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Live from Mariner, October 7 - 17


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This one is hard to pinpoint. Our 10 day Alaska cruise was fine until around day 7 or 8 when we went into code red. I didn't hear anything about it prior to then (which doesn't mean it didn't occur during other Alaska itineraries). They (Regent) were very specific that it was the flu and it only affected a small number of passengers (10-12). There were a lot of people that were continuing on from San Francisco to NYC when it occurred again.

 

I think of continuing guests because the worst outbreak we have seen was on the Voyager. Everyone had to get off of the ship in Sydney (disembarkation port) while the ship was cleaned. Embarkation was delayed a few hours. We were thinking about the passengers that were still quite sick (this was a bronchial "thing" that caused coughing for 2-3 weeks) and were reboarding the ship.

 

This does not rule out food, sick crew members, etc. but from what I've heard, crew members have strict protocols that they have to follow when they are sick (unlike passengers that keep touching everything, coughing with their mouths open, sneezing, etc. )

 

All we can do is hope that it is controlled!

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We were also on this Montréal to NYC cruise and it will be our last Regent cruise (this was our third). Code Red and port issues can’t be helped. And because of very rough seas, the Corner Brook stop, which was a substitute for a stop we were really looking forward to, was canceled and we got an extra day in Quebec, so that was fine with us. Food was mostly very good, desserts were fabulous, cabin stewards were great as always but the service in the restaurants (all four) were amateurish and unprofessional. Compass Rose was terrible and embarrassing. Waiters rushing to take orders before drinks, food plunked down, trying to clear as soon as you put your fork down, waiters running (literally!) all over the place, clearing and serving from wrong sides consistently. Plus, the wait staff just looked unhappy. It was as unrelaxing as any poor restaurant in the US and most certainly Europe. I complained to the restaurant manager and asked what was going on? It seemed understaffed but he assured us that CR was staffed as usual. Well, then it must be inexperienced staff who are also badly trained and bad management. Each cruise we take, it got worse and worse. Two last things and then I’ll shut up...the cabins are really, really beat up. I know the Mariner is going in for a refit, but it is way past due. Spotlessly clean, though, due to our great stewards. And lastly, the wines offered at dinner were an embarrassment. One sommelier didn’t know if the Chardonnay was oakey or not. And when my wife didn’t like one white at dinner, the wine steward offered Bare Foot. I couldn’t believe it! If I want Walmart wine for $4.95, I’ll go to Walmart and buy it, not pay a lot of money for a cruise. And one last, last thing, the wine was very sparingly poured. (BTW, I don’t drink but even getting a ginger ale refill was impossible). It made us wonder if Regent’s sale was causing cutbacks. Next cruise for us? Some other line.

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Is Malily right about the current state of Mariner. We are re-considering joining the ship in February for its final voyage before refurbishment. We would appreciate comments from those aboard now or who have recently disembarked. We are not too concerned about worn carpets but good food, good complimentary wines and excellent service as well as general cleanliness is very important to us. Will we still get this on Regent and on a ship that seems to be in need of a revamp.

Incidentally we might have been on the same cruise as Travelcat as we also were forced to leave Voyager for a day in Sydney a few years ago so that it could be disinfected. All proved to be fine as we were concerned as we experienced no illness before or after the evacuation. It was a cruise over Xmas and New Year from Singapore to Auckland.

Edited by eliana
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Is Malily right about the current state of Mariner. We are re-considering joining the ship in February for its final voyage before refurbishment. We would appreciate comments from those aboard now or who have recently disembarked. We are not too concerned about worn carpets but good food, good complimentary wines and excellent service as well as general cleanliness is very important to us. Will we still get this on Regent and on a ship that seems to be in need of a revamp.

Incidentally we might have been on the same cruise as Travelcat as we also were forced to leave Voyager for a day in Sydney a few years ago so that it could be disinfected. All proved to be fine as we were concerned as we experienced no illness before or after the evacuation. It was a cruise over Xmas and New Year from Singapore to Auckland.

