mdunne48

Day 4 / 32 - At Sea Today started out overcast and temperatures in the low 60’s. All the decks were soaked from last night’s fog / mist. Not conducive to a good walk. We postponed the MAWC meeting until later this morning. A good day to purview some photos and ditch the undesirables of which there were many. To go over upcoming shore excursions and be sensible about what I can or cannot do with this arm. Right now it just aches, No sharp pain except when DW …….. Watch out for Regent accounting mistakes. We found a couple of omissions that would have cost us a few hundred. Visited CR for lunch and had a tuna dish while DW had the bouillabaisse. Both were excellent. Planned our overnight visit to Bordeaux, France starting tomorrow. It’s great that the Navigator can dock in the downtown area. It will be a special two days. We are very much looking forward to this port. Have some more items to attend to…. I’ll be posting some additional photos to the Voyager blog later today. 10 laps around deck 11 on the Navigator is one mile for those that want to know.

Day 3 / 31 (final) Mr. Foghorn showed up again last night, all night. Right after taking the sunset pictures above the sea became a blanket of down. It was super thick and ALL the foghorns were very loud. We must of had a half dozen ships within hailing distance. UGH!!!!

Day 3 / 31 (continued) On the tender back to navigator: 3 masted schooner We had another excellent dinner in Prime 7. I had the surf and turf. I have learned to order the lobster slightly under-cooked. You know it is done perfectly when you do not need any type of sauce / butter to accompany the dish. The filet was also excellent. DW had the small plate of lamb chops prepared and presented perfectly. No desserts again. Yes, today I will remember my phone to take the proper pictures, SORRY. Here was our goodbye last night. A second peek. a

Day 3 / 31 - Guernsey, Island / St. Peter We have enjoyed ourselves thoroughly in St Peter Port. It is the capital of Guernsey Island, which is part of the Channel Islands. Approximately 20,000 live in the capital. The day is overcast with mild temperatures in the upper 60’s or low 70’s. Perfect for touring!!! Guernsey is a self-governing British crown dependency. The island is much closer to France than to England. Over centuries its has changed spheres of influence between the French and the English and was occupied by the Germans during WWII. According to our guide there is a local language based upon French. However, English is spoken everywhere and they drive on the wrong side of the road 🤣🤣🇳🇴. NICE!!! Our guide today for our walking tour to Castle Cornet and downtown St Peter Port was Olga, a Russian emigre who has called Guernsey home for 20 years. She was very competent and had excellent language skills. What shined through the most though was her love of Guernsey. Everything she described was as it were her own history. Castle Cornet or 800 years of stone by the water…….It doesn’t look like much from the ship but when you are inside the fortress it is quite imposing. Started in the 13th century and added to it through WWII you can feel the history here. The 2-foot thick stone walls speak of sieges. The battle mounts and cannons cry out continuously along the upper palisade. However inside it was life not death. There was a church, hospital, barracks, and all the necessities of life in whatever century you were living here. What impressed me most are today’s gardens tended to by current day volunteers. They are truly beautiful. An English garden: General Lambert’s garden: The castle lost its central tower in an explosion of gunpowder in 1672. The tower landed intact on another island in the harbor about 1 1/2 miles away. No only kidding 🤣🤣…..as you can see this area is dotted with small spits of land. Quite a few people perished in that accident in 1672. Our guide was not sure of the total but it changed quite a bit in St Peter Port. For one, the principal home for the island’s chief executive was moved to the mainland. Besides the castle we toured the downtown area. There was an arts and craft fair going on which drew a lot of people. Besides Regent there was the P&O Emerald in port as well. I’m sure we didn’t do the town justice but we only had a few hours after or tour to explore. Loved these begonias: The crowds: Central St Peter Port:

Day 2 / 30 - At Sea (continued) This is our 1st time on the Navigator so we spent a good part of the day exploring. Our feelings are mixed. We love the spaciousness of the corridor to our deck 11 suite and the suite itself is fine. We don’t enjoy the layout of the pool deck with double stacked loungers surrounding the pool. Waking up from a nap with someone’s feet near your face might be disconcerting. The walking track is good but no signage as to the length of a lap. Also few signs are visible when exiting the elevator to confirm the deck you are on. I know minor points….more later after first impressions are a memory. We enjoyed pre-dinner drinks in Galileo’s . It was fortunate timing as the ship was passing the White Cliffs of Dover. We enjoyed our wine and canapés Maybe a better photo… Off to Compass Rose (not our favorite version of CR in the Regent fleet). Outstanding dinner (sorry no photos) DW had a lobster tail paired with a lemon butter sauce. Sides included string beans & mushrooms. Presented and prepared well. I had the Rossini beef. Perfectly prepared medium rare. Foie gras accompaniment along with spinach and mushrooms. We both agreed that it was one of the best dinners we have had on this journey. I also had a small plate of their version of pasta diavalo. This was excellent. Just the right amount of spice to awaken the taste buds. I found the same dish on the Voyager to be bland. No desserts for us. We retired to our suite for a movie and nightcap. All in all it was a good sea day aboard the Navigator. Later…..

