Apollo Management to buy Regent?

[eroller]

It is reported in the latest Travel Weekly that Apollo Management is close to a deal to acquire Regent Seven Seas Cruises from Carlson Cos.

Of course Apollo Management is the same private equity firm that purchased Oceania and also a large percent of NCL.

Should the Regent deal go through, it would give Apollo a nice portfolio of brands. Mass-market with NCL. Premium with Oceania. and luxury with Regent.

Ernie

[cruiseyguy]

This has been kicking around for awhile. Duplicate the Carnival portfolio of cruiselines (something for everyone) without the corporate superstructure. Good for Regent as it gives them a large cash line for new ships, enhancements, etc. Hope it happens. Won't change the product except maybe for the better.

[AtA]

or make it worse because the personal service you get now even when you write the president won't be there. we'll have to see, won't we?

[eroller]

I think it remains to be seen whether this is a good or bad thing for Regent (and Oceania and NCL for that matter).

In general private equity firms are not in the business of running businesses for long periods of time. They build up the companies and make them more profitable (by whatever means), then dump them when they can demand the highest return.

It's highly probable that Apollo will not be the final resting place for Regent, NCL, or Oceania.

I also think Carlson Cos. could build up Regent if they desired. I don't think they are exactly cash strapped. For whatever reason, they may have decided to exit the cruise business and concentrate on other core brands of their business. Too bad as they have done a decent job managing RSSC and of course recently completed the rebranding of the line.

Ernie

[dougburns]

After talking to Capt. Dag in Sep about the sale, it was apparent to me that Mrs. Carlson wanted out and that Regent needed cash in order to be able to get a new ship on the ways and stay competetive with Silversea and Seabourn who both already have new construction underway. I am also leery of private equity groups and their motives. The Regent management folks have been having constant meetings on the subject that began during the summer. When we were aboard Voyager in Sep they were all there, but kept pretty much to themselves. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[Joanandjoe]

or make it worse because the personal service you get now even when you write the president won't be there. we'll have to see, won't we?

You're assuming that the non-Carlson family portion of management will change, which would be unusual for an acquisition by a private equity company. I suspect that Mr. Conroy will still be President, possibly with more discretion under Apollo than under Carlson.

Since none of us can do anything about this (unless we're so rich that we can buy RSSC), we'll just have to wait and see.

[RMS Olympic]

I wonder if rebranding will happen once again. Radisson went to Regent to associate with the Regent hotel name if I am not mistaken. Selling of the line...does it give up the right to use the name Regent?
From what I have seen over the years...acquisitions never improve things. economy of scale seems to dilute the original characteristic of the product.
Costa..maybe much bigger and more profitable...but has now lost its original identity and has become a Carnival ship with a Costa livery.
Holland America.....is not what it was and is now catering to more and more families. Standard public rooms are being reconfigured such as crows nest lounges to computer rooms. Now pan asian restaurants....bigger and bigger ships with less personal attention.
Princess....now bigger, but in my opinion down graded. Once a notch above other mass market ships like Royal caribbean...now designed more to compete with Carnival.
If Regent was to be acquired, I wish it could be to something like Crystal.
But I too will wait and see.

[Travelcat2]

I wonder if rebranding will happen once again. Radisson went to Regent to associate with the Regent hotel name if I am not mistaken. Selling of the line...does it give up the right to use the name Regent?
From what I have seen over the years...acquisitions never improve things. economy of scale seems to dilute the original characteristic of the product.
Costa..maybe much bigger and more profitable...but has now lost its original identity and has become a Carnival ship with a Costa livery.
Holland America.....is not what it was and is now catering to more and more families. Standard public rooms are being reconfigured such as crows nest lounges to computer rooms. Now pan asian restaurants....bigger and bigger ships with less personal attention.
Princess....now bigger, but in my opinion down graded. Once a notch above other mass market ships like Royal caribbean...now designed more to compete with Carnival.
If Regent was to be acquired, I wish it could be to something like Crystal.
But I too will wait and see.

I hear that Crystal has incredible food and entertainment..... however, why would you want Regent (all-inclusive, large suites, smaller ships, open seating, etc., etc., etc.) to be like Crystal? If anything, I'd like to see Crystal adopt some of Regent's policies. JMO

[Travelcat2]

After posting the above, I "Googled" the question and found the following:

CFO.com 10/30/2007
Apollo Management LP to buy Regent Seven Seas Inc.from Carlson Cos. for $1 billion
Purchase, N.Y.-based private equity firm Apollo won an auction to acquire Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based cruise operator Regent. Seller Carlson is a Minnetonka, Minn.-based leisure services concern. DVB Bank AG has provided debt to finance the transaction. CVC Global Capital and KSL Capital Partners are other parties who were interested in this transaction.
Seller financial advisor: Goldman Sachs
Bidder financial advisor: Not Available
Seller legal advisor: Not Available
Bidder legal advisor: Not Available

[Iamboatman]

I read the same thing.