 

Yes - we were on the same cruise and it was the first and last Xmas/New Year's cruise that we have done. My DH did get sick on that cruise (on Christmas Eve) and after leaving the ship I immediately came down with the cough that lasted 3 weeks. It wasn't the illnesses that put me off of holiday cruises - it was some of the passengers and some of the children but I don't want to go off on a tangent about that.

 

About the Mariner....... you will likely hear various stories about her current condition. I learned why the stories are so varied ........ all public areas and Seven Seas Suites and above were refurbished more recently than PH and below suites. So, having stayed in a PH suite (and will be staying in a Mariner suite next month), I can attest to the fact that some carpets are a bit stained in the suites but are not dirty. Some of the wood in the same suites have little nicks on them. The upper suites have totally different furnishings.

 

We did not see any worn or stained carpets in any of the public areas. Even though much of the furniture will be replaced in these areas, it still looks fine.

 

In terms of the crew ...... this is a tough one. First, the service we had on the Mariner was amongst the best we have had on any Regent ship - including in CR. However, turnaround on the ships continuously occurs and our server, Risky, is now on vacation and will be going to the Voyager. The Mariner has a different CD and GM than we had early last month but the. F&B Director is the same (unfortunately). This is where the issue was for us -- food taste/quality in LV and food temperature in LV and side dishes in CR.

 

So elaina, in February, the officers will have switched around again and the servers that are on there may be gone in February. As most posters know, we will be on the Mariner for 25 nights beginning November 17th. If the food has not dramatically improved I will speak with the G.M. (Andreas - a lovely man - very professional and kind at the same time), I won't bother with the F&B Director as I do not believe, in this case, that it will do any good.

 

Now the good news. F&B Director Donald will be boarding the Mariner around December 7th and should still be there in February. He is wonderful and will insure that the food is up to Regent standards. While I don't know what is going on with the food on the Mariner, I believe that it was temporary and I would not hesitate to sail on her in February.

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We were also on this Montréal to NYC cruise and it will be our last Regent cruise (this was our third). Code Red and port issues can’t be helped. And because of very rough seas, the Corner Brook stop, which was a substitute for a stop we were really looking forward to, was canceled and we got an extra day in Quebec, so that was fine with us. Food was mostly very good, desserts were fabulous, cabin stewards were great as always but the service in the restaurants (all four) were amateurish and unprofessional. Compass Rose was terrible and embarrassing. Waiters rushing to take orders before drinks, food plunked down, trying to clear as soon as you put your fork down, waiters running (literally!) all over the place, clearing and serving from wrong sides consistently. Plus, the wait staff just looked unhappy. It was as unrelaxing as any poor restaurant in the US and most certainly Europe. I complained to the restaurant manager and asked what was going on? It seemed understaffed but he assured us that CR was staffed as usual. Well, then it must be inexperienced staff who are also badly trained and bad management. Each cruise we take, it got worse and worse. Two last things and then I’ll shut up...the cabins are really, really beat up. I know the Mariner is going in for a refit, but it is way past due. Spotlessly clean, though, due to our great stewards. And lastly, the wines offered at dinner were an embarrassment. One sommelier didn’t know if the Chardonnay was oakey or not. And when my wife didn’t like one white at dinner, the wine steward offered Bare Foot. I couldn’t believe it! If I want Walmart wine for $4.95, I’ll go to Walmart and buy it, not pay a lot of money for a cruise. And one last, last thing, the wine was very sparingly poured. (BTW, I don’t drink but even getting a ginger ale refill was impossible). It made us wonder if Regent’s sale was causing cutbacks. Next cruise for us? Some other line.

 

Barefoot? Really? Are you sure about that one? I find it almost impossible to believe that they would be offering Barefoot! And as far wine being sparingly poured, I think after I failed in an attempt to flag someone (anyone) down, I would've found the "bucket" that my wine was in and taken things into my own hands......but that's me.

I'm sorry to hear the cruise didn't shape up to be what you wanted.

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We disembarked the Mariner on Tuesday. After 3 wonderful days in NYC, on our way home (and delayed in the airport :().

