Looking into Barcelona to Rome Sept 2011

[mitchpam]

I am wondering if anyone would be willing to give me a "feel" for the Mariner. We are looking into this cruise for our 25th wedding anniversary. We have sailed on Celebrity and Carnival. I have been on CC quite a lot, but this line is new to me. So the research begins. My first thought is to ask about the "vibe"... it it *really* laid back, uptight, dressy, stuffy... what are some thoughts. We are middle class, fairly interesting people (or so we think ) who get along well in many circles so I think this line might hold some great things for us. Looking forward to any thoughts you might have to share.

[mitchpam]

I forgot to mention that I have been reading this board for a few days and internet researching Regent. It seems that you have to request information and cannot just mock up prices and available rooms like you can on the Carnival site? I have had some difficulty starting this search.

[hondorner]

You can learn about the prices and some of the available cabins, but first you have to register at the Regent web site. Next, you choose one of the possible itineraries in which you have an interest.

 

At this point, you should see something like, "Book this cruise". Go ahead and click that link, and proceed as if you are actually booking. You will see pricing, be able to choose whether you see the pricing with or without the included airfare, and choose the class of stateroom. It's a little tricky moving back and forth to see different categories of suites; use the navigation links shown rather than your back button, or you may have to start over.

 

Next, you should see actual suites that are available, along with the option to choose another suite. If there are fewer than 7 suites shown, that may be all that is available. If 7 are shown, there may be more. If you examine the deck plans and think you have a good idea where you'd like to be, and if that suite is not shown, you can enter that suite number and learn whether it is available or not.

 

You can do all this safely as long as you like without worry; none of the information will be captured until the very end of the booking process, and you won't "accidentally" find yourself booked. When you are done searching, just hit the back button until you are out of the booking process.

 

I'll let others, more familiar with the ships, talk about the ambiance (we have had only one Regent cruise, but we definitely "fit in" and enjoyed it very much).

[DaveFr]

Don,

 

You appear to be giving the OP directions for use of the Oceania website. As far as I know, the Regent website does not allow someone to check available suites on an itinerary or to book a cruise online.

 

Dave

[hondorner]

Dave, you are absolutely correct, as usual. I forgot which forum I was on. :o

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

The best way is to find a TA who will quote on several different types of suites, and tell you what the air credit is so you can think about whether you want to book your own air or take the Regent Air.

 

We can't help you find a TA, you'll have to google various things, and then phone or email a couple and ask them about their experience with Regent. Make sure you find someone who has been on the ships, hopefully with extensive experience with the line.

 

You can, of course, phone Regent and get some quotes. If you go ahead and book, you can transfer to a TA later.

 

As for fitting in, sounds like you would be fine. Not stuffy, somewhat dressy (but less so since the dress code was relaxed).

[dugxfresh]

You will fit in just fine; you meet nice people; eat fantastic food; great service and fantastic drinks; thats easy to fit in.

[mitchpam]

Thank you all for your help. I came home from work today to 2 e-mails and 2 messages on the machine from the Regent folks. WOW. I had hoped to be able to look at pricing and such on my own, but it seems that is not how Regent does it. So I guess I have a phone call to return. Looking forward to more info... I am on the hunt now. :)

 

Any other info would be greatly appreciated, I like reading other folks opinions and tips...

[Travelcat2]

I think that the "vibe" on a ship is the most difficult thing to put into words. The casual elegance on Regent ships is amazing. It is important to do the type of research you are doing. Getting perspectives from several people will give you a better idea of what to expect (or, what not to expect).

 

By September, children will be back in school and the weather in Rome and Barcelona will be cooler. Many of of us have been to one or more of the ports you will be visiting. It is a good time of year to be sailing on Regent!

 

People who enjoy the more laid back type of cruise love Regent. This by no means implies that it is boring -- you will not find wet t-shirt contests, climbing walls, or slides into the pool on Regent ships. When Regent has tea followed by trivia in the afternoon, it is lovely (it sounded rather boring to me at first). Once I realized that I could substitute a Grey Goose chocolate martini for the tea and sample wonderful desserts while getting on a trivia team that is quite competitive -- I knew I was in the right place.

