Yacht Club vs Regent Grandeur

[KeepCalmBearOn]

2 hours ago, Fogfog said:

Cruising is capitalism. Not socialism and not social welfare. 

 

 

 

Which is why MSC should not include YC with the bid up/free upgrade...

 

Cruising is capitalism so MSC gets to decide how to maximize resources and you are free to stop using MSC if it bothers you.

[Fogfog]

44 minutes ago, KeepCalmBearOn said:

 

Cruising is capitalism so MSC gets to decide how to maximize resources and you are free to stop using MSC if it bothers you.

😆

[HappyInVan]

15 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

 

P.S. I have been spending all day on the phone with our travel agent cancelling our two future cruises on Regent Grandeur replacing with Cunard's Queen Elizabeth Grand Suite and MSC Explora Serenity Suite, both new cabins for us.

 

Thanks for the update. Yes, I traveled Regent just once.

[floatplan]

On 3/26/2024 at 6:27 AM, morpheusofthesea said:

I have been spending all day on the phone with our travel agent cancelling our two future cruises on Regent Grandeur

 

Oceania is the same company with the same butler services that will not be YC.

 

Oceania also uses Miami Terminal J so you'll have the same issue getting off.

 

 

[morpheusofthesea]

On 3/24/2024 at 11:12 AM, morpheusofthesea said:

Yes. BUT.....We cannot recommend this for suites above Penthouse pricing, there is really no added benefit. At least we have not experienced any added benefit.  Thank goodness we have a Seascape Yacht Club booking next month.

Actually after more thought we can’t even recommend this cruise line for penthouses since penthouses come with a useless butler and they are the same size cabin as other balconies. MSC has us spoiled.

   There is no special dedicated suite restaurant so in Compass Rose one is subjected to the same institutional prepare meals. One lunch port day Chartreuse (the French option only one open besides buffet)DW wanted a salad either Romaine or Iceberg type which they did not have. But our waitress said she would run and get it from the buffet for her. Very nice service, but defeats our purpose of never touching a buffet with all the unsanitary habits of our fellow cruisers. Saw no one using the washing stations and did see cruisers using their fingers to retrieve items, perhaps afraid to use tongs? As for service the staff is limited by management. They try to please and am sure the kitchen staff has to make do with what they are allotted. We are glad we went and can now scratch Regent from our bucket list.

[morpheusofthesea]

1 hour ago, floatplan said:

 

Oceania is the same company with the same butler services that will not be YC.

 

Oceania also uses Miami Terminal J so you'll have the same issue getting off.

 

 

Thanks for the tip. We are going to try Oceania Vista Owners Suite next Spring Break. DW said something similar… that it is the same NCL. But I like to give everyone a chance. Since we were new to Regent with no ‘track record’ I felt I had to tip our butler $100 to get my first request. On top of this our photo shoot with Vishnu I thought would also help because he remembered our $400 tip on MSC as he exclaimed “So much money” he was shocked. DW felt it was too little for all the service he provided on MSC. Vishnu loves it here and has one quarter the amount of work. These butlers can not provide the same services one has come to expect on MSC Seaships.

P.S. No wonder we did not find any tipping on board.

Edited March 27 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

Now let me discuss dress codes on Regent. Their smart country club casual was shorts and collared shirts. Only evenings were shorts frowned upon, so many came to dinner in long pants and Hawaiian shirts. Lunches in the Chartreuse and Prime 7 were back to shorts, t-shirts, sandals and even ball caps. Many would dump their backpacks in their cabins from their complimentary tours and come 'as is' to the restaurants for lunch. Several of the doors were motion open and close, EXCEPT for the most important door leading to La Veranda and the Pool grill buffets. I posted a video of the green 3" button everyone must touch to get the door to open. The most touched button besides elevator buttons and no one using the hand washing stations. Some women were dressed very elegantly in the evenings, but they were the oddity (DW included). Felt like we were in steerage.

[Fogfog]

Men in ball caps indoors 🙄 makes such a statement about them. 

