“Live From” Z and TB’s Tapas and Sangria Tour

[Zqueeze1]

Good Morning!  We are thrilled to be returning back to cruising and doing another “Live From” thread. We intend to share our adventures, answer any questions you may have, and drop some corny comments.  We welcome our fellow cruisers to jump in and also share their cruising adventures. So, as Rich would say, we are setting the table and welcome all to sit and enjoy. 

Let me tell you who we are. My better half is Pam aka The Boss or TB. She is a Nurse at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft Lauderdale. I am Roberto with a life long call sign as Zqueeze or Z.  She is beautiful and wonderful and I am barely in my teens in terms of maturity.  You folks ever seen a sloth crossing a busy road?  That’s my level of common sense. I am retired military and currently work as a Program Manager for Uncle Sam. Pam is quiet and reserved and I’ve never met a stranger.  We are in our early 60s (I know, I don’t look it) and live in south Florida soon to retire possibly in Port St Lucie or Vero Beach. 
Anywho, we are flying out today from Miami to Barcelona on American Airlines 777-200ER.  I love planes and flying so here’s a stock pic of our plane. 

We will stay in Barcelona until Sunday when we board the gorgeous Explorer for a fourteen day transatlantic cruise to Miami. More on that later. 

 

We will report on our Barcelona adventures to include the sites and what I do best: eat. We hope to report on cruising in a Covid world and post lots of pics of the ship, sites, and me in my new speedo.  Comments and insults are welcome. 
 

Gotta go and start getting ready!  But here is a sample of TB’s attempt to pack:

Z and TB

[mj_holiday]

Safe travels. I am sure we all will enjoy your “Live from “

[UUNetBill]

Z, as much as I miss cruising I miss your commentaries almost as much.  We're not back on board until January so I'll be cruising vicariously through you two.  Looking forward to your signature humor and irreverence and I sincerely hope you guys have a fantastic trip.  Safe travels.

 

PS - I really, really hope we're able to sail with you guys sometime in the future...something tells me it would be a two week yukfest...

[Grandmaanne7]

So looking forward to vicariously enjoying your adventures, especially since we will board Explorer for our first Regent experience just a few weeks after you. Safe, wonderful travels!

[Ladys Mom]

Have a wonderful trip.  Look forward to all of your commentary.  We are on the Splendor in Athens on 11/11.  Tell us about the weather.  We need to pack.

[Mudhen]

OMG! So jealous that you folks and J and D will be holding regular Bloody Mary and Margarita Society meetings at the pool, WITHOUT US!  Big sigh....However I'm so glad that our proud reputation will carry in on grand style! 

We'll board the Explorer for the Xmas extravaganza on Dec. 20th. I know it will be a lot to ask, but please try and save some sort of alcohol for us and a couple of steaks and crab legs!!!

All kidding aside, we wish you fair winds and following seas! Enjoy!!

Will be looking forward to your updates!

Linda and John

[NCCruzQueen]

@Zqueeze1, thanks for setting up the first Regent “Live from” thread in 18 months.   Can’t speak for others, but I am overjoyed to read a continuous blog of back-to-cruising life.  Having read some of your previous threads, I know you won’t disappoint us.  As I am boarding Explorer on November 15 in Miami, I will be an anxious reader!

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Looking forward to your reporting on your cruise… we are following on Splendor on December 8th. 
It’s cruise time again… how wonderful. 
sheila. 

[Gpilon]

We're on Splendor March 2022 so very much look forward to your "Live From" reports. Being that I took the Peter Pan Pledge to Never Grow Up, I am a forever 17 year old buffoon. Hopefully one day we will sail together. The Bride was in Healthcare her entire career so something else in common. Safe travels.

[BNguy]

Thank you to Z and TB for starting this thread, like many others here we will be on a later cruise (Dec. 8th) but really are looking forward to your reports.  This will be our first, (of several, I hope) on Regent.

 

[UUNetBill]

6 minutes ago, BNguy said:

This will be our first, (of several, I hope) on Regent.

If we're any indication, it'll be the first of many!  We took our 'once in a lifetime cruise' on Regent in 2009 and had our second one booked while we were still onboard, day three, I think.  🙂

 

They're a bit addictive.

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

So excited for your review!  We have our 1st Regent cruise out of Barcelona Nov 23 on Splendor heading to Miami!  I will be interested in your comments on EVERYTHING!  We just received an upgrade offer on our cruise and jumped on it!  My biggest fear now is that I'll love it so much I won't want to return to basic cruising---oh, who am I kidding----I won't be able to get DH to return!  I will go for almost anything just to be cruising!

Have a wonderful trip and blow it out!  😎

[Texas Oceans]

Thank you!  Thank you!! Thank you!!!  So excited to hear every detail.  We've missed cruising so much and so will enjoy coming along with the two of you!  Our next adventure will be the World Cruise in 2022 - your adventure will get us prepared!!!

[RachelG]

So jealous.  I will be hanging on to every word!  And tell the boss she needs to pack more shoes. 

