On board: The Regent Experience Through The Eyes of a Newbie

[Snackdaddy]

Greetings,

 

We are currently on board the a Mariner and I wanted to share some excerpts from my daily log with you. Thank you to the Regent Cruise Critic family for your suggestions and advice you posted as we were preparing for our cruise.

 

Regent Seven Seas Mariner

Rio De Janeiro to Buenos Aires

December 8-20, 2013

 

Friday, December 6, 2013

LGA to IAH, IAH to GIG on United Airlines--Business First

It was more cost effective for us to book our own business class air. Both legs of our trip were very good. The United Airlines' cabin crews worked very hard and we found them to be very friendly and accommodating. No complaints here.

 

Saturday, December 7, 2013

We arrived in GIG a few minutes early and went through Customs with minimal wait time. We booked a private car through the Sheraton Rio and our driver was waiting for us as arranged.

 

We arrived at the Sheraton Rio around 1230 and were instructed to meet the Regent group in one of the downstairs conference rooms. We were asked to fill out a basic information form and a credit card form. This is where it became rather strange.

 

There were not enough chairs and tables to accommodate the number of travelers in the room. We did have the option, however, to leave the room as long as we were back by 3:00 pm to receive our room keys. We decided to stay because we met some wonderful people and the good conversation helped us pass the time.

 

As stated in the information we received from our TA and Regent, we knew that our rooms would not be ready until 3:00 pm however some travelers did not get the memo and started to get a bit testy. A few said they paid a lot of money for this trip and wanted action! Many who were used to the Regent's high standards and could not understand what was going on. Many experienced Regent travelers told us that this was not the norm and they had never seen anything like it. What was disturbing to me was the fact that an official Regent representative was no where to be found. The Sheraton Rio's staff took the brunt of the verbal attacks. In my opinion, an official from Regent should have been there, especially for the size of the group. There were too many to count as travelers kept arriving from the airport.

 

Sadly when 3:00 pm rolled around only a handful of the rooms were ready and the Sheraton's staff began calling out the names of the travelers whose rooms were ready. This is when it went from bad to ugly. Picture this: many tired people who had traveled for many hours, in a dingy room, with just water, juice and coffee. The "Type A" personalities began to assert themselves and began crowding around the Sheraton employees who were reading out the names of the chosen few. (As if crowding around the Sheraton's staff members would make their room keys appear quicker.). Since there was no microphone and the accents of the staff members were very heavy, a few of the "Type A" personalities took it upon themselves to assist the staff by reading out the names along with the staff. You could not make this up. Waiting for your name to be called was more torturous than Jury Duty--at least when we have served on Jury Duty we were released after a few hours.

 

After a few torturous hours of this, a remnant of the remaining group decided to go upstairs and storm the check-in desk. Guess what? It worked. The squeaky wheels got the oil. Most of them received room keys. To make a very long story short, it was 6:00 pm and we were the last to receive our room keys. We were upgraded to a junior suite but we were so tired and hungry it really did not matter. We will send an email to Kunal S. Kamlani about this and will let you know what happens.

 

December 8, 2013

Sheraton Rio

At 0800 we placed our bags, with a white colored ribbon on each, outside of our room for pick-up. We went downstairs to meet two new friends for breakfast. The Regent-provided breakfast was adequate except for the cold scrambled eggs. And of course our adventure the previous day was the topic of conversation at most tables.

 

The transfer process, via large motor coach, was better organized than the day before. We arrived at the Rio cruise terminal where we were greeted by Jamie Logan our Cruise Director--a very nice touch. He was very aware of what had happened to us the night before and apologized profusely.

