We had the best of both — an ultra-luxury cruise with the theme, “Spotlight on Cuisine,” and an unusual Scottish itinerary sailing into fjords and between islands as we visited remote towns like Invergordon, Ullapool, Kirkwall, and Stornoway.
After an easy boarding process and Champagne welcome on Regent’s magnificent 746 passenger Seven Seas Grandeur we, like many guests, headed for the buffet restaurant on Deck 11. On the way, we admired some of stunning public spaces: More than 500 chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and 300,000 pounds of polished marble adorn the floors. In between, the walls were hung with a $6 million art collection, including three Picassos and a Journey in Jewels, the only Fabergé egg at sea.
Fairy-tale Feasts
The eggs on our plates (like every other delicacy we were served) were equally striking. Every table at the buffet, Le Veranda, was set with white linen … with silver-plate Sambonet flatware … with German-made Schonwald dinnerware. We were offered a choice of hot dishes that included freshly steamed vegetables, a prime-rib carving station, and creatively composed desserts. To drink, complimentary wine, beer, or cocktails, even tasty non-alcohol versions.
We were delighted with our first meal on Grandeur and the level of service from some of the 548 well-trained staff, but we were even more astonished when we visited Compass Rose, the main dining room, for dinner. One passes a simulated cascading waterfall at the entrance, then enters an enchanted forest that forms a canopy overhead with dazzling jewels on their trunks. It’s spectacular during the day but we were in awe as night approached and the sides of the room turned into an optical illusion of infinity.
The menu in Compass Rose is the most complete we’d ever seen on a cruise ship. In addition to a wide choice of daily specials on the right side (including “Destination Dishes” reflecting flavors of the region), the left side of .…
By John and Sandra Nowlan
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