It's all good on board the Splendor!

[boblerm]

Chartreusse

 

 

 

 

On our previous visits to Chartreuse , we were not as impressed as we were with the other venues.  This time, however, we loved it.

 

Beetroot Salad, Fresh Goat Cheese Cream, Black Truffle Dressing

 

 

Steak Tartarewith Caviar

Several people had raved about this dish on this forum a few years ago, and for me, the raves are well deserved.

 

 

Mushroom Veloute

 

 

Lobster Bisque with Armagnac.  I had Lobster Bisque in Compass Rose earlier, and while it had a nice lobster flavor, there were no chunks of lobster.  This one did have lobster in it, however the flavor of the brandy overpowered the taste of lobster.  I enjoyed it, but I think that those who are looking for a typical lobster bisque may be disappointed.

 

 

Seared Scallops topped with Chorizo, Butternut Squash Spaghetti, Champigny Sauce, hold the Chorizo

 

 

I had the Baked Lobster Tail & Scallop Mousse, which I think is my favorite entree that I have had here

 

 

I have had Dover Sole here before, and was a bit disappointed in it, I much prefer that dish in CR.

 

For dessert, we "shared" the Floating Island, which we do every time we visit here.

[ronrick1943]

Really nice photo’s, great reporting—thanks so much for taking your time so we could enjoy your cruise. 

[boblerm]

Sette Mari

Being a reader of this forum for many years, I would say that Sette Mari is the most "controversial" of the Regent restaurants, as it has it's devotees as well as it's detractors.  We are most definitely in the former category, and would not consider a Regent cruise without a visit here.

 

Regent describes this restaurant thusly, "Each evening, La Veranda transforms into Sette Mari at La Veranda, a casual, intimate dining experience. "

I think that this is a fair statement.  When I dine here, I really feel as if I am in a completely different place than the one in which I had my buffet breakfast and lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

You can dine outdoor in the lovely aft patio, it was rather windy that night so not too many takers

 

 

We dined as we sailed away from Dominica

 

 

 

A meal here starts with a serving of antipasti, described in the menu:

• IL CESTINO DEL PANETTIERE - CIABATTA, GRISSINI, PANZEROTTI, FOCACCINE DI PATATE CON POMODORO PACHINO E OLIO D’OLIVA

  Sette Mari Bread Basket with Sliced Italian Ciabatta Bread, Crispy Breadsticks, Parmesan Knots, Savory Pastry Stuffed with Tomatoes and Mozzarella, and Focaccia with Cherry Tomatoes and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• IL TAGLIERE DI PARMIGIANO E OLIVE

  Chunks of Aged Parmesan Cheese and Marinated Olives

• LA BRUSCHETTA

  Crispy Slice of Italian Bread with Marinated Tomatoes

• ZUCCHINE ALLA POVARELLA

  Crispy Fried Zucchini

 

It takes all of my willpower to not devour all of this and be too full for the rest.

 

Next, we are invited to the appetizer bar

 

 

 

 

 

Once again we need some restraint here.

 

Minestrone

 

 

Penne Bolognese

 

 

Saffron Risotto with Scallops

 

 

Done yet?  Not even close.

Jeannie had the Veal Scaloppini Marsala

 

 

 

and I the Breaded and Golden Fried Veal Chop.

 

 

To me it was more like a wiener schnitzel than a chop.  The menu does change from time to time, and a true chop is offered on some nights.

 

Both veal dishes were very good, but the scaloppini was far superior.

 

Room for dessert?  You can go to the dessert bar or have your waiter serve you one. Or two.  Or.....

 

 

But whether you order dessert or  not, you are presented with cannoli

 

 

Go ahead.  Leave it on the table.  I dare you.

Better yet, get a coffee to dip it in.

 

For those who have not yet dined here, I have one bit of advice-

 

Arrive hungry!!!

[krb1000]

Bob! I just spent a most pleasant half hour reading through this post. Your photos and descriptions are wonderful. We are still weighing our post—Crystal options and your recent experience probably just tipped the scales. Thank you 😊

[UUNetBill]

@boblerm I'm loving your photos and writeups - we've only been off of Splendor for just over two months and it feels like a year.  Can't wait to be back on board.  Your pics make me want to quit my job and sail full time, like the Captain did on Navigator...but there's this thing called 'economics' that prevents me from doing that.  🙂

 

One thing, though - your last photo from Sette Mari - I believe those are biscotti and not cannoli.  A slight hint of anise as I recall, and definitely need dipped in coffee...or espresso...or better yet, a doppio!!

