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I Put The Luxury Cruise Line Regent To The Test!
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Jan 28, 2025
I was having a great time on my recent Regent Seven Seas cruise before I started speaking to fellow guests. Some first-timers as well as long-time regulars raised issues which made me wonder if I was being too forgiving. After all, the trip had cost me a lot and it is worth being picky! So, after digesting it all and taking on board their thoughts, here’s what I believe the line does well, differently, and what doesn’t work for everyone - and why. For bonus & exclusive content (including videos, articles, eBooks and more) become a channel member or patron: --------------------------------------------------- * Patreon Patron: https://www.patreon.com/tipsfortravellers * YouTube Channel Member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_qE-Obs2ocdmPXY0TIU-cw/join Check out my cruise-themed T-shirts and products: --------------------------------------------------- * T-Shirts: http://bit.ly/TFTStore * Mugs, notebooks, hoodies etc: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/tipsfortravellers?ref_id=22354 My social media: --------------------------------------------------- * Blog: https://www.tipsfortravellers.com * Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/garybembridge * Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipsfortravellers * Instagram: http://www.instgram.com/garybembridge
View Video Transcript
0:00
well I was having a great time on my
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recent region 7s cruise and then I
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started speaking to fellow guests some
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first timers as well as longtime
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regulars they raised a couple of issues
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which made me start to wonder if I was
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maybe being too forgiven after all the
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trip had cost me a lot and so it is
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worth being picky but after digesting it
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all and taking on board their thoughts
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here's actually what with reflection I
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believe the line does really well does
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differently and what doesn't work
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certainly for everybody and why welcome
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aboard I'm Gary benbridge making it fun
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and easy to discover plan and enjoy
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Unforgettable Cruise vacations first a
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quick recap of what Regent is it's part
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of the Norwegian Cruise group and they
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call themselves the most luxurious
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Journey at Sea it competes with ultra
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luxury lines like Seaborn silver sea and
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I guess now explored Journeys and the
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revamped Crystal they say in their
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advertising they have the most Fair
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inclusions of all the ultr luxury lines
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and I will keep coming back to this
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because it's both a plus and it's a
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negative everyone I spoke to agreed with
1:01
me though that they have beautiful ships
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they have six ships at the time of
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recording three are the same design
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explorer that I was on Splendor and
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Grandeur each carrying 746 Passengers
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The Marin and Voyager are another design
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carrying 698 and the Navigator have also
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been on taking
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496 the ships feel spacious for
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relatively small ships I think they
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never seem crowded at all inside I think
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it looks stylish sophisticated the
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furniture is all very plush it's all and
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I think it looks expensive including the
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artwork by the way which includes works
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by famous artists like Picasso himself
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it's probably not as contemporary Decor
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I don't think as the newer Seaborn and
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silver sea ships that I've been on but I
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do really like the style of the ships I
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also really like the range of venues and
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Facilities on these relatively small
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ships I think they've done a really good
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job so for example on Deck 12 there's a
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sports Deck with Crazy Golf paddle golf
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deck games and a walking and running
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track then down on Deck 11 there's a
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pool deck a massive observation Lounge a
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library a connoisseur Club Cigar Lounge
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a card room and the culinary arts
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cooking Center then right down on Deck
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five you've got a spa with a big fitness
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center just above it on Deck six which
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is a good size an infinity pool
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fantastic uh Coffee Connection which is
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open most of the day with tasty snacks
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the Meridian Lounge which is a bar at
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night and serves afternoon tea in the
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afternoon which is absolutely I think
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one of the best at Sea guest destination
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Services future Cruise sales internet
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cafe dining reservations are also on
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Deck 5 then down on Deck four there's a
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surprisingly large Casino for the size
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of the ship and a Swanky bar with dance
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floor and then the shops there are 15
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grades of suets which are a good size
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for such a small ship for example I was
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in an F2 Superior Suite in 803 which is
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in the kind of the lower third of grades
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but it was was comfy it was spacious had
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a great bathroom and a good-sized
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balcony so I do think the ships are
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great but have you noticed I'm sure that
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I didn't mention dining venues and
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dining because that's what I want to
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focus on next it's the second thing that
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I think and I found that they do well
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though I don't think they beat the
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competition and I'll talk about that and
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I do think they have a couple of issues
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there are seven dining options on all
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the ships but the smaller Navigator so
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compass rose is the main dining room
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it's open for breakfast and dinner it's
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got uh a great big menu with standards
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and then daily kind of rotating items I
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saw firsthand through dining with some
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of my YouTube channel members who are on
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the cruise that they do cater for
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vegetarian and vegan passengers well by
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working with the guests individually on
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the menus that suit them each day dinner
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did get busy at peak times service then
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could be a little bit slow but the good
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thing is it's open- seated dining and I
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could get whatever table configuration I
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wanted be a dining alone or or with any
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other guests that I met on the cruise
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there are three speciality restaurants
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included in the fair but I had to make
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bookings for these and that was only
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possible once I was on board annoyingly
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I could eat in each one only once and
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then I had to check in during the cruise
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if there was space and availability to
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go again highgrade suets I do believe
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can go as often as they want to
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especially restaurants now here's what I
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thought was good and maybe a little bit
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less good about each of these so Prime
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7even is the steakhouse it is
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undoubtedly a beautiful venue but pretty
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much every line at every level uh has a
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Stak house and I think it's really hard
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to stand out I found it perfectly okay
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other people I spoke to they were less
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enthusiastic than I was they said the
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Stak quality they didn't think was
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fantastic and actually regulars but the
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menu in here and actually on the other
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restaurants is not evolving fast enough
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for them they did have a tasty Smoky
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tomato soup a moose Bush that I love but
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regular said kind of this has been
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around forever they felt there could be
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more change but I did like it specific B
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room was my favorite specialty venue an
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amazing range of Asian food and a wow
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factor looking venue I really like the
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venue I had I had great service but I
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did D there early again I met people
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that said they had a slower experience
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at peak times uh shter serves modern
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French cuisine again another really
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striking venue and I'm not a big fan of
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French food but I did actually enjoy
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this way more than I thought I would do
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now they have another evening restaurant
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which is called setti Mari at lavanda
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now Veranda is it's a really good buffet
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restaurant at breakfast and lunch then
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at night it becomes a waiter served
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Italian and it does have a great menu
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and great food however it gets crazy
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busy and I found it quite hard to get
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into on this cruise and my previous C
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Cruise because you can't do reservations
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so like on that last Cruise people were
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lining up ready for the 6:30 p.m.
