Seven Seas Explorer

The 2016-built Seven Seas Explorer is one of the newest RSSC-Regent cruise ships, with sistership Splendor (2020) and fleetmates the older boats Voyager, Navigator and Mariner. The vessel's building cost of USD 450 million ranks it the most expensive luxury cruise ship ever built.

History - construction and ownership

Regent Cruises (officially Regent Seven Seas Cruises / RSSC) is an all-inclusive, top-luxury cruise brand fka "Radisson Seven Seas". Until 2014, the company (as part of "Prestige Cruise Holdings") was owned by Apollo Management LP - one of the world's largest private investment equity funds. Since September 2014, RSSC and the sister company Oceania Cruises are owned by NCL Norwegian (shipowner), acquired at the total cost of USD 3 billion. RSSC ships are medium-sized, with capacity up to 800 passengers. The fleet consists of 6-star rated all-suite and all-balcony vessels with a space-to-guest ratio around 70 and staff-to-guest ratio 1-to-1,6 (some of industry's best). As building cost per berth, RSSC liners are among the world's most expensive ships.

The 750-passenger ship Seven Seas Explorer debuted in the summer of 2016. The vessel was launched on October 30, 2015, at Fincantieri's Sestri Ponente shipyard (Trieste Italy). The launching ceremony was attended by Robin Lindsay (RSSC's executive vice president) and Raffaele Davassi (shipyard's director). The launch godmother was Antonia Ronchi (Fincantieri employee).

Seven Seas Explorer was delivered on June 30 by Fincantieri's Sestri Ponente shipyard. It is the first newbuild for RSSC-Regent in 14 years and what the company touts as the most luxurious vessel ever built. Seven Seas Explorer's features include the opulent 3,875-sq. foot Regent Suite, several gourmet restaurants and extravagant lounges.

Cruise itinerary program

Seven Seas Explorer itinerary program is based on Mediterranean cruises around Italy (Adriatic Sea), voyages to French Riviera and Holy Land (visiting Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, Egypt). The itineraries are one-way, with departures from ports in Italy, Spain, Monaco, Portugal, Greece, Turkey.

In 2019 (January through March) was the ship's maiden season in South America. Following 2-year service in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Africa and Northern Europe, the liner will call at 10 South American cruise ports during 5 voyages with the following departures.

• (January 20) 12-day from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires, visiting Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina. 28-day from Rio to Santiago, visiting Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Falkland Islands.
• (February 1) 16-day from Buenos Aires to Santiago, visiting Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Falkland Islands.
• (February 1) 36-day from Buenos Aires to Los Angeles, visiting Uruguay, Argentina, Chile, Falkland Islands, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala.
• (February 17) 20-day from Santiago to Los Angeles, visiting Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico.

Decks and Cabins

Like all Regent cruise ships, Seven Seas Explorer staterooms are all in Suite categories. The number of suite categories is 16. Seven Seas Explorer has a total of 375 suites, of which 100% have private balconies. The largest ones are the Regent Suites (2915 ft2 / 270 m2 plus 960 ft2 / 89 m2 terrace). The boat has 14 decks, of which 10 are passenger-accessible and 7 with cabins.

The cost of the Regent Suite on the new Explorer ship signifies the ultimate Regent cruise luxury package experience. For an amazing 3875 ft2 Suite accommodation (1181 m2, with the balcony), guest can enjoy the superior pampering vacation travel that the Regent Cruises are worldwide famous with. This accommodation is not only the largest but also the most expensive one at sea - yours for "just" GBP 4800 per person/per day.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Seven Seas Splendor offers cooking classes in its specially dedicated teaching kitchen. The dishes are crafted from local ingredients. Food-focused shore excursions are also available, added to the line's Gourmet Explorer Tours. They offer a chance to eat meals prepared by locally renowned chefs,  taste wines at estates, and visit local markets.

Follows the complete list of Seven Seas Explorer restaurants and food bars.

