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No More Destination Experts?


DestinationUnknown2014
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I heard an ugly rumor from one of my Regent friends that all of the paid destination experts are being sacked in favor of ones that will work for free cabin on the ship. This was explained to be a cost-cutting measure as a result of PCH's recent IPO.

 

Wondering if anyone else has heard this and if Oceania is similarly being impacted? I think these guys and gals are very professional and bring great value. Rep:mad:lacing them with amateurs who work for free sounds like a bad idea.

 

Anyone else concerned about what PCH will be cutting next?

:eek:

:confused:

:mad:

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We also do all our research before going on a cruise We don't count on any onboard education about ports.

 

Management of most corporations usually seeks to cut/reduce/modify inefficient or questionable costs and to target spending where it enhances the product. The marketplace will have the final word on the success of these efforts. All that said, tweaking the product is normal, IPO or not.

Edited by Noxequifans
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Might get more real information by doing your own research beforehand rather than rely on the destination "experts" onboard:)?

 

I agree that one is better off doing their own research. I would rather Oceania or any cruise company spend their money on other things like the food, entertainment etc.

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I agree strongly with the OP about the what the loss of trained experts would have on my enjoyment of the ports. It is very enriching to add to one's knowledge and even though I study intensely all the places we are sailing to, I find that people like Terry Breen and Sandy__( momentarily forgot) add a great deal.

 

For me the cruise is a lot more that eating and drinking and being entertained.

 

I do so like the University sponsored trips from places like U of Chicago or Berkeley that have top experts leading the group. And the preparation that the participants do prior to the trip will be deep and wide-ranging.

 

If what you write is true and PCH does drop their experts I will find the cruising experience very diminished.

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So, in exchange for a cabin one works at destination services and reads a prepared script.

 

Where do I apply?

 

Guest lecturers work for an agency and offer their own programs...not scripted

They get a cabin but have to pay the agency , as I recall $70 a day commission. The ship tells you how often and how long.

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Dan, Terry Breen is the exception, she isa fixture on Regent ships, especially in Alaska. She was slated to be on Regatta the entire Alaskan inaugural season in 2011, but she went back to Regent after just a few trips. Ia hink she also provides commentary on the Panama Canal crossings, but she seemed more of a commentator on passing sights.

 

I've never been aware of any staff "experts" on Oceania ships; just members of the destimations department who basically explain the ship's excursions. If they were replaced by anyone who could actually assist independent travelers about the ports, I'd be all for it.

 

I'm among those who found the OP's inititial post somewhat negative.

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I heard an ugly rumor from one of my Regent friends that all of the paid destination experts are being sacked in favor of ones that will work for free cabin on the ship. This was explained to be a cost-cutting measure as a result of PCH's recent IPO.

 

Wondering if anyone else has heard this and if Oceania is similarly being impacted? I think these guys and gals are very professional and bring great value. Rep:mad:lacing them with amateurs who work for free sounds like a bad idea.

 

Anyone else concerned about what PCH will be cutting next?

:eek:

:confused:

:mad:

 

The IP asked two questions in his posting, which I duplicate in full above. The first asks "if anyone else has heard this and if Oceania is similarly being impacted" and the second "[A]nyone else concerned about what PCH will be cutting next?".

 

I am a retired securities and corporate attorney, so I am trained to read very carefully; I simply answered the specific questions asked to the best of my knowledge.

Edited by CintiPam
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Ok

 

No Have not heard of this happening

 

Well they have cut onboard service already, air credits are lower, if they cut destinations experts not sure where/what will be next

 

My opinions

hopefully art art auctions will be next

when food quality is cut then it will affect their bottom line not in a good way

 

Some way to save money would be to cut the endless mailings of sale brochures ...that surely would save thousands of $$ monthly

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1. Who is the person set up in the lobby in the a.m. with the port maps and such?? We've used them for such things as maps and directions. We like this person. Very handy. Is this a Destination Expert?

 

2. When we were on Riviera last May, there was a woman who was giving a "lecture" or "talk" about the region. We saw just a few minutes of it on the television. It was unwatchable. She was reading from a script. Or is this a Destination Expert? She was useless. An older lady, very boring, could have been my mother.

 

Who is/does what???

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Difficult to explain destination experts. Regent has them frequently -- some are better than others. We have had both Terry Breen and another "expert" on board when we have sailed in Alaska. Both give commentary as you cruise through the inside passage (not from a script). We also had Terry Breen on board when we went through the Panama Canal. Both also give talks in the theater. One of them was excellent (Terry Breen and the other put me to sleep). However, they both know their stuff!

