Live from Voyager Transatlantic Mar 22 to Apr 5

[Mark99]

A lot of the live blogs seem to be from frequent Regent cruisers, so as a first time Regent cruiser I thought I would share some thoughts and suggestions as we go along. I combed through the threads before traveling and still had a lot of unanswered questions. We are long time cruisers, starting out with RCCL and then more recently on Celebrity. Maybe I can shed some light and perspectives of a first time Regent cruiser that will help others considering Regent or booked on their first Regent cruise.

 

 I booked the cruise directly through Regent by phone last September. We initially quoted a G Deluxe Veranda suite but ended up booking a Concierge suite so we could take advantage of the priority dinner and shore excursion reservations. We are “early to bed early to rise” so we dreaded the thought of late reservations. In fact this turned out to be a good decision because the early reservations were the first to be booked. If you don’t mind eating later, or sharing a table, this perk really doesn’t matter. This level also included the one-night pre-cruise hotel and transfers package. We also included the air package because a bit of shopping showed the air package price difference was a better deal than booking on our own. We let Regent pick the flights rather than the custom air option because we planned the full day off on the day prior to departure to allow for any flight time or routing.

 

About 10 days before departure we received an email from Regent offering upgrades from our level either to Penthouse or to Seven Seas suite level. The price was a bit much, so we waited and they sent another email about 5 days ahead with even lower prices. Well when you’ve already paid so much the incremental cost doesn’t seem like that much more, right? Anyway, we ended up upgrading into a SS suite. In reality the total was substantially less than even the price offered at that time for a SS suite on a last minute travel site (yes more comparison shopping).

 

So what’s the good and the bad, and what did I learn so far? The flights were on American Airlines. Outbound was direct, early AM LAX to MIA. I learned that “free international business class” means we will fly in business class the entire flight back from Barcelona, even though we stop at JFK and change planes to a domestic JFK-LAX leg. We were met efficiently at baggage claim by a Regent rep and promptly transferred to the hotel in a van. The Conrad (Hilton) Miami is an OK but a bit dated hotel. Regent had a table adjacent to the hotel check-in desk and we received our bus assignment for the AM transfer to the pier. The time ranges were 11:15 to 12:15 and you didn’t get to pick. The next morning we left our luggage inside our room tagged with the Regent tags so the bags were handled completely independently of our transfers. What that meant was that we were not necessarily obligated to be on the bus (for example we could Uber to the pier if we wanted). Included breakfast was a buffet in a separate area for the “cruise guests.” Consider this a downgrade from what you would normally get if you booked a bed and breakfast rate at a big city Hilton or Marriott and more like the "free breakfast" you'd get when staying at Ramada or Holiday Inn in a smaller city. After, we checked out of the hotel (allowed even though the bags were still in the room) and headed off to Vizcaya on our own with the intention of either taking the Regent bus or Uber to the pier. As it turned out, unfortunately we ended up with time to go back to the hotel and catch the bus. What a chaotic scene. The buses were running about 15 minutes late which meant all the groups were there before the first bus left. We were herded down the elevator to the bus, and then had to wait while luggage was loaded, both before we left and on the bus after we arrived. My recommendation – spend the $12 and take Uber- then you can go whenever you want in comfort, and your luggage will be on the bus anyways. Check-in was quick- we were escorted to the front of the line because of our suite level, but it didn’t look like the wait would have been more than 10 minutes or so regardless. We spent the first hour visiting different parts of the ship and meeting the staff, champagne glasses in hand. At 1 pm we were allowed to go to the room. And what a room it was. We are in an aft SS suite, which is on the corner aft. It has a panoramic window that wraps around from the back to the side, and a sliding door that opens to the balcony straight aft. The diagrams and “virtual tour” on the website do not do this room justice. I can’t overstate how secluded and impressive this room is. We could have upgraded to a forward (mid ship) SS suite for about the same price but the balcony and the view is what put this one on top.

 

That’s all for now. I will post again soon, because I do have some impressions and comments on some of the other often-debated subjects such as the dress code, aft ship vibration, aft vs mid ship, butler (useful or not), internet service, the meaning of “unlimited shore excursions and specialty dining,” etc.  

