“Live From the Explorer” or Z and TB Mambo in the Caribbean

[Travelcat2]

7 minutes ago, bebop bonnie said:

Hey Z and TBA, where are you? I can’t hang out at the pool bar, the observation lounge, the explore lounge, and the Meridian lounge all at the same time!  but would love to say hi ....you need to do a spreadsheet on your bar visits so we can find you!!  Bonnie 

 

I really screwed up on location.  It is the Explorer Lounge (feel free to give me the evil eye - I deserve it).

[bebop bonnie]

2 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

I really screwed up on location.  It is the Explorer Lounge (feel free to give me the evil eye - I deserve it).

🤨  No problem Jackie I think I got it now ...will be stalking the explore lounge at 6 o’clock tonight!

[orvil]

Elvis is quite the businessman.  Ask him to tell you about all his business ventures in Manila.  He's a great guy.

[Zqueeze1]

47 minutes ago, orvil said:

Elvis is quite the businessman.  Ask him to tell you about all his business ventures in Manila.  He's a great guy.

He made us a very good sangria from a recipe he got from the Abu Dhabi Hilton.  It was not too sweet and pretty damned good. 

Z and TB

[califsealion]

I am enjoying your posts, thanks for the live thread!

[Zqueeze1]

Yesterday was such a relaxing day. I wish that every day was like this one. We started it off with TB walking 6.5 miles and I walked 4.5. My old left Achilles’ tendon is acting up. Some of yous may remember me wearing an orthopedic boot during the November 2016 transatlantic cruise. 
We also went to the infinity pool which was a great experience since we had it all to ourselves. However, the water was a little chilly. 

The afternoon was spent napping and reading our books. 
Before  dinner, we met up with Bonnie and her sister Debbie, two very lovely and funny ladies. We promised to hang out again tonight. 
Being the Captain’s reception night, we got to Compass Rose a little early and dined on a wonderful meal:

shrimp cocktail:

I had an appetizer portion of the pasta díavolo with lobster: 

We both had Maine lobster with risotto:

We split a cod with caviar dish:

For dessert, we split a Tanzanian chocolate cake with ice cream, which was mouth watering:

 

Needless to say, after strapping on a feedbag, we called it an early night and missed the comedian who was staring last night. 
Z and TB

[kjbacon]

Deliciously great pictures!

[Mudhen]

I had to wipe John's drool off of the computer screen when he saw your dinner pix! Fra Diavlo and cod are a couple of his favorites! Photos are terrific....we have yet to get into the infinity pool, but will make a point of it on the TA.

Continue to have fun....looking forward to the next installment!

Best,

J&L

[bebop bonnie]

Z and TB, it was great to finally catch up with you last night even if only for a short visit!  your food porn from compass Rose was over the top!
 

This afternoon we are doing an excursion that involves some kind of jungle/rainforest with monkeys and parrots and Iguanas. In South Florida I sometimes see An iguana slither across the road. Not sure I want to get too up close and personal with one of those guys today!

 

 I don’t think will be getting back to the ship until about 6 o’clock. So if we miss you in explore lounge at cocktail time will look for you after dinner and there’s always tomorrow! When and where does the BM & M society meet?  Is there an initiation fee??  hope to catch up with everyone else also that is on rollcall.  Bonnie 

[Zqueeze1]

1 hour ago, bebop bonnie said:

Z and TB, it was great to finally catch up with you last night even if only for a short visit!  your food porn from compass Rose was over the top!
 

This afternoon we are doing an excursion that involves some kind of jungle/rainforest with monkeys and parrots and Iguanas. In South Florida I sometimes see An iguana slither across the road. Not sure I want to get too up close and personal with one of those guys today!

