First timer-lots of questions

[allison12]

My husband and I are going on the Explorer Baltic cruise (July 2nd-12 roughly).  We are traveling with my brother and his wife and my parents (for their 50th wedding anniversary).

 

My husband and I have NEVER been on a cruise.  Not ever.  

So, please bear with me and my rookie questions.

1. Dining reservations:  can we make reservations for a party of 6 (to all eat together)?  

If yes, then can the three rooms that we have each make a party of 6 reservation for say, Prime 7 (giving us 3 nights at that place)...not that we would...just figuring out the system.

 

2.  Attire.     I have read they are super strict about the "no jeans" rule.  Is this still true?   

What do most people wear to dinner?  Can women wear open toe sandals? Can you change after dinner and be on the ship/have a drink somewhere dressed down a little?   For reference, I am 43, hubby is 46.  Brother and his wife a slightly younger.  

 

3.  Can we request a special something...I don't even know what...for my parent's anniversary dinner?  50 years is a pretty big deal.  

 

4.  Excursions:  Are the more active excursions good?  We are pretty active people.  Camping, hiking, tennis...typically when we travel we are independent and go go go to see as much as possible.  Any tips?

 

I appreciate any input.  

 

 

 

[Travelcat2]

Hi and welcome to the Regent board.  I'm copying and pasting your questions and will respond in red below them.  

 

1. Dining reservations:  can we make reservations for a party of 6 (to all eat together)?  

If yes, then can the three rooms that we have each make a party of 6 reservation for say, Prime 7 (giving us 3 nights at that place)...not that we would...just figuring out the system.

 

When you make a dining reservation for 6 people, you will need their booking number (good to know in advance).  Everyone will still receive only one reservation per restaurant.  Depending on the length of the cruise, you often can get additional reservations. 

 

2.  Attire.     I have read they are super strict about the "no jeans" rule.  Is this still true?   

What do most people wear to dinner?  Can women wear open toe sandals? Can you change after dinner and be on the ship/have a drink somewhere dressed down a little?   For reference, I am 43, hubby is 46.  Brother and his wife a slightly younger.  

 

Yes - passengers are reminded that "no jeans" are permitted anywhere on the ship except the pool deck after 6:00 p.m.  You can have a drink at the pool bar dressed more casually but would need to change if you want to go to one of the lounges.  Women can definitely wear open toe sandals - just no rubber flip flops.  The dress code is quite easy.  Men can wear slacks (even Dockers) and a collared shirt (this can be a polo shirt but the majority of men wear a short or long sleeved buttoned shirt).  Women get away with a lot (but no jeans:-). Slacks and a blouse are fine.  

 

For the Captain's Reception and when visiting specialty restaurants, men do tend to dress up more.  Sometimes just adding a dress shirt - some add a tie and many wear a sports jacket.  Women may wear a dressier top.  Dressing up more I not required but passengers need to know that the majority of the passengers will be dressed slightly more dressed up than the minimum requirement.

 

3.  Can we request a special something...I don't even know what...for my parent's anniversary dinner?  50 years is a pretty big deal.  

 

Make sure that Regent knows that it is your parent's anniversary.  They will likely put decorate their suite and have a special cake for them.  (See my comments about your travel agent below).

 

4.  Excursions:  Are the more active excursions good?  We are pretty active people.  Camping, hiking, tennis...typically when we travel we are independent and go go go to see as much as possible.  Any tips?

 

Suggest that you go to the Regent website and look at a Baltic cruise that has a similar itinerary to the one that you are doing (there should be several).  Check out their excursions.  There are definitely excursions where you could do some hiking - possibly biking but no camping or tennis.  Others will likely have input on this topic. 

 

Changing colors again- just for ease of reading (or perhaps I'm making it more complicated).  Please make sure that you use a TA (travel agent) that regularly books Regent cruises and can give you sound advice.  You may have a friend or relative in the business but, at least for luxury cruising, you need an experienced luxury cruising TA.  You should be able to get a percentage back of your cruise fare and likely will get on board credits to spend.  While we cannot share travel agent information on CC, if you do a little research, you should be able to find a good one.  

