Fun, food, friends, and football live! Splendor February 8-22, 2023

[AtA]

19 minutes ago, Roccaforte said:

I had the veal Marsala in Sette Mari.  It was tough and lacking in Marsala flavor.  Probably the only disappointing meal we had,

The only meals that haven’t been disappointing are what we had at lunch in the grill and our meal in Pacific Rim. 

My veal scallopini in Sette Mare I literally couldn’t cut it with a steak knife. BTW after dinner in Sette Mare they give you biscotti. It is prepackaged like you woul buy in a supermarket or Costco. NOT made in house. 

Last night I had the tomato sauce pasta with burrata. The sauce was thin with no chunks of tomato, garlic, spices. And the burrata was the size of a dime. Overall the food is bland and definitely not 6 star. 

However, the ship is gorgeous. The staff is very good and entertainment and lectures excellent. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

17 minutes ago, gwesq said:

Seems they may be having a VEAL issue onboard, as there are issues with Veal CHop, Veal Marsala, and Veal Scallopine.   Maybe we'll stick to fish.  

That's what I do 🙂

[kjbacon]

We have had mostly very good meals with only the occasional miss. The service is outstanding. Yesterday, I mentioned that we often have avocado with sambal and hard boiled eggs for breakfast. Good and good for you!! Today …

 

We took a bus tour of curaçao this morning and while the stops were only ok, a brand new bus, a great tour guide, and beautiful scenery made for a good tour. There is artwork everywhere and plenty of unusual plants. There are lots of hummingbirds on the island and I was lucky to get a great picture.

 

 

 

 

We are enjoying some people watching while we wait for the Carnival parade. And tonight, FLY EAGLES FLY! 💚🦅💚

[gwesq]

8 minutes ago, kjbacon said:

We have had mostly very good meals with only the occasional miss. The service is outstanding. Yesterday, I mentioned that we often have avocado with sambal and hard boiled eggs for breakfast. Good and good for you!! Today …

 

We took a bus tour of curaçao this morning and while the stops were only ok, a brand new bus, a great tour guide, and beautiful scenery made for a good tour. There is artwork everywhere and plenty of unusual plants. There are lots of hummingbirds on the island and I was lucky to get a great picture.

 

 

 

We are enjoying some people watching while we wait for the Carnival parad

e. And tonight, FLY EAGLES FLY! 💚🦅💚

It's a beautiful Island. Took a private tour today all around the various neighborhoods, seeing the architecture, public art, flamingos, etc.    As you said, FLY EAGLES FLY!      4 Hours!   

[gwesq]

15 minutes ago, gwesq said:

It's a beautiful Island. Took a private tour today all around the various neighborhoods, seeing the architecture, public art, flamingos, etc.    As you said, FLY EAGLES FLY!      4 Hours!   

One example - Momma Flamingo showing her babies how to find food,

[gwesq]

Not all that long ago, these were abandoned buildings

[carolina cruisin]

2 hours ago, gwesq said:

It's a beautiful Island. Took a private tour today all around the various neighborhoods, seeing the architecture, public art, flamingos, etc.    As you said, FLY EAGLES FLY!      4 Hours!   

We to have had mostly great meals. Just one hiccup so far. 

[angiepange]

On 2/11/2023 at 8:04 PM, kjbacon said:

As much as we love the Explorer, we love Splendor more. The ship is comfortable and gorgeous with many improvements over her sister ship. The weather has been horrible but everything else is spot on. Service has been outstanding and the food has been extremely good with only the occasional miss.

 

The wine connoisseur lunch yesterday was spectacular, not to be missed and worth every penny. An enthusiastic staff, creative dishes, and truly fine wines made for a memorable afternoon. Georgiana is a gem.

 

 

The table set was so inviting.

 

 

The first course of lobster medallions with Bollinger Brut Champagne was a delightful start to this fine meal.

 

We were all surprised by the Foie Gras on banana bread with candied pineapple paired with a Cloudy Bay Sav Blanc. It worked beautifully!

 

The fish course was everyone’s favorite course, at least at our table. The miso glazed sablefish with chive mash was paired with a Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch Chardonnay, just amazing.

 

The meat couse was a perfectly roasted beef tenderloin, bordelaise sauce, potato confit, and a shallot compote paired with a Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia, a super Tuscan, that is now my absolute favorite wine.

 

Dessert was a Chocolate Cheesecake, infused with Irish stout, topped with toasted marshmallow that was really delicious. To be fair, I didn’t taste the dessert wine so I cannot comment.

 

Portions were perfect. We were full and satisfied but not stuffed.

 

Happy hour in the Observation Lounge was wild with waves crashing over the bow. Gino on piano is very good. We went to Sette Mari intending for a light bite but gave into temptation when we saw they had osso-buco and Gorgonzola crusted filet. Both dishes were fantastic!

 

 

Yesterday was a food day for the books. The weather conditions improved somewhat over night so it is not as rough as it’s been. Looking forward to more improvement there! Today, a light breakfast and a light lunch before our (weather hopeful) shorex in Aruba. 

 

OMGGGG!  I am salivating!  This looks unbelievably good!  We board Splendor for our first Regent cruise this May and your posts are sublime!  Now I am truly excited and can't wait to board. 

Thank you for these wonderful posts and have a fabulous trip.

[swansong]

5 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

That's what I do 🙂

Tonight I had to send back veal Marsala as it was raw. The second presentation was cooked but chewy. Having had this dish multiple times over the years cooked perfectly this was a disappointment.

[kjbacon]

Ugh, lost to a heartbreaker, overslept, and missed breakfast!! Pulled on shorts and heading out on an early tour anyway. Many thanks to the fabulous Regent crew for the party in our room.

