Has the class camel just stuck his nose under the tent?

I'm a big Regent enthusiast but I was very disappointed when I saw that Regent has added a new private dining area to the Explorer. It is called The Study and is described on the website as follows:

”The Study is the most intimate and sumptuous dining option aboard Seven Seas Explorer located on Deck 10 aft between Chartreuse and Prime 7. Offering three nightly seatings for just six privileged guests, The Study is exclusively reserved for the guests of Explorer, Grand and Master Suites, as well as the residents of the Regent Suite. For your decadent dinner, you may choose from either the menus of Prime 7 or Chartreuse. Reservations for The Study should be made directly with your personal Butler."

From the deck plan, it appears that the privileged few who dine in The Study will have to parade by the common folk in lesser suites. What's next, a private lounge for a few suites?

Hopefully the culture on Regent ships is not changing.

Good catch Dave, thanks for sharing.

I'm a big Regent enthusiast but I was very disappointed when I saw that Regent has added a new private dining area to the Explorer. It is called The Study and is described on the website as follows:

 

”The Study is the most intimate and sumptuous dining option aboard Seven Seas Explorer located on Deck 10 aft between Chartreuse and Prime 7. Offering three nightly seatings for just six privileged guests, The Study is exclusively reserved for the guests of Explorer, Grand and Master Suites, as well as the residents of the Regent Suite. For your decadent dinner, you may choose from either the menus of Prime 7 or Chartreuse. Reservations for The Study should be made directly with your personal Butler."

 

From the deck plan, it appears that the privileged few who dine in The Study will have to parade by the common folk in lesser suites. What's next, a private lounge for a few suites?

 

 

Hopefully the culture on Regent ships is not changing.

I know about this and dined there on our last cruise in an attempt to understand the concept . We could not be more against having this type of dining venue When we asked if we could have someone join us, the answer was no. While it was nicely decorated, it felt like we were eating in a closet. Not only do you have to walk past other diners, you enter through what looks like a wall (that opens by a pressing a button). Only guests in Grand and Master suites have access to this place.

We were the only guests in the restaurant that holds about 16-18 people. Now that more suites have been upgraded to the "Grand Suite" level, there will be more passengers permitted to dine there.

If anyone from Regent management is reading this, please considering doing away with this place (I don't even want to refer to it by name). If I wanted this type of "suite/cabin distinction", I could sail on mass market cruise lines, premium cruise lines or even Oceania.

Perhaps it can be turned into a reservation only dining venue for large parties (at no charge).

P.S. The menu is a choice from P7 or Chartreuse.

I just noticed this area last night while perusing the deck plans - I had no idea it was a restricted dining area. I thought it was like an actual study - maybe cognac and books and soft music?

And I agree - I'm not a fan of the concept. Not having seen the place in person (and on my budget, I'm not likely to) I can't speak to any other potential uses, but it seems to be to be setting a bad precedent.

Sounds like another import from Oceania where the have Le Privee which is a private room you can rent and order from the specialty restaurant. The only difference is anyone can rent Le Privee for a fee whereas the Study is limited to top suites. This is certainly a class distinction.

Dave, I had to open your post when I saw it was from you, since I'm so used to seeing your name pretty much always when you are kindly ringing in to help other people. What a very poor idea to get into that "privilege" and "exclusive" kind of thing. I doubt that we'll ever sail on Explorer, but we have much loved Regent, and it makes me sad to see the company going in those sorts of directions. Btw, I don't doubt that a number of people would embrace the idea.

Check me if I'm wrong, but if you're in one of the high-roller suites, wouldn't you be better off dining in your huge suite course-by-course rather than being stuffed in some tiny room surrounded by peasants?

Check me if I'm wrong, but if you're in one of the high-roller suites, wouldn't you be better off dining in your huge suite course-by-course rather than being stuffed in some tiny room surrounded by peasants?

Seems a little odd that Regent would feel the need to do this. Those in the larger suites can comfortably and easily just dine in their suites, as you have said, and they can invite others there as well since they have the space for it in their suites.

Clearly Regent wanted to make a "show" of this kind of distinction. I think that's too bad, but I do think that many customers would find it appealing. Many people enjoy flaunting.

