October 29, 2022 – Mazatlan, Mexico – Partly Cloudy – 86 F

Another long night – this time, the motion of the ocean contributed to the lack of sleep.

Here's our location in Mazatlan.

Another wonderful and consistent breakfast in the La Veranda Restaurant.  The pancakes made to order are always available even though each day features a special non pancake item. I ordered plain buttermilk pancakes and I had them with a couple of over medium fried eggs.  I also tried the oatmeal.

No excursions today but we did want to get off the ship.  We grabbed our driver’s licenses and our suite cards (that’s what they call them on this ship) and headed for the gangway.  It turns out that this ship uses facial recognition for leaving and re-boarding.  You simply stand in one place and the scanner is positioned to capture your image (you can actually see the image).  The light goes green and off you go.  Very high tech and very cool.

We did take the complimentary – and shock-less – tram to the shopping area near the port entrance.  It produced one huge bump that I thought would require another visit to my orthopedist, but the pain did not last.  The “Beauty Shop”, the smallest spa in the world was still at the end of the mall and the price was still $40 an hour.  There were two new women working in there (I guess the previous owner finally reached retirement age or else decided to sell her place).  We decided not to have treatments and instead browsed the shops - Ellen was interested in the silver earrings and rings.  While we didn't get into town to photograph the city sign, the shopping mall had an abbreviated sign, which will have to do.

The shopping run was unsuccessful, and we went back to Mariner for a nice lunch and spent the rest of the afternoon either on the pool deck or on our veranda.  The latter proved to be a good choice since our veranda was on the shady side of the ship and the air temperature was perfect.  The view wasn't terrific due to the commercial buildings dominating the pier, but I still got some nice shots of Mazatlan. 

 

We watched the sail away from our veranda.  I was particularly interested in getting a picture of El Faro de Mazatlan, the second highest (not tallest) lighthouse in the World (next to the one in Gibraltar).  The lighthouse itself is two stories tall but it sits on a bill - Cerro de Creston - at the entrance to the bay that is 515 ft high.  The lighthouse uses a 1000W lamp.

We had dinner up in the Sette Mari – I really like those appetizers – tonight I tried the eggplant parmesan as my main course, which was very good.  I have also become addicted to dipping focaccia bread into my olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix.  I could do that at home and I just might.  The meal takes a while because the wait staff waits until you’ve finished the appetizers or soup (if you order it) and other items from the buffet before delivering the main dish.  There are desserts on the buffet, and you can get coffee and tea.

When we passed by the Atrium and the glass elevators, we noticed that the multi-deck spiral staircase is held up by a pair of steel cables.  A very interesting way to construct the staircases.

Tom Franik was the Headliner tonight – we decided to skip the show and stay in the Mariner Lounge for the Evening.

October 28, 2022 – Cabo San Lucas, Mexico – Sunny – 83F

Even though we tried to establish a good sleep schedule, it was not a good sleeping night.

I had another wonderful breakfast in the La Veranda – fluffy pancakes made to order and those otherworldly scrambled eggs. Also, the coffee is always hot and the view is always great. 

We are back to Cabo after the Pandemic Break.  The ship came in from the Pacific Side of the tip of the Baja Peninsula and I got some nice shots of our approach.  That culminated in great shots of "Los Arcos" (should actually be called "El Arco" since there is only one arch).

Once we were at anchor, I asked Google Maps to spot our location.  Again, we are actually in the middle of the bay.

I am reading “Portrait of an Unknown Woman”, the latest Gabriel Allon novel by Daniel Silva.  Gabriel is retired now and living with his wife and two kids in Venice, but he just can’t stop getting involved in stuff.

We had lunch in the La Veranda. Today, I had an Ahi Tuna “burger” prepared at the Pool Grill.  It was served on a sesame seed bun and was very good.  I had it with potato salad – I haven’t tried the fries on board yet.  A small salad with Ranch (really good) completed the lunch. And, of course, there was a bottle of Stella.

