Regent Seven Seas

The Regent Experience
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is cited year after year by CruiseMates readers as having the Best Luxury Ships, and that entails being the best of a very elite set. Why are they voted so? We believe it is because CruiseMates' readers are extremely experienced cruisers, and what they like to find in any cruise they book is quality and value. This means that no mater ship they are on, they know what to expect for what they paid, and when a ship gives them the best quality for the price, that is a terrific value, and that is what they want.

Naturally, Regent has some of the best service and cuisine at sea. Its ships are complete but not overdone, there isn't much frosting, just the best quality ingredients. For example, the highest space-per-guest and staff-per-guest ratios in the industry. Its standard cabins -- all called suites -- are among the most spacious. The alternative dining rooms, operated by France's famous Le Cordon Bleu school, are as adventurous and they are accomplished. The same can be said for the line's travel concierge program, which helps passengers devise the most exotic shore excursions they can imagine.

Fellow Passengers
The average is generally well over 55 and well-traveled. The onboard atmosphere is low-key, with few feeling the need to dress to the nines at night. They prefer to dress tastefully yet comfortably. They are worldy in their knowledge and experiences, and look forward to the line's remarkable schedule of guest lectures.

Shore Excursions:
In addition to the regular excursions, Travel & Leisure Magazine works in tandem with the Regent Travel Concierge program to to provide insider tips on each port and organize private tours, often to otherwise restricted sites.

Taking The Kids:
The "Club Mariner" children's program operates only in the summer months in Baltic, Alaska and some holiday sailings. It is for children aged six to 11 and 12 to 17. The Compass Rose dining room has a dedicated children's menu. During the summer, Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society offers a special "Ambassadors of the Environment" program for kids aboard Paul Gauguin.

ITINERARIES

Beyond the Paul Gauguin, which spends the entire year in the South Pacific, (CLICK HERE for DETAILED ITINERARY) the line’s other three ships go globe-trotting with Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Navigator having long European seasons (both ships sail the Baltic and Med) and Seven Seas Mariner doing a summer of open-jawed, week-long Alaska sailings from Whittier to Vancouver (or the reverse). The line offers three long cruises of 62 nights to South America, 96 nights around the Pacific and a world cruise of 108 nights. All three are sold in shorter segments. Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner sail the Caribbean during the winter and spring, offering roundtrips from both Fort Lauderdale and San Juan. Voyager, Mariner and Navigator’s Christmas/New Year’s sailings are either through the Panama Canal or in the Caribbean.

WORLD CRUISE 2008 & 2009

Seven Seas Voyager, Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale, 109 nights, Jan. 10, 2006; calling at 45 ports in 28 countries on five continents. The route takes Voyager to French Polynesia, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, India, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Italy, Monaco, Spain, Portugal, Bermuda and the Bahamas before reaching Ft. Lauderdale on April 28. Maiden calls will be made at Yangon, Myanmar (formerly Rangoon, Burma) and Tripoli, Libya. Six segments are available: Los Angeles to Sydney, 22 nights, January 10, 2006; Sydney to Hong Kong, 21 nights, February 2, 2006; Hong Kong to Singapore, 14 nights, February 24, 2006; Singapore to Dubai, 15 nights, March 10, 2006; Dubai to Civitavecchia (Rome), 17 nights, March 26, 2006; Civitavecchia to Ft. Lauderdale, 15 nights, April 13, 2006.

Seven Seas Voyager, round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale, 111 nights, January 9, 2007 to April 30, 2007. Available in six segments of 14 to 21 nights. Calls at 45 ports on a route via Antigua, Barbados, Brazil, St. Helena (United Kingdom), Namibia, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Seychelles, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Oman, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Monaco, and Spain. Includes 14 overnights in port.

PAUL GAUGUIN 19,200 tons 320 passengers 206 crew 513 feet long 71 feet wide 7 passenger decks Registry: France Entered service: 1997

Onboard Experience
Designed to resemble a large private yacht and to negotiate the shallow waters within Polynesia's reefs, the Gauguin entered service in January 1998, cruising year-round in French Polynesia. In the spring of 2006, the ship emerged quite handsomely from a $6 million makeover with a new piano bar, a new casino, five new balcony cabins, and new carpeting and seating.

Understated elegance surround you as step aboard this beautiful ship, which abounds with such distinctive touches as specially bottled water with a Gauguin label at the gangway, and the stone Tiki god set in its own special niche in each of the mahogany-paneled cabins.

