Regent Seven Seas Voyager and Silversea Silver Spirit - Why and How I Write This Blog

The past days have been very busy for me, personally, but also very interesting for me professionally.

It appears that some of my readers, I guess, read this blog because they perceive me as the Andy Rooney (curmudgeon) of the cruise blogosphere.  While I may have earned that reputation through speaking my mind, I want you to understand that I actually do speak my mind and do not rant or criticize just to write or keep up readership.  The Regent Voyager and Silversea Silver Spirit are two cases in point.

Regent Voyager - The Regent Voyager is on a Caribbean cruise and one of its engines has failed.  This has not left the ship without power or services, but required one port to be skipped so that she could arrive early this morning in San Juan so that repairs could be made.  It appears the guests have been kept fully informed, missing Antigua hasn't been a huge disappointment (and, regardless, Regent would have been within its rights to skip the port for a host of other reasons) and it appears that once the part(s) that are needed are installed the Regent Voyager will be on her way...on or close to schedule.

So when the problem occurred I started to receive emails asking me to write about how bad the ship is, what a terrible thing it is that Regent let down its guests again, claiming damage to the ship was clearly as a result of poor management, etc.  Folks:  SHIP HAPPENS!  I won't write any of those things, because I don't believe it is fair, accurate or appropriate.

These emails told me a couple of things: 

- First, Regent still has a lot of work to do.  It has well and truly alienated a very vocal and significant portion of its client base.  (Honestly, I think I probably fit into that category.)  It must find a way - probably though hard work and simply consistently getting it right - to regain the shine of the  previous management's self-declared "Six Star Luxury" moniker.

- Second, people have tagged me as being "Anti-Regent Seven Seas Cruise Line" when that simply is not the case.  I do not get my jollies (sorry, Santa) bashing Regent.  I have, quite vocally, expressed my frustration with so many of the prior management's decisions which - by design, IMHO - were to cheat the guests and make them feel special while picking their pockets.  Its prior incarnation just kept that movie line in my head, "Son, fat, dumb and happy is no way to go through life."

But the new management of Regent Seven Seas Cruises has done much to improve the line, to change its focus to on value rather than the absurd Six Star Luxury fraud (albeit I really hate the find demeaning the "free", "free", "free" marketing approach).  Yes, there is work to be done.  Training still needs to be improved to the point that the curious "I need to dine where X is the waiter because his service is great" is gone (as service should be great everywhere!).  Cuisine needs to be improved to the point where meals are consistently excellent everywhere, not "hit or miss" as reports in Prime 7 and Compass Rose have consistently shown.  There are others, but you get the point.

So with literally every cruise line having an engine problem at some point, I cannot report the present Regent issue to be a disservice to its guests or its handling improper. If that changes I will let you know. 

Silversea Silver Spirit - Why have I been so quiet about the new Silversea ship?  Because I really don't know a darn thing worth reporting on.  I have read the hype, the true marketing and the wishes, but I haven't seen any real information.  As I remain very concerned about Silversea's financial situation and my inside information as to fit, finish and training of staff leave me nervous, I do not want to push a product I am not presently secure in supporting.  But it is my hope and desire that Silversea weathers its financial storm, get is right with the Silver Spirit and that it succeeds, for in this business competition is a great thing.

Consider the changes in luxury ships over the past few years.  Dining options have significantly expanded, spas have become destinations, fitness centers expanded beyond treadmills, entertainment options have improved, unique ports of call are the norm (oxymoron??), passenger space is even greater and suites are truly "sweet".  Without the competition Seabourn would not have committed to building the Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn or Seabourn ???? (enter the contest!).  Silversea would not have the Silver Spirit (or named it so similar to the Seabourn Spirit!).  And Oceania and Azamara Club would not target those that might want a taste of the luxury, but don't want to pay the price...or need a suite....providing a higher level of service, cuisine, amenities and ports than the premium and mass market lines. 

So you can depend on me to say what I think, whether you agree or disagree, and not to say anything when I really don't have anything to say.  But, most importantly, if you are interested in booking a cruise remember that I, as your travel agent, will give you my honest, experienced and impartial opinion...not to push you to particular cruise line, but to assist you in your determination of what is the best cruise line, the best accommodation and the best itinerary for you -whether it be the top suite or inside cabin, a luxury or mass market ship, an itinerary in Asia or the Caribbean.

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!

Civility - What The Heck Happened To It...And How Do We Get It Back?

As you know I had an incredible time on the Celebrity Equinox. Celebrity did virtually everything it could do to provide me with an excellent premium cruise experience. The only problem: The lack of civility of some adults and the lack of supervision/discipline of some of the children.

As you also know I have been a staunch critic of some posters on CruiseCritic.com and the site's luxury board host's obvious permission for some favored posters to attack the opinions that disagree with the "everything is wonderful" stance of some or "I prefer Line X over Line Y". The problem: The lack of civility.

