First Time on Regent—Boarded Explorer Today

[sb44]

20 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

I can tell we’ve found it to be excellent - service outstanding.  We told are Butler what time and that was the time he returned.  It’s best to plan a little, not waiting until the last moment.

Where have you been having lunch? After all, it's all about the food,  right? 😆 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

3 hours ago, WNcruiser said:

@GeorgiaPeach51Sorry if I missed it somewhere, but what port were you in today? 
 

Patiently waiting my turn on Sunday 😀

I’m sorry, I don’t think I said it.  We were in Roatan, Honduras.  Sunday!  It will be so exciting!

Edited March 9, 2022 by GeorgiaPeach51

[GeorgiaPeach51]

2 hours ago, sb44 said:

Where have you been having lunch? After all, it's all about the food,  right? 😆 

It is, indeed!  Mostly we have been in La Veranda and at the pool grill.  At the pool grill we split a hamburger and both had salad and ice cream.  At the veranda we both had salad today and Rolf had some pizza.  Then we both had.....ICE CREAM!

 

we have had lunch twice in Prime 7.  Both times I had the salmon in miso sauce with asparagus and rice.  If you ask for it to be done just shy of medium you will have perfection on a plate.  That’s why I had to get it both times.  How do you mess with perfection?

 

In Search of Dancing...

We went to the Meridien for pre dinner drinks and managed a few dances music from to three members from the orchestra.  Nice.  So, Lew, to clarify.   Drinks like martinis have NO ice pellets in them.  Drinks like the one I had tonight have a big round ball of ice and the one I had last night had lots of ice..l.but it was meant to be there.  

 

We ate in Compass Rose again tonight.  Lovely meal.  I had the soup...it had coconut in it.  So good.  And then exactly what I had the other night because it was so good....Dover Sole, spinach and mashed potatoes.  Rolf had previously had the lobster bisque....and pronounced it perfect except that it needed more lobster.  So he ordered a lobster tail with his appetizer and our lovely waiter I Gede cut it away for him, and he cut it up and put it in his bisque.  If you look up “happy man” in the dictionary, there his face will be.  I am going to be hearing about this lobster bisque for the next eighty years, so happy was that man!  Pray for me.  
 

Then he had the crispy duck, which he thought was fantastic.  
 

After dinner we went to the casino to make our contribution, as usual...and this is where I make the disclaimer that the casino is a little stodgy.  Old machines.

 

Someone we met mentioned that her husband felt Compass Rose was a little too bright.  So, when we went to dinner there I evaluated what I thought, and I have to agree.  It is a little too well lit....and it perhaps gives it the impresssion of a big open dining room rather than a more intimate space, not a hospital cafeteria, but not nearly, IMO, as appealing as the specialty dining rooms.

 

We are discovering that if you don’t want to attend the show, there is a dearth of activities to keep you busy.  We caught a few songs from the Canny Sound Duo in the Explorer Lounge but they ended at 9:30, and don’t start again until 10:15, although there is piano in the Observation Lounge starting at 10.  So if you fill in that 45 minutes somehow, you have some more music at 10:15.  We gave up and came back to the room.  It might be different when the ship is full, but for us, this is the first flaw.  We are not late night people, and tend to not love the shows, but would like to be employed in some fun stuff between 9:30 and 10:15.

 

if you always attend shows, you have a good option that will keep you entertained.  That’s just not us.  
 

photos....our drinks in the Meridien.  My soup.  Rolf’s soup with lobster.  

Edited March 9, 2022 by GeorgiaPeach51

[PaulaJK]

I am happy to hear that you are enjoying Compass Rose. We also enjoyed many of your menu selections…happy memories.

 

Totally agree with the dearth of available entertainment if you do not attend the show. Casino and back to cabin for movie do not appeal to us

as  we are looking for entertainment. I have been reading reports from other R ships and note that on Explorer we did not have many entertainment specials…sail away parties, on deck Rock the Boat party, poolside dinner buffet. How would the block party been more exposure than the theater where we were seated closely together? We found other passengers who shared this view. It is a significant issue for many.

[UUNetBill]

1 hour ago, PaulaJK said:

I am happy to hear that you are enjoying Compass Rose. We also enjoyed many of your menu selections…happy memories.

 

Totally agree with the dearth of available entertainment if you do not attend the show. Casino and back to cabin for movie do not appeal to us

as  we are looking for entertainment. I have been reading reports from other R ships and note that on Explorer we did not have many entertainment specials…sail away parties, on deck Rock the Boat party, poolside dinner buffet. How would the block party been more exposure than the theater where we were seated closely together? We found other passengers who shared this view. It is a significant issue for many.

