As someone who is an absolute lover of Cruises, every time I get on a “Luxury/Small Ship/All-Inclusive” Cruiseline like Regent or Seabourn or Silversea I do tend to feel pretty prosperous and like I’ve done something right in life as sailing on these types of Cruises really is the “Pinnacle” of the Cruising industry…
…it doesn’t get much better than getting on a ship where:
-The rooms onboard are all Suites and are much bigger than your typical “Big Ship/Mass Market” Cruise ship rooms
-Where the service is very gracious & refined and there’s more staff per guest than on all other lines so you get lots of personal attention
-Where you NEVER feel “nickeled & dimed” since every gratuity, every meal, every drink is included in your Cruise’s upfront price as are other items that you’re traditionally charged for on big ships like wifi, specialty dining, room service, gym classes, laundry, etc., etc.
So, I was definitely excited to take my 3rd Cruise with “Regent Seven Seas Cruises” on their “Seven Seas Explorer” Cruise Ship!! 🙂
FYI, as you’ll see here, my other 2 “Regent” Cruises were on their “Seven Seas Mariner” and “Seven Seas Voyager” ships.
Alright, let’s get back to the “main” event of my time in Bali.
As much as I loved my few weeks in Japan (Including my Tauck Tour in Japan) and then spending 10 days in Manila & Bali, definitely the most exciting part of my 2 months in Asia was when I boarded Regent’s absolutely Beautiful “Seven Seas Explorer Ship” for my 17-night sailing from Bali to Sydney!!
Not only did I want for nothing on this stunning All-Inclusive ship where drinks, tips, all meals, wifi, laundry, etc. are included but I finally got to fully unpack for the first time in a month… there’s nothing better than Cruising!! 🙂
And as you can see below, I had a wonderful warm “Welcome” as I boarded the ship! 
FYI, above I used the words “Small Ship” Cruiseline to describe “Regent” who is the company that owns/operates this ship…this “Seven Seas Explorer” ship that I sailed on has a maximum capacity of 750 guests.
To put that into perspective, the same month I sailed on Regent’s “Explorer”, Royal Caribbean launched the biggest Cruise ship ever, “Icon of the Seas”, which has a maximum capacity of 7,600 guests…
…so, if you’ve ever sailed on those ships with 1,000s of fellow Cruisers & didn’t like the crowds or if you’ve ever been intrigued to take a Cruise but didn’t want to do so with 7,600 people onboard… no worries, you have other options like this ship! 😉
Okay, where to start??
As the ships themselves are a HUGE highlight when sailing with Regent “Seven Seas Cruises”, let’s look at the “Seven Seas Explorer” ship that I sailed on first and then later in this post I’ll talk about all the ports I visited on my 17 night sailing.
First off, let’s talk…
Suites
One of the main things you’ll notice when you take your first “Luxury/Small Ship/All-Inclusive” Cruise on a line like Regent is that the rooms are VERY nice!!
Just like when you took your first “Big Ship/Mass Market” Cruise you probably noticed the rooms were VERY small! 😉
But, on Regent, that’s NOT the case!
ALL rooms onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” ship are considered Suites due to their size and they ALL come with a Private Balcony which, as you know, on the “Big Ship/Mass Market” Cruises you have to pay a hefty premium for rooms with balconies and a huge premium for Suites… but on Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” ship, a 285 square foot Suite with a Private Veranda is, literally, the worst room onboard… not bad!! 😉
With that said, when I was onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” ship, I stayed in a 400 square foot “Superior Suite”…
…this video shows you exactly what my 400 square-foot “Superior Suite” was like.
FYI, even though this is the 3rd least expensive Suite onboard (There are 7 bigger/more expensive Suite types above this one which I’ll talk about more below) it was literally one of the nicest rooms I’ve ever stayed in out of my 83 Cruises!!
I HIGHLY recommend this “Superior Suite” room type at a minimum if in budget (In my experience, you’re looking at about $75-$100 per person per day more for this room compared to the smallest room onboard but as you’re getting a 40% bigger room that’s considered quite the deal in the Cruising World to pay so little for so much extra space!), especially if you’re onboard for more then a week, which many of Regent’s sailings are, as I’m sure you’ll appreciate all the extra space as well as the much bigger bathroom with double sinks and a sperate shower/bath, you’ll have a huge walk-in closest with plenty of space for your wardrobe, etc.
This room was truly perfect for my 17 nights onboard!!
FYI, “Concierge Suites” are exactly like these “Superior Suites” but, as mentioned here, they come with more “perks” like an included pre-Cruise hotel night, more wifi logins, you get to book your specialty dining reservations & shore excursions earlier than the lower rooms which gives you access to better times/to the excursions that sell out early, etc.
