Overall the trip to Europe was fantastic! I visited England, France, Portugal and Spain. Top to bottom it was an outstanding experience and I’d highly recommend both this Regent Seven Seas cruise and itinerary to anyone. I started my trip in England and the truth of the matter is, security these days, when leaving the United States to go on an international voyage, is still very time consuming and tedious. By no means should anyone not expect delays, lines and small aggravations. However, upon arriving in England I used the services of a private driver that I would very highly recommend. Not only was he punctual and professional, he gave me a taste of some nice sightseeing along the way.
I stayed the night in Dover at a hotel near the port and began my cruise the next day. (Feel free to ask me about the driver information if you are interested; as I said, he was wonderful.) Every stateroom on The Voyager had its own balcony over 300 square feet. This ship only offers suites to its guests. The Stewarts upon my arrival were outstanding, offering me champagne and flowers right away. We departed for our first stop, Mont St. Michel, a spectacular tour but definitely not one for all guests as the amount of walking and climbing of stairs may not be easy for everyone. Other than this one, all of the other tours were quite easy and made for all (with lots of shopping at most of the other stops). However, Barcelona, while a magnificent city with great shopping, is a location that is fraught with pickpockets and guests need to be alert to the small dangers which definitely lurk for those who venture into this Spanish city. The ship’s crew even warned up not to wear jewelry.
The food, always a major attraction on cruises, is worth noting. Signatures Restaurant is a location for which you need a reservation but it is well worth it. The cuisine is superb, a French eateries with impeccable service. Latitudes, the Asian dining option, which you needed a reservation for too, had a set menu. The food was not very good, most guests complained about it. The Compass Rose, the main dining room, was often quite crowded and the wait ranged up to a half hour most night, but the food was good. La Veranda, the Italian choice, did not require reservations (nor a jacket for men), also had superior food but the service was rushed for those who came in close to closing. Restaurants on the ship were a bit too crowded during prime dinner hours. 24 hour room service was always an option though. Breakfast and lunch was served in either the main dining hall or poolside, with the food being quite good. Tea time at 4:00 or burgers on the grill at 5:00 were also nice options. Overall, it was as we folks in the industry like so say… smooth sailing.