Here's how we would (and do) compare Regent to Oceania. The ship was lovely, our cabin was spacious, and the walk-in closet was more than sufficient. In addition, the service was very good, albeit not quite up to what we have come to expect on Oceania. The showroom and shows were every bit as good as Oceania. The entertainment director, Andy, was the best we have ever had and we met some really nice couples, whom we hope to hear from in the not too distant future. Now, the reason we will not go back to Regent any time soon. The food was inconsistent, ranging from usually just OK to downright it had to be sent back, and even after that, the replacement was only 50% good, starting with two lamb chops ordered medium-rare. one of us had overly salted meals, mostly in the main dining room, one of which was almost inedible, but she did not send it back because she was eating very little. She found other meals too salty, as well. Finally, in our favorite restaurant, the Italian, where we did not need reservations and where we ate 4 times, the 4th time the meal surprisingly was almost incredibly over-cooked. It seems the only restaurant of the four (including the main dining room) that could cook meat as ordered was Prime 7, the steak restaurant. Read Less

I have read recent reviews of cruises on the Mariner that cast doubt on the exceptionable quality of the cruise experience on this ship. In part, my motivation for writing this review is to balance what has been written by some others (and to reinforce the positive reviews of the Mariner Alaska cruises that also appear in CruiseCritic). I travelled with my two adult daughters for a 7 day Alaska cruise on the Regent Seven Seas Mariner. We spent several days on our own in Anchorage prior to the cruise, travelling on day trips with a rented car. The night before the cruise we stayed at the Anchorage Hilton (which we enjoyed somewhat less than our stay at the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel & Spa) in a free, pre-cruise package, followed by a bus transfer to the port in Seward on the day of the cruise. The embarkation was extremely quick and simple, taking no more than about 5 minutes. The cruise experience of all three of us on the Regent Seven Seas Mariner was extraordinary. The staff was uniformly outstanding (more details about this later) and very friendly, from the captain to the dining staff and the room cleaners. The food was, in general, excellent, and great efforts were made to adapt the menu to the special needs of one of my daughters, who is lactose intolerant and does not eat meat (more about this in the next paragraph). We enjoyed almost all of the shore excursions, although some were much better than others. We chose not to go to most of the entertainment shows (usually because we ate dinner relatively late, so I have no comments to offer on them). When I reserved the cruise, I informed our Regent Cruise Consultant (through whom I purchased the cruise), that one of my daughters is lactose intolerant and does not eat meat. Shortly after our arrival on board the Mariner, we met with the Douglas, the officer in charge of dining on the ship. He told us that every evening we would receive menus for the next day at all of the Mariner's restaurants and that we would be able to make modifications to suit my daughter's food needs. The first two days we made requests to make modifications in various dishes that were on the menu -- and to add a non-dairy prepared dessert. We also asked our butler to arrange with the restaurants that my daughter receive a special order of non-dairy pancakes at breakfast. Everything was prepared as we requested. Then we decided to be more pro-active with everything on the menu. What followed was extraordinary. We would request salads, main courses and desserts that did not appear on the menu, but whose ingredients either appeared somewhere on one of the restaurant's menus or which we knew were available. Essentially, we prepared unique dishes that my daughter thought she would enjoy, and the kitchen staff prepared those dishes especially for her. In addition, at every meal they would prepare a special cake or pie for her dessert and, on the last night of the cruise she received a fresh cherry pie that was the tastiest dessert that I sampled on the entire cruise. I can't emphasize enough the contribution to our enjoyment of the cruise that was made by such outstanding and individual treatment (which also was tasty); it transformed one of my daughter's and my concerns about the cruise into an enjoyable and sometimes even exciting (culinary) experience. I also would like to single out the warm and friendly atmosphere in interactions with the ship's crew. We had several opportunities to speak briefly with the captain, who was always willing to spend a minute or two to talk with us. Our butler, Arnel, was extraordinarily helpful and went out of his way to resolve any issue or answer any question that we might have. The cleaning staff, including our steward Thirupathi, always greeted us with a smile and a warm welcome. The dining room staff was almost universally warm, attentive and helpful -- and, in addition to Douglas, I would like to single out the French Dining Room Officer Maria; both of my daughters and I enjoyed talking with her and we also were impressed by her ability to direct the staff under her supervision as well as to take responsibility on herself. The ship experience was in general very positive. The ship was clean and aesthetically pleasing. There were some problems with the 2 elevators on the other side of the ship from our room and this may have affected many passengers, but the 3 elevators on the forward side of the ship had no problems. A particular on-board experience that the three of us greatly enjoyed was the cruise along the Hubbard Glacier and the ability to bring the ship so close to the glacier, allowing us to clearly see and hear the sounds of the glacier's calving. Additional highlights for us were the shore excursions. In general, we enjoyed the excursions, although there were truly local experts who added tremendously to their guiding based on many years of experience, whereas other of the "local" guides were less familiar with the sights that they described, as they were summer staff that seemed to have undergone a quick orientation, but were lacking deeper knowledge of the surroundings. The two excursions that one or all of us enjoyed the most were the Tongass Rainforest Nature Hike (from Sitka), which had an excellent guide, and the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Quest (from Juneau). To sum up, on the basis of my cruise experience on this Alaska, Regent Seven Seas Cruise, I would definitely choose to sail again with Regent. Read Less

This was our first cruise with Silversea (my first with any line) but will not be our last. We felt pampered and enjoyed our meals consistently throughout the 7 days. The ship and our cabin were bright and clean. The staff were cheerful and polite. We were fortunate to have sunny and fairly warm weather in Alaska throughout our cruise. Going in September we were concerned a bit about this, but it turned out great. Breakfast in LaTerrazza gets the day off to a great start. It is a buffet type arrangement with an incredible assortment of fresh fruit, breads (sweet rolls were irresistible to one of us, ok, I tried them all), eggs, cereals, cold cuts, cheeses, juices and more. Coffee is served at your table, and it is possible to order a custom breakfast from there as well. The lunch buffet is also excellent, but don't pass up the superb pizza at Spaccanapoli or the wide selection of lunch choices at the Grille. Dinner in Atlantide and Indochine were both superb, out of the many dinner orders between us, only one was disappointing. Not sure why DW decided to order vegetarian that night... Entertainment was fine, the performers are enthusiastic and talented. The musicians playing in various locations around the ship were very good. Vlad, a guitarist/vocalist, caught our attention while we were walking about. We sat down and enjoyed an excellent set of music while being served the fine included-in-fare sauvignon blanc. Our favorite excursion was whale watching out of Juneau. We were perhaps lucky in seeing about 10 whales, but the guides seemed confident we'd find them from the outset. Embarkation and disembarkation were a breeze. A vigorous hike and river float ride in Skagway also made for a great day. The ship had an unexpected technical issue after we boarded causing us to stay in Vancouver the first day, and so we missed our Ketchikan stop. Silversea provided free excursions to Vancouver and a cash credit on a future cruise, which we considered fair compensation. As the rest of the cruise went so well, the issue was evidently fully resolved. We are happy to give overall 5 stars for a truly memorable cruise! Read Less

