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

[ronrick1943]

What a wonderful story, can't tell you in words how much I'm enjoying your trip.  So looking forward to getting on the Mariner in a few weeks. Thanks so much.

[UUNetBill]

I have to say that I'm very much enjoying these posts and photos.  I haven't traveled to this part of the world yet and although it's always been on my bucket list, seeing this thread is moving it up the list.  Thank you for taking the time to bring us along with you on your journey.

[Hambagahle]

1 hour ago, UUNetBill said:

I liked the concept of 'trinkgeld' when I lived in Germany - basically rounding up to the nearest DM or DM5 or whatever.  It left the servers a little 'drink money' and cut down on the change cluttering my pockets.  Win-win.

I agree - and that is what we do as a rule.  (If we get nasty service we leave nothing...)  

 

UUNetBill - We should celebrate our joint birthday!!  I am (secretly) thinking of a cruise for my 80th!!  Haven't talked to Ken about it yet.  We did a nice one for his 80th 2 years ago.  So maybe there is a precedent set.

 

Rich - your photos are wonderful - as usual - and I love the cherry blossoms.  Lucky you to be there when they are in flower.   Enjoy the last hours of the cruise - travel safely home and best to you both  Thanks for taking us along!!

Gerry

[UUNetBill]

22 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

UUNetBill - We should celebrate our joint birthday!!  I am (secretly) thinking of a cruise for my 80th!!  Haven't talked to Ken about it yet.  We did a nice one for his 80th 2 years ago.  So maybe there is a precedent set.

My wife and I are looking at something fun for my 60th coming up in '21 - just waiting for August when the full schedule is released.  April is a good month for a cruise, IMO.  Maybe we'll meet up one of these days!

[Hambagahle]

You are SO young!!  Lucky you.  I just looked at April 2021and didn't see much I fancied.  But Splendour will be "on line" by the next time the itineraries are released and so 2020 might have other options.  I do not want to take long flights - so what I DO want is a Mediterranean or Baltic cruise.  End of April is a problem for the Baltic though.  Probably will be Med and I shall probably want to stay on board the whole time since the Med is in our "backyard" and we have been to a lot of places around it... we can drive to Nice in 5 hrs.  Genova in 3...

Edited April 8, 2019 by Hambagahle

[Mr Rumor]

Hello from Hiroshima!  We timed our arrival with the buses’. . .

 

Thanks for your kind comments, I appreciate them all!  Photo-studded posts like yesterday’s from Kagoshima would not have been possible without a good internet connection, and we’ve enjoyed an excellent one on this cruise.  Hooray for the backup Ku-band!  Computer consultant Alex revealed to me the other day that the Mariner actually switched from the C-band to Ku-band back in mid-March, when the ship first arrived in Japanese waters.

 

Many have booked half-day Hiroshima-themed tours.  Others have booked half-day Miyajima (Itsukushima Shrine) tours.  We decided to splurge on the  “double feature”:  Hiroshima AND Miyajima Exploration (Regent Choice Excursion, $179.00 upcharge).  It’s our 39th anniversary, so why not?!

[vegasdriven]

4 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

You are SO young!!  Lucky you.  I just looked at April 2021and didn't see much I fancied.  But Splendour will be "on line" by the next time the itineraries are released and so 2020 might have other options.  I do not want to take long flights - so what I DO want is a Mediterranean or Baltic cruise.  End of April is a problem for the Baltic though.  Probably will be Med and I shall probably want to stay on board the whole time since the Med is in our "backyard" and we have been to a lot of places around it... we can drive to Nice in 5 hrs.  Genova in 3...

Hambagahle- funny you posted this, I was just thinking about you, and what it must be like to live in Switzerland. Now I see it's like being on a never ending European vacation🙂

[forgap]

Rich, I hope you and Ginny enjoy Hiroshima.  I was there in the mid ‘60’s as a teen and I was very moved by the memorial at the bomb site.  This was a mere 20 years or so after the war.  

 

I remember an old gentleman in traditional dress spent his days at the site as an “Ambassador of Peace”.  He harbored no resentments towards Americans although he and his family suffered through the aftermath of the atomic bomb.   His calm and his generosity of spirit stays with me to this day.  

[Mr Rumor]

Good morning from Kochi.  We’ve just docked on an overcast, damp morning.  We had strong winds—40+ knots—and 10-foot swells overnight.  Our tour, Kochi Castle & Katsurahama Beach, isn’t scheduled to depart until a little past one, about three hours from now.

 

Alas, I’m suddenly having issues uploading any but my smallest-sized photos (481 kb and smaller) to post in this space.   I had computer consultant Alex have a look this morning and he claims that this is a Cruise Critic website issue.  HostDan, if you’re reading this, I get the message, “You did not select any file to upload.  Please contact us for assistance” while I am attempting to upload my larger files.  Up until last night I was able to easily upload files as large as 6.2 megs.

 

I’ve saved the illustrated report I’d prepared on Hiroshima, but would like to share the several photos (small files) I was able to upload.  Fingers crossed I’ll be back in full blogging mode with the help of CC!

