Regent Seven Seas Cruises, The Most Inclusive Luxury Experience™, has divulged the name of its new ship that will be delivered at the beginning of 2020.
The second Explorer-class ship will encapsulate and heighten the grandeur, characteristics and indulgence that delivered the upmarket features and enhancements that have made sister-ship Seven Seas Explorer renowned as The Most Inclusive Luxury Experience™ with her launch in 2016.
“The naming of a ship is an important milestone in maritime tradition and it is my pleasure to announce that the name of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ new ship to launch in 2020 is Seven Seas Splendor,” said Jason Montague, President and Chief Executive Officer of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “The extraordinary demand for Seven Seas Explorer has reinforced our decision to expand our fleet and Seven Seas Splendor will offer guests a fifth option that will provide unforgettable experiences in the world’s most compelling destinations, with the incredibly high standards of luxury and service that lure guests back again and again.”
As a feature of the naming procedure, Regent Seven Seas Cruises looked for recommendations from its esteemed travel specialists, loyal guests and employees for the ship’s name in a sweepstakes held in September. Seven Seas Splendor was picked among about 2,600 unique names from more than 14,000 entries.
The new all-suite, all-balcony ship will have a gross tonnage of 55,254 and limit of 750 guests. Stay tuned for more insights around Seven Seas Splendor and her energising inaugural season.
Cruises have recently just started to cruise from the United States to Cuba, and avid cruisers are quickly getting onboard to see the enchanting and captivating Cuban Capital Havana.
But, under the new President Trump administraton cruises to Cuba could become more restrictive.
Guests onboard cruise ships sailing to may no longer be able to disembark the ship in Cuban ports such as Havana to see the sights on their own, says John Kavulich, president of the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council, an organisation that supported the Obama administration’s reconciliation with the island nation.
While final rules won’t be written for several months, it is likely that “only group tours will be permitted for passengers on the vessels,” Kavulich says.
The new policy, which Trump announce at an event in Miami, will end individual “people-to-people” travel from the USA to Cuba, which has been permitted for the past year under rules executed by the Obama administration. Tourists on “people-to-people” trips to Cuba once again will be required to be part of a licensed group.
The new policy also could have an effect on the shore tours that are accessible to guests onboard cruise ships. The policy will limit U.S. businesses from dealing with entities tied to the Cuban military and intelligence services, which govern a substantial sum of the tourism infrastructure in the country.
Kavulich notes that many U.S.-based travel agencies and tour operators contract for tours with Havanatur, which is a subsidiary of Cimex, which is controlled by the FAR, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of the Republic of Cuba.
Under the new President Trump administraton cruises to Cuba could become more restrictive
Still, the degree of the effect on cruise companies, if any, from the limit on dealing with such entities is uncertain. A U.S. Treasury FAQ on the topic said U.S. businesses that already have a affiliation with such entities before the new rules take effect will be permitted to continue with the relationship.
Many in the cruise industry don’t expect the new policy to have a major effect on cruises to Cuba, says long-time industry watcher Mike Driscoll, editor ofCruise Week.
“The belief is ultimately Trump is pro-business, and he (is doing) nothing here to undermine the cruise line business,” Driscoll says. “Expectations are (for) cruise business as usual, once the media spotlight fades away.”
Both Kavulich and Driscoll note the new policy’s group-tour condition should, if anything, benefit the cruise industry to draw more business.
Demand for Cuba cruises has been “impacted by individuals using airlines for independent travel” to Cuba, which now will be prohibited, Kavulich says.
In a statement, industry giant Carnival Corp. said it was “pleased that the policy changes announced by the Trump administration will allow our ships to continue to sail to Cuba.”
Carnival Corp. became the first cruise company to offer voyages from the USA to Cuba in decades when it’s now debunked Fathom brand began trips from Miami in May 2016.
While Fathom has stopped sailing to the island nation, Carnival Corp.’s much bigger Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line brands are scheduled to start Cuba cruises in the coming months.
“Our experience in Cuba this pWe ast year has been extremely positive,” Carnival said in its statement. look forward to the new cruises being planned for Cuba with Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line. We also have requested approval for our other brands to travel to Cuba.”
Also releasing a statement saying it was pleased that cruises to Cuba could continue was Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. All three of the brands have started Cuba cruises in the last three months.
Norwegian said it would work with the Trump administration to comply with any changes to regulations that are implemented.
