Supplement to Travel Trade
December 2001

Regent Seven Seas Mariner:

Smooth, Low-Key Elegance

By Ethel Blum

Regent pushes the envelope in the luxury cruise segment with all suite accommodations — all featuring balconies — and luxurious facilities, such as the Judith Jackson Spa at Sea (below).

If your clients want lots of elbow room, the intimacy of a small vessel with the options of a superliner, personalized attention to details, gourmet dining in a choice of superb restaurants, nightly professional entertainment, a low key but elegant environment, suites with verandahs that link them to the ocean and a totally seamless experience that takes them to exotic destinations - have I got a ship for them!

The Regent Seven Seas Mariner pushed the envelope in the luxury cruise segment of the market by becoming the first and only ship built or on the drawing boards where every guest is accommodated in a spacious suite with a private balcony. What a joy for travel agents to know that there are no bad accommodations!

Mark Conroy, president of Regent Seven Seas, said that the Mariner's slightly older sister, the all-suite Seven Seas Navigator that debuted in 1999, "established a new standard for luxury cruise ships when she came out of the shipyard. Mariner represents the completion of the evolutionary arc for this new generation of luxury cruise ships."

Like his ships, Conroy is understated — but right on the mark.

Mariner fits right into the Regent Seven Seas profile that signaled the line's success at the top of the market for the past decade. The all-balcony, all-suite configuration creates a welcome spirit of equality among passengers. And, let's not forget the Mariner's space ratio of 71.4, which makes the 700-passenger, 50,000-ton vessel the most spacious in the industry.

But, it's not just the space that has earned the Mariner the industry accolades she is receiving. From embarkation to disembarkation, passengers experience the ultimate in seagoing luxury. Those arriving before the announced embarkation hour are shown into the ship's showroom for snacks and drinks while suites are readied for occupancy.

On disembarkation, passengers with later flights are not rushed off the vessel. When we embarked at 2:30 p.m., the last of the disembarking guests was just leaving the ship.

At first glance, passengers know the Mariner is special and that they are embarking on a luxury adventure. They enter into a graceful atrium that soars eight decks, are greeted by a friendly staff and promptly escorted to their suites in glass-enclosed elevators. It's the first major clue that this ship is a combination of style and impeccable service.

In spite of her size and spacious interiors, there's a warm and welcoming feeling throughout the vessel. Soft and rounded edges, woods in various shades, lending depth to fabrics in soft pale blues, turquoise and brushed gold and burnt orange contribute to the ambiance.

Large and small lounges blend and flow into other areas enhanced with marble, fine art, etched glass and textured fabrics. The result is a ship designed to fit the needs of upmarket cruisers. The smooth elegance of the vessel and its suites is carried into public rooms, the highlight of which is the soaring atrium lobby featuring a steel and wood stairway that divides mid-level into two sets of stairs that wrap around three glass-enclosed elevators.

The atrium is furnished in 21st century minimalistic décor with a handful of important paintings, a few table groupings and seating for two. The information and shore excursion desks are recessed almost beneath the stairway. The spacious atrium keynotes the design features of the rest of the ship.

Newbuilds most often tend to display an overload of art and glitz, something which is impossible to find on any of the Radisson ships. Mariner is luxurious in every detail but not intimidating; elegant, but not elaborate; glamorous but definitely not glitzy.

Most of the pubic rooms are on Decks 5, 6, and 7, with one of the most attractive and probably the most romantic rooms on Deck 12, the Observation Lounge. Contemporary in design, the horseshoe shaped bar extends well into the second level of the room. Huge window walls afford a 180-degree view of the ocean from the ship's bow. Comfortable seating and quiet music encourage evening dancing and listening as well as daytime ocean watching.

Planned for quiet personal space for every guest, suites take up three full midship decks and parts of Deck 7 and Deck 12, but a heavy door separates public space from suites on the decks that share space. Deck 5 is anchored forward by the lower level of the Constellation Theatre and aft by the main restaurant, Compass Rose, which is bordered on the starboard by the Mariner Lounge and on portside by Latitudes, one of the optional restaurants.

Connecting the decks is a bank of three glass elevators that go up to the top deck and overlook the open atrium area. A second set of elevators is forward and the angled steel and wood staircase offers another connection between decks. Decks 6 and 7 are entertainment and dining venues. An open library is available around the clock amidship and operates on an honor system with a good selection of books and videos.

Computer.com has 14 multi-media stations. Staffed during specified hours, computer classes and assistance are offered. Charge is a nominal 75 cents per 20-minute session.

The midship disco leads up via stairway to the casino above, plus more entertainment and dining venues throughout the ship. Deck 12, Sports Deck, features more onboard facilities for active vacationers than any other ship in the Regent fleet. Facilities include a paddle tennis court, golf driving range (with protective netting), shuffleboard courts and a jogging track that circles above the pool deck below. Three whirlpools at one end of the Olympic size pool front the top of the atrium.

Public rooms are large, decorated in soft blues, tangy oranges and beige tones. Among unique features are the way major rooms, like the Horizon Lounge, which is the second show lounge and used for a number of activities, leads to a covered deck terrace. Or, the way the outside covered terraces in La Veranda restaurant lead into the air-conditioned interior space.

My favorite hangout, the Garden Promenade, is located outside the library. Wicker tables and chairs in small groupings are separated by hanging Japanese bonsai trees, bringing a casual outdoor atmosphere indoors for relaxed reading, conversational groups, or just ocean watching.

Suites in various configurations may be different in some ways, but they all share the basic features. Each has ocean views and private verandahs, but they differ in size from very comfortable to big, bigger and biggest.

