SS Mariner r/t Cape Town Nov 24- Dec 09, 2015 review from a Regent Newbie

[teemsum]

I have cruised on Carnival, Celebrity, Costa, Crystal, Disney, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess, Royal cruise line, Royal Caribbean & Scenic.

 

I had heard glowing reports of Regent & was excited to finally embark on my first Regent cruise.

 

We flew to Cape Town via LHR on British Airways.

The seat configuration is 3 4 3. The seats are tight & woe to you if the person in front of you decides to recline. Try to get seats with a wall in front of you to avoid this.

The crew do tell people to put their seat up at meal times.

Also, try to pre-book a special meal ( free ) in advance on their website & you'll be served 1 hour before anyone else.

Meals are served 1 hour after take-off & 1 hour before landing.

They close access to the washrooms 20 minutes before landing.

Best time to use the facilities is after the cart has passed you.

Also, there is no ventilation output above your head. You'll be warm.

At LHR, gate numbers are only displayed 1 hour prior to departure.

If you have a long layover, take the Tube to Chiswick Park; only 9 stops from LHR on the Piccadilly line. Birders & Horticulturists can easily spend 1 hour here.

 

Upon arrival into CPT, I decided to take a shuttle transfer with Sport Shuttle, only $ 230 Rand which was a good idea because we arrived at 9 am & the traffic was at a crawl. I would've gone broke taking a taxi. Apparently, morning rush hour is from 6 am to 10 am.

 

We booked the Doubletree Upper Eastside in Woodstock.

It's a fairly new hotel with condos, shops, restaurants, work/hub studios & a gym.

Each room includes a coffee/tea maker.

They offer a complimentary roundtrip shuttle to the V&A waterfront.

The front desk will tell you that they charge a commission for currency exchange but so does everyone else.

Our rate included dinner.

I had the grilled prawns. There were 12 of them & they were massive.

In addition to the menu, there will be a featured list of highlights on the table.

Our server didn't point it out to us. I noticed it after ordering & wished that I had ordered those items instead.

In the morning, they have a beautiful breakfast spread of hot & cold items.

Truly outstanding for a Doubletree.

 

We departed the hotel at 11:30 am & were at the terminal by 12 pm.

You will see a long line of porters.

They only help you transfer your luggage up the ramp into the building.

If you can manage, best to do it yourself.

There is nowhere to sit at this terminal.

You can drop your large luggage & go straight onboard.

Disembarking guests can stay onboard till 9 am so your stateroom isn't ready until 2 pm.

South African Rand is not offered onboard.

 

Our stateroom was near the aft stairs/elevators which was perfect for popping down to the Coffee Connection on deck 6 for morning coffee ( opens at 6:30 am ), to the Compass Rose on deck 5, to La Veranda on deck 11.

Our room had a shower with tiled seat ( like a window seat ).

Regular suites have Occitane toiletries.

Named suites have Hermes toiletries.

There was also a walk-in closet.

 

Our morning routine:

6:30 am Coffee Connection ( they also offer soy/almond milk, serve Illy coffee )

DH enjoyed the Caffe Vanilla, cookies were the same every day ( they offer 6 varieties )

7:30 am La Veranda ( if we needed a quick breakfast or hard-boiled eggs, items similar to a full English Breakfast ( same everyday)

8:00 am Compass Rose ( good for a leisurely breakfast, they served Minute Steak or Baby Lamb Chops ) we ate these if we were going on tour & missing a meal )

 

Our mid-day routine:

11 am to 4 pm Pool Grill different buffet daily

They also offer sweet potato fries ( yum ), ice cream/sorbets, milkshakes ( no sugar added/no dairy available )

12 noon to 2 pm La Veranda

12 noon to 1:30 pm Compass Rose menu changes daily

 

Our evening routine: All dining venues open at 6:30 pm ( You can request smaller portions)

Compass Rose lots of window tables for 2, contemporary cuisine ( comfort food )

same bread basket nightly ( Princess offers a different bread

basket nightly )

Signatures French cuisine, very few tables for 2

Prime 7 Steak & Seafood, very few tables for 2, great bread basket

Prawn cocktail ( 3 jumbo prawns )

Seafood sampler ( 1/2 lobster tail, Alaska King Crab Legs, Jumbo Scallop ) ( they also offer a 32 oz Porterhouse )

Sette Mari Italian, no reservations required

Menu changes every 3 nights

Salads & desserts are at the buffet

Appies & entrees are brought to your table

 

I am lactose-intolerant & Regent was notified of this 60 days prior.

