So I'm standing outside my room, dressed in a fluffy white robe,
a glass of red in one hand and a canapé in the other, making small talk with
the immaculately dressed couple from the suite next door. Spotting an American
accent, I casually ask "Where are
you from then?" to which they reply, " Oh, central London, we live
next door to Harrods. Are you familiar with it?" This was the moment I decided
the fluffy robe was probably not my best look and mentally cursing for even
thinking about wearing it, but then again this was the famous Regent 'block party' a whirlwind doorstep tour by Captain
John Mcneill to share an informal toast with his loyal subjects as we mingle together
in the corridors in whatever mode of attire we desire.
Regent Seven Seas cruises are all classed as "six
star", an all-inclusive, all suite luxury experience where everything is
included; all drinks, meals in any of the restaurants, unlimited excursions, all
staff gratuities, 24 hour room service and even flights and transfers to your
ship. Regent claims it's possible to cruise and leave your wallet at home and as
I love a challenge, I'm on a mission to see just how true that claim might be.
The Baltic is an extraordinary sea bounded by Russia,
Germany, Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania and Poland (and
on this ten day cruise you get to visit all of them except Poland and Lithuania)
and five capitals - Copenhagen, Stockholm, Riga, Tallinn and Helsinki. Add Saint
Petersburg to the mix and you're in for a pretty diverse cruising experience.
The Seven Seas Voyager dominates Copenhagen's port skyline
as I arrive at the terminal having spent a couple of nights in Denmark's
delightful capital. The retail therapy of Stroget,(perhaps the longest
pedestrian shopping street in the world), the medieval cobblestones and canals
of Christianshavn, the Jewish Museum designed by Daniel Liebeskind, the
architect behind New York's new World Trade Centre site and the gastronomic
delights of the city's 13 Michelin rated restaurants including NOMA, voted best
restaurant in the world three years running.
But now Voyager beckons; her 12 decks looking remarkably clear
considering most of her 700 passengers and 450 crew are already aboard. My bags
disappear as if by magic, whisked away with a whispered promise of unification
in my suite. "it's just luggage sir, not for you to worry about anymore".
So I don't, I move on, check in and get my next surprise; my suite has been
switched to Penthouse level. No standard 350 metre suite with balcony, king
size bed and marble bathroom for me, I've got a butler on tap, an IPad to play
with, an espresso machine and Hermes accessories on top of the standard L'Occitane
fare, not to mention priority status for booking the two specialist restaurants
on board and all the excursions and an hour's free satellite internet access.
This is all going rather well then.
Still basking in the glow of my newfound Penthouse status and
just because I can I celebrate with two lunches from the three venues on offer.
A spectacular 3 course buffet in Voyager's Italian restaurant La Veranda (which
doubles as an excellent fine dining bistro in the evening) and another nibble
or two by the poolside buffet just for
the hell of it. While we're on the subject of food, Voyager has five
restaurants to choose from, Compass Rose, the main dining room; the
aforementioned La Veranda and pool side bistros and two intimate fine dining
venues, Prime 7 and Signatures which are reservation only due to their limited seating. That said,
there is a bountiful choice of fish and vegetarian options at all the venues and
a seemingly endless free supply of fine wines, cocktails and spirits to wash it
all down with. Fully certified kosher
and glatt kosher menus including wines can be provided to any passenger on
request before you travel.
I work off my two
lunches by exploring the ship's twelve decks on foot, although there are plenty
of lifts to silently whisk you up and down. Just one level above the pool and
Jacuzzis I find the golf nets and jogging track; down a few levels, the impressively
two tiered Constellation Theatre where the nightly shows take place; the Canyon Ranch
Spa and fitness centre where you can top up your wellness have a facial and
indulge in daily group fitness activities; the Horizon Lounge, perfect for an
afternoon tea or a late night cocktail; the Observation Lounge with its floor
to ceiling wrap around windows, just the place for some romantic star gazing
and decks 4 and 5 at the very heart of Voyager, the casino, the nightclub, the
boutique shopping and internet, and main reception where all the on shore
guided excursions are booked. Back in my suite, I browse through them, picking
out a Jewish heritage tour of Riga as a potential highlight and with a quick
call I'm booked in. As it happens I'm keen to see the sights, but if I didn't
fancy leaving the ship, I could immerse myself in a full programme of organised
activities or just lay on a lounger and soak up the sun.
Each evening the ship sets sail and waking up in a new
country every day I find myself quickly settling into a routine mainly based
around eating; it's hard not to as the service and the quality of the food is
so impressive. An excursion around the delightful medieval Gotland port of
Visby in Sweden is marred by my nagging urge not to miss lunch. I make it back.
Just. Then a planned afternoon enjoying the quaint German beach resort of
Warnemunde was abandoned once I realised it would interfere with an afternoon
tea extravaganza involving 35 different types of cheesecake. Even my butler
Mark insists on bringing champagne and canapés for me to snack on my balcony in
the early evening before dinner. He is quite something. Silently adjusting my
in room amenities in line with my particular trends. Noticing for example I
only drink still water, he dispensed with the fizzy; seeing I enjoy espresso he
brings additional sachets of coffee. Intuitive service doesn't get any better
than this.
.A tour of the
galleys with Executive Head Chef Jonathan Smid reveals the sheer scale of the food
operation on a cruise. "I have a team of 85 chefs and it's all about
logistics" he reveals" we go through over 4,000 bottles of wine and
12,000 eggs a week and 500 pounds of fish and 475 steaks a day. There's no
finer thing for me than getting off at each port and visiting the local markets
to buy fresh produce; in fact this morning I just bought 20 kilos of Pelmeni mushroom
dumplings." My stomach begins to rumble once again.
I share a dinner table one night with Roger and Suzanne from
north west London, seasoned cruisers also enjoying the Regent all inclusive
experience for the first time. "The biggest difference for us is the lack
of crowds in the restaurants" says Roger "No queues or sittings for
dinner, no pushing and shoving at the buffets, just relaxed and sophisticated
dining"
Learning a lesson from my recent Block Party experience, I
dress casually elegant and join some of my fellow passengers for an evening
down in the Horizon Lounge listening to a highly talented Filipino trio sing
the Great American Songbook, a feat of wonderment in itself. I sit alongside Larry,
a gentleman from Texas and like all Texans he is a very big man indeed (I get a
flash in my head of Chef Jonathan's daily steak total suddenly seeming a little
understated). Big Larry has been on all three of Regent's luxury 6 star fleet
and assures me "Yes sir, they are a fine bunch of boats".
So is this really a cruise that includes everything? So far,
I have wined and dined myself into a stupor, been on five excursions and had my
butler at my beck and call without shelling out a bean. Yes, there are one or
two chinks in the Regent 'all inclusive' armour. Spa treatments are chargeable
extras, as are external calls and satellite internet fees and the more
extravagant excursions such as a guided day trip to Berlin or a high speed
train tour to Moscow. These are optional extras though and not really counted
as part of the all in deal.
However, when the taxi took me to the airport for my free
flight home, I was convinced this would be it, the chance to pay the fare
myself. Instead, with a dismissive wave, the driver tells me "It's Ok sir,
Regent's taken care of it."
All-inclusive cruises in the Baltic/Northern
Europe with Regent in 2013 start from £3,499 per person (based on two people
sharing an H category deluxe balcony suite). A 10-night cruise between
Stockholm and Copenhagen in 2013 starts from £4,869 per person. Fares
include: return flights and transfers (Business Class flights for bookings in
Penthouse Suites and above), free and unlimited shore excursions, all fine
dining, beverages and gratuities and 1 night pre-cruise hotel stay.
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