Mariner/Navigator Comparison

My wife and I will be taking our 5th cruise on the Navigator in February, 2015, and we have come to love the ship. It seems to be the perfect size for us. In August 2015 we will take our first cruise on a Regent ship other than the Navigator (the Mariner - Rome to Istanbul). My wife is a little concerned about the size of the Mariner, and I was just wondering if anyone had any comments regarding comparing the two ships?

Kent

Hi and welcome to the Regent board. I see that this is your first post but not your first Regent cruise.

It is interesting that, although the Mariner is larger than the Navigator, the regular suites are smaller. The Mariner is all balcony -- their lowest category suite is 252 sq. ft. plus the balcony (49 sq. ft.) for a total of 301 sq. ft.. Navigator suites without balconies are 301 sq. ft. If you add the 56 sq. ft. balcony you have 350 sq. ft. However, the Penthouse Suites on the Mariner are much larger than on the Navigator.

Most of Mariner's extra room has gone into public spaces. The Coffee Connection is large and quite lovely. The computer room is probably 3 times the size of the one on the Navigator which is a bit too small for me. For us, the best part of the Mariner (and Voyager) is the Observation Lounge. It is wonderful to sit in the lounge and watch the views when you sail into or out of a port. It is somewhat similar to Galileo's, the aft lounge on the Navigator.

There is enough room to sit in La Veranda which I do not feel is the case on the Navigator (due to Regent cutting out a large section of La Veranda in order to put in Prime 7). Of course, there is the additional dining venue, Signatures.

If you enjoy the Navigator, there is no reason why you would not enjoy the Mariner. Give it a try:)

I think you will have a wonderful time on Mariner. We really like both Mariner and Navigator, but for different reasons. And more people love Mariner than love Navigator for sure.

Navigator is very intimate and easy to get around in. The regular suites are larger than those on Mariner. You will notice this right off when you board. The ones on Mariner are narrower, so not much room between the foot of the bed and the wall. Closets and bathrooms are larger on Navigator. We love the location of the gym on Navigator.

But Mariner has really amazing lounges and public areas. I much prefer the walking track on Mariner as it is a dedicated walking track rather than being littered with loungers during the day. You have an additional option for dining in the evening with Signatures. Prime 7 is also larger and a better configuration. The Observation and Horizon Lounges are absolutely beautiful now that they have been redecorated. Stars is beautiful too, though for some reason we never go there (probably the lack of view).

Looks like Travelcat and I were typing at the same time, as we told you almost exactly the same stuff!

My wife and I will be taking our 5th cruise on the Navigator in February, 2015, and we have come to love the ship. It seems to be the perfect size for us. In August 2015 we will take our first cruise on a Regent ship other than the Navigator (the Mariner - Rome to Istanbul). My wife is a little concerned about the size of the Mariner, and I was just wondering if anyone had any comments regarding comparing the two ships?

 

Kent

Hope this isn't a dup post.

My husband and I had a very similar experience. Two great experiences on the Navigator then a Istanbul to Rome cruise on the Mariner. We came away with three impressions of the Mariner: 1) darn this is a big ship, 2) the ship feels empty, and 3) boy this cabin really is smaller isn't it... We got over the first pretty quickly. It after all isn't really a huge ship. But the second stayed with us. We think the extra public space plus the port intensive itinerary spread the people out more than the other cruises. After awhile we didn't care about the suite size because we weren't in it much. We had a good time and have another cruise booked on the Mariner. But given a choice between the two ships on the same itinerary, we would book the Navigator and it's bigger suites.

We have been on the Navigator in a Navigator Suite (not worth the additional money IMO) and a "normal" PH suite - which is the same size as the other "normal" suites on that ship. It is larger and better designed (shower and bath for example) than the "normal" suites on the Mariner - which we have thankfully only stayed in once! For the rest of the time we have been in a PH suite on the Mariner which are terrific. Loads of space, nice big balconies (unlike the Navigator suite...) and really worth the additional money.

Public spaces - IMO the Mariner is loads better. More options, more space and above all the Observation Lounge. The only large lounge on the Navigator is in the stern - Gallileo's - and it is too small for the number of people on the ship. I won't sail on the Navigator again unless the itinerary is really too great to pass up.

BUT - if you want a really terrific ship, the Oceania Riviera is it. Until the new Regent Explorer is launched... but that is another issue entirely.

The Navigator does have one Penthouse suite with a double balcony -- 601. There is also one Navigator suite that I feel is worth the extra money -- 1125 (former location of beauty salon.) It is away from the rest of the Navigator suites -- in a good location on deck 11.