 

We had no problem with the conditions on the Mariner. The concierge suite, although showing a few nicks, was fine and very well attended by the staff. The lounges are wonderful and we really enjoyed the pool deck. I hope the renovation doesn't mess up the essential character of the ship.

 

I tried to give Regent the benefit of the doubt on my mid cruise comment card and my prior report here, but, sadly, the food and service issues persisted throughout the cruise. Simple requests in the lounges (for olives and onions in a drink, for some nuts or chips) were routinely ignored or done wrong. Service in the restaurants was inconsistent; 30 minutes to bring dessert after the plates have been cleared is too long, and caused some in our group to miss a show.

 

One of my appetizers, an escargot casserole with cheese and garlic, although delicious, was bubbling on top and cold in the center. I don't recall if that was in Signatures or Compass Rose, although Signatures was generally very good and Prime 7 was great. We felt the the food in Compass Rose was not up to the standards we enjoyed on prior Regent cruises. It is, however, a wonderful place to enjoy a relaxed breakfast.

 

Most of the wine selections were ok, with the reds better than the whites. the whites weren't Yellow Tail, but a very small step above.

 

We also had a very long wait getting a table in Sette Mare; when you have a largish group (we were 6), the fact that only half of the La Veranda tables are used at night really restricts availability. Unless you get in line 30 minutes before opening, the delays are extreme when there are other large tables unused on the other side. (This was also true on prior Voyager cruises). We got there at 7:00 one night and got seated following several uncomfortable exchanges just before closing at 9:00 (and they heard about it from some in our group, although DW and I prefer to address the issues more discreetly). The finally seated us with the terrific Tomas in Sette Mare and on the following day with Risky in CR. They saved the day several times.

 

I have previously addressed issues out of the control of Regent that caused us to miss several ports and caused us to have our lobsters and lighthouses excursion in Halifax cancelled with little explanation, and will refer you to the comments above. In the hindsight of a few days, on the whole we enjoyed our cruise but don't have the "that was great" glow of cruises past. One should not have lingering doubts or regrets when splurging for what should be a luxury experience. We certainly don't have the "can't wait" feeling of years past.

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First, thank you for taking the time to post while you were onboard the Mariner. Also appreciate your honest review.

 

I also saw food that was boiling on top and cold inside -- not sure how they accomplished that but they did (especially on the pool deck). I'm hoping that you wrote about this on your final comment card. We did and I am hopeful that the food issues will be corrected ASAP.

 

I understand your lack of the "that was great" glow as we experienced that as well (again - due to food - not service). While my inclination was to never step foot on the Mariner again, that doesn't really make sense either. So, getting back on the horse (so to speak) next month gives another opportunity to recapture the wonderful experiences that we have had on Regent.

 

Have to ask one last time ........ when you disembarked the ship, was it still in code red?

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Well, this is disappointing! I was hoping with a complete turnover of passengers the code red would have resolved. I realize Regent has no control over a passenger who is asymptomatic until the cruise gets underway, but serving food not up to safe temperature is a rookie mistake and can have consequences for the diner! My guess is the kitchen used the broiler to get a crust on the top of the dish without making sure it was up to temp throughout. We will be a party of 8 so I appreciate the advice on how to procure a large table. Guess someone in our group will have to go down 30 minutes before opening to ensure we don't have to wait a long time. A clean cabin is a top priority for me and I am delighted to hear that's not an issue. I can overlook modest wear, but grime is a different kettle.

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Well, this is disappointing! I was hoping with a complete turnover of passengers the code red would have resolved. I realize Regent has no control over a passenger who is asymptomatic until the cruise gets underway, but serving food not up to safe temperature is a rookie mistake and can have consequences for the diner! My guess is the kitchen used the broiler to get a crust on the top of the dish without making sure it was up to temp throughout. We will be a party of 8 so I appreciate the advice on how to procure a large table. Guess someone in our group will have to go down 30 minutes before opening to ensure we don't have to wait a long time. A clean cabin is a top priority for me and I am delighted to hear that's not an issue. I can overlook modest wear, but grime is a different kettle.