[greenolaker]

Looking forward to reading your blog, especially as we will be first time Regent cruisers when we embark on the Voyager in December. Can’t wait to hear about your good and bad impressions. How is the air conditioning in the cabin?  I like it freezing and am concerned since we will be in the heat and humidity of Southeast Asia. Anyway hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise. 

[ROLLTIDE2]

I’m looking forward to your impressions of the ship (we’re on Voyager this summer) and of the eastbound Transatlantic, which we do next spring.  Thank you for taking the time to report on your experience.  Hope you have a safe, enjoyable cruise.

[Travelcat2]

We have not had air conditioning issues on Voyager.  We did a transatlantic cruise last November on Voyager and it was fine.

Edited March 23, 2019 by Travelcat2

[vegasdriven]

Oh yay! Please, please, please, post as many details as you can, having just done a Voyager cruise (first Regent), I can't seem to get enough. Transatlantic is one we would love to do, so will be following closely.

Have a fabulous time!

[bccolaman]

Excited to read about your impressions as we board when Voyager reaches Barcelona.  This will be our first Regent cruise after many on Celebrity and are really looking forward it.

 

[Hambagahle]

Thanks for bringing us with you!  Looking forward to your posts (and photos too if you can!)  Aft suites are my absolute favourites for TA cruises.  Once you leave Bermuda you will be heading due east with wonderful sunsets over the ship's wake every evening.  Your suite is the best place to enjoy those!

[Boats07]

We will be following your post.......we will be on our first Regent Cruise, it is a TA but aboard the Spendor in April 2020.

Your information regarding the international flight back to the U.S. was first class even once you changed planes in the U.S.   That was good to know.

We booked through a travel agent and wonder if we would have to opportunity to receive an upgrade.  

Enjoy your trip and looking forward to reading more!

 

[Mark99]

Thanks Boats- just to clarify- my information may have been first class, but both legs of the return flight were "only" in business class.

[Boats07]

Understand, business class is better then flying across the ocean in business class then economy once you change planes stateside.  Hope that makes sense.... thank you for any feed back.  

[RachelG]

Have a great trip!  And totally agree with your recommendation regarding taking Uber to the port rather than group transfer!

[flossie009]

Looking forward to this blog and the impressions of a cruiser new to Regent.

Hope you have a great cruise 👍

[Mark99]

Half way to Bermuda. It's been sunny and warm- in the 70's. Seas are 2-3 m with 15kt wind.

 

Some thoughts about fitness- As a runner I have had to constantly deal with inadequate jogging tracks and crowded gyms. As with many ships, the track is on the deck above the pool deck, in this case deck 12, which is open in the center and looks down on the pool. The website diagram clearly shows the jogging track is the small loop in the center above/around the pool, but that does not seem to be the case. Some of the other ships I have been on extend the jogging track around the front of the ship where the wind can be incredibly strong. The Voyager track fortunately can be jogged from in front of the pool all the way aft around the paddle tennis court where the wind is at a minimum. The diagram makes it look like the turns are tight, but the track is wider than it looks and the turns can be made easily at a reasonable jogging pace, even around the paddle court. You are restricted from going forward around the putting green, probably because there are high-end cabins below there on deck 11. There are no cabins aft on deck 11. It is posted as 7 laps to the mile, bringing up the question of whether that includes the aft section. I’ll try to answer that question later. There are no posted or published hours, but I went out at 6 am and two people were already there. The track was still slightly wet, as it seems all jogging tracks get washed in the early mornings, but that must have been done much earlier.

The fitness center has a limited number of treadmills (I think 3) and officially opens at 7 am. This could pose some issues for an early jogger if the running track gets closed because of weather. The center manager said the gym is not locked at night, so one could possibly get in earlier (not his suggestion). It is located forward on deck 6, adjacent to the spa and above the theater. With no cabins below and being unmonitored anyway, I’m not sure who would care whether anyone was jogging there before 7 am. There are a selection of classes, including cardio, abs, circuit training, stretching and spin. My wife and I took the abs class (30 min) followed by the spin class (45 min). They were conducted by the gym manager who looks like will be doing all the classes. They were professional and pretty much like you would expect at your local gym.

Had dinner last night at Prime 7- not exactly the experience I was expecting. More on that in the next post.

