Before I go to my review, some time ago I got a question about what is going on in Venice with the cruise ships or better said the lack of it. Well it is complicated.

Around 2016 the Mayor of Venice decided to reduce the numbers of cruise ships coming in by reducing their size. First to 100.000 tons and then to 30.000 tons. (That size varied a little bit depending on the ships measurement) This was done to reduce the damage of passing ships to the shore (and wooden pilings) on which Venice stands. Also the chance that one of the very large ships would veer into the shore side, due to engine failure, (even when escorted by tugs) underscored the decision.

Venice Cruise terminal. It is almost half the size of Venice itself. On a good (bad) day over 20,000 cruise guests could be ashore here.

As nowadays most cruise ships are well over 30,000 tons, all these ships had to go to other ports.  Further away are Trieste and Ravenna, closer are Chioggia and Fusina. But even with the two last ones, it is about 40 minutes by coach to Marco Polo airport from Fusina and about 90 minutes from Chioggia. Not ideal but if the ships want to continue calling at Venice these are the only real alternatives.

Then there is Mestre / Marghera, where the Fincantieri shipyard is located. There were a few trials here but it is a very industrial area and so far it has not taken off.

Venice wants to do something about it but that needs a canal from the sea to Statione Maritima, the Venice cruise terminal which is now very quiet.  That canal has to be dug through thick mud but that area is owned by the Italian Government. And that Government is not very interested as it knows that  the canal will need constant dredging and that they will be most likely the one who will have to do that. The “stand in” ports, now happily joining in with the cruise business, will keep pushing their point of view with the national Government. So nothing is happening and the ships will remain scattered over the other nearby ports. The Seven Seas Voyager docked at Fusina which is a nice small terminal and closest to Venice and the airport.

During our last visit it with the Silver Spirit it was a real Italian “organized chaos” in the terminal with everybody blocking everybody but Regent had it well organized. Luggage lined up properly, coach groups assembled outside and nobody blocked each other at the luggage collection and thus a good flow was achieved.  A good ending to a very good cruise.

So now the cruise review and my verdict.

Preboarding;  As the hotel planned for our stay had not been completed yet, we were sent to the  Grand Hotel Plaza Rome . Very central, very good ratings on the internet but very faded, bad service and not living up to what was promised on the internet.

I do not know what made Regent chose this hotel  but it was not Regent standard. What was peculiar was when we were asked for our ratings (*), on the digital questonaire we could give detailed comments about everything on board but we could only give a rating and no comments about our pre boarding experience.  So I hope that the many complaints that the Executive Concierge did receive from all the guests who stayed there, will be passed on to head office and that they will do something.

But once on board, everything ran smoothly and during the whole cruise there were no issues. Tender service in Dubrovnik from the ship could have been better, waiting 45 minutes is  not 6/7 star, but that was about it,

From Captain and Hotel Manager down to the youngest crew member, Lesley and I really got the impression that everybody sincerely wanted to please the guests and provide the best service possible.

Question nbr 1. was always, what else can we do for you,

(and maybe because of our cruise track record on the website)

Question nbr 2: what are the other cruise lines doing ?

Well based on our One cruise on the Silver Spirit and One cruise on Azamara,  Seven Seas Voyager is doing VERY Good.  Compliments. A lof of compliments.   The best compliment we can give is that we will book another cruise with Regent in 2029 but we do not know which one as the brochure is not out yet.

Regent has the option to take an “Open Deposit” without a specific ship or cruise and still get all the benifits of on board booking.

My regular entry The Glare.  I look each crewmember straight in the eye and watch their reaction. A smile, or some other way of acknowledging the guest.

This was a very peculiar one. Everybody was friendly, everybody greeted and smiled and then suddenly when moving from work area to work area they would walk by you, not looking left our right, and once at the next work area, the smiles and communicating started again.  Typically with the waiters, bar tenders and middle hotel management. So the glare goes on 90%, and that is the only thing that Azamara Journey was beating the Voyager in.

(*) The cruise rating had to be done on board and the Ships staff (e.g. announcements by the Cruise Director) kept pushing for that. But you could only do this by scanning the Q.R code on your Mobile / Cell phone. And I like to use my laptop, so I have a nice big screen and I can get my comments properly in the right boxes. So I wondered how many guests filled out the questionnaire. Also by doing it on board, you cannot rate disembarkation, or the transfer to the airport.

If you completed the digital questionnaire on board, you went into a raffle for a $ 100,–, and I am still wondering if any of the guests were really tempted by that $100,– given the fact that the average cabin price is so high. $100,– is not a big deal. a 5% voucher of the next cruise would make much more of an impact.

a special thank you to Francesco the overall Maitre d’ Hotel in charge of all restaurants and the crew mess. He was everywhere, where we went. And also one of the longest serving crew members of Regent. (27 years according to a waiter, and maybe longer)

Lesley and I would like to thank Captain Stanilas Mercier, General Manager Andreas Piccinin, Cruise Director Callie Smit  and his 2 assistants Marinda and Carlotta,  Executive Concierge Elisabetene Nunes ,  F&B manager Catalin Cretu, Restaurant Manager Francisco Balaingit,     Chief Housekeeper Jolanta and Executive chef Jaroslaw (the man with the magic behind the scenes) for their standards of operating and the dedication to quality.  It will be hard to beat them.    Then from the many who looked after us Savanan, the Butler and Nicolas and Cynthia,  for their service.  In the ship, Mr I Nyoman, Mr. I Wayan, Kate from Russia, and Gualande from Kirgistan, and all the others for the excellent cruise.  We will be back.

So was there REALLY nothing to complain about ?    Well they ran out of “Sweet Dream” chocolates two nights before the end of the cruise. But Regent had provided us with a whole box of Leonides Chocolates at the beginning of the cruise, so we did not suffer from withdrawal symptoms. We will be back.

This was a magnificent back up plan and gift for when running out of “Sweet Dream chocolates,

As said our next cruise with Regent is somewhere in 2029, as our cruise diary is full until that time.

A thank you to all of you who kept following my ramblings, some of you very dedicated.    Our next cruise is at the end of November for a week on boars Cunard’s Queen Victoria.  The ship seems to have had a refit and Lesley want’s to check it out. She found another very good deal, POSH again, but it seems that my bank account can handle it.  I hope you will follow us again then.