The award-winning Seven Seas Splendor. Photo / Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Amanda Linnell boards the award-winning ship, the Regent’s Seven Seas Splendor, for seven days of luxury travel from Rome to Barcelona
My arms are wrapped tightly around Federico and I can’t wipe the grin from my face as we duck and dive through Rome’s early morning traffic. I’m on the back of his Vespa and our first stop is the Colosseum.
When I signed up with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, I never imagined I would be seeing one my favourite cities in the world on the back of a scooter, but this is exactly the kind of thing you find yourself doing. Truly unique experiences and excursions are all part of this luxury cruise company’s travel offering.
We knew we were in for something special from the moment we boarded the Seven Seas Splendor, in Rome’s port of Civitavecchia, and were handed a welcome glass of Champagne. The ship is the jewel in the fleet, renowned for its spacious and elegant suites and stunning interiors.
There are 373 suites to choose from, the ultimate being the 412 square-metre Regent Suite situated at the bow of the ship, accessible to its guests by impressively large double gold doors. It has floor-to-ceiling glass windows, two bedrooms with the guests in the master bedroom sleeping on a US$200,000 custom handmade mattress, its own in-suite spa, sauna and hot tub, private balconies, original art, a dedicated personal butler and a personal car and driver in every port.
We are booked in the somewhat smaller, but still incredibly spacious, Penthouse Suite, which is more than 40sq m. There’s a generous-sized dressing room lined with shelves and drawers so you can unpack properly (one of the best things about travelling by ship), a bathroom complete with his and her basins, a spa shower with massage jets and luxurious Guerlain toiletries. There’s the personalised mini bar, coffee machine, fresh fruit every day, a luxurious deep blue velvet sofa takes centre stage and a coffee table is complete with welcome bottles of champagne and decadent chocolates.
French doors slide open onto the terrace, where there is a table and chairs and a chaise lounger. It’s the perfect place to kick back and watch the sunset over water or, each morning, drink coffee as the ship pulls into a new port. Through another set of French doors is the super-large and super-soft bed. The ideal place to crash at the end of every fun-packed day.
The Penthouse Suite also comes with a personal butler who is always just a phone call away to answer your questions, organise your restaurant bookings, give advice on what to do on shore or onboard and organise your laundry - which is returned within the day beautifully wrapped in tissue or hanging in clothes bags. He can also arrange for your preferred cocktail to arrive each evening along with the canapes, the perfect way to start your evening onboard. There is a host of bars, but our favourite is the Observation Lounge, which stretches across one level of the bow with floor-to-ceiling windows. It’s elegant, with a grand piano taking centre stage, and, if they’re not singing favourite show tunes, there might be a quiz night to take part in. Either way, the drinks flow as do more nibbles and still you haven’t even made it to one of the ship’s restaurants.
It’s safe to say that they take their food and drink offering extremely seriously onboard the Seven Seas Splendor and, as a guest, it is your duty to do the same. There are 13 bars and restaurants to choose from. Whether you opt for the simple selection of pastries, cheeses, yoghurts and fresh fruit at the Coffee Connection, the full buffet on offer in La Verandah, or the elegant a la carte menu at Compass Rose - there’s no excuse not to start your day well fuelled. The wait staff whirl and swirl to make sure your every whim is met, your coffee kept fresh and hot, and, if you fancy a glass of champagne for breakfast, then you certainly may. You just need to ask and all shall be delivered.
Most people head ashore during the day on an excursion but for those who get back early or have chosen to spend the day onboard, there’s the laidback Pool Grill which offers the chance to eat lunch al fresco and choose from a menu that includes salads, burgers and spicy chicken wings.
When it comes to evenings, the top tip is at the start of the trip, have your butler book a night in each of the ship’s star restaurants - so you don’t miss out. The top ticket is Chartreuse, where, from the sparkling crystal chandelier to the exquisite table setting and the French wines recommended by the sommelier through to the tantalising French-inspired menu, you are truly transported. It is easy to forget that you are on a ship and you barely notice the thrum of the engines as the ship glides through the night to the next port.
Another favourite dining option is Prime Seven, where you’ll find in the entrance bar a selection of original art works by Miro. This is part of the ship’s incredible art collection and a reminder as you explore the ship to stop and check out the incredible artworks. Prime Seven’s menu gives you the chance to tuck into prime New York strip, porterhouse or filet mignon and, again, a sommelier is on hand to guide you through the wine list. Other must-dine restaurants include the elegant Compass Rose with its Versace tableware or the pan-Asian fare at Pacific Rim, and the mouth-watering Italian offering in Sette Mari. The joy about dining (and drinking) onboard the Seven Seas Splendor is that everything is included, so you need never give it a second thought when you order a second bottle of wine or another round of cocktails.
