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So sorry about the horrible weather you encountered on this trip. Who could have predicted a once in a lifetime storm hitting Canada and the aftermath dogging you to NYC? I’ve followed your live threads for years and your MO seems to be to make lemonade out of lemons, but, I bet that was difficult when you missed The Music Man. At least you are healthy with nothing broken this trip! Safe travels back home. Have fun unpacking all the stories from this unique voyage.

Looking forward to being on your cruise, virtually, both here and on your blog. Bon Voyage!

We have had over ten cruises on Regent and my preference is as follows: Explorer (restaurants, bars, cabins) voyager (aft outside lounging, cabins) mariner (beautiful common areas, smaller cabins, funky bathrooms) navigator (cabins, bad aft vibration, small) We try Splendor next year and, ofurse, Grandeur hasn’t launched yet.

We were on SS Whisper in August. I compared it to Navigator in this review. I would choose Regent.

I did post on the SS board, I wasn’t attacked per se but countered pretty strongly. The FaceBook page, on the other hand, was venomous. They have a “no complaining” rule which is liberally interpreted as no negative comments. Someone said I should build my own ship so I could be completely satisfied. Gee whiz - tough crowd.

Yet, as I said in my review, with all the guidance about dress codes it was not enforce - even on formal nights. I saw men in short sleeved, open neck shirts, no jacket, stroll right on it, led by whomever was assigned to escort them. give me Regent any day!

I always like your commentary about a cruise and I hope this one lives up to your expectations. When we were first married, we took a trip to Montreal . We stayed in a beautiful hotel - in the early days we either camped or stayed in dumps - with an atrium bar. We went down for a glass of wine before dinner and the pianist played the theme song to the movie “A Man and a Woman”. It was romantic to an extreme and I always associate Montreal with those memories. I wish you love and romance!

We were scheduled for Tokyo to Vancouver in April 2023. It was moved to May 2023 which was too close to our grandson’s HS graduation. Plus I got squirrelly about the Covid restrictions and when they would be lifted. We wanted to tour Japan before the cruise but there were too many issues about how to tour so we cancelled. We will go on a land tour when things settle down.

We went in 2014 with many, but not all, of the same ports. I agree that since you are in that part of the world don’t miss Angkor Wat. On another trip we did the included highlights of Bangkok. It was good but not as good as AW. i did a blog on the trip, if you care to read it. It is LONG - but it has nice photos! http://culinerrion.travellerspoint.com/

So glad that @Jennefer Teegenstepped forward to help. As your flight experience is everyone’s worst nightmare, I would be very interested in what exactly happened that six of you did not have valid tickets on Turkish Air. I hope that you and your mother get the restitution you deserve.

We have not needed to collect but his is what his team has suggested over a number of cruises.

We have insurance through our chase credit card. On booking, Steve at TIS suggested we buy the minimum amount (I think $1000 worth) to activate preexisting and also to activate evacuation, etc., if needed on the cruise. At final payment, we decide whether to self insure for the remaining cost or add $$$ to the policy to include the overage chase won’t pay.

My BFF has a small bladder and she constantly surprises me with her stealth pit stops. She doesn’t require “facilities”. 😵‍💫🙀. I, on the other hand, grew up in Asia and I developed a bladder of a camel. It has served me well in our travels!

Read with interest your account of the airport experience. This is my worst nightmare and why I obsessively track my flights before hand and always print out the official itinerary with booking number and ticket number before leaving home. We had a similar experience going to St. Lucia on a Delta flight. Our former travel agent booked it through the delta vacation site. Got to the counter and our tickets were invalid, and I had just checked my credit card so I knew that I had paid for the tickets. The agent was rude and wouldn’t look at my iphone. Fortunately our agent picked up and fortunately an agent was on duty at delta vacations so it was sorted out in an hour. I reported the agent via delta’s Twitter account and they threw some miles my way which made me happy. We leave for our Explorer cruise Istanbul to Istanbul in about four weeks. We booked on points through United on Turkish Air. Our itinerary is up on Turkish Air, so fingers crossed! let us know how the whole reimbursement thing works out. Jason Montegue is the head of Regent and you should reach out to him. The lack of emergency response is very worrisome.

I hope that my less than wonderful ship experience was limited just to Whisper. Sometimes cruises are jus one off fo what ever reason.

We recently returned from ur first Silversea cruise from Tromso to Reykjavik. We have been cruising Regent almost exclusively since 2012 but we wanted to try this itinerary on a small ship and we had heard glowing reports about the Silversea experience. I posted a review of our trip on the Silversea cruise critic board. You can find it here: I tried to limit my scope to just comparing the Whisper to the Navigator as they are about the same size and age. Anyway, to cut to the chase, Navigator won the comparison and Regent is still number one in my heart! We are embarking on Explorer in about four weeks and on Voyager in January!

