Random Notes from the Mariner, Miami-Miami 3/25-4/8, LIVE

[Mr Rumor]

Today's Pool Deck lunch buffet theme is "Chili Showdown, Presented by Executive Chef Michael Meyepa (pictured) and the galley team." Ginny was the first to hit the buffet and rates the vegetarian chili 8.5 on a scale of 1-10. That's high praise coming from a New Mexican!

Edited April 5, 2016 by Mr Rumor

[Pamela1]

Today's Pool Deck lunch buffet theme is "Chili Showdown, Presented by Executive Chef Michael Meyepa (pictured) and the galley team." Ginny was the first to hit the buffet and rates the vegetarian chili 8.5 on a scale of 1-10. That's high praise coming from a New Mexican!

 

 

Looks fabulous, i can almost smell it. Hoping the veg chill will be there when we are next on board. If Ginny liked it then i'm having some. :)

Thank you again for your posts and photos.

Pam.

[Mr Rumor]

This morning in Gustavia, St. Barts was for Shauna. We contented ourselves with the hourlong "Semi-Submersible Exploration" of a coral reef and shipwreck because we knew Shauna would love it. We had no idea, however, that the submersible would look just like the yellow submarine in the Beatles' animated film based on the Lennon and McCartney classic. Shauna was thrilled when she saw the brightly painted submersible. We have no doubt she thought she was walking into the Beatles cartoon and was minutes away from meeting the Fab Four downstairs.

 

Afterwards we walked around the compact downtown area where high-end boutiques selling Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Bulgari, Breitling, etc. outnumber tacky souvenir shops. Then it was back to the ship for lunch (my choice among the four chilis: Buffalo Chicken with Blue Cheese), and, currently for Shauna, a nap.

 

If you were on Deck 12 right now looking towards Gustavia, this is what you would see. Those mega yachts on the left and right are most impressive when you tender between them!

[Kwaj girl]

Our favorite was the Buffalo Chicken chili.....could have kicked it up a notch with a little Sambal Oelek, though 😳

Now for 2 great sea days....and the next voyage to Bermuda!

(I wonder if the chef will remember my request for the turkey wings tonight. A while back at lunch one day I asked Stephane if they used whole turkeys and if they did, could I have a wing or two? My mom and I always enjoyed the wings every Thanksgiving. He went to the galley and came back saying they often did use whole turkeys and asked the chef to keep my request in mind for next time. So tonight would be "next time"....hmmmmm.......hope so!

[Gilly]

It's such fun to share the journey with you guys, even if it's only in my imagination! Thank you for including us in the fun! Kwajgirl, you must be really in the groove now - how much longer can you keep going, before you have to head back into "real life"? (I'm very envious!)

[Mudhen]

Our favorite was the Buffalo Chicken chili.....could have kicked it up a notch with a little Sambal Oelek, though 😳

Now for 2 great sea days....and the next voyage to Bermuda!

(I wonder if the chef will remember my request for the turkey wings tonight. A while back at lunch one day I asked Stephane if they used whole turkeys and if they did, could I have a wing or two? My mom and I always enjoyed the wings every Thanksgiving. He went to the galley and came back saying they often did use whole turkeys and asked the chef to keep my request in mind for next time. So tonight would be "next time"....hmmmmm.......hope so!

 

Did you get your turkey wings?! I love them too! Funny, of all the great and wonderful things you could request (or comment that you like), you mentioned turkey wings! I'd be right in there with you! Hope you got 'em!

[Mr Rumor]

Good morning, Gilly--glad you've had fun following along!

 

I have the scoop on those two mega yachts that are pictured in the photo above, and I love the fact that my source is none other than Captain Serena. In her announcement yesterday as we were about to depart St. Barts she noted that both yachts--the Luna on the left and the Eclipse on the right--are owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich (you can Google all about him). Why two yachts? Because, according to the captain, Abramovich needed a "shadow yacht" (the Luna) to "carry all the toys" for his bigger yacht (the Eclipse)!!!

