First time on regent , new at cruising

Demographics definitely play into where we shop; we have no Nordstrom, Dillards, Neiman Marcus, etc. anywhere within our immediate area. I'd love to be able to take advantage of such 90%-off sale bargains, but keep in mind that not everyone has the luxury of such store/mall availability. Living in a rural area limits our choices. When I was teaching, most of my wardrobe in those days came from JCPenney. That's about as "high end" as we get up here in the boondocks!:)

Same here, nearest Nordy's is a 6 hr drive :(

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I am an internet shopper but want to add that Target and Wal-Mart in our city are in good areas. Target is in the same mall as Macy's, Chico's and other stores where I buy clothes (but I buy them online -- only go to the mall for returns:-) Generalizing or judging people based on where they shop is simply wrong! Most of our stores are jammed with Canadians -- no migrants or snowbirds. They shop here because prices for some items (particularly milk) is dramatically lower than in Canada. I once dropped my wallet in the parking lot. It was taken to a post office which made sure it was delivered to me (money in tact).

I am an internet shopper but want to add that Target and Wal-Mart in our city are in good areas. Target is in the same mall as Macy's, Chico's and other stores where I buy clothes (but I buy them online -- only go to the mall for returns:-) Generalizing or judging people based on where they shop is simply wrong! Most of our stores are jammed with Canadians -- no migrants or snowbirds. They shop here because prices for some items (particularly milk) is dramatically lower than in Canada. I once dropped my wallet in the parking lot. It was taken to a post office which made sure it was delivered to me (money in tact).

Agree totally, and if we can afford Luxury cruises we can clearly make the decision as to where we shop. I am afforded the luxury of being able to live in places where I do not deal with traffic, pollution, etc. and these are my choices. I shop mainly abroad or in Palm Beach and Los Angeles when I visit my daughters and Grandson. He absolutely love Target!!

Our 18 yr. old calls it "Tarshay" and laughs. Can't understand why you'd go to the mall to get basketball shorts, etc. Both our Targets are in really good areas and I never felt uncomfortable in the parking lot/garage.

Well,this has really diverted from the original posting.Everytime I log in to this thread I hope to find something helpful as I too am a first time Regent cruiser.

:D If this carries on much longer I may have to ask some questions about clothing to buy in the malls in Florida during my second week of holiday near Bradenton!!!!In fact I need a good costume e.g Zoggs if they sell them in the U S......oh no I have joined the clothes debate!!

:D

I, too, am over-ready for this thread to revert to original intent. I'd welcome comments on the embarkation process which seems opaque and complex to this newbie. Is it common to encounter Scrabble players? Will a set be available? What can I expect from the suite butler? The concierge?

What is "tendering" and how easy or not is it to board the tender, assuming I have the basics of the notion correct. Etc. Please to have at it with enthusiasm.

Well,this has really diverted from the original posting.Everytime I log in to this thread I hope to find something helpful as I too am a first time Regent cruiser.

:D If this carries on much longer I may have to ask some questions about clothing to buy in the malls in Florida during my second week of holiday near Bradenton!!!!In fact I need a good costume e.g Zoggs if they sell them in the U S......oh no I have joined the clothes debate!!

:D

Go North on Rte #301 and you will find a lovely Wal-Mart on beautiful Wimauma. :):)

Embarkation is very easy--walk into a room -wait a few moments--give them your credit card and then they take a picture--an d then walk on the ship. That's it.

Scrabble--you can always find new friends to play with--mah-jong any of the games you know are available in the library.

Tendering--These guys ROCK when it comes to the tender boarding!! They help you on and off with great care and ease! I've watched 90+ year olds with walkers hop right on!!! Having said that if the captain feels the seas are too rough --no go. Last winter in St Barts if was choppy and then some ! They put down the tenders and evaluated and back up they went. A lot of people were upset, but the first concern is safety and it just wasn't!! I always hated doing the tender boarding before we sailed on Regent. Now--doesn't bother me a bit!!

The butler will do whatever you want or need. Ours keeps the fridge stocked with decaf iced tea and is always available to answer any questions and to provide information.

Have Fun!!

Debi

I, too, am over-ready for this thread to revert to original intent. I'd welcome comments on the embarkation process which seems opaque and complex to this newbie. Is it common to encounter Scrabble players? Will a set be available? What can I expect from the suite butler? The concierge?

 

What is "tendering" and how easy or not is it to board the tender, assuming I have the basics of the notion correct. Etc. Please to have at it with enthusiasm.

Agree -- embarkation is easy. The only thing that debijaynes forgot was the glass of champagne that you are handed when you board the ship. :) Usually, when you arrive at the port, your luggage is taken (remember to have your tags on them so they know what suite you are in). You will be asked to fill out a health questionnaire (an easy one -- takes only a minute to fill out). Once onboard you will be directed to the theater where several people with computers are ready to check you in. Unless you arrive with a busload of other people, the lines are short - many times there is no line at all. You will be asked for a credit card for your account (although you may end up not putting anything on it). Your passport will also be collected (again, this is a general rule -- there are times when Regent does not hold your passport).

