Regent Seven Seas Cruises has returned to service for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with its cruise ship Seven Seas Splendor departing Southampton on Saturday.

Seven Seas Splendor’s first cruise in 18 months, and the first for the cruise line since cruise operations shut down globally last March, is a 11-night voyage around the British Isles, visiting eight different ports in England, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Seven Seas Splendor

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The 750-guest cruise ship departed Southampton Saturday, marking the restart of her inaugural cruise season, which was interrupted by the pandemic.

Seven Seas Splendor was delivered in February, 2020, and had only sailed two cruises before Regent Seven Seas joined the rest of the cruise industry in shutting down operations globally.

Now, she’s back in service and Regent says they plan to preserve originally planned itineraries, as much as the global health environment allows at the time of each cruise.

Seven Seas Splendor was delivered in February, 2020 but only sailed two cruises before the pandemic struck.

After her 11-night British Isles cruise, Seven Seas Splendor will head south to the Mediterranean, where she’ll sail several voyages before crossing the Atlantic to sail a season in the Caribbean.

At 55,254 gross tons and carrying just 750 passengers, Seven Seas Splendor has one of the highest guest to space ratios of any cruise ship, and is widely regarded as the most luxurious cruise ship built to date.

These are qualities that Regent Seven Seas hopes to leverage in the COVID-19 cruise environment, providing guests with the social distancing space necessary, as well as the crew to passenger ratios necessary to ensure mask mandates and other health and safety measures.

The beds alone in the suite are worth US $200,000 each.

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Seven Seas Splendor offers the largest Owner’s Suite in the luxury cruise fleet, the 4,443sqft Regent Suite on Deck 14.

It features has an in-suite spa retreat, complete with a personal sauna, a steam room and a treatment area with unlimited spa treatments.

The Regent Suite aboard Seven Seas Splendor features two bedrooms, a living room, dining room, bar area and in-suite spa.

Other highlights include 270-degree views over the ship’s bow from the 1,300 square-foot wraparound veranda, and a glass-enclosed solarium sitting area on top of the bridge.

The vessel also offers a collection of specialty, casual and main dining options, such as La Veranda, an informal, buffet service for breakfast and lunch.

With 270-degree ocean views, the restaurant transforms into an elegant fine dining restaurant, Sette Mari at La Veranda, each evening for dinner.

Lobby aboard Seven Seas Splendor.

As part of the Regent restart plan, the company’s entire five-ship luxury fleet is expected to be back in service by February, 2022.

Following Seven Seas Splendor, Seven Seas Explorer is set to reenter service in October, with a short season of Mediterranean cruises.

Seven Seas Mariner resumes guest operations next, with a Panama Canal sailing in December.

Seven Seas Navigator and Seven Seas Voyager are set to return in early 2022, with Southern Caribbean and Western Mediterranean voyages, respectively.