I know I have been criticized for posting that it seemed very clear to me that Regent was marketing itself to be sold - with the rebranding followed massive high end mailings - especially when coupled with the significant cruise fare increases and reduction in crew costs (by eliminating most European staff), but it speaks for itself.

As for the reported $1,000,000,000 good for them. Heck of a high price and in business, the bottom line is profit. Carlson has done extremely well for themselves.

[Jancruz]

I am not a bit surprised..
Jan
*************

[Travelcat2]

I read the same thing.

I know I have been criticized for posting that it seemed very clear to me that Regent was marketing itself to be sold - with the rebranding followed massive high end mailings - especially when coupled with the significant cruise fare increases and reduction in crew costs (by eliminating most European staff), but it speaks for itself.

As for the reported $1,000,000,000 good for them. Heck of a high price and in business, the bottom line is profit. Carlson has done extremely well for themselves.

You saw this coming while I was keeping my head in the sand. What changes do you think will occur over the next year or so?

[Iamboatman]

I do not have a crystal ball (and no, Crystal is not for sale...its owners love the line!).

I see a typical three tier (economy, upscale and luxury) scenario with NCL, Oceania and Regent...with a name change expected for Regent. I have no idea what will happen with management.

Also, and don't shoot me for saying this, I think there will be a much higher emphasis on service and food quality, which I think has been lacking (as that was a great way to improve the bottom line...quickly).

In retrospect I think the announcement of the PG chartering for another year was no accident. I think Apollo wanted that as a part of the deal and it probably would not have been done at the price it was without it. I think more will come as to the PG.

And here is one I just thought of: I think the Navigator may (ala Royal Caribbean) be swapped out of the Regent brand and given to Oceania if, and I mean if, it does not undergo a significant refit of its public areas and addressing of its vibrational issues. The Navigator's suites are far superior to the former R-ships, however, so a swap both ways may not happen.

I am sure everyone can speculate and I claim absolutely no superiority on the subject. In fact, generally I do not like uninformed speculation...but since I was correct about the sale I figure "Why not".:eek:

[eroller]

...but since I was correct about the sale I figure "Why not".:eek:



Where did you posted about Regent being for sale? Maybe the same place you posted that Silversea was in the toilette and had no chance of ordering new ships?

FYI I believe you also stated Carnival never had any intention of selling of Seabourn. I just read an interesting interview with Micky Arison in the latest Cruise Industry News where he states it was intended to offload Seabourn along with Windstar and Swan Hellenic. Carnival Corp. had decided to sell off the small niche brands and focus on their primary markets. They ended up changing their mind about Seabourn, although the reasons why were not given. It's possible they just didn't fine a suitable buyer and decided to build up the brand.

Ernie

[Iamboatman]

Ernie,

I am not going to battle with you yet again. I never say anything that is accurate. I make stuff up. It is neither enjoyable or interesting for me or others. You are right, as always. I will comment no further.

[Travelcat2]

I do not have a crystal ball (and no, Crystal is not for sale...its owners love the line!).

I see a typical three tier (economy, upscale and luxury) scenario with NCL, Oceania and Regent...with a name change expected for Regent. I have no idea what will happen with management.

Also, and don't shoot me for saying this, I think there will be a much higher emphasis on service and food quality, which I think has been lacking (as that was a great way to improve the bottom line...quickly).

In retrospect I think the announcement of the PG chartering for another year was no accident. I think Apollo wanted that as a part of the deal and it probably would not have been done at the price it was without it. I think more will come as to the PG.

And here is one I just thought of: I think the Navigator may (ala Royal Caribbean) be swapped out of the Regent brand and given to Oceania if, and I mean if, it does not undergo a significant refit of its public areas and addressing of its vibrational issues. The Navigator's suites are far superior to the former R-ships, however, so a swap both ways may not happen.

I am sure everyone can speculate and I claim absolutely no superiority on the subject. In fact, generally I do not like uninformed speculation...but since I was correct about the sale I figure "Why not".:eek:

As they say, "hindsight is 20/20". . . I definitely agree that the PG announcement was part of the strategic plan. It also occurred to me yesterday that the reason GCT rates so high in Conde Nast is because of their ownership of the PG.

Your input regarding the Navigator is interesting. Have you been on the Navigator since her last dry dock? At the end of March 2007, the ship was in tip top shape -- everything new (except televisions). As I have said before, I believe 100% that there is, under some conditions, a severe vibration on the Navigator. However, it was just not there during our 8 day cruise. My experience with vibration was on the Voyager. In both cases, our suites were not aft -- but we spent time in aft restaurants, lounges, etc. In any event, I do hope they decide to keep her in the "Regent" fleet (at least until a new ship is built).

Hope you will share whatever information you can as the legal process of the sale goes forward. While I don't always agree with you, I enjoy your posts!

[planner8]

This is old news on Wall St - no idea how/if it will change things -

[Iamboatman]

TC2,

As I learn things I will let you know. Right now the news is pretty sparse, though very consistent with the rumors and whispers over the past couple of weeks.

