New to luxury cruising

hello fellow CCers!

My husband and I have caught the cruising bug big time. Thus far we have only cruised royal carribean because we have young children and it works for us.

However next year we are celebrating my 40th birthday and our 15th wedding anniversary and are dreaming of a kid free vacation. My husband wants to see things and I want to be pampered so thinking a luxury cruise may be the way to go.

A few questions I couldn’t find an answer for in your forums- 1- is there going to be anyone our age on the ship? We are looking at 10 days at sea or less because of missing the kids.

2. As we look at luxury lines are there others you would recommend we look at?

Thanks!!

My wife and I took our first Regent cruise almost exactly 10 years ago to the day when we were in our mid/early 30s (Mariner from Port Everglades up the coast to Bermuda - great time!). We were definitely the bleeding edge of youth on that cruise, but not the only non-greyhaird couple. There were a few in their late 30s/40s. Definitely a minority although to be clear, it didn't feel weird at all. Wasn't exactly a "night club" ship with techno music blaring... which I wouldn't want anyhow. People were super friendly and made a few friends with guys more my senior which was nice.

Now in our Mid 40s, we're booking again for Mediterranean this fall (Voyager 180920) and will be joined by my senior in-laws. I expect we'll be in the small minority again but I don't see that as a negative.

The age tends to skew older or younger depending upon the cruise. Summer vacations have a younger demographic but also have children. Shorter cruises also skew younger while longer cruises skew older. This is generally because of younger people are still working and cannot take the amount of time off needed for long cruises. So, a 10 night cruise should be good for your anniversary.

Regent is not for the party type crowd - more laid back and relaxing (with fun things to do as well). Regent has great service and food and the passengers are generally friendly and quite active.

Be sure to let Regent know that you are celebrating an anniversary and what date it is. Lastly, book through a TA that is familiar with Regent and that gives a percentage back soon your cruise (plus on board credits on some sailings). Many luxury cruise TA's do this!

Enjoy your cruise!

In our first Regent cruise in the year 2000 (back then it was still Radisson) we were in our 40's, it was an Alaska cruise. I would say we were in the younger demographic, but there were people younger than us, and with children. Fast forward to 2018, we just did a Caribbean 10 day cruise, and the demographics was pretty old, I think we were in the middle. We've done many Regent cruises and somehow age has never been an issue. As Travelcat says, its not a cruise line for the "party crowd", but there's plenty to do and everything is done in style.

I would suggest, pick the itinerary that interests you and the rest will fall into place UNLESS you're looking for glitz and party atmosphere. Good luck!

I was just shy of turning 59 on the last cruise(18 days) and I was well below the average age on the ship. It was only an issue with some of the music, which was very dated (like any kind of rock music after 1980 was missing). The people however were great and so was the food and service. Also, I agree with travelcat, the shorter the cruise, the younger the group on it.

We're huge fans of cruising and of Regent.

I fully endorse what everyone else has said on this thread about the demographics etc.

If you choose Regent, you will have a luxury, almost definitely, child-free (exceptions are Christmas and shorter cruises during the summer, especially Alaska I believe) cruise.

It is, as stated, not a party cruise - there are often, very sparsely populated bars, especially during and after the 9:30pm evening shows.

I'm wondering if you have looked at any other cruise lines?

Oceania (sister line to Regent) tends to have a slightly younger crowd, the food is exceptional, with the possible exception of their Main Dining Room).

Another alternative, if you're after a bit more nightlife and a (slightly) younger crowd would be Celebrity - take a look at their Aqua class staterooms - the small exclusive Blu restaurant is very, very good for food and service. The ships are quite a bit bigger than Regent, so there are more people, but more to do too.

These lines are NOT All Inclusive though.

Happy choosing!:cool:

I also agree with others on this thread. Although we are by no means young, we FELT pretty young as we are able and open minded about travel in general. You will see walkers and canes, but you will also see remarkable role models for how to age with grace and grit.

Since, it is an important anniversary, may I suggest another idea? We spent our 40th anniversary at Jade Mountain in St. Lucia. They have an all inclusive plan and it was very luxurious -personal Butler, choice of restaurants or room service, organic food, water sports, nature excursions, and mountain biking. All this in a suite with your own infinity pool with a view of the Pitons!