Sadly basic manners and decorum are lost on many

 

Hand washer here. I dont like the idea of just using the sanitizer which feels like its laminating the dirt to hands. blech

[no1talks]

52 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Many would dump their backpacks in their cabins from their complimentary tours and come 'as is' to the restaurants for lunch."

Quelle horreur!

Here's something I find amusing: One of the amenities listed for top suites on Regent ships is included laundry and dry-cleaning. However, I don't think I've seen any photographic evidence of passengers possessing enough applicable clothing to make dry-cleaning even worth having.

This is probably why Regent doesn't lose much in giving it out as an amenity.

[no1talks]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"I posted a video of the green 3" button everyone must touch to get the door to open. The most touched button besides elevator buttons and no one using the hand washing stations."

You should add this to your cruise gear, Morpheus.

[no1talks]

1 hour ago, morpheusofthesea said:

"Felt like we were in steerage."

Well, it is Holy Week and Lent is concluding. Are you sure they weren't just wearing sackcloth?

[morpheusofthesea]

8 hours ago, no1talks said:

One of the amenities listed for top suites on Regent ships is included laundry 

The laundry comes back wrapped in tissue paper inside a reusable box. Not so sure these reusable boxes are sanitized. Frequently we see these empty boxes placed outside the cabin doors along with soiled trays of dishes and glassware.

[morpheusofthesea]

8 hours ago, no1talks said:

You should add this to your cruise gear, Morpheus.

Great idea. DW says she has seen these , but after using it one still has to put it away in ones pocket. DW is a natural bacteriologist. She uses a Clorox wipe and carries a zip lock baggy as a temporary trash receptacle in her purse. (She did not see me when I did that video touching the door opener). (Also she doesn't read my posts as she gets too upset with my musings).

[morpheusofthesea]

8 hours ago, no1talks said:

Well, it is Holy Week and Lent is concluding. Are you sure they weren't just wearing sackcloth?

These passengers are the biggest bunch of 'stiffs' in the cruising world, both literally and figuratively. Elitists on steroids. (kinda the pot, me, calling the kettle black, my fellow cruisers.)

P.S. Could this be a case of self-loathing ? I will have to reflect some more.

Edited March 28 by morpheusofthesea
P.S.

[morpheusofthesea]

I have reflected some more. I am just upset having bought into the hype of Regent Seven Seas. We could have gone on 3 MSC cruises in the Royal Suite for the price of just this one Regent cruise OR another great cruise in a Serenity Suite on MSC Explora Journeys. Live and learn. Thank goodness we have a Seascape cruise to look forward to in a few weeks. We were looking to change our B2B this Christmas/New Years on the Seascape because of postings of too many unruly children (all those under 50 years old) in the Yacht Club. But from what we experienced of a Regent cruise, we will bear it. In the very least it will give me something to write about.

[Fogfog]

10 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

Great idea. DW says she has seen these , but after using it one still has to put it away in ones pocket. DW is a natural bacteriologist. She uses a Clorox wipe and carries a zip lock baggy as a temporary trash receptacle in her purse. (She did not see me when I did that video touching the door opener). (Also she doesn't read my posts as she gets too upset with my musings).

 

My dear late mom said every child "eats a peck of dirt"...

We drank out of hoses, shared sandwiches with friends and lived to tell the tale

 

[morpheusofthesea]

50 minutes ago, Fogfog said:

 

My dear late mom said every child "eats a peck of dirt"...

We drank out of hoses, shared sandwiches with friends and lived to tell the tale

 

I bet I can top that (and lived to tell this tale). When I was around 5 years old, I was visiting my grandparents when I fell and skinned my arm in the yard. I ran to my grandfather who was close by and he examined the wound. He called over his dog to lick my wound saying to me that dogs have a natural antibiotic in their saliva. He said he learned this from his grandmother a native born American Indian.

[Fogfog]

36 minutes ago, morpheusofthesea said:

I bet I can top that (and lived to tell this tale). When I was around 5 years old, I was visiting my grandparents when I fell and skinned my arm in the yard. I ran to my grandfather who was close by and he examined the wound. He called over his dog to lick my wound saying to me that dogs have a natural antibiotic in their saliva. He said he learned this from his grandmother a native born American Indian.

