Regent Seven Seas Navigator - She Is Finally Looking Like A Luxury Cruise Ship.

For years I have shunned the Regent Seven Seas Navigator due to her excessive vibration, drab and quirky interiors, horrible maintenance and systems issues and, let me think...could there be anything else as far as hardware goes????? (OK, she has wonderful suites and excellent bathrooms, but those were marred by various systems and maintenance problems.) BUT it seems she is no longer the Ugly Duckling!

Prestige Cruise Holdings, stuck with an Albatross, decided to make a huge investment, both in time and money, to make the Regent Seven Seas Navigator a wonderful, if not perfect, luxury cruise ship. While I have not been onboard, I have some inside information and "hot off the press" photographs to share with you.

First, the biggest issue: The Navigator's vibration. Without getting too technical, structure was added to the stern of the ship which added length and width and also changed the geometry (and therefore waterflow). This underwater feature is sometimes referred to as a sponson or "duck tail". New propellers and rudders were also added. The result is, according to sea trial information, that the vibration has all but been eliminated. I am not sure than any cruise ship has no vibration and it is yet to be seen what vibration is left, but "all but eliminated" effectively tells me to put the vibration baby to bed.

Second, there have been overhauls of the electrical, HVAC and plumbing systems. While I am sure there will some issues that will come up when the ship has full guest loads (one can't just make it perfect in one shot), the system-wide problems with the electrical system (deadship conditions), freezing cold in one area and uncomfortably warm in others (like the suites), and brown water and faucets falling off should all be things of the past.

Third, the galleys and many service areas have been gutted and totally rebuilt. These areas, usually unseen by guests, are critical to providing excellent service. With these weak links virtually eliminated, I am confident that some of the sorely lacking service will improve. (But this is not about the software, so I will leave that for another post.)

Fourth, there have been structural changes in some of the public areas, including the addition of Prime 7, the hallmark Regent Steakhouse. Check it out:

While I would not call it over-the-top, I really like the understated elegance. Those chairs, look like I could sit back quite nicely and enjoy some wine and linger over a very nice dinner. (It is hard to see the entire layout in the photograph, but what I see I really like.)

Fifth, the fun stuff: The redesign and refurbishment of the public areas. For example, the former ugly and awkward Stars Lounge, now makes a statement. It may or may not be your taste, but it show style and should draw people into it - having lost its dudgeon-like decor:

The Navigator Lounge has also been vastly improved. Gone is the blue "waiting area" feel. It now feels, at least from the photo, like a very nice place to read in the day or have a drink before dinner:

The Compass Rose, main dining room, also has been upgraded. Again, you may not like the large chairs, but they add comfort and some style in a room that, to me, was nothing more than a boring peach place to get food. Now "dining" seems very viable, though I cannot tell if the lack of sufficient tables for two or the poor placement of the waiter stations has been addressed:

As you may know, the Portofino concept has been abandoned on Navigator. The main alternative dining venue, La Veranda, has been updated as well.

Sorry I do not have photographs just yet of the new Pool Grill and Pool Bar, but I hear they are really beautiful and much improved from what I always perceived them to be...afterthoughts.

I also have a photograph of one of my favorite areas - even with the vibration - the deck aft of Galileo's. I don't know what was done in the lounge itself, though:

I also know the suites are all receiving new carpeting and any wear issues were addressed.

Keep in mind that these photographs do not take into account all of the huge onloading of hotel items, loose furnishings, restocking, etc. that is being finished up as I write this.

I am sure there will be some shakeout over the next few cruises, but I am far more willing to consider the Regent Seven Seas Navigator today than I have been for years.

What do you think of the improvements? Join the discussion on The Gold Standard Forum!

Regent Seven Seas - Shake Up and (Hopefully) Shake Out of the Navigator

When Prestige Cruise Holdings purchased Regent Seven Seas Cruises from Carlson it really had no idea how bad things were on one of the ships, the Navigator.  And since that day it has struggled with pretty much unthinkable conditions ranging from "little things" like brown water to defective air conditioning, to total losses of power (known as a "dead ship" condition), pipes falling apart, etc.  And then there is the shaking...aft on the ship presently shakes so badly that you can literally watch the bar counters flex, your drink walk across a table and feel your teeth shake.

That, however, is planned to be a thing of the past.  The Navigator is shortly going into an extended drydock for an extensive "stem to stern" mechanical makeover.  Folks, laying up a cruise ship for a month or more is very expensive, but in the case of Navigator it is long, long overdue.  And, as a result, I do have a concern that - as happens all too often in the boat biz - when you open things up expecting X you find X, Y and (how can that be?) Z.  But with such a long drydock I think PCH and Regent have anticipated there are going to be some unanticipated surprises.

Clearly PCH and Regent have taken the problem head on and shows there is now a long term commitment to make something good out of this ship and, therefore, it signals (at least to me) that Regent may be looking at expanding rather than contracting its fleet.  But that is another topic for another day!  (Maybe not a too distant day.)

Now, what is it that is going to be happening? 

First, there has been a new stern designed for the ship, changing it to extend out and create more of a ducktail (think longer, tapered and rounded) with sponsons (underwater structures, port and starboard,  projecting out and back to change waterflow).  In addition, Navigator will be getting two new screws (propellers).  By the way, there is tremendous engineering that goes into the design of propellers so that a certain amount of water is pulled through, at certain velocities, without creating the wrong kind of turbulence and without various harmonics wreaking havoc.  The design is, hopefully, going to eliminate the seriously debilitating vibration issue.  Even if it does not totally eliminate the vibration (and remember it is a ship, so no matter what there will be some vibration) there is going to be a vast improvement.

Second, every system from air conditioning to plumbing to electrical are going to be throughly inspected and corrected.  As many of you may know, Regent has already identified quite a number of issues and has put some stop-gap measures in place (to prevent things like going "dead ship") and has been using the time up to the drydock to put a plan of action into place.  To me this is a far greater challenge than the vibration.  With the vibration issue you can engineer a solution and simply fabricate and weld on the solution.  With these sort of old systems, you essentially are going to war with a beast!  (Can you tell this sort of stuff gets me excited?!)

Third, and there has been a bit of misinformation on this posted around the internet on this subject, the interiors are going to be getting makeover, but really nothing of huge note other than the installation of Prime 7, Regent's signature steakhouse.   And the rather drab interior is going to be getting a bit of a colorful uplift.  More specifically:

Prime 7 will have a similar palate as do the Voyager and Mariner with green and golden hues, leather, polished granite and burnished woods.

Compass Rose (the main dining room) is going to get new armchairs, deep color carpets and draperies, and new china, silverware and glassware.  (There is no mention of increasing the number of tables for two, which is a bit of a disappointment.)

La Veranda will remain La Veranda at all times (no more Portofino) and will serve a varied menu in the evening.  It will remain the casual dining/buffet experience for breakfast and lunch.  I am unsure if it will have waiter service in the evenings, but presume it will.  It will receive new furniture (I am not sure if it is just chairs or if the variety of table sizes will be increased), carpets, drapes and dinnerware. 

The Pool Grill will be expanded to become a legitimate grill with, you guessed it, a legitimate grill.  (Note there has been published comment that this will be a new installation on Deck 11, which is incorrect.  It will (ironically?) remain by the pool on Deck 10.)  I am not sure if there will be expanded seating (which has always been in short supply).