We debated going ashore but decided to stay on board.  Since the ship was passenger light today, we found some nice loungers on the pool deck.  We complemented that with daiquiris - strawberry for me and a "dirty banana" for Ellen (chocolate syrup makes it "dirty").

When it got a little too warm on the pool deck, we retreated to our veranda, which was in the shade all day. 

We were facing the shore opposite Los Arcos, where most times it is quite noisy with all of the partying going on.  It was quieter today with almost all of the music and PA noise was coming from the city itself, which was in front of Mariner.  If we could hear it out in the middle of the water, I can only imagine how loud it was on shore.

There were a lot of jet skis on the water and an occasional banana boat but not too many personal boats.  One rather spectacular yacht did sail by.  We have seen this yacht in Cabo several times - it is dark, stealthy looking, and has a military feel to it.  I got a picture of what I like to call the "Bat Yacht" framed by Cabo in the distance.

Laundry is complimentary of Mariner – our first batch came back missing some items (found later) – I am most concerned about my missing “Antique Archeology” t-shirt purchased in Nashville at the “American Pickers” store.  There is an APB and a BOLO out for that shirt.

Dinner tonight is in the Compass Rose Dining Room.  We both had the salmon – I had mine with Hollandaise Sauce (there is a choice of sauces) along with a terrific baked potato and sautéed spinach.  A Cesar Salad started off the meal.  All the food was good.

Tonight, we attended the second Production Show. “Divos and Divas” – songs from the iconic stars of yesterday and now.  The stars featured Barbra Streisand, Dolly Parton, Aretha Franklin, Neil Diamond, and Elton John.  The girls were in great voice tonight and the two male lead singers are still looking for their rhythm and tune.  They sounded much better when backed up by some of the other singers.  We didn’t stay until the end because we did not want another late evening.

We went back to the room to once again try and get on our usual schedule. 

October 27, 2022 – At Sea – Partly Cloudy – 80F

Cruising the Pacific Ocean on our way down to the tip of Baja California.  It is getting warmer as we head South.

I had another nice pre-dawn breakfast in La Veranda.  I don't consider it being in a rut but I once again had the delicious pancakes and the heavenly scrambled eggs (I don't know what they do to make them so good - maybe it's best not to know).  Another positive thing about this ship - breakfast is served at 7:00 AM on sea day or about a half an hour earlier than on Azamara ships. I'm an early breakfast person so the half hour makes a difference.

I also had a great table on the port side of the ship and was able to watch the sunrise unfold.

After breakfast, I went to hear James Kus speak about the “At the Tip of the Peninsula – Cabo San Lucas” in the Constellation Theater.  He included some videos, Google Maps, and some information on the indigenous people that populated Baja California. He also had slides with a lot of words which he read.  We have differing styles.  He had an OK turnout maybe just a fewer people than I had.

Today, we ate lunch in the Compass Rose Dining Room.  I had an Impossible Burger, which was well prepared and delicious.  I finally tried the skinny fries which were also good.

My second talk, “The Mystery of the Romanovs” 

was at 2 PM in the Constellation Theater.  Again, the crowd could not be estimated but the attendance was better than the first talk.  The talk went well – no one left early.  I also spoke with a couple in the front row.  The man told me he was 95 years old (he was using a walker) and that he had been physically active until about three years ago when arthritis suddenly changed everything.  His wife, who understood Russian, said my grammar on the Russian phrase in my talk was incorrect - I told her that several Russian speakers had corrected this phrase over the years.  I'm not going to change it because the next person will deem the new version as incorrect.

Before dinner, we went out on the open deck to watch the sunset (and the Moon) and I got another iconic picture of Ellen.

Dinner was also in the Compass Rose Dining Room.  I had the "make your own pasta" option.  I opted for the pomodoro sauce, which was very good.

We went to the Mariner’s Lounge and listed to Pianist Cross while waiting for the show.  While there I had one of their mojitos, which was made with Sprite.  Very good. 