Last night I watched President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress about his healthcare proposals. At one point in the speech Representative Wilson, from South Carolina, shouted to the President of the United States, "You lie!". I was mortified. Was it because I agree with President Obama on healthcare? Whether I do nor not is actually irrelevant. It is because there was a total lack of respect for the Office of the President and for the Congress. The problem: The lack of civility.

During breakfast at the local bagel shop this morning I was talking with some of my "breakfast buddies" about the incident and mentioned the foregoing. One person responded, "Obama is a not entitled to respect." I responded, "Regardless of whether you love or hate the guy, isn't the Office of the President entitled to that respect? I mean aren't judges entitled to it? Or teachers? Parents?" The response was, "You only give someone respect because you want something from them!" I was, once again, mortified. The problem is again, a lack of civility.

I am a member of the local Board of Education for grades K - 8 (5 to 14 year olds) and had a meeting this morning. I had the opportunity so I asked the superintendent this morning about the incident during the Obama speech and, without getting into too many details, I wondered if Civics - how our government works and why - was taught to the children. His response was that it is a great idea, but the State doesn't include it in the mandated curriculum. So I thought (but did not say) it must be the same sort of people as Congressman Wilson that established the mandated curriculum.

Now, clearly respecting positions irrespective of the person (be it the President or a teacher) is important, but so is being civil to the person irrespective of the position. And, as conduct has clearly devolved to the point that too many are not civil to either the position or the person, the infamous Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" comes to mind. [When was the last time you heard that? Thought so!]

I have been reading a longtime violator of these simple civilities travelogue of her time presently onboard the Regent Seven Seas Voyager. She has complained that service in La Veranda is so poor that she avoids the dining venue except for breakfast with service ranging from "good", to "spotty" to "non-existent"; Prime 7 received a "mixed" review; any special requests were either not performed or were done...but with special note of how hard a task it was, the "new" ice cream was nothing special and the "new" pizza was "dried out"; there is vibration felt throughout Prime 7 and the most aft suites, etc.

What is remarkable about the thread (found here is that since the comments are from her, rather than someone else, the comments from others are "civil". (How many threads on the Regent board have been removed, abandoned, edited, etc. because of the incivility of her relentless attacks, clutter and cheerleading demanding that the very same things are untrue or excusable?) To be fair she is not the only one who engages in such conduct, but she is to many infamous.

There are quite a few people that post on The Gold Standard Forum simply because an intelligent (civil) discussion with differing views can be had.

Civility is a good thing. Not "chair hogging". Making sure your children don't overrun whirlpools and adult areas, being sure they know how to "share" the space and respect others' needs. Weighing how important the result is before picking a fight in the dining room. Eventually, people might just let you off the elevator before getting in or hold a door open.

And then, whether you posting on a message board or are the President of the United States, you just might be able to express your opinion without someone, with a lack of civility or respect, interrupting you and calling you (actually or in effect) a liar.

Regent Seven Seas v. Seabourn: Philosophy, Pricing and Practice

Frank Del Rio, President and CEO of Prestige Cruise Holdings, owner of Regent Seven Seas, recently was interviewed by Travel Weekly Magazine. The article was about sales and marketing of Oceania and, to a much lesser extent, Regent.

There was an interesting exchange:

Q: With Regent, you chose to include shore excursions rather than lower prices. Did that stimulate sales?

A: Like nothing you've seen. It's one of the reasons why our business is stronger than most right now. This industry is one of lemmings. There is too much copying going on. Everyone lowers prices to stimulate sales. It works, but it hurts the travel agents. Every week I hear that half a dozen agencies are going out of business. We said, we don't want to hurt travel agents, and knocking $60 off our cruise won't motivate a sale the way it might at [a mass-market line]. Including shore excursions makes them commissionable.

I recently spoke with Mr. Del Rio at an Oceania event and let him know that I was not fond of the inclusive shore excursions. He questioned me as to why and I told him because it is not a luxury amenity. I explained that in the luxury market most people do not take cruise ship tours, but rather private tours. So, to my way of thinking, the inclusion not only doesn't add real value, it brings in a way of cruising that while positive for the cruise line's immediate bottom line is not necessarily so for the overall luxury cruise experience. (I offer complimentary Ensemble Travel tours on many of the cruises I book for clients. As a new alternative, I am able to offer a $150 per person onboard credit if they don't want to take the tours. This came about for the very same reason: Luxury clients tend not to take the group tours.)

There have been some recent articles on the internet about dissatisfaction on the Regent Voyager due to cutbacks in food quality (I struggle with the quality of the product, it may be the preparation or menu descriptions/marketing) and service. The issues with Regent Mariner being literally overrun with children with 125+ on its Alaska sailings may look positive to Regent's immediate bottom line, the negatives of poor service, an overwhelmed dining room, crowds and a very non-luxury experience...even at embarkation. (I will leave the Regent Navigator out of the mix...anxiously awaiting the major refit upcoming in January!)