Anniversary, Big Birthday and no kids. Go to book a cruise in Tahiti on the Paul Gauguin. The ship used to be part of Regent but is now independent. It is still a Luxury product.

As far as the other Luxury cruise lines, including Seabourne, Crystal, Silver Seas and Cunard, they are all a little different from each other. Post some more info on what you like to do, where you want to go, what you expect onboard and you will get some more detailed answers. Me I started on Regent in 2001. But have sail many other lines.

J

Youth is wasted on the young.

The older one becomes, the more cherished are the memories. My wife and I have made it a pattern to celebrate significant wedding anniversaries on-board whatever ship and enjoy the company of younger voyagers. Younger and younger. This includes children--well behaved, of course.

So--we anticipate celebrating our 50th on Splendor's March 2020 sailing from LA to Miami. Our TA of many years and dear friends from many more years will join us.

Trust me. Once onboard, opportunities are abundant to meet folks in various stages of life and experiences who will have common interests. This is irrespective of age. So, attend group events; and share meal tables.

GOARMY!

Where are you looking at going and when?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

For a younger crowd look at Sea Dream.

We are taking our first luxury cruise on Regent next month and I'm only 42. I had the same reservations that you are but we just bit the bullet! I'm hoping for the best but happy to report back to you at the end of May after our cruise. We are only doing a 7 night so maybe that will also allow for younger population somewhat as well! I'll report back to you!

We took our first Regent (first cruise, actually) when I was 43…I’m 51 now. We’ve done several since, and a couple of Azamara and one Celebrity.

It just depends on what you are wanting. I agree with other posters…Regent is an older but vibrant crowd, for the most part. We are amongst the younger ones there, but not the youngest (and the more years we cruise, the more we see younger couples on board…odd :confused:). With few exceptions, other passengers are kind, friendly, happy, and help make a great cruise experience. It seems most of those we meet there are self-made, have worked hard, are appreciative of the moment and the lovely surroundings.

Regent is what we want…quiet and relaxing. We have 3 kids and our couple-trips are our sanctuary…a place to relax and re-charge. Cruiselines are all different with different strengths. What we’ve found on Regent (JMO)…

• Good-to-great food, included wines are quite nice and they are very accommodating about getting a wine you like.
  
• Plenty of 2-person tables in the restaurants. And plenty of tables for 4, 6, or 8 also.
  
• Suites/cabins are large and well-appointed (Mariner, Navigator, Voyager…there are some smaller basic suites in the lower categories on Explorer/Splendor)…balconies are nice
  
• Great atmosphere…included drinks makes the passengers happy and relaxed, even those who don’t drink (and I’ve never seen anyone on Regent who was truly drunk)
  
• Wonderful crew*
  
• ‘elegant casual’ dress, so no required jacket/ties or long gowns, but dressing up is fine too
  
• Below-average shows, although guest-entertainers and the Regent bands are enjoyable and talented
  
• Wonderful room-service meals
  
• Quiet pool area, lots of sun-chairs (some on upper-deck), classy bars and public areas
  
• Not much night-life in the bars, but there are some planned activities every evening
  
• Fun general-trivia and music-trivia, varied organized-activities all day…good lecturers also
  
• Good (included) in-room movies, and some tv-shows
  
• Good included excursions in most of the world…I’m not a fan of most of those in the Caribbean and Mexico, though
  
• The Spa seems nice, but I wouldn’t know. It’s not my thing…and it’s a bit pricey
  
• The gym is sufficient
  
• Smaller ships, fewer passengers (but we just got off of a 14-day and saw ‘new’ people the last couple of days and on disembarkation that we hadn’t seen during the cruise, so it’s not a tiny ship either)
  

* the crew…they’re well-trained and very hard-working. But if you’re new to luxury cruising and believe the ‘6 star’ hype and envision that ‘if you drop your napkin, someone will be there to catch it before it hits the ground’ type thing, you might be a little disappointed/disillusioned. It’s just a very nice cruiseline with, like all cruiselines, overworked people doing a great job. They are focused on making the cruise the best experience possible.

Have fun choosing, and cruising!

