daetchief

The key to projecting the number of, or even the presence of children onboard a Christmas / New Years cruise is looking at destination and length of the cruise. A Caribbean cruise of 7 days out of Miami will have a much higher probability of extended families aboard than an 18 day Trans Panama cruise from coast to coast. That said, you're not looking at a sizable number of children. Most are properly behaved - most of the time. Much like their Parents...

We should compile a CRUCRITDICAC... "Cruise Critic Dictionary of Acronyms"

Borna, I pray that your airline concerns are satisfied by whatever means you utilize to get booked and comfortable and that you soon get aboard a Regent Ship. The effort is worth the reward. We have all recently been dealing with 'Airline Problems' whenever we travel - which when related specifically to your cruise then reflects poorly on Regent's Air Services because "Garbage In - Garbage Out!' In 'normal' times the services are excellent. Regent could use a few more agents - but all their agents really need more flights to offer customers... When in doubt about what you hear from your TA or from Regent, surf the website of the airlines and see if the seats you're asking for are actually available. I know all the planes are pretty full now... Ah Hui Hou!

Haven't done a TA on Regent but did go on an 18 day Trans-Panama cruise where we had - what seemed like 16 days at sea. The CD and Social Hostess arranged games of skill, games of chance, and more than the expected number of Enlightenment Speakers. [Same speakers - different topics...] As mundane as it may sound, the days were wonderful and the activities enjoyable.

Excellent explanation of the staff of CR’s due diligence. My wife has some mobility concerns. There was a perfect table for 2 in CR that afforded her a short transit and ample maneuvering space to be seated and to egress. That table, or one similar, was nearly always available and we were offered it consistently. She nor I, ever had to ask for that table - or explain the need nor reason for it. It was transparently understood and graciously offered.

Samuel Clemons once remarked: "It is Opinions that make the Horse Race Interesting" They are different ships - but they are the same Regent Experience. The Voyager is smaller - thus more intimate. The Explorer is larger, thus more dining options and rooms are larger - though there are a few more passengers. We were also in a Penthouse[B] Suite on Explorer and afterwards a Concierge Suite on Voyager. It was fine. We had a Seven Seas Suite [Fwd] on Mariner and will soon be in a Concierge Suite on Splendor. Will that be a problem? I don't think so. As I've joked before: You can place me in the Regent Suite on a Grand Voyage and it wouldn't change me a bit. And I'd Love to have the Opportunity to Prove that. . . Enjoy your Voyages of Discovery

Here's some Images...

I've been on Voyager and Mariner for Christmas and / or New Years. The decorations magically appear [ala Production Cast and others] nearly overnight - soon after Thanksgiving. Similarly a couple of days after Christmas the Christmas Green and Red 'faded' into New Years Silver, Black and Gold. Christmas and New Years dinners are usually heightened, but when you're already at Regent standards it's difficult to point to one or two aspects that are noteworthy. More caviar on appetizers? Bigger prawns? Champagne served tableside along with the usual fare? New Years Eve there was [ before COVID] a huge celebration in the Constellation Theatre. Music, Dancing, Heavy PuuPuu's and Champagne. During [post?] COVID the celebrations were disbursed throughout the different lounges to prevent overcrowding. [On Mariner nearly everyone went to the Horizon Lounge still] Again PuuPuu's, music, dancing, champagne. Very nice evenings both times. The only improvement we felt could be made was to have a "Featured Artist' or Special Performance by a someone other than the Cruise Director or the Performance Cast. Celine Dion? Enjoy the cruise when you can do it. It's a wonderful way to spend the holidays.

Touch'e. *Space Force - Refer to Airman...😇

All Four* Services defined by one word: SECURE! 😋 Marine: "Secure the Building" - Enters With a Loaded Weapon; Shoots Anything that Moves. Soldier: "Secure the Building" - Surrounds with Fence and Barbed-Wire; Queries All Who Come or Go. Sailor: "Secure the Building" - Closes Windows, Locks Doors; Goes Home. Airman: "Secure the Building" - Negotiates a Long Term Lease; Option to Buy! * With Due Regard for our Coast Guardsmen. See: Sailor...

I would wait until April/May the following year to go to Alaska vice after September. 🙂

If the cruise you are embarking on goes to Greece, Barbados Bahamas etc. or any other country that still has COVID restrictions, you will likely need proof of vaccination and a negative COVID test prior to boarding. That is my understanding at least.

