Why Regent?

Hello all.

My wife and I are planning our 10 year anniversary and are thinking about a European cruise. We want to do a higher end cruise with a pre-cruise and a 1 week to 10 day post cruise.

We would like to know why you choose Regent and if there are any cons. I know there will be many answers so I thank you for taking your time and answering my question.

We have cruised with nearly all the 'luxury' lines, and Regent is one of the best. To me, the main downside nowadays is that your excursions are included, and you are paying quite a lot on top for this. Unless you are going somewhere where you really want to do excursions, and do not mind spending quite a lot of time with other passengers in coaches, etc. etc., plus probably getting up early, I would recommend one of the others, which work out cheaper as they include everything except excursions - and sometimes air and transfers, though most will do an add-on for these.

We have, partly for this reason and partly because we prefer ships with fewer passengers, opted for Silversea (not recently) and Seabourn (currently).

My husband and I have been on three Regent cruises. Contrary to many opinions on this board, we like the included excursions as they allow us to "taste test" a region and they take away the stress of the unexpected complications and delays that happen when you plan your own travel. This was especially true in our last cruise from Bangkok to Dubai where often ports were very far from the sites. Could the excursions be better? Probably....but what might be perfect for me would be a problem for another passenger. Choosing carefully by your interests and stamina helps.

I like Regent because it is all inclusive ...no bitter haggling over your account at the end of the cruise ("I did NOT have 15 martinis in the Observation Lounge!"). Regent has spacious cabins, lovely staff, pleasant public spaces, very limited smoking, lovely food in a variety of venues, and GREAT martinis (maybe I DID have 15 martinis in the observation lounge!).

Our first Regent cruise was from Venice to Rome. There was nothing better than sail away on the top deck and then sunset on our veranda, sipping champagne as we left the Venice lagoon. Same can be said of Amalfi. We had an excursion to Portofino (touristy) by boat (nice) and on return had a choice of browsing Amalfi or taking the tender back to the ship. We chose the ship. We then had a long lunch on the balcony of La Verandah with a picture post card view of Amalfi. We felt like we were on a yacht!

Hope this helps you make your decision.

We too are not fans of the included excursions because they can produce a treadmill effect - every day a new excursion or feel guilty about the money you are 'wasting' by lounging around enjoying the ship! However everything else about Regent is just right for us and I have been doing some price comparisons with Seabourn & Silversea and I can't make the per diem difference much more than 50GBP for the 'free' excursions. so we will probably stay with Regent and live with the 'guilt' ;)

Hi: I am a unabashed Regent fan after 5 cruises, and 2 upcoming. However, for a short (7 nights), I'd pick among the luxury lines based upon itinerary.

We love the Regent experience because: size of ship (not too big and not too small), terrific people we meet on board, lovely standard cabins (with walk-in closet), and the wonderful, smiling crew. We detested having to sign chits for drinks and such on other lines. An unforeseen bonus was the great medical care we got on Regent when we each needed it.

We don't have to be too concerned about cost but don't throw money away so I've thought a lot about the "included excursions". So far, they have worked out well for us - enjoyable, convenient, and about what I would have paid on my own.

However you decide, our best wishes for an enjoyable anniversary cruise.

I like the ALL INCLUSIVE so there is no nickel and diming - NO bill at end of cruise. BIG attraction is you can upgrade to Biz Class if you desire.

You are sailing with a few hundred well-traveled friendly folks instead of THOUSANDS on mega ships where you have to walk and walk to one end to the other!

HAPPY Anniversary!

To begin, the boarding most often takes far less time than when boarding the mega-ships (God forbid), has a smaller crowd at the gate, and the walk onboard is yacht-like with a uniformed crew of young people smiling and waving all eager to serve. At the boarding hatch, your credit card becomes useless, everything has been purchased months earlier - while at home - and there will be absolutely no haggling at the end of the cruise with the front counter over bottles purchased or drinks consumed. It is a good feeling knowing the crew has been properly and fully 'tipped' by you before you backed the Porsche (whatever you car) out of the garage in Toledo or Houston (wherever your home).

Rockefeller or Kennedy never felt better on their own yachts than you do at this minute.

