Segments 3 & 4 World Cruise,part 1

We have just returned from segments 3 &4 of rssc's World Cruise. This will be a relatively short review. Clay & Debbie are keeping a daily blog w. lots of excellent photos on aol. Their journal is titled Westward World Circumnavigation & provides an opportunity for living vicariously. As always, opinions are based on experiences, personality & preferences.... and we each are entitled to our own.

We flew CO, nonstop from Newark to Hong Kong. Business First is a comfortable cabin w. generous but not flat bed seats. Cabin crew was efficient. The main meal ws a multi course dinner [same as transatlantic flights]; the mid flight and pre boarding offerings were rather weak. The IFE is via individual screens; the choices were uninteresting this go-round, perhaps a reflection more on Hollywood's recent offerings. We departed & arrived on time.

We stayed at the Intercontinetal, Kowloon side & harbour front/ [it formerly was the Regent.] This is a large hotel w. lots of people passing through. We had booked a "club room for 2" through Am Ex and pre-paid. Unfortunately, a not too recent renovation did away w. club rooms...and I am fairly certain that the small room they gave us was meant for one. In fact, ONE cup of (welcoming) tea was delivered! Additionally, the hotel claimed never to have rec'd the info that the reservation was pre paid..so we have follow-up work to do now. Nonetheless, we were in good humor...proceeded to the lounge where w. its floor to ceiling windows we were able to drink in the neon glamor of Hong Kong's spectacular skyline while we noshed on some oriental tidbits. The next day we walked the city city, reacquainting ourselves . After a fabulous dim sum lunch, we transferred to the SS Voyager which was docked nearby at the Ocean Terminal.

Embarkation was the best I have experienced in 30 years of cruising. In a blink we were checked in w. card key & security photos plus credit card slip. We boarded immediately & saw Arlene standing at the ready w. glasses of champagne.

Our cabin was cat C..at the stern. We are mesmerized by the view of the wake and have stayed in this aft section previously. Yes, there definitely is vibration... even when docked you feel a mild shimmer/tremor from the engines....in rough seas you rock and creak....and when the thrusters are utilized during docking, the cabin rattles enough for items to fall off the desk & table. We are not bothered by this motion, but those who are should factor this into their booking plans. We love the R [rssc] cabins which we find to be generously sized, very comfortable and well appointed. I do wish they hadn't chosen gray & beige as a color scheme! And the shelf & drawer of the dressing table are practically useless...but the walk in closet & bathroom are terrific.

We would be aboard for two segments...a treat for us both in length & because most of these ports were new to us....and seemed a bit exotic. Sometimes I want to pinch myself and ask, Can you bellieve that you're really here?! After an additional raw, cold, overcast day docked in Hong Kong we sailed out at 11pm. R gave a sail away party w. international hot coffees & music but only a small number of people attended, no doubt reflecting the late hour and jet lag status of many. What a shame because even with the overcast skies, HongKong offers spectacular views.

We had been checking the local weather but weren't prepared for the cold of HK and Vietnam, our first destination. The R laundry came in handy as we kept living in our few warm clothes!

Captain's night set a jolly mood. It was preceded by R's 'block party' which was very lively on our corridor. [Apparently some corridors gathered few or none, so Jamie deleted this from the 2nd segment.] Many of the Officers/Staff/crew were familiar to us. Captain Dag is respected and beloved by most..competent, warm, related ...what more could you want...and handsome doesn't hurt! Jamie is an excellent Cruise Director, ably assisted by his wife,Dana. The crew is composed of multiple nationalities --w. Indian butlers, European bartenders and mostly Filipino/a room, lounge & diningroom staff. The officers are mostly Scandinavian. I am always impressed by how visible & accessible R's officers are although during this cruise they mainly lingered w. the full World Cruisers.

This brings up the question of whether to become a segment sailor on a WC or not.On the one hand, there often are special events and the special feeling of an exciting journey. ..on the other, you can feel like a 'lesser' member of the club. I don't find any problemw. WC having some special, private events---they are big spenders and are doing 6 segments.[Many are repeat WC pax & already signed up for 2007.] Nor did I find the WC pax haughty or arrogant as some other posters [over time, several lines--often Crystal] have commented...but I did find them insular. They had formed their groups & friendships and pretty much stuck together. As one woman said to me, "I'll just get to know you & you'll leave!" Other segment sailors also verbalized this impression. When nearly half the ship is WC, then this can influence your time on board.

Vietnam in the next post.

Thanks for the update and looking forward to your next installment. Seems you are going to find a good time regardless. That is so refreshing.

We have been having a bit of a discussion here about the (non) socializing in the lounges...except on the WCs. Let us know how that goes...if, of course, that is of interest to you.

Enjoy watching the wake. I will be doing the same next week on another line. (I turned down a significant upgrade because I so enjoy that view...hour after hour after hour!).

Paula, thank you for this post.

We are looking at our first Regent cruise early next year, so we are busily looking at the ships. Voyager is currently at the top of our list.

Pincus

Paula, thanks for taking the time to post your review. We'll stay tuned for the next part. As a former WC (2005) and already signed up for 2007 I especially love to hear various opinions. I have taken the time to catch up on Debbie & Clay's very detailed journal and must say, I find it written with quite a "negative" slant to most things from food to service to tours. Like you said....everyone has a right to their own opinion.

As much as my husband and I really enjoyed meeting the new segment guests (we found it very refreshing to welcome new faces) I'm sure there could be a sense of cliquishness felt by segment guests (really not intentional!) There are so many opportunities/events that are for full WC'ers that you'd have to REALLY be living in an "anti-social cocoon" to not form lasting friendships with others. When we boarded in January 2005, we didn't know ANYONE but immediately sensed strong friendships formed by all the past WCers from previous WCs who were being reunited again. I guess this is just human nature when you already know so many people on board. We definitely started out as the "outsiders looking in".

BTW, I had to double check my photos to confirm my memory that we had shorts and tee-shirt weather in both HK and Vietnam last year. Luck of the draw from year to year! Thanks again for taking the time to post!

Thanks for your note. I fully understand what you mean from the

side/position of the WC...and envision that I would probably feel and act exactly the same ....but there may be another perception by many of the segment pax who find this limiting or challenging or frustrating. I wasn't going around talking about it, but interestingly, several of our new found friends commented about it. Such is life. It certainly modified the experience but definitely didn't spoil it.

