Regent Seven Seas Cruises began its first voyage in just under 18 months on September 11, 2021, with new ship Seven Seas Splendor® cruising from Southampton, England. Sailing with the cruise line’s enhanced SailSAFE™ Health and Safety Program – which includes 100% vaccination of both guests and crew – the voyage is believed to be the first to carry international travelers on a UK cruise since the voluntary industry-wide pause in operations began in March 2020.
The cruise line has marked the occasion by creating a return to sailing video, featuring many of the beloved Seven Seas Splendor crew.
“This cruise represents yet another huge step forward as we return to luxury travel. I am so excited for our guests who have waited patiently, and for our crew and team members across our global offices who have worked so hard to get to this moment,” said Jason Montague, president and CEO, Regent Seven Seas Cruises. “The Regent family is finally reunited, and we are delighted to provide our guests with the unrivaled Regent experience with every luxury included, while sailing the world, once more.”
Helmed by Captain Diego Michelozzi, the inaugural sailing circles the United Kingdom with ports of call including Edinburgh, Scotland; Belfast, Northern Ireland; and Liverpool, England. The ship returns to Southampton on September 22, cruising into the new Horizon Cruise Terminal, before sailing a 14-night voyage to Barcelona, Spain visiting Bordeaux, France and Lisbon, Portugal, among other destinations. Seven Seas Splendor then spends October and November exploring the Mediterranean before crossing the Atlantic for a season in the Caribbean.
The next ship in The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet™ to resume sailing will be Seven Seas Explorer® on October 15, 2021, from Trieste, Italy. Seven Seas Mariner® will resume sailing December 18, 2021, from Miami, Florida, as will Seven Seas Navigator® on January 6, 2022. Finally, Seven Seas Voyager® will return on February 15, 2022 from Barcelona, Spain.
International Luxury Travelers Enjoy An Unrivaled Experience Once Again
Luxury travelers from the US, UK and Europe are on board Seven Seas Splendor’s inaugural sailing with a number of loyal Seven Seas Society members, including Commodores – guests who have sailed with Regent Seven Seas Cruises for over 2,000 nights.
Regent’s president and CEO, Jason Montague, and the cruise line’s chief sales & marketing officer, Andrea DeMarco, hosted Seven Seas Society Commodore members Nancy Pflager, Malcolm Myers, and Margaret “Peggy” Nathan for a celebratory gourmet dinner on September 12, in the ship’s beautiful Compass Rose restaurant.
Margaret “Peggy” Nathan of New York said “It was so wonderful to see the crew after being away from our Regent family for so long. This inaugural cruise has been an incredibly special way to experience such a beautiful ship.”
Multi-Layered SailSAFE Health & Safety Program
During its voluntary suspension of sailings, Regent Seven Seas Cruises built upon its existing comprehensive health and safety protocols by establishing the SailSAFE health and safety program, a robust and science-backed strategy that creates multiple layers of protection against COVID-19. The Program was developed with guidance from a team of public health and scientific experts including the SailSAFE Global Health and Wellness Council.
By visiting RSSC.com/HealthSafetyProtocols, guests and Travel Partners can see an overview of current requirements to sail – such as all guests and crew being fully vaccinated at least two weeks prior to departure – which the cruise line believes will provide a uniquely safe and healthy cruise experience. These and other requirements will be in place until a time when the protocols can be confidently adjusted, and Regent will constantly monitor the global health environment to protect the safety and security of guests, crew and communities visited.
