Regent is going to be building a new ship now that it is part of the Apollo family. To gather input from future guests of the new ship, they have scheduled a cruise to HELP DESIGN A NEW REGENT SHIP. Regent executives, including President Mark Conroy, EVPs Ken Watson and Christian Saleau, the ship's architect and other key Regent staff members will be on board the Mariner March 14-24, 2008 to hear and discuss our thoughts about the new Regent Ship.
Pat and I have booked this cruise and have come up with a few ideas ourselves. Also, with Ngaire’s blessing, I’ve agreed to gather and organize ideas from other people who post on Luxury Cruise Talk but can’t make the cruise (or will be on the cruise but are shy), for presentation to Regent management during the New Ship forums they will conduct during it. We are trying to come up with as many ideas as we can to make the new ship better for all of us.
To be effective, I suggest we keep all the ideas we present 'ship-related', leaving policy issues/suggestions to a later date and/or different agenda.
Here is what we’ve come up with so far. Please, feel free to add your ideas. If you don’t want your name or moniker used, just add ‘anon’, or send me a note, and you will be.
Preliminary POLL RESULTS: See New Regent Ship poll, posted nearby.
As of 11:59 pm March 4th, 67 had voted, with a 2-to-1 vote in favor of more suites the size of those on Voyager to hold costs down, over fewer but larger suites, which would likely force costs up, and a 4-to-1 vote in favor of two smaller theaters over one larger one. Polls will be open till March 8th, so if you haven’t voted yet, please do so!
GENERAL:
During the Voyager shakedown, Mark Conroy explained that the Mariner was built from the spine out, while Voyager was built from the hull in. That explains the single center corridor on Voyager vs. two corridors on Mariner – clearly a less space-efficient design (given that the second corridor = wasted space). ON THE OTHER HAND, having sailed ±77 nights in Voyager and ±78 in Mariner, we’ve found Mariner to be a more stable, steady ship, less likely to pitch and roll as much. So there may be other trade-offs.
Mark Conroy discussed the new ship design while on the Mariner last year, saying the new ship will be larger to make it more stable. He indicated that larger suites would fill the additional space and keep the max guest load to 700 (or perhaps 750). There will be larger safes, and they plan to use LED lighting in place of the high intensity halogens, for a big savings in energy.
IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT! Navigator, Mariner and Voyager are quite good, with many outstanding qualities and features; don’t mess that fine record up!
HERE ARE LCT's SPECIFIC IDEAS & SUGGESTIONS:
> Make sure the new ship is vibration-free, all the way to the stern!
> Navigator/Voyager bathrooms – Please, no Mariner-type tubs!
> The Mariner suites are just a bit too tight - for example, no room for the nice rail opposite the end of the bed as on the Voyager, just the place to hang your pants while taking a quick nap!
> Have a clock and nightlight in the suites, but both a bit dimmer than the nightlights on Voyager.
> Make sure the 120v outlet in the bathroom is ‘live’ even when the lights are off, as on the Voyager.
> Put a night-light in the baths; it’s a real shock to get up in the middle of the night and go into those brightly lit baths! Save electricity too, and make the new ship "greener".
> Improve the Internet reception, ship-wide. If necessary, wire the suites. Reception on the Mariner forward of the elevators is poor to non-existent.
Pat & Mike [count_Florida]
> Wire each and every guest cabin. Keeping wireless would be a nice extra for using computers in a public area. Allows for sharing pictures etc. Having some experience with wireless at a hotel property that decided to wire each room I would think that when building a ship from scratch that wiring the rooms would be a no-brainer.
> Many of us carry a plug with extra outlets so adding additional 120 outlets at the desk would be a nice thought.
> Include the larger safes that are currently on the Voyager as contrasted to the smaller ones on the Mariner would be a plus. Would not be a bad idea if they were even a little larger. Something that would allow a laptop and digital camera with lens would be a big plus.
Ralph W.
> I read that the basic suite will be similar to the Mariner penthouse. I hope this is true. I would push for them to use this layout. I think this is the best layout of all the penthouse suits. I love the L shape sofa and the comfortable chairs with ottomans.
> Make the showers bigger. The ones on the Navigator are too small. I like the ones where they took out the tubs on the Mariner.
> If putting in tubs, make them all air jet ones.
> Think about the layout of the buffets. There always seems to be a bottleneck somewhere.
> Figure out a way to have more shade around the pool. There is always a rush to get the lounges that will be in the shade for most of the day.
> Everyone loves the coffee machine. Maybe more than one.
Pammy
> Don't make the smallest suites so large that they will be priced significantly higher than Cat H on Voyager or Mariner. If so, it will be like they have created a totally separate cruise line. Larger suites are fine but the ships should be able to be priced similarly. (see poll nearby)
Marc
> I think that standard suites are just fine size-wise, if anything make them smaller and thus a better value. I do not want to spend any more time in the room than I have too.
Granth
> Leave Connoisseur Club at one end of the ship and add a simpler smoking lounge on the other end. This way, if your cabin is aft and the Connoisseur Club is near the front of the ship, you won't have to traverse the entire ship from your cabin in order to have a smoke.
KarenS
> Include a Marina platform with zodiacs, scuba equipment, kayaks etc. like the PG has would be on my wish list.
Pat – aka Canadagirl
> Keep passenger size about the same, but don't make the minimal suites so big that we can't afford them!
> Make the shower stall just a titch bigger, just a few inches.
> Better acoustics in Compass Rose (gee, a higher ceiling would be nice, I know that's a tough one--I can't help but think of the dining room on Diamond!)
Wendy
SUGGESTION:: Design the ship so that the theater is on the deck just above Compass Rose. Put a sloping floor on the main level in the theater to improve sight lines and also allow a raised ceiling in CR below! Might be difficult or infeasible, but it sure would be nice. Also, bring back the waitresses from the Diamond; they were wonderful! (added by c_F)
Have the walls between balconies like Voyager's not Mariner's. In other words solid with no gaps and hard to look around. We have had neighbors peaking through and around before and don't really appreciate it.
Jim B
When the ships are sailing full or nearly so, there can be a wait for a table in Compass Rose, and trouble finding an open table in Veranda; a bit more space and capacity in each would be a big benefit from the larger ship planned. If the numbers of suites and passengers increases, all of the dining rooms should be increased at minimum proportionately, with at least a corresponding amount of extra space in Compass Rose and Veranda.
Jbittle (and others)
A Sample of Persistent Good Ideas Gathered From Sources Other Than LCT:
I miss not having a wraparound promenade deck for walkers. Not suggesting eliminating the jogging track, there's a need for that, but it would be nice to add a wraparound promenade deck on a lower level. It would have to be on a deck with only public space, such as restaurants, shops etc.
That is one area where another non-inclusive, assigned seating semi-luxury line (beginning with C) really does have a nice advantage - the Promenade Deck is loved by all who use it – it’s shaded and protected from the wind.
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AND MOST IMPORTANT: What’s it going to take to be invited on the shakedown cruise?
Come on, what are your ideas!
