Random Notes, Navigator, Montreal-NY, 10/3-10/15/19, LIVE!

[Mr Rumor]

pingpong, thanks for the restaurant suggestion.  Had a very nice—but rather petite—lobster roll at our Best of Maine lunch stop today (Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport) and I’d love another!

Edited October 12, 2019 by Mr Rumor

[Kwaj girl]

@Mr Rumor would you happen to know if any of the bars currently stock Fever Tree Cucumber Tonic water?  Asking for a friend who will be joining us on Nav  later this month.

[Mudhen]

35 minutes ago, Kwaj girl said:

@Mr Rumor would you happen to know if any of the bars currently stock Fever Tree Cucumber Tonic water?  Asking for a friend who will be joining us on Nav  later this month.

I'd be delighted as well, if they stocked ANY Fever Tree tonic. I had forgotten to request it for our cabin. 

[papaflamingo]

1 hour ago, Mudhen said:

I'd be delighted as well, if they stocked ANY Fever Tree tonic. I had forgotten to request it for our cabin. 

Another vote for Fever Tree!  We're on Navigator next June.  Fever Tree would make the missus very happy! 😎

[Hambagahle]

11 hours ago, Mr Rumor said:

A scene from our passing bus as we returned to the ship on I-95 this afternoon.  Best day of fall-colors viewing yet!

 

 

SPECTACULAR!    I was just talking with a friend here (Switzerland) about autumn colours and she said that the trees around here turn wonderful colours...to which I replied "you haven't seen anything until you see a New England autumn".     And this photo sums that up in all its glory!

[Hambagahle]

Shops here just started offering Fever Tree.  Their ginger beer is sensational!  Makes wonderful Dark and Stormies!!

[Mr Rumor]

Sandy, Linda, and papaflamingo, I have the Fever Tree tonic water scoop for you from F&B Director Vlad.

 

Fever Tree remains a special-order product preferably ordered 90 days in advance.  However, Vlad said, Miami may soon be seeking to “implement it as a future item,” adding “Fever Tree is a huge brand and a very good product, very popular.”

 

As for your friend, Sandy, and you and John, Linda, Vlad vowed to make a special Fever Tree tonic water purchase in Boston tomorrow.  While he can’t guarantee being able to purchase the cucumber flavor he said it will be on his shopping list!

[Kwaj girl]

@Mr Rumor you are amazing!  Thank you...we appreciate your  (and Vlad's) efforts!

 

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Please give a big hug to Vlad for me. I hope to meet him again. 🤗
Sheila

[Fairfield Nana]

2 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

SPECTACULAR!    I was just talking with a friend here (Switzerland) about autumn colours and she said that the trees around here turn wonderful colours...to which I replied "you haven't seen anything until you see a New England autumn".     And this photo sums that up in all its glory!

Also loved your fall foliage photo. Any thoughts/suggestions for ports and possible excursions to get best chance to see these beautiful sights? I realize it can be a  bit of a chance due to non-"global warming" and other weather events. Wouldn't mind the four of us renting a car for a few hours in a port.

[Mr Rumor]

Gerry and Fairfield Nana, I was wowed by one spectacular fall scene after another as our tour bus sped along I-95 on our Best of Maine excursion yesterday.  I just wish a photo stop had been included in the excursion, as it was a challenge to photograph from the bus, even though my third-row seat on the right side gave me a pretty good view of the color action on the left.

 

Fairfield Nana, regarding suggestions for optimizing your chances to see the changing colors, I recall you mentioning in an earlier post your having booked a similar itinerary for late September of next year.  That might be a little early for best viewing, but then again it might not, as the leaves don’t change color based on a schedule.  I think your best bet would be to book excursions in ports like Portland, Halifax and Quebec that include drives in the countryside, and hope for the best (viewing)!

[Mudhen]

5 hours ago, Mr Rumor said:

Sandy, Linda, and papaflamingo, I have the Fever Tree tonic water scoop for you from F&B Director Vlad.

 

Fever Tree remains a special-order product preferably ordered 90 days in advance.  However, Vlad said, Miami may soon be seeking to “implement it as a future item,” adding “Fever Tree is a huge brand and a very good product, very popular.”

 

As for your friend, Sandy, and you and John, Linda, Vlad vowed to make a special Fever Tree tonic water purchase in Boston tomorrow.  While he can’t guarantee being able to purchase the cucumber flavor he said it will be on his shopping list!

Oh, be still my heart!!! That would be absolutely wonderful!!! So very much appreciated!

[pingpong1]

6 hours ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

Please give a big hug to Vlad for me. I hope to meet him again. 🤗
Sheila

Yes Rich - Our thanks to you and Vlad, as well.  Add us to the list of "Fever Tree fans"!

[Mr Rumor]

Sandy, Linda and pingpong1, it was my pleasure to speak with Vlad about Fever Tree.  Perhaps this discussion might convince Miami to move sooner rather than later on making FT a Regent “item.”

 

Pingpong, a funny thing happened on our way to DiMillo’s for that lobster roll lunch—we wound up at the venerable (since 1898) Boone’s Fish Market instead.  The gentleman handling the Portland tours for Regent encouraged us to give it a try as we were leaving the ship and while the name was still fresh in mind we walked by it (the restaurant is located practically next door to the terminal).  

 

I’m not an expert on lobster rolls but I don’t know how Shauna’s and mine could have been any fresher or more delicious.   I ordered the Classic for Shauna, with lemon mayo. . .

 

. . .while I ordered the Nor’easter, “warmed in butter.”  Instead of fries, we got soup—Lobster Bisque for Shauna, Clam Chowder for me.  Of course, as my daughter’s official taster, I was required to taste everything.

