Live from Voyager Transatlantic Mar 22 to Apr 5

[flossie009]

13 hours ago, Mark99 said:

 

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.

 

 

Sorry, I may have misinterpreted your post when I made my previous comment regarding dining reservations (post #19).

Is your Butler saying that he cannot get reservations for the two further days requested, or is he saying he will be able to make further reservations for you but not until after the next two days?

If the latter, it may be because Regent likes to ensure that every guest has had the opportunity to make at least one reservation in each restaurant before opening up for everyone to make further reservations. 

[jeb_bud]

If you feel like being spontaneous you can just drop by Prime 7 or Chartreuse and ask if they have any tables available. The worst that can happen is that you go to Sette Mari or Compass Rose, which you would do anyway. 

Edited March 25, 2019 by jeb_bud
Typo

[UUNetBill]

9 hours ago, flossie009 said:

I concur with previous posters.

 

• 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.
• 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.

Looking forward to your further reports and observations. 

Just to add a bit to what Flossie posted, the dinner menu will generally show the included wines and a few 'premium' wines (i.e. additional cost).  While these premium wines are fairly priced, IMO, there are usually quite a few nicer selections available from the included list.  I usually try to attend the wine tastings they host so I can get a better idea of what wines they have on board that I like.  I'll also usually hit the Premium Wine Tasting if I have some OBC I need to use.

 

Also, the variety of the menu items on Compass Rose's menu really do minimize the need for additional reservations in the specialty venues, although we still try to get additional nights on occasion.

[Travelcat2]

A comment about seeing empty tables when the specialty restaurant is fully booked.....  reservations are spread out so that everyone does not arrive at the same time.  The first reservations are at 6:30 p.m. and that is when you see the most empty tables.  By the time the 7:00 p.m. reservations show up, drinks, bread and orders have usually been taken for the first group and the servers are ready to start with the people that just arrived.  This continues on through the evening.   

[orvil]

Our travelling companions would often ask for other varietals than the ones offered on a particular evening.  The sommelier was happy to arrange something that they would like.  He indicated to us that it an alternative was no problem.  We simply had to ask.  Some nights, we would order off the premium menu.  We did this to use up some OBC.  I have to comment that the standard selection was excellent. 

 

[Mark99]

Regarding the issue of direct vs. TA booking, I will take your advice and do a little more comparison-shopping next time. I do understand that TA’s can get OBC as well as fare concessions, although I wonder about what I would spend much OBC with the all-inclusive nature of the cruise. I do feel that we got a good deal. Generally, I would characterize it as a big percentage off of the brochure 2 for 1 published fare for the class of cabin we are in. But in principle you are right- none of us want to leave money on the table. Regent doesn’t make it too easy to pin down their fares, given that they are only quoted by phone and not through an on-line reservation system like the other lines.

 

Regarding specialty reservations- flossie- the butler said the latter, that he could get reservations after 2 days, and stated the exact reason you did- so that everyone who did not have them could get a shot. In fact, the specialty reservations desk was open when we boarded and I did not stop. I guess at that point I figured we would see how we liked them and then take another shot later if we did. And I do understand that the seatings should be staggered- but it did seem like some tables were first being seated at 7:30, which would be an hour after opening. Our cruise seems relatively sparsely attended compared to others (non-Regent) that we have been on, so probably we could get another reservation if we wanted. I will let you know how that works out.

 

To the question about air-conditioning- it is fine. we have been in mild weather the whole time.  Can’t say what it would be in hot weather. The temperature is adjustable at the thermostat, although I don’t see an on/off switch.

[Zqueeze1]

Mark99:  we hope you have a wonderful cruise experience and get to enjoy it as much as we enjoy cruising on Regent. Your blog is very detailed and full of great info. Looking forward to reading more. Safe travels. 

Z and TB

[Travelcat2]

9 minutes ago, Mark99 said:

Regarding the issue of direct vs. TA booking, I will take your advice and do a little more comparison-shopping next time. I do understand that TA’s can get OBC as well as fare concessions, although I wonder about what I would spend much OBC with the all-inclusive nature of the cruise. I do feel that we got a good deal. Generally, I would characterize it as a big percentage off of the brochure 2 for 1 published fare for the class of cabin we are in. But in principle you are right- none of us want to leave money on the table. Regent doesn’t make it too easy to pin down their fares, given that they are only quoted by phone and not through an on-line reservation system like the other lines.