We took our first Regent (first cruise, actually) when I was 43…I’m 51 now. We’ve done several since, and a couple of Azamara and one Celebrity.

It just depends on what you are wanting. I agree with other posters…Regent is an older but vibrant crowd, for the most part. We are amongst the younger ones there, but not the youngest (and the more years we cruise, the more we see younger couples on board…odd :confused:). With few exceptions, other passengers are kind, friendly, happy, and help make a great cruise experience. It seems most of those we meet there are self-made, have worked hard, are appreciative of the moment and the lovely surroundings.

 

Regent is what we want…quiet and relaxing. We have 3 kids and our couple-trips are our sanctuary…a place to relax and re-charge. Cruiselines are all different with different strengths. What we’ve found on Regent (JMO)…

• Good-to-great food, included wines are quite nice and they are very accommodating about getting a wine you like.
  
• Plenty of 2-person tables in the restaurants. And plenty of tables for 4, 6, or 8 also.
  
• Suites/cabins are large and well-appointed (Mariner, Navigator, Voyager…there are some smaller basic suites in the lower categories on Explorer/Splendor)…balconies are nice
  
• Great atmosphere…included drinks makes the passengers happy and relaxed, even those who don’t drink (and I’ve never seen anyone on Regent who was truly drunk)
  
• Wonderful crew*
  
• ‘elegant casual’ dress, so no required jacket/ties or long gowns, but dressing up is fine too
  
• Below-average shows, although guest-entertainers and the Regent bands are enjoyable and talented
  
• Wonderful room-service meals
  
• Quiet pool area, lots of sun-chairs (some on upper-deck), classy bars and public areas
  
• Not much night-life in the bars, but there are some planned activities every evening
  
• Fun general-trivia and music-trivia, varied organized-activities all day…good lecturers also
  
• Good (included) in-room movies, and some tv-shows
  
• Good included excursions in most of the world…I’m not a fan of most of those in the Caribbean and Mexico, though
  
• The Spa seems nice, but I wouldn’t know. It’s not my thing…and it’s a bit pricey
  
• The gym is sufficient
  
• Smaller ships, fewer passengers (but we just got off of a 14-day and saw ‘new’ people the last couple of days and on disembarkation that we hadn’t seen during the cruise, so it’s not a tiny ship either)
  

* the crew…they’re well-trained and very hard-working. But if you’re new to luxury cruising and believe the ‘6 star’ hype and envision that ‘if you drop your napkin, someone will be there to catch it before it hits the ground’ type thing, you might be a little disappointed/disillusioned. It’s just a very nice cruiseline with, like all cruiselines, overworked people doing a great job. They are focused on making the cruise the best experience possible.

 

Have fun choosing, and cruising!

Thank you for a great synopsis. We too will be new to Regent and the luxury cruise market in January and this is a great help.

We took our first Regent (first cruise, actually) when I was 43…I’m 51 now. We’ve done several since, and a couple of Azamara and one Celebrity.

 

It just depends on what you are wanting. I agree with other posters…Regent is an older but vibrant crowd, for the most part. We are amongst the younger ones there, but not the youngest (and the more years we cruise, the more we see younger couples on board…odd :confused:). With few exceptions, other passengers are kind, friendly, happy, and help make a great cruise experience. It seems most of those we meet there are self-made, have worked hard, are appreciative of the moment and the lovely surroundings.

 

 

 

Regent is what we want…quiet and relaxing. We have 3 kids and our couple-trips are our sanctuary…a place to relax and re-charge. Cruiselines are all different with different strengths. What we’ve found on Regent (JMO)…

 

 

• 
   
  
• Good-to-great food, included wines are quite nice and they are very accommodating about getting a wine you like.
   
  
• Plenty of 2-person tables in the restaurants. And plenty of tables for 4, 6, or 8 also.
   