 

We passed through Security and went directly to the ship to check-in inside the Constellation theatre. A very quick and painless process. Of course the cold glass of champagne helped to make it so. ;)

 

During check-in an announcement was made that our suites were ready. We entered our Horizon View suite and were quite impressed. We dropped our carry on luggage, took a bunch of pictures of the suite and went to La Veranda for an excellent lunch. Gotta love the pasta made to order and my Long Island Iced Tea knocked me through a loop. ;)

 

This is where the Regent experience began to become real to us. The attention to detail on Regent is unquestionably the best we have ever experienced in 34 cruises on mass-market lines. Don't get me wrong. We are loyal to a Royal Caribbean, especially when cruising with extended family and large groups, but the attention to detail on Regent is outstanding. The little things are what matters, from the staff remembering our names right away, our wines glasses topped off and our Butler Rupesh delivering our breakfast exactly on-time; to the water, towels and umbrellas available at the gangway. Even the little tissues in the bathrooms, next to the door, so we could use them to open the door handle after we had already washed our hands.

 

The one factor that became readily evident to us was the attitude of the Regent staff. They are positive and very happy with their Regent experience, not as employees, but as part of the Regent family. Many have been with the company for a number of years and genuinely love what they do. And most importantly, they are very pleased with the way Regent treats them which is clearly evident in the way that they treat us.

 

We had a wonderful dinner in Sette Mari and overnighted on the ship in Rio.

 

Everything about the Regent experience has been so much more than we could have imagined. I will post a more comprehensive review when we return.

 

Until then if you have any questions I will try to answer them as the Internet and our time permits.

[Travelcat2]

So happy that you have taken the time to post and that the Regent Experience meets or exceeds expectations. It is unfortunate that the people hired to represent Regent at the Sheraton Hotel were not on top of things. I hope you will make a note of your experience at the Sheraton on your mid-cruise review.

 

Your onboard experience is what hooked us on Regent many years ago. It is the onboard staff that makes the experience as great as it is. You obviously pay attention to detail (like the tissues in the bathroom that we also appreciate).

 

Just a tip for while you are onboard presumably eating too much...... remember that you can order an appetizer size entrée or a entrée size appetizer. Sometimes we get two appetizers instead of an entrée..... or, when lobster is involved, we get a double portion. Lastly, you can order just about anything in Compass Rose if you give them 24 hours notice.

 

Really looking forward to your review when you return. I'll probably be reading it from the Voyager...... we board next Friday:D

[OrpingtonT]

Most enjoyable review to read, Snackdaddy. It makes me look forward to other thought as you sail along.

[Snackdaddy]

Hello Travel Cat,

Thank you for the dining tip and have a very safe and enjoyable cruise on the Voyager.

 

Hello Orpington T,

Glad you enjoyed the review.

 

Here are some additional brief thoughts which include an update on our pre-cruise email to Mr. Kamlani.

 

Take care.

 

December 9

Rio

Botanical Gardens & Tujica Forest Tour

An average tour with a nice photo stop overlooking Rio. The Gardens left much to be desired.

 

December 10, 2013

Buzios

Due to 30 foot swells we missed this port of call. My wife was so looking forward to shopping here. Oh well. We took this opportunity to send an email to Kunal S. Kamlani and in a few hours we received a response the Sr. Director of Guest Relations and Risk Management informing us that Mr. Kamlami was out of the office. I was impressed by the quick turn around time.

 

They were disappointed to read of our experience at the Sheraton Rio and he hopes this situation will not diminish the enjoyment of our cruise vacation in any way. He further indicated that they have already begun their correspondence with the Sheraton Rio in order to ascertain what may have been the issue with the readiness of their guests’ rooms. Nevertheless, he apologized for any inconvenience and disappointment we experienced. A few hours later our butler delivered a bottle of Veuve Clicquot with Mr. Kamlani's apologies. I was satisfied with the timeliness of the response and small gestures.

 

Dinner in Sette Mari at La Veranda was excellent.

 

December 11, 2013

Ilha Grande

Historical & Cultural Walking Tour

Beautiful scenery and fascinating ruins of the aqueduct and prison however the degree of difficulty on this tour should have been higher. The hike up to the aqueduct, in the rain, was very difficult for some. All in our group survived without a scratch. We would return Ilha Grande on a land package to further explore the rustic and underdeveloped town.

