Are some people too hard to please?

[SeagoingMom]

I don't think that there is anyone but you that can answer that question. Not everybody is looking for the same things. I find that the things that attract me to Regent are (1) not being nickled and dimed for everything -- we took a Disney cruise and at the end the bill at the end of the cruise made the Disney cruise about as expensive as Regent including all those charges for bottles of water; (2) the rooms all have balconies (well almost all) which really adds to my enjoyment; (3) we find that our fellow cruisers have a lot in common with us and we've met some really good friends on our cruises; (4) we drink so the alcohol included is a big plus -- you often have discussions about whether or not the "all included" works for people who do not drink -- again that decision is up to them; and finally (4) we really like Regent's itineraries. Only you can decide whether or not the upscale pricing includes things which are of value to you. As far as expectations go -- I have found that all cruise lines have passengers who are equally disgruntled with things whatever they paid for their tickets. And the OP is correct -- some people are just never happy with anything. Regent works for us so we stay with Regent. If it didn't we'd find another way to travel. But one big thing I forgot is that the Regent ships are smaller. We went to one port that had to tender and one cruise line was so large that we went ashore and came back and they were still tendering their passengers to the dock. Some of those ships are HUGE.

Thank you for your insight. No surprise that posters on this thread are making Regent look better all the time -- except maybe for the "small ship" concept. Although I hate the idea of huge ships, the idea of small ships scares me, too -- maybe too much intimacy with other pax? DH and I tend to be "loners" on cruises -- it is our "away time" together, and we like to concentrate on each other. We prefer to be somewhat anonymous. I wonder if I would feel just a little claustrophobic on a ship with only a few hundred other pax? So far the size that has suited us best is the "mid-size" ship -- around 2000 pax.

 

In addition, if we ever sailed on a luxury line, it would have to be a very special occasion for which we had sacrificed a lot -- we are not in the financial situation to be able to be luxury line regulars. I wonder if we would feel we fit in with the "fellow cruisers" you mention, as they would undoubtedly be "out of our league." I wonder what we would have in common. To be perfectly frank, I fear snootiness on the part of regulars on the luxury lines. And of course, regulars on the luxury lines are hardly the ones to be able to say whether they and other pax are snooty!

 

Guess it's a question of whether we would prefer to feel like we were at the bottom of the social ladder on Regent or somewhere nearer the top in a nice balcony room on a non-luxury line.

[LindaM]

Thank you for your insight. No surprise that posters on this thread are making Regent look better all the time -- except maybe for the "small ship" concept. Although I hate the idea of huge ships, the idea of small ships scares me, too -- maybe too much intimacy with other pax? DH and I tend to be "loners" on cruises -- it is our "away time" together, and we like to concentrate on each other. We prefer to be somewhat anonymous. I wonder if I would feel just a little claustrophobic on a ship with only a few hundred other pax? So far the size that has suited us best is the "mid-size" ship -- around 2000 pax.

 

In addition, if we ever sailed on a luxury line, it would have to be a very special occasion for which we had sacrificed a lot -- we are not in the financial situation to be able to be luxury line regulars. I wonder if we would feel we fit in with the "fellow cruisers" you mention, as they would undoubtedly be "out of our league." I wonder what we would have in common. To be perfectly frank, I fear snootiness on the part of regulars on the luxury lines. And of course, regulars on the luxury lines are hardly the ones to be able to say whether they and other pax are snooty!

 

Guess it's a question of whether we would prefer to feel like we were at the bottom of the social ladder on Regent or somewhere nearer the top in a nice balcony room on a non-luxury line.

 

You would not be out of your league. What is interesting about Regent, is that you will find people from all walks of life. I can't recall meeting more than just a few who could be considered "snooty", and we certainly had the occasion to (at dinner) where we always shared a table. There were some who were obviously dressed in designer clothing/jewelry, but that was not the norm. What we had in common was travel. Most of our fellow passengers were well traveled. Even if you aren't, I seriously doubt you would lack for conversation...there is always something to talk about, even if it's about the ship/Regent. I sail on HAL as well, so I think my opinion could be valid in your eyes!! In case you were not aware, even the least expensive cabin is 300 sq ft, which is the size of a deluxe verandah on other lines. The ships are not TOO small. You will run into the same people, but not as often as you might think. I don't think I would like riverboats for the reason you mentioned...too intimate.