[poss]

What a wonderfully detailed report.    Thank you for taking the time to share your findings.  I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

[Mark99]

One of the advertised advantages of the Regent all-inclusive cruise experience is the “free specialty restaurants.” One thing I learned after booking is that does not mean “unlimited.” It would better be described as “capacity controlled” specialty restaurants. On the Voyager you are limited to one advance reservation in each of the two specialty restaurants, Prime 7 and Chartreuse. At the time of our initial booking at the Concierge suite level, we got access to the reservations earlier than the Deluxe Veranda level, so we were able to secure early dining times at a 2-person table. Looking later, it seemed that these were the reservations that filled first. I was informed by our butler yesterday that we are not able to get additional reservations for two more days. I’m not sure why, since there were many empty tables in Prime 7 last night from the time we arrived at 6:30 to leaving around 8.

 

I had a whole write-up about our experience in Prime 7, but I deleted it to save you from my complaining. Suffice it to say that it was not much different than our previous dinner in Compass Rose or this evening in Sette Mari at La Veranda. Which was reasonably efficient service and decent food. So if you don’t get all the specialty reservations you think you want, I wouldn’t worry.

 

One other comment generally is about the wine service. The advertised slogan is “free unlimited beverages, including fine wines and spirits.” That doesn’t mean pick your fine wine from a wine list. In Compass Rose, the wait staff brought two open bottles to the table, one white and one red, and we were asked which one we wanted. Same thing in Prime 7 and Setti Mari. In Prime 7 it was a Simi Winery Sonoma Valley Sauvignon Blanc, a retail $15 bottle. Pretty much the same for the after-dinner wine.

Tomorrow we reach Bermuda, and have the first of our "unlimited" shore excursions. More about what "unlimited" really means and eventually I will answer the question about aft vibration (I'm still trying to decide how to describe it).

[Travelcat2]

I'm glad that you mentioned unlimited beverages.  You are not stuck with the two wines of the day.  Speak with the Sommelier and tell them what type of wine that you like.  She/he will find an included wine that should meet your taste.  There are many included wines that are not on the list - all you have to do is ask.

 

Agree with you about taking the included transportation from the hotel to the ship.  We always do our own thing (taxi) so that we arrive at the port prior to the large bus groups.

 

In terms of the gym, Regent ships are small and therefore the gym, casino, etc. are scaled down.  If you want a larger gym, suggest that you sail on Explorer.

 

P7 (Prime 7) can be excellent......... or not.  Hopefully Regent will find a way to keep this dining venue consistent.  On the other hand, the steaks in CR can often be better than in P7.

 

Also, for future reference, booking directly with Regent leaves money on the table.  When you book with a luxury cruise line TA (that is familiar with booking Regent), you often get a rebate on your cruise fare in addition to OBC's (on board credits).  Doing research before booking a Regent cruise is really important.  I know that hindsight is 20/20 but wish that you had done more research before booking this cruise.

 

Finally, we have stayed in the Seven Seas Suite on Voyager and also find it very comfortable!

[RachelG]

P7 is not my favorite though we have had some good meals there.

 

I think you can go to the gym pretty much anytime you want.  I have never had to wait for a machine.  That said, I prefer walking or jogging on the track outside if weather allows.

[jabbawocky]

We were on the previous cruise and thought our two meals at Prime 7 were excellent. We had to share a table at our second booking and it was much more enjoyable than we were expecting.  When excursions start, there are often late cancellations as people are tired or get back late so worth checking regularly with the reservations desk. Agree the wine offered is not expensive but we generally found the quality better than we had with a similar 5* cruiseline. I always tasted what was on offer and no problem ordering something different if it wasn’t to my taste.

[flossie009]

I concur with previous posters.