I realize that Clay & Debbie are writing for family...emphasize food needs..and somewhat limit their participation.......They have their views but I don't find them particularly negative. [not that I agree w. all of them either] I know other people do feel its a negative view...in fact, some on R commented about this!

PaulaJK, I appreciate the time you took to post your review of being a "segmenter" on the WC. Last year, I really wanted to to go New Zealand/Australia, and booked that segment of the WC. Since neither of my grown children (in their 20's and 3 of 4 unmarried) was able to travel with me, I decided to do it on my own. After all, I knew Marcie would be aboard! She and Tom were wonderful to me, introducing me to many WC pax, and including me in several dinners. I have no idea what it would be like to get on "cold". But I also reached out on my own (I had done a pre-cruise with other segmenters, that was a nice way to meet people). I also met others on excursions, some even WC'ers and we had several dinners together, sometimes at my suggestion/invitation, sometimes at theirs. It is human nature to go the "easy" way, and understandable that WC'ers find each other, not meaning to exclude others. Like you said, quoting a WC'er the others just "go away". I am telling my experience from traveling solo. When I have one of my children aboard to travel with me, (like you have a spouse), things get a whole lot easier.

Paulajk, I sure enjoyed reading your objective review. I was able to find the other blog that you were referring to (Debbie and Clay). It doesn't sound like things are going well for them at all. I think with all their food obsessions and food aversions, it must be difficult for them to go on a cruise of any length. I didn't hear any sense of enthusiasm whatsoever which probably concerns their family. I would trade places with them in a heartbeat.

Paula, we were on the 3rd segment of the wc this year and made wonderful friendships with full world cruisers. We did know a few pax from our segment of the wc last year, but never felt left out at all. This was a wonderful trip with lots of full evenings. The music in the Observation lounge was the best. We just loved Frankie Holiday. Everyone we met was warm and inviting and happy to have new people on board. We will be on board again next year as we have already booked 3 segments.

Doris

I fear that I came across as friendless in Seattle or bereft on the high seas. Not so at all...but we hadn't done a pre cruise and didn't know WC from a previous WC and didn't have Marcie!, so that was our impression. I will reserve my feeling that when 300 people already are acquainted, it's a bit of a different feeling...but that doesn't mean "left out".

Yes, Frankie Holiday---dah-ling---is a talented guitarist who fills the Observation Lounge not only with his music but with his persona. We very much enjoyed our time there. The Voyager Lounge, also a popular gathering spot pre dinner, had a duo named Synergy...which I nicknamed anergy. They may have provided pleasant background music but didn't seem to engage the pax. When the Voyager Quintet substitued in the lounge, many more people danced. Brian and Lyn, reigning in the under utilized Horizon Lounge, had a gracious manner and wide repetoire but I think R needs to do away with that stage and make the room more inviting.

All alcoholic beverages were included on the WC so,yes, the lounges were active. After thoughtful evaluation,my husband and I concluded that we didn't drink significantly more under this plan. In fact, he teased me w. repeated mumblings as to why I drank more wine when he had to purchase the bottles! Jose & Felimo in the Voyager were excellent and personable bartenders who not only learned your drink but your name.

I didn't observe bevies of drunken individuals..perhaps I went to bed too early??? But then, I didn't see any during the days either when the

beverages also were included.

There were two Peter Gray Terhune cast shows on @ segment...one of which was new @ segment. I loved Rock This Town [a 60's-70's revue]...thought dancer Richard Lee Nelson was a stitch in the Indian costume! The other new show was titled 'Poetry In Motion" and featured a very energetic performance by the cast dancers. I had a chat w. some of the dancers and put forth that the name needed to be changed. They laughed and shared that when they had finished rehearsing and were sitting around chatting they had all come to the same conclusion...just couldn't think of the new name yet. So future travelers may see it under a different name.

I am writing this from memory but if I can find my printed matter, I'll note the other entertainers. The two segments are a bit jumbled in my head.

Segment 4 offered a fabulous fiddler, Doug Cameron...really talented & entertaining ...but I wish R didn't schedule him 4 times in 6 days! Jonathan Kane , a very good Elton John impersonator, gave two very good shows---again, close together-- and was well received. I feel that R has room to expand/ enhance their entertainment offerings. They let a # of night go by w. no shows and use their performers in quick repeats.

For us, one of the nicest nights on Seg 3 was the on deck buffet dinner

while docked in Saigon. The night was balmy [finally!] ...the buffet generous and lovingly decorated...and followed by local entertainment that was of high quality.

There was a problem which developed about this time that was a little less thrilling. Apparently R loaded water in Vietnam that came out of the faucets a rather yellow-brown color. Some Mekong Delta silt [about 3 tab on thw worst day] was left in my bathtub! This affected many---but perhaps not all--cabins. Unfortunately it lasted for several days because as the Chief Engineer explained to me, the water then caused a reaction in their pipes and the continuing discolored water [now past Bangkok] was attributable to this. Kind of yucky...but not harmful. And I had some sympathy for R which must have been struggling mightily with this problem. I avoided asking if the same water was being used in our food....what I avoided knowing didn't hurt me!!!! During a few of these days the pool also appeared less than crystal clear but I don't know whether this was connected or had to do w. the seas. This last topic leads me to believe that I selected the right heading for this note..alas.

We were eagerly anticipating visiting Vietnam and were not disappointed. We docked in Hong Gai, the port for [distant!] Hanoi.We had arranged a pvt guide through Ann's Tours and were well satisfied.

The 3 hour ride into the capital offered glimpses of northern Vietnam life. An agrarian economy, conical hatted farmers working their rice paddies, some w. a water buffalo nearby, dotted the landscape. As we passed through small villages and towns, the emphasis on sidewalk commerce impressed. Everyone seemed to be selling something ....and our guide repeatedly emphasized the need & ambition of the people to earn extra dong. Periodically our car stopped, bowing to the cows or water buffalo crossing the road...or our car was passed by a motorbike carrying a trussed water buffalo, pig or crate of chickens. Some of these animals were alive, some already slaughtered.

We loved our lunch at Indochine...clearly a tourist restaurant but w. excellent cuisine & service. We followed the waiter's suggestions..enjoyed several tasty dishes, washed down w. local beer....all for $12.