  
• Suites/cabins are large and well-appointed (Mariner, Navigator, Voyager…there are some smaller basic suites in the lower categories on Explorer/Splendor)…balconies are nice
   
  
• Great atmosphere…included drinks makes the passengers happy and relaxed, even those who don’t drink (and I’ve never seen anyone on Regent who was truly drunk)
   
  
• Wonderful crew*
   
  
• ‘elegant casual’ dress, so no required jacket/ties or long gowns, but dressing up is fine too
   
  
• Below-average shows, although guest-entertainers and the Regent bands are enjoyable and talented
   
  
• Wonderful room-service meals
   
  
• Quiet pool area, lots of sun-chairs (some on upper-deck), classy bars and public areas
   
  
• Not much night-life in the bars, but there are some planned activities every evening
   
  
• Fun general-trivia and music-trivia, varied organized-activities all day…good lecturers also
   
  
• Good (included) in-room movies, and some tv-shows
   
  
• Good included excursions in most of the world…I’m not a fan of most of those in the Caribbean and Mexico, though
   
  
• The Spa seems nice, but I wouldn’t know. It’s not my thing…and it’s a bit pricey
   
  
• The gym is sufficient
   
  
• Smaller ships, fewer passengers (but we just got off of a 14-day and saw ‘new’ people the last couple of days and on disembarkation that we hadn’t seen during the cruise, so it’s not a tiny ship either)
   
  

* the crew…they’re well-trained and very hard-working. But if you’re new to luxury cruising and believe the ‘6 star’ hype and envision that ‘if you drop your napkin, someone will be there to catch it before it hits the ground’ type thing, you might be a little disappointed/disillusioned. It’s just a very nice cruiseline with, like all cruiselines, overworked people doing a great job. They are focused on making the cruise the best experience possible.

 

 

 

Have fun choosing, and cruising!

Thank you for a fantastic summary. Honest, cowering all the basics and easy to follow. Great [emoji106] job! Thank you!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

We took our first Regent (first cruise, actually) when I was 43…I’m 51 now. We’ve done several since, and a couple of Azamara and one Celebrity.

It just depends on what you are wanting. I agree with other posters…Regent is an older but vibrant crowd, for the most part. We are amongst the younger ones there, but not the youngest (and the more years we cruise, the more we see younger couples on board…odd :confused:). With few exceptions, other passengers are kind, friendly, happy, and help make a great cruise experience. It seems most of those we meet there are self-made, have worked hard, are appreciative of the moment and the lovely surroundings.

 

Regent is what we want…quiet and relaxing. We have 3 kids and our couple-trips are our sanctuary…a place to relax and re-charge. Cruiselines are all different with different strengths. What we’ve found on Regent (JMO)…

• Good-to-great food, included wines are quite nice and they are very accommodating about getting a wine you like.
  
• Plenty of 2-person tables in the restaurants. And plenty of tables for 4, 6, or 8 also.
  
• Suites/cabins are large and well-appointed (Mariner, Navigator, Voyager…there are some smaller basic suites in the lower categories on Explorer/Splendor)…balconies are nice
  
• Great atmosphere…included drinks makes the passengers happy and relaxed, even those who don’t drink (and I’ve never seen anyone on Regent who was truly drunk)
  
• Wonderful crew*
  
• ‘elegant casual’ dress, so no required jacket/ties or long gowns, but dressing up is fine too
  
• Below-average shows, although guest-entertainers and the Regent bands are enjoyable and talented
  
• Wonderful room-service meals
  
• Quiet pool area, lots of sun-chairs (some on upper-deck), classy bars and public areas
  
• Not much night-life in the bars, but there are some planned activities every evening
  
• Fun general-trivia and music-trivia, varied organized-activities all day…good lecturers also
  
• Good (included) in-room movies, and some tv-shows
  
• Good included excursions in most of the world…I’m not a fan of most of those in the Caribbean and Mexico, though
  
• The Spa seems nice, but I wouldn’t know. It’s not my thing…and it’s a bit pricey
  
• The gym is sufficient
  
• Smaller ships, fewer passengers (but we just got off of a 14-day and saw ‘new’ people the last couple of days and on disembarkation that we hadn’t seen during the cruise, so it’s not a tiny ship either)
  

* the crew…they’re well-trained and very hard-working. But if you’re new to luxury cruising and believe the ‘6 star’ hype and envision that ‘if you drop your napkin, someone will be there to catch it before it hits the ground’ type thing, you might be a little disappointed/disillusioned. It’s just a very nice cruiseline with, like all cruiselines, overworked people doing a great job. They are focused on making the cruise the best experience possible.