As for the Navigator, I am sure her condition is fine. My concern are things like the marginal looks/design of the main restaurant (Berlitz mentions that too), the strange layout of some of the lounges (walking in front of the entertainers to enter/leave is weird), not great spa, etc. She is just one of my least favorite ships. Sorry, but my honest opinion...probably colored in part by some of the events on board. As I said, just speculation on my part.

[JDRMYS]

It seems odd to me that Apollo is buying Regent whereas Regent has just sold its brand new hotel in South Beach.

[Iamboatman]

Carlson has certain plans and ideas. Being a relatively diverse company it surely makes independent moves and not necessarily every move has greater meaning.

[canadagal]

I read the same thing.

I know I have been criticized for posting that it seemed very clear to me that Regent was marketing itself to be sold - with the rebranding followed massive high end mailings - especially when coupled with the significant cruise fare increases and reduction in crew costs (by eliminating most European staff), but it speaks for itself.



What goes around comes around and it looks like you have been vindicated Eric........maybe a few apologies to you should be in order.
Pat

[garykool81]

or make it worse because the personal service you get now even when you write the president won't be there. we'll have to see, won't we?

I think that depends on who remains at the controls of the line. In Oceania's case, virtually nothing was changed. Besides, the line is a class-act and sells out cruises over a year in advance due to the current small fleet size. Why would you want to change anything? In their case, the buyout assisted the line with purchasing $500M (WHOA!) newbuilds that will be delivered, I believe, in 2009 and 2010.

Oceania's Chairman, Frank del Rio, still personally posts on the Oceania boards on this site and has come to the rescue several times of customers stuck in "below average" experiences with the line.

While I've never sailed with RSSC before, I've also heard fabulous things about them. My impression is that they are successful at what they do and beloved by their passengers -- so I doubt Apollo will "clean house" or anything of the sort.

As previous posters said, private equity/investment firms typically inject liquid into already successful companies to assist them in growing even further, then flip them down the road for a hefty return on that investment.

PS -- Since my partner and I are considering RSSC for the future, can someone tell me about food quality? Has anyone sailed both RSSC and Oceania before? Just wondering about a comparison when it comes to food, etc.

[Iamboatman]

What goes around comes around and it looks like you have been vindicated Eric........maybe a few apologies to you should be in order.
Pat

Naw, that's OK. It is just nice to know (for me). Hopefully for others they better understand that I am not always be right, but I do try to give an honest assessment based on my knowledge of the industry and business...even if my perceptions are is not popular or fashionable.

Thanks for your kind words, Pat.

[esther e]

garykool81, we have been on both and without a doubt Oceania has by far the best food on the seas.

[marienbad]

While this thread is not a discussion of the relative merits of various cruiseline´s cuisine, we must strongly disagree with esther e. We found Oceania´s food mediocre to poor. How Oceania can be compared to Crystal and Regent astonishes us. I suppose de gustibus non disputandum est, but really we just cannot understand the hype for Oceania´s food.
To get back to the purpose of this thread, it is a most interesting bit of news. We will be on the Voyager in December and the Navigator in February, and will write if there is more news.

[Iamboatman]

I am pretty confident that the acquisition is not going to result in the "Oceanification" of Regent or the "Regentification" of Oceania. Each does what they do well, but obviously any product can be made better (or worse) and focusing (or refocusing) on the brand's particular target market will be critical.

In simplest terms as to hardware: Oceania has cabins; and, Regent has suites. To most loyal Oceania past passengers, the need for a suite obviously doesn't exist...but now Apollo will have a product to have them move up to (in terms of private space). I am very confident that most Regent past passengers would be very disappointed with the private spaces, though the public spaces are very nice.

What else is done in terms of styles (liquor inclusive vs. pay as you go), quality and types of food, service, etc. I think we will all have to wait and see.

It may be possible that Regent may be positioned to be true competition in the true luxury market...if they can figure out how to and then to actually, provide the promised level of service to 700 people at a time.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On the food issue, I'm beginning to suspect that sometimes a particular cruise does spectacularly well with the kitchen, and sometimes does quite poorly. That would explain why someone would complain about the food on a Regent ship, and another would rave. Ditto Oceania.

This goes for service too. I have very few complaints about Regent service--for the most part it's been stellar on my 7 cruises. Once in a while there's been a slip--for example the gum stuck under the handrail in an elevator that was *still there* the next day (Navigator), or the poor head waiter who appeared to be morose for the whole cruise (on PG, because he thought he was going to lose his job!)

I hope to overcome the "private space" issue and try O, probably in 2009 or 2010.

My question of the day is this. Having just rebranded as Regent, will they have to change the name of the line again (Carlson didn't sell the Regent Hotel chain as well, did they?)

