Yankeeclipper1

Maybe we'll get together for dinner one night. Ray Maybe we'll get together for dinner one night. Ray

Just got off our first Navigator cruise. Doesn't have the wow factor of the Splendor or Explorer but everything else was still Regent. We were satisfied with the ship and have two more booked on Navigator (because of the itinerary) - May, Miami - Montreal, Jan, Tahiti. We booked knowing full well the differences between the ships and have no problem sailing her again. For us the Explorer, Splendor and Grandeur are in a different category - wow factor. IMO - The Navigator is closer to Seabourn Odyssey. My Inlaws are going on first Regent Alaska - I made a rambling list of thoughts: Room attendant will stock in fridge what ever wine, beer, soft drinks you want. Pillow menu if you want different type. Can change comforter to blanket if comforter too hot. Airconditioning range can be adjusted down or up by engineer - (they open or close the ceiling dampers more) Check restaurant menus daily on tv. Coffee Connection has cold breakfast and cronuts. La veranda has them also sometimes. Can have sit down serviced breakfast in main dining room or at buffet in La Veranda also has cronuts. Pool Grill has light breakfast - also if La Veranda is too crowded just take you plate short walk to Pool Grill tables. Sette Mar Italian restaurant changes some menu entrees every couple days. Lunch in main dining room is less crowded on sea days. Read daily events brochure (Passages) carefully everyday - has things noted that may not be commonly known. For example a special wine tasting. Check out the tea time daily at 4. Try different bars to find best bar tender - some are great others terrible. There are many included wines not just the ones offered for dinner. If you don’t like ask for something different. If you like a wine and want to keep drinking it ask and they’ll have the bottle pulled and waiting for you in the restaurant you pick for dinner. Or send to room. You can order half portions of entrees if you want to try different dishes. You can order multiple items (appetizers) to try. If something not cooked the way you want tell waiter order again. Sauna and steam rooms free in spa. The pool grill always has good burgers cooked to order - open later than restaurants for late lunch. Room service menu is extensive. And 24/7 Order room service appetizers or food for snack before dinner. Ice cream bar in pool deck - pretty good - made everyday on ship. Orange juice - you have to ask for fresh squeezed. They have it - but you will get packaged unless you ask

Correct - got the deer in the headlights look - a polite "oh" - and when I suggested that it should be mentioned in the daily "brief" from the CD and highlighted in the daily Passages - there was no response to my pointing it out and never heard about it again. It was as if they never heard of this issue before.

Great to hear about that it is in effect on Splendor - BUT - definitely not in effect on Navigator. Just got off last week and had an unscheduled sea day - the chair hogs were out in force - empty - but "claimed" chairs everywhere (in the shaded areas). I mentioned it to the Assistant CD, the Head Concierge, and another officer - why were they not enforcing the existing Regent Policy - and why put a guest in the position of enforcing it (which I did not - but was tempted)? No explaination and no action on Navigator. Oh, and the cruise was great.

Maple syrup has been adopted as a generic usage for just about any amber colored breakfast syrup. The challenge was (maybe still is) getting the staff to understand they have it on board and its different than the breakfast syrup they serve generally. That was my experience 10 months ago.

A pet peeve of mine for breakfast - real maple syrup and properly made french toast - which is usually a failure at trying to get the kitchen to soak the custard through the bread and cook properly. I was able to get maple syrup on Explorer, BUT, initially, wait staff more than likely will have absolutely have no idea what it is and will consistently bring you that golden syrup junk or some other imitation of maple syrup and even insist that it is maple syrup. They have it in the room service pantry in small jars (like in hotels). You just need to get someone from F&B to get you some and keep some in the dining venue for you - they have it (or at least did have it).

I am pulling my hair out trying to find the specifics (fine print) for the Air Deviation program. Where on the RSSC website is this information located? Is the following correct (so I am being told)? First scenario - If I make an air deviation to fly in a day early - I am charged $175pp deviation fee. If I decide at a later date to also stay over a day after the cruise I will be charged the deviation fee again?? The tickets have not been issued. Do they charge the fee twice? Second scenario - I have a deviation flight going in a day early - again tickets not issued - and decide to add and extra early day - arrive 2 days early - they want an additional deviation fee to move change the date 1 day earlier - same flights.

