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Published: April 20th 2006
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Last night, when Alan and I returned from dinner and the show, a formal invitation was in the message holder on our cabin door. It read:
“As a valued Gold Member of the Regent Seven Seas family, you are cordially invited to an exclusive dinner experience with Captain Jean-Marie Guillou, Master of the Seven Seas Mariner.
Please join Captain Guillou for a special
Connoisseur Wine Dinner
complete with pre-dinner cocktails
on Tuesday, April 11, 2006
at 7:00p.m.
in the Connoisseur Club
We are pleased to use this evening as the perfect occasion for your
complimentary photo with the Captain.”
To explain, Regent has a tier level rewards program and with 100+ cruising nights, Alan and I are members of the Gold level. One of our benefits is a special event or excursion on every cruise. Since this program has recently been revamped, this is the first Gold event held on the Mariner.
Our first concern is to find out if Kathryn is included. We don’t want to leave her alone for dinner. If she can’t attend, we’ll decline. At breakfast this morning, we discover that last night, she also received an invitation on her door
and she is enthusiastic about going.
Now, our worry is the location of the dinner, which will be in the Connoisseur Club, a smoking room for cigars and other smokers. Since Alan and I are allergic to smoke and Kathryn is battling an unknown allergy, we consult Kiley, Guest Relations Manager. She assures us that it doesn’t smell that smoky but suggests that we go see for ourselves. Kiley is right; there is only a slight musty smell, so we send our rsvp to Lynn, the Cruise Consultant.
We arrive in the Connoisseur Club at 7pm for pre-dinner cocktails. The room has the feel of a library with heavy drapes and a fireplace. Most of the furniture has been removed and a long table has been placed in the middle of the room. The many wine glasses on the table sparkle from the light adding an elegant shine to the room. Double doors to the club remain open and the musty odor from this morning is gone.
Muriel, Social Hostess, and Lynn Madsen, Cruise Consultant, welcome us and we socialize with the other Gold members (there are ten of us at the dinner) until Captain Guillou arrives.
He is joined by Barry Hopkins, Cruise Director. Soon, a photographer is busy positioning us in front of the fireplace for our photo opportunity with the Captain.
When we are invited to find our places at the table, Kathryn is thrilled to see that her place card is next to the Captain and across from Barry. The seating has been arranged so that a Regent staff member is able to converse with two or three Gold members and no one feels excluded.
A dinner program, complete with silver tassel, has been placed on each plate. The wine sommelier explains the first wine while a glass is poured for everyone. The Captain raises his glass and proposes a toast to begin the dinner. Our appetizer course is Caviar Surprise with classic condiments and blini. It is served in a silver dish and paired with Chablis Premier Cru, Laroche, Burgundy 2003.
Next, fresh foie gras and duck confit with sweet port sauce and crostini is served with Conundrum, Conundrum Vineyards, California 2003. Waiters hover in the open doorway watching to whisk away an empty plate or provide additional service.
After we clean our palates with “Refreshing Champagne Lemon Sherbet,”
the main course is presented: duet of beef with truffle sauce; beef short ribs with grilled tournedos, haricots verts, glazed carrots and potatoes. The wine is Chateuneuf-du-Pape “Les Cloisers,” Ogier Caves des Papes, Rhone Valley, 2004.
The specialty restaurant, Signatures, has prepared this fantastic meal and the service is outstanding. Dessert, chocolate charlotte with Irish coffee sauce, is paired with Porto, Dow’s LBV, 1998.
The conversation flows as easily as the wine. Suddenly, Muriel stands up from her seat and walks to Barry’s chair to whisper something to him. “Oh, my,” he says, “the show is about to start and the performer is waiting for me to introduce him.” He had been having such a good time that he forgot his duties as Cruise Director!
By the time we leave the dinner, it’s too late to catch the show. Alan, Kathryn and I decide to walk off our dinner and savor a special experience.
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