They send the next day's menu to my room & I'm supposed to indicate what I want to eat & they will modify it for me.

On Princess, the Head Waiter brings the menu to me each evening at dinner & he consults with me what I can eat.

In the Compass Rose, every day they offer 2 soups: 1 is creamy, 1 is consomme.

I don't like consomme because it's very salty.

Other menu offerings: vegetarian ( also something containing cheese ), Canyon Ranch Spa menu ( usually something cheesy or dairy on here too ).

Most of the menu offerings have cheese or dairy.

Every few days there would be an Asian offering that I could eat.

Desserts were all creamy.

I could only eat the fruit plate.

After one week, I was hardly eating anything & wasn't enjoying the dining at all.

I was only eating Asian dishes or pasta with tomato sauce.

 

Mid-cruise comment card:

I mentioned the same bread basket in Compass Rose & the creamy soups.

A few days later, I get a call from Kelly Cochrane the Executive Chef:

we have 125 breads onboard ( you just have to find them )

The soups are regulated by Head office in Miami ( I can't change them )

How about offering a rustic carrot or tomato soup ?

I did have Minestrone once.

 

The tea served onboard is Twinings.

I would have thought that they would have a more expensive brand or more exotic offerings ( Celebrity & Princess excel in this area )

They offer freshly-squeezed fruit or veggie juices at the pool grill.

They also offer carrot juice in Compass Rose but the onboard orange juice is not freshly-squeezed...so disappointing.

 

The evening shows are only at 9:30 pm.

As we dined at 6:30 pm, we were usually asleep by 9 pm.

 

They have Afternoon Tea every day at 4 pm followed by Trivia at 4:30 pm.

Sometimes they had Themed Teas. The Crepes & Chocoholic ones were standouts.

 

The crew are very friendly & know your names by the 2nd day.

Here's a shout out to:

Daniela F&B manager

Agustina Assistant Purser

Kadek

Ronald Coffee Connection

Mark

Michel La Veranda

Tojo Compass Rose

 

I also don't drink alcohol. I read on these boards that non-alcoholic wine was available.

It was easy to get it in La Veranda, thanks to Michel.

In Compass Rose, I got a sob story: We have to go down to provisions, it'll take a while.

They offer both red & white. Stand your ground if you want white & they want you to drink red. ( the white tastes like apple juice & the red is quite sour )

Why bother ? Because if we're dining with others; we like to be sociable.

Also, if the sommelier presented a wine & we said 'we don't drink'; most of them did not offer the non-alcoholic wine.

 

Regent offers a complimentary shuttle in all ports to a mall or city centre.

If the ship overnights in a port or if you're entering a country for the 1st time; be prepared for delays due to immigration. This is where cruiseline excursions make sense. Otherwise, you'll be panicking if you made independent arrangements.

 

If you booked air with Regent, airport transfers & dayrooms at the end of the cruise are included.

If you booked hotel with Regent, hotel transfers to/from the ship are included.

Some guests were leaving the ship on Dec 08 with flights after midnight.

Regent will arrange with the local taxi company to have sufficient taxis available.

They will not pre-book taxis but they will be available.

Transfers to CPT were $ 109 per person.

Tour with airport drop off was also $ 109 per person.

 

Night before disembarkation: bags outside your door by 11 pm.

Your onboard account is closed at 6 am the day you leave the ship.

 

South Africa is very inexpensive once you get here.