The first day is getting settled, probably after you've tested the freedom of drinking alcohol without leaving your name at the bar, or hitting the buffet for some rich food your doctor warned you against. In your cabin for the first time, you find your luggage and you move the clothing and shoes into ample closet spaces. You notice the reshaped towel forming a white monkey holding black bricks of chocolate. You smile. A quick check of the refrigerator and you count the beers, the wines, and even the special requests you made months earlier from home. You steady yourself at the sound of the engines below and you feel the deck shudder slightly. Happiness is in your cabin and paradise lies just ahead.

You and the person you love dearly make yourselves ready for the days and nights ahead knowing full well Regent cruising is the very top of what 'special vacations' are all about. Life becomes a series of deep sleep nights, dining outs, coffee overlooking the moving sea, fascinating ports, books and music, great live theater, and adventures in strange ports. New friends are made from among fellow guests and crew alike. You realize you are loving this small cruise vessel when you begin wishing you had signed on for 10 days as the person you love had suggested, and not seven.

Alas, the final day, you're packed and waiting for your color and number to be called. No one has handed you the departure billing (there is none) and the last time you saw the cabin service person was an hour ago when he came by to wish you a safe journey home. The various guests make their way down the walkway and straight to the waiting vans. Regent has made it happen again and you're already thinking about that next cruise. Jack

We like the all-inclusive features of Regent.

We have had very good success with the excursions. The buses have been only partially full giving everyone enough room and with as good tour guides as we have had with private tours. I will admit I might not go with Regent if i was going somewhere that I wasn't taking advantage of the excursions but we like to cruise to places we have not been before so having all the excursions arranged for us is great. We have also taken advantage of pre and post cruise adventures offered by Regent and have had an excellent time with them.

The suites are fantastic. The staff is wonderful. The food delicious. The passengers friendly and casual. The size of the ship perfect.

On-board entertainment is not a big deal for us so sometimes we go and sometimes not. We have had really enjoyable entertainment and then some so-so but regardless it does not negatively impact our overall enjoyment. We also don't use the casino so size or facilities are irrelevant to us.

A big perk for us is that we can take advantage of the business class upgrade on flights. When you are travelling to Europe from the west coast or going to other far off places being able to fly business class is necessary.

We have only been on Voyager but like the fact that the standard suites on it are larger than on the other 2 Regent ships.

So if you will take advantage of the excursions, the business class upgrade and the drinks I recommend you seriously consider Regent. Every time I worked out the numbers when comparing cruise lines on a specific itinerary Regent has come out ahead.

Regardless have a great trip whatever you decide.

In addition to what is mentioned above, I love the fact that everyone is treated the same. There are no "special" places on board that only passengers in the top suites can visit. The only time you show your room card is when boarding or disembarking the ship (unless you purchase something onboard), so no one knows or cares what level of suite you are in.

All suites on the Voyager and Mariner have balconies. This is not true on competitive luxury cruise lines.

I am not a fan of included excursions. While it is fine for passengers that enjoy them, there should be an opt out option for those of us who do not.

There really is little not to love about Regent.

P.S. 1982CruzStart: Just wanted to mention that regular suites on the Navigator and Voyager are the same size. It's the Mariner that has the smaller suites:)

Cons: Once you begin cruising with Regent it is very difficult to stop. We are addicted to Regent.

2old4this described it perfectly. Absolutely no worries and no showing a card once you are onboard. My husband and I tried out Oceania last winter. It was a beautiful ship, but all the extras really annoyed us. Especially one evening when we had gone to dinner and I left my key card in the room. No drinks for me till I went to fetch it to prove we had bought the drinks package.

The other thing is the crew gets to know you really well. They have my favorite beverage poured as soon as I enter the bar. In fact, if I deviated from routine, they were taken aback. And every time we return, it is like old home week.

2old4this described it perfectly. Absolutely no worries and no showing a card once you are onboard. My husband and I tried out Oceania last winter. It was a beautiful ship, but all the extras really annoyed us. Especially one evening when we had gone to dinner and I left my key card in the room. No drinks for me till I went to fetch it to prove we had bought the drinks package.

 

The other thing is the crew gets to know you really well. They have my favorite beverage poured as soon as I enter the bar. In fact, if I deviated from routine, they were taken aback. And every time we return, it is like old home week.