• Compass Rose (main dining room restaurant, open-seating breakfast, lunch and dinner; features European Continental dishes and alternative choices - vegetarian, specialities from the Spa menu, select dishes from Regent's Chartreuse menu with gourmet French cuisine)
• Chartreuse (Regent’s new speciality restaurant with French cuisine, also serving speciality cocktails with Chartreuse liqueur; offers one of the most exquisite gourmet experiences at sea)
• Prime 7 (reservations-only dinner restaurant with American Steakhouse menu)
• La Veranda / Sette Mari (casual dining venue; operates as ship’s self-service buffet restaurant; in the evenings, the buffet transforms into “Sette Mari” Italian dinner restaurant, complimentary)
• Culinary Arts Kitchen (cooking school with 18 cooking stations in 3 rows; each is equipped with quartz countertop and stainless steel sink; the cooking school has floor-ceiling windows, and boasts 12 different classes themed as fish and shellfish, food and wine, mini-desserts, healthy cooking, etc. As part of the program, Regent Seven Seas also offers “Gourmet Explorer Tours” ashore)
• Pacific Rim (Pan-Asian restaurant, dinner-only)
• Pool Grill (fast food).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

While the design of Seven Seas Explorer is decidedly more contemporary luxe than that of ship's fleet mates, the line strikes a balance between its much-loved traditional features and a more modern ambience.

Follows the complete list of Seven Seas Explorer lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Constellation Theater (2-deck high main show lounge for grand music and show productions; also features “Cirque Rock ‘n Roll” aerial acrobatics spectacle)
• Atrium (2-deck high open-floor area)
• Club.com (Internet computers room); Library
• Connoisseur Club (smoking lounge with comfortable leather armchairs; offers hand-rolled Cuban cigars)
• Card Rooms (hosts bridge tournaments and lectures)
• Explorer Lounge and Bar (disco nightclub; operates as a piano bar during the day with resident pianist performances)
• Meridian Lounge (serves as an entertainment lounge with leather furniture, blue carpeting, dark-wood panelling, antique flooring; has its own bar; serves speciality cocktails)
• Coffee Connection (patisserie, speciality coffees)
• Horizon Lounge (with a large dance floor; hosts daily trivia shows and offers Afternoon Tea)
• Observation Lounge (grand piano bar with live music performances in the evenings)
• The Boutique (duty-free shopping arcade: luxury jewellery, precious stones, brand perfumes, watches, designer clothes, accessories, gifts, souvenirs, Regent-logo wear)
• Casino (with 2 sections: for the slot machines, and for the gaming tables)
• Lido Pool area (with a large swimming pool, 2 Whirlpools, sunbathing area with loungers, tennis tables, seating area; served by the Pool Bar)
• Canyon Ranch SpaClub and Wellness Center consists of 8 Treatment Rooms, Saunas (incl infrared sauna), Steam Rooms (incl aromatic steam room), Cold Room (temperature 54 F / 12 C), Thermal Suite, Shower Room (varying degrees of water pressure, therapeutic audio effects / waterfalls, thunderstorms), Relaxation Room, infinity pool (resistance swimming pool/aft), also Beauty Salon, Gym and Aerobics Studio. Some of the Spa's features include the cocoon-inspired design, central-location Swarovski crystal sculpture, chrysalis (made of silk wrappings), marble flooring, light-grained wood, exquisite treatments.
• Fitness Center (deck 6) has floor-ceiling windows and modern equipment (cardio and weight machines, free weights), separate studio for classes (cycling, yoga, Pilates).
• The Top Deck (Power Walking/Jogging Track; sports court: mini-golf putting green; Golf Net; Shuffleboard; Paddle Tennis court).

Regent's Seven Seas Explorer is the world's ever first cruise ship with a Pickleball Court. “The installation was done by Adventure Golf Services (a company specializing in custom-designed mini-golf courses).

