Ultra Luxury cruise line
Regent Seven Seas in Alaska
Regent Seven Seas markets the most genuinely inclusive fare in the industry: unlimited shore excursions, business class or economy flights, premium drinks, gratuities, WiFi and speciality dining are bundled into a single price. In Alaska, where excursions are unusually expensive, that structure changes the value calculation more than it does in most other regions.
The short answer
Regent Seven Seas offers the most inclusive fare in cruising: shore excursions, flights, drinks, gratuities and WiFi are all bundled. In Alaska, where excursions routinely cost $150 to $600 each, that inclusion is worth more than in almost any other region. Ships are all suite and carry roughly 490 to 750 guests. Expect $7,000 to $18,000 per person.
Key points
- The most inclusive fare in cruising: unlimited shore excursions, flights, drinks, gratuities and WiFi.
- Alaska excursions are expensive, so included excursions are worth more here than elsewhere.
- All suite ships carrying roughly 490 to 750 guests, with balconies on almost every suite.
- Longer itineraries, often 10 to 14 nights, reaching more ports than the standard circuit.
- No youth facilities. Firmly an adult product.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises at a glance
- Segment
- Ultra Luxury
- Price band
- $$$$$
- Alaska home ports
- Vancouver, Seward, Seattle
- Parent company
- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
- Glacier access
- Hubbard Glacier and the Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm area on most sailings, with itineraries varying by season.
- Best for
- Travellers who want everything included · Heavy excursion users · Couples · Those who value predictable total cost
Ships used in Alaska
| Ship | Guests | Launched | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seven Seas Mariner | 700 | 2001 | All balcony suites. A long standing Alaska performer with generous outdoor deck space. |
| Seven Seas Explorer | 750 | 2016 | The most opulent ship in the fleet, with the largest standard suites in Alaska. |
| Seven Seas Navigator | 490 | 1999 | The smallest, and the easiest in port. Unusually large suites for the ship size. |
| Seven Seas Splendor | 750 | 2020 | Explorer class sister with refined public rooms. |
Typical Alaska itineraries
Alaska Glaciers and Wildlife
7 to 10 nightsVancouver to Seward or reverse
Ketchikan · Juneau · Skagway · Sitka · Hubbard Glacier · Icy Strait Point
Alaska in Depth
10 to 14 nightsVancouver or Seattle
Wrangell · Petersburg · Haines · Kodiak · Prince Rupert · Tracy Arm
Pacific Coast and Alaska
12 to 16 nightsSeasonal repositioning
San Francisco · Astoria · Victoria BC · Southeast Alaska ports
Cabins
Every Regent accommodation is a suite, and on most ships every suite has a balcony. The entry level suites are larger than the entry level on any competitor sailing Alaska.
| Category | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Veranda Suite | 219 to 307 sq ft | The entry category, and already larger than most premium line balconies. |
| Superior and Concierge Suite | 300 to 356 sq ft | Adds a larger bathroom and early excursion booking. |
| Penthouse Suite | 370 to 449 sq ft | Butler service and priority reservations. |
| Grand and Seven Seas Suite | 600 to 1,300 sq ft | Separate living and dining areas. |
| Regent Suite | 3,875 sq ft | On Explorer and Splendor only. In suite spa, private car and guide in every port. |
Dining
Dining is open seating everywhere with no surcharge in any venue, including the specialty restaurants. The standard is high and the wine list is included.
- Compass Rose is the main restaurant and offers a build your own approach alongside a set menu.
- Prime 7 is the steakhouse, included, and among the better steak rooms at sea.
- Chartreuse covers French fine dining, also included.
- Pacific Rim covers Asian on the ships that carry it.
- La Veranda becomes Sette Mari in the evening, serving Italian.
- In suite dining at any time from any restaurant menu, served course by course.
Entertainment and programming
Regent runs more evening entertainment than Seabourn or Silversea, with small production shows and a cabaret, but it remains a supporting act to the destination.
- Constellation Theater hosts small scale production shows and guest performers.
- Destination lecturers cover natural history and regional culture on Alaska sailings.
- Observation Lounge forward with excellent glass for glacier viewing.
