PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 #1 Share Posted October 31, 2023 We are looking into this sailing on Navigator for May 2026 doing a 20 night from Bangkok to Doha We really like this itinerary and it checks all the boxes Our concern is the ship (or should we be concerned) In 3 years she will be 27 years old and I am sure showing her age We are going on Grandeur Jan 2025, so from shiny brand new to not so shiny and old. Any thoughts, feedback recent experiences from Navigator or concerns with this old lady Thanks in advance 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwn Posted October 31, 2023 #2 Share Posted October 31, 2023 We were on the Splendor for two weeks and then in the Navigator for almost 2 weeks BtoB earlier this year. While as you say the Splendor is shinny new, we enjoyed our time on the Navigator much more. The Navigator suites are bigger in the lower levels and the theater is wonderful, the best of all the ships with no bad seats. She is very well maintained and just had some things refurbished. She is small and that gives her an advantage of personal service that is lacking on the new builds… shinny yes but if you cruise for personal attention from the staff 24/7 and good itineraries the Navigator is the best. We went around the world on her and would do it again!! 24 minutes ago, PompeySailor said: We are looking into this sailing on Navigator for May 2026 doing a 20 night from Bangkok to Doha We really like this itinerary and it checks all the boxes Our concern is the ship (or should we be concerned) In 3 years she will be 27 years old and I am sure showing her age We are going on Grandeur Jan 2025, so from shiny brand new to not so shiny and old. Any thoughts, feedback recent experiences from Navigator or concerns with this old lady Thanks in advance 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 Author #3 Share Posted October 31, 2023 13 minutes ago, cwn said: We were on the Splendor for two weeks and then in the Navigator for almost 2 weeks BtoB earlier this year. While as you say the Splendor is shinny new, we enjoyed our time on the Navigator much more. The Navigator suites are bigger in the lower levels and the theater is wonderful, the best of all the ships with no bad seats. She is very well maintained and just had some things refurbished. She is small and that gives her an advantage of personal service that is lacking on the new builds… shinny yes but if you cruise for personal attention from the staff 24/7 and good itineraries the Navigator is the best. We went around the world on her and would do it again!! Thank you This is the feedback we are looking for - We don’t mind small or old, just wanting to make sure before I sell a kidney and book this that she is still sea worthy 😉 Much appreciated 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 Author #4 Share Posted October 31, 2023 32 minutes ago, cwn said: We were on the Splendor for two weeks and then in the Navigator for almost 2 weeks BtoB earlier this year. While as you say the Splendor is shinny new, we enjoyed our time on the Navigator much more. The Navigator suites are bigger in the lower levels and the theater is wonderful, the best of all the ships with no bad seats. She is very well maintained and just had some things refurbished. She is small and that gives her an advantage of personal service that is lacking on the new builds… shinny yes but if you cruise for personal attention from the staff 24/7 and good itineraries the Navigator is the best. We went around the world on her and would do it again!! We are looking at either a Concierge Suite (Deck 7) or Penthouse suite (deck 9 or 10) which is better ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredandTravel Posted October 31, 2023 #5 Share Posted October 31, 2023 (edited) Its my understanding (from CC) that some of the rooms have a vibration issue so I'd check to make sure I didn't book one of those rooms. (I sent this before you posted the rooms info) Edited October 31, 2023 by RetiredandTravel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 Author #6 Share Posted October 31, 2023 4 minutes ago, RetiredandTravel said: Its my understanding (from CC) that some of the rooms have a vibration issue so I'd check to make sure I didn't book one of those rooms. (I sent this before you posted the rooms info) Great info We are looking at deck plans as I type and speedily researching to get the best location and suite Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwn Posted October 31, 2023 #7 Share Posted October 31, 2023 The only real advantage to the concierge is if you are new to Regent as you get the earliest opening for booking tours and Prime 7. The hotel and transfer are easy to do yourself and we find we can get a nice hotel and transfers for the credit giver on both tickets. If you are flying, deviate at 210 days for best flights. Deck 6 is well located to bars, dinning room and the elevators with no vibration. It is not a big ship so any suite midship or forward will not have any vibration. The ship does have some vibration at certain speeds.m, but we have never been bothered by it. There is only one reservation only restaurant, but Comoass Ross is excellant and will offer many of the favorite dishes that are served in the reservation only resultants on the other ships. You can also special order things you like like lobster tempura, my all time favorite. The Navigator also has the Sette Mari Italian which many people love no reservations required. But the staff truly shines on this ship. The smaller passenger load makes all the difference. 3 hours ago, PompeySailor said: Great info We are looking at deck plans as I type and speedily researching to get the best location and suite Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno123 Posted October 31, 2023 #8 Share Posted October 31, 2023 @PompeySailor have you checked out the sticky at the top of the board? Regent Seven Seas suite guru - @UUNetBill does a sterling job keeping it up to date. Open page one then look for the Navigator - there are lots of reviews of the different suites by deck. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeepFreeze63 Posted October 31, 2023 #9 Share Posted October 31, 2023 I am going to do either the cruise that you are interested in or the cruise following; we will have done at least 30 Regent cruises by then. The Bangkok to Doha cruise fits my requirement for booking either a Concierge suite or an included Regent pre-cruise tour. It is difficult/lengthy to get from Bangkok to the port. It will be the our first time on the Navigator; yes, both itineraries are terrific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossie009 Posted October 31, 2023 #10 Share Posted October 31, 2023 5 hours ago, PompeySailor said: In 3 years she will be 27 years old and I am sure showing her age .................. but the ship is regularly refurbished, the latest refurbishment being in September this year. We just left Navigator on Sunday and she was in very good order. The only criticism is that the suite bathrooms look a little dated ............. but are perfectly functional. All the suites on Navigator are very spacious, with good storage in the walk-in closets. If you are prone to vibration then avoid locations towards the stern. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 Author #11 Share Posted October 31, 2023 1 hour ago, cwn said: The only real advantage to the concierge is if you are new to Regent as you get the earliest opening for booking tours and Prime 7. The hotel and transfer are easy to do yourself and we find we can get a nice hotel and transfers for the credit giver on both tickets. If you are flying, deviate at 210 days for best flights. Deck 6 is well located to bars, dinning room and the elevators with no vibration. It is not a big ship so any suite midship or forward will not have any vibration. The ship does have some vibration at certain speeds.m, but we have never been bothered by it. There is only one reservation only restaurant, but Comoass Ross is excellant and will offer many of the favorite dishes that are served in the reservation only resultants on the other ships. You can also special order things you like like lobster tempura, my all time favorite. The Navigator also has the Sette Mari Italian which many people love no reservations required. But the staff truly shines on this ship. The smaller passenger load makes all the difference. Thank you so much 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 Author #12 Share Posted October 31, 2023 49 minutes ago, Techno123 said: @PompeySailor have you checked out the sticky at the top of the board? Regent Seven Seas suite guru - @UUNetBill does a sterling job keeping it up to date. Open page one then look for the Navigator - there are lots of reviews of the different suites by deck. I did see - Thank you 😊 Kept seeing spreadsheets attached to some posts and scoured through a few posts Will attempt to navigate the thread to refine our suite search Thank you again 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 Author #13 Share Posted October 31, 2023 13 minutes ago, flossie009 said: .................. but the ship is regularly refurbished, the latest refurbishment being in September this year. We just left Navigator on Sunday and she was in very good order. The only criticism is that the suite bathrooms look a little dated ............. but are perfectly functional. All the suites on Navigator are very spacious, with good storage in the walk-in closets. If you are prone to vibration then avoid locations towards the stern. Thank you 😊 Really appreciate the feedback w.r.t the vibrations. Being a light sleeper, that could have ended up being a big deal Bow or mid-ship it is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossie009 Posted October 31, 2023 #14 Share Posted October 31, 2023 15 minutes ago, PompeySailor said: Kept seeing spreadsheets attached to some posts and scoured through a few posts Will attempt to navigate the thread to refine our suite search Page #1 Post#1 has the full spreadsheets for each Regent ship (with tabs for each deck), into which @UUNetBill transcribes all suite feedback: No need to trawl through every post in the thread. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Q Posted October 31, 2023 #15 Share Posted October 31, 2023 5 hours ago, PompeySailor said: We are looking into this sailing on Navigator for May 2026 doing a 20 night from Bangkok to Doha We really like this itinerary and it checks all the boxes Our concern is the ship (or should we be concerned) In 3 years she will be 27 years old and I am sure showing her age We are going on Grandeur Jan 2025, so from shiny brand new to not so shiny and old. Any thoughts, feedback recent experiences from Navigator or concerns with this old lady Thanks in advance We have sailed on both Explorer and Navigator. Explorer was our first Regent cruise and the ship was gorgeous. We sailed on Navigator for 15 nights this past May. Honestly, we would not sail on her again. Others obviously disagree but that is our opinion. The ship is not at all like Explorer. There are very few common areas and the ship felt quite crowded in inclement weather. At times Navigator had a pronounced vibration that was quite noticeable. We usually went to the Observation Lounge when departing from ports. Literally both the bottles behind the bar and our table shook and rattled. Again, that is just our opinion and we certainly respect the opinions of those that love her. We are sailing on Voyager this upcoming March, so we certainly have not abandoned Regent. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 Author #16 Share Posted October 31, 2023 27 minutes ago, flossie009 said: Page #1 Post#1 has the full spreadsheets for each Regent ship (with tabs for each deck), into which @UUNetBill transcribes all suite feedback: No need to trawl through every post in the thread. Thank you Looking at the reviews now Appreciated 👍🏻 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 Author #17 Share Posted October 31, 2023 21 minutes ago, Steve Q said: We have sailed on both Explorer and Navigator. Explorer was our first Regent cruise and the ship was gorgeous. We sailed on Navigator for 15 nights this past May. Honestly, we would not sail on her again. Others obviously disagree but that is our opinion. The ship is not at all like Explorer. There are very few common areas and the ship felt quite crowded in inclement weather. At times Navigator had a pronounced vibration that was quite noticeable. We usually went to the Observation Lounge when departing from ports. Literally both the bottles behind the bar and our table shook and rattled. Again, that is just our opinion and we certainly respect the opinions of those that love her. We are sailing on Voyager this upcoming March, so we certainly have not abandoned Regent. Thank you Always good to hear both sides , I don’t wear rose colored glasses and I am interested to hear the good the bad and the ugly appreciated for your honest opinion 👍🏻 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno123 Posted October 31, 2023 #18 Share Posted October 31, 2023 We sailed in Suite 726 - midship concierge around the Caribbean. No vibration in suite and I usually get travel sick. Bathroom was dated, but suite was fine. Significant vibration in the the aft restaurants at times but you did get used to it 😜. Whilst I enjoyed our time on Navigator, like @Steve Q she definitely wouldn't be our first choice for a future cruise. We have sailed on Voyager too and join Explorer in 10 days so will be able to compare the 3 classes of ship 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PompeySailor Posted October 31, 2023 Author #19 Share Posted October 31, 2023 8 minutes ago, Techno123 said: We sailed in Suite 726 - midship concierge around the Caribbean. No vibration in suite and I usually get travel sick. Bathroom was dated, but suite was fine. Significant vibration in the the aft restaurants at times but you did get used to it 😜. Whilst I enjoyed our time on Navigator, like @Steve Q she definitely wouldn't be our first choice for a future cruise. We have sailed on Voyager too and join Explorer in 10 days so will be able to compare the 3 classes of ship Thank you 😊 One of my concerns is once we sail Grandeur, it might be a tough call to sail on a ship that will be old enough to be her mother Enjoy your upcoming Explorer cruise 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasickphil Posted October 31, 2023 #20 Share Posted October 31, 2023 1 hour ago, Steve Q said: We have sailed on both Explorer and Navigator. Explorer was our first Regent cruise and the ship was gorgeous. We sailed on Navigator for 15 nights this past May. Honestly, we would not sail on her again. Others obviously disagree but that is our opinion. The ship is not at all like Explorer. There are very few common areas and the ship felt quite crowded in inclement weather. At times Navigator had a pronounced vibration that was quite noticeable. We usually went to the Observation Lounge when departing from ports. Literally both the bottles behind the bar and our table shook and rattled. Again, that is just our opinion and we certainly respect the opinions of those that love her. We are sailing on Voyager this upcoming March, so we certainly have not abandoned Regent. There are also areas on Voyager, again towards the stern that also suffer from vibration. Many cruise ships suffer with this, we had an aft suite on Queen Elizabeth last week and this also had quite noticeable amounts of vibration at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mj_holiday Posted November 1, 2023 #21 Share Posted November 1, 2023 We will be on the Explorer in about five months, and that was selected because of the itinerary. We really like the Navigator, the suites are indeed, bigger than comparable suites on the Explorer. On the Explorer you feel like you’re in a large, very nice hotel not the water. On the navigator, you know you’re on the sea and that’s what I like. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwn Posted November 1, 2023 #22 Share Posted November 1, 2023 41 minutes ago, mj_holiday said: We will be on the Explorer in about five months, and that was selected because of the itinerary. We really like the Navigator, the suites are indeed, bigger than comparable suites on the Explorer. On the Explorer you feel like you’re in a large, very nice hotel not the water. On the navigator, you know you’re on the sea and that’s what I like. Very good description of the difference. The bigger ships are more impersonal and we love the intimate feeling of the Navigator. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallworld.photos Posted March 9 #23 Share Posted March 9 We are booked on this cruise as well. Agree that the itinerary checks all the boxes. Hoping to do a short post cruise visit to Dubai as well. It will be our first time on Navigator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcandkc Posted March 10 #24 Share Posted March 10 On 10/31/2023 at 4:25 PM, PompeySailor said: Thank you 😊 One of my concerns is once we sail Grandeur, it might be a tough call to sail on a ship that will be old enough to be her mother Enjoy your upcoming Explorer cruise I think when you first walk on, it will be a shock. Then couple days later all is good 😀. You will feel the advantages Navigator has…at least in the opinion of many (including me). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seniormom Posted April 3 #25 Share Posted April 3 We have sailed Explorer, Mariner, Splendor and just off Navigator a couple of weeks ago. Yes, Navigator isn't as glitzy, but she is oh so cozy. We were able to make friends with the crew quickly and that enhanced our experience. It was one of our best cruises with Regent. We missed not having Pacific Rim restaurant, and think the lounges for pre-dinner drinks are better on Explorer and Splendor.....but that was the trade-off of being on a cozier ship. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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