[RachelG]

I wouldn't worry about it being too intimate. I have often seen people on the last day or two of a cruise that I had never seen before the whole previous 2 weeks. If you want to socialize a lot, you definitely can, but it is not necessary at all.

 

As far as too snooty, most people on Regent are definitely not snooty. In fact, I found that more on Oceania that Regent. Most people who cruise on Regent regularly just like to travel a lot and are really interesting to talk to, coming from many different backgrounds. You will find some captains of industry--and most of them are super nice. But you will also find just every day people who save up their money so they can cruise on a luxury line. So they just go less often.

 

And nobody cares what suite you are in. Or even knows for that matter, unless you choose to tell them.

[Eager2Travel]

Rachel, that is a perfect description of Regent and why we love it.

[dabear]

I would like to confirm Rachel G's comment about fellow pax. We were pleasantly surprised how laid back most of the pax were. Most did not volunteer there backrounds, but were more open about their travels & cruising experiences etc. Our TA advised us that RSSC attracks a more casual, laid back crowd than a few other luxury lines.

[Gemlea]

Thank you for your insight. No surprise that posters on this thread are making Regent look better all the time -- except maybe for the "small ship" concept. Although I hate the idea of huge ships, the idea of small ships scares me, too -- maybe too much intimacy with other pax? DH and I tend to be "loners" on cruises -- it is our "away time" together, and we like to concentrate on each other. We prefer to be somewhat anonymous. I wonder if I would feel just a little claustrophobic on a ship with only a few hundred other pax? So far the size that has suited us best is the "mid-size" ship -- around 2000 pax.

 

In addition, if we ever sailed on a luxury line, it would have to be a very special occasion for which we had sacrificed a lot -- we are not in the financial situation to be able to be luxury line regulars. I wonder if we would feel we fit in with the "fellow cruisers" you mention, as they would undoubtedly be "out of our league." I wonder what we would have in common. To be perfectly frank, I fear snootiness on the part of regulars on the luxury lines. And of course, regulars on the luxury lines are hardly the ones to be able to say whether they and other pax are snooty!

 

Guess it's a question of whether we would prefer to feel like we were at the bottom of the social ladder on Regent or somewhere nearer the top in a nice balcony room on a non-luxury line.

 

 

We have just completed our first cruise on Regent and, like you, are not likely to ever be in a financial position to become luxury cruise line regulars. However, I can categorically say, that our Regent cruise was the most classless cruise experience we have had to date. There were no lounges / bars / speciality restaurants etc that we were not welcomed in, and we certainly didn't find our fellow cruisers snooty! Neither did we feel that the smaller ship (we were on Navigator) caused unwanted intimacy. Your cruise holiday is what you make it. When we wanted interaction with fellow guests, they were friendly and welcoming. When we needed our own space - nobody bothered.

 

If you embark on a cruise expecting an "us & them" situation, then you are far more likely to come across that attitude on the premium cruise lines than on the classless Regent.

[Travelcat2]

We have just completed our first cruise on Regent and, like you, are not likely to ever be in a financial position to become luxury cruise line regulars. However, I can categorically say, that our Regent cruise was the most classless cruise experience we have had to date. There were no lounges / bars / speciality restaurants etc that we were not welcomed in, and we certainly didn't find our fellow cruisers snooty! Neither did we feel that the smaller ship (we were on Navigator) caused unwanted intimacy. Your cruise holiday is what you make it. When we wanted interaction with fellow guests, they were friendly and welcoming. When we needed our own space - nobody bothered.

 

If you embark on a cruise expecting an "us & them" situation, then you are far more likely to come across that attitude on the premium cruise lines than on the classless Regent.

