Taj Mahal precruise, Mumbai to Bali on Voyager 20 Nov-20 Dec

[Keith1010]

Wes I loved today's narrative and photos from the officers BBQ. Very nicely done.

 

Keith

[WesW]

Good early morning everyone; xrvlcruiser/Peggy, orpingtonT/Tom & Barbara, keith1010/Keith & Anne Marie...thanks again for your very kind words.

 

Docdesdin, at breakfast yesterday, we ran into Ezel/Ed and passed along the Bob warm regards to Ed and Ellen. Ed beamed when I mentioned your post above. Ed did tell me Ellen still had residual effects from the Mal de Mer she contacted during our snorkel trip in the Maldives. Ed said he will post here soon.

 

Peggy, thanks for adding Hieke's name to our thread.

 

Keith--pls see below on why we take the time to post (pix & words)--believe very similar to why Anne Marie and you post here on CC.

 

Have just a couple of pix to share from last night (before dinner drinks at the Observation Lounge with CC friends Kia Orana/Frank & Sue, and our cruise friends John & Leslie). We had a special toast to these passionate dog lovers (Frank/Sue, John/Leslie, us) are all very active in Goldens rescue, rescue dogs, local county humane society respectively)

 

In the second pixture below, the Sommelier lifting our cover Miele came up to me shortly after we were seated in Signatures, the Voyager's outstanding French restaurant. Smiling broadly, she thanked us profusely for taking Ramona, her and third Sommelier pix during the wine tasting. We print these cruise critic thread pix out after posting on CC then seek out the respective crew member's spvsr (in this case Yavuz (Voyager head Sommeleir). Yavuz/Ibraham (Head Waiter in Compass Rose) then take these printed pix and post them on the crew member bulletin board (in the gally, crew member's lounge) this is wear Miele saw her pix. We do this (VCP (profiling a crew member) for similar reasons we post on CC--to give back to the crew that makes our cruise so enjoyable, and to give back to the CC community for sharing tips that enable us to enjoy our cruise respectively.

 

Enjoy the pix:

 

 

 

From Left to Right/top row/bottom row; John/leslie, Kia Orana/Frank & Sue, Wes & Ida)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dining in Signatures last night, pix of the wonderful wait staff lifting our main course (fab veal) sterling siliver dinner covers:

 

 

 

 

Today's highlight's include our shore excursion in Sri Lanka, second dinner in Compass rose (main restaurant), and entertainment by concert pianist David Schofield.

[WesW]

Good later morning all, pls enjoy some pix of the Colombo, Sri Lanka skyline as we sailed in early this morning

 

 

 

 

 

This morning's VCP (Voyager Crew Proflie) is of the outstanding night auditor who serves by herself (11pm - 8am, graveyard shift) at the Guest Services Desk. Ellie Peji is from Manilla, Phillipines, is married and has three sons (ages 17, 14, 13). She is one her very first Regent/Voyager contract, today is her four month anniversary of serving with the Voyager. She enjoys most meeting the very kind guests, young and old who appreciate the Guest Services assistance. Ellie loves seeing places on her voyages for the first time. She loves talking to guests who express interest in her service, as she does not see many guests during the grave yard shift. Pls enjoy Ellie Peji's pix:

[mimito4]

Bravo, friend! So nice to see you giving well deserved space and time to the hardworking crew.

 

What a gracious man you are. Besides that, your pictures and narrative are great. Honestly, the best ever on CC! I mean it.

[OrpingtonT]

Sadly, Ellie pic did not appear with the Ceylon skyline photos. But we loved the Signatures one. Your initiative with these pictures is outstanding, Wes. Surely a job offer from Regent should be on it's way. You do so much for them (and us).

[Keith1010]

Wes, as usual I agree with you. Very touching to print out photos of the crew the way you do. I love it!

 

I've learned over the years that there are some on CC who either can no longer travel due to various physical/health reasons, or some who can not yet take the time off to travel these types of voyages or have not yet taking cruises on these types of lines who truly enjoy writings/photos and you are doing a superb job with all of this.

 

And, recognizing the crew is just wonderful and I applaud you and Ida.

 

Continue to enjoy. One day I hope we sail together.

 

Best to you and to Ida.