 

Hope that this information is helpful.  We disembarked Explorer yesterday - it was an amazing cruise!

 

[RachelG]

I agree with everything Travelcat advised.  But I want to emphasize, this is a high end cruise.  People really do dress for dinner.  We started cruising on Regent when we were in our late 40s.  I am now 60. So I have been where you are.  Enjoy the dressing for a special occasion.

 

if you look at the excursion descriptions, only consider those with two walking men or more.  Do not ever take a “panoramic” tour, as that means in a bus.  Look for things that warn of a lot of walking.  That is what you want.

[Balian65]

We will be on the same cruise. But being Regent first timers as well I can't tell you much about the ship or the cruise line. We have already booked excursions and at least at two occasions (Klaipeda/Tallinn) you have the opportunity for biking or kayaking.

 

In Petersburg it is definitely the best option to join a group. We have been there as independent travellers some years ago and it will take you a long time to pass the long lines before the big places like the hermitage. And without speaking Russian you can easily get lost in that city, no comparison to any other big European town.

 

For Berlin it depends on what you want to see. Just to have a fast look at all the famous places or if you have a specific interest on the very special history and atmosphere of that place. Feel free to ask I am German.

 

Copenhagen and Stockholm are very interesting places. It is worth to spend one, two or three days before and after your cruise. Wish you all the best in preparation for that event.

Edited March 11, 2019 by Balian65

[UUNetBill]

13 hours ago, allison12 said:

My husband and I are going on the Explorer Baltic cruise (July 2nd-12 roughly).  We are traveling with my brother and his wife and my parents (for their 50th wedding anniversary).

 

My husband and I have NEVER been on a cruise.  Not ever.  

So, please bear with me and my rookie questions.

1. Dining reservations:  can we make reservations for a party of 6 (to all eat together)?  

If yes, then can the three rooms that we have each make a party of 6 reservation for say, Prime 7 (giving us 3 nights at that place)...not that we would...just figuring out the system.

You'll probably love Regent.  My wife and I took our first cruise on Regent in 2009 and had our second one booked by day 3.  They're addictive.  As to dining reservations, as TC said earlier, you each get one reservation in each specialty restaurant (P7, Chartreuse, Pacific Rim) and they'll take your cabin numbers when you reserve, so everyone at the table gets their reservation counted.  So, bottom line - one each.  But...you can speak with the Dining Reservation desk to see about additional reservations.  Your chances increase if you're flexible on the time and/or opt for a shared table.  But on a 10-night cruise, we've found that usually one reservation per specialty restaurant is fine as the dining options in Compass Rose and Sette Mari will provide plenty of variety to keep most everyone happy.

 

13 hours ago, allison12 said:

2.  Attire.     I have read they are super strict about the "no jeans" rule.  Is this still true?   

What do most people wear to dinner?  Can women wear open toe sandals? Can you change after dinner and be on the ship/have a drink somewhere dressed down a little?   For reference, I am 43, hubby is 46.  Brother and his wife a slightly younger.  

We were 41 and 49 on our first cruise and had no issues with the dress code at all.  They're pretty adamant about the 'no-jeans' rule - there are discussions ad nauseum about 'dressy jeans' and whatnot - but honestly, some nice slacks, Dockers, chinos, whatever...it's fine.  I often wear light casual slacks and a Tommy Bahama and no one blinks.  You'll often see sport coats and even suits in the specialty dining rooms but they're not required at all.  I usually throw on a sport coat just because they can sometimes be chilly.  As TC said, nice sandals are fine...flip-flops, not so much.

 

13 hours ago, allison12 said:

3.  Can we request a special something...I don't even know what...for my parent's anniversary dinner?  50 years is a pretty big deal.  

My wife and I have done birthdays and anniversaries while onboard and Regent will always make it special.  It's nice if you have a butler cabin for these events as he will work with you a bit more closely and escort you to dinner and whatnot (usually), but they'll take care of you in any class of cabin, too.  Just be sure to let them know what the celebration is and they'll take care of it.  We've had our names on the in-suite TV for anniversaries and birthdays, there have been balloons and champagne, serenades by the General Manager, etc...