 

 

Actually you can book a reservation on the rssc.com website (although I still prefer using a TA).  Sometimes we "pretend" to book a cruise in order to see what suites are still available.

[Ladys Mom]

On both of our Regent cruises on Voyager and Navigator we were able to secure as many specialty restaurant dinners as we wanted, as long as we were flexible as to time and sharing a table.  That being said, Compass Rose is wonderful and the choices are plentiful.  We even asked for items not on the menu, and they arrived the next evening as requested.  

Regarding included wines, we asked for our favorite varietals from the beginning and the sommelier was always able to accommodate.  On one the the Regent threads, someone has recently posted the list of included wines on Explorer if you want a sample of what is available.  

Have a great cruise!

[Pinksunset]

Am I the only person that really likes Setti Mari (and Compass Rose?)  But then again I am a vegetarian.  And so far I have only cruised once on the Mariner.  I was always pleased at both, rather than P7!😊

[Zqueeze1]

1 hour ago, Pinksunset said:

Am I the only person that really likes Setti Mari (and Compass Rose?)  But then again I am a vegetarian.  And so far I have only cruised once on the Mariner.  I was always pleased at both, rather than P7!😊

You are not alone. We’ve enjoyed it several times especially when they serve cioppino. Plus you can skip all the mains and just have antipasti if you prefer as long as you have a biscotti with an espresso for dessert (it’s mandatory). 

Z and TB

 

[Mark99]

Sitting here in Hamilton Bermuda. We had an interesting tour this AM- it was a harbor cruise looking at famous homes- got a lot of the story of the history of Bermuda. The weather was overcast and 60’s but it is clearing up now. We are docked at the Hamilton city docks which is right downtown. You can step off the boat into town, and city hall and the art museum is an easy walk away. Larger ships dock at the naval dockyards which is a car ride away. We are tied up starboard side alongside the dock pointed out towards the channel exit.

 

So how about the issue of vibration in our cabin? First- it is not of the magnitude to defer us from choosing this cabin. In fact I think it might only be a concern to someone very sensitive to noise. As we were getting ready to head to the ship on the first day I mentioned to my wife that there might be an issue with motion and vibration. She said motion- no problem but vibration- no way. Uh oh. Now starting to re-think the decision to go aft instead of mid- or forward. The next morning (after the first night) I asked again- no issue. I could describe it as a very slightly noticeable vibration if you put your hand on the furniture or part of the ship. There is definite low-pitched noise – about at the frequency of a clothes dryer. It is hard to distinguish what part of the noise is engines and what part is ocean and wind. It seemed to be speed related. At 15 kt. It was barely noticeable and at 18 kt. you could feel more buzzing. When your head was on the pillow at night, you could hear the buzzing with an oscillating sound, like the props were slightly out of sync. There was a variation in intensity- depending on the vertical position of the stern. I noticed similar vibration in other areas of the ship, for example, as in Prime 7 which is more forward and a little lower. So it might not be much different from other areas of the ship.

 

Which brings up another issue- what about the motion? In this ship there is more rocking than in the larger (>100K ton) ships that we have experienced before. There is noticeable side-to-side rocking and up and down pitching, even though the seas have been only 5-8 ft. So my conclusion would be don’t worry about the aft vibration on this ship- it is noisy when you are moving but that is part of the experience. I might be a bit concerned about the motion if I was motion sensitive.

More on the wines- yes the Compass Rose menu has the two "featured" (included) wines (red/white) listed as well as a small selection of premium wines. Still have not seen the included wines full list. Maybe that varies by cruise. Yes it was no problem to ask for a chardonnay when a sauvingon blanc was featured- it came right over like it was sitting in the bucket waiting for someone to ask for it.

 

More tomorrow on thoughts about the dreaded dress code, and more thoughts about the butler.  Six sea days ahead.

 

[Travelcat2]

Looking forward to your thoughts about your butler and the dress code (which we happen to love).  

 

During your six sea days, weather permitting, Regent may do a Country Fair which is loads of fun.  Hope that yo get to experience it!

[GOARMY]

Great Thread.  Am enjoying vicariously following your cruise experience. 

 

A comment about wines.  Compass Rose Staff is quick to accommodate requests for alternative whites or reds--without resorting to the Reserve List. 

