Splendor February 2023: An Extremely Detailed First Timer's Review!

[Mr Luxury]

13 hours ago, Camillus112 said:

Discussing Explora with my daughter, who just turned 50.  Theatre for shows?  Not needed.    Bars with different vibes?  Yes, please!  Piano bar?  What's that! 🤣.

Dress code? 😁

[Camillus112]

53 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

Dress code? 😁

 

Athleisure wear?  

[Mr Luxury]

3 hours ago, Camillus112 said:

 

Athleisure wear?  

Eureka 

[texasatty]

On 3/10/2023 at 7:18 AM, Dr. Cocktail said:

Thanks for your comments!  See my other comments re Pacific Rim but - different sailings/seating times/days may have different results!

 

I respectfully submit myself for Five Lashings with a Wet Noodle!  The F and B Manager may have been there but I didn't realize because he wasn't wearing his name tag or stripes!  The Hotel Manager and Captain were definitely MIA.

Tbh I found your criticisms to be on the mild side…certainly a fair expression of your experience without the hyperbole we get all too often

[morpheusofthesea]

On 3/10/2023 at 6:00 AM, kjbacon said:

We saw the Food and Beverage Manager every day and usually more than once per day. He regularly was actively involved in breakfast at La Veranda, even though they were adequately staffed, just being hands on by greeting guests, clearing plates, and serving juice

We have found this action on the part of well meaning managers only contributes to the spread of contagions in any restaurant situation going from table to table "greeting guests, clearing plates and serving juice."

[saminina]

On 3/10/2023 at 2:02 PM, Dr. Cocktail said:

We told Jorge, laughing, that everyone could now clean up.

 

Does anyone know if Jorge is the same Portuguese George as the long time Maitre 'd with Silversea and less than one contract with Seabourn?  Very handsome and nice man that tried his hand in the olive oil business.

 

Ah, the price you pay for posting an objective review.  But you knew that before tapping the enter key.   Thanks for the review and follow ups.   See you on Journey.

Edited April 23, 2023 by saminina

[Dr. Cocktail]

1 hour ago, saminina said:

Does anyone know if Jorge is the same Portuguese George as the long time Maitre 'd with Silversea and less than one contract with Seabourn?  Very handsome and nice man that tried his hand in the olive oil business.

 

Ah, the price you pay for posting an objective review.  But you knew that before tapping the enter key.   Thanks for the review and follow ups.   See you on Journey.

Journey? No - Explora 1!

[lincslady]

9 hours ago, saminina said:

Does anyone know if Jorge is the same Portuguese George as the long time Maitre 'd with Silversea and less than one contract with Seabourn?  Very handsome and nice man that tried his hand in the olive oil business.

 

Ah, the price you pay for posting an objective review.  But you knew that before tapping the enter key.   Thanks for the review and follow ups.   See you on Journey.

I would guess very likely.  He is a lovely man indeed, and we first met him on Silversea, then on Seabourn where somehow I could tell he didn't quite fit in; just not his style although of course he did a great job.

[nfcu]

14 hours ago, saminina said:

Does anyone know if Jorge is the same Portuguese George as the long time Maitre 'd with Silversea and less than one contract with Seabourn?  Very handsome and nice man that tried his hand in the olive oil business.

 

Ah, the price you pay for posting an objective review.  But you knew that before tapping the enter key.   Thanks for the review and follow ups.   See you on Journey.

Yes, it is the same Jorge!  We loved him on Silversea and now love him on Regent.  We were just on the Splendor and he was in charge of the Compass Rose.

[bookbabe]

Dr Cocktail, how would you compare your Regent experience to previous trips in NCL’s Haven?  What was better?  What was worse?  Did the seemingly more formal atmosphere of Regent make a difference to the experience?
 

DH and I are experienced cruisers, NCL Haven and Viking are our preferred providers at present, but we have a Regent cruise booked in November as a test run for a possible world cruise, and we are very curious about how Regent compares to our previous experiences.

[Dr. Cocktail]

3 hours ago, bookbabe said:

Dr Cocktail, how would you compare your Regent experience to previous trips in NCL’s Haven?  What was better?  What was worse?  Did the seemingly more formal atmosphere of Regent make a difference to the experience?
 

DH and I are experienced cruisers, NCL Haven and Viking are our preferred providers at present, but we have a Regent cruise booked in November as a test run for a possible world cruise, and we are very curious about how Regent compares to our previous experiences.

They're ballgames of a different colour!

 

Obviously, Regent is a far more sophisticated experience with a generally intersting and highly  educated but older crowd. Of course, we've also  met VERY nice people in our Haven sailings but a different vibe - generally younger and still working.  My last Haven was 5 years ago so I can't do an immediate comparison but I'm returning soon!

