Gcto

we've done this a few times...we booked choice excursions we wanted and then, getting some OBC, "rebooked" them again. Easy. However, on one cruise, they destination desk could not credit the amount back to our credit card (some weird explanation I still don't understand) and we ended up getting cash back. Yes, cash. Odd, but it worked...:-)

Like so many things on the internet now, opinions are subjective and facts are not always presented correctly or are viewed with a certain bias. We have sailed on Regent many many times and have gotten to know quite a few MDs and Waiters. Some MDs sometimes shake our hands when we come in, but believe me, there is no magic handshake involved, it's a friendly, "welcome back" shake.

Like so many posters here, we quickly find a waiter we like and a section we like to sit in. That's were we ask to be seated in and it usually works. But if there is no space or whatever, we sit somewhere else or wait. Now fortunately, we've never encountered CR to be soooo busy during the times we usually like to have dinner that there was a big problem. Once or twice we had the choice to wait or sit in a different section.

Could it be that the original informer just saw the "handshake" and thought it was magic...and then when the MD was friendly with the guest ...they assumed there was magic involved ?

Could it be that the guest with the magic handshake was one of those who thought that greasing the palm or giving a big tip "magically" gives him/her more privileges ? :-)Some people don't know that this doesn't do much on Regent.

Could it be that the original poster was lead to a different table due to the fact that a good MD is trying to do "load management" and try to even the load of his wait staff ? No waiter should have 10 busy tables, while another has just 1 and is idle.

There are so many reasons why I could think a person could/might get the impression of reservation etc., but I would find this highly unusual on Regent.

We like CR and enjoy our dinners there, staff is wonderful and we have a great time.

as with many offers, ymwv (Your mileage will vary). Those offers are targeted and will not show up for every card. For example, if you used your amex to book Regent in the past, you most likely will not see this...however, if you booked cruises with your amex before, but not Regent...you might.

All to entice spending :-)

Have a great trip. Looking forward reading your posts.

Pls give our regards to Alain and his lovely wife Lei.

Fastest from the airport is a water taxi (if you pre book about 110 to 120 Euro). And riding the waves is fun (all water taxi drivers think they are the Italian version of Mario Andretti).

The cheapest is via the standard "water bus" (vaporetto) and then free hotel shuttle from St. Mark. However, all in all this can take you 3 or more hours if you are lucky and with luggage can be a chore.

Hotel is very nice and on a private island. However, depending on when you arrive in Venice, you might not have much time to see the town.

Last year, we arrived in the morning around 9...where at the hotel around 11, checked in at noon (lucky) and then took the hotel shuttle to venice around 2.

The next day is basically shot with transfer from the hotel to the ship. If you arrive later in the afternoon, there will not be that much time visiting Venice as the trip from the hotel to St. Mark will take about 40 min each way. Nice boat ride, but that's it.

Wes, Ida, hope everyone is feeling better soon.

All the best and safe journey

Safe travels to you and Ida and all your fellow travelers on the Voyager. Looking forward reading your posts

We were there in May on the Voyager and took a tour to the Valley of the Kings and Luxor. The ride from the port was 3 hours, through deserts and small towns. Observing village life along the way was quite interesting. There are multiple checkpoints along the way and we were cautioned not to take photos from the bus. Armed soldiers in turrets were at the checkpoints. Our guide said some were military, some were for the police, and some were for traffic control. The purpose was not to keep terrorism in check (i asked) but to apprehend criminals. I didn't completely buy the story as the network of checks was too extensive.

 

On arriving in Luxor, we had lunch at a hotel on the Nile, pretty location, decent lunch, then on to the valley of the kings. We toured three tombs. I have to caution you, though, as it is HOT! Like a giant convection oven. The valley is completely without vegetation and the tombs are uphill, then one must take stairs deep down into the mountain. Of course, that means stairs up on return. Only five of us managed the third tomb and I fell out of line when I saw how steep,the stairs were. I think I was getting a bit of heat stroke - flushed and faint. The Egyptian guard even gave me his seat and fanned me with my hat! I'm not that old and unfit, but my Anglo Saxon blood was definely protesting the conditions!

 

We then had a photo stop at Hapshepsuts Temple and then an extensive tour of the Luxor Temple.

