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4/25/24 - Seward, Alaska 4/26/24 - Hubbard Glacier 4/27/24 - Sitka, Alaska 4/28/24 - Ketchikan, Alaska 4/29/24 - Cruising the Inside Passage 4/30/24 - Victoria, BC 5/1/24 - Vancouver, BC I wanted to share my final thoughts on this cruise, although the last week was a complete blur. My cough stayed with me the last week of the cruise and it set me back quite a bit energy-wise. During this cruise, we turned “platinum” in the Seven Sea Society. We opted out of getting “pinned” on stage, but we did get a lovely invitation to dine with the senior officers in the “Study” which is a private dining room off of Prime 7, along with the other shiny new platinums. It was really a lovely event and we felt quite special. All the ports in Alaska were repeats of a previous cruise so I didn’t feel so compelled to maximize my time on land. Hubbard Glacier was a real stand out as we had beautiful weather and the Captain brought the ship in fairly close then did a 360 degree turn for our viewing pleasure. I’m always amazed at the sound of the glacier as it slowly moves towards the sea. It sounds like a hybrid gunshot and thunder and is very other worldly. In Sitka, our main goal was to get to the pharmacy then meet our tour which was an otter quest. I think we may have seen one otter but we did see a cluster of grey whales with their heart shaped exhales. It is fairly early in the season for whales so we counted ourselves lucky to see as many as we did. Along the way, we saw an interesting US Navy installation. This is a submarine base and its function is to assure that the subs are deeply silent. Our guide said that the high tech mics can pick up a ticking clock which might be enough for the sub to be detected in enemy waters. The cruise terminal in Ketchikan was about 15 minutes outside of town and we ended up in the opposite direction for a cruise to an Alaskan lodge and seafood feast. It was a beautiful setting. The high point was a bald eagle fly-by. The crew had trained the eagles to expect handouts of frozen herring so as soon as they saw our boat, they were circling overhead and diving for lunch. The remainder of the cruise was devoted to packing and relaxing as we cruised the inside passage. We decided to skip Victoria and stay on board as I still needed considerable time resting. I’m glad I did as it was like running the gauntlet in the Vancouver Cruise Terminal. We had decided to stay an extra day at the Pan Pacific. All was orderly as we fetched our luggage but as soon as we exited the Regent area, we mingled with two other large cruise ships. I’m not sure who was coming and who was going but we had to haul our luggage through a maze of halls until, totally depleted, we found the elevator to the Pan Pacific. The flight home the next day was uneventful, although we arrived home at midnight after a very long day in transit. My thoughts about this cruise are mixed. Because we were in a cold climate with some inclement weather, the ship, for the first time, felt crowded. La Veranda was often full, even with auxiliary tables set up along the hall. Certainly, the crew was as lovely as they always are and worked very efficiently to turn tables and help you get situated. In Compass Rose, Novie was wonderful in remembering our preferences for a quiet table well out of the runway from the kitchen to the dish stations. King was our favorite server and his station was almost always full. I predict that in the future we will see him at the ‘front of the house”. He is very engaging, very intuitive, and very charming. The food on Explorer was my least favorite in all of our cruises. I think my palate didn’t vibe with the palate of the executive chef. Usually, I choose from the right side of the menu and most of these choices just didn’t thrill me. I’m not a big meat eater but the one time I ordered lamb chops, one was completely inedible, the other was OK. My biggest complaint was with the fried food. The fry cook either needs some supervision or the items were too long under the heat lamp. Without exception, anything that was supposed to be crisp was soggy. This included soft shell crab in Pacific Rim. My biggest disappointment, however, was in Prime 7. I ordered a special of yellow tail tuna. Sounded great. It was about 1/4 inch fillet that tasted like liver. Huh? I admit that my appetite was off due to my cold and that may have skewed my taste buds negatively. In fact, I didn’t gain a pound this trip! Typically, I skip the evening entertainment, but I turned over a new leaf for this trip and I’m glad that I did. All the entertainers were terrific. The Regent Orchestra was exceptional, especially the guitarist. During cocktail hour, they were usually in the Meridian lounge playing some wonderful jazz. If that got too loud for conversation, we would go to the observation lounge where the pianist was exceptional. A new pianist joined us for the last couple of days and he was masterful. It is rare for “background” music to stop conversation so you could listen more attentively. He played with real grace and lyricism. Thank you for following along. Sayonara!

Thursday, 4/25/24 Seward, Alaska We arrived to beautiful party cloudy skies and crisp air. It was about 40 degrees but colder in the wind. We went on a wildlife cruise and hit the jackpot…orcas, humpback whales, otters, seals, mountain goats, eagles. Enjoy!

