Random Notes, Mariner, 3/28-4/15/19, Shanghai-Tokyo--LIVE!*

[ronrick1943]

I'm going to soon become Gold, and I agree with TC2.  I don't find it dismissive.  I'm top level with United Air and Marriott, they both have special events for their top tier customers.  You can't really have a great event with that many people attending.  Now that I think about it even Disney has a tier level for major corporations for special events they have at the park.  I have to admit that I enjoyed those events when they open the park and everything was no charge (food and all) and you could walk up to any ride without the wait.  They couldn't have done that if they invited everyone that deals with them.  It happens all the time.  In fact when they opened Epcot they had a really big party-and they had parties within parties, depending on what color badge you had let you in to some or all the parties.  It's just a way of life.

[Mr Rumor]

Welcome to our view from our room at the Hilton Odawara Resort and Spa!  We are enjoying a gorgeous late afternoon.

We are on the Tokyo & Hakone post-cruise tour, one of two that Regent offered (the other:  Sunrise Over Tokyo), and it is my first chance to thank you for the kind comments.  I appreciate them all!

 

I’d like to continue with a brief post or three from our tour, which began this morning with a visit to the Hama-rikyu Gardens located alongside Tokyo Bay.  Hama-rikyu once served as the family garden of Tokugawa Shogun and later became a Detached Palace of the Imperial Family.  The family donated the garden to the city of Tokyo in 1945.  It opened to the public the following year.

 

It was in the tea house on the left that former President Ulysses S. Grant, on a two-year private trip around the world with his wife and one of his sons, met with Emperor Meiji in 1879.

 

Two dozen gardeners tend to Hama-rikyu, including this gentleman with a push mower:

 

Our next stop, the 333-meters-tall Tokyo Tower, constructed in 1958, was Tokyo’s tallest structure until the Skytree, about twice its size, opened in 2011.  We couldn’t see Mt. Fuji but we did get a peek at the Mariner.

 

After a wonderful Japanese lunch at Mimiyu, we had our special moment with the Lady at a comfort stop about twenty minutes from Odawara:

Tonight it’s a buffet dinner in the hotel restaurant.  Tomorrow we’re looking forward to an aerial tram ride, a Lake Ashi cruise, a castle visit and a Kaiseki (multi-course) dinner.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Mr Rumor

[Hambagahle]

12 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Yes - it probably is.  However,  am not suggesting that there not be an event for "Gold" Seven Seas Society Members.  Rather, I am suggesting that they also have one for Platinum and above.  This would likely make it a better experience for both groups.

I am Gold and probably have no hope of being Platinum.  I enjoy the Gold etc activity but if there were to be something else for the "top tier" - why should I find this disrespectful or why should I resent it.  I think it is in fact appropriate to recognise those who have spent a LOT of time and money cruising with Regent.   

 

Rich - it is very rare to see Fuji from Tokyo.  I have only seen the mountain once from there and luckily it was the one and only time I took Ken to japan with me.  We arrived late the evening before.  I got out of bed at the Hyatt and peered out of the curtains and there she was!!  I yelled at Ken to come and see but he was "underwhelmed"...   I suppose he was expecting something like the Matterhorn!!  That evening we had dinner with a friend who is a news presenter on NHK TV and she was excited about it - which is when Ken realised he had missed something!!!

Edited April 15, 2019 by Hambagahle

[forgap]

Rich, can’t wait to hear all the details.  We are choosing Hakone  for our pre cruise tour in 2021.  

[flossie009]

Thank you for a great blog, including the fabulous pictures of the cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji.

Enjoy the rest of your post-cruise and then have a safe journey home.

 

7 hours ago, Mr Rumor said:

We are on the Tokyo & Hakone post-cruise tour, one of two that Regent offered (the other:  Sunrise Over Tokyo)

 

What attracted you to the "Tokyo & Hakone" post-cruise tour rather than "Sunrise over Tokyo"? and was that three day tour included in the cruise fare?

We are sailing into Tokyo in 2021 and have only been offered "Sunrise over Tokyo" as a "free" (included) post-cruise experience. Will have to check alternatives with our TA. 