I know about this and dined there on our last cruise in an attempt to understand the concept . We could not be more against having this type of dining venue When we asked if we could have someone join us, the answer was no. While it was nicely decorated, it felt like we were eating in a closet. Not only do you have to walk past other diners, you enter through what looks like a wall (that opens by a pressing a button). Only guests in Grand and Master suites have access to this place.

 

We were the only guests in the restaurant that holds about 16-18 people. Now that more suites have been upgraded to the "Grand Suite" level, there will be more passengers permitted to dine there.

 

If anyone from Regent management is reading this, please considering doing away with this place (I don't even want to refer to it by name). If I wanted this type of "suite/cabin distinction", I could sail on mass market cruise lines, premium cruise lines or even Oceania.

 

Perhaps it can be turned into a reservation only dining venue for large parties (at no charge).

 

P.S. The menu is a choice from P7 or Chartreuse.

THE STUDY

The Study is the most intimate and sumptuous dining option aboard Seven Seas Explorer located on Deck 10 aft between Chartreuse and Prime 7. Offering three nightly seatings for just six privileged guests, The Study is exclusively reserved for the guests of Explorer, Grand and Master Suites, as well as the residents of the Regent Suite. For your decadent dinner, you may choose from either the menus of Prime 7 or Chartreuse. Reservations for The Study should be made directly with your personal Butler.

Shocked that Regent is doing this now......not any different than Cunard except it is still on a very small scale. Just the beginning with changing the ship to a class system.

On Oceania.....Anyone can pay to eat at La Reserve or rent Privee for the evening.....there is a difference.

Let's not conflate boarding at different times or the executive/concierge lounges on Oceania with being denied in eating at a certain restaurant on board for people only staying in the upper suites.

Just a bit surprised to learn that Explorer suites are now included (especially because "Explorer" suites were really Seven Seas Suites). I did know that the Explorer Suite guests were included but failed to mention it above.

The responses from Regent passengers is particularly interesting. In terms of Oceania, they have had special lounges for suite guests, assigned boarding times, etc. for a few years now and have now and did not continue with the changes.

Last year Regent started allowing passengers into their suites at different times on embarkation day. Hopefully they they will pull back the reigns. As many remember, when Regent began the concierge program, some passengers went to other cruise lines (this is when we started sailing on Silversea).

IMO, having special areas for "privileged guests" is an insult to all of us and does not make the Explorer more exclusive - it cheapens the product as mainstream cruise lines have done this for years.

I truly love the Explorer and look forward to sailing her again but if this trend continues, they will undoubtedly lose customers to luxury cruise lines where everyone is treated equally once they step outside of their suite.

Clearly Regent wanted to make a "show" of this kind of distinction. I think that's too bad, but I do think that many customers would find it appealing. Many people enjoy flaunting.

OMG. We just disembarked after being on the ship for 2 months, we never even knew it was there. We saw the door that people were going thru when we were eating inPrime 7. We just thought it was a washroom or people were going form prime to chartreuse

I am so not in favour of this sort of thing. I thought Regent was better than that. I thought we were all treated the same no matter who we were or what type of cabin one had

Agree with you Dave and travel cat

OMG. We just disembarked after being on the ship for 2 months, we never even knew it was there. We saw the door that people were going thru when we were eating inPrime 7. We just thought it was a washroom or people were going form prime to chartreuse

I am so not in favour of this sort of thing. I thought Regent was better than that. I thought we were all treated the same no matter who we were or what type of cabin one had

Agree with you Dave and travel cat

One of the reasons we sail on Regent is because the passengers are so congenial and down to earth. Why on earth would Regent want to underscore the "haves" and the "have nots"? It is just appealing to snobbery and I don't particularly want to sail with snobs!

Ut oh.........

We heard some tales of the "inner sanctum", but thought it was somewhat of a fluke. Guess not. Really smacks of elitism.....hello, Cunard? This could be the start of a slippery slope...

Might need to look a bit closer at some sailings on other lines. What's next? Preferred seating in the theater? Reserved computer time? Hints at trivia? Litter bearers to excursion buses? It's a slippery slope...

Might need to look a bit closer at some sailings on other lines. What's next? Preferred seating in the theater? Reserved computer time? Hints at trivia? Litter bearers to excursion buses? It's a slippery slope...

