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Splendor Bookings available, anybody booking?


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Just thought I'd look at Splendor since you can now book for early 2020. Obviously nobody knows the precise details of suites, etc., but I was looking at G1/G2, and I see that the G1 suites on deck 6 are aft, while the G2 suites on this deck are midship, somewhat forward. Do you think this is a mistake or oversight in the plans?

 

The reason I'm looking is because May 2020 will be our 40th anniversary, if we make it that far, lol! It's tempting, I admit.

 

Any thoughts on the new ship?

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The early 2020 cruises for Splendor were available for booking since April. Well, at least the cruise we booked, the 3/14/2020 Transcanal , thats when we booked it. As far as I know, the suite details, deck plans , are set in place . The ship looks to be a clone of the Explorer, with some changes. One that comes to mind its the Coffee bar will have outside seating. I think the suites are pretty much the same as Explorer with a different color palette.

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We are booked on the same sailing as cruiseluv and also booked it a while ago. Agree that the Splendor is pretty much the same as Explorer except for the change noted above and a change in the grand stairway. Our cruise has been full since shortly after it was available for booking.

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It is probably normal for there to be less excitement about Splendor than there was about Explorer (pretty much like the big hoopla about Oceania's Marina and the more subdued reaction to the Riviera when she debuted). We are personally staying with Explorer for future cruises and are only booked on the Splendor because our Explorer cruise became a Splendor cruise.

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Wendy:

 

I have a different take on this--based on being on all Regent ships, and already booked on Splendor's San Diego (changed from L.A. last week) 03/14/2020 departure for a Panama Canal transit to Miami. We will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary on that voyage. Therefore, our original booking was when this was first-advertised way-back in July, 2017 as an Explorer voyage. Things change. But, the basic experience, and expectation of service, remains consistent.

 

Enthusiasm is not necessary. We know the "brand", as we also know what should be the expected experience on similar 5+ Star Silversea, Seabourn, and Crystal ships. Been there, and done that. No need for an extra dose of enthusiasm simply because we believe there is the reasonable expectation the same service level will be maintained on the newest addition to the fleet.

 

Still, it is always nice to board a new ship--whatever the 5+ line. Just-as long as that vessel's crew has had the opportunity to work out any unusual kinks during three or four previous "inaugural" segments. That was our experience March-April 2017 when boarding Explorer for the Miami-Barcelona-Venice segments. No glitches. Sparkling ship.

 

We expect no-less when boarding Splendor.

 

GOARMY!

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Pretty much agree with GOARMY! Excitement is not necessary in this case. We love Explorer and therefore expect to love Splendor. Our only cruises in 2019 and so far in 2020 are on Explorer and Splendor and the sailings are selling extremely well. The Explorer changed our expectations of what a ship should be. She isn't for everyone but is definitely our favorite ship by far. The only cruise that we are not as excited about is our Voyager TA in November but I'm confident that we'll have a great cruise -- just not on our favorite ship.

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Interesting. Surely they're going to iron out a few of the issues that Explorer has? If the lack of enthusiasm is general, that doesn't bode well for Regent.

 

What issues does Explorer has/ had? We've been twice on her ( TA on Nov 2016, Caribbean Feb 2018), must have missed these issues. Wendy, what didnt you like? And about the term "excitement", I guess it must mean different things to different people, I'm sure excited to be booked on the March 2020 Transcanal ! There was certainly a lot of buzz in April when Regent opened reservations for Splendor.

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Well, my DW and I are booked for a TA from NYC to Barcelona on Splendor, and we are officially excited. Our first time on Regent, (have done SS 3 times and have a Seabourn booked next fall). But then - perhaps we are easily excited. If you are on that cruise, we'll be the ones swinging from the chandeliers and riding cardboard boxes down the main staircase. Who says you have to act your age?? Where's the fun in that??

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Well, my DW and I are booked for a TA from NYC to Barcelona on Splendor, and we are officially excited. Our first time on Regent, (have done SS 3 times and have a Seabourn booked next fall). But then - perhaps we are easily excited. If you are on that cruise, we'll be the ones swinging from the chandeliers and riding cardboard boxes down the main staircase. Who says you have to act your age?? Where's the fun in that??

 

Explorer has a huge chandelier. Hanging from it may make cruising history:D

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What issues does Explorer has/ had? We've been twice on her ( TA on Nov 2016, Caribbean Feb 2018), must have missed these issues. Wendy, what didnt you like? And about the term "excitement", I guess it must mean different things to different people, I'm sure excited to be booked on the March 2020 Transcanal ! There was certainly a lot of buzz in April when Regent opened reservations for Splendor.

 

I've not been on Explorer. But I have read here some issues people have had, like the elevator that doesn't go all the way down, and other things that I don't recall. All ships have things they can improve on--look at how Voyager was changed from Mariner.

