Mariner - Cruising from Sydney to LA

[msmillie]

It is November 24th, 7:00 AM, the 6th day of our Mariner Cruise from Sydney to Auckland. We have been cruising from Hobart to Auckland with a slight deviation off course in the Tasman Sea. There are two or three hundred anxious people in the Observation Lounge and surrounding decks. Cruise Director, Paul Reynolds has just announced that the stabilizers were being turned off and that passengers need to be careful when moving about the ship.

Approximately 18 hours ago the newly appointed Captain, Captain Stanislaus Mercier De Lacombe had announced that New Zealand Search and Rescue had requested that the Mariner rescue a sailor stranded on a 52 foot sailboat. The sailor was in good condition, but his craft was disabled.

As the Regent flag is raised we see a small speck of sailboat in that very rough ocean. It is almost 8:00 AM as the Captain maneuvers the Mariner closer to the sailboat we see that it is dragging a sea anchor. An albatross is circling the sailboat. And now we see an orange zodiac and its crew in survival suits heading for the disabled boat. The zodiac pushes through the waves and comes along side the boat. The sailor gets into the zodiac along with his gear. The passengers throughout the ship broke into applause. The zodiac returned back to the ship and was hoisted aboard. Passengers praised the heroic efforts and skill of the new Captain and Mariner Crew.

[Donaldm]

Thanks for letting us know about the successful rescue. I am glad to hear that the Mariner has a great emergency/rescue team. My wife and I were on the same itinerary last year and the Tasman Sea can be quite rough. It has been an eventful few days for luxury cruising with the Silversea rescue along with this one.

[mikeIam]

msmillie provided the view from the Mariner and all of the essential details. The official version is at http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/news/media-releases-2009/20091124a.asp

[canadagal]

Thanks MsMillie and Mike thanks for the official version link. Hooray for the new Captain and the Mariner crew in their successful efforts in rescuing that poor sailor.

Pat

[mariners]

Our daily Passages delivered last night included a well-deserved "Congratulations to the officers and crew of Seven Seas Mariner" and a photograph of the "rescue craft returning to the ship".

Thank you msmillie for giving a first hand account.

[OrpingtonT]

What a great story to wake up to. And deserved and generous praise from the rescue co-ordinators to Mariner and crew.

[lkakers]

That was great to read. Thanks for posting, msmillie!

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Seven Seas Mariner rescued a round-the-world sailor - TVNZ.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I feel for the sailor who lost his boat, but being stranded for a few days on Mariner must be a pretty nice consolation prize!

 

Kudos to the captain and crew of Mariner.

[msmillie]

Wendy the Wanderer you are so right, the “yachtie” Bernt Luchtenburg must have felt lucky to be rescued by the Mariner. The relieved, sailor appeared to be most appreciative of the efforts made by the Mariner’s newly appointed French Captain, Captain Stan de Lacombe and the Mariner’s crew. The Safety and Rescue Procedures aboard the Mariner have been much improved under the leadership of the previous Captain, Captain Patruno and have been effectively carried through by Captain Stan. The Mariner is in pristine condition. You would enjoy being on the Mariner even if you hadn’t been tossed about in the Tasman Sea for a number of days. The rescued sailor was well received by the passengers who were glad for his rescue and wished him good luck with the salvage of his boat (yacht). He left the Mariner, yesterday, November 26, 2009.

[tinylittlecruiser]

Wendy the Wanderer you are so right, the “yachtie” Bernt Luchtenburg must have felt lucky to be rescued by the Mariner. The relieved, sailor appeared to be most appreciative of the efforts made by the Mariner’s newly appointed French Captain, Captain Stan de Lacombe and the Mariner’s crew. The Safety and Rescue Procedures aboard the Mariner have been much improved under the leadership of the previous Captain, Captain Patruno and have been effectively carried through by Captain Stan. The Mariner is in pristine condition. You would enjoy being on the Mariner even if you hadn’t been tossed about in the Tasman Sea for a number of days. The rescued sailor was well received by the passengers who were glad for his rescue and wished him good luck with the salvage of his boat (yacht). He left the Mariner, yesterday, November 26, 2009.

 

I was on the same Seven Seas Mariner cruise as "msmillie" when we rescued the German sailor.

 

It's great that he is alive and well, but the kudos go to the Captain and the three men who risked their lives to save Bernt. He had at least three-to-four months of food and water and his situation was not life-threatening. The Captain himself said that he would not have abandoned the $500K USD boat. Bernt has since returned to his boat and it's been towed to land to be repaired.

[msmillie]

I think many passengers are enjoying the free and lower cost excursions provided by Regent. It is also my opinion that there are times when Regent and the tour operators they hire do not effectively plan for the needs of their passengers on tours. This happened yesterday on Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The tenders delivered approximately 150 passengers to the pier. The passengers were assigned to each of four coaches and a slightly larger transit bus; the passengers in the bus were stuffed in like sardines. The coaches appeared somewhat more comfortable than the bus. All five vehicles headed out for the Circle Island Tour.