The various bars and public spaces will also be getting facials (if not facelifts).  The terribly underutilized Stars Lounge will no longer be a designated "disco", but will be given an upscale "estate" feel with new  furnishings, carpets and curtains.  (I am thinking akin to Celebrity's Michael's Club - a compliment).  Galileo's (my favorite lounge if the vibration is eliminated...will be similarly updated and the deck aft of it (which is the best spot on the ship will be made more into a outdoor living room with sofas and chaises.  The Navigator Lounge will also be similarly buffed up, as will the remaining public areas.


The Spa is being taken over by Canyon Ranch.  Other than a new operator (and I was not impressed with its operation on the QM2 - not that any at sea spa operator does much for me) I am not sure that much will change, though I anticipate some new equipment even if only because it is proprietary to Canyon Ranch.

If all this goes according to plan, Regent may well have a ship that I can - as far as hardware - begin recommending rather than advising to avoid.  I sure hope so...and I see no reason that should not be the case.

Regent Seven Seas Dress Code Downgrade - Relying on Cruise Critic: A Mere Ploy. But What Is the Value Of It All?

When Regent Seven Seas Cruises posted a poll on Cruise Critic seeking out preferences as to dress code I smirked.  I "knew" the decision has already been made to go casual.  That poll was, to be sure, more like a lawyer looking for support for a position than a scientist looking for data.  And, alas, any good lawyer knows to never ask a question if you don't already know the answer.

Let me explain:  Cruise Critic may be the largest community for cruisers in the world, but it represents far less than one (1%) of the cruising population.  Just take a look at the poll itself.  As of today there were only 443 votes...less than the number of guests found on the Voyager or Mariner at any time (even including if occupancy is little more then half full)...and about what you might find on the Navigator.  So there can be 1,850+ guests (plus 3rd and 4ths) on three ships at any time. Then consider that the poll was conducted and the decision decided in little over a month; so figure conservatively 3 voyages x 1,850 guests = 5,550 guests stays in the month.  The poll represents less than 1% of the sailing guests over that brief period.

But it is actually less relevant than that.  Why?  First, because there is no way to know that everyone that voted has (a) actually sailed on Regent; and, (b) actually has any intention of sailing on Regent in the relevant future.  And I am sure there are those with multiple sign-ins.

Of course the biggest reason to question the 66% in favor of a "causal only" dress code is because the demographics of who even knows about Cruise Critic vs. those that only lurk vs. those that actually post vs. those that actually cruise on Regent essentially renders the statistical validity of the query worthless.  (Of course it also seeks to justify offending 34% of the CC voters who want formal nights...and in this market offending such a large population is generally avoided at all costs.)

And then, of course, is the announcement on Cruise Critic by Mark Conroy, President of Regent.  He states, in part, "Most importantly, the recent poll on Cruise Critic showed that the majority of current guests and those that are considering sailing with us support a slightly less formal dress code – two thirds of those who voted are in favor of an Elegant Casual evening dress code."  Wait a minute, 293 people voting on Cruise Critic are the "most important" factor in making the decision.  Sorry, I am not drinking that Kool-aid.

By now you must be wondering, why all the statistical mumbo-jumbo.  Because the "justification" comments are just silly.  If Regent really wanted to know what its guests thought, they already knew what to do:  Have some focus groups onboard and in local events (like they did when designing the now abandoned new ship) or have a brief telephone poll.

Please understand that I am not protesting the Regent decision.  I think it is part of a plan that is long over due...and, for what it is worth, I support it.  I think Regent is quickly becoming an inclusive Oceania-type product and that result will be many more happy guests, less frustrations for management and guests, and a much easier time marketing an actually achievable product to an audience that is very receptive to "free" being a better thing than "value".

While there are less and less people that compare Seabourn and Regent (due to the change in product), a July 10, 2010 11 night cruise on the 700 passenger Mariner departing from Rome starts at $8,060 per person (or $732 per day) per person.  A July 3, 2010 14 night cruise on the 200 guest Seabourn Legend departing from Rome in a French balcony suite starts at $8,549 (or $610 per day) per person. So for the 11 days a guest is paying $1,342 more for the Regent cruise (11 days x $122 per day higher rate).  Right now the airfare for those cruises, booked privately, is under $1,000.  Throw in a couple of "free" tours and you are essentially paying the same price for the Regent cruise as you are the Seabourn cruise.

Remember, though, on Seabourn you are on small ship with higher level of personalized service, a finer level of cuisine, a more refined cruise experience (of course, with formal nights), no lines and access to smaller ports and/or locations in town rather than being bussed to it.

Now does that mean that you should book Seabourn over Regent?  No!  It means that you now have two decidedly different products to choose from. Just don't think because Regent says things are "Free, Free, Free, Free" there is actually any "value" in excess of what, for example, Seabourn offers.

As a travel agent I am thrilled that there is now a defined difference.  I feel far more comfortable selling Regent because it is making it known what it really is all about.  Please, though, do us all one last favor (and I promise I won't ask for much more):  Try to just be straight with us.  Say, "Regent has decided to modify its product (and target market)...and don't do silly things like say 293 Cruise Critic posters (whether they have ever sailed on Regent or not) decided it.

Now, there are "values" out there.  Folks, now is a great time to relearn the differences between the cruise lines,  decide which flavor you prefer and book!

Regent Seven Seas Navigator - Some Details on Her January 2010 Drydocking

There is no question that the Regent Seven Seas Navigator has been the ugly duckling of the fleet for some years now. She has had problems with vibration, air conditioning and plumbing, tired interior spaces and, to be sure, service issues as well.

Prestige Cruise Holdings, parent of Regent Seven Seas, has made a huge commitment to transform this ugly ducking into a beautiful ship both where it can be seen and where it can't. As has been explained to me, during the almost 30 day drydock "the Navigator will be refurbished from stem to stern and keel to mast".

Even in advance of the drydock Regent has undertaken an unexpected, but sorely needed, expedited repair and maintenance program on the ship so that some issues like plumbing, electrical and air conditioning works more consistently...and consistently throughout the ship.

During the drydock the problems with Navigator's electrical problems, inconsistent air conditioning and plumbing (from brown water, to leaks to even the occasional showerhead that falls off) will be fully addressed. What that actually means really cannot be fully stated because until things are well and truly opened up and examined they cannot be known.

For me these are huge issues that can do much to transform a tired ship into a classy one. I know this first hand. During an extended refit of the superyacht MSY Islander I had to address the very same issues and, when accomplished, she went from a laughing stock of the industry to a very successful charter yacht. A nice shower, comfortable room temperatures and lights that work go a long way to making guests receptive to the other good stuff onboard.

The Italian restaurant, Portofino, will be history with the space being transformed into the same sort of casual dining area, La Veranda, found on the Voyager and Mariner.

Prime 7, the very popular (if not truly to my taste) steakhouse will be installed. (I am not sure where at this point, but will let you know when I find out.)

All of the public spaces will receive new carpets and upholstery, marble and wood floors will be stripped and refinished (replaced where appropriate) and cabinetry will be French polished. The pool will even be re-tiled.

The suites, which I have always said are excellent, will remain as they are, but the soft goods will all be replaced.

(I will discuss the positive changes in service, but will do so in another post.)

If all of the foregoing is accomplished I would be more than thrilled. Navigator presently has too many quirks to make her attractive to me or able for me to recommend. When the transformation is completed - and assuming it is done with the same high quality Regent has been using under its new ownership (and I have no reason to believe otherwise) - Navigator will be an attractive alternative due to her modest size, nice suites, more appropriate public spaces and itineraries.

You just might want to start considering booking her for 2010...before the secret of her success is known to all.

Ship Happens, You See It Happening, You Step On The Ship Anyway And...