Ah - getting the included wine list. Every luxury line protects that document as if it was Top Secret. On SilverSea the F&B manager admitted that it was intentional and actually against policy to provide a list. This is what he explained - it had to do with provisioning and presenting what was in quantity until the next provisioning. Many of the included wines are not available in the quantities that could be provided for meal service. Many of the available included wines that are “hidden” are remainders from previous provisioning - or are leftovers from wine contracts no longer being fulfilled. Additionally, each of their provisioning points may have different items loaded. I said OK - great explanation BUT with the detailed inventorying and oversight over all spirits and wines it is not hard to quickly sort and print a list - he did for me. Presently - on the first day of a cruise - I seek out the F&B manager and politely state I do not want to play the wine guessing game and would he/she be so kind as to provide an included wine list I can study - if not possible, then I would like to set up my own wine tasting each day - tasting 3-4 reds and 3-4 white. Several times when the promised list never arrived - we did our own tastings, making it our own special event - in various lounges and had sommeliers bring us three or four samples of included reds and whites. By the 3rd day we had a nice list of maybe 20 wines for the rest of the trip. Have done our own wine tastings 3 times and it was actually fun.

I am sure you can just ask them to make you some without filling or icing. Or just filling and no icing (someone mentioned they did not like icing)

A very serious question.😆 We discovered the cronuts on the Explorer in the Coffee Connection. It became my duty to retrieve one each morning with a cup and return to our cabin - before breakfast. 😋 They changed the flavors each day. Needless to say - my wife is asking me if they exist on the Mariner and the Navigator (our next several cruises)?

Ah memories of growing up in NY. Actually the pitchman was Jerry Carrol who ended each ad stunt with frantic screaming at the camera and shouting - "his prices are so low - they're insane" or "his prices are insane" as he threw his arms and hands at the camera. To keep within the context of my post - I suggest Regent hire him to keep within context of their 2fer and discounts and "free" promotions.

Does anyone from the sales marketing world know why Regent uses the word “free” rather than “included” in all their promotions and advertising? I am sure they have smart marketing people who have run every permutation of what generates sales. I can’t imagine at this price level that luxury cruise customers really are drawn to the work free. It irks me every time I see the word - knowing what I actually paid for a cruise - and the fact that it is all factored in. Seabourn uses “included” in their advertising. I think the way Regent advertises “free” cheapens the product. Technically - I guess - you could stretch it to Webster’s definition - Free “not costing or charging anything” if you consider that you are not being charged additional for said items - but we all know you already paid for everything that is “free”. I guess I can add in the fake list prices and fake discounts. Do they really think that their customers are that unsophisticated to believe that anyone ever would pay the list price? It makes some of their marketing look like a mass market fire sale. PS We love Regent and have 4 more cruises booked.

Lived on Upper Richmond Rd (closer to Barnes side) near the Arab Boy. Loved it, loved Richmond Park, Wimbledon Park, Richmond, London, UK.

On the one hand you find it interesting to mention Costco as if bargain basement - but yet don't flinch at the mention of Olive Garden (low end Italian eatery) - I flinch at Olive Garden 😆. When I lived in London/Putney for 4 years we used the Costco UK a lot - different than Costco here. You would be surprised at who shops at Costco in US (maybe through the back door though). Sam's Club is Walmart - Costco is a different species. Loved Waitrose BTW.

Thanks Gourmet Gal. I'll respond at the risk of causing some to endure this thread some more 😁. I should have been clearer, the RC, FS Peninsula mentioned was just illustrative and was meant to indicate hotel levels - the restaurant mentions were for food levels - basically good steakhouse/seafood levels. I actually feel that these luxury cruise lines in many aspects come close to those hotels (as best as possible), especially similar to RC and FS - no complaint about the various ships. Can't wait to see how the RC ship pans out. The 3 new RSSC ships are over the top in décor. Everywhere you look is a sensory feast of fabrics, woods, marbles, stones, art - too much for some, great for others. Itinerary is not our priority but I would give RSSC a try. Research the newest videos first and the 3 newer ships.

Interesting, so - 70 people can post, respond, agree, disagree, misread, mislead, misinterpret or say whatever they want - but I respond to my own thread to put it back to my original point and I am torturing you? With all due respect, you do not have “to go on with anything - don’t read it. I responded 4 times to clarify a point. I repeated my point - twice. Since most responses had gotten far away from my original point it is my prerogative to restate or clarify it. If it’s too much for you to bear then don’t read, or ask the question of your fellow Silversea-ites - how long will they continue to post? Or do you prefer to be the arbiter of what is too much conversation. Don’t we have enough of those these days?