I'm pretty sure the issue with the Block Party would center around exposing the senior officers to the entire passenger complement early on in the cruise.  But I would think they could do a modified block party where passengers could at least have a quick 'meet & greet' with their neighbors.  I miss the block party.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

What is a block party?  Never heard of it and have not encountered it on the ship so far.

 

Today we are in Harvest Caye, Belize, it’s the private island.  Very nice!  There is a long, long pier to walk.  See photo taken from our balcony.  They have a few golf carts to take folks who need a little assistance back and forth,  the majority seem to be hoofing it.  This is the first day I would call blistering hot....high of 84, 76% humidity.  Toasty!

 

I did another lagoon tour, in hopes of seeing the ever elusive manatee, but they weren’t interested in showing themselves.  I really thought the tour was great.  Rafael was the guide and there was a captain, whose name I don’t remember hearing.  Small boat, 18 of us.  Sit on the right for the best chance for photos, and less sun.  I was on the left and parbroiled.  Rafael was very good.  Lots of info on Belize, the different cultures, and of course, the birds and wildlife.  A few items I remember...second smallest country in SA.  School is compulsory for all kids.  1/3 of the country is mountains.  Tourism is #1 source of revenue, so I am so glad ships are returning for them.  Pelicans live four years and apparently always become blind due to so many slam dunk dives into the salt water.  They die when they cannot fish to eat, and always land on their left side because the right side is the location of their heart.

 

A few photos, and also one of the long pier.  The small,  blobby things are jellyfish.  I’ll report back on the catch and release fishing later.

[Aloha 1]

I Gedde, was our Compass Rose waiter last cruise. He is excellent! The Block Party is where the Captain and CD, followed by staff with bottles of wine, go deck to deck pouring wine into your glass as you stand outside your suite along with all your neighbors. It's a lot of fun and a good way to meet those around you. Sadly, as Bill said, it's been a casualty of Covid. Hopefully it will be back when we return to Explorer in October.

[steve1191]

On 3/5/2022 at 3:56 PM, Not a Georgia Peach said:

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.

Thanks for your thoughts!

[ronrick1943]

GeorgiaPeach51, just want to say thank you again, the report and photo’s are great.  Sounds like your having a wonderful time on the cruise.  The Block Party is a hit or miss-some people love it, other don’t attend (like us).  Your standing around outside your suite waiting for the Top crew to come around-while you meet the people next door.  

[PaulaJK]

10 hours ago, UUNetBill said:

I'm pretty sure the issue with the Block Party would center around exposing the senior officers to the entire passenger complement early on in the cruise.  But I would think they could do a modified block party where passengers could at least have a quick 'meet & greet' with their neighbors.  I miss the block party.

I suspect that you are correct  …but the CD and entertainers are out and  a bout all of the time..the captain remains on the bridge..and the contact w 

The officers is no greater than in the coffee area. Just an optimist,I guess. I don’t think that it fulky explains the absence of any ‘events’ in 17 days..since they are happening on Mariner. .

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Report on the Catch and Release fishing trip, Harvest Caye.  He liked it, didn’t love it.  More a situation of his choice being poor rather than the excursion being poor.  Rolf said it was a little crowded,  but there was certainly plenty of fishing...you basically just threw a line in and the fish were on it almost immediately.  There were many couples and there was a place for shade if you wanted to take a break.  I think he said one couple caught two dozen fish during the trip.  My hubby’s situation is that where we live he can get in the car, go to the nearby lake in five minutes, fish for usually five or ten minutes and come home with trout for dinner.  This is why he said he chose poorly for the excursion for HIM.  People who rarely get to fish would probably enjoy it more.  I think it’s similar to a REAL rider not signing up for an excursion to sit on a docile horse and ride in a prescribed line.  Hope this helps you pick your excursion a little more easily.

 

We had lunch in Chartreuse yesterday, probably our least favorite meal.  We both had the tuna nicoise, which was good but I thought needed a little more sauce or zing.  A very pretty presentation.  I didn’t do a photo because I have seen it several times on posts and don’t want to bore you with the same thing.  We both had the grilled salmon, and asked for it a little less than medium.  However, the waiter assured us it was perfect at medium and that was what the chef recommended.  But, when we got it, it was a little over cooked for us.  No big deal.  I think overall, I didn’t enjoy the artichokes with the salmon.  Just personal choice.

 

Last night was Compass Rose.  A fantastic meal, once again.  I Gede, our waiter is so charming, and very funny.  We both think Teodora is an excellent sommelier. I had a filet mignonette, the first red meat of the trip.  Loved it.  Perfectly cooked.  I have seen a few negative to neutral posts about the steaks, but I thought it was perfect.  I asked for medium and that’s what I got.
 

