Luke: "Our" Karen, board moderator, is with us - doesn't get much better for an escort (well right kind of "escort") I will forfeit the B&K discount any day to have Karen and Mark onboard - and she is a lenient chaperone since she is "young" :D :D Now if Ngaire comes even better - but we all know N cannot do it all - Joanna

Guess I just looked at the list of "escorted cruises." Karen, my deepest apologies for the oversight ... ouch!

Luke: NO NO NO she'll be embarrassed I mentioned it - but we were so happy to see she and Mark are "on"... NO oversight on your part !! :app:

I'm thrilled to meet the Queen of Stalking ... almost like the apprentice meeting the master.

The "familiar faces" on this sailing was a factor in our decision to cast our fate with this lot. We look forward to "faces" becoming "friends."

Even though this cruise isn't officialy escorted, I would still like to get us all together one evening if we can commandeer a corner of Compass Rose. I wonder who our D will be?

Marc & Arlene...so happy we'll be with you guys again!! Luke and Paula, glad you're joining us too....I think it will be a VERY fun time!!

Thanks, Marcie. We booked during our March Mariner cruise and, in fact, we're your neighbors in 631 --- looking at the roster, that hallway could be dangerous!

Do we have any new cabin assignments yet
to add to the roll call list?

Jim, we've moved again. Can you change us to 707?

Done! :D

Anyone notice that our cruise is now changed to read Food, Wine and Music as the theme.

Regent site has a more defined description.

Wasn't it just a food cruise before? Food wine and music, what else do we need!

That is a loaded question...

LOL I guess I did forget a few things, like Pooch and poker!

Here is the previous Spotlight description for this cruise .... what happened to the "internationally acclaimed mixologist" ???


Spotlight on Food and Wine

Usher in Spring in style with signature menus, exceptional wines and The Regent ExperienceSM.

What better time to explore food and wine than the moment Spring comes to North America? As Seven Seas Navigator plots a course to explore the Caribbean in depth including the distant islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, we have the perfect opportunity to feature some of our favorite guest chefs and wine experts. We will have an internationally acclaimed "mixologist" sharing the magic of Caribbean cocktails and cooking demonstrations with guest chefs. If you love wine and food as well as sailing in luxury, this is the trip that will usher in Spring in style - signature menus, exceptional wines and The Regent ExperienceSM, all in the spotlight when we focus on Food and Wine aboard Seven Seas Navigator.

And what happened to the guest chefs?

I was checking today which ships will be in our ports and so far none are scheduled in Aruba, Curacao, San Juan and Grand Turk and St Croix. However there will be two ships in St Lucia for a total of 6,757 people and two ships in Dominica for a total of 2408 people. That will make St Lucia quite crowded.

The day we leave Ft Lauderdale there are only two ships for a total of 1283 people and when we arrive back there will be three ships in port for a total of 6299 people.

Thanks Bill, I hope the schedule stays this way, nice and quiet for most ports!

I agree, Karen. I will sacrifice one overcrowded port for having multiple ports for US.

The last time I was in Grand Turk, we had the island to ourselves and it was heaven!

WOW! I hope this holds up.
This will be Jan and I 3rd time to the islands
that will be busy and 1st time for many of the other ports of call. We were thinking of not getting off the ship at those ports anyway.

St. Lucia is one of the few islands that I have yet to visit so I am sure I will get off on that one! Even though San Juan is an unpopulated stop, I may consider that a sea day unless we do the Segway tour with Pam and Mark.

Ditto on San Juan; we would be more than happy to take care of the Navigator pool for all those opting to take an excursion.

Grand Turk (and Margaritaville!) is loads of fun; we were the only ship there on our March '08 cruise.

Luke, I thought the same thing until Pam mentioned the Segway tour!

Look, I think I see Jim B!

Karen, St. Lucia is soooo beautiful, been there a few times, both on cruise stops and on a 10-day stay. You are in for such a treat!

You should consider a helicopter tour - we arranged it through the ship (Silversea) a few years ago - it is THE most amazing way to see the Pitons and the flora and fauna. Our pilot also flirted around with the ship, so we got some brochure-worthy photos of the ship and had people waving back to us - very cool.

Ditto what you and Luke say about San Juan. Usually a "sea day" for us, too. But Karen, I can also see you Segwaying around!!! :)

Can we reserve Segways with "training wheels"?

Luke, that's what they are, training wheels! I would need and extension of a third wheel off the front. Not going to do this, as I would never trust myself in a strange city being so physically vulnerable!

Maybe this will suit Karen more than rock climbing that didn't work out for her before ;)

What chu talkin bout, Willis! I made it almost 2 feet up that cliff!

I'm in for Segway!! :woh:
Sounds like fun.

I am so pleased that I am going to meet some of you as my husband and I are onboard for FUN. Since we are divers we will be arranging diving in most ports and welcome any certified divers along. Can't wait to sail with you.

Great news Susan!!! :woh:

Susan, what wonderful news! It's been a lot of years since we sailed with you on our first Voyager cruise!

OH MY GOSH!! :woh:
This is wonderful news!!
We can talk about Red Lodge Montana!!

What a great time it will be to sail with Pam and Mark again as well as meet new friends and talk about Montana! I will bring the Pooch score pads. I hate to admit I played my first full game of pooch yesterday as we were waiting for our flight back from Ft. Lauderdale and Prince Albert II. Ngaire, Ken, Linda, and I played on top of Ngaire's carryon. I had beginner's luck and beat the master at her own game. Of course, I am sure I will forget the rules by March. Hope someone else is the Pooch master so all I have to provide are the score pads. I have never had the time to play cards or was very good at it.

Great, I get to meet yet another BK staffer! Looking forward to your being with us, Susan!

Anyone ever play Pente? (not a card game)

I'm delighted, Susan, that you will be with us on FUN! Looking forward to meeting you.

Betty and Olivia,
Look forward to saliing with you both. I am sorry I have never heard of Pente but if you can teach me, I am game.

I'll get to say "thank you" in person for helping me with so many bookings :) Any chance this could be an escorted cruise?? (can't hurt to ask (beg))

Susan, we'll have to "meet and plan" in Dallas ... a dinner, of course. By the way, Dad and I toasted you with Pisco Sours on the Hiram Bingham train last night.

The only time it can be an escorted cruise as far as the additional BK rewards apply is when Ken and I are on. There is a very complex reason for that which I will not go into. Since we are on the Mariner at that time it is not in the cards - sorry.