Customarily the main pools on all the ships are graduated from 18-24" at the entry up to almost 72' at the deep end. The pool is ample but not enormous. The floor will have a noticeable slant to it, but you should find a comfortable depth for most activities.

In my High School days I worked a a very high end bakery called the Patisserie. On April 1 one year we had a promotion that stated "Today only; All Items are 'Sugar Free' and 'Fat Free' " There was an asterisk beside that statement and on the bottom of the banner it said: "Today We only charge for the Gluten and Sodium!"

Follow Your TA, and Fear NOT, what the Airlines can do to You! There are four of us trying to get to LHR from Honolulu next month. We already had our seat assignments on a UA 777-200 to SFO when all of a sudden I looked and the flight was leaving 2 hours later. Not a bad thing since we'd need to be at HNL at 0500 to catch the original flight... But wait, now we're on a 737-800 with only 16 FC seats - and there is only ONE seat available... [I put my LW in that one; I'm no fool.] My TA spoke with Regent Air and they said the original seats [from the 777] are the same ones on the 737. But wait, there is no row 7, or even seats 'L' or 'K' on a 737... So far [days later] two additional FC seats became available. Now we're only waiting for that last seat to open up. What do you want to bet that another UA 777-200 will miraculously reappear and it'll all be a bad dream. Like Greyhound used to say "It's got to be the Going, not the getting there, that's Good!"

The process for reserving a dinner for 4-6 or even 8 is to know the other passenger's booking number. When you select a table for 4-6-8 it will ask you for their information [Booking #, First Name, Last Name] and in effect you are selecting one of their specialty dining selections. i.e. their booking will show a dining reservation completed for them.

"You don't get what you Expect; you get what you Inspect"

My levity aside; thank you for a great review. I will be taking a cruise with our best Best Friends on Splendor in 58 days [So whose counting???] and we hope to have them come away with the same levels of joy and satisfaction. You describe what my wife and I first experienced 10 years ago on Mariner, then on Explorer, then on Voyager... You see a pattern? Some think that Regent can do no wrong. Others look for the imperfections. If I ever feel something wrong is worth or beneficial in mentioning, I am amused by the speed and assiduity by which the issue is corrected. Once I had to ask the Compass Rose captain for ground pepper on a dinner salad. After that, no waitstaff ever approached our table without a pepper grinder in hand. "Some pepper on your corn flakes? Sir?"😄

I confess; I take [took?] the pens. They are nice quality, refillable and make smart gifts for friends and loved ones. "Of course, use my pen. You can keep it, I have others and I will have to opportunity to get more..."

Mariner's Reservation Desk is right before the Horizon Lounge - just aft of Coffee Connection on the Starboard side.

No worries Bill, were always looking for house-sitters for our soon-to-be decided World Cruise 202?.

LoL, Please arrive NLT the 10th. I have a Splendor Cruise leaving soon afterwards.. ⛴️

One of the best solutions for keeping 'Four Legged Children" [Six Cats] happy during extended abscesses is to ask a family member [or two or three] to fly to your city and stay at your home while you're gone. Tell them they can have/use anything in the full fridge, the ample liquor cabinet or two car garage. This might be more easily sold to the family too if you're asking them to fly to Hawaii. If they're accustomed to dealing with snow, the winter months are quick sells.😛

Aloha Lady Meer. The metal water vessels are yours to use throughout your cruise and then to take with you afterwards. Assuming you will be using the vessels for water, you can use the room temperature spout on the refill stations to rinse them before filling them with chilled water. Also, a much larger glass Vero water bottle / carafe [or two] will be in your room which you can also use to fill the metal vessels. The water tasted proper and fresh on Mariner in Dec/Jan.

Compass Rose is the standard by which all other restaurants onboard are measured. It's that good. Often a Specialty Restaurant will out-do Compass Rose - but just as often you hear: I had the same dish in Compass Rose and enjoyed it just as much (or more...). The only complaint I've ever heard (made?) about a Regent Dining venue was against Setti Mari. Their portions are too large - basically because you fill-up on all the bread and Antiipasi and you ultimately can't finish your dessert. Definitely not a strong criticism... Sorry.