Overall a nice experience. Great cabin, balcony was well used and steward was perfect. Food was not up to other Princess ships I've been on but service was wonderful. I should clarify, Horizon Court Buffet at times reminded me of college dorm fare. Shows were very good. The most annoying thing was the constant announcements of sales. Yes, they have to make a profit but sometimes it's the little things that make a customer feel special. It was exciting to receive a packet in the post with documents, luggage tags and great expectations of an upcoming adventure. Now you have to print yourself documents etc etc. Nice touch at the end of the cruise was the airlines luggage program. Bags whisked away not to be touched again until you land at your home airport. Note the Star is getting a bit long in the tooth. Showing some age, it gets hard to maintain a ship after 15 years of service. Read Less

My husband and I were looking for a smaller ship ( Sojourn holds 450 passengers) and a trip to Alaska. The ship is almost 10 years old and could use a little attention/updating in the way of carpeting, painting. Just a bit... That being said, the trip was quite enjoyable. We began in Seward, AK with effortless embarkation. Into the Gulf of Alaska ( seas a bit rough) and on to Harriman Fjord and Icy Strait Point. Juneau was the first major port, then Tracy Arm, Haines, Sitka, Wrangell, Rudyerd Bay, Ketchikan, Prince Rupert, BC, interior straits substituted for Klemtu, Alert Bay, BC and finally Vancouver to disembark. Disembarkation went smoothly. We arranged through Seabourn to stay two extra nights in Vancouver. Everything went off without a hitch. The Fairmont Pacific Rim is lovely. Pros: 1) service was OUTSTANDING on the ship. Our attendant, Kudzai, couldn’t have been more enthusiastic and helpful. Servers were on the ball. 2) excursions were plentiful. There were naturalists on board to give talks prior to port calls. Numerous Zodiac boats and kayaks were available for excursion use. There were many excursions to choose from, most included wildlife sightings though not guaranteed. We were lucky and saw whales, sea otters, black bears and sea lions each time we ventured out. Food: three restaurant areas to choose from with 24 hr room service. The “ Square” ( library with coffee, sandwiches and sweets) was another alternative if you didn’t want a lot to eat. Thomas Keller Restaurant is small and must be reserved. We went one night and it was fine. Gluten free and vegetarian options were available every night. Entertainment: husband and I didn’t take in much of this. Shows at night we’re at 9:45 and most days we were simply too tired to go. We did watch a magician who was actually very good and a comedian who also was pretty funny. The last night the Sojourn singers sang songs from musicals and classical pieces. It was a very good performance. There were also periods of time on the ship blocked out for bridge games, trivia, name that tune, LGBTQ get togethers, friends of Bill W., casino and various demonstrations ( cooking, jewelry making, etc. Cons: weather cannot be helped, but some excursions were cancelled due to it. Seabourn tried hard to suggest other similar options. Money was refunded upon cancellation. Spa is rather small. It also costs extra to use the sauna even if you have booked a treatment the same day. The spa attendants seemed not busy at all. I had a reflexology treatment which was awesome and my husband had a massage. He declared his massage very good. Often a massage chair was brought into a corridor, which also had me thinking spa business was slow. * this cruise seemed to be one for an older crowd. No kids. My husband and I are 58 and we felt like we were one of the youngest, if not the youngest couples on board. Still.... you couldn’t beat the glorious scenery: glaciers, waterfalls, wildlife all seen at close range gliding through the inside passage. Service was incomparable. Read Less