[count florida]

Until there is an "official" announcement of a sale, most of what we "know" is more speculation than knowledge, in my estimation. I gather we do KNOW that Regent Cruises is for sale, probably sold if the details can be worked out and the due diligence doesn’t disclose any major discrepancies. We also KNOW the Carlson enterprise spent a lot of money on the name change and merger with the Regent hotel chain. So one big question is: Are the hotels (or some of them - apparently not South Beach) included in the cruise line sale. If not, what does that foretell? Another is: What is Apollo’s intent for this move - build an operating entity or position a group of acquisitions for profitable sale, and if so, in what time frame. On these later questions at least, I think only time will tell.

We’ve been cruising with RSSC for 7 years and more than 200 nights, and our former love for the line has degraded to "like" - but perhaps this sale speculation explains why. For a couple of years, we've noticed a number of changes in Radisson/Regent's policies and practices, mostly to the client's detriment. Instead of trying to satisfy their customers, to say "YES" whenever possible, RSSC appears to have adopted rigid policies that result in "NO" to all too many requests that in the past would have routinely been granted. Examples include a request to leave a bag with formal wear and cruising accoutrements on board for three months between already booked cruises, and requests to disembark in the middle of a segment without having to pay for the whole thing. In these cases, either we didn’t take the cruise, or shifted to another luxury cruise line (Seabourn) on basically the same route for 36 days rather than 29 (on Regent) at 10% lower cost – not 10% less per day, 10% less in total, including an extra week! Another NO resulted from a request to use the airport transfer part of a pre-cruise tour a day early, resulting in our arranging a one day longer pre-cruise on our own via the internet, for less than half the cost of the Regent pre-cruise tour.

Staffing now is not as good as it had been – for example, a single stewardess per room, instead of the team they had in years past. It also seems Regent has fewer wait staff in the restaurants, explaining the slower, less attentive service we’ve noticed. Although we've never experienced it ourselves, reports of wait staff criticizing guests for ordering items off the menu have been disturbingly common! The substitution of Asian for European staff, attributed to the line's inability to attract and retain Europeans due to the decline in the dollar, has also hurt, as the newer staff seems to us to have more language issues and to be less well prepared (trained?) to serve guests in the luxury-class environment Regent is trying to reach. Please note there are exceptions to this – the Philippine stewardess we had on our most recent cruise in Asia was one of the best we’ve ever had, and she spoke and understood English fluently.

We've also noticed a drop in the quality of the food, and the offering of higher cost items seems less often or, in the case of caviar for example, now chargeable. This seems particularly odd under the new all-inclusive policy; perhaps they feel liquor IS quicker to hook guests, into re-booking for future cruises of course. Part of the food issue may be Regent’s new emphasis on nouvelle cuisine, which we don't particularly like, but clearly that isn't the whole story. Or it may be their almost total reliance on German chefs. Impossible to tell, but we do know that our earlier delight with RSSC’s food has been severely tried in recent years. Here is what we wrote to include with the guest questionnaire on our most recent Regent cruise:

“Food: On at least two occasions, there has been hardly anything on the regular dinner menu that I wanted to eat! In the first instance, on September 30th, another experienced person with whom we were having dinner noted that the menu was “strange”. In the second case, on October 5th, not one appetizer, soup, salad, entrée or desert met my taste! I noticed a man at an adjacent table in Compass Rose having a hamburger, so that is what I ordered too. Frankly, I was tired of ordering steak every other night, as it seemed both of us been doing. Even the pasta on the evening menu in Veranda was a disaster, although the return of the Italian Steak-house menu was a welcome change. The lasagna I got there one night was a puffy, muddled mess, nearly tasteless, wrong kind of cheese, and the spaghetti bolognaise I tried as a substitute is actually better from room service. The overall quality and selection of food available has deteriorated to the point that eating is often a burden, not the happy event one looked forward to each evening, as it has been on past RSSC cruises. It would appear that the food budget has been cut and the chef, despite his personal and repeated denial of a reduced budget, is doing his best to cope, unsuccessfully. The number and variety of weird, dubious offerings have shot up till they seem to dominate the menus. Another couple in our group, with only two past RSSC cruises, commented on the lack of variety and sameness of the offerings as well as the decline in quality overall. This is not what you expect when you spend more than $1,000 per day on a cruise vacation, not counting getting there and back, excursions, etc. We went on a short, relatively inexpensive cruise on Princess last winter – just over $200 per day – where the food was much better and we were in a larger ‘mini-suite’ (325 sq.ft. including balcony.)”

Not everything is worse today, but it just doesn’t seem as good as it was. We haven’t given up on Regent, but are actively looking to try other lines as well as different kinds of touring experiences. We have booked another Regent cruise, but it’s not till 2009.

I guess the bottom line is that Regent has been forced into making changes to make itself more attractive to buyers, rather than continue it's appeal to its long-term clients like ourselves. This is not a unique situation; many organizations have gone through the same process, some to emerge the better, some not so good or to fail totally. We certainly hope Apollo does better than the Carlson organization has in the recent past, and genuinely look forward to a positive change.

