Mariner Black Sea July 6-16

[kvisf]

Just a few quick observations relating to various recent posts, after three days aboard:

 

The bubbly waiting in the suite at embarkation was Jacquart Mosaique Brut, a house in Reims. Perhaps Regent was reading recent comments about faux champagne, in any event the real stuff is being poured.

 

Two excursions so far, both handled on time and very efficiently.

 

Compass Rose and Prime 7 were both excellent. Executive chef is Anthony Gatherall.

 

The complimentary wines are up to previous standards, all quite good so far.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Great to hear things are going well! Looking forward to hearing more.

[Travelcat2]

Not surprised but happy to hear your report. Anthony is a wonderful chef. Some of posters may have noticed that recent "complaints" have not been about the Mariner. The management team that has been aboard the Mariner for a while are all excellent. Not sure if Franck Galzy (General Manager) has left the Mariner yet. He is going to be on the Voyager in September when it undergoes refurbishment. Hope he will stay on board the Voyager for a while as he works well with the crew and the result is a well run ship with happy crew members! I am a one person Franck Galzy fan club:-)

[Travelcat2]

Oops -- double post.

[xrvlcruiser]

Jackie,

 

Franck just joined the Voyager . . . .

 

Peggy

[alexandra cruiser]

am trying to decide between itineraries for this area,,,tell us about ports and excursions,,,what did you like or not...have a great time,,look forward to more posts,,,:)

[claudiaYVR]

Not surprised but happy to hear your report. Anthony is a wonderful chef. Some of posters may have noticed that recent "complaints" have not been about the Mariner. The management team that has been aboard the Mariner for a while are all excellent. Not sure if Franck Galzy (General Manager) has left the Mariner yet. He is going to be on the Voyager in September when it undergoes refurbishment. Hope he will stay on board the Voyager for a while as he works well with the crew and the result is a well run ship with happy crew members! I am a one person Franck Galzy fan club:-)

 

Travelcat2, we are booked on the Voyager next year for our first Regent cruise. Do you know how extensive the refurbishments will be? do you have any details you could share? thanks,

[kvisf]

am trying to decide between itineraries for this area,,,tell us about ports and excursions,,,what did you like or not...have a great time,,look forward to more posts,,,:)

 

In Ephesus we did the Terrace Houses excursion -- this was a complimentary Regent excursion, well organized, a good guide, and fascnating look at the Terrace Houses, which require a separate admission. We were back in Kusadasi in time for rug shopping, and our friends wound up buying a couple of beautiful pieces at quite fair prices.

 

Yalta was the Crimean Diamonds excursion -- a heavy dose of palaces, with a brief photo-op stopover at a vista point above the Swallows Nest castle.

 

In Sochi we did the Highlights and Tea Plantation tour. The city itself is not particularly interesting, though it has extensive parks, but the hour-long drive to the tea plantation was scenic, and the visit to the Tea Chalet for tea, fresh-baked breads and preserves, and folkloric entertainment, was a pleasant interlude. Be aware that this four-hour excursion involves about two hours on a bus.

 

Regent cautions that the guides may not be up to standards expected in more heaviliy traveled ports, and we found that was quite true. Mariner is the largest ship able to tie up in Sochi, so it hasn't yet had the cruise traffic to develop the personnel and infrastructure. Nevertheless, our guide was a charming young Russian woman with perfectly adequate English, who managed to cope with a few surly passengers rather well.

 

The passenger mix is younger than on our past cruises, with children on board ranging from toddlers to late teens - perhaps thirty or forty in all, they are not that visible, and have been no problem at all. That accounts for the higher than typical number of younger adults on board with young families.

 

Food, beverage, housekeeping and entertainment all continue to be fully up to prior standards, indeed perhaps a bit better all around. Dinner at Signatures last night was impeccable, the wait staff did do the simultaneous uncovering of the main courses, but pulled it off with a smile and tongue in cheek, not at all pretentious, and the quality of ingredients, preparation and presentation were all to a very high standard.

[OrpingtonT]

Food, beverage, housekeeping and entertainment all continue to be fully up to prior standards, indeed perhaps a bit better all around. Dinner at Signatures last night was impeccable, the wait staff did do the simultaneous uncovering of the main courses, but pulled it off with a smile and tongue in cheek, not at all pretentious, and the quality of ingredients, preparation and presentation were all to a very high standard.

 

Good to hear. I feel the same way about Sigs for every time I have been. I shall be sorry to see it go. As it is the "Cordon Bleu" licence which is not being renewed, I hope it continues as a French quality outlet.

[alexandra cruiser]

and look forward to more posts,,,have been to Athens and Istanbul,,so the other ports have more interest to me...glad Mariner up to good standards,will be on in Dec. Surprised to hear the number of children,,not the cruise that I would expect them on...???;)

[555lavan1t]

TC,

I will be on the Voyager in February 2012 and must have missed the refurbishment in September. What is being refurbished in September? This one totally got by me. I've sailed Regent/Radisson since 2001 and it will be my third time on the Voyager and although I should know about this refurbishment I do not, so thanks for any information.