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@mariners  Thank you for your compliment on my Regent live threads.  You made my day.  We tend to not be labor intensive and don't need constant entertainment so VO does sound intriguing.  We won't know if it fits until we try it, I guess.  

We tried Silversea in 2023 and didn't like it at all.  We were on Whisper, which is an older ship.  From start to finish there were problems in service and provisioning.  I won't even start to comment about air arrangements which were terrible.

5 minutes ago, Hanoj said:

from what I have read, Regent cruisers may find Viking's included excursions underwhelming.

Thank you for your very helpful tips.   We are looking at a NE/Canada cruise so I'm not too intent on booking the excursions as I hope that most of these areas can be explored on our own.  Ideally, a panoramic overview and then a walkabout to areas of particular interest.  

Regent excursions can be hit and miss.  We recently did a cruise from Tokyo to Vancouver on Regent after an immersive land tour of Tokyo, Gifu, and Kyoto/Nara.  The Regent tours as we headed north were really underwhelming...long bus rides, indecipherable guides (and I lived in Japan as a teen so the accent is usually not a problem!), and venues that did not quite live up to the florid description on the website.  It  was a stark contrast to our land tour.

49 minutes ago, WanderingBrit said:

Lots of information for first timers here, and most questions have been asked and answered several times before - so feel free to read up 🙂

Well, at least I didn't ask about the dress code!  😇

We have many days (200+) on Regent and we have tried Oceania, Ponant, Celebrity, and NCL.  We have enjoyed the all inclusive aspect of Regent but lately the fares have become eye-watering.  Add to that, Regent is not so inclusive anymore as they have moved to more a la carte options.  So, we are thinking of trying Viking in 2025.  

I have a few questions that I hope you Viking veterans can answer!

1.  Is the $17per day tip that is added on to the cruise per cabin or per passenger?

2.  We are looking at a Penthouse Veranda that includes alcohol in the cabin and welcome champagne.  Can the mini fridge be stocked with champagne and wine as needed?  Do the mini bottles of alcohol include digestif types of booze such as cointreau or brandy?

3.  Is the alcohol package worth it?  We like a pre dinner drink but we never over do it, except my nature is to try to get my money's worth!

That's it for now.  Any insider tips are welcome!

The Tokyo pre cruise is very underwhelming.  I think it is a way to get guests to Tokyo prior to sailing.  It would be better to get a tour in Tokyo in order to see more of the city.  We also booked Team Lab Borderless (https://www.teamlab.art/e/tokyo/) which is a digital art exhibition that was simply fantastic.  Hope you enjoy your cruise!

We registered in advance but had an unexpected flight change and arrival airport en route.  I changed that on the website during our connection and took a screen shot of the QR code.  Worked well.  Do one for each person traveling.  

Really frustrating when one is motivated to book excursions right when the clock strikes 8 pm est!  Most sites have a screen telling you that the site is unavailable due to maintenance….not RSSC!   So, you refresh the screen multiple times, open other windows to make sure the problem is not your device nor your internet service.  
 

Do better, Regent!  

For the April cruise this year we did two nights (one FN) prior to the pre cruise,  we received an email asking if we wanted to be on the upgrade list for an additional charge.  When we arrived, they upgraded us to the executive level for all five nights (same room) for a cost of about $350. The executive lounge is a bit crowded for breakfast and cocktails but do-able.  We were so exhausted from touring we often had a drink and a bite and called it a night.  
 

After a storm, this was our view at breakfast!

We have an early November flight and we got a locator number and seat assignment when we OK’d the itinerary.  Airlines are British Air and Qatar.  

5 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

You don't have to "do the math," the website does it for you. It shows the cost without air, cost with economy air, and cost with Business Class air.  A few years ago it showed only the cost with Business Class air, and then at the bottom showed the "air credit" which meant you had to do the math to figure out if you could get it cheaper or not.  Then a year or so ago they showed cruise cost without air AND cruise cost WITH Business Class side by side.  NOW they show cost without, addition for economy air, and addition with Business Class air.  Much better.  I can see without ANY math how much it'll cost to purchase Business Air (knowing it might change a bit with departure airport) and see if I can get it cheaper without having to subtract the cost of air from the cruise cost.  Pretty simple, especially if you don't want to do the math. 

