Explorer

[Stentman]

Does RSSC Explorer offer caviar on request with their inclusive program...or is it a additional charge?

[Travelcat2]

There is an extra charge except on Sundays where they offer caviar and champagne for breakfast (this is the same on all Regent ships - not only Explorer).

[Hambagahle]

In some "high end" suites there is also a "caviar service" included in the cost of the suite.  You arrange this with your butler.   It would be for 2 people, not guests!

[lincslady]

On the subject of Explorer - did anyone see the tv programme last night?  I really do not think they are doing Regent any good - this was cringe-making, with all the 'most expensive' remarks, and |John Barron trying to amuse some rather grumpy looking guests in the special  dining room for those in the top suite.

 

I am not a Regent fan at all,   but don't like to see this, which I think will put many people off travelling Regent.

[Belfast Taxman]

Whilst I would agree that the recent Uk Channel 5 documentary series does occasionally have the potential opposite effect that Regent may have wanted, our TA reported that UK bookings for Explorer have increased in recent weeks, which is perhaps just as well because with the new Splendor coming to the Med next summer, UK bookings on Explorer had previously been well down on normal levels.

 

 

Edited September 30, 2019 by Belfast Taxman

[Travelcat2]

Had that program been shown in the U.S., it would have been better received.  It it puzzling why a U.K. company would produce a show about how the most expensive cruise ship since it is not polite to talk about money in the U.K.  Those of us in the U.S. would not find it distasteful (and we find it impolite to discuss politics and religion).  

[rcandkc]

Well, I’m from Texas, and I find bragging about how much something costs as very distasteful. 

[fizzy]

1 minute ago, rcandkc said:

Well, I’m from Texas, and I find bragging about how much something costs as very distasteful. 

Same here.......but from New York.

[Travelcat2]

27 minutes ago, rcandkc said:

Well, I’m from Texas, and I find bragging about how much something costs as very distasteful. 

 

I guess that the entire series could be considered bragging but I do not understand why people would watch it when they knew what the content would be?  If I tune into a program and find it offensive, I turn it off.

[rcandkc]

1 minute ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

I guess that the entire series could be considered bragging but I do not understand why people would watch it when they knew what the content would be?  If I tune into a program and find it offensive, I turn it off.

Exactly why I did not watch it. I heard enough on the other lengthy thread to know I would find it distasteful.  I was stating my opinion that I did not agree with you that talking about how expensive something is is ok by most US people either.  It is a turn off. 

[Travelcat2]

1 minute ago, rcandkc said:

Exactly why I did not watch it. I heard enough on the other lengthy thread to know I would find it distasteful.  I was stating my opinion that I did not agree with you that talking about how expensive something is is ok by most US people either.  It is a turn off. 

 

We are from different parts of the country.  I can only speak about my experience living on the west coast of the U.S.   I suppose that people from different parts of this country could find different things distasteful.

 

I know that some people from the U.S. discuss politics on Regent cruises and I find that distasteful.  However, people (on television and in daily life) regularly talk about how much cars, houses, vacations, etc. cost.  Every prize given on game shows in this country has a price and it is shared with the viewing audience.  Every ad for automobiles includes at least the starting price of the vehicle.  Sometimes people that think they hear "bragging" are just hearing comparisons (like on the Regent board -- we discuss why, for instance, it is worth it to book a concierge suite rather than a superior suite and it is a comparison of costs and benefits).  

 

In any case, why is this television show being discussed yet again on a board where the Thread Starter (TS) was discussing caviar?

[rcandkc]

13 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

We are from different parts of the country.  I can only speak about my experience living on the west coast of the U.S.   I suppose that people from different parts of this country could find different things distasteful.

 

I know that some people from the U.S. discuss politics on Regent cruises and I find that distasteful.  However, people (on television and in daily life) regularly talk about how much cars, houses, vacations, etc. cost.  Every prize given on game shows in this country has a price and it is shared with the viewing audience.  Every ad for automobiles includes at least the starting price of the vehicle.  Sometimes people that think they hear "bragging" are just hearing comparisons (like on the Regent board -- we discuss why, for instance, it is worth it to book a concierge suite rather than a superior suite and it is a comparison of costs and benefits).  

 

In any case, why is this television show being discussed yet again on a board where the Thread Starter (TS) was discussing caviar?

I was responding to your post.  So, why did you post about it? Huh?

[Travelcat2]

1 hour ago, rcandkc said:

I was responding to your post.  So, why did you post about it? Huh?

 

Same as you and a few others  - blindly responding to an off-top comment.  Once I realized what the subject of the thread was, I thought it best to get back on topic.  Therefore, since I have nothing further to say about caviar, I’ll go to another topic.

[rcandkc]

3 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Same as you and a few others  - blindly responding to an off-top comment.  Once I realized what the subject of the thread was, I thought it best to get back on topic.  Therefore, since I have nothing further to say about caviar, I’ll go to another topic.

Yes, me too.  My first comment on this was a reaction to your prior comment.  So..we are both done. Good plan😀

[UUNetBill]

On 9/30/2019 at 2:21 PM, Travelcat2 said:

Had that program been shown in the U.S., it would have been better received.  It it puzzling why a U.K. company would produce a show about how the most expensive cruise ship since it is not polite to talk about money in the U.K.  Those of us in the U.S. would not find it distasteful (and we find it impolite to discuss politics and religion).  

 

On 9/30/2019 at 2:59 PM, rcandkc said:

Well, I’m from Texas, and I find bragging about how much something costs as very distasteful. 

 

On 9/30/2019 at 3:01 PM, fizzy said:

Same here.......but from New York.

And I’m from Ohio and West Virginia and Texas and California and Germany and Virginia and Colorado and Kentucky and South Carolina and I would have found it off-putting in every single place.  I looked past it, though, just to enjoy some of the ‘behind-the-scenes’ clips, no matter how contrived they were.