 

13 hours ago, allison12 said:

4.  Excursions:  Are the more active excursions good?  We are pretty active people.  Camping, hiking, tennis...typically when we travel we are independent and go go go to see as much as possible.  Any tips?

Generally, the 2 and 3 walker excursions are the best if you don't want to be stuck on a bus doing drive-bys.  Be advised, though, that this can sometimes backfire as you'll be on a 3-walker hiking tour or something, and you get someone who has vastly underestimated their own abilities and tends to hold up the entire group.  Sometimes they can work around that, sometimes not.  I did a zipline excursion in the rainforest one time and we had a dude who was afraid of heights.  EVERY platform we were on I thought he was going to have some sort of event...I was like, "Why did you sign up for this?!?"  They eventually radioed in for someone to walk out in the forest and escort this guy back to the office.  But for the most part, the active excursions are good and well managed - and I've actually seen some tours where they're questioning people's abilities to keep up now, which is good.  Bottom line - 99% of the time, the more active ones are better for what you're looking for based on your descriptions.

 

13 hours ago, allison12 said:

I appreciate any input.  

Feel free to ask any questions you have - I know I probably drove people nuts here back in 2009 asking about our first cruise.  I was glad I did - it made the trip run that much smoother.  Enjoy your cruise!!

[allison12]

Thanks everyone!  I really appreciate all of your thoughts and advice!  I am excited/nervous about this trip for sure. 

So far, I have booked my husband and I on the most active excursions (mountain biking/kayaking and so forth). My parents know their limits and will be doing some of the easier/slower speed excursions.  While I would love to see some of the history of Berlin, that will have to be a separate trip.  Too much bus time for us.  We get stir crazy!   

 

The dining reservations system makes sense.  Since we tend to eat pretty late (8:30 or so), I am guessing we will have opportunities if we want to!

 

Someone on another thread mentioned a welcome night and a goodbye dinner night?  What are these?  I think I saw that it occurs on the second night and the second to the last night.  Is there a best place to eat on those nights?

 

I wish we had a butler...but we are a level below that. Concierge Suite E level.  Should I reach out to Regent directly closer to our trip to arrange something for my parents anniversary?  Or is this something our travel agent should do?  She is a high end/luxury travel agent...so she should be familiar with the company.

 

Okay--this is dumb.  But, I hate coffee.  My husband loves it and will be thrilled to have it in the room.  Will they stock the fridge in our room with some Diet Coke if I ask?

 

Can we keep wine/beer/bourbon in our room or do you have to be in certain areas to drink? How do we get it there--assuming we don't have to BYOB from our departure city!

 

Again!  Thank you for your patience!  Super excited--kid free trip!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[allison12]

1 hour ago, Balian65 said:

We will be on the same cruise. But being Regent first timers as well I can't tell you much about the ship or the cruise line. We have already booked excursions and at least at two occasions (Klaipeda/Tallinn) you have the opportunity for biking or kayaking.

 

In Petersburg it is definitely the best option to join a group. We have been there as independent travellers some years ago and it will take you a long time to pass the long lines before the big places like the hermitage. And without speaking Russian you can easily get lost in that city, no comparison to any other big European town.

 

For Berlin it depends on what you want to see. Just to have a fast look at all the famous places or if you have a specific interest on the very special history and atmosphere of that place. Feel free to ask I am German.

 

Copenhagen and Stockholm are very interesting places. It is worth to spend one, two or three days before and after your cruise. Wish you all the best in preparation for that event.

Balian65!  So excited to find someone going on the same trip!     Just wondering what your thoughts are on the Berlin/Wannemunde (spelling?) excursions.  Like I said-- NOT interested in a bus ride all the way to Berlin. We love history/beautiful scenery/etc.  Not as much of a art museum/music/dance kind of couple.  

 

We will not get our own visas in Russia.  We will stick to the group stuff.  Possibly organizing a day for the 6 of us with a guide for one day.  

 

[UUNetBill]

1 minute ago, allison12 said:

Thanks everyone!  I really appreciate all of your thoughts and advice!  I am excited/nervous about this trip for sure. 