 

Loved your post and agree with you 100% You explained what we loe about Regent.:)

[ChristyVoltron]

In addition, if we ever sailed on a luxury line, it would have to be a very special occasion for which we had sacrificed a lot -- we are not in the financial situation to be able to be luxury line regulars.

 

We are not wealthy -- not by a long shot -- in fact we travel every other year or every third year and alternate with staycations to save our money. And we have found most of the passengers to be warm and friendly and fun to be around. We buy our tickets when they first go on sale to get the cheapest cabin we can. We don't do the suites or the concierge level -- but that's okay we are all going to the same place and we have a very nice time on the ship on every cruise we've taken with Regent. But there are different options for everybody because everybody has different wants, needs and desires. At this time we find that Regent meets our needs and it is worth saving our money to us.

[Sheltieluv]

We are far from wealthy either, and we cruise with Regent every two years and savor every second we're on board. Would we like to cruise with them more often? Of course! But, in the meantime we "travel" along with those on board the various ships and enjoy reading posts about places we hope to visit someday.

 

You will find most passengers very friendly and easy going. "Classless" in the best possible way!

[ChocolatePirate]

Thank you for your insight. No surprise that posters on this thread are making Regent look better all the time -- except maybe for the "small ship" concept. Although I hate the idea of huge ships, the idea of small ships scares me, too -- maybe too much intimacy with other pax? DH and I tend to be "loners" on cruises -- it is our "away time" together, and we like to concentrate on each other. We prefer to be somewhat anonymous. I wonder if I would feel just a little claustrophobic on a ship with only a few hundred other pax? So far the size that has suited us best is the "mid-size" ship -- around 2000 pax.

 

In addition, if we ever sailed on a luxury line, it would have to be a very special occasion for which we had sacrificed a lot -- we are not in the financial situation to be able to be luxury line regulars. I wonder if we would feel we fit in with the "fellow cruisers" you mention, as they would undoubtedly be "out of our league." I wonder what we would have in common. To be perfectly frank, I fear snootiness on the part of regulars on the luxury lines. And of course, regulars on the luxury lines are hardly the ones to be able to say whether they and other pax are snooty!

 

Guess it's a question of whether we would prefer to feel like we were at the bottom of the social ladder on Regent or somewhere nearer the top in a nice balcony room on a non-luxury line. [/Quote]

DH and I are "loners", too; we like our solitude. There are days that I don't speak to anyone except my DH. We live in the country, and we hardly ever have visitors (we get excited when the FedEx man delivers something!).

 

We went on our first Regent cruise last year. I, too, was afraid that we might be "out of our league." A little something about me: I volunteer at my church's thrift store, and I get all my cruise clothes there (and most of my every day clothes!) We're not rich, but we like to enjoy our retirement, and I love to travel.

 

We love Regent's small ships. (When we docked next to one of the mega-liners in Alaska, I told my husband if we were on that ship I would stay in the room the whole time because I'd be afraid I'd get lost). We enjoy the Regent excursions; we dine by ourselves; and go to the entertainment by ourselves. We book the least expensive cabins and we're not treated any differently than anyone else on the ship. We so enjoyed our first cruise last year that we are going on another one this August and have another booked Oct. 2015.

[kennicott]

More likely than not, that OP reviewer either had the terrible cruise he details (somewhat like acquiring a "lemon" of a vehicle when the particular model is unequivocally rated top of the line") or he has a biased dislike for Regent, or dwells upon being super critical and accentuating the negative of travel experiences then perhaps, to provide some authenticity for his reviews, he publishes mock positive experiences from time to time. Hard to say though in this case as by his own admission probably has not ever cruised before.

 

Being a long time reviewer for Tripadviser I witness this quite often. You will have a long string of ratings for establishments or attractions demonstrating an epitome of perfection at the 5 star level then suddenly appears a vitriolic negative assessment that would blow your socks off. You ask yourself, how come this type enterprise or whatever comes in so high in the opinion of so many then appears a sole diametrically opposed view? Was that just a bad day or experience for that rater? Was he/her a plant for the competition in order to cheat on the ratings? Or was all the other raters just completely out of touch with reality?