 

At CPT airport, check-in counters open 4 hours prior to departure, no free wifi.

There is only 1 food establishment past security ( a cafe )

Leave room in your carry-on for last minute shopping.

 

Go upstairs to have a meal:

Mugg & Bean coffee place

Soaring Hawk Grill

Wimpy's Burgers, smoothies

Oceans Sushi/seafood

KFC fried chicken ( best bang for your buck if feeding more than 2 )

or go downstairs to the shops. There's a Woolworths here where you can also buy takeaway ( food to go )

 

Regent bills itself as

The All-inclusive Regent Experience:

The most inclusive luxury experience.

 

Personally, I didn't feel the luxury. I wasn't wowed.

Maybe if I was able to eat dairy & drink alcohol, I would've enjoyed myself more.

[OctoberKat]

Appreciate the level of detail here, Teemsum, thank you. Yikes on the food front for you.

[Travelcat2]

Also appreciate your review. Being a long time Regent customer, I have a couple of comments regarding your experience on the Mariner (we are still onboard after completing the Cape Town to Cape Town itinerary).

 

Firstly, the menus and recipes are the same on all ships. Unfortunately, not everyone's tastes can be accommodated. For instance, we would not be happy with a tomato or carrot soup. When soups that are not to our taste were offered, we simply skipped the soup. Keep in mind that you can order an appetizer portion of a main course, a entree portion of an appetizer, etc. Plus, you can order almost anything that you want 24 hours in advance.

 

For better or worse, Regent is not Princess. Offering different breads on Princess must be nice but Regent has limitations (as do most luxury cruise lines - Crystal may be an exception as they are considerably larger than Regent). Regent, Silversea and Seabourn are dealing with a significantly smaller kitchen.

 

I was particularly taken aback by your wine comments as there are many wines available that are not the "wine of the day". We have not had a wine that was listed on the menu since we embarked on November 24th. Perhaps it would have helped if you had spoken with the Head Sommelier. She is wonderful and would have gone out of her way to accommodate your tastes.

 

In any case, Regent is not for everyone and your experience is your experience. Based on our experience, the food on Regent has been better than it has ever been - amazing steaks, lamb, chicken, fish, etc. Still, food is subjective and Princess, etc. sounds to be better suited to your taste. On this cruise there are over 500 repeat customers which says a lot for those that find Regent to their taste.

 

I think that your post will help many "newbies" realize that they really need to do research before sailing on Regent. Make sure you have a TA that regularly books Regent and can assist with making sure that Regent is right for you. After all, it is a shame to waste money on a cruise line that isn't going to work for you!

 

Again, thanks for your post.

 

P.S. Octoberkat, I followed your posts on Silversea and look forward to your review. It sounded as if you were not much of a fan of Regent and it will be interesting to learn what you thought of Silversea (which we find very similar to Regent except the Whisper is a much nicer ship than the Navigator).

Edited December 12, 2015 by Travelcat2

[tallship]

I believe the OP said she did not drink but had trouble getting non-alcoholic options. I would agree with the comment about luxury but do not want to start another debate on this. Free drinks and some free excursions do not make it luxurious. Our friends who traveled with us on Regent have also done Crystal and they say there is no comparison re: the food. They say that Crystal's teatime, in particular is likely the best on the seas. Regent is very good but I would also prefer other brands of tea and perhaps loose leaf tea. I usually bring my own tea bags anyhow.

Edited December 13, 2015 by tallship

[OctoberKat]

I believe the OP said she did not drink but had trouble getting non-alcoholic options. I would agree with the comment about luxury but do not want to start another debate on this. Free drinks and some free excursions do not make it luxurious. Our friends who traveled with us on Regent have also done Crystal and they say there is no comparison re: the food. They say that Crystal's teatime, in particular is likely the best on the seas. Regent is very good but I would also prefer other brands of tea and perhaps loose leaf tea. I usually bring my own tea bags anyhow.

