From Onboard Explorer

I’m not positive but a couple of years ago we did a Hong Kong to China Regent cruise that had a Boogie and Kasia in the lounge. I’m not sure they are the same but that pair of names seems impossible to have two of. Not sure if Boogie has played the piano concert by himself or in the main area. But when he did on our cruise it was fantastic. Super talented as we remember. He normally is “hidden” in that he is a master pianist.

Wayne,

You're absulutely right. The Voyager was their home town for the past few years. Boogie is a great Jerry Lee Lewis impersonator as well. His great Balls Of Fire act is fun, standing on the piano stool like old Jerry Lee used to do. However don't let him fool you. Boogie is a very good serious piano player as well.

Kasia is not only funny but belts a hell of a country song as well. Some great Hank Williams songs like your cheating Heart en how about their version Billy Swan's I can help.??

My wife and I really enjoyed these guys over the past 5 years! It's Always great to see - and hear! - them again...

P

I’m not positive but a couple of years ago we did a Hong Kong to China Regent cruise that had a Boogie and Kasia in the lounge. I’m not sure they are the same but that pair of names seems impossible to have two of. Not sure if Boogie has played the piano concert by himself or in the main area. But when he did on our cruise it was fantastic. Super talented as we remember. He normally is “hidden” in that he is a master pianist.

Well, today is the last day of our cruise; we disembark in the morning. Our agenda today includes a Mediterranean cooking class and a farewell gathering of the social media class. And, alas, farewells to friends.

Yesterday’s highlight was the wine pairing luncheon. Six degustation courses with six paired wines. The food was delicious, the wines superb, the staff attentive, and the company excellent.

The show last night was a pianist, who was good and entertaining.

It’s been a great cruise. I am glad that we added the Rome to Lisbon cruise before the crossing. I’m not sure I’d sign on for a crossing again without a busy series of ports beforehand, but I’d certainly sign on to Explorer again.

I would be interested in your last comment, that you may not do a crossing again. Can I ask why?

I'd be interested to know as well, especially since we're booked on our first crossing in Jan '19. Doing Cape Town to Rio, with one stop in the middle - I was hoping that the pre-cruise safari and several stops in Namibia would be okay before we hit open water...because frankly, every Regent cruise we've done so far has been port-intensive. We thought a crossing would be a good chance to chill and enjoy the ship, crew, and all the activities (even just reading and napping).

I have enjoyed following along on your cruise. The degustation lunches are really great, aren't they? Well worth the extra charge.

My husband is one who would not do a crossing again in the near future. While we are healthy and active, he feels like he is "wasting time" being on the ship. Clearly he is a person who has a hard time relaxing!

When I first started cruising, I hated sea days. Like your husband, Rachel, I considered them a waste of valuable vacation time. I liked (and still like) cruising because it is a comfortable and efficient way to visit a lot of places without packing, unpacking, logistics, etc. Sea days=no visits.

It was a 72-day cruise in 2008 that changed my mind. It was the “Discovery Collection” on the Navigator that started with an intense 2-week run through the Middle East, went on to places like India and Africa, crossed the Atlantic to Rio, and explored Brazil before returning to Miami. It included much of the itinerary you are talking about, Bill. What changed my mind was that the breaks that sea days gave us were much needed and appreciated. Thus, I started to see their advantage. And even the 4-5 days of the crossing was fine because I REALLY needed the break by then.

So all this is a long way of saying that I do now appreciate sea days, but I need a good,intense itinerary beforehand to let myself enjoy them. Just being on a ship with some “trapped on board” activities to fill the time doesn’t quite justify the per diem to me.

I'm so enjoying posts from the Explorer. I'm reliving lasts years cross on Explorer.

 

Enjoy your sea days and, if you are not in a suite in the front of the ship on one of the higher decks, smile because you have no idea how the rough seas feel in those front suites:halo:

 

Keep the posts coming![/quote

 

Hi Jackie:

 

Tim & Anne here. We were on the Cape Town/ Rio Mariner cruise with you in December, 2015. Smoothest ocean ever!

We're in one of those high floor front-of-the ship suites. It was rocking!

 

Much better weather since Bermuda, although today is overcast. Sorry to see a great cruise come to an end. Love the Explorer!

