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    The Broken Road Leads Me - 2020 Mariner World Cruise Blog

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

    Final Blog Post for Mariner 2020 World Cruise  -  Visit the site for photos!  https://consultm2.blogspot.com/

     

    Gratitude 

    Sunday, March 22, 2020
     
    We've been home two days and I have already done laundry twice. As I fold the clothes, I pine for the “olden days”, a mere week ago, when the whites came back from the laundry, bright white and every item was beautifully pressed. Now, I must deal with our new reality.
     
    It is a new reality in so many ways. Less than a week ago, we packed our suitcases and walked off the Mariner to return to life at home. Honestly, that day feels like a lifetime ago. Time held great urgency and was laden with stress! There wasn't a moment to spare to get to Fremantle's port. Australia had closed their door to cruise ships and yet, their kindness and empathy allowed so many of us to empty out onto their soil, in transit to our homes in many other parts of the world. 
     
    I sent a note to the Australian Prime Minister, the Honorable Scott Morrison, thanking him for his country's hospitality, for all the kind, caring citizens who reside in OZ, and for letting us stay as long as it took to fly out. 
     
    Aside from extreme jet lag...it took 30 hours to get home under very stressful conditions, I sit in my living room in Illinois, where we are required to self-isolate, and I feel very grateful. 
     
    The rush of gratitude began on the ship. It began with Putu, a sweet young man from Bali who would come by to say hello while I painted. Putu and I became friends, so when he approached me on our last day on board, he said...” I will say farewell...I cannot say good bye to you. I know I must say 'farewell' so that I know I will see you again.” Putu touched my heart. He also took my suitcase and escorted us all the way to the terminal. 
     
    The walk from the ship was incredibly emotional. I teared up seeing some of the crew on the deck, clapping and waving to us as we made our way to security to get our ID cards scanned for the final time. Putu led the way across the bridge, to land, and as we stepped on shore, the Mariner crew was there, clapping, shouting and waving good bye. They lined the dock, up to five people deep...all of them saying “farewell.” I cried. I blew kisses, I hugged whoever came out of the line to hug me. During my time on the ship, I drew portraits of many of the crew and gifted all the drawings to each of them. It was a joyful gesture. I got as much pleasure from giving the art, as they did from receiving. So there they were....dear Putu leading the way and all these lovely people were giving us an amazing send off. Gratitude!
     
    Regent did everything possible to ensure our safety, as well as honor our investment in the world cruise. We'll receive a full refund for the unused days. Their generosity didn't stop there - they transferred us to the Ritz Carlton in Perth where we stayed as their guests. We received a complimentary breakfast and a very generous food allowance for the hotel's restaurants. They would have taken us to the airport, but Emirates sent a chauffeured car for us. Hmmmm, spotless Mercedes or bus??? No contest. Gratitude!
     
    The woman who checked us in for our Emirates flight was the epitome of an Australian. She noted that we had requested a wheelchair for my husband at O'Hare, where getting through Immigration would be particularly difficult. She observed that our connecting gates in Dubai were very far from each other and ordered another wheelchair to transport him through the terminals. Had she not been so thorough, we might still be walking to catch our flight at the airport. Harry rode and I trekked almost three miles between gates, that even included a train ride! Gratitude!
     
    This is getting long, so I will leave out unnecessary details, I will just sum up the trip home as grueling. We were both completely exhausted by the time the plane's wheels touched down. Once past Immigration, our wonderful daughter was there, waiting for us! Her car was packed with homemade tomato soup and dinner for two nights. She baked for us...three kinds of fresh breads...sweet and savory, and brownies. She brought our house keys which we had left in San Francisco (shipped to her by our son) and gave us rolls of coveted toilet paper! She took us home! Gratitude!
     
    I've teared up writing this final post on our world cruise adventure. Not because the trip ended, but because we met so many special people along the way on both good and bad days: Claire and Dee, dear, dear forever friends – their company was always delightful; Louise, who has a fabulous sense of humor....I think we laughed more than we painted together; the remarkable crew of the Mariner; the “pushers” who wheeled Harry where we needed to go in each airport and every person in Australia who demonstrated the power and potential of a kinder, gentler nation. Gratitude!
     
    And, to each of you who followed along...thank you for sharing this journey with me. It was fun knowing that you were enjoying the arm-chair journey while my feet were on the ship and in our many ports.
     
    Oh, if you want the recipe for my daughter's killer brownies, click here! You'll be glad you did!
     
