Voyager Auckland to Singapore, January 26 - February 20, 2017

[WesW]

Hi Terry, did not note the humidity until I ran from the applestore to the opera house to hopefully link up with Ida and the Regent Opera House tour. Once there it took 15 min to cool down, lucky I did have another tec short sleeve shirt to put on. Thanks for good iPad suggestions. And hope you enjoy a few sail away pix below

 

Rich, loved taking the Milford Sound photos and so happy to hear you enjoyed them. We're thinking about the tour--but we did this tour on the Voyager four years ago.

 

Tonight we have to put our 60's dancing shoes on it's Beatles nite in the Horizon lounge

 

As you observe the sail away pix as we approach the Sydney Harbor Bridge, note how many crew are doing precisely what the guests are doing--taking opera house photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited February 4, 2017 by WesW

[Gilly]

Wes, we are now home from our adventures but still enjoying yours! Thank you for sharing - all looking great from my PC!

 

I think the sailaway from Sydney has to be one of the best in the world. How lovely to enjoy it in daylight - we sailed at dusk and darkness fell as we left the berth. So glad you got your ipad sorted too, so we could enjoy the sights!!

[WesW]

Your very welcome Gil, we were so fortunate to sail away from Sydney in brilliant sunlight. Two years ago on a Silversea voyage Sydney to LA we left in the dark too.

 

Ida and I enjoyed another outstanding dinner in Compass Rose paired with best Shiraz we have enjoyed. Now to Beatles nite but first some pix

 

 

 

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[newlondon]

Rachel, Wes, The Mekong Delta tour is very interesting but the drive is long. I also hope you don't travel during the last day of Tet as VN Rte.1 is almost a parking lot.

Fun story: We were returning from the Delta late afternoon. We were trapped in horrible traffic. Next to us for 2-3 miles was a motorcycle with a trailer containing a large pig constantly smiling. We asked our driver what was going on, his response "he's being chauffeured to see his girl friend" apparently a regular occurrence.

[RachelG]

Rachel, Wes, The Mekong Delta tour is very interesting but the drive is long. I also hope you don't travel during the last day of Tet as VN Rte.1 is almost a parking lot.

Fun story: We were returning from the Delta late afternoon. We were trapped in horrible traffic. Next to us for 2-3 miles was a motorcycle with a trailer containing a large pig constantly smiling. We asked our driver what was going on, his response "he's being chauffeured to see his girl friend" apparently a regular occurrence.

 

Haha!

[WesW]

Good morning from the Tasman sea as we will enjoy another sea day enroute Brisbane.

 

Thanks Bill for the Mekong Delta excursion fidelity.

 

We enjoyed another fun nite last nite after our delish Compass Rose Dinner first dancing in the Voyager lounge to the Latin sounds of the Tritons. Then we headed to the Horizon Lounge for a wonderful Beatles show to a packed dance floor and lounge. Please enjoy a few dancing pics below.

 

Today is chock full of good enrichment lectures by our Smithsonian lecturers including the second morning lecture today on the origins of the Vietnam War. We have tap dance class at 11 am. An entertainment highlite will be our CD doing She Haw tonite in the constellation theater

 

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[petlover]

What a fun cruise....I love Sydney ! I also love the Beatles show. We were originally booked on your cruise...I can't even remember why we cancelled? You have posted so many WONDERFUL photos ! Thanks for taking us along Wes.:)

[WesW]

Marcie (and Tom) thanks very much for your too kind words, sincerely our pleasure to share.

 

Would have been wonderful after a dozen years to have Tom and you on board. We see kiwi pins on fellow pax often. On our flight in the dark, when Ida was looking hard for her clothes to change out of her pjs, a nice gentleman sitting across from me loaned her his flashlight. On landing I noted it was Ken and Ngaire--told Ken thanks and we would see him on the Voyager, he said should be fun. This cruise is tons of fun

 

 

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[Eager2Travel]

Glad to hear that you and Ida are having fun on your cruise. In our mind that is what is important. Continue to enjoy.

Ann and Shel

[WesW]

Today at lunch with my beautiful bride Ida sailing on the gorgeous deep blue Tasman Sea. Ida shows the point her team won in a putting contest just before lunch with the Voyager's officers. You can get a feel for the stunning ambiance of the Voyager's main dining room, Compass Rose. Tonight after dinner we will enjoy the Voyager's cruise director Margaret Lynn in She-Haw, singing the hits of Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, John Denver and Shania Twain et.al. Then we will head to the Voyager Lounge for the music of the Tritons Duo where Ida will enjoy salsa, Cumbia, and we will enjoy a rumba or two.

 

 

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[WesW]

Thanks Ann and Shel.

 

Today at lunch with my beautiful bride sailing on the gorgeous deep blue Tasman Sea. Ida shows the point her team won in a putting contest just before lunch with the Voyager's officers. You can get a feel for the stunning ambiance of the Voyager's main dining room, Compass Rose. Tonight after dinner we will enjoy the Voyager's cruise director Margaret Lynn in She-Haw, singing the hits of Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, John Denver and Shania Twain et.al. Then we will head to the Voyager Lounge for the music of the Tritons Duo where Ida will enjoy salsa, Cumbia, and we will enjoy a rumba or two.

