Seven Seas Navigator Cruise Reviews - Reviews

The pre-cruise safari in Shamwari Game Reserve was excellent: game drives, lodging and meals.

RSSC staff were also excellent both in Stateroom service and in the dining rooms. Tours varied by both who you had as a guide and where you were. Both South Africa and Namibia were very good to excellent. All of the other tours in Western Africa varied from terrible to good. On one tour the AC did not work on the bus for the entire 7 hours with temperatures in the bus probably over 100 degrees.

Tours in the Caribbean varied by island, though it seemed that those on the islands that were still part of France were better: Guides and buses.

Entertainment again was varied: Loved the NCL shows and most of the solo entertainers. Sometimes we did not make it to the shows because of the schedule on that given day.

The lecturer on the social and economic conditions of west African countries was excellent. The marine life lecturer was good. The rest were poor.

This cruise, although pricey, was a wonderful way to see Africa.  It was worth every penny for the trip of a lifetime.  An all-inclusive cruise may be on the horizon again in my future.  It was so nice not having to be charged for anything outside of going to the shops or the spa.  The room was spacious with a sitting room and a balcony.  Our cabin stewardess was the best.  and the food...filet mignon and lobster tail every night of the week if you wanted it.  The only frown I would bestow would be the entertainment.  It was so-so, but they did have wonderful lecturers on board from the Smithsonian.  They also had free laundromats on board to be able to wash your clothes for such a long trip.  Would I cruise with Regent again - absolutely.

We originally signed up for a "Greek Islands" trip ending in Istanbul.  While we agree it was wise to not include Istanbul as a destination due to security concerns, we were very disappointed that the majority of destinations we really were interested in were eliminated as well (Mykonos, Santorini, Ephesus, etc) and replaced with destinations that were ok but not the reason we selected this cruise in the first place.  That aside, here's our rating of the cruise, ship, staffing, etc. 

The ship Navigator is the smallest in the RSSC line up and smaller than most any other of the competition.  While this means about 400 passengers rather than a horde of thousands, it comes with a price.  In our view, there was not enough room in the public areas for 400 guests.  For example, the small pool deck area resulted in all the lounge chairs being quickly taken up.  The smoking area on the pool deck was not really isolated and therefore smoke permeated the already limited non smoking area and made it uncomfortable for enjoying relaxation.  There were no deck areas on the  sides of the ship where there access for walking or lounging in chairs.  You had to be in the pool area or the running track above it to have a place to lounge.  The food was very good and abundant.  Due once again to space limitations it felt crowded in the Veranda dining area at breakfast or dinner.  Lunch on board was not a viable option because there were excursions every day but one and the excursion timing meant it was not possible to have lunch on board and still enjoy your time ashore.  On the subject of excursions, they were pretty well done with professional, experienced, knowledgeable local guides.  It would have been better to allow more time for exploring on your own or shopping before the excursion returned to the ship (especially Venice and the Murano glass factory tour).  We would like to have more than one day at sea rather than a port 7 days in a row.

The room was spacious and well laid out.  Large walk-in closet, large bathroom with plenty of storage area, nice bed, nice deck.  My wife was excited about having a bath tub, that is until she ran the bath water to find it a rusty brown color--complete turn off.  We think that's a sign of the ship's age and need for a redo or replacement.  The staff were uniformly friendly and excellent.  Very well trained and attentive.  Embarkation and disembarkation were smooth and easy. 

We would select a different RSSC ship next time.

OLD SHIP LOTS OF VIBRATION

TOURS INCLUDED BUT OVER CROWDED

FOOD GREAT BUT DID NOT KNOW UNTIL ON SHIP THAT WE WERE ALLOWED TO ONLY DINE ONCE AT PRIME 7

ENTERTAINMENT POOR

INTERNET A JOKE

This cruise was outstanding!  The stops and excursions were fabulous.  Food and service excellent.  The recent renovations on the ship were awesome.  Can't wait for another trip. 

I have loved Regent since my first cruise with them in 2001 (then call Radisson) with impeccable service and spectacular ships but this cruise has changed everything.