I was referencing the fact that air costs are based on travel for NYC (in small print, I might add) and the transfer via Blackline (or credit) is not obvious.  So, it’s not as simple as just looking at the costs on the cruise landing page.  Plus, on every booking we’ve made there are deductions as to when you booked, 2 for 1, etc., etc.   Not to mention additional costs to talk with Regent concerning air routes, deviation fees,  and air up-charges for reasonable routes.  It seems like a game of smoke and mirrors which, I guess, is marketing t its best.  

8 hours ago, Pcardad said:

Find a TA who is more OCD than you are?

 

Not amusing and rather snarky…..is it possible to just accept another point of view on this issue?  
 

Perhaps I’m too OCD, but I like to make sure I’m covering all the angles.  My TA has lots of clients while I am my only client.  

40 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

So the air cost only went up $50 pp.  Nothing has changed. 

I hate that we have to hunker down into the math…..I miss the days of alil inclusive rather than trying to hack their system.  

25 minutes ago, 1982CruzStart said:

With this new model our cruise booked for 2025 will likely be our last with Regent. We were attracted to them because of the included BC airfare that made flying BC affordable.  When they averaged out the airfare across the US and Canada, it was virtually impossible for us to get BC airfare anywhere near the offered air credit so included airfare was a godsend.

 

Now that we have to add on airfare from NYC to our gateway city it is likely Regent is priced out of our range. It probably means the end of cruising for us.  

 

I am so glad we booked 2025 before these exciting new options. 

Totally agree.  The newest changes and price increases have left a bad taste in my mouth.  I understand the economic realities of why the executives did what they did, but, in the process, they are loosing long time customers.  
 

Our last cruise in Japan followed an immersive land tour by a different company.  The contrast in terms of excursions was HUGE and not to Regent’s advantage.  The cruise itself was OK.  Perhaps we were tired, perhaps the bloom is off the rose now that we are platinum.  Bottom line, though, at these prices we should be impressed every cruise.  

Here you go!  not a bad walk from the Intercontinental.  
 

https://www.cukurcumahamami.com/en/page/services

I found the crowds in Istanbul to be daunting.  We walked and used the trolly but getting the tickets was difficult as all instructions were in Turkish.  Don’t miss the cisterns.  Really remarkable.  Also, we found a Turkish bath that welcomed both men and women and this was the highlight of our stay in Istanbul.  

I think a land tour of Japan is best and this can be in addition to the cruise, whether  before or after.  You will see much more.   The three day pre cruise in Tokyo was very superficial and you would be better doing a comprehensive tour.  

@yodainco  thanks for reading and thanks for contributing!  Will you complete a vlog for this cruise?  I’d love to see it.  It was a delight to meet you both!  Stay in touch!  See my email below.  

4/25/24 - Seward, Alaska

4/26/24 - Hubbard Glacier 

4/27/24 - Sitka, Alaska

4/28/24 - Ketchikan, Alaska

4/29/24 - Cruising the Inside Passage

4/30/24 - Victoria, BC

5/1/24  - Vancouver, BC

I wanted to share my final thoughts on this cruise, although the last week was a complete blur.   My cough stayed with me the last week of the cruise and it set me back quite a bit energy-wise.  During this cruise, we turned “platinum” in the Seven Sea Society.  We opted out of getting “pinned” on stage, but we did get a lovely invitation to dine with the senior officers in the “Study” which is a private dining room off of Prime 7, along with the other shiny new platinums.   It was really a lovely event and we felt quite special.  

All the ports in Alaska were repeats of a previous cruise so I didn’t feel so compelled to maximize my time on land.  Hubbard Glacier was a real stand out as we had beautiful weather and the Captain brought the ship in fairly close then did a 360 degree turn for our viewing pleasure.  I’m always amazed at the sound of the glacier as it slowly moves towards the sea.  It sounds like a hybrid gunshot and thunder and is very other worldly.  

