The World Cruise is about to happen and are we ever excited! Tomorrow we leave for San Francisco and on Sat. Regent will host the Bon Voyage party at the Fairmont Hotel. On the 6th we board the Voyager and begin our journey.

Our sincere thanks to Ngaire for her guiding/helpful hand in getting us two novices on our way and thanks, too, to previous World Cruisers, Marcie Matassa and Larry McCracken for their ready help and encouragement.

Regarding the cruise, here's our Blog and Smugmug photos:

http://journals.aol.com/rschue8444/wc-2008/

The Blog is a work in progress so if you want to see what we see during our journey, click "Our World Cruise Photos" under "Favorite Sites." There are also some photos of Hawaii taken in Jan. of last year....Yes, yes, you'll get to see Masaki, Amanda and Marika...click on "Hawaii"

I am hopeful that I'll do a lot of captioning under the photos I take so you'll probably see more of that than seamail.

We can't wait to "get it on."

Cheers! Ray & Penny

So excited for the two of you.
Have a wonderful cruise and we will be looking forward to reading your Blogs. :bv: :hello1:

Bon Voyage Ray and Penny! You must be so ready to get this wonderful journey started!

Ray and Penny :bv: I have goose bumps and tears in my eyes as I am so happy for the two of you!

Safe travels on your trip of a lifetime! :angel2: I will look forward to all your blog entries and pics! :)

Bon Voyage Ray and Penny. I'm looking forward to following your wonderful journey through your blog.

Best, Nancy

:bv:

Bon Voyage...Guess What? Arlene and Larry from the PG send their fondest wishes. To think of the time when the 6 of us first met in line in LA waiting to head off on our great PG adventure. They said they look forward to the 6 of us sailing togeher again.

Have a fantastic time. You two deserve it!!!!

Ray and Penny, I know you're in for a fantastic 4 months. Tom and I will sure be following your blog. See you soon...and again in Athens!

Bon voyage Ray & Penny!! I was just thinking of you today and wondering when you would be leaving. I am so looking forward to your blog and photos - it will help the days at work fly by before and after ICE!!

We wish you the best of times sailing around the world and I know I will enjoy reading your posts. Bon Voyage!

How wonderful and exciting for you!!

:bv: :bv: :bv:

Bless your hearts, Ray & Penny! Bon voyage & we all look forward to sailing "virtually" with you!!

Just book-marked your blog!
Can't wait to hear of your adventures. Have a wonderful trip!

Doug

Ray and Penny - have a terrific trip! We wish you the best of times. It'll be fun to see the world through your eyes for the next four months.

Cheers, Anne

Ray and Penny-Have a wonderful 4 months, we will follow your bolg.

Chuck and Valerie

Like Andrea, I thought I would be having seamail withdrawal now that everyone is home from their holiday cruises - then I remember you all being on the WC. So excited for you. Will be checking your blog every day.
Have the time of your life!!!!!!!!!!

Ray & Penny,

Have a wonderful World Cruise!!!!!!

Does this mean no jokes for 3+ months? ;) I'll be following you around the world. Bon Voyage my friends!

Have an incredible time, you two! I'll be watching for your updates.

SO excited for you, Ray and Penny! Knowing the two of you, I'm certain it will be the "cruise from heaven", a great opportunity to see the world in a new way, on a Regent ship!

Oh, Ray and Penny! Leonard and I are so excited for you and we can't wait to hear all about your trip! We'll be checking your blog often. Here's to a wonderful, safe trip!

Cheers,

Andrea

Ray and Penny...Bon Voyage. I look forward to having coffee with you each morning as I read your tales of travel and adventure.

Wishing you 4 months of magic and wonder!

Ray and Penny, I'm so excited for you. Have the time of your lives!

Dear Ray and PennyHave the greatest cruise imaginable. I know that with your bubbling personalities you will have a ball and so will everyone around you

Wishing the two of you all my best and safe travels! Can't wait to see more pics. Hugs to you both,
PS: Great cruise card that you designed...I just saw it when I opened my email this morning.
Pat

Ray and Penny, Wishing you magnificent Fair
Winds and exceptional Following Seas on your
cruise adventure...already have your blog as a favorite and look forward to reading your posts...r/wes

Penny & Ray, Hoping you have the most wonderful time on your World Cruise. Can't wait to experience it with you, via your blog. Enjoy and share with us your fabulous adventures.

Have the best time. You have been planning this for over a year, and I'm sure that it will be everything you've dreamed of.

So glad to have something to look forward to each morning, your posts. <img src="http://smileys.sm...53Fi%253D7%252F7_6_4/image.gif">

Bon voyage and best wishes for a wonderful cruise - I'm looking forward to reading all about it!

Ray and Penny,

I am so glad we connected before you left on your big adventure. I am so ready for another trip with that crazy bunch from PG Tahiti!!!

Can't wait to follow your postings.

Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy

Arlene and Larry

Ray and Penny - best wishes as you begin this great adventure! I'm certain you will make the most of it and will enjoy every experience along the way.

:bv:

Dena

We are wishing you the most wonderful 4 months...we have the Voyager all warmed up for you. The WC cruisers that we have met onboard these last 2 weeks are great folks and can't wait for this fabulous adventure to begin. Thanks for writing your blog, I'll be there every morning with my coffee.

Very excited for you both and it will be such fun to read your exotic seamail - safe travels! Joanna :bv: :bv:

Ray and Penny--have a wonderful trip! We'll look forward to reading your blog.

We'll all be with you in spirit, Ray and Penny.

I know you'll have a wonderful trip

:bv:

Wow! I can't believe it's here! You are going to have an awesome time and I am so looking forward to your blog and pics. Lemee know how that mac is working out for you!

Enjoy.....

So exciting, I wish the world cruise was a Ngaire Escorted Cruise. I long to do this myself one day. You WILL have a terrific time there is no doubt and enjoy and cherish every minute of your trip. It is so wonderful to have you onboard to report back to us and take us along on your incredible adventure.

2020 World Cruise Escorted by Ngaire and Ken, has a nice ring to it. Sign us up please!!

Ray and Penny - wishing you a cruise of a lifetime.

Carolyn

Ray and Penny,
SO looking forward to your reports; have a marvelous time!

Wishing you and Penny clear skies as you sail under the Golden Gate!!

Bon voyage!

Greetings all and thanks for all the kind comments.

We're at the Fairmont Hotel in Knob Hill and weatherwise we are just fine but wow, part of this State has been hammered.

Our flights were uneventful even though there was about a 45 min. delay getting out of Chgo for some unknown reasons.

We were met in Oakland by a really nice Regent Rep., Sandra, who held our hand until Regent's Limo arrived and whisked us off to the Fairmont. Inside the Fairmont, we spotted the Regent Hospitality room where we registered and picked up our packet of info.

Although we were bone tired, we were also desperately hungry so the concierge saved our life by getting us immediate seating at an Italian Rest..Venticello's on Taylor St...where we dined on some seriously good food.

Going to do some touring after breakfast and then the grand gala event tonight. Can't wait!

Cheers! Ray & Penny