 

Although I’m a mayo guy, I preferred the Nor’easter.  Lenox, our waiter, said about 90% of his customers opt for the butter.

 

After lunch I clearly still had fresh Maine lobster on the brain when we walked into the Harbor Fish Market Place and I peered at a couple of hundred bucks’ worth of lobster meat.   $54.95 a pound—$64.95 for tails only!

 

For the cleverness of the name alone I would have washed down my lunch with a smoothie at this juice place, but I was stuffed!

 

[xrvlcruiser]

When in Maine!

 

And I'd go for the one with butter too.

 

[Fairfield Nana]

Rich--thanks for this reply and the tips. Especially thanks for the fantastic commentary you have been providing--best I've read! 

[Hambagahle]

Rich - that lobster has me drooling.  And the prices did too - to get shelled lobster - so meat only - for around $60 seemed at first really cheap but then I suddenly realised - he is talking about pounds and not kilos !!   We pay about $55/kilo for lobster here but that is IN the shell.   I would still like to visit Maine - to eat!

[Mr Rumor]

Ah, “Krew Kapers,” those two bittersweet words from Passages that tell us our cruise is nearing its end. 

 

Kapers, long a part of the Captain’s Farewell and just about Ginny’s, Shauna’s and my favorite Constellation Theater event, is my cue to share some crew stats with you.  Our 365 Navigator crew members, 294 males and 71 females, hail from 36 countries.

 

As always, the Philippines leads the way with 151 crew members—121 males and 30 females. India follows with 62 males and three females.  Indonesia is third with 42 males and one female.

 

Here is the complete Crew Nationality Breakdown for Seven Seas Navigator’s “Colors of the Fall”:

 

Philippines, 151

India, 65

Indonesia, 43

United States, 14

Honduras, 11

Ukraine, 10

United Kingdom, 8

Bulgaria, 7

Croatia, 7

Serbia, 6

Brazil, 5

Italy, 4

Myanmar, 4

Romania, 4

Greece, 2

Panama, 2

Russia, 2

Thailand, 2

Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1

Barbados, 1

Canada, 1

Columbia, 1

France, 1

Germany, 1

Korea, 1

Sri Lanka, 1

Macedonia, 1

Malaysia, 1

Mexico, 1

Nepal, 1

Peru, 1

Poland, 1

Slovenia, 1

Turkey, 1

Trinidad and Tobago, 1

South Africa, 1 

[Mr Rumor]

Good morning, Boston!   (And I see you, Silver Whisper!)

[forgap]

Beautiful morning!  Have fun in my old stomping grounds!

[papaflamingo]

21 hours ago, Mr Rumor said:

Sandy, Linda, and papaflamingo, I have the Fever Tree tonic water scoop for you from F&B Director Vlad.

 

Fever Tree remains a special-order product preferably ordered 90 days in advance.  However, Vlad said, Miami may soon be seeking to “implement it as a future item,” adding “Fever Tree is a huge brand and a very good product, very popular.”

 

As for your friend, Sandy, and you and John, Linda, Vlad vowed to make a special Fever Tree tonic water purchase in Boston tomorrow.  While he can’t guarantee being able to purchase the cucumber flavor he said it will be on his shopping list!

Thanks for the good news!  My wife will be happy  that they are considering this, happier when it's implemented.  And you know the old saying... "Happy wife, more cruises booked!".😎

Edited October 13, 2019 by papaflamingo

[Mr Rumor]

23 minutes ago, forgap said:

Beautiful morning!  Have fun in my old stomping grounds!

Thanks, Jennifer—can’t wait to stretch my legs on the Freedom Trail Walk!

 

6 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

Thanks for the good news!  My wife will be happy  that they are considering this, happier when it's implemented.  And you know the old saying... "Happy wife, more cruises booked!".😎

Papaflamingo, I want you to be the first to know that Vlad did not wait for Boston to stock up on Fever Tree, he sent a provisions employee into Portland yesterday to locate the product.  Fever Tree, I’m happy to report, is in the building!

[papaflamingo]

1 minute ago, Mr Rumor said:

Papaflamingo, I want you to be the first to know that Vlad did not wait for Boston to stock up on Fever Tree, he sent a provisions employee into Portland yesterday to locate the product.  Fever Tree, I’m happy to report, is in the building!

WOW!! Excellent!  Thanks. By the way, I've been hanging on your every word on your wonderful cruise.  We are doing almost the same cruise next June.  We just picked our shore excursions and I would like to say that your reviews helped immensely.    Looks like a fantastic cruise.  We're counting the days.  Thanks so much for sharing it with us!  

[Kwaj girl]

39 minutes ago, Mr Rumor said:

Thanks, Jennifer—can’t wait to stretch my legs on the Freedom Trail Walk!

 

Papaflamingo, I want you to be the first to know that Vlad did not wait for Boston to stock up on Fever Tree, he sent a provisions employee into Portland yesterday to locate the product.  Fever Tree, I’m happy to report, is in the building!

Thank you so much for this update....but especially your daily report.  Just makes me all that much more jazzed to be boarding Tuesday for the 2 B2B voyages.   Loved your photos and commentary.  Opus says "hi" to Shauna and Stowie.

[Mudhen]

OH WOW! Fever Tree!! A massive thank you to Vlad, and intrepid procurer for obtaining our favorite tonic water. I don't care what "flavor" it is, as anything FT is a great and wonderful thing!

Hope you have a great time in Boston and I know for a fact that Newport will treat you well! What are you doing there?

J&L