The truth and not the hype

We are sailing in a Master Suite (901) on the Navigator in 2016.

Can you knowledgeable Regent cruisers tell me what we get as perks?

I never believe the brochure/internet stuff that the lines put out.

Color me dubious... LOL.

Thank you.

:D:D:D,

Scott

A great perk is having a great suite..It is beautiful...:)

Scott, my only concern is will you get your pillow chocolates?:D

Scott,

It would help to know what you are concerned about.

We've sailed with Regent quite a lot and have not had any feeling that something they described in the advertising didn't meet our expectations.

I'm assuming (perhaps incorrectly) that you haven't sailed with Regent before?

From the web site (to refresh my memory), the advertised features in the Master Suites are (I've deleted/combined many of the more mundane stuff):

•FREE Roundtrip Business Class Air* on European Voyages

•FREE Ground Transfers between Airport and Ship*

•FREE 1-Night Pre-Cruise Luxury Hotel Package including:

•FREE WiFi throughout the ship

•15 minutes of FREE ship-to-shore phone time

•Guaranteed reservation each night in specialty restaurant of your choice (Portolan: there are no surcharges for any restaurant)

•Priority online shore excursion reservations

•various discounts on wine, liquor, shore Excursions, hotel and land programs

•Personal butler

•European King-Size Suite Slumber Bed® (twin bed configuration available)

•Personalized Mini-Bar Set-up

•Daily canapés & upgraded bar set-up

•Complimentary cocktail party

•iPhone® docking station

•Complimentary use of iPad®

•Daily newspaper

•Binoculars, illy® maker and cashmere blanket

•Nespresso coffee & Tea Forté set-up

•Welcome bottle of champagne

•24-hour room service with dinner served course-by-course

The only item I can't personally comment on is the Biz Class air since we always make our own air arrangements. There are threads in this forum about Regent air. You can delete it for credit and do make your own arrangements if so inclined.

Again, is there something in particular you'd like feedback on?

Another

Scott,

Having a cocktail party is always fun. You can request a bartender to be present and of course your butler will be there to serve. Before our cruise, I would always have special invitations printed and I would then give the butler the invitations to be delivered to the people we wished to invite. The ship will also print the invitations for you if you so choose. You have access to the specialty restaurants anytime you wish. We have also had small dinner parties in the Master Suite.

I'm sure you will enjoy your cruise. I for one will be waiting anxiously for those videos !

Agree that the cocktail party is a nice perk of being in the Owners Suite (or Grand Suite). The welcome bottle of champagne you receive will be a bottle that they sell to guests for approximately $70. As I recall, there were more alcohol bottles in the suite than we typically get. Note: Be sure to go online and set up your account on the Regent website. This will enable you to access the Butler Form where you can make selections of alcohol, snacks for your suite, pillows, soft drinks for your fridge, newspaper, etc.

It has not been our experience that we could dine in the specialty restaurants any time that we want, however, apparently some people have been able to do that. The only specialty dining venue on the Navigator is Prime 7. We generally only dine their one time since excellent steak and seafood is available in Compass Rose. Another note: Remember that you can special order food 24 hours in advance -- this is something that anyone can do -- not only in the Owner's Suite.

Hope this helps.

TC2: "Remember that you can special order food 24 hours in advance -- this is something that anyone can do..."

What meals can this be done for? All dining venues?

TC2: "Remember that you can special order food 24 hours in advance -- this is something that anyone can do..."

 

What meals can this be done for? All dining venues?

No -- only Compass Rose. However, anything we have asked for has been provided. Remember, two dishes per night off of the Signatures/P-7 menu are offered on the CR menu. I can see no reason why you couldn't order a Porterhouse steak (that is served in P-7) and have it in CR. We have ordered lobster, Beef Wellington, Filipino and Indian food, amongst other dishes. As long as they have the ingredients, they have no problem preparing it for you.

Thank you all for your kind responses and thank you Scott for such detail.

:D:D:D,

Scott

Hi, we were in 901 on Navigator 27 Jan-6 Feb. It is wonderfully spacious and well organized but we were disappointed by the veranda which we'd expected (perhaps irrationally) to be bigger.

One perk as yet unmentioned is an invitation to dine with the Captain, which we declined.

We were not offered an iPad to use during the voyage.

In our experience, staying in a Master Suite does not automatically give you an invitation to dine with the Captain. We have dined with the Captain a couple of times but not when staying in a Master Suite. You will, however, receive an invitation to dine with an officer. According to officers we have spoken with, it is the luck of the draw. Actually, we have learned more from dining with the G.M., Staff Captain and Engineer than we have dining with the Captain. This is likely because the Captain's table typically has a very large group of guests while the other "hosted" tables are smaller.

Neglected to say: depending on the person(s), not all the cited perks are welcome, even if ostensibly free. For example we eschewed the airport-to-port transport, the one-night hotel and breakfast inclusion with transport by bus to the port. We prefer to travel luxury all the way which means private transfers rather than a bus and waiting for everyone's luggage to be loaded and unloaded. Plus we can control our own timeline.

We prefer to handle our own first-class air travel for a variety of sterling reasons.

As for the hotel day before, we prefer Four Seasons or equivalent which isn't the venue included.

If, as a couple, you choose to opt out of these inclusions you are credited $700 for the airfare and $300 for the hotel, zip for the transfers.

Just to update the information provided above, the airfare credit on the Navigator was $350/person through 4/15/2015. From that date through 11/22/2015, the airfare credit ranges from $400-$800/person. In January of 2016, it goes back to $350/person through 3/16/2016 (when the Navigator moves to Europe). From then until 10/13/2016 the airfare credits go up to $900-$1,000/person.