 

Dinner in Signature was very good and the service was spot on.

 

December 12 2013

Parati

Atlantic Forest by 4-Wheel Drive Tour

It rained heavily most of the day and this made for very poor road conditions with only not potholes, but craters in the road. This was quite unnerving on some portions of the road in the mountains. The mud and slippery rocks along the hiking trail to the way to the waterfall was an adventure. This portion of the Atlantic Forest was lush and beautiful. I am glad we forged ahead in spite of the weather and surface conditions. We would return here on a land package as well.

 

Dinner in Compass Rose was excellent. Thanks for the tip to arrive early.

 

December 13, 2013

Santos

Highlights of Santos Tour

Since we are from a big city and did not want to spend hours in traffic we opted not to drive to São Paulo and stayed in Santos. The tour was very good with stops in the Museu do Cafe, the Orquidario - Parque Zoobotanico (Orchard Zoobotanical Park) and the Vila Do Santos football (soccer) club. Each stop was very good and informative. If you plan on buying freshly ground coffee in the Museu skip the tour and go directly to the cafe. Time is very limited in this stop and the cafe is very small. There was good shopping for authentic soccer attire in the foot ball club.

 

Dinner in Prime 7 was excellent. I had the Surf & Turf and my DW had the Dover Sole. We will try to obtain another reservation for sure.

 

More to come in a few days.

[penfriend]

Our experience coming from the Mariner to the Sheraton Dec 08 was every bit as chaotic as you describe. Total confusion and incompetence or indifference on the part of Regent's agents and hotel staff. The actual disembarkation from the Mariner onto the buses was very smooth and well managed but from the arrival at the hotel about 0945 until 1500 when we finally got our room chaos reigned. It seemed impossible to get any useful and accurate information and then only on a one to one basis when we demanded it. We echo the high praise for Regent and the Mariner but they need to do something urgently about their agent in Rio and contract with a better hotel. The Sheraton is rundown and very much showing its age.

[Gilly]

We experienced problems at the Four Seasons in Sydney, prior to boarding Voyager a couple of years ago and the agent (not Regent) was key to resolving all of our issues. It was the hotel management who advised us to ensure that we had all the agent's details to pass to Regent in the event of things not being sorted - though in fact, the agent proved more efficient than we anticipated and we found a full refund for the cost of our room waiting for us at the reception desk on Voyager when we boarded. Many (Most? All? ) land based arrangements appear to be managed through handling agents in the respective ports and they can vary tremendously, we've discovered.

 

I'm reading reports from Mariner with renewed interest because our cruise is appearing on my radar - we board in Miami, late January and I am very much looking forward to that. Thank you for sharing your experiences and for whetting my appetite!

Edited December 14, 2013 by Gilly
correction

[Jay23]

Thank you for your reports. We will be taking our first Regent cruise on Mariner in April and are glad to read the experiences of others.

 

The Sheraton staff clearly were unable to cope with a large influx of guests, which is unforgivable. As rooms would have undoubtedly been vacated at midday, there was no excuse for them not to be ready by 3pm. Most hotels have rooms ready by 2pm. I have found that those who do not travel, have no concept of how one feels after traveling for 24 hours or whatever!! It seems inconceivable that a suitable room was not provided for all of you to relax in. And of course, where was the Agent?????

 

Your sending an immediate e-mail to Mr K S K was certainly the right thing to do and I am so pleased that you have received a positive response from Regent. When things go wrong, the most important thing is how it is handled by the Company.

 

I can see that you have not allowed all of this to colour the Mariner Experience. Good for you.

Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[mariners]

It is wonderful to read your updates on the Mariner. Rio and the rest of Brazil can be a nightmare with negative events that are often beyond the control of the cruise line. Rio and the rest of Brazil can also be a fabulous experience. We have had both.

