colleenmf

When we disembarked in  Buenos Aires we had a 9 pm flight and were given a day room at an extremely nice hotel.  We walked to a restaurant for lunch and then our shuttle to the airport left around 5 or 6pm.  I don't know what the cutoff time is to get a day room versus a tour and a late drop off at the airport.  I would think flights after say 6 or 7 pm might get a day room.

We did our Alaska cruise in sneakers and sandals. Even hiked up a mountain in sneakers.  I suppose if you pick an excursion that actually goes onto a glacier you might need hiking boots. But I have to say, during our 2 weeks, we got almost no rain and the weather was in the 70's every day.

If you are doing the Vancouver/Seward legs in summer (we went in May) you might need a hoodie or windbreaker.  Most days we were in short sleeves and very little off ship has AC so I was not cold at all. 

I have an upcoming cruise from Cape town to Buenos Aries  leaving from Dallas. Using Regent Air. I don't have my schedule yet but just looking at the options  it seems every flight will require a transfer within the US - Atlanta, Newark, whatever.  Since the international flights will be in business class, will I get an upgraded seat for the domestic portion?

I was on Regent (Voyager) Christmas and New Years 2004 -2005 so this was a long time ago.  You could order a Christmas turkey or goose for Christmas Eve or Christmas day to have at your table where you do the carving.  I think I saw one large extended family do that. 

It was the only time I saw a "youth group" of any kind on a Regent cruise.  About 30 kids from age 4-17. They integrated them into some adult activities.  Like one day they had a miniature golf contest starting on the pool deck and ending at Compass Rose. The kids were part of the course some dressing in costumes and acting like obstacles (think windmills and sharks).

Either Christmas Eve or Christmas night they did a very different entertainment show.  The crew from various countries described Christmas at home with songs, stories, even a procession of girls (representing Sweden, I think) wearing crowns of lit candles.  This included all rank and file employees so not just the professional entertainers. This was one of my best vacations ever.

My TA sends a rebate check after we return.  Or we could get SB credit but I choose the check.  IT is NOT 10% of the cruise.  Something much smaller. Maybe 5% of the cruise fare not the extras.

Thank you so much.

My husband only likes the name brand Truvia sweetener (green package) and I bought him a box of 240 packets for our upcoming 24 day cruise, 3 day land tour and 4 days of travel. that let's him have 8 cups of coffee or glasses of ice tea a day. He looked at the size of it and didn't want to pack it.  So I know they have the pink stuff but I don't know what other artificial sweetener they have these days.

Perhaps the people on tours get to disembark at 8:30 since you are using tenders and those not on tours must wait.  Just a guess!

We are still silver and we each USED to get our own log in and they took it away.  Bummer!! Since we have a bunch of credits for our next cruise, One of us will buy time if we need to be on together.

We did the Moscow one day flight from St. Pete on the Voyager in summer 2009. We figured we might never get this way again and wanted to see as much as we could. At the time is cost about $1,000 each. For us, it was worth it. We had 2 days in St. Pete with a private guide and driver (no free excursions then) and saw enough that my head would spin and I can hardly remember one castle, palace, museum from another. (Both DH and I have engineering, math, technology brains and not creative, artsy brains)

Anyway, in Moscow we did not encounter rude waiters (but we don't speak Russian) nor rude people in general. No one complained to us about America. It was 2009 so maybe things were better. I don't remember. The flight from St. Pete to Moscow was one of the best in coach class that we had taken since 9/11. Lots of room, decent sandwich and snack for airline food, on time, pleasant flight attendants, security was smooth and they were very nice.

If you don't think you will get back that way, I say go for it. We were fascinated to see where Mathias Rust landed that plane in Red Square. And to be able to see the architecture of St. Basil's in person ...WOAH....

If you are a world traveler and will return to Russia some other time, I'd say wait and see Moscow for a few days as part of another trip.