VIDEO: Regent’s largest-ever Canadian FAM – here's what advisors had to say

Versace-branded dinnerware, fresh orchids, an original Picasso. Aboard Seven Seas Splendor, luxury is the standard.

This 750-guest, ten-deck ship from Regent Seven Seas offers one of the highest guest-to-space ratios at sea and a lavish escape where elegance meets the open sea.

Built at a cost of over $600 million USD, it is outfitted with Italian marble, crystal chandeliers (more than 500), and only 350 suites—all with balconies.

Recently, the ship played host to Regent’s largest-ever Canadian FAM trip, inviting 25 travel advisors to experience the brand’s “pursuit of perfection” firsthand on a sailing from Monaco to Piraeus (Greece) – with stops in Salerno (Italy) and Kusadasi (Turkey) in between.

Leading the initiative was Amelie Dubois, Regent’s director of sales and marketing for Canada, who emphasized the goal: to help Canadian travel advisors truly understand the Regent experience.

The voyage, which PAX was invited to cover exclusively, showcased not only Regent’s practical luxury—white-glove service, plush loungers for all, a serene spa with an infinity pool– but also helped debunk the idea that Regent is a stuffy and uptight experience.

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

Sure, Regent’s beautiful spaces sparkle with 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, advisors learned.

FAM participants were quick to note how detail-oriented the service was—staff not only remember guest names but deliver laundry in gift-wrapped boxes and transform in-suite dining with tablecloths and silverware.

The voyage is also packed with value. Everything – alcoholic drinks (premium pours), extensive wine menus, all speciality restaurants, Wi-Fi, gratuities, fitness classes, laundry, 24-hour in-suite dining, and unlimited shore excursions – is included in the fare, 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.

On a small ship like Splendor, you won’t see many line-ups either. Whether it’s at an elevator, or at a buffet, guests are rarely forced to wait in a queue.

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

Immersive Overnights

The FAM also showcased 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.

This, said Dubois, was designed with new-to-cruise customers (people who would traditionally travel by land) in mind.

“We want to have a product that is adapted to their needs,” she said, noting how Regent offers excursions both during the day and at night. “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.”

Built for solo travellers

Another selling point are the opportunities for solo travellers on board.

To assist this demographic, the cruise line 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 that was held. “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 waives its solo supplement on nearly 100 itineraries, giving solo cruisers space to fulfill their travel dreams

“Every detail is looked after”

Ontario-based Judith Coates of Wired For Travel, who 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 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 and many will learn people’s names.

“Every detail is looked after,” Coates remarked.

Regent’s solo traveller program was another aspect that caught her attention. “Even if you’re coming on your own, you’re never on your own. They do a lot of group activities for solo travellers,” she said.

She also thinks Regent would appeal to anyone who likes organized group tours.

Having the option to participate in a variety of included excursions, over multiple days, is a stand-out selling feature, she said.

“For people who don’t like cruising because they don’t like being in port for just one day, this is a perfect itinerary for you,” she said. “You can spend multiple nights in Italy and see all the sights around the Amalfi coast.”

“Luxurious, without being pretentious”

Alberta-based Laurielee Rosser of Tier One Travel has been in the travel industry for more than 46 years and has been selling Regent “for quite a while.”

“It's luxurious, without being pretentious,” she told PAX, calling the vibe on board “country club casual” but elegant at the same time.

Regent’s small ships are particularly appealing, she said.

“You can get right into the ports, step off and go right into town to do your shopping,” she said. “You never feel like you're going to bump into someone, or you're in a lineup for anything. It's very spacious.”

All about consistency

Ontario-based Pat Probert of Bob Family Travel was embarking on his fourth cruise with Regent. He sells the brand often, noting how he just booked a couple on Regent’s upcoming World Cruise.

“One of the things that brings our clients back time and time again is Regent’s consistency,” Probert said. “The quality of the product, the suites…you get luxury every time you turn around.”

Regent's “secret sauce,” he said, is the food. The preparation, the presentation, the quality. “If you want two escargot or maybe three escargots, it's usually not an issue. You can have lobster tail every night if you want,” he said.

Indeed: the food on Seven Seas Splendour 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).

Regent’s all-included format is “what people are looking for,” Probert said.

“It’s why they keep booking,” he said. “It’s all about the value.”

A genuine connection

B.C-based Sonya Reiners of Expedia Cruises said Regent is one of the only cruise lines she sells.

“Anybody who experiences Regent always come back,” she said.

One thing she hears all the time is how clients feel genuinely connected to everybody they meet on board, whether it's a crew member or another guest.

The flexibility people have while sailing is also key, she said.

“Whether a client wants to do something, or do something else, or do something again, they always can,” she said.

Reiners helps a lot of solo travellers. She said this group loves the product – especially the zero per cent supplement offer.

“The fact that is even on the table is huge,” she said, noting that solo guests don’t have to sacrifice the size of their suite for travelling alone.

“Everybody on Regent is viewed the same,” she said.

Regent recently restored its Canadian dollar at par offer. It’s a good deal, when you consider the fact that everything is included. And because Regent is a packaged luxury holiday, everything is at par, from the Wi-Fi to gratuities to excursions.

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

What’s it like to sail aboard Seven Seas Splendor? PAX was on the scene for Regent’s Canadian FAM and captured the experience on camera.

See what the ship’s really like—and hear what agents had to say—in this exclusive video report!

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