15 Day Regent Splendor: A Passion for History, 5 Countries, 12 Ports & Unforgettable Memories

Day of embarkation and celebrating our sailing from Lisbon

We sailed Regent Splendor March/April 2026 for a 15 day cruise (A Passion for History) from Lisbon to Barcelona, and it was an incredible all-inclusive and ultra-lux experience. Once you get on-board, everything from excursions to specialty dining to alcohol (except well-noted additions such as the spa and bottles of wine) is included, making you forget about your wallet while on board.

Everything from embarkation ease to the grand welcome to our incredible included excursions, Regent’s staff made you feel like you were the only people on the boat, accommodated dietary allergies well, and if there was an issue that arose, they handled it really well.

The lobby and reception area with the infamous chandelier

Regent Seven Seas Splendor docked in Tangier, Morocco

Dining

We did not have a bad meal the entire time. We loved their specialty dining (Pacific Rim and Prime 7 being the favorites) and eating outside at their Italian restaurant (Sette Mari) some nights, especially when we sailed. I do recommend that if you want to sit outside at the restaurant, you get there 15 minutes before it opens to get a table for your party, as it fills quickly upon opening.

A special note: each restaurant has a different china set at your table, and each was so unique and beautiful!

Having dinner at Sette Mari (back of the boat) as we sail away from Cartegena, Spain

Accommodation

We reserved a Penthouse Suite (b) and loved the space and storage and location on the ship. This room had more storage and a better layout than other much larger suites on another cruise line we’ve sailed on.

On Regent, if you are in a Concierge or above suite, you have a butler and your stewards, which was a great bonus. Our butler was amazing and got to know our rhythm well, bringing us canapes and coffee at our preferred time every day.

Entrance into our Penthouse Suite (b), with a great sitting area and bar

Excursions

The excursions were incredible—offering everything from panorama tours to very active tours (we did three different bike rides). We loved the variety of options for included tours and most guides were great! The theme of the cruise was “A Passion for History,” which led to each excursion we took continuing to build on the history of the previous port we visited. Our favorite excursions included e-biking through the vineyard in France, wine tasting in Elba, Italy and Mallorca, Spain, and truffle hunting in Rome, Italy.

Where the Atlantic and Mediterranean meet. Our tours were so informative and fun to experience all the various cultures of the five countries and 12 ports we visited.

Wine tasting on one of our Spanish excursions

Seeing the Splendor from a vineyard in Elba, Italy

• If you want to sit outside at Sette Mari, especially while you are setting sail, get to the restaurant to get in line 15+ minutes before opening to get a seat as it is filled quickly. For our cruise, we got there at 6:15 p.m. and were able to have a pick of our table at 6:30 p.m. when they opened.

• Pick your excursions, dining reservations, cooking classes, and spa reservations upon opening/availability. They fill quickly as they’re limited.

• Regent offers complimentary valet laundry services, so I recommend considering this before packing.

• Enjoying a beverage at the Observation Lounge (if you are leaving early evening) or on the back of the boat (if leaving around dinner time) was one of our favorite recurrences on the trip.

• If you use reading glasses (for dinner menus), each restaurant has a box of glasses for you to use while you dine at each of the restaurants. Just ask the waiter for some glasses.

A note on time changes

One thing we underestimated was the amount of time zone changes we went through during our first five days. We sailed during Europe’s Daylight Savings time change, so we sprung forward on day four of our trip. However, when we left Lisbon, we had to change time four times (back and forth an hour) in five days (to include the Daylight Savings time change). It made it tough to know what time it was for the first five days of our trip, especially when we had morning excursions. I would not change anything about our trip, however in the future I will be mindful of time zones of all the countries we are visiting and when Europe’s Daylight Savings Time occurs.

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