If for any reason you had trouble viewing my video above, here are some pictures of my “Superior Suite” when I sailed on Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” ship.
As I mentioned above, onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” ship there are 7 bigger/more expensive Suite types than the “Superior Suite” I stayed in… and, there are 2 smaller/less expensive Suites compared to the “Superior Suite” I stayed in.
Would you like to see what ALL those Suites look like…
…if so, simply check out this picture and the dozen pictures/videos following that one where I “walk you through” (Literally! ;-)) all of the different Suite options onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer”!
Alright, now that you’ve seen all the choices when it comes to your “home” while onboard this gorgeous Cruise ship, next let’s talk about…
Inclusions
By far, one of the biggest reasons why my clients who sail with Regent do so (And MANY of them sail with them again & again & again!) is because they simply DON’T want to be “nickeled & dimed” when on their hard-earned vacations!!
As they know they’re going to pay for lots of different items when they travel (whether they do so upfront or when they’re at the destination) they choose to “get the money part out of the way” up front… so when on Vacation they don’t need to worry about the “money stuff”!! Which, as we all know, can take away the joy of a Vacation if you’re worried about money constantly while actually on your trip!
So, with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, they simply pay for all these things when they book & pay for their Cruise… before they ever leave home!
Here’s everything that Regent includes in their Cruise fares when you book with them:
Drinks– When you sail with Regent, there’s no having to worry about should you have that extra glass of wine at dinner due to the cost or having to feel uncomfortable if you should buy your “newfound” friends a round of drinks, etc. as they’re ALL included!! 😉 And as I talk about here in the caption under that picture & the next one, not only are drinks included all around the ship but the fridge in your room is also stocked all the time as well with whatever beverages you like in it (Alcoholic & non-alcoholic drinks) and you also get water bottles in your room daily and a portable one that you can refill onboard to take with you on excursions, etc. In comparison, one of the “Big ship” Cruiselines that rhymes with “Norwegian” 😉 charges $109 per person per day for their “Unlimited” drink package yet you can’t even get a bottle of water with that package even after paying $109 per day… but for an extra $49.95 USD they’ll sell you a box of 24 water. Personally, I drink the equivalent of about 8 bottles of water every day so if I was on Norwegian for 17 days that’s about $283 worth of water… let’s just say, I’d rather go with Regent who always has water in my room plus they give me a bottle to take on my excursions, to the gym, etc. Speaking of the gym, as you’ll see in this pic, Regent even has free Gatorade & Vitamin water that you can enjoy at the gym anytime… good luck having that included when on a “big ship” Cruise!
Gratuities– Have you Cruised on the big ships lately? If not, they’re now up to around $20 per day, per guest just for your room stewards & basic staff… and then, on top of that, you have to tip on every drink you buy including non-alcoholic drinks. Let’s talk about Norwegian Cruiseline since their parent company owns both Norwegian & Regent. If you go on Norwegian for 17 nights you have to pay $340 per guest for basic gratuities and then on their “included” drink package they charge you another $370.60 per person for gratuities on that… per couple, that’s $1,421.20 JUST for gratuities for 17 days… WOW!! Their Cruises don’t look so cheap anymore when you start adding in all the “extras” like this! 🙁 Again though, on Regent, ALL staff gratuities are paid with your upfront Cruise fare so no need to be bothered by these significant extra charges like when on a “Big Ship” Cruise!!
Food– Whether it’s meals at their fine dining restaurants (including their Specialty restaurants) or room service or at the pool grill, etc. there’s NEVER a charge for food when on a Regent Seven Seas Cruise! 🙂 FYI, stayed tuned as below I’m going to talk more about the food on my Cruise, including the Specialty restaurants
Wifi– I know a lot of people tend to think they’ll “disconnect” when they go on their Vacations/Cruises but let’s get real… that’s not the World we live in anymore!! Between staying in touch with your kids/grandkids/friends, staying up to date on your Facebook groups, world news, the stock market, having to do online banking, being able to check your security camera at home while you travel, etc. we all need to be “connected” daily these days! And yes, on the “Big Ship” lines (and even on some small ship lines) even though Wifi can easily be $30+ per day, everyone onboard a Regent Cruise gets an INCLUDED wifi login and for “Concierge” Suites and above you get 4 logins per room so you can keep your multiple devices connected!