The afternoon included lots of sightseeing...the still beautiful even if slightly delapidated colonial architecture of the French period, the central lake peaceful & charming despite the overcast, chilly day.....the Temple of Literature...Ho's mausoleum from afar as it was closed for a military function, Hoa Lo prison w. its writings about how kind & giving the Hanoi government had been to the American pilots & [our guide's inspiration] a section of a downed B52 plane still logged in a lake. We did not engage in political discourse but it was clear that our guide had a view of the "American War" that didn't exactly jibe w. ours. Nonetheless, this attitude was thought provoking. Since 50% of the population is under age 25 & the product of a communist --mostly closed-- government education,we were not surprised to hear the same 'historical facts' from other guides.

It is difficult to adequately descripe Hanoi's chaotic traffic scene. No one appears to follow any rules, assuming that rules do exist! Cars & motorbikes just go wherever they want, using both sides of the street for vehicles moving in opposite directions and turning at any spot! Our guide kept emphasizing NOT to stop when crossing the street as you will get hit; instead, keep walking slowly and they will go around you. This sounds easier than it is to do, but fear was a motivating factor.

After a few street crossings, our cyclo ride seemed like an act of bravery! I had them take our pictures imaging it could appear on a memorial card! We rode through the streets

[ 35 or 36?] where guilds and craftsmen had originally settled. The sidewalk life was amazing & intriguing. Not only were there stalls and wares everywhere, but people were squatting over cooking pans/pots or chopping veggies on corner sidewalks. Everyone seemed to be eating, all of the time...yet our guide emphasized that many in his country some did not have enough food.

We are foodies, so we visited the huge open market. If you enjoy this sort of thing,do it, do it. It was fascinating...all of the stalls, myriad exotic fruits & vibrant vegetables, the take out stations [fried whole duck, roasted dog!], meat counters w. ALL sorts of items including pans of small intestines [a staple, our guide stated]...culinary and sensory overload. Vietnam is making some rice based wines but these small bottles have unique inclusions of gallbladder of porcupine, mini snakes,etc. The Vietnamese vendors were friendly, nodding and smiling and readily agreed to have photos taken. Some were giggling & speaking w. our guide who then reported that they said I was OLD but attractive! [is it the BUT that should be capitalized???] He then backpeddaled to gently explain that 50 years is old in Vietnam and that's why they said it this way!

We were scheduled to see the famous water puppets and then have dinner at Bobby Chin's, a well known restaurant, but decided that we were already exhausted from our day and eager to get the return 3 hours drive behind us. I think our guide was disappointed but we arrived 'home' well satisfied from our adventures.

I am not certain why R schedules a 2nd day in Hanoi's harbor since w. a 3pm departure it is not possible to return to the city and the port city [Hong Gai] was described as offering nothing...perhaps it is to allow those who desire to remain overnight in Hanoi to do so...or to sound generous. One thing I learned on this itinerary to exotic places was 'things change'. For example, we had to leave our docking at 8am on the 2nd morning and anchor out at sea. [We observed another cruise ship pulling in around 9am]. Anyone who

had spent the night in Hanoi & was returning to the ship, now had an hour tender journey. The ONE tender left shore at 1pm. A junk excursion was a newly added offering on day 2. As the day was cold and windy and I was with a cold, I stayed onboard while my husband cruised Halong Bay. I suspect the bay would have been gorgeous under sunny skies.

This is a good venue to offer glowing praise for Roger, the Travel Concierge. Not only was he clever in changing plans and arranging new offerings but his port lectures were chock full of information. Only after the general info did he describe the tours, so there was no feeling of a hard sell....and his enthusiasm was contagious! We mostly utilized pvt guides so I will leave comments on the tours to others.

My wretched jet lag is affording me hours to write...so we move on to central & southern Vietnam. We were happy to have the experience of visiting 3 sections of Vietnam because although there are obvious common denominators, there also are many differences...and we left with a 'different feel' for each area.

Our weather continued to be contentious---the seas rough, the winds strong. We were unable to dock in Chan May due to this and for a while, it appeared that we would not be able to dock in Da Nang. Captain Dag's navigation skills and tenacity were certainly tested as he made several attempts to get in to dock, finally succeeding just when most of us thought we wouldn't make it. Wow, did we churn up mud w. our bow thrusters. Believe me, we were tied up with a lot of ropes! Luckily our guide had arrived at Chan May and received the information that we would now be arriving Da Nang and had proceeded over.

Pax were no longer able to go to Hue, too far and not enough time at this juncture...and Roger quickly put together an afternoon pkg to Hoi An.

We had originally chosen to tour Hoi An, so spent the day visiting Marble Mountain and its adjacent village, China Beach and the UNESCO city itself. The architecture has been influenced by the Japanese[covered wooden bridge] and Chinese [temples, merchant houses] occupations. Life still evolves somewhat around the river.

Our guide selected a riverside terrace restaurant where, once again, we greatly enjoyed Vietnamese cuisine chased down w. local beer. He selected regional dishes, expressing great pride in Hoi An's offerings. Their dishes are more delicate than Chinese cuisine and the vegetables absolutely gloriously tasty.

Our late afternoon was spent browsing the shops and once again, we visited the local open market where we learned more about varieties of rice and local produce...and along the way, how the people live. It was the time of day when the fishing boats were returning and vendors and restaurant owners were haggling prices for the catch. It was a hub of activity! As we walked among the ground supported baskets and pans of fish, I kept hoping I wasn't going to end up smelling like one. Once again, we returned 'home well satisfied with our day's adventures.

We had two days in Saigon. On the first we had planned a pvt tour to the Mekong Delta. We greatly enjoyed this day, our favorite I think. Our regional guide was the lovely Trei. She made several attempts to teach me to lift my voice/tone at the end of her name. I never inquired what I might be saying as I failed this tonal challenge!

We rode a sampan style boat, protected from sea dragons by the eye painted on the bow, to the delta's entry. [This is a land of myths and legends.] We treked over narrow mud paths, in and out of local vegetation and fruit trees areas, and visited local farmers who

-climbed a tree to cut off coconuts and present one w. straw to sip its milk

-made cocount candies in a mini factory [delicious]

-had orchards and offered plates of native fruits...loved the jackfruit!

-offered a short musicale on traditional instruments

All, of course, were hired by the tour company...and tipped by us...but also communicated a friendly, welcoming attitude and looked as intensely at us as we were looking at them.

