Somewhere Over Regency’s Rainbow Is Alaska

The Regent Rainbow, a renovated American-built ship that began service for Regency Cruises in 1993, will call at its new home port of Los Angeles May 17 on its way to an inaugural season in Alaska.

The ship will be based in Southern California for winter 1995-’96. It will sail through the Panama Canal, alternating departures between Los Angeles or San Diego, and Montego Bay, Jamaica, on 14-day itineraries.

The Panama Canal sailings begin Nov. 10 with a one-time-only 15-day sailing from Tampa to San Diego, followed by 12 14-day canal cruises between Jamaica and Southern California.

The 960-passenger ship is one of four recent additions to the Regency line, whose new owners, the A. Lelakis Group, refurbished the vessel in the company’s Greek shipyard. The new interiors are handsome, with granite bars and cocktail tables, understated pastels and contemporary furniture in pale wood tones.

Before the ship’s departure for the West Coast, we went aboard in February for a two-night cruise out of Tampa to nowhere. (Regent Rainbow spent its first two years making two-, five- and seven-day cruises out of Tampa.) Not only did we learn after boarding that it was a rock ‘n’ roll theme cruise, but the ship began a literal rocking and rolling when we hit very heavy seas during a storm-buffeted 48 hours in the Gulf of Mexico.

The good news is that the vessel’s 29-foot draft lent it stability. The bad news (especially for Harry, who is not a rock ‘n’ roll fan) is that the entertainment was largely rock bands, including groups such as High Heel Sneakers, Sh-Boom, a 1970s-style duo on keyboard and tambourine called Spiral, and a pair of British singers called the Cruise Brothers.

Evening jackpot bingo, karaoke and trivia quizzes rounded out the activity list on the party cruises, but in Alaska the line promises a naturalist and a geologist to lecture, plus youth counselors for child passengers and male hosts on board to dance and play bridge with single women.

The clean, trim ship will appeal to first-time or budget-conscious cruisers in particular, but not to those fussy about dress codes, service and entertainment. Many of the Tampa passengers either chose to disregard the suggested evening dress code, which specified no T-shirts, shorts or jeans after 6 p.m., or it never occurred to them to read the ship’s program for guidance.

The food aboard, while not elaborate, is tasty enough. Breakfast buffets in Le Bistro, the casual, self-service cafe, include boiled eggs, grits, oatmeal, bacon, sausage, ham, sweet rolls and croissants, but containers for hot drinks are made of paper rather than china.

Still, for a price range that starts at less than $200 a day per person, double occupancy, the cabins are surprisingly spacious, especially in the middle and upper categories. About one-third of them can accommodate an additional one or two passengers.

The top-priced accommodations are two two-room suites with mini-refrigerators and baths with showers only. Many of the category one cabins do have tubs.

Smoking is not permitted in the show lounge, and the other public rooms have designated nonsmoking sections.

A small gym, sauna and teen-agers’ club (also used by younger children) are tucked away far below the waterline on Deck 1.

The Regent Rainbow sails from Los Angeles to Vancouver May 17 on a seven-day cruise priced from $1,295 to $2,425 per person, double occupancy.

Depending on the sailing date, the ship offers either a traditional Inside Passage itinerary with calls at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway and a day of cruising Glacier Bay, or a Gulf of Alaska itinerary between Vancouver and Seward (for Anchorage) with calls at Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka and a cruising day at the Columbia Glacier.

Fares for the Alaska seven-day sailings range from $1,355 to $2,855 per person, double occupancy, depending on departure date.

SmartFare discounts on some Alaska sailings may be available with as much as 40% off for the first and second passengers in a cabin; check with your travel agent for the latest prices.

Panama sailing prices range from $1,995 to $4,895 per person, double occupancy. SmartFare discounts for Panama Canal cruises may save up to 45%.

For more information or a brochure, call Regency Cruises at (800) 388-5500.

Slater and Basch travel as guests of the cruise lines. Cruise Views appears the first and third week of every month.