Regent Navigator vs SS Shadow

[ronjo]

We have previously cruised the Med on SS Whispher and will be on the SS Spirt this August Venice-Athens. We are planning an Alaska cruise for 2011 and have narrowed between the Regent Navigator and SS Shadow. The itinerary's look to be similar. We would like to experience another luxury cruise line and have heard good things about Regent. For those that have sailed both SS and Regent should we be comparing the SS mid-ship veranda suite to Regency D Deluxe balcony suite, which also appears to be mid-ship ? Both suites appear to be close in sq ft Shadow 345 vs Navigator 356, however the fare for the D deluxe balcony suite on the Navigator is much higher, closer to the fare for the Siver suite on the Shadow (653 sq ft). We understand from other threads that the excursions on Regent are included in the fare. However that would amount to a lot of excursions. Are we making the correct comparison.

[SanFranCruizer]

I don't sail the Silver Shadow until later this year, but all of the suites on Navigator, from PH A down to Cat H are the same size room and bathroom, just that Cat G and H do not have balconies and PH A through C have butler service. So, I would book a Category E suite, all of them on Deck 6 and pick one as close to mid-ship as possible. No advantage to booking Cat D. Do NOT book Cat F because all of those suites are in the back of the ship on several decks and all feel the vibration at the aft of the ship. And the vibration is not a small thing. Cat F is the only category of suites in the back of the ship.

 

So, compare Cat E on Navigator to SS Silver Shadow. We just got off Navigator a few weeks ago and loved the Alaska trip.

[ronjo]

SanFranCruizer

Thanks much for breaking down the ABC's of the Navigator suites. We will certainly look at the Cat E suite, deck 6, mid-deck. We really are torn between the Silversea Shadow and the Navigator. However, it looks like the Navigator could give us more dinning options than the Silvesea Shadow and we could would not have to pack our formals. Since the excursions are included how far in advance can we reserve them to make certain that we can get our first choice. With Silversea ,since the excursions are extra we never had a problem. I am sure that some of the excursions on the Alaska cruise are very popular.

[rallydave]

SanFranCruizer

Thanks much for breaking down the ABC's of the Navigator suites. We will certainly look at the Cat E suite, deck 6, mid-deck. We really are torn between the Silversea Shadow and the Navigator. However, it looks like the Navigator could give us more dinning options than the Silvesea Shadow and we could would not have to pack our formals. Since the excursions are included how far in advance can we reserve them to make certain that we can get our first choice. With Silversea ,since the excursions are extra we never had a problem. I am sure that some of the excursions on the Alaska cruise are very popular.

 

You can book 180 days out for all Regent Cruises.

[ronjo]

RallyDave,

Thanks, 180 days prior to the cruise should give us a leg up on gettig our first choice in the excursions that we want. I imagine that this is done through the on line personal account, similar to Silver Sea.

[jhp]

I've been on both the Shadow and Whisper (once each), as well as the Navigator (4 times). If you liked the Whisper, you will like the Shadow. They are more similar to each other than the 3 Regents ships are. You can see the layout of the location for different categories on the Regent website.

 

So much to consider. The new 3rd dining venue (Prime 7) on the Navigator is small, and you will not likely on a 7 day Alaska cruise have the opportunity to dine there more than once. It was carved out of part of the Verandah dining room (similar to the Terrace dining room on the SS ships), which has resulted in a more congested area there during breakfast and lunch when the ship is sailing full, which it often does in Alaska, especially when all the tours are coming back at the same time at lunch, if they have not made arrangements to keep CRose open later.

 

If you do not care to sail with families with children (as many on this board do not), then you may want to reconsider the Navigator, as Regent runs reduced rates for children on the Navigator in the summer. To my knowledge, Silversea has no children's programs. Then there is the never ending issue of the vibration on the Navigator. I've not been on her since the refit, except for a visit when she was in port with the Mariner this winter, but understand from many reports that it is still there. Neither of these issues has ever bothered me on the Navigator, for for some, it may.

 

As for the all-inclusive pricing of the Navigator, with most excursions included, I guess it depends on what you like to do on a cruise. Walk around town on your own and see the same shops you see in most cruise ports, or get out and experience the natural beauty that is Alaska? For me, this is one cruise where I take advantage of ships excursions, even though I have been to Alaska 3 times, there is always more to see and do off the ship than wander on my own in most of the ports. Most of these excursions require getting on a vessel of some sort, and I am certain that Silversea will be charging quite a bit for them. It is not like many ports in the world where you can catch a taxi and make your own excursion for less money than you would pay for a ship's excursion when they are not included.