 

After reading Kwag girl's post, above, I had to chuckle when an hour later we got our first taste of the Asian hot sauce sambal oelek. It was served as an accompaniment for our specially ordered Indonesian meal in Compass Rose. We had enjoyed our Indian meal so much that I decided to special-order one more time. My original plan had been to request a Filipino dinner, recalling past posters' raves about Filipino food, but our server Hendro, from Indonesia, suggested we go with his home country's cuisine instead, "because it is a little spicier." We weren't disappointed! The feast was made up of the following:

 

Gado Gado--salad with a fun array of ingredients (egg, potato, tomato, shrimp, tofu bean sprouts) served with a peanut sauce.

 

Soto Ayam--chicken soup with tomato and glass noodles

 

Beef Rendang--beef chunks in a spicy coconut sauce

 

Chicken Satay, accompanied by peanut sauce

 

Telur Balado (hard-boiled, then fried egg) in a hot and spicy tomato sauce

 

Vegetarian Spring Rolls (vegetarian Ginny's main course), and rice

 

Of course, we ate too much, but it was soooooo good!

 

One of the things that appealed to Ginny and me about this Caribbean itinerary was the fact that it featured two seas days at the beginning (it turned out to be three with the cancellation of Santa Marta) and two at the end, for a more relaxed experience. We have an easy mix of stuff planned for today (and yes, that includes packing, as we don't talk like to leave this chore to the last minute). Between activities, I'll be checking back in, so stay tuned!

 

Rich

[Kwaj girl]

Gilly - we must finally disembark and get back to the Real World when the next (Bermuda) segment is over....98 days for us on this trip and our longest thus far. Now, when they announce the '18 World Cruise that may help us break our record....

 

Mudhen - nope, the turkey wings were not to be had! Poor Manuel had to break the news that they ended up in the stock pot 😢 Maybe next time....

 

Mr Rumor - think we will do another Indonesian dinner next week - I have 4 clients that will be coming on board in Miami and it would make for a rather special evening. And always remember that you can ask for Sambal Oelek anytime....it's especially good on your morning omelet, and it can really kick up your ketchup. Notch or two if you like it on your fries!

[Mr Rumor]

Kwaj girl, it was love at first taste regarding sambal oelek. We went through the first serving and asked Hendro for a second!

 

I'm parked outside Gudrun's office at the moment waiting for her to open the door. I'm in the grip of Onboard Booking Fever and have a spring, 2017 cruise in mind, plus want to buy another future cruise deposit certificate so we'll be covered just in case we see a cruise on the soon-to-be-announced 2017-18 itineries that we want to book right away.

 

Rich

Edited April 6, 2016 by Mr Rumor

[RachelG]

I asked for sambal onboard Navigator last month and was disappointed they didn't have any as I had had it onboard Mariner before. Jon wanted some for his eggs, but had to make do with Tabasco.

[Kwaj girl]

I asked for sambal onboard Navigator last month and was disappointed they didn't have any as I had had it onboard Mariner before. Jon wanted some for his eggs, but had to make do with Tabasco.

 

With all the Indonesian & Filipino crew members you can be certain they have this condiment onboard in the Crew Mess. There would surely be a riot if they ran out, akin to an American response "What, no ketchup for my fries?!?!?" Sometimes you just have to ask the 'right' waiter to bring some up from there. ;-)

[Suite Travels]

Of course they would have Sambal. The waiter probably did not know what it was. Tobasco is bleh.

[Kwaj girl]

Guess who came through with my TURKEY WINGS for lunch today?!?!?

I returned to our suite late this morning to a VM from no one other than Stephane telling me that my special order would be available for lunch today! And YES they were wonderfully roasted. Another point for the fabulous Regent team! 👍

[Mudhen]

YEA! Good job, Regent!

[JPR]

Those were all classic components of the famed Indonesian Rijstaffel or "rice table." Yum.

