Grandeur live 12/14 - 12/21

[lorimay]

Hello from the Grandeur. I have never done a live review before but thought I’d share my experience.  About us - we’ve cruised quite a bit, in the last few years mostly on Celebrity with a couple of recent Oceania cruises on Marina and Riviera thrown in. This is our first Regent cruise. We’re a little fed up with lowered food and service on Celebrity and the feeling we were being nicked and dimed. We liked Oceania but found it a little sedate for us and we are not big partiers. 
 

Here’s some hits, missed and fails from our first day. 
 

We had a 12:30 check in and arrived at about noon. There was a huge line and we were told it was still the 11:30 line so sit and wait. The line moved slowly and check in seemed really old fashioned compared to the experience on Celebrity.  Not a huge inconvenience but not the luxury experience we expected. We got on board around 1pm. Slight miss 
 

I asked at checkin and again at the destination desk about checking our carry ons. No clue and didn’t even ask anyone. Turns out there was one in the casino.  Big miss. 
 

The ship is gorgeous. I heard the word stunning from several people. We are in an F1 and it is perfect. Lots and lots of storage. Beautiful decor. 
 

We ate lunch at the pool grill. We didn’t understand the system. There were no servers. Tables were not set. We asked for silverware and the one server said we could order from her. My husband ate from the buffet- lots of choices. I wanted a Reuben with no sauerkraut. She told it would be difficult since they are pre made. Ordered a hamburger medium and it showed up rare, but my husband’s steamed shrimp were excellent. I ate a sausage from the buffet and it was cold. Got an iced tea after I flagged someone down but they never refilled. Not a great beginning. I was really expecting outstanding service but it seems something is really off on this cruise. 
 

We went to CR for dinner at 7:30. Maitre d’ apologized for the bad location of our table, all the way in the back in front of a service area. It’s a full cruise. Location was not a big deal. However, service was not good. I got offered wine right away which would have been fine but I don’t drink. Never got offered an alternative beverage. Water was poured without asking if we wanted sparkling or still I prefer sparkling but they never came back to refill. We sat for 30 minutes before the waiter came to take our order, then he mumbled an apology. Three tables around ours got up and left before their meals were served. The food was very good, but our mains were lukewarm and my hollandaise was so cold and congealed it wouldn’t pour. My husband ordered the cheese plate for dessert and got the cheesecake. 
 

I’m sorry, but this is not luxury cruising. 
 

The biggest fail for me was this one. Because we don’t drink, I contacted special requests a few weeks ago to ask about non-alcoholic spirits in the lounges. I got a very nice response saying they had been able to get the “gin” but not the vodka. Then the rep said that since we didn’t drink, they would remove the alcohol from the refrigerator and have a champagne alternative in the room. That was a nice gesture that we didn’t need or expect. We don’t have alcohol issues, just choose not to drink. Needless to say, there was beer in our fridge and the bottle of champagne on ice when we arrived. Don’t make the offer if you can’t follow through. 
 

Finally, got back from the show (where they had a big glitch) and pressed the room service button on the phone to get hot water and some ice.  A few minutes later the door bell rings. Room steward wants to know what we need but meanwhile we had found the ice bucket in the fridge. We told him hot water. He said we had to call room service. We said we did. He said he couldn’t help. Then two minutes later the hot water shows up. We were laughing hysterically. 
 

I’m just hoping things improve! Should we go talk to someone?
 

 

[Roxydog15]

Thanks for posting.  We are on board on the 21st.  What you describe is disappointing.  I hope they get those new ship kinks out real fast.  But this does sound different than other recent posted experiences.

[LesandDavid]

Thanks so much for posting your experience, as there is a lot of interest in this new ship.  We are booked on the Grandeur next year.  Like you, we have sailed many times, mostly on Celebrity and Holland America.  We are hoping Regent will live up to our high expectations.  It sounds like your experiences may temper our expectations.  I sure hope things improve from your initial impressions.  Any more information you can share will be appreciated. 