Pre-Hotel– Speaking of “Concierge” Suites… anyone who books a Regent Cruise and stays in a “Concierge” Suite or above, you’ll get an Included 1 night stay in a hotel before your Cruise which is an AWESOME perk as, as I talk about here and here, you NEVER want to fly in the “day of” your sailing as if your flight is late you’ll miss the Cruise and even if it’s on time you’ll be too tired to enjoy the first few days… I see people make this mistake on my personal Cruises ALL THE TIME!! 🙁 As I always tell my clients, the earlier you fly in the better as why not start your Vacation off right by exploring the city where your Cruise starts which is often a GREAT place to visit!! As I talk about in the caption under this picture, I got to Bali 6 days before my Cruise started and had a Great time there… so always fly in as early as your schedule & budget allows!!
Laundry– Yep, literally, Regent even includes doing your Laundry throughout your Cruise for you… as I talk about in the caption under this pic, what a nice perk this is… so prosperous!! Typically on a 17 day Cruise you could easily spend $100s getting laundry done (and at hotels even more!) so make sure to add in all these inclusions/the value of them when you’re evaluating if the price of a Regent Cruise works for you or not!
“Unlimited” Shore Excursions– Speaking of value, this is a BIG one that accounts for a lot of the value that’s included in your Cruise fare when you book a Regent Cruise!! Not sure if you’ve been on any Cruise ships lately & have bought excursions but they’re NOT cheap!!
In my experience, $200 per port per guest is pretty average these days… so, for this Cruise with Regent we had 10 port stops which could easily add $4,000 per couple to your “bottom line” after booking any other Cruise where Shore Excursions are not included!!
FYI, “Unlimited” means you can take as many of their included excursions in 1 day that you can fit into your schedule… for example, years ago when I Cruised with Regent and was in Shanghai I did 3 included tours in 1 day… a morning tour, an afternoon tour and that night I went to see the “Shanghai Acrobats”… pretty amazing value when you add up taking advantage of 3 Shore Excursione in one day, all included in the price of your Cruise!!
With that said, NOT all excursions they offer are included in your price… this isn’t an exact # but the way I explain it is if an excursion is around $200 per person or less, those would usually be included in your price but if they’re more then $200 you pay for them… not full price though… if something is normally $400 per person, Regent may charge you $200 for that tour as they factor in you’ve already paid for one of their included tours that day.
With that said, I personally always find their “Included” tours selection great and rarely need to pay extra for others… on this 17-day sailing for example we stopped at 10 ports and overall I personally spent $228 on excursions whereas with any other Cruiseline I’d typically spend at least $2,000 on tours at that many stops.
FYI, further down below you’ll see ALL the excursions I took during this sailing.
Pre/Post Cruise “Land Extensions”– This isn’t an “Always” included item on all Regent Cruises but, as you’ll here, on many of Regent’s Cruises they offer an Included pre or post-Cruise “Land Extension” such as a few nights in Tokyo, a few days in Rio, etc. So these specific dates are even better value than the included 1-night hotel stay I mentioned above for “Concierge Suite” rooms & above as you get to arrive even earlier into your “starting” city as I recommended doing so above… and, ALL rooms get this extra “perk” included! 🙂
“Little Things”– Weird heading I know but what I mean by this is Regent even includes things like gym classes (Yoga, Pilates, Spin Class, etc.) that the “big ship” guys typically charge $30 or more per class for. Or, as I talk about under this picture, on their newest ships (Explorer, Splendor, Grandeur) they include their “Spa Relaxation” area which typically costs $40/day on the big ships and even on many of the smaller ships too they charge for those areas. And let’s say you’re in the card room playing a board game with friends/doing a puzzle, etc. Well, there’s a little fridge there with coke, other soft drinks, water, etc. so you’re not thirsty while you’re enjoying a game. Or, if for some crazy reason you don’t want Regent to do your Laundry for you when you sail (No idea why you’d make that choice! ;-)) they have “self-service” laundry rooms onboard where you can do it yourself for free. Let’s just say, if you’re an experienced Cruiser like me the first time you go on Regent you’ll REALLY appreciate how much is included/even the “little things” that you normally get “nickeled & dimed” for when on the “Big Ship” Cruises!!
