First Time on Regent—Boarded Explorer Today

[GeorgiaPeach51]

51 minutes ago, islandchick said:

Wow, those desserts look amazing. I am excited as I have never found great desserts on any cruise, even luxury lines. Was this the chocolate tea or another special tea event?

Islandchick, I’m not sure.  There were plenty of chocolate things but also cheesecake things and scones....so I’m guessing it wasn’t a special tea.  We threw away yesterday’s daily so I can’t check it for you.  I’m sorry.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

1 hour ago, steve1191 said:

Joanie,

 

Thanks for your posts! We re booked on a Viking Ocean cruise in late JuUne to the British Isles and then a Regent cruise in August to the Baltic on the Splendor!. We are so looking forward to those cruises this summer. We too have been on Celebrity and agree with your thoughts. I would be interested in your thoughts regarding the differences you have found between Viking and now Regent.

We have never been on Viking, so I can’t help you with that.  Perhaps someone else on this thread can chime in?

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Travelinwithstyle

When you have a chance if you drink red wine  can you please give us your opinion on Regent's red wine.  It is our favorite and at times some of the cruise companies' included red wine  are not very good.  

 

we drink both red and white and are far, far from knowledgeable.  We both enjoy Pinot noir and found one called Back Porch that we like.  The sommelier in PRim last night recommended a Shiraz to go with Rolf’s chocolate dessert ( we generally like Pinot Noir with chocolate).  It was a little harsh for me.  I would have preferred the Pinot.

 

As we explore a little more I’ll try to get back to you on the reds we find.

Edited March 5, 2022 by GeorgiaPeach51

[Not a Georgia Peach]

2 hours ago, steve1191 said:

Joanie,

 

Thanks for your posts! We re booked on a Viking Ocean cruise in late JuUne to the British Isles and then a Regent cruise in August to the Baltic on the Splendor!. We are so looking forward to those cruises this summer. We too have been on Celebrity and agree with your thoughts. I would be interested in your thoughts regarding the differences you have found between Viking and now Regent.

 

Edited March 5, 2022 by Not a Georgia Peach
Didn't type in comment.

[Travelingwithstyle]

35 minutes ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

Travelinwithstyle

When you have a chance if you drink red wine  can you please give us your opinion on Regent's red wine.  It is our favorite and at times some of the cruise companies' included red wine  are not very good.  

 

we drink both red and white and are far, far from knowledgeable.  We both enjoy Pinot noir and found one called Back Porch that we like.  The sommelier in PRim last night recommended a Shiraz to go with Rolf’s chocolate dessert ( we generally like Pinot Noir with chocolate).  It was a little harsh for me.  I would have preferred the Pinot.

 

As we explore a little more I’ll try to get back to you on the reds we find.

Thank you Joanie for info on the red wine selections.  Thank you again for the other fabulous info and photos.   We really appreciate it. 

[Not a Georgia Peach]

I tried to respond to the Viking comparison and I hit something incorrectly, so I will try again. We have done several Viking cruises and we noticed the quality go down from the first one we did.  We did our first Regent cruise in January and it was phenomenal.  The food was superior  and the options were greater.  The staff on Viking were pleasant, but on Regent  everyone was a delight.  Since everything is included on Regent it makes for a more relaxing cruise, you never have to think about the price of something.  We could think of nothing that was better on Viking.  We had a Deluxe Veranda suite and it was wonderful.  The storage space was terrific.  The last cabin we had on Viking was a Penthouse Veranda and it was better than their Deluxe Veranda, but no comparison to the cabin on Regent.  I could go on and list other items, but I think you can see our opinion.

[Ladys Mom]

1 hour ago, islandchick said:

Wow, those desserts look amazing. I am excited as I have never found great desserts on any cruise, even luxury lines. Was this the chocolate tea or another special tea event?

I don't believe this was a special tea.  It looked like the "standard" afternoon tea.  Sometimes they change it up with a theme but this is the usual.  DH try to avoid it except once per cruise, only to avoid the calories.  Everything is just too tempting.

