Sailing the Med Aboard the Regent Splendor is an Absolute Dream

It was a marvelous trip. All of the arrangements Karla created worked as planned and Pocket Travel is a real help.

The Grand Victoria in Menaggio was superb, but only if the room is in the ‘old’ building facing the lake. The only change would be for us to have a tour on day 2, leaving day 1 for local exploration and rest. The drivers in Italy were real gentlemen and had beautiful and clean cars.

The Savoia and Jolanda hotel in Venice was really special. The room had a balcony overlooking the huge lagoon. The crowds were quite large, mostly Germans and Northern Europeans. We were some of the first Americans to be at our hotel. The guide Carlo was excellent. Our visit to St. Marks was fulfilling because of his knowledge, grace and style. We loved dining at Bistro de Venice. Classy, old world, nice wines.

Regent’s Spendor is an absolute dream vessel! From the moment we stepped aboard we were constantly impressed by the grandeur of the ship. With a maximum of 60% capacity for the passengers but 100% of the crew, the service was superb. Our upgraded suite was a very nice luxury. We were on our deck quite often and stayed aboard more than we expected  just because it was so nice. 

The private guides Karla arranged in Menaggio, Venice, Athens, Ephesus and Istanbul were excellent. Caring (Kim went slow with her new hip), knowledgeable, good English, and prompt. They each rearranged the tours based on our last minute requests for restaurants, etc.

Highly recommend lunch or dinner in Athens at the Dionysos Zonars as a must. It looks right up at the Parthenon and the food is delicious.

 The Ciragan Palace in Istanbul was really first class. We upgraded to a larger room with a full balcony and view and it was worth the added expense. The first night there, we went to their high end restaurant (Turga?) in the Palace adjacent to the hotel. To our surprise, the President of Turkey was the guest in the ballroom above so we had full security including a large Coast Guard vessel anchored outside the hotel. Quite special. We splurged on our last day in Istanbul and rented a yacht for a cruise up the Bosphorus toward the Black Sea. Very special and highly recommended. 

We cannot wait to return to the Relais Christine in Paris . It is so tastefully decorated and charming throughout, Kim wants to move there! The location was terrific, too. We were disappointed the Le Tran Bleu, which was recommended by a friend, so we will not recommend it. But, Le Moulin de la Galette was really nice and fun. We spend over 5 hours combined on two days just sitting and drinking rose at Le Cafe deus Margot. Felt like real Parisians or at least experienced travelers!

As you know, masks and vaccination cards are mandatory. What a relief to see that and no ‘whining’ about doing it. The weather was great, only one day of a little rain in Paris.

The transits of the airplanes went smoothly. We were surprised no one in Milan asked for covid test results. But, CDG was very strict. The Air France flight to LA was only about 1/2 full and therefore really comfortable. 

Well, that is the summary. Kim and I are both pleased to be home, but it is a bit strange to not have someone responding to our every need!

Bosphorus Bob

Robert Rollo