I Tried Regent Seven Seas Cruises New Luxury Ship: Photos

On Jan 6, 2024

My favorite part of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ newest ultra-luxury Grandeur ship wasn’t its large cabins with walk-in closets, peaceful pool deck, or even the chandelier-lined lounge.

Instead, it was a feature offered across the brand’s entire fleet — all-inclusivity.

After spending three nights on the Seven Seas Grandeur, I now understand why this alone could make the ship worth its expensive starting 2024 fare of $4,800 per person.

Most people probably won’t pay nearly $5,000 for the average weeklong cruise.

^{The pool on the Seven Seas Grandeur was surrounded by two decks of lounge chairs. Brittany Chang/Business Insider via BI}

A nearly $5,000 cruise is expensive — but when you compare that to the typical cruise, you have to consider that most operators use a different pricing model from Regent Seven Seas Cruises, which is owned by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.

Some other cruise lines often mimic that of budget airlines: Charge a cheap base cruise fare and pile on opportunities to upsell through food, beverage, and entertainment.

However, luxury cruise lines like Regent Seven Seas take the opposite approach by going “all-inclusive.”

^{All of the cabins have private balconies. Brittany Chang/Business Insider via BI}

And unlike competitors like Explora Journeys, Regent Seven Seas is truly all-inclusive.

The fare includes roundtrip flights to and from the ship (business class if it’s an intercontinental journey), a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay, transportation between the airport and ship, and excursions.

After sailing on the Seven Seas Grandeur’s three-night “christening” sailing, it’s easy to understand why wealthy travelers pay more for this luxurious and convenient option.

^{Nighttime programming includes a DJ in the Grandeur Lounge. Brittany Chang/Business Insider}

Regent Seven Seas comped my stay on this non-revenue sailing attended by other journalists, travel agents, and the cruise line and its parent company’s employees.

I organized my own flight there and back, which was a logistical headache when booked according to the embarkation and debarkation times — an issue traditional guests wouldn’t have with this all-inclusive model.

Regent practically plans its guests’ vacations door-to-door, not including transfers between the travelers’ homes and their origin airports.

^{The Sports Deck has a putting green. Brittany Chang/Business Insider}

Like any all-inclusive resort, food, beverages, and onboard amenities are also included.

No need to pull out your wallet during your time at sea (unless you want a more expensive bottle of wine, a special paid excursion, or a spa treatment).

^{Guests receive a welcome bottle of champagne. Brittany Chang/Business Insider}

Unlike sailings with mass-market operators like Royal Caribbean, none of the menus I saw had the elusive additional dollar signs next to more premium dishes.

Instead, no matter where or what I ate or drank, I knew I wouldn’t have to pay extra — even if I ordered filet mignon or lobster.

^{The beef tenderloin at French-inspired Chartreuse was topped with luxuries like seared foie gras. Brittany Chang/Business Insider}

As someone who eats to live and lives to eat, the all-inclusive food was the best part of the luxury cruise.

No more roast beef that’s been drying out for hours — the restaurants aboard the Grandeur, of which there are five, served up options like escargot, duck, and fish and steak tartare.

^{Pan-Asian Pacific Rim serves up options like vegetarian pad thai and fried lobster. Brittany Chang/Business Insider}

“Girl math” would decree that these all-inclusive meals are basically free.

There was black truffle, sturgeon caviar, and foie gras on almost every menu, all without the dreaded supplementary fee.

^{Chartreuse served dishes like beef tartare with sturgeon caviar. Brittany Chang/Business Insider}

It turns out there is such a thing as “too much caviar” — I, a greedy diner, was tired of it by the second day.

At the one-day themed Italian lunch buffet, cured meats, cheeses, raw oysters, and freshly prepared tuna lined the open-air counters.

^{The poolside buffet had an afternoon “Italian Buffet” with several seafood options. Brittany Chang/Business Insider}

Unsurprisingly, it was the best cruise ship buffet I’ve ever gorged on (even better because it felt financially guilt-free with no extra charges).

Travelers who drink will be pleased to hear that the wine, beer, and cocktails flowed as freely as the buffet food.

^{Waitstaff shuttled drinks from the bar to guests lounging by the pool. Brittany Chang/Business Insider}

Every bar was an open bar, and empty wine glasses at the dinner table were a rare sight throughout my three nights at sea.

Even the café’s snacks, coffee, and espresso-based drinks were included.

^{Coffee Connection served various espresso-based brinks and light bites. Brittany Chang/Business Insider}

And so were the beverages in the guests’ cabins.

“All-inclusive” also entails access to the Grandeur’s spa facilities.

^Access…