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Blogging Arctic Splendors cruise on the Navigator


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Anyone on board know who took over Clive's position as resident pianist? We enjoyed him on this year's WC and are getting ready to rejoin Nav in Copenhagen on 8/1. "Inquiring minds want to know" ��

 

He just started last night. A young man named Allen Roman. I think he's new to Regent. He has a nice voice and seems to have an engaging personality.

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Update on the new piano man: Enjoyed him the first night. The second night, he used electronic enhancement, and it was a mess. Way too much for the Navigator Lounge, and his own nice voice disappeared behind it. Last night, I turned in early so did not go in, but when I went past, he was not using the electronics. I hope it stays that way.

 

Blog now updated with entries from Scotland and Newcastle: https://summertimechilling.blogspot.com/

 

We are having a sea day as we head to Southampton.

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We are currently in Holyhead, and will be sailing tonight to Dublin, which ends segment 2 of the Arctic Splendors cruise. The official tally for full, 89-night, cruisers is 105, and I'm told that a number in the 130's will be continuing on, so there's a few back-to-backers. We've sailed full these past two segments, and I understand that we'll have fewer people now. I must admit a bit of relief--some venues have been packed this cruise. But several friends are getting off, and I'll be sad to see them go.

 

We've been getting great weather these past several days--high temperatures in the 60s and 70s, and only a sprinkling of rain here and there. Much of the UK and Ireland are suffering drought, so they are needing more rain.

 

The new piano guy is settling in nicely. He still uses electronic back-up, but has toned it down to a reasonable level. He seems to be a very nice young man, with a pleasant voice. I think he's starting to develop a following, and I hope that it grows.

 

The blog is updated through Salisbury and Stonehenge: https://summertimechilling.blogspot.com/2018/07/great-stones-and-fields-of-gold.html

Edited by wishIweretravelling
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I don't know if this is a new thing, a one-time thing, or something that's been the case all along and I'd never noticed before. But I thought I'd mention it since I've been an advocate of booking pay-extra excursions ahead of time, at which time you must pay with a credit card, and then after boarding switching it to an onboard booking so it gets charged to your OBCs. When I went to do that for an excursion on this segment, Destination Services (to their credit) pointed out to me that the price of the excursion had increased from the price when I booked it ahead of time.

 

Since my second motive for switching was that I was in gold status at the time of booking, and am now in platinum (and thus get a discount on excursions), it turned out that the increase and the discount were a wash, so I was no further behind on it. And since excursions (and because of the length of this trip, haircuts) are really the only places to use the substantial OBCs that I have, it still works out for me. But I wanted others to be aware.

 

And, yes, the blog is updated through all our Ireland and Wales ports: https://summertimechilling.blogspot.com/2018/07/ireland-and-wales-perspective-is.html

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The entree to look for at Sette Mari is the Veal Milanese.

 

Re fermented shark, you may drink the Brennivin (aquavit) without eating a single bite of the rotten shark. A highly recommended strategy...:cool:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wishiweretraveling/Crystal, again thanks to nccruzqueen/beth and you for your terrific blog, photos and sharing your Artic Splendors experiences on the Navigator with us here and elsewhere.

 

Wes

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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We arrived in Copenhagen yesterday for our cruise on the Navigator on August 1st. Luggage missing. So we are going shopping for clothes today.

However, I am glad we arrived safely and hope the luggage finally shows up. If not, I will wear the same outfit every other night, so be it..

Being optimistic, will not buy any new rain gear.

Sheila and Herb

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Re:all our luggage. Still MIssing!

Our choice was to say surrender and go home or go shopping in Copenhagen. We chose to go shopping. Bought enough to get us thru the next three days, including rain gear and sweaters. That should get us thru six days with a repeat. Except for dress shoes. Couldn’t find Herb’s size. He flew here with black sneakers. Guess what! Some people may be upset but that’s it —unless our luggage shows up.

I was a sight, zipping thu the mall this afternoon on my red scooter, grabbing everything off the rack

We are now ready to board tomorrow.

This has become a real adventure!

Thanks everyone for your concern and support.

Sheila

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Hi Sheila,

 

Sorry to read about your luggage! Was it the airline , or did you send it ahead with one of those companies? Love your attitude, never surrender! Hope your luggage finds you soon, but if not I'm sure you'll be fine! Enjoy your cruise, look forward to your impressions.