Seabourn, on the other hand, has taken the approach which Mr. Del Rio has criticized: Seriously cutting its prices. I, too, believe that is the wrong thing to do as far as long term benefit. However, that is where we part company. As anyone who as recently been on Seabourn, including the new Seabourn Odyssey, will tell you, the service and cuisine is as good - or in the case of the Odyssey: better - than it was before the cut rate pricing.

The result I am seeing the most of is clients who were booked for 2 or 3 weeks in 2010 not looking to benefit from the reduced pricing, but rather to extend their cruise to 3 or 4 weeks for the same, or in some instances, less money. Yes, there are those that have never tried Seabourn that are coming onboard, but it is not with an expectation of anything other than it being more of a "privilege" than a "bargain"...event though the bargain has drawn them in.

So, if you believe getting more stuff equals more "value", Regent may be the way to go. However, if you are looking for more "value" in a true luxury experience, there is no question that Seabourn consistently provides that.

And if you still want some included tours...you never know, I just might be able to provide that for you as well.

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.

Regent Seven Seas - Sometimes "It" Just Doesn't Cut It

There is a very interesting article/interview with Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises on the ABC News website: http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=7671941&page=1.

In the article it is explained that the reason the fishing line which damaged the azipod did the damage it did was because the cutters which are part of the system had been modified and, alas, that modification caused the cutters...well, not to cut the line. I am not sure who approved the modification or if same was tested prior to being accepted, but me thinks there is someone who as some explaining to do.

There are some other interesting tidbits in the article such as Regent is expecting to operate at approximately 80% of capacity. That is not great, but it could be worse. It is just a matter of how you slice it. (Sorry for the pun.)

Another fact: Regent, while it still operates the Paul Gauguin, accounts for 1.1% of the entire cruise market. Put another way, the article point out, all of Regent's capacity on a single day would easily fit on one of Carnival's megaships.

In any event, word has it that the cruise from Iceland is going well with the azipods working just fine.

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!

Regent Seven Seas Voyager Damage Update - Not Good UPDATED

The news is the damage to the Regent Seven Seas Voyager's starboard azipod was far more extensive than thought. There was an catastrophic electrical failure in the pod (not the ship) and will require the ship to be taken out of service when it reaches Rome (on a reduced port schedule departing Dubai today) until, possibly, May 21, 2009.

The problem was thought to be damage associated with a seal that failed after a fishing net wrapped itself around and in the pod (an electric motor which turns propeller-type blades, but can rotate 180 degrees and provides excellent maneuverability) shortly after the ship left Singapore. Regent was able to remove the fishing net, but with the damaged seal water entered the pod and left it inoperable. After limping into Dubai a watertight cocoon was constructed around the pod and repairs were attempted to replace the seal and, hopefully, prove all that was necessary. (I do not yet know the specifics of the attempted repair efforts, but that at this point is more or less simply prurient interest.)

What has been determined is that the damage to the pod as a result of the failed seal (and obviously some other factors, discussed below) was more than transient or limited. The pod's electrical systems must effectively be rebuilt. As a result the ship must be moved to a drydock to have the pod (or its major components) removed and rebuilt, and then reinstalled. Because this is all custom work (you can't buy all the parts off the shelf) some of the parts cannot be re-manufactured until they are removed from the damaged pod. In fact, a complete inventory of which parts can be re-used, which need to be re-manufactured and which need to be replaced probably cannot be fullly determined until the unit is taken apart.

The next obvious question is: "Isn't there another pod lying around...possibly to be used on another ship that really doesn't need it right now in its construction...that can simply be bought and installed?" The short answer is, "No". The reason, from the information available to me, is that it takes approximately 18 months to build a pod from scratch. That means even if another ship was able to delay the installation of its pod (assuming, of course, the donor pod was compatible!), an 18 month period is just too long. And no owner is going to swap out the newest, latest, greatest pod for a 6 year old rebuilt one.

This is a very disheartening situation for Regent Seven Seas, which just expended $40,000,000 refurbishing the Voyager and Mariner. The ripple effect is going to be very significant. And, of course, while treating its directly effected passengers fairly is one thing, finding ways to (a) maintain and create good will; (b) not lose passengers to other cruise lines like Seabourn and Crystal Cruises; and, (c) not further incur huge financial burdens that require modification of the product it promises to deliver is going to be an enormous challenge.

Now, all that said, I have some serious questions about how the damage to the pod became so severe. Let's face it, we have all heard about pod failures before, but those failures were related to failed bearings and/or seals. They were not about catastrophic electrical failures.