[RMS Olympic]

What my experience will be on the PG starting Dec 1st. Its been a few years since I sailed her and the food was good but nothing to rave about. I chalked it up to where the ship was and how available the ingredients were (beef in particular).
If the food quality has slipped since.....it will put a damper on things for me. Heres hoping for good things, an open mind and a wish that Regent excels in the future.
2002 was my first Regent cruise..and was still the best out of all of the Regent experiences I have been fortunate to have. Long sail the Navigator;)
PG...here I come.
Tom

[AtA]

I can't comment on the changes, but quite frankly, I don't see why the cruiseline should have to hold your formal wear for 3 months. What if someone misplaced it, or the room it was being held in suddenly flooded? Then what? You'd be complaining again about how poorly Regent is doing.

The segment thing is something they should look into but as long as it's the policy then you do what you're doing; vote with your wallet.

As for the food, I thought the food was excellent on my last cruise, but then again I'm delighted to try new things, and like nouvelle cuisine. If I want the same old boring stuff night after night, then I'll stay home. This is a luxury ship, with luxury type menus to cater to the majority of the clients. On my 10 day cruise on the Voyager, I never lacked to find something to eat, and I'm allergic to ALL shellfish so that limited my choices even!

There are plusses and minuses with anything we do. And for every person who complains about something, there's another who loves it. Regent won't and can't make every single person happy, but it's their business to try and make the majority happy.

[Iamboatman]

I don't think it is fair to criticize someone else's perceptions as to quality or value.

I ate at a restaurant on Saturday that had a Zagat rating of 27 for food, 24 for decor and 25 for service. It was none of those things to me. But some people have to be raving about it. Possibly their standards are just different (or lower). It was definitely not an "off night" issue. (Ex. The decor was basically an old hotel dining room in need of paint, better lighting and new carpet...and with no real "style". A 24: Never!) I posted my review on Zagat...and don't think I was wrong for doing it. Heck, I went to the place based upon the rave reviews.

I see very consistent comments here about lapses in Regent's quality...and universally in the same areas (dining room staff, stewardesses, food quality). It has to mean something when so many make the same type of comments.

The comments do not - ever to my knowledge - claim that those loving all about Regent are wrong; merely they mention their personal opinions. There needs to be room for everyone's opinions.

[garykool81]

I ate at a restaurant on Saturday that had a Zagat rating of 27 for food, 24 for decor and 25 for service. It was none of those things to me. But some people have to be raving about it. Possibly their standards are just different (or lower). It was definitely not an "off night" issue. (Ex. The decor was basically an old hotel dining room in need of paint, better lighting and new carpet...and with no real "style". A 24: Never!) I posted my review on Zagat...and don't think I was wrong for doing it. Heck, I went to the place based upon the rave reviews.

I am going to go WAY off-topic, but promise I won't stray any more haha.

Speaking from experience, Zagat is NOT reliable. This is nothing more than "popular vote," and you will frequently see restaurants with top scores that are at best three-star dining on a good night. I highly suggest using AAA's ratings, as they have a far more stringent process for handing out four and five diamonds to restaurants.

We've found AAA to be on the ball most the time. If they rate a restaurant five diamonds, which very few are, you know that you're in for a special experience when you dine there.

[Iamboatman]

I know. And I agree. I was actually warned before we went that it was nothing special...and we decided to take a shot. (No one to blame but us.:( )

Obviously my point is that someone reading another person's (or group of people) pushing a 6 star rating is entitled to other opinions as well so that an informed decision can be made.

[tennisbunny]

As I've mentioned on other threads, we are going on our first Regent cruise this December. We absolutely loved SS but are eager for more dining options that Voyager promises :D .

I thoroughly enjoy reading the comparisons on CC because there's a wealth of information available to help people make a decision about spending a lot of money on a cruise line they feel will fit their particular likes.

I'll post a review when we return but anticipate a GREAT experience!

[Travelcat2]

As I've mentioned on other threads, we are going on our first Regent cruise this December. We absolutely loved SS but are eager for more dining options that Voyager promises :D .

I thoroughly enjoy reading the comparisons on CC because there's a wealth of information available to help people make a decision about spending a lot of money on a cruise line they feel will fit their particular likes.

I'll post a review when we return but anticipate a GREAT experience!

Glad to read that youll be on the Voyager next month -- it's such a great ship (even with the "aft" vibration). The dining options are super -- everyone has their favorites -- ours if Latitudes, however, we have enjoyed all of them.

We hope to book a cruise on SS once the 2009 schedule opens up -- I've heard many positive things about SS.

Looking forward to reading your review when your return.:)

[cruisr]

I just read that Adam Aron is with Apollo. Some may remember him from the early-mid '90s when Kloster brought him in. At the time Kloster owned NCL and 2 of my favorite cruise lines Royal Viking Line and Royal Cruise Line. He closed RVL first in 1994 and distributed the ships among NCL and Royal and sold the RV Sun to Cunard (to be become the Cunard Royal Viking Sun then the Seabourn Sun and now Prinsendam). Then in 1996 he closed down Royal Cruise Line. He was recently with Vail Resorts in CO and the last I read he was going to become a fund raiser for the Democratic Natl. Committee. Guess he changed his mind.