 

On last Mariner cruise, I tried two whites at dinner.  Too sweet.  As suggested, was offered a Castle Rock Winery Chardonnay (Central Coast California).  That became my favorite, and always available.  Same flexibility as to reds.  After tasting two from the general list, my wife asked to try something else.  That was a Sokol Blosser Oregon Pinot Noir.  Hit the spot.  Again, always available either at lunch or dinner.  No extra charge.

 

Once-home, we priced out the Sokol at a "Total Wines" outlet.  This behemoth boasts being able to acquire untold varieties of wines.  If not in stock, Total will order it.  Sokol was in stock.  Price was about $38.00 per bottle.  Total advertises low prices because it orders in bulk.

 

So--when an occasional posting comments about Regent cheapening down its offered wines--well, that has not been our experience over the past many years on all of its ships.  Staff will work with guests to find the wine that suits their taste. 

 

GOARMY!

 

  

[kjbacon]

This really is a great thread, especially for us leaving in less than 2 weeks for our first Regent cruise.

 

It will be very helpful to learn more about the Butler on Regent.

 

I admit that I’m looking forward to the poster’s thoughts on the “dreaded dress code”. We’ve had questions on this topic but I’ve avoided them since it seems to stir folks up a good bit. We are starting to pack so this timing is ideal.

 

Thank you again, Mark99, and so glad you are enjoying your voyage! 

[DeepFreeze63]

2 hours ago, kjbacon said:

This really is a great thread, especially for us leaving in less than 2 weeks for our first Regent cruise.

 

It will be very helpful to learn more about the Butler on Regent.

 

I admit that I’m looking forward to the poster’s thoughts on the “dreaded dress code”. We’ve had questions on this topic but I’ve avoided them since it seems to stir folks up a good bit. We are starting to pack so this timing is ideal.

 

Thank you again, Mark99, and so glad you are enjoying your voyage! 

Yes, it is a great thread. Thanks to you posters!

My first ocean cruise was a TA on Mariner; it hooked me for life. We docked in downtown Hamilton. We went on tha tsmall boat excursion and the Captain made a small detour so we could see the house where DW vacationed as a child.

Our experience with Regent butlers has been mixed. They (3 or4) have all been tall, handsome and affable. But we haven't usually been able to think of things to use them for; however, on the last cruise in an Explorer suite with alot of sea days, he was a "godsend". He arranged (and ran) a super cocktail party for 6 new friends; expedited laundry when we didn't plan very well; and even had a board shaped in the ship's shop so I could use it in our "build-a-boat" entry.

We only had 1 "dress-code" issue during our 250 nights with Regent. A man was seated near us in Setti Mare in denims that looked like what I wear to tend my garden! I didn't make an issue of it during dinner but admonished the Maitre'd privately later.

I think that I'm a middle of the road dresser on board. Rarely a jacket (extremely rare for a tie) but always a nice long-sleeve shirt and slacks. As I always suggest, bring a sweater.

Best,

JIm C

PS; We sail Mariner on April 27th (no butler).

[eliana]

We seem to have run out of comments on the current transatlantic cruise of the Voyager which is the subject of this thread. We are on it and enjoying it very much. An excellent magician entertained us last night and he’s promised a teach-in later in the cruise. As to complimentary wines there is no problem, just ask the someliier or wine steward if those offered are not to your taste.. For those that like a dry white the Sancerre is very good and for a good light red try the Californian Pinot Noir. Threes also a complimentary Cotes de Rhône and a Chateauneuf, both of which we’ve enjoyed on previous cruises and will be trying later on.

Our only complaint is that Regent have not changed the blend of coffee they use - it remains an Illy dark roasted espresso blend and much too bitter to our taste. It is the only blend in all the outlets. Next time we’ll bring our own coffee on board!

[eliana]

Reverting to coffee. A fellow passenger who seems to know about coffee told us that Regent use a Robusta blend as it is much cheaper than the much more pleasant and drinkable Arabica, and that accounts for its bitter taste.

[forgap]

I always bring my own coffee.  I have been using a travel french press and go get hot water from the coffee connection.  This last trip, however, a looked on amazon and found a collapsable neoprene  hot water maker with auto shut off and a collapsable cone with paper filters so we can make one cup of hot coffee at a time in our cabin.   Worked like a charm....not heavy, fit nicely in the suitcase and didn't seem to alarm TSA.  