[Mr Rumor]

It almost went down to the wire, but Shauna finally got her Beatles bash tonight courtesy of Regent's newest musical hire, Janos & Elisabeta of the Tritons Duo. I've heard snippets of the duo's big sound--Janos is a one-man band on his Yamaha Tyros--including a snippet of the Beatles "Obla Di, Obla Da." So when we showed up at Stars a short while ago, a sleepy Shauna in tow, I had a good feeling they could wake our daughter up with a Beatles song or two. Well, Tritons Duo did six in a row! Shauna was delighted. She gave mom and dad a dance apiece, flashed some moves on her own that had fellow loungers smiling, and is now sleeping soundly. Thank you Janos and Elisabeta!

 

If Tritons Duo was our entertainment nightcap, our dance/music main event tonight was Krew Kapers, which never fails to delight and is always a highlight of a Regent cruise for us. We left the Constellation Theater reminded of how lucky we are to be tended to by such a terrific group of spirited and talented young people.

 

Rich

[Zqueeze1]

Really glad to hear that your daughter got her Beatles wish. It's those little things that make us excited to be back on board. I hope you guys have a safe trip home. BTW, please feel free to bring some chile verde next time you are in South Florida and I will reciprocate with a little Zacapa rum. :)

Z and TB

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited April 7, 2016 by Zqueeze1

[Eager2Travel]

Rich so glad to hear that Shauna got her Beatles treat. Good for the Triton Duo for being so accommodating. It has been great running into you, Ginny and Shauna on the cruise. Not only are you an excellent blogger but a friendly cruisemate.

 

Dinner tonight was some outstanding lobster and a Grand Marnier soufflé drenched with a side helping of Grand Marnier. I do have to acknowledge that the cavier starter was a little strange. It consisted of a dab of caviar on top of a dish of mashed potatoes. Maybe I was premature in saying there have been no cuts. Though the Sunday morning helping of caviar was very generous with all the trimmings.

 

Tomorrow is packing day. Ugh! My least favorite day of the cruise. It has been a wonderful cruise.

 

Kwaj Girl, I am sorry we never met. I miss not having a Meet and Greet.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Eager2Travel

[RachelG]

Of course they would have Sambal. The waiter probably did not know what it was. Tobasco is bleh.

 

 

 

Agree!

[Mr Rumor]

Thanks, Z: You need to try New Mexican food someday. A blending of Latin and Native American flavors and influences, it is unlike any Mexican food you have tasted. We do believe we grow the best chiles in the Land of Enchantment (of course we may be a tiny bit biased).

 

Ann, it was a delight meeting and getting to know you and Shel. You are wonderful peeps! Hope we'll get to cruise together again someday. So glad you added your thoughts and observations to this thread.

 

I awoke in the middle of the night to a mini-symphony of titters, creaks and rat-a-tat-tats and thought immediately of Ginny and how she and her tummy would be reacting this morning to the motion, the most I've felt on the cruise so far. Vivian, the night receptionist, didn't have a weather conditions update for me. As she spoke I was momentarily mesmerized by the door to the GM's office slowing swinging open and shut nearby.

 

Motion permitting, we have a lot to look forward to today, including Smithsonian lecturer Bruce Chadwick's second Civil War-themed talk, "The Civil War - Crises, Cases and the Caribbean." Bruce has been excellent! Then it will be the "Backyard BBQ," the last in the string of themed Pool Deck buffets, followed later in the afternoon by our final go at Trivia with Jim and Karen and Bill and Kay. What a fun group! Today promises to be extra-special, as we have a plan immediately afterwards to march as a group to the Regent Rewards Prize Redemption to watch Shauna as she goes on her shopping spree. With thanks to our generous friends, would you believe Shauna has accumulated more than 100-points' worth of Regent Rewards cards!?

 

Later we are scheduled to end on the cruise on a high note, literally and figuratively, with "Showtime: "The Jean Ann Ryan Company in 'Dancing in the Streets,' a celebration of American music from Motown to Memphis." We don't normally get a JAR show on the last night of a cruise, and it is only happening this cruise because the cast is new and needed to take time to do the final blocking-out of its four shows while onboard.

 

We suddenly seem to have a little less motion. Hope the trend continues. Now I need to go check on wifey and the Little Boss!

