Navigator - Live, June 8:SDYC Addict On First Regent Voyage

[frequent traveler]

yes, we were a bit delayed today due to earthquake south of Anchorage. Shut down entire Alaska train line to test rails any time earth quake is 5.0 or more on Richter scale. This one was 5.2 but the system passed and we moved on.

 

Will post more, hopefully tomorrow - but just exhausted. Saw McKinley today clearly and landed on the glacier - in the ampitheater for those who have been there. Another bucket experience - probably the top one so far. More tomorrow, but must sleep.

 

FT

[zqvol]

yes, we were a bit delayed today due to earthquake south of Anchorage. Shut down entire Alaska train line to test rails any time earth quake is 5.0 or more on Richter scale. This one was 5.2 but the system passed and we moved on.

 

Will post more, hopefully tomorrow - but just exhausted. Saw McKinley today clearly and landed on the glacier - in the ampitheater for those who have been there. Another bucket experience - probably the top one so far. More tomorrow, but must sleep.

 

FT

 

Here was the view we had:

 

[Travelcat2]

Beautiful photograph. Keep them coming!:)

[frequent traveler]

Almost time to go home – at the Mt. McKinley Princess Lodge after 20 hrs at Dengali National Park.

 

Lesson learned No. 1 – book your land excursions for pre cruise days before you are sleep deprived. You will have so much more energy.

 

Lesson 2 – leave yourself at least 48 hours at the Denali National Park – there is so much to do and so little time.

 

Lesson 3- if you are going to take the 4.5 to 5 hour tour on school buses authorized by the National Park Service, check your guide. Do Not, whatever you do go on a tour with Sharon from Maine who has lived in Alaska since 2001. She does not believe spotting animals is any concern of a tour guide and but for the eagle eyes of fellow passengers, we wouldn’t have seen a darn thing. And the most important Lesson

 

Lesson 4 – Go see McKinley/Denali – we are so lucky. In two days we have had multiple viewings of McKinley/Denali from multiple places. We’ve met people who have been here for 5 days or multiple times without seeing the top of the mountain. Like our bald eagle sightings, its become almost too easy. But it takes your breath away. Can’t wait to download all the pictures.

 

But back to our night in Anchorage.

 

The best dinner of our entire trip has been at the Crow’s Nest at Captain Cook’s Hotel. Its funny – it didn’t show up on the Regent recommended list provided to us when on the train and when I told the rep where we were having dinner she just said, oh that’s fine too. Turn’s out that the Princess HQ and it’s a much better hotel than the Hilton (Regent) or Sheraton (SilverSea) – yes, as a high level member of each of those frequent stay clubs, it pains me to say that – but the hotel public rooms are gorgeous and from what I heard from guests, their hotel rooms were also much better.

 

The Crow’s Nest has a wonderful view of the harbor, excellent service and superb food. We showed up half an hour early and since the bar was full were showed to a waterfront table. My Perrier was never empty and the drinks were perfect. Ask for the Parmesan cheese bread when you are offered a choice – first time in a while that bread was hot on the interior, heck first time we had had warm bread in a over a week. The wine list is extensive and after deciding that we didn’t want a bottle, waiter was quite happy to serve me a very good single glass of wine. (As opposed to Prime on Navigator where the sommelier was quite a hard sell and then a bit disapproving when we passed on buying an upcharged bottle) The restaurant allows you to get two “halves” of separate appetizers for the price of one full – so I got the mushroom truffle soup and oysters with raspberry mignonette sauce. The soup had apples and truffle oil and was the absolute best of anything I have had short of when in Paris. The oysters were so mild, I could actually bite into them (not swallow whole) and I loved not getting the horseradish or cocktail sauce that is standard in much of the lower 48 (or I should say the Southeast where I live). I couldn’t pass up king crab legs for my entrée and they were perfectly prepared. ZQ Vol had boneless lamb also perfectly prepared. Unfortunately we were too stuffed for dessert, but the Sheraton runs a shuttle until 11 pm so we were able to trundle home and into bed. The check was very reasonable – we would have paid more for the same meal here in our hometown, so we were very satisfied and will definitely return to Crows Nest on our next trip to Anchorage.

