Hailed as the ‘world’s most luxurious cruise line’, the Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Splendor promises an all-inclusive, luxury journey to destinations near and far. This all-suite ship joined the Regent Seven Seas modern and luxurious fleet in 2020, and boasts 373 suites for up to 746 guests. All guests can enjoy a seamless travel experience as they take care of all the details, creating a fully immersive cruising experience without the stressful minutiae associated with travelling.
This was the first holiday that my sister and I took together as adults, and it was the perfect way to reconnect. The all-inclusive cruise allowed us to relax with immersive entertainment and spa access, indulge in speciality dining and drink options, and venture ashore at delightful destinations.
Background and Concept
Since 2020, Regent Seven Seas Splendor has been making waves in the luxury travel sector. Unrivalled at sea, guests can enhance their trip with the Ultimate All-Inclusive package. This includes roundtrip flights in your desired air class, transfers between the airport and the ship, and exclusive Blacklane private chauffeur services—living up to the brand’s commitment to being the ‘most inclusive luxury experience’.
Smaller than some commercial cruise ships, Splendor has ample space for guests. Its spacious layout is tastefully designed with a blend of muted neutrals and stylish gold accents and luxuriously furnished for guests’ comfort. With a guest capacity of 746 and a crew of 548, there is an almost one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio, ensuring that guests experience a truly personalised service guaranteed to make every guest feel special.
Destinations
Sailing to more than 550 destinations globally, the Regent Seven Seas Splendor offers options for every adventurer. With trip durations of anywhere from 6 to 141 days, the world is truly at your fingertips. Whether your journey is a Mediterranean voyage, glacial exploration, or worldwide wonder tour, Splendor guarantees luxury at every turn.
Our trip was a 6-night decadent journey from Athens to Rome, with stops in Turkey, Crete, Sicily, Salerno, and Rome, giving us the perfect Mediterranean cultural feast. We also had a day at sea, and sailing through the Mediterranean Sea was the perfect way to relax and soak up the sun after days of exploring and sightseeing.
Food and Drink
Whether guests are looking for elegant French cuisine at Chartreuse, a pan-Asian dinner in the immersive Pacific Rim environment, or classic American fare at Prime 7, there truly is food for every mood. Guests can also take advantage of the 24-hour in-suite dining included with their stay, perfect for a relaxing breakfast on the balcony or late-night snacks in bed after a busy day.
Speciality Dining
Chartreuse
This unmissable culinary delight brings the tastes and smells of Paris’s fine dining to the Mediterranean Sea. Savour the beautiful ocean views alongside your meal and enjoy the fresh food and delicious flavours on offer. Guests can embrace their inner Parisian with frog legs in a garlic cream sauce with rutabaga or stick to familiarity with beef tenderloin or a tender veal loin rack with grape chutney and a walnut veal jus.
Prime 7
So much more than your average steakhouse, Prime 7’s classic American fare is complemented by the handsome decor, a mixture of metal, marble, sleek wood, and glass, furnished with earth-tone fabrics and leather wingback chairs for the ultimate comfortable meal in a warm and welcoming environment. Their seared scallops are enhanced with the refreshing orange and pomegranate sauce, and the smoked salmon with a tamarind-whiskey sauce are true highlight, especially for guests who prefer to skip red meat. But the showstoppers for Prime 7 are their steaks. Whatever your appetite, they have a steak to suit you; from the 6-ounce filet mignon up to the 18-ounce porterhouse steak – guests can expect everything to be aged to perfection and cooked to your specification.
Compass Rose
At the heart of Seven Seas Splendor is Compass Rose, the largest speciality restaurant across the fleet. From the exquisite chandeliers to the bold Versace dinnerware, the venue is the height of sophisticated dining. With a mouthwatering mix of new flavours and beloved favourites, guests can indulge in an impressive selection of appetisers and main courses for lunch, but the real magic happens at dinner, where you can create your own customised entrée, choosing from their variety of sides, sauces, pasta, and proteins. The indulgent desserts, carefully crafted by expert pastry chefs, are the perfect end to a delicious meal.