The one Regent ship where a PH suite makes sense is the Mariner.

We do enjoy the Mariner PH suites and will be sailing in one in 3 weeks and 2 days (but whose counting):)

The Mariner is my favorite Regent ship; I Love the public spaces. I also love the Seven Seas Aft suites on deck 7; On the itinerary you are on the view will be spectacular from the Aft. I hardly have noticed the smaller cabin.

We do enjoy the Mariner PH suites and will be sailing in one in 3 weeks and 2 days (but whose counting):)

TC, when you are on the Mariner, will you have a chance to scout out some of the penthouse suites? Or at least ask someone on the ship the following: My question is quite specific, I have seen pictures on the RSSC website that shows that some (not sure how many) penthouse suites on the Mariner have a post between the bedroom area and the sitting area. You can see this quite clearly if you go to"discouver our ships" and then click on a penthouse suite in the deck plan map. I would want to avoid having a penthouse with a post (I think it takes away from the spacious feel of the suite), so I am looking for the suite numbers of those penthouses that have posts. On my last cruise on the Navigator I asked the Cruise Consultant this question, but he swore that none of the penthouse suites had a post in them (but the website shows it).

Has anyone else encountered a Mariner Penthouse with a post?

Thanks

I only know the difference between the Voyager and Mariner. The suites on the Mariner are smaller but still okay. What we didn't like was the bathroom. On the Voyager we had a real bath and a real shower. My wive like to have a bath so we choose the room with a combi. The bath is to small and the shower in the bath terrible. So I think that's also a big difference between Navigator and Mariner.

TC, when you are on the Mariner, will you have a chance to scout out some of the penthouse suites? Or at least ask someone on the ship the following: My question is quite specific, I have seen pictures on the RSSC website that shows that some (not sure how many) penthouse suites on the Mariner have a post between the bedroom area and the sitting area. You can see this quite clearly if you go to"discouver our ships" and then click on a penthouse suite in the deck plan map. I would want to avoid having a penthouse with a post (I think it takes away from the spacious feel of the suite), so I am looking for the suite numbers of those penthouses that have posts. On my last cruise on the Navigator I asked the Cruise Consultant this question, but he swore that none of the penthouse suites had a post in them (but the website shows it).

 

Has anyone else encountered a Mariner Penthouse with a post?

 

Thanks

Does the picture below show what you're calling a post to the right of the bed? If so, that is actually a small, partial wall. All Penthouse Suites are the same. IMO, the wall does not detract from the openness of the suite.

TC, when you are on the Mariner, will you have a chance to scout out some of the penthouse suites? Or at least ask someone on the ship the following: My question is quite specific, I have seen pictures on the RSSC website that shows that some (not sure how many) penthouse suites on the Mariner have a post between the bedroom area and the sitting area. You can see this quite clearly if you go to"discouver our ships" and then click on a penthouse suite in the deck plan map. I would want to avoid having a penthouse with a post (I think it takes away from the spacious feel of the suite), so I am looking for the suite numbers of those penthouses that have posts. On my last cruise on the Navigator I asked the Cruise Consultant this question, but he swore that none of the penthouse suites had a post in them (but the website shows it).

 

Has anyone else encountered a Mariner Penthouse with a post?

 

Thanks

Sunprince: I just printed your post and will definitely ask the General Manager about this. All of our Mariner cruises have been in PH suites (except for 3 days in a regular suite) and we have yet to encounter a post. Will find out for sure.

Henk123: I forgot about the bathrooms on the Mariner -- you are so right. The Voyager is our favorite ship by a small margin. We do prefer the Mariner PH suites. As much as many people love the Coffee Connection on the Mariner, I'm not a fan. I love the large space but do not like the noise being next to the Library and Computer Room. The Coffee Connection is not meant to be a quiet area so it does not make sense to have it next to two areas where people are trying to concentrate. On our last Mariner cruise (March, 2013), people were closing the door to the computer room -- it was simply too loud in the Coffee Connection.

Back to the bathrooms, I really do not care for the bathtub suites. Although we can get in and out of the bathtub and are not too tall (or we would hit our head on the ceiling while in the bathtub if we were), there are many people who have difficulty with both the configuration of the bathtub (big step down to the floor) and/or the low ceiling. I suspect that this is why so many suites have been changed to shower-only suites.

I do like La Veranda better on the Mariner because you can walk from one side to the other which you cannot do on the Voyager without walking outside of the restaurant. Keep in mind that the Mariner was built a couple of years before the Voyager. I suspect that the differences on the Voyager were thought to be improvements over the Mariner (larger regular suites, etc.)