 

It was an early rising for our train trip from Anchorage to Denali – 4.5 actual hours on the train. We left the hotel per Princess recommendation for a 7:15 check in for a 8:00 train. It was way too early. Train was full – two Princess cars, 3 HAL cars and 3 general Alaska cars, but there was a lot of standing around. If you are there by 7:40, you are fine if you have a Princess package – the assistance is great. Generally, Princess tours run seamlessly (we encountered one small hiccup here at the Wilderness Lodge, but it will actually work to our benefit – more later). This train car is a bit different from those you take from Seward for Regent – its domed, and you are sitting on the 2nd level with a separate dining car on the first level serving both breakfast and lunch with very nice bathrooms –definitely an upgrade. We saw moose, swan, and got a bit of history and Alaska urban myth along the way. Some of the front cars are rumored to have saw a bear, but since we never did, it doesn’t count. Went through Wasilla and saw the biggest Walmart in Alaska – did you know Walsilla sells more duct tape than anywhere in the US? Don’t ask. Crossing the divide and seeing rivers running North was amazing. Next stop was unexpected – due to earthquake we hadn’t felt but track was fine and we moved on. Dropped off a couple of cars of people (not the cars, just the people) at Talkneeta and picked up more before moving on to Denali. At Denali went over a couple of very impressive bridges and ended up at the station which is only a few minutes from the Denali Princes.

 

Part 2 to follow – basically how to book and survive an aircraft glacial landing within 60 minutes.

 

FT

[frequent traveler]

At the anchorage airport and returning home against my will. Glad I used the miles to go first class. Otherwise it's at least a 45 minute wait in the security line. Don't let the small size of the airport fool you. Also dont plan on any really good last minute airport shopping. At least not on concourses B and C. Buy it before you get to the airport. I saw several people paying big $$$ to ship seafood in containers as extra luggage. I hope they caught it since the containers had a web address and advertised shipping!

FT

[tallship]

FT - thank you for your informative reports.

 

What are your feelings at the end of the day? Were you pleased with your Regent experience? Would you book them again?

[Jim Avery]

FT - thank you for your informative reports.

 

What are your feelings at the end of the day? Were you pleased with your Regent experience? Would you book them again?

 

Have no fear. FT and ZQVOL are noted for their extensive follow up reports with ZQVOL providing lots and lots of pictures.:D

[tallship]

Have no fear. FT and ZQVOL are noted for their extensive follow up reports with ZQVOL providing lots and lots of pictures.:D

 

Thanks, Jim

I will hang in there

[frequent traveler]

Next to Last Entry – Denali. ;)

 

While at the Denali National Park we stayed at the Princess Wilderness Lodge – just a mile from Denali National Park Gates. There is a paved walking trail from the hotel to the park entrance. The hotel also runs a shuttle to the gates and will drop you off at another trail – bears are often sighted near the Visitors Center (just not when we were there).:rolleyes:

 

When we go back we will likely stay at the Princess again due to convenience. You don't have to spend any time checking in. While being transported to the hotel you receive a packet with your room keys and information. Across the street is a small strip center with several restaurants and shops. Our train trip from Anchorage took 8 hours and as soon as we arrived at the hotel since the weather was great we went straight to the excursions desk and booked our Mt McKinley Glacier Landing by Aircraft. ($449 per person, $299 per child price). The hotel’s excursion desk is very good but can be overwhelmed with guests trying to change excursions or book new ones. We arrived on the first good afternoon of weather after 5 wet and rainy days and met several people who had not seen the Mountain peak at all. We arrived at the hotel at 4:30 pm and the shuttle picked us up in the hotel lobby at 5:30 pm and took us the airport in Healy – about a 10 minute ride. There were 21 guests , 3 planes – so 7 of us in each. You will not choose your seat because seats are assigned by weight for balance purposes. There had been fresh snow but it was 72 so my hiking books were sufficient. Tennis shoes or other footwear required a change to boots provided by the operator. I was fine with my regular hiking pants and a windbreaker. Its about a 60 mile flight in the plane over the park – you see many glaciers and different mountains. We were lucky in that McKinley was out and we got to see from multiple angles and multiple times. Apparently only about 30% of visitors annually get to see all of the mountain. Landing on a glacier in unbelievable. :D Getting out of the plane and walking on a glacier at the base under brilliant blue skies is even more spectacular. :D:DA glacier calved while we were there – pushing out melting water and creating a waterfall under the ice about 1/3 way down. Ate some glacier ice (very crisp and clean) and sunk down a foot one time – due to warmth, ice does heat up. On the flight back, saw some Dall’s sheep (the only sighting for us) and other wild animals – rafters on the river, in 32 degree water!:eek:

We had dinner – tomato, basil, gorgonzola thin crust pizza and of course, Alaska amber or white beer at the Lynx Creek Pizza & Pub, across the entry way from the Princess. Its such a dive that I thought it was off property but turns out it was designed to look that way but its casual and the pizza was great.

Since we weren’t on a Princess cruise I think we had the most basic room – I heard others had very nice suites. Our room was basic – think Courtyard and it was fine (since we had gotten the 2-for-1 special, rooms for both nights and all transportation for $438 that was a great deal). The next morning we went on the 7:30 am Park tour – there are 2 versions – the 4.5 hr tour and the 8 hr tour. We didn’t have time to do the 8 hr tour and still make our bus down to Talkeetna and Mckinley Princess Lodge. But the 8 hr tours routinely see more wildlife. We did have multiple sightings of moose and caribou. At one point a moose with trailing calf crossed behind our bus and walked right in front of another bus and then ran parallel without our bus for a hundred yards. There are more people killed in encounters with moose in Alaska on an annual basis then with bear in ten years. Had lunch at the King Salmon restaurant back at the hotel, reasonably priced and acceptable, but nothing special. The bus ride to the Princess at the Denali State Park at Talkneeta is about 2.5 hrs. It’s a pretty ride but no wildlife sightings. The train always takes longer but its a much more scenic route – plus you can walk around, go to the observatory areas outside, have nicer bathrooms, and a bar and restaurant. .. .The Denali Wilderness lodge is a very nice hotel – beautiful view of McKinley (Denali) and the mountains that line up with it. It has two walking trails (one of which has been closed “until further notice” while we were there - due most likely to a moose and her calf using it – right below the deck while we were there). But it is isolated – its 50 minutes to the little town of Talkneeta and the train station, and a long drive for many of the excursions. Its also sprawling and you may have to walk a bit from your room to the main lodge and restaurants (and more importantly, the bar). I chose it because when weather is iffy you have the best chance of seeing McKinley from there and its only a 3 hr bus ride to Anchorage if you are flying back at night as opposed to the 5.5 or 6 hrs straight from the Denali National Park. The restaurants here are much better than at the other Princess hotel. They have a beer brewed especially for them, the Red Denali, that is less hoppy than an Alaska amber. Have the homemade barbecue sweet potato chips at the bar. Or the salmon pasta fettucine (vegetables and sauce are just right) and the grilled salmon on top had to have been 12 oz. Service was very good also. This hotel has a state park ranger station and free hourly sessions on a variety of topics – such as the life of bush pilots.

We did one excursion here – one I did not think I would enjoy, but it was a great deal of fun – it was the mining for gold tour. First shock was when the guide got into the van (there were 6 of us ) and strapped on his gun (apparently Princess doesn’t like tour guides to wear firearms on site). He also had a loaded shotgun propped up against the dashboard. When I asked if he thought we’d see any bears – he responded – if we do, they’ll be dead. Since we were going to a stream bank where the salmon were starting to run and with a group, if a bear came that close to us – he had to be prepared . . . On this tour we got to walk on tundra (its very bouncy), pick tundra rosemary and sage, and dig dirt, sift and wash and get the gold flakes. On the return trip stopped at the Roadhouse – a bar where the tradition is to write your name on a one dollar bill and staple it to the wall. Big hangout when people are ice fishing and the place is only accessible by snowmobile. After we finished that field trip, we returned to the hotel, had a light lunch and then began the bus trip back to Anchorage. We left the hotel at 5 and even with road construction and making several stops downtown, were at the airport by 8:15. We had a 9:40 flight which pulled away on time, but had to return due to passenger illness. The passenger was removed and placed on an ambulance (hope he/she is doing well – we don’t have any details) and 40 minutes later we were on our way. We missed our connection in Minneapolis, but our luggage didn’t! We made it home only 90 minutes late, but when we last checked luggage is still in Detroit. Oh well, hopefully it will arrive sometime. Just postpones doing laundry.