    Till next time, dear readers! Be well and safe! I am signing off, filled with gratitude.  
    • Like 2

    The Broken Road Leads Me - 2020 Mariner World Cruise Blog

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

    Today's update!  We've come to expect a daily announcement with changes/information.  Here's a summation of the 8:30 am message from the captain....

     

    We anchor in Fremantle at 3 pm today. Tomorrow, early in the morning after the Cunard ship leave the port, we take their spot alongside the pier.  At 11 am, all guests are required to leave the ship.  Done!  We'll have a face to face inspection with AU authorities and then Regent will transfer all of us to a hotel(s) where we will stay until our flights home.

     

    Regent is handling all of this in an extraordinary manner...generously and with the utmost care.  

     

    We fly out on the 18th, so we will spend one night in Perth and then we'll be homeward bound!  More later.  All bags must be packed and outside our doors by 11 pm tonight.  We're 90% done, but I need to sign off to finish the rest.

     

    Best,

    Marcia

    • Like 2

    The Broken Road Leads Me - 2020 Mariner World Cruise Blog

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

    Another challenging day on the Mariner.

     

     We were anchored and preparing the tenders, when the captain spoke about swells and difficult conditions for tendering.  He said he'd get back to us, trying to "wait out" the weather.  Thirty minutes later, the anchor was raised and we began barreling for Fremantle.  Three ports cancelled and suddenly our goal was to get to our final port ASAP.  We are due to arrive tomorrow at 3 PM., however, we need to anchor for two days until our berth is cleared for docking on the 18th.  

     

    Then the reality of AU closing their ports hit the internet.  No word from the captain.  We are assuming/hoping that we, as well as Crystal and HAL who are right behind us, are all the exception to the rule.   

     

    Stay tuned, folks...this is a very fluid situation and I won't be able to write the last post of my blog until I am home and watching for the first signs of Spring from my windows.

     

    Best,

    Marcia

    The Broken Road Leads Me - 2020 Mariner World Cruise Blog

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

    4 hours ago, Eager2Travel said:

    Thanks Marcia for the update.  Our sons and daughter are not definitely not wanting us to go.   We were so looking forward to the cruise.  We definitely fit into the high risk group both age wise and otherwise.  We appreciate getting the news direct from you.

     

    Also am thoroughly enjoying your delightful blog.

    Ann

    Thank you, Ann.  

     

    I am no authority and am hesitant to share information as this is a fluid situation.  In fact,  folks on CC know more about the upcoming ports than I do on the Mariner.  I have not been notified that Italy was cancelled and replaced with ports in Turkey.   

     

    I was looking forward to seeing you and Shel again.  I'm sure there are more cruises in our future!  Wishing you good health!

     

    Best,

    Marcia

    The Broken Road Leads Me - 2020 Mariner World Cruise Blog

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

    On 3/5/2020 at 11:27 PM, flossie009 said:

    @Art Instructor2, Marcia, your blog is very enjoyable along with that from @ArtsyCraftsy, Lana.

     

    With the ongoing covid-19 virus epidemics have you been notified of any further itinerary changes in the future?

    Also have the numbers on board diminished? i.e. have you noticed a drop-off in the number of "segmenters"?

     

    I look forward to the next blog instalments from your cruise 🙂

    flossie009,

     

    I am glad you are enjoying our blogs.  It's fun sharing the experience!  And, what an experience it is!!!

     

    Sydney marked the end of a segment and a lot of people disembarked.  Many of them had planned to end their cruise in Singapore, but elected to leave early rather than fly from Perth.  About 125 -ish guests boarded in Sydney.  I assume they are on for this one segment.  I understand we have less than 500 guests on board.

     

    My guess is that few, if any, will board the ship in Perth due to the uncertainty of cruise due to the virus.  We have heard nothing more from Regent, however, I've been reading the news.  Sri Lanka's port is open for fueling and supplies, but passengers will not be allowed to disembark. Additionally, India is now reporting many cases of the covid-19 virus.  Currently, we have five (5) days scheduled in various ports in India, following two days in Sri Lanka. 

     

    I will update all of you when I have more information.

     

    Wishing all of you good health and happy sailing!

    Marcia

     

    • Thanks 1

    The Broken Road Leads Me - 2020 Mariner World Cruise Blog

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

    On 2/17/2020 at 2:43 AM, boblerm said:

    Marcia, I just wanted to mention how much I am enjoying reading your beautiful blog posts.  The trip sounds absolutely heavenly!

    How is the internet connection on the Mariner, are you having any difficulty uploading photos to your blog?

    Keep enjoying!