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opening to get a table so it kind of
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takes a little bit of the edge off
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luxury because it's a bit of a bunfight
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to get in but really nice food there's
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the pool grill with a healthy breakfast
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option and you during lunch it then
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serves pizzas Burgers sandwiches salads
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that kind of stuff uh and they certainly
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w't open for dinner uh on my cruise and
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either of my cruises and I think this is
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one of my misses there's no casual
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dining option in the evening because the
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only other option would be to you know
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versus a sit down served meal was in
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sweet dining and I'd really really love
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the option of just having something
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casual some night particularly I was on
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an 11 night cruise I didn't want kind of
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drawn out you know three course whatever
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way to serve meals every day so they do
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food well in my opinion and it's
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definitely at worst on par with the
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other Ultra Luxury competition food
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definitely is better than say on premium
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lines like cond America princess
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celebrity that I've been on though I do
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wonder whether their sister line Oceania
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which is also owned by Norwegian because
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they have great food it probably gives
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them a little bit of the run for their
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money because Oceana food is is pretty
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elevated I think the other thing that
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they do well is service of course all
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sort of ultr luxury lines do have great
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service it's kind of their thing and I
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do need to factor in that some of the
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crew do recognize or know me from my
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YouTube channel but everybody I spoke to
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I think agreed that the front-facing
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crew are really friendly they take time
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to chat they get to know you they they
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really go full-hearted to serve you
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they're efficient it's lighthearted it's
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personal I won't spend a lot of time
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talking about this because I think good
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service is kind of a given at this level
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of cruising so let me shift now onto
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what I think they do that is unique and
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is different when I look at their
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brochures and their website they talk a
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lot about region 7 se's having the most
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inclusions within their Fair now
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although this is true versus pretty much
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all the luxury lines silver SE is kind
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of shifting a little bit close to them
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building more into their fairs however I
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do think with this they creating a rod
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for their own back as I will explain
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what's included in the region 7 C's fair
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then economy flights and transfers
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although pentas and above get business
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class flights concierge and higher
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grades also get a pre Cruise hotel stay
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within their Fair everybody though gets
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unlimited chore Excursions Unlimited
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drinks gratuities special restaurants
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laundry and unlimited Wi-Fi but in some
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of these inclusions there are a couple
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of kind of issues so first of all when
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it comes to the included transfer and
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hotel stays both before my Caribbean and
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Japan cruises neither felt that
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luxurious I thought there was a bit of a
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disconnect between the luxurious of the
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ship and the kind of the transfer Hotel
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experience on land it was uh you know at
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the airport look for the cruise line
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sign kind of wait get on a bus to the
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hotel the hotels I felt were pretty
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standard chain conference package type
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Hotel so for example in Japan it was the
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Hilton Tokyo a pretty standard room it
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was really packed with other groups and
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tours in terms of the unlimited shore
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excursions there are a couple of issues
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here and a couple of upsides though
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first of all they released about a year
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before the cruise at a certain time of
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the day and so people all swoop into at
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that time and pick out all the best ones
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so for example on my Tokyo trip they
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released sort of sometime after midnight
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so I thought I'll go to bed uh I logged
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in at 6:00 a.m. when I woke up and I
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found that some of the included
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excursions that I really wanted to do
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were already weight listed now some of
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the other lines like silver that
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includes uh excursions they uh release
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them when you actually book The Cruise
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so they reward early Bookers more which
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I think is kind of a nice thing to do
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some of the better and the more
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interesting excursions with costly
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elements do have charges so for that
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Tokyo trip I actually paid although I
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had these included excursions a total of
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$400 for excursions in three of the
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ports like a visit to the Mountaintop
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Shrine that required a cable car ride a
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visit to some caves in Kachi and then a
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more in-depth tour of Tokyo than was the
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included one the included tours although
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there is definitely a decent number of
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choices per Port I felt tend to be a
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little bit more walking panoramic tours
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with some of the entry fees covered so
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for example access was covered into the
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kto nio palace grounds but you had to
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pay extra then to tour the actual Palace
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itself I did also see a lot of no shows
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so you know particularly after a long
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day like after that Kyoto or people in
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the morning handing back tickets but of
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course by then region have had to commit
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to the guides the buses all the cost so
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that kind of cost is already has to be