I speak with some knowledge, but not enough to be an expert. Usually these sort of systems have protections built in to prevent catastrophic failures. They do not always work, but the tend to exist. I think there is going to be some very hard analysis as to what occurred to first alert the captain and crew of the problem with the pod, what they did and if they tried to "fix" the problem by employing the wrong techniques. I am guessing here (and please remember it is my guess with very little information!!) that rather than the pod being immediately shut down it was continued to be run in an effort to break the encumbrance (now known to be fishing net). Doing that with the the seal having failed and the electrical system flooded could have resulted in the current situation. I do not know, so please do not report this as fact.

For now, a final point: Things may wind up being better than presently assumed. Possibly things will take less time. Maybe some additional work can be done on Voyager (though I don't think anything had been planned) even if it is just changing out some carpeting and fixing a few things that we, as passengers, never knew needed to be fixed.

Regent Voyager World Cruise - Pod Problems Update No. 3

I had a long conversation with Prestige Cruise Holdings today and, before I give the details, I would like to say that I am quite impressed with how Regent Seven Seas is now responding to the situation.  It is, it would seem, a refreshing return to the former Radisson levels of customer service, or quite possibly, just a new and long awaited approach consistent with that which is expected of a luxury cruise line.  Yeah!

Now for the details:

First, I have been told that Mark Conroy is going to be meeting the ship upon its arrival to address the passengers' concerns.  That is a very welcome acknowledgement of Regent's guests' importance.  (It is not known if he will sail with the ship from Dubai for one or more ports.)

Second, Regent is going to be refunding the full cruise fare for all guests for the Singapore to Dubai segment.  In addition, World Cruise passengers are going to be given the option of transferring from the Voyager's World Cruise to the Mariner's World Cruise at no cost or expense.

Third, for the guests planning on embarking in Dubai they will have a number of options.  They can cancel without penalty; or, They can stay with the sailing and if there is a problem either delaying the Dubai departure or after departing (more below on that) they will receive a 25% refund and a 25% future cruise credit; or, they can transfer to the Mariner World Cruise for its next 14 or 28 day segment (their choice as the next Voyager segment, I believe 17 days) at no additional cost.

Regent will be taking care of all flight changes and assoicated arrangements.

Now, here is the news on the pod repairs.  Regent is planning on constructing a watertight cocoon around the pod so work can be completed in the necessary dry environment.  (I am told a similar arrangement was used when the Oceania Nautica had a propeller issue in Livorno, Italy last year.)  The technicians are all scheduled to arrive on March 30th and the ship will be arriving either late on the 30th or very early in the morning on the 31st. 

Work will start quickly as it will, regardless, be dark under the ship so underwater floodlighting will be used. The key is to get the seals appropriately seated so that there is no water infiltration into the pod.  The problem...if it is a problem...is that the repairs cannot really be tested at the dock.  The seals can be tested with the pod motor at idle speed and the main engines running at the dock, but until a load is put on the pod motor the new seals cannot be tested.  So Voyager will have to sail away from Dubai to test the repairs.  The plan is to keep sailing with all being well.  The alternative is to return to Dubai for further repairs...which nobody wants.

So keep your fingers and toes crossed.  When I have more info I will pass it along.

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.

Update on the Regent Voyager Problems

I have been in touch with Prestige Cruise Holdings and here is the info regarding the Regent Seven Seas Voyager:

Sometime after leaving Singapore the starboard pod shut itself down.  This is not a good thing, as it is an indication that something bad happened (past tense), so it is a "The damage is done, now what is the damage?" situation.  This caused the ship to sail at reduced speeds, hence its delayed arrival in Phuket.

Divers were sent down and found more than 10 meters (over 30 yards) of fishing net tangled around both the propeller and the shaft, which was removed.  One problem is, of course, how much more net is there inside the pod.  That is actually secondary to how badly whatever amount is logged in there.

When the ship arrives in Cochin, India divers will try to re-seat the seals on the pod and, hopefully, restart the propulsion motor (which, on a pod system is not the main engine). 

If it works then everyone will be very happy (though a few ports may be missed on this segment).  I, however, always keeping in mind the definition of a boat "A hole in the water, surrounded by wood, in which one throws money", am keeping my fingers crossed, but my expectations low.

As I get more information I will let you know.

Regent Seven Seas Voyager World Cruise Problem - Oh Nets!

It seems the Regent Seven Seas Voyager, the flagship of the cruise line, cannot avoid problems. It hit the dock in Rhodes, it snagged a fishing net on its transatlantic voyage about four months ago and now has another fishing net apparently wrapped around one of its pods. (I also heard the Crystal Serenity presently has a pod issue, but it is electrical.)

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As I understand it the pod was disabled by the net outside of Singapore during a 14 day segment of its World Cruise. It is not known what damage has been done to the pod itself, if any, but the fact that manufacturer's representatives/technicians have been flown to the ship leads one to believe that there is going to be far more done than merely cutting away the entangled net.

