General Regent Questions from a Potential Regent Cruiser

[coffeecat]

Hello Regent Cruisers,

I have been perusing the luxury cruise line forums and, from what I have read so far, I think Regent would be a good fit for my husband and me. I do have a few questions regarding the cruise line in general that I was hoping to have some help with!

 

The first questions regard itinerary and bookings. I am interested in a cruise that visits Istanbul, Petra, and Egypt and on the Regent website there is a cruise sailing in Oct 2011 that has only waitlist availability! How soon in advance does the line announce the itineraries and typically, how early do you generally need to book to have at least a small selection in cabins? We are hoping to sail a similar itinerary to this in the summer/fall of 2013 (I know I am planning early!).

 

My husband and I will be in our late 30's at the time we were hoping to sail. What is the demographic like?

 

Finally, I have sailed previously on RCI and NCL which I know are mass market. We have never sailed on a luxury line. On NCL we always sail in suites and we generally sail in thier high end suites (courtyard villas, OS etc). Despite some opinions to the contrary on this forum, we really love NCL and particularly enjoy the concierge and butler services. I love the specialty restaurant dining options that are available. With Regent vessels being smaller, I was wondering what the options are like for night time entertainment? Is it necessary to book a cabin with a butler? We are not party animals but I do enjoy catching a couple of shows and the casino.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Coffeecat

[Travelcat2]

Welcome to the Regent board! The 2012 itineraries are scheduled to be out in February. The 2013 will probably be out the same time next year. In my opinion, the best time to book is as early as possible as most sailings fill up quickly.

 

If you put a deposit on a particular cruise to insure you get the cabin you would like and then want to change to another cruise, you can do so one time without penalty.

 

In terms of what there is to do at night, you may want to look at the "LIVE Fll to Lima" thread. I am currently on the ship and posted the agenda for a "sea day". Sea days have a lot more activities than port days. The itinerary you described is quite port intensive. Many people are out 7-8 hours doing excursions and may not feel much like dancing after the show at approximately 10:30 p.m. since they will no doubt be up early the next day.

 

The demographic depends upon the itinerary. Alaska cruises, for instance, can have up to 150 chidlren. Long itineraries, when school is in session, have almost 100% adults (there is one baby on board right now and the ship is full). Also, longer itineraries tend to have an older demographic since there is not an issue with being away for 25+ days.

 

Not sure what the average age. There are definitely couples in their 30's as well as fairly active couples in their 90's. As a guess, I would say that the average age on the cruise you described would be 50.

 

The best thing that you could is find a TA (travel agent) that specializes in luxury cruising. Some people may disagree with this. . . . it is certainly their right to do so. However, TA's who regularly book Regent can answer all of your questions as well as make recommendations as to the best areas for cabins, etc. Also, if there were to be a problem (cancelled cruise, etc.), your TA will be your advocate.

 

I'm surprised that there are not more responses on this thread. Hopefully you'll get other opinions. We are planning on doing a simiiar itinerary next year. Best of luck with your planning.

[Caroldoll]

and particularly that very large one. WHEN YOU USE THE SUITES on NCL and are on the locked floor--every bit of treatment you get is far and away better than Regent. But, this is ONLY on the suites. The Concierge is there to even get you preferred bus seats--you are escorted on and off the ship, as you know. This does NOT happen on Regent. On Apollo owned ships, their philosophy is equality. So, there are no priority embarkations etc. Their program is excellent if you like ships tours as the tours (on Regent) are included. We do private tours, so the free tour situation is not attactive to us. On our last NCL cruise they comped us every day in the Steak House...this doesn't happen on Regent. You are allowed two nights in each of the specialty restaurants. I do love Prime 7. The food on Regent, when I was last there was way too salty. Travelcat is a friend of mine and we are not on the same page on some of these things. I took the trip last on Norwegian that included Egypt and Istanbul. It was a fabulous itinerary. We did use a ship tour to go into Cairo from Alexandria and I would advise this as there are serious issues with security. I am not sure which Regent itinerary you are looking at...but do not skip Ephasus or Istanbul. We loved both places so much that we are returning this year for extra days. Regent is all inclusive for alcohol and everything, so if you are a moderate to heavy drinker, this is a good thing. Regent's butlers are more well trained that NCL's. I feel that 50 plus is a fair demographic. There don't seem to be many really festive night affairs on Regent. I am curious as to what you are really looking for and if you will be more specific, I will be glad to help. Oh...Regent's suites are all much larger than Norwegian's...with the exception of that top suite that was close to 4000 sq. ft. All the others are larger. My son was on that locked floor in a two bedroom suite on NCL (Courtyard) and it seemed small compared to Regent's.