 

[kjbacon]

The weather is still very windy with showers so every morning, we hope for better weather. We did a glass bottom

boat tour in Bonaire and at least we got a rainbow over unspoiled Klein Bonaire after the downpour.

 

Dinner in Chartreuse was mixed but overall, a disappointment. There are more tables in the back of the restaurant than we recall and the acoustics are not good. We wondered how they would negotiate our very favorite dessert, the cheese cart, and we learned that they don’t. Instead, they bring a sample plate of their choosing and the server knew next to nothing about the cheeses. Plating, as you can see, was not done with care.

 

Service was off all around. Jack’s seared Foie Gras appetizer was the best dish of the meal.

 

Today, Grenada.

[mrstanley]

Had the grilled veal chop in Prime 7 last night. Very tough and hard to cut. No flavor. Very dissatisfied. Smoked salmon still awful. On our cruise in November I couldn’t get enough of it. 

[mrstanley]

Had the Dover Sole last night in Chartreuse.

Dry. Green beans were overcooked.

 

 

[kjbacon]

43 minutes ago, mrstanley said:

Had the grilled veal chop in Prime 7 last night. Very tough and hard to cut. No flavor. Very dissatisfied. Smoked salmon still awful. On our cruise in November I couldn’t get enough of it. 

 

41 minutes ago, mrstanley said:

Had the Dover Sole last night in Chartreuse.

Dry. Green beans were overcooked.

 

 

You had a bad meal in both Prime 7 and in chartreuse on the same night?

[kjbacon]

Grenada is a very interesting island with the spices and the aromas but I am in no hurry to return. Vendors are agressive, tour busses are in questionable shape, and the driving is not for the faint at heart.

 

 

We celebrated Valentine’s Day with our friends, Mudhen, in Pacific Rim and had the perfect meal for sharing. Food and service were excellent.

 

Everyone starts with edamame and rice crackers.

 

Apps were all delicious including a sushi sampler, tempura soft shell crab, tuna tartare, and beef tetaki rolls. 

 

 

 

 

Since the Pinotage was very nice, pictures of our main course are incomplete and far from my best!! The Korean lamp chops were fantastic as well as the aromatic duck and bbq ribs with sides of Indonesian noodles and stir fried greens.

 

 

It was such a great night.

 

Today is St Vincent.

[CruiserFromMaine]

On 2/15/2023 at 4:41 AM, kjbacon said:

Grenada is a very interesting island with the spices and the aromas but I am in no hurry to return.

That sounds like Grenada. 

 

On 2/14/2023 at 4:31 AM, kjbacon said:

Dinner in Chartreuse was mixed but overall, a disappointment.

Sorry to hear that. I had one good and one great meal there on our last cruise. And the good I’ve was mostly due to me ordering outside my comfort zone. Service was excellent. Strange it changed so much. 

[kjbacon]

We are having such a great time and have managed to get a few bright spots of weather. We’ve managed to get stuck in a couple downpours too! 

 

Two days ago, we had a fantastic catamaran sailing tour to Bequai and ate barracuda for the first time on our lunch with a view.

 

 

Dinner that night was excellent in Prime 7. We split the Diver Scallop with pork belly and pomegranate, chilled seafood tower, and rib steak with asparagus (béarnaise and chimmichurri sauces).

 

 

 

Yesterday, we had a very good tour in Barbados and visited several nice places including Sunbury Plantation. The rum demo was fun and delicious.

 

 

We went back to Pacific Rim last night and had another fine meal with great service. We split several apps, Alaskan crab summer rolls, duck confit spring rolls, and pork shrimp shu mai.

 

 

 

Our main courses were Beef Bulgogi and Veggie Pad Thai, side of mushrooms to split. Everything was delicious.

 

 

 

Today is Roseau, Dominica.

[kjbacon]

And I can’t see what the specific objection to the smoked salmon is but we think it’s fine. 

 

[kjbacon]

Had a nice tour of Dominica and walked through the largest bamboo plant I’ve ever seen.

 

The back deck of Sette Mari was finally open last night, our favorite place for dinner.

 

The Veal Milanese was perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious.

 

Today, Antigua.

[-Lew-]

2 hours ago, kjbacon said:

The back deck of Sette Mari was finally open last night, our favorite place for dinner.

 

We've been fortunate to find the deck open at Settle Mari each time we've dined there since January 21st...a wonderful venue, especially for late sailings.

[kjbacon]

Last night we were treated to a grand deck bbq buffet at the pool grill and Regent knows how to throw a party! The pool deck was transformed and the spread of food was amazing. Lobster tails on the grill with steel drum music is about as good as it gets.

 

 

 

Today is our last port, St Maarten, before a couple sea days and back to Miami.

 

[cadburysmom]

Thanks for sharing this adventure...your food porn is outstanding!!

[pingpong1]

Looks fantastic.  Wish I was there!

[2012_Alaska_bound]

Always love a deck BBQ! Regent does indeed know how to throw a party!

[kjbacon]

Turns out that after 5 Regent cruises, I was the only one who didn’t know about the mid morning bouillon, my new fave thing!!

 

Last night’s Krew Kapers was the best ever and a great time was had by all.

 

Dinner with Mudhen in Sette Mari was a great time as always and the antipasto bar was the best yet. Ordered dishes were a little hit and miss last night but the Lasagna was tasty with that rich Bolognese sauce and the Grilled Lamb Chops were very good.

 

 

It’s always a shock when you realize that you are starting your last full day! We’ve had such a great cruise and will enjoy every moment of this last day, a sea day.