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

Wow, sorry you experienced these glitches that aren't excusable for a high end luxury product. The lack of attention to detail on the first day is concerning. Hope things go better soon. I'm a devout Viking Ocean guy looking to branch out & try either Regent or Silversea. Seven Seas Grandeur is on the top of my list. I'll be following your reports in rapt attention. 

[bitob]

I was on this ship for the crossing and on again now. 
 

We must be in different ships

 

i have experienced nothing but perfection in every respect 

[NYC-London]

Lorimay is correct and we also experienced many of the same issues and just hoping it is “opening day jitters”. We have never before been on such a short (only seven days) Regent cruise and the vibe is quite different than in previous cruises. Lots of new faces (meaning crew) and many seem to be learning the ropes. 

[flossie009]

9 hours ago, lorimay said:

Should we go talk to someone?

Sorry you had such bad first impressions.

Since most of the issues are related to food & drink, I would ask to see the F&B Manager and run through all the items with him/her.

The management on board would much prefer you bringing things to their attention immediately, so that they can address any shortcomings, rather than just complaining after the event on social media

 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by flossie009

[pappy1022]

Thank you for your honest and fair review. I also hope that things improve for you. Apologies need to come from Regent. I was on Splendor recently and experienced inconsistent service and food as well as terrible customer service from Destination Services. Admittedly, some things were excellent so I know Regent can deliver a very good product. Many people have expressed significant service issues on various Regent ships in the post COVID era. 

[flossie009]

1 hour ago, pappy1022 said:

Many people have expressed significant service issues on various Regent ships in the post COVID era. 

…………. but many more have had excellent Regent cruises with perfect service

 

[pappy1022]

Yes, do say something. Most of the time you will get it corrected immediately. Rgenet does try to make it right and it’s important you say something.

[pappy1022]

2 minutes ago, flossie009 said:

…………. but many more have had excellent Regent cruises with perfect service

 

Thus the issue that they have been inconsistent. I can only speak from my experiences and what I read on these boards.

[Georgia_Peaches]

Oh no!  I couldn’t wait to open this post and read a report…wasn’t expecting this!  We are scheduled for a Granduer sailing in 2025 and are mostly Celebrity cruisers as well. We just finished the first voyage on the new Celebrity Ascent and when I say it was nothing short of perfect, it’s no exaggeration. I would expect the same for you! I’m following with great interest and hope things improve!

[CardowMD]

2 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Oh no!  I couldn’t wait to open this post and read a report…wasn’t expecting this!  We are scheduled for a Granduer sailing in 2025 and are mostly Celebrity cruisers as well. We just finished the first voyage on the new Celebrity Ascent and when I say it was nothing short of perfect, it’s no exaggeration. I would expect the same for you! I’m following with great interest and hope things improve!

I was on the pre-inaugural cruise too, and was really impressed by how smoothly everything went on the Ascent. We were expecting some glitches, and frankly there were none! Food, service and facilities were outstanding. Excellent training for the crew prior to bringing passengers on board. Just booked Navigator 10 n from Istanbul Nov 2025, this older ship seems to have their game together.

 

Sounds like people that have been on Grandeur for a couple of weeks, may not have experienced these issues like newly boarding passengers.

 

i hope things improve for everyone that just boarded!

[mrlevin]

Stephane is F&B on Grandeur and is excellent and easy to talk to; I would definitely bring your concerns directly to him.  Afterwards, when you go in Compass Rose you will find that they print a small piece of paper after you give them your cabin number and give it to waiter. I would ask the waiter for the piece of paper after he has read it and see that the issues that you reported have been passed on to the dining room staff. 
 

marc

[flossie009]

I agree with Marc, Stephane is very approachable and always helpful.

Do not hesitate to discuss your issues with him.

 

 

[Georgia_Peaches]

44 minutes ago, CardowMD said:

I was on the pre-inaugural cruise too, and was really impressed by how smoothly everything went on the Ascent. We were expecting some glitches, and frankly there were none!

