boblerm
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Posts posted by boblerm
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Hæ!
Last night we had what had to be close to a perfect cruise ship evening.We had pre - dinner cocktails in the Maridian Lounge, where they offer a very inventive menu of drinks that are not available elsewhere, with music by 3 members of the Regent Signature Orchestra.Dinner was at Pacific Rim. We have our favorite menu items here that we go to time and time again. But we decided last night that we may be doing ourselves a disservice by not trying other things, so we decided that we would each order things that we have not had before.Mr. had the Alaska King Crab Summer Roll, the Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai and the Barbecue Pork Ribs.Mrs. had the Sushi Platter, Seaweed Salad and the Seafood Laksa. We paired the apps with a cold saki, and the mains with an excellent pinot noir. Everything was incredible. And for dessert we shared the Pacific Rim Ice Cream Sampler; a scoop each of seaweed, coconut, and sesame seed cookie. OMG! Dare I say - move over Caramel Popcorn Sundae? Not sure that I would go that far, but definitely a contender.The show was "Broadway in Concert". I can't say how many times I have seen this show, it seems that it has been offered on every Regent cruise that I have taken for quite some time now. And I don't think that they change it up very much. I know what many of the songs are performed each time that I have seen it, maybe a few different ones. But that matters to me not a whit. Last night, the voices were spectacular; I loved every second of it.So why did I say, "close" to a perfect cruise ship evening"? We would have loved to have enjoyed a nightcap at the Observation Lounge with the piano player, or in the Splendor Lounge with the duo, but we had a 7:30 Am excursion today and thought that we had best not stay up too late.Poor us! 😁Today we are in Akureyri and our excursion was "Godafoss & Leisurely Akureyri ".We drove to the falls, then back to Akureyri for a visit to the Akureyri Public Parkland Botanical Garden. We were told that this is the northernmost botanical garden in the world, 40 Km from the arctic circle.We once again had a very enjoyable excursion, I could have used a bit more time in the gardens, however. The weather gods were not quite as kind to us today, it was raining while we were at the falls, but not too hard. It had stopped by the time that we arrived at the gardens, so no real complaints!
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2 hours ago, Gilly said:
'scuse me @boblerm but are you two following in our footsteps?! Guess which tour we chose in Ísafjörður? 😉 (and wasn't Johann the fisherman great?!)
It's lovely to revisit these places seeing through someone else's lens, especially when they are still so clear in my mind. I can still hear the beautiful voice of the young woman in the church too. I think we made an excellent choice with that tour, don't you? ( I'm still waiting for those rejuvenating properties of the water to appear btw)
I guess that great minds think alike (I am referring, of course, to you and Ms boblerm who takes the lead in excursion selections 😊).
Yes, we have been very pleased with our excursions do far. Johann was quite a personality, I loved how he spoke so enthusiastically to us knowing that not one of us understood a word he said (other than our tour guide, thank goodness 😁)
Hard to tell how well the magic water is working, I always feel young when cruising! 😉
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15 hours ago, mnocket said:
Wow! That's great. I'll be there in a week and I must say packing for this trip is about as difficult as it gets. The weather in Iceland is so dramatically variable. I know... layers, layers, layers, but it's hard to not overpack.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
It may be quite cold and windy, so pack for that for sure. But in terms of over packing, please bear in mind that the included unlimited laundry is great, and you can get it done every day if you wish. So there is no need to take lots of clothing (unless you want lots of different outfits!) 😊
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Kveðja!Last night we dined at Compass Rose. Boblerm had caviar profiteroles, cream of asparagus soup, and duck prepared 2 ways in plum sauce. Ms. Boblerm had vine ripened tomato salad, asparagus soup and a sake glazed salmon. In terms of presentation, flavor, and service, it was a standout dining experience.The evening entertainment was a vocalist named Andrew Bateup, who was a finalist in the UK version of "the Voice". He did a performance of standards ; rat pack, Michael Bublè, Bryan Adams, others, backed by the Regent Signature Orchestra. He has a really nice voice and put on a very enjoyable show.Today we are in Ísafjörður. The forcast called for rain all day, but the Norse gods smiled upon us once again, and it was pleasant and sunny, at least as we speak, 2PM.Our excursion was called "Life and Culture of Ísafjörður. We stopped at the Ósvör Maritime Museum, which is a replica of an old Icelandic fishing village, and then drove to a church where we were serenaded with Islandic folk songs by a lovely young lady. Next we stopped at the Tunguskògur water falls. We were able to sample the clear mountain water which is said to have rejuvenating powers, you become 10 years more youthful with each glass. I had 4. We'll see what happens. Lastly, we returned to Isafjörður, where we visited a Maritime and Folk Museum. We were able to sample salted cod, which was pretty much like trying to chew on fish flavored plasterboard. 😋I must say that it is an incredible pleasure to be relaxing comfortably on the pool deck in Iceland, and best of all, NO CHAIR HOGS!
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5 minutes ago, mnocket said:
I'm really disappointed to hear this as we're flying to Iceland next week on Icelandair. I knew their Business Class seats were like US domestic 1st class, but I was hoping they reclined enough that you could sleep without your head falling forward. Mine's a red eye so I really need to try to get some sleep.
