How To View Blog:
If you are viewing this for first time the blog posts are in reverse order and this post will appear at top. To view from the start you will have to go to the "blog archive" under our photo on the right side. You will see each calendar day under each month of the cruise. Click on the day you want to see. Start at bottom is viewing blog from beginning. Then select by day going up.
You should also know that if you click on the photos in a posting, they will be enlarged for better view. When I took a lot of photos at a port I had to put them in a Google Album and put that link on the post. You will have to "copy & paste" the link to a new tab on your browser to open it. Then click on the first photo to enlarge it and see caption in upper right corner of the photo. If not caption appearing, you may have to click on the "i" (info) in a circle top right. Arrow midway down sides of photos to see next ones.
Summary:
Even though we had been to most of these ports several times previously, this 36 night cruise has to be one of our favorite cruises for the following reasons:
1) The crew. The most important reason is the crew. We saw many crew member friends that we have cruised with once or several times. They are like family to us! We met and made even more friends on this cruise. I was amazed several times when a crew member would address us as "Mr or Mr Weiler" even though we had no clue who they were. They apparently have access to our photos and names and go out of their way to call us by name. You could tell this crew was a happy one as they always had smiles and enjoyed serving us passengers. I think you have to experience what I am trying to describe before you really know what I am trying to explain. We miss them already!!
2) The ship. Explorer is an amazing cruise ship. The most luxurious one ever built. This is NOT Princess, RCL, etc! This is first class in every suite and public areas. All the rooms on Regent ships are suites, not cabins.
3) The weather. We have never been on a long cruise like this where the oceans were so smooth. Most of the time I thought I was in a hotel not cruise ship. Sunny skies every day and no rain when in the ports.
4) The food is always good on Regent ships but I thought the chefs and cooks on this cruise were a notch above the rest. Food quality and freshness could not have been better. As you see in this blog I posted many photos of what we were eating. I wanted you to see the presentation.
5) The staff treatment. The senior staff and officers (we knew most every one of them from previous cruises) treated us like royalty. We were invited to dine with most all the officers and twice with the Captain Vasta.
Well, my next blog will be middle of next March (2020) when we will be doing a 31 night cruise on the Splendor. It is now under construction and due to sail with passengers on February 12th. Its inaugural cruise will be from Barcelona to Miami then Miami to San Diego. We will then board her in San Diego on March 14th. You will not want to miss the photos of that new ship.
I want to thank everyone who has been reading and following us on this blog. I do spend a lot of time working on it but enjoy doing it. Especially since I know many of you travel vicariously through us.
THE END
If you are viewing this for first time the blog posts are in reverse order and this post will appear at top. To view from the start you will have to go to the "blog archive" under our photo on the right side. You will see each calendar day under each month of the cruise. Click on the day you want to see. Start at bottom is viewing blog from beginning. Then select by day going up.
You should also know that if you click on the photos in a posting, they will be enlarged for better view. When I took a lot of photos at a port I had to put them in a Google Album and put that link on the post. You will have to "copy & paste" the link to a new tab on your browser to open it. Then click on the first photo to enlarge it and see caption in upper right corner of the photo. If not caption appearing, you may have to click on the "i" (info) in a circle top right. Arrow midway down sides of photos to see next ones.
Summary:
Even though we had been to most of these ports several times previously, this 36 night cruise has to be one of our favorite cruises for the following reasons:
1) The crew. The most important reason is the crew. We saw many crew member friends that we have cruised with once or several times. They are like family to us! We met and made even more friends on this cruise. I was amazed several times when a crew member would address us as "Mr or Mr Weiler" even though we had no clue who they were. They apparently have access to our photos and names and go out of their way to call us by name. You could tell this crew was a happy one as they always had smiles and enjoyed serving us passengers. I think you have to experience what I am trying to describe before you really know what I am trying to explain. We miss them already!!
2) The ship. Explorer is an amazing cruise ship. The most luxurious one ever built. This is NOT Princess, RCL, etc! This is first class in every suite and public areas. All the rooms on Regent ships are suites, not cabins.
3) The weather. We have never been on a long cruise like this where the oceans were so smooth. Most of the time I thought I was in a hotel not cruise ship. Sunny skies every day and no rain when in the ports.
4) The food is always good on Regent ships but I thought the chefs and cooks on this cruise were a notch above the rest. Food quality and freshness could not have been better. As you see in this blog I posted many photos of what we were eating. I wanted you to see the presentation.
5) The staff treatment. The senior staff and officers (we knew most every one of them from previous cruises) treated us like royalty. We were invited to dine with most all the officers and twice with the Captain Vasta.
Well, my next blog will be middle of next March (2020) when we will be doing a 31 night cruise on the Splendor. It is now under construction and due to sail with passengers on February 12th. Its inaugural cruise will be from Barcelona to Miami then Miami to San Diego. We will then board her in San Diego on March 14th. You will not want to miss the photos of that new ship.
I want to thank everyone who has been reading and following us on this blog. I do spend a lot of time working on it but enjoy doing it. Especially since I know many of you travel vicariously through us.
Thank you Rick. Your blog has been informative and fun - so was sailing with you & Rebecca!!
ReplyDeleteSee you next March.