CIRCLING SOUTH AMERICA 2012

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And so we are off on another adventure afloat. This year we are embarking on a very different cruise. Since there isn’t a traditional world cruise on Regent this year Cruise Specialists created one for us. We will start by circumnavigating the South American continent on the Mariner. That takes 72 days. We are very excited about all of the new ports, places and people we will be seeing in this part of the world. We have never been to Chile, nor around Cape Horn or the Falklands and are especially looking forward to those ports. Another highlight of this trip is spending a week cruising up the mighty Amazon River. We did honeymoon in Buenos Aires 38 years ago…so that will be a very special visit for us and we will be there on the most romantic of days...Valentines! How appropriate.

The South American journey ends back in Ft Lauderdale on March 18. We will be there 11 hours and then sail out across the Atlantic Ocean arriving in Istanbul 25 days later. We plan to join up with our friends, Jeannie and John from Pebble Beach for a week long driving tour around Turkey. Then we will board the Regent Voyager for a 41 day cruise through the Mediterranean ending up in Southampton, England on June 3. After a week in the United Kingdom we will embark on the Queen Mary 2 and re-cross the Atlantic to New York. All in all we will visit 104 ports in 25 countries in the Old and New Worlds over a five month period. Like I said…another great adventure!

We spent a month in Ft Myers enjoying absolutely perfect weather every day. We met up with old friends, took daily beach walks and made final preparations for our trip. We visited with Dr Tinkle who is wintering in St Petersburg. We showed him pictures from his 99^th and 100^th birthday parties which he celebrated on previous world cruises. On Christmas Eve we rented a boat, took a picnic and cruised around Estero Bay. We spent Christmas in Naples, FL with fellow hosts Bob and Kathy and had a wonderful holiday dinner. Curt and Sue took us on a superb cruise outing from Ft Myers to Cape Coral. We need to be on boats often in order to keep our sea legs.

Right after the New Year, we drove over to Ft Lauderdale for several days of parties and meetings. Cruise Specialists had a party on the Prinsendam for their departing guests and we were invited. It was a very nostalgic visit for us since we took our first world cruise on her in 2001 when she was named Seabourn Sun. Little did we know then that we would be fortunate enough to sail around the world 10 more times. Many of the top brass from Cruise Specialists were in attendance…President Tom Baumann; VP Greg Nacco; office staff Holly Fraser and Teresa Tennant and agents and hosts. We had a memorable dinner in the Captain’s quarters on the Prinsendam.

The next night Regent hosted their Bon Voyage party for all of us South America “rounders” at the Ritz Hotel in Ft Lauderdale. This is a nice way to kick off the cruise. Mark Conroy welcomed all of us and set the tone for a festive evening. The Platters were the surprise entertainment and they got everyone on their feet dancing to their great music.

After storing our car we boarded the Mariner on January 6 along with 18 pieces of luggage. It is with a great sense of relief to finally get on the ship knowing that we had made it back “home.” Please join us via our blog as we set out on this high seas journey.

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Photos

RSSC MARINER
Our home suite home!

SOUTH AMERICA
We'll be mapping our route around this continent.

DR LLOYD TINKLE
Tink is wintering in St Petersburg, FL

BOB & KATHY WALLACE
Good friends in Naples, FL

KEVIN AT THE HELM
Boating in Ft Myers, FL

CURT & SUE DUNHAM
Former Krogen owners now cruising an Arcadia

NEW YEARS FIREWORKS AT LEXINGTON CC
What a show!

PRINSENDAM CAPTAIN
Welcoming us to his quarters.

TERESA,HOLLY & SUSAN
Cruise Specialists women at work.

RITZ CARLTON
The view from our balcony.

THE PLATTERS' SONGSTRESS
Her dynamic voice got us up and dancing.

SANDRA, MARILYN & HANK
Marilyn is married to Regent's CEO Mark Conroy

NICOLA
Our vivacious social hostess leads the Conga Line at the Ritz Carlton Bon Voyage Party

DR SUZANNE & BERNHARD KLOTZ
Bernhard is Regent's Culinary Director.

OUR CRUISE LOGO
Holly's imaginative design for the tote bags and jackets.

Comments

[John W. Fox]

Hi guys. Have done this cruise on the Mariner and it is absolutely wonderful.

[Mimi Pill]

Great Sailing!
Wish I were there! Nice to see Suzanne is still sailing with you! Much love, Mimi

[Brent and Jan Birkemeier]

Wow, South America
You will really love South America. We did it on the QM2 and Crystal. We very very fortunate as we had great weather way down into Antarctica and around the Magellan Straits. The penguins are really precious in the Falklands. How great to be back on the Mariner. We still talk about the wonderful people we met on that trip as we sailed from Africa. Have a wonderful cruise! Jan

[Pennie]

BON VOYAGE
Hi Susan and Kevin: I'm certainly glad you are back on board. I have missed traveling with you via your blog. Sounds like an exciting time ahead for you both. Regarding Dr. Tinkle I almost feel like I know him as he has been such a big part of your blog and pictures. I wish him well. Hope you remember me. I traveled with my sister Pat on the Panama Canal trip New Year's 2009. Much too long to be off a ship..............:-(

[Margery]

I'm so envious!!!!!!!
Saw the Halleen's at the Monterey bridge tournament--they said they'd be up for our President's Day regional in Feb. and will come by. Happy sailing!

