“Live from: Z and TB’s Fall Foliage Extravaganza”

[Zqueeze1]

Hi, all!!  Welcome to our fall foliage, or “how I went broke while freezing my tuckus,” cruise. We are sailing onboard the beautiful Regent Navigator from Montreal to Miami departing this upcoming Sunday, 28 October.  See below for our itinerary. 

We are departing tomorrow morning at o dark thirty (7AM) from Miami international and flying to Montreal.  The upgrade fairy smiled upon us so I will definitely have a liquid breakfast of airline Bloody Marys while taking pics of The Boss sleeping. If she snores, I’m taking a video. 

We are meeting our good friends John and Karen at the W hotel and have dinner with them.  They will also be on this cruise, so we are guaranteed a great time.

We are looking forward to seeing which crew members we will recognize and to making new friends. I hope that my favorite bartender, Olga from Ukraine, is onboard.  

Anyone o this cruise is welcome to join I’m amd share your adventures with us.  

Z and TB 

 

 

[BBWC]

Sorry to disappoint you, but Olga is on the Explorer right now.

[Zqueeze1]

BBWC: thanks for the heads up. We hope to run into her again in a future cruise.

Well, we made it to the airport.  I am dragging and borderline cranky since I woke up at two thirty for final prep and to make sure the cats were all in the house.  I almost had to hire a trailer to haul the luggage. The Boss must be prepared for every climate, social engagement, mood, and ambiance. I’m the opposite.  Years of traveling for Uncle Sam made me a more pragmatic packer. Of course, as I write this there is a good chance I forgot something major. 

We have been interested in this cruise ever since we followed Rich’s (Mr Rumor) thread about this same cruise a few years ago. TB is excited about seeing all the fall colors and I get a chance to visit my old haunts in NYC and my alma mater in Charleston. 

[forgap]

So happy to have you back on a live thread!   Your humor and writing style is a pleasure to read each morning!   You may have some rough weather initially due to the storm but things should smooth out fairly quickly.   Hope you and TB have a grand time!

 

[Sheltieluv]

Good morning Z and TB, you will soon be in my "neck of the woods."  We live about 3 hours southwest of Montreal, where we say that we have 2 seasons--4th of July and Winter.  It's pretty late to catch leaf color, and after today's storm blows through, there may not be much left, but I'm sure you'll have a great time even if the colorful scenery doesn't cooperate!  Don't be too hard on TB re her luggage; she'll be glad she packed the long johns!  😄

Have a wonderful time!  We love the Navigator; ask for Mario in Compass Rose.  He's so much fun.  Enjoy!

[jimbri]

Looks like a great itinerary.  Looking forward to your review.

[tnr]

Hi Z.  We are looking forward to your zany adventures......and don't be too mean to TB.  She does put up with you after all.

[Hambagahle]

Good to have you back and posting!  I also look forward to a virtual cruise with you and your friends!

 

Having gone to university in Massachusetts I also think that early November is late for the fall colours.  As I remember (and it was over 50 years ago) Columbus Day was the peak for leaves in Massachusetts and they were way past their prime then further north.  But who knows?  here in Switzerland we have had an extraordinarily mild october and the colours haven't even reached their peak!

[boblerm]

Can't wait to be virtually joining you on this fabulous itinerary and fabulous ship!

Bob and Jeannie

[Zqueeze1]

Thanks, all for the kudos and virtual high fives. Will hope to please all with our adventures and always treat The Boss in the best manner. I may joke around a lot, but she is my universe. 

Will definitely find Mario. 

 

As as far as the leaves are concerned we are now at the W hotel in Montreal and there is pretty much a lot of foliage to keep Pam happy. Thank goodness for that or else she’ll be yapping like Dino from the Flintstones about the lack of foliage. 

As I mentioned above, the upgrade fairy looked upon us favorably. We flew in an American Airlines 757-200 with the newer first class configuration. I decided that a Bloody Mary would be the perfect cure for hauling TB’s luggage and just had a second one with my omelet (vacation has now officially started). 

We are nded in Philly and had less than an hour for our next connection. Possible scenarios include:

A. Luggage not making our next flight

B. Not enough time to wolf down a cheesesteak sandwich 

C. Completely miss our flight. In this case, TB would hop on her proverbial apocalyptic horse and make me pay for not booking a flight with a longer connection. 

D. All of the above

 

Alas, my concerns were to no avail. Luggage arrived and it’s now time to walk the streets of Montreal. But first, I need to strap on a feedbag. 

Z and TB

 

[poss]

I hope you had a pretzel with that cheese steak!  (born and bred in Philly kid)

[Zqueeze1]

10 minutes ago, poss said:

I hope you had a pretzel with that cheese steak!  (born and bred in Philly kid)

Damn, don’t I wish it were true. I’ve lived in south jersey and loved the cheesesteaks, Gennessee Cream Ale, and Tasty Cakes. We got to our gate just in time to board our next flight. Although it was on American, the plane was leased from something more like TACA (Take a Chance Airlines). However, there was time for another  Bloody Mary in the flight. 

 Now The Boss is in a food coma after having some excellent fish and chips. 

BTW it is really really very cold outside. We are sticking to the hotel restaurant and bar for tonight. 

Z and TB

[MrFunInTheSun]

Thanks for bringing us along! 

[Zqueeze1]

4 hours ago, poss said:

I hope you had a pretzel with that cheese steak!  (born and bred in Philly kid)

Hammie:  we are actually seeing some foliage turning colors which makes TB do the happy dance. Please tell me you did not become a Red Sox fan while in Massachusetts.  

 

Bob and jeannie:  thanks for coming along for the ride. 

