Navigator LIVE! March 20-April 1

[kmcqueen]

Any word on what the entertainment is like on the Navigator right now (bands for dancing, etc)?

[Portolan]

4 hours ago, Travelingwithstyle said:

If you can request Red Blend Wine please for June 7th voyage ...greatly appreciated.  IPAs (I have no clue 😉).  If I drink beer it is Stella...I think they have that. My husband likes darker beer...hopefully you get Guiness Draft... Thank you

I suggest that you make a request direct to Regent.  If they get multiple requests for the same thing, they might add it to the lounge/restaurant stocks.  When you make a request (as I will), they've been known to treat it as personal to you.  On a cruise several years ago, I made a comment to the food and beverage manage about the disappointing selection of beer and at the next port, they bought a case which was reserved just for me.  I didn't drink it all during the remainder of the cruise so it would have ended up at one of the bars as odd stock. 

 

Just call the Regent sales line or ask your TA to pursue (I don't use our TA for these rather trivial things).

[NCCruzQueen]

15 hours ago, Portolan said:

Disappointing not to see a Gewurztraminer like the one we enjoyed all around the ship on Splendor earlier this month.  I'll try putting in a special request for our 7 June cruise on Navigator.

 

How about beers?  Specifically, any IPAs.  Like, preferably, Lagunitas which they had on Splendor along with Goose Island (not so good).  Sierra Nevada which they used to stock was MIA.  Worse yet, I made a special request for Guiness DRAFT which is available in bottles and the nitro cans and very definitely specified NOT the Special Export which is harsh and not smooth at all.  We got bottles of the Special Export in our suite.  I put this down to relearning pains.  Now in August when we'll be on Voyager going to Ireland, they better understand the difference!

@Portolan, here is what I could find on the Navigator Lounge bar menu.

 

 

[NCCruzQueen]

Here is the list of current officers and staff.  Last night Captain Ari announced that he will be leaving the ship for his 10 week vacation and Captain Lukas will be taking over.

 

Last night was the Top Tier event which was a Cocktail Demonstration in the Navigator Lounge.  The 30 of us invited watched as CD Ray told us the ingredients. The 30th Anniversary Cocktail was shared around afterwards.

 

 

 

 

[mrlevin]

Beth, could you ask Michael how long he will be staying on?

 

thanks,

 

Marc

[Portolan]

1 hour ago, NCCruzQueen said:

@Portolan, here is what I could find on the Navigator Lounge bar menu.

 

 

Thanks!

 

Combined with my recent experience on Splendor, it looks like Lagunitas IPA is now standard across the ships.  The Guinness they stock is the terrible "Special Export" (or similar name) version which is bitter and sharp, not smooth like Guinness should be.

 

Leffe Blonde is good for those who like Belgian ales.  Old Speckled Hen is good if it comes in the nitro cans (like the Guinness should).

[Portolan]

1 hour ago, NCCruzQueen said:

Here is the list of current officers and staff.  Last night Captain Ari announced that he will be leaving the ship for his 10 week vacation and Captain Lukas will be taking over.

 

Last night was the Top Tier event which was a Cocktail Demonstration in the Navigator Lounge.  The 30 of us invited watched as CD Ray told us the ingredients. The 30th Anniversary Cocktail was shared around afterwards.

 

 

 

 

No 30th Anniversary cocktail, nor any other recognition of the anniversary on Splendor earlier this month.  Or, for that, matter any mention of it still being Splendor's inaugural season given just 2 months in 2020.

 

30 at the G/P/T event would have been nice...we had 150+.  Those events used to be fun and intimate like the one you describe on Navigator.  But the number of Gold SSS members is huge and precludes anything but a mass gathering in the theater to listen to one of the on-board performers give a special mini-show.  It would be nice at some point to have a Gold Event and a Platinum or above event.

[Travelingwithstyle]

17 hours ago, Portolan said:

I suggest that you make a request direct to Regent.  If they get multiple requests for the same thing, they might add it to the lounge/restaurant stocks.  When you make a request (as I will), they've been known to treat it as personal to you.  On a cruise several years ago, I made a comment to the food and beverage manage about the disappointing selection of beer and at the next port, they bought a case which was reserved just for me.  I didn't drink it all during the remainder of the cruise so it would have ended up at one of the bars as odd stock. 