Next UP –

Final Conclusions on a SDYC addict’s first voyage on Regent.

FT

[zqvol]

Not worth the effort

[DaveFr]

Not worth the effort

Is "[n]ot worth the effort" your final conclusion? :confused:

 

Dave

[frequent traveler]

Is "[n]ot worth the effort" your final conclusion? :confused:

 

Dave

 

I'm buried at work trying to dig out from 2 weeks out of the office and having to make a business trip tomorrow so my final posting won't make it up until the weekend. ZQ Vol and I have differing opinions on a lot of things - this will probably be one of them . . .As noted all along there were some things I liked very much on the Navigator, others I didn't and my definition of "luxury" differs from other guests. In no way did I expect SD service on a ship with 495 passengers, so bear with me and I'll get back to you later in the week. Believe it or not, I left some things out along the way. :eek:

 

FT

[zqvol]

Here is a link to my entire collection of pictures that are posted on flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/8259823@N06/collections/72157626911233564/

 

Mount McKinley (or Mt. Denali as the natives prefer) is only seen by 30% of the visitors to the area because of weather. This view is typical of what we had all three days we were there.

 

 

For those who are curious I am working on my review which will be on my blog when I finish it, a link will be provided.

[zqvol]

Is "[n]ot worth the effort" your final conclusion? :confused:

 

Dave

 

I am working on a lengthy review. I am on day three and am already over 2500 words, so it will be too long to put on CC. I will provide a link to the location when I finish it, but to avoid keeping you in too much suspense parts of it (the trip as a whole) were excellent and parts of it were not worth the cost.

[ironin]

I'm buried at work trying to dig out from 2 weeks out of the office and having to make a business trip tomorrow so my final posting won't make it up until the weekend. ZQ Vol and I have differing opinions on a lot of things - this will probably be one of them . . .As noted all along there were some things I liked very much on the Navigator, others I didn't and my definition of "luxury" differs from other guests. In no way did I expect SD service on a ship with 495 passengers, so bear with me and I'll get back to you later in the week. Believe it or not, I left some things out along the way. :eek:

 

FT

 

Although I'm not a "regular" here, I began checking in daily to read your updates during your cruise and was sad to see them end. When you have the time, I do hope you'll append your final thoughts, and hope the few who reacted to your observations, and those of zqvol, with sarcasm and derision have not dissuaded you from writing them here.

[frequent traveler]

This thread is entitled SD Addict on First Regent Voyage. As background, once exposed to SD, it has become my preferred choice for sailing. I swore off mass markets years ago – I hate queuing up for anything, buffets (waited tables and tending bar to get through school), and being crowded. I also take a couple of nice holidays via luxury providers so when I pay for luxury – I expect luxury. However, I travel a lot on business and that’s never at a luxury level – mid level at best. Stuff happens, and it takes a lot to irritate me - service people are usually trying their best but planes are late, kitchens and/or wait staff have an off night, and other guests’ requests/demands can disrupt service. So I find myself most of the times sitting back and watching . . . often with a smile (or smirk when other travelers try to change the inevitable ).

 

These final words are predicated on a few of my core beliefs:

 

A Cruise Line is held to its marketing materials – if you publish it, you better deliver it.

 

If you describe your services/product as “luxury” – that does not mean mid-market

 

Nothing in life is perfect – if you expect it, you are delusional and since you can never deliver a perfect service or product 100% of the time, how can you expect it from others.

 

I did not go on Regent expecting a SD product, service or total experience. Navigator is a much larger ship (passenger and size wise). I did book Regent Navigator expecting a “luxury experience” – just as the Four Seasons, Punta Mita and Le Meurice in Paris are very different hotel luxury experiences, Regent and SD will deliver different luxury experiences. There were other “luxury” ships cruising Alaska but none stopping in Sitka (which is a not to be missed port) and none were “elegant casual” for dinner. So we chose the Navigator (really, I chose as ZQ Vol would have been happy on a balcony cabin in a mass market ship). After reviewing the literature and e-mailing a rep at Regent regarding the services of a butler, we chose a Penthouse C cabin thinking that the butler service would get us any individualized attention we liked (not unpacking – I’m too picky about where things go).

