On Location: “I’m blown away”: Regent hosts largest-ever FAM for Canadian travel advisors

Versace dinner plates. Fresh orchids. Original Picassos.

As I tour the opulent hallways of Seven Seas Splendor, a 750-passenger cruise ship that reportedly cost more than $600 million (USD) to build, I stop and wonder if I’m on a cruise or starring in an episode of Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous.

The fine and rich particulars of this opulent cruise ship, which, at 55,254 gross tons – and offering one of the highest guest-to-space ratios at sea – certainly suggests the latter.

The vessel’s dazzling art pieces, Italian marble floors, exotic woods, crystal chandeliers (word has it, there are more than 500 on board), stylish restaurants, sprawling suites (just 350 of them, all with balconies), combine the finest things in life (and travel).

From a cascading stairwell in the ship’s Atrium, where all that glitters is gold, to the white-glove service (in the most unsuspecting moments, a dressed-up arm will appear, offering a flute of champagne), sailing aboard Seven Seas Splendor is like living the pages of a luxury lifestyle magazine.

Or even, dare I say, a modern-day interpretation of Versailles at sea.

As I take it all in, it hits me: this is not an ordinary cruise vacation. It’s an event, reserved for those once-in-a-lifetime moments, where the only assignment is to LIVE LARGE.

That’s a tall order, even for the most seasoned hospitality pros. It takes a certain ecosystem, and team, to meet (and fulfill) expectations.

But it’s a challenge Regent, in what it calls its “pursuit of perfection,” is willing to accept.

Amelie Dubois, Regent’s director of sales and marketing for Canada, who’s leading my ship tour, sums the ethos up best.

In between a walk around Splendor’s roomy pool (which has easy-going entry steps) and deck spaces (where every guest is guaranteed a soft, plush lounger), and a visit to the Serene Spa (where a steam room, chill room, sauna and aft-facing infinity pool is available to guests, complimentary, at all times), Dubois looks me straight in the eyes: “At Regent, it’s all about the details.”

Regent's largest Canadian FAM

The essence of why Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ is a solid pick for discerning travellers is the focus this week as the cruise line welcomes 25 Canadian travel advisors on board its Seven Seas Splendor to unpack the brand’s essentials and fundamentals.

It’s not only an ultra-luxe voyage, on a dreamy itinerary – sailing from ritzy Monaco on the French Riviera, to Salerno (Italy), Kusadasi (Turkey) and then finally, Piraeus (Greece) – but it’s also an historical one.

Why? It’s the largest FAM Regent has ever (ever!) hosted for Canadian travel advisors.

“We need more Canadians to understand who Regent is and I wanted to make sure we had as many agents as possible who knew the product, so they could leverage it,” Dubois told PAX, which was invited to cover the trip, exclusively.

After all, seeing is believing. Regent rarely hosts FAMs for the trade because its glamorous ships are always full, Dubois said.

This week’s voyage, entitled “Flair, Flavour and Culture,” from April 20-29, presented a window of opportunity to get advisors from Canada on board to take it all in.

And it’s clear that Canada is in the Regent house. To kick things off, Dubois hosted a red and white-themed cocktail party earlier this week for her group – a diverse mix of advisors, from various provinces, who are both new to Regent, and experienced.

Many were invited to the FAM for their potential in generating revenue in the luxury space, Dubois said.

As Ontario-based Judith Coates of Wired For Travel, sailing with the brand for the first time, told PAX: “I’d heard about Regent through trainings, but I wanted to see what sets it apart from other cruise lines.”  

Coates said she was immediately “blown away” by the generous amount of space guests have on Seven Seas Splendor, from the ship’s sprawling suites (“Homes away from home,” she said) to the grand public areas.

Regent’s three-steps-ahead-of-everything service has also caught her attention. Crew members greet guests at every opportunity, kindly offering to do this and that, and many will learn people’s names. The crew to guest ratio is 1:1.4.

“Every detail is looked after,” Coates remarked.

The FAM is just one of many strategies orchestrated by Dubois, who was promoted to director of sales and marketing for Canada at Regent in January.

Her other new initiative is Regent’s Ambassadors Program. By signing up, travel advisors commit to a monthly meeting with Dubois, to discuss all things Regent, and in exchange receive incentives, promotions and priority-lane access for ship tours and FAMs.