[OrpingtonT]

You are allowed two nights in each of the specialty restaurants.

 

Not quite true. You are permitted to advance book (online) one night in each of the speciality resraurants. Thereafter you may book whenever there are vacancies if you wish. You can do this by calling at the restaurant, asking at Compass Rose when you dine there or get your butler to do it for you. If there are vacancies, you will be welcomed.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

(Orpington is right about the restaurants, btw.)

 

My two cents, from someone who has not done NCL or any other mass market line, suite or not: you will probably really enjoy Regent. It will be a different experience, I'm sure. The whole ship has a wonderfully luxurious feel, and yes, everyone gets treated the same--very nicely, in my experience.

 

Regent guests are a well-travelled, affluent bunch, who range in age up to the 90's, but tend to average around the 50's, depending on the time of year and length of itinerary. That being said, if you like being "sequestered", i.e., feeling like you are a cut above the rest of the ship, you might not like Regent. I would say, give it a try, and you probably will be pleasantly surprised.

[wripro]

If you want to sail in the bubble of a certain floor and never leave your suite other than to go ashore then NCL suites may be the way to go. However if you want luxury throughout the entire ship that is egalitarian in nature then there is no question Regent is the far better choice.

[Responder]

If you want to sail in the bubble of a certain floor and never leave your suite other than to go ashore then NCL suites may be the way to go. However if you want luxury throughout the entire ship that is egalitarian in nature then there is no question Regent is the far better choice.

 

Your comment certainly rang our bell and perhaps that is why after our 10 day March cruise, we will be Gold members with all the attendant perks.

On all the other ships we have sailed on, we got some funky drink at the handshaking party and of course, a pin..:)

 

And within the true meaning of egalitarian, I certainly agree..

[Wendy The Wanderer]

If you want to sail in the bubble of a certain floor and never leave your suite other than to go ashore then NCL suites may be the way to go. However if you want luxury throughout the entire ship that is egalitarian in nature then there is no question Regent is the far better choice.

 

Thanks wripro, that's exactly what I was trying to express, but couldn't quite.

[DaveFr]

Your comment certainly rang our bell and perhaps that is why after our 10 day March cruise, we will be Gold members with all the attendant perks.

If you get to 75 nights on any day of your March cruise, Regent will now elevate you to Gold on the first day of the cruise. Hope this helps.

 

Dave

[cruzndiz]

I have sailed on both lines (Regent and NCL) -- twice on each in the last 2 years. NCL is a great deal for me; because of my gambling history with their parent company I can cruise for next to nothing and I am treated quite royally while onboard including special invites to private parties, line "cutting", etc. However, there is no escaping the hordes of fellow passengers who surround the public spaces (i.e. lunch buffet, pool deck, "serenity" spa...) nor can you escape the barrage of staff trying to sell you something.

 

On Regent I am also treated royally, but not because of anything I do or don't do -- they treat everyone that way! Other than a few mismanaged excursions, there is never a wait for anything and never a crowd anywhere.

 

For the most part, Regent does offer activities and shows similar to NCL (without the constant onslaught of staff trying to sell you cocktails while they are happening), but there are definitely less of them. On NCL we will find ourselves in a busy casino or club/bar at midnight with many others, on Regent those same venues may only have 5 or 6 people at that time.

 

As far as the cabins themselves, Regent wins this contest easily except in the very highest NCL categories like GV but for the same price you would get much more value on Regent.

 

It really comes down to what is important to you: if you are looking for a truly upscale experience, (24/7, not just when you are in your suite), excellent dining in EVERY venue (even the pool grill burgers are top notch), and unparalleled service from all of the staff then Regent is a line you should look at.

