Regent going in the wrong direction

[AWED23]

There is no possible manner in which to answer "Lanememory" because of so many inaccurate opinions that are stated as fact. So perhaps this thread can be wiped clean and put where it belongs. :confused:

[OrpingtonT]

There is no possible manner in which to answer "Lanememory" because of so many inaccurate opinions that are stated as fact. So perhaps this thread can be wiped clean and put where it belongs. :confused:

 

I agree. Having sailed Regent and Seabourn, I prefer the Regent experience. No amount of cost comparisons change that fact. Others like Seabourn or Silversea and it is pleasing that we have the choice.

[room010]

Best cruise we ever took? Regent Voyager

Great service and staff, delicious food, wonderful entertainment and really GREAT fellow passengers. We had a ball.

 

Worst cruise we ever took? Regent Voyager

Sketchy service, undertrained and inadequately supervised staff, mediocre food, lame entertainment and really RUDE fellow passengers. We could not wait to go home.

 

It's all totally subjective of course and one man's "cruise from hell" is often the next man's dream vacation but I too have been told, and have experienced first hand that standards are beginning to slip. Some very loyal Regent cheer squad people I know are giving it one more try and if its as disappointing as their last voyage in May they are seriously looking as Crystal. We have already made the switch.

[JPR]

We would go on Regent again but the Oceania Riviera and Marina have won us over...

But you must get a Penthouse 3 on those ships. Basic suites don't compare to Regent's.

[Rally]

Well right off the back I made a post on my thoughts about Regent and I was researched and deemed a "troll" who had hadn't posted but a few times in the last few years. Message boards are indeed a tough lot. Let me expand on my comments. I am not a shill for any other cruise line just a paying customer who enjoys cruising and experiencing travel and meeting a variety of interesting people and cultures. As a retired serviceman and business entrepreneur formerly in the service business. I can assure you I have a keen value for services. Some have remarked about my decision to book a cruise on Viking Ocean who has not proven themselves in the ocean going arena. I think you should check and see how many river vessels Viking is operating around the world and the awards they have won. The maiden voyage on this particular ship includes, from what I understand all services including internet, shore excursions, gratuities, drinks, wine etc. The price advertised as a special for the first level balcony cabin was !4k which comes to $300/day per person. The cabin size including balcony is 30 sf less then Regents Cat H balcony. Wether or not there is the same public space area per passenger is irrelevant in my opinion. I have walked around Regent in the evening and after 10pm you feel like the ship is your private yacht as there are few people around. Does it matter you might see a fellow shipmate passing by really matter? As this is a brand new ship I expect Viking will absolutely pull out all of the stops on this maiden voyage. At least at $300/person even if the final product is a little less then 6 star it is better then spending $1,200 or $1,300 a day don't you think? Don't get me wrong on the two previous Regent Cruises we enjoyed them both. One for 21 days and the other for 20 days on both the Mariner and Voyager. For the comment about Regent not having a world cruise that is incorrect they do. After the knuckle head in charge decided to break the world cruise up into segments to obtain higher per diem costs from this loyal passengers. What Regent found out was en mass they booked on Crystal. After that reality must have set in and Regent went back to a world cruise offering. For those of you who have not read on the boards about the numerous propulsion problems I suggest you go back and do some additional research. There is with out doubt a design problem with propulsion and I guarantee you will feel vibration in your bed as we did with out putting the 25 cents in. When we disembark on all cruises I am serious about writing comments and reviews so the cruise line knows how I feel. And another note on all inclusive comments. What we found was the shore excursions like walking tour, or bus into the city with a guide were the included ones. The excursions with off road trekking, horseback riding, etc were not free. What started me thinking one night after dinner a gentleman was walking up the stairs. As he passed me I could see the irritation in his face and his comment struck on chord in me. He said ' This is not worth $1,400 a day". All I could think about was Geez I am sure glad I didn't pay what he did because if I did i would be upset as well. Perhaps some of the posters have forgotten what six star is really all about. It certainly isn't about eating poor quality beef, rubber chicken and drinking $5-$7 a bottle wines. Regent pricing in my opinion is going through the roof and the overall experience is not keep up. If you read the Crystal boards and their paying even more the comments are much different. So there you have it not a Troll, just a couple looking for great value in a luxury vacation. By the way the Viking 50 day Europe sailing is selling out quickly so there is more then one fool like me out there. The price I quoted is now no longer available. for the poster above me Voyager and Mariner are 50,000 tons and 2,000 tons one way or another means nothing. Safe travels to all of you.