 

Keith

[WesW]

Oops, was rushing to make the Colombo Contacts shore excursion and deleted Elie's pix, thanks OrpingtonT/Tom & Barbara for pointing this out. Pls see two photos of Elie

below: Will shortly post our Colombo pix (delightful, elephants, cobras & Ida, a Sri Lankan wedding, and many buddas)

 

First, let's review Elie's profile:

 

Elie is the outstanding graveyard Guest Services desk night auditor. Ellie Peji is from Manilla, Phillipines, is married and has three sons (ages 17, 14, 13). She is on her very first Regent/Voyager contract, today is her four month anniversary of serving with the Voyager. She enjoys most meeting the very kind guests, young and old who appreciate the Guest Services assistance. Ellie loves seeing places on her voyages for the first time. She loves talking to guests who express interest in her service, as she does not see many guests during the grave yard shift. Pls enjoy Ellie Peji's pix:

 

 

[WesW]

Good early afternoon all; Mimito4/T & Don, OpingtonT/Tom & Barbara, Keith1010/Keith & Anne Marie. Thanks a ton for your very gracious comments/words.

 

Today we took a half day tour of Colombo, Sri Lanka. We started our morning tour visiting Independence memorial Hall--the national Sri Lanka monument built for commemoration of the independence of Sri Lanka from the British rule with the establishment of Dominion of Ceylon on February 4, 1948. Pls see in order (National Sri Lanka monument, Colombo National Museum, Buddah #2, Galle Face Hotel (Sri Lankan Wedding), Gangaramaya temple, Buddah #3) pix below:

 

 

 

 

 

Located at the head of the monument is the statue of the first prime minister of the country, "The Father of the Nation", pix:

 

 

[WesW]

Colombo, Sri Lanka excursion pix continued:

 

 

 

 

 

Colombo's white-domed old town hall (also called The White House):

 

[WesW]

Colombo, Sri Lanka excursion pix continued some more:

 

 

 

 

Gangaramay Temple pix follow:

 

 

[WesW]

Colombo, Sri Lanka excursion pix:

 

 

 

 

[OrpingtonT]

First, about Ellie. Well worth waiting for, thanks.

 

Then about Ida and the king cobra. She took her life in her hands there (unless the poison sacs had been extracted). She had no room to dart backwards if it struck. Yet she still looked happy. Perhaps she had first relieved you of your plastic?

[findacruise]

Wes - more wonderful pictures and narrative - a great way to enjoy my 3rd cup of mroning coffee. Much better than reading the newspaper! Thanks.

 

Joanna

[txladycruiser]

Ida clearly charmed the Cobra!

[WesW]

Good Morning all, OrpingtonT/Tom & Barbara, findacruise/Joanna, TxLadycruiser/Karen & Wayne, thanks again for your way to kind words, esp about Ida's cobra charming skills.

 

Tom/Barbara, Ida is very happy, a big reason is this incredible SE Asia journey's balanced itinerary (fascinating ports followed by relaxing sea days) makes for a wonderful cruise rhythm.

 

Joanna, we agree--also enjoy our first cup of Joe (tho made by the self service coffee machines at the Coffee Corner on Deck 5 or the cofffee nook located aft on the pool deck) while catching up on cruise critic threads.

 

Last night at the main dining room (Compass Rose) Ida and I had a tasty Prime Rib paired with a very nice french Bordeaux (Saint-Emilion) that Franck Galzy (Gen Mgr) selected. We enjoyed meeting Gary and Alex (Gary's son) both from Taipei, Suzanne (from Cincinnati) and dining with Paul Reynolds (Cruise Director) and Franck. Pls see pix below:

 

Today's highlights include (enjoying the first of two relaxing sea days (very nice since we moved our clocks one hour ahead last night), champagne & caviar breakfast at either Compass Rose or La Veranda, a desert making presentation, Middle eastern lunch buffet, two enrichment lectures (by Terry Bishop ("Deckchair explorer--century of the tourist voyage to the polar regions, and by Brad Kolltveit, Slavery the inhuman triangles of shame) we also have a flambe tea time scheduled for late afternoon and entertainment tonight is by broadway vocalist David Shannon

 

From L to R (Gary, Alex, Paul, Suzanne, Franck, Ida, Wes--can you tell this is post dinner--Franck ordered a round of delish Lemon cello as a post drink--smiles abound.

 

 

This morning's VCP (Voyager Crew Profile) is of the absolutely outstanding/wonderful Observation Lounge Bartender, Nele. Nele prepares your fav adult beverage with a bright smile. She always has blue cheese stuffed olives (she hand makes daily) for our pre dinner martini. Nele comes from Estonia, this is her first Voyager contract (she started four months ago yesterday). Her family includes her adopted grandmother. Her favorite thing about serving/working on the Voyager is the amazing/friendly crew, and meeting the very friendly guests. Pls see Nele's pix below

 

[Patti22]

Hi Col Wes -

 

We are enjoying your reports and pictures. We were on the Voyager for 3 weeks in Sept and really appreciated Nele. On sea day mornings we would go to the Obs Lounge to read and got to know her pretty well. She then started working on her secret rum recipe for a Bacardi contest and started to use us as tasters at 11 am, which in its own way was both unique and enjoyable.