 

Whatever, we just happened to be on that same vessel on pretty much the same cruise this dude was, just last September and October. Loved it. One of the finest voyages we have undertaken to date. Recently we just passed our 500 at sea voyaging day, our total with HAL, Princess and Regent. So, based upon experience, I am very skeptical of the validity of that review and the integrity of the author.

 

As for Regent's reviews, I keep hearing Regent referred to as a "luxury" line. I guess that depends upon one's interpretation of "luxury line", however, I don't quite read their business model quite like that. Yes, they are pretty much all inclusive and definitely high end when it comes to comparing them with the eleven larger majors. But, to look forward to a "luxury" experience with Regent is I believe a stretch, and I don't believe Regent actually wants that distinction. Luxury cruising for me would be to sail on say, a SeaDream Yacht Club vessel, or a Hapag-Lloyd Cruses vessel. Now, we haven't been on either one of those, but have close friends who have. They keep trying to get us to go along, but we aren't about to do that as we be happy campers where we are. Now, if one wants to compare Regent to some more authentic "luxury lines" and not to mainline cruise outfits, then be my guest. But hold onto your wallet.

 

We consider ourselves fortunate to have run across Regent. Money wise, most similar voyages on HAL or Princess cost us just as much or more than like Regent cruises. Take a look at those voyage comparison cost analyses that Regent provides. Granted, there may be bias since Regent provides them as a marketing tool, but I find them to be pretty accurate, matter of fact, it appears to me Regent is overly conservative and could include even more costs per voyage which they assess to Princess and HAL in these. We have cruised extensively on HAL, like doing almost a three month voyage on the Prinsendam. Generally speaking, in our opinion, Regent is a "cut above" the other two after paying out almost the same number of dollars for a similar product. They particularly excel in their stateroom size, quality and the demeanor and ability of their cruise staff personnel, in all categories.

 

As is the case for all three, we have never taken a cruise which we didn't really enjoy. Knock on wood.

[Travelcat2]

 

You will find most passengers very friendly and easy going. "Classless" in the best possible way!

 

I will have to remember your last sentence. We very much enjoy being "classless".

 

kennicott: It has bothered me for a long time that Regent has done comparisons with HAL and Princess as, IMO, there is no comparison. I do understand that they are comparing upper level suites on HAL and Princess to the least expensive suites on Regent but I do not feel that reading the comparisons one could assume that because you like Princess or HAL that you will automatically like Regent. We have met several HAL passengers that are disappointed with Regent for a variety of reasons. As posted previously, on our one and only Oceania cruise, many passengers raved about Oceania and have switched to them. Regent's direct competition is Crystal, Silversea, Seabourn and to a lesser extent Sea Dream and some of the foreign carriers -- not HAL or Princess.

 

In any case, this is just the opinion of one Regent loyalist (who also sails Silversea and will sail Oceania again).

Edited July 13, 2014 by Travelcat2

[marinaro44]

Money wise, most similar voyages on HAL or Princess cost us just as much or more than like Regent cruises. Take a look at those voyage comparison cost analyses that Regent provides.

The Celebrity and Princess comparisons are deliberately chosen for seven day cruises as the airfares for Celebrity and Princess are then amortized over only seven nights. If the comparisons were done for 14-night cruises the per diem rates for Celebrity and Princess would be much lower. Interesting that for comparisons with Silversea, etc., a 14-night cruise is used for the comparison.

 

And, yes, I do understand that Regent gives a much different experience than a mass-market cruise line like Celebrity or Princess, but that cost comparison is still deliberately misleading.

Edited July 13, 2014 by marinaro44

[nana541]

The Celebrity and Princess comparisons are deliberately chosen for seven day cruises as the airfares for Celebrity and Princess are then amortized over only seven nights. If the comparisons were done for 14-night cruises the per diem rates for Celebrity and Princess would be much lower. Interesting that for comparisons with Silversea, etc., a 14-night cruise is used for the comparison.