 

That funny button somewhere on the left of your keyboard called "enter" is meant to seperate your words into paragraphs, which mainlyhelps your readership understand what the heck you are trying to say. Give it a try! Just sayin' :)

[Travelcat2]

We would go on Regent again but the Oceania Riviera and Marina have won us over...

But you must get a Penthouse 3 on those ships. Basic suites don't compare to Regent's.

 

Happy to hear that you loved the Riviera and Marina. However, this is a different product than Regent and does not mean that Regent is going in the wrong direction.

 

We also loved the Riviera, however, IMO, you cannot compare Oceania to Regent. They are simply too different.

[msafiri]

you cannot compare Oceania to Regent. They are simply too different.

 

I thought someone did that in a long thread on the Regent board titled "How Regent Compares with Oceania"

[Travelcat2]

I thought someone did that in a long thread on the Regent board titled "How Regent Compares with Oceania"

 

It has been done - more than once. In fact, I tried to do a comparison after sailing on the Riviera. I still feel that it is comparing apples and oranges. A person may prefer an orange to an apple but there are very few similarities beyond the fact that they are both a fruit, both round, and taste great (however, taste is subjective:-)

[computerworks]

I still feel that it is comparing apples and oranges.

 

You know, I keep hearing that, but I have trouble understanding how far apart the two lines are actually perceived.

 

Not having sailed on Regent yet, but having sailed (and one upcoming) on Oceania, I am not qualified to comment on RSSC attributes, but i have a good understanding of "O."

 

How are they so disparate?

 

From my perspective, they are quite identical, with one inclusive and one ala carte. They share many attributes (at least from the outside) such as corporate culture, overall experience and staffing.

 

Tell me, other than the inclusive fare...how are they so different?

[funny26]

You are wasting your time asking the questions as someone got caught, can't explain why they are so different, and won't simply admit that they tried to compare the lines before saying they can't be compared.

[Travelcat2]

I don't want to start another Oceania/Regent thread but will give a couple of examples (only comparing Riviera/Marina with Regent).

 

Food -- the specialty restaurants are superior on Oceania. On Oceania, the Terrace Café (La Veranda on Regent) and Grand Dining Room (Compass Rose on Regent) are not as good as on Regent. Food, of course, is subjective.

 

How does one explain the different "feeling" on Regent (not that one is better than the other). The all-inclusivity does play into the experience you have on the ship. For instance, it is a big deal on Oceania when free drinks are available for the Captain's reception or when $5 drinks are available at "Happy Hour" The lounges are suddenly mobbed. It was difficult at times for those of us who didn't care about the $5 drinks to order a regular drink. The lounges on Regent are calm and relaxed -- some people drinking -- others not. No reason to go at any particular time.

 

The fact that there are benefits for "concierge level" passengers on Oceania also creates a different atmosphere. Regent does not have an "Executive Lounge" or "Concierge Lounge" for the exclusive use of certain guests. The closest Regent has to the these lounges is the Coffee Connection where coffee and snacks are available to all passengers. Regent does have benefits for concierge level guests, but they are things that are received by the passengers inside of their suite.

 

There are other differences -- these are the ones that come to mind first. We have been Regent customers for many years and are close to some of the officers and crew -- they are like an extended family. We thoroughly enjoyed our time on the Riviera and became close with people on there as well. We were booked on the Marina for the end of the year but had to cancel after Oceania Air could not find reasonable flights (in their defense, there are no reasonable flights between where we live and Rio). We will definitely sail Oceania again -- probably in 2015.

 

Hope my opinion of the differences is helpful:-)

 

funny26: Not a very nice comment. I do not feel that I was "caught" at all. IMO, you cannot do an item by item comparison with Regent and Oceania as you can do when you compare luxury lines like Silversea, Seabourn, and Crystal. My attempt at making a comparison (above) is not all that helpful since it is difficult to understand a "feeling" or "atmosphere". I did the best I could but the bottom line is that Regent is a luxury cruise line and Oceania is premium plus. Those are the facts.