So far, I have booked my husband and I on the most active excursions (mountain biking/kayaking and so forth). My parents know their limits and will be doing some of the easier/slower speed excursions.  While I would love to see some of the history of Berlin, that will have to be a separate trip.  Too much bus time for us.  We get stir crazy!   

 

The dining reservations system makes sense.  Since we tend to eat pretty late (8:30 or so), I am guessing we will have opportunities if we want to!

Yep, you probably will.

 

1 minute ago, allison12 said:

Someone on another thread mentioned a welcome night and a goodbye dinner night?  What are these?  I think I saw that it occurs on the second night and the second to the last night.  Is there a best place to eat on those nights?

It's not so much a 'best place' but a 'best time' - truth be told, I don't pay much attention to these festivities, the Captain's Reception and all that.  My only 'must do' event on each cruise is 'Krew Kapers' - the crew show on the next to last night.

 

1 minute ago, allison12 said:

I wish we had a butler...but we are a level below that. Concierge Suite E level.  Should I reach out to Regent directly closer to our trip to arrange something for my parents anniversary?  Or is this something our travel agent should do?  She is a high end/luxury travel agent...so she should be familiar with the company.

Honestly, butlers are hit-and-miss.  We've had some okay ones and we've had some great ones.  I think we do butlers on maybe 40% or our trips, and those usually only with upsells/upgrades.  We generally book Cat F or so, so having a butler for us is a nicety, not a requirement.  Cat E is more than adequate, IMO.  As to special event arrangements, I know I've filled that out online before but I can't remember if that was the butler request form or if it's in the normal questionnaire.  In either case, I'd call Regent directly as well as check in on embarkation day.

 

1 minute ago, allison12 said:

Okay--this is dumb.  But, I hate coffee.  My husband loves it and will be thrilled to have it in the room.  Will they stock the fridge in our room with some Diet Coke if I ask?

I agree - hating coffee is dumb.      The Illy espresso pods in the Concierge cabins are okay, the brewed Illy coffee is mediocre at best (some despise it) but the Coffee Connection has the answer!  They make awesome coffee drinks - your husband will enjoy, I'm sure.  For any drinks you want in your room just ask your cabin steward/stewardess and they'll make sure you have whatever soft drinks you want available.  You could ask them to remove all the soda and beer and water and just fill up with Diet Coke if that's what you want.

 

1 minute ago, allison12 said:

Can we keep wine/beer/bourbon in our room or do you have to be in certain areas to drink? How do we get it there--assuming we don't have to BYOB from our departure city!

The whole ship is okay for having a drink (well, I'd assume maybe not on the bridge) there are bars everywhere.  We had a bottle of single malt waiting in our cabin last time we boarded.  There's also a welcome bottle of champagne, too.  Finding a drink or two on board is never an issue.

 

1 minute ago, allison12 said:

Again!  Thank you for your patience!  Super excited--kid free trip!!!

Kid free - the best kind.   

[UUNetBill]

Allison12 - just saw we're almost neighbors - we'll make sure to wave at you the next time we fly out of CLT for a cruise!  LOL!!

[allison12]

3 minutes ago, UUNetBill said:

Allison12 - just saw we're almost neighbors - we'll make sure to wave at you the next time we fly out of CLT for a cruise!  LOL!!

Ha!  Small world!  And my parents live on Lake Keowee now!

 

[UUNetBill]

6 minutes ago, allison12 said:

Ha!  Small world!  And my parents live on Lake Keowee now!

 

And I have a cousin on Hartwell.  Seems like quite a few cruisers in this area, the Atlanta to Charlotte corridor...

[Balian65]

Yes we are looking forward to our Baltic trip as well. For Warnemünde (which is a suburb of Rostock) excursions without Berlin I saw three options. One is a technical museum about an hour away, then you can take several tours to the city of Rostock which I would only recommend if you feel lost in a non English-speaking environment and the last option is the tour to the railway in Bad Doberan which is a nice historical seaside resort.

 

Depending on the weather we personally will take either a beach break directly in Warnemünde or take a cab to the historical seaside resort (20 miles distance). Guided excursions in our own country in English language would be a very strange idea to us.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

1 hour ago, allison12 said:

...