For me it is the little things that matter once I'm on board. Regent seems to work hard at filling in the blanks so her guests are more at home on any one of her ships than . . . at home. Jack

Cons: Once you begin cruising with Regent it is very difficult to stop. We are addicted to Regent.

Exactly!!

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Everything everyone has already mentioned...the all-inclusiveness, never having to sign for anything, being pampered, having the staff remember your name and preferences after just meeting you once, etc...are all great reasons for cruising with Regent. But for us, it boils down to one main reason...the atmosphere. In a word, it is FUN. The people who cruise on Regent are generally friendly, down to earth, and not at all snobby or stuck up, as you might expect on a luxury line. The staff goes out of their way to make everyone feel welcome, and, as TC mentioned, there is no distinction between passengers based on their cabin category or status with Regent. The staff also goes out of their way to make each and every cruise, well, FUN. It is very difficult to explain, but there is just an atmosphere and a feeling when you are onboard a Regent ship that you belong there, that you are wanted there, and that you are appreciated. We cruised Crystal, once, and even though the ship was beautiful and the service was amazing, we just didn't feel that warmth that we always feel whenever we step onto a Regent ship, and feel during the entire cruise. That alone made us come right back to Regent, and nixed the idea of us ever cruising with Crystal again.

I wish I could explain it better, but once you've tried Regent, I think you'll understand exactly what I'm trying to say.

Everything everyone has already mentioned...the all-inclusiveness, never having to sign for anything, being pampered, having the staff remember your name and preferences after just meeting you once, etc...are all great reasons for cruising with Regent. But for us, it boils down to one main reason...the atmosphere. In a word, it is FUN. The people who cruise on Regent are generally friendly, down to earth, and not at all snobby or stuck up, as you might expect on a luxury line. The staff goes out of their way to make everyone feel welcome, and, as TC mentioned, there is no distinction between passengers based on their cabin category or status with Regent. The staff also goes out of their way to make each and every cruise, well, FUN. It is very difficult to explain, but there is just an atmosphere and a feeling when you are onboard a Regent ship that you belong there, that you are wanted there, and that you are appreciated. We cruised Crystal, once, and even though the ship was beautiful and the service was amazing, we just didn't feel that warmth that we always feel whenever we step onto a Regent ship, and feel during the entire cruise. That alone made us come right back to Regent, and nixed the idea of us ever cruising with Crystal again.

 

I wish I could explain it better, but once you've tried Regent, I think you'll understand exactly what I'm trying to say.

Being pampered, TahoeTraveler, is the name of the game on a Regent ship. You're one of those who has tried just about every cruise line on the seas. I'm glad you, like me and so many other committed cruisers, puts Regent at the top of 'best choices'. Jack

I really loved TahoeTravler's response. I am Titanium on Regent now for my next cruise, just because I have consistently been pleased over 14 years now. And booking forward from that. I explore other lines from time to time, recently, for many reasons, especially when I am traveling with my adult children, but even then, land on Regent, like next year in French Polynesia with my two daughters and spouses. The included excursions I don't love, but accept. My kids love them. Including excursions has worked for Regent as a company to bring in so much more business, and you can't fault them for that.

Really looking forward to first Regent cruise next April.

We chose Regent to try a smaller ship with plenty of space. The inclusivity and "luxury line" features have drawn us from Cunard, which we love.

The chance to sample good sized suites, top quality food (with choice of venues) & not worry about tips, bills or excursions is highly attractive. The recent re-fits seem to have modernised the line &, in our case, brought Mariner in partic up to Crystal & Oceania levels of furniture & fittings.

Hoping for a stylish, comfortable, entertaining and high calibre cruise.

We cruisers have had a variety of experiences invoving the time spent between the first security gates and the boarding. I say that what takes place on the dock impacts to some degree our later cruising mindset.

On one Regent cruise my vessel's gate was one terminal away from a mega-ship gathering site. We had an officer from Regent moving about our sidewalk outside the gate and pointing directions and responding to questions. His professional and uniformed presence was in stark contrast to the leaderless milling mob across the way. It seemed to me we had arrived at a VIP lounge instead of a busy ship terminal. The impact that one officer had on me was unforgettable.