[Mr Rumor]

I guess you could say that after today exceedingly lucky us are going steady with the Lady.  We were on the Hakone Ropeway over the Owakudani Valley this morning when Mt. Fuji suddenly appeared on our right.

 

We then turned our attention to our left, taking in the sight of a sulphur mine with clouds of steam rising from the earth (the Hakone area was formed by a volcanic eruption 3,000 years ago). 

 

But the Lady was waiting for us when we looked to our right again.  A few minutes later we saw her watching over the Hakone golf course.

 

We weren’t in the position to see Mt. Fuji on our short Lake Ashi cruise aboard a “pirate ship,” but once we walked the plank ashore, she caught our eye one last time. 

 

For our lunchtime entertainment at a nearby hotel, I played Hakone Squares (the food has been soooo good).

 

The final stop of the day was a visit to the 15th Century Odawara Castle, once the property of a powerful local feudal lord.  (We’re amazed to still be seeing cherry blossoms!)

 

To answer your question, Flossie, we booked the Tokyo and Hakone post-cruise tour precisely for a shot at a day like this (we paid for this tour after “including” the pre-cruise Shanghai and the Great Wall tour).  But as our guide, Masa, said in so many  words, you roll the dice if you book a tour with potential  Mt. Fuji views, explaining that, statistically speaking, you have a 20% chance of seeing her on any given day (actually a little less than than from April through summer, she added, when humidity results in more cloud cover).

 

Again, we were so lucky!

Edited April 16, 2019 by Mr Rumor

[Delmarvacruiser]

Rich - I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your blog of our travels! It’s always fun (and educational) to read someone else’s take on a trip. Hope we meet you and Ginny again on a future cruise!

[flossie009]

4 hours ago, Mr Rumor said:

To answer your question, Flossie, we booked the Tokyo and Hakone post-cruise tour precisely for a shot at a day like this (we paid for this tour after “including” the pre-cruise Shanghai and the Great Wall tour).

Thanks for the info 😄

[Mr Rumor]

So what am I doing romancing a bottle of sake??

 

All I can say is our dear friends Yuki and Hozumi really sake-ed it to us tonight on the last night of our Asia adventure!  

 

The scene was Yuki’s nephew’s subterranean restaurant, Yakitori-Shin, in the Suido-bashi section of Tokyo, where Yuki’s favorite sakes, Dasia and Kagetora, flowed, and we stuffed ourselves on yakitori and great conversation. What a capper to a cruise and two land tours we’ll always treasure.

 

Thanks again for sharing the journey, and good night from Room 3114 of the Tokyo Hilton.  Rick, Gilly and everyone else who’ll be sharing the Mariner live-blogging baton on the Tokyo-Vancouver cruise, I’m  looking forward to armchairing along!

[RJ2002]

It's been a treat following your journey.  Thanks for all the great pictures and stories.  Safe travels home.

[Gilly]

@Mr Rumor what a splendid way to conclude your adventure!  Your delight was evident from the moment you started and you and Ginny have clearly enjoyed every minute.  I hope your homeward journey is trouble-free and in no way detracts from all those great memories - thank you so much for taking us along with you.

 

(Hakone looked pretty - I've added it to our list of possibilities 🌸)

 

We'll do our best to continue in a similar spirit - some appear to have already started their fun, whilst we have a few more days to wait.  But as soon as we're off, I'll let you know to grab your hat and come join us 😎

[briar14]

31 minutes ago, Gilly said:

Hakone looked pretty - I've added it to our list of possibilities 🌸)

 

The Hakone Open-Air Museum is very interesting. Views of Fujiyama from Hakone and Lake Ashi are beautiful. Hakone, an easy trip from Tokyo, was one of a “go to” places for our visitors when we lived there. Have a wonderful trip!

[Zqueeze1]

Mr and Mrs Rumor:  what a wonderful trip and thanks for the great prose!  I hope to run a thread nearly as good as you do during our upcoming British Isles cruise.  What’s next in your cruise agenda?  Fly safe!

Z and TB

[xrvlcruiser]

Rich,

 

You know how much I always enjoy your blogs and this one is now different - wonderfully written and with beautiful pictures.