Oops forgot the photo of our temporary neighbors…

Day 2 / 30 (continued) Sitting outside the Galileo Lounge on the fantail of Navigator. In the past 28 minutes we have passed more ships than I saw in the 28 days we spent on Voyager. Oceans are big but the English Channel is a bit crowded.

Day 2 / 30 - At Sea We departed Amsterdam at 04:00. The transit of the canal and locks took 3 hours to complete and reach the North Sea. The passenger terminal: notice the clog and bull….. Soon after leaving the dock we passed a very lively party on shore that was attended by about 100 people. It’s a pretty straight forward trip down the 21km length of the canal. Even at this hour of the morning we passed quite a few ships going in the opposite direction. Modern facilities and buildings hug each shoreline. Just about ready for takeoff 🤣🤣 Dry dock for a cable laying ship?? I was surprised to learn that the locks on this canal have nothing to do with raising or lowering a ship. They are here to keep the salt water from the North Sea from mixing with the fresh water that the canal provides for drinking, irrigation, etc. Sunrise: A different view: Entering the locks: Locks closing behind the Navigator: Lock opening: Passing inbound traffic: Being towed…. Out into the North Sea!!! More about the Navigator later today.

Day 1 / 29 - Amsterdam (continued) Amsterdam, a city of contrasts. Modern yet old, old but young, reckless yet restrained, vibrant but staid…..where is the heart of today’s Amsterdam? I’m pretty sure we didn’t find it. We walked and walked and walked over 2 days. Mostly all of this was in the central district of Amsterdam. Therefore our views are probably biased to that particular location. Definitely not as pristine as Oslo or any Scandinavian port that we have visited. But definitely cleaner than a NYC or Philadelphia. We walked along the canals and enjoyed ourselves immensely. A family enjoying a fabulous day in Amsterdam!! For the first time on this journey we experienced crowds. I believe there were more people on the Damrak then there are in Nuuk, Greenland. We had fun, retail therapy in full swing, lots of head scratching too. There are 3 million people in the Amsterdam area and there are 2 million bikes!!! More……everywhere. Not sure how you find your bike. The Sofitel Grand Hotel was extremely beautiful in its own way, part of it fit part didn’t. For example our bathroom had a step UP to enter it. What part of 3:00 a.m. didn’t the designer / architect understand? Porte - Cochere The courtyard: The entrance: 50 feet or so from the Sofitel there was a “coffee shop” which in The Netherlands is another description of a “weed palace”. These establishments are numerous and spread about throughout old town. The clientele: Of course Amsterdam is famous for other types of entertainment. We did venture down a few side streets that got the DW’s attention. These “places of business” were right off the Main Streets. (no photos) So what did we think about Amsterdam? It is a growing city. There is an energy about it. The young are overtaking the old. It is a major transportation hub for Europe. Therefore trains, ships, planes, trams, buses, bikes & bikes converge here……..bustling, moving, delivering. The mixture of all is surreal…… Its a full moon!!!! Goodnight

They cancelled Brugge about a week ago due to the restrictions leaving Amsterdam. Instead of a 8:00 pm departure it is now 4:00 a.m. Has to do with water levels and traffic in their canal system. The captain said we should be passing through the locks around 6:00 a.m. Just in time for the first meeting of the CAWC (central Atlantic walking club).

Gilly, First Jean says hello and she will be posting here as well or maybe her own blog. Her and DH, Billy, fantastic people. Jean saw me at the Grand hotel, arm in sling, and we had an immediate connection. Second, no Bruges!!! We cannot leave Amsterdam until 3:30 tomorrow morning. Therefore will not make Bruges. We have a sea day instead and I will be able to devote some time to collating some photos. We will continue the saga later today with our Amsterdam adventures.

Day 1 / 29 - Amsterdam (embarkation) Welcome back fellow travelers! We are now onboard the RSSC Navigator. The embarkation process was painless or at least it seemed so when we were finished. We can’t complain and to spare you the details from leaving the hotel at 11:18 to the pool grill with champagne at 12:10. Yes, painless. We finished a light lunch at the pool grill and are awaiting our suite to be ready. We are on deck 11 (penthouse) on this portion of our voyage. Gotta have the butler!!! This is our first time onboard the Navigator so we are in learning mode. This is also part of a Grand Voyage so things might be slightly different from our “normal” Regent cruises. Has everyone scoped out the 2024 - 2025 itineraries? I have my favorite!!! Hopefully not much longer for our suite. A quick shower, change of clothes, then off to explore more of Amsterdam. We aren’t leaving Amsterdam until 03:30 am tomorrow morning so we should have a late all aboard time. Until later…..welcome aboard!!