Airfare– I left this item that Regent includes in all their Cruises till last for a reason… yes, when you book a Cruise with Regent/go on their site & look at their prices they do include airfare from/to your home City to/from your Cruise and that price also includes airport transfers. And, for many of their Cruises, the airfare included is “Business Class” Airfare/most of those flights being with “flatbeds”… basically, anything going “Overseas” is in Business Class (So Cruises in Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, Australia & New Zealand, etc,) whereas if you’re staying within North America (Alaska, Caribbean, Panama Canal, Canada/New England, etc,) then your included flight is in “Economy Class”. At first, no doubt it sounds great that Regent will handle your flights too (If they do, you have literally nothing you need to think about or plan for your Cruise as, as long as you can get yourself to your home airport Regent takes care of the rest!) but, as I talk about here, I almost Never recommend you use Regent’s airfare… nor the airfare that any of the Cruiselines or Tauck Tours, etc. offers. I won’t get into too many details here as this article VERY thoroughly explains my thoughts on that but here are the main downfalls of using Regent’s airfare:
- You have NO IDEA what airfare you’re actually paying Regent for. Unlike simply going to an airline’s website and picking a schedule and a price, with Regent, your flight doesn’t get scheduled till 75 days before you fly… by then, most of the best flight schedules are long booked up & the best seats are gone… I fly overseas 2-3 times at least each year and I book my flights on average 8-10 months before I leave/very few people wait till 2.5 months out to book flights for these big trips so do you really want to wait till then for Regent to book your flights when basically what they’re booking is the “leftovers”? FYI, if you insist on using Regent’s airfare you HAVE to get them to book your flights early in my opinion and they charge you $199 per person extra to do that… but, be aware, they charge you $75 just to call them and talk to them about what schedules are available/if you don’t like what they have to offer & you have them remove airfare from your booking/discount the price and go buy your own airfare (I simply recommend doing that from the start) you lose that $75. Imagine an airline charging you $75 to “look” at their options at their site and whether you book or not they keep that money… not the best way to spend your money in my opinion! 🙁
2. “Business Class” is ONLY guaranteed on the “overseas” flight… for example, recently I had some clients flying to Tahiti and on their flight home their Papeete to LAX flight was in business class but their LAX to Washington, DC flight was not which is a long 5 hour flight… that sucked!! 🙁 Don’t get me wrong, more often than not Regent can get you business class the whole way, but again, it’s NOT guaranteed. Reason being, don’t forget they’re booking the “leftovers” at 75 days before so often there are simply no seats left or the prices are so high the seats are no longer available to be booked in their “contracts” they have with the airlines. Personally, I only fly business class when I fly ovrseas and when I book my flights on the airline’s sites direct I simply only book flights where it’s business class the whole way/I ignore any “mixed class” flghts where economy is included but with Regent you have No choice as you’re at the mercy of what options they can book based on their “contracts” they have with the airlines.
3. MANY times Regent’s airfare prices are simply too high… when you book a Regent Cruise, unlike with their included drinks/wifi/excursions, etc. you have a choice if you want Regent to include air or not & if you don’t they give you a discount off of your Cruise… so, for example, I just did a Bali-Sydney Cruise with them and for those who booked their own airfare Regent took $7,700 per person off of their price. Don’t get me wrong, I have seen many flights to this part of the World cost $10,000 per person so $7,700 CAN be ok depending on the flight you book but the first time I went to this area I paid $4,500 for a business class flight to/from there and the second time $5,500 so why would I give Regent $7,700 for flights when I don’t even know what they’re booking. Many people simply think they’re getting the better deal when using Cruiseline air but I’ve personally been on 83 Cruises and for 100% of them I’ve booked my own airfare as I always get a better deal with the airline direct. A lot of my clients go to Europe and Regent’s air discount there is usually around $3,000 per person which looks good to many people but I see seat sales often for around that price or less and even if you bought it on your own with the airline for say $3,200 per person, isn’t it better to do that and know your schedule/your seats/that you have business class all the way, etc.?
4. Regent flies you in the day your Cruise starts/ends… if you “deviate” your flight dates they charge you $199 per person extra to do that. Now, as I said earlier in this post, I ALWAYS recommend flying into your Cruise’s “start” city as early as you can… as mentioned in this post, I got to Bali 6 days before my Cruise. You know how much extra the airline charges me for choosing the date of preference… that’s right, $0!! But with Regnt’s air, just because you want to fly in early to enjoy a city and get over the jetlag, etc. they charge you $199 per person… again, not the best way to spend your money in my opinion! 🙁
I’m sure I could come up with more downfalls about using Regent’s (or any Cruiselines or Tauck Tour’s airfare) but I think that’s enough for you to understand that I DON’T recommend you use their air options and if you do/aren’t happy with your flights you get you can never say I didn’t warn you!! 😉
Well, that wraps up Regent’s “inclusions” section and why people who simply don’t want to be “nickeled & dimed” when on their hard-earned vacation are so attracted to this style of Cruising and why many of them book with Regent Seven Seas Cruises again & again & again.