Entertainment is minimal, but the Paul Gauguin is not really about either entertainment or food. It is about unwinding, enjoying the magnificent scenery and abundant underwater experiences native to the South Seas. There are a well-stocked library, a boutique stocked with South Seas black pearls and other jewelry, designer gifts, and plenty of Paul Gauguin-themed logowear.

Decor
Each public room has its own special flavor. Le Grand Salon, the main lounge, has comfortably spaced seating which follows through with light blond wood trim and pastel colors. The Connoisseur Club, on the other hand, has an authentic "club" atmosphere. The pale blond wood passageway walls are decorated with framed photographs of old Tahiti. And the "Fare," sort of a mini-museum, has manuscripts and exquisitely carved Polynesian artifacts.

Cuisine
Restaurant L'Etoile, the main dining room, features continental and French cuisine, with dishes inspired by Michelin chef Jean-Pierre Vigato, as well as heart-healthy and vegetarian options. There are also an outdoor bistro/grill and 24-hour room service. Complimentary wine from the ship's marvelous wine list and/or liquor-based cocktails are served at both lunch and dinner.

Note to adventurous diners: The ostrich tenderloin, purchased from American ostrich farms, is especially good.

Restaurants
All of the dining rooms serve a single meal only at which you may be seated at any time the dining room open. If you arrive late you should be seated with others who have done the same, or get a separate table. The dress code is described as "Country Club Casual" which basically means no ties required. Restaurant l'�toile is open only for dinner. La Veranda serves breakfast and lunch and then, in the evening, becomes an alternative restaurant seating 80 by reservation only and featuring Le Cordon Bleu menus.

The bistro/grill Le Grill operates from breakfast through dinner just behind the pool; you could, in theory take all three meals out in the open. Both waiter service and self-service are available. Dinner is by reservation only.

With Le Grill, just behind the pool, both waiter service and self-service are available for breakfast and lunch. At night it is transformed into La Veranda, a French Restaurant inspired by Le Cordon Bleu, for dinner by reservation only. The menu is decidedly French, in keeping with the culture of Tahiti, with the cuisine of Provence to the Normandy and from Alsace to the Valley of the Loire. The wine, naturally, also features mostly French varieties.

Service
From the moment a white-gloved steward warmly greets you as you board, and then escorts you personally to your cabin, you're apt to feel as much a guest on a friend's private yacht than a paying customer. Attentive yet unobtrusive, the Europeans staff is friendly and efficient, and always willing to go the extra mile.

Tipping
Though not banned, tipping is neither encouraged nor expected.

Entertainment
Of all the main stage show entertainment, the most popular is the weekly Polynesian folkloric show where locals are brought on shore. In the La Palette lounge the lovely Gauguines, a quartet of Polynesian girls, sing quite agreeably. A gifted pianist/songstress entertains there before dinner. In the Le Grand Salon, a swinging little band plays dance music before dinner, and again later, until 11:30, when the venue is transformed as though by magic into a disco.

The small casino boasts three blackjack tables, roulette, and slot machines, though the slot machines are for show only. A guest lecturer aboard all cruises discusses the region's history and attractions.

Three movies are offered each day on the closed-circuit in-cabin system. There are a card room, board games and videos available at reception.

A terrifically enjoyable beach party is staged weekly on RSSC's secluded Motu Mahana (tiny island) in Taha'a; you can swim or snorkel in tepid water while the ship sets up a luncheon grill and open bar.

Cabins
All cabins are outside. Half have private balconies; all have twin or queen bed configurations, TV/VCR, refrigerators stocked with soft drinks, three pint bottles of complimentary liquor on arrival, a safe, telephone, and separate sitting area. One wall has a large mirror that makes the cabin seem much larger. The roomy bathrooms have a full tub, hair dryer, and plush terry cloth towels and robes, as well as an assortment of lotions, shampoos, soaps, unguents, ointments, and bath gels.

Minimum staterooms with picture window or portholes are 202 sq. feet; Veranda Staterooms are 249 sq. feet inside, with a 56 sq. ft. balcony; deluxe Ocean View Suites are 300 sq. feet with a 58 sq. ft. balcony and Grand Suites measure 332 sq. feet and have a 197 sq. ft. veranda. The Owner's Suite is 457 sq. ft. with a 77 sq. ft. veranda. There is ample storage space with two closets and drawers built-in below the Tiki niche, as well as in the entertainment unit.