My lifelong motto has been that I hate the idea of cruising. The hoards of people, the mass quantity of low quality food, the tiny rooms, and silly excursions. I’ve been on two short cruises to appease family before, and just didn’t like it. Well, when my other half suggested taking a luxury cruise through Alaska, I was not a fan of the idea. But, after watching a few videos, reading a few reviews and realizing he wasn’t kidding, we booked the Silversea’s Silver Muse 7 day Alaska cruise that started right before Labor Day weekend. The thought of the Butler Service, the suite with a bathtub and a balcony of our own, I had high hopes, but was very worried that my distaste for cruising would taint my experience. Spoiler Alert - I loved Silversea and would cruise with them again. This doesn’t feel like cruising - its luxury living. We booked the train transfer from Anchorage to Seward, and when I learned about the timeline of this, I was not pleased. First, the train didn’t leave until noon or later, so you wouldn’t get on the boat until after 5pm. Luckily for me, there was flooding on the railway tracks so they shut down the train, and we were instead going by motor coach, which meant we’d get to the ship by 2pm. I was so glad, so in hindsight, I’d recommend the bus transfer (or getting to Seward on your own), just so you can have a light lunch after embarkation on board and spend time wandering around the boat, checking things out. The boat is exactly as everyone else has described - contemporary, modern and new. The suite exceeded our expectations - I mean, who has a full size bath on a boat? The bed was extremely comfortable. I read that people didn’t like the way the TV worked. We loved it, because we could look at the restaurant menus, read about the next destination, watch videos of different cruises, and occasionally watch a movie or documentary. Why would anyone actually watch TV on vacation?? The butler service was outstanding. We became accustomed to breakfast in our room daily, along with a bottle of champagne waiting for us each afternoon. We were well taken care of, but it wasn’t intrusive at all. We only used the gym twice during our cruise, I walked on a treadmill on the day at sea and did one of the exercise yoga classes. The gym was clean and the treadmill was new and worked great. I liked that you were watching out the back window of the boat, but the class was just okay. Don’t expect to come onboard and get fit. The yoga class I took was very basic and ended up being cut short due to the raffle that day. Also the room for group classes is tiny, maybe 8 people can attend each session. Thank goodness for us, the cruise was mostly adults, and the ages varied. We are in our late 40’s and did not feel out of place. There were people of all ages, but there were definitely a lot of people well past 60, and everyone seemed to be retired. There were only about 3 babies/toddlers on the cruise, they were part of big family groups, so I don’t think it was a “choice” to be on this cruise with a child, since Silversea is definitely not designed for families or young ones. We seek out trips where kids are not allowed, so this was a plus in my book. The enrichment sessions for the Alaska cruise were good. There were several sessions, one on Glaciers, one on Totem Poles, another on Bears, one on Alaskan Bush Pilots and I’m sure there were others, all by the same person. One thing we loved was that if you missed the session, they recorded it and put it on the TV! We only attended one of the evening “shows” and it was fine. (but this is the part of cruising I hate, cheesy shows that are just embarrassing to watch). However, I will admit, the way Silversea did the show was classier than most, really just simplistic singing of songs from multiple eras. Also, the ladies that were singing in Silver Note were also very good. We sat at the bar twice and listened to them. Others have mentioned that this boat did not feel crowded. They are absolutely correct. The way they manage the restaurants, the activities, and the fact that the boat is quite large, you never feel crowded. We ran into people here and there, but overall, it was so different from other cruises where you feel like herded cattle. The only time you really noticed large groups was during the safety briefing and the last day while you wait to exit the ship. Now, onto the food onboard. My favorite dinners were at Kaiseki and Indochine - do not skip these!! Indochine had the most flavorful, unique food on the boat. I did enjoy La Terrazza, they had great house-made pasta. La Dame was very nice, but the food isn’t all that much different or better than Atlantide, which was great for formal night and the food was very nice. We ate at the pizza restaurant twice for lunch, and loved it. The Grill was a complete miss for me. I didn’t like the cook on a rock thing, and being pescatarian, my choices were limited. I opted for the shrimp, and it was gross. I couldn’t even eat them. The texture was awful. However, someone immediately noticed I was not eating them and offered me everything and anything to make up for it. We never dined at Silvernote, since we didn’t make a reservation early on, so we never got to dine there. Many people said it was great. The excursions we took were overall outstanding, well organized and timed well. While we could have booked some of these things on our own, we liked the idea of being with the companies that the cruise ship hired, so we knew they’d get us back to the ship ontime. Here are reviews of the ones we did: In Juneau, we did the Mendenhall Glacier Dog Sledding Trip. This was the highlight of the trip for me. From the thrilling helicopter transfer to the high country dogsled camp where you could see and hear over 300 dogs barking and getting excited to run, to the actual dog sled ride we took, and then we got to pet all the dogs and even held some 8 week old puppies. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this excursion. In the afternoon in Juneau, we did the Whitewater Rafting trip, which was super fun. The “rapids” were very mild and easy to navigate, but it was a nice way to spend the afternoon. They give you rain boots and waders, so as long as you have a rain coat, you’ll stay dry. We did get a few fun splashes along the way, but there was never a fear of falling out. In Skagway, we did the Chilkoot Lake Wildlife Quest. This was just okay. We took the public ferry to Haines, got in a small coach with 5 other couples and drove around looking for wildlife. We saw several bald eagles, but no bears. The lunch they served was nice, but overall, I would not choose this excursion again. Being active people in our 40’s, we would have liked a more adventurous back country experience. This would be a great experience for someone with mobility issues, but wants to see wildlife. In Sitka, we opted to take the Indian Falls Waterfall Hike. This was a no joke, 10 mile hike. We walked 5 miles in, and 5 miles back and it took the full 6 hours to complete. It was gorgeous getting well into the rainforest and our guide was a fantastic 21 year old local who knew so much about the area, the flora and fauna, and just a very pleasant person to spend the day with. If you opt for this strenuous excursion, make sure you have a good raincoat, good sturdy shoes and water resistant pants. The last 30 minutes of the trail we got dumped on, and I learned that my older raincoat was no longer as effective against the elements...... In Ketchikan, we took the Alaska Bear Adventure, which meant we took a float plane to a remote part of the island, got on a bus drove a bit, and then walked down to the viewing platform over the river to see bears. This was an AMAZING experience. We saw several bears fishing for salmon in the quick hour we were on the viewing platform. HIGHLY RECOMMEND this excursion. Bring binoculars and a camera! Tips: 1. Book dinners for later than you think. We often opted for 6pm or 7pm reservations, and in hindsight, 8pm would have been much better. Time flies between returning from an excursion and going to dinner, so having an extra hour to take a bath, relax or use the steam room, and get dressed for dinner would have been nice. I feel like this was our ‘rookie’ mistake being less experienced cruisers. 2. Do all your research on excursions before the booking window opens up. Then, go online the day they open up and reserve the ones you want immediately. The smaller group and more exclusive excursions were full within 24 hours. We did this and got to do every excursion we wanted! 3. Make dinner reservations right away as well, La Dame and Kaiseki were both full immediately after the booking window opened. 4. Do dress up for Formal Night! We ate at Atlantide for the formal night and that appears to be where many people go for the formal night. How dressy should you go? Totally up to you, but I saw long gowns, short cocktail dresses, sparkly pant suits on women and the men were in dark suits or tuxedo’s. 5. Things to bring: bring bath bombs (or bubble bath) for your bathtub; Pack a outlet converter for the UK, (while they have both US and UK outlets in your suite, having the converter made my life easier) and make sure you have comfy lounge clothes for time in your suite. If I decided to cruise again, I would definitely go with Silversea. This is a classy, upscale experience that offered great excursions, which is the only reason I would cruise, to see something, do something, or experience new places. Read Less

