Cruise Line: Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Itinerary: In-port visit
Size of ship and passenger capacity: 42,363 GRT. Carries 700 passengers
Year Built: 2001
Where the ship cruises: Worldwide
Currency onboard: USD

  

Embarkation/Disembarkation: Embarkation was easy and effortless. Passengers joining the ship will be delighted to find there are no formalities conducted in the terminal apart from the usual security checks. Passengers proceed onboard, are greeted with champagne, and proceed to the show lounge where check-in is completed. Suites are available after 2pm, so they may then explore the ship or have lunch at La Veranda, the onboard buffet.

Main features: One of the very first ships to be built as an all-suite ship with balconies, the main feature is space. The ship could easily cater to more than double the number of passengers it actually carries, with a crew ratio of close to 1:1. Another feature of all Regent Seven Seas ships is that virtually everything is included in your fare, from complimentary beverages to specialty restaurant dining and shore excursions.

 

Most suited to: 45+ singles and couples looking for a truly luxury, inclusive experience with the refinements they’ve come to enjoy – fine dining and wines, rich surroundings and spacious, ultra comfortable suites.

Atmosphere: Contemporary without being glitzy or fussy. The ship is spacious with some open areas and other smaller, more intimate spaces providing a variety of moods. There is an overall feeling of quality that is uncomplicated and serene.

Encounters with Service Staff: The staff were unfailingly friendly and polite with big smiles. The dining room service staff were every present for whatever we required without being overbearing. The service was exactly as you would expect.

 

Staterooms: We saw all grades of accommodation. The same quality pervades all suites from the lowest to highest grades. Essentially, the higher you go, the more space you enjoy, with the top suites being vast with private jacuzzies and a second bedroom. There were live orchids in all rooms, Guerlain toiletries in the bathrooms and welcome champagne waiting on the tables. Concierge Suites and above receive extra benefits such as onboard discounts and priority for shore excursions.

Dining options: Voyager’s main dining room, Compass Rose, is large and situated low in the ship. This otherwise large room is cleverly broken up into smaller areas by large columns creating intimate dining areas. The dining chairs were impressively comfortable, meaning a long and relaxed meal is even more enjoyable. As there is open seating for all meals, you may sit wherever and with whomever you choose. No need to rush!

Other dining areas include:
Pacific Rim – Asian cuisine
Chartreuse – Contemporary French cuisine with a modern twist
Prime7 – Modern American style steakhouse
La Veranda – casual buffet dining inside and on open-air deck, including a rear verandah
The Pool Grill – made to order poolside burgers, grilled seafood, salads, etc with an adjacent ice-cream and milkshake bar. Also open from early morning with a selection of made to order freshly squeezed juices, smoothies, fresh fruit, bircher muesli and other healthy breakfast cereals

   

Entertainment: This was an in port tour so we didn’t see any entertainment, however, there are two rooms dedicated to live entertainment, being the Constellation Theatre forward (for larger production shows and lectures) and the Horizon Lounge aft, for live music and dancing. Both rooms have very comfortable seating and great sight lines.

Activities: Voyager is equipped with all the usual facilities you’d expect onboard a modern cruise ship – a well-stocked library, small casino and gymnasium which is for once lower down and not built in prime deck space. On the top decks are paddle tennis and shuffleboard courts and a large pool with immaculately arranged deck chairs. One of the main activities might be considered the extensive range of included shore excursions in each port of call. There is also a range of more select excursions available at an additional cost for more exclusive or bespoke experiences, such as helicopter rides.

Family Facilities: Whilst families with younger children are not excluded from cruising with Regent Seven Seas, Voyager doesn’t provide or offer any specific family-friendly facilities or activities.

  

Self-Service Laundry: A self-service laundry with washers, dryers and ironing facilities is located aft on most accommodation decks and all facilities, including washing powder, is provided free of charge.

Insider Tips: The dress code onboard is casual during the day and elegant casual in the evenings. There are perhaps one or two formal nights on voyages of 14 nights or more, but there is certainly no need to bring steamer trunks! Think country club casual and you will be pretty much on the mark.

Another tip is to book your excursions early. This can be done online and is important as many tours have a limited capacity or may be very popular, so it pays to get in early to secure your first choice. If your tour is sold out online, don’t worry as people may change their minds and cancel once onboard, so it is worthwhile checking at the excursions desk to see if you can still book your favourite tour.

One of the biggest tips is that while a Regent Seven Seas cruise is certainly a luxury experience and more expensive than some other cruises, it should not be considered a stuffy experience. This is truly refined luxury cruising where you can simply relax and enjoy, because everything really is included!