First time - already hooked!

Well, after a 3 year wait we are nie 3 days into our first Regent experience. BoardecMariner on Mon after an overnight in Barcelona. Regent recovered from sticking us in a conference hotel miles from the City by providing a shuttle bus service and laying on an excursion, tour of Barca, on the am prior to boarding.

Life onboard is fine, aft suite is amazing. Forget the drawer shortage, we'll cope. The lounge and balcony more than compensate!

A few niggles, mainly with being served wine from the remnants of bottles - but nothing serious. Food quality has varied from tasteless duck in Signatures to superb strip loin of beef in CR and a lovely sea food salad lunch at La V, overlooking the Grimaldi Pakace in Monaco!

Tours are brilliant, wine tasting in Tuscany today - magnificent excursion! Entertainment is excellent - pianist (Ross?) is fantastic & the Backstage Pass show was as good as any cruise line entertainment on Cunard or P & O. There's a violinist who did a great show on Mon & he is on again tonight.

More to follow - but - Regent has us hooked after 3 days. Had already booked Explorer for next year anyway but really enjoying Mariner. Going to book a massage & get afternoon now. Tough life!

Good to read your review. Later this year we will be in SS 780. A splurge for us on Regent. Enjoy a fabulous trip!

Well, after a 3 year wait we are nie 3 days into our first Regent experience. BoardecMariner on Mon after an overnight in Barcelona. Regent recovered from sticking us in a conference hotel miles from the City by providing a shuttle bus service and laying on an excursion, tour of Barca, on the am prior to boarding.

 

Life onboard is fine, aft suite is amazing. Forget the drawer shortage, we'll cope. The lounge and balcony more than compensate!

 

A few niggles, mainly with being served wine from the remnants of bottles - but nothing serious. Food quality has varied from tasteless duck in Signatures to superb strip loin of beef in CR and a lovely sea food salad lunch at La V, overlooking the Grimaldi Pakace in Monaco!

 

Tours are brilliant, wine tasting in Tuscany today - magnificent excursion! Entertainment is excellent - pianist (Ross?) is fantastic & the Backstage Pass show was as good as any cruise line entertainment on Cunard or P & O. There's a violinist who did a great show on Mon & he is on again tonight.

 

More to follow - but - Regent has us hooked after 3 days. Had already booked Explorer for next year anyway but really enjoying Mariner. Going to book a massage & get afternoon now. Tough life!

We felt the same way on our first Regent cruise. Unfortunately not in the cards for the foreseeable future as they are just too expensive with the current exchange rates.

Thanks for your review and have a great time.

Sorry about the typo's, writing at sea - plus the cocktails and wine - seem to impair my functionality on the iPad!

Long day in Rome yesterday but saw the Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Basilica. Our return to the ship was heralded by the musicians & staff welcoming us, together with a glass of champers & a refreshing towel. Tremendous stuff!

Ate in the suite last night - first class.

Arriving in Palermo shortly, lazy day for me - just off for that massage.

Returned yesterday. Will post a more detailed review - but - really enjoyed this first taste of Regent.

There were some, relatively minor, blips but overall a tremendous trip on a superb ship with top class staff. Visited some incredible places and saw some amazing sights. Entertainment was outstanding, not sure why anyone could complain about the standards. Lovena Fox is an incredible talent, Craig Owen was amazing and the JAR group were superb. Ross was a fantastic pianist & entertainer, enjoyed his company on the shuttle and swift visit in the rain to Zadar.

Regent excelled in several areas, notably the "beyond the call of duty" levels of service.

It was a surprise to find the Cruise Director at Venice airport & then on our return flight - that is taking responsibilities very seriously indeed.

Thanks for taking the time to write about your experience.

Yes Pies it was a great cruise, nice to meet you both, agree about the entertainment it was by far the best we have seen on our 3 cruises. Would like to echo all your comments. The tours were of a high standard and the easy tour of Rome we undertook was anything but :-), but there's a story behind that. Weather was mostly good as well. We were on deck 11 cabin 1112 and what a great positioned suite the butler was ok and the chamber maids where excellent. Overall properly the best Regent cruise so far.

We travelled independently which I don't think I would do again as there's to much stress involved in wondering if your flights and transfers would work out ok, well they did apart from the final transfer from Venice docks to the airport who never arrived, so we were left trying to scramble about for a last minute taxi, but we made it.

Interesting you say that re ground transport in Venice...

Regent failed to deliver us to the hotel from the airport..

BUT the ultimate was when we went from the hotel directly past the Mariner, within a few yards, over to an unmanned dock area, where there was a policeman and no one else. He was kind enough to call a couple of water taxis for the 23 of us stranded there, because the original taxi just dumped us there with no explanation

To say we were upset was an understatement.