The good points was the entertainment which was fabulous and not to be missed. The Jean Ann Ryan productions only lacked a "Playbill" program from being on broadway. Dancing was beautifully  coordinated with all the dancers in perfect sync (try to do that on a moving stage). The singers where equally good and the productions where fun to watch and well staged. The cast also handled the various games and actives which gave you the opportunity to really get to know some amazing your people on a one on one basis. Entertainment in the future will be provided by NCL Productions so we will have to wait a see to what level it will achieve. The addition performers where equally good and where not to missed.

For the most part the crew was truly up to Regent standards with cabins kept in perfect order by the wonderful staff we have come to love on Regent. John, the cruise director, was great  showing up everywhere, remembering names, always with a smile and took care of problems with a I'll get it taken care of it attitude. I would look forward to sailing with him again.

Staff in the Compass Rose dining room varied from the impeccable service expected on Regent to just going though the motions. How do you serve a Dover Sole with out deboning it for the diner? Why would you let your diners sit 20 minutes with out at least bring a bread basket instead of talking with the other servers. The pool grill staff was overwhelmed on nice days with long waits for drinks which is definitely not the norm for Regent.'

The itinerary was originally promoted with stops in Bermuda, Funchal, Gibraltar ending at Barcelona. This was changed after final payment was due dropping the stop at Gibraltar with no explanation being given and penalties imposed if you wanted to cancel (I know the cruise contract allows them to do anything the want but this isn't Carnival). I and a lot of my fellow passengers where disappointed on how this was handled by Regent.

The Bermuda stop was an overnight arriving on Palm Sunday with almost everything closed and having to leave early because of weather issues on Monday. I guess I should blame myself for not checking the calendar more closely. Our stop in Funchal was a total waste for the passengers since an engine failure got us in so late all the tours where cancelled but repairs to the engine where successful. Our arrival in Barcelona was on time at 2PM since they gave us an overnight in place of Gibraltar to a pier loaded with dumpsters and supplies. At least the tours offered where excellent and we got to see quite a lot of the city returning in time to see veranda and pool deck furniture loaded in the dumpsters (I think we now know why Gibraltar was dropped).

When you pay a lot for a cruise with a line known for providing a superior experience you are disappointed when you receive a third class product. We all received a $500 future cruise discount for missing Funchal but looking back I should have taken the substantial penalty and cancelled. We where only on the ship to help pay the cost of moving it to dry dock so with the exception of the entertainment I was disappointed with the new Regent (now that NCL has purchased them). Lets hope this is a one off experience.

1. Our first shore tour, St. Bart's, was cancelled at the last min. due to boat problems. There was no plan to replace this, after awhile they did give us an hour taxi ride around the island. Thought you could have done better.

2. Our shore tour was cancelled in Triniad due to lack of participation but notice was not given until we got on board. Our second choice was filled.

3. Water problems - twice we did not have water. When the water did come on it was the color of very dark tea. Sure glad this did not happen during the night. No notice given that they anticipated problems.

4. Entertainment - not as good as before.

5. Debarkation-took 1 hr 20 min. Longer than it should.

The itinerary on this cruise is wonderful. Montreal, Quebec City, Saguenay, and Sydney are particularly interesting and also off the beaten cruise ship path. We were the only ship in port which was wonderful. Unfortunately we caught up with some of the mega ships at Halifax and Saint John (two of them were in port with us in Saint John) which was really a shame but beyond our control. Although we had been to Bar Harbor, Portland, and Boston before, all of these ports are definitely worth a second visit. Newport is beautiful and a very enjoyable stop and New York City would take many visits to see everything.

This was our second cruise with Regent Seven Seas, both of them on the Navigator. We love that Regent is truly an all-inclusive cruise line; we departed the ship with a $0 balance on our account. The crowd is definitely older on this ship which for the most part is not a problem. It is wonderful not to stand in line and it's also nice to be able to meet other passengers as well as crew members. The entertainment is top-notch. The one downside to this ship is that it is very lacking in activities, especially on sea days. We spent a lot of time working on jigsaw puzzles because there was nothing else to do but fortunately we only had one sea day with this itinerary. I would never book the Navigator for an itinerary with multiple sea days. This ship is also in need of a facelift which I understand it is supposed to receive in early 2016.