I am fascinated, and baffled, by what is now happening with the Regent Voyager and its passengers.  While Regent Seven Seas is encountering what can only be considered the "perfect storm" of logistical and public relations nightmares, there are some passengers who are demanding perfection...when they were given an "out" which would have avoided the entire situation.

For those unaware, the Regent Voyager was on its World Cruise and as it left Singapore it snagged a fishing net in one of its azipod propulsion units.  While it was hoped dislodging the net would fix the problem, it didn't.  Then it was hoped that replacing a seal would work and it didn't.  This left the Voyager with one of its pods disabled and its passengers in Dubai...which is a nice place to visit, but not a place you can undertake sophisticated ship repairs with any efficiency..nor a place with much capacity for flights back to the United States.

Regent then worked out a number of options for its World Cruise and segment guests; albeit none of them perfect.  (Perfect would have been the ship is fixed and the cruise continued unchanged.)  One of the options was to stay with the ship as it traveled to Rome on a substantially reduced port itinerary with a significant discount and other compensation. 

For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone who does not have a "go with the flow" approach to life would ever, ever, ever choose this option.  Well, let me correct that if someone, say Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas, was to tell me (as he tends to do about things) that all will be fine and you will have a great time as we have many things planned for you, then someone of a more structured constitution might be tempted to take this "great deal".  Even still, logic would have it that it was a fluid situation and that many things would change as more was arranged...knowing what was put together was done in literally a day and would need tweaking.

So now there are reports that some (not all) of the passengers are playing, "What can we complain about now?"  And there is an infamous Regent Cheerleader that has turned to posting nasty and unfounded rumors about repairs which have not even been undertaken possibly failing and that Prestige Cruise Holdings (Regent's parent company) might not have sufficient funds to make the repairs, provide compensation or operate properly.  I am well and truly baffled by the motivation of these people.  Remembering that I am a big critic of the Regent product from a luxury standpoint and a bigger critic of Mark Conroy, I find the aforementioned conduct inexcusable. 

I have it on good authority that Prestige Cruise Holdings is doing just fine (fine be relative considering the state of the economy).  There is no indication of financial troubles and, in fact, Regent took the opportunity to address some issues on the Regent Navigator in a brief wet-dock just the other day (after a charter).  This is not something a company would do if there was financial doom on the horizon.  (Compare Silversea deferring/canceling the upgrades to the Silver Cloud.)

Unless you know the actual defects in the pod and what the repairs are to be, you could not have even the slightest ability to determine what might or might not be accomplished in X number of days.  Nor would you know if there is a cushion built into the timing so as to avoid another cruise being missed; so a 10 day repair might be scheduled for 14 just to sync up with the next cruise.  There are also the different repair scenarios such as "We will try A and hopefully that will work.  If A doesn't do it, then we are ready to also do B, etc."  There is a methodology that needs to be followed with realism rather than optimism.  That IS the ship repair industry.  I know...I do this stuff.

Now, back on the ship, a few passengers tout the cries of some crew being dissatisfied with management and not being given the best options.  No kidding.  This is found on literally every ship, and when there is stress and a willing ear, the troublesome crew (actually engaging in misconduct worthy of their termination:  complaining to guests) have a field day gossiping.  So these few passengers exacerbate their less then good time by focusing on these negatives and then publishing them...I guess to "get back at Regent" because they opted to take a heavily discounted cruise which they knew would be less than perfect and their gamble that it would nonetheless be near-perfect did not pan out.

So the reasonably expected imperfect cruise is continuing and the options Regent has developed are not going to be perfect (and those that should be reasonably acceptable will be rejected out of emotion and vengeance rather than reasonably negotiated to something more aligned with their individual needs...remembering that if you are perceived as never going to be satisfied, there is no reason to do more).  But Regent will get over it and the passengers that do go with the flow will be relatively content if not happy.  And the disgruntled ones will remain disgruntled (lost causes).  Reports of "this is good and that is bad" is not going to be helpful to anyone...including the ones doing the reporting.

I say:  "Let Regent get the ship to Italy for the repairs and make them.  Then let's see where we are."  I would be content with essentially a transatlantic without the "Atlantic" with so many sea days.  If you don't believe me, read my experience on the Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas last year when the entire cruise was disrupted by a hurricane:  A Hurricane Runs Through It...Almost.

A Day At Sea is Better Than a Day at Work!

Head to Head Challenge: Seabourn Odyssey vs. Regent Seven Seas Navigator

Here is a great opportunity for those Regent loyalists to experience Seabourn in what is about as close to a head-to-head opportunity as possible. And Goldring Travel is going to guarantee you are going to find Seabourn to be a superior overall cruise experience.

The terms of the challenge are simple: If you have sailed on Regent Seven Seas, but have never sailed on Seabourn (and you verify same) you are eligible. All you need to do is purchase and sail on the Seabourn Odyssey on its November 28, 2009 sailing and if you do not agree that the Seabourn Odyssey provides an overall better cruise experience than the Regent Seven Seas Navigator, Mariner or Voyager, Goldring Travel will refund to you $1,000 in cash. (That's right, no gimmicks like a future cruise credit so you are obligated to take another cruise through Goldring Travel to get the benefit. You will get a check sent to your mailbox.)

The only thing to be excluded in your evaluation is that your shore experiences are not to be included. Why? Because the cruise lines do not guarantee ports or the experiences at the ports. You may pay for an extraordinary Seabourn event or choose a complimentary beach day on Regent. You may select the Ensemble Experience (which is not run by Seabourn). You may just not like a particular port (ex. for me, St. Thomas is a sea day...I don't get off the ship).

Why the November 28, 2009 sailing? Because the Regent Navigator has a similar cruise for a similar length of time at a similar price. Also, for most people there will be no issue with air logistics or differences in pre-cruise accommodations, so that would not a factor. So here are the cruises:

Seabourn Odyssey (12 Days with base Cruise Fares starting at $358.25 per day excluding Goldring Travel special amenity and Ensemble Experience or $300OBC):

Nov 28 Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Nov 29 Cruising The Atlantic Ocean
Nov 30 Grand Turk, Turks And Caicos
Dec 1 Cruising The Atlantic Ocean
Dec 2 Deshaies, Guadeloupe
Dec 3 Bridgetown, Barbados (Complimentary Ensemble Experience or $150 pp obc)
Dec 5 St. John's, Antigua
Dec 6 Marigot, St. Martin
Dec 7 Cruz Bay, St John, USVI
Dec 8 Cruising The Atlantic Ocean
Dec 9 Cruising The Atlantic Ocean
Dec 10 Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Regent Navigator (11 Days with base Cruise Fares starting at $345.00 per day excluding $500 OBC if booked by March 31st or $200 OBC if booked thereafter)

Nov 30 Ft. Lauderdale, United States
Dec 01 Princess Cays, Bahamas
Dec02 Cruise the Atlantic Ocean
Dec 03 San Juan, Puerto Rico
Dec 04 St. Thomas, USVI
Dec 05 St. John's, Antigua
Dec 06 Philipsburg, Saint Maarten
Dec 07 Gustavia, St. Barts 08:00 23:00
Dec 08 Tortola - Roadtown, BVI
Dec 09 Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos
Dec 10 Cruise the Atlantic Ocean
Dec 11 Ft. Lauderdale

So, I am sure you are still asking, "What is the catch?" There is none. It is your opinion, your decision, your choice. All I ask is that you be honest with yourself about your experience: Service, Amenities, Cuisine, Consistency, Spa Facilities, Alternative Dining Experiences, Caviar, etc.