We have sailed on Regent's 'sister' line, Oceania Cruises, several times and have had excellent experiences, so when we were searching for a higher end cruise line to Alaska and found Regent and learned it was all-inclusive, we decided to give them a try. Overall it was a good experience but I would not rate the experience as highly as I have rated the Oceania cruises we have experienced. Ship: While the ship has been updated, the decor is lacking in appeal. The main carpet throughout the ship is dated in style though it looks new. The multi-story atrium wall across from the bank of elevators is a dark brown with some blown glass pieces that look dark and dreary. The artwork throughout the ship is contemporary but not to my taste Our cabin 732, a Veranda suite, was appealing with comfortable furnishings. The bathroom had marble and granite with a roomy shower -- no tub. Dining: Marina has two truly speciality restaurants. Prime 7 for steak and Chartreuse for French cusine. They turn the breakfast/lunch buffet restaurant, La Veranda, into Sette Mari for Italian themed cusine in the evening which was quite good so much so we went back a second time. The carbonara was very good. Prime 7 was excellent. We ordered a ribeye steak and Alaskan King Crab and made our own shared surf and turf. Both were excellent and we enjoyed this dinner tremendously. However, the people seated at the table next to us ordered lobster and we could overhear them complaining that it was overcooked and they were disappointed Chartreuse was our poorest most disappointing meal of the week. I ordered a tenderloin steak -- it was tough and not flavorful. The cheese souffle, which had to be ordered 20 minutes ahead of time, was ok -- not bad but not the best souffle I have had. Our first evening we dined in the main dining room, Compass Rose. I ordered the fish special of the evening which was pan fried red snapper. Something must have happened to my order as it took a long time and the waiter as well as maitre d came by to apologize for the wait and ensure me my meal would come soon. When the fish finally did arrive it was over cooked and dry. Other meals we had at Compass Rose were much better including our last evening on board during which I had a crusted baked salmon which was cooked perfectly and very tasty. We had breakfast each day at LaVeranda. I initially was impressed that their cooked to order egg station would take your order and table number and then deliver it to you. On Oceania, one of my main complaints for their similar breakfast station was that you placed your order and then had to stand with alot of other people waiting. Regent's ordering system was an improvement, with the exception of one morning where they must have lost my order and I waited and waited. My husband was finished with his breakfast and I was still waiting for mine. I had to ask wait staff a couple of times to check on my order. Lunches at the Pool Grill were all very good. In general, the wait staff throughout the restaurants are all very professional and eager to serve and please. Being all-inclusive, we enjoyed wine with every dinner and the somms kept our glasses full. The all inclusive for drinks and wine was one of the top experiences on Regent -- there was no waiting for a bill at the end of a meal or in one of the lounges. When we were finished we just got up and left. Entertainment and Activities: While I enjoyed several of the shows put on by the onboard singers and dancers, these were not to the taste of my husband. One evening was a country-themed show which he would not even go to so that evening we watched a movie in our cabin. Since the Mariner is a small ship there were not multiple concurrent choices for evening entertainment. The first night and a subsequent night they had a magician, Fred Becker with his wife/assistant who also sang. He put on a great show both nights they performed. He also did a workshop and taught a trick or two and answered questions which was interesting. On Oceania, there was a string quartet that played nightly. Regent did not have this. They had a duo with a guitar and a singer who were good but they were not in the Observation Lounge during the pre-dinner cocktail time. Playing at that time every evening was a pianist who played well but it was very much background music and not entertainment that you sought out. Our other issue with the entertainment was that shows do not start until 9:30 p.m. We were generally done with dinner by 8 or 8:30 p.m. which meant that we had time to kill before the show started. Moving up the show time to 9 p.m. would be a great help to how an evening flows for passengers. The shows were mostly sparsely attended with the theater on the main floor more than half empty and very few seats taken in the balcony. Moving up the time to start earlier I think would help draw a larger audience. Activities were few on board, although we did particpate a few days in trivia and my husband did the mensa quiz. The enrichment lectures on Alaska and wildlife were all interesting and well delivered. Cruise Director: The cruise director Andy was very outgoing. I saw and interacted with him and his wife, Tammy, who serves as social hostess, more than any other cruise director/team on any ship I have sailed on. Andy was at every show walking around and talking with people prior to the show. Tammy also was very friendly and talkative. They are excellent respresentives and ambassadors for the Regent brand. Ports and Shore Excursions: Another benefit of Regent is that we had many shore excursion options from which to choose that were included in the cruise fare. However, the best 'port 'was actually the afternoon we sailed into Disenchantment Bay and approached Hubbard Glacier, all while on the ship. We staked out a prime viewing spot earlier in the afternoon at the Observation Lounge which is forward on the top deck. The day we sailed in the weather was outstanding! The cruise director, the cruise enrichment lecturer, Eric Ball (who was excellent -- I attended all three of his talks) both said it was the best weather day all season for Hubbard Glacier. Being a smaller shiip, the captain was able to take us in extremly close to the glacier and we spent quite a bit of time 'hanging out' there. It was a festive, fun party atmosphere with all of the other passengers. Other shore excursions we took: In Sitka, we went two-person kayaking which was very scenic and enjoyable; hiking the Chilkoot Trail, although we had several older (in their 80s) passengers who clearly were not phycially fit enough to be on this excursion, which was rated a 3, the top difficulty rating. Consequently, we had to go very slow on the hike and continually had to keep waiting for them to catch up. I was concerned that one of them would fall going up or down the terrain. So this put a damper on this hike, although the trip ended with river raft ride along a river where we saw so many bald eagle I lost count. We also did a hike which was rated a 2 in difficulty that was a leisurely stroll through the Tongas National Forest with an extremely knowledgeable nature guide. The highlight of this excursion was that we were able to see lots of salmon swimming upstream. Another excursion was a 10-person canoeing trip to the Mendenhall Glacier. The canoeing ended up being more challenging than expected but it was very enjoyable and we got as close to the face of the glacier as we were allowed. We also went by Nugget Falls and were able to get out of the canoe and get some great photos in front of the falls. Overall: One of the reasons we were attracted to Regent originally was that the ship is a smaller ship -- under 700 passengers. However, this ended up in some respects being somewhat of a negative to the overall experience. Sometimes we were the only couple or perhaps one of two or three couples in the Observation Lounge or Horizon Lounge. Many areas of the ship were empty and 'boring'. The best times on board were when there were people filling the room and creating some buzz or excitement, such as when we approached Hubbard Glacier, and another late afternoon as we sailed the Inside Passage and people again gathered in the Observation Lounge to look for orcas and humpback whales, which we were delighted to see! The all-inclusive experience definitely has benefits. Passengers looking for a very quiet, small ship experience will be quite pleased with Regent. I would consider sailing with them again depending, of course, upon itinerary and pricing. However, for the overall experience, our next couples cruise will be back on Oceania. Read Less

