I sailed on the Regent Seven Seas Navigator with my wife and 11-yr old son August 14, 2009 for 7 days, Athens (Piraeus) to Istanbul. My previous cruise experiences have been on Seaborn, Crystal and Lindblad/Nat. Geo. (small ships in Galapagos and Baja). I am not particularly picky about things and although I give almost anyone the benefit of the doubt if their heart is in the right place, I do notice things and, if things don't go well, those things stick in my craw. Anyway, the things I noticed (but would never complain about) are towards the end of this review, after "You're OUT!!!). I had, admittedly, somewhat high expectations of Regent, as I had originally chosen a 12-day itinerary on Oceania and my wife and agent 'upsold" me to Regent, as a definitive step-up from Oceania. As the title to this review portends, I was disappointed to the core with many aspects of the cruise that, in my opinion, leave no doubt as to the answer to question where Regent Seven Seas belongs in any "rating" of cruise lines.
First, the good. We had a basic room which, on the Navigator, is stunning and huge (even without the generous balcony) relative to anything I have experienced on Seaborn or Crystal in the same general category. 24-hr room service. So, if your idea of a perfect cruise is sitting in the room, reading or watching videos and living off of room service, you've come to the right place. Room service food was reported to be good by my son, who enjoyed it several times. We only had the "fixings" delivered for some caviar we had, all good.
Now, the misery.
Cabin 607 - port starboard near end of hall. Good location. Average noise. Very convenient/centrally located to getting on/off ship and getting to dining room.