[TahoeTraveler]

As someone who just completed my first Regent cruise, after cruising almost exclusively with NCL and HAL, I can honestly say that every experience is different, and you really just have to try it yourself to decide whether or not it is for you. We were very impressed with Regent's service, the small, intimate size of the ship, and the passenger demographics. Unlike so many of the mass market lines, it seemed that everyone on board, regardless of age, was active and healthy (I didn't see one oxygen tank). It was fun to watch people ranging in ages from the 30's to the 90's doing the same excursions and being equally active in them. And no, we didn't find a single "snob" onboard, contrary to what many who have never cruised on a luxury line seem to think. In fact, we saw much more snobbish behavior on our last HAL cruise, where some suite passengers seemed to think that their cabin category gave them the right to be rude to the staff and other passengers. On Regent, everyone we met was friendly and fun-loving, and it was just a great bunch of people to cruise with.

 

On the flip side, we were not very impressed with the food, with the exception of the two specialty restaurants. One night several people even had to send food back, which I would not ever have expected on a line such as Regent. We resorted to room service mac and cheese the last night of the cruise, because we just couldn't find a consistently good meal elsewhere (and we were only able to get into each specialty restaurant once). Others on our same cruise raved about the food (as several have on this thread), so again, it is really individual preference and opinion.

 

We had a butler, and he was a joke compared to the butler we had on NCL. Our NCL butler was just amazing; ours on Regent basically brought us canapes in the afternoon and that was it. If we asked him to do anything else, we got a blank stare, and it never happened (ie...unpacking our suitcase, trying to get us additional reservations in the specialty restaurants, getting us a private tour in one of the ports). We will never again pay extra for a butler suite on Regent, but we certainly would on NCL.

 

The suite perks on HAL and NCL both are far and above better than on Regent, but that is because, as many have pointed out, Regent does not distinguish between cabin categories in regards to service and amenities. You get more perks on Regent by building up cruise days with them, not by booking a more expensive cabin, unlike HAL or NCL.

 

I'm not sure which suites people are referencing, but our suite on NCL was much larger than ours on Regent (and we had a Penthouse on the Mariner, which is the largest penthouse you can get). NCL's was also much more gawdy however (reminded me of one of the rooms in our local casino), but the entire ship was that way. Regent's Mariner was a beautiful ship; much more elegant and refined than what you'll find on NCL.

 

We loved the all-inclusiveness on Regent, especially not having to sign for anything. No feeling of being nickled and dimed to death. As for value, it really depends on what is important to you. If you put a very large price tag on things like elegance, superior service, a classier feeling and passenger demographic (no ratty t-shirts or baseball caps in the dining room, ever), and not wondering what your final bill is going to look like, then Regent may very well be the better "value" for what you pay. However, if those things are not high on your list, you might prefer NCL, as dollar for dollar, you will pay much less than on Regent.

 

You really do have to try it, and see for yourself. We loved our cruise with Regent, and will cruise with them again. But not for a very, very long time...one teen just starting college and another not far behind will keep us out of the luxury scene for a while, I'm afraid!

[lheintz]

I am 28 and have sailed both NCL and Regent. I think it depends what time of vacation you are looking for, but I prefer Regent. It my experience there may be one or two couples in their 30’s and a handful of couples in their 40’s-50’s but the majority of Regent guests are well into their retirement. Don’t get me wrong most everyone is active and interesting. I also have not cruised in the summer, which probably attracts more families. The neat thing about Regent is that because the boat is small if you choose to socialize you will run into the same people again and again which gives a nice community vibe. Also there are virtually no Public Announcements so that means not being disturbed every ten minutes for “Bingo on the Ledo deck.” And really what better way to relax then being served cocktails and cold towels by the pool?

Also, just because it is listed as waitlisted does not mean there isn’t space also I would recommend highly to avoid contact with Corporate Regent and to book through an agent. (It is free to book a cruise with the agent I use, since she gets her commission from the cruise company. )

.

[coffeecat]

Regent Cruisers,

Thank you everyone for taking the time to reply to my questions. I really appreciate it! I really do love NCL and I am so glad that many of you weighed in on how the lines compare. I have been extremely happy with NCL but there are a few places in this world that I would love to visit and NCL does not go there (or is there too briefly). Therefore, I am searching for other options. I thought Regent would be an excellent choice because of the all-inclusive nature, flexible dining and ship size/amenities.

