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Live Machu Picchu (pre cruise), Mariner Lima to Buenos Aires 23 Jan -13 February


WesW
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Wes and Ida, I am so pleased to see the style you are traveling in. Good for you!! Continue to enjoy. Your photos brought back such wonderful memories for us. Shel still keeps talking about how he reached the very top when I stopped 20 feet short.

 

Am loving all of your posts.

Ann

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We too are enjoying your posts very much indeed and love your enthusasm and energy! I agree with every word regarding the Belmond hotels and organisation - having had such a memorable time post Mariner a couple of years ago, we are now eyeing the new Andean Explorer train...hmmm!

Thanks for sharing the fun with us and bon voyage for the next stage of your adventure. We wish we were with you (but will just have to be patient - our turn will come soon)

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Thanks briar, loon call, destin lover, cruisin7, eager2travel(ann & shel), cruiseluv (Maria), Gilly for your cruise well wishes and very kind words. Our pleasure to share.

 

We had a delightful first day on board, immediately getting hugged by Sylvester (Maitre’d) in La Veranda.

 

We enjoyed a delish lunch, then met jpr (Olivia) Marq and Tom at the pool bar—have known them for over a decade+ digitally was nice to meet them in person. However, they were wiped from Regent’s Machu Picchu excursion so we postponed dinner until tonight.

 

We enjoyed drinks (Aperol Spritz (wes), Kir Royal (Ida) with NJBelle (fellow New Jersey residents Maria) Eric and Janice. Ida and I enjoyed dancing (rumba, Cumbia (Ida) and foxtrot) to the tunes of Svetlana and Nick. We all headed to Compass Rose for an outstanding dinner matched with good service.

 

Today we are in Pisco Peru we will do the Paracas Nature Preserve excursion. Sailing from Lima to Pisco was lake-like.

 

Tonight is the block party.

 

We are learning to love the Mariner—esp the public spaces. We just walk ten steps out our suite on deck 7 go in Casino down a spiral stair case and almost are in the coffee block err mean the coffee corner (3x the size of the Voyager coffee corner)

 

We were very warmly greeted my GM, Michael who confirmed with me that he is lining up behind the scenes Mariner crew for me to profile (crew that do not get told thank you by the guests (e.g., rations team, galley members,et. Al)

 

Attaching a few pix from yesterday (pool bar, la veranda,and check-in at Constellation theater).

 

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Edited by WesW
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Wes, glad you made it onboard after your amazing pre-cruise MP excursion.

 

Thanks for the wonderful reports and pictures. I'm already spotting some familiar Mariner faces from our Nov/Dec Amazon cruise.

 

Looking forward to your continuing reports and pictures!

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Thanks Keith happy to share Anne Marie and you set a wonderful example

 

Thanks also RC2002 for your kind words too. We loved Machupicchu

 

We are now in Pisco heading to Paracas Nature Reserve. Look forward to sharing our experience in words and photos. Paracas is the second driest location in the world

 

We stopped at lagunillas bay full of fish due to the humboldt current. Note the anchovy morning catch

 

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I

 

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Please enjoy a few snaps from our terrific ships excursion to the Paracas reserve. The reserve coast extends beyond 50km. The geography was Mesmerizing not only to us but also to a Peruvian family Ida took a photo for

 

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The Belmond Plaza Nazarenas is wonderful. We have a great big balcony with seating for six folks over looking the pool with the city and the mountains in the back. They also have a pillow request form, some are free and others will set you back $35 dollars, but come stuffed with coca leaves, peppermint, and sage and other things to make you sleep! I’m thinking of having the butler to prepare by bath tonight with all kinds of herbs also. That will cost me money, but heck I can tell everyone at home about it.

 

Our tour is with belmond and so far so good. The driver is pleasant and our Luis is very knowledgeable. He taught us good Catholics a very things we never heard before. We did a city tour of Cusco yesterday that was perfect - it started to rain on the way back to the hotel. This morning we visited all the Inca sites above the city, besides “sexy woman”, we did three others with the highest at 12,300 feet - we both felt that little hike. We also stopped because I was interested in the shells that are used in the jewelry, we didn’t purchase any jewelry, but we did buy baby alpaca yarn and very simple sweaters. I love some of designs when I’m on vacation, but than I get home and don’t always wear them, so the solid color sweaters are better for us.

 

We are doing somewhat ok with alltuide, but we made a very big mistake last night and eat too much food. We won’t be doing that again! Also there is a reglious celebration today and that kicked off with lots and lots of big bangs, like fireworks that started at 4:00 am and are still going on. The hotel delivered ear plugs to everyone. Off to the Sacred Valley tomorrow.

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Wes and Ida, I am loving your blog and really appreciate the time you are putting into sharing your experiences especially with the fab pics - many thanks!

 

We are seasoned cruisers but our Feb Rio - Barcelona will be our first on Regent so I have a couple of questions for you:

 

1. Is check-in usually done onboard or did I misunderstand your post? Sounds so nice to be able to do this on the ship rather than at a big impersonal counter in the terminal.

 

2. I am SO happy to hear you are dancing a rhumba and foxtrot on the ship - we really cruise to dance. Do you know if Svetlana and Nick will still be onboard for the Feb Rio - Barcelona cruise?

 

 

I am delighted your blog is continuing. I thought from the title that it might end when you board. With this being our first Regent cruise and being on Mariner I am following this with great interest and appreciation. Also, I am really glad to hear you will profile some of the “behind the scenes” crew - they so deserve this recognition.