Suites measure from about 301-square feet to 1,580-square feet. Measurements include balconies. All suites have European king-size beds which can be configured into twins, walk-in closets, marble appointed bathrooms with tubs and showers, plush terry robes, hair dryers, TVs and videos, refrigerators stocked with soft drinks replenished daily, in suite bar set-up of choice alcoholic beverages which can be exchanged for your favorites, combination safes, Judith Jackson amenities replaced daily and attentive butler service in top category suites.

The suites were designed by renowned marine architect Peter Yran & Bjorn Storbraten of Oslo, Norway, who also designed suites on Seabourn and Silversea, so there is a similarity in configuration. A sitting area with sofa, chairs and a desk fronts on the balcony, divided from the bedroom area by a drapery. Stateroom decor combines smooth, light-toned woods with rich fabrics in pale green, burnt orange and gold tones. Decorative art hangs on the walls above each bed.

Starting with the smallest suite at 301-square feet, in categories D through H, sizes go up to 1,580-square feet for the Master Suite, which has two bedrooms, two balconies and two and a half baths. In between are Penthouse suites at 449-square feet; Horizon suites at 522-square feet, Seven Seas suites with 602-square feet; Seven Seas aft suites with a total of 697-square feet, with one of the largest verandahs taking up 135 square feet of that amount.

All of the suites are outstanding, but the top three categories will be hard for other lines to duplicate. In addition to oversized bathrooms with separate glass enclosed showers, they have an additional bathroom with everything duplicated from the larger facility, except for the tub and shower. They also have the luxury of butler service, nightly surprise trays of canapés and other amenities. The Grand and Mariner suites range in the 700-square foot group while the two Master Suites are twice that number. All of the suites are matched in size and beauty by the attentive service of stewardesses and stewards.

It is almost axiomatic that a ship of the caliber of the Mariner would offer outstanding dining. After all, superb cuisine has been a hallmark of the Radisson Seven Seas fleet since its founding.

Notably unique on the Mariner is the fact that it is the largest ship afloat to offer single open-seating dining in every one of her four restaurants. This makes the choice of each night's dining destination a most pleasant quandary.

It means that guests sit with whomever they please and dine whenever and wherever they wish, even in their suites, where selections from the ship's main restaurant can be ordered during dining hours in addition to the 24-hour room service menu.

Dress suggestions on a one-week cruise include one formal evening, two informal, and the remaining listed as casual.The Compass Rose is the Mariner's largest and most elegant restaurant. At tables gleaming with polished silver and fine china, guests dine on an ever-changing potpourri of selections. These range from the latest fusion and exotic taste combinations to traditional favorites such as prime rib or lobster, selections for the health conscious and more simply prepared fare for times when overworked taste buds need a respite.

At Latitudes, the smallest restaurant, chefs have creative latitude, so entrees could be an eclectic ethnic mix from the four corners of the world. The reservations-only hideaway features special cosmopolitan cuisine in an intimate setting.

La Verandas serves wonderfully evocative Mediterranean fare in casually elegant surroundings. During the day, La Veranda also provides self-service buffet breakfasts and luncheon at multiple stations, which are behind closed doors when the sun sets.

Signatures is the only restaurant at sea to be created and operated by chefs wearing the white toque and blue riband of the Cordon Bleu of Paris. The ambience is classically and elegantly French, of course.

There's nothing boring about cruising on this big ship with only 700 passengers. The Mariner offers every daytime activities listed on megaships' daily programs, but with a difference. Instead of 200 or 300 passengers in attendance, each event attracts from 20 to 50 fellow passengers.

A typical sea day lists a morning stretch class, bridge lecture, an enrichment lecture, bingo, wine tasting and an introduction to digital photography. (And, those were just the pre-lunch choices).

Afternoons included an art auction, shuffleboard, golf contest, documentary movie, computer class, blackjack tournament and teatime trivia, accompanied by one of the best high teas as sea.

When the sun sets, entertainment moves to the two-tiered Constellation Theater, home to full-scale productions. Guests might prefer to enjoy drinks and dancing at the Stars Nightclub, and then ascend an open staircase to the large casino. Multiple lounges feature live music and dancing.

I would be remiss not to specifically mention the Judith Jackson Spa as one of the best at sea. Very popular on the Navigator, the tradition continues on Mariner and will carry over to the upcoming Seven Seas Voyager, sister ship to the Mariner. It is currently under construction in France, slated to join the fleet in late spring 2002.

Trained and skilled therapists staff the French-based operation. They "promise" to relieve stress and a few wrinkles in a variety of treatments, including a massage by two masseuses. The usual menu of thalassotherapy, aromatherapy, massage, steam room and sauna facilities as well as a full range of beauty and grooming services are just a few of the treatments offered amid the most soothing surroundings imaginable. Interesting to note that in keeping with Radisson's no-gratuity policy, there's no space designated for gratuities on the bill that guests are asked to sign for services.The adjoining Fitness Center features all the latest gym equipment with treadmills, rowers, cycles, free weights and weight machines.

There's also a separate aerobics room, and the spectacular views through the floor-to-ceiling windows are as invigorating as any workout.

There are some perks that should be mentioned. In addition to the no-tipping policy, choice wines (red and white) are offered on a complimentary basis with dinner in all of the restaurants.

Passengers who sail Regent are generally in the 45 years and up age bracket, well educated and well traveled, with household incomes in the $150,000 and up range. They are not usually first time cruisers, although there were a handful on this one-week cruise. They select Regent for the ambience, length of voyage and itineraries.Seven Seas Mariner is not for travelers who prefer Las Vegas as a vacation destination. It is for travelers who want the best in an environment that relieves stress but takes them to exotic places for exploration and education. I would rate the ship at the top of the luxury market.

During the inaugural year, Mariner will sail on a series of South America cruises, transiting the Panama Canal before spending the summer and fall in Europe.