I wanted to share some of my observations as this was our first SS cruise after many nights on Regent. I plan to post here so I can answer any questions and in the review section for those who aren't regular readers of this forum. We always choose cruises for the itinerary and this one was no exception as it took us to the far north then through the Norwegian fjords and then over to the Shetlands and the Faroe Islands and then on to Iceland. Since we have sailed most of the Regent ships and only this Silversea ship, I plan to compare it to Navigator which is a similar size and age. Before we left, a friend noted that he likes Regent for traditional cruising and Silversea for expedition cruising. Frankly, we were underwhelmed with SS but very satisfied with our itinerary and the stunning countryside. Whisper has diehard fans and, before we left fans here and on FaceBook reassured us and repeated the SS mantra : “Your wish is my command”. I expected more than what we got. Embarkation SS handled our air and we had no issues once in the air after the initial non-communication gauntlet with SS air. We usually handle our own air but since we were embarking in a rather remote region, we opted to go with the SS safety net. We landed in Oslo for an overnight at the Raddison Blu before flying on to Tromso. Check-in was not until 3pm and about 100 jet-lagged souls lolled around the hotel for hours after stashing our bags in a room. There was no hospitality room and no open cafe or bar. Embarkation in Tromso was a disaster. We were dumped at the Scandic Hotel which was next to the ship and told to wait in the lobby as the ballroom was packed with passengers checking in. When I peeked in, there was a “hospitality” table with some drinks and the remains of what looked like cake. Somehow, crumbs on the cloth and chunks on the floor did not scream luxury. It was well after lunch and there was a small snack concession if you needed something, but no open bar or cafe. Someone was going group to group taking our temperatures and marking our medical forms. We waited about an hour until it seemed that they either added more check in personnel or they just figured out how to move us along faster. Once on board we managed to get something to eat at the pool grill as Whisper does not have an abundance of public lounging spaces and La Terrazza was filled with waiting passengers. Even though it was cold, rainy, and windy, the pool grill staff made an excellent impression, quickly getting us blankets, cranking up the heater, and placing wine and wonderful appetizers on the table. Cabin Our cabin on deck 6 was well appointed and convenient. Our butler and room steward were charming and responsive but a few details were missing (no robes, no umbrellas, but that was fixed in short order). The oddest thing, however, was that we requested room libations and we got one of our requested bottles and not the other and our friends never got their requested bottles at all. Wine and champagne were plentiful but it seems booze was not well provisioned (no tequila, no Grand Marnier, no Hendricks, no Tito’s, no green chartreuse). The cabin is very similar to Navigator. I worried that the bed would be too small, but it was fine and very comfortable. The vanity area is at the foot of the bed which creates a bottleneck just as we are getting ready and need full access to all parts of the cabin. Outlets are in short supply although there are USB ports bedside. My biggest disappointment was the deck furniture. We had two chairs that were glorified beach chairs and a small coffee table (18” oval about a foot off the ground) that was chipped and peeling. Our weather was cold for the most part, so this shouldn’t have bothered me, but Regent has these lovely “wicker” chairs that can almost lie flat topped with great cushions. There is nothing better than bundling up with a blanket and a glass of champagne and watching the world go by. Ship/Decor The ship is not at all glitzy and, other than the bars and lounges, there are few common places to sit and read. The decor is dated with paintings that were so monochromatic they could be considered wallpaper. Regent is the real winner in this area as the art is very interesting even when it does not speak to me. Navigator and Whisper are about equal in sea worthiness. Navigator has a terrible aft vibration but Whisper has the loudest stabilizers I have ever heard. We had some very rough weather and the crash and boom sounds were alarming. Food/Dining Venues Food was good but nothing to write home about and this was the biggest contrast with Regent. Bread and pastries were not appealing which was probably a good thing. Pastries were tiny and not very good. We are accustomed to croissants that are about 4 inches long, 3 inches wide, buttery and flakey. These were like mini croissants you would find on an airplane. I am usually an early riser and I like to go get my own coffee and something to eat so as not to wake my husband. There was