Top Tips for Regent First Time Cruisers

[CruisetheCs]

1 hour ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Are you seriously counting posts? Are you also counting how many were done in jest?  

 

No, actually not.  That is why I posed my sentence with a question mark (in how many posts?).  Not sure I can count that far after a glass or two or three of wine! 😋

[baz48]

21 hours ago, SWFLAOK said:

 since I never brought them out (magnet hooks for the wall, an overdoor shoe holder, battery operated tea candles, and other things I'm ashamed to admit). They were all recommended in an article that I read on the internet. It might even have been linked to cruise critic. But luckily, I kept them in my suitcase under the bed until I determined if they were needed. By the time I took my 4th cruise, which was my first on Regent, I knew that the recommended list was not for the type of ship that I cruised on.

 

 

Just curious, why you didn't use those things.  They sound like practical solutions to limited space, especially on a long cruise.  I was thinking of just those things for our next cruise in a Deluxe Verandah - must have read the same article you did!

[ROLLTIDE2]

I love the battery operated tea lights.  I use them on cruises, in hotel rooms, when staying with friends.  Basically anywhere I’m not sure I know how to get to the bathroom in the dark when half asleep.  And I think a highlighter to mark Passages is a must.  And the travel mug for a large morning coffee.  

[SWFLAOK]

2 hours ago, baz48 said:

 

 

Just curious, why you didn't use those things.  They sound like practical solutions to limited space, especially on a long cruise.  I was thinking of just those things for our next cruise in a Deluxe Verandah - must have read the same article you did! 

There were already hooks to hang towels and bath robes, and I didn't really need to hang anything else from the wall. There's  plenty of room for shoes in the bottom of the closet (how many pairs of shoes can you carry in your suitcase?), and I didn't know what else I would put in there. There was drawer space for socks, underwear, etc. We had a Deluxe Verandah on Mariner for our Alaska cruise, and there was plenty of storage for our 12 night cruise, and the clothes we needed for our additional week's stay in Alaska after the cruise.

There's always been enough light to find the bathroom at night on the cruises we've been on so far (6 cruises on 5 cruise lines). And I provide a small light in our guest bath so there's no need for that when visiting me.

I don't remember seeing a highlighter on the list that I read, but I think that would be helpful. I still bring a deck of cards, although I haven't used them so far. The list had plastic clothes pins, and bring 4 and have used them on 2 of our 6 cruises where they were needed to hang wet swim suits.

I try to avoid a large morning coffee if I have an excursion before noon. I hate to spend a lot of time standing in line for the restroom, or even using a public restroom at all in some places. If it's a sea day,  there's plenty of time to refill the regular size cup provided.

[Brownie54]

We bring the battery operated tea lights for guidance to the bathroom at night. I don’t think there’s enough light in the cabin at night, and I’m deathly afraid of missing that step up into the bathroom!

For the 2017 WC, we were in a Navigator suite. We did take and use the overdoor shoe holder and put it on the back of our bedroom door. We used it for everything but shoes; extra eyeglasses, snacks, maps, etc. We were glad we had it for 128 days, but have not taken it since on 3 subsequent cruises.

Perhaps we are better about our packing?

I’m not sure it would have been useful if we didn’t have that bedroom door.

 

Magnets were great on Navigator that year, but have not been useful on Explorer or Mariner. Either the wall covering is too thick to allow the magnet to work, or the walls are of a different construction than Navigator.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 5/22/2019 at 7:24 PM, czardas said:

 

Well I’m heading out to buy the loudest lanyard I can find and then pimp it up a bit. Dimnontes and feathers should do it.

 

 

Hey, what a good thought!  I'm going to get us matching lanyards with Canadian flags on them!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

4 hours ago, Brownie54 said:

...

Magnets were great on Navigator that year, but have not been useful on Explorer or Mariner. Either the wall covering is too thick to allow the magnet to work, or the walls are of a different construction than Navigator.

 

Good to know--I'll strike magnets off my list for our Mariner cruise--do you think the doors

might be magnetic?

On 5/23/2019 at 8:27 PM, SWFLAOK said:

On our first cruise, which was on the Paul Gauguin, I brought a lanyard, along with other things that I hope no one saw in my suitcase since I never brought them out (magnet hooks for the wall, an overdoor shoe holder, battery operated tea candles, and other things I'm ashamed to admit). They were all recommended in an article that I read on the internet. It might even have been linked to cruise critic. But luckily, I kept them in my suitcase under the bed until I determined if they were needed. By the time I took my 4th cruise, which was my first on Regent, I knew that the recommended list was not for the type of ship that I cruised on.