Scrabble boards are available on the ship. Although I play it with my DH, I've not seen many other people playing.

The butler can do as much or as little as you wish. They can unpack for you (most of us prefer that they do not do this), will make certain that you have whatever drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) in your suite. He will have your shoes polished. If you wish to have canapes delivered to your suite each evening at 5:00 p.m., he will take care of it for you. He can make dining reservations - perhaps cancel and rebook what you already have. If you order breakfast in your suite, he will set up the table and serve you. These are a just the first things that came to mind.

In our 19 cruises, we only spoke to the concierge once (when our luggage was lost). Maybe someone else can chime in about the concierge.

Tendering is simply when you go to a port where there is no place for the ship to dock. It drops anchor at sea and the tender boats are lowered to take passengers to and from the shore. You need to walk down a metal staircase to get to the level where the tender is. There is plenty of assistance in terms of getting onto and off of the tender. It should be noted that it can be very difficult to get onto the tender in rough seas - even with help -- even if you are fully mobile. As noted above, if the seas are too rough in a tender port, the port is cancelled.

Hopes this helps.

I, too, am over-ready for this thread to revert to original intent. I'd welcome comments on the embarkation process which seems opaque and complex to this newbie. Is it common to encounter Scrabble players? Will a set be available?

 

...

Embarkation, depending on the port, will be more or less straightforward. Depending on when you arrive, you drop your luggage off, then may have to sit in a waiting area for a while and await your turn to register, have your photo taken, and receive your ship cards. No standing in long lines, at least in my experience. Then you board the ship where you'll be given a glass of bubbly and either directed to La Veranda for lunch, or to your room if it's later. If rooms aren't ready when you board, an announcement will be made ship wide when they are available. Your steward(ess) and/or butler will come and greet you shortly and talk to you about how the cabins work, their duties, and what your preferences are. Luggage may be waiting for you, or may be delivered somewhat later.

There will be board games available, but organizing people to play them might be difficult. Sometimes they will schedule a time for such things. You can always ask the cruise director about this.

I am an internet shopper but want to add that Target and Wal-Mart in our city are in good areas. Target is in the same mall as Macy's, Chico's and other stores where I buy clothes (but I buy them online -- only go to the mall for returns:-) Generalizing or judging people based on where they shop is simply wrong! Most of our stores are jammed with Canadians -- no migrants or snowbirds. They shop here because prices for some items (particularly milk) is dramatically lower than in Canada. I once dropped my wallet in the parking lot. It was taken to a post office which made sure it was delivered to me (money in tact).

Macy's is NOT ethical! I sent a $200 payment on internet and made a mistake and hit WRONG M account. I did NOT owe Macy's anything! It's been more than a year! BIG Macy's never returned my money! How unethical!

Macy's is NOT ethical! I sent a $200 payment on internet and made a mistake and hit WRONG M account. I did NOT owe Macy's anything! It's been more than a year! BIG Macy's never returned my money! How unethical!

Sorry to hear this. We have also had our issues with Macy's. I shop there 75% less than we used to. I can find most of what I want/need on other websites.

TC, Thank You from the "other TC"

Odile1:

Wow! Welcome to the wonderful world of globalized collaboration in response to a query. Based on the inputs received, I see that you will cut a dapper figure in your new duds as you sail through the Panama Canal although you may not know much about the cruise line or its amenities.:D

I've spent countless hours at the Miraflores Locks watching ships traverse through the canal although I have never had the priviledge (it's on our bucket list). There is so much in front of you that few people know about to include the construction and all the military and cold war antics. If you are a reader and a history buff, I highly recommend "The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914."

What a shame the itinerary does not include a stop in Panama City so you can see the old Canal Zone as well as have lunch in one of the best Italian restaurants in LATAM, Napoli's.

Z and TB

Damn, I wanna go, too.

You mentioned scrabble I know (have no idea :D) but want to say that last time we were on the Mariner DH started working on the jigsaw puzzle set up just next to Coffee Connection. I sat with my coffee nearby. We met lots of people (we were with a group but made some new friends) that way and had people join us for dinner in Setta Marie when it was just us and one couple even joined our group for touring.

Zqueeze1 - I totally agree with you. Panama is a beautiful country to visit and by in large, the "locals" are very friendly. When I was "checking out" the trans-canal cruises (Miami-Los Angeles and Miami-San Francisco) I was a bit disappointed to see that the country, and Panama City itself, were NOT included as port stops or excursions (even for a few hours).

There are many interesting things to see that date back to Spanish colonial days. Beautiful beaches for swimming and snorkeling, Milaflores Locks, historic sites and walking tours, visits to Indian villages, trails through jungle areas (with a guide), and mountain vistas overlooking the ocean/canal/lakes and the capital. Perhaps Cartagena and Puntarenas are considered to be more developed "tourist stops" than Panama?

I note that some of the other cruise lines do stop in Panama and offer excursions in the area.