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wishIweretravelling, I'm loving the blog, but I'm not able to post a response on the blog as that doesn't seem to be an option for me. Please keep posting that you have updated the blog on here, as well as giving an overview on this thread. How I wish we were sailing with you! Instead, we are doing the next best thing, having a drink while we sail with you vicariously. All the best!

 

Bellagio cruisers, I hope that your luggage meets up with you soon.

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Bellaggio Cruisers/Sheila;

 

Hope your luggage reaches u soonest.

 

Absolutely relish/love u’r positive attitude considering this mishap.

 

Hope Herb and you have a terrific voyage!

 

Wes

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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Re:all our luggage. Still MIssing!

Our choice was to say surrender and go home or go shopping in Copenhagen. We chose to go shopping. Bought enough to get us thru the next three days, including rain gear and sweaters. That should get us thru six days with a repeat. Except for dress shoes. Couldn’t find Herb’s size. He flew here with black sneakers. Guess what! Some people may be upset but that’s it —unless our luggage shows up.

I was a sight, zipping thu the mall this afternoon on my red scooter, grabbing everything off the rack

We are now ready to board tomorrow.

This has become a real adventure!

Thanks everyone for your concern and support.

Sheila

 

This is so ironic. When thirty Regent passengers "lost" their luggage, it was when we arrived in Stockholm. The biggest difference is that you are not going to Russia (where luggage cannot be delivered).

 

We had the same attitude as you and Herb which is really appreciated by Regent as some of the people were yelling and screaming at the crew as if they were responsible for the situation. You likely remember what we went through.

 

In terms of shoes, that was the one thing that we could not find ashore so I wore flip flops with a dress (from the Boutique) for the first ten nights (sometimes with a scarf that I found in one of the ports). I also could not do my hair so I asked for bobbi pins from the spa and used them to make the old fashioned "pin curls". When we stopped in Helsinki and saw rollers outside of a hairdresser shop for 5 Euros, you would have thought that we found gold. It made my day! The best thing that happened during the 10 days is the relationship we made with the General Manager (Andreas). We were one of the few people that were not complaining and yelling and he really appreciated this - especially since this was his first Regent contract (he came from Oceania). We remain close to this day.

 

Regent was wonderful in terms of making accommodations for those of us without luggage. Although we were Platinum at the time which gave us included laundry, they made sure that whatever the group of us put in to be laundered at night was delivered back to us the next morning.

 

Remember to keep receipts for everything that you purchased. Not sure what airport you flew through but our luggage was lost at Heathrow (along with thousands of others ....... this was yet another Heathrow screw-up). We eventually got the money that we spent reimbursed because Dennis did everything exactly as was requested by the airline.

 

Hoping that you get your luggage soon.

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There seems to be an outbreak of lost luggage. Two couples' luggage went missing on the last segment, which started in Dublin. One of the two bags of one couple turned up about halfway through; their other bag and the bags of the other couple never did show up. They are supposedly being sent directly to their homes. Let's just say that Aer Lingus' reputation has suffered from this episode.

 

They both had used Regent air, so got onboard credits to use in the boutique. Unfortunately, the boutique has a limited selection of sizes for clothes other than t-shirts, and no undergarments. And clothes shopping opportunities in the particular ports visited were limited. No one begrudged them their casual attire throughout the cruise.

 

I expect you'll fare better, Sheila and Herb, if only because Aer Lingus is not involved. Hope your bags arrive soon.

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Re:all our luggage. Still MIssing!

Our choice was to say surrender and go home or go shopping in Copenhagen. We chose to go shopping. Bought enough to get us thru the next three days, including rain gear and sweaters. That should get us thru six days with a repeat. Except for dress shoes. Couldn’t find Herb’s size. He flew here with black sneakers. Guess what! Some people may be upset but that’s it —unless our luggage shows up.

I was a sight, zipping thu the mall this afternoon on my red scooter, grabbing everything off the rack

We are now ready to board tomorrow.

This has become a real adventure!

Thanks everyone for your concern and support.

Sheila

 

So sorry about this Sheila! But happy you did find some things in Copenhagen. Hopefully the airline will reimburse you for those because Copenhagen is not a cheap place to shop. I love your attitude and doubt that I would stay so "zen"...though really there is nothing else to do. Stay cool and have a great cruise!

Gerry

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