Long overdue in my thanks to you, Bill, for always giving me a giggle. Thanks!

In my view, Regent's ships are far too small to be making any areas of them unavailable to most passengers. This concept of making every square foot income-producing starts to backfire after a certain point. I get the whole "pay more to get more" concept (and sometimes I appreciate having the choice myself), but it has to be balanced with not making the majority of your customers feel like they're paying the same and getting less.

IMO, having special areas for "privileged guests" is an insult to all of us and does not make the Explorer more exclusive - it cheapens the product as mainstream cruise lines have done this for years.

 

I truly love the Explorer and look forward to sailing her again but if this trend continues, they will undoubtedly lose customers to luxury cruise lines where everyone is treated equally once they step outside of their suite.

Not to stir anything up here, but what do you think about the $350./day private Spa Retreat on the Seabourn Encore?

It's the same principal - it will appeal to the shallow snobs and elitists (and corporate planners) who think that wealth = class. Unfortunately there are people who will just love to take full advantage of letting everyone know how "special" they are. I fear this is the thin end of a very divisive wedge and if Regent, Seabourn and others are going down this misguided route, this is one loyal, former, customer.

Not to stir anything up here, but what do you think about the $350./day private Spa Retreat on the Seabourn Encore?

If everyone has to pay the same amount then everyone is being treated the same which is what I feel an all-inclusive luxury cruise line is all about.

Not to stir anything up here, but what do you think about the $350./day private Spa Retreat on the Seabourn Encore?

Anyone sailing on the Seabourn Encore can reserve one of the private cabanas (retreat) for the day no matter what type of suite you are staying in....you just have to be willing to spend $350 for the cabana.

Reminds me of Las Vegas.......and not in a good way.

All these things will dilute luxury cruising in my opinion. It is starting to blur the lines between luxury, premium and mainstream cruising.

I'm a big Regent enthusiast but I was very disappointed when I saw that Regent has added a new private dining area to the Explorer. It is called The Study and is described on the website as follows:

 

”The Study is the most intimate and sumptuous dining option aboard Seven Seas Explorer located on Deck 10 aft between Chartreuse and Prime 7. Offering three nightly seatings for just six privileged guests, The Study is exclusively reserved for the guests of Explorer, Grand and Master Suites, as well as the residents of the Regent Suite. For your decadent dinner, you may choose from either the menus of Prime 7 or Chartreuse. Reservations for The Study should be made directly with your personal Butler."

 

From the deck plan, it appears that the privileged few who dine in The Study will have to parade by the common folk in lesser suites. What's next, a private lounge for a few suites?

 

Hopefully the culture on Regent ships is not changing.

Dave, I agree that this is a sign that we are falling down that slippery slope. I wonder what Marilyn Carlson thinks about this company that she started and nurtured.

I was reading in the Miami Herald earlier this week that I am not welcome on the Explorer; Mr. Del Rio said the ship was "for the one per centers;" and I don't qualify. :(

I'll never be in a top suite nor dine in The Study, but I think it is a bit much to suggest that anyone who dines there is a snob and an elitist. That is a bit too judgmental for me. I think I'd rather dine with an elitist.

I'll never be in a top suite nor dine in The Study, but I think it is a bit much to suggest that anyone who dines there is a snob and an elitist. That is a bit too judgmental for me. I think I'd rather dine with an elitist.

+1 - Agree! Also, IMO no one should judge lest they be judged!

I think the point is that by pitching these "exclusive" facilities to what head office execs consider their "elite" clientele based on their spending power, it creates an unwelcome and unnecessary Us and Them dynamic which goes against everything we know and love about the Regent culture.

I think the point is that by pitching these "exclusive" facilities to what head office execs consider their "elite" clientele based on their spending power, it creates an unwelcome and unnecessary Us and Them dynamic which goes against everything we know and love about the Regent culture.

I don't think so, it's welcome for everyone on the ship. But if you spend a lot more on a suite you should get extra perks. If you chose to fly First Class on a plane you get extras, so why not on the ship. Even with trains you get extras when you book the upper cabin on the train. If you book a upper suite on the ship you get the same points as an inside cabin with the Regent loyal program-why?

Rick