 Rolf got the Dover Sole I’ve had twice already, and a side dish of the lemon pasta for the night with his lobster tail added to it.  Happy man.  I didn’t get a photo of the pasta because it looked different by the time he finished adding to it.  But I took photos of the desserts for you.  I tried the Banoffee pie, which had strawberries.  Didn’t love it.  Rolf got chocolate soufflé and a chocolate dessert I can’t name....both he loved.  Also took a photo of the after dinner treats they automatically bring.

 

I tried to take decent photos of the pool grill menus and the ice cream menus for you.  Kind of tough with the glare but I hope they are fairly legible.  Today is our first day in five with no excursion so we are doing a whole lotta nothin’!  

Edited March 10, 2022 by GeorgiaPeach51

[ccmo]

Thanks for all your postings. I’m learning a lot. You said that men only needed a sport coat at the most for dining. What have you noticed about what the women are wearing. We like getting dressed up and I was surprised there wasn’t a night designated as formal or gala or evening chic.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

4 minutes ago, ccmo said:

Thanks for all your postings. I’m learning a lot. You said that men only needed a sport coat at the most for dining. What have you noticed about what the women are wearing. We like getting dressed up and I was surprised there wasn’t a night designated as formal or gala or evening chic.

Ccmo, most women are wearing pants and tops...some tops are a little more sporty and some are floral and floaty.  A fair number of long, more casual skirts, and a very few  “cocktail” dresses, dresses with spaghetti straps.  There is one lovely couple on board who dress up more...last night his jacket was the same tone as her cocktail type dress...

And they look just wonderful.  I personally would not feel out of place to wear more dressy clothes...like something sparkly that I might wear for New Years Eve.  There may be more people who are more dressy and we just haven’t seen them.  The ship is, IMO, so lovely that she deserves a little bit of dressing up!

 

I am sitting in the main foyer and just raised my phone to take two photos without moving.  Look how pretty it is!  To my eyes, anyway!  So in such beautiful surroundings, a little dressier fits right in, if that is what you like.  Take the opportunity to dress to suit yourselves.  We have been on cruises on Celebrity where we were part of a handful of passengers in tux and gown, and we were fine with it....we were happy to dress up, and by golly, at age 70, I have made big progress in what I want vs what people think!  I just don’t care.  My husband calls me his movie star, God bless the man, and that is what counts for me.  As the saying goes, GIRL, YOU DO YOU!!!!  👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🥰🥰🥰

[vegasdriven]

GeorgiaPeach, you are such a wonderful addition to the Regent family (if I may include myself- only been on 1 cruise with Regent🤗).

 

Reading your posts just makes me happy! Only have to wait till Dec. 😞 to get back on board.

Please do many more cruises, so we get to enjoy them along with you.

 

Debra

[briar14]

I certainly agree with Debra. GP, your posts are fun to read and make me smile, remembering all our wonderful Regent experiences. Posting takes time, especially with pictures. Appreciate your efforts!

[bebop bonnie]

I just met Georgiapeach51 on the elevator (you can’t miss her smile!).  Thank you so much for this thread.  It’s awesome.

My first cruise was on the Diamond  in 1993…. Regent was called Radisson back then….and.I’ve been hooked ever since!!  Explorer and Splendor are my favorites.  But every cruise is sensational. And Georgiapeach has described this cruise beautifully!  So glad so many are new to Regent and so happy!  Me too!,

Bonnie

 

[kirtihk]

On 3/4/2022 at 2:28 PM, RachelG said:

Thanks for your report.  We have only sailed on Celebrity once--and concur with your observations.  Never again.  We will stick with Regent, Silversea and occasionally Oceania if the itinerary is right. 

I'm bringing Ponant to the discussion.  We've been on it (the biggest ship - max 280 passengers) in March 8-24, 2020 (it was great even in dark days of not being able to stop at any port) and cannot wait for our second cruise with them on June 27 this year (the expedition ship - max 180 passengers).

[kirtihk]

On 3/3/2022 at 4:39 PM, PhD-iva said:

Thanks for your posts! I’m a Celebrity refugee and lately have moved up to Regent’s sister line, Oceania. I booked my first Regent cruise to take advantage of a low single supplement. Looking forward to that day, but will need to look for some patience since I don’t embark until 2024! 😵

I wonder whether it is the same cruise; we will be on January 12 cruise on Splendor (Cape Town to Rio De Janeiro).

[PhD-iva]

21 minutes ago, kirtihk said:

I wonder whether it is the same cruise; we will be on January 12 cruise on Splendor (Cape Town to Rio De Janeiro).

Kirtihk, I’m sorry we are not on the same cruise. I am on the 19 February 2024 cruise from Santiago, Chile to Buenos Aires. I am really looking forward to the itinerary. I started a rollcall for my cruise, but it’s very early and it is still rather quiet.

[GeorgiaPeach51]

1 hour ago, bebop bonnie said:

I just met Georgiapeach51 on the elevator (you can’t miss her smile!).  Thank you so much for this thread.  It’s awesome.