Fitness/Spa
The Fitness Center, constantly in use, has free weights and a full complement of exercise machines. More organized activities includes aerobics classes offered on a regular basis, or a dip in the pool for hydro-calisthenics. early bird? try the morning walkathon around the Sun Deck.

The first Carita of Paris's aboard any cruise ship offers its won specialized versions of such beauty treatments as aromatherapy, body wraps, thalassotherapy, and facials. Save money by purchasing a three to six-day spa packages.

A highlight of the ship is the fold-down watersports platform where you can do kayaking, snorkeling, scuba-diving and wind-surfing right from the ship. The Paul Gauguin has its own PADI certified instructors, dive-master and special dive boats. Snorkeling equipment can be signed out at the beginning of the cruise and returned at the end.

Bookings & Information

SEVEN SEAS VOYAGER 42,000 tons 700 passengers 447 crew 670 feet long 94.5 feet wide Entered service April 1, 2003

Onboard Experience
Aiming to attract well-heeled and well-traveled non-cruisers under 60, Regent Seven Seas has designed Voyager, its second all-suite, all-balcony ship, as a floating hotel, with inconceivably spacious standard suites and four brilliant restaurants in which passengers dine when they like, and with whom.

This is by no means to suggest that the line has turned its back on those who prefer a more traditional cruise experience. The ship features such traditional onboard activities as a casino and showy theatrical productions. There are two formal nights, complete with a welcome (and, then, farewell) reception hosted by the captain, trivia contests, arts and crafts, fitness classes and even bocce tournaments.

Decor
The suites, all with balconies, are the attraction on this ship; with but one center hallway bisecting the accommodations decks, it is apparent that the even the smallest staterooms coming in at over 350 sq ft, are roomy beyond the average cruisers imagination. The largest suites at a full 1403 sq. ft leave the occupant with no desire to ever leave, even when the cruise is over. The rest of the ship offers small patches of surprisingly over-stated surroundings in a sea of mostly beige and brown.

Public Rooms
Seven Seas Voyager is compact enough to be easy to navigate, yet spacious enough to offer seclusion any time of day. Deck four is the center of activity, featuring the Compass Rose Restaurant, Constellation Theater, Voyager Nightclub and the Casino. On Deck Five forward is the shore excursion desk and the purser's office. Midships to aft brings alternative restaurants Latitudes and Signatures, and the second showroom - Horizon Lounge. Deck six houses the library and Spa. On Deck 12 the Observation Lounge offers fabulous vistas through three walls of windows.

Some good news is that Seven Seas Voyager offers well-equipped complimentary self-serve laundry rooms on each level of passenger cabins. The bad news is that they seem to bring out the worst in some passengers, who actually spend time they could be enjoying in ports of call staking out washing machines.

Cuisine
Compass Rose, the main dining room, serves all three meals, concentrating at dinner on such traditional favorites as lamb chops, Beef Wellington and lobster. There are also three alternative menus -- the Judith Jackson Health Menu, a vegetarian selection that accommodates lacto and ovo-vegetarians, and an always-available "simplicity" selection like sirloin steak, boneless chicken breast, or salmon filet.

Signatures, the ship's ritziest eatery (jackets always required), features a set menu designed by an offshoot of Le Cordon Bleu, the prestigious French culinary institution. This is the place to celebrate that extra-special occasion.

The Latitudes Restaurant's whimsically decorated dining room seats just 72 passengers, and is typically booked for the week by 6 p.m. on the day of embarkation. Its menu, which changes every night, features the cuisine of such disparate regions as Napa Valley and New York state. There is just one seating, at 7:30 p.m., for which passengers line up at the door to be seated in turn. There are tables for two, though in some cases strangers are asked to share bigger tables.

No extra fee is charged to passengers who dine at either of these two alternative restaurants.

Open for breakfast and lunch, La Veranda, ostensibly the ship's buffet eatery, is buffet on a very high level indeed, ranging from the very innovative (the tangy fruit salsa) to the very familiar (salads, omelets). In the evenings, La Veranda is transformed with lighting and festively colored tablecloths into a full-service eatery with a tapes bar (with items ranging from buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes to tapanade) and dessert buffet.

Complimentary red and white wine flows at all restaurants at dinner, with selections corresponding to the menus' regional themes.

Twenty-four-hour room service is consistently prompt and pleasant. At dinner, you can order course-by-course from the Compass Rose menu.

