flossie009

No block party on the last Mariner cruise. I assume they are flexing their decisions & crew protocols based on covid incident rates; similar to how norovirus outbreaks were dealt with in the past. Seems a sensible approach in order to return to ‘normal’ without undue risk (or inconvenience) to guests or crew. Krew Kapers is normally at 6pm and is finished about 6:30pm, so should not interfere with restaurant reservations.

A cloudy day in Santa Barbara before the short cruise back to Los Angeles, our disembarkation port. Tomorrow will be our final goodbyes and our flight back to the U.K. On our approach to Santa Barbara this morning scores of dolphins gave a fine display beside the ship. Thanks for following along with this blog. Hope it provided some entertainment & information 😎

Well, either our tastes are very different or you had a poor experience. This Croque Madame was moist, lots more ham & cheese than bread and with a perfectly runny egg. Delicious 😋

Krew Kapers last night before dinner. The crew did an excellent job as usual

San Francisco was sunnier yesterday (2nd day in port) but still chilly, and very windy out on deck for sailaway

In the U.K. TAs are allowed to discount cruise fares up front rather than having to offer a rebate later. However, It appears that Regent have now capped the discounts to 5% of commissionable fare; whereas pre-covid it could be as high as 11% ☹️ ☹️

Most ships, young or old, use similar vacuum toilet systems which are prone to blockage especially if guests dispose of wet-wipes or the like

What is ATW? ………… and what is hard to believe? 🤔

…… and for dessert Mango & vanilla ice cream Strawberry cheesecake Of course we couldn’t finish every delicious dish 🤣 😋

…………….. and purely in the interest of research we had to sample some of the dishes Pasta (a little salty) Goats cheese Salmon Croque Madame

For us there have been no issues during this cruise, apart from one period of non-flush in our bathroom which lasted less than 15 minutes (presumably while maintenance was ongoing).

Here is today’s lunch menu from Compass Rose on Mariner From memory, Navigator will have similar on offer

It is always good to read reviews from those new to Regent on this board. Perhaps put a link to the thread on the new(?) Crystal Board so that those interested in trying alternative cruise experiences can read a balanced report. Some Crystal die-hards may only be interested in negative comments about other cruise lines to reinforce their blinkered views 🤨 🤔 Maybe we are guilty of the same as regular Regent aficionados 😉 😎

Used the HO-HO bus (Regent included excursion) for a tour around SF & over the Golden Gate Bridge this morning. Alighted at Union Square for a requisite retail experience then travelled back to the ship (pier 27) on one of the historic streetcars ($1.50 each) Sun peaked through the cloud on occasion but it remained cool all day. Silver Wind was also docked nearby

Coasters for guests on this cruise 😀

We have arrived in San Francisco to a grey cool morning. Face-to-face on shore with immigration for all passengers this morning before we can go anywhere. We are overnight in SF, leaving port at 3pm tomorrow.

Forgot to mention: Visiting performers: Broadway singer, Jeri Sager, and comedian, Phil Tag, each appeared twice in the 9:30pm slot in the theatre. Tonight Social Hostess, Cherisse Martinelli, proved to be an accomplished singer when she performed a pre-dinner cabaret at 6pm in the theatre, supported by the band. At 9pm it was Beatles Night in Horizon. We arrived late due to very convivial shared table in Prime 7; the lounge & dance floor were packed and the production singers & band were doing an excellent job.

A few observations about the entertainment this cruise. Production Cast: OK, but certainly not the best we have seen. The female singers are very good but the boys’ voices & personalities are a little weak. We enjoyed Broadway in Concert last night. Regent Band: A very good ensemble with a couple of excellent soloists (clarinet & guitar) who perform in Mariners & Horizon Pianist: Very enjoyable Duo: A talented pair that we have not seen before, but hope to see again in the future. Vaughan & Maxine, siblings, play a varied selection of easy listening numbers in the bars. Also the normal selection of daytime games, Mensa &Trivia, a karaoke night & name that tune

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Today we had an enjoyable day in Ensenada. The excursion we chose was excellent (ENS-009 VIP Wine Tasting with Gourmet Lunch) From the port we drove to a boutique winery, hotel & restaurant called Matilde in the Guadalupe Valley. We descended into the cellar for a tasting of one white & two reds in very comfortable surroundings. The tasting room & bar The winery We were then escorted to a restaurant overlooking the vineyard for a 3 course delicious meal, accompanied by another of their red wines😋 The restaurant Then it was back on the bus for the journey back to the port; our guide supplying karaoke accompaniment to keep us all awake. A+ for this included excursion 👍

There was no problem with the temperature - the cheese board was in the dining room in Chartreuse but was just not brought to the table; rather they served a piece from each cheese available. Like you we prefer to make a selection at the table.

Last night was the SSS party, with a reasonable attendance. One new Titanium guest received their pin and there were a number of long service crew awards (5 & 10 years). Good to see. Being SSS night, we were looking forward to the Miso Sea Bass in Compass Rose. However, this dish has been replaced with Miso Black Cod; same flavour but inferior texture, in our opinion

Yes it was a nice gesture to receive the anniversary coasters, and the anniversary pins earlier in the cruise. We haven’t had a plumbing problem up on 9 ………….. touching wood!!

On to desserts. David decided to try the “Rose a la Chartreuse”. Unfortunately the dessert did not fulfil the promise of its description. He changed to the cheese. Good but served plated rather than from the trolley. Rose a La Chartreuse French cheese selection Susan opted for the always dependable Crispy Apple Tart. 😋

The night before last we dined in Chartreuse. We are OK with the decor but do find that you have to be careful with table location; avoiding the entrance & exit from the kitchen Susan started with Foie Gras Terrine, followed by Beef Tenderloin David enjoyed the Cheese Soufflé, and Lamb Chops for the main course The Chef’s first attempt with the steak was a fail; grossly overdone. He came out of the kitchen full of apologies and redeemed himself with the second try. Beef Lamb