New to Regent

[Grandmaanne7]

12 hours ago, SusieQft said:

Our first Regent booking for October 2021 was cancelled by Regent, and we accepted the FCC in lieu of a refund.  This was back when they were offering Seven Seas Society credit if you took the FCC.  So we now have SSS numbers and credit for 10 nights even though (obviously) we have still not sailed with them.  We also got the "Seven Seas Society Savings" discount on a 2022 booking we made after the 2021 booking was cancelled.

Can you please clarify the year of your cancelled cruise?  (2021 was mentioned twice in your post.) I wasn't aware that they were cancelling cruises that far in advance.  If your October 2021 cruise has already been cancelled, I'm afraid my December 2021 cruise might be in jeopardy.

[Pcardad]

October 2021 has not been cancelled.

 

[Grandmaanne7]

21 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

October 2021 has not been cancelled.

 

Thank you for that reassurance Pcardad.

[SusieQft]

4 hours ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

Can you please clarify the year of your cancelled cruise?  (2021 was mentioned twice in your post.)

Oops!  Yes, of course it was October 2020.  It was the last group of cancellations that they gave SSS credits for.  Thanks for catching that.

[Kristal Blade]

Hi Regency experts,

I have a few dining questions for you. We don’t sail till December 2022, so we are hopeful our cruise will go ahead, but we are on board for 16 nights and wondered if we can make more than one booking per specialty restaurant? I know it is months till I can book, but it is so good to have a cruise to look forward to and as first timers on Regent we are excited! 
Any opinions on which speciality restaurants are “best”? I love fish and shellfish, my husband loves a good steak. 
We were glued to Channel 5, U.K., on Friday night to watch the programme about Regent seven seas Explorer, it really got us in the mood. I picked up that lobster might be available every night! Is that true? Also is there a special brunch on every cruise? We sail over Christmas and new year so what special treats can we expect?

I celebrate my birthday on board. Anything special laid on for that? 
And finally.... is there a kettle in the room for making a cup of tea? I’m not a coffee drinker.

 

big thanks in advance for any help with this long list of queries.

Thank you, 
Libby

[1982CruzStart]

1 hour ago, Kristal Blade said:

I picked up that lobster might be available every night! Is that true?

Yes it is available in Compass Ross every night.

1 hour ago, Kristal Blade said:

Also is there a special brunch on every cruise?

there is a large Sunday brunch on Explorer and Splendor if there is a Sunday at sea. If there is more than one Sunday at sea there was still only 1 per cruise. Who knows what will happen in the future with Covid even if everyone is vaccinated. 

1 hour ago, Kristal Blade said:

We sail over Christmas and new year so what special treats can we expect?

the ship will be decorated for Christmas. Can't say for sure about the food as i have never sailed during the holidays. Have read that there are special dinners on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. 

1 hour ago, Kristal Blade said:

Anything special laid on for that? 

You can do a search on the Regent threads for birthday celebrations. I have read that all sorts of things can and will be done. 

1 hour ago, Kristal Blade said:

is there a kettle in the room for making a cup of tea?

No there is no kettle in many if not all the suites. Maybe the most expensive do. Up to Concierge level there isn't a coffee machine either. 

 

Hope this helps a little. 

[mj_holiday]

You can always call room service for hot water and tea.

 

[flossie009]

4 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

I have a few dining questions for you

This thread may also be of use:

 

4 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

we are on board for 16 nights and wondered if we can make more than one booking per specialty restaurant?

You will be able to make one reservation per speciality restaurant in advance (90 days prior for concierge & above). Further reservations may be made once you are on board, subject to availability.

On a 16 night cruise you should not have too much difficulty in securing extra reservations as long as you remain flexible on timing.

[Kristal Blade]

Wow, fantastic response! Thank you 1982CS, mj and Flossie. 
Your answers helped A LOT!

 

it is difficult to reign in our excitement for 22 months ahead. It’s been a long time since our last cruise so we are happy to be getting in the mood again, especially on a new line.

 

Thanks again, everyone. You are a terrific bunch.

[Kristal Blade]

PS. Only downer is the lack of kettle, but as you say mj, we can have room service.

However on our last cruise, which was Azamara, I asked at reception for a kettle and one was provided! They tried telling me that cruise ships don’t provide them but I told them P&O and Princess did it so they kind of lost that high ground! I had also written it down as a thing I was unhappy about on that card you fill in after a couple of days on board.

[johng75370]

We’re looking forward to trying Regent after being mainly on Seabourn the last few years.  Any comments on dancing at night, or are there any special dance parties (e.g. Seabourn usually has an on-deck dance party, weather permitting)?  We’re booked on Mariner, but also looking at a Splendor sailing.  