 

I liked the informal dress code on Regent - I've been reading about passengers showing up for dinner in the Haven Resto in flip flops, athletic shorts and shirts and that's really not my speed and it kinda' bugs me.

 

As I said in my review, I really like the choices that NCL offers but the tradeoff is a lot more kids, noise and general craziness.  But - I can ALWAYS get a spot in the shade or the sun in The Haven  without resulting in strategies more appropriate for a military campaign!

 

Now your liking the Haven and Viking is fasinating .... I found Viking to be like a morturary but with worse entertainment. The vibe on Regent is MUCH more convivial with many more great bars and lounges.

 

I highly encourage you to try Regent and decide for yourself !

 

 

[bookbabe]

16 minutes ago, Dr. Cocktail said:

They're ballgames of a different colour!

 

Obviously, Regent is a far more sophisticated experience with a generally intersting and highly  educated but older crowd. Of course, we've also  met VERY nice people in our Haven sailings but a different vibe - generally younger and still working.  My last Haven was 5 years ago so I can't do an immediate comparison but I'm returning soon!

 

I liked the informal dress code on Regent - I've been reading about passengers showing up for dinner in the Haven Resto in flip flops, athletic shorts and shirts and that's really not my speed and it kinda' bugs me.

 

As I said in my review, I really like the choices that NCL offers but the tradeoff is a lot more kids, noise and general craziness.  But - I can ALWAYS get a spot in the shade or the sun in The Haven  without resulting in strategies more appropriate for a military campaign!

 

Now your liking the Haven and Viking is fasinating .... I found Viking to be like a morturary but with worse entertainment. The vibe on Regent is MUCH more convivial with many more great bars and lounges.

 

I highly encourage you to try Regent and decide for yourself !

 

 

The Viking entertainment was pretty meh, but the size of the ships and the quality of the food and service was fantastic.  The no kids is one of the best parts of Viking, and while it’s a little more formal than NCL, it does at least have a casual option for dinner, unlike Regent.  We own up to the fact that we are one of those couples in tees, shorts and sandals in the Haven restaurant.  We’re beach bums, I don’t even own any formal wear, I’ve got one nicer outfit for each of weddings and funerals but that’s it.  And no interest in getting or wearing any.  I foresee a lot of room service in our Regent future, one of the reasons we’ve booked a bigger suite with good in-cabin dinner options.  We’re not drinkers or bar-goers, so hiding in our cabin in the evenings won’t be the worst option.  And a good balcony eliminates the need to fight the chair hogs for lounge space, so there’s that reason too.  It’ll be interesting to try Mariner, we’ve got a deposit down on the 2026 WC, so this upcoming cruise is our test run, so to speak.

[texasatty]

On 4/22/2023 at 3:01 PM, morpheusofthesea said:

We have found this action on the part of well meaning managers only contributes to the spread of contagions in any restaurant situation going from table to table "greeting guests, clearing plates and serving juice."

This is a joke, right?

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, texasatty said:

This is a joke, right?

Seems like a waste of a life to me.

[kjbacon]

On 4/22/2023 at 8:01 AM, morpheusofthesea said:

We have found this action on the part of well meaning managers only contributes to the spread of contagions in any restaurant situation going from table to table "greeting guests, clearing plates and serving juice."

Does anyone understand this remark?

[carolina cruisin]

I read it to imply that by the "manager" going from table to table - he/she is likely spreading such things as covid.  That brings up so many "what ifs" in my mind - waiters, laundry, person sitting next to you in the theater, etc.

[fizzy]

2 hours ago, carolina cruisin said:

I read it to imply that by the "manager" going from table to table - he/she is likely spreading such things as covid.  That brings up so many "what ifs" in my mind - waiters, laundry, person sitting next to you in the theater, etc.

What about the couple that brings along the cutesy bunch of stuffed animals and puts them on the tables! Staff gets pictures taken with them all the time. You just can't avoid every germ.

[wcsdkqh]

If someone is that concerned about germs, perhaps they should just stay home.

[carolina cruisin]

1 hour ago, fizzy said:

What about the couple that brings along the cutesy bunch of stuffed animals and puts them on the tables! Staff gets pictures taken with them all the time. You just can't avoid every germ.

Haven't seen that one but totally agree.  I believe most of the passengers appreciate the attention and professionalism paid by the staff.

[cwn]

47 minutes ago, wcsdkqh said:

If someone is that concerned about germs, perhaps they should just stay home.

Isn’t that the truth!!

Also enjoy the cute little animals guests travel with. Our animals visit with their animals every chance they get. The staff take every chance to interact with the passengers… this is what makes Regent service so enjoyable. 

Edited April 26, 2023 by cwn

[labonnevie]

Then there was the woman on the elevator that told me I was standing too close to her, with three people total on the elevator.