Once again, there was a lunch of local foods. Not quite as delicious as the other locales but the fried whole elephant fish did make quite a presentation and later, if I can, I will post a photo.

Our day continued w. more treking, a ride in a horse drawn cart and a ride in a canoe[ I'm certain there's another name for this, but it eludes me.] through narrow canals. Trei said that these narrow canals and paths were better for Vietnamese [small] bodies and that's how they defeated the American big [body] soldiers. She spoke of the 'American War" and asked what Americans thought of the war and the Vietnamese. Again, she emphasized the wish to be friends. Her intimacy in asking about female issues and sharing her breast feeding experiences reminded me of previous [travel] experiences w. Chinese bluntness. We parted with hugs and good feelings.

As I posted earlier, this was the night of the on deck 'Good Evening, Vietnam' uffet...clever name BUT there was NO Vietnamese food! Go figure. But very enjoyable including the local entertainment that followed.

On our second day in Saigon, we used the R shuttle to go into the city...browsed around..shopped a bit. Lots of people had partaken in hair & spa services in town , which if I had pre thought I might also have done. Plus they enjoyed telling of their experiences upon their return. Neat! Next time. Carita Spa, the on board contracted provider, has, in my opinion, exorbitant prices for modest quality work. A blow dry is $45 +tip, and single process color is $85 +45+ tip. My husband found his massage good enough but not inspirational enough to book again. I realize opinions on this may vary.

The return bus shuttle was a bit scarey. The driver had left the engine running...probably for a/c...for quite a while. When he finally boarded for departure, the engine wouldn't start. So he came into the middle of the bus, pulled up a floor board, exposing an engine..moved around some wires which resulted in several flashes/arcing. This scared everyone. Some looked panicky and about to bolt. We tried to calm the woman closest to this area because we really were afraid that she would jump over the flash and get injured. The driver then called in a cohort and they went thru this process several more times before the motor started and off we went. When I came home to read about the Millenium pax I gave more serious thought to this experience.

Finally a day of rest [at sea] awaited us before our trek into Bangkok.

WOW, what a great experience. Your insights and hits/misses are really enjoyable to read and much appreciated.

Thanks!

Paula, what a wonderful morning to wake up and enjoy my coffee with more of your review. You have such excellent writing skills and you bring everything alive. Your perfect description of Vietnam brings back such memories of a year ago. The motorbikes and cars all coming at you trying to cross the streets still gives me shivers. It's amazing we've lived to talk about it! Like you, we found ourselves "biting our tongue" and avoiding political discussions regarding the war. It was always a reminder that not one of our guides was even born yet during the war.

I can really relate to the exorbitant prices for modest quality work at the spa. On the WC as well as our most recent 62 day South America trip on the Mariner, I became queen of finding services OFF the ship. $100 to get a "not done well" nail fill onboard the ship was where I had to draw the line. My husband and I would find services such as massages, hair cuts (color and nail fills for me) at unbelievable prices ($12. for a one hour massage, $4 for shampoo and blow dry etc.). Others joined in after seeing how satisfied we were and all the $$ we were saving.

Again, thanks for taking the time to write such excellent reports. I anxiously await MORE!! :)

Paula, your wonderful report continues to be wonderful! Thank you.

Could you, or someone, please post the link to the mentioned Clay and Debbie blog?

Thanks.

Pincus

This is how I found it. It doesn't seem to start at the beginning though but you can follow it forward to current. They do have some very nice photos. It took be awhile to figure out that "Bob" is a stuffed dog that they take with them and he's in many photos.

http://journals.aol.com/dfriia/WestwardWorldCircumnavigation200/entries/201

We first visited Bangkok more than 20 years ago. At the airport temple bells were gently tinkling while an audio tape repeatedly said, "Welcome to the Kingdom". I truly felt as though we had landed in a magical land, my only previous image of Thailand strongly influenced by watching The King and I! We found the Thai people to be gentle spirited and gracious and the Thai women enchantingly beautiful in their native attire. Of course, staying at the Oriental Hotel seemed to make everything seem enchanting. We have returned several times over the years, the last about a decade ago. We very much looked forward to this return to a favorite city. BUT where has the city gone???? The old Bangkok has been overwhelmed, but not yet swallowed, by high rise developments on the other side of the river. We struggled to reconnect with the sweet feelings so poignant in our memories.

Rssc includes a wonderful overnight excursion into Bangkok as the special event on segment 3.[All WC segments have a special, inclusive event.] Almost all of the pax participated [about 23 remained on board]. The ride from port to city is about 1.5 hours; no one will claim it's scenic! The quick and orderly boarding of the buses brought us into the city by 11am. The WC were lodged in the Peninsula, a newer hotel which is offering the Oriental some fierce competition. We were cosseted in the Shangri La, a large and lovely hotel on the banks of the river. Its lobby is beautiful with floor to ceiling glass windows and an indoor garden of lush orchids, some of colors and varieties that we do not find in the States. Our room was lovely, beautifully decorated and well appointed and overlooked the river.

When I am in Venice I must linger in a cafe in St. Mark's square and when I am in Venice of the East, I must ride a longtail boat on the Chao Phyra river. So off we went. We returned in time for lunch at the hotel where rssc offered a dine-around experience with 4 restaurants from which to choose. We opted for the garishly attractive Shang's Palace.

When the parade of delicious dim sum ceased, my husband announced that our meal was over. His announcement was several course premature as a platter of BarBQ pork and duck, sauteed vegetables,

and yummy fried noodles arrived prior to the plate of chilled local fruits.

Stuffed...never going to eat again...right!

Having seen most of the major sites several times, we decided to spend our time leisurely, inhaling the city's scent as we browsed. Finally we took a tuk tuk over to the Oriental's newish Plaza shopping center where the high end shops offered lovely silks, alligator et. al. bags & belts, art galleries, antiques and artifacts.

Our original plans included dinner off campus but entanglements w. friends somehow eventuated in our attending R's dinner buffet. I am still fretting over this [babyish, I know] but am trying to see this as meaning that I will return to Bangkok to satisfy my wishes. The buffet was billed as a compilation of western and eastern dishes, I found the setting [a windowless ballroom] and the offerings quite disappointing. 'Western' seemed to translate as salad and sliced coldcuts and eastern,steam table pans of mysterious items. Only the soup station held any interest. There you could select your noodles [rice, wheat, thick, thin] and main ingredients [pork or fish balls, sliced pork, beef] which the soup master them submerged into a boiling broth, adding greens. Now steaming bowl in hand, he pointed us to a table of condiments. After ascertaining the

ascending levels of fire power of the various chilis, we proceeded to add a variety of spices and herbs to the soup. It was very, very tasty. This repast was accompanied by wretched wine. Because it was a holiday in Thailand, no music was playing anywhere, so we made it an early night.