 

Just call the Regent sales line or ask your TA to pursue (I don't use our TA for these rather trivial things).

Sounds like a plan.  Thank you. 

[NCCruzQueen]

22 hours ago, mrlevin said:

Beth, could you ask Michael how long he will be staying on?

 

thanks,

 

Marc

@Marc,

 

 I am working on your questions.

 

Beth

 

[NCCruzQueen]

21 hours ago, Portolan said:

No 30th Anniversary cocktail, nor any other recognition of the anniversary on Splendor earlier this month.  Or, for that, matter any mention of it still being Splendor's inaugural season given just 2 months in 2020.

 

@Portolan,

 

Some cruises are identified as “30th Anniversary “ celebrations and are supposed to have special activities.  We have received pins and a pillow gift of marble coasters.  Will keep you informed of other activities onboard.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 3/25/2022 at 9:08 AM, Portolan said:

Thanks!

 

Combined with my recent experience on Splendor, it looks like Lagunitas IPA is now standard across the ships....

Do you think they'd stock Lagunitas IPNA for me if I  asked? They'd need a couple of 24s if that's all they offered, for an 18 day cruise. It's a very good non-alcoholic beer.

[mj_holiday]

22 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Do you think they'd stock Lagunitas IPNA for me if I  asked? They'd need a couple of 24s if that's all they offered, for an 18 day cruise. It's a very good non-alcoholic beer.

I would like some unique NA beers on our cruises.  I bet if they stock some, they would need more than just for a special request.

[wishIweretravelling]

On 3/24/2022 at 6:13 PM, kmcqueen said:

Any word on what the entertainment is like on the Navigator right now (bands for dancing, etc)?

The orchestra (or at times part of the orchestra) usually plays dance music in one lounge before dinner, and in Galileo’s after the show. Similarly, a pianist/singer plays in one locale before dinner and in the Navigator Lounge after the show. Last night was a movie instead of a show in the main theater, but they had a Liars’ Club at 6:00 and Karaoke in Stars Lounge in the later hours.

[NCCruzQueen]

Saturday morning’s on Regent means Bloody Marys in La Veranda!

 

 

[wishIweretravelling]

Navigator was in Antigua yesterday. We had no internet or satellite television while in port. We were told the same thing happened the last cruise, so apparently it’s a “thing” at that port.

 

Recommended excursions from our itinerary: swimming with the stingrays in Antigua (I didn’t do this one, but a friend did and raved about it). River tubing in Dominica (the river was low, but it was still a blast, and the island was beautiful). Whale watch in Dominica (again, I didn’t go on this one, but friends did and loved it), Land & Sea to Soufriere in St Lucia (it’s 7 hours long, and contains an hour or so of tedious filler, but the scenery is spectacular). 

 

We are currently anchored off St Barts. Tender service has been suspended due to high swells. They do expect to be back running shortly, but I think I’ll sit this port out since I don’t want to get stuck ashore for an extended period if they have to suspend again. I do appreciate the emphasis on safety.

 

I’m going to negative here for a bit, but it’s only fair to warn those coming on Navigator that these things are issues, particularly if your only Regent experience has been the newer ships. One is the bathrooms. They’ve seen better days, and the long lay-up was not kind to them. Our shower has a lot of mildew stain. The mildew itself is gone, but the staining is pretty extensive. So, it’s clean but ugly.

The other is the operation of the pool grill. We ate there last night for the first time. It was not crowded, but it was poorly organized. The menu is on a board with no lighting. It was not clear where and how to order your entree, and the sides were buffet style and spent a little too long under the lights. Entrees was slow in coming, so we had finished our sides before the meat arrived. That being said, three of us had order lamb chops, and they all arrived cooked to perfection for the different levels of done-ness each of the three of us had requested.

[wishIweretravelling]

One other thing about the showers on Navigator: there is very little shelf space in them. Just 2 rickety little soap holders that can comfortably fit only 2 bottles of the smaller-sized toiletry bottles provided and a bar of soap. If you want to keep more in the shower, i recommend one of those mesh bags with pouches with hooks to hang on the shower door.