 

And, yes, I do understand that Regent gives a much different experience than a mass-market cruise line like Celebrity or Princess, but that cost comparison is still deliberately misleading.

 

 

Actually when sailing last year with family I ended up on RCCL in the Med. I think the pp fare was about $2100, but when all was said and done - airfare, tours, tips, and 2 glasses of wine each evening.

 

Well short story I could have sailed with Regent for what the total cost was for that cruise. Why didn't I, well my nephew and his wife were the lead singers for entertainment on that ship and after almost 5 yrs of cruise ships had decided to come home.

 

Public spaces on that RCCL ship were lovely, but the Jr Suite, not even the size of the basic Deluxe suite on Regent was "icky" dirty balcony, cracked & peeling railings, gross pink plastic bathroom. Won't talk about the awful food, before ordering a steak I had to wait for someone to scan my cabin card (and wait and wait) would not take my order until that card was scanned for an $8 up charge!! Then there was the 2400 passengers ..... Need I say more?

 

I was never so happy when I boarded Mariner in Barcelona a few months later. Regent can be a fair or even good deal, not always but the trade offs to me are not worth it. The RCCL trip was good because we had family on the trip but I have no desire to return to that experience again.

 

Just my two cents :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[LindaM]

I think you hit the nail on the head when you noted that Regent is all inclusive BUT not really a luxury line. When people from mainstream lines sail Regent, they are expecting "luxury", which most people think of as offering impeccable service. I love Regent for many reasons, but the service is no different than on a mainstream line. That is why people are somewhat disappointed. Mediocre undistinguished service is really my only beef with Regent. We did experience a lot of exemplary service, but it should have been that way across the board. However, when someone higher up read my midcruise report, they were on it. I can't say the service changed much. It is what it is. I will know what to expect for cruise #3. I see you were on Prinsendam for a long period. As HAL's most expensive ship, we experienced great service each time we sailed her. We expected the same on Regent, but it was hit or miss at best. Now, if we were comparing Regent with another mainstream ship, we may not have been as critical. We met people who sail Seabourn who were very critical of Regent.

 

When people go to a highly rated very expensive restaurant, they will get fabulous food and most importantly, impeccable service. That is what Regent is lacking, which makes it not really luxury, in my mind. All inclusive.....I love that aspect, which could be considered luxury as well. However, there are tons of "all inclusives" out there that are not remotely luxurious!

[1982CruzStart]

 

As for Regent's reviews, I keep hearing Regent referred to as a "luxury" line. I guess that depends upon one's interpretation of "luxury line", however, I don't quite read their business model quite like that. Yes, they are pretty much all inclusive and definitely high end when it comes to comparing them with the eleven larger majors. But, to look forward to a "luxury" experience with Regent is I believe a stretch, and I don't believe Regent actually wants that distinction. Luxury cruising for me would be to sail on say, a SeaDream Yacht Club vessel, or a Hapag-Lloyd Cruses vessel. Now, we haven't been on either one of those, but have close friends who have. They keep trying to get us to go along, but we aren't about to do that as we be happy campers where we are. Now, if one wants to compare Regent to some more authentic "luxury lines" and not to mainline cruise outfits, then be my guest. But hold onto your wallet.

 

As is the case for all three, we have never taken a cruise which we didn't really enjoy. Knock on wood.

 

Regent does refer to itself as "the most inclusive luxury experience" on its website so i think they do indeed want that distinction. Personally I think luxury is in the eyes of the beholder. What one person feels is luxury another may not. We have only been on 2 Regent cruises so far with another one booked for later this year. We enjoy the Regent experience very much and consider it luxury but don't necessarily book it for every cruise we take. We have had no issues with service whatsoever on Regent with one exception and i can't say the same for all the 200 plus days we have had on other cruise lines. The only exception was with Destination Services and I am not alone there.

 

Being an accountant for over 30 years I run the numbers on every itinerary we cruise and Regent has come out ahead on the ones we booked with Regent. Now money is not the only nor even the most important criteria when deciding on a cruise but I like to make sure i am getting good value for what I do chose.

