Global Hotel Alliance x Regent Seven Seas Cruises - 2
Some attendees at the annual CEOs’ meeting of Global Hotel Alliance GHA had boarded Regent Seven Seas’ Splendor three days earlier in Lisbon, but the event-proper started on Friday with a drinks reception in the Constellation Theatre.
Now, on a full ship, there were also over-600 proper passengers, and timing had to be exactly planned so that GHA events didn't intrude on the lives of the mainstream cruise passengers who had signed up for a culinary capital tour of the northern Mediterranean. Following the welcome reception, the Constellation Theatre was quickly then turned into the event space for the evening's performances. GHA members, meanwhile, made their way to Compass Rose for choose-what-you-want but sit-where-you’re-told (seating for all three nights was skilfully done, always new companions).
Sea-time is freedom-time. Girlahead looked across the terrace of suite 758 as the sun decided it was time to get up, see above. Second day at sea, Saturday, breakfast was at leisure, which was a good time to meet one-to-one on the stunning outer rear terrace of the 11th deck Veranda restaurant. There's something about eating strawberries and granola as you watch the wake disappear behind you. The sky, by the way, was blue throughout the entire voyage.
Saturday, in Menorca, the group had its own excursion as a city walk, followed by open seating lunch in a semi-open-air restaurant, El Rais. As expected, it was tapas followed by your choice of entrée, say a pair of tempura-ed king prawns, both about 15cm long.
Afterwards, back onboard the Good Ship Splendor, some took a back-of-house tour. Hoteliers were amazed at cleanliness: official inspectors assess state of, say, the underside of an ice-cream machine before going into US waters and if published figures are less than 100% travel sellers divert buyers to competitors. Hoteliers also noted the genuine positivity of even the most lowly staff member…
