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         Thought I would do one more post to wrap things up for this great cruise.  Thanks for joining us vicariously by reading my blog.  So hear is story of our LONG day yesterday after disembarking Mariner.
        We thought our color tag was to be the first to disembark and our luggage would be available shoreside.  So we got in line for Customs Border Protection inspection at 7:15.  The officers did not show up until just before 8am.  That was a fast inspection and off we went.  We were directed to a large tent where the luggage was being placed by color and number bag tags.  It was very chilly and with wind.  Our luggage had not been off loaded so we stood inside the tent waiting for an hour.  Our private van was not there yet either.  So kind of frustrating.  Rebecca had a jacket on but still cold.
        The luggage and Regent ground folks were super nice and so was I to them.  They finally found our 3 checked bags in Black 3 stack instead of Black 1.  Our van was there by then and Rebecca was in it warming up.  The driver said to her that he was to take us to LAX airport and she said NO Long Beach airport.  Glad he said something or we may have ended up at LAX.

                                                                Waiting at LGB airport.

        Traffic was very bad but we still arrived at LGB at 9:45.  Jeff was with us also as he was flying Southwest out of LGB.  Scheduled departure of our flight to Phoenix was 11:53.  Well, the inbound aircraft went out of service with a mechanical problem.  Initially thought we may have to spend night there in Long Beach.  The Captain called his dispatch and they sent an empty plane over from LAX.  So we finally departed at 2:15pm.  Just an hour flight to PHX and our flight from there to Durango was not until 5:45 so we had plenty of time.
        Our flight touched down at DRO right on time at 8:01pm.  They had 3 inches of snow just before we got there and it was still lightly snowing.  Melissa, our neighbor, was out front waiting for us.  It took American Eagle 45 minutes before out checked luggage came out.  I was pissed!!!  Happens here all the time.  While waiting I called Pizza Hut and ordered a pizza to pick up on way home.  Long day without much food.

        The ground at house was white with a snow covering.  I had emailed Melissa to turn our radiant heat system up a couple day before we got home as it is slow to heat house.  She had forgotten so the house was at 60 degrees.  Extra covers last night!!  It is now noon and the house is nice and warm.
        I headed to get groceries first thing this morning.  Also picked up the mail we had held while away.
Groceries put away and mail opened so writing this post before I start unpacking.  Lots to do next week or so.  
        Well, now just over 2 months to get ready for our 143 night world cruise that will be departing from Miami on January 7th.  Yes, I will be doing a blog on it.  So here is the link I will be using:

https://weiler2023worldcruise.blogspot.com/

It will not be active until early January and I will send this link out again then.  You are getting it early as a thank you for reading this blog.

        

 

DAY 43---AT SEA OFF BAJA CALIFORNING

 LOTS OF GREAT PHOTOS ON THIS POST:  KREW KAPERS---DINNER---BLAZING BOOTS.

        Yellow arrow shows our noon position just 250 miles for LA.  Some passing rain showers and ocean is getting a little rougher and the Captain during his noon PA said it will be getting a lot rougher around sunset this evening with 10 foot swells and 45 knot winds.

LAST NIGHT:

Very busy evening and lots of fun.  As a result I took lots of photos.  Again, to get full value click on the first one.  They should all appear at the bottom of your screen.  Then you can click on the first on to enlarge it and easily arrow through the rest of them.

First stop after a 5:30 cocktail in our suite was 6pm for the Krew Kappers Show.  Definitely one of the best crew shows we have seen.  Jeff loved it.

Traditional "Splish Splash" number

                                               John, deck hand, has a incredible voice.

                                                        She is doing a Vietnamese dance.

                                                             A beautiful Balinese dance

      Yes, Elvis was in the house!!  He is a legend in his own mind but the audiences love it.

                                                                              Hip Hop

                                                  John singing as this is closing number

     Crew representing all the different departments receiving applause from the audience.

                                                       Kappers cast taking final bow.

Off to dinner in Compass Rose after the fantastic show.  I stopped in the Mariner Lounge on the way to have Sergii, head bartender, make me a Manhattan.

They did come up with escargot for us as promised.  Dara said others were wondering why they couldn't get it.  We decided it came from Chartreuse as the garlic butter had some minced onions in it.

                                         My last Caesar for this cruise with my 5 anchovies.

                                                Delicious beef Wellington for the three of us.

                                       Jeff & I had this pecan pie cheesecake.  Very yummy!

                                  Front row, left side seats for Blazing Boots production show.

                                     Blazing Boots is our favorite of all the production shows.

It was the production cast's last show as they will head home Thursday after 5 months on the ship.

Raised orchestra box next to us were the orchestra drummer and two guitar players to add to the shows soundtrack.  We spoke to them after the show and thanked them for great music.

TODAY:

Up at 7:15 again as usual.  Went to coffee connection to get our double shot Americanos from Rommel.  Siva brought our breakfast at 8:00.  I decided to have some today also.

                                                    Organized chaos with packing day.

        Packing is stressful for me.  Making sure all bags weigh less than 50 pounds.  We started packing at 10am and was not quite finished before we went to Compass Rose for lunch.  Didn't take long to mostly finish after returning.  Bags weigh 48, 46, and 44 but we will add a little more after returning from dinner tonight to add those clothes.  What we will be wearing off the ship tomorrow is hanging in the closet.  We are supposed to have our checked bags (we have 3 and Jeff 1) outside our suite door by 11pm.