Some friends our ours recommended this cruise after they had taken it and loved it. We booked it through the travel arm of a large retail enterprise, which was probably a mistake. Prior to the cruise, there were several communication glitches, but I don't know whether that was the fault of the travel "agent" or Regent. In the end, the glitches mostly worked out, but it was a frustrating start (example: took forever to get our flight information and then huge delay in the flights actually being booked, which made upgrades difficult). Then, when we arrived at the Anchorage airport, the transportation arrangements to our hotel (the Marriott) were chaotic. The young man who was supposed to be holding a "Regent" sign in the baggage claim area did not have a sign; we found him through the process of elimination, since the other cruise lines all had signs. Regent was taking guests to more than one hotel, and there was some disorganization surrounding getting appropriate bags onto the appropriate bus. Unfortunately, none of the people involved in the process inspired confidence, and were amused that any of us were worried about our bags that were nowhere in sight (turns out there was a third cart of luggage still inside the airport that was almost overlooked). Anyway, we and our bags got to the Marriott where we were not allowed to take our bags to our own rooms; the Marriott staff who brought them to our room entered without knocking, which of course is not appropriate, but apparently he thought none of us were in our rooms yet. Ah well, the bags arrived, and these were annoyances, not earth-shaking problems. It's just that is was surprising, given Regent's reputation. In the end, we enjoyed a very nice visit in Anchorage, with good food, some nice shops, and a visit to their very nice museum. The next day we took the two-hour plus bus ride to Seward to board, but we left much later than the time Regent had included in the materials they sent us, which was actually a good thing, again just surprising. It was a beautiful and pleasant and uneventful ride; our driver was personable and informative. The boarding process in Seward went smoothly and fairly rapidly, and we were happy to find our bags already in our room (a deluxe F suite on deck 8) when we arrived. Our room steward greeted us and was delightful. The distilled water I had requested for my husband's CPAP was not in the room and the steward clearly had not been informed of our request, but she very quickly retrieved some for us. What we missed, unfortunately, was a get-together that occurred promptly after boarding; it was on the printed materials left in our room, but we were focusing on getting somewhat settled in, changing clothes, etc., and had not yet read the materials, so we missed it. Live and learn, we won't make that mistake next time. As for the cruise itself: We were unbelievably lucky and had perfect weather the whole time. This minimized any negatives that occurred. We loved all of our excursions, which were all no-extra-fee. We loved Compass Rose and Prime 7; Chartreuse was disappointing in food, but the service was excellent (as it was for the most part in every restaurant). We mixed it up for many of our breakfasts and lunches - Pool Grill (excellent), La Veranda (also great), Compass Rose (became our favorite). We also liked the one dinner we had in Siete Mare. One of us attended the guest lectures, and was impressed. The other attended the wine tasting, which is basically an introduction to the wines they serve, and it was fun; the wines are not upper tier, but most were acceptable. We skipped the shopping presentations, because that was not important to us. We did not use the spa or the exercise facility. The casino was mostly dead every time we checked it out. As for the main theater shows, we were not impressed, but in fairness, we see many Broadway and Broadway-quality shows due to availability of extraordinary and top-notch entertainment where we live and where we travel. Kudos to the performers for giving it their all, but they need a little more support, direction and better material. However, we were very impressed with the pianists, the instrumental ensembles, and the duo (singer and guitar player) who performed in the bars and lounges; they were all excellent. And the final night show put on by the crew was delightful. For the most part, the staff was excellent and friendly, always a friendly greeting in passing, an offer to assist if it appeared necessary. We loved our room stewards, and they kept our cabin in great shape. There were occasional staff persons who were not very warm, but at least they were able to give accurate information. We thought the interior of the ship was really lovely, and we liked the art. It never felt crowded. We appreciated the laundry facilities, which we used several times. All of the seating in the restaurants, lounges, public areas was comfortable and almost always with adequate space. We had a few negative experiences that were puzzling. On our last night, we had a late reservation in Prime 7, so we went to the Observation Lounge to take in the beautiful view and have a drink before dinner. It was mostly empty, but we waited for over a half hour for someone/anyone to take our drink order; other people sitting nearby had the same experience. It was like we weren't there. I finally went up to the bar to order, and the bartender promptly prepared the drinks but seemed frustrated, so I have to guess there was some staffing issue that evening. They also had not cleared the tables the entire time we were there, so we and others eventually moved used glasses to other tables so that we had a somewhat clean place to put our drinks. That same lounge had seemed to have some trouble filling drinks orders a couple of days prior, which again appeared to be a staffing issue. When there are very few "customers", it's hard to understand why there would be very slow service or no service. The other negative experience was when we tried to contribute our remaining onboard credits to the Crew Welfare Fund. I asked at the reception desk who I should see to do that, and the gentleman working there told me it was not possible. So, we used the credits buying things we really did not need in the onboard boutiques. Later, someone else told me he was mistaken, that indeed we could have put our unused credits in the Crew Fund. So, while we would have been very happy to put a few hundred dollars toward the crews' benefit, his misinformation prevented it. Disembarkation went very smoothly. We placed our bags outside our cabin before 11pm, and they were waiting for us when we got off the ship. There was again some chaos in the terminal after we got off the ship, but the very friendly Canadians kept us smiling and eventually we were on the bus on our way to the airport. We have Global Entry, so the getting through U.S. Customs at the Vancouver airport was a breeze. We did not expect perfection, and overall we felt the experience was truly wonderful. But the few negatives did seem to be out of character for Regent's reputation. We will cruise with Regent again. Read Less

My travel agent booked this cruise for myself and my husband. I did not read any reviews on about this cruise or ship until after we had already booked the tour. As we trust our agent very much. However, after reading the reviews, I was quite upset and almost ready to cancel the getaway all together. I am very happy that we didn't cancel and went on this cruise. Although we read in many reviews that the food was mundane or just ok, we felt that it was great. We saw many people state how the ship was old, musty and rusted; however we did not see this. As to us it was very beautiful. We stayed in the Horizon Suites and couldn't have been more comfortable. The service on the ship was complete accommodating, organized and did everything they could for us to make sure we were happy. We were able to book all the excursions that we wanted with no issues, while some we were put on a waiting list, they still made sure we somehow were able to join the rest of the passengers in these adventures. Not everything was "perfect" as nothing always is. There were a few hiccups along the way but nothing to be upset about. Read Less

Great experiences previously with Viking River Cruises and wanted to try their ocean small ships. This ship was 4 times larger than the Viking longships, but we never felt crowded. There were so many places to find a quiet spot to hang out, it felt like a private resort. Spa was excellent with full use of hydro therapy circuit at no additional charge. Food was excellent. Never had to wait for anything with open seating. Main dining room was large and fairly noisy. We we traveling as a group of nine and found the World Cafe buffet dining to be more than suitable for our group. Infinite choices, never rushed, attentive service by staff at all times. Explorers Lounge on top deck was wonderful place to sit and have a snack/drink at any time of day. Never crowded. All staff were excellent. Never without a smile on their face and showed true desire to meet your needs. Including the captain who was happy to stop and talk while walking his rounds on deck. We loved the experience and have already booked our 2020 Viking cruise from Bali to Sidney. Can't wait to go! Read Less

I travelled with family and they recommended this cruise line having sailed with them before. The ship is smaller than what I have previously cruised on so I was concerned about motion - turned out to be a non-issue (not sure if it was just the ship or the calmer waters we sailed mostly in Alaska). We were traveling with my senior citizen mother so the smaller ship was a great size for her to easily navigate. Although the ship was at capacity we never felt crowded, never waited in any line, and service was impeccable. Cabin was spacious (Verandah Suite Deck 8) and we had 3 in the room with no issues. Bathroom was very spacious and the shower was wonderful with great water pressure. Loved the towels and bath amenities. Our butler was excellent, and it was a nice service. We booked tours in all our ports independent of the ship so I cannot comment on this aspect. Entertainment was basic and we did not do much during the day other than bingo while at sea, which was fun. The evening entertainment was just OK. The best show was the tribute to Queen. Casino is small but not overly crowded. One table each for blackjack, poker and roulette and there were some slot machines. The ship was beautiful and well kept, service outstanding as I mentioned. A few blips to be aware of: 1. Embarkation timing could be seriously improved. We arrived in Anchorage the day before the sailing and took the scenic railway to the ship with the cruise line the next day. Our bus to the train did not depart until 1230pm, so the morning was quiet and sort of boring with not much we could do. The train ride was pleasant, scenery was beautiful, but the ride was long and we arrived at the boat close to 6pm. We were on the last car of the train so last to exit and get on board. As soon as we got on board it was muster drill time, we did not even have time to walk around the ship and get acclimated. After muster we had to get ready for dinner and felt very rushed to unpack and get organized. Rather than keep us in Anchorage, it would have been better to have us depart and arrive at the ship an hour or so earlier to allow passengers to get their bearings. I know most passengers arrive on the train so it gives the crew max time to prepare the ship, but there should be a happier medium. 2. Remember to bring converters. The USB ports did not work and there were not enough USA outlets. There were no converters available to us when we asked our butler and we did not read that converters were recommended to bring- our fault for not asking I guess. 3. Restaurants were overall pretty good. Some blips in service and food quality during dinners in both Atlantide and La Terrazza. I thought the food was good but I think I expected better given the luxury level of the line- it was not much better than I have experienced on other 'less luxurious' ships. What was nice - service was outstanding all over the ship, maitre d's addressed you by name within 24 hours of being onboard, staff was friendly everywhere, and the available wine and any beverage you want anytime were certainly nice! So overall we had a wonderful cruise on the Muse and for our Alaska trip but I am not sure I would book again with them at this time. I reserve the right to reconsider my comment though if I cruise again and see significant advantages to Silver Sea. Read Less

