We love Regent, but...options?

[Gilly]

[/QUOTE] When you travel, you risk time and money and hope for the best experience.[/QUOTE]

I have followed the reports from Mariner since we disembarked in Buenos Aires and with our recent Regent experience in mind, found the latest posts on this thread interesting too. We regard that last cruise as the worst Regent cruise we’ve taken as well – but let’s put that into perspective: Our previous cruises (all seven of them) with Regent have been really, really great!

Vrmc’s review was interesting and I can well understand how disappointments regarding missed ports of call and the ongoing GI concerns influence opinions on all manner of other, unrelated aspects of the whole experience. This was the most expensive - per diem - cruise we’ve taken as well and we were sad that we came home feeling as we did. Within a couple of days we’d ordered brochures from all the other luxury lines and decided that perhaps it was time to look elsewhere for our next cruise.

The thing is, though, the Regent product suits us very well indeed. When we read between the lines of Crystal, Silversea, Oceania, Hapag-Lloyd et al (we’ve yet to hear from Seabourn) we found small negatives: smaller suites, more restrictive dining options, limited internet and not-so-all-inclusive service to name a few. But it was Joanna’s review of her Seabourn cruise which highlighted what we appreciate from our Regent experiences, strangely. Amidst the disappointments on Mariner, what shone through most of all was the staff attitude and Joanna’s mention of her terrific stewardess prompted me to reflect on Rosemarie and Sebastian – the housekeeping team who quietly and unobtrusively worked their magic when we were enjoying our breakfast each day, because they too had noted that we were early risers and worked out when they could fit their schedule into ours. No fuss, no rigmarole…they just did what professionals do. The same could be said of Gusti and Faizal in the bar, both of whom quickly learned our names and our preferred drinks, making them just as we liked them. Quiet, unobtrusive, efficient and friendly – words which could describe any number of restaurant staff too, including Risky whose candid advice on any CR dish was well worth noting when it came to choosing from the menu. (Joanna, thank you for such a thoughtful and well-considered review which has been very well digested in this household!)

So, when the apologetic letter and future cruise credit arrived from Regent, it didn’t take us long to book another cruise – with Regent again. We’ll lay the ghost of South America in Scandinavia with a short “bonus” cruise later in the year and feel confident that we will be happy with our decision to stick with the product we know suits us very well indeed. Yes, we are extraordinarily lucky to have a choice and it’s been interesting to give close consideration to the alternatives this time around, even if they simply confirmed the eventual outcome :-)

[Suite Travels]

You may want to look in the future at Crystal well known for their service and attention to detail. If I were you I would visit the Crystal forum and ask questions. Also Crystal in the next two years will have the largest staterooms at sea and the new Mega Yacht was announced yesterday this will be the largest at sea. Crystal will also add to the fleet two new ocean going ships and four new luxury riverboats and if you want to do the world by jet they have acquired a B-787, B-757 and a sleek Bombardier jet.

The standard current Crystal staterooms are well appointed and smartly laid out. Of course the Penthouse suites are gorgeous. The new mega yacht will have two owners suites that are over 3,000 sq. ft and the lowest category will have 400 sq.ft as well as the two new ocean going ships.

Crystal has DBR which is dining by reservation which allows you to opt out of a two seating dinner and the Serenity has three speciality restaurants.

We have not been on Regent for years and for for us it was not near the service level or food quality that was provided to us on Crystal. I have always said if you don't try a product you will never know.

As for Seabourn they have had many issues with smoking and inconsistent dining operations and for that reason we will stay away. Some people love them but they appear to be inconsistent. Silversea for us was the worst with very little to do during the day and the Shadow was dead by 10:00 PM and MDR service was slow and disorganized.

I am sure I will be flamed for expressing our personal opion but it is just that our opinion. Edited March 15, 2016 by Suite Travels

[newlondon]

Suite Travels, Interesting post because you only talk about large Crystal cabins in the future. IMO, and I have never used Crystal despite strong encouragement from Keith1010, the value proposition of $/space doesn't work on Crystal. It may in the future.
Secondly, DBR is still not the same as open seating.
Finally, Crystal is unapollagetically more formal than most other luxury lines.
Different experience, some love it others not so much.

