Art Instructor2

2 hours ago, Eager2Travel said:

Marcia and Jim we wish you a wonderful time on your World Cruise.  It is an exciting adventure you richly deserve after some challenges.  Savor every minute.  We will join you for a period from Rome to Miami.  We look forward to catching up.

 

On another note it was great fun to stumble across our portraits on your blog!  We appreciate that we have them.  We do look a little older now.

 

Safe  travels.

Ann and Shel

Ann and Shel,

It will be so nice to see you again!  Perhaps I need to draw updated portraits of you!  : )

As a side note to anyone reading my response to you, I want to be clear that on our last cruise guests were kind enough to let me draw their portraits.  They got to take home a keepsake that couldn't be bought on any cruise, any where in the world. As a "thank you" for my artwork, guests made contributions to the Crew Fund.  It was a win-win for all and I hope to do it again on the world cruise.

Thank you so much for reaching out and for your good wishes.   See you soon!

Marcia

5 hours ago, nancygp said:

Marcia, 

 

so happy for you and Harry and looking forward to following along.

 

early, early bon voyage.

 

Nancy

Dear Nancy,

We really appreciate your good wishes.  Best to you and Larry!

Marcia

7 hours ago, boblerm said:

Marcia, looking forward to following along here and on your blog.  It's always great to cruise, but cruising following difficult times is an extra special experience. 

Will you be teaching on this cruise?

Bob

Bob,

You are right...this cruise will be extra sweet and meaningful.  

While I love teaching on board,  this voyage I'll be kicking back and creating art on my own schedule.  However, if anyone wants to create along with me,  I'd love the company and inspiration.

Thank you,

Marcia

10 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

Great, looking forward to reading your post regarding the cruise.  Have a wonderful cruise, relax and enjoy your time.

I really appreciate your warm wishes! Thank you!

18 hours ago, sassyw said:

We will be joining the Mariner in Tahiti and will sail to Singapore. Looking so forward to your posts!!

I hope we have an opportunity to meet.  Thank you so much!

19 hours ago, Gilly said:

Marcia, having shared some of your previous cruise days with you, you can guess that Mark and I will be following you and Harry, without doubt.  I can sense your excitement and understand exactly how you feel - we have a bit longer to wait till we board Voyager and sail alongside you (it seems) but sharing your days on board, albeit vicariously, will whet our appetite nicely.  Thank you!

Gilly, let's wave to each other as our ships sail in sync.  Wishing you and Mark a fabulous cruise!  

Thank you and, as always, warm wishes to both of you.

Marcia

19 hours ago, liptastic said:

Oh excited for you. Definitely looking forward to following along with you. Enjoy your holiday with family pre cruise and safe travels. Thanks for taking us along on your travels,  Jean. 

Jean, we have two young, very energetic grandsons who are filling up these pre-cruise days with crazy antics and lots of fun.  We'll need the world cruise to recover from all the activity!  

Thank you for your good wishes.

Marcia

20 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

How wonderful!  And yes, please!  I will come along with you...

Wonderful!  Delighted to have you join us!  

I downloaded a “Countdown Timer” to my iPhone. The new app is telling me how long we need to wait before we board the Regent Seven Seas Mariner for the 2020 World Cruise! I'm feeling impatient...the anticipation is sweet, but, the wait is difficult. 

This voyage is a celebration of life...a toast to enduring some difficult times and coming out on the upside. Harry and I committed to this adventure last summer. It seemed like a natural choice after tossing around ideas for our next Regent cruise. Undecided about where, when and number of days, I threw caution to the wind and said, “heck, why not book the world cruise?” That one sentence brings us to this moment: 17 days and 19 hours with minutes and seconds rapidly ticking away before we board the ship.

This world cruise itinerary is like visiting with a dear old friend: familiar and fascinating. Having already explored many of the bucket list highlights of this voyage, our plan for this cruise is to wander through the “nooks and crannies” of each region, while we redux and relax. 

Our bags are packed. We're currently in California enjoying a visit with our west coast family. I'm buying last minute art supplies and Harry is downloading books to his Kindle. 

You are invited to take a “front row seat” to our 131 day adventure when you read my blog “The Broken Road Leads Me....” at https://consultm2.blogspot.com Drop by periodically, or if you prefer, subscribe to receive a notice when I post. I'll be sharing this journey through my eyes, the lens of the camera and the art I create along the way.

On January 24, 2020, we'll sail west from San Francisco, with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge as our “starting line.” For everyone who has said....”Can I come, too?”....grab some popcorn and please join us! 

You've all provided me with so much helpful information. Thank you for this exceptional feedback. I have more clarity and a better understanding of I can best communicate with the folks back home. Many thanks for taking the time to help! 

When I have traveled internationally with my T Mobile phone, I have been able to send and receive texts and calls over the ship's wifi.  Now, it seems as if the rules have changed and/or I am not getting clear feedback from T Mobile.  I'm being told I have unlimited data and text, with $0.20 per minute calls in port, however, on the ship, using the ship's wifi, I can not use my cell phone for texts or calls at T Mobile's rates.  Further, if anyone leaves a message on my cell phone, I will be charged $5.99/minute (ship rate).    

If any of you have T Mobile or can clarify costs/texting and phoning ability, please share your experience.  