When comparing the Mariner to the Navigator, I mainly think of space. There is so much space in the public areas on the Mariner and so little on the Navigator.

Sunprince: Just went to the rssc.com website and am not sure where you are seeing what looks like posts. Could direct me to a suite #? Thanks. The PH suites that we have stayed in all look like the picture on the website photo. I'll still ask when we are onboard.

Sunprince: It was too late to edit and I think I know what you are looking at. In the picture, the drapes are held up by two posts. This separates the bedroom from the living room. See the photo: http://www.rssc.com/ships/seven_seas_mariner/suites/default.aspx#Content. The back of the sofa acts like a half wall between the two areas. The sofa extends beyond the post so it would be very difficult to walk into it. Is this what you were seeing? I like that this space is open (unless you pull the drapes) as it makes the area feel open and airy.

Sunprince: It was too late to edit and I think I know what you are looking at. In the picture, the drapes are held up by two posts. This separates the bedroom from the living room. See the photo: http://www.rssc.com/ships/seven_seas_mariner/suites/default.aspx#Content. The back of the sofa acts like a half wall between the two areas. The sofa extends beyond the post so it would be very difficult to walk into it. Is this what you were seeing? I like that this space is open (unless you pull the drapes) as it makes the area feel open and airy.

Yes, this is exactly the "post" I was referring to. I have seen a youtube video from Ralph Grizzle for Mariner suite 834 that does not have this post (and I think it looks much better), so I am curious which suites have the post and which ones do not.

Here is the link to the video (hope it works)

Thanks

Note that Suite 834 also has no tub; just a large shower.

Yes, this is exactly the "post" I was referring to. I have seen a youtube video from Ralph Grizzle for Mariner suite 834 that does not have this post (and I think it looks much better), so I am curious which suites have the post and which ones do not.

 

Here is the link to the video (hope it works)

 

Thanks

Thanks for the video - very interesting! It's funny that I originally posted that there was a half-wall. Then I edited the post because I couldn't see the wall -- it looked like the back of the sofa. Anyway, now I know that it is suite 834 so I can ask about that one specifically and see if there are more like it.

JPR: Yes -- suite 834 is one of the suites with the wonderful, large shower. We prefer suites with the shower only because the bathtub is a bit of a nuisance when trying to take a shower (another reason why I prefer the Voyager and Navigator). Sometimes the shower suites can be difficult to get as they book up quickly!

The baths with the tubs are not safe if you are "of a certain age" or short. The sides of the tubs are high and when getting out, the floor is below the level of the bottom of the tub.

The baths with the big showers are better and have a seat/ledge.

peggy

Can the shower-heads in the stand alone showers be used as hand held?

Can the shower-heads in the stand alone showers be used as hand held?

The showers have both a rain shower head and a handheld shower wand. Hope this helps.

The video shows Suite 834 before refurbishment and it looks exactly like the Penthouse suites we have stayed in on occasion. Perhaps the wall was added in the recent refurbishment. It looks like the curtain in the newly-decorated suites can be pulled to the opposite wall so the sitting area can now be closed off from the sleeping area. This has not been possible in the past and some couples have complained about this.

The showers have both a rain shower head and a handheld shower wand. Hope this helps.

Thank you for the quick reply. Angie

The video shows Suite 834 before refurbishment and it looks exactly like the Penthouse suites we have stayed in on occasion. Perhaps the wall was added in the recent refurbishment. It looks like the curtain in the newly-decorated suites can be pulled to the opposite wall so the sitting area can now be closed off from the sleeping area. This has not been possible in the past and some couples have complained about this.

I've been racking my brain trying to remember if any of the Penthouse Suites we've stayed in had the partial wall shown in the photo above. I just can't remember.

Like journeyfan, my first thought was that the wall was added during the recent dry dock. However, I found some old Regent catalogs from 2011 and 2012. Some of the catalogs show a picture of a Penthouse Suite with the partial wall and some of them show a picture of a Penthouse Suite without the wall. So I guess I was wrong when I said that all Penthouse Suites were alike. Maybe all the Penthouse Suites are now alike after the recent dry dock or maybe some still don't have the wall. TC should be able to find out in a few weeks.

Personally, I prefer the wall because I think it makes the Penthouse more suite-like by helping to differentiate the sleeping area from the living area of the suite.

As to Suite 834, I've stayed in that suite and would not recommend it. Here are my comments from 2012: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=36444857&postcount=6

Glad that I'm not the only one confused:) Will definitely check it out when we board the Mariner October 3rd.