This was a trip of a lifetime.  We have wanted to do an Alaskan cruise for years and now we are empty nesters we thought this is the best time.  If you really want to experience Alaska, don't wait until you retire or are too old and crippled to get out and experience it. 

The ship was luxurious and in good shape.  We have been on Royal Caribbean and Disney cruises and this was far better.   Sure there were a few carpet stains here or there in cabin hallways but it was clean and our concierge level room was spacious and comfortable.  VERY quiet everywhere.  We had Room 927 which I think was the perfect room.  It was centered just enough to prevent feeling of the ship motion, one quick level below pool deck and bar, next to the elevators which we could never hear.  Most of time we wondered where everyone was at, either in our room or even out in the halls.  The verandah was comfortable for two people.  AND, you only have one neighbor.  Behind us was a foyer for the elevators and never saw a person even standing looking out the windows there even.  The laundrette was a room away.  You are actually outside the glass doors to the hall way (which were never shut) so we felt like we were not part of the club or missing out somehow but we got the better deal I think.  The don't need those doors. 

The smaller ship got us extremely close to Hubbard Glacier, closer than most ships can get and it was originally an ice breaker...so thicker hull.  No worries as chunks of ice floated by.

Service was first class.  Food was great and we are "foodies" so we are particular about taste and selection.  I NEVER paid for any alcohol and I drank Guiness and Sam Adams beers, 12 year Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie single malt whisky, some great cabernets and chardonnays from California, Italy, France, and several premium vodkas.  The only thing I paid for was a Hoya Monterrey Especial cigar in the Cigar room.

Shows at night were all good but get there 30 minutes before to get good seats, theater is small but comfortable.  Upper level sides are hard to see from at times. 

Excursions were great.  Have to be flexible.  Our dog sledding got cancelled for weather but they offered helicopter up to glacier and drank water from the glacier stream.  Wow.  Crab feast was great even for kids but there is long staircase down to shoreline, even longer going back up.

Few tiny negatives:  1.  The ship vibration is felt in heavy seas due to powerful engines (to get through ice!)  We rarely felt it except in the back of ship, in the restaurant the night going through open waters in Gulf of Alaska.  Never felt it in the Inside Passage.  I WOULD NOT book any rooms in the aft cabins.

2. Exercise room is tiny and opens at 7:00 AM (was 3 hours past our body time) and you couldn't use machines until 8:00 am because it made noise for rooms below.  Yet people were dropping weights!  So...DO NOT book a room in the stern of ship on Level 10 under the exercise facility!

3. People don't dress up for dinner.  We were the only ones that really did and think we got more attention and praise from staff.   Go ahead and wear that tux and cocktail dress for dinner, treat yourself!

4. They need to improve their systems for those with food allergy.  My wife has a tree nut allergy and we had to constantly be on guard and say something at every meal.  Be proactive if you are allergic but you should be anyway.  People without any don't understand.

TIPS:  

1. Bring a powerstrip, very few outlets to charge phones, etc.

2. Bring a good camera like a Canon Rebel (no thinking) and get a telephoto lens as well.  Bring multiple 16mB data cards since I promise you will want to take tons of pictures.  I backed them up everyday on ship computer in library by copying over to another card and wife kept to make sure we didn't loose any pictures somehow (loss, airline lost luggage, etc.)    Also bring a video camera like a little palm size Sony.  Got to film Hubbard Glacier calving and hear the thunder cracking.  I WISH i had bought a waterproof GoPro camera.  We went kayaking and my video camera fogged up inside my coat pocket.  Fuzzy pictures.

3. You need more water repellent clothing than cold weather.  We had Underarmor Coldgear under clothes and usually hot.  We got wet more than we got cold.