 

Excerpted from Teemsum's post:

"Personally, I didn't feel the luxury. I wasn't wowed."

 

These comments align with my single Regent experience such that I'm not motivated to book again on the this line. I'm just returned from a Silversea Amazon cruise which delivered what Regent promised and did not deliver. Luxury is lacking on Regent as well as loose tea.

 

As for "another debate," we soon shall be roundly excoriated and our opinions discarded for an assortment of reasons.

Edited December 13, 2015 by OctoberKat

[JPR]

Silversea seemed quite similar to Regemt for us. What distinguished Silversea?

[OctoberKat]

For my part, in my limited experience which likely will be highlighted further on: genuine, timely and expert service; better food overall; better public facilities; delightful afternoon tea of which Regent makes a horror; an ambiance of grace and understated elegance. The hair salon was leagues ahead of Regent -- expert, comfortable, excellent result.

 

Wine, in the main was on a par with Regent and that's not a good thing. I learned to ask for the white Bordeaux which was brought with sense of reluctance.

 

We booked a grand suite on Silversea Whisper; it was capacious, very comfortable and, well, frumpy. Service in the suite was super fabulous and kindly. Butler service, in particular, wzy ahead of Regent.

 

And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is what she said.

[Travelcat2]

Silversea seemed quite similar to Regemt for us. What distinguished Silversea?

 

Agree with you. We have sailed Silversea three times. IMO, the service is equal to Regent. The food in the main dining room is not as good as Regent but the equivalent to La Veranda at lunch is better than Regent. The food in the restaurant with a charge was so poor that all five us at the table complained (and received another visit to the dining venue at no charge). My main complaint is the lack of ship maintenance. The Whisper (the ship that the previous poster sailed on) finally (emphasis on finally) got new carpeting, etc. It took years for this to be done while Regent does complete refurbishments every 2-3 years.

 

tallship - Hi - thought you would be interested in learning that the food on the Mariner is better than we have ever had. Our TA was on prior to our cruise and made a similar comment. Must admit that I look forward to learning what made Silversea "luxury". Granted, the Whisper is lovely and I suppose the service in a top suite would be a bit special (as it is on Regent).

 

In any case, everyone is entitled to their opinion. We have just booked our third Explorer cruise which speaks to our feelings about Regent.

 

I truly wish that more people did research - not only on Regent but on the ports that the ship they will be sailing on will be stopping. So many passengers that we speak to are totally clueless in terms of what will be in port. We spoke to a couple last night hoping to go to an upscale restaurant in Walvis Bay, Namibia. Unfortunately, we had to tell them that no such place exists. This cruise has few ports after it began in Cape Town (Luderitz, Namibia, Walvis Bay Namibia and St. Helena). So far, many are complaining about Namibia (a country that we love). It is such a shame to spend money on places that you will unhappy with.

 

Just a quick comment about "better facilities" on the Whisper. Of course there are (and I did mention this previously). The Whisper and Navigator are the same size but the Navigator holds 490 while the Whisper passenger load is about 380 - a huge difference.

 

In any case, we are loving the Mariner cruise and look forward to our Explorer cruises.

Edited December 13, 2015 by Travelcat2

[liptastic]

I would doubt your statement of complete refurbishments every 2 To 3 years is accurate for all Regent ships?:confused:

[mj_holiday]

I need to add my experience with Non alcoholic wine and Regent. After my first request in the dining room for non alcoholic wine (and once my second evening) our wine server had non alcoholic wine available for me each evening. The first or second evening would seem to catch them off guard but they quickly recovered. Also, my experience with getting non alcoholic beer at the bar and at lunch was never an issue.

[JPR]

Our first Silversea cruise was on the Shadow, a last-minute switch from Regent because they sold the Diamond and our booked cruise disappeared. We got a room that smelled like a nursing home room. They were unable to eliminate the smell or move us. A subsequent cruise on the Whisper was fine. We toured the Spirit and did not like it; low ceilings gave us claustrophobia.

