Barcelona to Dubai on the Voyager: A Review

[Gilly]

@maryogreen thank you for taking the time to review your cruise in such detail and whetting my appetite for our next Regent voyage sailing a similar itinerary in reverse (not sailing backwards, though!)  We booked some time ago, wondering if repeating this, our very first Regent cruise also on Voyager some years ago, was a good idea, especially since we've travelled independently in the region since then too. But no...I cant wait to be back on board, to savour the good things and go appreciate all those little touches that we love.  We've been fortunate to have Elvy take care of us on more than one occasion and have watched Darle blossom from a shy new staff member to the delightful professional she is today - I agree that it's these people and their many colleagues who make the difference.

 

I really enjoyed reading about Barcelona today and look forward to subsequent posts as I count down the days to our cruise!  (Though we have another little jolly to enjoy in the meantime 😉)  I'm so glad I spotted Herb's post and joined the dots!

Edited December 4, 2019 by Gilly

[liptastic]

Mary this is a really great review to read. Your photos are lovely and so glad you enjoyed your cruise.  Thanks for posting,   Jean.

 

 

[maryogreen]

@Gilly, I'm so happy to hear that you'll be sailing this itinerary! I imagine that it will bring back wonderful memories as well as create some exciting new adventures. It made me smile to read that Elvy and DarLe were also standouts on your past cruises. Thank you, as always, for reading  – and for connecting the dots on Herb's post! I do hope we will find ourselves on the same cruise one of these days 🙂 

[maryogreen]

liptastic, Thank you so much...I'm happy to know that you enjoyed the review!

[Hambagahle]

Mary - thank you SO much for the lovely blog on San Diego.  Makes me wish I had scheduled more time for us there!  We sail on 14 March and only get to San Diego on the 12th...late.  Friday we are going to see a friend in Carlsbad (and visit the outlets!) so we don't have too much time to spare but will walk around Little Italy.  We are staying at the Grand  Hyatt so I don't think it is far away.

Any recommendation for good Mexican food in the general area of the Hyatt ??

 

[papaflamingo]

2 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

Any recommendation for good Mexican food in the general area of the Hyatt ??

Not sure about around the Hyatt, but if you are able, Old Town is a great place to go for the atmosphere and some good Mexican.  There are a number of restaurants up there.  I'm sure the hotel can direct you on how to go. 

Another thought is the Gaslamp District.  It's easy walking from your hotel and there are some great restaurants there.  Just thought.  

Saw on Mary's blog that she recommended Filippi's Pizza.  I grew up in San Diego and discovered Filippi's in 1970.  A "must have" every time I visit!  

 

Edited December 6, 2019 by papaflamingo

[orvil]

Darle has a fan club.  She is delightful.  Such a nice person.

[Hambagahle]

35 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

Not sure about around the Hyatt, but if you are able, Old Town is a great place to go for the atmosphere and some good Mexican.  There are a number of restaurants up there.  I'm sure the hotel can direct you on how to go. 

Another thought is the Gaslamp District.  It's easy walking from your hotel and there are some great restaurants there.  Just thought.  

Saw on Mary's blog that she recommended Filippi's Pizza.  I grew up in San Diego and discovered Filippi's in 1970.  A "must have" every time I visit!  

 

Thanks papaflamingo ... I think the Gaslamp area will be more practical for us.  (I know Old Town, went there a lot in the distant past but I don't want to take any tram etc)

I saw her comments about Filippi's too --- but honestly I don't like Italian food in the US.  (We live 45mns from Italy and are used to northern Italian food!!)

[papaflamingo]

7 minutes ago, Hambagahle said:

I saw her comments about Filippi's too --- but honestly I don't like Italian food in the US.  (We live 45mns from Italy and are used to northern Italian food!!)

Well I certainly understand that!  Jealous!!!!  

You'll like the Gaslamp area.   Lot's of great options.  

Have a great time! 

[maryogreen]

Hambagahle, I'm so glad you found my San Diego blog post helpful! I wrote it with cruisers in mind since there are quite a few terrific things to do within walking distance of the port. Little Italy is a great option if you're short on time. I'm sorry I can't recommend any Mexican restaurants offhand. There is a huge variety of Mexican cuisine here – from inexpensive little "shacks" to sophisticated modern cuisine. Your hotel concierge is your best bet for a recommendation. And as for Filippi's...it's definitely a world away from what you're used to in Northern Italy, but it's a San Diego "institution" and always fun! Please feel free to email me or post here if other questions arise. 

 

papaflamingo, I enjoyed your comment about Filippi's. The next time you're there, check out the framed menu from the 1950s. The prices are sure to make you smile!

 

orvil, Thanks for adding the kind words about Darle. She was truly our favorite server on the cruise!