 

Well, my DW and I are booked for a TA from NYC to Barcelona on Splendor, and we are officially excited. Our first time on Regent, (have done SS 3 times and have a Seabourn booked next fall). But then - perhaps we are easily excited. If you are on that cruise, we'll be the ones swinging from the chandeliers and riding cardboard boxes down the main staircase. Who says you have to act your age?? Where's the fun in that??

 

That sounds great. I'm so glad you're excited, I always am before a cruise, and when it gets too ho-hum, I've done enough cruising. I will be swinging from a chandelier next month on Seabourn Quest! Love it having a cruise booked, love the anticipation, and nothing like a new ship!

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I've never sailed on Regent and I am amazed at how stunningly beautiful the Spendor looks! Wow, what a ship!!

 

I am a frequent Oceania cruiser, always on Riviera and Marina....my favorite ships. But Splendor looks like something very unique and ultra luxury and I'm very intrigued....so I'm thinking of booking my first Regent cruise on the Splendor Barcelona to Miami Transatlantic on 11/13/20. I've also never done a Transatlantic so I'm thinking if I'm going to have all these sea days why not have them on the most luxurious ship!

 

So...should I book it??!! :D

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I've never sailed on Regent and I am amazed at how stunningly beautiful the Spendor looks! Wow, what a ship!!

 

I am a frequent Oceania cruiser, always on Riviera and Marina....my favorite ships. But Splendor looks like something very unique and ultra luxury and I'm very intrigued....so I'm thinking of booking my first Regent cruise on the Splendor Barcelona to Miami Transatlantic on 11/13/20. I've also never done a Transatlantic so I'm thinking if I'm going to have all these sea days why not have them on the most luxurious ship!

 

So...should I book it??!! :D

 

YES!! And East to West Transatlantic is IMO the best (since you gain an hour almost each night of the crossing)

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Hopefully the issues in the theatre with poor sight lines on the Explorer will be sorted out on the Splendour. If they repeat the Explorer issues and make upstairs in the theatre unusable it will detract from the ships glossy feel.

 

I understand your concern , but since I seldom go to the shows there its a non issue for me. I'm very excited about the outside seating area for the coffee place.

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I'm in the "too rich for my pocket book" crowd. I've noticed a trend where the newest or most popular ship has the highest rates. So like with the Explorer, it's just going to be a couple of years until the newness wears off and the rates come down. That's ok -- lots of other ships to love.

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I'm in the "too rich for my pocket book" crowd. I've noticed a trend where the newest or most popular ship has the highest rates. So like with the Explorer, it's just going to be a couple of years until the newness wears off and the rates come down. That's ok -- lots of other ships to love.

 

I'm with you on this which is why we had no plans to go on Splendor until our Explorer cruise morphed into a Splendor cruise at no additional cost.

 

We are only looking forward to the outside seating in the Coffee Connection because it will leave more room for those of us who prefer sitting inside:halo:

 

While there will be few major changes on Splendor, the sight lines in the theater will be improved and the grand stairway will be changed. I was glad to hear that the PH suites will be different (likely the same size but laid out better).

 

Despite what I posted earlier, I am excited that Regent is getting a new ship and we are always excited to cruise on Regent. However, nothing will ever match our over the top excitement for the debut of Explorer which we followed every step of the way ...... from the time she was announced. Despite sight issues on Explorer, to me she is the most wonderful ship ever built.

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We haven't been on Explorer and, like TC2, were booked on Explorer for the Miami to La Panama Canal cruise - chose that because we love the itinerary (have done it before). And then like TC2 and some others we were switched to Splendour when the first itineraries were announced. We then asked is we could be on the (then) LA/Miami cruise instead and "our wish was granted". best of all is the fare we had signed up for on Explorer carried over to Splendour.

 

We are really really looking forward to this cruise. It will be our first time back on Regent in about 8 years. (we have been sailing with oceania in the meantime). We have the suite we wanted and the itinerary! Perfect! And of course "la cerise sur le gâteau" is that we will be on a brand new ship. And we will be celebrating our 55th Anniversary on board. All good IMO.

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We're excited to be in the process of booking a NYC to Barcelona cruise (4/16/20) on the Splendor. Anything that starts or ends at the New York docks, less than 10 miles from our house, is a big plus; and a new ship is an even bigger plus. We love Transatlantics!

 

We've been on Navigator, Voyager, and Mariner multiple times, and have a 20 day cruise on Navigator next August. We haven't yet booked Explorer. Somehow, we haven't yet found the right combination of itinerary, dates, and prices for Explorer. Maybe in 2021.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We were excited about a particular 2020 itinerary on Splendor and tentatively booked, then we read the deposit and cancellation penalties for this new ship's maiden year and decided we couldn't commit to what we considered to be fairly onerous cancellation penalties this far in advance. That is not to say we won't book much closer in but with potential health and other family issues between now and the sail date we were just not ready to take the leap.

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