My first cruise was on the Diamond  in 1993…. Regent was called Radisson back then….and.I’ve been hooked ever since!!  Explorer and Splendor are my favorites.  But every cruise is sensational. And Georgiapeach has described this cruise beautifully!  So glad so many are new to Regent and so happy!  Me too!,

Bonnie

 

Bonnie!  Loved meeting you even though it was so short!  Thanks for adding to the thread...and I encourage everyone to pop in and add your thoughts...I am certainly NOT proprietary about this “Blog”.  Even if you disagree with anything I report, feel free to hop on in...we spent years and years throwing away Regent brochures because it was just too expensive.  
 

Now that we find ourselves in the fortunate and blessed position to afford these cruises, it does not make us any less thrifty...we are just thrifty at a higher level!  So, my posts come from a grateful to be able to experience this/vs we have worked hard for our money and like to see value for dollars spent perspective.  🤗. 
 

Hubby is working and I am prowling the ship to take photos of little special things that I find charming or delightful.  Later today we plan to book some future Regent cruises.

Edited March 10, 2022 by GeorgiaPeach51

[CruzC2C]

GeorgiaPeach51

I’ve especially enjoyed your description of  your first cruise with and exploring Regent.  We had sailed with Regent for several years before Covid hit, then all our upcoming Regent cruises were cancelled.  We really wanted to cruise for our anniversary in July 2021 but Regent hadn’t started sailing yet so we decided to try Celebrity.  Guess who was on that cruise?  Yep, it was you, writing a blog of the trip.  Remember the mess at the terminal?  
That was our first time sailing on Celebrity so we booked in Retreat hoping it would be somewhat equal to Regent.  But of course it wasn’t. We really tried not to compare but it’s hard not too.  
It has.been fun watching you experience “Regent”, and read that you will now be booking some new cruises with Regent. 
I truly hope we get another chance to meet but this time on a Regent cruise. 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

5 hours ago, CruzC2C said:

GeorgiaPeach51

I’ve especially enjoyed your description of  your first cruise with and exploring Regent.  We had sailed with Regent for several years before Covid hit, then all our upcoming Regent cruises were cancelled.  We really wanted to cruise for our anniversary in July 2021 but Regent hadn’t started sailing yet so we decided to try Celebrity.  Guess who was on that cruise?  Yep, it was you, writing a blog of the trip.  Remember the mess at the terminal?  
That was our first time sailing on Celebrity so we booked in Retreat hoping it would be somewhat equal to Regent.  But of course it wasn’t. We really tried not to compare but it’s hard not too.  
It has.been fun watching you experience “Regent”, and read that you will now be booking some new cruises with Regent. 
I truly hope we get another chance to meet but this time on a Regent cruise. 

Good grief, I hate that we missed each other on that cruise!  I do remember that infamous start to what has turned out to be our last cruise on .Celebrity.  I hope that we do get to meet on a future R cruise!  I’ll post what we end up booking when we figure it out...we didn’t get there today because hubby had to work almost all day.  So tomorrow...stay tuned.  🥰

[GeorgiaPeach51]

We were supposed to stop in Costa Maya today but an announcement woke us around 8 a.m. to inform us that we were having to skip the port due to difficulty docking at the pier.  That does not affect us, having no excursion, but I imagine some will be disappointed. I think this is the first port we have ever had cancelled due in all our years of cruising.

 

a note about the shows....we went to the Broadway show and to the Revolution show last night, and even though we are generally not show fans, we both thought they were entertaining.  A mix of skill levels in the singers but we thought the dancers (some in both roles) were excellent.  The last few nights we have continued to donate to the Regent bankroll in the casino, playing roulette.  We have been very unlucky, but I prefer it to the machines.  
 

I promised photos of things I like....and will get there eventually but right now trying to upload is making me want to throw my iPad overboard.  

I did get one going....this is the self serve coffee station in the Coffee Connection.  LOVE it.

Edited March 11, 2022 by GeorgiaPeach51

[UUNetBill]

6 minutes ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

We were supposed to stop in Costa Maya today but an announcement woke us around 8 a.m. to inform us that we were having to skip the port due to difficulty docking at the pier. 

Huh.  We skipped Costa Maya on our January cruise due to 'swells' that prevented us from docking.  Not sure if there's an issue with that particular port or if maybe there's more to it than we know...

[GeorgiaPeach51]

Persistence pays off!  
 

The puzzle area.

Artwork in one of the public restrooms.

Roses on each table in Prime 7.

The bar area of Prime 7.

Seating area just outside Prime 7.

Stairway carpet..notice the decorative swirls in the glass.

Foot rest in the shower.  All the ladies know why this is so helpful.

Seating area outside the Veranda.  Very comfy with a book.

Signage at the elevator.

And the daily weather posted inside the elevator.