“Advisors invest their time, and they get a return on that investment,” Dubois said, explaining her program. “It’s a partnership. A win-win for everyone.”

Pretentious? Not at all

For now, Canadian travel advisors are investing time on Seven Seas Splendor, a ten-deck, Explorer Class ship that launched in 2020, but due to the pandemic, it didn’t sail its inaugural season until 2021.

One stand-out benefit aboard a small ship like Splendor is the absence of line-ups. Whether it’s at an elevator, or at a buffet, guests are rarely forced to wait in a long and tedious queue (which goes a long way).

This week’s FAM, perhaps, also aims to dispel a common misconception about Regent – that it’s a pretentious cruise line.

Which is far from the truth, PAX can confirm. Sure, Regent’s beautiful spaces sparkle with elegance and sophistication, but the audience – a mix of well-travelled retired couples, adult-age families, as well as some multi-gen groups with children and grandchildren – is friendly, outgoing and approachable.

There are little things, like the way guests say hello to each other in the hallways and elevators, and bigger things, like feeling welcomed on a late-night dance floor, by a bloom of jewelled-up ladies, to boogie, while a live band played bops from the ’80s.

There’s an ABBA party. One night, the ship assembled a ten-piece band (with horn section) and transformed Splendor’s usually-unruffled atrium into a dance-till-you-drop ABBAmania hoedown.  

An all-included voyage

Take a chance on me? Take a chance on Regent.

The string that connects passengers together on board is the fact that everyone, regardless of their suite category, has access to the same venues and amenities and, relatively speaking, the same inclusions.

Everything – alcoholic drinks (premium pours, no need to show a card), extensive wine menus, all speciality restaurants, Wi-Fi, gratuities, fitness classes, laundry, 24-hour in-suite dining, and unlimited shore excursions (yes, those too) – is offered to all passengers, at no extra cost.

There’s no nickel-and-diming. Regent – with exception to spa treatments and some ultra-premium wines and liquors – is an everything-included voyage.

There are some exceptions, of course. Guests in Concierge Suites or higher receive a complimentary pre-cruise hotel stay (in Nice, at the glam Boscolo, and in Monaco, at the luxe Fairmont Monte Carlo), including transfers.

That same group also has access to dining reservations, and excursion signups, ahead of other guests.

Passengers in Penthouse Suites or higher also receive their own butler. Which isn’t meant to take away from the work of Regent’s room attendants, who diligently refresh all suites throughout the day, making beds, stacking scattered papers, lining up charging chords, and placing bathroom amenities in neat and tidy rows.

Need your laundry done? You got it. It doesn’t cost more.

But here, clean clothes aren’t just returned in a bag. They’re delivered in a stylish gift box, with each item wrapped in tissue, sealed with a golden Regent sticker. As if it was a new outfit altogether, purchased from a luxury boutique.

That level of service extends to in-suite dining. When meals are delivered, the staff will offer to drape a white tablecloth over your living room table to create fancy restaurant-like vibe. 

No such thing as a bad suite

And can we talk about the suites on Seven Seas Splendor?

The spacious layouts range from 307 to 4,443 square feet (28.5 to 413 square meters), and all include a furnished private balcony.

Heavenly King and Queen-sized beds, floor-to-ceiling windows, walk-in closets, dual sinks in the bathroom, soaker tubs, stocked mini bars, including a welcome bottle of Monopole champagne, are just some of the amenities you’ll find.

The crown jewel is the eye-popping “Regent Suite,” at the bow of the ship, which has two bedrooms, a sprawling living room, panoramic views, an in-suite spa, a $200,000 (USD) Hästens bed, a private minipool on a sprawling terrace, among other eye-popping inclusions. 

That’s for clients who have the coin, but really, there’s no such thing as a bad suite on Seven Seas Splendor. All 10 categories sing in their own luxurious way.  

Not your typical dining

And, oh, the restaurants. Regent dining doesn’t feel like traditional cruise ship dining. The food is buzzworthy, and the venues are exquisite.