There were 700 of us on that cruise. The movement through the terminal and up the gangway was less than an hour. Minutes later and after the elevator, I was seated and eating at a window looking outside at the gigantic hull containing the entire population of a small city.

My mindset was ready to go with Regent.

 

P.S. 1982CruzStart: Just wanted to mention that regular suites on the Navigator and Voyager are the same size. It's the Mariner that has the smaller suites:)

Thanks TC, I didn't realize that not having ever looked at the Navigator for a cruise. That is good to know. The Navigator difference then is it is smaller and does have a few suites without balconies, correct?

Thanks TC, I didn't realize that not having ever looked at the Navigator for a cruise. That is good to know. The Navigator difference then is it is smaller and does have a few suites without balconies, correct?

Yes -- it does have suites without balconies. Plus, the PH suites are the exact same size as the regular suites. The Navigator also lacks a forward lounge which I miss and does not have Signatures. We used to sail on the Navigator but now sail on Oceania for the Caribbean and Silversea for Alaska. The Navigator is a beautiful, cozy ship but is just not to our tastes.

As exercise junkies, we absolutely love the fact that the Navigator has such a wonderful gym, at the expense of a forward observation lounge. Everyone has their likes and dislikes, but for us, the gym on the Navigator is the best we've seen on any ship, and we gladly sacrifice the forward observation lounge for that amenity. It is simply up to each traveler to decide what is most important to him or her.

And jhp, I hope to see you on a Regent cruise again in the not too distant future!!!

Ditto on the gym--best location ever on any ship! And best view. I know most everyone else thinks that area should be a lounge though.

Ditto on the gym--best location ever on any ship! And best view. I know most everyone else thinks that area should be a lounge though.

Huge waste of what would be a wonderful space, whoever thought that was a good idea??

Space = Profits.... Gym space = Lost revenue!

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Everything everyone has already mentioned...the all-inclusiveness, never having to sign for anything, being pampered, having the staff remember your name and preferences after just meeting you once, etc...are all great reasons for cruising with Regent. But for us, it boils down to one main reason...the atmosphere. In a word, it is FUN. The people who cruise on Regent are generally friendly, down to earth, and not at all snobby or stuck up, as you might expect on a luxury line. The staff goes out of their way to make everyone feel welcome, and, as TC mentioned, there is no distinction between passengers based on their cabin category or status with Regent. The staff also goes out of their way to make each and every cruise, well, FUN. It is very difficult to explain, but there is just an atmosphere and a feeling when you are onboard a Regent ship that you belong there, that you are wanted there, and that you are appreciated. We cruised Crystal, once, and even though the ship was beautiful and the service was amazing, we just didn't feel that warmth that we always feel whenever we step onto a Regent ship, and feel during the entire cruise. That alone made us come right back to Regent, and nixed the idea of us ever cruising with Crystal again.

 

I wish I could explain it better, but once you've tried Regent, I think you'll understand exactly what I'm trying to say.

TahoeTravler (like the moniker BTW) captures mostly why we've returned.

We first started in 2008/9 when I had to pick a cruise line for my parents 50th Wedding Anniversary cruise. I am terribly allergic to tobacco smoke and had reached the point in life where I wouldn't go anywhere where I might have room that the last person smoked in and or had a bunch of drifting second hand smoke. At the time Regent was almost the only line that didn't allow smoking in cabins or on verandas. I also loved the idea that it was a small ship (the Navigator) as my mom uses a walker. This being their 50th -- i convinced everyone that we should do luxury. This BTW was a hard sell to my Dad -- he wasn't sure about the price at ALL. Everyone LOVED the cruise for all the reasons TahoeTravler mentions. My Dad, the skeptic, RAVED for the rest of his life about how good the cruise was and how he didn't have to sign for a thing and everyone took great care of of Mom and him. My Husband and I, continue to come back but not often. In fact, for my mom's birthday, we are going on Princess because we couldn't afford the Regent single supplements and because a RT out of Seattle will be much easier for her. This trip with my Mom will be my first mass market cruise. I'll tell you what think between the two after I get back.

Huge waste of what would be a wonderful space, whoever thought that was a good idea??

 

Space = Profits.... Gym space = Lost revenue!

 

 

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But on Regent, since drinks are included, maybe it is smart to place the gym there rather than a lounge!