 

Thank goodness we have many choices for our cruising pleasure. Enjoy whichever cruise line you go with. We always enjoy our cruises.

[SeagoingMom]

As for Regent's reviews, I keep hearing Regent referred to as a "luxury" line. I guess that depends upon one's interpretation of "luxury line", however, I don't quite read their business model quite like that. Yes, they are pretty much all inclusive and definitely high end when it comes to comparing them with the eleven larger majors. But, to look forward to a "luxury" experience with Regent is I believe a stretch, and I don't believe Regent actually wants that distinction. Luxury cruising for me would be to sail on say, a SeaDream Yacht Club vessel, or a Hapag-Lloyd Cruses vessel. Now, we haven't been on either one of those, but have close friends who have. They keep trying to get us to go along, but we aren't about to do that as we be happy campers where we are. Now, if one wants to compare Regent to some more authentic "luxury lines" and not to mainline cruise outfits, then be my guest. But hold onto your wallet.

 

We consider ourselves fortunate to have run across Regent. Money wise, most similar voyages on HAL or Princess cost us just as much or more than like Regent cruises. Take a look at those voyage comparison cost analyses that Regent provides. Granted, there may be bias since Regent provides them as a marketing tool, but I find them to be pretty accurate, matter of fact, it appears to me Regent is overly conservative and could include even more costs per voyage which they assess to Princess and HAL in these. We have cruised extensively on HAL, like doing almost a three month voyage on the Prinsendam. Generally speaking, in our opinion, Regent is a "cut above" the other two after paying out almost the same number of dollars for a similar product. They particularly excel in their stateroom size, quality and the demeanor and ability of their cruise staff personnel, in all categories.

 

As is the case for all three, we have never taken a cruise which we didn't really enjoy. Knock on wood.

Having only experienced Celebrity, Carnival, HAL, and Princess, I am very interested to know what you define as "luxury" cruising, as you don't feel Regent is quite it. If you would provide specifics, I would appreciate it. To say luxury is defined as SeaDream or Hapag-Lloyd tells me nothing, as I have had no experience at all with these lines. Other posters seem to define luxury as "impeccable service," but don't really explain or define that either. (And, of course, some don't feel the service is stellar.)

 

I am very glad to hear that Regent is comparable price-wise (when all is included) to HAL, for example, as that gives me a reason to consider more seriously the possibility of sailing with Regent.

Edited July 15, 2014 by SeagoingMom

[SeagoingMom]

 

It has bothered me for a long time that Regent has done comparisons with HAL and Princess as, IMO, there is no comparison.

As one who has not yet sailed on any of the luxury lines you mentioned, I can tell you exactly why Regent compares itself to HAL and Princess -- to attract customers such as myself who may be on the verge of breaking into the "luxury" market, but who frankly believe it is not affordable for us. I cannot say that Regent's advertising has worked for me in this regard -- I am in general not swayed by advertising -- but I can say that this thread has been very influential in getting me to rethink Regent as an option for me. But of course, most people do not read Cruise Critic, so Regent does what it can to draw in new customers.

 

This thread has shown that Regent can, indeed, be compared in very useful ways to HAL or Princess -- of course it can. Still, I understand that your enthusiasm engendered your use of hyperbole. :)

[SeagoingMom]

DH and I are "loners", too; we like our solitude. There are days that I don't speak to anyone except my DH. We live in the country, and we hardly ever have visitors (we get excited when the FedEx man delivers something!).

 

We went on our first Regent cruise last year. I, too, was afraid that we might be "out of our league." A little something about me: I volunteer at my church's thrift store, and I get all my cruise clothes there (and most of my every day clothes!) We're not rich, but we like to enjoy our retirement, and I love to travel.

 

We love Regent's small ships. (When we docked next to one of the mega-liners in Alaska, I told my husband if we were on that ship I would stay in the room the whole time because I'd be afraid I'd get lost). We enjoy the Regent excursions; we dine by ourselves; and go to the entertainment by ourselves. We book the least expensive cabins and we're not treated any differently than anyone else on the ship. We so enjoyed our first cruise last year that we are going on another one this August and have another booked Oct. 2015.