 

In summary:

• Booking through a Travel Agent, rather than direct with the cruise line will attract cash-back (up-front discount in the UK) plus other perks such as shipboard credit etc. Never have understood this but the same with booking all cruises not just Regent. You can discuss cruise options & details direct with Regent then have the booking transferred to your TA for the additional perks.
• If you do not fancy the offered wines just discuss your preference with the sommelier. If you would like a Merlot, ask; if you would like a Chardonnay, ask; if you would like a wine from Chile or France, ask. Regent does not offer a list of included wines but their range is reasonably extensive. Same is true for water (you can opt for bottled water, sparkling or still), beer and coffee.
• For additional Speciality Restaurant reservations try visiting the Dining Reservations desk where you will be able to explore options. Flexibility in dates, timing and willingness to share will open up more possibilities.
• The Compass Rose menu is so extensive that Prime 7 no longer has as much appeal as in previous years. However we find it nice for a change, but once per cruise is usually enough for us.
• Sette Mari is not our favourite venue. Again once per cruise, if at all, is enough for us

Looking forward to your further reports and observations. 

[Hambagahle]

Agree totally about the wines.  I would prefer to see a list but TC says there are so many on it that logistically it would be hard for the sommeliers...  I hate Sauvignon Blanc for example and love Chardonnay especially a good California chardonnay (hard to find here in Switzerland!).  If the evening "pour" is Sauvignon I refuse it and ask for a Chardonnay which I then get...  However would really really prefer to be able to order from a list...

[kjbacon]

9 hours ago, Mark99 said:

One of the advertised advantages of the Regent all-inclusive cruise experience is the “free specialty restaurants.” One thing I learned after booking is that does not mean “unlimited.” It would better be described as “capacity controlled” specialty restaurants. On the Voyager you are limited to one advance reservation in each of the two specialty restaurants, Prime 7 and Chartreuse. At the time of our initial booking at the Concierge suite level, we got access to the reservations earlier than the Deluxe Veranda level, so we were able to secure early dining times at a 2-person table. Looking later, it seemed that these were the reservations that filled first. I was informed by our butler yesterday that we are not able to get additional reservations for two more days. I’m not sure why, since there were many empty tables in Prime 7 last night from the time we arrived at 6:30 to leaving around 8.

 

First of all, thank you for this informative review. I am reading it with great interest and am learning a lot (even if I’m not happy about all that I’m learning). My specific question here is about additional reservations in the specialty restaurants. I thought that upon boarding, you could make more and that the limits only applied to the advance reservations made on line befor boarding. We had planned to ask our butler to make a couple more reservations for us on day one. Can we do that?

[DavidTheWonderer]

3 hours ago, flossie009 said:

• ...Booking through a Travel Agent, rather than direct with the cruise line will attract cash-back (up-front discount in the UK) plus other perks such as shipboard credit etc. Never have understood this but the same with booking all cruises not just Regent. You can discuss cruise options & details direct with Regent then have the booking transferred to your TA for the additional perks....

A travel agent who is on good terms with the line, Regent in this case, and the ship, Voyager here, can sometimes alert you to upgrades, etc. that are not yet publicly available, and can also make sure that there are no known issues with the specific cabin he/she is booking for you.

[DavidTheWonderer]

3 hours ago, flossie009 said:

...For additional Speciality Restaurant reservations try visiting the Dining Reservations desk where you will be able to explore options. Flexibility in dates, timing and willingness to share will open up more possibilities. ...

Also, sometimes there are cancellations.  So if you drop by around 6 PM and ask, the worst that can happen is that there haven't been any, so you're stuck with the swill in Compass Rose.

[Hambagahle]

1 hour ago, kjbacon said:

First of all, thank you for this informative review. I am reading it with great interest and am learning a lot (even if I’m not happy about all that I’m learning). My specific question here is about additional reservations in the specialty restaurants. I thought that upon boarding, you could make more and that the limits only applied to the advance reservations made on line befor boarding. We had planned to ask our butler to make a couple more reservations for us on day one. Can we do that?

You certainly can (and you should).    My experience has been that our butler can generally make an additional dining reservation for us with not much problem provided we ask in advance.  He will be looking after other passengers too and some of those will cancel pre-booked reservations so he can "swop" names.   True that before sailing you can only make one reservation per suite but just ask the butler to make the others when you meet him.  You could even give him a list to work from...

 

I was once "scolded" by our butler because I did not tell him when I was about to cancel a dining reservation...he said he could have used it!

[kjbacon]

Thank you, Hambagahle. I can give him/her our list of dates on our first day. 

 

Mark99, might you reconsider posting your more detailed review of P7? I know that I am interested in it but certainly, that is up to you.