 

Please say hello to her for us.

[nyfeds]

Hi Wes! Great reporting continues, as do your marvelous pix! That pic of Ida near the cobra made me cringe! Thanks for continuing your fabulous reports!

[gf]

Wes/Ida,

Continuing to enjoy all your reports and pix; kudos for the staff profiles & pix!

Looking forward to more; thanks so much!

Odd weather here at home: warm, humid, but no rain that we desperately need!

[Avidtravler]

Hi Col. Wes

Completely enjoying your narration and your photos. As we spoke some months ago we are on your voyage starting April 1 in the reverse direction, so your details will come in handy. One question about your and Ida's outfits for dinners. It seems you are dressed in sport jacket, shirt and tie and Ida is wearing cocktail dress for all dinner meals. I was under the impression that most men would not wear jacket and tie for dinner. Please give some clarification as to what to wear when you have a moment.

AVIDTRAVLER

[WesW]

Hi Patti22,

 

Patti, after a delightful lunch in La Veranda, went up to see Nele (Bartender) in the Obsvn Lounge to relate your warm regards, Nele beamed and fondly recalled you too.

 

Pls see a better pix of Nele below:

 

[WesW]

Hi everyone, Nyfeds/Denise & Alan, gf/Kathy, Avidcruiser, sincerely our privilege and pleasure to share crew profiles here on CC, thank you for your kind words.

 

gf, glad to hear the Atlanta weather has been/is now mild considering our 3b's/mini l/h doxie's (Bella, Bailee, Brandee) have the freedom to roam in our backyard--thanks for sharing the Atlanta weather trendline.

 

AvidTraveler, Elegant Casual is the dress code for every night of the voyage, on the two formal optional nights you can choose to wear formal wear or not. Ida and I enjoy wearing our formal finery one or two nights per voyage, as we relished this tradition during our five decades+ (between us) military service where once or twice per year we enjoyed formal dining in's/dining outs with our fellow Soldiers. Additionally, Ida brings a dressier outfit and I have a sports coat (w/one tie) in the event we get invited to dine with the ship's officers (men at our table all wore ties, except the son of one of the men), both woman (Ida and Suzanne) wore dresses.

 

This afternoon's VCP, Voyager Cruise Profile is a double dose. First up is Arthur Rivera a very hard working member of the Voyager deck washing team. Arthur begins his ship day just prior to 5 a.m. Arthur currently lives in the Philippines, is married and has three children (3, 4, 6). His favorite things about working on the Voyager are working with his fellow--very good deck washing crew members, and he enjoys to robust salary he makes. Arthur is serving in the fifth month of his first contract on the Voyager.

 

 

Next up is Alen, the exceptional Voyager fitness instructor. Pictured below Alen is bending making a spin cycle adjustment for fellow spin guest Barbara (to Alen's left). Alen is from both Croatia and Italy, he is married and has a seven year old daughter. Alen and I shared Vet stories--he served in the Croatian Army the same time I was serving a seven month deployment in Bosnia. Alen relishes watching those guests who sign up for a week or more of his personal fitness instruction gain tone (even lose some weight) through his personal instruction as his favorite thing about working on board. Alen is working for the first time on board the Voyager.

 

[Kia Orana]

Hi all,

 

We've put some pix and notes on our blog, http://delhitobali.wordpress.com/ , including those 6 elusive fish pix from Male. Looking forward to our next snorkeling adventure off Phuket, with Ida and Wes, Leslie L, Ed Z (Ezel), Anneke and John, and new friend Pat.

[Keith1010]

Hi Wes, thanks for the continued narrative and photos. Love them all.

 

I am enjoying the crew profiles and photos.

 

Also, love to see those Spin Cycles. You know we love Spin.

 

Enjoy! Best to you and to Ida.

 

Keith

[fizzy]

So sincerely, Wes, your upbeat commentary and outrageous photos have made me realize that there are so may places to go and see that I did not think I would be interested in. It would be so smart of Regent to bring back the ship's photographers in the form of you guys.... perhaps popping you onto a variety of cruises to do EXACTLY what you are doing. I hope someone watching appreciates what a fabulous marketing tool they have been provided with regarding all aspects of this cruise and how the REAL DEAL actually looks and feels. Thanks...please keep it up. fizzy

[englishusa]

"Franck ordered a round of delish Lemon cello as a post drink--smiles abound."

Wes: Limoncello? I remember Fabrizio of " Diamond ordering this, and Mrs Don Vito's homemade Limoncello was to die for.

Sorry you had to sing first again!