My late grandfather said the same...Vividly recall him telling me if I ever had a wound and needed to address it (I may have been 4-5 yrs old--we were walking thee shoreline) He said, a dog should lick it for same reasons.. 

I am not a microbiologist - yet trust that "peck of dirt" thing 🥰

 

[oceans.calling]

We grew up the same, sharing lollipops with the dogs, having them lick the wounds and also being told everyone needed to eat a pound of dirt in their lifetime to be healthy. Never sick a day in my life as a kid. Cousins who were so protected about germs, sick every week. Hmmm

[morpheusofthesea]

This morning I logged on my social media accounts and up pooped (should be popped) Regent Seven Seas. I immediately 'left group'. There is absolutely nothing of any interest for me on Regent. After I finished, I turned to DW (who was making breakfast) and told her I just left Regent. She said she did the same last night.

[Fogfog]

3 hours ago, morpheusofthesea said:

This morning I logged on my social media accounts and up pooped (should be popped) Regent Seven Seas. I immediately 'left group'. There is absolutely nothing of any interest for me on Regent. After I finished, I turned to DW (who was making breakfast) and told her I just left Regent. She said she did the same last night.

Says a lot-- 

So sorry that after having such a lovely cabin-- that the ship, service or lack thereof and entertainment or lack thereof makes this a one and done thing.

 

Your thread has been very helpful. Regent's marketing is quite powerful (lux brand and al lux experience on the ship etc).

 

Can you compare MSC YC, vs Haven vs Retreat? We "left" X once we found YC.  We have a long sailing in Haven coming up and pre-cruise we have liked the concierge contact. Have not liked having to add in bev package and that the daily fee leaves out our butler. Yes we tip cash to all the folks who make our sailing excellent, we just don't like NCLs policy to leave the butlers out.

 

There are interesting itineraries  on X from time to time yet we don't think the Retreat will be as good as YC.

 

And some sailings really need a smaller ship (water access) and in that market, we dont know which way to go-- as we wonder if they are all like Regent in real life experience.

 

Thoughts?

 

[morpheusofthesea]

4 hours ago, Fogfog said:

that after having such a lovely cabin

Nicest cabin we have ever had, which enticed us to book the same cabin again for a future cruise....until we were further into the cruise.

 

4 hours ago, Fogfog said:

service

We had outstanding service in the restaurants ( I tipped $10 after every breakfast and every lunch). It is just that the food wasn't as good as what we have come to expect. (Just got off the MSC Explora I and the food there is a hard act for any other cruise line to follow). Had a room service pizza that was worse than any I have ever had in my life. I asked our waiter that evening and he suggested we try the handmade pizza in the buffet. Why Regent doesn't deliver from the buffet station like MSC ? ( I was brought up to believe that it was a 'sin' to waste food, but I am consoled with the thought that the rest of it will be ground up and provide some ocean creatures sustenance).

   As I reported the food preparation was reminiscent of a cafeteria and DW could not get an unsalted, no oil, grilled chicken breast. Had two of the cream parfaits for lunch at Chartreuse dessert trolley that did not 'agree' with me. That happened as well at the French restaurant Le Bistro on Celebrity Beyond as well. It must be a French 'thing". Reminds me of a quote from Mark Twain " A man accustomed to American food and American domestic cookery would not starve to death in Europe (or a cruise ship), but I think he would gradually waste away, and eventually die."

Edited March 29 by morpheusofthesea

[morpheusofthesea]

4 hours ago, Fogfog said:

 

Can you compare MSC YC, vs Haven vs Retreat?

Yes. It would be a tome longer than Tolstoy's War & Peace. Let us just say MSC is #1, followed by Celebrity and a distant 3rd is the Haven.

[morpheusofthesea]

4 hours ago, Fogfog said:

And some sailings really need a smaller ship (water access) and in that market, we dont know which way to go--

Then I recommend MSC Explora Journeys.

[Fogfog]

@morpheusofthesea

 

TYVM

We know all too well that ship, officers, kitchen all make the journey experience vary

The tone and tenor can -- execution of food, service and cleanliness, upkeep of a ship.

 

Best

fog