Random Notes, Voyager, 11/26-12/6/18, Miami-Miami--LIVE!

[Mr Rumor]

Jennifer, what a wonderful spot in the world for you and Georges to celebrate a milestone anniversary!  Fabulous shot!

 

Boatmans Lady, thank you!  Shauna has been one happy camper on this cruise.  In fact she’s smiling and giggling at this very moment—for no particular reason!—as I type this at table 151 on the Pool Deck.

 

And look at who just strolled by:  CD Andy and Social Hostess Tammy!  They embarked yesterday in Castries and begin their rotation on Thursday.  Sorry we’ll miss them (we cruised with them on the Explorer in June-July), but we’ve really enjoyed CD David, Assistant CD Lucy Witton (a very favorite Jean Ann Ryan music and dance troupe alumna—it has been wonderful to catch up with her), and SH Caren.

Edited December 3, 2018 by Mr Rumor

[Mr Rumor]

I wasn’t able to photograph Gustavia this morning due to light conditions.  No problem now as we approach our 3 p.m. departure.

 

Nary an oligarch super yacht in the harbor to cluck about this time, but I was interested to see Crystal’s “Expedition Yacht,” the Esprit:

Edited December 3, 2018 by Mr Rumor

[Tarwood3]

Hi Mr. Rumor, thanks for all your posts! Ive been following you throughout your journey  as we are boarding the Voyager on Jan 17th for our first Regent cruise andare pretty excited about it.  We have sailed many times on Silversea, Celebrity and Silversea with a few others thrown n there as well.  Quick question, I was looking at our invoice today and had forgotten we have some OBC.  I thought I would go on the website and make spa reservations like we do with other lines but cant find anywhere to accomplish this? We have dining and shore excursions done but cant figure out the spa thing? Is it something you cant book til on board? 

Kind regards, 

Gary

[Brownie54]

For spa services:

On the first page of the Regent website, scroll to the bottom to FAQ.

-click on Before you Sail

-click on How Do I Pre-Book Spa Services.

Services on all Regent ships are through Canyon Ranch. Please remember all services already include an 18% service fee.

- call 877-329-1924 or go to Regent@canyonranch.com

 

Hope that helps!

[Tarwood3]

15 minutes ago, Brownie54 said:

For spa services:

On the first page of the Regent website, scroll to the bottom to FAQ.

-click on Before you Sail

-click on How Do I Pre-Book Spa Services.

Services on all Regent ships are through Canyon Ranch. Please remember all services already include an 18% service fee.

- call 877-329-1924 or go to Regent@canyonranch.com

 

Hope that helps!

 

Wow, awesome! Thanks so much for the quick response!

[Brownie54]

PS You can look at everything Canyon Ranch has to offer, including prices, at:

canyonranch.com/at-sea/regent-seven-seas

 

 

[UUNetBill]

1 hour ago, Brownie54 said:

For spa services:

Please remember all services already include an 18% service fee.

 

Yes, a very important tidbit as we've had some Canyon Ranch employees who don't bother to mention that the gratuity is already factored in.  Quite a few people have doubled up.     

[ronrick1943]

Mr. "R"

Truly enjoying your photos and post---you can see your enjoying the trip.  Thanks again for taking the time out of your trip.  You can see the three of you are wonderful people--hope someday to meet you all on a cruise.  Rick

[gnomie1]

21 hours ago, tripperva said:

Mr Rumor, that little booboo will be just like repairing a Porsche, not too big but very expensive.

Or a Tesla!

[Mr Rumor]

Hi Gary/Tarwood3—thanks for following along.  And, Sue, thanks for answering Gary’s question regarding pre-booking Canyon Ranch services.

 

Rick, some of our best times aboard a Regent ship have been spent in the company of fellow CCers.  Hope we’ll get to cruise with you and Ron someday.  Glad you’re enjoying the blog.