Many of you posted very thoughtful and thorough responses and I have tried to comment on each one specifically rather than posting 10 different responses on the thread. Apologies for taking so long to respond! Please feel free to comment on anything written as all the information I can gather is much appreciated!

Travelcat2- Thank you for your reply, especially considering you took the time to post during your vacation. I did get a chance to read your review-lots of witty banter and helpful information throughout. Your comment about being on a Regent ship is one of the best places in the world to be speaks volumes! The daily schedule of events was interesting and it seems that there is plenty to do. I like it that there are lectures. Are they generally worth attending? I have booked my previous cruises through NCL and travel agents and have always had good experiences. Some posters have recommended against dealing with Regent directly. Do you see a TA as being more flexible and willing to go the extra mile?

Caroldoll- Thank you for sharing your perspective on the courtyard experience and how it compares to Regent. NCL staff have, with rare exception, been outstanding and you confirmed my suspicions that they are hard to beat. I must admit that at times I have experienced self-imposed exile to the “locked-floor” courtyard but mainly because I enjoy some peace and quiet during my vacations away from the hustle bustle. Also, I am not a huge fan of the pool bands (they are too loud for me!). But, after I am rested, I enjoy all of the other things that NCL offers in terms of dining variety and evening entertainment. How does Prime 7 compare to Le Bistro and Cagney’s? With the size of the Regent ships I am not surprised that there are no priority embarkations as I can’t imagine the lines ever being too long. It appears that Regent has flexible seating as well…does this run as efficiently as it does on NCL?

Wendy, Responder, and Wripro- Thanks for your comments as well. To clarify, I see NCL as having a similar structure to airlines in that with your ticket, you have certain amenities available to you. I have flown first class once, and except for a couple of runs in superior coach seating, I have always flown coach. For me, the “extras” of first class are not worth it to me for the price. On NCL, however, I have no problem with booking a suite as I like the “extras”…it has nothing to do with “feeling a cut above”. I do like hiding out in my suite though :) as I am sure the folks in the front of the plane enjoy their comfy leather chairs!

It is interesting that a number of threads have referenced the egalitarian nature of the cruise line and I think that is great as well. It seems like all guests are well treated and I am sure this is why Regent is a successful line with many loyal cruisers.

Cruzndiz- Thanks for your input! I have meant many CAS guests on NCL and they seem to be having a ball in the casino. I like the NCL casinos but by no means am I a big fish. How do the casinos on Regent compare to the casinos on NCL? Assuming they are smaller but any other major differences?

I haven’t ever really felt nickled and dimed on NCL, I just buy what I am interested in and ignore the rest…however, I have no comparison and I am sure that Regent, in this regard, would be refreshing. I think you posted on Travelcat’s live thread and it seems like there were some glitches with the shore tours. Do most run smoothly? I have done a mix of shore and private tours and have overall been happy with the experiences. How large are the Regent included tours? Do most passengers go this route or are more doing it on their own?

TahoeTraveler and Lheintz- Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I think you helped to give me a good perspective on the two lines. I love so many things about NCL but I think Regent would also be a good fit for us. It sounds like a butler isn’t needed on Regent-will keep this in mind for sure. My husband and I would be on the younger spectrum of passengers, however, it appears that a bit of pre-cruise physical training would be needed in order to keep up with all the active cruisers! It’s nice to hear that people are friendly and affable on Regent with no rude behavior. I have seen this (infrequently!) on previous cruises and it just makes me cringe. We have met so many interesting people of all ages on our cruises and I am sure that Regent would be no exception.

Lheintz, do you care to elaborate on why you would avoid corporate Regent? TahoeTraveler, congratulations on your teen in college-it’s a great accomplishment (parents and child both)!

Again, thank you all so much for your input! Would love to hear some more opinions or any other additional thoughts.

Cheers,

Coffeecat

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Coffeecat, thanks for the thoughtful reply and analysis.

 

I too usually fly coach, and in fact when we travel independently we usually prefer modest guesthouses and small 3-star hotels. But don't discount the idea of the Regent Business class air upgrades--for Europe they are a really good deal, and I admit when I cross the pond, I try to fly Business if I can swing it (and try to find Premium Economy as well.)

