muly

A word about the storage on the Gem. I had plenty of empty drawers which was a first. Two separate closets each with hanging space, shelves and drawers. beside the bed were two drawers, the desk area had three more drawers, the bathroom had 6 drawers and 2 cabinets. Uhh, this was the panorama suite. Very spacious, comfortable and worth the money for our needs, We just like the space for relaxing and drinking excellent wine. The closet doors do pull out to slide which is odd, but I got used to it. Hope this helps.

The Normandy beaches are a must see, in order to understand the sacrifices that have been made for freedom. Scenic graciously splits the tours for Canadians, Americans and Aussies to visit Juno, Gold, and Omaha beaches. They also visit the American cemetery and the museum which has an excellent film of the Mulberry installation, off loading vehicles, and destruction from the storm.

We did the Paris-Normandy loop and enjoyed the fellow passengers as well as the wonderful crew. It was nice to have a mix of Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians, Brits, and Americans. An all around great experience.

I recommend taking advantage of the classical concert. The violin virtuoso was spectacular. I am a musician and I was impressed with his perfection.

As we get older we enjoy more pampering. While Viking is a nice river cruise, we would compare Scenic to the service and quality of Regent Seven Seas ocean cruises. In other words, the best experience. While no one on board consumed in excess, having wine or cocktails, tea or espresso anywhere at anytime gave us the freedom to relax and enjoy on our own schedule.

Scenic rivers and Regent ocean are the only completely inclusive lines we have found. Love it!

Posting a review here for the Scenic Gem River Seine cruise as the ship is not yet listed as an option on Cruise Critic reviews. Best river cruise ever. The ship is appointed nicely with extras that make a difference, like soft closing drawers, plenty of mirrors, blinds that open from top or bottom or both, etc. As a small ship, there was plenty of public space, cabins were the largest we have seen on a river, a gym, beauty shop and masseuse provided big ship amenities. All inclusive really is. So relaxing to not think about tipping, bar bill, which excursion to take, or transfers. The food was probably the best on any cruise ship we have sailed, crew was fabulous. Loved the atmosphere, freedom, and butler service. This is our new favorite river cruise line.

Muly

We will be sailing the Seine this September. Very timely WWII documentaries on PBS and BBC this summer will make Normandy even more meaningful. I wish that everyone from an Allied Nation would have the opportunity to see the landing beaches. It is truly humbling and reminds us of the sacrifices so many made to protect our freedom. Looking forward to the historical ports of call, architecture, and of course, the wine.

Muly

We have not sailed with Scenic before. Viking once, and all others on ocean lines. As we get older, we have learned to enjoy being pampered on Regent, our very favorite ocean cruise line. Comparing all other river lines, we are hoping Scenic is the step above that we now enjoy. For us, all inclusive is more relaxing and enjoyable. I'll let you know how it goes !

Muly:)

Happy to report confirmation that the Scenic Gem docks at Port De Grenelle in Paris. For those with embarkation/debarkation in Paris and wishing to see more of Paris, this is on the left bank just south of the Eiffel Tour. Easy walk to Champ De Mars RER C (yellow) train line or Metro line Green 6. Suggest train or metro for longer distances, but walk as much as possible to enjoy the many parks, gardens, and historic architecture.

My goodness. Travelcat2 is obviously independently wealthy and/or on Regent's payroll. I am stepping out of this conversation with one last comment. An appropriate corporate response would be to acknowledge that their change created an inconvenience for which they apologize. That they value their customers and would like to show their appreciation for their continued travel partnership by xyz. Very simple to show they are accountable, have regret, honor, and value their customer base. This response would create good will rather than bad PR and would be a minimum expense to be written off. For the record, Regent has never said they are sorry. Their message is we made a change, you lose. Bad business response.

Regent is a premier line generally providing good service and value. That said, one would expect truth in advertising, good will, and an honest support of their customer base. The advertising blitz was intended to book the Explorer well before her maiden voyage. They succeeded in assuring revenue before she was completed. That leaves the customers who made decisions in good faith based on the information provided at the time. If it were as simple as booking another cruise in the same time frame, same ports of call, and same amenities as previously promised, I would say not a big deal.

Unfortunately for the common folk who plan the time and money for an upscale cruise, flexibility in changing travel plans is not always possible. Once the joy of anticipation is taken away, it can take some time to remove the tarnish. We know the travel industry, and every industry, is about profit. Looking at life through my rose colored glasses I would like to see a company rise above the "lawyers and the board" and do the right thing, because that is what makes a business, nation, and society successful. What ever happened to the Golden Rule?

It would be refreshing to see a company say, "Sorry! My bad! We value your business and would like to make amends for our mistake." Think about it. Only two cabins are impacted by the deck design change. (Tub/shower another issue) Certainly the good will they could garner in doing the right thing has more value than the negative PR that has been generated, and will continue, if they do nothing.

You are making a huge assumption that people choose shower only and that is why those cabins book first. There are many variables considered by travelers who have different preferences. Personally, I prefer a large deck, which was taken away, which was the reason for this alert. The tub while secondary in consideration, is two significant changes after they marketed and sold cabins based on that print material. This is about truth in advertising and ethics. I expect more from Regent.

Now that is an interesting piece of marketing data from which they can learn. They market the luxury of having the butler draw a bath for guests, when you have identified marketing research that says "most people prefer a large shower". I guess they need to coordinate marketing research with marketing content. How funny.

Caught the change before receiving the email. I did not expect a bait and switch tactic from RSSC. Very sad to see them put revenue over honoring customer contracts.

Be advised when booking on Regent Seven Seas Explorer that they made two modifications to deck 14 that are not shown in current catalogs. if you plan to book a cabin on deck 14 verify with the cruise line for the most recent change after they launched marketing material. Penthouse A on deck 14 does not have a bath tub, only shower. the second change is there is no longer a choice for wrap around deck facing aft. They removed the expansive deck and added two extra cabins. As of this posting they have failed to compensate those who booked with the marketing material as a guide for cabin selection:mad:

Interested in your thoughts regarding Gem and ports. Where does the Gem tie up in Paris?

Looking for comments on Scenic Gem excursion from Honfleur to D-Day sights. Where does the tour go? Interested in US, Brit, Canada, not so much Aussie.