 

On our one-hour “St. Barts Island Overview” we heard the most harrowing Hurricane Irma tale on this cruise from our driver/guide Donald, a St. Barts native.  In his words:

 

“Irma hit us early in the morning of September 6, 2017.  We had the eye of the hurricane for 45 minutes.  Winds hit 380 kilometers.  Two hundred roofs were blown off, but thankfully there were no deaths.  But we were all scared.

 

“My parents lost everything.  All they found was a little piece of their roof.  I was lucky. Only my garage fell down, but the debris didn’t touch my BMW.  

 

“There was so much tree and wood debris that it took three months to burn it all in a burn spot by our airport.

 

“But our government is very strong.  With help from private companies and fast action by insurance companies, rebuilding began almost immediately.  My parents’ home was rebuilt in three months.”  

 

Our hour drive with Donald was over before we knew it.  But not before DW buttonholed him for beach directions.  Ginny was determined to have one more go at shell hunting, disappointed in the slim pickings at previous beaches.

 

The name of the beach alone told Ginny that today was going to be different:  “Shell Beach.”  DW’s one word description after 45 minutes’ and about two pounds’ worth of combing:  “Unbelievable!”  We have a new friend back home who creates whimsical sculptures out of shells, and most of Ginny’s haul is going to him.  

 

Irma-damaged St. Barts house.

 

Donald, our driver/guide, is a native of St. Barts.  He and his wife left “stressful” jobs to start their own cab business because they wanted more “people contact.” Donald’s late father was a property manager and driver for American banker David Rockefeller.

 

Ginny would have rated Gustavia’s Shell Beach four thumbs up if she could!  The beach is a ten-minute walk from the pier.

 

The shells were more than half a foot deep in spots.

[Mr Rumor]

From the So-Now-It-Can-Be-Told Department:  Cruise Director David Nevin and Regent Production Cast singer Nell Keene are engaged!  David went public with the news toward the end of his one-man show tonight, the last performance on this his first contract as a Regent CD.  He and Nell, who earlier performed a one-woman show in the Constellation Theater, then duetted on the Celine Dion-Andrea Bocelli classic, “The Prayer.”  Congratulations, David and Nell!

[Mr Rumor]

Krew Kapers in today’s program?  Rubbish!

 

What, it’s true?  Is it that time in the cruise already?

 

Seriously, Kapers is my cue each blog to share some crew stats with you.  Would you believe that our 463 Voyager crew members, 373 males and 90 females, hail from 36 countries?  

 

As usual, the Philippines leads the way with 193 crew members—148 males and 45 females. India follows with 81 males and one female.  Indonesia is third with 44 males and five females.

 

Here is the complete Crew Nationality Breakdown for “Sage Mountain to Grand Pitons”:

 

Philippines, 193

India, 82

Indonesia, 49

Romania, 14

Ukraine, 13

Honduras, 11

United States, 11

Bulgaria, 9

United Kingdom, 8

Italy, 7

Mauritius, 6

Croatia, 5

France, 5

Myanmar, 5

Serbia, 5

Canada, 4

South Africa, 4

Belarus, 3

Germany, 3

Nepal, 3

Poland, 3

Thailand, 3

Australia, 2

Macedonia, 2

Mexico, 2

Argentina, 1

Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1

Hungary, 1

Montenegro, 1

Panama, 1

Peru, 1

Portugal, 1

Russian Federation, 1

Sweden, 1

Singapore, 1

Trinidad and Tobago, 1

[Mr Rumor]

Back in February, on our Voyager Singapore-Sydney cruise, I posted about the 

Voyager’s kind gesture in allowing seven of its Balinese crew members to spend our overnight in Bali off the ship with their families.  One of the seven was our steward, Ida Bagus, whose wife, Corkoda Dewi, was seven months’ pregnant at the time.  While Corkorda drifted off to sleep, Bagus said at the time that he was too excited to sleep.  “I kept touching the baby—I felt her kicking!”  

 

“She” turned out to be a boy, Gusde Aruna, born on April 15.  Bagus returned from his seventh Regent contract just in time for his son’s three month ceremony (a Hindu tradition) in mid-July.   

