Alaska Cruise with Regent Seven Seas

This Summer my Family & I were incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity of going on an Alaskan Cruise with Regent Seven Seas. We were beyond excited to be embarking on such a thrilling adventure together. Departing London Heathrow to Vancouver, our flight took us 9.30 hours. We were met at arrivals by our Chauffeur who was there to whisk us off to our Hotel for the night in downtown Vancouver. With Regent Seven Seas, if you get in too late to join your Cruise ship the same day, they will arrange complimentary overnight accommodation & private transfers for you. It was evening when we arrived so were able to enjoy a comfortable night‘s sleep. We took a leisurely breakfast the next morning and were later collected by our driver who duly delivered us down to the Port. The embarkation process was very straightforward and well organised, so before we knew it, we were warmly welcomed onboard the most luxurious floating hotel you can imagine “RSS Explorer”, which was to be our home for the next 7 nights. The Ship itself has 10 decks with just 373 suites, holding up to a maximum of 746 guests. In most cases, a ship of this size would have at least twice as many cabins with more than double the number of passengers. With Regent Seven Seas the crew-to-passenger ratio is almost one-to-one, with 548 incredibly attentive staff at your disposal. The sheer sense of space was a real winner for me, not only in the well-appointed and generously sized cabins but throughout the ship. Anywhere you ventured, you could do so feeling completely unhurried, allowing you time to appreciate the finer details of your opulent surroundings. Regent Seven Seas takes immense pride in the quality of décor and furnishings found onboard their Ships, with absolutely no expense spared. This is evident in the artwork & antiquities which adorn the walls. The main atrium located on deck 5 of the Explorer had the most magnificent staircases complete with bespoke solid brass banisters and handrails, and a magnificent crystal chandelier as the centerpiece. The Ship was nothing short of mind-blowing. Despite all the ship‘s grandeur and decadence, the feeling onboard was laid back, with a casual dress code throughout the day, and then what they call “country club casual” in the evening, so nothing was ever too formal. There were 3 specialty dining restaurants onboard the Explorer which included “Chartreuse”, French fine dining, “Prime 7”, a high-end Steakhouse, and finally "Pacific Rim”, which was Asian-inspired, and our personal favourite. Whilst all of these dining experiences are included, you need to pre-book well in advance or as soon as they open up for reservations. The main restaurant “Compass Rose” is available for open dining to guests, and to be honest we would have happily eaten there every night as the food was divine, with extensive menus that were frequently being changed during our voyage. The service onboard was truly outstanding and nothing was too much trouble. On our penultimate day of the cruise, it happened to be my Wife’s Birthday, and I got the distinct impression that the entire crew was aware of it. When we returned to our cabin after Breakfast, we found that it had been decorated with Balloons and banners. Then later that evening, after our exquisite meal at Pan Pacific, a beautiful Birthday Cake was brought out. Entertainment onboard was low-key, however, there was always something going on during the day, whether it be a Quiz, Cinema, Guest Speakers, Wine tasting, Cookery demonstrations, or trying your luck in the Casino. There were deck games and sports, a fabulous Swimming pool, hot tubs, and no shortage of areas to simply relax while sipping on a Cocktail or three. The ship also boasts a beautiful Spa complete with an infinity pool. During the evenings the numerous comfortable bars and lounges come to life, with music and live performances, even Karaoke was on the schedule, “much to mine and my Daughters delight”. The highlight of the evenings was however, to be found in the spectacular onboard theatre, where we were treated to West End standard performances which were always extremely entertaining. The other area that really sets Regent Seven Seas apart from so many of its rivals is the extensive choice and quality of its Shore Excursions, a majority of which come included within the price you pay. There were so many incredible and unique experiences to choose from it was very difficult to select the ones we wanted to do. There was definitely something for everyone though and for all fitness levels. In most ports of call, we found that you could also fit more than one excursion in should you wish. Once again, any organised trips ashore do need to be booked as soon as you can in order to avoid disappointment. So, in summary, our family trip of a lifetime with Regent Seven Seas certainly surpassed all of our expectations, and most importantly left us with very special & magical memories that we shall treasure forever. From the awesome wildlife, we go to see, which includes both Humpback and beluga Whales, Steller Sea Lions, Sea Otters, and golden Eagles, to the spectacular natural beauty of the Alaskan Wilderness and foreboding Glaciers. But best of all with Regent Seven Seas, we had laundry included, and so we returned home with our clothes washed and pressed, much to my Wife’s delight.