Transatlantic activities

[wills47]

Greetings CCers!  I did a search but I didn't come up with any kind of detail on the activities available on Regent. Their website doesn't reflect what I am looking for, and I am not sure if it doesn't exist or they just do not include it.   I have a family member who is basically a workaholic even in retirement, and needs to be busy!  She likes crafting, sewing and that type of thing.  Does Regent do any of this kind of thing on their ships?  Are there opportunities for socializing with other ladies on board?  Are there many group tables for dining with others?  My cruises have been on Celebrity, Crystal and Seabourn, so I am not familiar with Regent.  The cruise that we are looking at is a transatlantic, however  a lot depends on the onboard activites available.   Any information you can offer is much appreciated!

Thanks, Wills

[UUNetBill]

Wills - I haven't done a TA on Regent but I've had enough sea days to know that there are plenty of activities to keep everyone occupied.  Others have posted about activities on board - I don't recall anything specifically about crafting, although someone posted about making leis in the islands.  I know they have activities in the game room, lessons on card games, bridge, etc.  There is always the puzzle table, afternoon teas, lectures, etc.  I've never been short of opportunities to socialize if I was so inclined.

 

I'm sure others will chime in, but I honestly wouldn't worry about finding things to occupy your time...

[Hambagahle]

We have done several TAs with Regent - a couple of times on the Mariner and once on the Voyager and the Navigator.  here is what we experienced:

 

A choice of several lecture series, with at least two lectures a day and sometimes more.

Cooking classes - general ones more like demonstration cooking because neither ship has a hands on Culinary Arts Centre, but nonetheless very interesting

Lots of "sports" competitions - putting, shuffleboard, paddle tennis etc

Trivia (of course)

 

And on the Navigator we had the Theatre Guild of NY on board and that was very very special.  Many lectures, many performances and an outstanding talk by Patricia Neal about her life, marriage with Roald Dahl, etc.  she was an amazing lady.

 

Plus on all a "Country Fair" one afternoon - competitions etc set up by the crew.  really fun for all.  Crew very much included.

 

I would do another TA in a flash.  They are just wonderful.  take a highliter with you - you need to be able to mark what you want to go to on Passages (the newsletter) so you don't forget.  There is TOO MUCH to choose from really.

[ronrick1943]

Everything that has been said is right on---but for us you have a lot of time to just enjoy the ship, the food and time to yourself.  The time to yourself is important to us, getting the rest and enjoyment in meeting new people-some becoming friends.

[flossie009]

These two blogs from our double TransAtlantic last year might help:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2523817-transatlantic-west-to-east-on-explorer/

(Post #45 gives typical sea day activities)

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2528518-transatlantic-east-to-west-on-mariner/

(Post #85 shows a Country Fair as referenced by an earlier poster)

 

There is plenty to do on a TransAtlantic and I am sure whichever Regent cruise you choose you will thoroughly enjoy.

If your family member is travelling solo then the Social Hostess organises special events and group tables for dinner.

There is a daily meeting for Needlepoint, and Regent supplies kits if required.

[wishIweretravelling]

Adding a couple of things to the good info already given:

 

-Activities may depend to some extent on which ship you are sailing. Navigator, because it has fewer public spaces, has a bit less in terms of activities. But there's always something available. Explorer has hands-on cooking classes because it has the facility for it, and presumably Splendor will have the same. You do pay extra for those.

 

-Of course, much depends on the weather. They do try to schedule outdoor activities, but weather will of course be a major factor.

 

-If your standard is Crystal, it won't compare. Onboard activities is where Crystal shines, and no other luxury line comes close. But Regent does do a nice job of it.

[DeepFreeze63]

2 hours ago, wills47 said:

Greetings CCers!  I did a search but I didn't come up with any kind of detail on the activities available on Regent. Their website doesn't reflect what I am looking for, and I am not sure if it doesn't exist or they just do not include it.   I have a family member who is basically a workaholic even in retirement, and needs to be busy!  She likes crafting, sewing and that type of thing.  Does Regent do any of this kind of thing on their ships?  Are there opportunities for socializing with other ladies on board?  Are there many group tables for dining with others?  My cruises have been on Celebrity, Crystal and Seabourn, so I am not familiar with Regent.  The cruise that we are looking at is a transatlantic, however  a lot depends on the onboard activites available.   Any information you can offer is much appreciated!

Thanks, Wills

Hi:

Our 1st Regent cruise (have now done 14) was a TA  and was during my workaholic my years- we loved it. Like all ships, there is lots of activities on sea days as described above. Also, search "Passages" on this site; it'll show the daily activities.

Specifically to your questions: 1) DW goes to the "needle point" group every sea day (and sometimes port days) where the women socialize during all the knitting, needle-point, et.al. Regent supplies kits that DW turns in holiday presents ) "sharing" dinner tables is encouraged by Regent - we almost always do it, even at other meals when the venue is busy, and 3)some less publicized TA activites that benefit from craft interest/skill - "build-a-boat" and themed "decorate-your-door".