 

Our first experience was so horrible that I said I would never go there again. I ate those words. Because of Regent, I sailed there two more times in a five year period. Best of all, my visa was valid for all of the trips!

 

I hope you continue to enjoy your time on the Mariner and look forward to you updates.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Snackdaddy, your experience at the Sheraton made me laugh, because we had a very similar one some years back in Papeete, checking into a day room at the Intercontinental there. Right down to the details. This was also a Regent cruise, but land experience came down to the local tour company and the hotel staff, who were clueless. Sounds like Regent needs to pull up its socks in Rio, for sure. Hopefully you'll be able to chuckle about this mishap some day.

 

Sorry to hear the weather hasn't been great, but sounds like you're forging ahead and having a good time.

 

(And I also remembered another trip to Papeete, in 2008 when the Paul Gauguin was still managed by Regent--the pre-cruise hotel had everyone already pre-checked in. All we had to do was present a credit card, which was swiped, and then they gave us our keys. We had to line up to do that, but it was very fast since they had 4 or 5 reps doing the clearance. All at about 3 a.m. in the morning--much appreciated and exactly how it should be done.)

Edited December 14, 2013 by Wendy The Wanderer

[RachelG]

All the precruise problems are exactly why we take the credit and do not use the regent hotel, air or transfers. We save money, and we avoid the influx of people all at once. The Sheraton definitely should have handled this better, as they knew when people were arriving, but I prefer to avoid the stress and just take care of these things myself.

[Suite Travels]

All the precruise problems are exactly why we take the credit and do not use the regent hotel, air or transfers. We save money, and we avoid the influx of people all at once. The Sheraton definitely should have handled this better, as they knew when people were arriving, but I prefer to avoid the stress and just take care of these things myself.

 

Rachel, I cannot agree with you more. We make our own arrangements i.e private transfers and we choose our own hotels. Our tours are private as well so we have more flexibility and not being held hostage on a tour bus.

 

Our TA handles all the details for us. The Sheraton in RiO is so sub par. A really good hotel is the Copa Cabana and that is where we stay. Early check-in is a must for us after flying many hours with little or no sleep.

 

We did the Crystal program years ago and once was enough. Yes it will cost a bit more to do private but soooo worth it.

[Travelcat2]

We experienced problems at the Four Seasons in Sydney, prior to boarding Voyager a couple of years ago and the agent (not Regent) was key to resolving all of our issues. It was the hotel management who advised us to ensure that we had all the agent's details to pass to Regent in the event of things not being sorted - though in fact, the agent proved more efficient than we anticipated and we found a full refund for the cost of our room waiting for us at the reception desk on Voyager when we boarded. Many (Most? All? ) land based arrangements appear to be managed through handling agents in the respective ports and they can vary tremendously, we've discovered.

 

I'm reading reports from Mariner with renewed interest because our cruise is appearing on my radar - we board in Miami, late January and I am very much looking forward to that. Thank you for sharing your experiences and for whetting my appetite!

 

After reading your post I'm not as happy as I was about staying at the Four Seasons in Sydney early next month. It is through Regent (post cruise) for three nights so there isn't an opt out choice. The cost for three nights, 2 excursions and 2 lunches was $499/person. It sounded like a good deal at the time.

[wripro]

The Four Seasons Sydney is probably one of the worst in the entire chain. Not up to their usual standards. Unless you're in one of their upper level rooms they are tiny.

[Travelcat2]

The Four Seasons Sydney is probably one of the worst in the entire chain. Not up to their usual standards. Unless you're in one of their upper level rooms they are tiny.

 

 

The news keeps getting worse and worse. I guess the good part is that we won't be in the room much. Is the location decent?

[newlondon]

Jacquie, Even though you didn't respond to my e-mail I'm going to give you some help-I hope- in Sydney. Call the hotel ahead of time, either you or your TA. Regent had us at the Shangri-La and the check in was a disaster. Since I had talked personally with the hotel well ahead of time as to what we wanted and made sure it was documented, when things went south we got a suite for free. The documentation was the key!