 

There are many tips that CC members will be happy to share (such as getting champagne in your suite instead of sparkling wine).

 

If you have any specific questions, ask away:)

 

In my opinion, it is perfect for an anniversary (we celebrated our 25th and 30th on Regent).

[mitchpam]

Travelcat2, thank you so much. I am so enjoying the process of looking into this cruise. I think my initial fear of this line is that it might be more "high brow" and snobby than what I might feel comfortable in? (I hope that does not offend anyone) The dress code seemed a little daunting too. I am not into fashion, and getting too dressy, but I like to look nice and wear nice things. I guess it just never came to me like it does some other women. My husband is a very classy man and likes to wear suits and fashionable clothes. We enjoy wine, games, people, food, and cultural things.

 

We have friends in Rome and hope to spend a few days post cruise visiting with them to cap off our trip. Originally the search started with us just going to Rome to see them... but my fingers just kept typing "Med cruise" into the google search tool. Then I started coming over to the different boards trying to find something that migh fit into what my heart is hoping for.... we shall see what comes of it all :) Thanks for you helpfulness...

[CCKelly]

MitchPam,

 

The pricing on Regent isn't a mystery. In general, the prices shown on the Regent website are the prices of the cruise. A travel agent may give you a discount by giving you back part of his commission, usually on the order of 5% or so, although I think someone on this board not long ago said they had recieved 10% from some TA. I don't know how much the airfare credit is in 2011 for the Med cruises (if you do not use the Regent air). For our Med cruise coming up this May 2010, our air credit was $1000 per person (from USA), so I assume something similar for next year.

There are some Regent cruises in 2010 that have OBC also (I think as a promotion from Regent), but our cruise does not. I don't know if there is any promotional OBC for the 2011 cruises, you would have to find that out from a travel agent. However, remember with your drinks all included, and some of your tours, OBC isn't that important unless you like to use the Spa I guess. As far as the "free" shore excursions, on our upcoming Med cruise, several of our choices were free, and several of our choices were an up-charge of about $69 to $89 per person per tour.

 

I don't know where you got the idea about the dress code being daunting. The dress code for Regent went all casual starting in 2010, just no shorts or jeans after 6:00 pm. Not even Sports Coats are required for men. We will take "nice" clothes and my husband I am sure will wear a Sports Coat on some nights because we think it is nice to sort of dress up for the lovely restaurants, but it is not required. I am sure you will fit in just fine!

[mitchpam]

CCKelly,

Thank you for your helpful tip about the dress code.. I did not understand it to be as simple as no shorts or jeans after 6. My impressions have only come from a few days worth of research and I had not heard it boiled down to that level of simplicity... and I am soooo happpy to hear it. Up until a few weeks ago I had never really known anything about Regent at all, so.... thanks for the tip and the reassurance.

[Travelcat2]

Just to add that most people are wearing shorts, t-shirts, etc. during the day. My husband used to dislike the now extinct "formal" nights when he had to wear a dark suit. Our first cruise under the new dress code will be in May. I think he plans on taking a sports jacket for the Captain's Reception night and Farewell dinner (no tie) even though he doesn't have to. Also, as you'll see on the Regent board, we are all just regular people who enjoy cruising.

[UUNetBill]

My wife and I took our first Regent cruise last summer, and by the 4th day aboard we had already booked our upcoming cruise for this summer. I don't even remember if I took a suit on our last cruise; I know I took several sport jackets and some slacks, but most of the shore days were shorts/polos, changing back into slacks and a nice shirt in the evenings, jacket on some nights.

 

I'm a little put off by the change to a more casual format, since I just bought a new tuxedo after our last cruise in anticipation of being able to use it more while at sea. Guess THAT backfired on me, huh?

 

As to the passengers, we NEVER had a shortage of interesting people to hang out with, with ages running from late 20s/early 30s to people well into their 70s and 80s. We're in our 40s and not once did age come into play on our last cruise. Whether it was in the lounges, on shore excursions, in the dining venues, wherever - you could be as chatty or as quiet as you pleased and no one seemed to care. We took this cruise as a 5th anniversary trip and I have to say it was fantastic.