 

Damn...is it January yet??

[boblerm]

32 minutes ago, UUNetBill said:

I believe those are biscotti and not cannoli. 

Thank Bill. Yet another example of a  boblerm brain freeze. 

I am happy to have you and @flossie009to keep me honest! 😁

[maryogreen]

Wonderful trip report, Bob! You food photos are incredibly appealing and should only be viewed on a full stomach😊 Your dining experiences brought back great memories of our last Regent trip on Voyager. Herb and I are two of the Sette Mari devotees you mentioned. They had me at the antipasti and that impossible-to-resist bread basket!

 

Mary

Travel Blog: www.themodernpostcard.com 

[UUNetBill]

On 3/19/2022 at 10:34 AM, boblerm said:

Monument to the Police

 

Looks like Sting approves...

[chelseabelsea]

Hello all, 

forgive me if this has already been asked, but does anyone know the current champagne served by the glass on Splendor? Just curious…and planning ahead 🤣

[boblerm]

Compass Rose

To me, Compass Rose is the crown jewel in the treasure trove of Regent restaurants.  This is not only because of the fabulous quality and presentation of the cuisine, and meticulous service, there are many cruise ship restaurants that provide this.  But the combination of the amazing  always available menu as well as the daily specials, make this place unique in the cruise industry, to the best of my knowledge.

 

 

 

 

 

I would first like to point out what to me are 2 design flaws in the Explorer class ships.  The first is that there is no restroom convenient to Compass Rose, the closest ones are on the opposite side of deck 4 outside of the Constellation Theater.  If you are seated at the back of the room, you may wish to bring along your hiking gear, it is quite a trip.  Kidding aside, those with mobility concerns really need to be seated somewhere near the entrance.  But I would suggest trying to not be seated directly under the large central chandelier, as it tends to be rather bright under there, (the second design flaw).

 

Don't worry, I will not be detailing each and every meal that we had there, rather I will show some of the more notable dishes that we had on the cruise, and identify them as being a daily special (s) or always available (a)

 

Appetizers

 

Caviar Profiteroles with Vodka Lemon Cream Sauce (s)

 

 

 

Sesame Coated Tuna Loin (s)

 

 

 

Panko Crusted Tiger Prawns with Spicy Mayo (s)

We had special ordered this, as we missed the night that it was on the menu.  If memory serves, the normal portion is 2, we were given 3, I presume, because it was a special order.  However, if you are ordering it the night that it is offered, you can feel free to ask for 3, or 4, or......it is actually not a bad idea to ask for 5 or 6, and along with some sides, make an entree out of it.  OTOH, there are so many great entrees to choose from.  Decisions, decisions.

 

 

Gratinated Escagot,  with garlic butter and toasted baguettes (a)

Really good, but if you are not a fan of garlic, maybe avoid it, the garlic is conspicuous.

I have always found it interesting that this dish is listed under "Meats" 😕.

 

 

Norwegian Style Gravilax (a)

If you are not a smoked salmon person, you might want to give this a try anyway, it is very mild.

 

 

 

Alaskan Crab and Avocado (a)

 

 

 

There is always a pasta and risotto of the day, and you can get an appetizer or entree portion.  I can't remember the exact names of these dishes, one a pasta and one risotto, both with lobster. Although you cannot see it, there are generous portions of lobster beneath.

 

 

 

Entrees

 

King Sea Scallops (a)

 

 

Beijing Style Roasted Duck wit Fried Rice and Bok Choy (s)

 

 

Dover Sole,  which is fileted table side (a)

 

 

Fresh Mexican Local Grouper Filet (s)

 

 

Bronzino (a)

 

 

Miso Glazed Sea Bass (s) always served on the night of the Seven Seas Society event, and arguably, among the most praised dishes by members of this forum.

 

 

 

I can't say enough about how well the Regent chefs do fish, every fish dish that we had was perfectly prepared.

 

Chateaubriand (as I indicated earlier, this was not a menu item during this cruise, we had inquired about it, and the maitre d arranged for us to have it)

 

 

Combination of a lobster tail and New Zealand Lamb Chops both (a)

Hey, it was my last night, I hadn't had either of these yet, and needed to indulge!😋

 

 

 

 

 

We often skip dessert here.  Well, not really, since they always bring tasty Gourmandises

 

 

 

But here is one that we did order.  I can't remember what it is, but I do remember that it was scrumptious.