We enjoy the Regent excursions; we dine by ourselves; and go to the entertainment by ourselves. We book the least expensive cabins and we're not treated any differently than anyone else on the ship. We so enjoyed our first cruise last year that we are going on another one this August and have another booked Oct. 2015.

Because it seems we are similar sorts of travelers, I value your observations. One question: are the "least expensive cabins" on Regent still balcony cabins? (Yes, I know I could check a deck plan... :rolleyes:) Also, I would love to hear what, specifically, you enjoyed about your cruise. Your signature shows that you have become a Regent "believer" :) but also that Regent is your only cruise experience...

[LindaM]

Because it seems we are similar sorts of travelers, I value your observations. One question: are the "least expensive cabins" on Regent still balcony cabins? (Yes, I know I could check a deck plan... :rolleyes:) Also, I would love to hear what, specifically, you enjoyed about your cruise. Your signature shows that you have become a Regent "believer" :) but also that Regent is your only cruise experience...

 

Navigator has some cabins across the hall from balcony cabins on one deck. We stayed in one, because I felt guilty taking 2 Regent cruises 2 years in a row. I don't remember how much less expensive it was...probably not much. I did not miss the balcony. We had the same floor to ceiling window. I don't think the 2 other ships have this type of cabin. We were able to get outside on that deck (a small area) and hung out at Gallileo's in the back.

[forgap]

Perhaps I can help. We have three Regent cruises under our belts after cruising years ago on NCL and Celebrity. After those cruise lines, boarding Regent was like crossing through the pearly gates. Cabins were tiny on those lines; we had a balcony on Celebrity that was rusty and had shabby plastic chairs; I hated fixed dining times; hated the crap shoot of table partners with whom you had nothing in common. On NCL we were a family group of 8, requested a table for 8; were assigned a table for 10 with two stangers who promptly got themselves moved. Obviously our conversation among 3 generations would be skewed! I hated the constant harassment by the ships photographers; hated the nickel and diming for EVERYTHING.

 

Regent solved all the objections I listed. Cabins are spacious, service is great, fellow passengers are congenial but you can definitely keep to yourselves. We are going on an Oceania cruise in September and we're both worried that we won't enjoy it so much because we are spoiled by Regent!

[ChocolatePirate]

Because it seems we are similar sorts of travelers, I value your observations. One question: are the "least expensive cabins" on Regent still balcony cabins? (Yes, I know I could check a deck plan... :rolleyes:) Also, I would love to hear what, specifically, you enjoyed about your cruise. Your signature shows that you have become a Regent "believer" :) but also that Regent is your only cruise experience...

DH had been on many cruises when he was single; together we have been on one cruise other than Regent. We went on a Greek Isle cruise with a tour that we were on, and I don't remember the name of the ship. It was the same size and the main rooms were same layout (the cabins weren't the same layout) as the Regent SS Navigator.

 

Our first cruise with Regent was on the SS Navigator. We had a suite without a balcony; the Navigator does not have all balcony suites. We went on the Alaska cruise, and we didn't really want a balcony because we thought (correctly it turns out) that it would be too cold to sit on a balcony anyway. Even though our suite didn't have a balcony, we had a "picture" window in our sitting area.

 

IMHO our suite was very attractive. When we walked in, there was a "Welcome" throw on the bed. Our names were on our television screen, along with another "Welcome." There was a Welcome bottle of champagne and a fresh fruit plate. The suite layout was fantastic--large bathroom with double sinks, a walk-in closet with ample hanging space and a dresser inside, a king size-bed, and a sitting room with a sofa, two chairs, and a coffee table that we found out later turns into a dining table when you order room service. Each night your bed is turned down and a chocolate is placed on your pillow.