Cross plays from 8:45 – 9:30 PM.  We stayed until the set was over, so we wound up sitting in the balcony for the show, which featured old friend, Tom Franic, previously of Princess fame.  We stay for just a few minutes of the show because we have seen it several times.

Tonight, the clocks move forward to put us on MDT and also the local time in our next stop.

October 26, 2022 – Ensenada, Mexico – Mostly Sunny – 62 F.

Our first stop on this cruise is usually the last stop of a lot of our other cruise.  We usually stop in Ensenada for just a few hours to sign the Jones Act documentation so we can return to the US.  But today is a full day in Ensenada.  I actually have a lecture at 2:00 PM in the Constellation Theater so we are not going ashore.  Besides, it is kind of chilly today in northern Mexico.

I was up early enough to catch the sunrise from the veranda as we approached Ensenada.

We actually had breakfast together this morning – neither of us slept too well due to the change in our routine and other unknown factors.  The breakfast buffet in the La Veranda Dining Room is quite nice.  I had the pancakes of the day (blueberry and banana) which I covered with cottage cheese and jam. Pancakes here are made to order and brought to the tables.  I also had the scrambled eggs.  Both items were delicious and deserving of a photo. 

I grabbed my computer and went to the Coffee Connection and had my iced decaf mocha   (very good) and went over my talk, “The CSI Phenomenon: Forensics and Television”. The talk was advertised both in the daily schedule, "Passages", but also on video screens in the elevators.

There was still a lot of the morning left so we checked out the ship a bit more.  Because if was cool today, the pool deck was essentially empty.  However, it did have shade and would be a good place to go when it got warmer.

On the Sports Deck (Deck 12, I think), we found both a mini-golf course 

and a golf practice cage.  I couldn't resist hitting a few balls and was careful not to hurt something - there was a lot of cruise left to go.  In the second photo, you can see the flaw in my swing - too much over the top and not enough turn and off plane.  

And finally, no cruise would be complete without the iconic "Ellen and the Railing" photo.  Excellent as always.

We had a nice sit-down lunch at the Compass Rose Restaurant.  

Usually, on ships, the restaurants are not open on port days but here on Mariner, this one was.  I had an Impossible Burger and a salad.  They were both good and we had a very nice seat by the window and away from people.  

I made the executive decision that I would lecture in dress shirt, dress slacks, and a tie and no jacket.  I had sort of cleared that with Jude when we spoke yesterday.  I showed up at the Constellation Theater at 1:40 PM and met the AV guy, who set up the system is about a minute.  There are two screens in the theater.  The backdrop screen that is used for images as the orchestra or singers and dancers are performing and a drop-down screen that is HD quality.  My slides looked better on that screen than on my laptop. 

I was told by the AV guy that I had to lecture from the area in front of the stage (the stage itself was off limits).  I also knew that the lectures were on TV, but I didn't want to be stationary during the presentation - the AV team will figure it out.  

I chatted with some of the guests while keeping my distance.  Everyone seemed nice and friendly.

The turnout for this talk exceeded my expectations (couldn’t tell how many people). Jude gave me a fantastic introduction 

and we also had this very entertaining spontaneous banter.  

The talk went well and ended at 2:48 PM – it would have ended sooner but for the extended introduction.  The audience seemed pleased, and I got some nice feedback.  I also ran into Jude later who said she was very happy with the way things went.

We hung out on our balcony for the rest of the afternoon.  I got some very nice pictures of Ensenada from the veranda.  There were many new buildings since we were here last, the most prominent one being a new hotel.  Missing today was the huge Mexican flag that graces most of the major ports.  The next time we get back here, we will, if we have enough time, check out the updated Ensenada.

Although it was almost a normal length port day, the sail away was an early one at 3: PM.  We watched it from our veranda.

