Seven Seas Grandeur

The pool is long enough for laps, with bench seating around the edge for sitting and dipping your toes in. Thick padded loungers with terry-cloth toppers line the deck, and attendants bring drinks, most of them included. Next door, the Pool Grill serves burgers, hot dogs and chicken alongside a buffet, made-to-order dishes and a full ice cream station. Up top there's cornhole, bocce, paddle tennis and a putting green with holes modeled after famous courses.

La Veranda is the casual restaurant for breakfast and lunch, with tables facing the windows, made-to-order stations and grab-and-go options. Mornings bring egg dishes, French toast and pancakes, and lunch might add fresh pastas and grilled meats. Out back, the aft terrace has seating in the shade or the sun, facing the wake. At dinner the room becomes Sette Mari at La Veranda, an included Italian restaurant that does Italian better than most.

Perched forward at the top of the ship, the Observation Lounge has wraparound 270-degree views, so it's the place to be when the ship sails through scenic waters. Seating ranges from tables for two and four to high-back chairs tucked into the corners, with a piano in the middle. The room hosts high tea, lectures and cocktail parties, with a bar just behind. Nearby are a card and game room, the Connoisseur Club for cigars and a well-stocked library.

Lifelong learning is a Regent hallmark, and the Culinary Arts Kitchen is where it gets delicious. Chefs lead demonstrations and hands-on classes, with cameras and screens so everyone can follow along and a team of sous chefs to help. The idea is simple: learn a dish, make it yourself, then take the recipe home. Culinary shore excursions let guests go ashore with a chef to pick out ingredients and learn about the local food.

Grandeur's two aft specialty restaurants are included in the fare. Prime 7 is the steakhouse, with a lounge and full bar at the entrance, wine coolers along the way and windows wrapping the dining room. The menu is long, with appetizers like ahi tuna, crab cake and pork belly, plus steaks, seafood, sides and desserts. Chartreuse is the French restaurant, with its own bar, custom chandeliers and tableware, and classic French dishes with a modern twist.

Pacific Rim greets guests with a cherry blossom sculpture before big doors open into an elegant pan-Asian dining room. The menu blends Chinese, Thai and Japanese dishes, with a little California influence here and there. Asian-style lamp shades and Thai-style windows set the mood, and seating ranges from tables for two by the windows to larger tables for eight or ten. Like every specialty restaurant on Grandeur, it's included in the fare, with reservations.

The spa begins with a double-height entryway and a full-service salon for haircuts, manicures and pedicures. The locker rooms lead to a thermal area with an experience shower, a cold room lined with ice, an aromatic steam room and a large sauna with aft views. Treatments run from massages, wraps and facials to a quartz table. Outside, a quiet aft deck has shaded loungers, two hot tubs and a large whirlpool. The fitness center and spin studio are close by.

Compass Rose is the main dining room, open to every guest for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu is huge, with classic starters, nightly specials and an always-available menu where guests design their own entree from steaks, seafood, a dozen sauces and plenty of sides. Tables suit couples, solo travelers and larger groups, and the china, glassware and cutlery were designed by Versace for Regent. The Grandeur Lounge next door is the spot for a pre-dinner cocktail.