Impressions of Mariner on 15-26 Nov. Cruise

This was our first Regent cruise, but we have taken over 30 cruises on various lines with Silversea our line of choice for the last five years. So please forgive me if I refer to it with some of our comparisons.

We booked this cruise about a month before sailing because of a price that was so low we could not refuse. It was for a category H guarantee and we were given a category D concierge suite.

Pluses:

* Mariner is a beautiful ship, well maintained and clean. We really enjoyed the various bars and lounges, the fitness center, and the 'games' on the top deck.

* Our suite had top quality balcony furniture, with cushions, that put Silversea's balcony chairs to shame.

* We thought the quality of the food, in all venues, was outstanding. We enjoyed every meal, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Prime 7 was the best though. It is a vast improvement over Silversea's "The Grill".

* Our suite was nice, though small, with excellent steward/stewardess who looked after our every need. The bath tub/shower is dangerous because it is too high and narrow. I don't know how older guests would manage.

Minuses:

* Even though Regent is all-inclusive, it is not really luxury. I guess I agree with Douglas Ward who in his "Berlitz Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships" places Regent between the Premium and Luxury categories. There are just too many guests on board which detracts from personalized service.

* Very few crew members make an effort to learn and call guests by their names. Silversea and Seabourn, true luxury lines, call guests by their names.

* There are mostly good waiters in Compass Rose, and a few not so good. Ask for the good ones after you find them.

* When requesting a table for two in Compass Rose, we usually had to wait about 10 to 15 minutes in the Mariner Lounge for a free table to open. We usually ate between 8pm and 830 pm. Guests never are told to wait in the lounge for a table on Silversea in the main dining room - they are seated immediately.

* We were not able to see a single evening show because they all start at 930pm. Only guests who are seated for dinner before 8pm can make the show. We are on vacation, we do not want to eat early just to see a show. Shows should start at 10pm.

* La Veranda is a major disappointment. The food was very good, but the layout and atmosphere is terrible. The only thing that separates it from a mass market ship buffet is the table cloths and included wine. The staff cannot cope during peak meal times and there seems to be no one in charge. We saw guests arguing with each other over tables, especially window tables, as they fight for position to jump into empty seats before the staff has a chance to clean them. If you have ever had a chance to dine in Silversea's equivalent venue, La Terrazzo, you would know how a civilized buffet is supposed to operate.

* Drink service around the pool is poor. Servers see you with an empty glass and still walk right by. Most of the time we just walked up to the bar as that is the only way you are sure to get waited on.

In conclusion, in spite of the minor minuses mentioned above, we had a great time and met a lot of wonderful people. If the price is right, we would certainly cruise with Regent again. But if you are looking for a true luxury experience, cruise with Silversea or Seabourn.

Thank you for your fair and honest review.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I'm sure you'll get comments from many of the people here who also regularly cruise Silversea. We have only sailed on Silver Spirit and were so put off by the whole experience we will not return. Not only did they not "know our names" they were, in the main, surly. I was very excited to sail Silversea but, along with other people we sailed with, found it wanting in both service and food. I guess that's what keeps the various cruise lines running. Different strokes for different folks.

Must agree with Linda VH regarding Silversea. We cruised with them 3 times and no one ever knew our name (and we were in a Silver suite).

The Explorer (may extend to other ships) now has a way to remember your names. It does not always work but it is better than the systems they had in the past. In terms of anyone not thinking that Regent is luxury, it is their opinion and they are entitled to it (actually, I have heard more people state that Silversea is not a luxury cruise line....... I disagree). The cruise we are currently on has at least 75% return cruisers (with most over 75 nights on Regent). IMO, this speaks for itself

Food is subjective. The OP enjoyed P7 while our experience has been on and off. La Veranda on the Mariner is going to be "gutted" in 2018 and will be much better (it will have a totally new look - food stations instead of waiting in one line to get food -- a wonderful grill station where they prepare lamb chops, steaks and a variety of other items. We have dined in La Terrazza on the Whisper and Shadow and liked the layout but the food was no better than on the Explorer (did not like the layout or anything else about the Silver Spirit).

I think that we will be comparing the Mariner and Voyager to the Explorer for the next year or so. They are doing a few early shows on the Explorer as well a the 9:30 p.m. shows. If we want to attend the show, we dine earlier.

Agree about the smallness of the regular suites on the Mariner. Even the Explorer has some small suites (around the same size) which passengers are not happy with and will be booking other suites in the future.

IMO, all luxury cruise lines are different and have pluses and minuses. It really depends upon what suits you. We find some smaller ships to be too small (do like the size of the Silver Shadow and Whisper). We like the open spaces of Regent ships (specifically excluding the Navigator).

In my opinion, if you want to sail on a true luxury cruise line, give Regent's Explorer a try - not like any other Regent ship and may be the start of a fleet of "Explorer Class" ships that just might blow Silversea, Seabourn and Crystal out of the water.

Thanks for the review and glad you enjoyed your cruise on Mariner

However, I am intrigued to know what is your definition of a luxury cruise-line. Is it smaller ships?........ Everyone calling you by name?......or is there more?