Yes, Regent charges more for their Cruises up front and their prices often look way more than the average Cruise… but you need to factor in that their prices include onboard drinks, tips, wifi, specialty restaurants, laundry, lots of shore excursions, etc.
So on Regent, you’re not necessarily paying more to sail with them than compared to other lines, you’re just paying for it all upfront but if you break it down and add up EVERYTHING you’re paying for on other Cruises, the bottom line will always be very close.
And yes, your bottom line on “big ships” will almost always be less (That’s if you stay in basic rooms… if you do “Suites” on big ships often you’ll save money by moving to a company like Regent!) but we’re not talking an “apples to apples” comparison when you compare the quality of the food, service, etc. and what it’s like to sail on a ship with 3,000-4,000+ people onboard vs 500-700 people onboard… it’s literally a night & day difference!!
Okay, next topic when it comes to what I experienced onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer”, let’s take a look at the amazing…
Food
Above under the “Inclusions” section I talked about how all the food onboard a Regent Cruise is included… even at the “Specialty Restaurants” which are typically $40-$70 per person (And some even higher!) on the big ships.
Well, not only is the food all-included on Regent but it’s pretty awesome!!
Yes, I’ve been on ALL the big ships and know the food is pretty great on those ships too but when you come on Regent it’s a significant “step up” when it comes to your dining experience!!
Best I “show you” rather than tell you so I’d suggest reading the caption under this picture and checking out the pictures & captions in the dozens of pictures that follow that one where you’ll see pictures of Regent “Seven Seas Explorer”:
“Pacific Rim”– This is a “Pan-Asian” specialty restaurant that’s absolutely yummy… in there, you can enjoy Asian cocktails & beers, sushi, softshell crab, dumplings & potstickers, spring rolls, sashimi, miso-glazed black cod, huge prawns, Lobster tempura, duck, yummy desserts, etc. I ate there 3 times when onboard! 🙂
“Prime 7”- This is a “Steakhouse” specialty restaurant where they serve everything from pork belly, scallops, crab cakes, amazing steak, whole Maine Lobsters, decadent desserts, etc. When you’re done a meal there, add up what a quality meal like that would’ve cost you in a major city in America and you’ll start to see how much value Regent packs into the price of their Cruises!!!
“Chartreuse”- This is a “French” specialty restaurant… in there dishes like salmon, caviar, Alaskan crab, Lobster bisque, beef tenderloin, scallops, lamb chops, creme brule, macarons, etc. are there for you to indulge in… again, eating in a place like this anywhere in our part of the World is NOT cheap but, it’s all-included when you Cruise with Regent!!
Beyond that, if you read the caption under this picture and check out the pictures & captions in the dozens of pictures that follow that one, you’ll see pictures from “Seven Seas Explorer’s” Italian restaurant, its “Main” dining room/”Compass Rose”, the buffet, the pool grill, the Cafe, “Tea Time”, room service, etc.
As you’ll see, the food onboard is not only plentiful but truly fabulous!!
One last note about food to help point out the “quality” difference.
If you’ve ever Cruised, you know that the main dining room’s menu changes every night and then they have a FEW “Anytime” items like chicken, a basic steak, fish, Caesar salad, etc. which you can order any night on the Cruise.
Well, “Compass Rose” (The “Main” dining room onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer”) has a menu that changes every night as well so lots of variety but to the right (If you click on the pic it should open up bigger to make it easier to read) is their “Anytime” items…
…yep, seriously, appetizers like Alaskan Crab, Lobster Bisque & Escargots and main dishes like Scallops, Lobster Tails, Dover Sole, Rib Eye steaks, Filet Mignon, Lamb Chops, etc. are available EVERY NIGHT at “Compass Rose”… if you’re a Cruiser like me you know a lot of these items are rare on big ships these days/some you’ll see maybe once per Cruise and some you simply never see anymore at all.
But, after looking above at “Compass Rose’s” anytime menu, you know you’re going to eat REALLY well when onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” Ship!! 🙂
Again, the food truly is a “step” up when you sail on a Luxury/Small Ship/All-Inclusive Cruiseline like Regent!!