 

If you’ve made the way through all our on board postings, you’ll note that I liked a number of things about Navigator but had dislikes about others. I’m not going to repeat those specifics again.

 

In summary:

 

Staff: We did not meet a single surly staff member. We had difficulty one night with a waiter who struggled with English. People have different personalities, some are more reserved – some are more outgoing. Our favorites were the outgoing types – we enjoy getting to know more about them as individuals.

 

Wine: Normally, I drink nothing but Champagne, but the house pour was not one of my favorites. Most nights, I really enjoyed the house wines offered. Very good selection of French and Chilean and other reds in addition to the usual California reds. I am not a fan of white wine but seemed to be a very good selection also. Sometimes the assistant sommelier did not know or pour the correct wine of the night.

 

Food: Hits and misses. The biggest miss was The Verandah – truly mass market buffet at breakfast. Food Quality was mediocre and there was absolutely no variety during 7 days. Service was scattered and inconsistent. With the exception of one waiter, if you didn’t get in his section – you never knew when you were going to get a refill on your coffee or when or if your eggs were going to be delivered. I really preferred the pool bar breakfast – while the choices were restricted and it was self serve, it was quieter, there was a fresh juice bar and the food was of better quality. Unfortunately the Compass Rose opened later – after those on the morning excursions departed – this should be changed in Alaska.

 

Because of the service issues we never attempted the Verandah at dinner – we stayed at the Compass Rose where I had some truly excellent items – the soups are fantastic. I commend Regent for its healthy choices. Every night, a guest has a choice between healthy, degustation or eating to his/her hearts content. As an example, I loved the escargot and one table really loved – as they ordered at least 7 servings for the 3 adults eating!. I have difficult with the SD dining room as it is done with dark walls and the noise reverberates when it is full. Compass Rose with the light walls and seating next to the windows is airy and much more enjoyable. I did dislike having to get there between 6:30 and 6:45 to get a window seat – however, that is just the way it is. And waiting until 9 didn’t work either – due to the time it took to turn a table, people were still lingering. What is difficult is if you don’t get a window table – you are sitting so close to the other tables, it is difficult to have a private conversation. However, again, I don’t know of may cruise ships where that isn’t the case. SD's cuisine is significantly better from top to bottom, however it is a much small ship and I didn't expect the same from Regent. Regent provides much more variety and choices.

 

Cabins, I liked the cabin immensely – the walk in closet made the cabin much more usable to me than the SD layout. And I would recommend never doing Alaska without a balcony. But the cabin was not large enough to have a multi course dinner in comfortably. If a couple has more than a dinner plate plus drinks on the table, any thing else has to be set on the desk or the couch. For those of you who have sailed SD – couch, table and chairs, along with desk, cabinets are about the same size. Storage areas – other than closet are about the same and Regent may in fact have a bit less drawer space. Regent has fantastic black out curtains.

 

Public areas – Generally, the ship is well maintained. Décor in the 7 seas lounge seems a bit old, but that could just be my perception. What was commented on by a number of guests was that for this particular group – the gym was totally inadequate. On our voyage, we had a lot of people who were active – I’d say more than 60% of the total guests and it was impossible to use certain equipment in the gym. There was quite a bit of frustration and in turn some guests inside and outside Galileo were upset as people continued to use the outdoor track throughout the day. Me, that’s what it there for. However, there is not a lot of outdoor seating in the public areas if you like that option.

 

Butler Service – In our case this was overpriced and totally worthless. What was not disclosed to me upfront and shame on me for not asking – that the butlers each have 11 cabins. Since when a cabin has both a butler and a cabin attendant, the cabin attendant is barred from certain activities she would otherwise handle, this makes for a less efficient system. We did not get much of the additional services which Regent markets as being provided by the Butler. Total misrepresentation by Regent.