Tonight, we had dinner in Sette Mari, the Italian Restaurant that is the La Veranda during the day.  We wanted to get a table away from people and wound up at an undesirable table near the waiter station.  We won’t make that mistake again.  Dinner here is a process.  The server brings several appetizers to the table along with a basket of breads.  There is bruschetta, deep fried mozzarella balls, big chunks of parmesan cheese, olives, and fried zucchini.  There is also olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip the breads in.  The best bread is the focaccia which is perfect for dipping.  The only appetizers I didn’t like were the zucchini and the olives.  After you order the main dish – tonight it was gnocchi pesto and cannelloni, you head to a small buffet filled with all sorts of Italian items and salad.  I also discovered a new item – “Peppadew”, which are marinated picante peppers stuffed with mozzarella cheese – the peppers (I thought they were tomatoes until I looked them up) themselves are perfectly marinated and spicy but they are really good.  I also like the chunks of parmesan cheese.  

The main dishes were very good – the tomato sauce is slightly sweet and light.  I liked it.

We sampled some of the desserts along with coffee and tea.

Tonight’s show was the first production show, “Tuxedo”.  It features the songs of the Rat Pack, etc.  The Regent Singers and Dancers are finishing up their six-month contract and this is their final voyage before vacation.  There are six boys and six girls.  Of those, three of each are vocalists.  There is an extra girl and guy vocalist if needed in the number.  The dancers are all great and some of the singers especially the tall brunette is also terrific.  The two male singers weren’t that strong but did better when in a group.  The numbers were OK, and we sat in front so Ellen could see.

We got to our room late – the show lasted a full hour.

October 25, 2022 – Embarkation Day

We slept pretty well and went down for breakfast.  The breakfast was served by the staff.  There were no waffle makers or sweet rolls.  There were two kinds of scrambled eggs (real eggs make in their restaurants) along with potatoes and breads.  Not really representative of the kind of breakfasts we usually get at a La Quinta, which has always had waffle makers and pretty good breakfasts.  I would say that this breakfast would fall in the lower half of the "breakfast included" meals at hotels we have stayed at.  The view at breakfast was the array of car rental stores across the street and the sun trying to peak over the buildings along Century Blvd.

At 11:00 AM or so I called for an Uber to take us to the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro.  The UberX cost us $31.97 and I added a $5 tip because he came right away and found our ship at the port. There were several ships here today including the Navigator of the Seas.  We won't have to check any manifests as we had checked in online and had a suite assignment.  We parked very close to the porters, who took our bags, and we were off to check in.  By the way, here's where are ship was according to Google Maps.  The ship is actually in the water.

  

The check in was quick – Ellen told the people I was a guest entertainer (which I am) so we went into a different line. The clerk scanned our boarding passes. We had to fill out our vax information – on the honor system as we did not have to show our official vax cards.  We were on the ship in just a few minutes.  We checked in with the Maître D’ about dinner reservations.  We were told that we would not be able to get reservations in the two Specialty Restaurants – Prime 7 and Chartreuse.  After checking out their menus, that will not be much of a problem for us. 

We had lunch in La Veranda Dining Room on Deck 11.  The buffet was very nice and I tried the salad bar (great Ranch Dressing), some pizza, and pesto pasta made to order.  We couldn't get a seat on the open deck but it was a little cool so inside was OK. The Stella beer enhanced the meal.  

NOTE - A word about masks.  There was no masking requirement on the ship and there were very few masks to be seen.  After our last experience and the fact that our most recent boosters aren't at full efficacy, we wore masks when we were around people.  Seems prudent until more data come in during the cruise.

After lunch, checked out a bit of the ship waiting for the suites to open up for guests.  

We went to Deck 5 – Where Destination Services and Reception are located – to see if we could find the Cruise Director, Jude Day. (Note:  Jude used to be a CD on a large Holland America cruise ship for several years and just joined Regent a few days ago).  It turns out she was in her office, and it also turns out she is from the Chicago Area.  She is a very friendly and quite different from some of the CDs I have dealt with in the past. She said I would be in the theater for my talks and that the talks should not run beyond 50 minutes.

We spoke to the crew member at the Destination Services desk to inquire about escorting or going on tours.  Let's just say that he process on this ship is complicated.