 

 I don’t think will be getting back to the ship until about 6 o’clock. So if we miss you in explore lounge at cocktail time will look for you after dinner and there’s always tomorrow! When and where does the BM & M society meet?  Is there an initiation fee??  hope to catch up with everyone else also that is on rollcall.  Bonnie 

Bonnie. No worries. We may eat at Sette Mari tonight. Depending on reviewing all the dinner menus. But will definitely be in the Explorer lounge before and possibly after. We decided to cancel our beach tour and enjoy the empty pool area for the day. 
Z and TB

[orvil]

Mmm....Food porn.😀

[Zqueeze1]

We are enroute to Roatan today and will tender at 1300. We woke up extra early since we had to set the clocks back one hour. I almost croaked when The Boss popped her head into the Coffee Connection at 0630!   Unfortunately, deck 12 was closed due to the seas so we took off at 0700 and walked the decks. It takes 29 minutes to walk every available deck so we did it three times to get our steps and PT out of the way before breakfast. 
While walking, we admired all the different photos displayed on each of the cabin decks and found this gem:

We also stopped to look at each of the specialty restaurants:

 

Chartreuse:

 

P7:

 

Pacific Rim:

 

My favorite wall.  Wine bottles on display in P7. It’s a beautiful thingi:

We are now chilling out by the pool and enjoying this beautiful, cloudless day. As soon as the pool bar opens up, it’s time for Prosecco in the hot tub. 
Z and TB

[Mudhen]

And what are the poor people doing today?! (giggle!).  Loved the photo of "the wall" in P7. I never take the time to actually look at all of those choices. On our TA, we've got obc to burn, so maybe, just maybe there will be an empty slot in that display..haha!

Prosecco in the hot tub....oh be still my heart!

Carry on....

J&L

[jeb_bud]

I wonder if they change out the art from time to time. I walked all the decks last year looking at the artwork and I don’t remember seeing Lucy and Ricky. 

[RJ2002]

Truly enjoying these reports, especially the food pics!  It was also great to see Elvis' smiling face. 

[Travelcat2]

The cod and caviar dish looks amazing.  I don't recall seeing that on the menu previously.

 

So glad that you are walking the ship.  The last time we saw you (on the TA cruise in 2016 - wow - that is a long time ago) you were wearing the boot.  We do enjoy the photos in the hallways on Explorer.  The one of Ricky and Lucy is wonderful!

[RachelG]

Just now catching up as I have been slogging away at work.  So nice to read something other than coronavirus.  George and I are off alcohol (mostly) for Lent, so I feel your pain.  But congratulations on a healthier you!  Sounds like you are having fun.  I have done many walks along all the decks of the ship when the weather was bad--love the pictures. Keep up the good work !

[RachelG]

oh, and tell TB that 10 dresses for a 10 day cruise is really not that many.  I would probably take at least 15.

[Zqueeze1]

Good morning. Another beautiful day here in the tropics. We are in Guatemala today and the morning looks a little cloudy but gorgeous. We are scheduled to go hike to a spring, but may opt to stay onboard since we had such a wonderful day in a nearly empty vessel. I am starting to look like a puffy lobster while The Boss looks great as always. 
 

Monstrosity in Roatan:

Getting ready you tender:

We spent most of the day poolside either napping, reading, or in the water. In between, I may have had a beer or two.  
We have met a lovely couple from California and they invited us to a Filipino dinner for tomorrow night. We lived in the Philippines for almost four years and have great memories. Especially getting a case of San Miguel beer delivered to our house for $3.50!!!  It was almost cheaper than water. 
Anywho, although we planned on eating in Sette Mare last night, we opted for Compass Rose since they had my favorite, panko crusted shrimp. I had a dinner portion of them along with more fish. I’ve had so much seafood that there seems to be something growing behind my ears. 

My usual app, crabmeat:

Panko shrimp

 

Seafood dish

 

Z and TB

[Zqueeze1]

This is turning out to be another beautiful and cloudless day!

While I wait for The Boss, I thought I would share our daily routine so far. I get up around 0530 to 0600 and get dressed, spank The Boss goodbye, and head to the Coffee Connection where I do my morning writing. I usually have two French press coffees and a small bowl of fruit. By the time I finish writing and loading the pictures (very slowly!) Pam pops up all bright eyed and bushy tailed. She amazes me every morning with the fact that she is waking up and getting ready all by herself and in the Coffee Connection by 0700. 