However, on my Regent cruise to Alaska in late August, I did bring plenty of socks, and on board, I needed to wear socks with my sandals on a few cold mornings (they didn't work with my flip flops). Our Florida feet don't like closed toes, so we only wear those for excursions that call for sneakers, or when we dress up for dinner.

 

AOK, our first cruise was also on the PG and I brought so many clothes, those little closets were stuffed, and of course I ended up wearing only a fraction of it.

 

But I'm still thinking that the overdoor shoe holder might just be a good thing, thinking about the jumble of shoes in the bottom of the Regent walk-in closets, and that useless shoe rack that they have in there.

 

As for Florida feet, I feel your pain.  Having wintered in Florida now for eight years, I can hardly bear to wear shoes, and only do so when I'm told I need to, or if, as now, I'm home in the north, and it's cold!

 

[Floridiana]

On ‎5‎/‎23‎/‎2019 at 8:27 PM, SWFLAOK said:

socks with my sandals on a few cold mornings (they didn't work with my flip flops)

 

Get flip-flop socks with a separate big toe in Japan! 😉

 

Seriously, we are just back from an Azamara cruise around Japan. Now I wonder about the space per passenger ratio on the Mariner. Are the interior common spaces crowded on cold sea days? They were on Azamara's Quest.

 

Despite all the claims what a bunch of fun people cruise on Regent, I need daily down time to be fit for company again. In good weather, the balcony is my refuge. Are all balconies large enough for a lounge chair? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Travelcat2]

30 minutes ago, Floridiana said:

 

Get flip-flop socks with a separate big toe in Japan! 😉

 

Seriously, we are just back from an Azamara cruise around Japan. Now I wonder about the space per passenger ratio on the Mariner. Are the interior common spaces crowded on cold sea days? They were on Azamara's Quest.

 

Despite all the claims what a bunch of fun people cruise on Regent, I need daily down time to be fit for company again. In good weather, the balcony is my refuge. Are all balconies large enough for a lounge chair? 

 

 

Azamara Quest's "staterooms" are 175 sq. ft. with a 40 sq.  ft. balcony.  Mariner's "suites" (all suite - all balcony ship) are 252 sq. ft. with a 49 square foot balcony.

 

Mariner has the largest public spaces of Regent's fleet (which is why their entry level suites are only 252 square feet while the Voyager and Navigator entry suites are 301 sq. ft.)..  However, In my opinion, although any ship will be crowded if 100% of the passengers are inside the ship due to weather issue, there would be more space on Mariner than most luxury cruise ships.  Speaking of luxury, keep in mind that Azamara ships are not in the luxury class but are "premium plus".  

 

I know that the space per passenger ratio is somewhere on the Regent website but I'm too lazy to look for it ..... sorry.  

 

P.S.  Mariner suite balconies already have two chairs and a small table.

[DavidTheWonderer]

33 minutes ago, Floridiana said:

 

... Seriously, we are just back from an Azamara cruise around Japan. Now I wonder about the space per passenger ratio on the Mariner. Are the interior common spaces crowded on cold sea days? They were on Azamara's Quest. ...

 

 

 

 

 

Been on and enjoyed both ships.  A rough way to calculate the space is the take the gross tonnage of the ship divided by the number of passengers.  For Quest it is 46, while Mariner comes in at 68. Mariner is a clear winner.

Of course, there is more to the story than this. Regent's Mariner and Voyager have the same gross tonnage and the same number of passengers.  But Voyager's cabins are bigger, and Mariner's public spaces are more spacious: Regent decided to divvy up the space differently on the two ships. But even Voyager's comparatively smaller public space I'm willing to bet is a lot more spacious than Quest's.

[SWFLAOK]

4 hours ago, Floridiana said:

 

Get flip-flop socks with a separate big toe in Japan! 😉

 

Seriously, we are just back from an Azamara cruise around Japan. Now I wonder about the space per passenger ratio on the Mariner. Are the interior common spaces crowded on cold sea days? They were on Azamara's Quest.

 

Despite all the claims what a bunch of fun people cruise on Regent, I need daily down time to be fit for company again. In good weather, the balcony is my refuge. Are all balconies large enough for a lounge chair? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't have any cruises to Japan  booked, but I'll take a look online to see if I can find flip-flop socks.

 

We also like our downtime in our cabin to relax, and Regent Mariner's smallest cabin with a balcony had enough room for us. There;s only  room for 2 chairs and a table on the balcony, but  that was enough for us since we don't lay in the sun. There plenty of lounge chairs on the outside decks.

