Jump to content

cwn

Members
  • Posts

    2,656
  • Joined

Everything posted by cwn

  1. That was our experience on three BToB cruise to the Caribbean over last Christmas and NYs. We booked two cruises about three months out and got all the tours we wanted except one. We originally booked one in each port and only one first choice was not available. Actually it worked out because we loved the second Choice. We actually cancel sone tours because a tour a day was just too much! I would not worry about dinning and tour spots. I emended was able to get two different cooking reservations about 6 weeks out.
  2. Jogging pants and jacket like top??
  3. Colored tennis shoes types have been accepted regularly in the dinning room. No shorts or jeans are the unaccepted dress forms. Slacks and collared shirt are the stated requirements. No mention of shoes. Though I have never noticed sandals and the only reason I noticed the red high tops was because of the Santa socks worn with them.LOL
  4. I also read that there was a lack of hotels needed by Regent. I think there was a thread that included that back in the Spring on CC. Seems that Barbados is a popular destination for Brits with good air service.
  5. From our experience not like the big ships we have been in. Some people gather on the pool deck for drinks more if it is a nice port to sail from.
  6. Some shows stay around for at least 5 years. On the Splendor in Dec, they had the same named shows as on the Navigator in 2018. But the entertainers were different and some songs. I am talking about the 4/5 big shows not the individual acts. Those do vary.
  7. We first sail on Regent in 2011 on a 72 day SA cruise. It had 5 segments and the destinations staff changed over two times. One group was stellar, the second was worthless. A few of the teams are very inconsistent in their people skills, willingness to work with you and their knowledge of the ports. We also have had some wonderful teams like the group we had in South Africa in 2018 and the group we had on one of the Dec 2023 cruises. Other times specificity relating to the bus ticket issuing they are horrible. It is my way or the highway and if you have a mobility problem they refuse to modify the rushing herd approach.
  8. That is worst in my opinion. If Covid they should n’t have been in the cabin but outside handing the stuff over. If they weren’t talking about the meds how does he know they were for Covid?!That sounds even more mosey to me. That is what we always did in the past. Both meds for cold and gastric illnesses. Too many times in the past the ship has sounded like a TBWard after about a week or the buffet has disappeared. Nothing has changed really. The advice to stay healthy is exactly the same as it always was! Wash hands often, stay in you cabin if you are sick, get the vac if there is one…..
  9. With the new NCL dock in Ketchikan for NCL corp ships and at least 4 or maybe 6 places at the older city dock there could be upward to 10,000 to 15,000 visitors the day you are in port. Someone is going have early or later tours…..there are just so many buses and guides. Our son’s family were on a NCL ship in June and there were over 14,000 people at the two docks! The shuttle into town was a 20 min ride and had a huge waiting line. There was a smaller ship docked with them think was Regent but didn’t really notice. They stayed on the ship. Hopefully that will improve at the NCL dock. It was my favorite port before because you docked right in town and everything is a short walk! i can’t remember remember If we had company the day we were at Icy Straits. But I think there was only room for two ships. It is a terribly small place and I don’t think any one actually lives there full time. We did a 4 wheel wildness drive which was fun with nice scenery, but no animals. The only bears we have seen were at the salmon bake in Juneau and the habitat in Sika. Now on our two plus month RV trip to Alaska and back we saw a lot. One even scratched his behind on our RV!!😮 Regent will try to add tours if the interest is there and ones are available. Also lots of times the departure time changes once you are on the ship.
  10. It could be RSV or even the flu. RSV is the new buzz word in our area. Those both seem to be the illnesses of concern in our area.
  11. Our thoughts exactly. We don’t examine in detail other people’s choices we are too busy enjoying what Regent has to offer. Once the perceived offender sits down what ever kind of slacks or whatever they have on is out of sight just like the Santa socks and red tennis shoes. And that didn’t ruin s single evening of our WC but is a funny memory now.
  12. That is what we do. Work out perfect, has always been ready the next afternoon.
  13. If it is one of the aft facing cabins (all suites in Regent) they are wonderful! We have had aft facing suites )”G”) on decks 7 and 8. They have great views especially in the Caribbean! Drinks in hand watching sail away from Miami on our veranda.
