Seven Seas Explorer: The Epitome Of Luxury At Sea

Last week, I had the pleasure of visiting Regent Seven Seas Cruises ‘Seven Seas Explorer’ – a cruise ship noted as ‘the most luxurious ever built’. Launched in 2016, the six-star cruise ship is adorned with huge amounts of Italian marble and stone. Large quantities of gold leaf and stunning chandeliers add to the overall opulence and basically, she does exactly what it says in the brochure. She offers a level of luxury that I’ve not seen on any other ship.

Her main dining room, Compass Rose, is lit by a $155,000 chandelier of hand-blown glass and every table features exquisite dinnerware from Versace. The entire forward area of Deck 14 is home to the Regent Suite, which will cost you $10,000 per person per night if you wish to stay in it. It may sound expensive, but it does come with its own spa, a $200,000 custom Steinway piano, two Picasso’s and a $150,000 bed – if that makes the price feel better? If that wasn’t enough, you will also find a $6 million art collection onboard, a $20,000 Murano glass vase in the atrium and you can order almost anything from any of the onboard bars completely free of charge. I said ‘almost’, $3,500 bottles of wine are, of course, an additional charge.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t gain access to the Regent Suite during the visit as it was occupied. I know, I did ask if we couldn’t just give a knock and invite ourselves in for a few minutes, but the group leader said no. Although we couldn’t go in, we did stand at the suite’s entrance and admire the Picasso’s that hang outside. Below are some images, courtesy of Regent Seven Seas, that show a small part of the suite’s interior.

I’ll just give you a moment to process this before moving on…

So, if you’re ready, let’s continue. I stepped aboard and instantly I was transported into another world. A world where class, sophistication, luxury and people with a lot of money seem to hang out. It was absolute heaven. I know there are many people across the world for whom this level of luxury is a standard part of life, but for me, this was a real treat and I felt very privileged to be there – even if it was for just a few short hours.

Onboard you will find a wide variety of bars and lounges, the Explorer Lounge being my favourite. There’s also a jogging track, outdoor swimming pool, golf putting green, culinary school, several boutiques, CanyonRanch Spa, infinity pool and a state-of-the-art gym.

Restaurant options include the Compass Rose, which is the ship’s main dining venue; Chartreuse, a restaurant with Parisian flare; Prime 7 for succulent steaks and fresh seafood; La Veranda, Explorer’s buffet option; and Pacific Rim, a beautifully decorated restaurant offering Pan-Asian cuisine. Of all the restaurants onboard, Pacific Rim was the most eye-exciting for me. I loved everything about it, even the colour of the plates. I also thought the three-ton Tibetan-style prayer wheel at the entrance was a wonderful addition. It’s so heavy that the deck had to be reinforced and it cost over $300,000!

Lunch onboard was another fabulous experience, a five-course culinary delight that was served in the Chartreuse restaurant. I must admit, I devoured dishes that were very similar when I was on a ship visit with Regent Seven Seas in 2016, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed when I spotted the Chilean Sea Bass on the menu on Explorer. I’m yet to find another sea bass dish that I like as much as the one on Regent – I usually don’t like it at all. We were also served a melon and lobster appetiser, butternut squash and coconut soup, a delicious and juicy piece of Angus beef tenderloin and then to finish, a signature chocolate dessert.

Chilean Sea Bass pan-fried with five spices and served with parsnip mousseline.

Black Angus Beef Tenderloin served with a mushroom vol-au-vent, truffle infused hollandaise sauce and seasonal vegetables.

Seven Seas Explorer left me speechless, she really is a ship that boasts six-star luxury at every turn – even the fresh salads and vegetables at La Veranda looked better than they do on other ships! Every public area was spotless and every crew member I came in contact with was polite and friendly. It was the kind of luxury that for many, including myself, is nothing more than a dream, but for just a few hours on Monday, June 5, 2017, it was a reality.

I’ll leave you with the following…

Did you know that on a typical 7-night cruise, Seven Seas Explorer’s guests will consume 1,600 dozen eggs, 1,400 lbs of lobster and 950 bottles of champagne.

About CruiseMiss

Trying to explore each and every inch of this wonderful planet via cruise ship.