In Sitka, our main goal was to get to the pharmacy then meet our tour which was an otter quest. 

I think we may have seen one otter but we did see a cluster of grey whales with their heart shaped exhales.  It is fairly early in the season for whales so we counted ourselves lucky to see as many as we did.  

Along the way, we saw an interesting US Navy installation.  This is a submarine base and its function is to assure that the subs are deeply silent.  Our guide said that the high tech mics can pick up a ticking clock which might be enough for the  sub to be detected in enemy waters.  

The cruise terminal in Ketchikan was about 15 minutes outside of town and we ended up in the opposite direction for a cruise to an Alaskan lodge and seafood feast.  It was a beautiful setting.   

The high point was a bald eagle fly-by.   The crew had trained the eagles to expect handouts of frozen herring so as soon as they saw our boat, they were circling overhead and diving for lunch.

The remainder of the cruise was devoted to packing and relaxing as we cruised the inside passage.  We decided to skip Victoria and stay on board as I still needed considerable time resting.   I’m glad I did as it was like running the gauntlet in the Vancouver Cruise Terminal.  We had decided to stay an extra day at the Pan Pacific.  All was orderly as we fetched our luggage but as soon as we exited the Regent area, we mingled with two other large cruise ships.  I’m not sure who was coming and who was going but we had to haul our luggage through a maze of halls until, totally depleted, we found the elevator to the Pan Pacific. 

The flight home the next day was uneventful, although we arrived home at midnight after a very long day in transit.  

My thoughts about this cruise are mixed.   Because we were in a cold climate with some inclement weather, the ship, for the first time, felt crowded.   La Veranda was often full, even with auxiliary tables set up along the hall.  Certainly, the crew was as lovely as they always are and worked very efficiently to turn tables and help you get situated.  In Compass Rose, Novie was wonderful in remembering our preferences for a quiet table well out of the runway from the kitchen to the dish stations.   King was our favorite server and his station was almost always full.  I predict that in the future we will see him at the ‘front of the house”.  He is very engaging, very intuitive, and very charming.

The food on Explorer was my least favorite in all of our cruises.   I think my palate didn’t vibe with the palate of the executive chef.  Usually, I choose from the right side of the menu and most of these choices just didn’t thrill me.  I’m not a big meat eater but the one time I ordered lamb chops, one was completely inedible, the other was OK.   My biggest complaint was with the fried food.  The fry cook either needs some supervision or the items were too long under the heat lamp.  Without exception, anything that was supposed to be crisp was soggy.  This included soft shell crab in Pacific Rim.  My biggest disappointment, however, was in Prime 7.  I ordered a special of yellow tail tuna.  Sounded great.  It was about 1/4 inch fillet that tasted like liver.  Huh?   I admit that my appetite was off due to my cold and that may have skewed my taste buds negatively.   In fact, I didn’t gain a pound this trip!  

Typically, I skip the evening entertainment, but I turned over a new leaf for this trip and I’m glad that I did.  All the entertainers were terrific.  The Regent Orchestra was exceptional, especially the guitarist. During cocktail hour, they were usually in the Meridian lounge playing some wonderful jazz.  If that got too loud for conversation, we would go to the observation lounge where the pianist was exceptional.  A new pianist joined us for the last couple of days and he was masterful.  It is rare for “background” music to stop conversation so you could listen more attentively.  He played with real grace and lyricism.  

Thank you for following along.  Sayonara!

Thursday, 4/25/24  Seward, Alaska

We arrived to beautiful party cloudy skies and crisp air.  It was about 40 degrees but colder in the wind.  We went on a wildlife cruise and hit the jackpot…orcas, humpback whales, otters, seals, mountain goats, eagles.  Enjoy!

Sunday, 4/21/24, Monday, 4/22/24 - at sea

Tuesday, 4/23/24 - Kodiak, Alaska

Wednesday, 4/24/24 - Homer, Alaska

I’m playing catch up now after spending the bulk of our sea days asleep.  I lost my voice for several days and then that morphed into a terrible cough.  I had Covid tests with me so I knew that it wasn’t Covid. I finally went to the infirmary to get some cough medicine and the Doctor confirmed that this particular virus lasts about three weeks.  OTC cough medicine did the trick and I’m off and running again.  