[wripro]

It may indeed be comparing apples to oranges. But some people prefer apples and others prefer oranges.

[JPR]

In addition to food, Riviera and Marina have superb spas with large and new saunas and steam rooms, heated tiled chaises, a thassalotherapy pool, indoor and put door seating. The exercise equipment room is huge and well-appointed. The espresso bar is panelled in cherrywood and superior to Regent's in the quality of the espresso seved. There is a massive demonstration kitchen for cooking classes, led by excellent teaching chefs. There is a dedicated arts room. The 18-hole putting course is a blast. And we calculated that the 420 square foot (that includes a much larger veranda) PH3 with a useful butler, including excursion and alcohol expenses, cost us about the same as a basic veranda suites on the Regent ships--less at the concierge levels.

 

We also enjoyed our initial voyage on Marina in its basic veranda suite; however, there is no doubt that the walk-in closets and larger shower make Regent's basic suites clearly superior. But there has been overall slippage, as others have observed.

We had amazingly good service overall on our Riviera cruise in July, significantly better than last summer's Voyager British Isles experience. And A to A- on Riviera vs a solid B+ on Voyager.

 

These are brand new ships, of course. I will look forward to trying Regent's new ship in a couple of years.

[Caroldoll]

I feel that the food on Regent is inferior. This is my own subjective opinion.

 

I feel that the décor on Regent is beige and boring. This is my own opinion...some people prefer all beige. It depresses me.

 

I felt on Regent that there was no reason for any of the crew to make that special effort for us. I felt on Oceania that the crew was more enthusiastic and helpful. Probably for more than one reason.

 

These are only my opinions.

 

I didn't have the same reaction as TC about the bars. We simply went to Horizons during tea time and ordered drinks and enjoyed our time there...at the end of tea time...then we didn't have to worry about the one bar that was crowded (Martinis). We didn't go to any of the Captain's functions even though there were free drinks. We did get the liquor package.

[msafiri]

you cannot compare Oceania to Regent. They are simply too different.

 

Actually, it seems that you & others CAN compare them & I find the comparisons interesting.

[JPR]

To be very clear, we're comparing Oceania's two newest and largest ships to the much smaller Regent ships. Regent clearly comes out on top when compared to Oceania's older "R" class ships.

[alainciao]

Computer Works

I believe you have the reality of the comparison. There are differences but 90% is just what you state, one is inclusive, one is a la carte. I have 3 "O" cruises and 5 Regent. Both are wonderful. Management knows this offers the market a choice.

[Travelcat2]

Has anyone besides me noticed that this has turned into yet another Oceania/Regent thread? So, some people prefer Regent and others prefer Oceania. Now, can we get on with the subject? This is the Regent board and hopefully it can remain so. Guess I learned a lesson...... don't answer off topic questions:o

 

The OP had thoughts about Regent going in the wrong direction but was stating "facts" that were not correct. Perhaps this thread was inactive until yesterday because there was nothing more to say.

 

Maybe those of you who wish to try and compare Regent and Oceania can try to do so on the Oceania board as we just finished a very long discussion on the subject. You an probably find the thread by using the "search" feature.

 

As far as I am concerned, Regent and Oceania are both excellent cruise lines and are as different as night and day. If you think they are alike -- that is okay too. How wonderful to have a choice between the two. Perhaps a "comparison" should be done and saved as a "sticky" so it can be referred to for newbies.

[computerworks]

Has anyone besides me noticed that this has turned into yet another Oceania/Regent thread? So, some people prefer Regent and others prefer Oceania. Now, can we get on with the subject? This is the Regent board and hopefully it can remain so. Guess I learned a lesson...... don't answer off topic questions:o

 

The OP had thoughts about Regent going in the wrong direction but was stating "facts" that were not correct. Perhaps this thread was inactive until yesterday because there was nothing more to say.

 

Maybe those of you who wish to try and compare Regent and Oceania can try to do so on the Oceania board as we just finished a very long discussion on the subject. You an probably find the thread by using the "search" feature.