We Carefully Choose viking Orion for our Alaska cruise when first available in 2016 because of ships open vista views and as a small ship also very importantly the itinerary and full package details . As our first Viking voyage we have been very satisfied and loved the ship it’s ambience decor space and lovely staff. With the amazing Alaskan scenery and fantastic wildlife and wilderness al around us we had one of our best ever holidays thank you viking, We started with a pre cruise in Vancouver lovely city, wonderful hotel by the bay , the pre cruise tour and lunch alfresco after boarding and sail out was lovely with seaplanes landing and taking off around us , and boats of all descriptions paddle steamers , sailing and small pleasure cruising craft to other ships then the cruise up the inside passage humpbacks sighting wonderful scenery sunsets and all enhanced by the ship! Really very good food right through the voyage onboard Orion majority of our meals we ate seafood,. Enjoyed all of the restaurants onboard, open seating only waited the once for a table but seated in restaurant reception with offers of drinks! There’s also a bar in the restaurant where you can have a pre dinner drinks . We enjoyed all our ports of calls and trips with only one complaint about the lunch on our Haines bear search and wildlife tour which was dealt with with a small refund to compensate however no bears seen but then that’s wildlife although we were probably not going to see any as Haines had hosted the state fair a few days earlier, trip highlights amazing Juneau glacier helicopter and dogsledding and glacier and whales trips , Valdez sail out amazing beautiful weather swimming in the infinity pool and hot tub and escorted out by high speed coast guard rigid inflatable with machine gun mounted and manned past all the Valdez salmon fishing fleets which were laying nets ! A James Bond moment! Dinner that evening a favourite with to start soft shell crab , lobster Thermidor and desert a lovely soufflé , with lovely wines and all made exceptional by Alaska delivering with beautiful scenery and Orca’s seen alongside during dinner !!! A Most memorable evening I must also thank the staff on Orion Nearly all were fantastic except for the future cruise lady? The shows on board such a small ship were all delivered by the Orion team and were excellent thank you to Jade And Karine and speedy and the viking band also bar waiters stewards Ivan and Corrinia ? Overall a fantastic holiday experience one of our very best highly recommend this voyage and ship if viking can keep price correct Read Less

We were reluctant to ever take a cruise base on varied feedback from friends and associates. Ship way to crowded, restaurants busy and crowded. Being nickeled and dimed, etc... THEN WE CAME ACROSS Viking Cruises opening up Ocean routes with new vessels. Alaska intrigued us and of all that we had heard we heard all GREAT on Viking River Cruises. So we said lets give a cruise with Viking a go! Wow, we were overly impressed about everything from boarding to disembarking on the last day. Our cabin was spectacular. Our dining experiences were splendid. We especially enjoyed the reservations required dining. The food was mouth watering the service was attentive and always seeking to please. The evening entertainment. We almost could not wait for the next evening to attend another event they were so good and so entertaining. Excursions at every port were provided plus many that could be purchased . Provided excursions were good, a couple perhaps a little less so -- BUT still good! Read Less

Wanted to visit Alaska for years for the scenery. This cruise was everything we could have hoped for. We did a Rockies extension beforehand and that was a great idea as we made good friends on that part of the holiday who we were able to meet up with on the ship. Our stateroom was very roomy 8019 and we had complimentary laundry service which was very useful. Staff on board were brilliant and we can’t fault any aspect of the service. Food was excellent, although there could have been more variety of potatoes available at dinner. Attended two talks which were very interesting and a couple of shows in the theatre. Excursions were very good value for money and not too crowded. As usual they were well organised. An excellent cruise which enabled us to enjoy our holiday of a lifetime. We’re already booked on another ocean cruise next year. Thanks Viking! Read Less

Recently completed a 7 day Alaske cruise on Regent's Seven Seas Mariner. My wife and I had planned this trip for several years and finally decided to travel this past July (2019). We chose Regent at the suggestion of our Agent. On receipt of their sales brochure we "poured" over the information and decided it was time to "treat" ourselves to a high end cruise. We purchase the cruise for $17,000.00 dollars for a balcony room on the 9th level. NOT A SUITE. We have cruised many times in the past with our children and our friends. We have booked on Royal Caribbean and Carnival ships with travel throughout the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. What sold us on the Regent cruise was the "promise" of a "top of the line" all inclusive experience. Boy were we disappointed. As I will enumerate below. 1) The embarkation process in Vancouver was rudimentary at best. We arrived with plenty of time to spare and recieved our documents in a timely fashion. After a very long walk with carry on luggage we boarded the ship to a glass of sparkling wine. 2). Our room was ready to occupy. It was clean with a bowl of "aging" fruit available for consumption. The small refridgerator was stocked with 4 cans of soda pop and one water. I asked the room attendant about wine and spirits availablity (which we thought would in the refridgerator) and was told that individual servings were available through "room service". Who wants to wait 45 minutes for a glass of wine? My wife odered a bottle of wine (California Chardonnay). 25 bucks at Costco and was charge $60.00 on the cruise. Premium Wine and Spirits were to be included onboard as part of the "package". At the lounges we were offerd mixed drinks....mostly of a lower quality range of spirits. You had to request "top shelf" spirits. I'm not a big drinker but for $17,000.00 bucks I would expect top quality. 3) We met our room steward ONCE during the cruise. Never once were we asked if anything additional was needed to improve our cruise experience....BY ANYBODY.... Our friends who stayed down the hall had money stolen from a wallet during the day, they spoke to Guest Relations and recieved an inadequate response. Lesson learned.... lock your stuff in the safe. 3). The ship was in "good condition" and the maintenence crew kept it clean. It was quite clear that the Cruise Ship Operators" poured a great deal of their resources to its upkeep. 4) The entertainment was ok. Some good, some not so good. The Cruise director "Andy" was slightly overbearing constantly trying to "shill" the products both on the ship and at each port. I overheard several guests stating that the shops at the ports paid for this service. If I want to buy something I really don't need a strangers input. 5) There were plenty of "shore excursions" available at no charge, but.....If you wanted to partcipate in "upscale" excursions there was a charge We purchased 4 days of excursions for 2 people at a additional cost of $1900.00. Getting near $20 grand now. 6) The FOOD. Very disappointed. We were ALLOWED to dine at the upscale restaraunt only once during our cruise. We were told at the main reservation desk on deck 5 to inquire daily about cancellations then were told there that we needed to go to the individual resaurants and inquire. How embarassing, that we receievd poor treatment from ALL the maitre d's at the specialty restaurants. We dined a Prime 7 and had a wonderful dinner the crab legs served were what you expect from Alaska. Other than that evening the food and the service was subpar in the main dining room. My wife order lobster one evening and got somthing that resembled several large shrimp. I had Dover sole and had to remove pinbones fron the filets. Being that we were on an Alaskan cruise I would assume that Shrimp, Salmon and Crab Legs would be highlighted. Not on this cruise. The shrimp cocktails contained shrimp that were meally/old and the crab legs when available in the main dining room were that of "Red Lobster" quality. 7) Disembarkation. Now here is where Regent gets 2 stars. Smooth transition. I thought that this process was the only thing that Regent did properly. Probably to get the passengers off the ship and get the next "goats" onboard. All in all, quite a disappointing experience for what was billed as the cruise of a lifetime. Never again with Regent! Read Less