Entertainment
Each night there is one main event in the gorgeous Constellation Theater ranging from "Caesar to Mussolini," a dramatic history and art lecture, to the produced-for-Voyager "On A Classical Note," featuring singing and dancing to opera and Gershwin, to "Lullaby of Broadway" and "Oh, What a Night."

Elsewhere, the Horizon Lounge, the secondary venue, has a nice dance floor on which to cut the rug to the strains of the Voyager Five Orchestra. The Voyager, the ship's disco, features edgier tunes (and karaoke). The Connoisseur Club has leather chairs, a fake fireplace, and a lot of cigar smoke. The low-key Observation Lounge after dinner features a Celtic-inspired harpist and pianist.

Because the itinerary is typically port-intensive, daytime activities are relatively skimpy. There is a daily middlebrow "popcorn classic" movie ("Planes, Trains and Automobiles," "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," that sort of thing), bridge, and golf putting.

Cabins
There are nothing but suites on this ship, the smallest being an incredibly spacious 356 square ft. There's a (relatively) separate living area with a coffee table that converts to a dining table, and beds that convert from twin to king, lovely marble bathrooms with separate tub and shower, in-cabin DVD players, large-screen televisions, and mini-fridges that are stocked daily - and complimentarily - with juice, soda and mixer; all passengers receive a complimentary one-time alcohol set-up. Balconies are compact, but comfortable in spite of the chairs being plastic. Four suites are wheelchair-accessible; some can accommodate three.

Passengers who book the "Penthouse Suite" and beyond (this includes the Seven Seas, Voyager, Grand and, topping out at 1,403 square feet, the Master Suite) are attended by butlers, who book reservations at restaurants both at sea and on land, oversee special requests, and deliver a daily plate of cocktail-hour hors d'oeuvres.

Fitness:
RSSC was so pleased with Carita of Paris's spa on Paul Gauguin that it got Carita to go fleet wide. The fitness room is under decorated and a bit dismal, but does offer the usual machines. There's a separate room for workout classes, which include yoga, abs stretches, and gymnastic ball stretching and the like.

The ship has one pool, flanked by two Jacuzzis. Even on a gorgeous sunny afternoon at sea you can be assured of finding a deck chair in the not-gorgeous pool area. You can jog on he top-most deck, or play paddle tennis, shuffleboard, or even bocce.

Children
There are no dedicated kids' facilities, though on select voyages RSSC does operate its Club Mariner Youth Program, whose counselors plan activities and events for children of all ages. And let's not forget the whole shelf of children's literature in the library.

Fellow Passengers
Seven Seas Voyager attracts primarily affluent, well-traveled American couples.

Bookings & Information

SEVEN SEAS MARINER 50,000 tons 700 passengers 445 crew 709 feet long 93 feet wide 21 foot draft 8 passenger decks Registry: Wallis & Fortuna Entered service March, 2001

Mariner also proves a luxury ship does not have to be so small that one misses much of what is found on a standard cruise ship. It has a fair-sized casino, a beautiful observation lounge, plenty of onboard shopping not featuring gold chains by the inch, a generous library, an Internet center, a card room, a conference room and a cigar smoking lounge with cognac and similar indulgences available.

Decor
Tasteful, yet soothing, the elegance of Wedgwood blue carpets and light maple banisters surrounding frosted glass pillars. Huge windows throughout brighten up the interiors by bringing the sea and the sky inside. There is an abundance of marble, including inside the suites' bathrooms.

Public Rooms
Even though the lobby is at the bottom of an ultramodern three-deck atrium, there is no bar in sight. But one will find the entrance to the tender loading ramp - a convenient way to avoid long snaky lines with the crew pushing through to get to their private quarters. The rest of the ship contains exactly what it needs, a main theater for evening entertainment and daytime enrichment lectures, a large observation lounge, a pre-dinner bar near the entrance to the dining room, and a cigar/cognac room for the so-inclined. The reception area remains relatively tranquil and uncrowded.

Even on sea days, there aren't so many activities as to force choices between them. There are computer classes, enrichment and bridge lectures, a daily art auction, and a film in Constellation Theater, Mariner's main show lounge, in which a combination of banquettes and comfortable chairs are arranged to allow ample room to stretch one's legs, or for audience members to easily navigate to their seats, and sight lines are good. Tea time in the Horizon Lounge, with its terrific expansive views through picture windows aft and to either side, is very popular. There are also bingo and trivia quizzes in late afternoon.