[Suite Travels]

DBR is very close to open seating for small tables. We have a standing reservation for 7:15 but since this was put into place we have never had a problem coming in earlier or later as the 2-3 speciality restaurants depending if you are on the Symphony or Serenity which has an outstanding casual restaurant Tastes....the dining room will never be full.

Dress code is casual 80% of the time. BTO you are fine with a sport jacket and will be ok.

I know Keith and he is giving you the straight facts. Wait until the new ships come out...I think you will be wowed.

[Gilly]

I must say, we looked carefully at the Crystal brochure and had I not known NewLondon to be on the other side of the Atlantic, I'd have been very suspicious about his eavesdropping around here, so closely did he outline the same concerns as us! Having been used to the space of a Regent Penthouse A, the size of suites on the current Crystal ships was the first difference we noted. The formality doesn't worry us too much, since until recently my dh was one of those people who always took along the tux and at least one other formal suit: I think we Europeans are used to dressing more formally as a matter of habit. But the dining arrangements did sound rather like the old P&O days of fixed sittings, even if the alternative allowed for some flexibility. We just love being able to do as we please; to sit and have another drink and extend an interesting conversation a while, perhaps, before continuing it over dinner (or perhaps bringing it to an end in order to escape to an alternative restaurant ;-) - not that we've ever felt the need to do that, but it's good to have the choice!!)

Newlondon, are you *absolutely* sure you haven't got a tap on our phone or something? ;-)

[NJBelle]

Hi, we think Crystal is a great product as long as you are aware of the two drawbacks - lack of open seating and small staterooms (for now, until the new ships come out). Having said that, Dining By Reservation is NOT very similar at all to Open Seating. And it can work on some cruises and not on others. When too many people want the early seating, then it is not pleasant to be in DBR. We did a back to back cruises and had two different experiences. As long as you know what you are getting into, then that is fine, but don't think for a minute that it is the same as Open Dining.

[Suite Travels]

[quote name='NJBelle']Hi, we think Crystal is a great product as long as you are aware of the two drawbacks - lack of open seating and small staterooms (for now, until the new ships come out). Having said that, Dining By Reservation is NOT very similar at all to Open Seating. And it can work on some cruises and not on others. When too many people want the early seating, then it is not pleasant to be in DBR. We did a back to back cruises and had two different experiences. As long as you know what you are getting into, then that is fine, but don't think for a minute that it is the same as Open Dining.[/QUOTE]

You are correct, it is not true open dining but close enough for us.we don't like to dine too early or too late. This has worked well for us having a window of 7:15-8:00 but we are only a table for two which is easily accommodated.

On formal optional nights we dine at one of the specialty restaurants which is a quieter setting. We don't care about fresh lobster or fresh oysters we live in Florida and can get that anywhere. I do love the caviar on those nights but we order that to our stateroom before dinner with chilled vodka.

[Gilly]

Suite Travels, it's great to be familiar enough with something that you can make it work to your liking. I love small routines like your chilled vodka and caviar one, too. The thing is, once you've worked out these delights, it's hard to begin afresh and develop new pleasures in a different setting isn't it? I guess that might be a challenge for us somewhere along the line - maybe when new ships are launched, or more likely when - here's hoping! - new and exciting itineraries are offered to tempt us.

I agree with NJBelle's observation about how some things work better on some cruises than on others. Hard - impossible - to plan for that one!

[UUNetBill]

[quote name='Suite Travels']I am sure I will be flamed for expressing our personal opion but it is just that our opinion.[/QUOTE]

I certainly won't flame you - or anyone! - for expressing their opinions here. After all, that was the point of the thread to begin with - to collect other people's experiences, opinions, and their general take on the alternatives to Regent. Your post was factual and well thought out, and I thank you for taking the time to post it!

[newlondon]

Gilly, I lol.