4. Ask for stuff at dinner if you want it and you don't see it listed.  I got Creme Brulee and Scallops and extra anchovies just by asking my waiter.

5. I would only take a ship sponsored excursion unless you just can't get on one you want.  The ship will be more inclined to wait longer if you are not back by ALL Aboard.

6. Make YOUR OWN flight arrangements.  We did not get to Vancouver until 11:30 pm and could not enjoy the 4 Seasons hotel any.  They will put you on flights that are inconvenient and underused, thus are cheaper for the cruise line that way.  Spend the extra to tell them what flights you want.

7. Try to get there a day or two early to see the city before the cruise.  We couldn't gone from our business any longer than we were but wished we could have seen a little of it.

8.  Don't overpack.  We wore same pants and underlayers two days in a row for excursions.  The laundrette is free and provides soap automatically.  Easy.  And if premium cabin, your butler can press things for you.

9.  You don't need boots for the glacier or dog sledding.  They provide boot coverings to go over regular shoes.  i would wear normal tennis shoes or trekking shoes.  I wore my heavy Timberland insulated hiking boots on the plane trips to save luggage weight and didn't need them.

10.  Ask if there are any big companies or corporations or meetings on the cruise.  Shell oil had 120 people and it did interfere a little with meals since they all went down at same time one night before a big presentation.

11.  Sitka was about the only place that didn't have mass jewelry stores that apparently the big cruise lines own and put at all their ports of call.

It's a pretty town but I wouldn't walk it much.  We would recommend going to raptor center instead unless you don't have an excursion like we did salmon fishing.  Our boat caught some but others didn't.

12.  Juneau has a homeless soup kitchen with crackheads and derelicts walking around downtown where the stores are.  We went to the Red Dog Saloon which had good food but when we walked around the stores, we were hit up for money and did not feel safe.  Several druggies were being loud and arguing at each other and overhead some talking about losing some tourist they were watching.  I was wishing I had a pocket knife I normally carry, it was that bad.  Until the city does something, DO NOT WALK around Juneau, especially the tourist stores.  Take an excursion and go back directly to the boat.

13.  Don't buy anything from the tourist stores.  Do really need a hat or Tshirt that says Alaska or something about bears?   The kids you left at home don't want that stuff either.    If you have to buy a trinket souvenir, buy from a shop that is a locally owned one.

14.  Journal everything you did, especially at the end of the day.  You start forgetting stuff after a day.  I posted my journal entry on Facebook each day once we were home (for home security), with pictures, for friends and family and they said they felt like they had been there with us.

15.  Get a verandah.  Sure it's cool or raining sometimes but sometimes it's beautiful and you can sit out and drink coffee watching all the islands or wildlife.  If it is raining and cold, you can watch from the very back of the boat outside where it is protected from wind and they have heaters.

16. Bring an insulated mug.  I had read that but didn't want to load suitcase down.   You will want it for coffee or just water.   The cups they give you are tiny.  I got up at 5:00 am most days and went down to library and could get coffee and read paper.  Internet is slow but can get online.  May have to pay if on alot or uploading stuff.

17. Plan your trip and start paying for it a year ahead so you can plan and shop accordingly and get the room, excursion, etc. you want.  

18.  Live life now and don't wait until retirement.  It may not come.  Our dads got sick and died and never got to enjoy retirement and traveling.          Our moms regret that so much.   Go and do NOW!

The service was great. The stops were fair. The Ship is somewhat old and makes a lot of noise when up to full speed. All in all we had a good time. We willchoose other stops and more involved excursions on our next voyage

Regents Seven Seas Cruise 2015

Our Cruise – 10 day, Leaving and returning to Miami, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Ship - SS Navigator, To The Western Caribbean, Suite Category D Concierge, Booked with Luxury Cruise & Vacation Specialist/Luxury Cruise Connections

To sum up this cruise:

Date of Cruise 3/7/15 to 3/18/15

Was it worth the money- NO

Would I recommend this cruise – NO

Food – 3 out of 5

Service 4 out of 5

Accommodations (Stateroom) 5 out of 5

Shore Excursions - 2 out of 5

Service before the cruise – 5 out of 5

Service after the cruise 1 out of 5

Booking agent before final Payment – excellent, after final payment Poor, after the cruise “No Return Calls”

This was to be our over the top 25 anniversary cruise for us and our best friends.  We had been on several cruises before but wanted something really special. Over all I would give this cruise an average rating and not worth the high end cost. I have been on several cruises, but never an all-inclusive high end cruise. I would never take this cruise again. I’ll break it down so you can determine what is valuable to you and if you are willing to pay for few extras you get.

