Going Home!!!

First, I want to thank so many of you who have commented on my blog posts and those of you who have sent thoughtful emails. Your enthusiasm for travel is infectious. Your kindness, perspectives and warm wishes are even better. Each of you has helped make the blog its own journey and a fulfilling process because of your participation. I am grateful to all of you for sharing this experience with me.

Second, if this sounds like a farewell, we are, indeed, sailing toward “good bye.” We have decided to fly home from Perth on March 18.

After itinerary changes and the virus infecting the landscape of our world, we knew that more ports would close to cruise ships. We've been waiting for an announcement from Regent about the future of this world cruise. A letter arrived yesterday with two options...to leave the ship in Perth or to stay on for a revised itinerary en route to Miami. The revisions sound incredible....we would love to return to Africa and S. America, however, we feel this new course was charted “on the back” of cancelled ports. The likelihood of the new route coming to fruition seems distant. In fact, Regent is has been able to confirm only two ports in the next two months. The others are still question marks. We feel that as the ship nears each of the ports, everything can change and probably will. 

Aside from many sea days, there is frank talk about life on board after Perth, from closing the library, to putting away the jigsaw puzzles, to no activities, no bridge, no parties, dancing or entertainment. While they promised a supply of caviar, they acknowledged that some food items might become unavailable. Life on the ship will be greatly altered with a large measure of uncertainty.

I have shared a lot of who I am with you in the process of writing this blog. You know I am positive person and that hasn't changed at all. I am positive about our decision to go home. Positive it's the best choice for us and our family who will sleep better knowing that we are in our own beds...making them everyday all by ourselves, cooking our own meals, doing our own laundry (don't even think about pressing our undies!!!) and cleaning up after ourselves. The transition will be very hard. Regent makes life very easy. Especially their wonderful crew who have cared for us in the most kind, generous ways.

The trip home will be grueling, but we have a great flight on a great airline and we'll be able to stretch out on a flat bed and sleep...I hope. If not, it will be 30 hours of binge watching movies and looking at the tiny airplane inch its way across the world map.

Regent is doing their very best in a very difficult situation. I am impressed with how forthright and generous they have been. We remain loyal customers and hope there are many more cruises in our future. For now, however, our celebration of life will shift from this incredible setting to life at home. We begin our journey on March 18^th....gain a day back in our lives,,,,which I will probably spend at the grocery store. We'll hunker down with the rest of the world and hope this crisis passes soon. 

I'll be in touch with updates.  

To you and yours, I am sending warm wishes for peace, love and good health!

                                        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The comments above were written a day ago. Things have changed quickly. The 2020 World Cruise has been cancelled and all guests must leave the ship in Fremantle on March 19^th. I am very glad we had the foresight to book our flight before this announcement. No panic and no disappointment, because we controlled the decision to leave and purchased the flight home without any anxiety or pressure.

Reflecting, once again, that.... “everything works out for the best.”

Marcia Marshall, Auckland, NZ, 2020 - Photography by Dee Pacifici