 

As far as I am concerned, Regent and Oceania are both excellent cruise lines and are as different as night and day. If you think they are alike -- that is okay too. How wonderful to have a choice between the two. Perhaps a "comparison" should be done and saved as a "sticky" so it can be referred to for newbies.

 

That's a pretty cocky answer to an honest question. :mad:

 

I appreciated your prior response, but the differences you cited are miniscule.

 

Thanks.

[zorro90068]

Has anyone besides me noticed that this has turned into yet another Oceania/Regent thread? So, some people prefer Regent and others prefer Oceania. Now, can we get on with the subject? This is the Regent board and hopefully it can remain so. Guess I learned a lesson...... don't answer off topic questions:o

 

The OP had thoughts about Regent going in the wrong direction but was stating "facts" that were not correct. Perhaps this thread was inactive until yesterday because there was nothing more to say.

 

Maybe those of you who wish to try and compare Regent and Oceania can try to do so on the Oceania board as we just finished a very long discussion on the subject. You an probably find the thread by using the "search" feature.

 

As far as I am concerned, Regent and Oceania are both excellent cruise lines and are as different as night and day. If you think they are alike -- that is okay too. How wonderful to have a choice between the two. Perhaps a "comparison" should be done and saved as a "sticky" so it can be referred to for newbies.

 

 

Yes I have noticed!...ENOUGH of this O stuff on the Regent Board! Regent is Regent and NOT "O". If I want to know about the "O" then I'll read about it on the "O" boards!:rolleyes:

[room010]

I'm getting pretty bored with Regent threads constantly being hijacked by the O cheersquad too. It's not even subtle.

[Mudhen]

Although I won't post on the Regent thread anymore, I do read it.........

I think this thread ran amok a long time ago.........

[JPR]

I have to disagree. I'm not "cheerleading" for Oceania any more than Travelcat2 is doing that for Regent. I am a longtime Regent loyalist, going back to the Diamond and nearing Seven Seas Society Platinum level. I have taken only two Oceania cruises (though both were long ones).

 

The topic is whether Regent is slipping, and it is relevant that its sister cruise line's newest ships are in most ways superior, particularly in the areas of quality of food and service, which used to be Regent's strengths. Voyager and Mariner are fine ships, and I would always choose them over Oceania's "R" ships for the same itinerary--but not over Riviera and Marina.

 

I certainly hope Regent matches or surpasses them when its newest ship is launched.

[Travelcat2]

I have to disagree. I'm not "cheerleading" for Oceania any more than Travelcat2 is doing that for Regent. I am a longtime Regent loyalist, going back to the Diamond and nearing Seven Seas Society Platinum level. I have taken only two Oceania cruises (though both were long ones).

 

The topic is whether Regent is slipping, and it is relevant that its sister cruise line's newest ships are in most ways superior, particularly in the areas of quality of food and service, which used to be Regent's strengths. Voyager and Mariner are fine ships, and I would always choose them over Oceania's "R" ships for the same itinerary--but not over Riviera and Marina.

 

I certainly hope Regent matches or surpasses them when its newest ship is launched.

 

No one is arguing with you. Unfortunately, whenever Oceania is brought up, it becomes a new subject. IMO, if some people feel that Regent is slipping has nothing to do with Oceania, Silversea, Seabourn or any other cruise line. If there is a problem (and I don't know that there is), Regent needs to own it and deal with it.

[harrodsfan]

I agree with the poster that said ...best cruise voyager... worst cruise Voyager.

Our best cruise was on the Voyager...spring of 2012... Singapore to Dubai. Everything about it was magical.. from the Captain..John Oneil, to the food, to the ports,to the cruise Director Willie Ammes. to the seas, totally calm, to the other passengers..made life long friends.

The most recent cruise was on the Mariner, Rio to Miami, worst seas, I got food poisoning from the caviar, boring ports except in the Carribean and the other passengers were crankaholics, or snobs.

Is it the cruise or cruise line or what? We have had great and bad cruises on big ships. and small ships. Upscale lines and Carnival. Each cruise is unique.

Lots of things go to make it magical or not. Kind of like life.

We like the concept of prepaying for things..but Regent needs to get some new itineraries.