 

We are booked on Regent's new Explorer next December, which "luxury" fans may want to try. Looks like the best parts of Voyager and Mariner combined with those of Oceania's Marina and Riviera...

[Pam]

Kat, I hope that one day you will sail a larger Regent ship; your beginning experience really shouldn't have been on Navigator (and I love Navigator). The Master Suites on the other ships are truly beautiful, the Master on Navigator really shouldn't be listed in the same category.

 

FWIW, I don't care for wine. The Master Sommelier always saw me sit down and came running with my glass of iced tea (I don't know why he was the one serving my iced tea, but he always was) and a big smile on his face. I didn't consider myself as not being social.

 

I can't comment to food in any way, because it's been six or so years since we sailed, and management changes.

[Keith1010]

Enjoyed your detailed review/report.

 

In the end, the most important opinion is your very own.

 

Each of us has different expectations, priorities, needs, tastes and requirements when it comes to cruising or just about anything. What might be most important or even a necessity for one person might be irrelevant for the next person.

 

The only way to figure out what cruise line(s) make you happy either is to try out different lines and then figure out which one(s) work for you and which ones you don't care for.

 

It sounds like you have done just that sailing on different lines.

 

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

 

Keith

[Travelcat2]

I would doubt your statement of complete refurbishments every 2 To 3 years is accurate for all Regent ships?:confused:

 

Regent (not Radisson) was refurbishing their ships promptly every two years ..... until this year. It seems that the Navigator will go three years between refurbishments but, according to reports on board the ship, her refurbishment is extensive. I believe it will be 2 1/2 years years from when the Mariner was refurbished until the next refurbishment. Not sure about the Voyager.

 

Silversea customers have complained about how bad carpeting and soft goods were on some of the ships. When we went on the Shadow (right after it failed its first health inspection, the upper decks were in dire need of new carpeting). Although it went into what they call "dry dock", the carpeting was not changed. Regent, on the other hand, has enough carpeting to recarpet each ship several times. They are constantly refinishing the handrails on the balconies, painting the exterior while in port (covering black marks caused by docking and rubbing against the dock).

 

Pam, I made a similar recommendation to her - about the Navigator. However, some people really love the Navigator (and she makes more $$$ than any other Regent ship). IMO, if people find the Navigator too glitzy (a comment which still puzzles me), the Explorer will be even more so. There will not be the classical music that OctoberKat sought in the elevators and the service will be from the same wonderful crew that provided service on the Navigator. IMO, if you do not care for Regent (which is not a big deal), being on the Explorer will not change your mind.

 

Keith, I agree with you but am not sure that everyone can afford to try all luxury lines to figure out which suits them best. We have tried out of the four major luxury lines and don't feel the necessity to keep trying. Don't you think that simply doing some research would help? We do not cruise on Seabourn because of the smoking policy and do not cruise on Crystal (yet) because of their dining policy. We tried Silversea based on research and are not sorry that we tried them (3 times). For us, Regent is the best "fit" but it is not for everyone.

[Pam]

Jackie, I keep forgetting about the Explorer! I was just thinking the difference between the Master Suite on Navigator vs Mariner or Voyager. To me, Navigator is like a comfortable "small town" where everybody knows everybody else and the staff welcome you home like family. Or, it was the last few times we sailed on her. We loved the other two, too, but Navigator was home. I remember the first time we sailed Navigator and were exploring all over, we got to the end and I looked at Mark and said "we just ran out of ship!!!". We weren't expecting it to be that much smaller.

 

I guess I missed the wish for elevator music, which is okay. That is not something I would wish for.

[Travelcat2]

Jackie, I keep forgetting about the Explorer! I was just thinking the difference between the Master Suite on Navigator vs Mariner or Voyager. To me, Navigator is like a comfortable "small town" where everybody knows everybody else and the staff welcome you home like family. Or, it was the last few times we sailed on her. We loved the other two, too, but Navigator was home. I remember the first time we sailed Navigator and were exploring all over, we got to the end and I looked at Mark and said "we just ran out of ship!!!". We weren't expecting it to be that much smaller.

