Voyager and Mariner Dry Dock & Other updates

[DebbieH103]

I was on a travel agent conference call a couple of hours ago with Mark Conroy and Ken Watson. One thing they talked about was dry dock changes. Some of these things have been mentioned elsewhere but not in their own thread that I can find.

 

They mentioned that not everyone liked L'Atitudes (I love it, myself), so they were coming up with a brand new alternative restaurant called Prime Seven that would be a contemporary steakhouse. It will not cost extra.

 

Also, as others have reported, they will refurb and redesign the public areas and suites and will totally redo the soft goods. They also indicated they will have more casual dining that will include pizza and ice cream.

 

They also mentioned a retractable stage in the theatre to increase the dancing area but did not explain anything about it.

 

They mentioned having more shower only rooms on Mariner but said tubs are still important.

 

Regarding the new ship, they said it would be late 2011 or 2012 and would accomodate 750 - 800 guests and be close to 60,000 tons. They said it would have a full deck devoted to health and spa and athletic activities. They also said the single suites on that ship will be about the size of the current cabins on the existing ships but that all others would be over 400 square ft.

 

They said the average age is now 56. They said 52% of the guests on any given cruise are repeaters and that 97.5% of those surveyed on the cruises say they will come back. Theyalso said they have 65 - 75,000 guests per year and that 150,000 households have sailed.

 

Another tidbit was that the youngest passenger to sail Minerva was 4 years old, and the oldest was 102.

[Cruisedreamer1]

Tell me what this means.

 

While I do eat pizza and ice cream on occasion, I shuddered to read that this is what the Regent wants to introduce. It sounds so mass market. I really like the menu since it isn't so fast foodish.

[bev'sid]

I really like the menu since it isn't so fast foodish.

 

I agree! And we LOVED Latitudes so made a big deal of it on our comment cards! I guess we were definitely in the minority.

 

Thanks for the great report!

[Bob and Peg]

I'm sorry to hear that they're doing away with L'attitudes. We were on the Norwegian fjords voyage in June/July and loved the restaurant. We had initially been a little hesitant about eating there, because we don't "do" Asian food that often, but L'attitudes was way better than Signatures.

 

Signatures tried to have a snobbish atmosphere but they really failed on our visit - in fact, it was so bad that I wrote a scathing report on our mid-trip review questionaire. The resataurant manager talked to us and asked us to come again (which we did), but that time they almost went overboard about being "too nice". Everyone, including the chef, came to check on us several times to make sure that everything was okay.

 

Thanks for the update on the ships.

[Travelcat2]

We also loved Latitudes (and are happy we can go there on our October cruise -- prior to dry dock). Although we've known about the change in this dining venue a couple of months -- it still is sad.

 

I cannot imagine where they will put the pizza and ice cream. . . the Voyager is already taking space away from the computer area to install the coffee area (hmmm, that may have answered the question -- they already have continental breakfast type food in the Mariner coffee area -- this may be where the pizza goes. The pizza/ice cream could work for those who return from an excursion mid-afternoon and need a bite to eat.

 

Thanks for the update . . . very interesting!

[linda_22003]

Latitudes (not "L'attitudes") was a favorite with us, as well, so I will be sorry to see it go. Our evening at Signatures had pleasant surroundings, but I didn't consider the food to be appreciably better than Compass Rose.

[NCCruzQueen]

[

Signatures tried to have a snobbish atmosphere but they really failed on our visit ..... QUOTE]

 

We were on the Monte Carlo to Dover cruise last month. I believe the waiters are insructed to be "more reserved" in Signatures. We saw our Signatures waiter in La Veranda later in the cruise and he was a real cut-up.

 

Of the two restuarants, Latitudes was our favorite.

[davidandsusan-nj]

My husband and I are going on our first Regent cruise (first cruise of any kind) on December 1 aboard Voyager. It is the week prior to dry dock. We were a little concerned what the condition of the ship would be immediately before dry dock but the chance to try Latitudes before it disappears should make up for it. I hope it will be as good as the posters have mentioned considering it will be the last week in operation.

[DebbieH103]

I am not a big meat eater and end up eating fish upon fish unless there is veal or I just go vegetarian. This new venue just seems like more meat to me. They already have The Verandah and Signatures. Signatures was my worst meal of the week. Everything was so briney with salt that I didn't eat much but the creme brulee, and L'Atitudes was my favorite and one reason I booked for this Christmas. We will probably be the guinea pigs of the new place. To me, this just really took down the variety. I know on SS,they always have some Asian dish every day at lunch, but those dishes often are just OK, and I just loved the lazy susan thing at L'Atitudes and all the courses and the wonderful service there. The happy thing is they are not charging extra for anything.

