Should we switch to the Regent world cruise?

[Piaa]

Good morning everyone,

 

We are currently booked on the Azamara Onward on their world cruise starting January 2024 but after spending the last seven days on board, we are now definitely thinking of switching to a different cruise line

 

As we have never sailed on Regent before I do have a few questions - the main one being dress code etc and of course the overall experience.

 

We are definitely not looking for a “stuffy” experience (for the lack of trying to come up with a more fitting descriptive word so please forgive that) and our favorite line so far is Sea Dream if that helps.

 

We do have a cabin on hold and probably need to decide today but as we are at sea in Greece and the Internet is ridiculously slow (it has taken 15 minutes to just load this page) unfortunately I cannot read through all of the posts on this page like I normally would.

 

Thank you for reading this and for any help you might give.

[flossie009]

I am sure you would love the Regent experience which is certainly not stuffy.

However, booking a world cruise on a cruise line and ship that you have not experienced sounds like a risky venture.

 

The 2024 Regent WC is waitlisted for many of the suite grades and there is a price rise forecast on October 1st, so worth deciding soon.

 

The WC is on Mariner; an excellent ship. The basic suites are small by Regent standards. We prefer a PH or Horizon suite on that ship.
Also many guests prefer the shower-only suites on Mariner as the tub/shower combos are somewhat awkward.

 

Best wishes for your cruise planning and hope you find a booking that suits.

 

 

[wcsdkqh]

Definitely would not my my first cruise with any cruise line a world cruise.

[Piaa]

Thank you both so much for your reply.

 

After stepping back and taking a moment to breathe (and think) we have decided to cancel the world cruise on Azamara and book a 21 day cruise on Regent to try it out.

 

Does anyone know if Regent offers the world cruise every year?  (I will try to research but with the Internet the speed of molasses it is quicker to look to you frequent cruises here)

 

Thank you so much 

[HotRoot]

1 hour ago, Piaa said:

Thank you both so much for your reply.

 

After stepping back and taking a moment to breathe (and think) we have decided to cancel the world cruise on Azamara and book a 21 day cruise on Regent to try it out.

 

Does anyone know if Regent offers the world cruise every year?  (I will try to research but with the Internet the speed of molasses it is quicker to look to you frequent cruises here)

 

Thank you so much 

Yes.  Regent has a World Cruise every year.  We were in your same boat about 10 years ago.  We took a 10 night cruise on Regent to see if we wanted to do a World Cruise.  Decided yes and then they stopped doing World Cruises.  Eventually they brought them back and we did the 2019 World Cruise.  Loved it.  2020, 2021, and 2022 were all "messed up" due to Covid.  Hopefully the next few years will be a go.  Love the 2025 itinerary.  Our only experience with Azamara was the first cruise on the Quest.  That taught us to never take the first cruise on any ship.

[Lonedaddy]

Personally, I would book it as you would only be out the admin fee 200 bucks and try a seven day cruise in 2023 to see if you like it.  We loved our first cruise on Regent, but have not been on Azamara.  

[Ladys Mom]

I would definitely recommend the Regent World Cruise.  That being said, your idea to take a shorter cruise first makes perfect sense.  Regent is what is described as "country-club casual".  During the day, anything goes, while in the evening women wear dressier pants, skirts, or dresses.  Rarely will you see women in sequins, except for the entertainers, of course!  At night men are requested to wear a collared shirt (polo ok) and no jeans.  Men may wear a sport jacket to the specialty restaurants and a tie on special evenings. Rarely, will you see men in a tuxedo.

We have been on three Azamara cruises, the latest being in August, 2019.  We found the crew to be extremely friendly and helpful.  We were in a Club Continent suite which is even smaller than the Veranda and Concierge suites on Regent.  It was comfortable for a couple of weeks, but not for a world cruise.  The food was good, but did not have the variety or quality of Regent.  On Regent you can ask for almost any dish and if the ship has the ingredients the dish will be presented to you the next night.  The chefs are amazing and the wait staff are friendly and attentive.

Our biggest problem on Azamara was with the entertainment.  Neither the venue nor the entertainment itself were up to the standards of a luxury ship.  We don't need a full Broadway show, but we need more than four singers and dancers and a comedian.

We were booked on Regent's 2021 and 2022 world cruises.  The first was cancelled and the second we cancelled when they changed the itinerary to circling the Caribbean.  We now are booked on the 2024 world cruise and we are counting the days until we board the Mariner for an adventure of a lifetime.

[RetiredandTravel]

3 hours ago, Piaa said:

Thank you both so much for your reply.

 

After stepping back and taking a moment to breathe (and think) we have decided to cancel the world cruise on Azamara and book a 21 day cruise on Regent to try it out.

 

Does anyone know if Regent offers the world cruise every year?  (I will try to research but with the Internet the speed of molasses it is quicker to look to you frequent cruises here)

 

Thank you so much 

 

 

I think the shorter cruise is wise to try Regent out.  Our experience is that other passengers are generally very nice and not pretentious, when you are at this price point there are always outliers but they are easy to avoid.  I wouldn't call the atmosphere "stuffy" but people do dress nicely (men nice slacks & shirt) after 6, maybe 1/4 of the men wear a jacket almost no ties.  It certainly isn't a super relaxed environment either, unless someone is overserved. 🙃

 

Full disclosure the internet on Regent is slower than slower than molasses.

