Chose this cruise for itinerary and price

We chose this cruise because of the itinerary and the price. We were able to get a very low Interline rate and would never have paid the full brochure price. For what we paid we got everything that a "real" passenger would get except for the round-trip Business Class Air, a night in a hotel and transfers. We did get tips, beverages, specialty dining and shore excursions.

We have cruised on Azamara and Crystal (As well as Celebrity, RCL, HAL and Princess) with a total of 45 cruises under our belts. We especially wanted to see if Regent could match the fine experiences we have had on both Azamara and Crystal as well as Celebrity. We were, generally, "underwhelmed". We often found ourselves saying, "But Crystal (or Azamara or Celebrity) does this so much better!".

We very much enjoyed the itinerary which started in Southampton and includes Zeebrugge, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Riga, Tallinn, St. Petersburg (2 nights), Helsinki and ended in Stockholm.

The included shore excursions were very good with excellent guides in all cities. It was difficult, however, to schedule more than one shore excursion in a day.

The dining was very good. We were able, somehow to have the same table for two at the window and the same excellent waiter for all but three nights. One of those was at Sette Mare at La Veranda -- the Italian Restaurant that replaces the buffet each evening. The food there was less than memorable and the service amateurish. We think it's where they do training.

Our meals in the other two restaurants were very good with the level of service you would expect in a "nice" restaurant but nothing that wowed us. We felt that the entrees served in the MDR were actually better.

The level of service didn't match Azamara or Crystal or even Celebrity. It seemed that there was a great deal of confusion on who was supposed to do what. We noticed this especially at the Pool Grill. Does the drink server take the food order? Can a waiter take a drink order? We also saw, twice, a crew member being disciplined in a loud and very public manner.

It was a good cruise and, at the price we paid, good value. We spoke with many others who had paid the full fare or who had gotten "deals" that gave them a couple of thousand dollars off the brochure rate. We felt for them. Nothing offered on board was really worth that amount of money.