Question

[ronrick1943]

I new to Regent, I've cruised many time on "O". Had to stop for a few years do to an illness and now we're cleared for travel (100%). I was going to book "O" again, but wanted to try some else---so we Booked a cruise on the Regent Explorer. What can I expect? We booked the Grand Suite because we do us the cabin, being on ship is the most important part of a cruise to us. One of the things I see is the Caviar & champagne Brunch ("O" said they had a Sunday Brunch on sea days if it was a Sunday, but with 8 cruise's I never saw one).

 

So what should we expect?

 

Rick & Ron

[RachelG]

Every Sunday, champagne and caviar is served at brunch. Doesn't matter if it is a sea day or not.

 

The biggest thing that is different between regent and Oceania is that on regent, you never have to show your suite card for anything other than when they scan it to get on or off the ship. And it really is possible to leave the ship after a 14 day cruise with a 0 balance. We just about did that on our recent Alaska cruise. I was only a few dollars off. And we had some fairly high dollar extra cost excursions and a few spa visits plus laundry that our OBC covered completely.

 

I think compass rose on regent is way better than the main dining room on Oceania. Specialty restaurants are about the same. I like La Veranda better than the buffet on Oceania, but that is only because la veranda has a better salad bar.

[newlondon]

Hi Rachel, Shows how subjective food is. We wanted to do the Capetown round trip last year but could not get a penthouse on Regent so did O's Nautica instead. We were blown away by the MDR food v Compass Rose we experienced Sydney to HK. We also liked Toscana v Sette Mari. Signatures, however did not have competition on Nautica.

[RachelG]

I think the food is probably better in the MDR on the smaller Oceania ships. At least this is what we have heard, as we have on sails on Marina thus far. We have a cruise on Regatta scheduled in January, and I am hoping the MDR is awesome. I really did like Toscana, though I know some people don't. I love the different olive oils and the grappa or limoncello.

[Travelcat2]

Hi Rachel, Shows how subjective food is. We wanted to do the Capetown round trip last year but could not get a penthouse on Regent so did O's Nautica instead. We were blown away by the MDR food v Compass Rose we experienced Sydney to HK. We also liked Toscana v Sette Mari. Signatures, however did not have competition on Nautica.

 

Your post above shows exactly how subjective food is. We felt that Jacques on Oceania was far better than Signatures, Sette Mari was better than Toscana, preferred La Veranda over the Terrace Café and did not care for the MDR at all. BTW, in case you haven't read about Chartreuse (the new French dining venue on the Explorer), it will replace Signatures by the end of the year on all Regent ships.

[newlondon]

Hi TC, May I remind you there is no Jacques on the R ships. As Rachel commented you may be basing your judgement on sailing on Riviera, a lot different from the Nautica. My comment about Toscana v SM is that the menu is all waiter served as in a fine dining restaurant as opposed to buffet and lesser quality atmosphere on Regent.

To be fair, DW and I rated all the food on our Aussie/Asian cruise as mediocre and said so on our review. May have been just the cruise as our previous experience had been above average--just not to our O cruise.

[Travelcat2]

Hi TC, May I remind you there is no Jacques on the R ships. As Rachel commented you may be basing your judgement on sailing on Riviera, a lot different from the Nautica. My comment about Toscana v SM is that the menu is all waiter served as in a fine dining restaurant as opposed to buffet and lesser quality atmosphere on Regent.

To be fair, DW and I rated all the food on our Aussie/Asian cruise as mediocre and said so on our review. May have been just the cruise as our previous experience had been above average--just not to our O cruise.

 

Sorry - you're right - I was thinking of the Riviera. I did tour the Nautica and the restaurants were beautiful.