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Earlier this week I heard from a couple set to embark on the September 13 Regent Seven Seas Mariner voyage. They had received their cruise documents so I knew to expect ours for the September 20 cast-off any day. The bulging package arrived this afternoon via DHL courier. We eagerly ripped into it to discover two silver-toned velvet satchels. A large leatherette pouch—with the new Regent logo embossed on the front—slipped out of each bag.
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The documents within included:
Letter from Regent detailing embarkation information
Cruise passage tickets and contract
Airplane ticketing information
Visa alert
Shore excursion request form
Silver leatherette luggage tag embossed with the Regent logo
Four cardboard luggage tags with our stateroom location printed on them
Brochure regarding mobile phone service onboard
50% discount offer for Park ‘N Fly Network off-airport parking
36-page Seven Seas Mariner ship information guide
Evening attire suggestions
Brochure for Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society
Brochure for bon voyage pre-cruise gift order form
244-page Regent Seven Seas Cruises Grand Asia Pacific 2006 guidebook
It was great fun reading through the entire itinerary for the three-month, 97-day Grand Asia Pacific voyage that wends its way through Alaska, Russia, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Tuamotu Archipelago, Marquesas Islands, and then back across the Pacific Ocean to Los Angeles.
We’re booked to sail the Northwest Passage segment of this grand tour with the following itinerary:
Whittier (Anchorage), Alaska
Kodiak, Alaska
Cruise the Shelikof Strait
Dutch Harbor, Aleutian Islands, Alaska (Unalaska)
Cruise the Aleutian Islands
Cross the International Dateline
Petropavlovsk / Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia
Cruise the Kuril Islands
Cruise the Sea of Okhotsk
Otaru (Sapporo), Japan
Hakodate, Japan
Sendai, Japan
Tokyo, Japan
I called Regent after reviewing our documents to confirm our participation in Le Cordon Bleu cooking workshop. My husband and I had talked about doing this but hadn’t officially signed up. A very helpful Regent representative named Chelsea took care of our request in no time. The cost is $395 per person but we feel it will be a wise investment. We’re sure to meet other couples with similar interests and Leonard (a gourmet cook in his own right) will pick up a few new recipes. Besides, we have several “at sea” days that we’ll need to fill up with various activities. Le Cordon Bleu classes sound fun!
Note to anyone logging in to their “My Cruises” page at Regent’s website (www.rssc.com): Regent can’t access your account while you’re logged in. If you need to call their (800) number to ask any questions or make additional reservations, make sure to sign out of your “My Cruises” page before making the call!
Over the weekend we'll select our shore excursions and reserve them on line. I’ll cover the process using Regent’s new online reservation system in a future blog entry. Check back soon to read more about our Northwest Passage!