Luxury Perfected
We’d smiled when we read the tagline for Regent’s newest ship. After all, having described Seven Seas Explorer as the “most luxurious ship ever built” how could Seven Seas Splendor be even better? I’ll admit it too, we were disappointed when, of all the possible names for the ship, one was chosen that does not have a common international spelling. Every time I type it, I want to insert a u .
But let’s not carp. When the offer came to join this beautiful ship for a short Athens Round Trip, how could we refuse the opportunity to try for ourselves? What’s not to like about a week of waking up somewhere new each day and being pampered Regent-style for even a short time? We enjoyed our trip on board Explorer very much indeed, so felt sure we were in for a treat. As several friends have expressed curiosity about this addition to the fleet I thought I’d try to offer a bit of an inside view.
If you’ve been on board a Regent ship, then much of this won’t be news to you. If not, then you’ll just have to believe me when I say that I am not exaggerating. This is how it really is…
After all the CV palaver, it was more of a relief than ever to finally step on board. We’d completed the last lateral flow test there on the pier, waiting for our number to pop up on the screen indicating a negative result and permission to continue. What would we have done had we got that far and tested positive? I have no idea. It really doesn’t bear thinking about (and as far as I know, everyone made it ok)
We’d last seen our luggage at Athens Airport, but here it was, on our bed awaiting our attention.
First things first though. The champagne was on ice, the petits-fours were too tempting to resist and unpacking could wait a while.
Our suite, 819, is a Penthouse B and the main area is almost identical to our suite on board Explorer a few years ago. A few decor updates - no embroidered wall covering here - but broadly the same palette and style if possibly a little lighter in tone. The bedroom and sitting room are divided by a double-sided large screen TV with pocket doors on each side of it (which we never closed).
Looking the other way, towards the front door, there’s a table for two and an arrangement of cabinets opposite, for the coffee machine, drinks cabinet and fridge. No photo there - however hard I try, I never seem to get a photo of everything! Never mind, try this !
The veranda of 819 is one of the larger ones, with plenty of room for a couple of sun loungers and a table and chairs. No time for a sea day on board this time, but how lovely it would have been to have enjoyed a meal out there.
The bathroom/closet arrangement is where the greatest improvements have taken place. Gone is the small closet of Explorer’s PH suites, and in comes a larger, better planned arrangement of space. The wonderful shower is here still, completed with the directional jets, the rainfall and the handheld too, there’s still the double vanities with lots of storage and yes, the Guerlain/Occitane amenities remain too, though with a different scent.
But however lovely the suite, however comfortable and peaceful it feels to simply sit and relax, there’s a whole world out there to explore and though I can’t say we really had enough time to discover all the hidden gems on board, I think we got a great flavour of the ship.
We certainly discovered the Meridian Lounge, where a new cocktail menu begged to be sampled and I Gusti was there to offer encouragement if any were needed! For the first time, we appreciated a huge range of gins and at last, Fevertree tonic too. I’ll write more about the food and drink in my next post.
The huge Atrium, where all the main offices are to be found is really lovely. Lighter and brighter than Explorer, we felt, it was one of those places where it really doesn’t feel as though we’re on a ship at all. With only half the usual number of passengers on board, it was never busy and was a peaceful and elegant place to meet.
Up on the pool deck - another area we didn’t get to use fully - there seems to be more space around the pool and it feels less crowded generally.
We also liked how the dining area around the pool grill was more thoughtfully laid out, keeping the food side of things more separate.
On a warm weather cruise, this would be a lovely place to have lunch.
Though there is most certainly a collection of art on board, it seems to be less noticeable than on Explorer too. Most pieces gently caught my eye, I found, rather than grab me by the scruff of the neck! (metaphorically speaking of course 😂)
There’s one other place that’s probably a well kept secret - the Library. With a huge collection of books, there’s no reason to be bored at all! I’d say there were more fiction shelves than I’ve seen on the other ships and the “coffee table book collection” was better than ever.
I think there must have been a copy of every title in Taschen’s catalogue (two of some) and spending half an hour sitting browsing through this one was a delight.
The art in here was interesting too and relevant to the theme.
I’m sorry, I chopped the top off my favourite piece - can you see what it is?
I can’t help but think that was more tricky to construct than it looks though. What do you think?
The peace of the library is probably the place where one realises that luxury isn’t just about “things” though. What makes the onboard experience truly luxurious is the people. The staff members who not only remember my name but remember how I like my coffee, that I like blueberries with my birchermüsli and yes, I prefer sparkling water to still.
Of course, there’s also the army of hidden staff members who quietly go about their work unseen by most of us. I never fail to marvel at the way the towels in every cloakroom are always perfectly folded/rolled with such precision, I just had to take a photograph! Just one example of the attention to detail that creates such a special environment.
And I haven’t even mentioned the food. Yet. Next post!