We were expecting some as well...particularly because we looked at the pre-maiden voyage as a "practice cruise".  One of the big stand outs from OP's initial impression of Granduer is the boarding process.  Boarding lines just aren't a thing with Celebrity...we arrived early and were curb to ship in 15 minutes.  

It's good to read that others are not having some of the same issues as OP and I am glad to know that personnel on board are approachable and hopefully eager to rectify any problems.

Edited December 15, 2023 by Georgia_Peaches

[Anon None]

Thank you all, sure appreciate everyone's insight. Getting on the 21st and I was/am also a Celebrity cruiser. I tried Seabourn last October and it was very nice, looking forward to trying Regent. Hopefully discussing the glitches with F & B will help resolve the inconsistencies. Wish you all safe and enjoyable travels! 

[bitob]

Always talk to someone on board. They want to make it right. Posting your complaints on cc won’t lead to any improvement. Regent is incredibly responsive. As the other poster said, I see no difference between this cruise and the crossing other than the 7- day Caribbean cruise demographic. lol perfection. Imo.  Everyone’s experience can be different 

 

But sometimes they don’t. I love this story
on a recent silversea b2b cruise I had the worst experience and we love silversea. I talked to everyone from the f&b guy exec chef and 2 different gms. Nothing got better. I had been on the same ship 6 months before and it was fabulous. I never posted on cc.
 

When I got home my ta gave me emails of 2 top execs. I wrote a detailed chronology of all the issues and everyperson I spoke to. It was a very specific chronology Wow. They were very grateful. I was not expecting anything. I have 3 more ss cruises booked and wanted them to be as I expected

 

they gave me a huge fcc (thousands) and I could apply to existing booking.  I was shocked. I will be on ss again in March 

[Georgia_Peaches]

6 minutes ago, bitob said:

Posting your complaints on cc won’t lead to any improvement.

But it does give others some perspective on individual experiences as well as allow for seasoned travelers to chime in with what can be very valuable suggestions....like giving specific names of personnel on board with whom to speak about issues.

 

8 minutes ago, bitob said:

When I got home my ta gave me emails of 2 top execs. I wrote a detailed chronology of all the issues and everyperson I spoke to. It was a very specific chronology Wow. They were very grateful. I was not expecting anything. I have 3 more ss cruises booked and wanted them to be as I expected

This is a great story and I'm impressed that they made right by you!  Lots of people will say that once you leave the ship, writing to exec office about a past experience doesn't really amount to much because the cruise is over.  Glad this wasn't the case for you.  Thanks for sharing!

[bitob]

18 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

But it does give others some perspective on individual experiences as well as allow for seasoned travelers to chime in with what can be very valuable suggestions....like giving specific names of personnel on board with whom to speak about issues.

 

This is a great story and I'm impressed that they made right by you!  Lots of people will say that once you leave the ship, writing to exec office about a past experience doesn't really amount to much because the cruise is over.  Glad this wasn't the case for you.  Thanks for sharing!

It was only because of all the steps I took while on board to address the problems

writing after and doing nothing to resolve the issue on board is a waste of time 

[cruiseluv]

2 hours ago, pappy1022 said:

Thank you for your honest and fair review. I also hope that things improve for you. Apologies need to come from Regent. I was on Splendor recently and experienced inconsistent service and food as well as terrible customer service from Destination Services. Admittedly, some things were excellent so I know Regent can deliver a very good product. Many people have expressed significant service issues on various Regent ships in the post COVID era. 

IMO Destination “Services” is the Achilles heel of the onboard product, it’s shocking how little they know about any of the destinations they purport to serve

[lorimay]

More positive comments from this morning. 
 

Starlink is working great. I upgraded to streaming. Just as fast as home. 
 

Room service showed up with coffee this morning right on time and service was great. 
 

My husband wants to take the bathroom home. Shower is fantastic. And it’s so beautiful. 
 