[Iamboatman]

Are you saying that Apollo might make Oceania or Regent a two class line or that it might just sell off some hardware...like maybe some of the R-ships?

[AtA]

I don't think it is fair to criticize someone else's perceptions as to quality or value.

I ate at a restaurant on Saturday that had a Zagat rating of 27 for food, 24 for decor and 25 for service. It was none of those things to me. But some people have to be raving about it. Possibly their standards are just different (or lower). It was definitely not an "off night" issue. (Ex. The decor was basically an old hotel dining room in need of paint, better lighting and new carpet...and with no real "style". A 24: Never!) I posted my review on Zagat...and don't think I was wrong for doing it. Heck, I went to the place based upon the rave reviews.

I see very consistent comments here about lapses in Regent's quality...and universally in the same areas (dining room staff, stewardesses, food quality). It has to mean something when so many make the same type of comments.

The comments do not - ever to my knowledge - claim that those loving all about Regent are wrong; merely they mention their personal opinions. There needs to be room for everyone's opinions.I have no problem with someone coming here and stating their thoughts on the food, or on the service. As I said, I reserved comments on the service because my first cruise on Regent was in Jan. 2006 after the perceived lapses started. As for the food quality, I believe as with anyplace, it depends on who the chef is, etc. Our food on the Navigator in 2006 was good, nothing to write home about, but certainly good enough. On our cruise in January of this year on the Voyager, I thought the food was excellent, and for some dishes outstanding.

Of course we all have different perceptions. I have found it fascinating to read Debbie's account of the Voyager, and to see her view on things. Things that don't bother her would bother me, and visa versa. As I said above, it's impossible to please everyone. As a consumer, you have to make the decision as to whether you find the things that are bothersome are so much so that it would hamper your enjoyment of the cruise.

[Travelcat2]

I would expect that, after the sale, Regent may get a new ship! The paragraph below is copied from Sun-Sential.com dated November 7, 2007:


Apollo has been an active investor in the cruise industry. In August, it acquired a 50 percent interest in NCL Corp., the parent of Norwegian Cruise Line, for $1 billion. It also owns a majority stake in Oceania Cruises, a three-ship firm based in Miami with a market profile similar to that of Regent

A month after Apollo made its investment in Oceania, the cruise line announced an agreement to build two new 1,260-passenger ships for delivery in 2010 and 2011.

[surfklutz]

I am going to go WAY off-topic, but promise I won't stray any more haha.

Speaking from experience, Zagat is NOT reliable. This is nothing more than "popular vote," and you will frequently see restaurants with top scores that are at best three-star dining on a good night. I highly suggest using AAA's ratings, as they have a far more stringent process for handing out four and five diamonds to restaurants.

We've found AAA to be on the ball most the time. If they rate a restaurant five diamonds, which very few are, you know that you're in for a special experience when you dine there.

I have found that the AAA rating is not reliable at all! I have been disappointed more often than not by following their ratings!

[Robroy]

Like Tennisbunny, my wife and I are sailing on the Voyageur in December for our first Regent cruise. Over the years, we've been Princess diehards but have noticed many changes with them since 1990....as no doubt has been the case with virtually every cruise line.
Based upon our research and information from CC, we thought we'd try a luxury line and we're quite excited about our upcoming trip. It seems the issues of quality/service are found with long-time patrons of many lines though. What we experienced in 1990 with Princess didn't compare with last year but then again pricing for suites and mini-suites has come way down as well. We still had a wonderful time and certainly plan on having a great time with Regent. Food and service can be very subjective issues - particularly the service where any customer interaction can become a "moment of truth" depending on the perception of the customer.
I plan on doing a review of our upcoming trip as well and am convinced it will be a glowing one. In the meantime, as neophytes we're enjoying the various points of view on these and other boards.

Thanks!

Rob

Rob

[Iamboatman]

I would expect that, after the sale, Regent may get a new ship! The paragraph below is copied from Sun-Sential.com dated November 7, 2007:


Apollo has been an active investor in the cruise industry. In August, it acquired a 50 percent interest in NCL Corp., the parent of Norwegian Cruise Line, for $1 billion. It also owns a majority stake in Oceania Cruises, a three-ship firm based in Miami with a market profile similar to that of Regent

A month after Apollo made its investment in Oceania, the cruise line announced an agreement to build two new 1,260-passenger ships for delivery in 2010 and 2011.

Actually that is not correct information. I was lecturing at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference in March and was present in the room when Oceania announced the two ships would be built. The acquisition by Apollo came later.

[Iamboatman]

Tennisbunny and Robroy:

I am very confident you will find your Regent cruises far superior to your Princess experiences...and in so many ways. Don't let comments (even mine!) let you think Regent isn't a solid product. It will win you over.

Some of us are more critical, possibly because we are jaded or because we have more experience on luxury and near luxury lines. Even without perfection, my Regent cruise in August-September was overall one of the best I have ever taken. I am sure your cruises will be as well. Enjoy.