Put another way: You are going to trust me about my recommendations when booking this cruise. I am going to trust you when you tell me how it measures up. And, even if you tell me you didn't find Seabourn an overall superior cruise experience, I will still give you a great deal on your next Seabourn cruise...or any other cruise. (That mean: You can book your next Seabourn cruise onboard - even if just an open booking - take the additional 5% onboard booking discount, and you won't disqualify yourself from the promotion!)

Fine Print: This offer is subject to being withdrawn at any time. Prices are not guaranteed and are subject to change. Suite categories are subject to prior sale.

Regent Seven Seas Offering Zero (0%) Percent Single Supplement

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has just announced a 0% Single Supplement on the following voyages for a limited time:

Seven Seas Voyager in the Baltic Sea
RT Economy Airfare, Shore Excursions Included!
July 10 – 7 nights – Copenhagen to Stockholm – all-inclusive fares from $5,550 per suite
July 17 – 7 nights – Stockholm to Copenhagen – all-inclusive fares from $5,550 per suite
July 31 - 7 nights – Stockholm to Copenhagen – all-inclusive fares from $4,250 per suite

Seven Seas Navigator in the Mediterranean
RT Economy Airfare, Shore Excursions Included!
August 7 – 7 nights – Monte Carlo to Athens – all-inclusive fares from $3,650 per suite
August 14 – 7 nights – Athens to Istanbul – all-inclusive fares from $3,650 per suite

Seven Seas Navigator in the Caribbean
Shore Excursions Included!
December 18 – 10 nights–RT Ft. Lauderdale, Western Caribbean – all-inclusive fares from $3,895 per suite

All prices are for single occupancy suites only.

This offer for standard suites only, penthouse and above available at additional fare – subject to availability.

I Made a Big Mistake Today - I Read Cheerleading Posts and I Am Now Sickened...Again.

Folks, if you want to see how to (seemingly with clear intent) mislead people trying to get truthful information (and, of course, to respond to the specific references in my blog) read the posts on Luxury Cruise Talk about its present group cruise on the Regent Navigator. But before doing so, remember TravelCat2's complaints...and the complaints of so many others...about poor food quality, poor food temperature, lacking buffets, spotty service, problems with the ship and, of course, my (and I am confident no one else's) reference to the way things were when it was Radisson Seven Seas.

One cruise after an absolutely horrid report, the comments by LCT members on the cruise are, in part:

"So far, food quality and temperatures have been perfect...For those of you who are worried about your future Navigator cruses, I say there is no need to worry. I think Jackie's [TC2's] review might of made our cruise better as Jackie's comments must of been read by someone with some power to fix the negatives!...The ship looks beautiful, the service is old school Radisson, just like it was in the good old days...perfect!"

"I agree with Karen the food and service have been exceptional...We spoke with the comedian and he said in over 100 cruises he has never seen such an incredible buffet... The boys have been spoiled by their room steward, Victor, and room service...We really feel lucky to have Engelbert as general manager. It is obvious he is on top of things. Franco certainly is a wonderful addition in the dining room."

Please. Which is worse: Cruise Critic playing its games or Luxury Cruise Talk playing its?

Before going on I must pause and ask, "Do I really care or believe a comedian's comment about a buffet? Heck, he is paid by the cruise line and may think Regent is heaven after two months on NCL"

Then I must ask, "Wasn't Engelbert the general manager last cruise? Wasn't Franco in charge of the dining room last cruise? Did the home office blast them or did they know the LCT group was coming and the easiest thing to do is suck up to them for one cruise and then go back to their lazy ways?" Folks, I can assure you there are meetings every single day reviewing the LCT experience the last day and organizing the plan to keep them happy this day. It is what all cruise lines do. (I can assure you wonderful Engelbert and Franco don't want to get an earful from Ngaire or suffer the sure to be ensuing consequences.)

As I have said, cruise lines do go over and above for their top producers. Seabourn does a bit of extra for my groups. I would dare say that what Seabourn does for my Food & Wine Cruises is beyond what is done by any other cruise line. But...and it is a big "but...I also have the confidence that the exceptional service will be present on every Seabourn cruise; not just the ones I have a group on. And, to be sure, if a general (hotel) manager or maitre d' had one cruise of the quality complained of on Regent that would be the end of their relationship with Seabourn. Why? What is that magic word: "Consistency".

Finally, let's try this: Even if everything posted about the Regent Navigator's last two cruises are true, at best you have an unrelenting disaster and then nirvana. That is totally unacceptable. The reality is, however, there is no way that literally everything has become perfect; especially since there have been so many reviews asserting problem after problem with Navigator.

So with the service allegedly being wonderfully "old school Radisson" I must conclude that even the LCT cheerleaders have therefore admitted that the "New school Regent service ain't very good"! Seriously, why any reference to Radisson if Regent is "perfect"? Don't bother even trying to find a legitimate answer to that.

Yes, I want Regent to go back to the service levels when it was Radisson...and I want cruise message boards to go back to the quality they were then as well. At least I know that soon...every soon...at least one of those things will be happening.

What Does the Future Hold For Regent Seven Seas Cruises?

For the past few days we have had some pretty interesting and honest discussion about the trials and tribulations at Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

I am sure as you have read them you probably feel I am very negative about Regent. Well, guess what: You Are Wrong!

Going back to 2003 or 4 (I don't quite remember) I had one of my best cruises ever. It was on the Radisson Diamond. The Diamond provided a true luxury experience on a quirky ship (that most of us loved). The service was excellent. The dining room was beautiful with Miki doing a great job and with Giuseppe as the Hotel Manager with charm and women fawning over him.

In 2007 I had another great cruise; on the Regent Paul Gauguin. It was not a luxury cruise, but it did not pretend to be. The service ranged from excellent to OK and the food was acceptable, but as I said at the time, the sum was far greater than its parts.

To round things out, my experience on the Mariner was marginal, as the cost-saving transition from European to Filipino staff had just been made and the assistant stewardesses had also been eliminated. Forget service, just being understood and not running out of toilet paper were challenges. My Navigator cruise is better left alone.

What does this reflect: As I have said before, it isn't the hardware the makes a cruise line great; it is the people. The Mariner and Navigator have far superior suites, but they provided the lesser of the cruise experiences. What else was in common: The Management! The Diamond has some of the same, but the change to Regent wasn't there and the Paul Gauguin is pretty much independent.

Looking forward, Regent has two very good ships (Voyager and Mariner) and one dog (Navigator). Leaving the Navigator (and I have bet a case of beer on the fact I do not believe Navigator will be around long enough to have the 2010 refit completed), Prestige Cruise Holdings/Apollo has already done much to address the public area soft goods neglect on the two ships, with revitalized public spaces and Prime 7 replacing the curious Latitudes.

Now, if Regent concentrates on service and amenities rather than Six Star hype and of marginal value "free" tours and "free" air, a turnaround is actually not that difficult for there is a more than decent physical plant. What does it need to do:

1. Stop the hype. Now is the time to honest with the cruising public and earn a legitimate reputation rather than a marketed one.

2. Seriously train the crew. You may notice that I have never, ever, directly criticized the crew. I have blasted everyone from Mark Conroy down to the head waiters, but never the crew. If the management is so entrenched in doing it "their way", get rid of them. If management cannot learn and buy into doing it a new way of doing things, drop 'em. If the management has too far alienated the crew: Bon Voyage.

Why? Because the crew must "believe". With failed management that can never happen. The crew must believe there is a better way. They must believe it matters. They must believe in their future with Regent.

