Rare Gpilon Posted March 19, 2022 #151 Share Posted March 19, 2022 Our Costa Maya port of call today is cancelled. They claimed it was because of high winds and swells but it seems that the last few CM calls were also cancelled. So another sea day….works for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 19, 2022 Author #152 Share Posted March 19, 2022 Our second port of call was San Juan, our excursion was the San Juan City Tour. Before boarding the bus, the tour guide had a warning for me. He noticed that I was I was wearing my NY Jets hat, and wanted me to brace myself for what I would see when I boarded the bus We started by driving around Old San Juan, a nice area to tour. Statue of St. John the Baptist, for whom the city is named Monument to the Police Plaza in Honor of Puerto Rican Teachers Holocaust Memorial Our first stop was at the Walkway of the Presidents, where there are statues of 9 US Presidents that have visited Puerto Rico Let's play...Name That President! 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bonus question 10- What US President who has visited Puerto Rico does not have a statue here? All of those that get all 10 correct will win unlimited free laundry on their next Regent cruise! Our next stop was at the San Cristobal fort. A very nice site to explore with great views. We had an hour to explore here, I think that everyone on our tour agreed that a half hour would have been sufficient. We then drove around Old San Juan a bit more, passing the El Morro fort We then drove through New San Juan. Frankly, this is not an area that I think is optimum to see through the window of a tour bus. We had one stop here at a strip of beach for 15 minutes. Why am I spending 15 minutes here??? I enjoyed the tour, but if I was choosing over, I would have selected a San Juan walking tour. This area is very amenable for walking, and I think that would have been a better use of our time here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Lew- Posted March 19, 2022 #153 Share Posted March 19, 2022 1 hour ago, boblerm said: Love it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare GeorgiaPeach51 Posted March 19, 2022 #154 Share Posted March 19, 2022 2 hours ago, Gpilon said: Our Costa Maya port of call today is cancelled. They claimed it was because of high winds and swells but it seems that the last few CM calls were also cancelled. So another sea day….works for us. Yep. Ours was cancelled last week. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RachelG Posted March 19, 2022 #155 Share Posted March 19, 2022 2 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said: Yep. Ours was cancelled last week. Apparently it is almost always cancelled. Not sure why they keep it on the itinerary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
physadv Posted March 19, 2022 #156 Share Posted March 19, 2022 29 minutes ago, RachelG said: Apparently it is almost always cancelled. Not sure why they keep it on the itinerary. 4 hours ago, boblerm said: Our second port of call was San Juan, our excursion was the San Juan City Tour. Before boarding the bus, the tour guide had a warning for me. He noticed that I was I was wearing my NY Jets hat, and wanted me to brace myself for what I would see when I boarded the bus We started by driving around Old San Juan, a nice area to tour. Statue of St. John the Baptist, for whom the city is named Monument to the Police Plaza in Honor of Puerto Rican Teachers Holocaust Memorial Our first stop was at the Walkway of the Presidents, where there are statues of 9 US Presidents that have visited Puerto Rico Let's play...Name That President! 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bonus question 10- What US President who has visited Puerto Rico does not have a statue here? All of those that get all 10 correct will win unlimited free laundry on their next Regent cruise! Our next stop was at the San Cristobal fort. A very nice site to explore with great views. We had an hour to explore here, I think that everyone on our tour agreed that a half hour would have been sufficient. We then drove around Old San Juan a bit more, passing the El Morro fort We then drove through New San Juan. Frankly, this is not an area that I think is optimum to see through the window of a tour bus. We had one stop here at a strip of beach for 15 minutes. Why am I spending 15 minutes here??? I enjoyed the tour, but if I was choosing over, I would have selected a San Juan walking tour. This area is very amenable for walking, and I think that would have been a better use of our time here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