Can we keep wine/beer/bourbon in our room or do you have to be in certain areas to drink? How do we get it there--assuming we don't have to BYOB from our departure city!

...

 

Not sure exactly what you meant to ask here.  Do you mean can you carry drinks from your room to public areas?  You could, but not many would, since it's free-flowing in bars throughout the ship. Certainly no need to take a beer from your room.  If you have a special bottle, you can just take it to the restaurant with you, and they will serve you, but other than that, not sure what you want/need. 

[Johnthesailor]

1 hour ago, allison12 said:

Can we keep wine/beer/bourbon in our room or do you have to be in certain areas to drink? How do we get it there--assuming we don't have to BYOB from our departure city! 

 

Just in case you do not know, Regent includes alcohol, coffee, tea, water and just about anything you could drink.  No extra charge - included in your cruise fare.  Just ask the cabin attendant and he/she will get you two full size bottles of spirits or wine.  Beer is usually in your fridge already but if you want a particular brand - just ask.  There are multiple bars on the ship and the drinks (except for some really top shelf stuff) is without any extra charge.

Don't even think about purchasing alcohol or diet cokes off the ship and transporting to the ship (unless there is some unique drink you like) as it is available on the ship.

 

Welcome to all (almost all) inclusive luxury sailing.

1 hour ago, allison12 said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RachelG]

On embarkation day, your cabin steward will come by and introduce himself.  I take this opportunity to advise them to take everything out of the fridge except for bottled water and diet Coke and bring some bottles of Perrier in as well.  If you want a specific type of beer, they will stock the fridge with that as well, assuming it is onboard.  There is usually hennekin and Bud light in there when you arrive.  We have them take that away. 

[DeepFreeze63]

Maybe because it's because we are in the "50 years married category" but we feel that Regent restaurants and lounges are kept coolish and sometimes frigid. Your parents should bring sweaters.

[UUNetBill]

28 minutes ago, DeepFreeze63 said:

Maybe because it's because we are in the "50 years married category" ...

That'll teach y'all to get married when you're only 5 years old...    

[never2home]

23 hours ago, allison12 said:

My husband and I are going on the Explorer Baltic cruise (July 2nd-12 roughly).  We are traveling with my brother and his wife and my parents (for their 50th wedding anniversary).

 

My husband and I have NEVER been on a cruise.  Not ever.  

So, please bear with me and my rookie questions.

1. Dining reservations:  can we make reservations for a party of 6 (to all eat together)?  

If yes, then can the three rooms that we have each make a party of 6 reservation for say, Prime 7 (giving us 3 nights at that place)...not that we would...just figuring out the system.

 

2.  Attire.     I have read they are super strict about the "no jeans" rule.  Is this still true?   

What do most people wear to dinner?  Can women wear open toe sandals? Can you change after dinner and be on the ship/have a drink somewhere dressed down a little?   For reference, I am 43, hubby is 46.  Brother and his wife a slightly younger.  

 

3.  Can we request a special something...I don't even know what...for my parent's anniversary dinner?  50 years is a pretty big deal.  

 

4.  Excursions:  Are the more active excursions good?  We are pretty active people.  Camping, hiking, tennis...typically when we travel we are independent and go go go to see as much as possible.  Any tips?

 

I appreciate any input.  

 

 

 

allison12, thank you for all of your questions.  My husband and I are booked on our first Regent cruise and you asked many of the questions I needed answers to.  Keep them coming!

[Ep010835]

23 hours ago, allison12 said:

2.  Attire.     I have read they are super strict about the "no jeans" rule.  Is this still true?   

 

😀

[Travelcat2]

Agree about the alcohol - it is available in lounges, in restaurants, on the pool deck and, of course, in your suite.  I may suggest that you order top shelf drinks if that is your preference.  For instance, when we order a tequila drink, we order Don Julio (or Patron).  

 

In terms of coffee, I am not much of a coffee drinker but do enjoy some of their alcoholic coffee drinks.  Also, to my knowledge, Explorer is the only ship with French press coffee which he finds better than coffee on any other ship.  