[ronrick1943]

8 hours ago, johng75370 said:

We’re looking forward to trying Regent after being mainly on Seabourn the last few years.  Any comments on dancing at night, or are there any special dance parties (e.g. Seabourn usually has an on-deck dance party, weather permitting)?  We’re booked on Mariner, but also looking at a Splendor sailing.  

Dancing in the lounges at evening/night---very few people.

[flossie009]

14 hours ago, johng75370 said:

Any comments on dancing at night, or are there any special dance parties

Mariner (& Voyager) have dancing to the band most nights in the Horizon Lounge with an occasional themed dance party (Beatles night, ‘60s/‘70s etc)

The only dancing on deck I have seen was after an evening deck BBQ event which does not occur every cruise.

 

[ShropshireCritic]

On 1/25/2021 at 9:22 PM, Kristal Blade said:

PS. Only downer is the lack of kettle, but as you say mj, we can have room service.

However on our last cruise, which was Azamara, I asked at reception for a kettle and one was provided! They tried telling me that cruise ships don’t provide them but I told them P&O and Princess did it so they kind of lost that high ground! I had also written it down as a thing I was unhappy about on that card you fill in after a couple of days on board.

We Brits just love our Cuppa's don't we........maybe we have been fortunate but we have always been able to ask our Butler to find a kettle & daily fresh milk

[Kristal Blade]

Yes, ShropshireCritic, that morning cuppa is an essential start to our day. Then there is elevenses, sometime that happens at 10 and 11! Cuppa after lunch, another at afternoon tea time....

We won’t have a butler, because we will be concierge level, but I will ask at guest services. Or is there a special concierge desk? Anyway, I have always found that if you don’t ask you don’t get. Mind you, we will be so grateful to get away on a holiday having a kettle in the room will hardly matter!

Cheers!

[wishIweretravelling]

If you used a travel agent, you could ask him or her to request a kettle for you in lieu of the coffee maker that is provided in concierge cabins. I don't know if they'll do it, but it can't hurt to ask and a little advance notice could help with their ability to find one for you. 

 

You had asked about favorite restaurants. I'm not much of a steak eater, but the Prime 7 steak house would be the place for your husband. Prime 7 also has a good selection of seafood.

 

My favorite dish on Regent is the miso black cod served in Pacific Rim on Explorer and Splendor (alas, the other ships don't have this venue). A close second is the miso glazed sea bass served on Seven Seas Society night in the main dining room. Also, I highly recommend the dover sole, also served every night in the main dining room, as well as in Prime 7.  Branzino is also on the anytime menu, as are lobster tail and scallops (I like to combine the two, and order a main dish of a lobster tail and 3 scallops).

 

 

 

 

Edited January 27, 2021 by wishIweretravelling
spacing was weird

[HilsTas]

Very excited about our first Regent cruise (as long time Oceania cruisers)

 

Could someone clarify a couple of differences between the concierge suites and  superior suites on the Explorer please?  I am aware of the more obvious differences such as hotel and transfers pre cruise and wider balconies.  

My main concern is the booking times for excursions and dining.  What is the time difference and am I likely miss the more popular excursions?

 

many thanks, Hilary

 

[wishIweretravelling]

9 minutes ago, HilsTas said:

Very excited about our first Regent cruise (as long time Oceania cruisers)

 

Could someone clarify a couple of differences between the concierge suites and  superior suites on the Explorer please?  I am aware of the more obvious differences such as hotel and transfers pre cruise and wider balconies.  

My main concern is the booking times for excursions and dining.  What is the time difference and am I likely miss the more popular excursions?

 

many thanks, Hilary

 

You get a 65-day head start on booking excursions. However, a good portion of the passengers get that head start as well, since everyone in Concierge and above gets it, as well everyone with a loyalty program status of more than 20 nights. And Regent has a LOT of repeat passengers, so there will be quite a few of the latter. Same with the head start on dining reservations (I'm afraid, though, that I don't know what the timing difference is on those).

 

That being said, without that head start, you will wind up appearing to be closed out of many excursions. However, all you have to do is call Regent and ask to be placed on the wait list. Only once in the many years I've sailed with Regent have I not gotten an excursion I was wait-listed on. Usually either they add more groups, or enough people drop out that you can get in. The only exception is those very popular excursions for which Regent can only get a fixed number of tickets on a given day. Examples are the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam or Allhambra in Grenada.

 

With respect to dining, you will get reservations but they may not be exactly what you want--either an undesirable time or, if you prefer dining alone, you may wind up having to share a table.