• This is a combo court serving 2 sports - Pickleball and Paddle Tennis.
• Pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of badminton, court tennis and table tennis. The game is played by 2, 3 or 4 players using solid paddles (made of wood or composites) to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net.
• The company also installed other products - paddle tennis court, shuffleboard, 18-hole putting green course, GolfCourt Hitting Bay (golf driving range), Bocce court. All these products use patented interlocking panels fabricated in Traverse City (Michigan USA).
• Adventure Golf Services is the leading manufacturer and installer for the cruise ship industry, with signature products like miniature golf courses, putting greens, shuffleboard, bocce ball, croquet courts, golf driving cages.

The Regent Explorer ship is RSSC's 4th vessel (all-suite, all-balcony, top luxury) that joined in 2016 the fleetmates Mariner, Navigator and Voyager as the company's largest and most innovative. By building cost (USD 450 million) the vessel is currently world's most expensive luxury passenger ship ever built. The ship's interior features Carrara marble, huge quantities of gold (used by the shipbuilder for onboard decorations), Czech crystal chandeliers, hundreds of unique and very expensive artworks.

Fun fact is, that ship's largest suite (accommodating two guests only) is the biggest sized cruise accommodation at sea (at the whopping 3875 ft2 / 1180 m2) /equaling a townhouse's size). This suite is also the most expensive cruise room ever offered. Regent Suite's bed alone cost around USD 90,000. Per-person prices are over GBP 3000, and these rates are per night. Among the suite's amenities are a custom-built Steinway grand piano and an in-suite spa room with unlimited complimentary spa treatments.

On September 2, 2014, NCL-Norwegian purchased "Prestige Cruise Holdings" (owner of Oceania Cruises and RSSC) for USD 3,025 billion, thus becoming the official shipowner in both fleets.

In mid-April 2016, RSSC announced upgraded fares adding free international flights to all 2017-2018 cruise Itineraries. These are round-trip air travel deals (business class) added to the company's signature (standard) all-inclusive package - wines, spirits, soda, water, unlimited internet, free shore excursions, prepaid gratuities, pre-post cruise hotel stays and transfers. The air-inclusive cruise deals involve international flights leaving from 26 cities (the USA and Canada), regardless of the suite category booked.

On May 26, 2016, was announced the name of ship's godmother - HSH Princess Charlene of Monaco. On June 30, 2016, the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel was officially delivered by Fincantieri to RSSC at Sestri Ponente Shipyard. On July 13, 2016, was vessel's christening ceremony held in Monte Carlo (Monaco). The naming ceremony featured a 45-min live performance by Andrea Bocelli. The royal godmother was accompanied by her husband - Monaco's reigning monarch Prince Albert II. The christening ceremony was also attended by around 700 special guests, including all the RSSC company's top executives.

The company Apollo Group provides all RSSC ships with the entire onboard hotel product and services. This includes administration, food staff (preparation and serving), housekeeping staff, also the vessel's provisioning and crewing. Other cruise lines served by Apollo are Thomson UK (Marella) and Oceania.

Inaugural itineraries 2016

On July 20, 2016, was the inaugural cruise - 13-days Mediterranean itinerary from Monaco to Venice. Explorer is Regent Cruises' first new ship since 2003 when Seven Seas Voyager was launched. Explorer is followed by a fifth ship (Seven Seas Splendor) that enters service in 2020.

Seven Seas Explorer's inaugural cruise season was in Europe (Mediterranean Sea). Followed a Transatlantic crossing to PortMiami for the winter season in the Caribbean Sea. The inaugural Caribbean cruise was a 14-night roundtrip Miami to Serene Islands (December 4) followed by a 10-night Caribbean cruise (December 14) roundtrip from Miami. The New Year's Eve itinerary was a 16-night Panama Canal transition from Miami to Los Angeles CA. The ship returned to Florida on February 4 (2017) and was home-ported in Miami Florida for a total of 5 back-to-back cruises (10-night roundtrips) to Caribbean islands, Mexico, and Belize. Among the visited ports of call was the NCL private island in Belize Harvest Caye - an island destination developed by the parent company NCLH.

The Mediterranean Inaugural season was complemented by 22 "Gourmet Explorer Tours" (offered on all Mediterranean itineraries) designed to enhance the onboard dining experiences in the ship's Culinary Arts Kitchen.