My Favorite Luxury Cruise Line Is Setting Sail Again. Here’s Why I’m So Excited

Regent will take its newest ship, Seven Seas Splendor, to the U.K. this summer

By
Laura Ratliff
Laura Ratliff
Laura Ratliff
Senior Editorial Director
Laura Ratliff is TripSavvy’s senior editorial director. She joined the TripSavvy team in April 2019 after spending two years as a freelance travel writer and editor, where she spent more than 200,000 miles on a plane each year. 
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Updated on 04/29/21
Fact checked by
Jillian Dara
Jillian Dara
Fact checked by Jillian Dara
Emerson College
Jillian Dara is a freelance journalist and fact-checker. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Michelin Guides, Hemispheres, DuJour, and Forbes.
TripSavvy's fact-checking
Regent Seven Seas splendor

Courtesy of Regent

While there’s been seemingly endless back and forth about cruises restarting in U.S. waters, some lines are eager to get sailing again regardless, altering their 2021 plans to sail in new destinations instead.

If you’re ready to say “bon voyage” yourself, you do have options: MSC, Norwegian, and Virgin are among the cruise lines that will be embarking from Europe this summer and fall and, as of April 28, 2021, one of the world’s most luxurious lines, Regent Seven Seas, announced that it would be taking its newest, premier vessel, the Seven Seas Splendor, to the U.K. this summer.

Why the fanfare over Regent in particular? The Seven Seas Splendor is the line’s newest ship and launched early last year. I attended the keel-laying ceremony for Splendor in Ancona, Italy, back in 2018 and was even on its inaugural voyage in February 2020, just before the world shut down.

I can tell you first-hand: even if you aren’t a fan of cruises, Splendor will convert you. With staterooms that rival five-star hotel suites and dining on par with a Michelin-starred restaurant in a big city, I was wildly impressed by the ship—and then devastated when its inaugural season was abruptly canceled due to the pandemic.

Regent Seven Seas Splendor

Courtesy of Regent

“With immaculate design, luxurious suites, exquisite cuisine, dynamic entertainment, and outstanding personalized service, Seven Seas Splendor was one of the most highly-anticipated ships to launch in the history of cruising, and my promise to our loyal and eager guests is that without a doubt she will be worth the wait,” said Jason Montague, the president and CEO of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Now, the first cruise in Seven Seas Splendor’s true inaugural season will depart from Southampton, England, on Sept. 11, 2021, taking passengers to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Ireland over the course of 11 nights. After the ship’s initial voyage, she’ll transition to the sunny Mediterranean before making her home in the Caribbean early next year.

“Come September, we will have the double celebration of our return to the seas as we also recommence the inaugural season of the ship that perfects luxury, Seven Seas Splendor,” said Montague.

I know I can’t wait to get back on board—and I highly recommend you should too.