One negative- we got turned away from CR this morning at 8:45. They refused to say it was full. Just kept saying they had to turn over tables and there were a lot of people ahead of us. We had a lovely breakfast in La Veranda instead. 
 

Yesterday I had two positive experiences with Destination Services. They were very helpful changing a couple of tours. 

 

David Nevin seems to be a great cruise director. Show last night was fun - and he recovered well when the music started but the dancer simply didn’t show up. He said it was a first -  and it wasn’t a joke. They moved her act to last. 
 

I went to reception to ask for a comment card. Rep at the desk said he could take a comment. He was appalled at the story of our dinner last night. Agreed it was unacceptable. He said we will see changes. 
 

I will wait for the comment card for the other disappointments. 
 

off to the lecture and a sea day of activity. 
 

 

[GMIAC]

We’re having a great experience so far.  Some thoughts:

 

- Check-in a bit wonky, we also weren’t told we could stash our carry-ons once onboard. We went back outside and gave them to the curbside bag handler. Once onboard, we just went to our room to stash our computer bags, even thought the rooms weren’t announced to be ready yet. 

- Yes, big crowd at the terminal, probably people (like us) who thought they could get on earlier than their boarding time. We had 12:30, and it was about 12:45 when we were announced. 

- Lunch at La Veranda was sumptuous and delicious. We had to keep ourselves from eating too much (it was 1:00) before our 6:30 Chartreuse dinner.

- Did a mani/pedi at 4:00, very nice job. The spa and facilities are world-class, though scaled down, of course.

- Chartreuse dinner was wonderful. I’d heard of service problems over the past couple of weeks, but ours was spot-on, professional, and friendly. All the food was well-prepared and -plated. And we started moving around 7pm (a bit late, from another ship needing to get into port with an emergency onboard), and I could feel motion, but it didn’t bother me one bit. 

- Exceedingly comfortable suites, we’re in an F1. Great shower, tons of storage space, and I love the long bathroom counter. 

- Didn’t experience any snafus in Compass Rose, and service was efficient and friendly. 

- The artwork is breathtaking, so tasteful and well-chosen. I already have my eye on a few that I’m going to try to roll up and take home with me. Think they’ll notice?

 

All in all, it’s exceeding my expectations. I was expecting more glitches during meals, but this hasn’t been the case for us yet. 

[Camillus112]

Also on board in our only second Regent cruise.  Chaos at the Intercontinental Hotel at our transit time of 11am.  The transport contractors did not organize the crowd and we saw and experienced pushing.  I would recommend Regent monitor its contractors, or guests avail themselves of private transportation.  We are very happy with our PH suite and our butler Vishnu.  The food has been delicious!!  Service has been very good, just as expected.  The weather continues awful but we are hoping for a positive change.  We are pool people!

[bitob]

20 hours ago, lorimay said:

More positive comments from this morning. 
 

Starlink is working great. I upgraded to streaming. Just as fast as home. 
 

Room service showed up with coffee this morning right on time and service was great. 
 

My husband wants to take the bathroom home. Shower is fantastic. And it’s so beautiful. 
 

One negative- we got turned away from CR this morning at 8:45. They refused to say it was full. Just kept saying they had to turn over tables and there were a lot of people ahead of us. We had a lovely breakfast in La Veranda instead. 
 

Yesterday I had two positive experiences with Destination Services. They were very helpful changing a couple of tours. 

 

David Nevin seems to be a great cruise director. Show last night was fun - and he recovered well when the music started but the dancer simply didn’t show up. He said it was a first -  and it wasn’t a joke. They moved her act to last. 
 

I went to reception to ask for a comment card. Rep at the desk said he could take a comment. He was appalled at the story of our dinner last night. Agreed it was unacceptable. He said we will see changes. 
 

I will wait for the comment card for the other disappointments. 
 

off to the lecture and a sea day of activity. 
 

 

You will get comment card by day 3 and a request to do digital survey at end of cruise. Be sure to mention by name crew members who were especially helpful

Edited December 15, 2023 by bitob