8 Nights History & Romance Cruise

Regent continues to wow

The ship was absolutely beautiful and felt very spacious. I never felt crowded. There seemed to be some a/c issues….I found one side of the dining room and level 4 of the theater very cold. Elevators ample and quick. The staff was as accommodating as always. We had a problem in the Veranda getting HOT coffee. It was tepid most the time. It seemed Sette Mari used to have more offerings…for example no fried calamari on buffet or slices of fresh mozzarella. They did have tomato slices with about a teaspoon of burratta on top. I used to love this dining option but this time I found it just okay. The Pacific Rim is outstanding both in decor and food. Every steak I consumed whether in Prime 7 or other venues was absolutely delicious. On Sea days, rather than the Compass Rose being open at lunch, they opened Prime 7 and Chartreuse with lunch menus. I loved this smaller more intimate dining option. We booked a Serenity Suite and it was wonderful. It had so many drawers and the walk in closet spacious. The on board entertainment from guest performers to lecturers was top notch. Loved everything about this cruise!

Excellent but pre cruise Iguazu inadequacies.

Cabin We upgraded to a Seven Seas suite facing forwards at the bow. Butler perfect addition , laundry a luxury .jacuzzi bath with view very special bubbles in every way., in the bath and in hand Dining No complaints Regent is classic luxury and the food no exception . Tweaks and novel innovations avoided to produce consistent well presented dishes. Pre cruise trip Seeing Iguazu with almost no other visitors prior to opening at 7am has to be very special but the other arrangement condoned by Regent were paramount to disaster and in part dangerous. Indirect flights from Rio meant the itinerary being cut short and rushed ,eg instead of an elevator, guests mainly over 70 had to climb 160 plus slippery steps. Healthy trip could have been a medical nightmare. Ports Brazilian A bit iffy nothing to do with Regent but a country developing tourism which will improve.Cape Verde, Tenerife and Lanzarote all excellent. Trips well organised with near fluent guides. Scenery in each island stunning, avoiding crowded beaches which of course can be enjoyed across the world. Mt Teide is unique . Speakers, Superb both were experts in their own fields, loved the forensic speaker who gave insight into solving old cases using modern DNA techniques. Entertainment very good Overall excellent as ever and booked again

Southern Africa on Regent

We just returned from a Regent cruise which included both a pre and post cruise package. All travel arrangements were made through Regent. We selected the option of choosing our own flights going to Johannesburg through Atlanta with a direct flight from Atlanta to Jberg and a direct flight from Capetown to Dulles. We experienced no issues at all. From Johannesburg where we were accommodated at an airport hotel, we were flown to Kasane and driven to Chobe national Park. Regent agents were available to expedite our experience. The lodge at Chobe was an excellent choice in that it was 2 minutes from the park. Needless to say that visiting the park and seeing animals in a natural setting was amazing. After 3 nights there, we were driven to Zimbabwe and Victoria Falls. Again, no issues at all. Great guides, excellent lodging. Then we were flown to Capetown for an overnight at the V and A hotel. Next morning, after a bus tour, we were taken to the cruise terminal for boarding. Here, we experienced a glitch. Insufficient ground personnel made check in a series of long annoying lines. Regent blamed the port authority, but check in was horrible. Once on board, everything ran quite smoothly. The ship is exceptional, the staff excellent though we felt they were less chatty than some other cruises. Food was varied and good, not great! We've yet to experience great food on a cruise. We did like that the pool bar served a wide variety of dishes at lunchtime which differentiated Regent from other cruise lines where you can basically get burgers and pizza at the pool luncheon. Entertainment was fine, though nothing exceptional. Several lounges had varying entertainment during the day. We opted for a Concierge Suite and found it roomy with tons of storage. Amenities were excellent. As alcohol is included, Regent allow one to ask for specific items to be delivered to the suite. For me, a bottle of single malt and a bottle of Cognac were excellent. All excursions were as described though we did miss Mosambique as there was political unrest. Leaving the ship went smoothly and we were taken to a good not great hotel for 2 nights. Only issue was that the written instructions we received were somewhat different than what actually occurred. We appreciated that Regent doesn't charge for drinks and does offer several included excursions at each port. This does set it apart from many other cruise lines. A great trip of nearly a month in southern Africa.