 

There is a lot of truth to the old axiom: fly into your departure port a day early. Our good friends Karen and John were supposed to be here by Fourish. Their plane broke and they are now arriving at 3am!  Thank goodness this did not happen to them on sail away day. 

Have a great evening and stay warm, all

Z and TB

Edited October 27, 2018 by Zqueeze1
Reprint

[RJ2002]

Great start, and looking forward to your continuing reports!  We have our first cruise aboard the Navigator coming up next year, so I'll be interested in your thoughts and impressions.  Have a wonderful cruise.  

[Boatmans Lady]

Looking forward to travelling along with you on your travels and enjoyed your first few posts.

I'm another one who is on a first cruise on Navigator in the new year, so eagerly lapping it all up!!

 

We returned from New England the second week in October and the colours were only just starting and in New Hampshire they were saying Fall was about two weeks behind, so fingers crossed as what we got to see was stunning.

[rcandkc]

4 hours ago, Zqueeze1 said:

Damn, don’t I wish it were true. I’ve lived in south jersey and loved the cheesesteaks, Gennessee Cream Ale, and Tasty Cakes. We got to our gate just in time to board our next flight. Although it was on American, the plane was leased from something more like TACA (Take a Chance Airlines). However, there was time for another  Bloody Mary in the flight. 

 Now The Boss is in a food coma after having some excellent fish and chips. 

BTW it is really really very cold outside. We are sticking to the hotel restaurant and bar for tonight. 

Z and TB

It’s snowing in Montreal right now 😀.  Great start on our journey to Miami. 

[Hambagahle]

10 hours ago, Zqueeze1 said:

Hammie:  we are actually seeing some foliage turning colors which makes TB do the happy dance. Please tell me you did not become a Red Sox fan while in Massachusetts.  

 

Bob and jeannie:  thanks for coming along for the ride. 

 

There is a lot of truth to the old axiom: fly into your departure port a day early. Our good friends Karen and John were supposed to be here by Fourish. Their plane broke and they are now arriving at 3am!  Thank goodness this did not happen to them on sail away day. 

Have a great evening and stay warm, all

Z and TB

What a hoot!  ME a Red Sox (or any other kind of baseball)  fan?  I am a golfer.  (and VERY happy that our guys beat yours in the Ryder Cup in Paris!!) Don't like baseball BUT Ken's grandmother got a 100th birthday card signed by the entire Red Sox team !!  She was an ardent fan of theirs.  (but then she also liked to watch wrestling...)

 

Happy to know there are some colours left...and theoretically the further south you go the more there should be.

 

Personally I think the advice on flying in a day early is SO important.   The ship will wait an hour or so if people with Regent organised flights are late but it won't wait overnight.  Can you imagine the cost of this if on a TA cruise?

Gerry

[Zqueeze1]

3 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

What a hoot!  ME a Red Sox (or any other kind of baseball)  fan?  I am a golfer.  (and VERY happy that our guys beat yours in the Ryder Cup in Paris!!) Don't like baseball BUT Ken's grandmother got a 100th birthday card signed by the entire Red Sox team !!  She was an ardent fan of theirs.  (but then she also liked to watch wrestling...)

 

Happy to know there are some colours left...and theoretically the further south you go the more there should be.

 

Personally I think the advice on flying in a day early is SO important.   The ship will wait an hour or so if people with Regent organised flights are late but it won't wait overnight.  Can you imagine the cost of this if on a TA cruise?

Gerry

I am a baseball addict. And even though the Red Sox are our sworn enemies, that’s a great gift. If we ever meet, I will tell you my story of the 2004 Playoffs (finals before the World Series) when I diverted a government plane so I could catch game seven between the Red Sox and my boys, the Yanks. 

 

Our friends are already waking up after their trip through Homer’s Odyssey (it’s after a very late arrival. I bet they will be cranky. 

Z and TB

 

Edited October 28, 2018 by Zqueeze1

[Zqueeze1]

RJ/Boatman’s Lady:  we will definitely comment on the condition and decor of the Navigator in the coming days. This will be our third Navigator cruise and, as The Boss says, “she’s small but mighty.”  There is a certain quaintness about her petite status and a sense of familiarity and warmth. She feels very cozy. 

 

RC and KC:  looking forward to running into you onboard. Just look for the frozen popsicle with a slightly girthy figure and a charming persona. 

Z and TB

 

[HotRoot]

Speaking of baseball - we have a piece of the outfield wall from the Old Busch Stadium when the Red Soxs beat the Cardinals.  It is for sale.  Anybody interested?  mpamatot@gmail.com

[tnr]

You know I'm kidding.     We leave for Hawaii and the South Pacific on Wednesday.  All of you should be on our cruise.  We'll miss you.

Terri

[Mr Rumor]

Z,  I'm so glad you were taking notes on my 2013 Mariner Montreal-Miami blog, as it is the only Regent cruise we've done that Ginny announced afterwards she wanted to do again someday.  Just glad you didn't wait any longer, as there are no Regent Montreal-Miami offerings in 2019 or 2020 (we've settled for taking LB--Little Boss Shauna--on the October,  2019 Navigator Montreal-New York cruise).   Montreal-Miami has been our only two-wardrobe Regent outing to date--I recall temps ranging from near freezing in Montreal and Quebec to 86 in Miami the morning we disembarked.  But I think TB with her Mount Everest of suitcases is prepared.  Have a blast--I know I will following along!  (Plus a big hi to John and Karen!)

 

Rich

Edited October 28, 2018 by Mr Rumor

[poss]

I want the story of the 2004 playoffs!

[1982CruzStart]

Loving your adventures so far and can't wait to follow along. Have a great trip.