Okay, so far we’ve talked about the Suites, Food & Inclusions on a Regent Cruise… now let’s talk about…
Service
As someone who has personally been on 83 Cruises (including on ALL the big ships like Carnival/Royal/Norwegian/Holland/Princess/Celebrity/MSC, etc.) I can assure you the service you experience on ANY Cruise far exceeds the “lackluster” service we’re used to on a daily basis as we go about our North American lifestyles… everywhere we go we hear of people talking about how it’s hard to find good help these days, no one seems to want to work, etc. Yes, there are always exceptions and some people are GREAT at what they do and seem happy doing it but no doubt you know what I’m talking about… in North America mediocre service, at best, is pretty much the norm these days. 🙁
BUT, if you’ve ever Cruised, you know that’s NOT the case… as the majority of staff onboard Cruises are not North Americans (they’re mostly from the Philipines, India, Indonesia, other parts of Asia, etc.) their work ethic is NOT what we’re used to!! Not only do they work more than the average 8 hours per day that our society does and they typically only get a day off every now & then (and they do this for 6-9 months at a time, away from home/away from their families!) but they do it all with a Smile!! 🙂 Again, if you’ve ever been on any Cruise ship I simply don’t have to explain this!
Well, on a Cruiseline like Regent Seven Seas Cruises, it’s even better when it comes to the service… if you can believe that!! Reason being, with fewer guests onboard, yet more staff per guest compared to big ships, the staff has more time to get to know you, to have chats, to remember & call you by name, etc.
On Regent, if I ask where a washroom is for example, I don’t get pointed the way… they’ll typically walk me there!
The Captain is more visible, the Hotel Manager who runs entire ship operations (beyond the “sailing” side of it) like food/entertainment/housekeeping/lounges, etc. has an open door policy to speak with him/her if you have issues… on big ships, I’ve literally had to almost beg to speak to these “higher ups” if there was an issue!
I could easily sit here & write for an hour about how good the service is on a small ship/luxury line like Regent but the bottom line is no doubt once you get onboard too you’ll “feel” the difference! So, make sure you factor that in as well when deciding do you want to pay a little extra for your next Cruise or not to make sure you “want for nothing” while onboard and to make sure that the service will be as good as it gets and if there’s ever an issue, the people who can make it better are there to help…
…in my experience of taking a lot of Cruises, having top-notch service simply makes my Vacations pretty amazing ones!
Next topic… let’s get into the onboard…
Entertainment
If there’s any downfall I can think of when it comes to being on a small/luxurious/all-inclusive ship like Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” is that the nightlife isn’t as active as on the big ships… so, if you need to be “stimulated” all night long with dance clubs and huge production shows, comedy clubs, etc. a ship like this may not be for you.
With that said, there’s still excellent quality entertainment onboard these small ships!!
During my 17-night sailing on Regent for example, they had a full team of 4 singers & 8 dancers who did 5 big “Broadway-style” shows… beyond that, they had lots of “guest” entertainers who were only onboard for a night or 2 which ranged from a pianist to a “Cirque-style” Duo to an amazing juggler, a Buddy Holly tribute performer, a Barbara Streisand tribute performer, a comedian and a “one-man orchestra” who was unbelievable… he, literally, played 14 different instruments and was an Epic entertainer!
Each night at 9:30pm there’ll be acts like above in the theatre but that’s usually it beyond singers in the 3 lounges that are open till midnight… and yes, there was some dancing in the lounges too if you enjoy that… and we enjoyed Karaoke on a couple of nights too! 🙂
So, if you’re looking for a “party ship”, best to stick with Carnival…
…but if having a beverage or two with your love or with newfound friends or if you’re onboard as a solo traveler as I was (there were “solo” get-togethers every night) you’ll always find nice people to chat with over the included drinks and you can enjoy a “night out” as long into the evenings as you choose or you can head back to your Suite for a comfy night in.
Speaking of back in your Suite… you know how at hotels the movies on the TV are usually $20 each as they are on many big ships? Well, as Regent is “All-Inclusive”, as I talk about in the caption under this picture there were 257 Free movies & TV shows on our in-Suite TVs so no worries about having to pay to be entertained back in your Suite as that’s included too! 🙂
And then during the days, as usual, there were lots of activities like trivia, sport deck games, card rooms, a library, etc. and on “sea days” they had lectures regarding the areas we were visiting, etc. so not only were we getting to visit lots of great places but we got to learn about them too! 🙂
This picture and the few after it show you the pool area, gym, etc. so you can see other things you can do throughout the day!
Okay, now that you’ve seen how you’re going to be entertained while onboard a Regent Cruise, next let’s talk about what happens while you’re off the ship where you can participate in their included…
Shore Excursions
Shortly I’ll get into the ports my Cruise visited and will show you what I saw & experienced in those places but first off a VERY IMPORTANT Cruise planning topic which I mentioned earlier in this post!!
As I talk about here and here I NEVER suggest flying in “day of” when you take a Cruise as if your flight is late you’ll miss your Cruise or if your bags are delayed that’ll get your long-awaited sailing off to a terrible start!!