 

I've only upgraded to Concierge once. As you appear to know, the cabin interior is identical to a Superior. There's just a few additional in-room amenities, like a set of binoculars and an illy pod coffee maker in the room (which, to my taste, makes awful coffee). 

 

 

[Kristal Blade]

4 minutes ago, wishIweretravelling said:

 

I've only upgraded to Concierge once. As you appear to know, the cabin interior is identical to a Superior. There's just a few additional in-room amenities, like a set of binoculars and an illy pod coffee maker in the room (which, to my taste, makes awful coffee). 

 

 

Room amenities question from me now!

 

we have booked concierge on Splendour and I am pretty sure we have a bath and separate shower. Will there be bath salts provided (as on Oceania)? Is the shower gel in cute little bottles or in a wall dispenser? I like soap in the shower, will a bar of soap be waiting for me?

 

Big thank you to Iwishiweretravelling. Really good menu tips. The fish choices sound right up my street. I am so looking forward to having a meal out after lockdown.  Cooking every night is getting a bit old now, but at least I have Marks & Spencer’s within my allowed driving distance! 
 

stay safe everyone, we want to hang in there so we can enjoy our next cruise, whenever it is.

 

 

[wishIweretravelling]

9 minutes ago, Kristal Blade said:

Room amenities question from me now!

 

we have booked concierge on Splendour and I am pretty sure we have a bath and separate shower. Will there be bath salts provided (as on Oceania)? Is the shower gel in cute little bottles or in a wall dispenser? I like soap in the shower, will a bar of soap be waiting for me?

 

 

 

I don't recall there being bath salts, but there is a shower gel. And, unless they make a change while awaiting sailing again, it comes in its own bottle (as do the shampoo and conditioner). And they do provide bars of soap, though you may need to ask your room attendant for extras to have one for each sink and the shower. 

[HilsTas]

25 minutes ago, wishIweretravelling said:

You get a 65-day head start on booking excursions. However, a good portion of the passengers get that head start as well, since everyone in Concierge and above gets it, as well everyone with a loyalty program status of more than 20 nights. And Regent has a LOT of repeat passengers, so there will be quite a few of the latter. Same with the head start on dining reservations (I'm afraid, though, that I don't know what the timing difference is on those).

 

That being said, without that head start, you will wind up appearing to be closed out of many excursions. However, all you have to do is call Regent and ask to be placed on the wait list. Only once in the many years I've sailed with Regent have I not gotten an excursion I was wait-listed on. Usually either they add more groups, or enough people drop out that you can get in. The only exception is those very popular excursions for which Regent can only get a fixed number of tickets on a given day. Examples are the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam or Allhambra in Grenada.

 

With respect to dining, you will get reservations but they may not be exactly what you want--either an undesirable time or, if you prefer dining alone, you may wind up having to share a table.

 

I've only upgraded to Concierge once. As you appear to know, the cabin interior is identical to a Superior. There's just a few additional in-room amenities, like a set of binoculars and an illy pod coffee maker in the room (which, to my taste, makes awful coffee). 

 

 

Many thanks!  Just what I wanted to know

 

cheers Hilary

[Kristal Blade]

19 minutes ago, wishIweretravelling said:

I don't recall there being bath salts, but there is a shower gel. And, unless they make a change while awaiting sailing again, it comes in its own bottle (as do the shampoo and conditioner). And they do provide bars of soap, though you may need to ask your room attendant for extras to have one for each sink and the shower. 

Thank you. I usually ask my room steward for extra soap and they always oblige.

Looking forward to those mini bottles in the bathroom and bigger bottles in the fridge!

[Grandmaanne7]

May I ask how dinner reservations can be made to be seated with another couple?  Do we just make 1 reservation and use both suite numbers (or booking numbers)?  Does that count as 1 reservation or 2? Thanks in advance.  Everybody is so helpful on this board. 🙂

[DaveFr]

29 minutes ago, Grandmaanne7 said:

May I ask how dinner reservations can be made to be seated with another couple?  Do we just make 1 reservation and use both suite numbers (or booking numbers)?  Does that count as 1 reservation or 2? Thanks in advance.  Everybody is so helpful on this board. 🙂

You make one reservation.  When asked if you want to share a table, say no. You will be asked if you want to add anyone to your reservation. At this point you add the other couple's booking number. It will count as one reservation for each couple in that specialty restaurant.  Hope this helps.

[Grandmaanne7]

1 hour ago, DaveFr said:

You make one reservation.  When asked if you want to share a table, say no. You will be asked if you want to add anyone to your reservation. At this point you add the other couple's booking number. It will count as one reservation for each couple in that specialty restaurant.  Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for your precise and thorough answer!