 

I guess I missed the wish for elevator music, which is okay. That is not something I would wish for.

 

Ha ha - great comment abut elevator music:D

 

Yes - the Navigator is like a comfortable "small town" and there are many things that I enjoy about the ship. The main reason we do not sail on her is her stability on the seas. She really rocks and rolls if the seas are not calm. When we have dinner on the Mariner (we'll still on her) there are huge waves outside (or they look huge from Compass Rose) and yet the glasses of wine and water on the table barely move.

 

Wish you would consider the March 2017 crossing of the Explorer. That will be a very special cruise and it is more affordable that most.

 

Must comment on "tea time" on Silversea. Yes - they definitely have a lovely set-up for tea - no doubt about it. This is not surprising because Silversea is a European-owned company with a majority of European passengers so they had better know how to do a "proper tea". People from the U.S. are pretty clueless about it. I hear stories of people visiting the U.S., being given a tea bag and cutting it open in order to make tea correctly. On the other hand, Regent does put out amazing sandwiches, pastries, scones and clotted cream, etc.

[RachelG]

Just a few comments. I do think everyone has to find the cruise line or lines that most fit their lifestyle and budget. Regent is our line of choice, but we have sailed on others.

 

I agree with OP about the tea. The tea itself should be more special, not just Twinnings in a bag which I can get in my local supermarket. Silversea does a much better job with this. Regent does very well as far as the pastries, sandwiches, etc for tea, just not the tea itself.

 

As far as non-alcoholic wine, yes, they will probably have to go fetch it from the store room, but at least they do have it.

 

I have a hard time believing that a lactose intolerent person could not find enough to eat on Regent. Yes, most of the soups are either cream based or consumme (which definitely is too salty), but they have wonderful salads, and you can always ask for the cheese to be left off. There are lots of food options on the always available menu that don't involve cheese or dairy.

[gnomie1]

We are currently on the Voyager are are extremely disappointed with the food. As someone who has spent time in the food service industry, I estimate that the F&B budget has been reduced between 12-18% from just two years ago - I haven't put pencil to paper, but just doing rough calculations in my head.

 

We have been on board for more than three weeks, and in that period of time I have only had two meals that I really enjoyed. The quality of the food has diminished, as has the selection. I will write more about our experiences at a later time. We had far better meals eating in the specialty restaurants on Celebrity.

 

It is quite interesting to hear others on board comment regarding food - for passengers in which this is their first or second Regent cruise, it depends where else they have cruised - many passengers claim that the food on Oceania is far superior, as it is on other luxury lines.

 

Tonight my dinner was served to me and the entree, potato and veggies were all cold - not the first time. Still trying to get a soft boiled egg and breakfast - either the egg is completely raw or hard boiled.

 

We have been so disappointed in a number of aspects and have not booked a future cruise, which is quite unusual - in fact, almost each time I walk past the cruise consultant's office, it is empty. Some of the passengers have started to refer to Regent as an upscale Norwegian, not a luxury cruise line - but more about that later.

 

gnomie :)

[UUNetBill]

I have a hard time believing that a lactose intolerent person could not find enough to eat on Regent. Yes, most of the soups are either cream based or consumme (which definitely is too salty), but they have wonderful salads, and you can always ask for the cheese to be left off. There are lots of food options on the always available menu that don't involve cheese or dairy.

I think the takeaway from this is that the CR staff could have made more of an effort to accommodate the OP's dietary restrictions. It shouldn't be an ongoing battle to get non-alcoholic wine or no dairy - the staff, once aware of these issues, should accommodate the guest, if possible. That assumes, of course, that the OP adequately communicated her needs.

 

Having said that, we had no problems whatsoever on our Mariner cruise last summer. The staff accommodated my wife's dietary restrictions with no complaints. I thought the food was good, at least as good as previous cruises.