 

Rich

Edited April 7, 2016 by Mr Rumor

[Mr Rumor]

I'm always with my pocket notepad when on an excursion. After reviewing my notes from this cruise, I saw that I had the makings of a trivia quiz (it's only seven questions, so now I know I should have booked a longer cruise!). I tested the questions on the other members of our Just Guessing Trivia team--they were stumped by 1, 2 and 7--and now here they are for you. I've listed the questions immediately below, and have repeated the questions with the answers further down, in case you want to test yourself. Enjoy!

 

1. What is Aruba's only export?

 

2. What is Bonaire's best-known liqueur made from?

 

3. What is the color of the bougainvillea flower?

 

4. Who discovered Martinique?

 

5. Which is the smallest country in the Americas?

 

6. Which American whose face adorns a U.S. Federal Reserve was born on the island of Nevis?

 

7. What is the St. Kitts delicacy known as "tree mutton"?

 

Rich

 

 

Scroll down for answers. . .

 

 

 

 

Scroll a little further. . .

 

 

 

 

A little further. . .

 

 

 

 

Here you go!

 

1. What is Aruba's only export? A: Aloe vera.

 

2. What is Bonaire's best-known liqueur made from? A: Cactus, specifically the cadushy cactus, the sweetest of the three cacti that grow in Bonaire.

 

3. What is the color of the bougainvillea flower? A: White. It is the leaves that are pink, orange, purple or burgundy.

 

4. Who discovered Martinique? A: Christopher Columbus, in 1502.

 

5. Which is the smallest country in the Americas? A: St. Kitts and Nevis.

 

6. Which American whose face adorns a U.S. Federal Reserve Note was born on the island of Nevis? A: Alexander Hamilton (ten-dollar bill).

 

7. What is the St. Kitts delicacy known as "tree mutton"? A: Stewed Green Vervet monkey. The Vervet Monkey is said to outnumber the human population 2:1. According to our St. Kitts guide Winston, they are considered pests who eat farmers' crops. Eating them, apparently, is Kittitians' best revenge.

[Mr Rumor]

Good afternoon from the Mariner. Miami in the morning!

[Mr Rumor]

As a few fellow passengers close down Horizon Lounge down the hall, I'm closing down the computer room. Highlights from our last afternoon and evening aboard the Mariner included the Regent Rewards Point Redemption. It was a quite a scene as a couple dozen card-toting passengers swarmed the tables loaded with Regent gear. Shauna's 114 points got her six Regent baseball caps, one long-sleeve teeshirt and two sports teeshirts. All members of the Just Guessing Trivia team were there to cheer her on, and one, Bill, was promptly gifted with one of the hats by Shauna.

 

Our trivia team reconvened in Sette Mari an hour or so later for dinner and conversation. We're going to miss Bill and Kay, and we're already looking forward to seeing Jim and Karen again on the Explorer MV in July. It will be our sixth cruise together. After we ran into each other on each of the three Regent cruises we booked in 2013, we all figured we were meant to be friends.

 

The Constellation Theater was perhaps a quarter less crowded for JAR's final show, "Dancing in the Streets," than it would have been if it hadn't been scheduled for the last night. The cast is off to a good start.

 

Shauna really hit her stride on this cruise the last few days, but when we returned to the room and saw our packed bags, she happily exclaimed "Home!" She's ready to return to the Land of Enchantment, where she has an active, fun life, and we're ready to return, too. We'll be doing so with some wonderful memories made. This was a most enjoyable cruise.

 

But before we fly out we get to delight Shauna with one last bus ride: the "Hop-On Hop Off Miami Beach Loop." We did this with our daughter at the end of our Montreal-Miami cruise and she had a ball riding in the open air upstairs.

 

Thanks for following along, and for your nice comments. I'll have a wrap-up post after I return!

 

Rich

[Mr Rumor]

The sun rises in Miami and sets at the same time on what has been a wonderful cruise.

Edited April 8, 2016 by Mr Rumor

[dlouise]

This is just a beautiful way to end your report.