 

Yes, the ships are egalitarian. There is always a snob or two, but I just ignore them. There was the funny woman who bragged about being from Upper West Side via Palm Beach, and wore coordinated, branded nautical gear all day, who sniffed at us when we pulled in to occupy the PH-like stateroom next door to her on the Paul Gauguin, as if so say, "what are *you* doing here?"

 

But then there have been several times (apologies to my good friends who lurk on these boards from time to time), when we have made friends with lovely folks who then invited us back, surprise-surprise, to their owner's suites for cocktails (now called Master's Suites)--there are many wonderful, unassuming people on Regent cruises. We almost always occupy a (not so) humble minimum category stateroom (although we have been known to splurge on a PH once in a while), but always feel like we're treated like kings and queens.

 

And if you like peace and quiet, you will find plenty of that all over the Regent ships, believe me. So, hopefully, welcome aboard!

[cxxviii]

Thanks to all of the posters on this excellent thread... my family is new to cruising but I have certainly discovered there is not much you can't learn by surfing these CC boards!

 

My family went on our first-ever cruise last year, parents mid-40's and two girls 11 and 9. We stayed in a Courtyard Suite on the NCL Jewel and to my shock, I actually enjoyed it. The staff was great, kids actually preferred the private courtyard to the huge pool downstairs, and the food was better than expected (OK, I didn't expect much).

 

We are now looking at another cruise over the week of Thanksgiving 2011, NCL has a 7-day Carribean cruise from Miami that we were planning but now I am also looking at the 10-day Regent cruise on the Navigator from Ft Lauderdale. It seems that the cost is probably similar - assuming a CY suite on NCL vs a mid-tier suite on Regent - once you factor extra costs for extras on NCL etc. (I realize it's 10 days vs 7 days which is a huge plus for Regent).

 

We'd love opinions and feedback on this particular Regent cruise/ship, and any comparisons that we might not get from the web sites or this board, in particular:

- I've seem some posts that Regent has larger rooms but it looks to me that the CY Suite on NCL is actually bigger that all but the very largest Regent suite. Am I missing something?

- Can all 4 of us stay in a suite on this Regent ship? I must be losing my mind but I don't see how kids are handled as far as rooms go

- Can you get a copy of the wine list for Regent? The wine list on NCL is average at best and that would be a factor. (We brought our own onto NCL and that was a nightmare... never again)

- I've seen posts about "few kids" outside of summer and XMas. Does anyone have experience on the Thanksgiving week cruise? My kids are great friends and are fine playing together but they (and we) might feel a bit awkward if they are the only 2 on board...

 

Any other comments welcome!

[journeyfan]

Given the ages of your children, I think they (and you) would be miserable in a Regent suite compared to separate bedrooms on NCL. The Navigator is not designed for children of that age. They would not be happy and could you enjoy yourself if your kids were bored?

[cruzndiz]

As someone who has sailed both lines (with and without children) I would guess that there will be some children on board during Thanksgiving week but not many and not much in the way of activities either. The Regent experience is SO vastly different to NCL that you honestly can't compare the two (although the CV on NCL is a lovely splurge -- even the smaller Regent cabin has a little more classy elegance but you'd really need to be a VERY close family to want to squeeze 4 into that cabin).

 

If I were in your shoes, I'd probably stick with NCL for Caribbean and maybe try Regent with the kids if you were doing more of an educational excursion (i.e. Alaska) where there would be some interesting/educational type activities for them.

 

Either way, you're sure to have a wonderful time!

[RachelG]

You MIGHT be able to have both kids with you in the largest suite on Navigator (not sure though); however, any of the regular suites would only hold 3 max.

On our recent cruise on Navigator, there were only 2 kids on board--2 girls who looked to be about 10 and 12 or so. They were very sweet and well-behaved. They seemed to be having a good time, but you could tell they were used to being around a lot of adults, eating in nice restaurants, etc. So I wouldn't advise you not to take your girls on Regent--you know your kids. Mine would have been fine at that age, and they are boys. But they knew how to behave and entertain themselves if need be.