 

We're back on Navigator next summer. You can bet we'll be keeping an eye on the ship, service, doing, wine, etc...

[UUNetBill]

In fact, almost each time I walk past the cruise consultant's office, it is empty.

We found the opposite to be true last summer, it was difficult to get an appointment, and the times I walked by hoping to find him free he was always with a customer...

 

Some of the passengers have started to refer to Regent as an upscale Norwegian, not a luxury cruise line - but more about that later.

I overheard a couple in the Connoisseur Club talking about the obvious superiority of Crystal...and frankly, if they were the type of people who prefer sailing Crystal, I'll gladly sail another line. The snoot factor was strong in that pair...

[Travelcat2]

Wow - such varied opinions. Food is so subjective. Everyone we speak with on the Mariner (currently on board) feel that the food is as good as it always has been. I know as a fact that there has not been a budget reduction in the area of F&B (or anywhere else on Regent). Most importantly, if your food is not prepared to your liking, let your server know. Nothing is perfect - I have returned one dish (over the past 3 weeks). We have had two different Executive Chefs on our back to back cruise and find almost everything delicious.

 

gnomie - I'm curious as to where others from the Voyager have posted that the food is less than it was previously. I would like to read the post(s). There has been little input from your cruise which is disappointing. We did about half of your current cruise (on the Voyager) and there were quite a few disappointed passengers (three years ago - passengers disappointed in the ports and/or excursions - not the food). You mentioned customers new to Regent. We dined tonight with the Cruise Director and two new Regent customers (new but have done almost 60 days so far on back to back cruises). They are so impressed that they booked the world cruise.

 

Rachel - agree with you about the many choices of food that do not contain dairy. Had to laugh about your consumme comment. Yes - it is a bit salty but I level out the flavor with a lot of pepper (7 twists of the pepper mill). I really like their consumme (misspelled) despite the salt.

 

UUNetBill: Your post made a lot of sense -- it is important that passengers communicate their needs to Regent (or their TA) when they book as well as when they are on board. It is rare to read that guests with dietary restrictions have issues on Regent.

 

Love your comment about the Crystal passengers you encountered (better not say more as they are a few people that cruise on Crystal that I really like:o

 

Also must comment on the Cruise Consultant because we do not have one on board the Mariner for this cruise. Instead, if we book with our TA's or Regent within 30 days of the end of the cruise we get all of the normal benefits plus a $200 OBC (we cancelled a Voyager cruise and booked another Explorer cruise -- sure hope we love the Explorer as much as we think we will).

 

A note regarding Oceania....... we have cruised on the Riviera twice and found the food in two specialty restaurants superior to Regent. The rest were equal to or lesser quality than Regent (specifically the main dining room that many repeat passengers avoid and the Terrace Cafe - the La Veranda equivalent). In terms of the Terrace Cafe, the food selection is massive - includes lobster, sushi, sashimi, etc. but we found the quality lacking -- IMO, definitely not better than Regent. We have also sailed on Silversea and found some food better (lunch in their La Veranda equivalent restaurant) and other dining venues equal to or less than Regent. My point is that the grass isn't always greener on the other side but it is wonderful that we all have choices and if Regent does not suit you, another cruise line may.

 

I apologize for a previous comment regarding wines. I did not catch the fact that the OP was looking for non-alcoholic wines. Still, it is available. Also, if there is a particular brand of non-alcoholic wine that you prefer, if you notify Regent in advance (quite far in advance -- depending upon the area of the world the ship is in -- check with your TA), Regent will try to have it on board for you.

[pierrem]

We are currently on the Voyager are are extremely disappointed with the food. As someone who has spent time in the food service industry, I estimate that the F&B budget has been reduced between 12-18% from just two years ago - I haven't put pencil to paper, but just doing rough calculations in my head.

 

We have been on board for more than three weeks, and in that period of time I have only had two meals that I really enjoyed. The quality of the food has diminished, as has the selection. I will write more about our experiences at a later time. We had far better meals eating in the specialty restaurants on Celebrity.

