Seven Seas Explorer Review
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We have cruised on Regent Seven Seas several times and loved it every time, but we had not cruised with them since they were purchased by NCL. We wanted to cruise on the Explorer, "the most luxurious ship ever built", but were concerned that the quality we had experienced on our earlier Regent cruises would not have been maintained under the new management. We also read postings on Cruise Critic in which people expressed unhappiness with the new ship.
However, we couldn't have been happier with our cruise on the Explorer. In our opinion, Regent quality has been maintained. The staff was as welcoming and accommodating as always, the wine was poured as liberally as always, and the food was as excellent as always. We especially liked the new menu, in which passenger favorites such as lobster, shrimp cocktail and filet mignon are available every night in addition to the always excellent daily specials. Our suite was very comfortable and our balcony was larger than on other ships we have been on. Even though we were near the back of the ship, there was very little motion and absolutely no vibration except when the ship was backing up or using the thrusters to maneuver.
We do agree with some of the earlier postings that said they found the decor rather dark on the Explorer. We did too, but that is just personal preference. And although all the marble, gold and expensive woods probably do make the Explorer "the most luxurious ship ever built", we didn't really think it seemed any more luxurious than the other Regent ships, which also have the wonderful staff, excellent food, etc. Regent Seven Seas continues to be our favorite cruise line.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Veranda Suite
We were surprised that our bed was a queen rather than the king we had had on earlier Regent cruises, but it was apparently a "European queen" and seemed larger than an American queen. It was very comfortable and the bamboo sheets were marvelous. We liked having a curtain between the bed and the sitting area so one person could stay up reading without disturbing the person who wanted to sleep. The balcony was larger than we had had on other cruise lines. Although we did not have a tub, our shower was huge and had both an overhead rain shower and a handheld shower. The only possible complaint was that the TV could only be viewed from the bed and not from the sitting area, but that was a minor problem. The movies on demand were first run and included several Oscar winners, just days after the Oscars were awarded.