Regent Seven Seas Cruises have four ships in service. Seven Seas Explorer is the newest – Launched in July 2016, she’s billed as ‘the world’s most luxurious cruise ship’. Seven Seas Navigator is Regent’s oldest vessel, entering service in 2006.
Six Star Cruise Concierge, Laura Wing, has just returned from a visit to both Seven Seas Explorer and Seven Seas Navigator. Here, she compares the newest and oldest ships in Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ fleet and gives her verdict on which you should go for…
Key Facts
Explorer
Launched: July 2016
Passengers: 750
Navigator
Launched: 2006
Passengers: 490
My Photos of Explorer
My Photos of Navigator
First Impressions
Explorer
This brand new ship feels incredibly grand and luxurious. Some parts of the ship are very modern, such as the crystal lighting in the corridors, leather flooring in the bars and modern art in the halls.
Other parts of the ship were more traditional, such as the grand staircase which harks back to the era of ‘Titanic’ and the uniforms worn by the butlers which included tailed jackets. Overall, the effect was absolutely stunning and it’s no wonder that this new ship is hailed as ‘the most luxurious ship in the world’.
Navigator
Although Explorer is the oldest ship in the fleet, she has been refurbished in 2015 to a very high standard. The feel of the ship is still quite traditional, with only the spa, beauty salon and fitness centre having a modern look.
The small size of this ship gives it an atmosphere akin to a boutique hotel. The reception area feels very personal and the whole experience of being on-board is very calm and relaxing. In the Compass Rose restaurant, it’s possible to look out of both the port and starboard windows, which is a nice feature made possible by the size of this petite ship.
Life On-Board
Both ships are incredibly similar in terms of what you can expect from your cruise. The passengers are primarily professional and retired couples wishing to have a relaxing cruise experience. Both ships have plenty for guests to do on sea days, with similar lounges, casinos, boutiques, libraries, spas and pool areas. Although children are very welcome on board, I don’t think there’s much for them to do, so I wouldn’t expect to see many on either of these ships. For our visits, we had the same menu on each ship, and the standard of food was identically excellent, as was the service.
My Verdict
Although both ships are very similar, it’s Navigator that has the edge for me. Her small size makes for a slightly more intimate atmosphere. The destinations on offer are also a bit more varied, as her small size means that she can access ports which larger ships can’t. That said, I think that both ships provide excellent options and I’d recommend them both highly.
If you’d like more information on these ships, Laura or another member of our dedicated Cruise Concierge team will be happy to help. Just give us a call on 0207 980 2848.