 

At Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park yesterday morning  I separated from our tour group long enough to photograph the iconic Hiroshima Prefecture Industrial Promotion Hall, better known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, from under an umbrella of cherry blossoms.

 

We continued by the Flame of Peace, which, our guide Misato explained, “will burn until there are no more nuclear weapons—which will be a long time,” before pausing at the Memorial Cenotaph, whose shape is said to offer a shelter for the souls of the victims of the two bombs. Its stone chest contains a list of 290,000 who perished.  If you look closely, you can see the Atomic Bomb Dome in the distance.

 

After our visit to the Peace Memorial Park and then lunch at a nearby hotel, we took the ferry to Miyajima Island.  The island is the home of one of Japan’s best-known shrines, Itsukushima, with its famed red torii gate that, at high tide, appears to rise up from the ocean.  

Edited April 10, 2019 by Mr Rumor

[Mr Rumor]

Hmmm, I’m using the free Kochi port internet and find I can upload some but not all of the larger files in CC. . .  Here is more from my report from yesterday:

 

April 9, 2019, Hiroshima

 

Our 7.25-hour Hiroshima and Miyajima Exploration excursion was a very special way—soulful is the way Ginny put it—to spend our anniversary.

 

Our visit to the Peace Memorial Park culminated with our walk through the Peace Memorial Museum, where we watched videos of survivors’ accounts of the Hiroshima attack and a riveting 60-second animation showing, from a pilot’s vantage point, the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima and the resulting devastation.

 

That afternoon, as we made our way to the famed Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima island, we passed one of the dozens of small deer that are a part of the Miyajima landscape.

 

Once inside the shrine, which was established in 593, we happened upon a wedding photo shoot.

 

We decided then that Itsukushima wouldn’t be a bad spot for our anniversary photo op.

 

Back on the ship, we had an understanding with our Compass Rose waiter, Romeo (Station 10, recommended!), that we’d dine in CR tonight.  We learned why when, after our meal, we were presented with a luscious chocolate mousse cake and Ginny was serenaded with a tuneful rendition of “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.”  Just the right notes on which to end our day.

Edited April 10, 2019 by Mr Rumor

[RJ2002]

Beautiful pictures of Miyajima island, and I agree, what a great place to celebrate your special day.  Happy Anniversary!

[ronrick1943]

Happy Anniversary 😊 and many more cruise's together with a life full of JOY!

[Gilly]

Many congratulations on your Anniversary - what a great way to celebrate!  

 

I felt similarly about our day in Hiroshima - I felt it was such a privilege to be there, to learn more about the city and the people.  It's hardly the kind of place to go for holiday fun, but I agree Ginny was spot on in her choice of words: "soulful" indeed.  My memories and thoughts provoked by that experience stay with me and it was good to revisit them in your company. Thank you.  It's a very special place.

 

Lovely photo of you both 

Edited April 10, 2019 by Gilly

[Mr Rumor]

 

Thanks for the anniversary wishes!

 

For a 3.5 hour tour, Kochi Castle and Katsurahama Beach sure gave us a workout. It was 200 wide steps up to the castle, the home of a  17th Century samurai, and, once inside, four stories’ worth of steep steps to the very top.  And at Katsurahama, Ginny, not to be denied a beach combing adventure, struck out on her own as her personal photographer tried to catch up after spotting her a couple of hundred yards in the distance.   Several snaps:

 

The castle. . .

 

One of four views from the very top. . .

 

The solitary shell hunter. . .

Edited April 10, 2019 by Mr Rumor

[Mr Rumor]

A Kochi drum group provided the beat at the Top Tier exclusive event in the Constellation Theater tonight at 6.

 

Beforehand, Cruise Consultant Bea informed us that there are 258 Gold Tier or higher aboard with a collective 50,075 nights cruised.  That equals 137 years!

 

Here is the complete breakdown of cruisers by tier:

 

Silver, 289

Gold, 194

Platinum, 45

Titanium, 14

Diamond, 5

[UUNetBill]

On 4/8/2019 at 4:25 PM, Hambagahle said:

You are SO young!!  Lucky you.  I just looked at April 2021and didn't see much I fancied.  But Splendour will be "on line" by the next time the itineraries are released and so 2020 might have other options.  I do not want to take long flights - so what I DO want is a Mediterranean or Baltic cruise.  End of April is a problem for the Baltic though.  Probably will be Med and I shall probably want to stay on board the whole time since the Med is in our "backyard" and we have been to a lot of places around it... we can drive to Nice in 5 hrs.  Genova in 3...

So far, only Mariner and Explorer are posted - that leaves us three more ships to travel to new and fun places.  I understand what you're saying about the long flights - although they don't completely deter me now, it's sure a factor, even in Business Class.  The unfortunate thing is all of the really 'cool' cruises I'd like to do are in Africa or Asia or Australia...all long flights from our current home.  I think I'll just need to suck it up if and when the time comes, even at the tender young age of 60 (I never thought I'd put 'young' and '60' in the same sentence!)     