With the Regent Cruises, they arrange your travel and purchase your airline tickets, hotel accommodation, connections from the airport, hotel and the ship.  This stage went very well except for one leg, which I will explain later. When we arrived at the airport, there was a representative to meet us at baggage claim. He took our luggage to a staging area where we waited for a couple of other passengers.  The airline had lost my wheel chair, so they sent the other passengers to the hotel and sent a special car for my wife and me.

The hotel was very nice, a high end hotel, the rooms were very nice and overlooked the Miami harbor. Breakfast was provided in a private meeting room.  The room was very crowded and they finally had to set up additional tables.  The breakfast was poor at best, powdered eggs and some kind of bacon with some little pastries and some fruit. Not the best start.

After breakfast we loaded onto buses for the trip to the boat. This was all handled in a very orderly manner.  The luggage was loaded onto the buses and we didn’t see them again until we got to our stateroom.

However on the return trip from the ship to the airport, this was a nightmare. We left the ship and loaded onto buses in a very quick and orderly method.  Much better than any cruise I have ever been on before. When we arrived at the airport, the bus pulled into the back of the airport, an area of the airport I have never seen and looked like a place we shouldn’t be.  There were no agents or porters, in fact, there were no other people in sight. The bus drivers ask us to stay on the bus while he unloaded the luggage, I know why he wanted to get out of there before we knew what was happening. There were no airport personnel, porters or luggage carts available.  There was an airport entrance about 100 yards away which took us into the baggage claim area. Check in was up stairs, so we were left with our luggage, no help and a long way to drag it.

The staterooms were very nice, very large with a walk-in closet, a large bathroom with both a shower and bath tub.  The Cabin Steward great, she kept the room very neat and clean. Turning down the beds at night and making the beds each morning. She was un-noticeable unless you called on her. She was very responsive to every request. The king size bed was one of the best beds I have ever slept on. The refrigerator was stocked with beer, water and sodas and was restocked every day. Bottles of wine would be delivered via room service any time of day. Room service was quick and very good, even the morning breakfast would arrive within 10 to 15 minutes.

Food…..The sales pitch was it was like eating in a 5 star restaurant every night.  I don’t think so; the food was good but not a 5 star standard by any means.  I would give it may-be a 3 to 3.5 stars. I had better food on Carnival Cruise lines. They also have a specialty Restaurant, Prime 7 Steak House, which was supposed to be over the top. You had to make reservation at no additional cost.  We arrive and were seated by the kitchen in a small and very crowded dining room. There were 4 of us and we had Prime Rib, 2-Ribeye Steaks and surf and turf. I don’t think any of us ate it all and not because there was to much food. The steaks and prime rib were tough, the lobster was overcooked and it was just not enjoyable.  You did have a 5 course meal every night and they spent a lot of time replacing silverware and dishes, like a 5 star restaurant. Dinner was not a quick affair; it usually took from 2 to 2.5 hours to eat each night. Service was not quick and if you asked for something different, you would have to ask several times.  I must say that the wine flowed freely, there was always someone there to re-fill the glass or top them off.  The wine as well as all the liquor was top shelf. Breakfast of sausage and eggs consisted of 2 eggs, two small sausages links and 2 small round (about quarter size) home fries. Lunches around the pool were standard fare, Hot dogs, Hamburgers and sandwiches which were very good. They also had a buffet each day with a different theme. Which was OK, they had a Mexican Theme one day that was bad, if they hadn’t told us, I don’t think I would have known it was Mexican.

