Reign of Luxury

Reinvention is a high-stakes game in the ultra-luxury cruise segment. And few lines have lived as many lives as Regent Seven Seas Cruises (RSSC).

The line opened for business as Radisson Seven Seas Cruises back in 1992. It gained a following with its all-inclusive product and luxurious—albeit disparate—fleet. Radisson operated the world’s only twin-hulled ocean vessel (Radisson Diamond); the first all-suite, all-balcony ship (Seven Seas Mariner, introduced in 2001) and, for more than a decade, the legendary Paul Gauguin in Polynesia.

The line underwent a name change to Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2006. And in 2014, a change of hands brought the line into the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings portfolio, along with Oceania Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line.

In 2016, RSSC debuted Seven Seas Explorer, its first new build in more than a decade. A sister ship, the 750-passenger Seven Seas Splendor, will debut in February 2020. A third Explorer-Class ship comes on line in 2023, with sales opening in 2021.

RSSC operates Seven Seas Navigator, which debuted in 1999, and Seven Seas Voyager, the world’s second all-suite, all-balcony ship, which entered service in 2003.

Seven Seas Splendor Debut

It’s a pivotal time for the line, Regent President and CEO Jason Montague told AGENTatHOME. “Seven Seas Splendor will set a new benchmark for elegance and comfort. She’s a $480 million work of art from bow to stern,” he said. “She will also be the first newly built ship to be helmed by a female captain. That’s a significant milestone in the cruise industry.”

Following the launch of Seven Seas Splendor, the line “will share information on our third Explorer-Class ship,” Montague added.

Seven Seas Splendor will be “perfect luxury” when it debuts in 2020, he said. Highlights include Master, Grand, Splendor and Seven Seas suites from 814 to 2,108 square feet.

The 4,443-square-foot Regent Suite will feature a floor-to-ceiling ocean-view shower and a $200,000 handmade Hästens bed.

Dining venues will include La Veranda, featuring an overwater seating alcove surrounded by sea views. An expanded Coffee Connection will combine indoor and outdoor seating, for the feeling of a Continental café. And the Culinary Arts Kitchen will feature eight cooking stations and 20 new classes taught by master chefs.

Transformational Upgrades

Though the new builds are garnering headlines, Regent’s legacy vessels have reinvented themselves of late. The line has invested some $125 million in updating the fleet over the past four years.

The upgrades have transformed the fleet, Montague said. “Seven Seas Mariner is the most luxury-laden ship sailing Alaska today. She completed a bow-to-stern upgrade in 2018, elevating her elegance to that of Seven Seas Explorer. She re-emerged with dramatic new culinary experiences, elegant new suite designs and completely renewed elegant guest spaces,” he noted.

Seven Seas Navigator recently underwent a 10-day refurbishment to bring her more in line with Mariner.

Immersive Experiences

In a segment where competition is intense, it’s important to focus on what today’s travelers want.

“Luxury consumers today crave unique immersive and authentic experiences they can share with family and friends, making memories to cherish for a lifetime,” Montague said. “They share an insatiable curiosity about the world and desire to experience as much of it as they can.”

In response to those trends, the line is introducing new initiatives such as Go Local Tours. The program offers immersive experiences designed to give guests an insight into the culture of a destination. Examples include a trip to a goat farm in the Andalusian countryside or a visit to an artist’s studio in Palma de Mallorca. Also new are Regent Choice small group tours, which limit the number of participants on popular shore excursions.

All-Inclusive Value

Regent (as Radisson) was an early adapter of all-inclusive luxury cruising. The concept has stood the line in good stead. As travel advisors well know, even the most well-heeled clients take value into consideration.

“Regent offers the very best value in luxury cruising. And, because every luxury is included in one price, Regent is also the most rewarding line for travel advisors,” Montague said.

Personalized service is another Regent touchpoint. “I recently sailed on Seven Seas Voyager and our guests raved about our crew on that ship and shared stories about how the crew is phenomenal across our fleet,” Montague said. “Many of our loyal guests book voyages based on when their favorite crew will be working on the ship.”

He added: “Our guests have worked hard for their success and extensive travel is perhaps their most enriching reward.”

Regent Seven Seas Selling Points

—“Introduce yourself to one of our talented RSSC sales team members to begin conversations on how we can work together,” suggested Regent’s Randall Soy.

—Take advantage of the line’s Value Comparison Guide to demonstrate the advantages of RSSC’s all-inclusive pricing.“The guide shows comparisons for RSSC and other cruise lines to easily demonstrate the value of all the items that we include that your clients are paying for on other lines, and what that means to your earning potential,” Soy said.

—Download customizable marketing materials from the Regent Travel Partner Center, which can be accessed at rssc.com.