[Bob Christofk]

Bon Voyage!
Mike and Sherry said they watched you guys sail out of Ft. Lauderdale on the port web cam. I missed it. We enjoyed the Mariner trip last year and I am sure you will, too. Highlights for me were Machu Piccu and Antarctica. See you in Buenos Aires on Feb. 13. Bob

[Al & Donna]

your gonna love this
Hi Susan & Kevin, we did whole SA on Mariner and it was our favorite cruise. Hope, Barry is your Cruise Director, what a great guy - have him do Frank Sinatra....We will think of you often.

[Carol Ede]

I will be looking forward to your blogs all the way around the world. Bob and Kathy were so nice to me when I had to leave early on my last cruise, actually do to a very bad tooth which needed a root canal. Dag sent me off the ship whether I liked it or not. It turned out that I would have been in very serious trouble if I had atttempted to cross the ocean from Madeira to Fort Lauderdale. The weather here in the bay area is so lovely, warm and clear every day. Fondly Carol Ede

[Kayla]

Bon Voyage!
Hello Susan and Kevin, We're jealous! Hope you have a great great time.... With much care, Kayla and Tamar

[Kayla]

Bon Voyage!
Hello Susan and Kevin, We're jealous! Hope you have a great great time.... With much care, Kayla and Tamar

[Jennifer]

Hi Uncle Kevin and Aunt Susan! I love reading about your adventures. Have a wonderful trip. I look forward to reading about it. Love you both. -Jennifer

[Tony Dewell]

just missed
Greetings, We almost made the South American trip this year but decided to delay it.We did fly to Dubai and boarded the QM 2 back to New York. It was the last leg of their round the world cruise. We stayed at the Burj Al Arab for two nights getting upgraded to a two bed room suite because of our AE Platinum, 3600 sq.ft. Did we get lost! After Regent you will think you are in a tramp steamer when you board the QM 2.We were in the Princess Grill and the food was mostly from steam table. The man next to us turned around one night and said, "You sure need a very sharp knife to get through that steak!" All three dinning rooms have the same menu and they do not encourage you to request some thing that's not on the regular. We did it in its second year when it was still under Cunard. Carnival has really cut back. But the best part of the trip was meeting Bob and Kathy. They were are Host and Hostess and did a find job of chasing us down, because we were not Rounders, and making us feel welcomed. They took us on a tour of Monte Carlo which was terrific. From the very top of the mountain all the way down to Bea Rothchilds old house on Cap Ferrat for lunch.And one night they had us for cocktails with another couple just to make up for lost time. Very Nice. Well as always, we are filled with envy but delighted with your lifestyle wish you a wonderful season afloat. Tony and Joe

[Norm & Linda]

Bon Voyage
Good to hear from you and it reminded us that we were booked for this cruise and cancelled it to go on a cruise with Regent, starting June 3,2012 in South Hampton and going on to Copenhagen. June 3rd is the date you will be leaving the ship and also the day we will be getting on. Talk about poor planning! Be on the lookout for us and we will do the same. Maybe we can take a peak at each other. The picture of Dr. Tinkle in St. Pete looks like he is in a nursing facility. We are always in St. Pete for a week or so around Christmas, visiting Linda's family. If you go to St.Pete again this year, let us know when and maybe we can hook up. Have a great cruise and only wish you could be with us. Hugs, Norm & Linda

[Stephanie]

Bon Voyage
Kevin & Susan, What a spectacular, spectacular journey you are setting out on. I look forward to reading about your adventures along the way. You are such an inspiration! From London, With Love, steph

[Jan Cibula]

Off again, I see
Hi Kevin and Susan, This sounds like a great trip!! We have "cruised" the Amazon on a medical mission trip a few years ago. Gorgeous! Have fun and thanks for the blog!! Love, Jan

[Sandy Cannon]

Glad that the Regent is safe
We are enjoying your blogs again this year and we were relieved that the Regent was not the cruise ship that capsized in Italy. That is not good publicity for cruise ships and hard to believe with current navigational technology. Safe travel.

[Alan & Carol Williams]

Wow!
What a trip - and - 10 more times around the world? What an opportunity. We haven't met your tenant as yet - we were in Marina Plaza for a few days but didn't hock up with her. Glen & Christy have moved aboard their boat and we hope to see them around 2/24 - my 70th Birthday. We are going to attend the American Bach Soloists in SF on 2/25. Nice mail! Alan & Carol

[babs and john]

I remember your 1st
looking foward to your travel adventures! I remember your 1st world cruise as It was mine also. have a great trip. jd

[steve]

Go Niners
Did circling South America prevent you from catching the Niners win over the Saints?

[Alan & Carol]

Wow!! Are you guys in a perfect world!
I've been on Tortuga for 10 days - we came up and took Glen, Christy, and our Daughter Kristin to DSt. Matthew's Passion at St. Mark's Church in SF -a performance by the American Bach Soloists. They are amazing - we attended their last performance at Grace Cathedral as the performed The Messiah by Handel. There were 2,100 people in Grace and we were dumbfounded. I just met your tenant Sunday and she seems to be a nice lady. With Carol goner up north, I've been beating my body up cleaning, repairing, and making things look really good -slept 11 hours last night. You two have some really nice photos - classy people. Love ya! Alan

[Derek .E Smith]

Old Friends from long ago
In a life long ago and far away . Bob was a positive influence on me as a teenager. Please forward my email address to them as I would very much like to contact he and Kathy if they might email . This is not a scam . Glen Hill will be in their memories