[Portolan]

5 hours ago, NCCruzQueen said:

@Portolan,

 

Some cruises are identified as “30th Anniversary “ celebrations and are supposed to have special activities.  We have received pins and a pillow gift of marble coasters.  Will keep you informed of other activities onboard.

Thanks.  We'll be aboard Voyager in August on a "30th Anniversary" cruise so will likely get the swag then.  Still surprised that there was no recognition of what is, effectively, Splendor's inaugural season.

[GOARMY]

NCCruzQueen and wishIweretravelling:  

 

A favor, S'il vous plait--

 

When you have the opportunity, please extend our best regards to CD Ray Solaire.  A true gentleman and Ambassador for Regent.    

 

This could be in the form of a "How do you doooooo!" from Jim and Sue.

 

We have had the good fortune to be "shipmates" with Ray on several Navigator cruises--the most-recent of which was June, 2018--Los Angeles to Miami.  Had a pleasant CR dinner with him on that cruise.  A follow-up opportunity to sail with him again was planned for 2020.  But,  of course, canceled due to COVID. 

 

GOARMY!

(Redmond, WA)

    

Edited March 26, 2022 by GOARMY
Context.

[wishIweretravelling]

On 3/26/2022 at 2:30 PM, GOARMY said:

NCCruzQueen and wishIweretravelling:  

 

A favor, S'il vous plait--

 

When you have the opportunity, please extend our best regards to CD Ray Solaire.  A true gentleman and Ambassador for Regent.    

 

This could be in the form of a "How do you doooooo!" from Jim and Sue.

 

We have had the good fortune to be "shipmates" with Ray on several Navigator cruises--the most-recent of which was June, 2018--Los Angeles to Miami.  Had a pleasant CR dinner with him on that cruise.  A follow-up opportunity to sail with him again was planned for 2020.  But,  of course, canceled due to COVID. 

 

GOARMY!

(Redmond, WA)

    

Done. He sends a How do you dooooooo back.

[GOARMY]

wish------:

 

Thank you!  

 

GOARMY!

 

[baz48]

On 3/26/2022 at 11:13 AM, wishIweretravelling said:

If you want to keep more in the shower, i recommend one of those mesh bags with pouches with hooks to hang on the shower door.

Sounds like a good idea.  Would hooks designed to go over a shower rod work over the shower door?   Or would it be possible to hang something over the pipe where the shower head is?

 

 

 

 

[baz48]

In my post above, I don't mean those loops that close over shower rods, obviously.  But I'm wondering how thin the shower door is.  Would a large hook be too much?

[wishIweretravelling]

1 hour ago, baz48 said:

Sounds like a good idea.  Would hooks designed to go over a shower rod work over the shower door?   Or would it be possible to hang something over the pipe where the shower head is?

 

 

 

 

The hooks that are smaller versions of what you might use for an over-the-door shoe bag would work. I suppose even the full sized hooks would, but they’d shift around a bit. The place you’d hang it is pretty thin. You wouldn’t actually hang it on the door. Instead, there’s a panel next to the door that’s better for hanging.  The shower head is one of those hand-held affairs that you can set on a rod, so an over-the-shower head holder wouldn’t work.

[Gpilon]

On 3/26/2022 at 12:22 PM, Portolan said:

Thanks.  We'll be aboard Voyager in August on a "30th Anniversary" cruise so will likely get the swag then.  Still surprised that there was no recognition of what is, effectively, Splendor's inaugural season.

On our Splendor cruise last week, we were given a bottle of Woodford’s Special Edition in recognition of and marked Regent’s 30th Anniversary, along with 4 30th Anniversary coasters.  Nice little touch.

[UUNetBill]

2 minutes ago, Gpilon said:

On our Splendor cruise last week, we were given a bottle of Woodford’s Special Edition in recognition of and marked Regent’s 30th Anniversary, along with 4 30th Anniversary coasters.  Nice little touch.

Ya know, I can get from Greenville to Savannah in less than four hours.  On an unrelated note, I like Woodford.

 

🤣