Our Last Sea Day--2025 Regent World Cruise Comes to a Close
Plus a few photos from the World Cruise Krews Kapers starring the real stars of the cruise--the crew!
2025 WORLD CRUISE aboard the SEVEN SEAS MARINER
NAVIGATE THE WORLD—AWAY IN WONDER
MIAMI TO SAN FRANCISCO — January 7, 2025 to June 6, 2025
We awoke on our last morning at sea to Captain Rosario’s announcement warning that we would be facing rough seas and high winds. There would be no pool party or sunbathing on the pool deck today! However, since 280 of the 500+ passengers onboard the Seven Seas Mariner would be disembarking the next day in San Francisco, no one seemed too concerned. Most of us were holed up in our staterooms, packing everything we’d used for the last 149 days.
As a send-off gift, the Pacific Ocean was anything but pacific. Wild and crazy was more like it! Full gale warnings accompanied our last breakfast at Compass Rose. One of our favorite servers, Jasmine, took extra-special care of us, ensuring our breakfast was delivered piping hot even though the ship was rocking.
In the afternoon, Sherpa took a break from packing and hosted the final beer tasting party of the World Cruise with a few core members: Melanie, Trish, and William. Bob and William began sharing beers on the first port of call back on January 9th. Bob went in search of a beer while on a rainy excursion in Dominica. I was hindered by a newly broken toe from a fall on Christmas Eve, so we both declined to go “swimming” in the tiny creek. However, when he entered the tiny bar to inquire about local beers, William was already sitting on a bar stool sipping a cold Kubuli. He offered Sherpa a beer—he had to buy two because the beer was $5 USD and he only had a ten. And, of course, the bar had “no change," so he had a beer to spare. Thus, a beer friendship that endured throughout the cruise was born.
Sherpa has previously taste-tested Orion beer when we were in Ishigaki, Japan. Even though Sherpa gave it a 4.5/10, two members of his beer tasting group enjoyed the Lager-style beer and rated it as their favorite of the three beers.
Rainy Daze Brewing Co.'s Goat Boater IPA is brewed in Poulsbo, Washington. Sherpa’s take: “Light golden color, ABV 7.0%. Lightly carbonated with a smooth mouthfeel. Modest level of hoppy bitterness with malty notes. Aftertaste becomes slightly more bitter. 5.5/10.”
Abashiri Premium Beer is brewed by the Abashiri Brewery in Abashiri, Hokkaido, Japan. Sherpa’s take: “Pale golden color, ABV 5.0%. Very lightly carbonated with a flat mouthfeel. Very little flavor, disappointing beer. 2.5/10.”
The Beer Group’s consensus of the three beers—Mel and Sherpa preferred Goat Boater, but then they typically preferred hoppier, bitter-style beers. Trish and William preferred the Orion.
Jasmine pampered us and fretted over our food consumption when she served us dinner in Compass Rose. Theresa made sure our every drink order was fulfilled—plus she brought us multiple cups of potato chips during trivia.
World Cruise Pastry Chef Tim Clark, Creative Director of Cacao Barry, was a guest pastry chef who created masterpieces for us to ooh and aah over during the last week of the cruise. I stopped eating desserts around the third week, but I started again during the final week—oh, those pastry desserts were fantastic!
We had our packed luggage in the hallway right on time. 2100, the evening before departure. We went back inside to get ready for the show and—presto—they were gone when we opened our door a few minutes later!
Eventually, the 150 days passed, and 5 pages of our monthly calendar were torn off. We found ourselves at the end of our epic cruise. Bittersweet, for sure. We were eager to get back home to see our family and friends, but we had also cultivated a life aboard the Mariner, and we would miss the people on board, too! To help send us off in style, the crew bid us all adieu.
The crew working in the laundry always receives a huge cheer, and they deserve it. We appreciate all their hard work and effort.
The first half of our cruise began in Miami, paused briefly in the Caribbean, then sailed south along the eastern coast of South America, ventured down to Antarctica, and cruised up the western coast of South America until we reached Valparaiso, Chile. We then headed west across the South Pacific, stopping at Robinson Crusoe Island and Easter Island before arriving in French Polynesia and then the north island of New Zealand. We missed only one port of call—Stanley, Falkland Islands.
During the second half of the cruise, we visited ports along the east coast of Australia, followed by Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and then spent 10 days in Japan. This was followed by a week-long crossing of the North Pacific and then stops along the west coast of Alaska, Canada, and the US. We also missed one port of call during the second half—Mooloolaba (Brisbane), Australia.
And finally, we thank the staff and crew who kept everything running smoothly and made our World Cruise unforgettable. The Captain and General Manager were crucial to the success of the cruise, overseeing operations during the second half. Thank you!
Captain Abhi was in charge of the ship during the first half of the cruise. (I even interviewed him before he left the ship in Sydney.) Thanks, Captain Abhi!
Norbert, the General Manager, gave us a thumbs up from his home in Hong Kong. He helped us navigate many issues during the first half of the cruise when we were still getting our sea legs for the long cruise! Thanks, Norbert!
Andrew was our Cruise Director for the first half of the cruise, and we loved interacting with him. David was the CD for the second half of the cruise—apologies, I forgot to take a photo.
Olivia, the Social Hostess until Japan, was one of our favorites. We took several excursions with her, allowing us to get to know her on a more personal level. Effervescent and engaging, we loved talking with her and hearing about her travel experiences, as well as her hopes and goals for the future. Weeks before she was to leave the Mariner, she received big news. She’d earned a well-deserved promotion — Assistant Cruise Director — and flew to Alaska to join her new ship.
As always, the crew made the cruise. They went above and beyond, always trying to meet our every need. Thanks to the 2025 World Cruise crew.
Next port of call: we arrive at San Fransisco and we disembark.
I will miss the travels and beautiful photos. Thanks for taking us along.
What a beautiful and bittersweet sendoff! It’s crazy to believe that you guys are already finished! It has been such a joy to follow this adventure.I can’t wait for the next one!