And so it begins Mariner April 2 Barcelona to Istanbul

[OrpingtonT]

After nine tour days in a row (four on the TA, five on this one) I'm ready for our one sea day tomorrow! I'll have our excellent "Hidden Sicily--In the Footsteps of the Godfather" tour to reflect on, thanks in large part to tour guide Marcello, whose engaging commentary really made the tour. The continuing great weather didn't hurt either as we explored the picturesque villages of Savoca and Forza d'Agro, where scenes from Godfather I and III were shot. By luck, we ran into a local who was given a brief speaking role in one of the movies, and Marcello made a show of introducing her to us as Savoca's most famous citizen.

 

Marcello takes exception, by the way, to the way Sicily is portrayed in the trilogy as well as other media. "We're not the OK Corral," he said, explaining that there are two Mafias today, the "poor" one in Calabria, "the most violent part of the country," and the Sicilian mafia, which adheres to the belief that "Dead people make more noise than live ones," thus preferring to go the "top manager" route by owning and running all types of businesses, including banks. "The Mafia here wants to keep everyone quiet," he said.

 

Another highlight of my day: the scrumptious Miso Glazed (super fresh) Sea Bass Fillet With Sticky Rice and Scallions I devoured at Compass Rose. I rank it as the single best fiesh entree I've had aboard a Regent cruise.

 

Rich

 

That sounds marvellous. And I mean both the "Hidden Sicily" tour and the food, which really made my mouth water.

[Travelcat2]

,

Another highlight of my day: the scrumptious Miso Glazed (super fresh) Sea Bass Fillet With Sticky Rice and Scallions I devoured at Compass Rose. I rank it as the single best fiesh entree I've had aboard a Regent cruise.

 

Rich

 

That definitelyl makes my mouth water. Will look for that on the menu on the Voyager. Enjoy your sea day!

[Mr Rumor]

We've been blessed with a gorgeous Easter morning--sunny, with calm seas and almost no wind. I began my walk a little later than usual for a sea day, 7:45, and kept walking, and walking, until I had set a personal at-sea best, two hours! Plenty of time to solve all the problems of the world, and, when I had done that, ponder the goof I made in my last posting (I'd had eleven tour days in a row, including our in-transit tour day in Barcelona, before today).

 

Luckily the walk temporarily killed my appetite so I was a no-show at the champagne and caviar Easter breakfast in either La Veranda and Compass Rose. But it is coming back with a vengeance, just in time for either the special Easter brunch in LaV or CR, or the Mediterranean buffet outdoors. This will be my toughest decision of the day!

 

Rich

[Aloha 1]

Decisions, decisions :) I feel your angst.

[nana541]

Stormy seas this very early morning just off Greece....rockin and roll :0 yiks!

[RachelG]

My husband would love that, Nana. He loves when we are just about the only ones in the dining room because it is rough going.

[nana541]

My husband would love that, Nana. He loves when we are just about the only ones in the dining room because it is rough going.

 

Well mine is sleeping like a baby.... I'm the girl that is up ;)

[nana541]

Sadly....Port of Santorini is closed today due to rough seas :( time to call the spa before everyone else has the same idea!

[Travelcat2]

Sadly....Port of Santorini is closed today due to rough seas :( time to call the spa before everyone else has the same idea!

 

That is sad. Were you awake because of feeling a bit seasick? If the Captain predicts rough seas, we take 1/4 of a Bonine (or other over the counter meds) immediately. Try taking meds in advance and see if they work:)

[nana541]

That is sad. Were you awake because of feeling a bit seasick? If the Captain predicts rough seas, we take 1/4 of a Bonine (or other over the counter meds) immediately. Try taking meds in advance and see if they work:)

 

Actually meant to take something but but but hubby for some reason stuck drugs in safe and it was malfunctioning and it was too late last nite to bother any one about it :0

 

Ship was really rockin but I think too much fancy, high living was the problem....and the back of the ship where we are moves even more :) oh well sorry to not be able to show Santorini to hubby...Captain announced over the ships speakers about 7 am as we actually sat in bay looking at the beautiful cliffs of the island... Reported that Port authorities had closed Port due to rough seas.

[Mr Rumor]

Losing out on Santorini is a bit of a bummer for Ginny and me, as it is our anniversary today, and part of the appeal of booking this cruise was the happy anticipation of celebrating our 32nd on this fabled isle. But as they say, When life gives you lemons, make lemonade (or Limoncello), so we're looking forward now to our earlier call and overnight in Kusadasi.

[Travelcat2]

Losing out on Santorini is a bit of a bummer for Ginny and me, as it is our anniversary today, and part of the appeal of booking this cruise was the happy anticipation of celebrating our 32nd on this fabled isle. But as they say, When life gives you lemons, make lemonade (or Limoncello), so we're looking forward now to our earlier call and overnight in Kusadasi.

 

Happy Anniversary! Have a wonderful time in Kusadasi!

[Mr Rumor]

Thanks, TC2!

 

Captain Felice just came on the PA again to let us know that the 35 knot winds this morning doomed our visit to Santorini. He added that we're "making good speed" and should be able to dock in Kusadasi by 3 p.m. Meanwhile, Jamie is on the PA at this moment informing us that a revised program is being printed. He is also announcing tweaks to our onboard schedule. So lemonade is being made as I type this!

[Gardendog]

Both Nana and Mr. Rumor have a better attitude about this missed port than I do. It might be due to the fact that on our last Regent cruise, we missed four ports. There will be no substitute excursions. :(

 

I would like for the captain to really reschedule things by leaving Kusadasi early tomorrow to enable us to get into Istanbul early in the morning on Wednesday, since there is much much more to see in Istanbul than in Kusadasi. However, the captain has not consulted me :)

 

On a different note, Easter was a wonderful day with plenty of sun. There was a very well atatended Easter service led by cd Jamie Logan and his wife Dana. We had set our clocks ahead the night before, and being our first and only sea day, the ship was quiet in the morning.

