Cruising the Mediterranean

With the travel sector back in high gear, Karen Tee returns to the Regent Seven Seas Explorer the most luxurious ship ever built” to rediscover the wonders of slow travel.

One of the first things I am told soon after I board the Regent Seven Seas Explorer is to “get lost” — absolutely tongue-in-cheek, of course.

It is a quip from John Stephano, chef instructor of the ship’s Culinary Arts Kitchen, reminding me to take time to enjoy all the little nooks and crannies.

“That is exactly what I intend to do,” I reply with a laugh. After all, it has been five years since I first sailed on this luxury liner for a too-brief two-night trip to review what was at the time luxury cruise company Regent’s newest liner.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s top cruise lines, it has since launched the Seven Seas Splendor and recently started construction on the Seven Seas Grandeur, which is slated to begin her inaugural season next November.

The indulgent suites, delicious food, and convivial company of my first cruise left a lasting impression on me. So, when the opportunity came to relive that luxury cruise experience ahead of the Seven Seas Explorer’s long overdue maiden voyage to Singapore and the Asia-Pacific this December, delayed due to the pandemic, I jumped at it.

In August, I boarded the ship at Istanbul’s futuristic underground port Galataport for a 12-night voyage that crisscrossed the Mediterranean with stops along the Turkish Riviera and Greek Isles.

Thanks to a 2019 refurbishment, the ship doesn’t appear to have aged a day. Featuring a 4-m tall crystal chandelier flanked by sweeping wooden staircases, the main atrium exudes oldworld grandeur. My spacious Superior Suite (400 sq m) comes with an ultracomfortable king-sized bed, a marble bathtub and walk-in wardrobe, as well as a private balcony ideal for gazing into the unfathomable depths of the ocean on lazy afternoons.