[Travelcat2]

29 minutes ago, eliana said:

Reverting to coffee. A fellow passenger who seems to know about coffee told us that Regent use a Robusta blend as it is much cheaper than the much more pleasant and drinkable Arabica, and that accounts for its bitter taste.

 

Regent uses Espresso beans which is not to everyone's taste (actually, there likely is not a coffee that everyone would agree on).  They have French press on Explorer and my DH loves the coffee done in this manner.  It does not seem to matter as much what the beans are but how they are ground and the machine that brews it.  If the coffee is not filtered enough, there is a bitter taste that is not there when it is properly filtered.

[noir36]

Just a note that  the champagne served on board in all venues is Heidseick Monopole. I and others  have managed to put a large dent in it's supply. There are also two Italian sparklers. The included wines are mostly serviceable house wines with some nice European selections. The extra wine lunch is priced at $169.00 pp and includes mostly California wines. 

 

There are only 461 passengers on board. So finding a table for two is very easy. Our experience in P7 was mostly very good. As is often the case the boss has a problem getting a well done steak. It was mostly medium rare. She did not request a replacement or additional cooking.

 

Regarding the cabin temperature we prefer a cold cabin. For some reason it was not cold enough for us a night. Our steward requested engineering check it out and it was quickly corrected.

 

Dennis

[Travelcat2]

48 minutes ago, noir36 said:

Regarding the cabin temperature we prefer a cold cabin. For some reason it was not cold enough for us a night. Our steward requested engineering check it out and it was quickly corrected.

 

 

I'm curious to know which side of the ship your suite is on.  When we do transatlantic cruises, we do everything possible to insure that the sun sets on the opposite side of where we are since the sun really heats up the suite and makes it hard for the air conditioning to keep up.  

[rcandkc]

40 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

I'm curious to know which side of the ship your suite is on.  When we do transatlantic cruises, we do everything possible to insure that the sun sets on the opposite side of where we are since the sun really heats up the suite and makes it hard for the air conditioning to keep up.  

Won’t it be setting to their stern since headed east to Europe?

[Hambagahle]

On 3/25/2019 at 9:00 PM, Lady's Mom said:

On both of our Regent cruises on Voyager and Navigator we were able to secure as many specialty restaurant dinners as we wanted, as long as we were flexible as to time and sharing a table.  That being said, Compass Rose is wonderful and the choices are plentiful.  We even asked for items not on the menu, and they arrived the next evening as requested.  

Regarding included wines, we asked for our favorite varietals from the beginning and the sommelier was always able to accommodate.  On one the the Regent threads, someone has recently posted the list of included wines on Explorer if you want a sample of what is available.  

Have a great cruise!

We have done the same thing in Compass Rose - one evening there were soft shell crabs on the menu.  we had that and it was lovely.  So next evening we asked if it were possible to have again - and it was!  Another time we pre-ordered an Indian dinner via our Butler which was served in the CR.   Regent is very flexible.  one word they do not like to use is "no".

[Kwaj girl]

We met our neighbors on either side of our suite the day of the block party.  They are neighbors at home - one couple had previously sailed with Regent and convinced the other couple to join them on this voyage.  Our butler arranged a very nice pre-dinner Champagne-and-Canapes party in our suite for the 6 of us.  An easy way to kill 3 bottles at once....a great time was had by all.  Since this worked so well we'll do a similar party with our Trivia teammates perhaps tomorrow.  Regent aims to please.

 

On another note - I avoid a lot of salt in my diet though I would not say it's a 'low sodium' diet.  Seems as though this galley crew has a heavy hand when it comes to salt in the food.  I understand that a certain amount of salt will be used during preparation for flavor enhancement but topping it off at the end seems pointless.  I will always request items with 'no added salt' but that's consistently not happened even though the server repeats my order prior to submission to the galley.  Yesterday's fresh grilled asparagus was a cooked-to-order item but what came to me was quite obviously finished with salt.  Never had this issue on last year's WC, so I've just learned which items I'll avoid on this trip. Maitre d' apologized when I mentioned this to him - will follow-up today at lunchtime in CR.  But they do an EXCELLENT grilled salmon - perfectly medium-rare as requested!  Must always praise the good along with the comments on the 'needs improvement' side.