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Back from RSSC Mariner POST Dry Dock - VERY DISAPPOINTED


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I just saw this thread, and I feel compelled to post my far different opinion of my May 23 Alaska Mariner Cruise. How interesting that the same cruise can be experienced so differently!

 

This was our second cruise, first luxury cruise. We stayed in a Mariner suite, and loved everything. The one and one half bathrooms were beautiful, the entire cabin was elegantly decorated and fresh and clean. There was one glitch the first day with the heating system that needed repair, but that was attended to quickly.

 

Overall the crew was outstanding. Our butler, Samita, the first female butler, provided excellent service. The Steward and Stewardess were equally helpful. All crew we encountered were friendly, were helpful and yes, said hello. Perhaps a friendly and positive attitude begets a friendly and positive response? The crew work hard, and a smile may be all they needed to smile back. They all seemed to go above and beyond to treat us as well as possible the entire week.

 

We too, had high expectations with respect to the culinary experience. The food was not as superb as we had hoped. Compass Rose was good, however we had to send food back on several occasions because it wasn’t warm enough. Prime 7 was very good, however I am a vegetarian that will occasionally eat fish, and therefore we did not try any red meat. (My husband will eat chicken.) Chartreuse was also very good. Sette Mari was exceptional, and we ate there quite a few times. There was always a long wait, however, the maître d’ took our names and cabin number or lounge area and simply called us when a table was ready. The wait was always less than stated.

 

With respect to the spa, we only used the nail salon. We both had our nails done, yes, even my husband, which he thought was quite fun. We did several excursions in Sitka and Skagway, however preferred to simply walk around in Juneau and Ketchikan. The very best excursion was one prior to embarkation in Anchorage, where I arranged for an Alaska railroad trip to Seward, then a whale-watching catamaran in Kenai National Park.

 

Our Mariner passengers were friendly, although we didn’t engage with anyone else at dinner. The entertainment was fine; we were not expecting Broadway productions. Overall the ship was beautiful and had a peaceful vibe, which is what we wanted. We were not looking for a “Carnival” type of atmosphere! We were there to celebrate our 20th anniversary and were very happy to enjoy the elegantly decorated and refurbished ship and our beautiful cabin. We were extremely saddened when the cruise was over and look forward to another cruise on Regent. I’m now partial to the Mariner, however I am a bit curious about the Explorer; I know TravelCat prefers the Explorer.

Edited by Pinksunset
To correct spacing
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AZ Travelin' and PInksunset - what amazing reviews. So glad that you took the time to post.

 

It is interesting that people on the same cruise can have different experiences but it is not unusual. Pinksunset stayed in what we feel is an amazing suite. It would be difficult to not like that suite with the wall of windows, etc. We like the Mariner but do find the Concierge suites on the ship a bit small for our tastes (this is where Explorer really excels - they have wonderful Concierge suites).

 

What I found very interesting is Sette Mare in the evening and how crowded and popular it it was. When we dine there we get there at 6:30 p.m. to avoid crowds. We enjoy Sette Mari but find there is way too much food (yes - I know - one does not have to order so much:evilsmile:). Hearing positive feedback about Chartreuse is also interesting as it seems to get a bad rap (we enjoy Chartreuse very much but not everyone feels that way). AZ Travelin', IMO, the best dining venue on Oceania is Jacques and we feel that it is superior to Chartreuse!

 

Pinksunset - bravo to your husband for getting his nails done. It is a good experience - particularly the ultra professional way that it is done on Regent!

 

In terms of the passengers, I believe that there are more people new to Regent on Alaska cruises than on any other itinerary - likely due to the proximity to the mainland U.S. This isn't a positive or negative - it just makes Alaska cruises different than other Regent cruises.

 

Great to know that you both plan on sailing with Regent again! As Pinksunset mentioned, Explorer is our favorite ship and it will be interesting to read AZ Travelin's "take" on their next cruise. While the service and food are generally the same, the suites on Explorer are amazing as are the public spaces (which is a big statement given the lovely public spaces on Mariner).

 

Thanks again for sharing your opinions of your Alaska cruise.

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Comments regarding the Mariner:

 

My wife and I sailed this oldest RSSC ship 19 days AUK-PER as part of a round the world cruise.

 

It is the smallest ship we've sailed but was our best cruise ever!

 

The crew were fantastic - cheerful, always dedicated to making your time on Regent the best.

 

The food was superb start to finish.

 

Entertainment was always a treat.

 

We were in a PH2 on deck 9. Despite the ship being old every space was lovingly maintained and spotless to a fault. Our stateroom certainly seemed larger, better arranged with a real king bed compared to our more usual PH1s on Oceania - even Riviera and Marina.

 

Bottom line I think the fare on Regent worked out even with Oceania considering Regent is all inclusive.

 

Finally, I've recently read that Regent has put Navigator up for sale. I would have happily sailed on her again.

 

JMBobB

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

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Think that the Navigator being up for sale is a recurring rumor. Someone mentioned that she is scheduled for dry dock next year. BTW, Navigator is around 3 years older than Mariner.

 

Glad that you enjoyed the Mariner. Hope that you try Explorer sometime ..... Also a gorgeous shop.

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