no “grab and go” option on Whisper. Navigator has the Coffee Connection with both a barista and a self serve machine with every coffee combo you could desire as well as a cold buffet with pastries, cereal, fruit, and yogurt. In addition, there is the pool grill with the same options plus protein bars and a smoothie station. I tried the Observation Lounge for early morning coffee but I was too early and they were setting up. I tried the Panorama lounge which took 10 minutes to get a cup from the barista there. I’m not at my best pre coffee, so this was a major annoyance. I finally resorted to room service and told our butler to knock lightly rather than ring the bell. Room service was very reliable and arrived quickly. The caviar service was wonderful and I’m not a huge fan of caviar. Whisper was a standout in this area. We tried all the dining venues with the exception of La Dame which always seemed to be empty. Breakfast and lunch at La Terrraza was, frankly, boring. I liked the circular dining room but the circular buffet line off the dining room was crowded and reminded me a high school cafeteria line. Breakfast was uninspired to the point that I preferred to order room service. The lunch salads and sushi were interesting, but the hot items reminded me of leftovers. La Terrazza for dinner, however, was great and was superior in every way to Navigator. The pool grill for lunch was lovely until we went through the entire menu. Same menu every day for two weeks. They change the type of fish daily but not the preparation. Navigator gets the prize in this venue with a changing buffet and a menu. At night , the pool grill becomes Hot Rocks. I was excited to try this as we and our friends with whom we were traveling are in the Big Green Egg cult of BBQ aficionados. I think the idea is good, the execution, not so good. Between us we got steak, fish, veal, and shrimp. I think the seafood was the most successful but the steak was chewy and dry and each piece seemed to get bigger as you chewed. I think SS tries to impress with huge cuts of meat when this concept might do better with smaller cuts - I’m thinking Korean beef, or Mexican fajitas, or Japanese yakitori. The main dining room was fine but Regent gets higher marks for offering much more variety in the daily menu. SS had items that were always available and a handful of specials. SS does not seem to source any local provisions despite the fact that we were sailing in the mecca for salmon, mussels, and other seafood. I remember a cruise in the South Pacific on Navigator. The chef would showcase what he sourced when we were in port. It was exciting and interesting and delicious! Bars The Bars on Whisper were great with very engaged and entertaining bar staff. I think that SS excels in this area as they always use fresh fruit in their drinks rather than bottled sour mix. Their big fail, however, was in provisioning. I have never been on a cruise where basic brands were completely out I can forgive not having Tito’s as other vodka was available. But, they ran out of tequila on day two and did not source more when we arrived in Bergen which is a major city. It was also baffling that there was no Grand Mariner (nor Hendricks gin) on board either. I suspect that this was not a supply chain issue but human resources issue. Someone did not order the basics or the corporate office is keeping the departments on a tight leash. Entertainment/Lectures Ugh, Ugh, Ugh. The shows were just awful. It was on the level of a good high school production. The singing was OK, the choreography was horrible, the staging regrettable. I gave them three chances and walked out of each performance. The lectures were good. I went to several given by a geologist. Excursions Our itinerary was very interesting and we chose great excursions for the most part. Sure, there were some duds but that’s true in all situations. We lucked out with the weather with only two rainy days in the two week voyage. I have detailed them extensively in my other thread. Staff The training of the staff on Silversea is excellent and should be emulated by other cruise lines. They are engaged, full of personality, and interactive while still keeping good boundaries. This makes for excellent relationship building. I also like that the bar and dining room staff use iPads so your name and picture (and allergies) are immediately known. Conclusion The ready excuse for many cruise lines now is “covid or supply chain issues made me do it”. I don’t buy those excuses. We were on Regent in January in the middle of the omicron surge and we were well fed, well lubricated, and well taken care of. We choose cruises for the itinerary more than the ship and this itinerary did not disappoint. Norway and Iceland are among the most beautiful countries I have ever been to. I was underwhelmed with Silversea but this may just be specific to this ship. I suspect on a larger, newer ship, or an expedition ship, I might come away with a different impression.