Sunday, 4/21/24, Monday, 4/22/24 - at sea Tuesday, 4/23/24 - Kodiak, Alaska Wednesday, 4/24/24 - Homer, Alaska I’m playing catch up now after spending the bulk of our sea days asleep. I lost my voice for several days and then that morphed into a terrible cough. I had Covid tests with me so I knew that it wasn’t Covid. I finally went to the infirmary to get some cough medicine and the Doctor confirmed that this particular virus lasts about three weeks. OTC cough medicine did the trick and I’m off and running again. We arrived in Kodiak on Tuesday in a foggy mist. We cleared customs in a very organized and orderly manner. We had an excursion to the Ft. Abercrombie State Park, but reconsidered hiking given the weather and my diminished lung capacity. I decided to try a walkabout after lunch and hopped on the tender to the port. However, I misjudged the “mist” which was more like light rain. I didn’t even get up the ramp before I turned around and went back to the ship. Homer, Alaska was our bonus port and, even though the town was just waking up from the winter, they welcomed us with open arms. The town was larger than I expected with all the amenities that you would expect in a small city. Of course, the population swells in the summer with wall to wall tents and caravans. Homer is known as a halibut fishing destination but its breathtaking beauty is the real draw, in my opinion. Regent had put together some excursions which were quickly filled up, but they also had four shuttle busses come in from Anchorage to run a circuit around the city. This was actually a pretty good tour with “down home” commentary from our bus driver. We opted to do the tour and return to the ship. We had partly cloudy skies throughout the day and our sail away was stunning.

Saturday, 4/20/24 (Day One) & Saturday 4/20/24 (Day Two) - At Sea We are crossing the International dateline so we have two Saturdays this trip. We have been pushing the clocks forward each day and, last night we pushed forward two hours and lost a day. The highlight of our day yesterday was the connoisseur wine lunch. We had an impressive menu with impressive wine pairings, too. Of course, I then required an impressive nap. We did manage to take in the show by the guitarist. The weather has been bleak, cold, and foggy. However, the sea has been relatively calm. Because of this the ship seems crowded with passengers sprawled out in all the public venues. La Veranda added tables for two all along the side of the entry corridor as the outdoor dining venues re compromised. We usually have lectures and activities scheduled throughout the day. I’ve missed much of this as I’ve been immersed in a good read. I wanted to mention how impressed I am with the staff on this voyage. I have frequented the lost and found drawer at reception three times. I had a gold bracelet drop off my arm in Compas Rose. I thought it was lost forever, but it was turned into lost and found. Then I lost one hearing aid ($$$) and that was turned in as well, much to my relief. Yesterday I lost my reading glasses and they were also turned in. I’m usually not addle brained like this so I’m blaming it on my scapalomene scopolamine patch! The Captain just announced that we are missing our next port, Dutch Harbor, as customs officials can’t fly in to clear the ship due to the weather. They have added Homer, Alaska as a bonus port. I think we will have six sea days in a row. Today will be busy with a crossing the international dateline event, the upper tier Seven Seas Society event, and an ABBA dance party. I don’t hunk anyone can say they are bored! PS - in my mid cruise comment card, I noted there wasn’t an orchid in our suite. Look what appeared! RSSC is the best!

Oh my! The Kuril Islands, Russia

Yes, the narrator on the canal cruise was dreary, wasn’t he? We had the pleasure of hearing Terry on our first Alaska cruise. Public speaking is definitely an art form.

I agree! The portions are much smaller and perfect for me. I view it as a learning curve if you have a big appetite, order more courses. Food waste is costly so I applaud regent for taking note.

Thursday, 4/18/24 and Friday, 4/19/24 - at sea We are in the second day of four sea days as we sail east. The schedule for sea days is packed tight with things to do but impossible to fit it all in around nap time. I did spend yesterday morning in the culinary center, taking a class called “Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter, Umami”. I consider myself a decent home cook but this class was really interesting and fun and I learned something new. We made three dishes with wine pairing: confit duck and watermelon in a mini martini glass, prosciutto wrapped prunes, and b’stilla domes. There was an early show before dinner that was very well attended as we, and our aging fellow passengers, have some difficulty staying awake for the 9:30 show. I know, I know, I’m a barrel of fun! But, I’ve never been a night owl, so why change now? “ Music Beyond Language” was an entertaining show by Yaniv Zarif. He is a very talented singer with a gift for languages. Plus, he’s funny and humble which charmed his audience. Yesterday we sailed in fog the entire day. Today it’s partly cloudy, windy, and 36 degrees. We have two speakers on board, Terry Breen, who is speaking about Alaska, and Jeana Roger’s who is an expert on Japan. I plan to go to both presentations.