Pacific Rim
Indulging in the rich culinary heritage of Asia, Pacific Rim offers a dining experience that mixes bold flavours with a serene, sophisticated atmosphere in a warm and elegant interior glowing with soft, ambient lighting. The intricate architectural detail and abstract lotus-shaped windows add an artistic look at Asia’s timeless history and beauty. The menu is a celebration of Pan-Asian gastronomy, curated by master chefs to awaken your senses. Every dish is a culinary masterpiece from the enhanced smoking presentation of dry ice sashimi to the sweet and spicy medley of sauces – including the beautifully flavourful gochujang dressing.
Splendor Lounge
A beautiful space to unwind at the end of the day, Splendor Lounge offers delicious signature cocktails. The plush, comfortable chairs, combined with the ocean breeze and serene ocean sounds, are a perfect pairing with the cocktails. Creating a feast for all the senses, what better way is there to relax and mingle before a delightful dinner?
Meridian Lounge
The Meridian Lounge’s comfortable elegance makes it a real showstopper. Guests can enjoy their favourite cocktails in a warm, sophisticated atmosphere where the vibe is as refreshing as the drinks. It’s perfect for a pre-show drink and a great place to unwind for an evening of performances by its resident musicians.
Rooms and Suites – Overview
There are no cramped cabins aboard the Regent Splendor. With its all-suite ship, it offers luxury and space in every room. With walk-in wardrobes as a standard in every suite, guests can reduce the packing stress by packing everything they need, or they can pack the basics and take advantage of the unlimited valet laundry services.
Guests can enjoy luxury L’Occitane amenities in each room, and 24-hour in-suite dining is available for guests who would prefer a decadent breakfast in bed or late-night snacks after a busy day exploring. Each suite offers spacious, private balconies, perfect for an intimate dinner or for early morning contemplation while immersed in the ocean views. Guests staying in Penthouse Suites and above can also indulge in the butler service for the ultimate luxury experience.
Our Suite
We stayed in one of their Concierge Suites and very much enjoyed our time there. The suite was the perfect blend of comfort and opulence; our twin Elite Slumber Beds and the luxury linens and cashmere blankets were like a soft, cosy hug each night. There was ample space to relax in the suite without getting under each other’s feet and more than enough wardrobe space for both of us, meaning no sibling bickering! The full-sized bath and double shower, and gorgeous L’Occitane amenities offered the perfect way to relax after a busy day ashore.
It was a treat to wake up each morning and use the Illy espresso maker as the perfect morning pick-me-up. The mini-bar was restocked daily, so we always had drinks on hand. We also made full use of the valet laundry service—coming home with all our clothes clean and ready for the wardrobe was an amazing end to our trip.
Our stay included a one-night pre-cruise hotel and ground transportation, ensuring we arrived at the cruise rested and stress-free. Not having to worry about booking accommodation and finding taxis was a novelty and made the start of our trip seamless.
We enjoyed lots of bonding time on our trip, with beautiful breakfasts at our full-sized dining table on our balcony and movie nights in bed, watching our old favourites from the unlimited movies available.
Other Facilities
Boutiques
The ship offers a range of boutique shops, perfect for guests who’d prefer not to wander an unfamiliar city. Guests can browse and buy souvenirs, designer handbags, jewellery, and much more from the comfort of the ship.
Casino
Whether you prefer Poker, Blackjack, Roulette, or slots, the casino has you covered. Enjoy a fun evening with games of chance – with the chance of going home a winner. The Casinos At Sea players club programme means guests can play for points, which can be redeemed for rewards such as suite savings and free play.
Serene Spa and Wellness™
With unlimited spa access included in your cruise fare, the Serene Spa is a little slice of heaven in the middle of the ocean. Their globally sourced natural ingredients, and carefully curated treatments are designed to re-energise and restore you, mind, body, and spirit. Take a dip in the large infinity pool overlooking the ocean, or relax on the sun loungers, soaking up the sun and the views. The thermal suite offers separate areas for male and female guests so that every guest can feel comfortable, aiding in the relaxation process.
Serene Spa offers a wide range of exclusive, luxurious treatments to choose from. My favourite was probably the ‘Ying-Yang Balancing Massage’, a 75-minute restorative massage using hot stones and paraffin wax, inspired by the world’s most precious minerals and stones. My masseuse worked magic on my tired muscles and I left feeling invigorated and ready for all the sightseeing we had left. Much like the ship itself, the treatment was decadent and enriching.