 

There was a wine tasting in the afternoon, fairly well attended, it was so so.

 

We had a very fun Greek evening with silly games led by the very capable Cd. As it turns out, that was all of Greece that we will have. I was fortunate to be awake and saw Santorini from our cabin, and got lots of pictures.

 

Last night's show was the cirque de mariner show. Fantastic!

[OrpingtonT]

Decisions, decisions :) I feel your angst.

 

Keep your hands off Mr Rumor's angst. :)

[Mr Rumor]

Gardendog, sorry to hear about your four missed ports. We're disappointed but OK about the Santorini cancellation because there was nothing the captain could do about the winds and the subsequent closing of the port. However, we still stew about an earlier missed port--Bruges at the beginning of our June, 2011 North Atlantic cruise (our son's college roommate had taken the day off to show us around). Regarding that cancellation, the Voyager had just completed its world cruise and the Royal Maritine Authority had scheduled an extra-thorough inspection, which apparently got under the skin of our captain and his top staff. The captain (I don't recall his name, and really don't care to!) admitted at the Captain's Reception the next night that he and staff had gotten into a "testosterone battle" with the RMA regarding the completeness of the inspection, which didn't seem like such a smart thing to do. The RMA wound up ordering the captain to get several hours' more sleep before allowing the Voyager to finally set sail in the middle of the night, dooming the Bruges stop. We still suspect that we might have made Bruges if the captain had acted in a bit more of a conciliatory manner with the RMA, rather than flexing his, well, you know. . .

 

Tom, I am resting easily this a.m. knowing my angst is being protected!

[nana541]

Keep your hands off Mr Rumor's angst. :)

 

Hummm I have developed a real taste for Lemoncello...ok so lets forgetthe Lemonaid :)

[Travelcat2]

Actually meant to take something but but but hubby for some reason stuck drugs in safe and it was malfunctioning and it was too late last nite to bother any one about it :0

 

.

 

For future reference, you can get meds. at Reception. Still suggest cutting them into halves or quarters so you can stay awake. The smaller size worked for for us. Hope you don't need them for the rest of your cruise.

[Mr Rumor]

Jamie did a good job of making Limoncello today, moving our featured singers Sean and Julia up to a 6:15 slot in the Horizon lounge, and booking a local folk dance troupe, Kufad, into the 9:30 slot at the Constellation Theater. They put on a highly energetic, crowd-pleasing 30-minute performance.

 

Many took the opportunity of the early arrival at Kusadasi to venture into the seemingly endless shopping district that began just steps from the port. We were greeted by pitchman at virtually every door near the ship, but found that the hawking got less and less frenetic the farther we walked into town.

[stjohnrocks]

Sorry y'all missed Santorini. One of the top places on my bucket list. I'm going to put a question regarding this on a new thread.

[tallship]

Had a very relaxing day yesterday, played trivia ...there were 3 mother-daughter duos on our team. Lots of fun. Had dinner in La Veranda ...it was very good.

 

Cruise is coming to an end in 2 days and then melancholy will set in so I need to book another one soon. All in all, a good experience. We've met some wonderful people on this trip.

[Mr Rumor]

You know you're in a different culture when: 1.) walking through the shopping district in the late afternoon you come face to face with a funeral procession, on foot, with a half dozen men bearing the flower-draped casket, followed by several hundred other men, followed by several women and 2.) the first sounds you hear in the morning, at 5:45, are the sounds of the call to worship.

 

It must have rained fairly heavily over the night as the carpets on Deck 12 are soaked, but the sun is bursting through now in this attractive little port and we're looking forward to a great day!

[Hambagahle]

First Rich and Ginny - Happy Anniversary. You really are celebrating all the dates on your back to back cruises!

 

Second - is Kusidasi a dock now? I haven't been there for about 30 years and it was a tender port then... Docking makes it a lot easier! Santorini is amazing and I was so sorry to read that you missed it.

[Gardendog]

Hambagahle, yes Kusadasi is a docked port. Lots of shopping if that is what interests you right at the port.

 

Ephesus with an expert was a great upcharged tour. We had both the regular guide and one archeologist who had been excavating for 40 years, a little bit older gentleman who walked all over the sights with a cane. It finished with a lunch, very interesting and tasty.

 

Ephesus and the Terrace houses are not to be missed. Fantastic history.

[Mr Rumor]

Thanks for the anniversary wishes, Gerry. We feel like we received a terrific anniversary present, a day late, with the Ephesus with an expert tour that Gardendog rightly raved about. Our expert, archaeologist Cengiz Icten, is THE expert on Ephesus, having broken ground there for the first time in 1965, and having served as the manager of the Ephesus Archaeological Museum for more than 20 years. As we toured the museum with him, he could point out items he personally excavated (and, in one case, hauled three kilometers on his back!). His commentary at the museum, along the walking route at Ephesus and at the magnificent Terrace Houses will go down as one of my most treasured memories of this cruise.

 

Regarding the Terrace Houses, Cengiz mentioned that they attract 11,000 paying customers a day, but that all of the funds "go to Ankara, none for Ephesus," noting, "It's the politicians." Which is a shame because only a fraction of Ephsesus has been excavated, and no work appeared to be ongoing except for at the Terrace Houses. There, thousands of pieces of tiles, some fitted together, many loose, filled a number of work tables. . . a jigsaw puzzle challenge for the ages.