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Thanks so much for helping me re-live great memories on our trip to Egypt in the 90’s.

you have done a great job. Thanks. 
sheila

[maryogreen]

Bellaggio Cruisers, You're so welcome! I'm happy to have sparked some wonderful memories. Such a fantastic part of the world 🙂

 

[MightyQuinn]

@maryogreen outstanding review and blog.  Your writing style is so evocative and compelling that I found myself reliving our own adventures in many of these places.  Your review has also inspired me to take another look at Regent.  We took our first (and only) cruise with them on Mariner in 2011 and had a similar experience of not being too impressed.  Since then, we haven't even considered a Regent voyage but maybe we'll take another look.  Thanks for a wonderful read.

[maryogreen]

MightyQuinn, Wow, you have made my day! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I'm delighted that the blog brought back some great travel memories. It's interesting that we both first sailed Regent about the same time (ours was in 2012) and had similar reactions. This recent cruise was such a completely different experience that my husband and I found ourselves often commenting that we felt as if we were on Crystal or Seabourn. I definitely think it's worth giving Regent another try if you find an itinerary that sparks your interest. Please feel free to email if you run across specific questions. I'm always happy to offer any insight when possible!

[blondietoo]

We got on the Voyager the day you got off...Dubai to Singapore. I wholeheartedly agree with your review ....we loved everything about the ship/crew etc. We too had a Concierge cabin. Our first Regent cruise was on the Explorer so we were a bit nervous. Our only criticism is that we  would have liked some art on board that was not ultra modern ...Explorer has a nice mix. Food was very good except for 2 dinners in Chartreuse....either bland or too rich....wish they would replace it with Pacific Rim.

[blondietoo]

We got on the Voyager the day you got off...Dubai to Singapore. I wholeheartedly agree with your review ....we loved everything about the ship/crew etc. We too had a Concierge cabin. Our first Regent cruise was on the Explorer so we were a bit nervous. Our only criticism is that we  would have liked some art on board that was not ultra modern ...Explorer has a nice mix. Food was very good except for 2 dinners in Chartreuse....either bland or too rich....wish they would replace it with Pacific Rim.

[GrJ Berkshire]

3 hours ago, blondietoo said:

We got on the Voyager the day you got off...Dubai to Singapore. I wholeheartedly agree with your review ....we loved everything about the ship/crew etc. We too had a Concierge cabin. Our first Regent cruise was on the Explorer so we were a bit nervous. Our only criticism is that we  would have liked some art on board that was not ultra modern ...Explorer has a nice mix. Food was very good except for 2 dinners in Chartreuse....either bland or too rich....wish they would replace it with Pacific Rim.

We have also found Chartreuse to be the most disappointing of the dining venues. We always enjoy Compass rose and feel that signatures was better. Like you pacific rim is a great asset and a different kind of meal to the other options. The pool deck lighter meal is a good move provided that the weather allows this option. Sette Marie especially the outside seating also gives a good alternative.

[maryogreen]

blondietoo, So glad you had a similar experience on the cruise immediately following ours! That sounded like a terrific itinerary as well. We have not sailed on the Explorer, so I can't compare food venues. I know Chartreuse gets a bit of criticism on these Boards, but we really enjoyed our dinner there. 

[ronrick1943]

1 hour ago, maryogreen said:

blondietoo, So glad you had a similar experience on the cruise immediately following ours! That sounded like a terrific itinerary as well. We have not sailed on the Explorer, so I can't compare food venues. I know Chartreuse gets a bit of criticism on these Boards, but we really enjoyed our dinner there. 

We also enjoy Chartreuse,   wished they had 1 or 2 specials of the night. But it's a great place to dine, and really love the Floating Island for dessert.

[south park]

Love your writing - you summed up this Cruise to perfection. Dar Le was one of our favorite servers too - always a smile on her face and helped my mom carry plates of food to the table. So glad to have met you and Herb.  If you head up to LA let me know!

[maryogreen]

@south park, So good to hear from you, Kelly! Herb and I really enjoyed meeting you and your mom as well. I'm glad to know you both felt the same way about the cruise...what a trip it was! If you have a chance, please email me and let me know how your post-cruise India adventure went. I'd love to hear about it. And of course, let us know if you come to San Diego or somewhere in between! 🙂

[LadyandtheTramp]

Mary:

  Enjoyed reading your review - we were also on this cruise, and everything you mentioned (that we knew of) was spot on.  I actually wasn't going to reply, but just relive the trip.  But then I just had to say Hi to "south park" .  I find it amazing how small this world really turns out to be.

[maryogreen]

LadyandtheTramp, Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet, but I'm happy to know you felt the same way about the cruise. You're so right about what a small world it is. We ran into a couple on this voyage whom we had met on a wine tour in Auckland almost two years ago. They had been on a Regent cruise that ended in Auckland, and we had disembarked from a Seabourn cruise!

[doc47]

Wonderful review! We were also on this cruise, and our experience was very similar to yours. So many bucket list items checked off!

[maryogreen]

doc47, Thank you! So happy to know you had a similar experience on the cruise. I think this itinerary is a bucket-lister's dream 🙂