Voyager, Hong Kong to Singapore

Momof3, die broke, job and other friends, don't worry, I don't scare easily ;-)

The gin price was correct, checked by our Butler there and then as he hauled my dh off the floor from the sticker shock! We are confirmed Tanqueray fans as of that moment.

Everything else is great and we are having fun. Glad to have your company if only virtually.

G x

Gilly, I've been following your blog for years now as my "go to" research site when we book a trip. (Taking notes on your Macchu Pichu trip now as we are booked to go in early May). I just love your point of view, the colors and textures that interest you, and your traveling demeanor. Thank you so much for you descriptions and insight!

Jennifer

Momof3, die broke, job and other friends, don't worry, I don't scare easily ;-)

 

The gin price was correct, checked by our Butler there and then as he hauled my dh off the floor from the sticker shock! We are confirmed Tanqueray fans as of that moment.

 

Everything else is great and we are having fun. Glad to have your company if only virtually.

 

G x

Not meaning to beat a dead horse but I might have checked with the F&B manager. I imagine your butler would be given the "party line" when he checked. But if you are happy with Tangueray, then all is good. Glad you are enjoying your cruise.

mom0f3, Sorry I did not keep a record and have forgotten. I am sure your TA can gin:eek: one up for you.

Jennifer, thank you! *blush* Machu Picchu was somewhere we'd always dreamed of going and it didn't disappoint one bit. I hope you have a similarly memorable experience there! We've decided to return to that part of the world next year and have booked Lima to Rio on Mariner. We've done parts of the route before on P&O Oriana, before we discovered Regent and are already looking forward to being there. A few sleeps before then, though!

We're at sea today, Manila tomorrow.

Gilly, We did Valparaiso to BA on Silver Whisper and absolutely loved it despite a hurricane and missing Ushuaia. Once again you are making me jealous.

Thanks, new london, I was chuffed to learn of your Silver Whisper experience. We board her in November in Barbados for a cruise to Manaus (Amazon) and back.

Imo best ship at sea:)

Gilly, so enjoying your posts from Voyager. Would it be possible for you to get a copy of the current complimentary wine list. Will be boarding in May and would love to have a preview. Please post if you can.

On the other "live" thread on the Regent forum (FOOD - ...), Travelcat has provided all the included wines.

Here is the link:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2190342

Thank you 2012 Ab, looks good, presume it is tha same list for Voyager?

I've not been able to track down a list of the complimentary wines here but recognise many of the labels on TC's list, so presume it's the same. We've identified some distinct favourites and haven't gone thirsty yet ;-)

Life is good here on board a happy ship. The sun is shining (well, it rained a little in Brunei first thing yesterday morning) and with a day at sea today, we are looking forward to Vietnam and meeting some dear friends for dinner in Saigon. The excursion we did to the National Park in Brunei yesterday was excellent and if the internet connection continues to behave, you know how I'll be spending the next hour or two.

We are getting rather too used to being utterly spoiled here!

Hi, all:

I have called Regent directly in the past to request a bottle of Hendricks in our suite and at no time was I ever charged. If this is a change to their policy, I will pack one myself and bring it with me rather than pay $166. For that price I can buy five bottles of Hendricks, diet tonic water, and some cucumbers at any military base in Florida and have a few until I turn invisible.

Z and TB

Happy anniversary, Gilly. It is our 29th today so not long to catch you up. I have followed your blog every day and have really enjoyed it but can't believe where you find the time to post. Safe journey home.

Techno 12, we share a great day - thank you so much for your greetings and we wish you both every happiness, too. We just had dinner in Signatures this evening, the last night of our cruise and after a fantastic time with our friends returned to find flowers and champagne in our suite. What a way to end what for us has been a marvellous cruise. Was everything perfect? no, of course it wasn't. But the things which mattered were spot on and the rest, well, adds to the variety of life, doesn't it? I know that in every instance where we made comment, it was taken seriously and prompt action was taken if necessary. For that alone, I think Regent deserves credit and we continue to feel very happy indeed with our choices. We have found Voyager to be a happy, well managed ship and have had a great time.

Only nine or ten months to wait till we board Mariner next year. I'm counting down already ;-)

We are home, the dust has settled and Voyager has sailed into the sunset...without us, sadly.

We cruise just once a year and in between I follow postings here, get updates from friends here and there who are sailing on Regent ships and I keep my fingers crossed that by the time we get on board, any changes that have been made will be for the good and that the same exceptional Regent experience that we love is still there for us. I'm glad to say that it is!

Was everything perfect? No, of course it wasn't, even to my Pollyanna personality! But any shortcomings were addressed immediately and in a way which indicated how seriously our comments were taken. Was everything to our liking? Well, no to that one, too. This cruise, more than any other we've taken, had a very international flavour with almost 50% of the guests hailing from beyond the USA. Yet the enrichment speakers still spoke with a distinct US focus (?bias) and at times we would have appreciated learning about a situation from a different point of view. We missed the destination lectures on this occasion and really hope they will be reinstated in the future.

So, how was it then?

Marvellous! As is frequently stated here, the staff remain one of Regent's key assets. To be greeted by "old friends" who remember preferences, go out of their way to deliver exceptional service and never fail to smile and go about their work like the consummate professionals they are, means we leave with fond memories and look forward immensely to boarding Mariner again next year for another wonderful experience.

Voyager is looking smart, we love the new outdoor furnishings in the spruced up area outside the Horizon Lounge and felt the covered areas on the pool deck have been put to better use, too. Although the Observation Bar can look a little bleak in the daytime, we very much like the new decor throughout the ship and though I could do without the blue go-faster stripe, Voyager's clean white lines remain unspoiled on the whole!

I know, it sounds as though we are easily pleased. All too frequently I read here about things not being done properly, about annoyances and corporate failings which create dissatisfaction and disappointment. I apologise for requoting the statement overheard on our very first Regent cruise nine years ago: "This is my fourteenth world cruise and it's easily the worst!" but I use it to illustrate the point that, if one seeks disappointment, then it's quite easy to find.

My main reason for summing up this thread in this way is to heartily recommend this itinerary on Voyager to anyone looking for a taster of this part of the world, because I know that it's on the schedule again for next year. Getting a flavour of places like the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan isn't easily done without significant commitment yet spending a day in port can whet the appetite or be sufficient to say "been there, done that, don't need to go again". The excursions on offer in each port were more varied than usual, we thought, and we were able to get beyond the "highlights" in several. Seas were calm, the weather was hot in places, but bearing in mind that I'm a delicate little English flower and wilt in the heat, I managed! Both of us loved the way the ports and sea days were spread out throughout the length of the cruise - two port days, one sea day, two ports, one at sea.....and then a final sea day before arrival in Singapore, which is a great city in which to decompress. Both Hong Kong and Singapore are well connected, so flight connections to any part of the world are not a problem, either.

If you read along with my blog, you'll know how much fun we had ;-) In June, it'll be my turn to be envious of friends on board and until our next Regent cruise in January 2016, I'll simply have to share all the fun experiences by reading about them here. Please share them with me!!