And, even if you get in on time the day you leave, you’ll be VERY tired for the first few days due to jetlag which also won’t get your trip started on the right foot!
So, since I always follow my own advice ;-), I got to Bali 6 nights early to not only make sure I was at the Cruise on time but I heard Bali is a fabulous place (As many cities that Cruises start in are!) so I wanted to check out some of the things Bali has to offer!
As you’ll see in the few pictures below, during my “pre-Cruise” days in Bali I checked out some of its Beautiful beaches, I enjoyed some wonderful/Very inexpensive “Balinese” Massages and some foot massages, I took a VERY yummy “Street Food” tour, I shopped a little (For you shopping lovers you can’t throw a rock in Bali without hitting a store! ;-)), I watched Bali’s famous sunsets and I toured “Ubud” where I went to a private home to see how the Balinese live, I visited a Monkey Sanctuary (Who knew Monkeys could take selfies! 😉 ), I had an exhilarating “Giant Swing” experience, I had a yummy lunch, I visited the tiered Rice fields, I went to a majestic Hindu Temple famous for its “holy” spring water where believers come to bath & purify and I saw a very impressive Waterfall!!
But overall, it felt like I hardly touched Bali as there were so many other tours I could have taken too and I had heard many other people doing super fun things so I can for sure say no matter how many days you fly early into Bali before your Cruise you WON’T be bored!! 🙂
If you’d like to see more of my pictures from my “Pre-Cruise” time in Bali, then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
Okay, now that I have shown you what I did “on my own” in Bali before I got onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer”, next let’s look at the Shore Excursions I booked through Regent and what they included.
As I said above, I spent a grand total of $228 between everything you see below whereas that could have easily been $2,000 on almost any other Cruise so Regent’s included excursions really are a big part of the “value” you’re paying for when booking your Cruise with them!!
Celukan Bawang– For stop #1 on my Bali to Sydney Cruise, we overnighted in “Celukan Bawang” which is in the very North of Bali… it’s Very different up there compared to where I spent my week before I got on the Cruise down South where it was more touristy with its beach resorts, malls, etc. It feels like a much more relaxed, serene lifestyle up here and they dress more traditionally, etc. I definitely did like the feel in the North for sure! 
On day 2 of our stop in “Celukan Bawang” I had the choice to do other excursions that didn’t include visiting Temples but as Bali has over 10,000 of them and I had been impressed with all I had seen so far, I couldn’t resist and I picked a tour that visited some more Temples during my final day on that Beautiful Island. First up was the “Ling Gwan Kiong” Chinese Temple and then we went to the “Pura Beji” Temple & the “Pura Dalem Segara Madhu” Temple which were both Hindu Temples. After our morning of impressive sightseeing, we had lunch at a Gorgeous beach-side restaurant.
If you’d like to see more of my pictures from my time in “Celukan Bawang”, Bali then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
That was the end of my time on the Island of Bali but overall I for sure had a great 8 days there! 🙂
Lombok– After finishing our time off in Bali, we stopped at the much quieter & non-touristy Island of Lombok, Indonesia.
So interesting to see the very simple lifestyle they live here and learning about things like how they make clay bricks (Right from the earth around them/not in a fancy warehouse like we’re used to), thatched roofs (Which if done right are stronger then concrete), we saw them farming using Water Buffalo, we saw their unique fishing platforms, etc.
And then we followed that up with some nice “beach time” at one of their Beautiful resorts on the Island.
If you’d like to see more of my pictures from my time in Lombok, Indonesia then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
Komodo– Wow, our port stop here was quite the experience on the desert-like Island of Komodo, Indonesia! Yes, as most everyone who comes to this Island, we saw lots of “Komodo Dragons” which are amazing creatures that can grow to over 10 feet long and can be 300+ pounds but my group also literally saw one take down and kill a deer… when the guides & park rangers start yelling & screaming and pulling out their phones to record, you know you’re seeing something rare!! I only added one picture of that here (The least graphic one I took!) as I know seeing things like this isn’t for everyone but either way I always find it amazing seeing how nature works/takes its course as I’ve traveled around the world over the years!!
If you’d like to see more of my pictures from my time in Komodo, Indonesia then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
Darwin– For our next port stop during my Bali to Sydney Cruise on Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” ship, we made our first stop in Australia in the City of Darwin. I chose to do Regent’s “Jumping Crocodiles” River Cruise excursion on the Adelaide River… and just like it sounds like, these intimidating creatures can jump out of the water to catch their prey such as birds who fly too close to the water! We saw everything that day from little babies to one guy who was just over 17 feet long and almost 1,800lbs… unbelievable watching them move around out in the open river!! With that said, they’re all around this area so you need to be careful near the water all over… even in Darwin’s harbour they find a few hundred of them there each year!