 

It was a long day but worth it. I don't think they offered an overnight option for our trip. I'll try to post pics.

We did the same tour about 4 years ago and it was one of the most interesting and at the same time worst tours we had with Regent.

The trip to Luxor, in a convoy of buses, each with an armed guard at front, was interesting. According to the destination desk, the buses were supposed to be in a convoy, but driving testosterone ended the driving in convoy after about an hour and each bus was on it's on (yes, some driver won the contest). Same experience at that time with the check points etc.

Arriving at Luxor, the amount of hawkers trying to sell you everything for one dollar (or more) was almost overwhelming, but had to be expected.

We also had tickets for 3 tombs, but the most famous one, Tut's Tomb was not included. Our guide recommended that we didn't bother with it as it wasn't worth it (we found out later he didn't want us to spend the time in it as he had other plans). People who went in there (another $20 fee) told us it was well worth it and much more interesting than the others.

We had probably the worst guide we've ever encountered on any Regent tour. He was not interested in guiding his group, but more in selling his "cartouches" (Habibi, you have to buy them. My friend makes the best, much less expensive than in stores etc etc etc). Many passengers bought some and he left us to "get it organized". On the way back, again, initially in convoy, we realized we were driving in circles for a while and as it turned out, he was waiting for a delivery of more cartouches. We met a motorcycle "courier" on a lonely road and when he got his delivery, we were able to drive back to the ship, the last bus to arrive.

So in short: Valley of the Kings (Death Valley temps) was great, but do visit Tut's Tomb. Luxor Temple nice, etc. Beware of guides :-)

Other people from the ship who had booked the overnight tour to Karnak etc told us they loved it.

I don't see anything about Cuba in the current Mariner itinerary. All are still listing the current places as they did 2 months ago. Not everyone might be excited to go to Cuba or have Cuba on the itinerary, for a variety of reasons.

same here, was wondering as well... looked through all the schedules and didn't see a break...Mariner going back to Alaska etc. Why the change.

catpow: Would love to try the local beers, but never found a local (truly local) beer on the ships etc. Ok, if we consider Corona or Tekate to be "local" when sailing the Caribbean, then yes :-) But otherwise, no...not even a Red Stripe when in Jamaica or a Mythos when in Greece.

fdnycruiser: Second your thoughts...in the past they always had Sam Adams and some lighter choices like Corona etc. Twice I found a Sierra Nevada on the list...but never an IPA let alone a good IPA.

Will be on the mariner later than you...but would love to have a good IPA choice...how can we do this ?

Bill, it seems that Regent Corp is also using the same email service and connection speed you find on the ship. With 450-800 people using it at the same time, slow replies seem to be normal...

How could you forget :-)

not sure what you mean with insurance being denied to Canadians, but here's what we experienced recently.

We usually (when doing international cruises with flights) use CSA for the trip insurance. Had to use them once and it was a good experience. However, CSA only insures (so we were told) US residents etc. When we traveled with a couple from Europe in the med a few weeks back, we tried to get them onto CSA, no dice. So we got them onto the Regent insurance which worked fine for them. A bit more expensive, but they were covered.

NCCruzQueen, I had posted a few pics a few weeks back...Ship looks great.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2368507

if you arrive early, I assume you don't have the regent transfers. We stayed at the JW Marriott just a few weeks back and it's a great place.

Best for you would be to pre-book a water taxi to the JW. You can do this online and it's about 120 Euro. That way you just walk out of the airport to the water taxi station and have a "fun ride" to the hotel. There are less expensive ways, but they take hours.

Once you are at the hotel you are set. The hotel has a shuttle to and from St. Mark Square every half hour and it's free. No need to book a water taxi etc.

Then on the day of your cruise, I assume Regent ships/ferries/taxis you over to the ship. But as long as you stay at the JW, you don't need a taxi.

We saw a lot of people struggling with their luggage on the vaporettos and they didn't seem happy.

The best "freebies" are the great people we have met on various trips.

While we like the all inclusive, the icing on the cake is always the people we meet.

Don't remember who the CD will be...John Barron left in Athens to take some time off. Piano Bar is in good hands with Ross.

