Luxury life on the seven seas

I am on board Seven Seas Explorer for a taste of opulence at sea today during the ultra-luxury ship’s maiden visit to Fremantle.

Seven Seas Explorer is almost midway through an 18-night journey from Sydney to Singapore, an itinerary forming part of its grand voyage of Asia.

While some of the passengers are off sightseeing ashore during the 10-hour stopover on Friday, I have stepped aboard as a guest of Regent Seven Seas Cruises for a tour of the ship and lunch.

The entry by the Atrium’s huge cone chandelier and double staircase is a dazzling affair, setting the tone for the tour, which starts officially in the intimate Constellation Theatre.

Seven Seas Explorer is a 10-year-old, mid-size ocean cruise ship, spanning 10 decks. It accommodates 746 passengers and 548 crew in an all-suite configuration. The ship is best-suited for adults/adult couples and singles, with a sample demographic on board today in the 55-plus age bracket.

Plush furniture, artworks including colourful glass mantelpieces, and stunning Murano chandeliers embellish the deluxe interiors, but not garishly so. A darker palette in the timbers and carpets contributes to the warm, relaxed ambience.

As our host Scott Graham explains, onboard artworks alone are valued at $US7 million ($10m), and include pieces by Picasso and 20th century modernist artist Chagall. The Tibetan prayer wheel artistic instalment at the entry to Pan-Asian restaurant Pacific Rim weighs 2700 tonnes, the likes of which I’ve never seen on a ship.

Amenities

At almost 42sqm internally, the mid-tier Penthouse Suite is a stand-out for its functionality and personal touches. It has a separate bedroom, lounge and walk-in wardrobe, generous balcony (10-16sqm depending on location), lavish bathroom amenities including a double vanity and rain shower, an illy espresso machine and a station for your personal butler to attend to special requests.

Concierge suites and above include in the fare a one-night pre-cruise hotel stay and transfer to the ship. This category has ocean-facing beds and accessibility options.

The Regent Suite (at more than 472sqm total area, two bedrooms, a Steinway grand piano and $200,000 Mollissima Duvet mattress, and much more) is the premier stateroom on this ship and is several categories up from the Penthouse, to give you a picture of the level of amenity available.

Other ship highlights are the pool deck on 11 which incorporates a larger-than-expected swimming pool, pool bar, an extensive pool grill for daytime snacks and lovely roofed terraces with elegant tables and chairs by seaside windows. An infinity pool on deck five aft is a serene spot to chill in the salty air with the ocean backdrop.

The Culinary Arts Kitchen is a teaching kitchen with state-of-the-art facilities, including 18 individual induction cooktops. An optional cooking class caters to all skill levels is run by expert instructors and costs $US129 ($182) per person.

Learning to cook authentic regional cuisines depending on where you are visiting is part of Regent’s daytime enrichment program, which also features a putting green, golf net, bocce court, and expert guest lectures.

As its name suggests Serence Spa and Wellness on deck five offers a range of treatments and services. The fitness centre on deck six has a dedicated room for health and wellness classes like yoga, and a reasonably apportioned space for gym equipment and aerobic exercise.

Following the tour was a delightful four-course lunch at French bistro Chartreuse — one of six fine-dining restaurants on board.

My choice for main course is the beef tenderloin with truffle royale in seared foie gras, and perigourdine — a classic, rich French sauce. The meal was paired with a bold California cabernet sauvignon and finished with a baked Alaska dessert.

Looking Ahead

The inaugural season of Seven Seas Prestige — Regent’s newest class of ship and first new class in 10 years — launches in December this year and will sail the Caribbean and Europe during its inaugural season.

Prestige is about 40 per cent bigger than its predecessors but will accommodate only 10 per cent more passengers at 822, so space per guest will be a key feature.

Its top-shelf Skyview Regent Suite (817sqm) — one of four new suite categories in this class — starts at $40,000 per suite per night.