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This is supported by the comments by some that the ship may be going into drydock in Dubai. This has not been confirmed anywhere that I can see. Frankly, I am not sure why the ship will need to be drydocked unless there has been serious damage to the pod. Many repairs can be made without having to haul a ship. I could speculate on damaged bearings or propellers, but I really don't have a clue. One thing is for certain, there are very limited parts worldwide for pods (and each is essentially a custom made item) so it is not like you just take out the old and put in the new.

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Obviously the World Cruise itinerary is being severely modified - on this segment only so far - as Regent has to consider the long term effect on the its itineraries rather than simply this one short 14 day segment. As this is a case where most of the passengers (especially those that booked just this segment) have placed the itinerary over the ship as the reason for this cruise, there is going to be lots of frustration and disappointment...and little sympathy for Regent's need to minimize the same feelings for those booked on subsequent segments. (It is their cruise, after all.)

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From what I understand the port calls in Penang and Phuket, Thailand were late and shortened and will be a day late in Cochin, India; thereafter omitting Mumbai, India and Abu Dhabi, heading straight for Dubai. With Sri Lanka omitted just prior to this segment due to the ever-continuing conflicts, port calls in Penang, Malaysia and Phuket, Thailand but a few hours, the longer overland excursions in India probably (but not confirmed) to be cancelled, things cannot be good. If there is a bit of good news, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are about 1 1/2 hours apart by bus or car, so there is literally nothing that the guests will not be able to do if the ship arrives in Dubai on or about on schedule.

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The tricky thing is that Regent is trying to reschedule ports, arrange for dock space, figure out what parts are possibly needed, get the parts and technicians there on time (for dock space with no parts is very expensive in time, money and guest relations!)...and make arrangements for its guests. I am not onboard so I cannot comment on the quality of what is being told to the passengers and informations seems to be coming from both "upset" and "go with the flow" type passengers (possible with Segment versus World Cruise perspectives).

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While this is an unfortunate example of the complexity of the cruise industry and the competing needs and desires of the passengers, it does highlight the delicate balance which the cruise lines must deal with on a minute by minute basis. It isn't easy and it isn't necessarily someone's fault. But in the end, the customer is always right and here the customers clearly were not interested in a boat ride, but rather an elegant journey to visit some exotic locales. Instant results are not going to be happening, but with a little patience and understanding of the complexity of the situation, the time those passengers have on the Regent Seven Seas Voyager are still going to be on a really nice ship with some wonderful things available for them.

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As a final, for now, comment: We need to understand that as the populations around the world grow the resource we know as the Ocean is being exploited with greater and greater intensity. Whether it be local fisherman or mega-fishing fleets trying to increase their catch, there are going to be increased conflicts with cruise and other ships that ply the same waters. There are some technologies available to reduce these conflicts, but they are not perfect or omnipresent. Do not be surprised if these type of events increase in frequency.

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.

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!

Regent Seas Seas Cruises Will Reduce, And Keep, Its Fleet At Three

Regent has confirmed that its new ship is now further from reality than it had been.  Granted with the present economy it is not surprising (and, to be sure, may well make some good economic sense), but there was so much "talk" about it by Regent that its now discussing the mothballing of the ship  is of worthy note.

The new ship was originally one of grandeur.  Then, after Regent was sold to Apollo Management and folded into Prestige Cruise Holdings, the new ship was no longer to a one-off, but rather a modification of the second of its new sister company's (Oceania Cruise Line) soon to be delivered ship...but with different public spaces and larger suites. 

That, of course, pushed to anticipated delivery date from 2009 (something I said would never happen anyway) to April 2010 at best.  In order for that date to be met, Regent (er, Prestige Cruise Holdings) would have to have exercised the option by September 2008; something that did not happen.

It is reported that Regent is focused on completing the refurbishment of the Mariner (having just finished the work on the Voyager) and then figuring out what type of work it may do on the Navigator in 2010.  According to Andrew Poulton, director of communications for Regent, until the cost of construction, currency exchange rates and the economy improve, plans are not going to move forward.  That, obviously, could mean a long wait for now.

Having its relationship with the Paul Gauguin ending at the end of this year, my guess is that Regent would have preferred a new ship and dumping Navigator, but that is not an option anymore.  So by the end of 2009, barring something unanticipated, Regent will be a three ship company...with nothing "exciting" on the hardware front expected until 2011. 

That may be a bit of a challenge for a luxury product.  Seabourn has been extremely successful with older hardware due to its superlative service and cuisine.  I am concerned, however, that Regent - which has been admitted struggling with inconsistent service and cuisine - may not be able to pull off such an accomplishment, even if it markedly improves because it must service 700+; not 200.  We shall see.

An Open Letter from Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruise s - A Refreshing Admission.

