"Spotless Ships" - High Standards

http://www.news-press.com/story/travel/cruises/2015/10/26/norwegian-ceo-del-rio/74611874/

Haven't seen this article posted or discussed yet. An interview with Del Rio in USA Today regarding both NCL and Regent ships.

One notable quote in the article -

".....Regent's oldest and smallest ship, the Seven Seas Navigator, is the line's most profitable, he notes" - Frank Del Rio

Quoted from the link above:

"A signature of Norwegian ships, The Haven boasts its own pool, sun deck, restaurant and bar, and it comes with personal butler and concierge service. But Del Rio suggests it wasn't quite living up to its billing as the ultimate in luxury at sea.

"If you're going to play in the luxury game, you don't cut corners. You give it all you got," he says. "We're going to elevate The Haven. The bones are here to have a heck of a product, and we're going to fill it in with the level of service, the cuisine at the restaurant and the attention to detail."

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This is interesting.

Why would anything Rio said about his sister line, NCL, be any more or less relevant than

the frequent chatter about his Oceania brand on the Regent board? What's up with that? I'm interested.

Why would anything Rio said about his sister line, NCL, be any more or less relevant than

the frequent chatter about his Oceania brand on the Regent board? What's up with that? I'm interested.

There is that, too, fizzy. But the salient point for me was Mr. Del Rio's comment about upping the luxury ante in The Havens which surely could be construed as interesting to Regent passengers.

We're interested in learning about any ships that depart from New York and NCL has many to choose from. A lot of frequent posters on the Regent board seem to find NCL quite doable. I am interested in the Haven concept from the perspective of personal space afforded and how it is managed. I take people as I find them and find the apparent disdain for NCL passengers annoying. A concurrent thread had that feel with the discussion of Halloween costumes. Anybody having a problem with that probably would not like Regent on New Years Eve because the amount of guests whooping it up wearing silly hats and tiarras, waving glo stix and blowing on plastic horns is quite amazing. I don't believe it was those mainstreamers causing all the noise. What we saw was people having a lot of fun. I am starting to warm up to Del Rio and his ideas and am also surprised at the "irrelevant" comment. Thank you Ping Pong for introducing the subject.

Fizzy, thank you for mentioning the vibe I have been feeling about the constant derogatory comments about mainstream ships and passengers. I noticed this in the other thread and feel it's distasteful to say the least.

Any cruise on any ship is special to the people who are enjoying their vacation.

I am glad I am not the only one who felt uncomfortable at the comments in this and previous posts. Thanks.

Despite the attempt at an end run around the topic being discussed, I can assure you that the elegant ladies and gentlemen of Regent may have started out "sipping" things but progressed to costume like headgear and plastic horns with blinky lights and noisemakers and were having a roaring good time. I do hope Del Rio reads this stuff.

Despite the attempt at an end run around the topic being discussed, I can assure you that the elegant ladies and gentlemen of Regent may have started out "sipping" things but progressed to costume like headgear and plastic horns with blinky lights and noisemakers and were having a roaring good time. I do hope Del Rio reads this stuff.

Ha ha, love it!!!

I had to scroll back up to the top to re-read the original title of this thread, as we seem to have meandered around (as we so often do here).

I can't speak to any differences between mainstream, premium, or luxury cruise lines as my wife and I have only sailed outside of our Regent bubble one time. So I don't know if there's a cruise like for the stages of my life - we sailed the first time when I was in my late 40's and I'm mid-50's now and honestly, I don't see leaving Regent for another line, barring any major changes in the product, etc.

I tend to agree that I'd much rather be in a 'single class' on a smaller luxury ship than in a 'luxury class' on a larger ship. Our one trip outside of Regent was on the QM2, and while it was a nice cruise, it (for us) wasn't nearly as relaxing as our Regent trips. I have looked at other luxury lines, but so far I haven't found one that appeals to me more than Regent. And since I'm still in the workforce and can only spare the time and money for one nice trip a year, I prefer to go with what I know - and that's Regent.

I also agree that there are different lines for different people, and that's what's great about our world today - choices!! Me, I don't want a floating shopping mall/water park/bar collection/hotel...I much prefer the smaller, more intimate feel of Navigator (which isn't universally loved, even among Regent aficionados). Conversely, I know people who feel that Regent is boring, stuffy, and not worth the money. That's their choice.

I'm just glad that these choices exist.

Now, what was this thread about again?!?

Thanks for the link. Good read.

I suspect the Navigator is the most profitable since it has been doing the Alaska runs which have high prices and lots of kids. Kids making the usual double occupancy into triple or quad.

Mainstream Cruises - I enjoy all cruises. Its about setting your expectations to the product you have purchased.

Have not been a mainstream line in a while, but will be on my first NCL sailing soon.

OK-lets paint the Regent ships like NCL ships!!!

OK-lets paint the Regent ships like NCL ships!!!

Why not the other way around:D

There's inconsistency in attitudes that eschew "two-class cruising" yet are dismayed by mainstream (e.g., NCL) cruisers.

There's inconsistency in attitudes that eschew "two-class cruising" yet are dismayed by mainstream (e.g., NCL) cruisers.

Perhaps, more simply, things are exactly what they appear to be.