 

Sorry to hear that Terry Breen will no longer be on Regent. There is a enrichment lecturer onboard the Navigator at the moment (obviously different than an "expert", however, since he speaks "off the cuff", it could be quite an interesting talk.)

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1. Who is the person set up in the lobby in the a.m. with the port maps and such?? We've used them for such things as maps and directions. We like this person. Very handy. Is this a Destination Expert?

 

Who is/does what???

 

Usually they are from the local tourist office so they should know their stuff ;)

 

They come aboard as soon as the ship is cleared but some ports the line up is long for getting info

 

Just guessing but I think he Destination experts in question are the ones that give the talks on the area like when transiting The Panama canal & Terry Breen in Alaska on the things you are seeing as sailing by

 

Someone will correct me if I am wrong

 

The woman we had on our recent cruise put me to sleep, she had information overload ..most people do not want to know that much information they just want to go to the sites & shop ;)

 

Lyn

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Anyone notice the OP was the typical "One Note" poster. First time posting, no experience on Oceania that we know of, starts with an "ugly rumor" from a "Regent friend", uses negative emoticons, has no substantiation, joins the gathering conspiracy theorists about the upcoming IPO, gets everyone roiled up, then disappears never to comment again! Experienced members of this forum know this happens again and again; usually to stir up trouble.

 

There are no "paid destination experts" on staff; there are expert commentators from time to time (notably Terry Breen), the rest are typical outside lecturers who get a free cruise for giving some talks. Some are good; many read from a script and show power point slides taken almost entirely from Wikipedia. The primary thing they have in common are "credentials"; most have a doctorate in "something".

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Anyone notice the OP was the typical "One Note" poster. First time posting, no experience on Oceania that we know of, starts with an "ugly rumor" from a "Regent friend", uses negative emoticons, has no substantiation, joins the gathering conspiracy theorists about the upcoming IPO, gets everyone roiled up, then disappears never to comment again! Experienced members of this forum know this happens again and again; usually to stir up trouble.

 

There are no "paid destination experts" on staff; there are expert commentators from time to time (notably Terry Breen), the rest are typical outside lecturers who get a free cruise for giving some talks. Some are good; many read from a script and show power point slides taken almost entirely from Wikipedia. The primary thing they have in common are "credentials"; most have a doctorate in "something".

 

 

So true!

Trey Breen on Oceania's first Alaska cruise was worth the price of admission the rest we have had we're no where in her league and won't be missed even if this " ugly rumor" should be true.

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For what it's worth, the rumor has now been confirmed to be true by a PCH contact in Miami and impacts all paid destination speakers for Regent and Oceania. So it's bye bye Terry Breen and the rest sometime this spring.

 

Reason for the change was, indeed, attributed to a cost reduction measure related to the IPO. If you value the port lecturers, you have one less thing you get for your money.

 

Hopefully cost reduction measures are not part of an ongoing trend.

 

Happy cruising!

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Unless and until we read or hear something official from PCH, I'd take this thread with a grain of salt. Maybe someone on the Regent board is in contact with Terry Breen (although she has visited Oceania, she has worked Regent Alaska seasons for years).

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1. Who is the person set up in the lobby in the a.m. with the port maps and such?? We've used them for such things as maps and directions. We like this person. Very handy. Is this a Destination Expert?

 

Well if it was that person who comes on board bearing maps and information about how to get to public transit, etc., I too would strongly object.

 

But if it's lecturers like Terry Breen, then it's the "end of days". Then again, we had no such lecturers on our Oceania trip last November (granted, it was a crossing), so maybe it won't have much impact on Oceania. Our lecturers sucked, quite frankly.

Edited by Wendy The Wanderer
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While I cannot predict the future, I can say, with 100% accuracy, that Terry Breen is currently on Regent's Mariner. Rather than take my word for it here, you may want to read the blog that she is writing from onboard (that is a couple of days old:-) http://www.elegantsufficiency.org/blog/?currentPage=2

Edited by Travelcat2
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For what it's worth, the rumor has now been confirmed to be true by a PCH contact in Miami and impacts all paid destination speakers for Regent and Oceania. So it's bye bye Terry Breen and the rest sometime this spring.

 

Reason for the change was, indeed, attributed to a cost reduction measure related to the IPO. If you value the port lecturers, you have one less thing you get for your money.

 

Hopefully cost reduction measures are not part of an ongoing trend.

 

Happy cruising!

 

Are you personally one of the Destination Experts affected by these changes?

Seems like this might be the case

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