After reading some rather negative reviews, we were very pleasantly surprised by the service, food, décor – in short, pretty much everything – on our week-long Mediterranean cruise on the Regent Explorer. This was our third Regent cruise, and probably my 15th cruise overall.

Our positive experience began with embarkation. After a short bus ride from the pre-cruise hotel, we moved quickly through the check-in stations, and soon found ourselves on the ship and toasting with a glass of champagne. It was without a doubt the most efficient boarding process I'd ever had.

I was concerned that we would have nothing to do between our early-afternoon embarkation and sailing, which wasn't until 9 p.m., but I needn't have worried. We had a delightful lunch in the Veranda, treated ourselves to a lengthy and luxurious couples massage that was discounted for embarkation day, relaxed on our balcony, and then had dinner in Chartreuse, one of the specialty restaurants. Be sure to reserve your table early! Read more