 

Have fun choosing, and cruising!

Very nice synopsis! Having just completed our first Regent cruise I would agree with nearly all of it. We actually found the shows a little better than we’d expected, from things we’d read here. The guest entertainers were very good and the Regent production group might have been pretty average performers, but just a great group of young people who we enjoyed tremendously in other venues and activities! So that brought them up a notch in our minds.

I also completely agree about not setting your expectations so high that you will be disillusioned. If a person’s idea of luxury is the finest of everything, you might be disappointed. We found it to be very nice, but not stuffy. Nearly all the people we met were very friendly and welcoming. Many certainly of greater means, but few that we saw flaunting that.

Thank you for those great reviews and observations! While my DH is older, I’m still in my 50’s and feel very young. We both do. We will embark on our first Regent and first Alaska cruise on May 23, and look forward to the refurbished Mariner and the warmth and friendliness of the fellow passengers. Thank you for reminding us to be realistic about our expectations.

I've come to believe that Regent is primarily a "victim" of their own marketing description/s. I just received the newest 7/18 - 6/20 cruise catalog. Every page is filled with statements like "Our ships are pinnacles of elegance and grace", "spectacular gourmet restaurants", "exquisite gourmet cuisine", "no detail is overlooked and no service is too extraordinary", "committed to exceeding your expectations", etc., etc. It goes on like this for nearly 200 pages.

After reading an entire catalog of this, it's naturally going to be a bit disappointing (particularly on a first or second cruise) if/when you walk into your suite -whether it be a deluxe veranda or the master suite - and find stains on the carpeting, worn upholstery on the chairs, a lack of storage space in drawers or shelves, long waits for wine service, or a "whistling balcony door". Particularly after you have been promised "perfection" at every turn, and when you're paying close to a $1,000 per person per night.

After having gone on both Regent and "mass market" cruises, there's no doubt that I'd pick Regent every time (assuming it was in the budget), but I wish they'd just throttle back a bit on some of the superlatives! Regent is the one whose promising "perfection"......not the customer.

I've come to believe that Regent is primarily a "victim" of their own marketing description/s. I just received the newest 7/18 - 6/20 cruise catalog. Every page is filled with statements like "Our ships are pinnacles of elegance and grace", "spectacular gourmet restaurants", "exquisite gourmet cuisine", "no detail is overlooked and no service is too extraordinary", "committed to exceeding your expectations", etc., etc. It goes on like this for nearly 200 pages.

 

After reading an entire catalog of this, it's naturally going to be a bit disappointing (particularly on a first or second cruise) if/when you walk into your suite -whether it be a deluxe veranda or the master suite - and find stains on the carpeting, worn upholstery on the chairs, a lack of storage space in drawers or shelves, long waits for wine service, or a "whistling balcony door". Particularly after you have been promised "perfection" at every turn, and when you're paying close to a $1,000 per person per night.

 

After having gone on both Regent and "mass market" cruises, there's no doubt that I'd pick Regent every time (assuming it was in the budget), but I wish they'd just throttle back a bit on some of the superlatives! Regent is the one whose promising "perfection"......not the customer.

Not only is everything said to be exquisite, extraordinary, etc., don't forget that the advertising says so many of the goodies are "free". Makes me wonder what the 1000 or so dollars per person/per day fare is for. Really it is way past time for Regent to get its advertising hype in line with a luxury image.

I've come to believe that Regent is primarily a "victim" of their own marketing description/s. I just received the newest 7/18 - 6/20 cruise catalog. Every page is filled with statements like "Our ships are pinnacles of elegance and grace", "spectacular gourmet restaurants", "exquisite gourmet cuisine", "no detail is overlooked and no service is too extraordinary", "committed to exceeding your expectations", etc., etc. It goes on like this for nearly 200 pages.

 

After reading an entire catalog of this, it's naturally going to be a bit disappointing (particularly on a first or second cruise) if/when you walk into your suite -whether it be a deluxe veranda or the master suite - and find stains on the carpeting, worn upholstery on the chairs, a lack of storage space in drawers or shelves, long waits for wine service, or a "whistling balcony door". Particularly after you have been promised "perfection" at every turn, and when you're paying close to a $1,000 per person per night.