 

Regarding the pizza and ice cream, this is hardly a new inovation. Silversea has done a great job with this. They have the authentic Italian pizzas on the room service menu and have a pizza menu where you can order from your waiter at the lunch buffet. The lunch buffet also has the little sundae area at both the pool deck and the lunch buffet, and you can also order a pizza from your pool deck waiter. I think everything is done in one central place from some pizza oven and they just go get it. It is not some gaudy thing like on the mass market.

[Cattravel10]

Doing away with Latitudes?? Absurd, ridiculous!! My parents and I ate there twice last month and would've gone a third time if possible Food was FABULOUS as well as the service and even asked for a couple recipes. And I'm not that much into Asian food. A steakhouse?? What is Mark Conroy thinking. You can get meat in the other restaurants. As for pizza, does not sound very gourmet. You can get that anywhere. When I go on vacation, I like to eat things I don't normally eat at home!!!

[basedow]

I think dropping Latitudes is a serious mistake! Particularly for another meat place. My family hardly eats meat anymore and for those family members who I couldn't wait to introduce to Regent, I have reservations about booking Regent now.

 

I didn't much care for Crystal set dining times but they have some beautiful and varied restaurants. Silverseas has only a few dining options apparently, but I will look seriously at both lines. This gives me a new impetus!

 

This turn of events is a BIG disappointment to me.:(

 

Basedow

[Travelcat2]

It's interesting that all of us that enjoy Latitudes (doesn't bother me how it is spelled:-) are posting. There were so few of us that ever talked about how great the food and service were (are). If there was a poll, it would have been at 70% of past passengers that did not like it. I feel it was the negative reviews that finally sealed the deal to change.

 

IMO, the flavors are very different than most "Chinese", "Japanese", "Thai" or even typical Asian fusion just as these foods in the U.S./Canada do not have the same spices as in their native countries. I also appreciate that they suggest trying their entire menu -- and it is prepared their way for the true experience (they will provide spicy sauce on the side). I would be confident that the service and food will remain wonderful through their last night.

[basedow]

TravelCat 2 I remember you mentioning several months ago that Latitudes would be dropped. I was hoping you were wrong, thinking that "Asian" food is becoming so very popular Regent wouldn't commit that blunder!

 

I'm surprised you say that 70% of diners did not like Latitudes. I've not heard anyone say they didn't like it but maybe I don't get around much anymore.

 

I hope their replacement restaurant bombs.

[journeyfan]

NCCruzQueen wrote:

 

"We were on the Monte Carlo to Dover cruise last month. I believe the waiters are insructed to be "more reserved" in Signatures. We saw our Signatures waiter in La Veranda later in the cruise and he was a real cut-up.

 

Of the two restuarants, Latitudes was our favorite"

 

Interesting that you preferred Lattitudes over Signatures, NCCruzQueen. We were on the same cruise and never tried Latitudes because the comments posted on Cruise Critic were so negative. Let's get together some day for lunch, Beth. Write me at mdodge@mindspring.com.

[DebbieH103]

In my review in October, 2007, both the commentary while on board and the review I wrote after arriving back home, I said that I and many others thought the food was WAY too salty at Signatures and that I loved L'Atitudes.

 

It is interesting that it is in the 2009 Voyages book that just came out. Also, the way Ken worded it was like two separate things. He said, something like "from the comment cards, we found that a lot of people didnt like L'Atitudes that much". Then he said, "We are coming out with a brand new dining option called Prime Seven that will be a comtemporary steakhouse serving prime cuts, and it will be at no additional cost". I would have thought The Veranda would have been the ideal venue for this unless they want it to look real fancy. I would imagine they will have lobster or something, but my husband eats beef to the point of mooing on a trip since he doesn't get served much of it at home, and this will just encourage that. I thought L'Atitudes made a good conversation experience as well as a fun dining experience.

 

Seems like they have changed L'Atitudes a bunch of times. I remember reading someone's world cruise from a year or two ago, and it seemed to be something different a number of times during the course of their trip. I do wonder why if they are changing it they put it in the brand new book if the decision was made some time back.