Captain...yes, I think there was a captain on the ship when we were there in June...but honestly, I've never seen him. He didn't show up at the block party, he was never visible on the ship and...I don't remember him during crew capers (but we arrived a bit late :-) ). On the other hand...the ship sailed on time and safely from port to port :-)

Honestly, there is only one Capt'n O'Neil :-)

Wes, glad it works for you. We usually take it in the winter time or when traveling, especially when going in and out of air conditioning and being in larger groups. Or when we feel something coming on...

On Regent, in the evening, we usually have a Merlot-amyacin :-)

I had planned on writing a longer review, but life happens and time is short. I will try, however, to put the main things into a quick review to highlight the new ship and recent experience.

Overall, this recent trip on the Navigator was in the top third of our Regent cruises. We had great company and that of course added to it, but the ship worked for us and we had a great time.

After refurb, the Navigator looks great and the cabins are updated and looking great. One can argue about the various “improvements” and agree with them or not (see previous pics I posted), and in general some work and other are not. We had ample space in the closet and even with the smaller drawer space, we didn’t feel we needed more for this 10 days cruise. Now for a world cruise, I’m not so sure. The bathrooms hadn’t been updated and some of the grout and other silicon borders could use an update, but overall, it was the tried and true Navigator Bathroom with tub and shower. We didn’t experience any brown water or anything similar.

Common areas were all nicely done and new carpets helped. The Navigator bar, while haven’t changed in layout, seemed more cozy to us. Computer room on the other side seemed smaller, probably because some area was now used for a coffee/tea, sweets station. Bridge room/meeting room was still there, but didn’t ever see anyone in there. Library was nice and quiet (see prev pics).

Pool layout hadn’t changed, but the new chairs were nice. Rest was pretty much the same.

Compass Rose Dining was newly refurbished, new china and new funky lighting. You get used to the blue-ish color, but I’m not sure it’s the final. My guess is they will work with this and see what people like. One night it was already pink-ish, so maybe more color choices are coming (how about natural light :) ).

Veranda, Sette Mari as before in setup and space. The lower ceiling in this area makes it sometimes quite noisy, especially in the evenings when you want a nice dinner.

Prime 7 also hasn’t changed much, same layout and location.

As we all know, many things make for a good cruise and this time, many of those all came together. Great staff, great service, wonderful weather, great company and great food.

While the majority of the Regent passengers usually come from the US, this trip had a slightly different mix. 285 passengers from the British Isles (England, Wales, Scotland), 180 or so from the US, and the rest from a variety of European and South American countries (usually less than 10 each per country). It seems US citizens were a bit afraid to go to the med and Regent increased their advertising in Europe quite a bit). I don’t have the exact split on how many were from England vs. Scotland vs. Wales, but I would guess it was about the same. I made the mistake once to ask someone from where in England he was from and got rebuffed (brusquely I might add) that he was from Scotland and thus not English. I learned my lesson :D.

Staff and Service were absolutely fantastic. Contrary to the usual staffing contingent, Regent was experimenting with a larger mix and it worked out great. All seemed to work well together, had fun, were smiling and provided great service. It also is nice to meet people (staff) from previous cruises and picking up the relationship again. Our waitress at CR and the Sommelier are an example. Great people and fun to be around with. Same for Head waiters and others. Some staff was very new and was still learning some of the ropes. They were great though and quick to pick things up. All in all, complements to the management on the ship to find a good mix of experienced and new crew. And if a new staff person had problems, an experienced staff quickly stepped in and helped. And most passengers were easy going and taking things with patience, like the Scottish lady who ordered Whiskey and Water, only to get something she didn’t think she ordered. Well, after “explaining” it to the waiter on what she wanted and getting it, she still didn’t get what “she ordered”, but was ok with it. I mentioned to her:” From what I understood you ordering, I would have brought you the same”. We both had a good chuckle about our “language difference” and continued having a great time. And yes, it was sometimes hard for new staff to pick up the nuances. Was it Ice Coffee or was it Ice(d) Coffee ? Two different drinks in many countries. ETC.