On December 23, 2008 at 6:37 p.m. (at the close of business, so effectively on Christmas Eve) Mark Conroy, President of Regent Seven Seas Cruises took the unusual step of posting an open letter on Cruise Critic which was clearly in response to some of the now more consistent posts about the declining quality, inconsistent service and changes on Regent cruises.

Mr. Conroy wrote (and I have highlighted a few things) as follows:

Dear RSSC Guests and Cruise Critic Readers,

I’ve been an avid reader of Cruise Critic for many years and have always found it, along with direct feedback from our guests, to be an invaluable feedback tool and a great way for us to keep our finger on the pulse of our company and our product.

After reading some of the most recent threads, I wanted to take a few moments to provide you all with some insights, address some of the concerns that you have voiced, and provide you with my personal reassurance that Regent Seven Seas Cruises is still the same luxury experience that so many of you have come to know and love.

There has been a great deal of discussion about changes and I will be frank, yes, there have been changes. And while we all know that change can be unsettling, I want to assure you that any changes we have made or are in the process of making, are based upon feedback from our guests, travel agent partners and team members aboard the ships and here in Fort Lauderdale. Feedback and insight from you is something that has been critical to our success and has been our proverbial guiding light.

In the interest of providing you with some keener insight, I want to step back to earlier this year when there was a change in ownership. This change allowed us as a company to change from one that was a very small part of a large corporation to one that was part of a smaller and very focused organization. With that change, we as a company saw tremendous opportunities to not only undertake initiatives that we would not have in the past, but to also challenge ourselves to find new ways to make the experience better and shine brighter. The $40 million dollar renovation and refurbishment of the Voyager and Mariner are probably the most obvious examples of our new mindset and our commitment to the Regent Experience.

And the investments don’t stop at the way the ships look and feel, we’re raising the bar in every conceivable area - the culinary experience, onboard amenities and entertainment, crew recruitment, crew training and most importantly, crew retention. It’s the stellar group of officers, staff and crew that have made RSSC the cruise line it is today and we will never lose sight of that. 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. That’s not to say that you won’t see some new faces as we will continue to recruit and add new staff aboard ship and in the shore side operations.

We’ve been very fortunate to be able to welcome some new members to our family this past year, some of them returning RSSC veterans. Robin Lindsay and Franco Semeraro, who head up the Vessel and Hotel Operations, are both veterans of the luxury cruise and worked with me when in RSSC was just a small fledgling line with only the Radisson Diamond and Song of Flower. They were instrumental in establishing RSSC as a premier luxury brand and then went on to spend a good number of years at Silversea. Michael Coghlan, the General Manager of the Voyager, also hails from Silversea and has an admirable resume of accomplishments.

There are also plenty of familiar faces amongst the new. Steph Armegol and Bernhard Klotz, whom many of you may have met, still lead our Hotel and Culinary operations teams. Of course, Captains Dag and McNeill, General Managers Engelbert, Guiseppe and Philippe, just to name a few, all happily remain.

With the Voyager refit behind us, and the completion of Mariner’s refit only a few short weeks away, we’re in the home stretch. With that, the majority of changes and enhancements in the product will be complete and we can focus on fine-tuning our product and its delivery. The fine-tuning aspect is one that will be ongoing and once again, we’ll be counting on you, our guests to provide us feedback on what you like and what needs attention, just as you have always done.

That’s not to say that in the midst of these changes that we will not have hiccups. We’ve had a few and while some companies might like to think they are perfect, we know we are not. But we try hard to be as close to it as possible, we give it our all and pour our hearts into it. And if something is not right, we will do everything we can to set things right.

For those of you sailing in the coming months, I encourage you to judge any of the changes on their own merits, I’m confident that you will see that they have been made for the better. And if something is not quite right, please make sure to let any of the staff or department heads know so they can take corrective actions.

I’ll be out and about on the ships a great deal in the coming year, as I am sure Frank, Robin, Franco and Ken will be as well, and look forward to hearing your thoughts. In between, I’ll be reading Cruise Critic and be chiming in on occasion, as time permits.

I wish you all a safe and joyous Holiday Season and a great New Year.

Sincerely,

Mark Conroy
President, Regent Seven Seas Cruises

While the letter is refreshing on its face, I have to wonder why it is it took so long to admit to everyone that Regent was not delivering the luxury product it charges such a high premium for. I have consistently commented that Regent's food is not "luxury", that its amenities were downgraded to essentially "common", that its crew training and performance was poor and, most importantly, there was very little consistency of product on the same ship, no less across the ships.

So for all of those that have felt I push Seabourn to a fault, I have always called it as I see it. As they say, "The proof is in the pudding." Seabourn has gone over the top to try and make its service not only consistent on each cruise and across its present ships, but on its Seabourn Odyssey as well. You will not see a similar letter from Pamela Conover...because it simply isn't necessary. (No, Seabourn is not perfect, but "fine tuning" is its way of life...not a new concept.)