 

Ginny and I were delighted to walk into Bagus at his Deck 7 station a couple of days into the cruise.  He said that after a wonderful three months at home with Corkoda, Aruna and the rest of his family, he returned to the Voyager on October 19 to begin his eighth Regent contract.

 

“I have more spirit now to work hard for my family,” he said, smiling.  “I feel more responsible.”

 

Aruna, he added, is a very energetic seven-month-old.  “He moves everywhere with his baby walker—he makes trouble for my mother!”  Bagus said he has FaceTime, WhatsApp and Messenger to continue to be a daily presence in his son’s and family’s life.

 

I illustrated my February post with a photo of Bagus posing with a cellphone photo of Corkoda.  This time Bagus shared a photo of the little fellow who has stolen his heart:

[UUNetBill]

On 12/2/2018 at 8:42 PM, tripperva said:

Mr Rumor, that little booboo will be just like repairing a Porsche, not too big but very expensive.

 

15 hours ago, gnomie1 said:

Or a Tesla!

Looking at that ding, I'm thinking the cost of repairs would buy you a new Porsche - AND a Tesla - and probably a Bentley or two thrown in for good measure.

[Mr Rumor]

It’s a hot late morning—surprised to see so many walkers.  Hours after our return home on Thursday we could see snow!

[tripperva]

Are they all walking the wrong direction?

[forgap]

Hard to believe that this voyage is almost over!   I have enjoyed travelling with you again!   Until next time!  

[briar14]

Rich, thank you for another wonderful blog! I’m going to try to post some comments and pictures from the Australia Circumnavigation. I have enjoyed every post and picture. I know, I know—Krew Kapers comes all too soon. But, hopefully,

there are more Regent cruises in your family’s future. Wishing you, Ginny, and Shauna a very happy holiday season!  Jan

[UUNetBill]

1 hour ago, tripperva said:

Are they all walking the wrong direction?

It's funny, I've seen it go both ways - sometimes even on the same cruise!  I usually go counter-clockwise but on occasion I've gone up there and the gang is going clockwise as in that photo.  Maybe it has something to do with the number of UK passengers?   

[John182]

Not the Uk this time. We all run round tracks counter clockwise. If it was good enough for Michael Johnson it is good enough for us😀

Edited December 4, 2018 by John182

[Travelcat2]

Walking in the wrong direction would be strange (unless you are in a country where this is the rule - not the case on Regent).  I would probably drive people crazy but I'd walk/run in the right direction and if people queried me, I'd let them know why.

 

Rich, thank you for the breakdown of the crew.  I have noticed more people from India which is great - we enjoy people from all over the world and miss that interaction when we are home (although my Facebook page has posts in other languages and it is interesting to try to figure them out if there is no translation).

Edited December 4, 2018 by Travelcat2

[UUNetBill]

20 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

Walking in the wrong direction would be strange (unless you are in a country where this is the rule - not the case on Regent).  I would probably drive people crazy but I'd walk/run in the right direction and if people queried me, I'd let them know why.

I'm sure you'd let them know!  LOL!!

 

It sticks in my mind that they mention somewhere that the track should be navigated in a counter (anti)-clockwise direction, maybe in Passages or somewhere.  Either way, it'd be nice if they'd paint some subtle, subdued arrows on the track to show the preferred direction of travel...maybe we just need to carry air horns and toot them for the right-of-way?

[BBWC]

That is the correct way to go on the Voyager, there are actually arrows pointing that way. This is different from Explorer where the signs point the other way (we were on both in the last month).

[tripperva]

Some folks just prefer to walk the track clockwise as pictured. The Olympics, all USA tracks, and most international events are all counter clockwise. So I guess it is just personal preference (but some times a pain).

[UUNetBill]

26 minutes ago, tripperva said:

Some folks just prefer to walk the track clockwise as pictured. The Olympics, all USA tracks, and most international events are all counter clockwise. So I guess it is just personal preference (but some times a pain).

Maybe it depends on whether you're north or south of the equator.