After touring for about an hour on the 20-mile Round Island Road, all five busses stopped at a picturesque beach for pictures. Fifteen minutes later we re-boarded the busses and our caravan of five buses drove another fifteen minutes down the road to a lovely beach for a ½ hour pit stop. One by one each of the buses opened the doors and the passengers stepped out. Initially, there were two working toilets for at least 75 females, but one stopped working so then there was one. There was no where to sit to enjoy the beach. This beach was similar to a rest stop so there were a couple of tables but they were being used by local families. At the end of this stop, we didn’t have to wait long for the passengers to re-board their buses.

The five buses headed down the road to the perfume factory. When we arrived at the perfume factory the guide pointed out the two working toilets, one for women and one for men. At this stop we were offered a taste of Noni, syrup that cures everything), there were benches to sit on and you could shop for perfume. This stop concluded our 3 ½ hour tour of this small island and the five busses headed back to the pier.

It is my opinion that Regent could have reduced the long lines at the toilets and the discomfort of some of passengers with better coordination between Regent and the tour operator. The bus schedules could have been staggered, so that there were 15 minute intervals between each bus. Half of the busses could have been given an alternate route lessening the impact at each stop. Better planning and coordination could have made this short tour of this lovely island more enjoyable and more in line with a Regent activity.

[Travelcat2]

I think many passengers are enjoying the free and lower cost excursions provided by Regent. It is also my opinion that there are times when Regent and the tour operators they hire do not effectively plan for the needs of their passengers on tours. This happened yesterday on Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The tenders delivered approximately 150 passengers to the pier. The passengers were assigned to each of four coaches and a slightly larger transit bus; the passengers in the bus were stuffed in like sardines. The coaches appeared somewhat more comfortable than the bus. All five vehicles headed out for the Circle Island Tour.

After touring for about an hour on the 20-mile Round Island Road, all five busses stopped at a picturesque beach for pictures. Fifteen minutes later we re-boarded the busses and our caravan of five buses drove another fifteen minutes down the road to a lovely beach for a ½ hour pit stop. One by one each of the buses opened the doors and the passengers stepped out. Initially, there were two working toilets for at least 75 females, but one stopped working so then there was one. There was no where to sit to enjoy the beach. This beach was similar to a rest stop so there were a couple of tables but they were being used by local families. At the end of this stop, we didn’t have to wait long for the passengers to re-board their buses.

The five buses headed down the road to the perfume factory. When we arrived at the perfume factory the guide pointed out the two working toilets, one for women and one for men. At this stop we were offered a taste of Noni, syrup that cures everything), there were benches to sit on and you could shop for perfume. This stop concluded our 3 ½ hour tour of this small island and the five busses headed back to the pier.

It is my opinion that Regent could have reduced the long lines at the toilets and the discomfort of some of passengers with better coordination between Regent and the tour operator. The bus schedules could have been staggered, so that there were 15 minute intervals between each bus. Half of the busses could have been given an alternate route lessening the impact at each stop. Better planning and coordination could have made this short tour of this lovely island more enjoyable and more in line with a Regent activity.

 

In some ports, there just are not a lot of choices in term of tour operators, rest stops, etc. We just returned from the Voyager where the tours in places like Walvis Bay, Namibia had no option of a restroom at all. In St. Helena (a small island in the middle of the South Atlantic), there were barely enough vehicles to handle the passengers. They used vans, a school bus amongst other vehicles. I wonder how much input Regent is allowed to give these tour operators:confused: IMO, Regent is doing a great job with their "free" and low cost tours (in spite of the fact that I wish they would discontinue them).

[msmillie]

Trvelcat2, I do agree with you that overall Regent's Destination Services Department is doing an excellent job with free and lower cost excursions,

and I do hope they continue the "included" excursions.

[OrpingtonT]

Trvelcat2, I do agree with you that overall Regent's Destination Services Department is doing an excellent job with free and lower cost excursions,

and I do hope they continue the "included" excursions.

 

I agree and I thought your solution of staggered transport eminently sensible.

[msmillie]

We have usually had very good service on the three Regent ships we have sailed on, not Paul Gaugin. However, the staff on the Mariner has stepped up the service which has been excellent throughout the ship. We have not spent any time on the pool deck so we do not know about that area. The staff has gone out of there way to make you the passenger feels welcome and that you are important as a customer and as a person. Our cruise from Sydney to LA is coming to an end and we are on the first day of our five sea days. The highlight of our day was Mariner Idol 2009: Round Two. Nine crew members sang again to a full house of cheering happy passengers and crew, this not happen for the professional performers on board. The passengers are genuinely appreciative for the service the crew provides throughout the ship and show it by applause, cheers, and their votes. Today we have to vote for six of the nine performers. You may have come across some of these performers on one of your past cruises and you know why they bring a sense of good will to this ship. Singers in order of performance: Christopher Tablazon-Fireman, Ryan Viray-Casino Bar, Joseph Escosio-galley, Jose Mamaat-La Veranda, Antonia Zabala-Stewardess deck 9, Marthin Tahapary, Ferdinand Poyaoan-Compass Rose, Leonor Amanda-Stewardess deck 7, Seth Sabio-Prime 7. This has been a feel good activity. I also want to mention that the crew seems to have the time whether it is in the elevator or in a restaurant or bar to take the time to socialize with passengers, making this cruise special.