 

Counting down until our next one. . .can't wait. . .watch out Russia, here come the crazy Coloradans!! :D

[UUNetBill]

PS - we already have a deposit down on the Barcelona - Rome cruise in 2011; it seems to be a fascinating itinerary. Unfortunately, with us sailing in May, that would be too close to your departure for any review of ours to be of any help. . .:(

[mitchpam]

Thanks TravelCat and UUNetBill... and yes, you all have been very nice, helpful, cruise happy folks... and I have enjoyed reading these boards.

 

I have been researching cabins and categories and would love some input.

 

1. Since this is a Med cruise I am thinking the waters will be fairly calm... true?

 

2. Since I assume the waters will be fairly calm, it really does not matter "where" the placement of our room would be... so mid ship and all that does not really apply... true?

 

3. The only benefit to a PH is a slightly bigger room... and business class airfare instead of economy... true?

 

4. Port or Starboard? It looks as though the ship will be heading west and that Port would most likely be the best for viewing (even though I realize that it will be night as we sail)... true?

 

Please set me straight or give any insights you may have. This is a BIG splurge for us if we actually do it, so I want to do it right... :) Thanks...

[RachelG]

Med is generally pretty calm. Of course, there can be a storm anywhere, but most of the time, it is very calm.

Mariner doesn't have vibration issues, so anywhere on the ship should be good as far as that goes. Cabins are all the same till you get to the butler suites, so we usually just go for the least expensive (away from the stern on Voyager, but Mariner anywhere should be ok).

We do our own air, and I don't really think a butler would be all that helpful to me, so again, I go with the less expensive suite.

Port or Starboard is a good question--Port probably, though usually I don't spend a lot of time on my balcony unless there are a lot of sea days.

[mitchpam]

Thanks RachelG, I am usure about the butler thing as I have never had one before and am not even sure what I would have him/her do. As far as the airfare goes, I suppose I should price out business class tickets to see if it worth the upgrade to a PH from a Regular room... and from what I have read it may be best for me to pick the itinerary anyway.

[mitchpam]

OK, I have looked into what airfare for this Sept would cost, I figured it would give me good numbers to go with since you can't look *that* far into the future! Anyway, I came up with approx. $6000 just for business class airfare from Boston. So purchasing it on my own seems a bit more expensive. Unless I am missing something it seems that Regent offers a good deal on the "free" airfare.

 

The Class D deluxe suite is $9000, factor in the $999 each way upgrade to business class, it would be $13000.

The C Penthouse is $13,500 and that would include the business class.

 

So I guess for $500.00 more we would be in a slightly larger room and have a butler?? hmmm I *might* be able to think of *something he/she could do...

[DaveFr]

Thanks TravelCat and UUNetBill... and yes, you all have been very nice, helpful, cruise happy folks... and I have enjoyed reading these boards.

 

I have been researching cabins and categories and would love some input.

 

1. Since this is a Med cruise I am thinking the waters will be fairly calm... true?

 

2. Since I assume the waters will be fairly calm, it really does not matter "where" the placement of our room would be... so mid ship and all that does not really apply... true?

 

3. The only benefit to a PH is a slightly bigger room... and business class airfare instead of economy... true?

 

4. Port or Starboard? It looks as though the ship will be heading west and that Port would most likely be the best for viewing (even though I realize that it will be night as we sail)... true?

 

Please set me straight or give any insights you may have. This is a BIG splurge for us if we actually do it, so I want to do it right... :) Thanks...

mitchpam

 

I agree with Rachel G. that the Med should be fairly calm that time of year although there's always the possibility of rough seas due to wind or a storm. If there are calm seas, any location on the Mariner should be fine. However, there is more motion aft and forward than midship. So if you or your wife are sensitive to motion, I'd choose a more midship location.