We usually hit La Veranda (aka the chow hall) for more fruit and split an omelet. I can honestly say I have not had any bacon or sausage so far in this voyage. Afterwards, we go for our walk and get our steps out of the way. Pam impressed me yesterday by walking 90 minutes with me in the morning, then doing another hour in the afternoon. She is a machine. Of course, I gave her moral support from the pool bar. 

BTW, there are a LOT of first time Regent cruisers onboard.  You can tell who they are because of their deer in the headlights looks and gawking at everything. All seem to be very impressed with the service and the food. The exception being one couple who told me the food was better in Celebrity and they would not cruise again on Regent. It seemed the nothing could please Mr and Mrs Stick People. I got a kick out of an older lady who is on her first Regent cruise and she told me not to watch the movies because I will be charged by Regent. 

Z and TB

 

 

[UUNetBill]

On 3/3/2020 at 11:20 AM, ronrick1943 said:

Well today is another day, don't forget when sitting at the bar you can always say "No Thank You"😇. 

Hahahahahahahaha!  That's the funniest thing I've read all week.  You crack me up, man...

[1teach53]

2 hours ago, Zqueeze1 said:

This is turning out to be another beautiful and cloudless day!

While I wait for The Boss, I thought I would share our daily routine so far. I get up around 0530 to 0600 and get dressed, spank The Boss goodbye, and head to the Coffee Connection where I do my morning writing. I usually have two French press coffees and a small bowl of fruit. By the time I finish writing and loading the pictures (very slowly!) Pam pops up all bright eyed and bushy tailed. She amazes me every morning with the fact that she is waking up and getting ready all by herself and in the Coffee Connection by 0700. 

We usually hit La Veranda (aka the chow hall) for more fruit and split an omelet. I can honestly say I have not had any bacon or sausage so far in this voyage. Afterwards, we go for our walk and get our steps out of the way. Pam impressed me yesterday by walking 90 minutes with me in the morning, then doing another hour in the afternoon. She is a machine. Of course, I gave her moral support from the pool bar. 

BTW, there are a LOT of first time Regent cruisers onboard.  You can tell who they are because of their deer in the headlights looks and gawking at everything. All seem to be very impressed with the service and the food. The exception being one couple who told me the food was better in Celebrity and they would not cruise again on Regent. It seemed the nothing could please Mr and Mrs Stick People. I got a kick out of an older lady who is on her first Regent cruise and she told me not to watch the movies because I will be charged by Regent. 

Z and TB

 

 

Oh noooooo! Not Mr & Mrs Stick people!,? !?! 
keep up the great reporting! 
xoxo 

K

[UUNetBill]

2 hours ago, Zqueeze1 said:

It seemed the nothing could please Mr and Mrs Stick People. I got a kick out of an older lady who is on her first Regent cruise and she told me not to watch the movies because I will be charged by Regent. 

Z and TB

Can I assume that the Mr and Mrs Stick People is a reference to what's sticking up their, uh, well, you know...

 

That movie thing is tricky.  Last time I was on Regent they charged me $15,000 for watching the movies...but they threw in a free cruise so I guess it worked out.  Seriously, I got a chuckle out of that - sounds like something my mom would say.  🙂

[Travelcat2]

"Z", thank you so much - all of us need to laugh a bit right now.  So impressed with both you and TB - eating right and walking a lot.  To me a diet onboard is having sugar-free ice cream with chocolate sauce on top (not sugar-free).  Sounds balanced to me!

[bebop bonnie]

Having a fabulous cruise. Eating drinking and laughing way too much. But that’s the whole point!....right!!  Yesterday we went in Roatan Honduras to the gumbalimba preservation park. Magnificent parrots sat on our shoulders and monkeys sat on my head. I’m not sure who had more fun, me or the monkeys!  Everything on the Explorer is beyond perfection!!  If I can figure out the picture posting process I’ll post a picture of monkeys and me!