Proceed at your own level, just a suggestion. Disappointed, however, at your stonewalling about judgement.

Bill

[DaveFr]

TC,

 

The room you are most likely to get will, IMHO, be small (280 sq. ft.). A little smaller than a deluxe suite on Voyager. Since you won't spend much time in the room, it should be adequate.

 

The good news is that the Four Seasons is in an excellent location. It is basically across the street from the Circular Quay and The Rocks.

 

Very good advice from newlondon. Giving the hotel a call might help prevent some potential problems.

[Travelcat2]

Thank you Dave and Bill! Will contact them from the ship. Will include our post-cruise events after my "live" posts from the Voyager. I will mainly be posting about Christmas and New Year's festivities -- menu's, etc. Also want to update the bar list. We have been to Sydney previously but it was not on a cruise and it was probably 15 years ago.

 

Bill, I would not intentionally not respond to an email. Will explain in email.

[AWED23]

We experienced problems at the Four Seasons in Sydney, prior to boarding Voyager a couple of years ago and the agent (not Regent) was key to resolving all of our issues. It was the hotel management who advised us to ensure that we had all the agent's details to pass to Regent in the event of things not being sorted - though in fact, the agent proved more efficient than we anticipated and we found a full refund for the cost of our room waiting for us at the reception desk on Voyager when we boarded. Many (Most? All? ) land based arrangements appear to be managed through handling agents in the respective ports and they can vary tremendously, we've discovered.

 

I'm reading reports from Mariner with renewed interest because our cruise is appearing on my radar - we board in Miami, late January and I am very much looking forward to that. Thank you for sharing your experiences and for whetting my appetite!

...:rolleyes: We too were at the four seasons in January(2013)...It should be renamed 2 Seasons...Food service less than fair and the Hotel just not up to snuff. We also will be back on our most favorite of all ships beginning January 25, 2014....The Mariner. So we may see you there.:D I am really ready to get aboard and cast off. Rob.

[Travelcat2]

The positive suggestions have been very helpful. I contacted the Four Seasons to learn which category Regent had us booked into. It was the 280 sq. ft. room. We have now upgraded to a larger suite with Executive Club privileges. While it is pricey ($246/night), we will have a full breakfast, snacks available during the day and cocktails in the evening (with some type of food).

 

TripAdvisor has very positive reviews on their breakfast. IMO, after what we are spending on this cruise, it is worth the money to be in a 500+ sq. ft. suite with free internet (normally $25/day) and the other amenities.

 

Thanks much for the feedback:D

[Catpow]

TC, the going rate for these rooms on a 'discount' hotel site is about $US500-550 per night, so I think you have a good deal. The location is terrific. Amongst other things your are right near the ferry terminal at Circular Quay so you can catch ferries at your leisure with ease to Manly or Taronga Park or any number of very scenic locations. The Rocks itself is fascinating and compact, full of quirky old pubs and shopping, though a mite touristy these days. I'm unsure what your 'included excursions' are but unless they were something special, I'm not sure I wouldn't just wander around under your own steam if you like a stroll and the weather is good. There are plenty of dining options nearby with a myriad of cuisines and you're close to some really good restaurants if you want to splash out a bit.

 

Anything in Sydney has a price for a view, except the ferrries. They have the best view of all, or (of course) you can do a harbour cruise. But it's the same view as the much cheaper ferries... Happy to answer anything about my home turf.

[PaulaJK]

I agree re: the Four Season's excellent location . it's a short stroll to the rocks area w shops & restaurants as well as the ferries and Opera House....great?location.....not such a prime hotel.....poorly organized but not rude. Breakfast is particularly nice w an extensive buffet and a charming pianist. Concierge helpful.