Thanks for the review and glad you enjoyed your cruise on Mariner

 

However, I am intrigued to know what is your definition of a luxury cruise-line. Is it smaller ships?........ Everyone calling you by name?......or is there more?

Yes, I'm intrigued too.

Thanks to the OP for a fair and balanced review. I totally agree about the tubs on Mariner--they are dangerous.

We have sailed both regent and silversea extensively. I do agree about the buffet in La Terrazza being more organized. They meet you at the entrance and take you to a table rather than just leaving you to your own devices at finding a seat at lunch. Regent should do this too IMO.

As far as staff calling you by name or not, I think they remember your name best on Regent (maybe because we have sailed with them a lot) and on the smaller Silversea ships; however, on Spirit, hardly anyone remembered my name, even after 2 weeks onboard.

As far as show time, there is no way to please everyone. My husband and I like to dine early (6:30-7:00). At that time, there is no wait to be seated. And we are always out in plenty of time for the show. I would not want it to be later, esp in port intensive cruises where you are getting up early. Silversea dining doesn't start until 7:00--so having the show start at 10 makes sense, but I rarely if ever go to the shows on Silversea because of them starting so late.

Thanks for the review and glad you enjoyed your cruise on Mariner

 

However, I am intrigued to know what is your definition of a luxury cruise-line. Is it smaller ships?........ Everyone calling you by name?......or is there more?

Sorry for the delay in answering, but I'll offer a few things that Silversea does that Regent does not; is it luxury? I don't know, but it makes it nicer -

* On embarkation day, luggage is not only delivered to your suite, but brought inside and set up on luggage racks. Regent leaves it in the hallway outside the door for you to drag it inside yourself.

* Silversea has attendants offering cool face cloths and fresh fruit around the pool on hot days.

* In the main dining room, "The Restaurant", the mater'd always takes the lady's arm and walks us to our table. On Regent, he quickly walks in front of us and we have to hurry to catch up.

* In my original post, I mentioned about having to wait for a table for two, which does not happen on Silversea. Here is an example of why this may be happening.

One night we approached the head waiter at the podium in front of Compass Rose. There was a couple ahead of us asking for a table for two. The head waiter told them there were three couples ahead of them waiting for tables for two and the wait would be 20 minutes. Have a seat in the Mariner Lounge and he would come and get them when a table was available.

We had four people in our group, so I thought we would also have to wait. When I told the head waiter we needed a table for four, he grabbed four menus and said to follow him and he seated us immediately.

What I noticed was there were plenty of vacant four tops available, but apparently Regent's policy is to only sit parties of two at two tops. On Silversea, if a two top is not available, then you are seated at a four top and the extra settings are removed. That is why there is no wait for tables in their main dining room.

Please do not get the wrong impression. Regent is a nice line and an enjoyable experience and I am sorry if some are offended if there are areas, in my opinion, that Regent can improve upon if they ever want to really be considered as a luxury line. Someone always makes the inane comment that "food is subjective". Everything in my review is subjective, unless I listed something measurable such as the length or tonnage of the ship.

Finally, to end on a positive note, here are a few more pluses I forgot about in my original post:

* The hors d'oeuvres served in the lounges during cocktail hour were a nice variety of hot and cold items. Also, chips, pretzels, and peanuts were available.

* Very nice and comfortable (padded) bar stools at the pool bar. Every other ship I have been on has wooden, backless stools.

* Five dollar Blackjack tables in the casino!

Leave your luggage outside? I don't remember that. Is it new?

Your right that doesn't make any since - why wouldn't they seat you on Regent if a 4 top is open. Even on "O" they do that.

Rick

Sorry for the delay in answering, but I'll offer a few things that Silversea does that Regent does not; is it luxury? I don't know, but it makes it nicer -

 

* On embarkation day, luggage is not only delivered to your suite, but brought inside and set up on luggage racks. Regent leaves it in the hallway outside the door for you to drag it inside yourself.

 

* Silversea has attendants offering cool face cloths and fresh fruit around the pool on hot days.

 

* In the main dining room, "The Restaurant", the mater'd always takes the lady's arm and walks us to our table. On Regent, he quickly walks in front of us and we have to hurry to catch up.

 

* In my original post, I mentioned about having to wait for a table for two, which does not happen on Silversea. Here is an example of why this may be happening.

 

One night we approached the head waiter at the podium in front of Compass Rose. There was a couple ahead of us asking for a table for two. The head waiter told them there were three couples ahead of them waiting for tables for two and the wait would be 20 minutes. Have a seat in the Mariner Lounge and he would come and get them when a table was available.

 

We had four people in our group, so I thought we would also have to wait. When I told the head waiter we needed a table for four, he grabbed four menus and said to follow him and he seated us immediately.

 

What I noticed was there were plenty of vacant four tops available, but apparently Regent's policy is to only sit parties of two at two tops. On Silversea, if a two top is not available, then you are seated at a four top and the extra settings are removed. That is why there is no wait for tables in their main dining room.