There’s chic Chartreuse (classic French, modern twist); Zen-like Pacific Rim (Pan-Asian, Korean barbecue lamb chops, with a side of dragon at the door); Prime 7 (filet mignon to smoked salmon); Compass Rose (the luxe main dining room, with a detailed menu, serving Alaskan crab and avocado to surf and turf to veal piccata); La Veranda (upscale breakfast and lunch buffets, with indoor/outdoor seating); Pool Grill (al fresco lunching, serving truffle burgers and lobster nachos); and Sette Mari at Veranda (classic to modern Italian).

These destinations on board, where tables are waited on by multiple staff and sommeliers, could easily compete with restaurants in any cosmopolitan city.

It’s also a “yes” ship. You want that lobster at dinner? Yes, you can have it – at no additional charge.

Fortunately, Seven Seas Splendor has several options for staying active on board (and for burning off all of those extra calories). There’s a fitness room, a pickleball court, a mini-putt course, running track and outdoor games area (like cornhole) for when it’s time to get moving. 

Immersive overnights & solo cruisers

Regent’s hardware is one thing, it’s connection to destinations is another.

Another pillar this week is to showcase Regent’s “Immersive Overnights” program, a new collection of itineraries that guarantee a minimum of two days/one night in each port, giving guests more time to explore.

Imagine being moored in Monaco’s backyard, in a yacht-filled marina, for multiple nights, and having the freedom to come and go as you please (say, to try your luck at Monte Carlo Casino), without having to worry about rushing back to your ship. We had that luxury.

Or being in Italy, sipping limoncello in seaside Sorrento in the morning, and then biting into a folded margarita pizza on a food tour through Naples at night. We did that too.

Immersive Overnights, really, lets travellers be travellers – without the constraints of a same-day departure.

It’s also designed to meet new-to-cruise customers (people who would traditionally travel by land) in the middle, Dubois said.

“We want to have a product that is adapted to their needs,” she said. “People who are intimidated by cruising say it’s too rushed. They want more time in destinations. So, this is a bridge between land and cruise where they spend a minimum of two days in ports. They can enjoy the nightlife and local restaurants.”

And with Regent’s all-included (and variety) of tours and shore excursions, guests can check a lot of boxes.

On our itinerary, we were in the medieval village of Èze on the French Riviera one day, and then touring the Amalfi coast two days later.

Some went off to explore Pompeii, others signed up for a pasta-making class in Sorrento. All at no extra charge. The voyage packs in a lot of value.

Another selling point is Regent’s opportunities for solo travellers. This group can be a mix of people, but the majority tends to be widowed, dealing with loss, staff say.

To assist this demographic, Regent employs an onboard Social Host, who organizes mixers, events, and dinners for solo guests, creating a safe space for making connections.

“They’ve cruised before, they have the desire to travel, but they fear travelling alone,” said Seven Seas Splendor’s Social Hostess, Clair, addressing FAM participants at a workshop. “The reinforcement in knowing there’s someone on board who will take care of them, unite them, and give them a chance to share conversations, is tremendous.”

Regent, in fact, waives its solo supplement on nearly 100 itineraries, giving solo cruisers space to fulfill their travel dreams.

This also recognizes the fact that there are customers out there who want to cruise solo – or have their own room in a group booking – and want a nice suite just like everybody else

Not an interior room, or “the broom closet,” as one agent remarked (for the record, neither are available on a Regent ship!)

Canadian dollar at par is back  

“I’m convinced this is a product for Canadians,” said Dubois.

So much so that Dubois, just recently, convinced Regent to bring back its Canadian dollar at par offer – a promotion, applicable to select sailings, that was available for years, until the exchange rate went sideways.

It’s a good deal, when you consider the fact that everything is included. Because Regent is a packaged luxury holiday, everything is at par, from the Wi-Fi to gratuities to excursions.

It’s just one more way that Dubois intends to grow Regent’s market share in Canada.

“We needed that promotion back,” she said. “We needed to stand for Canada. We’re growing the market, we’re here to support Canadian travel advisors, and welcome Canadian guests.”

“We are growing – and we’re going to keep growing.”

What are travel advisors saying about the FAM? What happens on Regent’s excursions? How is the cruise line making life easier for solo travellers? 

Stay tuned as PAX brings you more exclusive coverage from Regent’s FAM for Canadian travel advisors aboard Seven Seas Splendor!  

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