This was 2012. But it looks like the Venice ground transfers still leave a lot to be desired

Vireya, I would have been more than upset. Did you have to pay for your own transfer from airport to hotel? If so, I hope you had Regent reimburse you for it. Did you and the other 23 pax raise any sort of complaint once aboard the Mariner?

We were on deck 11 cabin 1112 and what a great positioned suite the butler was ok and the chamber maids where excellent.

We will be in cabin 1112 on 6 Sep. Can you elaborate a little bit regarding the butler being OK? Did you find the cabin spacious or cramped. Thanks in advance.

Z and TB

Kerry - I added to the roll call thread, don't know if you've seen it. Great to meet you both, you never bought me that drink tho'! :). Maybe next time. Get yourselves on the Explorer, 24 Sept next year.

Thanks for your advice & info.

Zqueeze1, basically no sense of humour did his job perfectly well, but I found I couldn't have a conversation with him. My wife put it down to my accent but whilst this may be correct there just wasn't a spark. I do enjoy having a bit of fun with the crew and they normally join in, there's some great waiter who can speak cockney better that Dick Van Dyke on voyager but with him it was like talking to a robot, can't fault him in any other way, always made sure breakfast was on the dot, asked if I wanted my shoes cleaned. Hope I explained it ok.

We will be in cabin 1112 on 6 Sep. Can you elaborate a little bit regarding the butler being OK? Did you find the cabin spacious or cramped. Thanks in advance.

 

Z and TB

We were in 1112 on our February cruise from Papeete to Lima and loved 1112 location and layout. Plenty of space and storage. Closet is tight, but plenty of hanging space. Don't know if it was the same butler, but he was barely okay. We are fairly low maintenance and had really taken the PH for space on the 16 day cruise because there were so many sea days. That said, we still expected not to have to ask multiple times for things before we got them or to remind him of something.

After he introduced himself the first day, until we called and asked for an "appointment with him the 3rd day, we hadn't seen him, which was different than our experience previously. I had a list ready for him of a items, e.g. dining reservation, day we'd like to host a few friends and would like canapes, request for wine list, etc. I still had to follow-up on a couple of things. He also liked to make excuses - like the water you want (I request lowest amount of salt possible) is not available up here and I have to wait for it to be brought up!. By mid-way through he was better and recognized when our bottle of whiskey was in the trash and brought us a new one without being asked. But there was no initiative, as we have seen before.

It wasn't so bad that I was going to report him and ask for a change, as it did smooth out and we got along, but did comment on surveys.

We were in 1112 on our February cruise from Papeete to Lima and loved 1112 location and layout. Plenty of space and storage. Closet is tight, but plenty of hanging space. Don't know if it was the same butler, but he was barely okay. We are fairly low maintenance and had really taken the PH for space on the 16 day cruise because there were so many sea days. That said, we still expected not to have to ask multiple times for things before we got them or to remind him of something.

 

After he introduced himself the first day, until we called and asked for an "appointment with him the 3rd day, we hadn't seen him, which was different than our experience previously. I had a list ready for him of a items, e.g. dining reservation, day we'd like to host a few friends and would like canapes, request for wine list, etc. I still had to follow-up on a couple of things. He also liked to make excuses - like the water you want (I request lowest amount of salt possible) is not available up here and I have to wait for it to be brought up!. By mid-way through he was better and recognized when our bottle of whiskey was in the trash and brought us a new one without being asked. But there was no initiative, as we have seen before.

 

It wasn't so bad that I was going to report him and ask for a change, as it did smooth out and we got along, but did comment on surveys.

Zqueeze1, basically no sense of humour did his job perfectly well, but I found I couldn't have a conversation with him. My wife put it down to my accent but whilst this may be correct there just wasn't a spark. I do enjoy having a bit of fun with the crew and they normally join in, there's some great waiter who can speak cockney better that Dick Van Dyke on voyager but with him it was like talking to a robot, can't fault him in any other way, always made sure breakfast was on the dot, asked if I wanted my shoes cleaned. Hope I explained it ok.

Folks:

Thanks for your quick responses and we appreciate the comments. No guarantee that we will have the same butler, just hope that he understands my sense of humor and my Newyorican accent. This is our first time experiencing butler service and are a little unsure in the dos and don'ts. We do not see ourselves as high maintenance as long as he installs a spicket for wine in the cabin :D.

Z and TB

Folks:

 

Thanks for your quick responses and we appreciate the comments. No guarantee that we will have the same butler, just hope that he understands my sense of humor and my Newyorican accent. This is our first time experiencing butler service and are a little unsure in the dos and don'ts. We do not see ourselves as high maintenance as long as he installs a spicket for wine in the cabin :D.