Most of the excursions were included with just a few that had an extra charge, but there were plenty of free ones to choose from. But they did not live up to billing either. At our first port, we didn’t even stop because the sea was to rough and we couldn’t get into the dock. So they just slowed down and took their time to get to the next port. Most of the excursions are lousy, poorly planned and you no longer even get the rest stop with snacks/beverages. I would prefer to pay more for a quality excursion. Now we only go on our own independent tours and have so much more fun.

 Spa: Way Way overpriced

All of the shows start at 9:30 so we didn’t make it to any of them. By the time we finished dinner most of the time the show had already started. They did have tea and game each day which was very entertaining and fun. They would play bingo and trivia games where you could win tickets for prizes from the gift shop. The tea was served with different type’s appetizers and small desserts which were very good.

My next cruise will NOT be with Regents Seven Seas and I will not book with Luxury Cruise & Vacation

Lyle & Susan Hagedorn - Floyd VA

Mike &Dianne Butler – Austin TX

Regents Seven Seas Cruise 2015

Our Cruise – 10 day, Leaving and returning to Miami, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Ship - SS Navigator, To The Western Caribbean, Suite Category D Concierge, Booked with Luxury Cruise & Vacation Specialist/Luxury Cruise Connections

To sum up this cruise:

Date of Cruise 3/7/15 to 3/18/15

Was it worth the money- NO

Would I recommend this cruise – NO

Food – 3 out of 5

Service 4 out of 5

Accommodations (Stateroom) 5 out of 5

Shore Excursions - 2 out of 5

Service before the cruise – 5 out of 5

Service after the cruise 1 out of 5

Booking agent before final Payment – excellent, after final payment Poor, after the cruise “No Return Calls”

This was to be our over the top 25 anniversary cruise for us and our best friends.  We had been on several cruises before but wanted something really special. Over all I would give this cruise an average rating and not worth the high end cost. I have been on several cruises, but never an all-inclusive high end cruise. I would never take this cruise again. I’ll break it down so you can determine what is valuable to you and if you are willing to pay for few extras you get.

With the Regent Cruises, they arrange your travel and purchase your airline tickets, hotel accommodation, connections from the airport, hotel and the ship.  This stage went very well except for one leg, which I will explain later. When we arrived at the airport, there was a representative to meet us at baggage claim. He took our luggage to a staging area where we waited for a couple of other passengers.  The airline had lost my wheel chair, so they sent the other passengers to the hotel and sent a special car for my wife and me.

The hotel was very nice, a high end hotel, the rooms were very nice and overlooked the Miami harbor. Breakfast was provided in a private meeting room.  The room was very crowded and they finally had to set up additional tables.  The breakfast was poor at best, powdered eggs and some kind of bacon with some little pastries and some fruit. Not the best start.

After breakfast we loaded onto buses for the trip to the boat. This was all handled in a very orderly manner.  The luggage was loaded onto the buses and we didn’t see them again until we got to our stateroom.

However on the return trip from the ship to the airport, this was a nightmare. We left the ship and loaded onto buses in a very quick and orderly method.  Much better than any cruise I have ever been on before. When we arrived at the airport, the bus pulled into the back of the airport, an area of the airport I have never seen and looked like a place we shouldn’t be.  There were no agents or porters, in fact, there were no other people in sight. The bus drivers ask us to stay on the bus while he unloaded the luggage, I know why he wanted to get out of there before we knew what was happening. There were no airport personnel, porters or luggage carts available.  There was an airport entrance about 100 yards away which took us into the baggage claim area. Check in was up stairs, so we were left with our luggage, no help and a long way to drag it.

The staterooms were very nice, very large with a walk-in closet, a large bathroom with both a shower and bath tub.  The Cabin Steward great, she kept the room very neat and clean. Turning down the beds at night and making the beds each morning. She was un-noticeable unless you called on her. She was very responsive to every request. The king size bed was one of the best beds I have ever slept on. The refrigerator was stocked with beer, water and sodas and was restocked every day. Bottles of wine would be delivered via room service any time of day. Room service was quick and very good, even the morning breakfast would arrive within 10 to 15 minutes.