Just off Whisper. Underwhelmed. I would go with a larger, newer ship for more restaurant choices and updated decor. Cabins were fine.

Reykjavik, Iceland Our cruise came to an end in Reykjavik but we still had another five days planned to tour. We docked outside of the town and our group was bussed to the Reykjavik Edition Hotel. It was a lovely hotel on the harbor with a rooftop lounge and within easy walking distance to the town. We spent a restful night then walked around the city and found our Airbnb for the next five days. Reykjavik is a very accessible city. There is really no need to rent a car unless you want to travel around the countryside, which we did. One day we traveled part of the golden circle to Gullfoss Falls and another day we drove to the black sand beaches near Vik. On our last day, before flying out, we capped our Icelandic adventure by visiting the Sky Lagoon which is just outside the city. We did the seven step ritual which was indescribable. All I can say is GO! Thank you for reading along. I will leave you with some dazzling Iclandic waterfalls.

Heimaey, Westman Islands, Iceland Heimaey is about an hour and a half outside of Reykjavik but a world away. We arrived on a beautiful, clear day and stunning vistas of the glaciers in the distance. Heimaey is a volcanic island with its most recent eruption in 1973. We took a boat excursion that circumnavigated the island. Our guide was a young woman who was a consummate story teller. Her mother was a young girl with the volcano erupted and fled by boat along with all the island residents. A group of men were alarmed that the volcano would most likely consume their protected harbor so they organized fire boats to pump cold ocean water into the harbor to divert and stop the lava flow. All the original houses are buried deep beneath the lava. We circled the island and were lucky enough to see thousands of puffins who have not yet migrated. We lucked out by two weeks. Puffins are very quick, thus very hard to photograph. They nest in grasses along the cliff side, building their nests from the bottom up so no rain intrudes. The nests have two chambers, one as a bathroom and one for sleeping. They also have some difficulty launching into flight from the water. There are many smaller islands that surround Haemey, some with summer houses, some with communal houses. There are a series of ropes to help you climb up the sheer cliffs. Some islands have sheep that are lifted up in canvas bags for summer grazing. It is a harsh life but our guide described foraging for bird eggs and hunting for puffins for dinner. This elephant face on the side of the cliff is the subject of endless fascination. One particularly compelling story was about a fisherman who is now in his 70’s. He and his crew lost their boat off the island. Three men drowned straight away and three, including this man, started swimming to shore. He was the only survivor and managed to get to a sheer lava face, only to realized he had to reenter the water to get to a more accessible cliff so he could climb ashore. Mind you, the waters were frigid in March. The whole story captivated the nation and years later, scientists were interested in how he survived the cold. They pitted him against their version of Navy Seals and he was the only one who tolerated a prolonged icy dunking. The MD’s then examined him and discovered he had a fat pad on the back of his neck like seals have. This allegedly insulates the nerve bundles so his cold tolerance is enhanced. Interesting, no? Another interesting item is that part of the harbor is being ready to house Beluga whales. Iceland is in the process of purchasing these whales from aquariums around the world. They have already housed the Orca from the film “Free Willy”. It is a habitat, not a cage and the marine life is free to come and go as they please. Willy ventured out once to join a pod of Orcas but the hunting life was not for him and he returned to his life of leisure.

Djupivogur, Iceland We arrived to rainy and overcast weather. We had scheduled a nature hike so we put on our hiking boots and rain gear and off we went. I worried that the hike would be vigorous and exhausting but was surprised that after an uphill climb to a viewpoint, it was downhill and flat for the rest of the tour. The hike was heavy on flora and fauna (not much fauna except ducks and swans) but the flora was interesting especially the crow berries and cottongrass which is used to make the Iceland version of q tips. Djupivogur is a very small town and very isolated. It is known as an artist colony and summer residence of many who tire of the city life. Bulandstindur Mountain is a popular climb - our guide climbed it hungover and injured but lived to tell the tale - but then he was a strapping 20 something! Our guide kept bemoaning the fact that we were surrounded by magnificent mountains that were completely hidden by the cloud cover. However, as we sailed away the clouds lifted while the surface fog remained to reveal a breathtaking and magical landscape.

Yes! Still jetlagging from vacation.

Ha! To beat feet means to leave!

I feel exactly the same way. My husband and I have gone two and a half years without getting Covid despite a cruise during the Omicron surge, a major exposure when visiting my best friend who developed Covid during our visit, and a recent three week cruise/vacation involving 9 hour flights. I suspect immunity due to a robust immune system from less than pristine childhoods. I also lived in a Japan as a teen and got every immunization known to man before we left the US. Who knows? I know that researchers are interested in those of us that haven’t yet contracted the bug.

Torshavn, Faroe Islands We were scheduled to take a hike to Streymoy Sill but cancelled due to rain and bad knees. We decided to take a bus tour which was a bit of a snooze due to low visibility and the almost indecipherable accent of our guide. The Faroe Islands are completely different from the Shetland Islands. Here you have mountains, fjords, waterfalls, and grass roofed buildings. We traversed the island, missing one village because a funeral was taking place and it looked like the entire population was attending, with cars parked on all the steep roads leading to the village. Mid tour, the rain let up and we descended to a traditional church bordering the fjord. Our guide gave quite the lecture as we sat in the church pews and ended by singing the national anthem in Faroese. We did learn some interesting tidbits, however. There are three hospitals but major cases are flown to Denmark. Healthcare is free. Education is free through the university level. Often, citizens beat feet in the winter. The Canary Islands are a popular destination. The Faroe Islands won an event (soccer?) in the Island Games. That was a new one for me but apparently, the Islands of the world have their own Olympic style games. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_Games)