[Cattravel10]

I posted a new thread quite a while back "? on Latitudes". The reason being is that someone had posted after one of their cruises that they had not quite found their niche yet. The responses I received were all very favorable which convinced me to try it. No negative responses about Latitudes at all that I can recall. It was a truly unique and memorable experience.

[xrvlcruiser]

Debbie,

 

On the WC, Latitude has had a variety of differnt themes based - to some extent - where the ship is: New Zealand, India for example. This is to give the people on for the whole trip some variety. It goes back to Pan Asia between "theremes" some of the time.

 

Sometimes the themes works, sometimes not but for us, it is an alternative to eating in Compass Rose every night. I like Signatiure but it's very rich to do very often.

 

La Veranda chenges theres as well - Italian Steak House and several others.

 

I can't imagine why when - as others have said - steak is avaialble in every restaurant including the pool buffet - why a special steak restaurant would be needed.

 

A shame.

[Travelcat2]

For some reason, Regent is not able to put out a brochure that is accurate. This could be why Latitudes is still listed. Regent execs. did announce this change almost three months ago -- so, it was probably planned for a while before that.

 

While I do not proofread Regent's "Voyages", in Volume 3, Issue 2, (received earlier this month), our upcoming cruise was listed as being from October 2 - 9. It was just as detailed as other cruises. The difference was -- it was completely wrong. The cruise is from October 4 - 11. It managed to completely confuse me for a few minutes.

 

Perhaps they are waiting until after dry dock to change publically announce their new dining venue.:confused:

[xrvlcruiser]

I tried to edit my spelling errors in the above posting but too much time had gone by . . .sorry!

[DebbieH103]

I knew on the world cruise they went back to Pan Asian a few times and know why they varied the themes, but why can't they just do that again, rotate themes if they think people didn't like it the way it is? It was full every night on my cruise, more full than Signatures, which was easy. I would surely think world cruisers will get sick of 4 restaurants that are full of heavy dishes.

 

I ordered a fish dish and a seafood soup at Signatures, but I only ate my vegetables and creme brulee. The waiter offered to do the whole meal over with less salt, but by then I certainly was not interested. In my group of solo travelers, just about everyone said Signatures was just too salty. I won't go back there without requesting less salt.

 

Everyone I saw that got a steak at The Verandah had an enormous hunk of meat. I would think this would have been the venue.

 

I heard about the possible change of L'Attitudes sometime back but since I have not been able to google it still till yesterday and this book doesn't have it changed, I was hoping it was not true. Ken did say this Prime Seven name was a brand new announcement.

 

I am sure if something doesn't work, they will change again the next year, but I wish I was traveling before the change vs. right after the venue is introduced.

[BILLP1]

Well we did not like Lattudes and did not eat there on our last cruise on the Mariner. .

 

We did notice that Lattitudes was half full on some nights.

 

A quality Steak House would be a plus for us. I know that the best steak houses in our area always have some seafood on their menu as well as other non beef dishes.

 

.

[RachelG]

Don't know why they need another restaurant to serve steaks. I can get plenty of great steaks at home. (Living in Oklahoma and owning a ranch help, of course.) If they want to change it, I would much prefer a really nice sushi bar or changing the theme periodically. I really like Latitudes as it is though. In fact, we booked it for our first night on the upcoming cruise.

[Cattravel10]

You can get "quality steakhouses" anywhere. Leave it off the ship!!!!! If worse comes to worse, a sushi bar would be great. Latitudes is great.

[larry1365]

I agree with xrvlcruiser....one can get steak anyplace they live and in the other venues on the ship...plus the thematic changes on the longer cruises were an extra bonus...I wonder if those will survive?

 

Larry

[Portolan]

We typically would dine in Latitudes twice a week whereas we'll do Signatures once per cruise. Latitudes in all of its iterations (it was originally an open kitchen venue where they made a big deal about watching the dishes being prepared) has been great. We can get steak in any of the other venues any night. Latitudes provided a truly different venue. A steakhouse venue means the choices will be steak in a steakhouse, le boeuf in Signatures, la bistecca in La Veranda or steak in Compass Rose. Oh yeah, and steak in room service.

 

I also can't imagine a Regent briefing that included a statement that the new steakhouse would be at no charge! What? They think we'd expect them to go to an all-inclusive, but not quite model?

 

I hope that this change is not going to happen during the Voyager dry-dock just before our next cruise in December.