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built in so I think there could be a lot
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of wastage you now and I wonder if that
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actually affects what they can offer so
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I do feel it could be kind of creating
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some problems anyway the Excursion
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process I think also could probably made
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a little bit more luxury you know like
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big ships uh cruises you have to meet in
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the theater you get a tour bus number uh
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other luxury lines have sort of shifted
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where silver sea I believe for example
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they'll allocate your tour as you leave
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the ship it just feels a little bit
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classier now I'm probably overthinking
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that but these little things sometimes
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uh you know can add to the feel of
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luxury overall I don't want to appear
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too negative because I did enjoy the
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included excursions I went on I did
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think there was a good amount of choice
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but there are a couple of kind of quirks
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and issues within them now because I
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don't drink alcohol I asked a lot of
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people on board about the included wine
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the drinks and the cocktail lists and I
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think there was pretty much Universal
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agreement that it's a long good and
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generous uh list of inclusions what I
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did love which does show luxury is that
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it did have kind of all the quirky
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drinks that I like like caffeine-free
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Diet Coke actually also had
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caffeine-free regular Coke they had
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sugar-free ginger ale and other drinks
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that I normally struggle to get on many
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other lines including some of those
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luxury lines I had to pay to upgrade to
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streaming Wi-Fi because only basic is
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actually included in the fair and that
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was pretty so so but this is going to go
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away because starlink is rolling across
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the fleet and everyone will get fast
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Wi-Fi included I I could get as much
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laundry done as I wanted and it would
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come back the same day I love this there
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were though very busy guest laundry
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rooms on all the decks because
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apparently people told me they didn't
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trust sending their fancy or delicate
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clothes to the laundry so that's
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something to be of interest perhaps now
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I often ask how region differs from the
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other Al luxury lines and I I will
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actually dive in more detail in a
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separate video because it's such a big
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topic uh there's a lot that is similar
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as I've mentioned and here's a couple of
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kind of headline differences uh so not
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completely ignoring that question unlike
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Seaborn and silver sea Regent do not do
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Expedition cruising that's one big
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difference Seaborn for example has gone
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down the route of more celebrity
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Partnerships they have or have had
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because they evolving some of them
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Partnerships with like Thomas Keller and
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dining stim rice in entertainment Dr
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Andrew will in Wellness Molton Brown in
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toiletries hel Hansen in clothing and so
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on they also do have a really focused
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enrichment program with a thing they
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called their conversation series which I
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think I think is a Miss as I'll talk a
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bit later on Regent silver sea has a
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slightly different feel it's more
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European and approach they have Butlers
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for every grer sweet and what they do is
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they focus on what they call Salt their
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sea and land taste Gourmet program and
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that affects the menus they have onboard
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events excursions and I think they are
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also very destination immersion focused
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you know and based on what I've seen
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from an upcoming South African trip I've
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got booked with them although they have
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fewer options of excursions they do seem
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to have more pre premium excursions that
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region do included within the fair I
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would say the daily program cross all of
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them are pretty similar with the usual
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trivia debt games themed song and dance
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shows uh but I do think that the lack of
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kind of History cultural enrichment
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talks and poort talks which the other
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lines do a bit more of is more of a Miss
13:48
with Regent Regent actually costs though
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less than I think many people appreciate
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though of course it is at a price that's
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way out of most people's budget but to
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put it in context I went on the Cruise a
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few weeks after Royal Caribbean Symphony
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Of The Seas where I'd booked a suet on
14:03
there because I wanted to test out the
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whole suet experience on a big ship the
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cost per day on Raw Caribbean once that
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added in all the add-ons like Wi-Fi
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especially dining excursions drinks
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gratuities transfers all the stuff that
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including the region Fair it cost me
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exactly the same per day as my region
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trip but of course it was a very
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different experience on Symphony Of The
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Seas I was paying for a big high scale
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theater water shows wide range of
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facilities lots of choice and a sweet
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area to escape crowds and noise on
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Regent I had less of that but I was
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paying for a smaller sophisticated more
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reserved much more personalized kind of
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service which they do well so when
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people ask me if I think Regent is worth
14:45
the money I say it's all about what is
14:48
important to you for me I would love and
14:51
I was happy to pay that amount of price
14:54
for that experience but I met people on
14:55
the trip who actually said actually they
14:57
missed the big shows they missed the
14:58
bustle and they missed the big choice
15:00
now if you want to know much more about
15:02
Ary cruising and other things that I
15:05
think I see people misund understand
15:07
join me in this video where I talk about
15:09
something that I still can't get over
15:11
compared to Resort and premium Cruise
15:13
Lines see you over there
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