[tennisbunny]

We have gone on many Princess and Royal Caribbean cruises in the past, as many have also posted out on various threads, and then decided to try a luxury line. Our SS cruise was the first experience in the luxury market. Needless to say, we are converts!! I've looked at previous cruises and believe that there isn't as much discrepancy in the cost as you might think because you're not signing for every drink or paying gratuities.

From what so many have said, it looks like the SS and Regent lines are quite comparable. It should be interesting to see how the increased pax number on Regent will affect us. We loved the size of the ship and number of pax on SS, but there are a few more amenities available with Regent (like the extra dining options) that SS doesn't have. I think it will likely be a wash and we'll have a fabulous time.

It's all in the attitude :rolleyes: .

[planner8]

"Examples include a request to leave a bag with formal wear and cruising accoutrements on board for three months between already booked cruises"

You are obviously a real "Count??" As ATA said why would a cruise line be responsible for YOUR clothes? Opinions are just what they are - we are all entitled to them without malice - that includes the good, bad, and the ugly - and no hand slapping from some please

[BILLP1]

We cruised Regent Mariner last March and we are booked next April on the Mariner.

Last week we sailed on Celebrity Constellation on a thirteen night New England - Canada cruise. .

NEVER NEVER again. Food that was not on the level of a school meal plan. All day and all night someone was trying to sell something at some inflated price passed off as a sale.

Drinks that were so over priced that I finally switched to beer . Wine prices at dinner were very inflated.

You really do get what you pay for..

[Iamboatman]

I am missing something. How did Celebrity and holding clothes for 3 months wind up being the focus of a thread about Regent being sold or if or how Apollo may improve it?:confused:

[Iamboatman]

double post

[planner8]

No Eric pay attention to the thread - not difficult to follow -

[Travelcat2]

Actually that is not correct information. I was lecturing at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference in March and was present in the room when Oceania announced the two ships would be built. The acquisition by Apollo came later.

Suggest you take this up with www.sun-sentinel.com/ (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/) -- the above was a quote (forgot the quotation marks). If what you heard was correct, it still is a positive -- Apollo (before or after the purchase) is going forward with the ship builds.

All should become clear when the Press Release comes out (after Thanksgiving). All indications, so far, are positive for Regent.

[planner8]

TC2 thank you -

[Iamboatman]

Come on now. I thought the correct information might be more important than jousting just for the sake of jousting.

I also strongly doubt that all will be clear in just a few weeks...though I am not sure where that timeline came from.

[FionaCruz]

I am new here but I can tell you why any cruise company won't allow you to keep luggage onboard for 3 months while you are not a guest during those months. It's security. You cannot leave any luggage unattended on airplanes, at ports, etc. anymore. This is a major security issue and I understand why they cannot keep luggage onboard for a passenger not registered to be onboard during that time. As for disembarking early....they can't resell your cabin for the remainder of the cruise, so it would be a financial loss for them. It's reasonable that they'd charge you the full fare.

I've always experienced Regent in a positive light. They've gone above and beyond on several occasions to make us happy. I hope your future experiences are positive ones.

[Joanandjoe]

I have found that the AAA rating is not reliable at all! I have been disappointed more often than not by following their ratings!

I agree. My real problem with AAA is that good neighborhood restaurants patronized by local people tend not to be listed in AAA, while expensive ones, regardless of how good they are, do tend to be listed. None of my favorite restaurants is listed in AAA, and some of them are very good, indeed.

As for Appollo, let's see if it really is a deal, and let's wait and see how they deal with current management and with the line itself. Maybe they'll even improve things, and maybe they'll bring back the lyre.

[garykool81]

I agree. My real problem with AAA is that good neighborhood restaurants patronized by local people tend not to be listed in AAA, while expensive ones, regardless of how good they are, do tend to be listed. None of my favorite restaurants is listed in AAA, and some of them are very good, indeed.

I'm actually surprised to hear the comments regarding AAA's restaurant ratings. I would agree that they don't tend to mention local favorites, but rather focus on the more "gourmet" dining establishments in the major cities, in most cases.

That said, I've had *far* better luck with their ratings being on-par than those of Zagat, which is purely popular vote and nothing more.

On only one occasion was I bit disappointed when I ate at "Azul" at the Mandarin Oriental in Miami, FL (which AAA rated five diamonds) to find that it was probably three and a half stars at best. The next year, however, AAA downgraded their rating -- so that tells me they keep on top of these places.

Of the few AAA five-diamond restaurants I've eaten at, they've all been "lifetime experiences," such as Picasso at Bellagio in Las Vegas or Victoria and Alberts at Grand Floridian in Walt Disney World. These were both truly world-class, gourmet venues where service, atmosphere and food quality/presentation were flawless.

[Iamboatman]

I just read two interesting bits of news: Apollo is apparently also seeking to acquire something in another sector of the travel business and...

Regent has announced it is now "studying" the construction of a new Mariner sized vessel for delivery in mid-2010. The ship would feature plenty of teak, open seating, similar sized suites, "but offer more alternative dining, a larger and more elaborate spa and some quite innovative features".