 

On our recent Voyager cruise there were 4 couples traveling together and they had the same large table in the center of the DR reserved for them each evening

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I also saw food that was boiling on top and cold inside -- not sure how they accomplished that but they did (especially on the pool deck).

 

sounds like micro-waved food to me. That can easily be sizzling on the top and cold inside...

 

As for the Code Red. If the crew also had cases of flu (which would be logical) then they would have to continue the Code Red even if all the passengers disembarked.

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Thanks TallShip, good to know we may be able to reserve the same large table each night. We were a group of 8 in 2009 when we were on Mariner in Alaska, but I can't remember what we did about dining on that cruise. You have a good point about sick crew Hambagahle, but I was hoping the strict protocol regarding illness among crew members that I've read about on this forum would have kept that issue in check. Forewarned is forearmed, and thanks to CC we can certainly take the extra precautions that will hopefully minimize our exposure.

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Just for informational purposes ........ there was a thread about savings tables and a Regent representative posted that it is against policy. No savings tables for large groups, disabled, etc.

 

Getting a table for six is at times easier than getting a table for two so there will not be a problem getting a table.

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It's really about doing things right, both cruisers and crew---washing your hands and be careful of what you touch. But about the food and service it's not just the ship, it's also corporate-they have to act. If people on CC take the time to write they need to read. If they care about business and keeping the ship full, corporate needs to to their job and be accountable for what's going on during a cruise.. It's not acceptable to have warm/cool food serviced, it's not acceptable to have poor service on any cruise. Since I haven't cruised Regent before, this November we'll be on a TA crossing on Regent (we have 2 additional cruises booked on Regent) and were looking for a enjoyable cruise. I don't think when paying the price to cruise Reg, (we're in a upper suite) I except good service and good food without having to talk to anyone on the ship during the unless it's a compliment--anything less tells me Corporate isn't doing their job and that could be a deal breaker for us. People shouldn't be saying Oh, it's OK you have to except small things to happen. No you don't, they should always be proactive in dealing with problems and not wait for someone to complain. After all you don't cruise to be an inspector, you go on a cruise to enjoy the time away.

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Just an FYI - Regent goes above and beyond what is required in the areas of health and safety (not sticking up for them - just stating what Regent has said to passengers onboard).

 

Code Red on the Mariner isn't a "small thing" and I have no doubt that there is/has been a concern at top levels of Regent and that action is being taken. I question, however, if there is a way to keep sick passengers from boarding and/or can measures be taken to stop the spread of various illnesses?

 

As has been discussed, Code Red (norovirus - not flu) has hit just about all major cruise lines over the years. In terms of the NCHL (NCL, Oceania, Regent), it isn't surprising that NCL has had the largest number of cases since they have the most ships and highest capacity of passengers on this trip. Oceania's Riviera has had a surprising number of norovirus issues in her short life and Regent's last reportable norovirus outbreak was apparently 2009.

 

Based on this information, not sure how we can blame this on any person or corporation. One of the many issues is that we can wash our hands and touch almost anything that could have just been touched by someone that is ill. If there needs to be blame, I'd have to say that the blame needs to be shared (and "blame" is probably the wrong word). Unfortunately, not every passenger reads Cruise Critic nor do they read Passages or watch the days activities on the television. Washing hands and other precautions is listed in Passages and discussed on television. We'll likely have this discussion every year until everyone gets a flu shot and something is discovered to prevent norovirus. Controlling passengers is likely not going to happen.

 

IMO, the best that we can all do is wash hands a lot, if you are sick wear a mask and gloves if you touch utensils in the buffet (this will never happen but one can hope), don't touch your nose, mouth or eyes. From the crew's perspective, they should not be working if they are sick (and I don't think that they do), keep disinfecting everything on a consistent basis - especially during the winter months when so many people are sick.

Edited by Travelcat2
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If you get sick with a communicable disease on a cruise, you should not be out and about. You should be confined to your cabin tillnon-infectious. Infected crew members should not be working and should be confined as well.

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Just an FYI - Regent goes above and beyond what is required in the areas of health and safety (not sticking up for them - just stating what Regent has said to passengers onboard).

