Regent vs Crystal Food

[Travelcat2]

We will be on the Voyager for 40 nights in Jan. I'm wondering how the new La Veranda will work. I think I read somewhere that it will have a grilling station like the Oceania ships. If this is so, I would think it would be a buffet style dinner option and Sette Mari would disappear. Regent's website seems to imply Sette Mari will stay. Anybody know? Thanks. We are really looking forward to the new menu in CR.

 

La Veranda will still turn into Sette Mari at night. They will have a grilling station like Oceania but it was in not in use when we were in Sette Mari on the Explorer. They had the buffet antipasti bar, dessert bar and gelato selections but the rest of the meal is ordered from a menu - just as before.

 

It will be interesting to see how La Veranda is set up on the Voyager since it is two separate sections now (unlike the Mariner and Explorer where both sides of La Veranda is open.) The main difference on the Explorer is that Sette Mari has an open kitchen that is closed (not even visible) during the day.

 

wripro - IMO, the food is better than it was previously. It could have to do with high end items being on the menu daily (lobster, filet mignon, etc.). In the past (and still on the Mariner), these items were served only on special nights and the kitchen got slammed with orders. They likely have a new system/area where they are preparing these items nightly. The lobster (we had it steamed) was the best we have had on Regent. Whatever they were doing on the Explorer worked well. Hopefully we will have the same experience on the Explorer during the 30 days we are onboard in November.

[flossie009]

 

In any case, food is so subjective that whichever cruise line's food one person prefers, another person may have a different opinion.

 

 

Whilst I agree that personal preferences for the menu variety and liking of individual dishes is subjective; the quality, preparation, temperature and service is not

Most discussions about whether a cruiseline's food is good, mediocre or poor tend to reflect on the posters' experience of the service and quality rather than their taste for individual dishes

[Travelcat2]

For clarification purposes, my comments regarding Regent's food is only about quality, presentation and taste. Service is a totally different subject as there are restaurants that we may love because of their food but dislike due to service. In the case of Regent, the service varies (just being honest). When the dining venues are not packed, the service is excellent. However, after an event like the Captain's Reception when 400-500 passengers wait in line to be seated at the same time, it is a bit slower.

 

So, for those of you that like set seating, Crystal may be your best choice. If you want "true" open seating, Regent offers it but you may need to try and avoid the busiest times which are generally 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

[gwesq]

Prego on Crystal is Piero Selveggio's of Valentino in Los Angeles amazing cuisine.

 

We felt that Crystal knocks it out of the park. Menus are varied and well prepared. We feel like the service with fixed seating over the top amazing. The daily wine pours are fabulous. Wine to us is very important - we felt on Regent and Oceania the wine program is very poor unless you go to the wine list and over pay. On Crystal - we have greatly enjoyed the daily selections. No nickel and diming for upsell in the wine department and the sommliers know their wines.

 

In fairness, we have taken Regent off of our radar after attaining Gold status. Last cruise the food was mediocre. The daily pours of wine were $10 a bottle undrinkable wine. Signatures food was over salted and unmemorable. We moved to Oceania for a while and our last sailing left us feeling the same - except for Jacques and Red Ginger. We think that Oceania's food is a notch above Regent's food now. Their F and B department is the same. Our last Oceania Cruise they had all the head chefs in for a menu conference to decide what new menus would be out. We had a long talk with Regent's Chef de Cuisine on the Riviera. Polo steaks are no where near a land based steakhouse for prep.

 

 

Agree with all of these comments. And although we did have fixed late dining on the Serenity, the Maitre'D was able to accommodate us when we wanted to dine at different times. And as mentioned above, Nobu's restaurant, Silk Road, is incredible, and especially that Black Cod. One time I liked it so much I actually ordered it for dessert.

[Travelcat2]

Agree with all of these comments. And although we did have fixed late dining on the Serenity, the Maitre'D was able to accommodate us when we wanted to dine at different times. And as mentioned above, Nobu's restaurant, Silk Road, is incredible, and especially that Black Cod. One time I liked it so much I actually ordered it for dessert.

 

Interesting that you mentioned Black Cod - this is the dish we tried in Regent's new restaurant, Pacific Rim and it was amazing. We definitely will be ordering it again when we are on Regent next week! Love that you had it for dessert - that is something that I would do

[Suite Travels]

I love all kinds of fish but Cod. My mother abused me with Cod Liver Oil as a child so anything Cod sends me into a seizure.

[JPR]

Try it once. Black cod is to basic cod what malassol caviar is to lumpfish caviar....