Yes, US domestic 1st class is exactly what we had, sorry if I misled you. The seats do recline, but not nearly flat. No worries, your head will not fall forward, and if you can sleep well in a semi reined position, you are good to go!
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3 hours ago, Gilly said:
It was in Grundarfjörður, Bob...and we did exactly the same tour as you did today in slightly less favourable weather (but not too bad!). He also popped up in Reykjavik on our last morning. I think that, like we've seen before, the same guides operate in several ports.
Duh!
Yes, I am did read that blog entry, but that was, like, a, whole 3 days ago!
Can't remember everything! 😂
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Góðan daginn!
Dinner last night was at Prime 7. Jeannie had crab cake to start and the seafood sampler. I had the beef tartar and the bone in- rib steak. I asked to add a couple of crab legs to make it a surf and turf. We thought that the starters were very good, but the entrées just OK. My steak had good flavor, but was on the tougher side. My wife's lobster tail was somewhat overcooked. There was some service issues as well, they seem to be understaffed. We finished well with my favorite dessert south of the North Pole, the Caramel Pop Sundae!
The show last night was Welcome Aboard Variety Showtime, featuring a sampling of all of the ship's on- board entertainers. There were numbers by the Regent Signature Orchestra; the Observation Lounge piano player, Ray; the Splendor Lounge performers, the Dial 2 Duo (2 gents). The production team did a short tribute to Queen. If this is any indication of what we have in store for us, I have very high hopes for a great entertainment experience, as they were all excellent. In addition, cruise director Margaret did 2 songs as well as acting as MC. This is the first time that we have cruised with her and my first impression is very positive in terms of her talent and personality.
Today we are anchored off Grundarfjörður, we tendered in and had a tour called "Highlights of Snæfellsnes. We drove through some nice scenes, with several stops showcasing some beautiful vistas. So much of touring is dependant on the weather, and today we hit the jackpot. It was 16C/61F, calm and clear as a bell. Our tour guide told us that this was highly unusual for this region. Sadly, the forecast ahead is not do great, but we surely too appreciate what we had today!
As mentioned, it is my intent to post some details and more photos when I am at home.
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5 hours ago, Gilly said:
BTW anyone who encounters Julius, the guide wearing 'mellow yellow' in one of their tours might like to ask about his son, featured in an Icelandair in-flight TV offering with his band Kaleo 😉
Do you recall which port this was?
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Update to muster /safety:When first turning on your in-suite TV, a 16 minute safety video has to play before you can view anything else.Also, at 5:45, the CD came on the ship wide PA system with a 15 minute talk, covering pretty much the same stuff.
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50 minutes ago, captjohn said:
Hi, we will be boarding in a week and taking the same flight from Boston. Any problems getting into Iceland ?
John
The flight was great, on time, smooth, excellent service and good food.
As mentioned, it was comfortable enough for a daytime flight of this duration, I think that you will be pleased.
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1 hour ago, Zqueeze1 said:
Boblerm:
Thanks for posting since this cruise is on our wish list. Hope you have a wonderful time and don’t kill too many celebrum cells!
Z and TB
Thanks Z, and if only I could find a preventative!
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1 hour ago, RELS said:
Not "a hotdog stand." THE hotdog stand. It's world famous!
Loving your pictures. We were in Reykjavik last June. It's a wonderful city.
I stand corrected, and now regret missing it! ☺️
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Our Icelandair business class flight was fine for a daytime flight, but would not recommended for overnight, as seats do not recline nearly enough. We arrived at our hotel, the Hilton Konsulat at about 11PM. I had researched dining options beforehand, and the only thing that I could find open at that hour was a hotdog stand. But Icelandair kept us well fed, so we passed.
Walked around Reykjavík a bit this morning.
You can tell the locals from the tourists as some are dressed for the summer, and others for the winter.
Took a taxi to the pier. It was only about a 10 minute ride, but the fare was (brace yourself), two thousand nine hundred and twenty krona!
But then I did the math, and it came out to only twenty bucks. Whew!Embarkation was easy peasy. Check in started at 11:30, and we were on the pool deck by 11:45.
Strange as it may seem, I think that my favorite part of a cruise is embarkation . We love getting our first glimpse of our ship. The feeling of first stepping on our ship is an indescribable one, so I will not try. We savor our first toast (our go to is Champagne with Grand Marnier) on the pool deck. As special as these things were prior to travel being shut down by that – which – shall-not- be – named, now it is even more so!
Since the resumption of travel following you – know- what, Regent no longer requires showing up for a live muster, we just have to watch a video at home (twice), then after checking in, you go to your muster station to say hi.
This is either
great because we don’t have to spend precious on board time with a boring old muster presentation
or
terrible, because in the event of an actual emergency, people are likely to be unprepared, and will run around like chickens with their heads cut off
or
both.