Do I need to invest in an international calling card? If so, what do you recommend?  Have you used FaceTime while on a Regent ship?

We'll be on the 2020 World Cruise and would like to have easy access to family and business, especially since we will have a significant number of sea days.  I don't want to be saddled with outrageous costs.  I'd appreciate any suggestions.  Thank you!

Fantastic!   I look forward to meeting you!

Marcia

Hello All, 

An open invitation to fellow 2020 World Cruise guests to join me on sea days for art!  I will not be teaching on this cruise, as I have done in previous years, however, I am all about encouragement, support, camaraderie and fun.  Therefore, pack your art supplies and craft projects...whatever medium(s) you enjoy and we'll find a place to create art together!   

A note to people who would like to be able to draw, but don't feel they "can draw a straight line," please bring a quality sketch pad or two plus a variety of good artist pencils (HB, 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B, kneaded and plastic erasers and a good pencil sharper) and just show up!  By the end of the cruise you will draw with confidence and joy! I don't want anyone to be left out of a good time so bring art supplies!

I am hoping we'll be able to arrange a space/time to meet on sea days.  So that I can keep you in the loop as this plan unfolds, please either share your name and suite number or find me in Suite 1071 after Jan. 24th and for the next 131 days thereafter!  I look forward to meeting you and sharing many fun, creative moments!

Best,

Marcia

2 hours ago, mrlevin said:

$400 per segment per person; both of you can get money.  I have always done this and just for the miles.  Another neat trick is that Regent will sometimes buy back foreign currency at same rate that they sell it.  I once got Aussie dollars in Sydney and sold excess back to Voyager making a nice profit.

 

Marc

Thank you Marc and everyone else for responding.  Great feedback!

Marcia

43 minutes ago, Portolan said:

Unless something has changed, this policy isn't limited to the world cruise.  We have on many occasions taken advantage of this to draw money from reception.  The limits was $400, but I don't recall if that was per day (unlikely), segment (I think it was this) or cruise (again, unlikely since they range from days to months).

 

And, it isn't charged as a cash advance on your credit card (which would trigger interest), but just as a regular charge so no fee/interest if paid on the next billing cycle.

Thank you for responding.  That's exactly as I remember it and I am happy to know their policy hasn't changed.   

I will have an ATM card with me, but, the backup is always comforting!

Marcia

Thank you so much, Peggy.  

When an ATM card doesn't work, it's wonderful to know that Reception has our backs!

See you soon!

Marcia

On our last World Cruise, we were having such a wonderful time that we ran out of cash and our ATM card stopped working!  Reception was gracious, as always, and advanced us cash a couple of times.  Of course, it was paid back on our credit card when we disembarked.  

Would any of you know if this policy has changed recent years?  Can we rely on a "loan" from Reception for the 2020 World Cruise, just in case we need an advance?

Thank you!

Marcia

As promised, here is the link to my blog:  https://consultm2.blogspot.com/

I have a 2015 cruise blog on the site now, to give you a preview of my writing style and sense of focus.  It can all change on the 2020 World Cruise, so if that happens, you can discover the evolution with me. Rather than writing a travel guide, the blog is written from a personal perspective, as seen through my eyes, while our experience unfolds.   

The blog offers an option to subscribe.  if you do, you'll receive a post the minute it's published. (No spamming, I promise!)

Please join us, albeit vicariously, for this extraordinary world cruise!

Best,

Marcia

I am counting down the days!  My "to do" list keeps growing along with the packing list.  We are so excited! 

If I inspire others to write their own blog - wonderful!  If I inspire others to book Regent cruises - even better! Of the cruise lines we've taken voyages on, we think Regent is the very best.   

Thank you for the good wishes!

Marcia

Thank you Carolyn!

Being able to write as a team is challenge.  My hat's off to you and Dick.  I'd enjoy reading some of your blogs.  I hope you will share.

Link will be coming soon.

Best,

Marcia

My pleasure, Gill.  Too bad you aren't joining us!

Marcia

My friends and family back home would be terribly disappointed if I didn't write a blog of our cruises.

I am happy to share our 2020 World Cruise experience with anyone who wishes to follow us on the voyage. I will post it on Cruise Critic and also invite all of you to subscribe to my blog...it will arrive in your Inbox! (No spamming promised).  I am currently upgrading the blog.  When it's ready for publication, I will share the link.

Best,

Marcia

23 hours ago, Gilly said:

How could we forget that 4x4 desert drive and evening show in your company?!  Do pass on regards from Mark and myself and here's hoping you are on the '21 WC! (Still have that embroidery I did in your group!)

Our best to Mark!  What an extraordinary event!  I'd love to see you again and create more art!

Best,

Marcia

7 hours ago, Gilly said:

Hey Marcia @Art Instructor2 do I remember you (and Harry) from the old days on board the Voyager WC ?  If so, I'm glad you are back on board, even if, sadly, our paths won't cross on board this time 😥   Never mind...fingers crossed for another time. 

Hi Gilly!,

Both Harry and I are thrilled to be remembered!  Thank you!  We're also delighted to be sailing on the Mariner for the 2020 WC.  I do hope our paths cross again!  Wishing you the best!

Cheers!

Marcia

3 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Now if only you were on the 2021 WC!

I'd love to be on the 2021 WC.  Who knows what the future brings.  : )