

 

Wes, I've been called worse <ggg>:)

 

Hope the avocado situation resolves itself as quickly as the Aperol one, though surely, replenishment of everything will take place in Singapore. I can't believe how quickly you've reached this point and like you I'm sure, am looking forward to the fun of the next part of your adventure! So sorry to read of broken arms, painful backs and suchlike - sounds like y'all need a holiday!

[RachelG]

Sitting at the airport in Tulsa ready to board the first leg of our flight to Singapore. We are on AA to Chicago then Cathay pacific to Hong Kong and on to Singapore.

 

Thanks to Rich for getting the blog off to a good start. As he noted, I fell on Wednesday and broke my left humerus in 3 places. Now have a plate and 8 nails in my upper arm. I have a good supply of pain meds and look forward to relaxing and recuperating on board. Last cruise, George had just had emergency hernia surgery, so I had to carry everything. Now it is his turn for payback.

[rallydave]

Rich, Wes, Rachel and spouses and everyone else on board, have a wonderful cruise Fair winds and following seas.

[Mr Rumor]

Gilly, nice to see you pop up on this thread. I was also thinking of "An Elegant Sufficiency" when I made note of all the wonderful Regent blogs that have been keeping me entertained and cruise-focused since we got off the Explorer. I made the smart move to bookmark your spot on Blogspot several years ago.

Hi Dave, thanks for the trip wishes, and glad to have you following along.

Well, Rachel, I guess you won't be in need of my steno services after all. Knowing George, he'll be privately enjoying any "payback" required of him in covering bases for both you and him on the cruise.

We're relaxing at Gate B3 of the Sunport after the unpleasant surprise of having to fork over $100 for our two bags (each under 50 pounds, by the way) to the American Airlines agent. "That's the way it's going to be from now on if American isn't handling your international," she explained. Well, phooey! This reminds me that we were briefly (as in about one hour) assigned American for our Hong Kong return by Regent Air, after Cathay Pacific changed some flights. After refreshing myself on the 100 Best Airlines Ratings--CP is currently No. 4, American No. 77--I replied to our TA, "Unh-uh." Regent Air then found another way to get us back on CP. So now, for the first time since we began cruising Regent and using Regent Air, we're traveling both ways internationally on Top 5-rated airlines (Singapore Air is No. 3). We're delighted about that.

Rich

[RachelG]

Rich, I am a great one finger typist.

 

 

Thanks for all the well wishes. We are now relaxing in the terminal 5 BA lounge in Chicago. I just walked right through security in Tulsa but got the full pat down here including my brace and being swabbed for explosives.

[FlyerTalker]

We're relaxing at Gate B3 of the Sunport after the unpleasant surprise of having to fork over $100 for our two bags (each under 50 pounds, by the way) to the American Airlines agent. "That's the way it's going to be from now on if American isn't handling your international," she explained. Well, phooey! This reminds me that we were briefly (as in about one hour) assigned American for our Hong Kong return by Regent Air, after Cathay Pacific changed some flights. After refreshing myself on the 100 Best Airlines Ratings--CP is currently No. 4, American No. 77--I replied to our TA, "Unh-uh." Regent Air then found another way to get us back on CP. So now, for the first time since we began cruising Regent and using Regent Air, we're traveling both ways internationally on Top 5-rated airlines (Singapore Air is No. 3). We're delighted about that.

 

You may want to be careful with those letters. In the airline world, CP is the IATA designator for Compass Airlines, one of the regional partners of Delta. As you travel internationally, Cathay Pacific flights will have a designator of CX. If you look at a schedule board and try to find CP overseas, you'll be looking for a long time. And FWIW, Singapore is SQ.

[Travelcat2]

We're relaxing at Gate B3 of the Sunport after the unpleasant surprise of having to fork over $100 for our two bags (each under 50 pounds, by the way) to the American Airlines agent. "That's the way it's going to be from now on if American isn't handling your international," she explained.

Rich

 

 

Assuming that you were flying coach on American within the U.S.? Guess that is something people need to be aware of.

 

 

What hotel are you staying at....... and, was it booked by Regent? We have been to Singapore three times and are familiar with some of the hotels. Word to the wise...... their prices aren't better than the U.S. for electronics.