Wednesday, 4/17/24 - Otaru, Japan We were looking forward to visiting a whisky distillery and fish market but the tour was cancelled and all the other offerings didn’t appeal to us. We docked very near to the city center, so we decided to do a walk-about . Otaru is a medium sized city with some interesting shops and restaurants. Fishing is a major industry and the sea birds seemed to know where to get a free meal. There were literally thousands of gulls perched on the docks. This was our last stop in Japan so after lunch we had to present ourselves at the cruise terminal with our passports to get our exit stamps. It has been almost three weeks since we started this epic trip so I thought I’d try to summarize my impressions of Japan and its people. The Japanese are unfailingly polite and they seem to genuinely appreciate any attempt to communicate in their language. It is very helpful to learn some key words and phrases. If all else fails, google translate is a huge help. I will never travel without an eSIM card on my iPhone. It was very cheap and I used google maps constantly. It’s also helpful to buy an extra battery pack for the phone as a full charge only seemed to last a half day. Japan prides itself on its cleanliness. The streets are very clean and there is almost no graffiti. Toto toilets are everywhere even in public venues. In three weeks I never encountered a nasty bathroom. I was fascinated by the decorative manhole covers that were unique to sections of the city. Everyone seems to wear a uniform of some kind. Even the office workers wear black suits and white shirts without any deviation to be seen! Tokyo is massive and crowded. There is often a line at restaurants. The Japanese don’t seem to have a cafe culture so if you wanted something to drink and little rest, you had to stand in line for a restaurant table. The Japanese love coffee! Expect long walks. We commonly logged 10,000 steps a day. Finally, invest in a good tour. We were fortunate that our 12 day land tour immersed us in Japanese culture. The Regent pre-cruise tour was a very minimal exposure to Tokyo. It has been 55 years since I lived in Japan as a teen. At that time, Japan was only 20 years past WWII and we often stood out being foreigners, especially in the more rural areas. I think that modern Japan has managed a nice balance of traditional culture and a more modern worldly influence. It was a remarkable visit.

Tuesday, 4/16/24 - Hakodate, Japan We sailed north during the night and are now on the Island of Hokkaido, one of the four main islands in Japan. We had an early excursion to Ōnuma National Park. The region is dominated by volcanos and the park encompasses the volcanic Hokkaidō Komagatake as well as the Ōnuma and Konuma ponds, which abut against the west slope of the mountain. Unfortunately, the cloud cover descended as we drove to a higher elevation, preventing us from seeing much of anything. We walked around a bit, hit the gift shop, and then went back to the bus to warm up. The tour was supposed to include a boat ride but that was cancelled as the fog was too thick to manage. This is a map of what we didn’t see. Soft serve flavors! On our return to the ship, we stopped at a rest stop that consisted of a grocery store, gift shop, and an homage to "Baron" Ryokichi Kawada, the Father of the Danshaku Potato. My curiosity got the best of me and this is what Professor Google had to say about it: “Imakane Danshaku is a variety of potato with starch content more than 13.5% and with a bright white skin. It is characterized by stable quality and a silky-smooth, creamy mouthfeel. Owing to strict grading standards, Imakane Danshaku are uniform in size and shape with white skin.” I tried the French fries which were quite good. We spent the afternoon eating and napping. There was a lecture on Samurai and how the Samuai ethos shaped modern Japan. We also had the Regent Block Party where we gather in the hall with a glass, drink some wine, meet our neighbors, and greet the captain, general manager, and cruise director as they race from floor to floor greeting the passengers. On sail away, the cloud cover lifter and Hokkaidō Komagatake said goodby. Tomorrow will be our last day in Japan and we begin our ocean crossing.

Tuesday, 4/16/24 - Miyako, Japan Miyako is on the north eastern coast of Japan, on the island of Honshu. Spring has barely started with cherry trees, forsythia, daffodils, and white tiger tail in full bloom. In 2011 there was a strong earthquake off the coast and a devastating tsunami. Since that event, the government has completed a Herculean effort to complete tsunami walls that protect the town. One building stands out as a reminder of the devastation a tsunami can bring. The first two floors are hollowed out as the hotel remains standing. G took a voluntary sea day today. All the touring has taken its toll and he needs some down time. I went ahead and traveled inland to the Ryusendo caves which is a labyrinthian path of limestone caves and unground lakes. IMG_1526.mov It was challenging not to slip or hit your head. I climbed to the highest point, which involved steep ladder stairs which was a bit difficult to navigate. Coming back down was worse. As I walked and followed the route signs, I couldn’t help but worry that I’d go around in circles until I was completely lost. Then I started to obsess about earthquakes. I sped up, and with a sigh of relief, embraced the sunshine. I was amused by the list of things you are prohibited from doing in the caves. Look at the rule in the bottom left of the photo! Our guide kept talking about dragons. I’m not sure if that was a myth, but when we arrived there was a dragon to greet us! The Japanese sure love their mascots! After the caves, we drove towards the coast to view some beautiful rock formations nestled in Aqua blue waters. On return to the ship, a mini village had been set up with shops and food trucks. The most popular stand was getting your name translated into Japanese. The crew seemed to be having a blast as they wandered around buying souvenirs and soaking in the atmosphere.

