WHY IT RATES: This is one of the most highly anticipated launches in some time in the industry. Cruisers want to know every detail about the ship. - Rich Thomaselli, TravelPulse Senior Editor
PHOTO: Coming to a body of water near you, the Seven Seas Explorer (Courtesy Regent Seven Seas Cruises)
Seven Seas Explorer, the most luxurious ship ever built, will set sail on its inaugural season with a crew of veteran Regent Seven Seas Cruises leaders who will ensure guests sailing this magnificent vessel enjoy the pinnacle of luxury.
As master of Seven Seas Explorer, Captain Stanislas Gerard Jean Mercier De Lacombe will lead a senior leadership team of the following cruise line veterans:
• Franck Galzy, General Manager
• Aurelien Dumeylet, Executive Chef
• Luca Griggi, Chief Engineer
• Ray Solaire, Cruise Director
SEE MORE: Sailing In Luxury
They will be joined by nearly 550 highly-trained staff and crew members, all focused on providing guests with the absolute highest level of personal service.
Captain Stanislas Gerard Jean Mercier De Lacombe is responsible for commanding the overall operation, crew and safety of Seven Seas Explorer. He has more than 20 years of seafaring experience, and has captained both Seven Seas Mariner and Seven Seas Navigator since joining Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2009. A native of Nantes, France, Captain De Lacombe became enamored with the sea at an early age, and has extensive leadership experience on ferries, container ships and several commercial cruise lines.
General Manager Franck Galzy is responsible for overseeing the flawless delivery of hotel and food & beverage services for Seven Seas Explorer. After graduating from the CAFA Sommelier Wine School in Angers, France, General Manager Galzy expanded upon his hospitality expertise at the famous Crabwall Manor Hotel & Spa in the United Kingdom for two years. Since joining Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 1999, he has worked in a variety of roles including head waiter, head sommelier, provision master and food & beverage manager. In that capacity, General Manager Galzy has maintained a general manager position for the past six years, coordinating a number of special events during some of the line's most spectacular voyages, including its Navigate the World and Circumnavigation of South America cruises.
READ MORE: Regent's Seven Seas Explorer to Feature Exclusive Culinary Excursions
Executive Chef Aurelien Dumeylet will supervise all aspects of the menu and food preparation for Seven Seas Explorer's multitude of gourmet dining options, including its dramatic new Pan-Asian specialty restaurant, Pacific Rim, and new French restaurant, Chartreuse. A native of Limoges, France, he developed a passion for the culinary arts at a young age and has served aboard Regent Seven Seas ships since 2007.
Chief Engineer Luca Griggi is responsible for overseeing Seven Seas Explorer's technical operations, including engineering, electrical, and mechanical functions. A native of Genoa, Italy, Chief Engineer Griggi joined Regent Seven Seas Cruises in 2012 and has over 30 years of maritime engineering experience - in the Italian Coast Guard, aboard tugboats and supply vessels, and on cruise ships.
Cruise Director Ray Solaire oversees all entertainment and activities aboard Seven Seas Explorer. Cruise Director Solaire has performed on cruise lines for more than 40 years and is a talented singer, puppeteer, comedian and ventriloquist. He joined Regent Seven Seas in 2008 and has served as cruise director aboard all of the line's ships.
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