Regent Mariner vs Silversea Silver Cloud??

[Del Mar Cruiser]

Help!

My husband and I are looking at one of two trips for a special celebration, so we want to get it right.

Either the Mariner, Ft. Lauderdale to Monte Carlo leaving 3/22/10 or the Silver Cloud, San Juan to Barcelona leaving 4/14/10.

We have been on the Masriner before and loved it. We prefer the Silver Cloud itinerary and the later timing a bit more re weather, but not enough to risk a less than wonderful experience.

We are interested in trying a smaller ship if the intimacy, service, and guests make up for fewer options re activities.

We're looking for wonderful food, great guests, and some fun on the ship re daytime and nighttime actovities.

All feedback will be helpful; thanks so much.

[jhp]

I would suggest you post this on the Silversea board as well. I've only cruised SS twice, both times on their larger ships, Shadow and Whisper (the next is yet to come!). Love both of the lines, but have only done a crossing on Regent's Voyager. I don't think given equal weather you could go wrong with either, except that i would rather be on a larger ship for a crossing. For the seas, and more daytime activities....but that is up to you!

[AWED23]

We have cruised a good bit on both cruise lines. the last Silver Seas was in 2008 aboard Silver Whisper in order to try Silver Seas again. In September/October of 2008 we were on Regent's Navigator for 21 days. We will stay with Regent going forward because the guest demographics suit us better.(Less stuffy). We'll be on Mariner from Sydney/Los Angeles November-December and again March 22, 2010 from Fort Lauderdale to Monaco....Crossing the Mid-Atlantic in March is usually quite calm and if you have not been to Funchal in Madeira then you are in for a real treat!....Hope to see you aboard next year!:)

[Travelcat2]

On our Voyager cruise last week, we discussed the issue of ship size with a few couples. Those used to larger ships, found the Voyager (same size as the Mariner) a bit too small. One couple who recently sailed on Seabourn found the excursions on Regent had too many people (they preferred the small groups on Seabourn).

It sounds like you have thought about the size difference. If the differences caused by the ship size will not impact your enjoyment of the cruise, go for the itinerary that you prefer. Both ships and cruise lines are great -- IMO, it's the size issue that will make the most difference.