The point of my post was to expound upon my view that after two Silversea cruises I felt they were not fully providing the experience they advertised - for me. I am happy to see that the moderator removed 15 or more off track responses (sophomoric) and some incredibly vile posts (evidently unbalanced and needs meds). Again this was about the catering F&B department, not the itineraries (great) not the ship cabins (great) not the staff (great) but about what is a major component for us - and from some other posts, important to others. I use Regent as a comparison because that is our most recent (March) experience. In this post and my previous cruise I mentioned some areas we felt were lacking in the catering area. Those were some examples - not all inclusive and meant to be illustrative. Nowhere did I mention Michelin expectations, even though that word keeps popping up illustratively in posts. Our expectations are to have a high quality meal - yes - all the time, with expected acceptable stumbles here and there - that is what SS is selling. Based upon our experience there are other lines that do better in the catering department and entertainment areas. ASSESSOR in post #38 summed it up much better than I did. “If you want an above average foodie experience SS isn't going to excite the taste buds...too much money spent to feed average food we can get from other lines costing 1/2 the price.” SAMININA in post #22 Hit one of the roots, “So many passengers that accept the lower standards.” - such as chrisim23 post 44 stated “Accept that the food is going to be mediocre.” Really? It doesn’t have to be. I used the King Crab as an illustration because that is an easy one for procurement and storage. King Crab legs are rated by size - they all come quick frozen from the crabbers - and are sold retail by size. The numbers are legs per 10 pounds. 6/9 for example is 6 - 9 legs per 10 pounds, commonly sold by Costco (sometimes 4/7 and 9/12’s). If anyone can get 6/9’s from Costco’s a cruise line should be able to procure them - every upscale steakhouse and fish restaurant in America has them.. The ones served on SS were 30’s or higher, basically the smallest possible and not really sold in good retail establishments - but are plentiful on Chinese Buffets.. Add in that they are already cut in half, when you steam them they are dry and tasteless. Why all this as an example - Regent uses 6-9’s - jumbos. The attached picture is from a recent facebook page from Sunday brunch and my own dinner on Explorer. The next time I asked for and got just the main legs only (tubes). You will also notice the shrimp are much larger and higher quality than what was ever served on buffet on SS. Cheese was another example I used in a previous string. Supposedly they (SS) had better cheeses onboard than the ones put out over and over. I could never get Epoisses - or Reblochon or real Italian Auricchio Provolone Piccante, even though they said they had it, it never materialized. I said just bring me the softest, runnyest, smelliest cheeses - never materialized. I like sharp romano with my pasta instead of parmesan. With fully advanced notice I got it once and then they could not produce it again. I mention all this because it is the antithesis to Regent. And - NO - (for the people that are going to come back for the umpteenth time with the “you cannot get Michelin level food on a cruise ship) - I don’t expect Michelin Star meals - I expect consistent, high quality upscale dining, with high quality ingredients/provisioning, preparation and presentation. I am not a wall flower or someone who doesn’t get out. I lived overseas in 11 countries, and during my 33 year career visited over 100 countries. Our food experiences extends from Delhi bellie - to the best street food ever tasted to more Michelin restaurants than we can remember. For luxury cruises I expect - a RitzCarlton, Four Seasons, Peninsula, Morton’s (the old Morton’s), Capital Grill, Truluck’s - experiences. With regard to SS, I refer to ASSESSOR post 38 - “quality, taste, and presentation is mainstream levels now.” Mainstream best describes the overall culinary experience we had twice on SS. And yes - for those who suggested or will suggest I move on and try something else - I have 2 more upcoming Regent cruises and will try RitzCarlton Cruises whenever they get going. Also I like the Europa 2 idea from Catlover52 - post 18.

OK I'll bite 😁- French Pastry Shop quality was an over emphasis of how I consider (IMO) the breads and pastries on SS to be subpar. For example - the breads on Regent were much more varied, had different taste between the types, good crusts and were all different - the pastries were much more varied and flavorful - the daily selection of different stuffed cronuts was great - the Torsades au Chocolate where flaky, buttery, tasty, the croissants and chocolate versions were flaky, buttery, and tasty. Common theme here - between the afternoon tea offerings, canapés, breads, cakes, and pastries - Regent (I used that example because we had recently cruised on Explorer) had a much better bakery (IMO) as were the bakeries on Crystal, Seabourn, Oceania. Sorry you took me so literally.

They most certainly will. 😆

Gourmet Gal, Our expectations may not be as lofty as you perceive. As I have said before in other strings (maybe not fully expressed here) we do not expect Michelin or "true high end" experiences on a ship. BUT - I think I can expect at least a good steakhouse or land based dining experience. That is what these luxury lines are selling - upscale experiences - not mediocrity or mainstream.

Sorry I was not clearer - I meant scant in terms of variety of items, not the amount available. For example - on Regent - Coffee Connection is more of a café concept - always available charcuterie, pastries and cakes, fruits and other sundries to have with your coffee or other beverages. Seabourn's Seabourn Square (coffee) also had a much larger selection of items - and much better cakes and pastries (IMO).