Crystal

I agree with you. Either do port intensive, b/b cruise. Or, We spent a week in Madrid and Lisbon before the sailing. We were then ready for the sea days. This cruise was good because there breakups in the sea days with no more that 4 in a row.

Great to meet you and Beth. Not enough time to get to know you. See you in August!!

Sheila and Herb

The degustation lunches are really great, aren't they? Well worth the extra charge.

This is the first time that I have read anything about these lunches, are they offered on all cruises and what kind of cost is involved and how do you book them?

Thanks

This is the first time that I have read anything about these lunches, are they offered on all cruises and what kind of cost is involved and how do you book them?

 

Thanks

I had never run into them before on Regent, so they may be limited to Explorer and/or TAs. The cost was $169 pp. had a lot of OBCs to burn, and this was a great way to spend them/

They are on Mariner and likely Voyager and Navigator. They are only offered once per cruise and generally on a sea day. They serve excellent wines that pair well with the food. In my opinion, it is a good way to spend OBC's.

Nixon, 2009 - same guy, maybe?

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Spoke to Nixon and showed him your 'photo.

He was on Navigator in 2009 but that guy is not him. The guy is a wine steward but Nixon thinks his name was Mark.

He is on here 'till Jan then goes back to the Navigator for the World Cruise

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I will be on the Explorer in late Jan. Could I ask the OP a few questions about the ship?

1. Is the water in the pools salt water or fresh and how warn is it. Can you go in the Infinity pool and do any thing except just sit there? Is the water warm there also?

2. Can you describe the gym equipment weight machines? I was on the Mariner and they had maybe 5 machines and the gym was rather small. Is the gym bigger as compared to the Mariner - assuming you have been on the Mariner.

3. I have a rear facing room and would like to know if there is much engine noise and vibration from being over the drive system. This can be determined by going to the gym while cruising to determine this. Can you notice any issues when in the gym?

4. How are the shows. It has been noticed that they are not as good as when the shows were put on by the Ann Ryan company.

Thanks for your review and would appreciate any advice on the above,

RICK

.

1) Both salt water but warm. Hot tubs are fresh water. Infinity pool not that big.

2) Big gym, lots of all types of machines. Two separate sections of the gym.

3) ??

4) Saw 2, were very good. People who went to most shows thought they were better than Ann Ryan. Dynamic young cast.

Hope that helps!

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Forums mobile app

I will be on the Explorer in late Jan. Could I ask the OP a few questions about the ship?

1. Is the water in the pools salt water or fresh and how warn is it. Can you go in the Infinity pool and do any thing except just sit there? Is the water warm there also?

2. Can you describe the gym equipment weight machines? I was on the Mariner and they had maybe 5 machines and the gym was rather small. Is the gym bigger as compared to the Mariner - assuming you have been on the Mariner.

3. I have a rear facing room and would like to know if there is much engine noise and vibration from being over the drive system. This can be determined by going to the gym while cruising to determine this. Can you notice any issues when in the gym?

4. How are the shows. It has been noticed that they are not as good as when the shows were put on by the Ann Ryan company.

Thanks for your review and would appreciate any advice on the above,

RICK

.

The weather was not conducive to swimming while I was on, so did not use pools, but I see that timmm is able to answer that. The gym is much larger than Mariner's. As noted, it is in 2 rooms and has a nice array of weight equipment, as well as free weights. It also has an erg (rowing machine), which is hard to find even in many large land-based gyms. I didn't notice any significant vibration while in the gym.

I was on for two legs--Rome to Lisbon and then Lisbon to Miami. The troupe changed in Lisbon. Even though the set shows were ostensibly the same on both legs, I thought the shows improved markedly on the second one. Though the songs and scripts were the same, the sets and costumes improved and the quality of the dancing improved quite markedly--in fact, I would rate the dancing on that leg as outstanding. As far as the singing went, the quality of the solos was about the same between the two but the quality of the harmonies went up considerably (it was pretty painful to hear on the first leg).

Which doesn't really answer your question re Ann Ryan. Overall, I'd say the second leg's singing was on par with Ann Ryan (and Peter Terhune before that), and the dancing and production values better. The quality on the first leg was not quite as good as previous production companies.