We chose the Crystal Symphony on the basis of our own research, the recommendation of experienced travelers and our experience with the Crystal agent with whom we booked our voyage. The ship itself was modern and immaculate. While the staff clearly worked hard around the clock to keep the ship in extraordinarily beautiful condition, you were never aware of all the effort being expended on your behalf. The eating experiences were innumerable and comparable to the best restaurants we have ever eaten in. The service was superb. If it wasn't on the menu, the kitchen was pleased to prepare that for you as well. One cannot say enough about the graciousness of the staff. They worked elegantly and tirelessly to satisfy your every need and want. The excursions were well planned and the staff support made them thoroughly enjoyable. The ship's other guests were a pleasure to be with...mature and refined. I would travel again on the Crystal Syphony at the drop of a hat. In fact, I am planning our next Crystal Cruise. Read Less

This was our second Windstar cruise following last summer’s Norway/Iceland voyage which was marvelous. Sufficiently marvelous that we invited three friends from NYC to join us this time. We previously sailed once on Regent which was but decent and once on Silversea which was slightly better than decent. Windstar ran rings around them on both our sailings aboard Legend and Pride. See our cabin review below, it was very good and comfortable but also most expensive suite available. You get what you pay for. My friends had regular cabins (following luxury marketing rules, these are referred to as suites, haha) which they thought sumptuous, comfortable and well designed. This cruise had half-a-dozen naturalists on board, fully credentialed for all things Alaska including flora, fauna — birds, orcas, whales, otters, seals, sea lions, glaciers, earthquakes, volcanos, weather, cultures, and more. Plus, they led many of the zodiac and other excursions so could narrate in real time. This was a case where having an onboard marina on deck 3 made a qualitative difference and enhanced the cruise for many. Because this ship carries only 212 passengers max, we were small potatoes when it comes to the gargantuan vessels you may be imagining. And that’s exactly how we like it! When it comes to Alaska, we were able to cruise where larger vessels (Regent, Crystal, Disney, Princess, etc.) cannot go — right up lengthy fjords to glacier front (Tracy Arms Fjord and Kenai Fjord). Not to mention some of the sweet smaller villages. On a twelve-day voyage we had only two sea days. Food was very good and better than that. Room service meals very good. Coffee uniformly very good. Cappuccino in the Yacht Club was marvelous. Our “crew” of five were mostly delighted and sometimes wowed. Wines — we eschewed drink package and opted for two bottles of wine at dinner every night: the Sokol pinot noir and a sancerre or pouilly fume. The lectures were relevant, excellent, informative and fun. Great delivery with enthusiasm. As for entertainment, we did not go there, we are classical music sorts. Staff was amazingly kind, efficient and on top of their game. Not a snooty nose to be seen. An occasional incompetent in the dining room but that happens. The Captain stood at top of gangway to greet and farewell passengers when boarding and disembarking. He is quite the gentleman with a lovely British accent. Ship environs are comfortably chic, no godawful “art.” Plenty spacious. Yacht club crowded only on the two glacier days and then, only in the mornings. Furniture very comfortable with nary a bulky vulgar barrel chair to be seen. Fellow passengers trended to the fit middle aged, less-fit middle aged and older, some younger folk, and a few in recovery including me (broken leg/ankle four months gone). Plus my beloved Jim the Demented. Meanwhile Alaska is drop-dead gorgeous and fascinating; just exactly the sort of place that lends itself to cruising. We now are motivated to look into a train tour and a Denali expedition. Can’t say how wonderful was Alaska, disvover it for yourself. No, I do not (yet) work for the Alaska Tourist Board. It was a grand voyage, and lovely to travel with our own comfy crowd who like to scrabble and puzzle. For us, Windstar is perfect, the motor “yachts” that is. Read Less

With daughter and son-in-law to celebrate birthdays and anniversary. Daughter has serious food issues, and the crew took fabulous care of her. The food is good, especially liked the buffets. The chef made several beautiful chocolate cakes for us. The ship is beautiful, and different from other ships we have been on. We loved our cabin, a penthouse suite. Loved the double sinks and large shower. The bed was wonderful. Enjoyed the planetarium shows, a unique feature. Enjoyed the shore excursions, but especially enjoyed sitting and reading in the afternoons. Since the was an inland passage crude, the view were wonderful. The onboard lectures were always top notch and very interesting and informative. ON the minus side, one night our Halibut was way over cooked, but that was just one occasion. The embarkation could not have been smoother. We also loved the public entertainment - very talented people. We would definitely sail again with Viking. PS loved the bird sounds in public bathrooms. Read Less

Love Viking. Always wanted to go to Alaska. Room is a little small. A/C is so so. Love the drink package, speciality restaurants, shore excursions. Internet a little slow. Crew is very nice. Food is great. Boat is beautiful and so clean. Already booked another cruise. Can fit luggage under bed. Has more drawer space. Loved our balcony. Do the helicopter ride to Mendenhall Glacier and dog sledding. Loved the train ride and the excursion on the Deadliest sea boat. Manifred I had excellent steaks. Loved not always having announcements, no children, and older crowd. This was our 2nd cruise with Viking. The spa is wonderful. The pools excellent. Bar service is above all other. Entertainment could be a little better. Love having wine, beer, soft drinks included. And being able to stay pre or post at beginning and end ports. Airfare is great. Top of the line in cruises as far as I am concerned. Read Less

We joined my brother Mike Martin, his wife Sherry on this cruise. My brother had wanted to sail the Inside Passage on an Alaskan cruise. My husband and I had cruised to Alaska on two other occasions but enjoyed it so much that we were glad to go again. The embarkation went smoothly. I was glad we didn't have to wait to board ship when we arrived at the dock. For desembarkation I suggest that passengers be made aware that they can wait onboard until their color group is called My cabin review is below. Our dining experience was excellent due to the expertise of the kitchen staff. The consistently provided us delicious meals. The wait staff were always very friendly and attentive to our needs. We thoroughly enjoyed the Orion Vocalists performances, especially the ABBA Songbook and the Beatles Songbook. We also very much enjoyed the Viking Classical Duo performance of Movie Magic. We enjoyed our shore excursions especially the Kenai Fjords by boat near Seward, the Columbia Glacier Cruise near Valdez and the Potlach Totem Park near Ketchikan. Read Less