 

Excursions: The excursion desk worked very hard and seemed to cope with all sorts of changes. Polite, and eager to please, this was a great team. After pricing out all of our excursions, we can say across the board that the Retail Price Regent assigns is somewhat higher that those charged to the public by the vendor – ranging anywhere from $25 to $75. Typically, a cruise line booking a massive number of slots should get a price lower than that charged to the public and then mark up some to cover its own costs. I think by including it gives guests the flexibility to change is and is a very good feature. For a 2nd trip to Alaska not so necessary.

 

Fellow Guests: An absolutely great group – enjoyed very much. Those with children had well behaved children and those without were great to meet. Very international group with a lot of first time cruisers and firs time Regent cruisers. Some Hi Level Regent repeaters. With the exception of one guest who kept smoking in places he shouldn’t didn’t see anything out of line. Guests were from all walks of life and had very interesting backgrounds. That was great since we were in such close quarter in Compass Rose  This is an advantage to selling on a "larger ship" than SD -- if there is a guest who might not be compatible with your personality, much easier to avoid.

 

 

Overall: While we had a great time and are planning to visit Alaska again, it is doubtful that we would sail on Navigator unless changes are made. Navigator is definitely not worth the premium for the butler cabin. And after pricing it out – a top of the line cabin on RCCL is more cost effective, even with paying for excursions and alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages than even a lower priced cabin on the Navigator. You spend so little time on the ship in Alaska – at least we did, that the Regent premium just isn’t worth it. I never expected staff to know my name but I did expect tables to be cleared in a reasonable manner, dirty breakfast dishes not to left in my room all day, to not have food I had placed in the mini fridge taken out and left to spoil, to have a waiter actually bring me a drink in a bar (as opposed to having to go to the bar and get my own after 10 minutes), and to be able to get a drink in a bar when its scheduled to be open. When the casino is open, the casino bar should be opened and the window be manned.

 

And the inconsistency of service also prevents Navigator from fulfilling the “luxury” label. We seem to agree that head sommelier is absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately a couple of her assistants are not. The same with the wait staff – and management does not pitch in to support when needed, with a couple of rare exceptions. When you actually have Maitre D pull a waiter away from your table as he begins taking your order to do something else – there is a problem.

 

We weren’t the only guests on this voyage to make this judgment. On the train to Anchorage, we talked to two separate couples, with cabins on Deck 10 (butler) and one on Deck 6 (non butler). We didn’t start either conversation. The one on Deck 6 had brought their comment card and was writing a letter to management about the “luxury” issue. However, had we paid a lower price and not had the butler cabin our expectations would have not been for a luxury experience - I still would have had issues with certain service components (no excuse for two different functions clearing different items on a table, whether in Compass Rose or on the Pool Deck).

 

For those of you with upcoming trips on Navigator - please don't let my postings detract from your anticipation - sorry if you have a butler cabin, perhaps you will have a very different experience. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience and an excellent way to experience Alaska -- you won't regret it all.

 

I appreciate all the comments other posters have made in this thread. Thanks very much – and by the way, haven’t heard a peep from Regent in response to my comment card, but continue to get e-mails and postal mailings on cruise discounts!

 

Have a great 4th of July.

 

FT

[nancygp]

FT,

 

While I don't feel a need to post often on the Regent board, I really enjoyed your posts as well as your husbands posts. Thanks you so much for sharing your experiences and thanks for your final thoughts. Alaska is a wonderful destination and I look forward to returning in August for the second time on another luxury line.

 

Again many thanks and so glad you and your husband were able to sail to such beautiful places.

 

Nancy

[mimito4]

Bravo, FT!!! I've been waiting patiently for your sum-up, and as expected, I was not disappointed. This was very well balanced, beautiful written and being the savy business woman you are, you seemed to arrive at your final judgments via basic analytical steps.

 

This is one that I truly hope upper management reads, shares with crew and acts upon. Again, with your background, you have just given Regent a great gift. Hopefully, since I follow your Alaskan Navigator cruise by a couple of months, it will also be a gift to me (assuming they act upon your feedback). ;) :D

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Thanks for the very reasoned summary.

 

You won't hear from Regent directly, in my experience, unless you write to them directly to complain. Sometimes not then either. In any case it would be weeks before you would hear anything.

