I love this acronym so EASY - On Regent Cruising Alaska! Wont forget this one.

Met with the group tonight and it is so nice to see old friends and met some lovely people for the first time. Enjoyed a great dinner with John and Priscilla. A little salmon and lamb always starts a cruise off on a good note!

Been a while since we have been on the ship the updates are nice. Much improved from our last trip, new carpets and upholstery is very attractive.

Franco is the Dining Room Manager so lovely to see him he is a class act. Terry Breen and Elda are here along with Carmen who is now an executive concierge. I am sure many of you know these lovely ladies. Nice to see so many familiar faces.

Off to BED I am sleepy just thought I would start the thread.

sounds lovely!!!

Wish we were there, but just couldn't get it into the schedule. A great itinerary. We have been to most of the ports and love them.

Good morning to the ORCAns in Astoria. This is from the Columbia River Maritime Museum webcam. Looks like some tendering already. Enjoy your day!

The cruise has started out well, lovely group of LCTers. The first night the LCT group gathered in the Stars lounge in a quiet corner just made for us. Then John and I had a wonderful dinner with Ngaire and Ken, as you can imagine a real delight. John and I also have some non-LCT friends on board, a couple we met in 2003 on a Song of Flower cruise and have kept up with since. So life is good, with old friends and new friends.

Nice to be on a ship again after a couple of years away, and nice to be on the Navigator after 10 years! Last night's dinner after the Captain's reception was very good -- Dover sole AND lobster tail! I have eaten way too much in the first two days, need to back off. I had forgotten how tempting it is, with food at every turn. And we haven't even been to tea yet.

Today is Astoria, and all the tours have left. I decided to stay on board since we were in Astoria last year so I had seen the sights, plus it was a little wet for getting on the tenders this morning. Now the wet is gone and the sun is trying to come out but doesn't look as if it will make it. Still, the view of Astoria and the Columbia River bridge, the tall trees and the look-out tower at the top of the town, is pretty against the cloudy sky. We bought a pretty Oregon coffee mug at the look-out tower shop last year, and I told John we might need a companion to that mug to remember this cruise. We'll see if he comes back with one.

We sail at 3 p.m. today, have a sea day tomorrow, and then we are in Alaska. First stop, Sitka. More later on in the trip.

Awesome stalk, Kim!!!

Posting for Mike:

Sailing to Sitka a nice sea day although it is a little bumpy. Cards today at 2.00 pm the tradition starts.

We had a nice party last night and met a new GM for the first time. He handled the introduction to the group well. Ken will try and post some pictures some time in the future he is helping someone with their computer right now. I will post the preliminary winners names on the Free Cruise Thread.

Enjoyed meeting some great new people on this trip and had a wonderful dinner with newcomers to the group Ed and Vicky. He was the person who sang the Gilligan's Island song and his wife was a dancer at Harrahs in Vegas and she danced with Elvis Presley. Fun stuff!! So interesting to learn what people did in their early days.

Weather in Astoria was good. Overcast with slight rays of sunshine and no rain. Last time I was here it poured. We had a good tour visiting sites where they filmed Free Willy, Kindergarten Cop and the Goonies among other films.

Tomorrow the Sea Otter Quest. I always do that tour I love seeing these darling little creatures. This time I have booked all FOOD excursions, going to eat myself silly with crab, lobster and shrimp and hopefully learn how to cook fish, though I doubt I will improve that much. Cooking is not high up on my skill set BUT eating certainly is a skill I have attained in spades and I know where to go to get good seafood.

Okay signing off for now it is about lunch time and SALMON is waiting for me.

More from Mike:

Photos From ORCA:


Astoria, Oregon


Saddleback Mountain - Astoria


B&K Cocktail Party.


Massimo, Arzani (GM), & Ngaire at the Party.

Love that photo of Saddleback Mountain!

Is that the Nav on the right in Skagway?

What great pictures! It looks like a great time being had by all and nice weather too.

Priscilla - did a 2nd mug appear with John? Love all your upcoming ports. Sure wish I could have sailed with you. It's been way too long!

Yes Kim, that is indeed the Navigator on the right. NCL and Princess were on the left side. This was a new dock for us in Skagway.

Since this is early in the season for Alaska the stores were full of goodies to buy. Today we go to a port we have never been to called Hoonah on Chichagof Island. We have a tour called the Forest and Nature Tram. So we will check it out.

A beautiful day in Hoonah today. Sun is shining it is cool but the sun sure helps the beauty of Alaska.

Had a great meal at Prime 7 I finally ordered a whole lobster and that can be risky it has to be cooked just right. Well it was PERFECT so yummy glad I took the plunge. Ken had the bone in Rib Eye and that was fantastic too.

Been pretty busy with the release of the new itineraries and some other projects so stayed on the computer for the last two days with a break for lunch (cannot miss that) and of course for trivia. So today we are going on a tour and I am looking forward to going ashore. Never been to Hoonah before. The Dubai to Cape Town is selling fast no H or G left now amazing how quickly this sold. Looking forward to seeing the winner of the name that cruise contest.

We finally won trivia yesterday it was VERY hard and I was not much use at coming up with answers on this quiz. First time I really was lost. We guessed correctly on several things and pulled out a tie at 10 right. Then we won the tie breaker so that was fun.

A Beautiful Day in Skagway:


Passing by Haines, Alaska on our way to Skagway.


Helicopters were busy all day with 3 ships in Skagway.




Rail Station in Skagway, Alaska.