Alaska has been on our bucket list for years, and when Viking announced they would be sailing to Alaska we jumped at the opportunity, having experienced a Viking River Cruise in 2014, the Romantic Danube. The Viking Orion had not yet been completed when we made our reservations, so watching her development was exciting. Viking truly has transported the finest of their river cruise ships into their ocean cruise ships, and it felt like coming home when we boarded at Seward. One aspect of the cruise that was attractive to us was the specific itinerary that included more of Alaska than just the fabled Inside Passage. We did the pre-cruise extension in Anchorage, where Viking picked us up at the Anchorage airport and transported us to the Anchorage Hilton for 2 nights, then onward from Anchorage to Seward to join the ship. The weather was not always cooperative and in Seward it was raining and chilly outside, but warm and welcoming onboard. Embarkation was smooth and fast, and the primary downside was the distance we had to walk from the point where we cleared security to the ship itself mostly in the rain. From then on the weather was either cloudy and cool or clouds and sun. Valdez was beautiful, sunny and clear; overcast at Hubbard Glacier and Icy Strait Point and Skagway, sunny and warm at Juneau, mostly sunny at Sitka, cloudy at Ketchikan, and gloriously sunny on arrival at Vancouver. Of the many attributes offered by Viking, having all outside cabins with balconies was a definite plus, the small size was wonderful with just 930 passengers, and perhaps the one consistent comment we heard was how thankful our shipmates were that there were no children (us included). Folks, this is not a party ship, yet it packs in more entertainment options than are possible to sample in the 11 days we had available. We would definitely cruise again with Viking Ocean and River Cruises. Read Less

Everything about the cruise was top notch. Accommodations were outstanding and we really enjoyed the variety of dining options and special events. We especially enjoyed trying the steam and regular saunas, cold plunge pool and 'snow' room ... quite a unique experience. There were learning experiences at every turn from pictures with explanatory plaques lining the hallways to the displayed artwork with attached narratives. However, the thing that continues to make Viking our favorite cruise line is the service. We didn't encounter one surly or indifferent crew member. We were so amazed that we ended up asking the ones we became close to why they chose Viking and, to a person, they said that the overall package and treatment Viking extends to them is far better than cruise line(s) they had worked for before. The theme was that Viking was 'family' and they were treated as such. We couldn't have been more pleased with our experience. Read Less

The ship was beautiful, clean and staff / crew were wonderful. Our cabin was large and we were on deck 5 which has smaller cabins than the other decks. It was roomy and laid out well. We were in 514 and it was noisy when they dropped the anchor. Actually the whole room vibrated. Entertainment was fair. Lectures were very good. Excursions were great, but pricey. The food was a bit of a disappointment, and we were hoping for better. Alaska was beautiful but there were quite a number of older people on board and they had a difficult time getting on and off the ship for excursions. In Alaska you need to do the excursions to get the full picture. I would recommend this cruise. The Sojourn is really the perfect size ship. Not too big and not typo small. It. Was easy to get around the ship because of its size. Read Less

The Sojourn is an excellent ship. Almost everything is inclusive. Thomas Keller aka “The French Laundry and Per Se Signature restaurant “. You can only reserve it once on the cruise. Do not fret over it. The main dining room and the second restaurant have daily menus on Thomas Keller inspired cuisine. I will post copies of it later. Service on the ship was impeccable. One morning the executive was and the Food and Beverage manager was making eggs Benedict for guest directly in the open dining room. Very rarely see this type of service in other high end ships. The free flowing wine, champagne and spirits was great and top shelf items. Imagine having Nicholas Ferrilaut champagnes constantly being poured for guests. Now I know the taste of great caviar. On the first full day I told the wait staff at the restaurant that I prefer a low sodium diet due to hypertension That was noted and in all my meals. Seabourn is quite a bit more than most of the others but it is well worth the price. In other cruises they push for the wine package , other paid extra restaurants but on Seabourn there is no premium $$$ restaurant. Every meal is like you are going to a specialty restaurant. There is no extra cost unless you want the super rare wine. Seabourn has their own expedition crew on board. This is a major difference than others. On most excursions these crew are experts and knowledge of the event. They are naturalist and have done these expeditions themselves The Seabourn Venture group on board is great. Overall I give the Seabourn Sojourn crew ten plus stars. Extra kudos to the Food and Beverage manager and his excellent team. Read Less

We selected Regent because we have friends who highly recommended Regent as the best in the business. We were a party of 9 on this cruise to Alaska. 1 Grand Suite, 3 Penthouse Suites, and 1 Concierge Suite. The cabins were very nice although the Grand Suite had A/C problems from the start and took repair on several occasions. This should have been repaired prior to boarding. All other staterooms were in good condition except for a bathroom door that needed repair. Lets talk about water. Yes water. Regent has decided to process their own bottled water with little information as to where the water is coming from other than to say they have a new filtration system. We preferred Evian water which they had but it was like pulling teeth to make sure it would be available. Many times we would wait 5 to 10 minutes for our waiter to locate and provide us our request which is unacceptable. Also our Butler made it clear that it was not readily available. Really, on a 6 star ship Evian is not available. Somehow throughout the cruise we were accommodated. They are pushing their new water claiming that it is more ecological for the environment. I guess Regent no longer recycles? Lets talk about the food. We have been on several other cruise lines some with the same rating as Regent and others with 5.5 Stars and their food is much superior to Regents. We dinned in the Steak house that apparently serves USDA Prime Beef. Trust me this is not Prime Beef unless the new definition is bring a chain saw with you to dinner. The veal is also very tough. There is no question in our minds that NCL is using their standard beef selection from their other lines on Regent. We dined their several times and the beef just does not add up to choice much less Prime. The main dinning room was just ok and most of the food is pre prepared, and when served shows dried out edges on the food, in some cases food was served cold. Breakfast, lacks any special flair and the pancakes on one day were literally inedible and the bacon was full of grease and clumped together. Typical cafeteria style food. Does this sound like a "6" star ship ? Lunch, was ok but again nothing special like other 5.5 and 6 star ships. They also had a grill outside near the pool that had no ventilation and you could eat their but then you needed to wash your clothes and take a shower as you smelled like you had been working as a short order cook. This is not an exaggeration by any means. With the cabin categories we had for the 9 people and Butler service you would think making dinner reservations would be easy. Think again. The ship is well maintained overall and pleasant. The captain did a 5 minute viewing of Hubbard Glacier as he did not plan ahead for the bad (fog) weather and their was a ship right behind ours that was on schedule for their viewing of the glacier. One of the main reasons for the cruise is the Glacier but somehow the Captain missed the memo. We cannot say this was a bad cruise but neither can we say it was a great cruise and by no means a "6" Star cruise. This is the problem when great cruise lines get bought up by larger more generic cruise lines. They try and integrate less with more and end up average. Read Less