DaveA

The compensation we were offered was only £150pp, not £200, leaving £150 for a hotel. Did you get a better deal?

Regent have now removed the pre-cruise hotel for Concierge suites on their website for the two July 2024 Reykjavik cruises.

I will report back, but don’t hold your breath. I know my chances of achieving anything are slim but I’ll feel better for trying and will probably learn a few things along the way.

We do indeed have different laws, and arguably better protections. MyTA has been unable to get Regent to improve their offer. Regent are unquestionably contravening the UK Package Travel and Linked Arrangements regulations, so that is one avenue I am exploring. Complaining to the UK Advertising Standards Authority about knowingly false advertising is another. Litigation is certainly unrealistic, but leveraging UK agencies to advise Regent of the errors of their ways, with the associated possibility of adverse publicity is not.

From the Flybus site FAQs: Where does the Flybus stop? The main stop is BSÍ Bus Terminal, in the centre of Reykjavik. Onward transfers are available for Flybus+ passengers from BSÍ Bus Terminal to selected hotels, guesthouses and designated bus stops. The Flybus driver will ask you to board a smaller bus for these hotel transfers.

Sort of. Wait at airport for Flybus to Reykjavik bus station, then take off luggage and wait for a minibus to a bus stop close to hotel.

The difference seems to be that you, and most others, accept the injustice whereas I am trying to fight back, however slim my chance of success.

Yes, it’s a small amount and I certainly won’t let it affect my health or enjoyment of the cruise. I guess where we differ is in how we respond to large companies treating customers badly.

I don’t care about the size of the vehicle. What matters is that it takes me directly from airport to my hotel. So to get an equivalent service to a Regent transfer I need to take a taxi or private car.

Strictly speaking, all I know is that they accepted my booking in October and that they informed me they were not going to provide the hotel and transfers at the start of March. I think it is reasonable to conclude that Regent didn’t book a room at the time they contracted to provide me with one. However, I accept that Regent may have been unable to book a room at a suitable price last October but chose not to tell me until the time my final payment was due.

That is simply not true. I booked in October 2023. They could and should have secured the necessary arrangements at that time. Instead they waited until the beginning of March and discovered that suitable rooms were no longer available at a price that suited them.

So, essentially, we have to choose between spending more or accepting a less satisfactory transfer and hotel. All because Regent chose not to secure hotel bookings when it accepted our bookings.

It is outrageous that you should be out of pocket because Regent are choosing to opt out of part of their contract obligations. I am still not accepting any offer and am exploring other options. I will post an update as and when matters are concluded.

I have had the following response from my (UK based) TA. Needless to say I’m not at all happy! “I have had a call from Regent this afternoon to advise that the US office have been in contact and they will unfortunately not able to offer any additional funds. They have given two options: - they can look to offer a hotel which will be at the Courtyard by Marriott next to the airport. This is currently on a request basis at the moment. - Regent can look to see if we can offer flights the day of the cruise. These are both subject to availability and are on a request basis. If you choose the hotel you would no longer be entitled to the on board spend of credit for the hotel.”

My itinerary on the website also shows only the cruise, but I’m not sure it ever showed the flights or hotel there. Further down the page under Customize Your Voyage mine says flights are included.