Radisson Seven Seas Cruises - In the Lap of Luxury

Pampered cruising on the Seven Seas Mariner

I’m in a cocoon. A luxurious cocoon that’s big on space, great with food, and mobile. In this rarefied environment, far removed from day-to-day stresses, I’m free to do as I please. And if there’s something amiss, our butler Nelson will fix it.

Gary and I are on Radisson Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Mariner. We’re ensconced in a huge suite with a balcony and are sharing this elegant, refined vessel with only 500 other passengers. Our sailing takes us from Los Angeles through the Panama Canal to Fort Lauderdale for fourteen days of pampering.

Friends ask if two weeks might be too long. Surveying fellow passengers after the first week garnered unanimous relief at not having had to disembark. “We had high expectations for this cruise,” commented Bob from Manhattan. “And happily, they’ve all been exceeded.” Why would any of us want to get off?With the Seven Seas Mariner striving to cater to passengers’ interests, boredom doesn’t have a chance. This sailing features a spotlight on food and wine. Fitting in a lunch date with Gary can be difficult when I go to cooking class with the executive head chef of Le Cordon Bleu London, or the wine and cheese tastings, the galley tours, or the guest chef demonstrations.

For “non-foodies”, there are lessons in bridge, computer, or Spanish. Groups meet for needlepoint, ping-pong, art discussions, or board games. Lectures vary from the history of the Maya in Central America, to improving your memory, to the captain’s talk on the ship’s propulsion system (a hit with the men). For music lovers, there’s entertainment by a harpist, a pianist, a jazz quintet or a rock duo.

One afternoon, the lounge reverberates with opera when a passenger and a crewmember sing their favorite arias. Evening entertainment in the Constellation Theatre ranges from Beatles music and Broadway hits performed by a talented, energetic troupe, to comedy, classical music or movies.

Slowly, daily patterns emerge. At four o’clock, we are in the Observation Lounge for afternoon tea, a highly civilized affair. The walking track sees an energetic senior from Florida after lunch, the pool deck bar hosts the lively Californians every afternoon, and the organized deck games are for the competitive English fellow. Dedicated night owls close the nightclub and casino in the wee hours.

Sometimes doing nothing is the order of the day. Lounging on our balcony, spotting the occasional flying fish or dolphin, is wonderfully relaxing. From the emptiness of the ship’s public areas at times, I suspect many passengers are dedicating their days to just that—relaxing, or perhaps, watching the sunset paint the sky gold, pink and purple.

Days at sea mean busy times at the gym, in the spa, and on the pool deck. Strolling past sun-worshippers, I notice the books of choice for by-the-pool reading are the widely popular Dan Brown tomes. The small salt-water pool is wonderfully buoyant and three hot tubs gurgle beside it. I asked a retired actress if she misses the drama of the stage and she replied “Not at all. Last night, we were all in the hot tub under the full moon. Now that’s drama.”

While the average age of passengers is early 60s, there are seniors who are surprisingly active, and also some young people. A young honeymooning couple went on a zip-line tour in Costa Rica, dangling from pulleys and zipping from tree to tree on long wires high up in the rainforest canopy. Ahead of them was a gentleman of 81 years, having a great time, and telling them about the white water rafting trip he had just completed with his kids.

For our excursion in Panama, we select a tamer hike in the jungle. Our guide gives an entertaining short course on using plants for survival. We hike on, staying close to the guide, as the jungle is dense and closes into uninviting semi-darkness not far off the path. We spot three-toed sloths with black bands across their faces like bandit’s masks, and howler monkeys lounging high in the trees.

Jungle hiking works up an appetite. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait for dinner as Nelson brings the daily appetizers to enjoy on our balcony. Having a break from the typical caviar and foie gras, he brings us a giant bowl of popcorn instead.

Dinners are a treat. The main dining room has open seating so we can choose when we want to eat and whether we wish to dine alone or not. A choice of wine is offered every night, always generously poured.

At Latitudes restaurant, an Asian-influenced fusion tasting menu is offered. Three small portions are served for each course - perfect for grazers or those who don’t like deciding. La Veranda transforms from its bright and breezy daytime version to a warmly welcoming, candle-lit Mediterranean bistro. The elegant Signatures presents Le Cordon Bleu style dishes with the menu set by the school in Paris every six months, and a graduate in the kitchen every sailing. If none of the four restaurants appeals, there’s always room service.

In Fort Lauderdale we emerge from our luxurious cocoon, rested and pampered. Sadly, we can’t fit the butler into our suitcases. Vacation withdrawal from this trip is going to be tough.

More information: Radisson Seven Seas Cruises Seven Seas Mariner is a six-star luxury cruise ship. It holds 700 passengers and has one of the highest space-to-guest and service ratios in the industry. When launched in 2001, it was the world’s first all-suite, all-balcony ship. It does not offer any special programming for children. The Mariner sails between Vancouver and Alaska for the summer season.

In 2003, the readers of Condé Nast Traveler magazine voted Radisson “World’s Best Small-Ship Cruise Line”. See: www.rssc.com

Author: Karoline Cullen and Gary Cullen