     

    (Here is a link to Marcia's latest post)

     https://consultm2.blogspot.com/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=a_new_post_from_the_broken_road_leads_me&utm_term=2020-02-17

     

    Bob

    Bob,

     

    It's wonderful to be able to share this voyage with you and others.  I am delighted to know that you are enjoying my blog posts.  Sharing is as much fun as the experience!  

     

    The internet connection can be very challenging.  Uploading photos works intermittently. I have videos that I would love to post in the blog and a really fun iMovie Trailer I created on a sea day that I think others would enjoy, but, uploading these files is impossible.  If we get to a port where I can pick up a strong internet connection, I'll be working furiously to get everything online!

     

    I appreciate you sharing the link to my blog! Thank you!   Great to hear from you! 

     

    Best,

    Marcia

     

     

    World Cruise Gala Question

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

    On 1/31/2020 at 4:41 AM, Floridiana said:

    https://consultm2.blogspot.com/

     

    That is Marcia, the other blogger, an artist and thoughtful writer.

     

    I am loosely following blogs from the MS Amsterdam. She is in South America right now before heading west. I wanted to see what the bloggers did in the cities along the Brazilian coast.

     

    We also looked at a video blog by a mediocre photographer. His shaky videos show a realistic picture such as the waiting lines, the port buildings from the inside of the bus, the 30 minute walk from the tender pier to the downtown car rental place on Easter Island etc.  He is on an Aida ship. They have tenders shooting through the surf between rocks. I don't know if a ship with American passengers would have done it.

    Thank you so much for your kind words!  Deeply appreciated!

     

    Best,

    Marcia

    • Like 1

    World Cruise Gala Question

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

    On 1/30/2020 at 9:15 AM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

    It would be good to hear, wouldn't it?  I'm thinking that the bussing of us from the hotel to the port will be handled in the usual way, i.e., not a great experience.  But who knows? 

     

    As for 'dressy', I'm still trying to make sure that David buys a sports jacket for this trip, lol.  No suits for us, and dressy for me, may be my lovely Indian salwar kameez, which I don't get a chance to wear very much.

    Sounds perfect for the event as well as beautiful! 

    2020 World Cruise Blog?

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

     

     

     
     
     

    Island Girl

    Saturday, January 25, 2020
     
    Leading up to an informative muster on embarkation day, we spent the last two days in California, packing three additional suitcases, attending the Gala (it was!) and getting to the pier on time, thanks to our family. 
     
    All of the luggage arrived from different places: our carry-ons, the porter at the pier who helped us with one large suitcase and from Luggage Forward, who impressively delivered three large suitcases to our suite. With all our bags in the room, we had but one purpose for the next few hours....unpacking it all! Knowing that Angel, our stewardess, would be preparing our room for evening turndown, we felt the pressure to complete the task before dinner. 

    Mission accomplished. The closet is very full! Unpacking was a whirlwind of activity, so today, the first of our five consecutive seas days, will be spent organizing the closet, drawers and our room, in general. Last night, with the empty suitcases stored under the bed, we drifted off to sleep being rocked by the Mariner.
     
    After boarding, we met friends for lunch in the Compass Rose where the chef prepared special selections for the world cruisers. It was a delightful reunion and a delicious meal. Lunch was followed by a tour of the ship, fresh to our eyes, because the Mariner looks very different from our last voyage on this ship. There are two or three spots that will probably become favorites. One is the Coffee Connection!! It's a very large space with many beverage options, light morsels for nibbling and plenty of tables for visiting with friends, relaxing, playing board games and in my case, creating art. Regent has done a stellar job of providing this wonderful space.
     
    The ship is beautiful. The crew are gracious and welcoming. This is our first full day on board, and while the seas are a bit rough, we're able to get around without any issues. The wifi works intermittently, but I will attribute that to all of the guests who are probably online, just like I am!
     
    I'm feeling very Hawaiian after making a lei this morning. I'm wearing a gorgeous string of orchids that will still be fresh when we dock in Honolulu on January 30th. Already an island girl!
     
    Subscribe to receive an email notice of a new post: https://consultm2.blogspot.com

     

     

    Dental care at sea?

    in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

    Posted

    I worked in dentistry for many years, so I can speak from experience.  

     

    Great advice from everyone, get this resolved before your leave for your cruise.  An endodontist will be able to find the problem.  Aside from the pain when the tooth flares, the infection in the canal can spread to her blood stream.  Sepsis is very serious and can lead to death if not treated.  This should be #1 on your "to do list."  

    • Like 1
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