 

 

Enjoy Singapore!

[rcandkc]

Rich, I am a great one finger typist.

 

 

Thanks for all the well wishes. We are now relaxing in the terminal 5 BA lounge in Chicago. I just walked right through security in Tulsa but got the full pat down here including my brace and being swabbed for explosives.

 

So sorry about your arm. I fell in October and broke my right radius and ulna resulting in a titanium plate and screws. My question is how are you handling the stitch removal while on cruise? Do it yourself? I also was patted down, etc. when I flew with brace. Good luck with your recovery.

[UUNetBill]

So sorry about your arm. I fell in October and broke my right radius and ulna resulting in a titanium plate and screws. My question is how are you handling the stitch removal while on cruise? Do it yourself? I also was patted down, etc. when I flew with brace. Good luck with your recovery.

You guys are overachievers - I fell on day 5 of a 10 day cruise and fractured a couple of metacarpals in my right hand. Slowed me down but not much - I can't imagine cruising with fresh titanium installed...good luck, and I hope you heal quickly.

[RachelG]

Thanks, guys. The stitches are subcuticular and dissolve. Otherwise I would have instructed George in removal.

[liptastic]

Rachel sorry to hear of your injury and needing the fixation metalwork. Have safe travels and you can rest and recover onboard. Have a lovely cruise best wishes, Jean.

[Travelcat2]

You guys are overachievers - I fell on day 5 of a 10 day cruise and fractured a couple of metacarpals in my right hand. Slowed me down but not much - I can't imagine cruising with fresh titanium installed...good luck, and I hope you heal quickly.

 

 

That sounds painful (as does Rachel's arm).

 

Bill, is "fresh" titanium different than "old" titanium? And, do you "beep" when you go through x-ray?

[UUNetBill]

That sounds painful (as does Rachel's arm).

 

Bill, is "fresh" titanium different than "old" titanium? And, do you "beep" when you go through x-ray?

I guarantee the fractured hand was a drop in the bucket compared to breaking a humerus in three places (and I'd stay out of those three places in the future! Wacka, wacka, wacka!). I guess "freshly installed titanium" would have been more precise.

[freddie]

Duplicate post. Sorry; the editing function in the new system is a bit peculiar.

[freddie]

Rachel - Considering your new hardware, perhaps you should inform the front desk when you board that you should now be considered "Titanium" (if you are not already in that esteemed category, which we certainly are not). :D Have a great cruise. We will be looking forward to your comments on several of those unusual ports that we will also be visiting next year.

[Mr Rumor]

Well, our bags didn't make it on Singapore Air Flight 7 at LAX, but we don't care. Because WE made it, the last two people to board!

We were close to giving up, to the point where I phoned our TA as we sat on the runway waiting for our gate to open up, to brief her on our situation and ask her to look into a Saturday flight.

But then with about a half hour before our flight's departure we finally got off our American Airlines flight, delayed more than two and a quarter hours due to heavy SoCal rains. We decided to make a run for it, literally, although we hadn't negotiated LAX in years. We figured out the right line to get in to to take the shuttle from Terminal 5 to 4, then followed the signs over hill and dale to Terminal B (international terminal) where I buttonholed a young duty free shops worker hustling alongside me and appealed for help. He got on his walkie talkie and found out our gate number, 130 (I hadn't seen an Arrivals/Departure Board yet). Thank goodness for his help, as it would have been easy to make a wrong turn in the terminal, when every minute counted.

As it was I still got confused as I neared 130 (Ginny was a few strides behind me.) A Singapore agent in the vicinity must have read my expression, as she exclaimed my last name several times. Yes, it's us! We were immediately assured we had made it in time, and she and her several colleagues seemed as happy for us as we were (we love Singapore Air already).

Internet became available a few minutes ago, so I thought I'd post this now, a cold Singapore Tiger by my side. Regarding our bags, we've been instructed to speak to agents at baggage claim in Singapore. We're hoping they will be delivered to our hotel. We wisely packed our carry-ons, so we're OK. Actually we're better than OK!

Rich

[WesW]

Rich and Ginny, glad y'all made it safely to Singapore but do hope you get your luggage soonest.

 

 

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