Morning brought 2 venues for breakfast. We chose Cafe2 which had a riverside terrace for that outdoor river brage gazing that we were seeking. There is an international clientele at the hotel and I have never seen a more international buffet...Chinese congee, Japanese breakfast items, meats, smoked fish and cheeses, hot carved pork and ham and an egg chef........but also, another soup station. Yes, more soup and more condiments and a few dim sum...all at 8am!

We still needed 'more 'Bangkok and during the remaining hours we decided to go street level, back to stalls and markets and the local people. We gathered bunches of orchids along the way which would bring color to our cabin for many days to come.

One last lunch before the 2 o'clock departure. The route back was the same and even less interesting now that the trip was completed....but the arrival 'home' was very warm as cruise staff and crew members gathered by the gangplank shouting words of welcome as they sang and clapped to the band's musical numbers.Would I sound too piggish if I wished for a second day?

Once again, the evening's show was local entertainment. I had trouble understanding the speech of the narrator who reminded me of a character in the King & I [the one who narrates Uncle Tom's cabin]. I didn't find this show as interesting as a previous one, but it wasn't bad.

We had earned a day of rest...well relative rest...you could literally exhaust yourself trying to partake in a 10th of the shipboard activity offerings!!........The last day of segment 3 found us in hot, humid, steamy Singapore. It's not our favorite city, so we hung out onboard w. plans to do the night zoo safari. We ditched these plans after fellow pax described the long lines, crowds and waits of their experience last year. It was an easy sell out. Unfortunately, R offered no show [not even a small cabaret performance] on this night or next. They do this too many nights.

The second day in Singapore was the transition from seg 3 to seg 4. We confess to a little inner glee that we weren't disembarking. Imagine if you were a WC, you could be gleeful 5 times! We spent the morning at the beautiful Singapore Botantical Gardens, walking Heliconia Lane & visiting the VIP orchid collection....got ripped off by a taxi driver [ironically in law ridden Singapore!] ..had a wretched lunch [How can you eat prawns w. heads and tails still on and not deveined w. chopsticks?] and were very happy to reboard......to visit Danny, the superb pool bar master. We needed a libation!

We had expected to be just as thrilled w. the ports on segment 4 as those on segment 3. Somehow, this was not so for us. We aren't certain why and have considered factors such as the itinerary, the ports themselves and ourselves. No answer yet.

Penang: This was essentially an afternoon visit. R's shuttle dropped pax at the E&O Hotel, a beautfiul old grande dame. There didn't seem to be much to explore. Mobbed by taxi drivers, we took off for a mall which was rather humble and uninteresting. In conversations w. other pax we didn't learn that we had missed anything. More interesting on the itinerary than in person, we opined that this port could have been skipped.

Phuket: On the other hand, this port unfortunately was deleted. Upon embarkation we had received a letter from the Capt. explaining that he needed to arrive in Burma earlier than anticipated. The implication was that the government was difficult [no doubt accurate!] and had demanded this.

Yangon: Our approach to Yangon was notable for its muddy, shallow waters. Indeed, we would eventually need to leave port a little earlier than originally scheduled because of "tidal currents". The Captain stated that he had proceeded slowly as he had only 8 ft of water beneath his keel. Retrospectively I wondered if this had been a major factor in our arrival time [vs. government]. We did enjoy watching our coming and going as the scenery and small craft were all so different from what we are accustomed to. We were eager to see Burma.

Roger, to the rescue, had planned a few evening tours to see town, pass its famous pagoda and enjoy a cocktail or dinner at a hotel. R's first shuttle bus left about 6pm and the last returned at 10pm but as the ride into Yangon was estimated to take 1-1.5 hours. Pax who had previously visited Burma advised us to stay onboard and we did, to gear up for our long tour to Bago the next day.

Again, we employed a pvt guide, this time arranged onboard through the Tour Desk. They utilized Myanmar Voyages. "Patrick' was young, spoke fluent english, well informed and very pleasant.

The United Nations has designated Myanmar a Least Developed Nation and for once, they are right on. I found myself thinking that it had not yet reached 'third world' status and wondered if such a category as 4th world existed.

The drive to Bago was approx. 1.5 hours. From Patrick we learned much about the history and daily life of the people but it is the 'sights ' which will remain forever in our mind's eye. Thin, barefooted people wearing their sarongs/longi, tending rice paddies and farm patches, and walking, walking, walking along the roads. Once outside the city limits, the roads had few vehicles or even motorbikes. There were some local buses, crammed w. people but what fascinated us most where the small pick-up vehicles --not quite trucks-- which collected people along the road side in a mini bus manner. The people were so packed into these vehicles and hanging off the rear, that is was impossible to get a head count;Our guide joked that this is why the Burmese are so thin.

The hot, dusty, dirty poverty of their lives was overwhelming. Dwelllings were shack-like, the better looking ones had a cow or water buffalo tethered nearby. We saw some sidewalk 'stores' offering wares, watermelons [a local crop], pottery or selling betel nuts freshly wrapped in leaves. The road construction crews --comprised of both women and men --fascinated us as they were working in longi and barefeet with only hand held buckets as tools. Women carried trays of goods, foods or whatever on their heads. I saw one woman gathering kindling wood which she would use to cook the evening meal. Many men indolently slept on sacks of rice or against tree stumps.

In sharp contrast to these sights were the magnificent pagodas which ubiquitously dotted the landscape. While smaller pagodas graced homes and villages, the more famous pagodas and Buddha images were huge and breathtakingly beautiful. We were accustomed to removing our shoes to visit mosques,etc but hadn't realized that removing our shoes to visit the pagodas meant that we would be walking around on hot,dirty pavement for about an hour. While the magnificent pagoda is the pivotal structure, there are many beautiful ancillary temples and planetary shrines also found within the compound. Temple bells rang softly. People took turns striking a large bell to create harmony for mankind. It was clear that the Burmese loved their temples and used them for worship as well as socialization. The pagodas presented the sitting Buddha..and we also visited the world's largest reclining Buddha [incidentally,a larger one is under construction nearby.] and a magnificently impressive 4 sided standing Buddha. Without being cynical, I found it difficult to place this gold leafed, structed beauty in one snapshot with all of the obvious poverty.