physadv Posted March 19, 2022 #157 Share Posted March 19, 2022 Thanks for the San Juan update. There are very few options for our December Splendor cruise with a similar itinerary. They heard you because I don't even see the infamous beach stop. We've been there before so a walk to Old San Juan sounds like what we'll be doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 20, 2022 Author #158 Share Posted March 20, 2022 19 hours ago, physadv said: Thanks for the San Juan update. There are very few options for our December Splendor cruise with a similar itinerary. They heard you because I don't even see the infamous beach stop. We've been there before so a walk to Old San Juan sounds like what we'll be doing. Old San Juan is a perfect city for walking. There is so much to see within a half hour walk from the ship. If you cannot sign up for a walking tour excursion, it is easy to do on your own. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 20, 2022 Author #159 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Here are the answers to "Name That President!" 1. Ike 2. JFK 3. LBJ 4. Ford 5. Truman 6. FDR 7. Hoover 8. TR 9. Obama 10.Trunp How did you do? @Gpilon, do you know what the passenger count is on this voyage? On ours, it was 530. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 20, 2022 Author #160 Share Posted March 20, 2022 @islandchick, as per your request, here are the daily schedules from the Passages. The first one is comprehensive, but my auto feeder on my scanner skipped one day which I provide separately. The 3rd one is the Hours of Operation from a Sunday. They vary very little from other days, other than the Champaign in La Veranda. For lunch, there is sometimes a special BBQ on the pool deck, and either P7 or Chartreuse is open for lunch, or both. Passages March 7-16,2022.pdf Passages March 11,2022.pdf Hours of Operation.pdf 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted March 20, 2022 #161 Share Posted March 20, 2022 22 hours ago, RachelG said: Apparently it is almost always cancelled. Not sure why they keep it on the itinerary. I wonder if that's changed since the hurricane that swept the docks away a few years back? We were there before that with no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RachelG Posted March 20, 2022 #162 Share Posted March 20, 2022 33 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said: I wonder if that's changed since the hurricane that swept the docks away a few years back? We were there before that with no problems. Could be. We were there before the hurricane and had no issues as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 20, 2022 Author #163 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Our next port of call was St. Kitts, a beach excursion was offered, and that is what we chose. It was called, "Carambola Beach Break, and it was a visit to the beach, pure and simple. Chairs were included, but you have to pay $10 for umbrella. The description stipulates that "beach chairs are available on a first come and fist served basis". We apparently got there just in the nick of time. Food and beverage was available for purchase. I mean, we can't be expected to be away from food or beverage for 3 1/2 hours, am I right? It was raining pretty good when we arrived, but it soon cleared up and it was fine during our stay, maybe a sprinkle or 2 here and there. We spent a very pleasant afternoon here. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
islandchick Posted March 20, 2022 #164 Share Posted March 20, 2022 boblerm, wow, thanks so much for this information. I appreciate all the time you have taken to give this to me. I am sure it will benefit many others who are interested as well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 20, 2022 Author #165 Share Posted March 20, 2022 2 hours ago, islandchick said: boblerm, wow, thanks so much for this information. I appreciate all the time you have taken to give this to me. I am sure it will benefit many others who are interested as well. Happy to help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mariners Posted March 20, 2022 #166 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Thanks for taking the time to post when you were onboard the ship, and also for adding the photos now that it is easier to post them. Although we have never sailed the Splendor, she is on our radar for 2023/2024. Your posts will help us when it's time to make the decision as to the ship(s) we will sail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossie009 Posted March 21, 2022 #167 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Excellent blog 14 hours ago, boblerm said: "beach chairs are available on a first come and fist served basis". Lucky there were plenty available. Wouldn’t want you having to resort to pugilism to reserve your spot 😉 (enough discussion about those issues on another thread) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 21, 2022 Author #168 Share Posted March 21, 2022 4 hours ago, flossie009 said: Excellent blog Lucky there were plenty available. Wouldn’t want you having to resort to pugilism to reserve your spot 😉 (enough discussion about those issues on another thread) 😆 I really need to start proof reading my posts! 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 21, 2022 Author #169 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Dominica is one of my favorite ports of call in the Caribbean, a beautiful island, and one well suited to see via tour bus. Our tour was called "Dominica's Favorites". My last visit here was in 2019, and the island was still showing some of the devastating effects of Hurricane Maria 2 years earlier, and a good chunk was still without electricity. These photos were taken then I am happy to say that the situation is greatly improved. It rained on and off all day, and this is the dry season. Our first stop was at the Emerald Pool located at the bottom of a 40 foot waterfall. The walk down was nice However what goes down, must come up. The walk back up was a bit more challenging, but not too