[Gilly]

@GeorgiaPeach51 it sounds as though you're hooked.  So glad you are enjoying your cruise - your delight shines through every post.  It's so lovely to read as you discover all the same things that keep us coming back to Regent time and again.  Thank you for sharing your enjoyment!

[alidor]

We are also on this cruise and are enjoying every minute of it,!  The ship is beautiful and is probably the nicest ship we have been on.  The cruise is so friendly and the food is amazing!  Can’t even begin to describe how happy we are to be traveling again.  So glad we are on this Regent cruise.   They do an amazing job!

[NCCruzQueen]

10 hours ago, Travelingwithstyle said:

 

When you have a chance if you drink red wine  can you please give us your opinion on Regent's red wine.  It is our favorite and at times some of the cruise companies' included red wine  are not very good.  

 

@Travelwithstyle here is a listing of the regular wines available on our November Explorer cruise.  We have seen many of these wines on different Regent ships.  Each evening in Compass Rose, a different red or white is offered on the menu.  You can always ask for something different.

 

 

[Travelingwithstyle]

22 minutes ago, NCCruzQueen said:

 

@Travelwithstyle here is a listing of the regular wines available on our November Explorer cruise.  We have seen many of these wines on different Regent ships.  Each evening in Compass Rose, a different red or white is offered on the menu.  You can always ask for something different.

 

 

Thank you so much for the wine list.  Really appreciate it. 

[docmark]

23 minutes ago, NCCruzQueen said:

 

@Travelwithstyle here is a listing of the regular wines available on our November Explorer cruise.  We have seen many of these wines on different Regent ships.  Each evening in Compass Rose, a different red or white is offered on the menu.  You can always ask for something different.

 

 

We (my wife and I) are exclusive RED wine drinkers, and we both feel the Cline "cashmere" and Raymond B wine listed above were "decent" choices (tried them in January cruise)

[docmark]

Also Escada , as our 3rd choice

[Travelingwithstyle]

3 minutes ago, docmark said:

Also Escada , as our 3rd choice

Excellent.   Thank you for your input.

[ccmo]

Joanie, I am enjoying your posts and comparisons. My husband and I are taking our first Regent cruise this December for his 65th birthday. We have been loyal to Celebrity but agree their prices are getting ridiculous especially since we only sail in suites. Did you reserve all your specialty dining before you sailed? Are you only dining in the specialty restaurants? Looking forward to reading more of your posts.

[NCCruzQueen]

5 minutes ago, docmark said:

the Cline "cashmere" and Raymond B wine listed above were "decent" choices (tried them in January cruise)

We discovered the Cline cashmere on Regent Navigator in 2008.  Having a hard time finding it at home now.  I did see someone post a photo of the Cline Black cashmere on the Facebook RSSC Social Club group recently.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

1 hour ago, ccmo said:

Joanie, I am enjoying your posts and comparisons. My husband and I are taking our first Regent cruise this December for his 65th birthday. We have been loyal to Celebrity but agree their prices are getting ridiculous especially since we only sail in suites. Did you reserve all your specialty dining before you sailed? Are you only dining in the specialty restaurants? Looking forward to reading more of your posts.

Cmon, so far we have only been in the specialties except for breakfast this morning in Compass Rose.  We had the opportunity to snag an additional specialty reservation so we went with it,  I think tomorrow we may try the Italian restaurant and then will move over to Compass Rose.  It is easier on this half filled cruise to get extra specialties, so we are taking advantage of it while we can.  Tonight we ate in Prime 7 and I’ll report on it to,or row, along with lots more photos.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Morning!  Yesterday afternoon we went to the infinity pool at the back of the ship.  Lovely area. You reach it thru the fitness center locker rooms.  It’s nicely shaded, with nice loungers, and of course, the pool.  Perhaps the negative would be the lack of a dedicated bar, but that didn’t affect our enjoyment of the well-planned space.

 

There was a mariachi group on the pool deck at around 5:30.  A fun little extra.