The suites opened and we dropped our carry-on stuff off – also, our bags arrived so we will not have to purchase any logo wear on this cruise.  We are in Suite 779, which is starboard aft – there are a few suites more aft than ours including the ones that face out the back of the ship.  The suite is very nice

– it has a walk-in closet with tons of hangers, 

a huge bathroom with a soaker tub.

It also has a fridge loaded with soft drinks and beer (there’s Bud in there now but I will ask for Stella from our room attendant, April).  April came by and introduced herself and explained a bit about how the room works and the laundry system.  She said she would tend to the room three times a day – probably excessive. 

I got off of my feet for a little while and tested out the bed.

I thought that this ship is one of the “R” (Renaissance Cruise Line) ships sold to a number of cruise lines – Azamara and Oceania, for example, but after some research, it turns out to have a different backstory.  Mariner is a “R” ship but evolving from the defunct Radisson Cruise Line.  The Mariner is the same size as the Azamara Journey, for example, but the floor plans are quite different.  This makes the Mariner seem so much larger. One of the major differences is that the Mariner is an all-suite ship – a veranda for every guest.  The entire Regent Cruise fleet are small ships with most of the ships accommodating about 700 passengers.  Details on the Seven Seas Mariner.

Built

2001

48,075 tons

354 cabins 700 guests

The Mariner underwent a major refurb in 2018 with all of the public area carpets replaced and the suites updated with new carpeting and furniture.  The ship looks new.  It also had a series of glass elevators that travel up and down in a multi-floor atrium (Deck 5 to 12).  

There’s a circular stairway in the atrium as well.  The theater is totally different – instead of a cabaret layout (like the Cabaret Lounge on Azamara), the Constellation Theater is a proper theater with two levels.  

I haven’t been able to find out the capacity of the theater, but it might be able to hold everyone on the ship.  The other difference is that there is only one show per night and that’s at 9:30 PM.  That schedule isn’t the most ideal for us, but it does take advantage of the size of the theater and also allows guests to have a leisurely dinner since the restaurants open at 6:30 PM. 

Other differences include the total absence of chairs on the open decks (like Crystal).  Who needs those chairs when everyone has a balcony and the chairs on the pool deck are so comfortable?  There are several lounges – Horizon Lounge, Stars Lounge, and the Observation Lounge.  There are two piano entertainers and one singing duo on board, but they play at times which conflict with dinner and the show.

Another stop on our tour was the Coffee Connection, the on-board coffee venue.  I had the barista make me my signature iced decaf mocha latte.  

The drink was made perfectly.  

While waiting for the dining room to open. we ordered drinks in the Mariner's Lounge, which is adjacent to the restaurant. Our apricot and Midori Sours very good drinks.

The regular restaurants are open seating venues.  We had dinner in the Compass Rose Dining Room.  I had the Cesar Salad and San Marsano Tomato Soup – the salad was good, but I was not sure about the soup.  I had the Mushroom Risotto as my main dish.  Ellen had the Sea Bass.  The restaurant is very nice – all geometric – very Craftsman style.  The service was good.  

We hung out in the lounges until the show started – tonight is a Variety Show whose purpose is to introduce guests to the entertainment on board.  We saw performances by Cross (never found our his first name) a pianist, a singing duo, Boogie and Kasha, Cherisse Martinelli, the Social Hostess on board, and the Orchestra and Regent Singers and Dancers.  Jude also indicated that there were two speakers on board – Archeologist James Kus, and me, who wasn’t named but she did explain the area I would be speaking on.  Dr. Kus, who also went to UCLA, seems to be a permanent member of the crew just like some of the speakers we’ve met on the Hawaii cruises.

The show ran to around 10:15 PM or so we started off way off our usual schedule.

Even though we are on Deck 7, the room does pick up some of the engine vibration.  More of an issue is the fact that we are right above the Horizon Lounge.  As with everything on this ship, the music in that lounge starts late and finishes late.  Earplugs seem to take care of most the noise.  It will be manageable.