Food: We found the food to be excellent and some of the new items were outstanding. There was a little unevenness in the salt sometimes, but overall not a big deal. Wine selection were great in general, but after talking with our sommelier we quickly found wines we liked best and they were waiting for us each evening at dinner. Together with our company, we enjoyed the dinners and the time it took. Portions were not too large, but if you have 5 courses, small is good. And as we know, if you want a second appetizer or the appetizer as main course, it’s all possible. Overall, probably the best CR dinning we had for many years.

While Prime 7 was good, the portion sizes are almost too large. But again, this is imho.

Sette Mari was as before. Some people like it more than CR, others prefer CR. Choices are great. Some guests tried to eat in Prime 7 each night, others could care less. I all worked out.

Entertainment on the ship was generally better than in the past. The new shows, even though we didn’t go to all of them seemed to be working well, no more Cirque de Navigator . We enjoyed the piano bar in the evening. Ross did an outstanding job working the “crowd” and having a great mix for his “international guests” :)

What could be improved ? Well, as usual, excursions are one thing, but mostly it’s communication before or during excursions. All passengers get their tickets and meeting times beforehand, yet not everybody seems to pay attention. Some people like to be at the theatre early, way early, confusing the staff, others come late, creating issues, but that’s a minor issue. IMHO, the main problem happens when things are delayed or a kink in the plan, usually when the ship is tendering. Keep the passengers informed about what happening. Let them know that for example, the ships tenders are not permitted by the harbor authorities and local tenders need to come, that the ship needs to move closer to a new location because of this or that and thus, changes have to be made, that there has been a delay here or there, a bus not there in time, etc. Instead, it’s either silence or some silly excuse, all causing the inmates to become restless. Also during excursions at places where there are lesser options (like two tours only) and the busses have to be staggered, passengers could be better informed why things are delayed or why one sits in a café longer than necessary :rolleyes:. Like with so many things in life, good communication is key.

Overall though, those “issues” are small and not worth it to ruin your trip. Same with excursions overall. Some on this trip were outstanding, others so-so.

Again, great trip and I’m looking forward to the next.

I would choose the second one, hitting Norway etc. Why ? On the first one you are spending a lot of time in international waters :-), not much to see. Greenland and Iceland are pretty, but to see much you will need to get inland and I'm not sure the Regent itinerary will allow enough time. Norway on the other hand has a lot of things to see....heck even if the ship only visits one of the many fjords, it's stunning.

just my 2cents

Sorry Wes, not telling :-)

On Belize there are three tours I'd recommend (if offered)

In order of fav

1. Lamanai Pyramids and Riverboat. Yes, it's pyramids you don't want, but the trip to the place via river delta, swampy area, fast boat ride through the jungle is fantastic.

2. Zipline and Cave Spelunking. Worth it, but if you have issues moving or crawling once in a while, not so much.

3. Cave Tubing. As TC2 said...it's fun...wet beeeehind or not :-)

More pics re Menu

Prime 7 Tartar Appetizer

Lobster Dish at Prime 7 (taken out of the shell by wait staff)

vs Lobster Dish at Compass Rose

Desserts were also nicely improved and changed

Key Lime Pie in Prime 7

Chocolate Cake Compass Rose

and here's my absolute fav dessert....Giriodot (?)...if anyone on the Navigator right now can get the recipe...pls, pretty pls.

Enjoy

On our recent Navigator cruise in the med, we enjoyed the various menu options very much. Especially Compass Rose had had a revamping of their menu and it has been great. Chef Hamza (who during our trip was transferred to be the executive Chef on the Explorer) and his crew did an outstanding job. While the main entrée options haven't changed that much (a few new items), the changes are mostly in the appetizer area. All well received. We had some people complaining that the menu on Regent hasn't changed for many years (and for most parts, this is true), but with the variety of choices offered, you'd have to stay for a long time to run out of options :-) One couple in particular reiterated the fact that the menu hadn't changed, but then they were mostly dining at Sette Mari (go figure :-) )

Below find a few pics of new (at least to us) items on the menu.

Chicken Liver Mousse (Excellent)

Trio of Scallops (prob one of my fav appetizers )

Swordfish Carpaccio (again, great)

Caviar on some sort of mashed potatoes (forgot what kind :-) )

Seared Tuna

Prime 7 was good as well, but the portions are more on the bigger side

Prime 7 Rib Eye

More pics in second post (limit of 6 pics)

Enjoy