Food…..The sales pitch was it was like eating in a 5 star restaurant every night.  I don’t think so; the food was good but not a 5 star standard by any means.  I would give it may-be a 3 to 3.5 stars. I had better food on Carnival Cruise lines. They also have a specialty Restaurant, Prime 7 Steak House, which was supposed to be over the top. You had to make reservation at no additional cost.  We arrive and were seated by the kitchen in a small and very crowded dining room. There were 4 of us and we had Prime Rib, 2-Ribeye Steaks and surf and turf. I don’t think any of us ate it all and not because there was to much food. The steaks and prime rib were tough, the lobster was overcooked and it was just not enjoyable.  You did have a 5 course meal every night and they spent a lot of time replacing silverware and dishes, like a 5 star restaurant. Dinner was not a quick affair; it usually took from 2 to 2.5 hours to eat each night. Service was not quick and if you asked for something different, you would have to ask several times.  I must say that the wine flowed freely, there was always someone there to re-fill the glass or top them off.  The wine as well as all the liquor was top shelf. Breakfast of sausage and eggs consisted of 2 eggs, two small sausages links and 2 small round (about quarter size) home fries. Lunches around the pool were standard fare, Hot dogs, Hamburgers and sandwiches which were very good. They also had a buffet each day with a different theme. Which was OK, they had a Mexican Theme one day that was bad, if they hadn’t told us, I don’t think I would have known it was Mexican.

Most of the excursions were included with just a few that had an extra charge, but there were plenty of free ones to choose from. But they did not live up to billing either. At our first port, we didn’t even stop because the sea was to rough and we couldn’t get into the dock. So they just slowed down and took their time to get to the next port. Most of the excursions are lousy, poorly planned and you no longer even get the rest stop with snacks/beverages. I would prefer to pay more for a quality excursion. Now we only go on our own independent tours and have so much more fun.

 Spa: Way Way overpriced

All of the shows start at 9:30 so we didn’t make it to any of them. By the time we finished dinner most of the time the show had already started. They did have tea and game each day which was very entertaining and fun. They would play bingo and trivia games where you could win tickets for prizes from the gift shop. The tea was served with different type’s appetizers and small desserts which were very good.

My next cruise will NOT be with Regents Seven Seas and I will not book with Luxury Cruise & Vacation

Lyle & Susan Hagedorn - Floyd VA

Mike &Dianne Butler – Austin TX

We love Regent. The food is always splendid and the crew is always fabulous. But "Navigator" was an astonishing disappointment for us. The ship seems old, and is incredibly noisy. Even in our Penthouse suite midships, we were disturbed with appalling noises and vibrations from the engines. No one from the crew made any reference to these startling noises...they were like aural Emperor's new Clothes.."if we don't mention it, it isn't there."

Also we were disappointed that the Captain did not sound the ships whistle entering or leaving ports. When asked, he called it "noise pollution!" Well! I guess he doesn't realize how much we passengers like it. And the ports make a lot of money off these cruises, so I'll bet they like it, too!

Please, Regent Powers that Be, tell your captains to sound that horn...or maybe we will switch to Disney.

1ST CHAPTER: INCOMPETENCE &  RUDENESS : To celebrate our anniversary ,my wife and I decided to splurge on an Alaskan cruise with the Regent cruise line.

We also purchased the airline tickets and the land package ( 1 night hotel stay and transportation from the airport  to the hotel etc)

As the time for departure approached and we still had not received the information about the land package,we had to call Regent. They discovered that they had forgotten ! to book the package and the hotel stay , and promised to get on it and will call us back " the next day". They did not. We had to call them several times. Their excuse was that they were allowed to communicate with their hotel department in Florida only via e- mail ! and had not gotten a response yet. Finally several days and phone calls later! we were assured that everything was taken care of.   To be on the safe side , we sent them a short and sweet e- mail asking them to confirm this in writing. Then all hell  broke loose . We got very quickly a phone call from a Ms P.H. Everything about her long tirade was haughty ,condescending , and sarcastic : why would we doubt Regent ?; have we not read page 5 ,paragraph 4? ( we had); didn't we see the land package info ? ( we had not as they forgot to include it );and on and on. Mercifully the tirade ended but only after my wife offered to take a picture of that page and send it to her as a proof we are not lonely people calling to chit-chat, or the proverbial customers from hell with time on our hands.