Scott, I included the 2016 credits as you indicated that you are sailing next year:)

Just to update the information provided above, the airfare credit on the Navigator was $350/person through 4/15/2015. From that date through 11/22/2015, the airfare credit ranges from $400-$800/person. In January of 2016, it goes back to $350/person through 3/16/2016 (when the Navigator moves to Europe). From then until 10/13/2016 the airfare credits go up to $900-$1,000/person.\

\

Scott, I included the 2016 credits as you indicated that you are sailing next year:)

That's good to know. Lower air credit correlates with higher-demand periods?

That's good to know. Lower air credit correlates with higher-demand periods?

Regent uses some unknown mathematical calculation - probably an average - so they can offer the same air credit - no matter where you are live the U.S. or Canada. Interestingly, the lowest air credit in 2016 is for the Navigator in the Caribbean. The Mariner, in the Caribbean, has an air credit of $400/person. The highest air credit I see is $1,500/person - on the Voyager from Barcelona to Sydney followed by $1,400/person - Barcelona to Singapore.

The strangest air credit is what we are getting on our Vancouver to Vancouver cruise next year..... $550/person (note: we live 50 miles from Vancouver Airport). I assume that people living in or near Miami receive the air credit as well.

As of April 2013, when you are in the Master Suite you are allowed to go to the specialty restaurants any and every night you choose. You may also order room service from those restaurants. Your butler can make the reservations. These perks sometimes change, so I suggest you have your travel agent check with Regent before your departure and get a list in writing. We have experienced communication issues on these perks between ship and shore. There are a number of other benefits to the MS that are intangible, such as far superior butler service, better tables held for you in all venues if you ask, and overall priority treatment.

As of April 2013, when you are in the Master Suite you are allowed to go to the specialty restaurants any and every night you choose. You may also order room service from those restaurants. Your butler can make the reservations. These perks sometimes change, so I suggest you have your travel agent check with Regent before your departure and get a list in writing. We have experienced communication issues on these perks between ship and shore. There are a number of other benefits to the MS that are intangible, such as far superior butler service, better tables held for you in all venues if you ask, and overall priority treatment.

As indicated in an earlier post, this was not our experience on the Navigator or the Voyager in a Master Suite. In terms of getting something in writing from Regent headquarters, good luck. Unlike Oceania, the policy you experienced (room service from specialty restaurants in the Master Suite) is not in writing anywhere. Unlimited visits to specialty restaurants is also not in writing. Definitely agree that there is a disconnect between the ship and headquarters. There are many things that are done on the ship that headquarters does not know about. Actually, IMO, the ships crew is much more lenient in their policies than headquarters.

Regent uses some unknown mathematical calculation - probably an average - so they can offer the same air credit - no matter where you are live the U.S. or Canada. Interestingly, the lowest air credit in 2016 is for the Navigator in the Caribbean. The Mariner, in the Caribbean, has an air credit of $400/person. The highest air credit I see is $1,500/person - on the Voyager from Barcelona to Sydney followed by $1,400/person - Barcelona to Singapore.

 

The strangest air credit is what we are getting on our Vancouver to Vancouver cruise next year..... $550/person (note: we live 50 miles from Vancouver Airport). I assume that people living in or near Miami receive the air credit as well.

It is painfully easy to understand the charges and credits for air. Certainly NOT an unknown mathematical calculation. Since fare are identical no matter where one lives in North America, it is obvious that the fares as well as the credits are based on some midpoint in North America since the credits are also identical no matter where in North America one lives. There must also be some portion of profit built into the fares plus a certain lack of profit with the credits. Credits when you don't have to fly to a port are not strange at all, they are the same credits no matter where in North America one lives since they are in your fare in the same manner.

This is all why people on the east coast can get fares to Europe at about the credit and the same for people on the west coast to Down Under and SE Asia. Simply easy credits that are shown on your TA's websites as for every North American passenger.

It's obvious some seasonality is involved.

It's obvious some seasonality is involved.

IMO, the lowest air credit are for flights out of Miami as these are domestic flights for people in the U.S. Not sure where seasonality comes into the equation - perhaps you could explain your thinking on that. There does not seem to be any reason, however, why the air credit would be less on the Navigator than the Mariner as they are both itineraries out of Miami at the same time of the year.

rallydave: Obviously they take some mid-point in the U.S. to do their calculation -- I mentioned "average" in my prior post. However, there are differences in air credits going to the same part of the world that are different. If you know the exact calculation, please share it.

Just to update the information provided above, the airfare credit on the Navigator was $350/person through 4/15/2015. From that date through 11/22/2015, the airfare credit ranges from $400-$800/person. In January of 2016, it goes back to $350/person through 3/16/2016 (when the Navigator moves to Europe). From then until 10/13/2016 the airfare credits go up to $900-$1,000/person.

 

Scott, I included the 2016 credits as you indicated that you are sailing next year:)

Regarding seasonality, high season for cruising Caribbean is approximately January through mid April, hence lower airfare credits (think prime time).

I've no idea what airfare credits are for non-U.S. bookings or if they are offered. So I'm referring in my earlier posts to U.S. air credits only.

But, now that I've been apprised of significant global variances, I'm keen to know.

Regarding seasonality, high season for cruising Caribbean is approximately January through mid April, hence lower airfare credits (think prime time).

Okay - got it. But what about prime time in the Med (May through October)? They have significantly higher credits.

Okay - got it. But what about prime time in the Med (May through October)? They have significantly higher credits.

Got to tempt those folk in the U.S. to cross the great pond, foreign parts, and so on. Longer flights, jet lag, more expensive. Got to sweeten the pot, make it seem an attractive deal. For the Caribbean from the U.S., the main port is Miami which is to say home ground, familiar territory. English is spoken at the airport.

Sorry, double post