Monday, 4/15/24 - Hitachinaka, Japan Our tour today took us to the Kairakuen Gardens and to the Kasama Shinto shrine. Although we are only about 100 miles north of Tokyo, the main towns are moderate in size and have a distinctly suburban feel to them with boxy architecture, car dealerships, and fast food joints. The Kairakuen gardens are about an hour from the ship. Lord Tokugawa Nariaki constructed the garden in 1841 as a gift to the people of the region. He was aware that the samurai and the common people of the villages focused too much on work and training (especially for the samurai who constantly practiced martial arts) and that having a peaceful outlet for recreation and relaxation was important. We walked quite a distance uphill to enter the garden which is the second largest garden in the world and one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan. The gardens are planted so that something is always blooming but that was not to be. It was too early for flowers and too late for plum trees. Sakura are on the way out. This photo is what it’s supposed to look like as opposed to what we saw! Our second stop was the Kasama Inari shrine. Much to our surprise, we were greeted by a welcoming committee of students in traditional dress, waving flags from all over the world, and giving us gifts of bottled green tea, a little ceramic dish, and a bag filled with information about the shrine. A Shinto priest gave a speech welcoming us to the shrine and then the Mayor of the town gave a speech, all while an official photographer snapped away. The shrine was lovely and not too crowded. I’ve been collecting “goshun” which are inked stamps to commemorate your visit. At this shrine, you handed over your book and 10 minutes later retrieved it, now with a hand drawn and stamped entry. It’s possible that I’m a bit “toured out” at this point. I thought our guide was about the worst yet. At times her accent was difficult but the worst was her penchant for quizzing us rather than just giving us the information in a straight forward manner. All in all, it was a long drive and not much see as a reward.

I agree with the other posters that if you are having issues this thread is not the place to air them. I started this thread and I welcome others to chime in about their travel impressions. I’m also a “glass half full” personality so I’d rather not see this thread devolved into a complaint forum.

4/13/24 - Embarkation We were up bright and early anticipating boarding the Explorer for our sea journey across the pacific. The bulk of new passengers were staying at the Hilton as part of the included pre-cruise which, I think, is Regent’s way of assuring we get to the ship and we all don’t arrive at once. We were divided into groups of 30 and off we went to visit three sites before arriving at the cruise terminal at 1 pm. We had been to the Meiji shrine so we opted to stay on the bus. We then traveled across Tokyo, past the Tsukiji fish market to Hama-Rikyu which had been the compound of the Shogun and then became the duck hunting preserve of the emperor. The gardens have two duck hunting grounds that were used by the Shogun, and there is a memorial built to commemorate and console the spirits of the ducks that have been caught in the grounds. You can still see traditional duck blinds scattered throughout Hama-rikyu. I’m always fascinated by the Japanese reverence for trees. Hama-rikyu has one of the oldest pine trees in Japan, reported to be 300 years old. It is supported by a series of beams and lovingly pruned so the tree has become a type of living sculpture. From there we went to Odaiba Seaside Park , which is very modern and build on manmade land. An interesting feature of this park is a replica of the Statue of Liberty that France gave to Japan. It is 1/7th the size of the statue in NYC. The scenery is beautiful but we all just stood around for 45 minutes anxious to get to the ship. The Tokyo Cruise Terminal is pristine and the check in was organized and quick. But, we are in Japan and I would expect nothing less than perfection. We were seated in groups and then led to check in. All in all, it was about ten minutes from arrival to champagne in hand. Most embarkations are cluster $##!s with passengers jockeying for position, filling out medical questionnaires, and computers crashing. Just beyond the security clearance, a table was set up and filled with origami. We were invited to take one. This is just one of the many gracious gestures that we experienced in Japan. Once on board, we were escorted to our muster station, checked our hand baggage, and headed up to the pool deck for lunch. No sooner were we seated then they announced that cabins were ready at 1:30. After a leisurely lunch, we headed to our cabin, unpacked, put out two weeks of laundry, and took a nap. Not a bad first day of cruising!

Thank you. I followed your voyage, too. I hope all goes well for you and yours now that you are home.