Returning from Bago, we did a short tour of Yangon, a city on the rise...and offering some hope for the future development of Burma. The large open market was a hotbed of local crafts and jewelry and, of course, we met several fellow pax there. We returned there the next morning via shuttle and fell in love with a wooden elephant who soon will grace our family room. I hope he isn't one of those items that,once home, you look at and wonder 'Why?' .

There was more local entertainment for the evening show...but I felt rather unengaged by it.

Thankfully 3 lovely sea days lay before us before we would reach India.

This is how I found it. It doesn't seem to start at the beginning though but you can follow it forward to current. They do have some very nice photos. It took be awhile to figure out that "Bob" is a stuffed dog that they take with them and he's in many photos.

http://journals.aol.com/dfriia/WestwardWorldCircumnavigation200/entries/201

Appreciate the link. Thanks.

Pincus

Paula, love your review! It has become my daily fix!! Segment 4 for you involved different ports than we had last year....love hearing about all of them. I had to laugh about the 23 people who stayed on board and didn't go to Bangkok. It was probably the same 23 or so that stayed on board in 2005 too!!

Cochin/Kochi is located in the state of Kerala, on the southwest coast of India. Many of segment 4 ports are known by two names w. the more recent one usually also the older pre colonial occupation name. In some places they are still used interchangeably, in others, not. Kochi is an up scale area where 90+% of the people own their own home. Now I feel compelled to mention that some of the homes we saw might not be what you and I would call homes.... but....the statistic is still impressive. There were some really gorgeous homes which had been built during the Dutch occupation. Since Cochin was on the spice trade route, it had been

highly sought after by Arabs, Chinese, Dutch & Portugese...and traces of their influences remain today.

Once again this was a short port. I am beginning to feel as though there should be an eight hour rule! One had virtually been forced to choose between touring the town & environments or choosing the river route. We opted for the 'Concierge's Choice' , called Idyllic Kerala via Longboat.

We had a short bus ride to a Taj hotel, walked through their attractive property [no moments to linger] to board their kettavvallum or longboat. It was a rather picturesque boat w. glazed cord tied woven bamboo roof, light bulbs encased within bamboo cages and comfortable chairs. With only about 20 or so on board we had lots of room to move around. Our guide was relaxed, personable & informative as we wended around the harbour. [We---& others--were a little disappointed that we never entered the narrow canals surrounded by lush vegetation which had been described in the brochure but seemed to remain in the harbour, mostly in sight of Voyager.]

Although the day was quite warm, the shade and movement of the boat resulted in a most pleasant breeze. We observed [imagination also required] life along the river. Bare chested & barefooted men in sarongs walked along the river banks. We sort of peeked into village openings to see small animals [e.g. chickens] roaming around and the people going about their daily lives.....a woman placing fish on her drying rack, another washing clothes by beating them ags. stone [hence 'stonewashed' jean effect]. Of course, fishing was a prime activity and boats abounded. Some had long Indian names and others [Portugese influence] were named 'Infant Jesus" or 'Mother Teresa'.

A famous inheritiance from the Chinese occupation are the Chinese fishing nets. Hugely tall bamboo structures w. nets in front, these work on a pulley system. Rocks or granite blocks are used as weights. A team of men lower the nets into the water, wait about 15 minutes and then

elevate the nets, extract the fish and repeat the process. There are lots and lots of these on the waterfront. Their repetitive motions reminded me of both [mechanical] cranes and giraffes. Individual fishing boats also passed, always w. interested faces, smiling and waving to us. A small boat passed by, its bottom covered w. clam shells which will be crushed and made into paints.

Most of us sat on the top deck of the longboat. At some point 'lunch was served'. On the first level, the tables were nicely set and served by the hotel staff. The buffet included several new-to-us and interesting dishes, again w. lots of condiments. Most of us were very adventurous and tried a little of everything and found it tasty. also, nicely spicey, to remind us that we were on the spice trade route! A hotel chef was onboard, at a hot station, and prepared enormous spicey prawns... but best of all was the assortment of Indian breads,all delicious and new to us. A must find a source for these at homes...they were divine.

Soon it was time to return to dock & to the ship. Due to the short scheduled stop and the slightly late arrival, we were unable to even see town or walk around the area, a frustration. The tour was first class in its execution but I felt at a distance from what I saw. Perhaps I am someone who needs to walk through one of those villages, up close & personal.

Paula, I am enjoying your review and feel as if I'm right there with you. Your review of the 3rd segment was right on. We just loved it but also felt that the entertainment on board was weak. Mark Merchant was the best offering for our taste. Sorry we didn't meet, but there is always another cruise in our future. Please keep you reviews comming................

Doris

On our return bus ride, our enthusiastic guide kept emphasizing what fun people the Goans are and how much they like to party and have carnivals for a variety of events. With the moods and sentiments wafting through the air of our bus, he must have thought he was addressing a group of cadavers. But I get ahead of myself.

The day after Cochin we were to be in Goa, another upscale Indian state, allegedly known for its love of having fun via its carnivals. Rssc had chosen a carnival w. lunch as its special event for segment 4. As one pax said, "For this crowd??" , questionning the initial concept. I suspect that it never was a great idea...but the way it evolved, it was, frankly, a nightmare kind of day.

First an announcement that we were arriving late to Goa...around 11am...which eventually stretched to noon or later. Earlier the cruise staff had reported that it would be a 30 minute bus ride to the site but soon this prediction grew to a 45-60 minute bus ride. [it took a little longer than that!]

Then instead of the nice independent and orderly loading of the buses as for Bangkok, the cruise staff had decided that we would all be gathered in the Constellation Theater and be called in order of arrival. The average wait in the theatre was between 45 and 75 minutes! The Capt. had previously advanced our departure time to 3:30pm. Counting forward and back, I soon began informing my husband that we would have only an hour at the 'carnival'. Of course I was nudging to cut and run [to the pool]...but no, we would do the event.