 

[Gpilon]

This is our last day on Splendor. I can honestly say the pool bar staff have looked after me very well. And, often. Last night was a very shaky and bumpy sail from Rotan to Key West, and we were on Deck 12 at the very front of the ship. Beautiful Grand Suite but think you pay the price to be up so high and forward. We ate at Prime 7 last night and it was excellent, as have most of our meals. We probably enjoyed Pacific Rim the least and love Sette Marie. Staff is just terrific…..after our last 2 cruises on Silversea we noticed a significant difference with Regent staff friendliness and wanting to do all they can to accommodate their guests. I’m about to order my “second” libation of the day here and plan on posting more comments on this cruise when we get home.

[boblerm]

1 hour ago, chelseabelsea said:

Hello all, 

forgive me if this has already been asked, but does anyone know the current champagne served by the glass on Splendor? Just curious…and planning ahead 🤣

Sorry, couldn't tell you that, but this was brought to our suite, if that helps.

 

[vegasdriven]

Bob- a question about Chartreuse, if you can. 
I made a post about the bars at Chartreuse and Prime 7 asking if they functioned as actual bars, and was assured that is the case. 
But now, looking at the lovely pic of that area from you, I notice the bar is caged off. 
Any idea if that means it was not open for business, for example if we were to arrive early for our reservation would we not be able to have a cocktail there?

[boblerm]

33 minutes ago, vegasdriven said:

Bob- a question about Chartreuse, if you can. 
I made a post about the bars at Chartreuse and Prime 7 asking if they functioned as actual bars, and was assured that is the case. 
But now, looking at the lovely pic of that area from you, I notice the bar is caged off. 
Any idea if that means it was not open for business, for example if we were to arrive early for our reservation would we not be able to have a cocktail there?

That Pic was taken during the day I was touring the ship on the last day to see what photos of the ship I had missed. 

No worries, the bar is open during dinner hours. 🙂

[vegasdriven]

Thank you very much! I guess you can tell where my biggest concerns lie🍸😀

[boblerm]

29 minutes ago, vegasdriven said:

Thank you very much! I guess you can tell where my biggest concerns lie🍸😀

vegasdriven, just some food for thought..(libations for thought?) Anyway, you may already be aware of this, but the Meridian Lounge has a very inventive cocktail menu, that's another nice option for pre-dinner cocktails.  If you prefer a more quiet environment, the Observation Lounge is very nice, but a standard cocktail menu there.

 

[GeorgiaPeach51]

@boblerm Good grief, wonderful food photos!  Some of things we remember and some we missed.  One thing we didn’t do was Sette Mari and from your photos, that was a big mistake!  Really appreciate all your notes and tips.  
 

@Gpilon Glad to read that you have enjoyed the cruise and that the pool bar staff is on top of things.  🥃🍸🍷. Looking forward to your summary when you get home!  Safe travels.

 

Joanie

[kjbacon]

Love this trip report and all the fabulous pictures! The best part is your cosmic picture of THE dessert at Prime 7 … I could almost taste it. Hope to sail with you one day soon.

[boblerm]

16 hours ago, GeorgiaPeach51 said:

One thing we didn’t do was Sette Mari and from your photos, that was a big mistake!  

Joanie, from your report, it seems that you have fallen in love with Compass Rose, and I cannot blame you. 

Next time for sure! 😁

[boblerm]

2 hours ago, kjbacon said:

Hope to sail with you one day soon.

Karen, that would be great, on R or on O. 

[boblerm]

To finish up on dining-I don't know whether I mentioned this or not, but we do not have breakfasts or lunches at sit down restaurants, much preferring buffets for these meals. So all breakfasts (save 1 in the Coffee Connection), and all lunches were at La Veranda, or the pool grill. We are very pleased with the quality and selection at these venues. 

 

 Breakfasts are better than ever, now that I know the "Americano" coffee trick.  It's nice to be able to order pretty much anything that I may want at the omelet station, and have it brought to my table, provided that I can remember my table number, always an iffy proposition.

 

For lunch, we like to make a large salad, and accompany it with a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little bit...... My only problem is that I need a larger plate to try everything that I would like to.  I also can't resist trying the pasta of the day, prepared a la minute, and brought to your table (with the same proviso as above 😁). 

 

And then there is the pizza at the pool grill, as well as the great burgers and fries.

