crusin7

Good morning Edinburgh…this time for real!

Good morning Edinburgh!

We skipped our early morning excursion and took the shuttle to Kirkwall, the capital of Orkney. Everyone we met was very welcoming. It’s a very charming town. St Magnus Cathedral

We have had the best internet connection here in the Shetland Islands. We saw Scalloway Castle and the adorable Shetland Ponies.

Giddyup we will see you there!

Passing through the Norwegian Fjords on our way to Leknes.

Update 0805 all engines working. On our way to Hammerfest! Coffee is ready! They will be serving a hot lunch with all venues opening early.

Ha Ha! Yes exactly. We woke up this morning to NO power. The Navigator lost all power at 0300. I was up at 0400. Luckily it was already light outside. The Captain made an announcement at 0630. He expects to be functional soon. About 0645 toilets flushed…YAY! 0655 lights and AC restored. It’s 0720 and the ship’s engines are not up yet. We were supposed to be docked in Hammerfest at 0800. Worst part no coffee!

We are in Honningsvag today. We chose the transfer to the North Cape. We had done this excursion years ago and it was so foggy and windy we had zero visibility. Today we lucked out! Cold, clear and less wind. The northern most point in Europe accessible by road.

A few more photos from the Arctic Circle. The guests who were crossing for the first time had a pot of ice water or a ladle of ice water poured on their heads. Surprisingly most chose the pot! Captain and Michael

Yesterday we went on the Briksdal Glacier by Troll car. This is a 7 hour paid for excursion. We arrived in theatre at 0800. After waiting and tendering we were on the bus at 0858. There were 2 large buses. The scenery was beautiful. The Glacier spectacular. Well worth the money.

We were lucky to see Susan and David soon after embarking. The Captain is very charming with a great sense of humor. We enjoyed the Beatle Duo John and Paul The food has been outstanding! The crew are spectacular. The ship looks good. We did the same excursion today with the second departure. Waffles

I have never stayed in the Regent Suite. I was told that the spa treatments included are body treatments only. So no hair, nails, and facials. Massages and specialty body treatments are included. I was told this after we booked the suite with another couple and canceled because of Covid.

We did this excursion in 2010. It was a highlight of all my cruises. The flight to the ice field was a picture perfect day. The views were spectacular. We loved it so much. We also did 2012 and were blessed with excellent weather. Here are some pictures to give you an idea. The dogs are the best part. You get to play with the puppies afterwards. I’d say the ride is about 2 miles long. Sorry these are glued into a scrapbook. of course you can buy the photo!

I also love the stamp! What a great keepsake. I’m jealous! Loving all your commentary. Have a great trip.

We just got off the Splendor. Good luck with the internet. I couldn’t post any pictures. Cheers!

We just got off the Splendor in Miami. I turned Titanium on this voyage. Destination Services sent a letter 4 days prior to departure. It said congratulations on turning Titanium. Would you like a private car to the Miami Airport ?? Yes please. It was seamless. When you pick up your luggage it is in a separate area with your name. The port calls your driver. It was very organized. You will love your beautiful flowers and excellent chocolates!

I agree about the food. Sette Mari has been the best I’ve had on any of the ships. The lamb Osso Bucco was excellent! Service has also been great.

My sister and I are also on this cruise. I agree everything has been great! We ate at Sette Mari the first 2 nights. We sat outside with July as our waiter. The service, food and atmosphere were outstanding! Last night was our first night in Compass Rose. Food and service were both very good. We have made several deposits in the casino. Tony is a very friendly casino manager. Our internet has been marginal. Now that we are docked it has improved. The AKA Brickell was WAY below Regents standards! I have a broken foot and have one crutch. We must have walked forever to get to our room. is this 5 star luxury??? I’m excited to be going on our first excursion…a train ride.

MJ I loved your report. It seems you left out one thing… where is the picture of your husband dancing?? Would you do the pre-and post cruise again knowing what you know now??

Georgia Peach I think I speak for most and say you are a true delight! It will be us who are screaming when they drag you and your suitcases off the ship. I have never enjoyed a blog more. Your Explorer report was fantastic…this one is Beyond! Thank you.

Joanie you are hysterical! Really looking forward to your posts. I’d like to see your luggage pictures even if they are upside down. Have a fantastic flight and a wonderful cruise.

During Mariner‘s last sailing from Alaska we also had the problem of nonfunctioning toilets. One day it lasted four hours. We were also without running water. That affected the whole ship. The morning of disembarkation we also had no functioning toilets.

Saturday 10/1 San Francisco What a gorgeous entry into a city. We have been to San Francisco many times. We have never gone on the hop on hop off bus until today. We did the complete 2 Hour Circle. We sat on the top because there was no seats on the bottom. Get ready for your head to blow off. When they said we were crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and it would be cold all of us looked at each other. Cold was an understatement! Besides freezing it was a very nice tour. B+ because of frostbite! Typical SF Golden Gate Park On the Bridge

Thursday, 9/29 Astoria, Oregon We chose the Cannon Beach and Seaside shopping excursion. We took a yellow school bus, with little legroom, 40 minutes away to get photos of Haystack Rock. This was featured in the movie Goonies. We were dropped off in Cannon Beach for 1 hour of free time. It’s a cute town with a couple of blocks of shopping and dinning options. We had an excellent iced latte. Next we drove to Seaside, another beach community. This time we were given 45 minutes of free time. We found a wonderful Christmas store, Tinders. I could have spent hours in there. Then it was back to the ship. I wouldn’t go again but it was good once. Grade B