Mariner offers luxury and culinary bliss
A cruise ship known for offering its passengers a host of enriching educational opportunities — onboard and in ports across the globe — has also outdone itself in the culinary department.
The ultra-luxurious, 700-guest Regent Seven Seas Mariner features five dining venues, each better than the next. So good in fact are two of its specialty restaurants that guests may enjoy them just twice on a typical itinerary because of their wait-list popularity.
It also ensures that everyone onboard — a well-traveled group appreciative of Mariner’s all-inclusive cruise fare policy — has the opportunity to sample some of cruising’s best gastronomic offerings complete with complimentary wines, spirits and beverages.
Not only is Mariner the world’s first all-suite, all-balcony vessel, she is also the first to offer dining at sea by the famed Le Cordon Bleu of Paris. The refined culinary journey presented in the 110-seat Signatures Restaurant is as good as it gets. Exclusive wine pairings complement mouth-watering entrees and a variety of “Plats Principaux” options, be it an Alaskan halibut fillet with pistachio oil, duo of spinach and herb-marinated tomatoes; rack of lamb; tenderloin of veal; or Magret duck fillet with raspberry vinegar sauce, apple tart and foie gras. This is not the setting to pass on dessert.
Just steps away is the cozy, 70-seat Latitudes Restaurant featuring Indochine cuisine. The ambience is warm and inviting. Wine is followed by soup and salad and entrées include steamed Jasmine rice and Kong Song vegetables. Look for fresh Vietnamese spring rolls, Cang Cua Boc stir-fried tiger prawns, Thit Bo Kho beef tenderloin, grilled lobster with shitake mushrooms in ginger sauce and Thai pasta among a host of choices.
Compass Rose, the ship’s main dining room (breakfast, lunch and dinner), La Veranda (Deck 11 aft/breakfast, lunch buffet and casual, evening Mediterranean fare) and a busy pool-side grill (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) round out Mariner’s impressive dining venues.
Additionally, the ship’s Coffee Connection, just off the library and Internet center, is as good as any shore-side java locale. Guests enjoy a self-serve breakfast buffet, choice of newspapers and friendly banter from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. It’s one of Mariner’s most popular places to see and be seen.
A number of well-appointed, upscale bars (Observation, Horizon, and Mariner lounges), casino, cigar bar (Connoisseur Club) and disco (Stars Night Club) add to shipboard life.
Mariner, like her fleet mates Voyager, Navigator and the Paul Gauguin, has built her reputation on customer service. Not surprising, a polished, personable wait staff — in all dining venues — further enhances the onboard experience.
The ship is best known, however, for providing guests with themed enrichment programs. Dubbed “Circles of Interest,” guests can enjoy a host of choices, some tailor-made, featuring onboard lectures and workshops, specially created shore-side excursions and events led by guest experts.
The food and wine program, like Mariner’s exquisite onboard cuisine, is not to be missed.
On the Web: rssc.com; theregentexperience.com.
Next time: Part 2 – Luxury goes exploring: Mariner to offer a series of ambitious itineraries in 2009.
Cruise travel columnist Michael Coleman welcomes your feedback at cruiseguide@hotmail.com.