[Gilly]

I agree re standards at the Four Seasons - definitely not up to the norm of that chain, though once we got through the smoke and mirrors to reach management level staff, the service improved somewhat. Yes, rooms are small, I think it's a choice between a view or extra space, but location location location - that wins every time when one is there for only a couple of nights.

 

Our problem was with a flood in the lobby and bathroom and an inability of anyone in the staff heirarchy to authorise any kind of action. The gripe wasn't about the flood itself - the highest grade hotels experience such situations as often as the cheapies do - but the total lack of ability to DO something! At 11pm, that's going to involve a room change and eventually, that happened, but for a couple of hours all that occurred was much shaking of heads and the delivery of a dozen towels. The following morning, when the "real" manager arrived, things moved at a different pace and as I mentioned previously, a full refund was awaiting us in cash at the Voyager Reception when we boarded the ship. IMHO service and the response to such occurrences should be seamless and swift in an hotel of this standard. No questions asked, simply dealt with speedily and efficiently. I hope that you don't need to access such service and that you have a pleasant and peaceful stay.

 

Rob, we are counting the days as well - looking forward to seeing you on Mariner on the 25th! But first, we have a few days in Hong Kong to look forward to ;-)) We're spending a few days with cruise friends in Florida before boarding, so will not have the pre-cruise hotel experience on this occasion. Maybe that's a Good Thing?!

[Travelcat2]

TC, the going rate for these rooms on a 'discount' hotel site is about $US500-550 per night, so I think you have a good deal. The location is terrific. Amongst other things your are right near the ferry terminal at Circular Quay so you can catch ferries at your leisure with ease to Manly or Taronga Park or any number of very scenic locations. The Rocks itself is fascinating and compact, full of quirky old pubs and shopping, though a mite touristy these days. I'm unsure what your 'included excursions' are but unless they were something special, I'm not sure I wouldn't just wander around under your own steam if you like a stroll and the weather is good. There are plenty of dining options nearby with a myriad of cuisines and you're close to some really good restaurants if you want to splash out a bit.

 

Anything in Sydney has a price for a view, except the ferrries. They have the best view of all, or (of course) you can do a harbour cruise. But it's the same view as the much cheaper ferries... Happy to answer anything about my home turf.

 

Thank you for your post. Although we have been to Sydney, it was at least 15 years ago and things have no doubt changed.

 

When I said that the upgrade to the larger room at the Four Seasons was pricey, I should have said that it was high considering that this amount was on top of the amount that Regent was paying. If the hotel is nice, it is a good price. It seems that Sydney has become extraordinary expensive over the years.

 

The included Regent excursions are a lunch harbor cruise followed by some time to walk around Manly and a tour of beaches, etc. The next day we'll go to Hunter Valley. We are looking forward to it but are a bit concerned about the heat:)

[newlondon]

Jacquie, So glad you followed my suggestion; or not. Maybe I'm taking to much credit.

Anyway be sure to save your documentation, the hotel should pay attention. Whether they will or not will depend a lot on what you present.

Good Luck and Enjoy.

[Travelcat2]

Jacquie, So glad you followed my suggestion; or not. Maybe I'm taking to much credit.

Anyway be sure to save your documentation, the hotel should pay attention. Whether they will or not will depend a lot on what you present.

Good Luck and Enjoy.

 

 

Definitely followed your suggestion. Also printed out documentation and have it with our other documents. Thanks for the tip.

 

rallydave: I guess it depends upon how you look at it. You are paying for excursions in the fare - completely agree. In order to really do the math (which is obviously not my forte), one would have to start by comparing two Alaska cruises - one on Silversea - one on Regent - same # of days, etc. Silversea fares does not include air, excursions or transfers (unless you book air through them).

 

For us, when we were planning our Silversea excursions, we simply wanted to look at the cost of this specific excursion. There was no way we were going to pay $700. Perhaps it would have been the same cost the way you calculate it but it feels like a better deal when we are booking and paying for it.

 

We will probably always look at things differently. That is why the book "Men are from Mars......................." was written.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Travelcat2