Day 2 - Princess Cays

Date:  Jan. 10, 2007

 

Location:  Princess Cays, Eleuthera, Bahamas, Jan. 10, 2007

 

Next Port:  Bridgetown, Barbados, Jan. 13

 

Quick Summary:  A fun day with our sister ship, the Seven Seas Mariner; a pristine, sunny beach day with a lobster BBQ and a corridor “block party.”

 

Report:  Karen and I enjoyed early morning walks on the upper deck shortly after sunrise. Temp in the low 70s. Seven laps equal a mile. Then we ate our buffet breakfast on the covered deck at the back of the ship off the La Veranda Restaurant.

 

Due to our late departure from Ft. Lauderdale, we didn’t arrive at our anchorage off Princess Cays on the tip of Eleuthera until about 10:30 am.  Before dropping anchor, Capt. Dag closely circled the Seven Seas Mariner and spun our ship before settling alongside. This was all while both ships were blasting appropriate beach party music at each other, much of the time in sync, and with the crews waving to their friends on the other ships.

 

We were the only two ships at this private “beach playground” owned by Princess Cruise Lines. It has its own small tender harbor, tons of beach chairs, water sport activities, bars and buffet areas. The chefs and crew from both our ships brought all the liquid refreshments and BBQ provisions off our ships and seemed to really enjoy working together to ensure everyone had a great time. And those crew members who had the day off got to spend it together on a private beach.

 

We enjoyed our lobster (passing on the hot dogs, ribs and burgers…we do have some priorities!) with two wonderful “southern” ladies from Savannah who were off the Mariner. They are on the first 11-day segment of the Mariner’s 60+ day circle of South America. I hope I am still as spry and full of life at 81 as our two new friends. They were both delightful and inspirational. (More about them later.)

 

Within the past year, Regent was re-branded from Radisson Seven Seas Cruises. (The cruise line and Regent and Radisson Hotels, as well as the Wagonlit Travel Agencies, are all owned by Carlson.) So RSSC chose to get some aerial publicity video and stills of the two ships with the new Regent logos on their smoke stacks. After pulling up our anchors, both ships steamed off together in close proximity while a photo helicopter circled overhead – again with musical accompaniment, including the included love songs from several movies, including Titanic. Again, many of the crew enjoyed waving and shouting to each other. I am quite sure we spotted our Savannah ladies in their bathrobes waving heartily from their balcony. (If they were on the starboard side just aft of midship, they should send me an e-mail and I will send them the photo.)

 

Karen slipped down to the gym for an initial Pilates class. She was back in time for our “block party.” Everyone was invited to bring the wine classes from their suite and join their fellow cruisers in the hall. The two stewardesses from this section of about 22 cabins served as wine stewards. Since we are just about in the middle of the forward section, and the wine cart was parked outside our door, almost everyone congregated just outside our door. (If you’ve read my other reports, you know that there are no inside cabins on both the Mariner and the newer Voyager.  On our Voyager (in most areas) there is just a single aisle (no center service area). So we have cross-the-hallway neighbors.

 

Dana Logan, the Social Hostess, is married to Jamie Logan, our Cruise Director. They both do a terrific job. It’s easy to see why they are beloved by so many returning guests. Dana started the block party in our section…in fact I had to loan her a wine glass. James and Capt Dag…or “Captain Gorgeous” as some have been known to call him…also stopped by. Jamie instituted this hugely successful mixer last fall.

 

Another interesting touch: Each of the world cruisers has a 4x6 brushed “brass” magnetic plaque on the door with their first and last names citing that they are on the 2007 Voyager World Cruise. These are magnetized souvenirs that can be taken home at the end of the cruise. And you’d be surprised how suite doors have similar plaques on them from previous world cruises. This is Regent’s (Radisson’s) sixth annual world cruise. At the welcome show after dinner last evening, Jamie asked for how many folks had been on the line’s previous world cruises. There were some folks who had been on all of them and many for which this was the second or third RSSC world cruise. I think that in itself speaks highly of the quality of the RSSC experience.

 

We enjoyed dinner in Compass Rose with Larry and Dodi from Oregon and Carol and Faye, the on-board team teachers of water color painting and crafts.

 

After the show, we used Skype to have a computer-to-computer audio conference call with our daughter in NYC and our daughter and son-in-law San Diego. Though there was some delay echo, it was great to hear their voices. We believe it’s going to enable us to keep somewhat in touch during our adventure.

 

Seas are quite rough this evening…tomorrow is the first of two sea days.

 

Karen and Larry