 

 

 

[SWFLAOK]

We've sailed on Sea Dream twice, including a back to back this spring as our first post covid cruise. Regent is our favorite cruise line with 4 cruises so far and back to backs next month, but the ships are much bigger than Sea Dream, and the interaction with other guests is much less. The service pre covid was always excellent on Regent, as it was on Sea Dream. I suspect Regent is in training mode this year, just as Sea Dream was, but the experienced crew on Sea Dream worked hard to get them up to speed. As already pointed out, the dress code is no shorts, tank tops, t-shirts, jeans, ball caps or flip flops for dinner or lounge after 6. But even at Christmas and New Years in 2019/2020 we saw very few people with gowns or tuxes. A dress, and a jacket with a tie, worked for the holiday dinners. Other cruise lines expect more than that.

[SkystheLimit]

You might want to consider booking the Mariner as your test.  While we like the Mariner it is not the same as the newer Splendour or Explorer. Pros and cons to all in some people's eyes.

[lincslady]

Definitely have a test cruise, and definitely  on the Mariner.  It is a somewhat different experience to being on one of the new ships - not necessarily worse, just different.

[Piaa]

6 hours ago, SkystheLimit said:

You might want to consider booking the Mariner as your test.  While we like the Mariner it is not the same as the newer Splendour or Explorer. Pros and cons to all in some people's eyes.

Thank you - is the world cruise always on the Mariner ? 

[Piaa]

2 hours ago, lincslady said:

Definitely have a test cruise, and definitely  on the Mariner.  It is a somewhat different experience to being on one of the new ships - not necessarily worse, just different.

Thank you - is the world cruise always on the Mariner ? 

[Brownie54]

As of now, yes

[wcsdkqh]

The Regent World Cruise has not always been on the Mariner in the past, but it is for the next few years, for whatever reason.

[NCCruzQueen]

5 hours ago, wcsdkqh said:

The Regent World Cruise has not always been on the Mariner in the past, but it is for the next few years, for whatever reason.

Yes, Navigator was the Regent ship used for world cruises for many years.

 

One reason Mariner was selected for the World Cruise was because it was designed with a main hallway or thoroughfare (called I-95) that connects many parts of the ship where the crew live and work.  
 

Maybe more CC posters can describe this better than I.

Edited August 27, 2022 by NCCruzQueen

[travelwell]

I highly recommend trying out the Mariner for a cruise 12 days or longer. The Mariner is not a ritzy ship like the new ones nor does it have as many food venues. We had two WC’s booked on the Mariner cancelled due to Covid. We had a great booking experience with a high volume travel agent who specialized in luxury cruises. We let our TA know we wanted a WC upon retirement on Regent. Seems like we booked in 2018 for 2021 WC.  At the time we were able to book a room 72 hoursprior to the general public. I am not sure that is possible now but your agent needs to be on her toes to book morning of cruise opening. The rooms as these cruises sell out fast. That being said, things happen and you are likely to get on ship if you waitlist, maybe not your choice room and location.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 8/26/2022 at 11:09 AM, Ladys Mom said:

We were in a Club Continent suite which is even smaller than the Veranda and Concierge suites on Regent.

Are you sure?  I am pretty sure the Club Continent Suite on Azamara is quite a bit larger than the standard Veranda Suite on Mariner.

[Ladys Mom]

42 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Are you sure?  I am pretty sure the Club Continent Suite on Azamara is quite a bit larger than the standard Veranda Suite on Mariner.

You are right.  When I checked the veranda suite is a little bit smaller.  The Azamara suite just seemed smaller.  Sorry.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

2 hours ago, Ladys Mom said:

You are right.  When I checked the veranda suite is a little bit smaller.  The Azamara suite just seemed smaller.  Sorry.

To me, the Club Continent suite was spacious, but not well-furnished at all.  Storage was very poor.  Part of the reason probably it seemed bigger was no walk-in closet.

[RachelG]

4 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

To me, the Club Continent suite was spacious, but not well-furnished at all.  Storage was very poor.  Part of the reason probably it seemed bigger was no walk-in closet.

Walk in closet is one of my requirements, mainly because I generally get up way earlier than my husband and like to be able to get dressed without disturbing him.  

[Jimmcdaniel]

If you are OK with one of the smaller suites, you can get on the waitlist for the 2024 WC. There was a long wait list for the 2023 WC but it cleared once final payment was due (in July) for the Concierge and Veranda suites. 

[Port Power]

On 8/26/2022 at 8:02 PM, Piaa said:

Thank you both so much for your reply.

 

After stepping back and taking a moment to breathe (and think) we have decided to cancel the world cruise on Azamara and book a 21 day cruise on Regent to try it out.

 

Does anyone know if Regent offers the world cruise every year?  (I will try to research but with the Internet the speed of molasses it is quicker to look to you frequent cruises here)

 

Thank you so much 

I am a definite Azamara fan, but have booked Regent’s 2025 World Cruise. I have never been on a Regent ship before, but still went ahead and book for five consecutive months on reputation alone.  As much as I enjoy Azamara, and have been onboard for 2 months on a unique itinerary, they are not the line for long term cruises for me.  Regent seems to have more options and entertainment than AZ.

Edited September 5, 2022 by Port Power

[Wendy The Wanderer]

As much as I enjoyed my single Azamara cruise, I agree, I'd prefer Regent for a WC. Not sure why, perhaps just the depth of experience doing long cruises, and the variety of entertainment, dining, public spaces.  And cabin size as well, despite Mariner's standard cabins being smaller than the norm for Regent.