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So, a great first 24 hours onboard the beautiful Mariner. We were last on Regent a couple years ago (have done cruises on Silversea, Seabourn and Crystal in the meantime) and we think it has been about 10 years since we were last on Mariner (this is our third M cruise). Seems like there are lots of upgrades from last time, although I know more are coming in just a few weeks with the dry dock. Right now, the ship’s public areas look beautiful and it is only in the stateroom that I see scuffs and such. But overall, looks pretty great for a ship going into dry dock so soon!

Today I did my morning constitutional on the top deck. It was before 8:00 and I was the only one, really. Maybe people are tired since it was the first morning, or they came earlier, or this is just not a walking crowd. Anyway, I love it to see the ship waking up - the stewards getting the pool deck in shape, the bridge staff getting us tied up to dock, folks having breakfast, etc. I have to say that Regent rates pretty well regarding outdoor walks. Crystal has the fabulous full promenade deck, but it is on the 7th floor, I think, so you can’t observe the ship’s activities. Seabourn really doesn’t have a very good route (just above the pool and it is so short, you feel like you will turn to butter if you do it too many times). Silversea is a little better, but again, Regent is looking pretty good in the walking category!

Also, love the Coffee Connection. Really big now and love the fact that you can have service by the staff or just make your own anytime. Rivals Crystal’s Bistro now so this is very welcome.

We had a great excursion around Ballestas Island. Saw so many different kinds of birds and also sea lions, and, - wait for it - two different sets of Humboldt Penguins! Was very exciting to me and one of these days, I need to count up all the different kinds of penguins I have been fortunate to see. Eric is not as thrilled about wildlife but he was a good sport to come along, and I think he may have gotten a little kick out of the penguins as well.

 

 

Last night we had dinner with Wes and Ida and was great to get to know them in person after years of a media relationship. Look forward to the Block Party tonight and the Mix and Mingle tomorrow morning.

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Carnivale, thanks for your generous and kind words, happy your are following along and enjoying our adventure.

 

Nick and Svetlana will be on board with you.

 

This check in process was unique to Lima, would expect you will check in at the terminal.

 

 

We enjoyed the traditional block party last night. Pls enjoy a few pix. Ida and I enjoyed drinks in the horizon lounge before dinner. We then had an ouststanding dinner in Signatures the French restaurant with special longtime cruise critic friend jpr (Olivia). Cuisine and service was exceptional. Ida then went dancing

looking for ellbon

 

Today we have our meet & mingle at 10am. Terry Breen gives an enrichment lecture this morning. Will meet with GM Michael to head down to Laundry team to profile our first behind the scenes Regent crew members.

 

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I will be doing the Feb 1 2019 cruise from San Antonio to BA ,so look forward to your next few stops. Am going next week on Oceania to S.Pacific and will follow thread onboard, if possible. Will be my first Regent cruise in 4 yrs. The intinary looks great and always wanted to see that area of world,but too many days before. Now retired and have more time.Yeah.Also, doing Cuba in Oct. This cruise thing is fun and addictive.

Have a great time and thanks for posts and photos, really appreciated.

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Mariner crew (behind the scenes) profile.

 

We profile behind the scenes (below deck) crew because these vital crew members do not regularly get told thank you by the guests like the wait, bar, reception staff do. It is our way of telling the Mariner Laundry Team: THANK YOU!

 

Today let’s meet the Mariner Laundry team who work together to process more than 10,000 pieces of clothing for the crew and guests per week. This outstanding eleven (11) person team all hail from Indonesia and are led by Ng “Joe” Jaw.

 

Joe is the Mariner Laundry Master, joined Regent back in 2010. He is married to Ling Ling for almost 24 years and they have three children (two girls and one boy). Joe is from Bintan Island, Indonesia.

 

Joe’s favorite Regent ship to serve on is he Mariner. He likes the crew living area, and the comraderie that the Mariner crew possess. Joes tells me the toughest part of his job is the unpredictability of laundry demand from one day to the next. For example, one day they may get just a few bags of laundry to process the next hundreds. The first day (transition day is especially though not only due to clothes that need to be laundered but also due to linens.

 

Joe likes working for Regent because he gets to see the world and he especially likes the salary he makes. GM, Michael Coghlan tells me Joe is a Mariner treasure—he turns into Michael USB drives, jewelry, money that guests leave in their clothes.

 

Eng Mong is the assistant laundry Master on the Mariner. Mong also hails from Bintan Island and has been with Regent since 2012. Mong’s close family his brother and sister live in Bintan Island, Indonesia too.

 

Mong’s favorite ship to serve on is the Mariner due to the food and crew living area.

 

Mong like working on Regent due to the friendships he makes and he likes to travel the world. Mong tells me they process about 1500 pieces of laundry daily.

 

The toughest part of his laundry duties is having the team work together on transition day and the day after to process the increase demand for pressed laundry. Please enjoy a few pictures of Joe and Mong first below, then the eleven member Mariner Laundry team.

 

Mong is on the left, joe is on the right.

 

 

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Edited by WesW
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Thank you for the laundry team profile. When we have laundry done on Regent we always feel so special when it is returned to us beautifully finished. We have never experienced anything but perfect service. Thank you to the laundry crew, you will be seeing our laundry in April!

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Alexandra Cruiser, RJ2002, wishIweretraveling, briar 14, RachelG; you’re very welcome—it was pure joy to recognize such a hard working team that excels for the Mariner Guests.

 

Busy day, we had our Meet & Mingle—thanks Regent, GM Michael, CD Paul, Food & Beverage Mgr Donald, and Regent Corporate for making this happen. Pls enjoy some snaps below.

 

Ida and I enjoyed spin class this afternoon to prep for the gustatory feast tonight in the Compass Rose.

 

Finally, we had the Captain’s welcome—terrifically well done.

 

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