Onboard Mariner now

[ginny123]

Left NYC last night, beautiful Sail away.  Pictures do not do it justice.  Service everywhere has been excellent.  Full ship, but love the Mariner because it does a great job disbursing people, never feels crowded.  Very large swells with 55 mph winds, rockin' and rollin' all night long.  Prime 7 tonight, Bermuda tomorrow, Captain says more highs seas and winds tonight.

[Zqueeze1]

How is the internet since the Mariner should have star link already installed?   Have a great cruise and if you run into a lovely lady at the Mariner lounge drinking a Cosmo, that’s Karen and her husband is John.  
 

Z and TB

[jhenry1]

Great picture

[rcandkc]

Actually the winds were 55 knots ( 63 mph) .  Rather rough ride but all survived although tired. 

[rcandkc]

4 hours ago, Zqueeze1 said:

How is the internet since the Mariner should have star link already installed?   Have a great cruise and if you run into a lovely lady at the Mariner lounge drinking a Cosmo, that’s Karen and her husband is John.  
 

Z and TB

I personally don’t find it any better.  It also kicks you off within minutes of no use. 

[ginny123]

Internet seemed a lot better to us yesterday so it still seems a bit dependent on where the ship is located;  not working as well today but we are currently out to sea.  Still, a day at sea is better than one on land.

La Veranda has been constantly good at lunch.  Our dinner at Prime 7 was disappointing.  The quality of the Dover Sole, Porterhouse, and Prime Rib was less than our last cruise, April 2018.  Yes, I know, pre-pandemic.  However, all three were overcooked compared to how ordered.  They kindly offered something else and DH had two 6 oz filets which were better quality and perfectly prepared.   

[rcandkc]

12 hours ago, rcandkc said:

I personally don’t find it any better.  It also kicks you off within minutes of no use. 

Ok…I just changed a setting on my iPad and I think it may have corrected the problem of getting kicked off so quickly.  So, it was my fault. 

[mrlevin]

35 minutes ago, rcandkc said:

Ok…I just changed a setting on my iPad and I think it may have corrected the problem of getting kicked off so quickly.  So, it was my fault. 

So I don't make the same error - which setting on iPad?

[rcandkc]

11 hours ago, mrlevin said:

So I don't make the same error - which setting on iPad?

I’m sorry for late response. Been out and about.  Really quite simple…after joining the site and an icon is by it…click on it.  Then click auto join.  I thought I had this accomplished by other settings but I needed to do this.  

[1teach53]

On 11/1/2023 at 5:26 PM, Zqueeze1 said:

How is the internet since the Mariner should have star link already installed?   Have a great cruise and if you run into a lovely lady at the Mariner lounge drinking a Cosmo, that’s Karen and her husband is John.  
 

Z and TB

Awww 🥰 gee thanks ! 😻

[1teach53]

On 11/1/2023 at 10:15 PM, rcandkc said:

I personally don’t find it any better.  It also kicks you off within minutes of no use. 

We are on board now too & find the Star Link a great improvement, not perfect but better! 

[rcandkc]

56 minutes ago, 1teach53 said:

We are on board now too & find the Star Link a great improvement, not perfect but better! 

Please see my post above.  I discovered I had an issue with an Apple setting. 

[ginny123]

Internet has been great while many people are off the ship but still seems  to bog down significantly once everyone is back onboard.  

 

Just left Bermuda, high seas and wind again this afternoon and tonight.  Hoping it's much less than our first night onboard.  
 

Don't usually do shows but really enjoyed the comedian Darrell Joyce last night.  Dover Sole and NY Strip were both better in Compass Rose than in Prime 7 two nights ago.  Chartreuse tonight.

[ginny123]

Forgot to mention CD Jude has left the ship.  John Ekin is her replacement.

Edited November 3, 2023 by ginny123

[Jim Avery]

On board and find the WiFi poor 

[CurlerRob]

12 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

On board and find the WiFi poor 

However, glad you got to Bermuda, weather notwithstanding. Our September TA missed it courtesy of Lee and Margo. I'll be interested in your views on Regent/Mariner post your trip. Cheers ... 🍺🥌

[ginny123]

14 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

However, glad you got to Bermuda, weather notwithstanding. Our September TA missed it courtesy of Lee and Margo. I'll be interested in your views on Regent/Mariner post your trip. Cheers ... 🍺🥌

Second that, very interested as to your thoughts on Regent.

[rcandkc]

Well, my attempt to add a picture of beautiful sea day went awry.  Upside down 😜

[flossie009]

Looks good to me 😎

 

[pappy1022]

On 11/1/2023 at 9:34 PM, ginny123 said:

Our dinner at Prime 7 was disappointing.  The quality of the Dover Sole, Porterhouse, and Prime Rib was less than our last cruise, April 2018.  Yes, I know, pre-pandemic.  However, all three were overcooked compared to how ordered.    