 

Just my thoughts from personal experience with both the ships and the itinerary.

[ronjo]

JHP,

Thanks for the comparison. I was not aware of the "children's specials" however I have read about the vibrations on the Navigator in other threads. I beleive we may be able to deal with both. We are looking to book the E suite mid-ship which should be clear of the aft vibrations. I did look at the cost of the Alaska excursions on the Silversea site. I found that the additional cost of a realy nice daily excursion for two on the Silversea Shadow would push our total fare (mid ship veranda suite) well above that of Regent's Navigator' E suite. From your experience how many children are usually aboard ? Do you find them to be under control ? Hopefully it doesn't look like a Disney cruise.

[SanFranCruizer]

On our sailing a few weeks ago, it was reported that there were 50 kids. I find that really hard to believe because I felt as if I rarely saw kids. I thought there were maybe 10 kids on board.

 

The excursions in Alaska are pretty amazing. But they are really pricey! Many of them are included on Regent and some of the more expensive ones have a surcharge, but still way below the price on other ships and sometimes even cheaper than getting them on shore.

 

Try out the Navigator. You will have a good time in Alaska.

[JPR]

Mariner and particularly Voyager would be the closest to Shadow and Whisper. Mariner's basic suites are somewhat smaller.

 

I find SS a bit more formal than Regent (I believe SS still has formal nights, which Regent has discontinued on most if not all cruises.) You can't go wrong with any of these cruise ships...(I did find the new SS Spirit, while beautiful, to have some bizarre design choices, particularly the very low ceilings and narrow corridors designed to maximize space but which induce a bit of claustrophobia, particularly in the show loungs--which also inexplicably lacks any drink or food serving capability...)

[jhp]

Ronjo, well, if you have compared the pricing and found Regent better, and the children and the vibrations won't bother you, then go for the Navigator! I have never been to Alaska when kids were a problem, (my trips were in June, July and early September) but I really like children, and don't spend a lot of time at the pool deck where most of the complaints arise. The pool area is not an active place in Alaska!

 

SFCruiser speaks from experience on a recent cruise. One person's experience, but mirrors what I have read before from many others.

 

You have made a good choice for cabins, mid-ship. I would suggest as low as you can get, both for stability, and if you plan to spend a lot of time on your balcony when you are in some places and can look over, and see seals floating on the bergy bits in places like Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm! I live on the water myself, and on a ship, like being the closest I can get to it.

 

Editing to say that I just went to Silversea website, and find this posted information on dress code for a 7 day itinerary in late August. Enough alone to make you want to book the Regent Navigator!

 

Shipboard Attire

This voyage is scheduled to have 2 formal nights, 3 informal nights and 2 casual nights. As a rule, the first night of every cruise is casual. This information is for your guidance and subject to change. The daily attire schedule will be listed in The Silversea Chronicles on board.

 

JPR, interested in why you say Mariner and Voyager would be closer to Shadow and Whisper, when they are so much larger, and Navigator is about same size as them?

[ronjo]

On our sailing a few weeks ago, it was reported that there were 50 kids. I find that really hard to believe because I felt as if I rarely saw kids. I thought there were maybe 10 kids on board.

 

The excursions in Alaska are pretty amazing. But they are really pricey! Many of them are included on Regent and some of the more expensive ones have a surcharge, but still way below the price on other ships and sometimes even cheaper than getting them on shore.

 

Try out the Navigator. You will have a good time in Alaska.

 

 

I read on anther thread that the Navigaot has unusual movement. Did you experince this ? Is this the reason that you suggested to book a suite on a low deck?

[SanFranCruizer]

I suggested a lower category cabin because they are all the same so why pay more, not because of movement. The vibration issue is in the back of the ship and doesn't matter if you are high up or low down.

[Travelcat2]

I read on anther thread that the Navigaot has unusual movement. Did you experince this ? Is this the reason that you suggested to book a suite on a low deck?

 

The "unusual" movement on the Navigator is in the front. Actually, it probably is not unusual for a ship to have movement side to side and front to back on a cruise ship when your suite is forward.