Taken task by task training it is not that complex. But when there is chaos around the crew, that is pretty much all they see and improvements are almost impossible. However, once the crew believes, training them how to properly serve a table is pretty easy. Really fixing that electrical problem rather than patching it "again" will matter. Then they will discover better ways and will want to improve without anyone saying a word. That is called Pride in one's work.

3. Vastly improve the cuisine. Regent has not been spending much on feeding its guests. That is starting to change (ala Prime 7). And it is not about throwing money at food, but as Oceania does, it is about using good quality ingredients to make simply elegant dishes. (Once that is in place, then Regent can get fancy if it wishes.) This kind of cuisine does not baffle the seriously in need of training galley crew or back up a galley when there is a rush in the main dining room....which in turn gets the waiters flustered...which in turn slows the service and leaves guests waiting for wine or just a table. And, by the way, serve coffee that one can enjoy.

4. Improve amenities. There is no excuse for cheap soaps, shampoos and lotions. Personal care is, well, very personal. People enjoy the luxury of great soaps and shampoo that makes your hair feel and smell good. And how many women enjoy taking home a couple of extra bottles of lotion? (Heck it is inexpensive advertising. Every time she looks at the bottle, no less uses it, it reminds her of that wonderful cruise.)

Let's just stop there. Changing amenities is simple and inexpensive. Stopping the hype actually saves money and is easy to do. That leaves two things: train the crew and improve the food. This is not hard stuff.

With good management in place, Regent can do it relatively quickly. So don't look at all the management that is leaving as a bad thing. It may just be a harbinger of good things to come.

Frankly all I want is Radisson back. Hey, maybe that's it: CHANGE THE NAME. Prestige Cruise Holdings, if you are listening (and I know you are!): How about a "do over"? Bring that which Radisson was back to Regent...and change the name so that the tarnished image is gone.

In other words, don't write the cruise line off just yet....maybe just the management and the name.

Is It Time For Mark Conroy to Depart Regent Seven Seas Cruises? UPDATED (Read the Comments!)

I have debated whether to pose the question and then whether to post it. Cruise lines are not obligated to permit every travel agent to book clients on their cruises and, after this posting, it may be that Regent will say it is enough of Iamboatman. Or, just possibly, Regent will say, "Damn he makes a good point and his integrity in making it and explaining why is a good thing."

But, the fact is that I firmly believe that the diluting of the luxury cruise product hurts everyone: The cruise lines, the travel agents and, most importantly, the guests. When there is a fear that a luxury product is not of sufficient value...in part because it is no longer (or never was) luxury...it tends to tar the entire niche with the same brush.

In the March 2, 2009 issue of Travel Weekly there was a great piece on what it means to be a Five Star luxury hotel and the fact that some believe that a new category should be established because that older Ritz Carlton just isn't nearly as good as the new hotels coming online. However, both Mobil and AAA are very content downgrading former Five Star properties that just don't make the grade of the continually evolving Five Star or Five Diamond awards they give out. (Please note that this type of article is becoming more commonplace, because it is now a very real issue.)

Mr. Conroy has been out there pushing a new standard of "Six Star Luxury"...not Five Star; Six Star and it seems nary a worry on Mr. Conroy's part that such a product even exist at all!

Is there some measure that was put in place? There is nothing promoted by Regent that shows how it is better than the Seabourn, SeaDream, Silversea or Crystal products (among others). It is different. Each of the products are different. But what entitles Regent to call itself Six Star? Why does Regent call itself Six Star?

With that preface, I must ask, "Isn't great to be King?"

Mark Conroy is the President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. He is "The Man". When Regent was for sale, he was the face. When Regent went "all inclusive", Mr. Conroy out there. When Regent announced its new ship, he was center stage. (When it was delayed, he was nowhere to be found.) Mr. Conroy was great at getting press to rave about the $40,000,000 Apollo Management just spent on the updating the Mariner and Voyager and their new Prime 7 steakhouses.

My question is, "Why did it take Apollo to cause the improvements?" I skeptically bet the cost of all the glossy brochures and books mailed to me before the takeover (and now eliminated) could have paid for the improvements. In short, the ships need(ed) the work badly...and that work just scratched the surface...on this "Six Star Luxury" line. So I ask again, "Why was it not done before Apollo when the Six Star standard was being pushed?"

UPDATED: In a bit of timing irony, Seatrade just announced that Ken Watson, Regent's head of marketing and sales, is departing as of March 31st. His position will no longer exist with those reporting to him now reporting directly to Mark Conroy. His job prior to Regent: President of Little Switzerland jewelry and Executive Vice President of Marketing for Kmart. 'Nuf said.

As I often say, it is the software (people) not the hardware that makes the difference. Seabourn is a classic example of that. So let's talk about Regent's software.

Mark Conroy stated on December 23, 2008 that he was aware of the declining quality of the crew and that he was taking action to improve the situation. Mr. Conroy wrote, in relevant part, in an open letter on Cruise Critic:

"We’ve made some great enhancements to our training and benefits for the crew in the way of increased benefits, enhanced health coverage, overtime pay and dedicated Crew Resource Managers. We’ve also brought greater consistency to our crew scheduling and the vacation time they spend ashore. Ultimately, we want every crew member to leave the ship at the end of their contract with an assignment letter to return for a new contact."

The fact is, reading his comments, his/Regent's crew was suffering from insufficient benefits, health coverage and pay along with lousy scheduling and little consideration of their "vacations" (alas they are not vacations, but breaks in service). While I must pause and ask, "Why didn't Mr. Conroy know of the problems? Or, better, "How could he not assure his staff and crew were treated well at all times?" But I must also ask, "How long and severe was the problem that he felt compelled to admit it publicly?" Actually I must ask, "Did Mr. Conroy ever actually care, for if he did how could this have ever happened?"

In that same letter, Mr. Conroy stated, "We’re [Regent's] raising the bar in every conceivable area - the culinary experience, onboard amenities and entertainment, crew recruitment, crew training and most importantly, crew retention." Let's see how things are two months after writing his letter.

On last week's cruise on the Regent Navigator the painfully negative reports from an infamous Regent cheerleader no less, included the following:

1. The Food & Wine theme for the cruise was eliminated without notice.

2. A Chocolate theme was added without notice and inconsistent with the website.

3. The wait staff in both the Compass Rose (main) and Portofino (specialty) restaurants have provided horrific service, referencing

a. "Minimal service" the first night
b. Waits of 30 and 20 minutes the second and third night just for bread and wine...forget about ordering
c. Waiters having private conversations...and in a non-English language...in front of English speaking guests.

4. The food quality being so poor "The new food vendor for Regent should (IMHO) be sent back from whence they came!"

5. The Regent tour program is being run to the detriment of passengers that chose private excursions.

6. The staff is generally very good, "Then, there is the rest of the staff..."

7. There was another power outage (this time only 15 minutes, but they are ubiquitous)

8. Brown water visited the suites yet again.

These issues are in addition to the serious vibration issues of the ship, its curious layout, etc.

And let's be clear there are many of the officers and higher level crew on Regent ships that have left or been asked to leave in the past months. You can say X or Y was wonderful; however, while to you his smile counted, his allowing the dining room to be run in a slipshod fashion and uneven fashion is not "wonderful".

So the staff and crew the passengers are exposed to clearly are not showing Five, or even Four, Star qualities and the Navigator languishes...while the Voyager and Mariner just had $40,000,000 of fix-ups that were sorely needed, but Mr. Conroy did not make happen.