 

I just have one small comment, where you say, "However, had we paid a lower price and not had the butler cabin our expectations would have not been for a luxury experience". The luxury experience should be there, regardless of what kind of cabin you inhabit, so I can't agree with that statement. Yes, you get some (so-called) amenities with a butlered cabin, but your experience out and about is the same no matter what suite you're in.

[frequent traveler]

Thanks for the very reasoned summary.

 

You won't hear from Regent directly, in my experience, unless you write to them directly to complain. Sometimes not then either. In any case it would be weeks before you would hear anything.

 

I just have one small comment, where you say, "However, had we paid a lower price and not had the butler cabin our expectations would have not been for a luxury experience". The luxury experience should be there, regardless of what kind of cabin you inhabit, so I can't agree with that statement. Yes, you get some (so-called) amenities with a butlered cabin, but your experience out and about is the same no matter what suite you're in.

 

I made several typos throught out the posting and didn't catch until the time for editing passed. And Wendy you are right. I could have phrased this much better. There are two levels here: (1) Butler level brought certain expectations re personalized services (2) overall pricing - for example, had we been on Deck 6, brought another -- the signficant different between Deck 6 pricing and other lines, in my opinion, didn't justify the "luxury" label. The couple on Deck 6 on the train actually had considered the best cabin on NCCL, priced out similar (not identical) excursions - weren't heavy drinkers and used their bar bills from past cruises -like us, they book their own airfare (can be cheaper than the Regent option) - to them the price differential was significant and not justified. That's what I was trying to say - not that there was different treatment due to being in a butler cabin. One of the best things about both Navigator and SD - no one outside your butler or cabin attendant seems to know or care what cabin you are in.

 

FT

[Jim Avery]

FT, thanks. Great job. Most helpful with our plans.

J & L.

[RachelG]

Thank you for your review. I have to agree that, for me, the extra price to have a butler suite just is not worth it. We had one only one time--on Voyager--and that was because we were upgraded. Had I been paying signif extra $'s for it, I would have been disappointed.

[onlyhim]

FT and zqvol,

 

My wife and I wish to thank you taking the time to provide us with your experiences. Your review has helped us to better form OUR level of expectations. I am a true believer that a vendor must provide the product/services that he/she promises.

[frequent traveler]

Thanks for the lovely comments. And I forgot one item in my "final" posting . . . so I guess this will be my final posting . . . unless I remember something else.

 

On board shopping. I only paid one visit to the stores on whatever deck the Casino is on and that was because I lost one glove on Sitka (not the pair . . .but one). The next day was a visit to Hubbard Glacier and I knew I was going to be on deck all morning. My leather driving gloves were lined and very warm and I had to replace them. Do not forget to pack gloves.

 

To get in the store you have to walk past a jewelry vendor or two and the art store - but no solicitations, just a nice smile. Navigator had at least two differerent types of ladies leather gloves (or perhaps faux leather) to choose from and I was able to acquire a pair that went several inches beyond my wrists for $54.00. While not quite as warm as the ones I had brought with me they served their duty and I didn't find the price outrageous. While signing for them, a couple next to me was buying stuffed animals for the grandchildren. They acquired 7 smallish critters for about $65.00. Not too bad. There was also a pretty good assortment of sweatshirts, etc at reasonable prices. I've seen much worse prices in hotel gift shops and when you are captive sometimes you will pay any price. Or at least I will.:rolleyes: .

 

FT

[frequent traveler]

I give up -- I keep remembering things I meant to post in my final posting - but seeing Elmwood's on board postings had me going back to my notes.

 

What is it with an all -inclusive fare that upcharges for certain "on board" events. I'm not talking about ordering caviar for your rooms (as when SD starting charging for that when it was previously free, that triggered a post of on line complaints on the SD board, but I understood since the caviar market went sky high). But upcharging for events in the Galileo lounge such as the wine tasting or an afternoon tea offering caviar. The tea was "included" but the caviar was an upcharge. There was an upcharged event almost every single day. Has that always been the way on Regent? I found it disturbing, but perhaps that just our lack of knowledge of Regent practices.

 

FT