After dinner, people wander off to one of the many bars for an aperitif and to watch the live music, or head to the ship’s Constellation Theatre, where every night you can sink into one of the velvet chairs and be entertained by the live shows which range from comedy to Broadway hits. With just 750 guests on board, there is an elegant ease and intimacy with each venue. People dress up in the evening, inspired by the sophistication of the interior design, which features more than an acre of marble, sparkling chandeliers, soft velvet furnishings and a sweeping staircase at the heart of the ship where, on one night, people dance along to the best of Abba. It’s fun. “I want what medication he’s having,” laughs the man next to me as we watch a couple kick up their heels.
With so much to do each day on this cruise, staying up late isn’t a priority. There’s something wonderful knowing that you are gliding to a new destination as you sleep. And then waking up each morning, pulling back the curtains, and having a whole new world unfold in front of you. To counterbalance the over-indulging, there’s a visit to the generously sized gym (everything on this ship is generously sized), jog around the top-deck track or join a yoga class. It’s a pinch-me moment standing in warrior pose looking out on the sparkling Mediterranean water.
The biggest highlight of the trip is the number of onshore excursions offered each day.
Before the cruise begins you are presented with an itinerary to choose from and then each morning the ship prints Passages, a daily paper talking about the port you’re in, the activities for the day - onboard and off. From the port of Livorno, one of the oldest in Italy, we join an excursion into Florence where we explore the Franciscan basilica Santa Croce with our guide, who points out the monuments and memorials dedicated to the likes of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and Rossini. From there, we wander off to explore on our own the Uffizi gallery, stumble across a Anish Kapoor exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi and drink wine and tuck into a delicious prosciutto salad in a hip cafe tucked away in a side street. At the bar that night we talk to new-found friends who had spent the day exploring the historic Tuscan town of Volterra before visiting a sheep farm and learning about cheesemaking, while another couple had been part of a tour which took them to the vineyards of opera singer Andrea Bocelli and his La Casa Bocelli Museum, such is the variety of excursions.
Exploring the Cinque Terre was hot on the list of day trips from our next port, La Spezia, which is a major Italian navy base, but we chose the action-packed exploration of the Ligurian Coast by rubber boat. Speeding through small bays, past old maritime landmarks and around small islands, we end up in the pretty medieval town of Portovenere, where we wander the narrow streets, have coffee and explore the Gothic-style church that sits on the rocky headland and looks out on the Gulf of Poets.
The next morning we wake to find the ship moored on the French Riviera in Villefranche-Sur-Mer, a resort town between Nice and Monaco. We wander the streets past holiday homes with dreamy names such as Villa les Roses and Villa les Violets, before jumping in an uber and heading to Nice for a day of art and good food.
From La Seyne-sur-Mer at the port of Toulon we join a day trip to Aix-en-Provence. Having a local guide at each location makes exploring easy as we wander through the streets, taking in the architecture, the stunning cathedral, fresh produce markets and indulge at the wee store dedicated to madeleines.
Back on board, there are endless activities, one evening we join an exclusive wine tasting for top-tier guests with Michael Honig of California Honig Winery, another night there is a lecture on Modernism in Barcelona. There are social sessions for solo travellers, paddle tennis tournaments, bridge and mahjong games, trivia nights, cooking classes, yoga and fitness classes, massage treatments at the spa or simply drinking cocktails by the pool.
Our last few days are spent following the coastline of Spain. From Palamos on the Costa Brava we spend a day exploring beautiful medieval villages, buying pottery, getting lost in the pretty laneways and incredible history. On the island of Mallorca we head inland, through groves of almond, avocado, carob and orange trees, to the village of Soller where we eat traditional pastries, drink coffee and then travel by vintage train through the mountains back to Palma, where we explore the luxury stores and the stunning architecture. Our final port of call is Barcelona and it’s here we sadly leave the ship. As with everything on this cruise, every detail is looked after - including our five-star accommodation ashore and transfers to the airport.
As we drink sangria and nibble on tapas in a chic bar in the Barri Gotic, we celebrate how much we have seen and done in seven days, and how relaxed and rejuvenated we feel. Travelling doesn’t get easier or more luxurious than this. Or does it? We speculate about the Regent Seven Seas Cruises newest ship - the Seven Seas Grandeur, which has just had its maiden voyage and promises to take luxury cruising to the next level. There’s only one way to find out, we laugh! Where do we book?
GETTING THERE
Fly from Auckland to Rome with Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines with one stopover.
DETAILS
To find out more about Regent Seven Seas Cruises and their worldwide luxury cruises, visit Rssc.com
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