- Culinary Arts Kitchen on Explorer and Splendor runs hands on classes for a fee.
Family suitability
Regent runs a limited youth programme on selected sailings only, and Alaska is generally not one of them. Treat it as an adult line.
Strengths
- Included excursions make a family trip simpler to budget.
- Suites are large enough for three comfortably.
- Older teenagers who want to be ashore every day are well served by the excursion programme.
Trade offs
- No youth programme on most Alaska sailings.
- Very few young people on board.
- Cost per family is extremely high.
- The onboard atmosphere is formal and adult.
Suites and luxury features
The inclusion list is the product. Regent competes on the completeness of what the fare covers rather than on any single onboard feature.
- Unlimited shore excursions included in the fare, which in Alaska is the single most valuable inclusion of any line.
- Flights included on most fares, economy as standard with business class on many itineraries.
- Premium spirits, wines, gratuities and WiFi included with no bill on board.
- One night pre cruise hotel included on most fares, which removes a real Alaska cost since Vancouver and Seattle hotels are expensive in season.
- Butler service from Penthouse Suite upward.
Strengths and trade offs
Our editorial assessment: 4.5 out of 5 for Alaska specifically, weighing itinerary access, suitability for the travellers this line serves, and value. How we rate is explained in our editorial policy.
Strengths
- Included excursions are worth more in Alaska than in any other cruise region because Alaska excursions are unusually expensive.
- Genuinely predictable total cost, with almost nothing left to buy on board.
- Large entry level suites, bigger than competitors' mid tier cabins.
- Included flights and a pre cruise hotel remove two significant Alaska trip costs.
- Longer itineraries reaching Wrangell, Petersburg, Haines and other less visited ports.
Trade offs
- The highest headline fares in the Alaska market.
- Included excursions are group coach tours as often as they are premium experiences, and the best ones require early booking.
- No youth facilities on Alaska sailings.
- Glacier Bay is not a standard part of the itinerary set.
- The all inclusive structure penalises travellers who prefer to explore ports independently.
Pricing
Regent fares are the highest in Alaska on a headline basis and the most defensible on a total cost basis, provided you actually use the excursions. A traveller who takes one included excursion in each of five ports is extracting $1,000 to $2,500 per person of value that another line would charge for separately.
| Suite | 7 to 10 nights | What is included |
|---|---|---|
| Veranda Suite | $7,000 to $11,000 | Excursions, flights, drinks, gratuities, WiFi, hotel night |
| Concierge Suite | $8,500 to $13,000 | Adds earlier excursion booking |
| Penthouse Suite | $11,000 to $17,000 | Adds butler service |
| Grand Suite | $16,000 to $26,000 | Separate living and dining areas |
| Regent Suite | $60,000+ | Explorer and Splendor only. Private car and guide in every port |
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is included in a Regent Alaska fare?
Are Regent included excursions actually good?
Does Regent go to Glacier Bay?
How does Regent compare to Seabourn and Silversea?
Is Regent worth it for Alaska?
Which Regent ship is best for Alaska?
Related destinations and planning guides
A complete Hubbard Glacier cruise guide: the six mile wide calving face, why it is advancing, which lines visit, what to expect from the day and photography advice.
A complete Sitka cruise port guide: Russian colonial history, Tlingit heritage, Sitka Sound wildlife, raptor centre, excursion costs and tendering advice.
A complete Skagway cruise port guide: the White Pass and Yukon Route railway, gold rush history, Chilkoot Trail, excursion costs and how to plan the day.
A complete Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier cruise guide: why ships choose it over Tracy Arm, what the day involves, wildlife, ice conditions and photography advice.
How to choose Alaska shore excursions: what is worth booking, ship versus independent operators, real prices by port, weather cancellations and how many to book.
Planning an Alaska cruise for couples: which lines suit, adults only spaces, the best cabins, quiet excursions, honeymoon and anniversary planning.
What travel insurance matters for an Alaska cruise: medical evacuation limits, trip interruption, missed connections, pre existing conditions and what cruise line policies leave out.
A method for building a realistic Alaska cruise budget: the fare is rarely half the total. Work through flights, hotels, excursions, onboard spending and the contingency.