Second SS cruise. As previously reviewed - wanted to give SS a second shot http://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2821190-first-silversea-cruise-good-not-great/ Many of the issues mentioned previously existed on this cruise. I’ll caveat for those who do not read my previous entry - When we travel, my wife and I enjoy the culinary/ship experience parts of the cruise the most. Ports are secondary to us - we enjoy our culinary experiences and have high expectations in this category of cruising - combined with the rest of the cruise experience. So, for us - the dining experiences are very important. My reference point for this cruise is our Seabourn, Crystal, Regent experiences. My comments are very food centric because that is important to us. We were on the June 2 Seward - Vancouver run - Silver Muse. The cruise started out on the first days promising - with my comment - “We will book again.” I even met our F&B manager from the Silver Spirit - Martin. By the end of the cruise - my comment was - “not going to bother again” - not at these prices anyway. It was not one thing but a series of minor annoyances/issues (for use) that added up. First - an “A” for effort. The crew, staff, cabin attendants the ship condition were all excellent - that was expected. The cumulative failures were in the F&B area - which as previously mentioned in other reviews - are most important to us. Subjectively - we found the bars inconsistent. The bartenders can not consistently follow their own recipes. We would order the same drink in various venues and they would range from delicious to undrinkable - the same drink should taste the same. Food ranged from “good” (never extraordinary) to - “are you kidding me?” I’ll mention bread - they need another bread maker (or better recipes) - many pieces of bread were tasteless, lacking salt, substance, flavor. It didn’t matter which restaurant - we came across the same tasteless bread. It was almost as if they were using the same dough and just changing the shapes. I am comparing it to other lines - Seabourn, Regent, Oceania, Crystal. Our bread baskets were never emptied - by us. One night (in advance) I asked for King Crab legs but wanted the whole tubes of premium crab (Jumbo-Colossal) - not split open and not the poor C category stuff served on lunch buffets - we were in Alaska for gosh sakes. Big deal was made out of my special dinner that night - every server had to mention I was getting a special dinner.. Well - it plain sucked. The crab was the same cheap crab - split open for the masses - dried out and tasteless - and had a slightly fishy odor that my wife even noticed. There is a difference from the second rate, mass packaged end pieces/small legs that you need to serve buffets and 300 plates at once - I get that. I was expecting 6-9 legs - whole. Sounds like a bridge too far - Regent has a separate stock of legs that are just that - jumbos - whole and for the asking. This should be an easy one since all crab is already quick frozen and processed when caught - it just requires careful defrosting and warming. The lunch buffets were unimaginative and mundane, we really had to sort through to find something interesting and not buffet line common - same salads every lunchtime, large bowls of just chopped lettuces and vegetables - no creativity - no variations and creative salad making. Leg of Lamb - uncuttable. Pasta station could never get the order right - time after time I asked for extra sauce (swimming) with my pasta, extra cheese and no green garnishes - always came almost dry and a few sprinkles of cheese and green garnish. Had to wait for the corrections each time - almost as if I was talking to the wall when I ordered at the pasta station. Breakfast pastries - were meh - again nothing special - I expect "French Pastry shop quality and selection - this was very basic. Sorry but (IMO) most of the menu items were very ordinary, uninspired and could be on any mainline ship. It was our worst buffet experience - even Oceania Marina and Riviera’s buffets were better.. Canapes served with drinks in the bars during evenings were uninspired, skimpy, bland and repeating - basically boring - and took forever to get service. We would sometimes receive stale nuts and nibbles. The Asian inspired restaurant - definitely better than the horror of an Asian inspired restaurant on the Spirit but yet again - meh - Benihana teppanyaki - very greasy. The Art’s Cafe (coffee) was a poor representation (comparatively speaking) - regarding nibble selections - very basic and scant - / and we could not even get a french press - when compared to the coffee locations on Regent and Seabourn. However - La Dame and La Terrazza were (IMO) very good - actually better than on the Spirit. Atlantide was usually good (except for my crab disaster). Indochine was closed (I don’t know why and if it was only closed the nights we wanted to go).Spaccanapoli for lunch is good but really not the best pizza - the pizza is way overhyped - it's good but not great. Only a 7 day cruise so we did not make it to the Grill for dinner - but I expect with its limited menu it would be the same as on the Spirit - good. Silver Note was the same - “interesting” but I don’t need to repeat a 3rd time. They did a nice birthday acknowledgement for me in our suite. We thought the itinerary was wonderful and the included excursions were adequate to good. I did attend evening performances - IMO - they paled compared to Regent’s investment in live entertainment on board and on stage. Even though Martin (F&B) was on this ship and knew my issue from the Spirit, I did not put him on speed dial this time - many issues are related to corporate, provisioning contracts, corporate menus and standard operating procedures (necessary for consistency) and beyond one F&B’s manager's ability to change. (They did have maple syrup on board but took an extraordinary effort each time to get it (it was in room service supply - little jars) - none of the servers could understand the difference between syrup goop and real maple syrup - I didn’t even bother this time trying to get better cheese selections). The above are a few minor issues - but there were many more and it just added up to - “and for those reasons - I’m out” (Sharktank).