Our bus might have been called 'air cooled' although the windows that didn't meet let in the very hot ambient air. That bus will never be accused of having shocks! Pax in the rear of the bus were quite uncomfortable, to the point of some grimacing in pain. The guide's microphone didn't work but I'm not certain anyone cared at this point. Luckily our group somehow balanced being very, very unhappy w. getting along together.

We finally arrived at the Taj Exotica Hotel at 2:55pm....the last bus back was scheduled to leave soon....but the Captain, who also was in attendance and had had an 1+ car ride to the site pushed back the departure & sailing time slightly. So we did at least have an hour there.

What was there? Well, the party was on the lawn which was festively decorated w. colorful banners and streamers. There were disney like characters waving at you. You could have your palm read or your face painted or a temporary tatoo applied. All good fun for a kid's birthday party maybe. Half the tables were under shade and half in blazing sun. Most of us were now wearing our clothes as a 2nd skin! The 2 buffet lines were very, very long.....and although adequate, the food certainly wasn't special. My husband who MADE me go to this event, now was so hot that he refused to eat. Luckily I was too fatigued from the heat to commit murder. There was a stage w. an MC who kept trying to motivate then cajole, then badger the unresponsive crowd into participating w. clapping, yelling,etc. Everyone was too cranky. Who cared about a limbo dancer who certainly hadn't learned this in the Caribbean or a juggler..and most of all, you cared about the march of the King & Queen of this carnival.

We lucked out w. a more modern bus for the return hour ride and some real a/c...but let me assure you that I didn't meet any happy campers. The mood around the ship that evening ranged from cranky to foul. Every staff member was inundated with complaints and negative reports. I felt so badly for sincere, warm Felimo [Voyager Lounge] who apologized, saying how badly this reflected on them....that I found myself cheering him up! Oh the ironies of life!

Whoever in R headquarters thought that during a few hours in a port they should or could disembark almost 700 people, load them into buses, drive for 1+hours to a hotel to experience that level of entertainment under hot, sunny skies and then quickly a bout face. That's not a question...it's a statement of wonder.

Love the talented Mark Merchant...crisp and quick..on the edge ...but 'fair and balanced' to all

I respect your post & sentiments there in.

In case my position has been at all confusing, let me take this opportunity to again state that I have enjoyed reading Clay & Debbie's blog and recommend its reading to others. Furthermore, Clay posts some fabulous photos. I do not find it overly negative. I imagine that they are telling it as they experience it, bringing all of their individual perceptions & preferences into view. I find myself in disagreement w. some other posters who opine that D&C don't seem to be enjoying themselves. They are adventurous in the ports and trips they have chosen and have found an onboard life that works for them. I bet that they would say that they are having a very good trip.

But whatever they would say, they are passengers, not PR agents or apologists. And as I keep repeating, we're all entitled to our perfernces & opinions. So, I don't care if you don't care about what's in the Constellation Theater and you shouldn't care that I do.:rolleyes:

Actually I plan to finish off w. Mumbai...but have saved comments on my dining experience for last for precisely the above reasons. There probably is no more controversial area and on this board if you say that anything was less than divine you often end up roasted or toasted.

In fact, let me comment on our dining experiences now. We have cruised a lot of lines over many years. Recent cruises include SilverSeas & Crystal. We have not sailed Seabourn or Oceania. Please remember that I earlier said that we are foodies, we care about food...quality, styles, presentation...the whole gustatory expereince..and close to NYC, we have a lot of variety from which to choose.

BREAKFAST: Room service was a popular choice for us, expecially on mornings when we had early tours. I love R's dedicated department. They arrive on time and w. items as requested and so a great job of setting up in room or on verandah.

La Verandah is an extremely popular buffet style alternative. There is a small al fresco section and large inside areas. The tables are clothes and set, juice and beverage are poured and there is no cafeteria feel to the experience. The buffet begins w. fruits, meats,cheeses, smoked fish and similar items. I find the hot items [scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage,corned beef hash ] uninterestingly displayed in foil pans. On this cruise we had poor experiences at the eggs- to -order station. The 'chef' couldn't seem to roll an omelette or flip eggs. My husband's over easy were delivered w. broken yolks which had hardened, rendering them inedible. Aslo, the delay in receiving your egg order could be lengthy and the waiter was often confused about what order was to go where. One morning I excepted my broken omelette and was consuming it when I heard an upset woman inquiring asking where hers was all of this time...I looked down at my plate and realized that I had an addition [mushrooms] that I hadn't included ...I probably had hers!

We like to gather the daily news and books and dine in Compass Rose. We'd read or chatter w. occupants of nearby tables w. whom we had grown friendly. Since we are still in the world of the working, we find this the ultimate breakfast treat. The menu is similar to LaV unless you are seeking cooked fish or steak/lamb chops.or ,my favoitre, the Swedish Pancakes. Each sunday the offer a glass of champagne and a special item. One week it was crab eggs Benedict..another offering included caviar and changing the dishes' design slightly [this is where my foodie self plays in] I had eggs softly scrambled w. chives and served w a generous dollop of caviar atop. Yummy! About 5-6 days before the segment's end, they had "run out" of cornflakes and shredded wheat and raisin bran cereals, leading me to wonder if they shouldn't re-evaluate their provisioning. [They also had run out of romaine & butter lettuces at the same time but obtained some of these in a port.]

LUNCH: again offers several venues. La Verandah operates buffet style w.

a nice salad area, a cart of assorted breads and the foil steam dishes filled w. the diningroom's entrees. Sometimes there is a pasta station..always soups and several desserts are presented. I would love to see them either vary the steam table items a little or add a carving station. [eg turkey, ham].

If you wish to dine even more casually or remain in bathing suit, the Pool Grill offers a small salad area, soups, fruits, cookies, ice cream and a # of items to order from the grill. [i particularly enjoyed the composed macaroni salad, a weakness of mine.] Service is attentive,fast and friendly. ..and the hamburgers are excellent! This grill is open until 4 pm, so you can address your starvation at your own tempo. On sea days there is an additional buffet near the pool grill area. Items frequently repeated include steak, chicken, and shrimp. The ribs are moist, delicious...and very popular. Some days the offerings are wildly generous e.g. beef Rossini which means steak topped w. foie gras and grilled lobster tails. Some buffets are themed..e.g. Mexican, Tex-Mex, Indian curries, assorted fish w. decorations and ice scultpures adding to the effect. These buffets are very popular.

