bonefishbruce

There is one definite advantage to the Charteuse bar.  I find that the Pouilly-Fuisse served in Charteuse to be superior to the normal chardonnay served in the other venues.  I've often wondered if I could take advantage of that knowledge.  Now it appears I can, if only you folks don't have the place packed while swilling the French chardonnay. 

We'll be at the Four Seasons. Not sure how far that will be, but I do know Regent will be transfering us to the ship.

The Four Seasons is only about 4 blocks from the terminal. If you didn't have luggage, you'd probably prefer to just walk it.

Depending upon the hotel you plan on staying in, it should not cost much for a taxi. If you book the Pan Pacific Hotel (the one across the street from the cruise terminal), you can easily walk your luggage across the street and down a ramp to check in.

The Pan Pacific is actually directly above the cruise terminal. They are actually part of the same building. It's the Fairmont Waterfront that is across the street and the Fairmont Pacific Rim another block away.

Yes, I believe it is the ta's obc. Nevertheless, she told me that it could not be refunded if not used. Probably just a sales pitch but at least I am sure that the money will not be wasted. I am also sure that the hotel prices from the agent are a lot better than what I would get from Regent. It certainly beats hitting the gift store on the last day with $800 in credits.

This is the first time I have heard of this. Did your TA book Regent private tours (like the private car that Regent offers with excursions)? Generally it is the passenger that books the tours (included, Regent Choice or private cars) online - they pay for them and get reimbursed once onboard the ship.

 

Using OBC's for your Regent post cruise hotel makes sense in a way since it is something offered by Regent.

 

Any detail you could give us would be appreciated!

Sorry I was not clear. It was an independent tour booked directly by my t.a. not through Regent.

My agent told me that their obc was use it or lose it once onboard. However, they will let us use it for anything booked with them. Last year we used it for private tours our agent booked for us in St. Petersburg. This year we're thinking of using it for our post cruise hotel. Worth checking out.

I have often wondered if the models they use have parents or grandparents that actually sail on Regent.

Nevertheless Goldenrod-You have inspired me to send a photo of myself in a bathing suit to Regent to show them the talent they are missing. Do you think I should send the the one in the Speedo, or the thong?:eek:

To add clarity to this thread, I can confirm we do not allow dining tables to be reserved. This has been our longstanding policy and it has not changed. Groups are also not permitted to reserve tables and are encouraged to arrive early in effort to be seated close together. Select physical conditions or limitations often require additional consideration otherwise and we will accommodate appropriately.

 

Many guests do arrive early to Compass Rose to be seated by the windows and when they are available.

 

Additionally, our dining room team attempts to seat guests in the same area or within the same wait staff's area when possible in order to allow a more consistent level of personal experience. When the dining room is busier, sometimes this not always possible.

Thank you sir. That is what I was hoping to hear from you.

Not sure whats so important about a window table at dinner---It's dark outside and what do you see. I just won't sit at a table that is next to a waiter station. I've only had that happen once and I just no thanks, I'll eat someplace else tonight.

My last cruise was in the Baltic during summer solstice. Trust me, there was plenty of light. You make a good point though. The next cruise will be September and might not be quite as bright so the window table might not be so important.

As I understand that Regent management reads these posts, I think we should all be heard. I too,am opposed to tables being reserved for the highest bidder. We never got a window table on our last cruise although I have to admit we never specifically asked for one. Next cruise, I will ask, and if we are denied I will check to see if any are vacant. I would prefer that management simply makes the statement that this is against company policy and that it will not be tolerated.

Not on the Mariner -- they are the same size. You may be thinking of Explorer.

Your're right TC. I was thinking of the Explorer. Sorry about that

We are sailing on the Mariner on August 30 (H guarantee) from Vancouver to San Francisco. I received this upgrade offer from Regent via my travel agent today:

 

"We would like to present a limited time opportunity to experience the added luxury of a suite upgrade at a special price for your booking referenced above. Availability is extremely limited and is on a strictly first-come, first-served basis!

Upgrade to a CONCIERGE SUITE $175 pp Prices are per person based on double occupancy.

This offer is cruise-only and does not provide air class of service upgrades or refunds. Guests who purchase a discounted upgrade from categories F-H are NOT eligible for free hotel or any other concierge level benefits, such as priority online shore excursion and dining reservations, and 15 minutes phone time, nor discounts on land arrangements or on premium wine and liquor. "

The suites are the same size. The only benefit I can see if being able to choose a deck location. Am I missing something?

The suites are not the same size. The concierge class are much bigger than an H stateroom.