“We were very concerned about any potential changes, given how popular Cuba itineraries have proven to be with our guests, and we view this as a win for the cruise industry, our valued guests and travel partners,” Norwegian said in its statement, which was released after Trump spoke. “Across our three brands, there are 70,000 guests booked to sail to Cuba who would have been very disappointed if they were unable to experience this spectacular destination.”
Passengers on cruises to Cuba leaving in the next few weeks will not be affected by the new policy, which won’t take effect until official guidelines are written over the next 90 days.
More than half a dozen cruise lines have launched Cuba voyages from the USA over the past year.
The companies have said that cruises to Cuba offer an prospect for “people-to-people” connections between Americans and Cubans as permissible by U.S. rules governing visits to Cuba.
While the Obama administration loosened restrictions on travel to Cuba in 2016, U.S. visitors still are restricted in the activities they are permitted to do in the country by the terms of the USA’s five-decade-old embargo.
The embargo stipulates that activities fall within one of 12 approved categories. The categories include educational pursuits such as people-to-people exchanges.
If you have ever feasted in one of Regent Seven Seas restaurants, you will know that the culinary delights you experience is gastronomical.
So to celebrates its culinary expertise and the success of its signature Regent Seven Seas have created a brand new cookbook, now available exclusively onboard to guests.
The cookbook entitled “Culinary Arts Kitchen Recipes” is stunningly fashioned with striking photography, showcasing recipes that are imparted in the state-of-the-art, demonstration kitchen aboard Seven Seas Explorer. The one-of-a-kind, hands-on cooking experience in Seven Seas Explorer’s Culinary Arts Kitchen delivers a learning atmosphere evocative of some of the world’s best cooking schools aboard Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ newest ship.
The cookbook showcases recipes that are imparted in the state-of-the-art, demonstration kitchen aboard Seven Seas Explorer - Photo Credit: Regent Seven Seas Cruises
“We are thrilled to commemorate the incredible Culinary Arts Kitchen experience for Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ guests,” said Chef Kathryn Kelly, Executive Director of Culinary Enrichment for Regent Seven Seas Cruises, who created the Culinary Arts Kitchen curriculum as well as the book’s recipes. “Cruising is the perfect way to explore the world’s great cuisines and since Seven Seas Explorer’s 2016 inaugural season, our guests have been effusive about the individual cooking stations, luxurious work space and spectacular views from the floor-to-ceiling windows. The new cookbook is a wonderful souvenir for when guests return home.”
The cookbook features 18 chapters which reflects the recipes taught in 18 separate Culinary Arts Kitchen classes aboard Seven Seas Explorer. The cookbook contains a total of 95 mouth-watering treats, 20 desserts and 14 beverages and cocktails.
Sections include, “Fiesta on the High Seas,” “Caribe!” and “Majestic Mediterranean,” featuring signature dishes selected from Italy, France, Greece, Turkey, and Spain.
Currently visiting 375 destinations globally, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is the world’s most inclusive luxury cruise line with a four-ship fleet.
All suite accommodation, highly personalised service, delectable cuisine, fine wines and spirits, unlimited internet access, free unlimited shore excursions in every port, gratuities, a 1 night pre-cruise hotel package and transfer from hotel to ship for guests staying in concierge level suites and higher have raised RSSC to one of the leaders in the luxury cruise segment.
She first entered service in 2003. Every cabin on board is a suite with a balcony. A trailblazer 6 star ship that exceeds even the loftiest expectations for luxury. With 447 international crew members attending to a mere 350 suites, personal service is exceedingly indulgent.
Sydney, January 12, 2023 – Marked the return of Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC) to Sydney’s harbour with the newly refurbished Seven Seas Voyager.
She will commence her 14-night Sydney to Auckland sailing, taking in breathtaking ports including Burnie, Rotorua and Bay of Islands along the way. She will then embark on a 25-night sailing from Auckland to Singapore.
As part of the brand’s US$125 million fleet-wide refurbishment programme, She underwent a massive 25-day refurbishment in late 2016.
Along with the recently refurbished Seven Seas Navigator, Seven Seas Voyager now boasts the same elegant style and indisputable attention to detail famously featured on Seven Seas Explorer providing all RSSC ships with a consistent look-and-feel.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is deepening the brand’s commitment to the Australia and New Zealand region, by also visiting local shores in February and March 2017 with it’s vessel,the also newly refurbished Seven Seas Navigator.
To celebrate it’s 25-year legacy of providing an elite experience on board one of the most luxurious fleets in the world and operation for it’s first year of its local contact centre, RSSC will announce some exclusive offers on selected cruises.