Betty, no companion mug, not because of deficient shopping by John but because they weren't in stock yet at the little Astoria Column shop. But never fear. We found a similar Alaska mug yesterday in Skagway. Two mugs, two good trips, so that works.

We are enjoying this cruise a lot. Back on the Navigator after 10 years, and although I don't think it is my favorite ship, it is very nice. The food has been very good throughout the ship. Except for a scrumptious meal last night at Prime 7 -- I agree with you, Ngaire, about the perfect lobster -- we have been in Compass Rose every evening. Good variety, good preparation and presentation, gracious service. Tonight we will have dinner with Lorraine Weimerskirck, the cruise director, who is always a joy. Life is good.

The beauty of Alaska is stunning. Tomorrow we will see it from the ship in what should be a special day at Hubbard Glacier and environs. Terry Breen's excellent lecture on glaciers brought home how lucky we are to see this special place, which according to Terry may not be accessible for too many more years.

I'm loving your seamail and the great pictures. Dang, we almost made it there with you but alas, NYC was calling us. Continue enjoying your fabulus trip.

Hubbard Glacier. Unfortunately my good luck weather charm failed me. It was very overcast and there was a LOT of ice so we could not get that close. Felt sorry for those seeing Hubbard for the first time but many were enthusiastic. If you have not seen it on a good day I guess it is still a neat sight.

Juneau we were welcomed with liquid sunshine. It was not that cold just damp. Flights were cancelled. Our guide told us starting tomorrow it is supposed to be sunny for a week! In Sitka the day before we arrived was brilliant sunshine. We did have two great days in Skagway and Hoonah so we cannot complain. It nearly always rains in Ketchikan so if it sunny there we CERTAINLY cannot complain.

In Hoonah the whale watching group had 30 Orcas around the boat many with babies. They are not normally in Hoonah this early so everyone was thrilled. That would have been a good excursion to take.

In Hoonah we did a tram ride through a forest it was stunningly beautiful with great trees and bright green moss. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and on a sunny bright day it could not have been better. Stunning scenery.

Juneau - We did a Salmon Bake lunch. The area they took us would have been wonderful in sunshine. The food was surprisingly good with excellent sockeye salmon cooked on an open fire grill. It was all outside but covered so we did not get wet and they have big heaters over the tables so it was okay. They have a great hot spiced cider that hit the spot. Buses ran back to the ship every 15 minutes and that was nice so you could stay the amount of time you preferred. Not talked to anyone else yet to see how their excursions went.

Tomorrow we go to Ketchikan, then a day at sea and then Victoria. So we will still have some good nights left with a Prime 7 reservation on the 20th. King Crab here I come! We will not be back on Regent until October 7 so I am going to make the best of these last few days.

In Ketchikan, sun is shining. Not bad, good weather in Astoria, Skagway, Hoonah and Ketchikan. Rain in Sitka, Hubbard Glacier and Juneau. I have been on a trip in July (peak season) where it rained everyday.

Going to indulge in a five course Alaskan seafood lunch today, my taste buds are tingling with excitement.

Saw a 007 martini event at 6.00 pm last night in the main theatre. A combination of Bond trivia (audience against the performers) and scenes from the movies and singers performing the best Bond songs. The female and male dancers were moving around the theatre acting very "Bond Like". It was really quite good. If this is on a ship you are on be sure to go.

Four ships in Ketchikan today. Looks like the Navigator in the middle. Don't forget to get some smoked salmon!


I removed the second photo I had here, didn't seem like the right ship. But here's a view from the Carnival's aft cam which shows the top of the Navigator and makes it seem so tiny.

Yet again, another great stalk Kim!

Thanks Karen . I had to make some edits though. I can't believe I forgot to stalk them in Juneau yesterday. That's a great stalking port.

Sounds like the weather is finally cooperating and the stories of all the food sound wonderful THe 007 trivial sounds really fun, nice to know they are coming up with some new things. Few ORCANS are posting so they must be having lots of fun!

More Photos From ORCA:


The pier at Hoonah, Alaska, a new port for us.


Hoonah, Alaska.


Leaving Hoonah, Alaska.


The Bald Eagles were flying in Ketchikan.


This is where we had lunch in Ketchikan, it was part of a tour called "A Taste of Alaska" and it was excellent. Five courses plus dessert.


Beautiful dogs.


The float planes were really flying in Ketchikan.


Leaving Ketchikan, Alaska.

WOW Ken, your pictures are so fantastic...they really bring us as close to "there" without being there.

007 sounds like a blast!
How are the temps in this beautiful place? The guy in Ken's dog pic is wearing shorts! We went one year in Sept and my husband complained bitterly that it was not cold enuf to be Alaska, LOL
---------------------
Helen

Ken, your photos are gorgeous, as always. They bring back memories of our great trip to Alaska, even with some cold and rain and rocking on the Navigator. Those times were offset by beautiful days, good excursions, extraordinary scenery, Terry Breen's lectures, and of course fun travel companions. I got introduced to playing hearts and, as Ngaire noted, won every game I played! (Just two, haha.) Thank you, Ngaire and Ken, for organizing such nice parties and events for us. The galley tour was fascinating, with Chef Guido (what a sense of humor!) showing us where and how the excellent food we received was being prepared.

Dining room service on the Navigator was excellent, and the food was as good as any I can remember on a Regent ship. Wonderful Dover sole (perhaps my very favorite dish on board) and lobster and crab legs, and a good variety of dishes. This was our first experience in Sette Mari, and it was lovely. Now, I am home from the grocery store, have done loads and loads of laundry -- basically back to reality. So it goes ....