bad. Neither of the gents shown above is me. We drove around admiring the scenery for a while, and then had a stop for some relaxation and complementary liquid refreshment. Apparently, Dominica got the memo in regard to cruise ship passengers and maximum intervals deprived of sustenance. It was 10;30 AM, but the sun being over the yardarm somewhere, surely, we did indulge. My Video.mp4 We then drove on to Trafagar Falls. Another bit of a hike to get to the falls,, but well worth it. 20220312_115054.mp4 Pictures and videos do not come anywhere near doing justice to this majestic sight. Drove around some more through a botanical garden and then had a stop at at the Morne Bruce for a beautiful view from the lookout. Then drove back to the ship. As we passed this spot, our tour guide told us that people are dying to get in there. Hey, blame her not me!!😇 These taken from the ship 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare GeorgiaPeach51 Posted March 21, 2022 #170 Share Posted March 21, 2022 Wonderful photos! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 22, 2022 Author #171 Share Posted March 22, 2022 They say that Antigua has 365 beaches, one for every day of the year. I can neither confirm nor deny this assertion, but I can say that it has some very fine beaches. Our tour was Dickenson Bay Beach Break. A short drive , followed by 3 1/2 hours on a lovely beach. A drink and chairs were included, 10 bucks for umbrella. Not too much to say about it, other than for me, this is a perfect way to spend time in the Caribbean. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 22, 2022 Author #172 Share Posted March 22, 2022 Our final port of call was St. Barts. Not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 22, 2022 Author #173 Share Posted March 22, 2022 It's time to move on to Food! We dined once in each of the 4 specialty restaurants, and did not try for any additional nights. For us, on a 10 night cruise, one in each of the specialties is just fine, as we are huge fans of Compass Rose. Prime 7 We have a tradition of dining in Prime 7 on the first night of all of our Regent cruises. Like Tevye, I do not know how this tradition got started. But...it's a tradition! amuse bouche Lump Crab Cake Tuna & Avocado Poke Harvest Salad (mixed greens, kernel corn, roasted pumpkin, pickled red beets, dried cherries & cranberries, cajun spiced pecans, honey-walnut vinaigrette) We always order our dressings on the side. For mains, we both had a surf and turf, both with Alaskan King Crab Legs as our surf. . We asked that the crab meat be removed from the shell, makes things a lot easier, at least for us. Jeannie had filet mignon, and I the prime rib. They were both very good, but the filet was the better choice, more flavorful and tender. I think that I have tried most of the cuts of meat at Prime 7 by now, and have never found one that I prefer to the filet, most likely I will be returning to that for my future visits to P7. Sides And the pièce de résistance. It is not possible for me to visit Prime 7 without ordering the best dessert on the planet, and one that needs no introduction to Regent regulars, or, for that matter, anyone who tends to read Regent trip reports on Cruise Critic. Our dining experience was off to a great start ! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1982CruzStart Posted March 22, 2022 #174 Share Posted March 22, 2022 Thanks you so much for all the great pictures and information. Looks like you had a great cruise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare boblerm Posted March 22, 2022 Author #175 Share Posted March 22, 2022 Pacific Rim If we had chosen to dine for a second time in any specialty restaurant, it would have been this one, as there are so many items on the menu that I would love to try. In fact, I don't think that there is anything on the menu that I wouldn't want to try. We wanted to try sake to have with out appetizers. We don't know too much about sake, I think that we only had it once before in Crystal's Umi Uma. Here, they only had 2 choices, a hot and a cold. We chose the cold..The one that we had on Crystal was clear, this one was very cloudy and looks like skim milk. Our server said it is unfiltered. We did enjoy it, though. Amuse bouche Appetizers- Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai Vegetable Pot Stickers Seaweed & Wakame Salad Peking Duck & Watermelon Salad For mains, Jeannie had Lobster Tempura I asked for a half order of lobster tempura with a half order of Korean Style Barbecue Lamb Chops. The full order of lamb shops are 3, so I got 2. And it looked to me that my half order of the tempura was not so much smaller than Jeannie's full order. No problem finishing it, however. For dessert, we shared the coconut tres leches, in addition to whatever else they bring. Incidentally, when I say "we shared" in regard to dessert, what I really mean is I have, and Jeannie has a few bites to make me think that I am only eating half. You may be thinking, "No Miso Black Cod?? Inconceivable!" Here's why- I think that I would only like to have a miso glazed fish dish once in a week's time, and I know that I am going to have the Miso Glazed Sea Bass in Compass Rose, I actually prefer that preparation. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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