Code Red on the Mariner isn't a "small thing" and I have no doubt that there is/has been a concern at top levels of Regent and that action is being taken. I question, however, if there is a way to keep sick passengers from boarding and/or can measures be taken to stop the spread of various illnesses?

 

TC2 you really need to read what a poster writes before you respond. Only my first statement was about the washing of hands and I didn't blame Regent for that...I was talking about the service, cold food----this is a Corporate problem if it is solved, not just a ship problem. Please read my post and understand what a poster post. Rick

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Just an FYI - Regent goes above and beyond what is required in the areas of health and safety (not sticking up for them - just stating what Regent has said to passengers onboard).

Code Red on the Mariner isn't a "small thing" and I have no doubt that there is/has been a concern at top levels of Regent and that action is being taken. I question, however, if there is a way to keep sick passengers from boarding and/or can measures be taken to stop the spread of various illnesses?

 

TC2 you really need to read what a poster writes before you respond. Only my first statement was about the washing of hands and I didn't blame Regent for that...I was talking about the service, cold food----this is a Corporate problem if it is solved, not just a ship problem. Please read my post and understand what a poster post. Rick

 

Rick, it is easy to misunderstand things. In this case you posted "It's really about doing things right, both cruisers and crew---washing your hands and be careful of what you touch. But about the food and service it's not just the ship, it's also corporate-they have to act. If people on CC take the time to write they need to read. If they care about business and keeping the ship full, corporate needs to to their job and be accountable for what's going on during a cruise.. It's not acceptable to have warm/cool food serviced, it's not acceptable to have poor service on any cruise."

 

Since your first sentence was about code red (or so I thought) and the paragraph continued into food, service, the ship....... I read it as being related (i.e. possibly the lukewarm food or the servers are contributing to the code red situation).

What you write about warm/cool food, etc. is true -- at the moment -- on the Mariner. While there is no excuse for this, what is going on with the Mariner (or Voyager) doesn't automatically mean that there is an issue on the Navigator or Explorer (just as having code red on the Mariner does not affect other Regent ships).

I look forward to when you board the Explorer so that you can make comparisons between cruise lines and can also let us know if Regent met your expectations. After all, it is your experience that counts - not what other people think.

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I haven't been tracking this, but it appears that code red issues seem to be a very big issue for the Mariner not the other ships. That points in my opinion to the crew or lacking of cleaning, not the passengers. Thoughts?

 

You think???

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I am puzzled as to why the last two posters think that the blame lies with the crew or lack of cleaning. While the crew could certainly be sick when they board, they are not going to expose passengers to whatever it is that they have. They are much more cautious than passengers that lie about whether or not they are sick when they board (because crew members have less to lose by being honest than passengers).

 

All the ships are clean. We saw constant cleaning going on when we were on the Mariner last month (prior and during code red). While the obvious answer is sick passengers boarding the ship, some blame belongs to Regent (assuming that they have yet to make everyone get off of the ship on the day of disembarkation and having the ship thoroughly cleaned during the hours that no one is onboard. However, having said that, if sick passengers board the ship, it is likely that code red will continue.

 

We saw a man enter the computer room (on the Mariner), pick up a wipe and wipe down his keyboard/mouse only to find that the computer wasn't working. He proceeded on to another computer that worked...... however, he did not wipe down the keyboard or the mouse. This is how germs are spread. If cleanliness were an issue, surely the other ships would be having issues which is not the case. Keep in mind that the crew that was on Mariner last month will likely be on another ship next month. So, if they were the problem, it would quickly spread to all other ships.

 

My hope remains that, once the ship is in Miami, ALL passengers will disembark and will not continue on to the next cruise. Then I need to cross my fingers that the passengers on the full ship (our itinerary has been full for months), do not catch something - either at home or on the plane that they carry with them onboard.

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Sometimes the obvious answer escapes the only one who tries hardest to defend Regent. Maybe because she has the most to gain? Thankfully, someone watches the computer room while the crew bar is open.

The only constant in all of the code reds (how many?), are the crew. They stay on board for months, passengers stay on for weeks. Go figure...

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