Booked this cruise to celebrate a milestone birthday and because of the hype of the new Explorer. Reading the other reviews, I must say I found the same things lacking. By the fourth sail of the Explorer I thought many of the kinks would be fixed. The service levels were just not as crisp as previous experience with Regent. The entertainment was mediocre at best. The excursions were okay, but again, the tour guides not as good as previous experience with Regent. We found the food very good, however the service in trying to get wine was terrible compared to previously being greeted with the wine selections for the evening. The suite was lovely but on the last day at sea the service disappeared. The trash wasn't emptied. The fruit was removed from the bowl ( really, they couldn't wait 12 hours?) The bed was turned down for the evening by 11AM. room service the morning of departure was rushed and no 5 minute notice that morning. I also found service more attentive when my husband was with me than when I was by myself. Especially at the coffee lounge on 5). It became a comedy of errors one afternoon trying to get a grilled chicken sandwich at the pool grille that finally arrived after a 40 minute wait . the carpet is already showing wear, especially the beige stairs in the main staircase and the pink carpets. One of the large pictures on deck five had a substantial hole during the cruise. Also, the smells in certain hallways, I will also agree with previous reviews, could be nauseating. the dark wood is also showing numerous scuff marks and wear. The baseboards and corners are already gathering dust. I agree with a previous review hats off to Spyder, Giorgio, and I will add Elena and Agus. Read Less

We chose this cruise because we are Regent fans, wanted to try the new ship, and were interested in the itinerary. We loved the new design of our cabin. The closet was a more workable shape, the bathroom huge, the drawer space beyond adequate, and the bed facing the sea delightful. The redistribution of restaurant space between the venues was a welcome change as was the variety of venues offering lunch. Our disappointments, however, have made us question future cruising with Regent. In fact, this is the first time we have not reserved a future cruise (or option) while onboard. The staffing level seems greatly reduced. The bars were crowded before dinner yet there were only one or two servers available. As the waits exceeded twenty minutes before anyone appeared, people crowded the bar to place their own orders. This added stress to the already overburdened bartenders. The wait for waiters in Compass Rose, for tables to be cleared in La Veranda, and for a wine steward to appear in either venue, was equally long. Finally, the Internet access was the worst we have experienced anywhere in the world. The sign-in procedure is archaic and needlessly complex. The long lines waiting for the Internet helper were a good illustration of the problem. He was surly and claimed there should be "three of him" on board. Once on line, the connection is dropped frequently necessitating one to go through the entire procedure again. For several days of the ten day cruise there was no internet service or phone service available at all - and we were never far from land. We have often sailed with Regent for more than thirty days at a time, have advanced status with them, and are very worried that these problems are indicative of a lack of emphasis on customer service with the new management team. Read Less