I do not know if that "study" is being done by, or in relation, to Apollo or, frankly, why the announcement of the "study" was made now. (Possibly part of the final negotiations???)

Just passing it along.

[dougburns]

The info that I had as of Sep was that the new Regent ship would be similar to Voyager and Mariner, but @ 60,000 tons with the smallest suites being @ 450 sq ft. Still 700 pax. They were also looking at reducing the size of the Constellation theater and making several other changes to the common areas. I think Capt. Dag is heavily involved in the design.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Sounds like they'll price themselves out of some customers. I'm not sure I really *need* 450 square feet. Oh well, there'll always be the PG!

[count florida]

Many cruise lines allow repeat passengers to leave luggage aboard, as we've done in the past - its known as "unaccompanied baggage". When we've booked two cruises on the same ship without an intervening cruise or other need for formal gear, we've left it on board for the next cruise, avoiding the need to lug it home and back again. This is particularly important now that the airlines are getting so picky about baggage limits, even in Business and first classes. The cruise line has a perfect right to inspect what you're leaving, and we certainly wouldn't have objected to that. Also, the cruise line isn't responsible in case of loss or damage; we've always had to sign a waiver before they would agree to store it for you. They even have an unaccompanied baggage waiver form, or they did. We've also left unaccompanied baggage when we disembarked the Voyager in Australia, picking up our luggage in Ft. Lauderdale two months later. When you pay big bucks, as you do on the luxury lines and in Grille Class on Cunard, you can expect better service and a reasonable degree of flexibility, and we do. Radisson did, but Regent no longer seems to. Too bad, but that seems to be the facts of cruising with them these days.

[Travelcat2]

I read about the new ship mid-September -- it was to be "announced shortly". Just a guess, but the upcoming Press Release regarding the sale of Regent may include information on the new ship. When/if it is announced, I know a lot of people who will be anxious to be on the maiden voyage (including us). . .

[FionaCruz]

I understand what you're saying but I do know laws have changed and it is beyond Regent's control regarding this policy. Ours and numerous other countries' governments do not allow unaccompanied luggage onboard.

[canadagal]

Sounds like they'll price themselves out of some customers. I'm not sure I really *need* 450 square feet. Oh well, there'll always be the PG!

My concerns too! But in the interim I guess we can get our fill of Regent while the CDN dollar is up. 450 sq. feet would be nice but not at all necessary and especially if the entry level price is really high.

Pat

[Iamboatman]

Honestly, I am not sure how much higher Regent prices can go. On a per day basis Regent is already either the most expensive or the second most expensive for many routes. Also, even if the new ship is at a higher fare, the other ships remain (though, as I said, my GUESS is that Navigator may not).

[Goofyisme]

I guess I am just interested in areas where RSSC is less expensive. For example on a west bound Panama Canal a very nice veranda suite on RSSC comes in at about $450 per person per day and SS for the lowest veranda suite at $750 per person per day.
This is a significant difference, unless of course I am misreading something.

[Iamboatman]

What I said was "many routes", not all routes.

Also, there are cruises that are found to be in low demand so the prices are adjusted accordingly. I can book people on any line at much lower than average rates...on a particular cruise or where there is unusually low demand.

I have previously been battered by cheerleaders when the upward pricing came out about 16 months ago, but eventually many past Regent passengers posted their same conclusions. It is what it is...regardless of the exceptions.

[Goofyisme]

As I said maybe I just picked the one outrider. I went in and picked a cruise that I might be interested in that had a similar cruise on the other line.
But those are the results.
Also I believe both are great lines and I choose based on when, where and for how much each is going.

[dougburns]

The best way to get a good price on Regent is to book early. We booked the first leg of the 2006 WC over a year early and saved @ $20K from the brochure price. Same thing happened in 2005 for 2 legs of the WC. On average we pay @ $800/day total for a Cat E on the Voyager and a Cat C penthouse on the Mariner.

[Travelcat2]

The following appeared in traveltrade.com on November 9th:

Apollo Management Said to Buy Regent
Fri Nov 09 2007, by Travel Trade staff

According to the Web site CFO.com, which is part of the same company that publishes The Economist magazine, Apollo Management LP has won an auction to buy Regent Seven Seas Cruises from Carlson Companies for $1 billion.

As no one at Regent, Carlson or Apollo is commenting on the report, it is unclear as to whether the claim is true or not. However, none of the main companies involved have denied the claim either.
"I cannot comment on whether Regent may or may not have been bought," Brian Major, a spokesman for Regent, told Travel Trade, while Sam Macalus, the public relations director at Carlson, said, "We do not comment on market speculation."
According to the CFO.com report, Apollo Management beat out two other private equity firms. In addition, DVB Bank AG is providing debt to finance the transaction.
If true, this will be the third purchase of a cruise line by the equity firm in less than a year. In February, Apollo purchased a majority stake in Oceania Cruises and in August it acquired a 50% interest in NCL Corp., the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line.