 

 

Please do not get the wrong impression. Regent is a nice line and an enjoyable experience and I am sorry if some are offended if there are areas, in my opinion, that Regent can improve upon if they ever want to really be considered as a luxury line. Someone always makes the inane comment that "food is subjective". Everything in my review is subjective, unless I listed something measurable such as the length or tonnage of the ship.

 

Finally, to end on a positive note, here are a few more pluses I forgot about in my original post:

 

* The hors d'oeuvres served in the lounges during cocktail hour were a nice variety of hot and cold items. Also, chips, pretzels, and peanuts were available.

 

* Very nice and comfortable (padded) bar stools at the pool bar. Every other ship I have been on has wooden, backless stools.

 

* Five dollar Blackjack tables in the casino!

Interesting, on Regent, they have always brought our luggage into the room and set it on the bed for us to unpack, except for one time when one bag went missing because the tag came off, and I had to go looking for it to identify it. Even then, when we found it, the cabin steward brought it to the room for me.

So I guess what I am saying is that what you experienced with the luggage is not typical for Regent.

Also have sat as a couple at a 4 top in CR plenty of times, so not sure what is going on with that.

Sorry for the delay in answering, but I'll offer a few things that Silversea does that Regent does not; is it luxury? I don't know, but it makes it nicer -

 

* On embarkation day, luggage is not only delivered to your suite, but brought inside and set up on luggage racks. Regent leaves it in the hallway outside the door for you to drag it inside yourself.

 

* Silversea has attendants offering cool face cloths and fresh fruit around the pool on hot days.

 

* In the main dining room, "The Restaurant", the mater'd always takes the lady's arm and walks us to our table. On Regent, he quickly walks in front of us and we have to hurry to catch up.

 

* In my original post, I mentioned about having to wait for a table for two, which does not happen on Silversea.

Thanks for the additional points that you noted.

Our experience on Regent is that:

Cannot comment on tables for two as we always opt for a sharing table in Compass Rose

For restaurants, Michelen Stars are awarded not just for Quality but for Consistent Quality. Maybe Regent needs to improve the consistency of the luxury service of which it is fully capable

Thanks for your comments. Glad you enjoyed yourselves.

Sorry to have confused anyone, but I was not talking about food

I was discussing the consistency of all the various elements that help to define luxury service on a cruiseline

I understood the OP to be perfectly happy with the food on the ship in question - Regent Mariner

On embarkation day, luggage is not only delivered to your suite, but brought inside and set up on luggage racks. Regent leaves it in the hallway outside the door for you to drag it inside yourself.

Likely, this is a chicken and egg situation. Which comes first, the cabin attendant who places the magic scuff-resistant egg-laying carpet on your nest, or the egg(s)?

Or perhaps the cabin attendant does come first, but somehow the door closes and locks before your eggs are delivered?

Those magic scuff-resistant egg-laying carpets are in every cabin, though, so the intent is clearly that the egg(s) be placed on top of it.

And now I wait for the first poster to cry "Fowl!"

Scheduled on the Mariner Miami to Miami cruise leaving March 29, 2017. It will be our 4th Regent cruise - first 2 on the Navigator and the 3rd on the Mariner last year, all to Alaska. I thought the Mariner was in great shape then. We usually stay in a Penthouse B. This year is our 50th anniversary and I decided to splurge. We have booked the Seven Seas aft 989. I'm now reading reviews that say the Mariner is not in good shape and specifically the decks and furniture of the Seven Seas Aft. The Cruise Review section always seems to focus on negativity and I hope someone can tell me they had a much more positive experience.

We were on Mariner late August this year and were in a Penthouse A suite and had no concerns whatsoever. Public areas were all well maintained as far as we could see. I can't speak for particular suites, but everybody we spoke to seemed happy enough.

We found this year service was excellent, where as last year on Mariner it was certainly not as good as we have been used to.

Have a great cruise and Happy Anniversary to you both, Jean.

Bigmac,

We were in 989 from September 2014 through January 2015. Although a year ago, I do have photos of the cabin and balcony on my webpage. Go to http://www.BillinLodi.com and click on the "Venice to Miami Photos" button. If you scroll down a bit on that page, you will see the cabin/balcony condition at that time. We found NO problems with either. Hope this helps.

Bill

Thank, you for the reassurance! Bill, yours were the photos that sold me on the booking.:) I have now solemnly sworn not to read any more reviews!!

bigmac1av, I think choosing not to read any more reviews is a wise move. Had we taken heed of comments here and elsewhere about our last cruise on Voyager, immediately prior to it's refurbishment and sold at bargain basement prices, we would have missed what turned out to be one of the most enjoyable cruises we have sailed. You are already familiar with the Regent product and know what to expect - I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time and add my congratulations to you both on your Golden Anniversary. What a wonderful way to celebrate!

We were on Mariner in October. Our suite and all the public areas were in very good order, so we do not see an issue with the major refurbishment having been postponed until 2018

Have a wonderful cruise :)