So, in this economy, you just might want to ask yourself, "Do I want to spend my money on Regent's work in progress or on Seabourn's consistent luxury product?"

Honestly, if Regent's pricing was more in line with the reality of its product I might well say, "Go for it", but not yet. (I will be posting on this subject soon.)

I wish Regent all the best in its endeavors and, to be sure, I want it to succeed; for competition and alternatives are great for business. But until the product is proven...and after years of telling me "All is well" when we now have read Mr. Conroy's honest admission it was not...Regent is not going to get my endorsement.

I am pleased with Regent's words and its announced commitment to make Regent the luxury product it once was. I can't wait to be able to, once again, recommend it!

Silversea - Lost at Sea????

Every time I go to post something about Silversea Cruise Line, something else comes about that makes me shake my head. 

Not so long ago I posted about the Prince Albert II making a big play in Tahiti and French Polynesia.  Well, scratch that out.  That itinerary has been pulled.  It is not surprising in that it drew so little interest.  I, personally, found that a March sailing was literally wide open....and I mean WIDE open.  Obviously, either from a marketing, pricing or some external factor, people found the Paul Gauguin to be a better choice...if they even knew about the Silversea option.

Instead the Prince Albert II is. according to a Silversea announcement, heading to the Artic, but there is catch.  If you go to the Silversea website there are no itineraries.  That three month block of time is nowhere to be found.  On March 8, 2009 the ship is in Valparaiso, Chile and on June 1, 2009 it is in Hamburg, Germany.  Huh?

There may be good reason for this, but as a travel agent who specializes in luxury clientèle, I am very confident in saying that the appearance of chaos is not a good thing.  And, without question, this appears like chaos.

But then there is the whole discounted cruise issue and how that was handled.  Silversea announced that it was discounting its cruises through March by as much as 50% or more.  But then it was announced, to the public in places like Seatrade, that it was providing its travel agents with an unheard of 25% commission.  Doing the simple math:  A $10,000 brochure fare would really have a 20% early booking savings on it already, so it is a real $8,000 fare.  When that fare is reduced to 50%, it becomes a $5,000 fare.  When you then give a 25% commission, it becomes a $3,750 net fare rather than a much more significant one.  (I can't give you the exact amounts as commission information is supposed to be confidential, but know it is significantly more.)

This resulted in literally every one of my clients that showed any interest in a Silversea cruise afraid to book a cruise with it because it sounds like the line is starving for cash.  And being cash-starved in a credit-tight world is not a good thing.  Considering the last thing someone wants to worry about is whether their reduced expendable income is going to be lost (or, at a minimum, a credit card dispute tying up funds for weeks or months) or their getaway becoming a "get involved" or worrisome, the logic of Silversea's actions just escapes me.

I started to write, "I am assuming there is a plan in there somewhere", but then I thought again.  I must restate it as, "Is there a plan in there?" 

I am, to be sure, very concerned about the survival of Silversea.  Do I have firm evidence of financial
distress?  Absolutely NOT.  But I still have my opinion based upon the following series of events: 

     - Change from European to lesser trained and not all English-fluent Filipino staff;
     - Rotating chefs and reduction in food quality;
     - Announcement that Silversea wants over 50% of its passengers to be non-U.S. based;
     - Claims of passengers loads increasing by over 30% (a clear indication of empty ships, for you can't increase passenger loads if you have full ships and no new ones in operation);
     - Touting that there are many new passengers, so there should be no intimidation of feeling left out (Isn't that an admission of passenger not being satisfied, so the repeater numbers have declined?)
     - Sharp reductions in pricing through March 2009;
     - Publicly announcing 25% commissions to travel agents; and, without limitation,
     - Prince Albert II chaos.
     - (Note:  I have no solid information on this last one, but I have heard rumors of it:  Construction on the new ship has been slowed.)

I may criticize some aspects of other lines, as I just did with the Regent Seven Seas Prime 7 Steakhouse, but there is a big difference.  I have commended Apollo Management and Prestige Cruise Holdings for taking a much more fiscally responsible approach any effectively canning the new ship, not wasting money on the Navigator (which I believe will be leaving the fleet at the earliest possible time...which probably will be at least a couple of years away) and making upgrades (mechanical and in public spaces) on the Voyager and Mariner.  I also surmise that ending its relationship with the Paul Gauguin is based upon the net smaller returns since it had the added costs of chartering the vessel to deal with.  I also may not agree with Regent's pricing, but alas it is not "giving away the ship", but has focused on marketing (even making cold calls to past passengers).

So, there are ways to be aggressive in this slower market and there are ways to cut costs and expenses.  I see Apollo/Prestige Cruise Holdings/Regent's logic and await the results.  I hope someone can tell me what is going on at Silversea. 