 

DH especially liked that there wasn't someone with their hand out every time you ordered a drink, etc.. IMHO the food was fabulous. DH doesn't drink alcohol and after the first night the sommelier remembered; they had a standing joke between them about DH being the designated driver.

 

We enjoyed all the excursions that we went on; some of the tour guides and drivers were from our home state and we got to finding out how they got to Alaska for their summer jobs.

 

We especially liked the size of the ship. I don't think I want to go on a ship with 3000 other people or on a ship the size of three city blocks.

 

Next month we are going on the Voyager; it is an all-balcony ship. Again, we got one of the least expensive suites. In 2015 we are going on the Navigator again, and we got the same suite that we had on our Alaska cruise.

 

The Regent Cruise representative that we use is great. He has given us many hints on how to use our cruise to our best advantage. Whenever I call to ask a question or make a request, he is more than willing to help. And I've learned many tips on this forum.

 

So, yes, I guess I'm a Regent "believer."

Edited July 15, 2014 by DixieDeer

[eliana]

We too like Regent very much, except that they seem to have a curious policy when the price of a cruise reduces. Instead of reducing our price or giving us an onboard credit, they offer a credit against a future cruise. This is unacceptable as it feels they are bribing us with our money to take another cruise.

 

We have complained by email to Kunal Kamiari, but so far no response. Maybe we should also write to Graham Sadler, if anyone has his email.

[RachelG]

We too like Regent very much, except that they seem to have a curious policy when the price of a cruise reduces. Instead of reducing our price or giving us an onboard credit, they offer a credit against a future cruise. This is unacceptable as it feels they are bribing us with our money to take another cruise.

 

We have complained by email to Kunal Kamiari, but so far no response. Maybe we should also write to Graham Sadler, if anyone has his email.

 

Eliana, maybe that is a UK thing, because in the US if the price reduces and your suite category is still available, they will rebook you at the lower price. You really have to look at it though, because sometimes it doesn't turn out to be less. Our TA does this automatically for us--which is great because it means I don't constantly have to be checking, and sometimes I get a nice email surprise telling me the cost of the trip has gone down.

[Travelcat2]

In my opinion, it is not possible to define "luxury" as it is subjective. People that enjoy HAL or Princess will not automatically enjoy Regent. On the other hand, they may love Regent and never go back to anything less than "luxury".

 

In terms of being all-inclusive, there are non-luxury lines out there touting that they are all-inclusive. This can mean that they offer drink packages where you can purchase drinks that are typically $10 or less. These drinks could be choices that are the lowest caliber available. Many cruise lines have very small cabins and you must pay extra for balconies. The Mariner and the Voyager are all-balcony ships. The regular cabins are a good size with walk-in closets. The Voyager has both showers and bathtubs in all suites. The Mariner has a large shower or a bathtub with a shower (very large bathtub).

 

The service on Regent is excellent and the food appeals to most tastes (also subjective). The atmosphere is calm -- no loud music by the pool (unless there is a special event where the band is playing). The announcements over the loudspeaker are few. No one is touting merchandise that is being sold.

 

Regent does not have a party atmosphere and therefore tends to appeal to a slightly older clientele. However, during the summer and holidays, there are programs for children and you see younger families. I am currently on the Voyager in Scandinavia. There are children on board that you rarely see because they are enjoying the events put on by Regent's Mariner's Club. If you need a vacation from children, if you sail when school is in session, you will see very few (if any) children on board.

 

In addition to sailing luxury lines (Silversea and Regent) and Regent's sister cruise line Oceania (an ultra premium cruise line), we did sail on Disney many years ago. Unlike mainstream or premium cruise lines, when you sail on luxury cruise lines, everyone is treated the same -- whether you are in a Master Suite or the least expensive suite. Yes -- you have different amenities within the cabin, but once you step out of the door of your suite, everyone is treated the same. There is something that I love about this set-up.

 

We have been on this cruise since June 28th and have loved every moment. My best suggestion is to do your research -- both on the Regent website and on Cruise Critic. Ask questions and determine for yourselves whether or not Regent is for you. :)

Edited July 15, 2014 by Travelcat2