Thanks you for taking me along! And safe traves home.

 

Peggy

[rickatie]

Super blogging Rich! Finally had a chance to catch up after sharing this Asia cruise on the Mariner and finally getting home with time to unwind. So many great ports especially in Japan.

One very noticeable occurrence on tours was the constant coughing and hacking  of many guests during bus rides. Among your litany of Mariner stats, would you have a handle on how many folks got sick on this cruise? I spoke to a number of people who visited the medical center and even one man who said his wife was in quarantine for two days. Eventually I got a bad cough the last week or so of the cruise and decided to visit my Dr. yesterday after arriving home. Chest X-ray revealed slight pneumonia and I am on antibiotics. Will muddle through. 

Happy travels!

[Gilly]

4 hours ago, rickatie said:

Eventually I got a bad cough the last week or so of the cruise and decided to visit my Dr. yesterday after arriving home. Chest X-ray revealed slight pneumonia and I am on antibiotics. Will muddle through. 

 

@rickatie oh no, that's not a good way to end your holiday - I hope you'll feel better soon and that it didn't spoil those precious days of your cruise.

 

You know, I often find myself succumbing to some kind of upper-respiratory tract infection in that part of the world (whether or not I am on a ship) particularly in China  and though I do what I can to avoid it (frequent handwashing and all the sensible hygiene precautions) it's an ongoing weak spot in my constitution.  Thank you for the reminder to pack my favoured medication next week!

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Thanks for sharing your journey. I relived so many memories through your blog! I visited Hakone in 1989. It was a joyful reminder. 

Regards

sheila

[SC Retired Cruiser]

Rich your blog was fantastic.  Your photos and commentary are excellent.  They captured the trip so well.  We enjoyed meeting you and Ginny and hope to see you on a future cruise.

 

Bob

[xrvlcruiser]

18,600+ views! Amazing but well deserved!

 

Thank you Rich.

 

Peggy

[EAGLESLOVER]

Hi Rich

 

Just finished reading your wonderful blog.

It was a fabulous cruise and so nice to relive it through your blog whenever I want.

Lovely meeting you and Ginny and hope to cruise with you again in the future.

 

Sharon

[Mr Rumor]

Wonderful hearing from my fellow Shanghai-Tokyo mariners Linda (and John), Bob (and Maria) and Sharon (and Steve)—it was a joy getting to know you!

 

Rickatie, sorry that you were fated to join the “Way of the Emperors’” impressive Coughing Chorus.  By the end of the cruise we had become members of this large ensemble as well.  Ginny got it worse than me and today is on the third day of her five-day Z-pack regimen.  The Z-pack was already on hand, part of our formidable portable pharmacy.

 

Before starting this post, I did a quick read through most of this blog, spending more time on your posts than mine, and reminding myself how much I appreciate your comments and support.  I commit to a live blog in part because I love sharing the journey with you.  It’s also nice to have a record of our adventure, as well as fun for me to relive my early journalism days and play reporter again.  I humored myself this time by giving myself strict deadlines and time frames with which to put together a post, words and pics. You’d be surprised at how much I accomplished on those long bus rides while others were coughing away!

 

A couple of you have asked what’s on tap for us next.  The answer:  Montreal-New York aboard the Navigator in early October.  I recall my good buddy Z doing a terrific Montreal-New York blog within the last couple of years, but mine will be angled a little differently, as we’ll be cruising with our daughter Shauna.  Many of you know Shauna, who has Down syndrome and who warms hearts wherever she goes.  This will be Shauna’s seventh Regent cruise with us, and, it’ll be a biggie as she’ll turn Gold!  I’ve already spoken with Cruise Consultant Bea Kessler, who’ll be on the Navigator at that time, about arranging a special Gold pin presentation.  Shauna adores shiny little presents, and is sure to be thrilled!

 

In closing, I’ve posted a handful of photos of cherry blossoms and a handful of photos of Mt. Fuji.  But I haven’t posted a photo of both, until now.  Enjoy, and thanks again for following along!

 

“Pink Blossoms for a Shy Lady”  (Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha Shrine, Shimizu)

 

Edited April 25, 2019 by Mr Rumor