 

In addition, I love the specialty BBQs that were offered, I think, perhaps 4 times. 

 

I wanna go back!! 😳

[1982CruzStart]

20 hours ago, vegasdriven said:

Any idea if that means it was not open for business, for example if we were to arrive early for our reservation would we not be able to have a cocktail there?

As Boblerm said they are open during dining hours. That means if your reservation is for 6:30 you need to go to another lounge for your pre-dinner drink as it doesn't open until 6:30. 

[boblerm]

Entertainment 

 

Production Shows 

 

If I had never cruised on Regent before, I may have been very impressed with the quality of the production shows. But I have, and so I wasn't. 

Perhaps it is a little strong to say that I wasn't impressed. The dancers were top notch, and the singers were all competent. But on my last several cruises on Regent and on Crystal, the production team knocked my socks off, whereas I left these shows with my socks firmly in place. In fact, the only performance in which my socks were metaphorically off my feet was Cruise Director David Nevin's one man show. 

 

My favorite of the production shows was, "Divos and Divas", featuring songs by Sinatra, Madonna , Dolly, Celine,  Whitney,  Manilow, Bruno Mars , Rod Stewart,  Freddie, probably some others. It was a high energy production that  made the most of the talent of the team, and I thought that the chosen songs were all well representatve of the featured artists.

 

 "Broadway in Concert"  is not really a production show, no dancing, costume changes, or backlit scenery, just 5 lead singers doing classic Broadway numbers. I had seen this production on my last cruise,  and I recall being mesmerized throughout the show. I just didn't think that this cast were as commanding a presence as the cast of the last one. There were moments of brilliance to be sure, the 3 ladies mash-up of Andrew Lloyd Webber tunes gave me goose bumps, as did the Lez Mis finale,and there was not one number that was poorly performed.

 

I have already given my impression of "Diamond Run" in post #126, and unfortunately, I did not feel any more warm and fuzzy about "Bohemian Soul". Like "Diamond Run" I think that there was supposed to be some sort of story line here, but again, my feeble brain was unable to figure out what it was.  I found the song selection to be a bit of a disappointment, many songs were unfamiliar to me, and I found few very engaging. Of those that were familiar, I think that there were some odd choices. "Somethin' Stupid" in a show entitled "Bohemian Soul"? Seriously?

 

I would like to see Regent go back to the tried and true formulations of giving us shows featuring mainly high energy upbeat numbers interspersed with beautiful ballads, with selections that are familiar to us, and that are widely loved.  I am hoping that the trend of artsy smartsy attempts are short lived. Just my opinion.

 

Specialty Acts 

 

Comedian Darrell Joyce did 2 shows, a very funny gentleman with a magnetic personality.

 

The other specialty act was a trumpeter/ vocalist named Ollie Mulkeen. He was excellent, but I was a little skeptical when I learned that he would be doing a second show, I thought that one would be sufficient. Wrong! He was even better in his second show.

 

Lounge Performers

 

On every Regent cruise that I have been on, the Regent Signature Orchestra has been superb, and this one was no exception. They played in the Meridian.

 

 

Pianest Andrew performed in the Observation, a talented artist with a nice voice. 

 

 

Most of our evening time was spent in the Splendor Lounge; I think that I have made it clear how much I adore Kasia and Boogie, here are some visuals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cruise Director 

 

David Nevin kept things flowing well, as as I mentioned, is an outstanding performer.

 

Krew Kapers 

 

This show is always a delight to watch. But what I find somewhat mind blowing is that these wonderful individuals that work so hard, day and night, to make our cruise experience so enjoyable , are willing to devote so much of their leisure time to prepare and rehearse in order to put on a show of this caliber.

Bravo! 

 

[wcsdkqh]

You gotta be kiddin' regarding Andrew's voice in the Observation Lounge. Adequate piano player, but unless he has had voice lessons since our November cruise, his singing is horrible.

[boblerm]

4 hours ago, wcsdkqh said:

You gotta be kiddin' regarding Andrew's voice in the Observation Lounge. Adequate piano player, but unless he has had voice lessons since our November cruise, his singing is horrible.

Oh yeah?? Them's fightin' words!! 😡

 

Just kidding.

Honestly, we did not spend much time in the Observation, and when we did, his renditions served more as background music for conversation  than for truly active listening. I thought that his voice was pleasant enough for that purpose. 

 

As long as I have you on the line, did you attend the production shows? I'd love to get some other perspectives.