We arrived in Kodiak on Tuesday in a foggy mist.  We cleared customs in a very organized and orderly manner.   We had an excursion to the Ft. Abercrombie State Park, but reconsidered hiking given the weather and my diminished lung capacity.  I decided to try a walkabout after lunch and hopped on the tender to the port.  

However, I misjudged the “mist” which was more like light rain.  I didn’t even get up the ramp before I turned around and went back to the ship.  

Homer, Alaska was our bonus port and, even though the town was just waking up from the winter, they welcomed us with open arms.  

The town was larger than I expected with all the amenities that you would expect in a small city.  Of course, the population swells in the summer with wall to wall tents and caravans.   Homer is known as a halibut fishing destination but its breathtaking beauty is the real draw, in my opinion.  

Regent had put together some excursions which were quickly filled up, but they also had four shuttle busses come in from Anchorage to run a circuit around the city.   This was actually a pretty good tour with “down home” commentary from our bus driver.   We opted to do the tour and return to the ship.  

We had partly cloudy skies throughout the day and our sail away was stunning.  

Saturday,  4/20/24 (Day One) & Saturday 4/20/24 (Day Two) - At Sea

We are crossing the International dateline so we have two Saturdays this trip.  We have been pushing the clocks forward each day and, last night we pushed forward two hours and lost a day.  

The highlight of our day yesterday was the connoisseur wine lunch.  

We had an impressive menu with impressive wine pairings, too.

Of course, I then required an impressive nap.  We did manage to take in the show by the guitarist. 

The weather has been bleak, cold, and foggy.  However, the sea has been relatively calm.  Because of this the ship seems crowded with passengers sprawled out in all the public venues.  La Veranda added tables for two all along the side of the entry  corridor as the outdoor dining venues re compromised. 

We usually have lectures and activities scheduled throughout the day.  I’ve missed much of this as I’ve been immersed in a good read.  

I wanted to mention how impressed I am with the staff on this voyage.  I have frequented the lost and found drawer at reception three times.  I had a gold bracelet drop off my arm in Compas Rose.  I thought it was lost forever, but it was turned into lost and found.  Then I lost one hearing aid ($$$) and that was turned in as well, much to my relief.  Yesterday I lost my reading glasses and they were also turned in.  I’m usually not addle brained like this so I’m blaming it on my scapalomene scopolamine patch!

The Captain just announced that we are missing our next port, Dutch Harbor, as customs officials can’t fly in to clear the ship due to the weather.   They have added Homer, Alaska as a bonus port.  I think  we will have six sea days in a row.  

Today will be busy with a crossing the international dateline event,  the upper tier Seven Seas Society event, and an ABBA dance party.  I don’t hunk anyone can say they are bored!

PS - in my mid cruise comment card, I noted there wasn’t an orchid in our suite.  Look what appeared!  RSSC is the best!  

Oh my!  The Kuril Islands, Russia 

Yes, the narrator on the canal cruise was dreary, wasn’t he?  
 

We had the pleasure of hearing Terry on our first Alaska cruise.  Public speaking is definitely an art form.  

3 hours ago, UUNetBill said:

Oh, and with regards to the comments about smaller portions on board - we completely agree that the portion sizes seem smaller, and that's perfect, I think!  Last year I either felt bloated for overeating or guilty for throwing away food.  This past cruise hit the sweet spot - we could order apps, entrees, and dessert and not feel like we needed gurneys to get us back to our cabin,  

 

Whether it's a cost-reducing measure or just a stab and keeping us from packing on too much vacation tonnage, I, for one, welcome the change!

 

PS - more calories to spend on hooch.  🤪 🥃

I agree!  The portions are much smaller and perfect for me.  I view it as a learning curve if you have a big appetite, order more courses.  Food waste is costly so I applaud regent for taking note.