Totally agree to check prices in both currencies. Apparently Regent has recently changed the exchange rate which makes CAD much less attractive. Best to look at all of the options. And isn't it nice to have options!

 

 

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More likely Regent's exchange rate stayed the same while the loonie appreciated. The Miami office told me that they only adjust the rate quarterly. Right now the current exchange rate values the loonie at about 79.55 cents while Regent is only allowing about 73.5. Granted, the real retail exchange rate will always be less than the rate quoted. Nevertheless, that's big difference. Of course, the rates could change before the final payment is due and maybe we should just consider the price difference as insurance.

We just got our room assignments today, 9 days from embarkation. No upgrades, but we decided that we'd be happy with all the rooms in our category so we're getting what we bargained for. Can't complain about that.

Thanks for the positive response. I guess I was overreacting to some of the negative comments.. The cheese souffle and Dover sole sound pretty enticing.

Chartreuse seems to be the least popular of the specialty restaurants. Surely, there must something that's worth eating there. Any suggestions?

There's a good service in the airport between the baggage carousels and the exit. I believe the base car is a Camry and you can upgrade to something more luxurious. Just find the kiosk, pay the fare, and you're good to go. The standard metered taxi is about half the price but you'll be in a Corolla.

We're off in 11 days and still haven't heard. The last available suite category went "wait list" today so maybe they can now decide where to put us.

We're getting ready for our first Regent cruise on the Explorer in about 4 weeks. I just checked the restaurant reservations and there is availability in almost every restaurant on almost every night. If you are willing to share, prime times are usually available. Tables for two might require a later reservation on some nights. From what I've read, Compass Rose seems so popular that people don't feel an urgency to move up to one of the specialty restaurants. Of course every cruise is different but from what I've seen, I'd suggest that specialty restaurant reservations should not be a factor in your decision making. Maybe some others can chime in if they have had a different experience.

The RSSC website lists dinner menus numbered from 1 to 3 for Compass Rose and 1 to 10 for Sette Mari. First question is, are those menus current and accurate? If so, will they actually appear in that order when we're aboard the ship or is it just listed that way on the website? Does anybody know how many different menus are offered before they begin to recycle? This could really help in planning dining choices. Thanks, as always for the great information

We also have a guarantee on our June 14 London- Stockholm cruise. Corporate told us to expect cabin assignments two weeks prior to boarding. I check availability by going to the RSSC website, then "Find a Cruise" and when I zero in on the cruise there is an availability chart at the bottom of the webpage. In our case, it's completely sold out/oversold except for the Seven Seas suites. Our cruise goes nonrefundable this week, so maybe there will be some openings appearing.

If you tell us which ship you will be on, we can make more recommendations since the Explorer has the most dining choices and the Navigator has the least.

 

Agree about the Miso Glazed Sea Bass. In terms of the Dover Sole, we prefer it in Prime 7 over the one served in Compass Rose.

Sorry, I forgot to mention we'll be on the Explorer. Chartreuse also has Dover Sole. Anybody try it there?

My wife and I are looking forward to our first Regent experience in June. Most people seem pretty positive on the food these days but I was looking for some more specific suggestions. Has anybody got a favorite "must try" dish or conversely, a dish to avoid? Feel free to mention more than one dish or more than one restaurant. You might enjoy answering the question more than I enjoy reading it.

We will be going on our first Oceania cruise next April. We are trying to understand the drink packages. Am I correct in that bottles of wine are not included in the Prestige package, only glasses of wine? Does anyone have a list of the wines that are available in the Prestige package? Typically, we prefer to order bottles of wine so can someone give us the price of just one bottle, of say a Russian River Pinot Noir. Any type of wine will do but we'd like to know what varietal and the winery. Thanks so much for your help.

I see that others have provided links to the wine by the glass menu. If you want to see the full wine list, navigate to Oceania, click your ship, and "Fine Dining", restaurant name, and then click on wine list. The basic menu is the same in all restaurants but the specialty restaurants do have a few additions. Unfortunately, prices are not given. My experience last year was that glasses ran from $8.00 to $12.00 and the corresponding bottle price was around $30 to $52.00. I would expect an increase this year. Perhaps some recent cruisers can provide an update. I'm used to drinking wines at that price point and found the selections well chosen and quite enjoyable. Those who are used to spending more seem less impressed. Don't lock yourself into a plan unless you're sure you will enjoy the product.

DW and I have upgraded to a penthouse next September. We were wondering if the balcony is large enough to accommodate a dinner. We're specifically wondering if we ordered something a little fragrant, like a lobster, if we could keep the smells outdoors. A little help from the more experienced cruisers would be appreciated.