And it would seem that the ship's below decks crew is either insufficiently trained, knowledgeable or motivated to actually fix the mechanical problems and/or the ship has been allowed to degrade beyond acceptable standards.

So, should these be reasons to ask someone to leave? If it was isolated, maybe, but it probably would be a bit harsh. However, that is not the situation. I had some of the identical issues years ago. And, if you read people's comments, the issues are cruise, after cruise, after cruise.

It is now two months after Mr. Conroy's letter and - forgetting Regent established the new undefined standard of Six (again count 'em) Six Star Luxury - the attitude on the ships is not good...as the service reflects. (I do hate to paint with a broad brush because I am sure there are some excellent crew...probably frustrated, but still wanting to do the best they can, even if they haven't been trained properly.)

The point is that few on the ships give a damn. They were not properly trained. They are bitter from poor working conditions and inconsiderate treatment. The management is lazy and unwilling to do their jobs...or possibly have such poor habits so ingrained that they don't know the correct way to do things. In short, confirmed by Mr. Conroy's own words, the problem is systemic.

I hate to ask the obvious, but "Why would you want to retain management that doesn't correct or properly motivate crew that can't serve a meal and is rude to the guests onboard?"

As many of you know, I have built, managed and represented superyachts in addition to my cruise industry work. With a good crew you can turn things around almost instantly. It will not be perfect, but it will be incredibly better. At the Genoa Yacht Charter Show a few years ago I had a yacht present that just the year before was considered by everyone to be one of the worst yachts in the superyacht industry. I fired the captain and some chosen upper crew and re-started...with young, enthusiastic crew. And, I insulated them from their perceived nemesis: The Owner. They became so motivated that yacht brokers actually said that their enthusiasm forced them to revisit the yacht and they were thrilled that they did. It was transformed!

Take it from me first hand, when the crew is antagonistic to an owner/management, there is nothing you can do to make the situation right. That crew carries with them a lead weight that effects everything from they way they walk to the way they think about their job to their being open to trying to do something a different way. Honestly it is not about words. It is about actions And those actions are not about telling someone to do something, it is about doing it yourself...and remembering that you are no better than anyone, whether it be the captain or the crew member cleaning toilets at 3AM.

Mr. Conroy I must ask when was the last time you had a beer out of a bottle sitting in the crew bar at 2AM? When was the last time you went with a stewardess and asked her to personally show you (not tell you, but show you) the things about her job that bother her? I fear I know the answer. It lies in your open letter and in the fact that the product has not changed...not a bit.

Let me be clear, Regent Seven Seas Cruises can be turned around and can be turned around quickly. It is done with Motivation, Training and Caring. Heavy on the "Caring"

ManGenius is no longer the New York Jets coach. Colin Vetch is no longer with NCL. Isn't time to think about the Regent Seven Seas product and how to really make it change for the better?

The entire luxury cruise industry needs it.

Regent Seven Seas Does It Again...And Shouldn't. UPDATED..AND UPDATED AGAIN (SERIOUSLY)

Look for Updated Comments.

I was checking over on Cruise Critic to see if there were any issues or topics worthy of comment and low and behold there it was. So I have to ask the question:

Why is it so hard for Regent Seven Seas to deliver what it promises?

The Failure to Deliver a Themed Cruise - A fewer months ago there were some disgruntled Regent Seven Seas guests because a Spotlight on Chocolate themed cruise was not delivered. These unhappy folks were greeted with others noting that Regent has failed to deliver these themes appropriately in the past. (I, personally, was on one that was to highlight caviar, but it was relegated to listening to a sales pitch from a California company trying to sell flavored fish eggs.) Regent promised improvements, but...

This week: The Regent Navigator's February 23, 2009 cruise is clearly noted in its brochure as a "Spotlight on Food & Wine" cruise. I checked Regent's website and it clearly states, "This cruise currently has no specialized enrichment programs scheduled." A passenger onboard posted that she was expecting the Food & Wine program, but was greeted by a "Spotlight on Chocolate" cruise. I am baffled as to what Regent was to deliver...and obviously others are as well.

It does not matter if you are a foodie, oenophile or just wanted something a bit special on a Caribbean cruise, if you booked a Food & Wine cruise then you should have received a Food & Wine cruise. If Regent's plans changed, for whatever reason, then it should (a) properly advise the guests of the change; and, (b) allow the guest to change their cruise without penalty or provide them with an appropriate credit. (Being pretty sure who this particular guest's travel agent is (and it most definitely is not me) I am confident the change wasn't passed on to the agency.)

Also, while those that did not think they were having any sort of Spotlight on this cruise the Chocolate theme might be considered a very nice added benefit...or, for some, a real problem. Possibly they have chocolate allergies, they are diabetic and it is it is their downfall, they hate the smell of chocolate or whatever. The fact is that Regent has created a potentially issue that was easily avoidable. Treating a guest as, well...hummm...not a guest, but merely a revenue stream can cause this sort of thing.

The Failure to Deliver Service - One of the Regent Cheerleaders that I have posted about (and who tends to rate anything negative I say about Regent as a "1") is on this particular cruise. She is the person who posted on Cruise Critic and another board about the above issue. What she did not post on Cruise Critic, but did on another board is that the service in Portofino (the specialty restaurant on the Regent Navigator) "has not improved since we were on the Navigator two years ago"; noting that returning guests known to the staff were given "a great deal of time" while she was provided with "minimal service".

UPDATE: I have read that the dining service in the Compass Rose (main) dining room on the present cruise is abysmal. One night it took 30 minutes for bread and wine to be offered...menus were though. The next night: 20 minutes...and then the poster complained. I note the person reporting these inexcusable service lapses attacked me relentlessly on Cruise Critic for saying the same things. Now you know, for certain, I do not have an agenda (as was claimed to be the case), but just speak the truth. [Please read my Navigator review posted on my website at http://www.goldringtravel.com/review.aspx?id=4010 . It is 2+ years later and the horrific service remains the same! ]

Here's another unforegivable issues: It is reported that the Italian waiters in Portofino were speaking Italian to each other in front of the guests during dinner. That is not only rude, it is the height of disrepect. Such conduct is specifically forbidden on almost every line...it is even stressed in the Princess Cruise Line training manual!

Folks, as I say, I call it as I see it and I have seen this before. Regent Seven Seas simply fails to deliver consistent service! So it is - even in the eyes of a cheerleader - very possible (even, dare I say, probable) that two people on a Regent cruise may have entirely different experiences with service and dining.

Regent, if you are reading (and I believe you are): THIS IS EASY STUFF! Every table is to be serviced exactly the same way...every time. And this is not a "training" issue. THIS IS A MANAGEMENT ISSUE. I am sorry for shouting, but the failure to provide appropriate service is right there and smacks you in the face. Where is the Staff Captain, Hotel Manager, Maitre d', Head Waiter??? How can the servers be permitted cruise after cruise, year after year, to continue to make the same blatant error? The reason is that they probably do not know any better, for what they know is "This is how it has always been done".

(What I again find fascinating, and you have to love the Regent cheerleaders, is that they rave about how wonderful the Matrie d' is. Huh? He is supposed to be in charge of such conduct. What they speak of gives me the feeling of a guy who smiles to a guest's face and sticks his tongue out when they turnaround. It is baffling how such misconduct has been so effectively marketed to these people that they really think that incompetence is not only acceptable, it is a sign of great treatment. Scary!)

