SStorms in Miami don’t bode well for a cruise around the Bahamas. Especially not on a brand-new ship designed to look its best in the Mediterranean or Caribbean sunshine. Still, the choppy seas and dark skies will certainly put Regent’s new Seven Seas Grandeur to the test.
We were unable to dock at Freeport in the Bahamas due to weather, so we continued on to Great Stirrup Cay, a private Bahamian island shared by Regent and its sister lines, NCL and Oceania Cruises. It’s a bit of a refreshing swim, but I imagine the white sand and palm trees would beckon in better conditions, which will hopefully greet passengers when the ship docks here on future itineraries in the region.
Despite the weather, Grandeur holds its own throughout the voyage. The engines are so smooth that on our first night I had to check that we were actually sailing, the oily blackness eventually revealing a choppy world of rolling waves with ocean foam on top.
Seven Seas Grandeur joins sister ships Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Explorer as part of Regent’s fleet of six mid-size, luxury, all-inclusive vessels. And boy are they elegant.
Seven Seas Grandeur can accommodate 744 guests
Even though we’re full (the ship holds 744 guests), there’s none of that feverish hustle and bustle at the front desk and tour desks. Instead, in a deft touch of crowd control, Grandeur’s public spaces are all connected: the lobby, with the feel of a Manhattan boutique hotel (black and cream, Art Deco-themed, next to a striking chandelier), leads to Coffee Connection — which is in turn connected by a chic, lounge-like corridor to the Chartreuse and Pacific Rim specialty restaurants.
Also elegant and more spacious than any I’ve ever experienced on a cruise ship are the suites. They’re touted as some of the largest at sea and include ten accommodation options, including walk-up suites with deep-balcony verandas. In this category, however, I found the luxury bed took up too much valuable space.
Although it was occupied on this voyage, the £8,650-a-night Regent Suite is, I’m told, truly palatial and, for seriously wealthy insomniacs, features a £157,000 Hastens Vividus bed. Mind you, my Concierge Suite has a fantastically comfortable mattress and, perfect for a nap at sea, a balcony with plump, reclining rattan armchairs.
Also attractive are my walk-in closet and the black marble bathroom, which combines two sinks with a large bathtub, separate shower, L’Occitane toiletries and plenty of storage space.
The suites are among the most spacious on board a cruise ship
It is carefully planned and exudes the opulence of a luxury hotel, although one of those Japanese toilets with automatic locking would have completed the picture. Mine looks cheap, with a lid that is always half-closed.
I do however love the suite’s cream and black decor that flows into a spacious living room, where light blue silk cushions match the tones used in the abstract acrylic on the wall.
Art certainly plays a central role on Seven Seas Grandeur, and we’re not talking about those tacky, splattered canvases you find on cheaper cruise ships. The ship has a collection of 1,600 original pieces, and there’s some serious material on display, including original lithographs by Picasso and Miró, works by American painter Rauschenberg and Chilean abstract surrealist Matta, as well as the first Fabergé egg to be permanently at sea.
The egg, Travel in jewelswas specially commissioned for Seven Seas Grandeur and is kept under a high-security glass case in the lobby. Through a series of seven movable enamel parts, covered in diamonds, pearls and ombré colors, it cleverly evokes the oceans that this ship will travel.
You can download a digital art tour of this large gallery at sea that neatly pairs specific exhibitions with artist interviews, or simply wander through this astonishing collection at your leisure. It certainly feels well-curated, especially since so many pieces complement their individual surroundings.
Those three Picasso lithographs of bullfights? You’ll find them, appropriately enough, in the ship’s steakhouse, Prime 7. The striking 40-foot-high hand-woven tapestry evokes the wildlife of Africa and Asia. Enchanted treeby Brazilian artist Walter Goldfarb, which hangs in the atrium.
And the most beautiful piece of all, the delicate bronze and hand-cast glass Bonsai cherry tree sculpture, stands proudly at the entrance of the Asian-fusion restaurant Pacific Rim.
The Bonsai cherry tree sculpture
Ah, the food. Haute cuisine is often the single most important element in elevating a ship to luxury status, and on Grandeur there are five specialty restaurants among eight dining options. Of those five, I only get to experience Pacific Rim, and while I love the exotic surroundings, the zen elegance of the grass-covered china plates, the dining experience is less than wow-worthy.
While the lobster tempura and seafood laksa are truly delicious, the Korean BBQ lamb chops are lukewarm, tough and disappointing. Those stir-fried Asian vegetables? Wilted instead of crispy, and the pad thai, a sticky, gooey mess.
• Bahamas Travel Guide: What to Do, Where to Stay, and Why You’ll Love It
Of course, it begs the question: what is luxury? A tour of the galley reveals that Grandeur is well stocked with abundant caviar, Cristal and Pétrus, as well as prime cuts of US meat. Often, however, it’s the quirky and unexpected extras that make all the difference in a memorable dining experience.
I can recall some of the delicious Ayurvedic breakfast dishes served at the buffet on Hapag-Lloyd’s Europa 2, alongside a succulent grilled fruits de mer meal on our balcony. And likewise the imaginative and personalized smoothies and canapés that my butler served me each evening on Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Serenity.
Mind you, they sure know how to handle fish at Seven Seas Grandeur. The chic Pool Grill has fantastic grilled tuna, and at the French restaurant Chartreuse, with its Paris metro-inspired decor, I imagine the soupe de poissons with brandade, mussels and aioli would be pretty authentic.
Seven Seas Grandeur knows how to handle fish
Seven Seas Grandeur excels in imaginative looks, thanks to the guidance of award-winning designers, Studio Dado. In Prime 7, the walls are made from the facades of vintage leather suitcases and belts; the gray and scarlet leather chairs are pure designer testosterone, and it all contrasts with the femininity of Chartreuse, where Coco Chanel is honored with structured apple-green glass lighting reminiscent of her signature tweed jackets.
• 10 of the Best Small Ship Cruises in the Caribbean to Avoid the Crowds
Also striking is the art deco-inspired Serene spa, with its black, white and gold marble. Here you can have treatments such as zero-gravity massages (£235) or a 15-minute thigh massage in a pair of Normatec compression boots (£31). I try them on to improve my circulation.
There’s also a free spa with an aromatic steam room, sauna and an outdoor relaxation area with three hot tubs — although on a rough day it’s a very slippery area. After a lukewarm dip in the main pool, I nearly lose my balance wading through the overflow. Thankfully, I’m nowhere near that Fabergé egg.
Louise Roddon was a guest of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, which offers seven nights all-inclusive from £4,279pp, return from Miami, including flights, drinks, excursions, gratuities, all meals and laundry, departing 24 November (rssc.com)
Become a subscriber and as well as unlimited digital access to The Times and The Sunday Times, you can enjoy a collection of travel offers and competitions curated by our trusted travel partners, especially for Times+ members
Sign up for our Times Travel Newsletter and follow us on Instagram And X
The post Inside the new Bahamas cruise that exudes the luxury of a luxury hotel first appeared on Frugals ca.