Forward 3 days later , and we landed at the Anchorage airport.We proceeded to the Marriott only to discover that we had no on-site greeter, no welcome letter for information or instructions and no luggage ! Apparently since Regent was so late trying to book us a hotel,  they were forced to put us at the Marriott while the rest of their clients were all lodged at the Hilton. They simply forgot to inform their tour operator ! So we had to go to the Hilton to retrieve our luggage.Apologies were given and accepted and we returned to the Marriott. We thought our problems were finally over,until the next morning when we went for breakfast only to discover that our breakfast voucher was for one person only!

2ND CHAPTER : FINALLY IT WAS THE BEST OF TIMES; OR HOW I LEARNED TO LOVE THE CRUISE BUT STILL HATE THE PROCESS : Now finally the great news : the cruise itself was a dream! The ship was extremely clean, well-maintained and well- organized.The accommodations were superb ( get a balcony if you can afford it ). The entire ship crew was extremely friendly and professional. The food was outstanding. Everything was above reproach.A simply amazing and delightful experience.Nothing short of spectacular !

3RD CHAPTER : A HUMBLE REQUEST TO REGENT: 1) Please stop sending me ads and e-mails about your various upcoming cruises : my wonderful experience on the Navigator has not yet completely erased the bad taste in my mouth from the distasteful repulsive attitude of most of your phone representatives at headquarters . 2) Think of assigning few of your delightful ship crew personnel to headquarters : they have a thing or two to teach some of your customer service personnel about friendliness , respect and professionalism.

.

We booked Alaska July2-9, 2014. We discovered there was SEVERE VIBRATION AND ENGINE NOISE immediately after departing. We were told the ship was "full", and nothing could be done. Cruise cost $16,000 and we didn't sleep for a week. The bed never stopped vibrating and the loud noise under our bed was continuous. We discovered this ship was a re-fitted Russian Icebreaker that had a makeover. They never re-fitted the engines. Only reduced vibration area was Concierge level (midship...more money). Food was mediocre for the price.  Entertainment was good.

Shore excursions were the passengers responsibility. Should be booked when you sign up.  Otherwise, the best ones were taken quickly.

We are experienced travelers and never had an experience like this.  BEWARE BOOKING THE SEVEN SEAS NAVIGATOR.

We have traveled on several cruises since our marriage 32 years ago.  This is the first cruise that carried a maximum of nearly 500 passengers.  The passenger to crew ration was 1:1.6 which allowed exquisit service.  The cruise director and assistant cruise director were top notch with nearly 30 years experience between the two.  Onboard entertainment and shore excursions were well planned and executed.  The "all inclusive" atmosphere works beautifully allowing a smoother and more relaxed tone between passengers and crew.  The smaller numbers onboard assured repeated encounters where passengers and crew quickly recognized one another thus bringing a more personal touch to the cruise.  The cuisine and service was unsurpassed.  Our butler spoiled us rotten!  The accomodations exceeded our expectations.  With no disrespect to larger cruise ships that we have traveled, we have found our niche with the "smaller" ships.  A job well done by all!  Thank you.  

The ship was in excellent condition. Everything was clean and attractive. It was very comfortable and inviting.

Very modern and up to date ship...

We have sailed on the Navigator six times. We have nothing but accolades for Regent: the itineraries, the ports of call, the excursions. But their shining star is their crew and staff. They treat everyone royally and it is such a pleasure to spend a week or ten days or more with them. They make a point to get to know you, call you by name, and remember your preferences. We highly recommend Regent to anyone who asks, and even to those who don't ask!!

Cabin was great; shipboard activities very nice; ship seemed to need updating.