Heading South

For the next four days we sailed towards the outer islands of French Polynesia. The weather was cloudy, although more humid with occasional tropical downpours. The seas were calmer but we were still rocking and rolling which made walking interesting. It's always funny to see people flop into the chairs at the bar....all due to the seas, not the drink!

We picked up a new Smithsonian lecturer in Hawaii, Diana Preston. The Smithsonian lecturers on Regent (in our experience) are certainly experts in their fields. Great lecturers? ....not so much. Diana was a consummate story teller, rather than a lecturer. One of her lectures was on the sinking of the Lusitania, which was a brave choice considering we were in rough seas again! Just as she was describing the first torpedo hit, a wave crashed into the starboard side! Everyone laughed a bit nervously! In a later lecture, she moved from sea disasters to marriage disasters with the stories of four philandering British kings from the 15th to 19th Centuries. It was a great lecture and her money is on Harry to carry on the tradition - hopefully not now that he is engaged to be married!

We celebrated Chris's birthday in Prime 7 (the steak house restaurant on board) with a beautiful Chassangne Montrachet and a Pegasus Pinot Noir. Prime 7 has a seafood platter as an entree that we got as a table starter. Lobster, crab, shrimp and scallops on ice. We then shared a porterhouse steak with sauce Béarnaise while Cher & Chris got the surf and turf and the daily fish special of marlin. What a feast!

Regent is doing well to offer us alternative dining options this cruise. We have the usual options of Compass Rose, Sette Mare, and Prime 7. In addition, La Veranda has turned into a luau buffet for three nights and the pool deck turned into a reservation only venue with a Hawaiian dinner menu. I had poke and grilled mahi mahi.

When the skies cleared during dinner a beautiful crescent moon appeared with Venus shining brightly below it.

This cruise also had a decidedly older crowd than other cruises we have been on. I'm not sure if it is because it is a world cruise and a psychological last gasp, or what. Many walkers and canes but I always admire the grit that people have as their bodies start to fail them. After all, they could always sit home and watch TV. Instead, they are living it up on a five month cruise to see the world! We had one gentleman on board who was 102 ("102 and 1/2! At my age, months matter!") and traveling alone. My hero! Another old guy, "The Captain", lives on this and other Regent ships full time.

On our third sea day we had our ceremony for crossing the equator. We were are all transformed from Pollywogs to shellbacks and we have certificates to prove it!