Thank you Wayne!! On board Navigator now.

Day 13 / 28 - Copenhagen (disembarkation) Sometimes things just work out!!! My DW forgot to place our early morning breakfast order on the door before retiring. Therefore the DH had to schlep coffee and a few morsels of energy to the room from coffee connection. The end result we were ready 30 minutes earlier than planned. Went down to deck 4 to inquire about when we could leave and we were off the ship 30 seconds later. It wasn’t quite that easy as you had to navigate steps (25) to get off the ship with a roller board that we used for last minute items. Regent to the rescue…… One of their staff carried the roller board down the steps. You might be asking why didn’t I? Well I suffered a slight mishap in Nuuk, Greenland. While searching for that perfect photograph I carelessly didn’t watch where I was stepping. Ooooppppssss!! A trip to the ship’s X-ray machine confirmed the left arm fracture. Wouldn’t you know it, I’m left handed. With modern communication I was able to talk with my doctor who advised that is was a simple fracture and to just immobilize the arm. Lots of practice since Nuuk with my right hand!!! Well sorry for the detour…… We were through immigration in about 5 seconds. Collected our luggage, with a porter’s help, into a taxi and onto CPH, Copenhagen’s main airport. The usual lines and airport rigamarole awaited us but nothing too severe. We had plenty of time before our 11:30 departure to Amsterdam. We arrived in Amsterdam about 30 minutes late but had a car service waiting. All baggage made it !!!!! After an easy 30 minute journey we arrived at the Sofitel Grand in old town Amsterdam. A very “proper” establishment with all sorts of old world charm but modern as well. We got our steps in this afternoon. Neither of us has ever been to Amsterdam so the miles just seemed to fly by. Very crowded here compared to the places we have recently visited. Plus it was a beautiful sunny day. Hopefully tomorrow morning will be the same. I guess that ends this Voyager blog for me. I’m glad that you came along for the adventure. Oh!! One more comment. Regent doesn’t do Weiner Schnitzel very well……..🤣🤣 See you on the Navigator!!!!!!

Day 12 / 27 Kiel (continued) We had a late tour to a brewery or so I thought. Well technically it was a brewery but not that good. I know GERMAN beer is supposed to be the best BUT this stuff wasn’t!!! It was about a 2 mile walk right next to the pier area. Again a city that makes the most of bringing cruise ship passengers right into the middle of their city. The sailor of Kiel. The world’s largest sailing regatta is held in Kiel in late June early July. Keil has a population of 125,000 but during this event it can swell to 3 million. Shopping in Kiel. Retail therapy is always available!!! A great downtown with many restaurants and cultural attractions. The palace on the outside of old Kiel…. St. Nicholas Cathedral You know you are in a German church!! A statue that was almost destroyed in WWII by the *** due to the artist being a pacifist. We enjoyed Kiel!! Leaving just before we did was the P&O Britannia.

She has a heart of GOLD!!!

Day 12 / 27 - Kiel, Germany Another beautiful day on this journey. Overall we have been blessed with great weather and calm seas. Last night was no exception. The Baltic Sea was a lake, hardly a ripple. Back to last night. We had a great dinner in CR. Everything was excellent!! Food, service, sunset were all superb!!! Mushroom soup: Beef wellington: Lobster Thermidor Baked Alaska: Mango ice cream: The return of the Regent production company was well appreciated by all. It was there last show before leaving Voyager and it was the BEST!!! They received a standing ovation from the audience. Well deserved I might add. This morning we packed or I should say DW packed. It went swimmingly well. The more I stayed out of the way the more things got done. Simply AMAZING!!!! We will be able to enjoy our final evening on Voyager!!!!!!! This afternoon we are doing a brewery tour in Kiel. We will let you know how it goes. The penultimate day continues..

So sorry to hear that. Hope that both of you test negative very soon.