 

the library....haven’t seen much posted about it, but I thought it was fabulous.  If you have cruised other lines you know the library is an easily omitted item in new ship plans.  No revenue generated, but I would make the case for a lovely good will gesture for passengers.  This library is just full of new releases, in all kinds of genres, although most seemed to be pretty current fiction.  Many books in large type, judging by the ones I examined.  
 

a note about the lovely flowers on the ship....big, full arrangements and multiple big vases of all roses.  

[GeorgiaPeach51]

We started in the Observation Lounge.  Rolf had the Regent Seven Seas and I had the Voyager.  Love this space for drinks.  A pianist was getting ready to play just as we left.

 

we then tried the Meridien Bar.  Very comfy chairs.  They brought a few little appetizers and Rolf tried the Cinco de Mayo (the one with basil) and I tried the Spicy and Passion.

 

We went to Prime 7 for the first time.  Great service but not our favorite specialty, mainly because of what we picked to eat.  More in a minute.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

14 hours ago, alidor said:

We are also on this cruise and are enjoying every minute of it,!  The ship is beautiful and is probably the nicest ship we have been on.  The cruise is so friendly and the food is amazing!  Can’t even begin to describe how happy we are to be traveling again.  So glad we are on this Regent cruise.   They do an amazing job!

Alidor, feel free to chime in with any observations or answers to questions.  The more, the better.  This is my attempt to pay back for all the prior generous posters who helped us so much in picking and planning this cruise.  I’m hoping it will assure people who have perhaps moved from Crystal or who are new to Regent as we are, that their hard earned money is going to be well spent, IMO, on a Regent cruise.  😃

Edited March 6, 2022 by GeorgiaPeach51

[jimbri]

Thank you for your wonderful review.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Ok, Prime 7.  Lovely restaurant. Excellent service.  Some hits, some misses.  They serve a nice little amuse bouche of smoked tomato soup.  Nice!

 

Rolf had the scallop with pork belly and I had the poke with avocado.  Both very good.  
Rolf had the onion soup and I had the harvest salad.  I liked the salad but he was just okay with the onion soup.  I would give the nod to Celebrity for the onion soup.

 

Then he had the whole lobster and I had the crab legs.  As you can see from the photo it is just a mountain of crab legs.  We both enjoyed our entrees and Rolf got more than half of my crab legs.  They give you plenty of little specialty tools to pick and crack and pull.  But I can say that if you really want to see what a restaurant is offering for food our choices were so generic as to give us no clue, really.  Although, I can say that we both got the twice baked potato and it was kind of like what you might get in a cafeteria.....very stodgy and over cooked as if it had been around for a bit.  I had the asparagus, which was good, and he had the creamed spinach, which was not...very bland.

 

For dessert I had the popcorn ice cream sundae and he had the 14 layer chocolate cake, which he declared one of the best desserts he has ever eaten.  One curious note.  He is a fan of 20 year port and thre is a charge for it on this ship.  On Celebrity there is not.  We have another reservation in a prime and will order differently next time.

 

It was not a bad meal by any means..just not equal to what we had in Chartreuse and Pacific Rim.  Our fault, not theirs.

 

[PaulaJK]

Perhaps it was a ‘special’ port but we had port w cheeses without charge. 
We did have a waiter tell us that sauterne w foie gras was a charge. The GM was surprised aNd followed up. I suggest that you drop a note to him.

This would be a very slippery slope for Regent to start. There is an after dinner drink in Chartreuse w an upcharge. Only saw them wheel this in on one night.

 

To each their own of course, but CRose has some very nice offerings plus includes some items from a specialty restaurant each night. Hope that you enjoy it.

 

Not to be avoided…the ice creams…especially the peach…all homemade and delicious. 
 

Thank you for your reports.

[asnaleah]

Thank you very much for your information, Joanie. We are long time Celebrity cruisers coming back to Regent in June. We had a great cruise on Silhouette in January, no complaints about the service or the food in Luminae, we just wanted the Voyager itinerary. It does seem to me that there is more value in a Regent cruise. Truly appreciate your posts!

[Gilly]

1 hour ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

a note about the lovely flowers on the ship....big, full arrangements and multiple big vases of all roses.  

 

I  understand those beautiful glass vases are by Lalique too.  They are always filled with gorgeous blooms and look terrific.