 

After having gone on both Regent and "mass market" cruises, there's no doubt that I'd pick Regent every time (assuming it was in the budget), but I wish they'd just throttle back a bit on some of the superlatives! Regent is the one whose promising "perfection"......not the customer.

Sorry that you're expecting the worse. I've been in many Regent cruises and never found stains on the carpet, etc. If you're so pessimistic on what to expect from Regent , I would strongly advice against booking a cruise with them.

I have complained on several occasions regarding minor issues on Regent. However, we continue sailing on Regent because on a scale of 1 to 10, we rate it a 9 1/2 because nothing is perfect!

Personally, I do not read the Regent brochure copy, I review the itinerary and then make my choice of sailing. The adjectives are just marketing tools.

Cruise Critic is a vechicle for us to chat about our experiences, both good and not so good. Most of us do not want to discourage newbies to Regent.

Try it, you will love it and you keep coming back for more!

Sheila

Well I’m still hoping for a special cruise on the Mariner and hope # 1010 lives up to the beautiful cabin I’m anticipating! Thank you for all your input!

I have complained on several occasions regarding minor issues on Regent. However, we continue sailing on Regent because on a scale of 1 to 10, we rate it a 9 1/2 because nothing is perfect!

Personally, I do not read the Regent brochure copy, I review the itinerary and then make my choice of sailing. The adjectives are just marketing tools.

Cruise Critic is a vechicle for us to chat about our experiences, both good and not so good. Most of us do not want to discourage newbies to Regent.

Try it, you will love it and you keep coming back for more!

Sheila

We agree! I treat the Regent brochures (that fill our mailbox and WSJs) just like car ads - I enjoy the beautiful pictures and ignore the hype.

I used to bitterly complain about the Regent website but, as they promised, it's significantly improved and very enjoyable. I visit the Regent website and CC almost every day.

The big Regent brochure that I received yesterday was fun to browse through. Recently a few CCers explained to us on this Board how the International Date Line worked; well they need to educate Regent as the new brochure has it backwards (I think).

Boy, it's easy to get hooked on Regent, isn't it?

I agree with so many points on this thread it's not even funny. My wife and I took our first Regent cruise in '09 when she was 40 and I was 48 and even though we were toward the lower end of the age scale on that cruise, we didn't even really notice - everyone on board was fantastic, both guests and crew. In fact, the more interesting people on that cruise were more in their 80s...fantastic stories, great attitudes, and just all around enjoyable people. Over the years we've met, and in some cases stayed in touch with some fantastic people. The ships just keep getting better, the service is (generally) excellent, and our Regent cruises have become the high point of our lives.

As others have said, it's important to have realistic expectations - while the service is usually very, very good, there are times when things might get missed. How you react to those rare lapses will dictate how much you enjoy your cruise. If you let the little things get you down, you'll miss the good things happening all around you. Kind of a 'forest for the trees' thing. As the years go by, we forget about the occasional empty wine glass or cranky Destination Services agent and remember all of the great people, experiences, food, wine, parties, excursions, and everything else that we love about a Regent cruise.

I think their marketing is a bit too flamboyant as well, but they need a 'hook' to bring in the new customers, while the more seasoned cruisers tend to pick at the fluff.

Bottom line - if I was the boss of Regent, there are probably a few things I'd change, mostly in the home office area, but for a few weeks of pampering, new experiences, and relaxation it's hard to beat a Regent cruise.

Enjoy!

Sorry that you're expecting the worse. I've been in many Regent cruises and never found stains on the carpet, etc. If you're so pessimistic on what to expect from Regent , I would strongly advice against booking a cruise with them.

Cruiseluv. Please re-read my post. No where do I say that I'm "expecting the worst". In fact, I say that given the choice of cruises "I would pick Regent every time"! How do you see that as a negative comment about Regent?

The subject of my post was to point out the "unrealistic" claims made in Regent's marketing products, to suggest that they be written a little more realistically, and to opine (by inference) that Regent might "help itself" by not building expectations quite so high. It's unfortunate that some posters mount such a fervent and relentless "defense" against any and all "negative comments" regarding their favorite cruise line, that it leaves no opportunity for "cruise critics" to be .......critics!