Day 11 / 26 - Gothenburg, Sweden (continued) Many more masks today (including us) we’re visible on the shuttle bus into Gothenburg. Another great stop!!! We could not walk into town from our berth at quay 157. It was about a 15 minute ride on the shuttle bus. The ship is docked right next to the Volvo automotive museum. Gothenburg is a great walking city. The central district is full of restaurants, parks, canals and SHOPS!!! Retail therapy here we go……. The DW was able to pick up a few items to wear on the next segment of our voyage. I did make the big mistake of finding the street in Gothenburg with all the high end designer fashions. But no damage was caused 🤣🤣. The tram system runs all through Gothenburg. In the central district there were no traffic signals. It appeared that there were very few automobiles as well. There were quite a few busses and of course the teams. No they didn’t invent an antigravity team!! We found the University of Gothenburg and walked through part of the campus. Gorgeous!!! A walk through the city’s central garden / arboretum “tradgardsforeningen” was quite pleasant. The entrance: A large greenhouse!! Gothenburg is like every city / town that we have visited on this trip. Clean, efficient, well planned, very friendly, a pleasure to visit. All of these “people” take pride and care of where they live.

Day 11 / 26 - Gothenburg, Sweden Another beautiful day awaits us on our visit to Gothenburg. Temperatures should be in the upper 60’s with partly sunny skies. We will forgo the tour planned in order to visit the city center on foot. Got to get those steps in. Another reason though is there has been a noticeable change around the ship. Many more people are wearing masks. The captain’s announcement leaving Oslo last night included the phrase “we are requesting all guests to wear masks in public areas.” There was also a sign leaving Compass Rose requesting the same. We have seen shielded personnel on both our deck and deck 8 carrying specimen sample type boxes. Some good signs are that Krew Kapers is being held tonight and the Regent production company is coming back with their show “ Hollywood Musicals”. No announcements of any kind have been made as to the number of cases or even as to one case. I have not been commenting that much concerning food lately. It has been consistently great!!! However into day 26 we needed to cut back. We have been forgoing appetisers or even entrees in lieu of a small plate. Last night we had the “Thanksgiving Turkey dinner” excellent on all levels. Gothenburg calls…… later

Catlover54, they did not provision any fish in Bergen.

They brought back the ham yesterday. Unfortunately it was not as good ( dried out)

Day 10 / 25 - Oslo (continued) Another fabulous Norwegian port facility!! Words don’t do it justice so I’ll try some pictures. These photos are taken from our starboard side balcony. I did not use any telephoto features. Cannons to greet unwelcome cruise ships 🤣🤣 Looking towards Oslo’s city hall, the twin towers A fortress directly across from our berth! Besides a great place to park a ship the area is pedestrian friendly!!! We walked for miles along the waterfront enjoying the bright sunshine and 72 degree temperatures. The Oslo port is a transportation Center for local residents as there is ferry service to the surrounding islands from here. Some of our memories: Local residents enjoying some beach time. I don’t think it is a heated ocean…. They turned 6 shipping containers into a bike store. It is the red building. City hall (2 towers behind) where they award the Nobel Peace prize every December. A great gathering spot Apartments by the dozens with waterfront views And finally NO CARS!!!

Day 10 / 25 - Oslo We are now sailing into the Oslo fjord. From entry to docking is almost 4 hours. A beautiful passage through some gorgeous real estate! I was up on deck 12 and saw that we are the 3rd cruise ship approaching Oslo. Might be more…… It looks like a good weather day will greet us. Forecast has the high’s near 70 with plenty of sunshine. A bit of reflection…….. We were spoiled!!! The previous segment was a 30th anniversary one and Regent went all out for those 15 days. The parties, celebrating, entertainment, service, food, gifts were all over the top. A truly “unique” event!! The ship’s effervescent mood was contagious. Theatre’s were packed, the casino was (at times) jammed, dance floors crowded…..even with the lost ports and Mr. Foghorn in daily attendance the vibe never faltered. But should it be “unique”? The vibe on this segment is non-existent, no rallying point. No WOW!!! Not even a little wow. It’s as if the entire ship took a few too many Tylenol PM’s. Don’t get me wrong. The Regent service is as good as ever. The crew try to anticipate any need you might have and if you do have a request it is acted upon immediately. Albeit a 1/4 step slower. The entertainment on this segment is not comparable to the last segment, not in the least. This has been heightened by some of the Regent entertainment company being “ill” therefore fewer production shows. Regent is trying by running a pre-dinner and post-dinner shows by different artists. In the end you can’t replace the quality…… I’m still waiting for LaVeranda to have the ham carving station at lunch come back this segment. Maybe I missed it. It was so gooood!!! To sum it up….. I’ve seen what Regent can do. I really want that cruise vacation every time.

More from Kristiansand: They love flowers!!!! open spaces….. pretty good size 🐝 Entry to the port!! Entry / exit to the dockside quay….where Voyager was berthed. Pretty good use of old containers. Entry / exit on lower right. Cars and trucks queuing for the ferry to ???