Fitness Centre
The highly equipped gym features machines from Technogym, offering the latest technology for all your fitness needs. Enjoy stunning sea views as you work out, perfect for a sunrise exercise session. For guests that prefer group classes, the fitness centre offers daily pilates, yoga, and aerobics classes and also has a jogging and walking track on the open deck.
Activities
With a wide range of enrichment activities, guests aboard Splendor will never be left bored. Delve deeper into the destination’s culture with knowledgeable speakers, who provide valuable insight into the history and sights of each destination, enhancing the onshore experience with personalised tips and tricks.
The ship’s culinary experts offer fantastic demonstrations and masterclasses, where guests can participate in interactive cooking classes and receive tips to take home and try out. Watching the experts is almost like a theatre show, and the smells will have you ready and raring to go for dinner.
Guests can take part in trivia and game shows; fun and entertaining ways to meet your fellow cruisers, as well as encouraging a bit of friendly competition and camaraderie among the guests. For guests that would rather lean into the competitive side, the open deck has a variety of sports options such as mini golf, tennis courts, French boules, and croquet.
Stretching over two decks, the Constellation Theatre offers plush seating with the perfect view. The state-of-the-art show hall presents lavishly staged, high-energy shows, created and produced by a team of Broadway choreographers and directors, plus world-class performers. Enjoy productions brimming with romance, intrigue, and sing-along moments. We particularly enjoyed the tribute to the days of disco – what a tear-jerker that one was.
Unique Selling Points
- Taking all-inclusive literally, Splendor takes the stress out of travelling by creating a seamless transition from airport to sea, and back again, allowing guests to focus on what’s truly important: enjoying the experience.
- The all-suite, all-balcony ship provides spacious and luxurious accommodation for everyone, whether you’re in the entry level suites or the opulent Regent Suite.
- The ship focuses on quality service, having a high staff-to-guest ratio to allow for personalised service and so much attention to detail.
- The signature dining options offer guests the fine dining experience every single evening. With multiple beautiful settings to choose from, and a range of cuisines, guests can find their favourite restaurant and indulge, or sample all of the dining options without ever getting bored.
- Splendor offers a wide range of enriching shore excursions, fully included in the cruise fare, encouraging guests to get the most out of every destination. Whether you’re looking for cultural experiences, adrenaline rush activities, or something in between, there are options for every guest. We particularly enjoyed visiting a beautiful family-owned vineyard in Salerno, Italy, which was followed by a wine and cheese-tasting experience.
The Luxury Editor Top Tips
- Wake yourself up with a sunrise walk around the open-air jogging track as you arrive at the next destination. The views alone make the early rise worth it.
- Make use of the included shore excursions. From cultural experiences to cooking classes and adrenaline-filled adventures, each destination holds a whole new world of excitement and adventure.
- The ‘Passages’ newsletter is a handy daily read, helping you keep track of the activities available the following day so you can plan accordingly.
- Enjoy breakfast on your balcony at least once. Nothing will match having your own private dining experience as you sail through the ocean, a truly decadent experience.
- The valet laundry service is a great option to help keep on top of your laundry during your trip, perfect for the light packers who’d rather re-wear their favourites, as well as for the overpackers who dread washing everything after the trip is over.
- Take part in the ship’s fantastic entertainment evenings, such as the infamous ‘Abba Night’, where the ship’s talented entertainment team puts on amazing shows and performances which encourage guests to have fun and take part. We certainly felt like ‘Dancing Queen’s that evening’
- Keep an eye out for unique experiences on board. We enjoyed Regent’s signature Sunday Brunch, which is offered to guests if a sea day falls on a Sunday. Set up in the beautiful Compass Rose Restaurant, there were ice sculptures and mouth-watering dining options. We were spoiled for choice, and it was the perfect excuse to put on our best tea dresses and soak up the experience.
Final Thoughts
The Regent Seven Seas Splendor offered a more intimate environment than some of the sprawling sea giants out there, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that made the experience even more special. The fully all-inclusive fare meant nothing was out of reach for us, and we enjoyed exploring all the amazing locations that we visited. The crew was lovely and helpful, and really made us feel like the only guests onboard.
Reflecting on our journey, I truly cherish this unforgettable experience – not just because of the fantastic ship and destinations but because it brought my sister and I closer together. This trip was more than just a holiday; every moment was a beautiful memory in the making, and one that I know will stay close to our hearts for years to come.