The small casino offers craps, roulette, slots, table poker and a small number of blackjack tables. Make hay, or lose your shirt, while the sun shines; the tables are open only about four hours during the day even on sea days, and don't reopen until 9 p.m.

Musical entertainment is typically provided by a harpist, a pianist, and a vocal duo that pops up in different lounges at different times. There's also an orchestra in the well-designed Constellation Theater. The nightly entertainment comprises three production shows, alternating with the usual shipboard comics, singers and instrumentalists.

Cuisine
Each night Compass Rose offers a red and a white selection from the ship's extensive wine list, with other vintages available for purchase. The main dinner selections include an appetizer, soup, salad, pasta and main course, with two or three choices of each (except for the single pasta dish). In the European tradition, the main course is followed by a cheese selection, an after-dinner drink, and dessert menu. In addition to the categories on the main menu, the nightly six-course tasting menu includes dessert and a palate-refreshing sherbet. Dinner features four additional specialty menus: "Low Carb, Light & Healthy," "Vegetarian" (lacto- & ovo-appropriate), "No Added Salt," and "Simplicity" (pasta with tomato sauce, plain steak, chicken breast or salmon). A children's menu is available only during the Alaska season.

Restaurants:
Recalling classic ship architecture of yesteryear, the principal dining venue, Compass Rose, is on a single level, amidships, with plenty of space between the tables. The service is sublime. You can choose to dine alone or with tablemates of your own choosing, or allow yourself, in a spirit of friendliness, to be seated with strangers, perfect and otherwise. If the maitre 'd is on his game, he will seat you with passengers with whom you have already made acquaintance.

Breakfast in Compass Rose isn't very different from that at La Veranda, the Deck 11 buffet, but at lunch and dinner you'll have a wide range of choices of cuisine of many lands. There are special "Light & Healthy" options, and vegetarian, salad, sandwich and pasta choices too. La Veranda is a large, pleasant space that occupies nearly the entire aft half of the Pool Deck, with seating for about 50 under a canopy on the fantail. Elegance prevails at both breakfast and lunch, with white linen and sterling tableware, and there's always a staff member chomping at the bit to help you to your table. Indeed, even the omelet chef insists on delivering personally that which he has prepared for you. At dinnertime, La Veranda becomes Mediterranean Bistro, Mariner's casual alternative restaurant, featuring a different Mediterranean cuisine every night.

Make your reservations for the 100-seat Signatures, the only Cordon Bleu restaurant at sea, the second you board. The 70-seat Latitudes, whose fusion cuisine pays homage to all of Mariner's far-flung destinations, is considerably less popular. Reservations can be made with each specialty restaurant's maitre d', with waiters in Compass Rose, or through the butler in upper category suites. There is no additional charge for these restaurants.

There is, though, a separate menu for 24-hour room service. During dinner hours, guests may also order from the Compass Rose dinner menu to be delivered to your suite; the butler will set a table with full service and bring you each course separately. Menus for all dining venues are broadcast daily on in-suite televisions.

Service
From the moment a white-gloved steward warmly greets you as you board, and then escorts you personally to your cabin, you're apt to feel as much a guest on a friend's private yacht than a paying customer. Attentive yet unobtrusive, the Europeans staff is friendly and efficient, and always willing to go the extra mile.

Entertainment
Mariner has a show lounge, but don't expect the laser-driven razzle dazzle of a 3000-passenger ship. Production style shows are slightly pulse raising tributes to memorable musical eras, and other nights will feature an instrumentalist such as a violin or piano virtuoso playing the recognizable classic pieces perfect for lulling you back to your suite for bedtime.

Club.com, the Internet cafe, is an airy, open space with plenty of terminals and an expert standing by to help you when needed.

Passengers can convene for games, reading or communal jigsaw puzzle-solving at The Garden Promenade, whose 24-hour self-serve coffee/espresso/cappuccino machine is complemented by trays of mini-pastries at breakfast time and by finger sandwiches later in the morning.

Bookings & Information

As Freighter Cruises is a full service travel provider, we can arrange all your airfares, accommodation, transfers and more.

Contact our Cruise Masters today on +61 2 8270 4899 or email jrichards@freightercruises.com.au

As Freighter Cruises is a full service travel provider, we can arrange all your airfares, accommodation, transfers and more.

Contact our Cruise Masters today on +61 2 8270 4899 or email jrichards@freightercruises.com.au