Portolan

and, the "Prestige" is the first of 2 new ships. Maybe the next will be the "Opulence"?!?

Pcardad's post says the size will be 850 pax versus 750 for Explorer-class = 13% more while the displacement will be 77,000 GT versus 55,250 GT for Explorer-class = 40% bigger! Should equate to both larger suites and public areas especially with the mention of new dining option(s). Regardless, our favorite Regent ship has always been the one going to where we want to go.

Despite being described as the first Prestige-class ship, it very much resembles the Explorer-class ships. So, the changes may all be internal since as already noted, there doesn't appear to be an outside forward-facing area...pretty much the only thing we really don't like with the Explorer-class.

For several years now (as recently as January), we've received the tough plasticized paper tags which have a loop at one end through which the tag passes to secure it to the bag. Yesterday we received tags for our July cruise and they are the self-adhesive type where you peel off part of the back and join the ends. This is a minor change from our perspective...not good or bad. Haven't seen the pleather tags for several years (Platinum), but those were never the boarding tags, just baggage tags.

All the Regent ships have pool bars. But, as the OP lamented, they all face inward to the pool area and not outward. All but Mariner's are on the port side at the forward end of the pool deck. Mariner's is midship at the forward end of the pool deck.

None of the Regent ships have what describe. Mariner and Voyager have lounges at the back with chairs and loungers where the inside bar staff will serve if you make it clear where you are.

It does according to the deck plans in the same location as Explorer and Splendor. Perhaps the OP meant that there wasn't a sail-away deck party (which we've only encountered in bad weather). Also, the Pool Bar on the other ships close early, but always stayed open through the sail-away...unless it was an evening departure (>6:30 or so)? (In rereading the OP, I think they were referring to an outside stern bar).

I've seen that disclaimer fairly often, but not as the OP seems to state(?), as a blanket comment for all excursions at a port. In our experience it has been (for instance) when the excursion is a harbor cruise where Regent doesn't charter the whole boat and we are just a group on the cruise. Interested in what port this was since that might provide more insight.

More often than not, the Culinary Kitchen classes aren't posted until after the excursions open for booking. On many of our cruises, there isn't even a header for Culinary Kitchen...until there is. Someone may have evidence to the contrary, but we've never been on, nor heard of, a cruise on an Explorer-class ship where there weren't Culinary Kitchen classes offered. Just keep checking.

I'll repeat what I said earlier, on a dozen Explorer-class cruises, Culinary Arts Kitchen classes have always been offered. So, be patient and keep checking!

Similar issue for us though not as alarming. 2 of 4 booked cruises are missing the "Manage" button and have the deposit needed indication on the "To-Do" list to the right of the booking. However, the booking numbers didn't change and when I use the "shore Excursion" link on the "To-Do" list, all our previously booked excursions are intact. Ironically, one of the 2 with "missing" deposits has the final payment due next week (which better be the net after our long-since deposit is accounted for) so our TA will get it straightened out.

As some have note, Culinary Kitchen offerings will post anytime from before excursions to just a few months out. However, I have never heard of an Explorer-class cruise where they weren't eventually offered, so be patient. Even as we emerged from the depths of the pandemic, they were offered...though as it turned out as demonstrations (with full refunds) for those who had them booked.

OK, it turned out that there is a new Regent app and not the one I was referring to which (probably) has been retired. However, unless there has been a change in the last 3 months, you still connect your devices as I described above.

The Regent app isn't used to log into the wifi. Just the normal search for available networks and then provide the login information. Also, while it may not help your situation, it isn't limited to one device...just one device at a time. The Regent app is only for connecting to a group on excursions...and has never been used on on our rather large number of Regent cruises.

Have used Kindle Fires for years on Regent (most recently January 2024) with never a problem in downloading books via Amazon from our library (using Libby and Overdrive earlier). 1, Hope this isn't a new thing 2. Perhaps a Kindle and not Kindle Fire issue

Would have booked it, but we have a conflict for those dates.

Even if it is listed on your final documents, it is always a good idea to verify itr before you set out from your hotel to board. Either using the web site, asking the concierge to check, or when telling the taxi driver where you think the ship is, ask if they know differently since most keep tracks of where the cruise ships are. Things can change at the last minute.

I was only addressing the perception that Regent's Alaska cruises (Vancouver to Seward or vice versa) were very cold. The Grand Arctic cruise may, indeed, have ports with excursions requiring warmer clothing. Besides warmth, I think a leading reason that expeditions to the arctics provide the parkas (we have quite a collection) is to make it easy to find people who go astray.

OK. I was at Uluru in January and I wished for these temperatures! >105°F!

Alaska in the summer isn't the Arctic or Antarctic (been to both). The average temperature for Anchorage (northern-most point on the cruise) for July is a high of 65.3°F and low of 51.5°F. You'd swelter is a parka. Even on expeditions to Antarctica, we'd have our parkas unzipped on sunny days. Note my avatar picture was in Antarctica on a windy ship, hence zipped up.

Certainly wasn't in January this year.

Regent has said for several years now that they will add that capability to the web site...still waiting. This takes both our time and that of the agent unnecessarily.

Call Regent or have your TA do so. They WILL have a transfer (included if you booked your air through Regent). The only question is whether, as the have done in the past, the late flight transfer includes a tour enroute. You absolutely don’t want to arrive very early at the airport as they’ll only let you check in ages hours before your flight and there are no facilities other than a few chairs available before check-in and security.

No guarantees, but if you are transferring with Regent, they often offer both a straight-to-airport option for early flights and a tour enroute option for those with later departures. We've done a number of these and they have been pretty good. Obviously, best if someone who has ended their voyage in Reykjavik recently has the details.

We've been platinum for several years and multiple cruises now, and for the last year or so, the only thing we received by mail were printed copies of our final cruise documents (3 pages or so) and the punch out luggage labels with the deck numbers only on them to be used when our bags reach the ship. The previous pleather luggage tags (with a window for your name exposed only...quite nice) have stopped. We have never received luggage stags that reflected our status nor would I see the point. Short of the very top levels suites, I think all luggage is delivered to your suite as fast as they can do it regardless of status. We rarely use the Regent hotel but got no special stickers the last time (two years ago). In fact, the Regent rep at the hotel had no form of luggage deck tags (which weren't received by mail in advance) and wrote our details on a regular piece of paper she stapled to the bag's handle. Needless to say, we were worried that the flimsy tab would get ripped off and the bags would go missing...they didn't. The normal ones you receive by mail look like cardboard, but they are very tough.