[wills47]

Thank you very much for all of the replies.  I am trying to "coax" this family member to try cruising because I think she really would like a proper cruise.  Her only one was on HAL and she was underwhelmed, but she really is a busy bee, so I need to make sure there are ladies activities for her.  Alas, she doesn't cook and is only mildly interested in shows.

Thanks very much!

Wills

[chuckw]

Having done several TA's, we really enjoy them.  Take an east to west, as you gain five hours instead if losing them.  We find sea days busy with activities and it's nice to get the extra hours sleep, the crew also likes it.

[UUNetBill]

1 hour ago, wills47 said:

Thank you very much for all of the replies.  I am trying to "coax" this family member to try cruising because I think she really would like a proper cruise.  Her only one was on HAL and she was underwhelmed, but she really is a busy bee, so I need to make sure there are ladies activities for her.  Alas, she doesn't cook and is only mildly interested in shows.

Thanks very much!

Wills

Kind of the other way around for us - DW had to 'coax' me into our first cruise, on Navigator in 2009.  By the third day we'd already booked our next one.  We just finished number 10 with 2 more booked.

 

We've shared our love of luxury cruising with others - my in-laws had also cruised once, many, many years ago, I believe on RCI or HAL, I don't recall - but it was basic cruising in an inside cabin on a crowded ship.  We finally convinced them to come with us on Regent once, and they've accompanied us three times now.  It's an addiction...

 

PS - told ya others would chime in.   

Edited February 22, 2019 by UUNetBill
Added PS

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I suspect there might be a needlepoint group, there was on our last longer Mariner cruise.  Also Mah Jongg, although not organized if I remember correctly.  It's possible that knitters and/or crocheters could join that group and have pleasant conversations while they work, don't know.

Edited February 22, 2019 by Wendy The Wanderer

[ArtsyCraftsy]

I haven't done a TA yet, but my first Regent cruise was 28 days from Vancouver, BC to Miami via Alaska and the Panama Canal on the Mariner with plenty of sea days.  And I, too, am a crafter (hence my CC moniker) ...  

 

I do mostly thread crochet (lace/etc.), occasional knitting, and some papercrafts, things that are small enough to take along on a longer cruise without taking up too much valuable luggage space.  So my response is based on experience with just one of the RSSC ships, and may or may not apply to the others.

 

There was a daily "sit and stitch" in the afternoon with small needlepoint kits provided for those who needed something to work on.  Others just brought whatever they were working on to sit and socialize.  Also, I can guarantee that if she finds a nice chair or settee in any of the many lovely public areas and brings along her portable craft, she'll soon attract and make friends with additional crafters, who will likely be open to scheduling time to get together and socialize over their stitching/etc.  

 

There's a "solo and sociable" gathering every evening for those traveling alone who would like to socialize/dine with others -- the time/location will be in the Passages each day.  It usually starts in one of the lounges and then moves to the MDR for dining together.  In addition, you can show up at the MDR and indicate that you're willing to share a table, and you should be seated with a group.  We also ate in Chartreuse one night (a table for 10 -- had a blast!).  So there's that.

 

And there's also the afternoon tea -- another place to meet and mingle.  Speaking of which, she could join CC and join her cruise's Roll Call as a way to "pre-meet" people with similar interests who will be on her cruise.

 

I've also sailed on HAL (twice so far, two more coming up this year) -- and I try to organize a "sit and stitch" on the CC Roll Call for my cruise.  I just put out a general "announcement" to meet in the Crow's Nest at a particular time usually the second or third day of the cruise.  On my last HAL cruise, we started with (I think) about 8-10 crafters from the roll call, but word spread during the course of the 38-day trip, and we ended up with close to 20 or so (not all at once -- but individuals who showed up at least once).  We had crocheters, knitters (our itinerary was North Atlantic, including Greenland, Iceland, and Norway -- lots of yarn shops!), cross stitchers, needlepointers, a jewelry maker, a couple of quilters, and a tatter.  I haven't tried that yet on my RSSC roll calls (my next RSSC cruise is the 2020 World Cruise -- LOTS of sea days on that one!), but I will.

 

RSSC is a very different experience from HAL -- smaller ships, people seem friendlier and more interested in getting to know you, less "class conscious," more relaxed.  So she may find RSSC a better fit.  I still look at both and book primarily for the itinerary, but I find myself moving more and more to RSSC.  I'll be spending 208 days onboard the Mariner in 2020 (131-day World Cruise, a 14-day Alaska cruise in the summer, and the 68-day Grand Cape Horn Adventure in the fall), always toting my crafty stuff along.

 

Lana in Bellingham, WA

 

 

[wills47]

What great responses!  Thanks so much!  I forwarded Flossie's links to the Busy bee and she saaaaiiidddddd she would look at them.  I will forward Lana's as well! 

 

Much appreciated!  If I don't get her on this boat it won't be for lack of information or trying!

 

Wills