 

Z and TB

Actually I think those wines with the included spigots are not part of the all inclusive package.:DPerhaps your TA can put in a special request for you so it can be waiting in your suite when you arrive.

Folks:

 

Thanks for your quick responses and we appreciate the comments. No guarantee that we will have the same butler, just hope that he understands my sense of humor and my Newyorican accent. This is our first time experiencing butler service and are a little unsure in the dos and don'ts. We do not see ourselves as high maintenance as long as he installs a spicket for wine in the cabin :D.

 

Z and TB

Sorry I might be able to help you but I got no idea what a spicket is :)

Sorry I might be able to help you but I got no idea what a spicket is :)

I love when our English languages get in the way of communication (said tongue in cheek:-). Actually, it is spelled "spigot" and it is a tap or faucet with a valve to control the release of liquids. I have seen some restaurants attach a spigot to a wine barrel -- maybe a wine barrel with a spigot can be placed in Zqueeze1's suite:D

Actually I think those wines with the included spigots are not part of the all inclusive package.:DPerhaps your TA can put in a special request for you so it can be waiting in your suite when you arrive.

Like one of these?:D

JMariner - Any idea what the specific vintage of that particular wine might be?.....

Perhaps, "Yesterday"? :p

JMariner - Any idea what the specific vintage of that particular wine might be?.....

 

Perhaps, "Yesterday"? :p

Oh, I seriously doubt it is THAT old. :rolleyes:

(And, I actually saw a box of Franzia Rose on the NAV once, and I was told it was pre-requested and supplied by the ship!)

j

It is Friday night and I have split a nice bottle of red with the hubby at dinner and limoncello after dinner. So I' m in a great mood. May your tap (spigot, petcock,etc) shimmy up to something better than a box of two buck chuck!

Okay, I got it, the Puerto Rican kid from NYC can't spell. Glad to be today's entertainment for all to enjoy.:D I will now experience post traumatic stress nightmares while dreaming of my freshman English composition professor twitching his piggy nose when I wrote "should of" rather than "should have." Where is the San Francisco librarian to correct my English spelling infraction?

I will now dry clean my polyester leisure suit and shine up my white patent leather shoes so I look my best onboard.

BTW, TC2, you are invited to partake if I can get a wine barrel with a SPIGOT in our suite.:D

JMariner: I should have ordered a few of those for our daughter's wedding.:D

Z and TB

........................................................................

 

JMariner: I should have ordered a few of those for our daughter's wedding.:D

 

Z and TB

Here you go, you can pick the best one:rolleyes:.

Tell ur Agent to tell Regent to get u a few boxes.

Breaking Into The Box – The Best Boxed Wines

75 different box wines tasted to bring you the very best!At last, our long awaited series on box wine is here! Over the last several weeks we’ve been hard at work tasting every imaginable box wine we could find, ranging in price from $10 to $50+ and coming in a wide assortment of unique and engaging packages, to bring you the very best of the bunch. Once hidden away from judging eyes behind coffee machines or cookie jars or stashed deep inside refrigerators, box wines have begun to come of age and can represent the ultimate value for wine drinkers. The only problem is winnowing the wheat from the chaff because as we found first hand — there’s still a whole lot of boxed plonk out there.

j

Here you go, you can pick the best one:rolleyes:.

 

Tell ur Agent to tell Regent to get u a few boxes.

 

 

Breaking Into The Box – The Best Boxed Wines

 

75 different box wines tasted to bring you the very best!At last, our long awaited series on box wine is here! Over the last several weeks we’ve been hard at work tasting every imaginable box wine we could find, ranging in price from $10 to $50+ and coming in a wide assortment of unique and engaging packages, to bring you the very best of the bunch. Once hidden away from judging eyes behind coffee machines or cookie jars or stashed deep inside refrigerators, box wines have begun to come of age and can represent the ultimate value for wine drinkers. The only problem is winnowing the wheat from the chaff because as we found first hand — there’s still a whole lot of boxed plonk out there.

 

 

 

 

j

Too funny. I noticed a spigot on the wineberry box. Last time I had boxed wine I was flying low level on four lokos.

Vireya, I would have been more than upset. Did you have to pay for your own transfer from airport to hotel? If so, I hope you had Regent reimburse you for it. Did you and the other 23 pax raise any sort of complaint once aboard the Mariner?

You can be sure, we raised holy hell

All we got from Regent was an apology and a bottle of champagne (which we both hate and dont drink) and the comment that they cannot control the locals

We stayed overnite at the hotel. Regent did not pay for the transfer. The real screwup was the next AM when the local tour folks took 25 of us to a glass factory on the way to the boat, which we then passed by. The boat was across from the hotel. The factory was 30 min away. This was in venice, BTW