UPDATED AGAIN:  Failure of Hardware - Now it is reported that the Navigator went dark (no electricity) for about 20 minutes; not really an unusual problem for this ship.  Then it was reported that the water in the suites turned brown for a while.  Granted, occassional discolored water is not that unsusual on cruise ships, but when added to what seems like monthly (or more frequent) power failures, it is just unbelievable.

Sorry Regent, I cannot recommend people pay a premium to be ignored. There are lots of nice suites on cruise lines that cost literally 50% of what Regent charges.

Please Regent: Tell me what it is that you are delivering at the highest prices in the industry?!

Fresh Reports Regarding Regent Seven Seas Post-Refurbishment Abound (Note: Some Interesting Discussion in the Comments)

It seems like every day I am receiving Google alerts about yet another review, blog or travelogue by someone currently on a Regent cruise. My guess is that Regent is trying to quell some of the bad news of late by exposing chosen writers to write about their experiences...or at least encourage those that do posts things on the internet to write about its ships. I am sure that part of the plan is to highlight and market the recent refurbishments on the Voyager and Mariner.

Some of the reviewers are quite observant, while I do get a sense that some tiptoe around any controversy. One writer, for Cruise Critic, seems very nice (and I do enjoy reading the comments), but it is clear that this person has never been on a luxury cruise, so I wonder what the standards and expectations are. (Compared to Line A this is outstanding...but Line A is mass market).

That said, first, the bad news: When reading these reviews and, to be sure, posts on message boards, one thing which is very clear is that Navigator is the bad stepsister. She has reports of electrical failures, significant vibration, maintenance issues, serious service lapses and inconsistent food. She also is not scheduled for refit work until April 2010. One previously die hard supporter of Regent started off his posts singing Regent's praises, but left his cruise just filling unfulfilled and missing something. Therefore, as I have been saying for quite some time, absent something special or unique...

Now, the good news: The reports on the new public spaces are very good. There now are splashes of color and class rather than more of monotone blue. All I have read are praises and the photos I have seen appear to support the positive comments.

The only criticism I have consistently read of relates to the substitute chairs in the main dining rooms (Compass Rose) which are bulky and narrow; one person observing that some people squeeze themselves into the chairs, while others comment they are difficult to move. This should be the worst thing about any cruise, so unless you really need the space, I would look past the issues and enjoy the living room feel.

Prime 7, if you are into American Steakhouse cuisine (I find it hard to use a French term to describe that menu, but I just did), has been getting good reviews for the quality of its meats and portion sizes. Some of the more elegant menu items, however, may need some tweaking...or just aren't consistent with the American steakhouse palate.

Deck furniture is also receiving high marks, though some comments about there needing to be more lounges have to be weighed against the complaints that Regent is not stringent enough about removing towels and "placeholder" books/bags. Chair hogs on a luxury line hopefully is not a comment on a lowering of passenger standards.

One change that baffles me is the praise of the Coffee Corner. To me that is a mass market concept. On a luxury line, a fancy coffee machine should not be the focus; a waiter should be. On Celebrity Cruise Lines they have Cova® Café di Milano "Relax while enjoying a cappuccino and a European pastry with a friend at the Cova Café. Featuring Cova liqueurs, chocolates, and fresh pastries, this jewel offers a scrumptious taste of decadence." Of course, on Celebrity it is an extra charge, but the point is that on Regent the offering is inferior.

The one area I am holding out further comment on is service. I know Regent is open about its working to make this better. While some of the changes should be easily instituted, sometimes bad habits or poor training takes a bit longer. Since the refurbishments were not designed to address service, but just happened to be noted as an issue I will leave it for another day.

Regent Seven Seas Announces Plan For Big Improvements

I know I seem to be beating on Regent Seven Seas Cruises and that, at times, it just seems unfair.  So with this post I am conflicted.  Do I cheer for Regent's below mentioned commitments to improve its product or do I rehash what I have been saying for years:  Regent does not deliver what it promises...and at industry high prices?

On the operational side of things:

Cancellation Fee - Regent charges a $200 "Administration Fee" for every canceled booking.  The concept baffles me and I think insults the client.  I never charge a fee and think it is repugnant to what the travel industry does.  Obviously Regent is feeling the heat on this, so they have converted this charge to a future cruise credit.  So, you don't get the $200 back unless you book another Regent cruise. It is improvement, but just seem cheap; especially for a luxury product.

Shore Excursions have a history of disappointment on Regent.  Back when it was Radisson, the tours would a great value, both in price and experience.  Then things changed.  I do not need to catalog the consistently disappointing experiences I and others have had or the shoddy manner in which Regent's tour desk and executive offices have handled the disappointed and disgruntled passengers, other than to say, "ripoff" and "abuse" are two words that come to many people's minds.  With the new Regent "tour inclusive" program (for select 2009 cruises and all 2010 cruises), Regent is promising the same quality tours and no packed buses.  As noted, I am not sure this is a good thing.  Not only does it make you pay for tours you do not want to take (and I am sure there are many that will not take them), it sets things up for three or four buses to head toward a destination that previously only one or two would (degrading the tour experience to one similar to that found on a mass market line) and, of concern, sets up a situation where the heretofore problematic tour desk responds with "Hey, it was free, so what do you want me to do about your problem?" [To be sure, this may seem unfair, but there is an old say, "Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me."  I would much prefer that Regent fix the tour problems and then expand it, rather than expand it and hope the problems resolve.  We shall see.]

Regent is taking back its crew hiring, so it will be doing it directly.  It is not taking this step because all is well.  In fact, it has been repeatedly reported that crew have been expressing to passengers their concerns over the changes and what it mean.  Along this line, I am baffled how reports of how fantastic the crew is comes right along with how many service problems there are.  I am not sure if it is a situation where some cruisers just know how good service can be, so they assume Regent is providing top service, if it is cheerleading or if it just propaganda/marketing.  The fact, is that Regent has acknowledged a serious problem (and kudos for that!) and it will be addressing the problem aggressively (kudos for that too!), but alas, I must observe that there is no question that the service product UNDENIABLY has not been been consistently provided.  (I know my favorite reader of this blog will rate this post a "1" for speaking the truth, but alas all I can say is "Don't shoot the messenger" and, as may be the case, try a true luxury line (Seabourn or SeaDream, for example, and see the difference.)

Regent is also going to significantly increase its food budget.  Again, this speaks for itself...and it has been a long time in coming.  There are those that have raved about Regent's food, but I have been baffled by what comes out of the galleys.  Clearly Regent is owning up to this weakness as well...and changes are coming.  To be sure, throwing money at the problem is not the answer, but I think Regent get it and I greatly look forward to the improvements once planned and implemented by the right staff.  Please keep in mind that food is very subjective.  I, personally, do not go "Ohhhh and Ahhhh" over an enormous slab of beef staring at me from an oversized plate as some have raved about at the new Prime 7.  While some love that stuff, to me it is not a gourmet experience.  Give me an elegantly prepared piece of beef with a beautiful presentation.  As for the main dining room, the experience is serious lacking and the changes are past due and greatly appreciated.

Regent's computer system is a mess and it is not known when it will get better.  Passengers are consistently complaining onboard, the travel agent booking site is down, and Reservations is struggling with various issues.  This will be correct, no doubt, but it is taking a long time and I am not aware of the end being in sight.  I do not know if the problems are related to upgrades or reorganization, but regardless it is something that should never take this long to address.