 

We've sailed the Med a few times but not enough to not want to go back.  We also did our first Regent Caribbean cruise this year, and although the Caribbean doesn't compare to the Med in my book it's hard to beat the short flight to Miami and the relatively low cost for the Regent experience.  Add that to the fact that most of these go right after New Year when my wife needs a respite from the 4th quarter rush at work, well, we've found our new 'quickie' vacation.

Edited April 10, 2019 by UUNetBill

[Mr Rumor]

Good morning, Kobe!  We’ll be seeing Kyoto—and Ginny’s old friend Yasuo (and wife Hiromi)—for the first time in 45 years.  Other than that, nothing special about this day!

 

[Hambagahle]

What a great reunion!  That will be special indeed.  Have a lovely day in Kobe!!

Gerry

[Hambagahle]

16 hours ago, UUNetBill said:

We've sailed the Med a few times but not enough to not want to go back.  We also did our first Regent Caribbean cruise this year, and although the Caribbean doesn't compare to the Med in my book it's hard to beat the short flight to Miami and the relatively low cost for the Regent experience.  Add that to the fact that most of these go right after New Year when my wife needs a respite from the 4th quarter rush at work, well, we've found our new 'quickie' vacation.

For us the Mediterranean is like the Caribbean is for you.   And frankly I don't really care about the ports.  Some are interestings - others not.  And we tend just to go off and do things on our own anyway.  What we DO care about is being on the ship and enjoying the ambiance, service and food.  Plus of course for us land-locked Swiss - seeing the sea "roll" by.

[travelwell]

UUnetBill, I think that the New Zealand-Australia portion of the 2021 WC would be a great way to celebrate your 60th. Who wants to leave SC in April? You  and my DH can support each other’s adversion to neckties. But, this  thread could easily talk you into Japan also...

[Mr Rumor]

I’d rate our nine-hour Historical Kyoto excursion Five Stars.  I’d also designate it Three Shoehorns, for the number of times we had to take our shoes off—Sanjusangen-do temple; the Kyoto restaurant that we enjoyed lunch at, and Nijo-jo Castle.  

 

Tours, especially the long ones involving several hours of bus travel, rise or fall for me based on the quality of the guide.  Lucky for us, Kuniko, a Kyoto native, was superb.  

 

Kuniko personally led us on tours of the temple, castle and our final stop, The Golden Pavilion, where we had to bring our tour-takers’ A game to deal with the swarms on the meandering path.  But the jostling was worth it for photos like this one.

 

Photos were not allowed at the temple or castle, but it wasn’t a big deal as I couldn’t have done justice to these treasures with my camera.

 

The sight at Sanjusangen-do of 1001 statues of Kannon, the Buddhist deity of mercy, was especially stunning.  Why so many statues?   Because in the 12th Century, when the temple was built at the request of the emperor, “there was a lot of war,” Kuniko explained, “and people needed help.”  The wooden statues along with statues of 28 guardian deities are housed in a 120-meter-long wooden temple hall, Japan’s largest.

 

At the Nijo-Jo Castle, completed in 1603 and, today, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we toured various rooms in the sprawling Ninomaru-goten Palace as I ogled the art.  There are 3,600 wall paintings inside the palace that was the residence of the founder and first Shogun of the long-reigning Tokugawa Shogunate (1603-1867), with more than 1,000 of them designated by Japan as Important Cultural Properties.

 

Although our schedule was tight, Kuniko wanted to be sure we had a few minutes to get a peak at Ninomaru’s garden afterwards.  There I spied the single most beautiful cherry tree in full bloom yet.

 

“You are so lucky!” Kuniko remarked about our nonstop cherry blossom viewing since Kagoshima.  We know, Kuniko!

[ronrick1943]

In one word, Beautiful!

[travelwell]

Agree, absolutely stunning!

[Travelcat2]

On 4/10/2019 at 4:19 AM, Mr Rumor said:

A Kochi drum group provided the beat at the Top Tier exclusive event in the Constellation Theater tonight at 6.

 

Beforehand, Cruise Consultant Bea informed us that there are 258 Gold Tier or higher aboard with a collective 50,075 nights cruised.  That equals 137 years!

 

Here is the complete breakdown of cruisers by tier:

 

Silver, 289

Gold, 194

Platinum, 45

Titanium, 14

Diamond, 5

 

It is apparent from your numbers that the "Gold" Seven Seas Society members are causing the "Top Tier" events to be less than they were in the past.  They seriously need an event for Platinum, Titanium, Diamond and Commodore Seven Seas Society members.  If you add up these levels there would only be 65 passengers instead of including 194 extra passengers.  Even with 65 passengers, having an intimate Top Tier event would be a challenge.

[Pinksunset]

Mr Rumor and Ginny:  Happy Anniversary and Thank you for sharing your trip with us, and your stunning, special pictures!

Vegasdriven (and Hambagahle) Switzerland is an extremely beautiful, charming country.  My best friend lives there, and I’ve been there many times.  I would love to live there!  Unfortunately visits will have to suffice.