Regatta Activities

Regatta's entertainment tends to mimic cabaret-style, with entertainers doubling as social hosts and hostesses during the day. There are musicians and solo acts brought onboard, but in general, entertainment is fairly low-key.

On our Scandinavian Splendors tour, we enjoyed a jazz quartet that played outside during lunch when the weather was nice. They also played inside during tea time at Horizons. There was a classical trio, which played around the ship at different times and welcomed us to the Grand Dining Room for supper. A husband-and-wife magical comedy team regaled us with tricks and jokes. Our cruise director, Leslie Jon, is an accomplished singer and entertainer, so -- aside from his daytime duties of keeping us informed, delighting us with bits of arcane trivia and explaining the day's activities -- we also enjoyed his presence in the evenings.

Of course there's the casino and classes in the Oceania@Sea lab. But there were also two areas of entertainment that stood out for me: martini-tasting (at only $9, a true bargain) and an enrichment program. On our trip, we had two specialists, both of whom were really inspiring and interesting. One was an expert in Faberge eggs and Baltic amber -- he taught us how to tell fake amber from the real stuff -- and the other was a historian who knew the area's history, from the Norse gods and Czars to the present democracies. Both of these fellows also acted as guest hosts on our bus excursions.

Speaking of excursions, I used Oceania's offerings exclusively, except in places like Amsterdam and Stockholm, where I just wanted to get out and walk. Some were priced substantially higher than if I had done them on my own (I didn't care, I wanted convenience), but some -- like the Premium Tours in St. Petersburg -- were worth every penny. I had not heard of this before I boarded, but there is a program that allows you to take the standard St. Petersburg tours -- known for their frenetic pace and frustrating crowds -- in a van with only 10 to 16 other people. It's a cross between a private tour and a typical shore excursion, with an upcharge of $30 U.S. per tour. I chose to do it with all three options offered. Believe me -- it was the best $90 I spent on the entire cruise.

Regatta brings representatives from the tourism boards of each city visited onto the ship on the morning of arrival. You can get maps and information, but also do your homework, and ask a lot of questions before you go. Some of the info we were given by the shore staff -- even the tourism representatives -- was incorrect.

You might not exactly gasp the first time you enter Regatta's main lobby, but most people want to -- at least those who are not familiar with these small ships and their consistent decor. Some people equate the central staircase with a Titanic replica; I prefer to think of it as Tara-like, since I expect to see Vivien Leigh flouncing down to greet Clark Gable at the bottom.

The ambience in Regatta's public rooms is clubby, elegant, comfortable, familiar; you feel as though you're in a country manor house that you've visited before. Plush furnishings and Oriental carpets of red, gold, blue and yellow are framed by the burled walnut of the walls, the ornamental sconces and the painted ceiling frescoes. Several of the rooms have faux fireplaces, including the beautiful, comfortable library perched over the pool; Martini's Bar on the indoor promenade and the Grand Bar at the entrance to the dining room. During the first few rainy and windy days of our Baltic sojourn, many passengers wished the fires weren't so “faux;” we pictured ourselves snuggled into the deep, comfortable chairs and sofas, in front of a crackling fire, with big mugs of cocoa.

Most of the public rooms are located on the Deck 5 promenade or on Deck 10 aft (the library) or forward (Horizons). Just before entry into the spa on Deck 9 is the Internet center, featuring long tables of laptops. Internet service is available at an exorbitant 95 cents U.S. per minute, with packages available to bring the price down slightly. It's so slow that the Internet center management has warnings advising you not to expect DSL-level speed. On the first two or three days of our cruise the service was horrible, but after that, it seemed speedy and efficient. Classes -- some free and some costing $25 per session -- are offered by the Internet management team, and a software CD is included. Classes were well-attended, and the photo contests sponsored by the Internet center garnered great enthusiasm. We were really impressed with the husband and wife management team on our cruise; their teaching skill and patience were extraordinary, and they really got people interested in the subjects of online photo albums, using Photoshop, and sending photos via e-mail to their grandkids.

Next to the Internet center is a small card room that saw plenty of bridge play on our 14-day cruise.

The ship's main entertainment venue, Regatta Lounge, is located forward on Deck 5. More a cabaret than a theatre, it's congenial but not ideal for stage shows, as the seating is at scattered tables, and sight lines are poor. There's a nice dance floor in the room, though (and a bigger one in Horizons, too).

The ship's boutiques offer an array of logo items, perfumes and other duty-free goods, as well as regional tchotchkes that reflect the cruise's itinerary. Park West's art pieces are scattered about during days that have art auctions; on our cruise, they were extremely limited because they have to be conducted on sea days. We had two of those and, thus, two auctions.

There's also a small casino with blackjack and poker tables and some scattered slot machines. The tables were busy on some nights, but the slot machines were too tight to get much play after the first couple of days.

Next: Regatta Family

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