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In the days of my "youth"*, I used to enjoy doing doing somewhat comprehensive live trip reports on Cruise Critic, with somewhat detailed information, an occasional pithy comment, and loads of visuals. As the years go by, I find that my brain and fingers work more slowly, and doing a detailed live report takes up more time than I would like. So lately, I have been reporting once settled in at home. But I think that there is some value in posting about a cruise in real time, to give people who are soon to embark a chance to see what's going on onboard and to answer questions. So my plan is to do a fairly brief report about the goings on aboard the Splendor, with a pic or 2, and then fill in the gaps with more detail and photos when I get home and have a chance to rest my weary cerebrum.
This cruise is a circumnavigation of Iceland, round trip Reykjavik, 8 nights with 5 ports of call including an overnight in the Faroe Islands, one sea day. We have a post cruse night in Reykjavik.
I am currently in the British Airway lounge in Boston Logan, which is the lounge that Icelandair uses here. We have a noontime flight which lands in REK this evening, and board tomorrow.
If any of my fellow CCers that are sailing with me are reading this, please post here and help me out!
*"Oh, to be young...., and seventy again."
Mrs. Odetts (My Little Margie's next door neighbor(American sitcom from the '50s))
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There is a very long thread on this topic on the CC British Isle Forum.
This post (#639) offers some suggestions.
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34 minutes ago, Gilly said:
Sorry, I'm late to the party on this thread but thanks @boblerm for the nudge. Andy and Tammy left the ship in Oslo due to a family emergency and Margaret Lynn took over from there with her inimitable style and talent. We were sad to miss Andy and Tammy but Margaret is a very capable and safe pair of hands and runs an equally good Trivia session 😉 (well, some things are important, arent they?)
Thank you for this info, Gill. Do you happen to know if Margaret Lynn will be on board for a while now?
And as long as I have you on the phone, thanks you so much for your delightful blog!
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Last I'd heard it was Andy Heath.
@Gilly,can you confirm this?
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1 hour ago, Big Vin said:
The always available menu needs to go! It gets boring after a few days.
I think that CR's always available menu is one of the reasons that so many of us love Regent. But that's what makes horse races.
1 hour ago, Big Vin said:Only well-behaved children belong on a luxury ship.
1 hour ago, Big Vin said:It's already been decided that next time, 2024, is Viking Ocean and Viking Expedition.
Problem solved!
Big Vin, thank you for your honest report. It is always nice to hear differing perspectives on this forum. even those that are absolutely wrong.
Just kidding!😄
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46 minutes ago, Big Vin said:
Notwithstanding boblerms's nice post, above, I don't think that he, or anyone else, really wants to read my very negative (so far) review.
Big Vin, while we appreciate your concern for our sensitivities, perhaps we are not quite as fragile as you may think.
We can handle the truth!
If it's not too much trouble, mayb you can provide a few bullet points (if possible in language that is not too too weird?) as to what your concerns are. And also if there is any positives?
TIA.
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6 hours ago, Big Vin said:
This is a one post review of the process to get a transfer ticket from the Anchorage Hilton to Seward.
I don't understand how Regent can be so bad at this. They have an Alaska season every year, formerly on Mariner, and now on Explorer. They turnaround from Anchorage every other week all summer long. How can they be so bad at this?
Last night we received a welcome letter when checking in. It was after 10:00 pm so there was no Regent hospitality desk to clear things up. (We arrived at the airport in plenty of time to get to the hotel by 10:00 pm, but were kept waiting 40 minutes for the bus transfer, so there is also that.)
Anyway, what was written in the welcome letter had no resemblance to what actually happened this morning.
I searched out the hospitality desk at 7am because that's when the letter said it would open. There was already a line, winding out the door and into an adjacent outdoor patio. And as the line snaked on the inside, it interfered with the serving of breakfast.
I know the experience on board the ship will be better, but come on Regent, you can do better than this!
I would be interested if anyone on a subsequent cruise staying with Regent pre-cruise from Anchorage can attest that they at least bothered to change the welcome letter to reflect the actual process.
Big Vin
So sorry that your cruise has gotten off to such a rocky start. Here's hoping that things take a considerable turn for the better once you board.
If time allows, please pop in here from time to time and let us know how things are going.
Cheers!🥂
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5 hours ago, bitob said:
I am on the second leg of a silversea cruise.
the first leg had toddlers with Nannie’s. The toddlers ran around the restaurants, screamed etc. as the parents sat as far away as they could. I did say something but they will never offend a guest.
second leg. They are gone. What a pleasure
there are no bad children
only bad parents
I think that we are all in agreement that children who cannot behave, and/or parents that are unwilling to see to it that children are not creating a disturbance should not be on luxury lines.
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We were on the lower Mississippi, no issue with phone (Verizon) or internet.
Top notch entertainment every night, and interesting lecturers.
No days without being in port,no reason to be bored.
I did have issues with the service as I have detailed earlier.
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In the past, when staying in an included hotel with Regent or any other cruise line, I have not been able to get points or any other hotel membership benefits, as the reservation is through the group.
Splendor in Iceland!
in Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Posted
So far, our first 3 days have been mild, low to mid 60s F. The first 2 days have been sunny and clear. Yesterday it rained in the morning and was cloudy in the afternoon. Today we are at sea, don't know the temperature, but it feels chilly and is raining.