I also understand that Regent is going to be improving its lecturers and entertainment.  I really don't have any solid information on this.  One site says that Regent is going to be changing from the generally used concept of giving a guest lecturer a free cruise in exchange for a few lectures to a fee-paid approach.  That may work, but I have no idea what the budget is, what the topics will be, etc.  Also, I am not a big fan of the shows...mostly because they really aren't that good, even though I regularly hear (from most lines) that now they are making real improvements.  This is not a biggy for me and I really don't expect huge improvements.  What I would like to see is improvement in the consistency of the Themed Cruises.  One cruise is great, another is OK and yet another is a "no show".  I was on a wine cruise that was truly well done.  I was on a caviar cruise that was lacking in the extreme (and was really just a sales pitch for gimmicky flavored roe).  I know the recent chocolate cruise had virtually no chocolate.  Consistency of product is key here.

Hardware Improvements - The Voyager and Mariner have both undergone their public space improvements, installation of Prime 7 steakhouse, new deck furnishings, coffee, pizza and ice cream facilities, etc.  From what I am hearing the public space improvements are quite nice and make a big difference.  The only concerns are the reduction in number of lounges by the pool (due to the needed increase in dining tables - tough to balance this one!), and the chairs in the main dining room (Compass Rose) which are very heavy and uncomfortable for some (caused by the chairs which were ordered being delayed and, therefore substituted - It is hard to make a good decision when your options are limited due to the fault of others).  Also, with Mariner having its long-damaged pod replaced, I am interested to see if there will be changes in itineraries which reflect her increased speed.

As I final note on hardware, the Navigator (the little sister) is going to have to wait another 1 1/2 years for her facelift:  April 2010.  I do find it curious that it is pushed off so long.  Why have a ship which is not a consistent product? Cashflow is one thing, but it makes me wonder - yet again - if she is really going to stay a part of the Regent family. 

So, after writing much, I am very pleased with Regent's plans; its ownership of past problems; and, its optimism.  Now, I look forward to the execution of these plans and making me a believer...a believer that I once was!

Concerns: Apollo Management and Prestige Cruise Holding (NCL, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania)

I have hesitated to write about the effects of this poor economy on the cruise lines themselves because, in large part, we really don't know what the long term effects will be. While the issues of last minute discounts and more close-in bookings (ala post 9/11) on less than full ships are not beyond possibilities, the fact is that right now people who are cruising paid for their cruises before the bottom seemingly fell out and it is too early to really see what the next couple of months (post-election) has in store for us, the consumers and them, the industry.

Also, while some cruise lines are panicking, others are being creative and yet others are still figuring out what, if anything, should be done differently. So that too is not the focus on this post and speculating would not be fair or productive.

However, over the past three weeks there has been much in the industry news about NCL and Aker Shipyard having a "dispute" over Norwegian Cruise Line's new F3 ship. While Aker claims it has not stopped work on the first F3 (which is about 25% complete), it has been reported that they are now trying to sell the hull to other major cruise lines...and there is not much interest. Aker, though, has also stopped work on the second F3 ship.

Apollo and NCL have been silent claiming they do not discuss disputes or litigation. What has happened, however, is that their announcement of the new ship is not as clear in their taglines, mention of the F3 is all but absent from the NCL website, the F3 microsite has been buried (You you can still find it via http://www.f3.ncl.com/main.html.) and the person who was in charge of the PR for the F3, Susan Robison, has left NCL.

The word on the street is that Apollo has shut down the project as simply being too expensive. I think there probably is another, related, problem: Financing. Most entities like Apollo leverage their assets in order to obtain sufficient cash to improve products and then sell them off at a profit. If the product is losing value, or if a cash infusion will not increase its value, the desire to put money in drops. Banks and lenders - especially now - are not as willing to finance companies to put cash into a potentially unprofitable venture. Add to that the unexpected strength in the US dollar versus the Euro and some of the math turns upside down.

Here, the F3 ships have a radical - and unproven - interior design for a market that is being hit hard by the economic problems and, at least in the near future, probably are not going to be parting with as much cash on the holy grail of the mass market cruise business: onboard revenue. Add to that the downward pressure on pricing and the drop off in (long range) bookings, Apollo and its lenders have probably (my guess) said something along the lines of, "NCL's Hawaii plan seemed good, but we took a bath as it was unconventional and had unforeseen problems. NCL has lost over $350,000,000 in the last two years. Now we have a $1,000,000,000 (yes, one billion dollar) project which is now seeing cost increases (due to the loss in value of the Euro - the currency of the contract - as well as difficulties in creating the radical design elements) and we cannot assure a profit at higher prices with possible reductions in passenger loads...and NCL is bleeding cash flow as it is."

While that "magic" is playing out, the operationally pretty solid Oceania, through Apollo's Prestige Cruise Holdings (separate from NCL) is working hard to clean up the issues at Regent by increasing efficiencies on many levels and revamping the luxury line's ships from hardware to software to crew. We have seen the previously greatly publicized talk of a new ship for Regent being, quite obviously, pushed to the back...see the parallel here!...and, in its place, a $40,000,000 refurbishment of the Voyager and Mariner; leaving the Navigator for another day (if there is another day for that ship!) and there being talk on the street and some publications of the end of its relationship with the Paul Gauguin. Now, there is talk of the Voyager and Mariner refurbishments being scaled back as well.

I am not so sure these fiscally stringent moves are a bad thing. The concept of growth through huge increases in inventory has a great flaw: Not enough buyers of that inventory (i.e. cruise passengers). That, added to the cost of creating that additional inventory, can destroy a positive bottom line. So, Apollo and Prestige Cruise Holdings may just be saying that we would rather utilize what we have and utilize it well, possibly generating smaller profits, than growing ourselves (and our debt) right out of business.

I much prefer a higher quality product from a profitable cruise line than a less quality product from a cruise line trying to find its way out of a problem it created which, inevitably, would cause the passengers to pay more to get less.

It is going to be interesting to see how all this plays out.

Upgrades to Regent Seven Seas Voyager and Mariner

There was a very brief article of a mere seven (7) lines yesterday in Travel Weekly about upgrades to the Regent Seven Seas Voyager and Mariner, but interesting silence as to the Navigator.  Also, while the $40,000,000 figure was used, it is hard to tell where the money will really be spent since Mariner is going to have its damaged pod replaced during its drydock. 

According to a quote of Frank Del Rio both of the specialty restaurants (Signatures and Latitudes) will be "redesigned" and the public spaces will be "completely refurbished".  He states that under Prestige Cruise Holdings there will be "significant improvements" and Regent will be "raising the bar".

What struck me, however, was not the positive comments by Mr. Del Rio, but rather the impression expressed by Travel Weekly, "The implicit message is that Regent needs to be better."

Personally, I ever really had a problem with the public areas on the two ships.  They worked just fine.  I don't mind them being refurbished, obviously, and I am sure there will be some pretty interesting things done. 

I am, however, pleased that Signatures and Latitudes are being "redesigned".They need it...from top to bottom.  The spaces were OK, but nothing special.  Walk into the specialty restaurants on Celebrity and you get a much bigger "WOW factor".  I also found the Latitudes menu to be lacking and the Signatures Le Cordon Bleu claims overblown.  I believe there have been discussions of a high quality steakhouse which many (if not myself) would find a popular alternative for those seeking out basic American comfort food.  We shall see, but I hope the cuisine is put to the fore...not hype or glitz.

But with this good news I cannot help but wonder about the training and service aspects of the ships.  That is where I find Regent actually suffers.  To me better "software" is far more important than better "hardware". 

Finally, I am not sure if the upgrades are going to be a springboard for yet higher prices, but I hope not.  I am just finding Regent's present pricing to be cost prohibitive not only for myself, but my clients.

It is a step...a good one...but I look forward to more.