 

[Floridiana]

Thank you everybody. 

No lounge chair … I hope the balcony table is small and low? The Quest's table was dining room height and basically clogged the entire balcony. I have no problem sitting in a comfortable chair that is NOT squeezed at a dining table. 

 

SWFLAOK,

Traditional Japanese sandals are flip-flops made of natural materials. White socks in these special flip-flops go with kimonos. Nowadays these socks come in all colors with manga prints etc.

[Travelcat2]

56 minutes ago, Floridiana said:

Thank you everybody. 

No lounge chair … I hope the balcony table is small and low? The Quest's table was dining room height and basically clogged the entire balcony. I have no problem sitting in a comfortable chair that is NOT squeezed at a dining table. 

 

SWFLAOK,

Traditional Japanese sandals are flip-flops made of natural materials. White socks in these special flip-flops go with kimonos. Nowadays these socks come in all colors with manga prints etc.

 

The balcony tables are small and not high.  The chairs recline somewhat and are fairly comfortable.

[Floridiana]

1 hour ago, Travelcat2 said:

The balcony tables are small and not high.  The chairs recline somewhat and are fairly comfortable.

 

 

That sounds good enough. I am relieved. Will put my drink on the table and my clean socked feet on the second chair. 

[flossie009]

Furniture on the balcony of a Seven Seas Mariner Penthouse Suite: 

 

 

 

[flossie009]

Basic and Concierge suites on Mariner have a smaller balcony, but the same furniture.

 

There is a video available which gives a tour of suite 931 on Mariner; this shows a shower-only suite post refurbishment and includes a view of the balcony.

[Floridiana]

Nice chairs, a bit bulky but comfortable.

Is there a video available of a lower category suite? I tried to google, but so much comes up with obviously old pictures. I am looking for a visual of the walk-in closet and the bathroom. I hope it has a shower, don' t care about a tub.

[ROLLTIDE2]

There is a YouTube video from a couple years ago of the Deluxe Veranda Suite.  It gives good views of the shower bathroom and of the closet.

[Travelcat2]

1 hour ago, Floridiana said:

Nice chairs, a bit bulky but comfortable.

Is there a video available of a lower category suite? I tried to google, but so much comes up with obviously old pictures. I am looking for a visual of the walk-in closet and the bathroom. I hope it has a shower, don' t care about a tub.

 

The shower-only bathroom suites book up fast so if a nice shower is important to you - make sure that you book one of the shower suites.  The bathtub has a shower but it is difficult into and out of the tub.

[tnr]

We always take 3M hooks on cruises.  In the closet, they can give an extra place for jackets, etc.  In the room, we put a small bag to hold passages, maps and anything else we can think of.  The hooks are strong and come off easily without leaving any marks.

[flossie009]

 

3 hours ago, Floridiana said:

Is there a video available of a lower category suite? I tried to google, but so much comes up with obviously old pictures. I am looking for a visual of the walk-in closet and the bathroom. I hope it has a shower, don' t care about a tub.

The basic Veranda suites on Mariner are the same size and layout as the Concierge suites shown in the video that I posted previously. 

You just don't get the Tote bag or Illy Espresso maker.

Same walk-in closet and bathroom.

Bathrooms on Mariner are either shower-only (as the video) or with a bath/shower combo (in the same location as the shower)

 

On 5/26/2019 at 11:40 AM, flossie009 said:

There is a video available which gives a tour of suite 931 on Mariner; this shows a shower-only suite post refurbishment and includes a view of the balcony.

Edited May 28, 2019 by flossie009

[West Coast Gal]

How many electrical outlets are in a room on the Mariner?

[Travelcat2]

10 minutes ago, West Coast Gal said:

How many electrical outlets are in a room on the Mariner?

 

Not sure what category suite that you are looking at but we always pack an extension with USB and regular plugs (like this one https://www.amazon.com/TROND-Mountable-Extender-Extension-Nightstand/dp/B07N19QTVC/ref=sr_1_16?crid=2XRE3DZBXA7S2&keywords=extension+plug+multiple+outlet+with+usb&qid=1559058718&s=gateway&sprefix=extension+plu%2Caps%2C235&sr=8-16). On cruise ships it is important not to have a "surge protector" in the unit.

 

 

[Floridiana]

I looked at the video again … 

[newcruzer]

Not sure if to post here, but on Regent, since gratuities are included, do guests still tip your butler and housekeepers? (for great service, etc.)? Is this routine or not done at all?