Regent vs Seabourn

[Jehagen]

i would like someone who has cruised on Regent and Seabourn to compare and contrast the two cruise lines

[Stickman1990]

You mean like this one just down the page - "Comparing Regent to Seabourn"?

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/show....php?t=2683068

[purpleally]

That comparison is a Regent person who took one cruise with Seabourn. I do not believe that is a fair/knowledgeable contrast. I am gold with both Seabourn and Regent. Going to Europe tomorrow for a couple of weeks but, when I have time I'll attempt a contrast for you. 

 

In the meantime, if you like champagne, Seabourn wins big time compared to a Regent. 

[DavidTheWonderer]

Or this one, also by "a Regent person" (to quote purpleally) with one Seabourn experience. Perhaps similarly not a "fair/knowledgeable contrast" so I'm looking forward to seeing what this more knowledgeable person has to write.

 

 

Edited October 20, 2018 by DavidTheWonderer

[freddie]

Purpleally - Would you be so kind as to suggest the amount of experience on Seabourn that is required to responsibly present a comparison of Regent and Seabourn?   Is it number of cruises, number of days cruised, parts of the world visited, level of cabin occupied, or some other criterion?   

 

I entirely agree with you that the amount of cruising experience on both lines is a worthy measure of the usefulness of the comparison; but as long as the poster makes it clear that he/she is comparing a single Seabourn cruise with many Regent cruises (as both of the referenced thread-starters have done), it seems that should be sufficient to allow a discerning reader to determine the weight to give to the observations made.  

 

As someone who is merely Silver on SB but Gold on Regent, I look forward to your comparison/contrast of the two lines.    Cheers,       Fred

Edited October 20, 2018 by freddie

[rcandkc]

I just want to thank Wendy and David for reporting their experience.  I thought it was informative and honest that it was their first Seabourn Cruise.  I totally enjoyed reading their perspective since I have been on Paul Gauguin and Regent but not Seabourn.

[wripro]

All you will get anyway is an opinion. So unless you are a clone of the OP anything you say will not necessarily mean anything to someone else. What is important to one person is not to another.

[Skysurfr]

This same (similar)  thread is in each of the Regent, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking, Windstar, and Crystal forums....lol

 

Throw in Seadream for a unique 50  cabin experience as well. 

 

I think it would take me a while to guess which line I was on if all the logos were removed form a Silversea, Regent, or Seabourn ship. Some things are better some things are slightly not better on each of these lines.  To each their own pleasures and pains. 

When you are in this market of cruise lines, none are "bad".  

 

My advice.... experience them all!

 

One caveat...all other things being equal, having the excursions included on Regent makes life quite easy.   

 

Bon voyages.

[cAPS lOCK oN]

50 minutes ago, Skysurfr said:

One caveat...all other things being equal, having the excursions included on Regent makes life quite easy.   

 

Bon voyages.

For me, Regent's included business class air on international travel is a big differentiator. I mean, have you shopped for business air to Europe, much less Asia? For those that have their own means for getting free or cheap airfare it's no big deal, but for the rest of us that have to pay retail it's a game changer. And once you've flown in upper class, there's no going back.

[DavidTheWonderer]

10 hours ago, cAPS lOCK oN said:

For me, Regent's included business class air on international travel is a big differentiator.

 

I too am no longer willing/able to do less than  premium economy or business class on long flights. And so, one of many cost comparisons for cruise A on line X compared to cruise B on line Y includes the "all in" price including business air. Regent's included policy allows them to negotiate some good deals with the airlines and sometimes, but not always, they pass along some of the savings to the customers. For some cruises, then, when doing the "all in" cost comparison Regent compares very well, but for others not so much.

[tripperva]

Both cruise lines are excellent.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

As the OP of the other thread, the one with a mere single Seabourn cruise, I did state in several places that I really liked Seabourn, and would definitely do it again.  With three weeks behind me now, I think it compares very favourably with Regent.  I did find their excursions pricey, and I see not much sign that Seabourn folks "band together" to share private excursions (although to be fair, this itinerary included several places with very little tourist infrastructure so that was moot.)

 

I loved the standard balcony cabin on Quest, thought the Seabourn Square concept great, and found the service, for the most part, very, very good.  Food was up and down, which seems to norm on Regent too.  Many other aspects were "a wash" with Regent, like entertainment.

 

But for me, as others, the included Business Air is a big deal, although I can be content with Premium Economy, and sometimes you can find deals--it always pays to comparison-shop the air component. And often the included excursions work for us, although sometimes you just want to "roll your own"; but as much as I prefer private tours, they are often not feasible unless you share.

Edited October 21, 2018 by Wendy The Wanderer

[freddie]

Skysufr - While I would agree with you that in most respects Silversea, Regent and Seabourn are on balance quite similar, with some things being better on one than the others, I will beg to disagree that the Regent included excursions offering is a positive.  Although in some places where private excursions are difficult to organize the Regent excursions are better than nothing, in many ports the Regent excursions are distinctly inferior to available private excursions, particularly if one can organize private excursions with several other passengers, thereby making the cost quite tolerable.   Of course, my theory requires that one be willing to do the research to find and engage private guides, something that many people understandably would find tedious, while I find it part of the fun of planning. 

 

cAPS - In fact, there are occasions where the non-use air credit offered by Regent is greater than the price for which one can purchase one's own Biz class air.   For example, last year we were booked on a cruise in Asia for which the non-use air credit was $6,000 per person.   We took the credit and purchased our own Biz air (on the same carrier used by Regent) for less than $4,500 per person.  That may be an anomaly; but it demonstrates that it is useful to check both the included air on Regent and the opportunities to purchase one's own air after taking the non-use credit.

 

Edited October 22, 2018 by freddie

[briar14]

I agree about checking included air versus one’s own air. For the Australia Circumnavigation, we took the air credit, purchased our own business air tickets and saved about $1,500 with no restrictions. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t, but it is totally worth it to check.