                                                              Tags to put on our luggage.

        Jeff and I went down to print our boarding passes for tomorrow's flights.  All checked in.  All three of us have flights out of Long Beach airport.  Jeff on Southwest direct to Sacramento.  We are on the 11:53 am flight to Phoenix.  Sit there until 5:45 for our flight on to Durango.  We will arrive there at 8pm and Melissa, our neighbor, will pick up us.

        We will have a private van (Titanium benefit) from the pier to LGB.  I have arranged for Jeff to go with us in it.  The ship is to docked by 7am and they are planning to start disembarking process by 7:30.

We will be in the first group called to disembark.  Everyone will have to clear with Customs/Border Protection prior to leaving the ship.  This is planned to take place in the theater.  Once cleared we will go right off, collect our luggage, and hop in the van.  We should be at the airport at least 3 hours prior to our flight.  YUK!  Going to be a long day!    Setting our alarm clocks for a 5:30 get up.  Room service breakfast.

        We're planning cocktail hour in our suite at 5:30.  We'll be having our "Last Supper" up in Sette Mari at 6:30 with Skinny as our waiter.  Rey has arranged veal parm for me and chicken parm for Jeff.  Rebecca is having a  pasta.

        The comedian is having his second show at 9:30 in the theater but we will not be attending again. Early get up!!

        At 3pm Gail rang the door bell and needed to secure our balcony furniture for the expected rough seas and wind later.  I have already put a scopolamine patch behind my ear.  Rebecca plans to wear wrist bands (acupuncture) tonight.

        There will be one more post but not until Friday sometime as tomorrow is a long travel day for us.

It certainly has been fun having Jeff with us these last 9 days.  I know he enjoyed it also.

DAY 42---AT SEA

 

Our position at noon today is 60 miles off the west coast of Baja California.  It is a sunny and 75 degree day with smooth sailing.

LAST NIGHT:

Siva brought our pigs in a blanket at 5:30 so we could attend the Seven Seas Society "Top Tier" party in the Horizon Lounge at 6:00.

        We were wondering who this person was all cruise as had never been introduced to her.  This is our assistant cruise director, Maire.

        The Top Tier party was very nice.  Komang even brought us some jalapeno poppers.  Cherisse, our social hostess, entertained the party with a few songs.  She is VERY talented and better than many of the headliner entertainers that come on the ship.  I complimented her afterwards and she said her dream is to become a headline entertainer.

                                                                   Another bad selfie.

Anne is a head waiter who seats people arriving to dine in Compass Rose.  She is a sweetheart!

                                        Jeff opted for this wagyu beef puff as his appetizer.

I had had this early on during this cruise.  It is a mussel & vegetable cassoulet with puff pasty topping it.  I liked it so much, I ordered a second one.  Good thing I did as you will read next.

Rebecca and I had requested veal picatta with lemon caper cream sauce.  I even copied what we wanted off of an earlier dinner menu and handed it to a head waiter.  It seemed to take forever for this to come out of the kitchen.  Wrong thing!  Veal marsala instead.  Rebecca changed her order to beef penang that was on tonight's menu.  Nothing else on the menu appealed to me.  Actually, I had enough to eat with the two appetizers.  No complaining.  I know the head waiter and Dara felt bad but I told them not to worry as it was just a miscommunication and not a problem.  I had plenty to eat and loved the appetizer.  Now Jeff had two entrees:  the beef penang and teriyaki glazed chicken supreme.  OINK!  So happy he is really enjoying the food on Mariner.  We are too!!!

As it was Halloween there were two Halloween themed desserts on the menu.  Jeff & I opted for this delicious "red velvet blood cake with cream cheese frosting and red chocolate ganache over it".  Very yummy!!  The other was "chocolate spider web chocolate mousse cake".

The desserts all cruise have been outstanding so I asked if the pastry chef could come out to our table so we could thank him.  This is Chef Eric.  He is a very delightful man.

        We did not finish dinner until after 9:30 due to long wait for the veal dish.  That was ok as we didn't plan on going to the comedian's show or Halloween party anyway.  

TODAY:

        Another night and day of smooth sailing.  Except for a couple days off Alaska, we have had a very nice ride.  Tomorrow will be our last day at sea.  It's been a wonderful 42 days so far.  Packing day tomorrow.

        When we went to the fitness center all the treadmills were full.  I decided to just blow it off again today so showered and joined Jeff for bingo at 10:45.

                                                                    Neither of us won!

        Bingo ended just before noon.  There was a tex-mex buffet at the pool grill at noon.  Jeff and I tried it but not so good.

        After lunch I was at the Reception desk when Brenda, head purser, came out so we had a very nice chat.  I really like her.  Now a relaxing afternoon in our suite preparing for tomorrow's task of packing.  Siva will be bringing some spring rolls at 5:30 today.  Krew Kapers show is at 6:00 this evening and we definitely want to see it.  Captain's Farewell dinner tonight in Compass Rose so that means beef Wellington for us.  I have also ordered a Cakebread Cellars cabernet to help wash it down.  Here's the menu:

        Our favorite production show, "Blazing Boots", will follow dinner at 9:30.  We want Jeff to see it with us.

Another sea day tomorrow.  Last day before we will be disembarking on Thursday.