Just back from Mariner 5/21-5/28

[rowsey]

We (wife & I...age-64) just got home from our week on the Mariner (plus a couple of days pre cruise in Monte Carlo). We visited Monte Carlo, Rome, Portofino, St Tropez, Marseille, Majorca and Barcelona. This was our first venture into the "luxury" market having been Princess, Celebrity & Royal Carib patrons for many years. It was a wonderful experience...... certainly an "upgrade" in most every way. We had a wonderful suite (917 - Mariner Suite) that added to our enjoyment. I won't go thru all of the details other than to say our experience was consistent with what almost everyone says. The crew was VERY friendly, service was excellent and the ship is beautiful. My only real complaint was the selections of main courses when dining in Compass Rose. Three out of the six nights we ordered from the "ALWAYS AVAILABLE" section because the primary choices offered were not appealing at all. This really wasn't a big deal but it was clearly the weakest part of the overall experience. We did eat in PRIME 7 one night and that was an EXTRAORDINARY meal........ the way all meals "used to be" on cruises. I would also say that the tours we went on weren't "outstanding" but I think the ports we visited (other than Rome) had a limited amount of interesting things that could be done in one day..... they were all run well, on time and we had no problems going or coming. We will definitely consider Regent again for future cruises...... it was nice to end the cruise with a "credit balance" on our account....thanks to a $250 on board credit from Regent. BTW, we attended all of the nightly shows and found them "entertaining".

[rallydave]

it was nice to end the cruise with a "credit balance" on our account....thanks to a $250 on board credit from Regent.

 

rowsey, enjoyed you description of Mariner but, am a bit confused over the quoted comment. If you ended the cruise with a credit balance because of a Regent OBC, you must have left money on the table as those types of credits are not refundable so you should have spent tht money at least at the gift shop or bought some premium drinks.

 

If there is some other reason for your joy, please let us know.

 

Thanks,

[AWED23]

a wonderful suite (917 - Mariner Suite) that added to our enjoyment.:) Hope you left 917 in good order as we have it for 22 days beginning Nov. 10 in Venice......

[kbuck73]

My only real complaint was the selections of main courses when dining in Compass Rose. Three out of the six nights we ordered from the "ALWAYS AVAILABLE" section because the primary choices offered were not appealing at all. This really wasn't a big deal but it was clearly the weakest part of the overall experience. We did eat in PRIME 7 one night and that was an EXTRAORDINARY meal........ the way all meals "used to be" on cruises. ".

 

We were on the sailing before you and I 100% agree with you in regard to the menu options in Compass Rose. It was very disappointing to see so much of an Asian influence on the CR menu; I really do not want see a curry dish, tofu/vegetarian stir fry dish and a Thai based dish as a main entree EVERY night while in the Mediterranean. I understand food is subjective, but this was the most disappointing part of our cruise and we did not book a future trip because of it. Food is one of the most important aspects of a vacation for me and other than Prime 7's crab and lobster, the food quality and offerings were not what we expect in a luxury setting.

[TheSeaAroundUs]

rd, I have _twice_ left unspent obc in my account, first about $80, and again about $150 ... in the unparalleled clarity of hindsight, one of those expensive massages would have been a fine investment, expecially as I spent half of that second trip with shoulder pain.

 

Will I ever learn? I dunno....

[cwn]

........My only real complaint was the selections of main courses when dining in Compass Rose. Three out of the six nights we ordered from the "ALWAYS AVAILABLE" section because the primary choices offered were not appealing at all. This really wasn't a big deal but it was clearly the weakest part of the overall experience. We did eat in PRIME 7 one night and that was an EXTRAORDINARY meal........ the way all meals "used to be" on cruises........

 

We were on the sailing before you and I 100% agree with you in regard to the menu options in Compass Rose. It was very disappointing to see so much of an Asian influence on the CR menu; I really do not want see a curry dish, tofu/vegetarian stir fry dish and a Thai based dish as a main entree EVERY night while in the Mediterranean. I understand food is subjective, but this was the most disappointing part of our cruise and we did not book a future trip because of it. Food is one of the most important aspects of a vacation for me and other than Prime 7's crab and lobster, the food quality and offerings were not what we expect in a luxury setting.

 

Glad to know others feel as we do about the food offerrings, we agree with you both completely. The food (menu offerrings) and the cramped areas of the Standard Suite are the main reasons we were not "WOWed" with Regent.

 

I know we can spend several $1000 more for a bigger suite and solve the cabin size problem, but the incentive isn't really there when we are already spending the big bucks in the first place plus usually a couple of $100 dollars above what other lines charge a day for the included tours.

 

We did four cruises back to back...two were very good...the staff was excellant over all and there was a great passenger mix. However, two were less than wonderful either due to service issues or passenger mix.

 

These problems can happen on any ship...just the luck of the draw and will not turn us off a line as these issues change everytime the passengers or the crew change.

 

But over loading the memu with one type of offerring, be it Indian, Asian or Pacific Rim...what ever is the latest fade, is not to our liking either. We definitely enjoyed the more simple menu in Prime 7.

[evalseraphim]

Thanks so much for your review, Rowsey. We will be on Mariner soon after a 5.25 year absence and appreciate the update.

 

Yes, food preferences are subjective. They used to have an Asian fusion restaurant on Mariner (the name of which escapes me at the moment) that these US Wonder Bread caucasians enjoyed quite a bit. We were sad to see it go in favor of another "yet another" steak joint (although I did a happy dance when I saw oysters Rockefeller on the Prime 7 menu). I can pretty much promise that either one (if not both) of us will order an Asian style meal at each of our dinners, although my accompanying parents will not, unless my Dad gets adventurous based on my choices.

 

As people who opted for soup and salad only as our last cruise came to end (causing our eager to please servers much distress), I can pretty much tell you that I anticipate to be happy to opt for tofu over meat somewhere around Day 8, regardless of how many veggies I consume. At some point, the "special" food just stopped being "special" regardless. Palate fatigue, for sure. (That was my experience. I'm not suggesting it was anyone else's.)

 

All that said, I. Can't. Wait. :D

[Responder]

Wasn't the Asian themed restaurant called "Latitudes?"

[Wendy The Wanderer]

T... They used to have an Asian fusion restaurant on Mariner (the name of which escapes me at the moment) that these US Wonder Bread caucasians enjoyed quite a bit. We were sad to see it go in favor of another "yet another" steak joint (although I did a happy dance when I saw oysters Rockefeller on the Prime 7 menu).

 

...I anticipate to be happy to opt for tofu over meat somewhere around Day 8, regardless of how many veggies I consume. At some point, the "special" food just stopped being "special" regardless. Palate fatigue, for sure.

 

Yes, it was Latitudes. Believe me, Prime 7 is not "yet another" steak joint, it's much more interesting than that--hope you love it.

 

We have Asian food all around us where we live, so we're not starved for that kind of food (we're not starved at all, truth be told!), although I do enjoy it, well-executed. On a cruise I'm after French-inspired, although anything that's well-executed with great ingredients is fine with me.

 

I also agree about the palate fatigue, and completely understand now how world cruisers crave comfort foods like meat loaf or macaroni after weeks at sea.