There is a very special buffet one day...they don't call it their gala, but they should...it has everything PLUS a caviar-vodka bar and cold seafood presentation. [it's depressing to get excited over those wonderful stone crab claws and Alaskan King Crab legs only to have them taste dry and grainy. The purveyor? or method of freezing?]

We have dined at a few buffets, nibbled at others but,again, enjoy the quiet, cool respite of the diningroom. Some lunch menus have more appeal than others but there is always the 'back page' of the menu where you make selections to make-your-own sandwich. A lovely roast turkey sandwich on a french baguette is on my comfort food list and my husband is a condiment king, so he could choose his peppers and pickles and be happy. If R would add provolone cheese, you could make an Italian sub!

Lunch desserts are marginal except for the ice coupes which are always good. The homemade whipped cream is absolutely decadent.. Consider requesting it with a plate of berries.

If hunger strikes pre dinner [or post, for that matter] one can turn to the room service menu which offers items from shrimp cocktail to sandwiches [cold & hot] to hot entrees to salad and a few desserts.

Dinner:

-Menu Selections: There are about 3 apps, 1 composed salad [although you can order others], a pasta of the day [again you can also order simple marinara or bolognese], a hot & chilled soup, and 4 entrees [seafood/fish+ beef+fowl+alternate meat]. Desserts include a few pastries, international cheeses [varied and always in prime condition] and ice cream/frozen yogurt selections. There also is an always- available menu that includes items such as Caesar's salad, salmon, and steaks [filet,sirloin, eye rib]. There are vegetarian selections.

The portion sizes are predicated on your ordering several couses [as the day's menu degustation suggests]. If you don't wish to dine thus, you can simply tell your waiter the portion size you desire. If you go away hungry, it's by your own hand!

Here are my opinions [remember, MINE---you have YOURS]

-The menu doesn't stray far from very traditional offerings. I had read a promo about how chef Mike wasn't going to repeat a dish during the WC! Well, I hardly expected that because, after all, people count on prime rib,etc .........but there wasn't enough variety. For example, the same exact menu was presented on the last formal night of seg 3 and the first formal night of seg 4, 4 days apart. They can do better than that! Also, many,many selections on seg 4 were identical repeats of seg 3. On a six seg cruise they need to develop another rotation. Also, some entree combinations struck me as peculiar,... maybe we'll attribute this to my foodie phase.

-The quality of raw product is very good. Salad greens were young & fresh, veggies tasty, meats good

-There is care & success in presenting meats as requested e.g. medium rare & a gracious willingness to re-do if markedly off the mark. However, steaks that come out of the kitchen may sit first because you cut your wonderfull medium rare fillet or sirloin and no juice runs out! One night my steak was too grizzly to eat while my friend's fillet could be cut with his fork.

-Unlike Marcie, I had a few unremarkable soups..but I certainly didn't exhaust this category and perhaps missed the really good ones. Also, several were tepid when served.

-The cheeses were excellent, served w. both bread & crax ..and port offered

-breads are average

-desserts are boring and poor.

SERVICE: We eventually found our 'favorite waiters' and very much enjoyed their service. [Hugs to Rodolpho & Carrie]...but we tended to enter the DR about 8pm and sometimes their sections were full. Now in pot luck status, sometimes we had a quite fine service and at other times, less so. One waiter forgot the bread & butter and later forgot the milk & sugar. Others reached across to serve when there was no need to, removed a dish when the first person had finished, rather than waiting for all to finish, didn't refill waters,etc. I think they need to improve service via better supervision or training. You can't advertise 'fine dining' without fine service. When CR was full, the waiters seemed stretched and perhaps became a bit anxious. The wine waitresses/stewards had very large areas to serve. Perhaps we drank less wine because it took so long to receive it! And they didn't carry any beaujolais on board..Mon dieu!

The alternative restaurants:

SIGNATURES is the Cordon Bleu experience. It changes its menu every so often but offers pretty much the same items,just in a different preparation e.g. foie gras, lobster, duck. We enjoy french.continental dining so we enjoyed dining there. Alexis is the personable maitre d'. There is a young woman [Gabby?] whose service is superb....and there was a young man who needed training and attitude adjustment. Oner is the Wine Steward, a lovely & interesting young man from Turkey. We enjoyed the magret, the poached lobster tail on endive, the hot seared foie gras, the warm chocolate tart and creme brulee as well as several other items.

LaVerandah at night changes its identity from Mediterranean Bistro to Italian Steakhouse to [currently] comfort foods. The format is to helpful to an antipasto/salad/mezze area and bread cart...order and be served your hots [soup and entree] and then self serve dessert and cheese. As you've gathered by now, we're not overly attached to buffets so we dined there just once. [i met one WC couple who had dined there every night except 3!] We had been encouraged to go for the grilled veal chop. In fact, at the Italian Steakhouse most entrees were listed as "grilled". So I ordered it. It came out pan fried and crusty. So I inquired about the grill...turns out they don't have one...but do everything in a pan...or at least that is what I was told. The Wine Steward in that room was either having a bad night or has a feisty nature and I can't say that I appreciated his attitude.

Latitudes...I think this open kitchen restaurant has had many incarnations. I believe that it began as American themed and eventually evolved into Indochine. On the WC they changed its identity several times. When we boarded it became TGIF [owned by the same parent as R] ..decorated in that manner, w. jockey bartender and attenuated menu. While some pax were mumbling I don't even go there at home, the waiting list was impossible to break, so I am assuming that it was very well rec'd. It then became Indochine again..for 3 nights. We dined there on one of these nights. The assorted appetizers, family style were very good....the pumpkin lemongrass soup was excellent but I will never like 3 entree items on one plate....a shrimp, a chicken thigh and a lamb chop, each differently sauced. So the format is not for me. It next became a beautifully decorated Taj Mahal restaurant. Abigail and staff were elaborately costumed........but the format of 3 items on one plate remained the same, so we decided to skip this experience.

In summary, I feel that the serveral aspects of the dining experience need to be elevated/improved if R wants to claim and deliver a 6 star experience. I realize that some may find this their best dining experience ever...but I sat w. a variety of epople who would not raise their hand on that proclamation. In this arena I feel SS and Crystal surpass and a fellow traveler strongly indicated Oceania also does. It wouldn't take much to [per Emeril] kick it up notch!