 

Gotta take these reality shows for what they are, I guess.  

[Travelcat2]

I like doing this.  I’m from Connecticut, California and Washington state and learned not to sweat the small stuff.  Also, if I dwelled on the negative about Regent, I would likely be an unhappy person and would not enjoy my “Regent Experience”.  It is hard for me to get my head around looking for reasons to be unhappy with Regent.  

 

The ship looked beautiful, John Barron was perfect (funny, knowledgeable and, of course, handsome) and the show was very interesting.  

[Belfast Taxman]

2 hours ago, UUNetBill said:

 

 

Gotta take these reality shows for what they are, I guess.  

So the question is, to the very experienced cruisers from the unexperienced, how “real” was it, if at all?

[lincslady]

I can't say - but obviously Regent were happy for this series to be shown in the UK, I feel sure thinking it would encourage Brits to try Regent, and at least some of the material has,  IMO, been off-putting.  (Maybe that is just me).  In particular, I found the dinner table scene with the CD trying to get on with the top suite dwellers  actually quite funny in an excruciating way - obviously others,  including TC2, think otherwise.   I guess that Regent would not have editorial control over what was shown; certainly some of it did show Regent in the correct light as a 'luxury' line with no expense spared. But other parts did not.

[eliana]

Every time I heard ‘most expensive ever’ I cringed and as for John Barron I decided to try to avoid any cruises where he was CD. The trouble with that latter comment is that Regent never seem to name the CD in their publicity, which is a pity as there are some of their CDs that would encourage me to join a particular cruise.

Edited October 2, 2019 by eliana

[JPR]

To get back on topic, caviar is also served as part of an appetizer in Compass Rose on (typically) the second night’s dinner menu. (I get a double or triple portion....) In Chartreuse, our favorite steak tartare appetizer is topped with caviar.

 

We have also had a caviar tasting during some cruises, for which (as in the room) Regent charges retail prices but not restaurant prices. 

 

(Btw, I like my caviar with just a bit of sour cream spread on thin white toast (blini is ok) and a squeeze of lemon, along with vodka or akavit straight out of the freezer—which you cannot get them to do on Regent. So Instead I as, for a stirred very cold vodka or akavit martini with no vermouth or olives...)

[Travelcat2]

11 hours ago, Belfast Taxman said:

So the question is, to the very experienced cruisers from the unexperienced, how “real” was it, if at all?

 

I am pretty much in opposition to what others feel about the program, however, I will share my thoughts.  Firstly, John Barron is the best C.D. that Regent has (not putting down other C.D.'s - we also love a few others).  It is because of how much John is appreciated by passengers, that he was selected to be on Explorer for 2 years after it launched and will be on Splendor when it launches.  Regent would not select a C.D. for their new ships if he/she were not tops.  One thing that John accomplishes quite well is capturing both British and U.S. humor which I appreciate (as my DH is British and I am American).   Keep in mind that approximately 80% of Regent passengers are from North America and there are differences in terms of what we find funny, what can be discussed openly and what should not be discussed.  I have made my feelings known about how discussing how much something costs (in the right context) is fine amongst many/most people in the U.S.  The series was about the most expensive cruise ship so, how would one prove that without stating costs?

 

In terms of the onboard scenes, what you see in the kitchen and restaurants is just as it is on Explorer.  The decor, of course, cannot not be changed so it is as depicted.  The main thing that is not totally representative of Regent is the upper suites.  Most Regent passengers do not stay in those suites (but it is lovely to see them shown on television as some Regent passengers have not had the opportunity to tour them.  Having said that, the lower suites (except and "H" and "G" suites that should never have been built - they are tiny but there are only a handful of them) are wonderful.  Large walk-in closets - a bathroom with a full bathtub and shower and two sinks (with plenty of storage space).  Balconies on Explorer are larger than any other ship on Regent (and likely larger than most of their competition - based on our sailings on other luxury lines).  

 

I realize that the target audience for the series is the U.K. (and most people in the U.S. and Canada did not see the show unless they knew where to find links on Facebook).  It is my understanding that the "class system" is still in place in the U.K. so perhaps Regent was targeting the "upper class"?!  Another show was filmed earlier this year on Explorer that will air in the U.S./Canada.  It will be interesting to see how different the show is when the target audience is changed.

 

Anyway, these are my opinions - take it for what they are worth.  Regent is a wonderful cruise line (we would not have sailed on their ships 33 times if this were not the case).  Hope that you give them a try.

 

P.S.  We have been to your city and loved it - great food and people!

 

 

Edited October 2, 2019 by Travelcat2

[lincslady]

Regent was definitely not going to appeal to the 'upper class' here, more like the 'nouveaux riches', if anybody.

[Travelcat2]

8 minutes ago, lincslady said:

Regent was definitely not going to appeal to the 'upper class' here, more like the 'nouveaux riches', if anybody.

 

You are likely correct, however, not sure how much Regent knows about the "classes" in the U.K.  I would be fairly clueless if I was not married to a Brit. 

[boblerm]

3 hours ago, JPR said:

to get back on topic, caviar is also served as part of an appetizer in Compass Rose on (typically) the second night’s dinner menu. (I get a double or triple portion....)

It also should be noted that this or any other menu item can be pre ordered if one wants to have it again on another night.

Also, caviar is offered at the Seven Seas Society reception.

Bob

[boblerm]

4 hours ago, eliana said:

as for John Barron I decided to try to avoid any cruises where he was CD.

Interesting, this is the first time that I have heard a critical comment about John.  I'm not criticizing, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and no one's opinion is any better than any others.  For my part, I would book a cruise just for the pleasure of sailing with John.