I agree with your assessment of Prime 7. We were on the Splendor and got to eat at Prime 7 twice and both times the meals weren’t good, especially the lobster tails that were overcooked and rubbery. The steak and lobster at Compass Rose was far superior to Prime 7. Go figure.

[pingpong1]

2 hours ago, pappy1022 said:

I agree with your assessment of Prime 7. We were on the Splendor and got to eat at Prime 7 twice and both times the meals weren’t good, especially the lobster tails that were overcooked and rubbery. The steak and lobster at Compass Rose was far superior to Prime 7. Go figure.

Hi Pappy - We're boarding Splendor in 2 weeks (Barcelona).  Our first dinner (embarkation day) will be in P7.  I hope 🤞 someone in the kitchen will have learned how to properly cook a filet and a lobster tail before our arrival!

 

Several (certainly more than a few) recent "negative" kitchen reports on several of the ships have really been pretty disappointing!  One of the main reasons that Regent asks for (and gets) the huge fares they charge is ostensibly driven by the "exquisite dining experience and food quality" they claim to offer.  They can only "trot out the Covid excuse" for so long.  I'm able to buy perfectly good quality filets, lobster, AND king crab leg from my local grocery stores in Arizona - and that's in the middle of the desert!  I'm thinking the "food problem" might center more around "kitchen staff competence" rather than there being a scarcity of quality of food sources.

 

I'm also wondering if R has now gone "way overboard" in the pursuit of saving money rather than maintaining their own tirelessly stated "quality standards".  For now, I'm still willing to pay the huge fares (along with the huge increases) ...but not forever.  Best Regards.

[Jim Avery]

Onboard Mariner now and have had a few bad misses on food.  Compass Rose Linguini with clams.  I had the appetizer portion and it came with two clams and a bit of sauce in the bottom under the pasta.  My wife ordered the "dinner portion" and had 3 clams and a large clump of pasta with absolutely no sauce.  Told staff and they basically were disinterested...  P7 tonight and hoping for better though have heard from three couples that have already been and most disappointed with the meat and the prep.  Had some chowder today with only tiny amounts of seafood.

[ON cruiser]

Hello Jim; perhaps a quiet word with either Maître d, or executive concierge? In my past experience doing so can help. Hope it works for you!

[JerryAM]

We (wife and myself) disembarked Mariner on October 31st.  First time on Mariner and loved the ship.  Service was exemplary and we really enjoyed the layout of the public areas over Splendor and Explorer, especially the Mariner and Horizon Lounges.  Dinners in Compass Rose were the best we have had on Regent -- I loved my "side" filet each time I was there (perfectly cooked and seasoned).  Sette Mari was a disappointment, both as to food prep and service, so we only went the one time.  Our first visit to Prime 7 was also lacking, as the steaks were undercooked and served lukewarm; however, we also went the last night of the cruise and all was perfectly cooked and seasoned with great service.  Chartreuse was excellent both times we went, especially the Dover Sole.  We enjoyed, for the most part, the suggested wines, as we are novices with wine and learned of some new ones which we liked; but no problem getting something else if we did not like those selections.  We usually don't go to the entertainment song and dance shows, but ended up catching the second half of a show and really enjoying it, as well as subsequent shows -- a very talented group of singers and dancers.  Jude, as CD, was great, although I understand she is no longer on Mariner.  The Connoisseur Wine Lunch was a great use of OBC -- superb food and wines, along with great explanations by Joliza, the Head Sommelier.  Mariner, of course, is not as "glitzy" as Splendor and Explorer, but we truly enjoyed our time onboard.  We would certainly book Mariner again for the right itinerary.

[rcandkc]

3 hours ago, JerryAM said:

We (wife and myself) disembarked Mariner on October 31st.  First time on Mariner and loved the ship.  Service was exemplary and we really enjoyed the layout of the public areas over Splendor and Explorer, especially the Mariner and Horizon Lounges.  Dinners in Compass Rose were the best we have had on Regent -- I loved my "side" filet each time I was there (perfectly cooked and seasoned).  Sette Mari was a disappointment, both as to food prep and service, so we only went the one time.  Our first visit to Prime 7 was also lacking, as the steaks were undercooked and served lukewarm; however, we also went the last night of the cruise and all was perfectly cooked and seasoned with great service.  Chartreuse was excellent both times we went, especially the Dover Sole.  We enjoyed, for the most part, the suggested wines, as we are novices with wine and learned of some new ones which we liked; but no problem getting something else if we did not like those selections.  We usually don't go to the entertainment song and dance shows, but ended up catching the second half of a show and really enjoying it, as well as subsequent shows -- a very talented group of singers and dancers.  Jude, as CD, was great, although I understand she is no longer on Mariner.  The Connoisseur Wine Lunch was a great use of OBC -- superb food and wines, along with great explanations by Joliza, the Head Sommelier.  Mariner, of course, is not as "glitzy" as Splendor and Explorer, but we truly enjoyed our time onboard.  We would certainly book Mariner again for the right itinerary.

For some reason we prefer the older ships but book based on itinerary.