I think it is important that Silvesea survives and flourishes.  Competition and Alternatives are both good and necessary...and they inspire Confidence in the marketplace.

Regent's New Prime 7 - A New Luxury Restaurant or Just an Extra Ordinary Eatery?

So the news announced today by Regent Seven Seas is that it is about to install its new Prime 7 Steakhouse on its Voyager and Mariner ships. My question, to be honest, is "What, in real terms,is new and luxury?"

This replacement for the lackluster and curious Asian-esque Lattitudes sounds physically appealing:  a "rich pallete of greens and golden hues", "supple leather furniture" and "polished granite and burnished woods".  I am most interested to see the design, especially after seeing just last week what Celebrity accomplished with its Celebrity Solstice's steakhouse.

That said, the menu sounds like a very common steakhouse menu and nothing more. It starts out with an interesting "trio of steak tartares and foie gras sliders with rhubarb chutney", but then hypes them as being avant-garde.  They aren't.  Did Regent find the recipe on The Food Network website?  See http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/rhubarb-and-foie-gras-recipe/index.html .)  After those highlights it was old fashioned oysters Rockefeller and jumbo lump crabmeat cakes.  To be fair, they can be extraordinary or just the same old, same old.  Time will tell.

So I look further into the menu and am really disappointed.  Once I get past the 32 ounce Porterhouse and the 18 ounce Cote de Boeuf (ribeye steak), the remainder is nothing extraordinary, but rather exactly what you would expect...nothing more: surf and turf, lambchops, frozen crab legs, frozen lobster tails and roasted chicken.

OK, you probably think I am being harsh...even anti-Regent.  No, I am wondering where the gourmet "6 star" luxury experience is.  (Regent is the one that started the 6 star hype.)  I would expect that coming out with a new restaurant on these ships would bring something special.  (It is not hard.  For example, Celebrity Solstice has Kobe beef as an offering in addition to homemade gnocchi and ravioli.)

If I am going on what is clearly one of the most, if not the most, expensive major cruise line in the world I expect better than expected, more than ordinary and, most certainly, something better than hype.  While it is only one element of a cruise, I find it worrisome that Celebrity seems to have executed the steakhouse concept better on on a cruise that will cost you literally a fraction of what a Regent cruise will.

I hope I am wrong, but having just come off a ship which wow'd me and which provided me with more than solid service and which proudly calls itself "premium" not "luxury" I just expect more.  We shall see.

Some Interesting Options...And The Seabourn Difference

Some of you keep reading about Seabourn, but really don't know what the ships are like.  Let's briefly compare a few ships, so you get the idea of how Seabourn can be so intimate and personalized. 

I have chosen three of the better quality ships, so the comparison is meaningful.
Celebrity Solstice

Regent Seven Seas Voyager

Seabourn Legend

All all three are high quality ships and each provides a quality product. 

The Solstice has far more in the way of facilities, options and unique venues (and I am very much looking forward to my pre-inaugural cruise in an AquaClass spa stateroom next month!).  It also must service over 2,800 guests.  In a way, the fantastic facilities are a substitute for some of the "impossible to provide to everyone" personalized service.  To be sure, there is a WOW factor and a price point for most cabins/suites which is but a fraction of the two others it is compared to. However the top suites do get more personalized service to combine with those facilities and, at times, the prices are not so different from the other two.  But if you shop carefully, good deals abound!

The Voyager has less facilities (and it is about to have some of its more tired ones updated shortly!) and, of course, less guests:  708.  While I have issues with its staff training and inconsistency of service, the theory is that the service is of a higher, more personalized, nature.  Its size and lower passenger count allows for open seat dining and a more "restaurant" vs. "grand ballroom", "club vs. dance hall" feel.  However, due to the number of passengers it is almost impossible to provide proactive service.  If you ask you will probably get what you want - within limits.  But don't expect to get without asking.

The Seabourn Legend (and her two sisters) has the least amount of facilities, with a small (but adequate) spa, fitness center, library, etc.  But with only 208 guests...7% percent of Solstice's and 30% of Voyager's guests...intuitive service and special touches are not only possible, it is a way of life.  The staff quickly learns your name.  They can give you real advice as to wines and menu items.  They can see that you might want a lounge chair "just there" and also bring you refreshments, just in case...and unasked for.  The food is of extraordinary quality and made ala minute rather than staged as hundreds (or thousands) line up at meal times on the other ships.

So as I sit here writing I recall just a few weeks ago I was sitting in the hot tub on the bow of a Seabourn ship with two friends (can you find it in the photo?), sailing out of a small port the other two ships cannot visit (for they are too large), and a bar waiter came up to us and said, "You look like you could use a bottle of champagne and three glasses."  He was right...and we hadn't even thought about that. How did he know that?