 

Another not to miss daily event is Regent's afternoon tea (especially on sea days).  The decadent desserts, small sandwiches, scones and clotted cream are to die for.

 

If you are up late, look for the night when they do "Liar's Club" (generally after the show at night).  Lots of fun.

 

While I don't think that this has been mentioned, the gym, saunas, aromatherapy room (separate for men and women) and the  infinity pool (in the spa area) are wonderful (no cost).  My husband goes from one to another area, ending with a dip in the infinity pool and a shower.  Not to sound repetitive, but these areas are dramatically better than on any other Regent ship.

 

There are very few rules on Regent.  The dress code, of course, and passengers go ballistic if people try to save lounges on the pool deck.  The staff is suppose to remove items that are left for over half an hour.  They also do not want people walking around the ship in bathrobes (you'd be surprised how many people try to do this - quite disgusting in my opinion).  

 

There are so many wonderful things about Regent (especially Explorer).  The worst thing that can happen is that you can become addicted as we did 15 years ago. 

[travelwell]

I am afraid you guys are about to be over the top spoilt. I called Regent ahead last time as I was a TAB drinker. Just wondering if they would be able to provide a case or so.This was a med cruise, and I said diet coke would do.  TAB was always available in our room . We drank little of the stocked alcohol in the room as we tended to have a drink in the bars or by pool. For your parents you can order just about anything with 24 hours notice. As a poster said on another regent thread if you want chocolate dipped strawberries delivered to your room every afternoon it will happen free of charge.

I also live close to many of you guys. My mother in law in Gastonia. I think a bit of southern word of month. Think of the dress code as resort casual as you might wear at Kiawah, Hilton Head or Amelia Island. We have booked a WC and my DH will be bringing 1 sport coat and 1 tie. I doubt he will wear the tie....

[Ep010835]

3 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

Another not to miss daily event is Regent's afternoon tea (especially on sea days).  The decadent desserts, small sandwiches, scones and clotted cream are to die for.

 

Sounds wonderful! Can you elaborate on the dessert part?

[Travelcat2]

34 minutes ago, Ep010835 said:

 

Sounds wonderful! Can you elaborate on the dessert part?

 

Sometimes they have a chocolate theme with a chocolate fountain (good chocolate - not the cheap stuff) with fruit and marshmallows to dip into it, chocolate cookies, cakes - various pastries.  There are likely 30 different items available that are chocolate.  They also do a cheese cake buffet on a different day.  There are too many options to share.  They will likely have anything that you could want on one day or the other. Again, they can only do this huge buffets on sea days as it makes no sense to do it when most passengers are ashore.  The sandwiches and scones are there daily. This is held late in the afternoon so one must consider that they will be going to dinner.

 

 

[Ep010835]

10 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Sometimes they have a chocolate theme with a chocolate fountain (good chocolate - not the cheap stuff) with fruit and marshmallows to dip into it, chocolate cookies, cakes - various pastries.  There are likely 30 different items available that are chocolate.  They also do a cheese cake buffet on a different day.  There are too many options to share.  They will likely have anything that you could want on one day or the other. Again, they can only do this huge buffets on sea days as it makes no sense to do it when most passengers are ashore.  The sandwiches and scones are there daily. This is held late in the afternoon so one must consider that they will be going to dinner.

 

 

 

Death by Chocolate!! I'm in. ❤️

Thanks, TC. 

[ronrick1943]

2 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Sometimes they have a chocolate theme with a chocolate fountain (good chocolate - not the cheap stuff) with fruit and marshmallows to dip into it, chocolate cookies, cakes - various pastries.  There are likely 30 different items available that are chocolate.  They also do a cheese cake buffet on a different day.  There are too many options to share.  They will likely have anything that you could want on one day or the other. Again, they can only do this huge buffets on sea days as it makes no sense to do it when most passengers are ashore.  The sandwiches and scones are there daily. This is held late in the afternoon so one must consider that they will be going to dinner.

 

 

 

Wow, you know for the Regent cruises we've been on we have never made it to High Tea----You made it sound like something we're missing-we'll give it a try this April.