  14. Most of the time a chat at destinations desk will clear up the port accessibility issue. Last three Regent cruises in the Caribbean I spent some time with department head talking over the dock situation at each port. Most of the ports had at least one tour that I could easily do (one didn’t) but a couple had impossibly long hot dock walks over uneven ground and through long market places to the buses and taxis. I turned those tickets back in and stayed on the ship. That’s really not a hardship for us anymore since we enjoy the ship as much as the ports. You are right in your assessment of the ports/cities around the world. Many are not handicapped friendly. Anymore if we really want to visit a city or area in depth, we fly in, stay at a hotel and hire a car and driver to take us around.’ Still have to do many drive bys though. It would be nice to have something like What’s in a Port that describes the dock area with the handicap in mind.
  15. Airports/airlines and cruise.terminals/cruise ships have offered wheelchair assistance for the last 20 years that I have needed it. Pre Covid that list included for us HAL, Cunard, Seabourn, Regent and serval others we cruise with with the Grands. Paula, We did three cruises with Regent earlier this year out of Miami and Regent did provided gangway wheelchair service. As I said there was a change over at the gangway from Regent staff to terminal staff and wheelchair according to Miami terminal rules. This staff change over has happened before in some terminals, guess has something to do with local port rules. Smitty A, not every person who has a handicap needs a “keeper” to get around. I don’t. But many of us that are relative self sufficient need a little extra at times.mainly when we can’’t “pick” our time as you say to board the plane or ship and have to deal with crowds, long lines and great distances. We have traveled all over the world and the airports and terminals have all freely provided assistance. I definitely do not think using a service/help provided to get past a taxing situation selfish since it is freely offered. As far as sitting at the front of the bus, I don’t , I find it a pain since I sometimes don’t get off and don’t enjoy being beat to death by other passengers pushing to get off.
  16. Regent has it own wheelchairs on board, at least a few. Though someone needing one all the time needs to bring their own.
  17. Had not thought of that. We will try it next cruise….sounds nice. As far as packing, my husband takes three changes for day time wear and two for evening and two pairs of shoes. He says he doesn’t need more…. Then I put in a couple of more shirts, house slippers and a swim suit for him. I take four.mix and match outfits for daytime and three mix and match outfits for evening.with the evening stuff and daytime stuff somewhat interchangeable also. Plus swimsuit and some accessories and several pairs of shoes. We can’t handle more than a carry-on bag a piece any more. With free laundry really don’t need more even on a long cruise. And it is an excuse to buy something new on the trip!! ..
  18. Regent has all ways taken care of any ship issues. The suite bath is very easy to move around in and there are bars in the public restrooms along with hand rails along hallways to help when it is rough and lots of places to sit. Regent has no control over what happens at the end of the gangway. That is the port authority. Sometimes the buses, vans and taxi can come right up to the gangway, sometimes the port has carts or shuttles that can transport you to the buses and other transportation into town and sometimes you have to walk to buses or town and it can be quite far! That is when we stay on board and have a very nice relaxing sea day with wonderful room service. The tour people will give you information on each port and what the docking situation is like. Go talk to them and explain your issues. They can give you more info on the port set up. But be sure to read the tour information (all of it) very carefully. It is usually right on about walking distances, number of steps and walking conditions. I always take a book because some times I can’t do a part of the tour even with care research and just stay on the bus and read while DH does his thing and takes pictures for me!
  19. PaulaJK, we encountered the lack of shuttles/carts and extremely long dock walks either to buses or taxis or into towns in the Caribbean this past Jan. I have walked with canes for years but now have to do mini rest stops if the walk was long or hot. In fact we didn’t do a couple of tours because the walk to the bus pick up was to far. It was the same deal for other ships docked with us and other lines we have sailed on. This has been a problem for us in commercial ports at times all over the world pre Covid also! As far as getting wheelchair assistance…I had that on both the Splendor and the Navigator this year. But the ships personnel could only go to the end of the gangway. At that point the terminal wheelchair crew had another wheelchair for me and took me the rest of the way.
  20. I find reading the blog type posts are much better to get a feel of a ship, especially recent ones. The one and done post usually are so different than my experience on the same ship. I have stopped reading that part of CC.
  21. In Dec there was no wait list on line option. Didn’t try calling.-
  22. The wait list may already be full. Keep checking back. I have also called Regent. A time or two that worked and I got on a wait list. But if the tour hasn’t cleared by sailing time check with destinations. Some clear as soon as the ship sails and if not check in the theater the day of at the time of the tour.
×
×
  • Create New...