[Got2Cruise]

Can’t wait to hang onto every precious detail! Yay and thank you for allowing us to tag along. 

[Zqueeze1]

5 hours ago, UUNetBill said:

Z, as much as I miss cruising I miss your commentaries almost as much.  We're not back on board until January so I'll be cruising vicariously through you two.  Looking forward to your signature humor and irreverence and I sincerely hope you guys have a fantastic trip.  Safe travels.

 

PS - I really, really hope we're able to sail with you guys sometime in the future...something tells me it would be a two week yukfest...

I had to look up irreverence.  Anywho,  two weeks would require a barge alongside to carry extra booze.  Take care. 
Z and TB

[Zqueeze1]

4 hours ago, Mudhen said:

OMG! So jealous that you folks and J and D will be holding regular Bloody Mary and Margarita Society meetings at the pool, WITHOUT US!  Big sigh....However I'm so glad that our proud reputation will carry in on grand style! 

We'll board the Explorer for the Xmas extravaganza on Dec. 20th. I know it will be a lot to ask, but please try and save some sort of alcohol for us and a couple of steaks and crab legs!!!

All kidding aside, we wish you fair winds and following seas! Enjoy!!

Will be looking forward to your updates!

Linda and John

We will have our first BM&M Society meeting at 1100om our first sea day and will have a toast for yous. 
Z and TB

[Zqueeze1]

3 hours ago, NCCruzQueen said:

@Zqueeze1, thanks for setting up the first Regent “Live from” thread in 18 months.   Can’t speak for others, but I am overjoyed to read a continuous blog of back-to-cruising life.  Having read some of your previous threads, I know you won’t disappoint us.  As I am boarding Explorer on November 15 in Miami, I will be an anxious reader!

Thanks!  If I recall correctly, I think that we did the last Live From thread for Regent back in March 2020. The next cruise was cancelled two days after departure. 
Z and TB

[Zqueeze1]

3 hours ago, Gpilon said:

We're on Splendor March 2022 so very much look forward to your "Live From" reports. Being that I took the Peter Pan Pledge to Never Grow Up, I am a forever 17 year old buffoon. Hopefully one day we will sail together. The Bride was in Healthcare her entire career so something else in common. Safe travels.

GP:  Bufoon is my middle name.  
Z and TB

[Zqueeze1]

2 hours ago, Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin said:

So excited for your review!  We have our 1st Regent cruise out of Barcelona Nov 23 on Splendor heading to Miami!  I will be interested in your comments on EVERYTHING!  We just received an upgrade offer on our cruise and jumped on it!  My biggest fear now is that I'll love it so much I won't want to return to basic cruising---oh, who am I kidding----I won't be able to get DH to return!  I will go for almost anything just to be cruising!

Have a wonderful trip and blow it out!  😎

No worries. We were of the same mindset. After our first Regent cruise, we did a Royal Caribbean cruise and realized that the two do not compare and never went back to mainstream cruising.  I think this is our 13th Regent cruise. 
Z and TB

[Zqueeze1]

37 minutes ago, RachelG said:

So jealous.  I will be hanging on to every word!  And tell the boss she needs to pack more shoes. 

No way. She already packed Teo miles worth of supplies. 
Z and TB

[Zqueeze1]

Ok, folks. We made it through the horrible Miami traffic and are sitting in the Flagship lounge at the airport.  Really nice place with lots of food to choose from plus complimentary drinks (hooray

Edited October 27, 2021 by Zqueeze1

[Zqueeze1]

That’s just a snippet of all the food and drinks available. 
When we checked in, the AA agent fell back and fainted upon seeing TB’s luggage cart:

We take off at 1800 and will be flying in business class acquired  with Frequent Flyer miles. 

Pam, as always, will sleep at least seven out of nine flight hours and I will stay up watching movies since I can’t sleep on airplanes even with this seat/bed:

However, I used to sleep like a baby jinking and flying low level sorties with the military. 
Checking in was a breeze. When flying international, please ensure you complete the VeriFLY app and give yourself plenty of time to do it since it is not very user friendly.  In addition, if flying to Spain, you need to fill out the SpTH app which provides you with a QR code needed for checking in.  This is what we really checked in luggage wise 

Z and TB

next:  flight to BCN

 

Edited October 27, 2021 by Zqueeze1

[Sheltieluv]

Hope you and TB have a wonderful cruise!  Please let us know if there are any familiar faces among the crew.  I recommended Mario to you, oh my goodness it must be over 2 years ago now, and I've wondered if he returned to Regent.   

We don't cruise until next summer,  so I'll be following your reports with great interest.  Enjoy!  

[Zqueeze1]

43 minutes ago, Sheltieluv said:

Hope you and TB have a wonderful cruise!  Please let us know if there are any familiar faces among the crew.  I recommended Mario to you, oh my goodness it must be over 2 years ago now, and I've wondered if he returned to Regent.   

We don't cruise until next summer,  so I'll be following your reports with great interest.  Enjoy!  

We know Mario and love him!  He is a wonderful dude. 

Z and TB