 

A PH is not slightly bigger than a regular deluxe suite. It is about 50% larger (interior: 252 sq. ft. v. 376 sq. ft.; balcony: 49 sq. ft. v. 73 sq. ft.). Also, while business class airfare is included with the PH, its cost is factored into the PH fare. You can upgrade to business class from a regular suite for $999 each way, so just add $2,000 to the fare for a regular suite to see what the extra space and services of a butler will cost. For example on your cruise, a Cat. H suite is about $7,500 while a Cat. C PH suite is about $13,500. Doing a business class upgrade both ways means that the PH costs $4,000 more than a Cat. H. That works out to $800 more per day for a couple in a PH. Only you can answer whether that amount is worth it to you for 50% more space and a butler.

 

Most of the land on your sailing will be to port. However, as you surmise, most of your sailing time will be at night and you will be far enough out to sea that you will not be able to see much from your suite or balcony. I wouldn't hesitate to take a suite on the starboard side of the ship if I preferred the location.

 

One other thing you might want to consider. Many people, myself included, don't care for the bathtub/shower combination on the Mariner. There is a high step to get into the tub, people over about six feet tall or so have little to no head room while taking a shower, and the shower curtain is in semi-attack mode. :D Regent has refit about 40% or so of its suites with shower only modules which IMHO are very nice and are superior to the tub/shower combinations. If you decide you want a shower only suite, they are in suites whose final number is 1, 2, 3 or 4.

 

Whatever suite you choose, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful cruise on the Mariner.

 

Dave

[mitchpam]

Hi Dave... this is the Pam part of Mitch and Pam.. and I appreciate your insight very much. I am 5'10" and am happy for the info on the shower/tub choices. I had noticed that some of the suites were labled "shower only", and though I like to take a nice bath sometimes, I think I might prefer being able to stand up in the shower comfortably.

 

I just finished doing the calculations (probably while you were typing your response) and came to a similar conclusion on the airfare deal... though my calculation of the room sizes was off!

 

This is why I *love* the CC boards... just because of these little pieces of info that people give. Thanks so much for sharing. :)

[Travelcat2]

Dave brought up some good points. Whenever included Business Class air is offered, we take the penthouse suite. The penthouse suites on the Mariner are truly beautiful and, as Dave said, much larger than the Deluxe suites (and, larger than penthouse suites on Regent's other two ships). In addition to flying business class, you will get transfers to and from the ship. That is another money saver and it's nice to just have Regent take care of everything for you.

 

The first time we had a butler, we had no clue what to ask him to do. We did like the fact that he came into our suite and poured our champagne when we got on board (when you book, you can fill out a butler form online indicating what snacks, soft drinks and alcohol you would prefer in your suite). Your butler can also make additional dining reservations for you (still based on availability, but, he does the legwork). And, for your anniversary, the butler sets up a little cake and champagne for you (or whatever else you may like:-)

[DaveFr]

Hi Pam,

 

I just took a look at your calculations and it appears that the 2 for 1 marketing gimmick has misled you into thinking that the $9,000 and $13,500 fares you mentioned are for two people. Correct? Actually, all the fares on the Regent website are per person, not per couple.

 

So using your example with business class upgrades, a Cat. D suite would be $11,000 pp, while a PH C would be $13,500 pp. That's a difference per day of $500 for two people.

 

Frankly, since the D - H suites are identical, except for location, I'd try for a lower priced suite than a Cat. D. If you're not concerned about location, I'd suggest going for a Cat. H Guarantee that the website says is available. We took such a guarantee suite for a cruise last September and ended up in 895, a nice Cat. F suite, but you never know what you'll get.

 

BTW, here a few pictures of the shower modules on the Mariner.

 

 

 

 

Not the best quality but they will give you an idea of what the shower only modules are like.

 

Dave

[mitchpam]

Dave... ty ty ty ty for the pics of the shower! We took an overseas trip afew years ago and i took pictures of all the showers and bathrooms... my kids thought I was out of my mind... but *that* looks divine!!

 

As far as the pricing goes... hmmmm I may have to look again at the numbers.... ouchie

[mitchpam]

TravelCat thanks for the input :)