 

 

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[WesW]

Ida and I enjoyed another outstanding dinner in Sette Mari last nite. Next we headed to the constellation theater to enjoy CD's Margaret Lynn's outstanding show, She-Haw.. posting a few pix would have posted a vid, but can't here.

 

Today, we docked in Brisbane and we are doing the Lone Pine excursion (panoramic tour of Brisbane) then a visit to the Koala Sanctuary.

 

 

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[WesW]

Super bowl on the Voyager

 

 

 

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[WesW]

Darn can't believe halfway through our Lone Pine and Brisbane Highlights tour Atlanta was leading the Patriots by 25 point then lost in overtime..smarting. We rcvd a wonderful welcome in the cruise terminal here in Brisbane, they had a men's singling group welcome us. Ida even danced with one of the members. Ida and I enjoyed this outstanding excursion--observing Koala's, Emu's, Kangaroo's, Tasmanian Devils, Dingo's, and a platypus.

 

Tonight an hour before we depart Brisbane we have an exclusive event this segment for Grand Voyage cruisers--an Aborigine group will perform with dancing.

 

Please enjoy a few pictures...still can't believe the Falcons lost.

 

 

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[MMDown Under]

Welcome to Brisbane on a beautiful hot sunny summer's day.

[mikey47]

WesW. Thanks for giving the Superbowl result! Not staying up into the early hours I was trying to avoid the news until I could watch the recording. Didn't think I'd need to avoid CC as well!

[liptastic]

Wes and Ida your photographs are really encouraging me to put this itinerary on a wish list for future when time permits. The koala trip looks great.

Thanks for also sharing your own photographs too, you both seem to make the very most of your time onboard, horizon lounge is a great spot for dancing in the evening. Glad the new iPad is keeping us all updated at home. Once again thanks for taking all the time to post esp when the Internet is not always available. Jean.

[WesW]

Thanks for the warm welcome to your beautiful and friendly city MMdownunder.

 

mikey47, your very welcome :)

 

Jean, thank you for your gracious words--sincere pleasure to share and we strongly recommend a similar itinerary.

 

We had our first Grand Voyage event just prior to dinner last nite with a group of young Aboriginal dancers that Franck (GM) arranged. We have about 15% of the Voyager sailing as Grand Voyage guests (102). Please, enjoy a few pix

 

Darn even at 5:30 a.m and 11 pm last nite can't get photo's to download..internet speed on board is sooooo frustrating.

 

 

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[WesW]

Ok went up to pool deck and the pix loaded, pls see:

 

 

 

 

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[crusin7]

Hi Wes. I am loving your blog but especially the excellent photos. I think it is great that you and Ida are in the pics! It makes it much more personal. Fantastic job!:D

[WesW]

Thanks cruisin7, in fact Franck the GM suggested I get in the pic, normally I demure; he then showed my how to lighten the pic since our IPad takes poor dark pix.

 

For the first time in two dozen cruises on both Silversea and Regent we have a refresh life boat drill that everyone must attend at 11 am. Tho, would rather be listening to an enrichment lecture or taking a dance class Regent deserve props for putting passenger/crew safety first.

 

 

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[RachelG]

Just too much cuteness in the zoo pics. Can you smuggle a koala onboard for me to cuddle?

[Pam]

Wes, your pictures are certain making it enticing to look into these trips. I a afraid that I am just too reticent to take place in all the fun. If I could only manage to present myself a little more enthusiastically.

[flossie009]

Thanks Jennifer and Georges for taking the time to share your experiences and post. We can understand well that the Navigator internet speed is faster than the molasses speed we are now experiencing on the Voyager--most likely because of the extra few hundred devices logged on (more pax on board Voyager) at the same time.

 

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Wes,

IMO the internet problems on Voyager are not just caused by the numbers using the service; it is something more fundamental

 

We were on Mariner in October and Voyager in Dec/Jan. Both ships carry the same number of PAX and were virtually full

 

On Mariner the internet was slow, but just about acceptable for an on-board service; on Voyager, as you have also experienced, using the internet was a very frustrating experience

 

FDR may have "thrown everything at the issue", but really needs to get some top-class technical guys onto the issue in order to deliver the service that Regent proudly advertises

 

 

Anyway, enough of the rant - loving your superb reports and photos from your cruise; they are reminding us of our voyage and helping with our withdrawal symptoms :)

[WesW]

Rachel, Pam, Flossie; thanks so much for your wonderful words of joy--makes posting more than worthwhile

 

Rachel, our 2b's have filed divorce papers as a result of us hugging Jarvis the Koala :)

 

Flossie009..you're lasted spot on...the internet is so darn slow on the Voyager, we would have a hard time booking the Voyager again. Will let FDR know. We will book on board the Navigator in Norway in August 2018.

 

 

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