 

It is quite interesting to hear others on board comment regarding food - for passengers in which this is their first or second Regent cruise, it depends where else they have cruised - many passengers claim that the food on Oceania is far superior, as it is on other luxury lines.

 

Tonight my dinner was served to me and the entree, potato and veggies were all cold - not the first time. Still trying to get a soft boiled egg and breakfast - either the egg is completely raw or hard boiled.

 

We have been so disappointed in a number of aspects and have not booked a future cruise, which is quite unusual - in fact, almost each time I walk past the cruise consultant's office, it is empty. Some of the passengers have started to refer to Regent as an upscale Norwegian, not a luxury cruise line - but more about that later.

 

gnomie :)

 

Hi gnomie,

 

Sorry to hear that you are disappointed with the Voyager food - it just goes to show that as often quoted on CC, "food is subjective". Ours has been great and I have posted so on the Voyager thread. Perhaps we have been in different restaurants on different nights.

We must also be passing the cruise consultant's office at different times. I have always seen it full - he seems to be doing a roaring trade.

I have also only heard favorable comments from Regent newbies on board.

[Suite Travels]

We found the opposite to be true last summer, it was difficult to get an appointment, and the times I walked by hoping to find him free he was always with a customer...

 

 

I overheard a couple in the Connoisseur Club talking about the obvious superiority of Crystal...and frankly, if they were the type of people who prefer sailing Crystal, I'll gladly sail another line. The snoot factor was strong in that pair...

 

You are painting Crystal patrons with one single brush which is not fair. After 23 cruises with Crystal we have run into snobs on the ship and in our local restaurants I can count them on one hand.

 

We have friends that cruise Crystal and Regent and love both lines. From what I gather Regent has greatly improved from 7-8 years ago when we sailed with them.

 

Jackie, is correct, food is subjective as well as service. What appeals to me may not appeal to you....even in our best land based restaurant.

[newlondon]

Hi Jacquie, Sorry we didn't connect in SA, although it would have been near impossible. Also sorry you missed Richards Bay as we thought ST. Lucia was one of the highlights. As you know we have always liked Regent and SS. We booked our next cruise on Oceania for a number of reasons, primarily food. We felt that the food on Nautica is what good food at sea should be with more options in the MDR and Toscana blows Sette Mari out of the water. I have posted a review that gives more detail. Will be interested to hear your reaction, although I'm sure I have a pretty good idea.

[JohnM65]

Ha ha - great comment abut elevator music:D

 

 

Hi Jackie, we chatted a few times during the cruise and I was setting next to the women who was having a tough time during the disembarkation . Victoria and I are first time cruisers with Regent and it will not be our last. We booked the Singapore to Istanbul and will add the sailing to Venice and probably Barcelona. The only issue I may have is on Easter we are at sea and I doubt seriously there will be a Catholic priest on board. That has nothing to do with my comments... my hands will not stop moving.

 

Our experience with the Mariner was A+. Now that does not mean that everything was perfect there were some anomalies but nothing that degraded the experience we enjoyed. Our suite was very nice and we were aft in 8102. That is the last time I will book an aft suite.:(. I have some mobility issues (just slow) and I got my exercise just getting to the elevators and back for everything. Of course when I was in the Observation Bar I stayed longer just to rest up for the trip back to our suite:).

 

My wife and I attended more shows than we have ever attended on our other cruise experiences.

 

If I thought the bar drinks were lacking in volume I ordered another, no big deal. On rare occasions if my dinner order was not as I expected they brought me another.

 

The biggest delight was I only used my room key to get off and on the ship and obviously to get into our suite.

 

One more thought this is the only cruise line we have sailed that awards you sailing points when you come aboard. You do not need to wait until the cruise is finished.

 

It never ceases to amaze me that some people look for "fly poop in pepper":D

 

Hope to cruise with you again.

 

John & Victoria

Edited December 16, 2015 by JohnM65