Discovering Seven Seas Splendor – a floating work of art

“From her grand social spaces to the private balconies adorning every suite, Seven Seas Splendor is a work of art from bow to stern,” boasts their website, and Colchester branch manager Lisa was excited to step onboard and see Splendor for herself! “I knew Regent Seven Seas are a luxury brand and so my expectations were high - I was not disappointed!” she says.

This beautiful ship was launched in 2020 and is literally a floating testament to elegance and class, with more than 46,000 square-feet of Italian marble, and over 500 chandeliers twinkling away as she glides across the oceans. Splendor’s  $5 million curated fine art collection is one of the most discerning collections at sea, perhaps only recently surpassed by the newest ship in the Regent Seven Seas fleet, Grandeur, launched in 2023, whose 1,600-Piece Art Collection includes multiple Picassos, a nearly 40-foot-tall tapestry and the first Fabergé Egg to reside at sea!

“This is a beautiful ship and gives a great first impression, says Lisa, “Walking into the reception lounge was very calm and inviting and the public areas are lovely muted colours, with comfortable chairs and sofas. There is great art on the walls and very exclusive glass vases and lamps that have been made especially for the ship.”

Splendor is laid out over 10 decks - the cabins are all suites, and every single one has their own private balcony, “Regent Splendor has just 373 spacious suites taking a maximum of 746 guests with 548 crew. The service onboard is amazing and there is always a quiet space if you need it. The ship is large enough for almost double the number of guests,” confirms Lisa. She continues, “The average age of guests was lower than I had expected, and Regent Seven Seas are also popular with solo travellers. Although there were a few children or younger adults onboard they were travelling with larger family groups.”

Lisa was impressed with the facilities and public spaces, “The Regent Splendor has a great theatre, very comfortable with waiter service for drinks. The ship also offers a lovely relaxing luxury spa and a good-sized fitness center for the size of the ship. The pool area is very inviting with luxury sunbeds, a reasonably-sized swimming pool and waiter service from the pool bar. They offer deck games which are good fun, such as bocce ball, and there is a paddle tennis court on deck, a golf net and putting green available at no extra cost.”

If you are between activities then there are lots of options too, “There are so many places for downtime depending on your mood, if the weather is good and you want to relax outside, the pool area and outdoor terraces are a great way to enjoy the weather. There are multiple lounges and bars, so if you are looking for a quiet drink or great music there are plenty to choose from. There is also a library onboard if you like the idea of a quiet space to catch up on the world news or read a book,” confirms Lisa.        

Splendor features a Culinary Arts Kitchen with 18 stations for hands-on gourmet cooking classes, but if you are cruising to get away from the kitchen then never fear, you have plenty of options, “The choice of restaurants was amazing for the size of the ship, a great choice and all at no extra cost. I would recommend making a reservation for the more popular ones,” advises Lisa.  

Compass Rose – is the largest specialty restaurant onboard offering steaks to seafood with endless combinations to customise your meal.

Chartreuse – a classic French fine dining restaurant.

Pacific Rim – Lisa’s favourite! A dramatic Pan-Asian restaurant with a dragon greeting the guests!  

Sette Mari – Authentic Italian specialties in stunning surroundings with alcove seating that juts out over the sea and magnificent views.

La Veranda – For breakfast and lunch, made to order and buffet.

Pool Grill – Al fresco light breakfast and lunch.

All dining and drinking experiences are included, and if you fancy a quiet night in, then there is also in-suite dining – Lisa enjoyed breakfast on the balcony watching dolphins swim by!

Lisa stayed in a Concierge Cabin grade E, “The cabin was beautifully appointed with a large balcony, a small table, 2 comfortable chairs and a sun lounger. The king bed can be made into twins if required and faces out to sea. The suite has a spacious sitting area and plenty of storage space in addition to the walk-in wardrobe. The beautiful marble bathroom has a bath and walk-in shower, and the room also includes a coffee machine and cashmere blankets.” Lisa managed to have a peek at some other room grades too, “We did get to see a couple of suites, the main difference with the suites that we saw was that they had a larger balcony and a separate lounge / dining area.”    

Lisa joined the ship in Amsterdam, and stopped in Antwerp and Honfleur, “Regent Seven Seas include a good selection of trips in the cost of the cruise, and other excursions or private trips can be booked at additional cost. I did a walking tour in both Antwerp and Honfleur and both of these cities were easy walking distance from the ship, although coaches are available if required. It was so convenient to be able to walk into the lovely town of Honfleur, a really pretty harbour town with quaint little streets full of cafes and restaurants.”

“All staff were very friendly, offering a high standard of customer service,” says Lisa, but despite this high-end environment there is a relaxed atmosphere for customers onboard, “The dress code ranges from casual to optional formal, though casual wear such as jeans, shorts, t-shirts or trainers are not appropriate after 6pm. Formal nights tend to be on the longer cruises, and other than that elegant casual wear is recommended. Most guests were dressed casually, which gave the cruise a very relaxed feel.”  

Describing her overall experience onboard Splendor, Lisa concludes, “Regent Seven Seas offer luxury all-inclusive at sea, 6 star - but still relaxed with a fun atmosphere.”

If you would like more information on Regent Seven Seas cruises, please contact your local branch.

You can find Lisa at Colchester.‍