If you’d like to see more of my pictures from my time in Darwin, Australia then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
Townsville– After a few “Sea Days” we began exploring the Northeast Coast of Australia. Our first stop in that region was in “Townsville” where we went up to “Castle Hill” to check out views of the City & the Coastline… for my “Newfie” followers on here, it definitely has a “Signal Hill” feel up there! 🙂 From there, we went to the “Billabong Sanctuary” where we saw lots of animals like Kangaroos, Koalas, Wombats, Crocodiles, etc. Very cool to see some of the animals that Australia is well known for!!
If you’d like to see more of my pictures from my time in Townsville, Australia then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
Airlie Beach– WOW, what a FUN shore excursion I enjoyed when we stopped in “Airlie Beach” during my Bali to Sydney Cruise on Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer”!! Right at the tender pier we hopped on a RIB speedboat… boy, that thing can move fast!! Obviously, this isn’t for everyone as only 10 of us were on there out of a 600-guest Cruise ship but these things are very safe so no worries if you’re looking for adventure & you don’t get soaked or anything like that! We toured the coastline of some of the 6+ dozen “Whitsunday Islands” which really is a Beautiful area!! Speaking of Beautiful, we spent almost 2 hours on “Whitehaven Beach” which is known for its crystal white silica sands and turquoise colored waters… seriously, I’ve seen a lot of beaches around the World and don’t think I’ve ever walked on such fine sands… not a rock or shell anywhere on that beach!! Besides enjoying a nice lunch while at the beach, we hiked to the viewing platforms which had stunning views of the beach & surrounding waters and of course we could swim if you chose to. Once back in “Arile Beach” I explored around there too and that’s a great place to visit as well… it reminded me of quaint little tourist towns like Whistler & Banff… but of course with zero snow & tons of water all around but overall lots of nice food & shopping & great energy in the area! Overall, if you want a fun & exhilarating tour when at “Airlie Beach”, I’d suggest this “RIB Speed Boat” tour for sure… so much fun!!
If you’d like to see more of my pictures from my time in Airlie Beach, Australia then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
Mooloolaba– For my second-last port stop of my Cruise, that day we tendered into “Mooloolaba” which is on Australia’s “Sunshine Coast”. I took Regent’s included “Scenic Sunshine Coast” excursion which featured a Very picturesque drive along the Beautiful Australian Coastline and we also spent some time in “Noosa” which is a very popular waterfront resort in this area. If you’re in this region drop by for lots of shopping and dining on “Hastings Street” as well as endless beaches and tree-lined walking paths, hiking trails, etc. Definitely not a bad place to enjoy the Beautiful weather this area is accustomed to year round!!
If you’d like to see more of my pictures from my time in Mooloolaba, Australia then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
Newcastle– On the the final day of my 17 day Bali to Sydney Cruise onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” we docked in Newcastle, Australia where I took Regent’s “wine and cheese tasting” excursion in the “Hunter Valley” which is the birthplace of Australian Wines… and if you like wine, you know some pretty great wines come from this part of the World!! And after trying 13 different cheeses (And also some local cream and local jam with a yummy scone!) I found out the dairy producers in this area offer some great products as well!!
If you’d like to see more of my pictures from my time in Newcastle, Australia then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
Okay, this isn’t a “port stop” as such but if you sail into Sydney, Australia’s amazing harbor make sure to do what myself & many of my fellow passengers did… even though I think it was like 5:30am, get your butt out of bed to check out the views of downtown Sydney as you sail by it’s scenic “Opera House”, etc. You’ll be GLAD you did!! 🙂
If you’d like to see more of my pictures & videos from my “Bali to Sydney” Cruise onboard Regent’s “Seven Seas Explorer” then check out my Photo & Video Gallery of this Cruise here.
Well, as I’m sure you can see from my pictures above and from my pictures & videos in my gallery… I’m for sure a “fan” of Regent “Seven Seas Cruises”!!
When it comes to the Cruise industry, food and service simply doesn’t get any better than this… and with pretty much everything included onboard as well as lots of great excursions in your upfront price… what else can you want for a perfect vacation!!
Any questions at all about this ship/itinerary simply contact me here and let me know.
Or if you’re ready to book your own Regent “Seven Seas Cruise” or any Ocean Cruise or River Cruise or Tauck Land Tour reach out to me and I’ll be happy to help you get that next Great Vacation planned & booked for you… and as always, your Business & Referrals are Sincerely Appreciated!! 🙂
I Appreciate You!
Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!