EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION: I recently organized a group cruise, as I have the previous two years, with members of the Global Traveler Globility Board and subscribers to Global Traveler. Twenty of us in all traveled on Regent Seven Seas Mariner, departing from İstanbul, Türkiye, and cruising the Aegean and Mediterranean seas to our disembarkation in Trieste, Italy. We broke into three smaller groups: The Globility Board (my wife, Michele, and I; Celeste and Tom Linhard; Jonathan Fuchs and his wife, Catherine; JC and Sonia Murat; Ed and Jeanette Jefferson; and Mike Russo); The Colorado Subscribers (Steve and Rose Doherty, Tim and Kim Shay, and Denise Jamieson); and The Outer Banks Subscribers (Eric and Tenia Maurer and Sam and Sherry Martin).

Each group intermingled, and we did the best to split up for dinners so everyone could enjoy each other’s company.

Arrival in İstanbul varied by traveler, some arriving as early as three days prior for pre-tours and to get settled before the cruising adventure. The day of departure, we arranged our transfer directly with Intra Tourism Group, which had helped arrange our pre-tour. This turned out to be the right decision, as others of our group had issues with cabs and Ubers finding the cruise terminal, which seemed clearly easy to find. This might be a good reason to use Regent-recommended transfers.

© Francis X. Gallagher

Boarding and immigration were swift, and the Regent team had us on board right away. We timed our arrival to be able to get into our suite and have a quick lunch before our departure. Many in the group had arrived earlier to use the ship’s amenities prior to sailing. We dropped off our carry-on bags and had a leisurely lunch at the Pool Grill, where I enjoyed a perfectly grilled swordfish and glass of Sancerre.

Regent Seven Seas Mariner offers small-ship cruising with a maximum of 700 guests, 459 crew and 350 suites. The ship features eight passenger decks and measures 709 feet long, resulting in an overall tonnage of 48,075. This offers passengers a large-ship feel with significantly fewer people on board than a standard cruise line, which carries thousands of passengers. The journey called on Ephesus, Türkiye; Mykonos, Katakolon and Corfu, Greece; Koto, Montenegro; Split and Zadar, Croatia; and the final leg to Trieste, Italy. With Regent, all excursions are included, and on some days we just walked off the ship and did our own excursion. The group independently toured during the day and met up for drinks and dinner upon return.

GUEST QUARTERS: We stayed in a Concierge Suite, and most of the group were on the same level, though one chose a Penthouse Suite. All suites have been recently renovated with all-new furnishings, appointments, carpeting and bathroom makeovers. Our suite had a comfortable king-sized bed and a generous walk-in closet. All suites include balconies and a sitting area with a sofa and coffee table. A built-in entertainment center with a refrigerator and coffeemaker flanks the opposing side of the balcony door. Regent will acquire your favorite liquor brand and wine and have this ready for you when you arrive at your suite. Fresh fruit was placed and daily ice service was ready every evening.

© Regent Seven Seas

Bathroom amenities include L’Occitane products, and you cannot beat the daily laundry service. I kept them busy with clothes I wore during the day for excursions and for evening dinners. With all the activities on the cruise, excursions (again, all included), meeting with the group for trivia and other activities, and dinners and dancing, we were not able to spend as much in the suite as I would have liked. I did use the onboard WiFi (Starlink), and it was flawless — much to the chagrin of my team stateside, whom I flooded with emails!

SERVICES/AMENITIES: We usually took our morning meal at La Veranda, which offers a breakfast buffet and made-to-order omelets. At lunch, it adds carving stations and regional cuisines plus a pizzeria. In the evening, La Veranda transforms into Sette Mari at La Veranda, inspired by Italy with a selection of antipasti and Italian wine pairings. I know the Colorado group enjoyed many repeat dinners at Sette Mari. Compass Rose, the main dining room, is headed up by Jason, our maître d’. Jason made sure our group sat as closely together as possible — as you can imagine, it’s a challenge to seat 20, and often parts of the group splintered off to other restaurants on board. I found the dinners a real treat and the staff on point. I was particularly fond of the sirloin steak, a regular item on the menu, and the selection of wines was outstanding.

The steak restaurant, Prime 7, books up well in advance, as does Chartreuse, a French venue; make these reservations before sailing. We secured three tables near each other — one table for eight and two for six — at both restaurants. Prime 7 was a big hit with the group and resulted in repeat bookings. Regent allows one confirmed reservation per cabin in each specialty restaurant, but once on board you can make further reservations based on availability.

Prime 7 is fashioned like a New York steakhouse with leather chairs, bright blue walls and fine art to view. It quickly became evident why Regent is known for its artwork at sea. The Observation Lounge (forward on the top deck, 12) makes the perfect spot to have a drink when the ship leaves port and after. With live music, this was always the trivia spot, but with so many of us on daily excursions, we did not attend as often as normally. Rumor has it Jonathan won as a solo trivia team one night as we were all preparing for dinner! The Star Lounge ended up as the final place to have a drink and dance for those willing to stay up late. It was a favorite of Steve, Tim, Ed, Sonia and JC.

© Regent Seven Seas

Most of the pre-dinner cocktail hours took place at the Mariner Lounge, as it is just outside The Compass Rose and Prime 7 restaurants. Using WhatsApp for the group worked well with the free onboard WiFi. The Horizon Lounge, located at the aft of the ship near Chartreuse and The Connoisseur Club (Cigar Lounge), offers another perfect after-dinner stop with cocktails and dancing … Sonia and I lit up the dance floor one evening. Steve and Tim frequented The Connoisseur Club, where they enjoyed a nightly cigar.

I also had the opportunity to experience the Serene Spa & Wellness on the ship, and I know many in the group secured massages while we were on board. The first day was an all-day sailing of the Aegean, and I took the opportunity to make a reservation for a haircut, one of my cruise traditions. It is important to make spa appointments in advance of cruising; they fill up quickly. The ship includes a complete workout facility and fitness center — I think JC and Sonia were regulars.

Let’s not forget the magnificent shows in the Constellation Theater, where nightly performances take place. We tried to time our dinners so we could go directly to the show afterward.

© Regent Seven Seas

Lastly, decks 11 and 12 feature the pool and the Pool Bar and Grill (part of the renovations), along with the jogging track, putting green, shuffleboard, golf swing nets, bocce courts and paddle tennis — try these on rough seas for some extra fun!

TOP TAKEAWAYS:

• With Regent Seven Seas, nearly everything is included.
• Massive renovation of all the suites and common areas make the ship new again.