My 14 day Mediterranean cruise started in Barcelona, Spain and ended in Istanbul, Turkey. Along the way, we stopped at Palma De Mallorca in Spain, Tuscany-Naples-Sicily in Italy, Valleta Malta, Dubrovnik Croatia, Kotor Montenegro, Corfu-Gythion-Athens in Greece. Sailing was aboard the Regent Seven Seas Navigator, a 5 star ship that was refurbished in 2019. There were 475 passengers and 365 crew.
The suites were spacious, offering plenty of room, and the walk-in closet along with the bathroom –complete with a separate bathtub and shower stall was a lovely touch. Overall, I would give this ship a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars. The staff definitely earned a full five stars for their friendliness and quick service. By the middle of the cruise, I grew tired of the usual room service breakfast fare, so I set up a recurring order for delicious Middle Eastern food each morning, which the chef happily prepared for me. I discovered they’re more than willing to create and serve any type of meal with just 24 hours’ notice. Each evening required Elegant Casual attire, which was interpreted quite loosely as many gentlemen wore long sleeve shirts and slacks, while the women opted for cocktail dresses.
There’s a fantastic selection of four restaurants onboard: Compass Rose, offering a delightful mix of continental cuisine, Prime 7, which is a specialty steakhouse, La Veranda for casual breakfasts and lunches that transforms into Sette Mari for dinner, and an outdoor poolside grill that serves tasty salads and made-to-order burgers and hot dogs until 4 pm. I dined at Prime 7 twice and was disappointed that the steaks were not Prime cuts of beef. It tasted like Choice or Select. As a specialty restaurant, I expected much higher quality! The entertainment was enjoyable and just what you’d expect on a cruise! One small area for improvement is the lack of an app for texting other passengers or checking the itinerary—everything is still done on paper. On a positive note, the cruise line provided each guest with aluminum water bottles, and there were water refill stations sprinkled throughout the ship, which I really appreciated!
A wide range of shore excursions were available at no extra cost. The Destinations team was top-notch and always available to assist. We received advance notice of any last-minute changes to tours, though it was disappointing to have a couple tour guides who didn’t quite meet the mark.
When Mt Vesuvius erupted and ashes enveloped Pompeii, archaeologists uncovered over two dozen brothels throughout the city. As a prominent gateway city near seaports, sailors from diverse nationalities flocked to Pompeii. Despite language barriers, they effectively communicated by pointing to the vibrant frescoes on the walls. These frescoes remain intact, boldly illustrating a menu of their desires.
Unfortunately, my shore excursion to Cinque Terre was canceled due to some bad weather, but I decided to explore the charming town of Lucca instead! It’s such a delightful little medieval town that’s super easy to walk around. One of the coolest things about Lucca is that it’s the hometown of the fantastic composer Giacomo Puccini. Oh, and not to be missed is the ancient oak tree that’s said to be several hundred years old – it’s growing right on top of the Guinigi Tower!
Taking the newly completed cable car 3400’ to the top of the mountain in Kotor and riding an Alpine Slide was an unexpected thrill. I would’ve preferred to overnight in a few major cities such as Florence, Naples or Athens so that I could take in more attractions. Some of the smaller ports (Malta and Gythion) are forgettable because the tours seemed more like money grabs.
Some say that the Acropolis of Athens is the greatest architecturally designed structure with its stunning columns and intricate sculptures. It exemplifies the brilliance of ancient Greek architecture, making it a UNESCO World Heritage site. I’ve seen it twice and it always takes my breath away. A short walk from the Acropolis is the shopping and dining area of Plaka, where you can easily spend a couple hours picking up last minute gifts for the folks back home. A local recommended an eatery called Hermion and the meal was delightful. I had the grilled octopus and paired with a refreshing Greek salad, it perfectly encapsulated the flavors of the region.
