wishIweretravelling

You can barely get the insurance companies on the phone anymore. And they won't put anything in writing. I've carefully read the policy, and much about this is left (deliberately in all likelihood) vague. I'll just do the test--it's a good idea anyway. I just want to figure out the timing so that I have the results before I leave.

That was the rule when the tests were required to board. Now they are only requiring them to get compensation if you get sick. The language in the notices when it was required said “prior to embarkation” rather than what it now says—“embarkation travel date.” I’m thinking that the “travel date” language changes the meaning.

No, but it’s recommended in case you get covid onboard and need to file an insurance claim. It’s safest to be able to prove you didn’’t have it at the time you boarded.

The policy impacts upcoming cruises that are in 100% forfeit now. Regent is not going to refund or credit, and even if you got “cancel for any reason” insurance, that covers only 50-75%. I have a cruise coming up in a couple of weeks. Given that it has been sold out for a while, I’m comfortable about going (or as comfortable as one can get in the current covid environment) because the vaccination rule was in place when people signed up. Plus, the Med is involved, and many of those countries still require vaccination.

The facials come with a particularly obnoxious sales pitch at the end for product.

Specifically, refundable credit can be contributed. Nonrefundable can't.

I just got the email with the Covid protocols for a cruise I'll be boarding in Stockholm in a couple of weeks. I embark the ship on a Monday. I have an included hotel night, so will arrive in Stockholm on Sunday and will depart from the U.S. on Saturday for the redeye across the pond. The email states "Please note: Regent Seven Seas Cruises will only assist with compensation for trip interruption due to a positive COVID-19 test resulting in on-board quarantine, that is not covered by their travel insurance, if the guest provides proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR or Antigen test result from a registered test provider taken within 3 days of embarkation travel date." So, the question is, what is meant by "embarkation travel date"? I am taking it to mean the date I travel from my home (i.e., Saturday) in order to eventually embark the ship, and not the date I travel from the hotel to the ship to embark. But I'm not 100% certain on that. Does anyone have solid info re what this means?

Unlike on Explorer, penthouses on Voyager are not very different from the Deluxe Verandah or Concierge suites. Some are slightly larger than the verandah cabins, but most are the same size. None have the two rooms that the Penthouses do on Explorer.

No jeans. No shorts.Collared shirts for the men. And, yes, that includes polo shirts. And you’re pretty much good to go;

The part that is surprising is the toiletries. I just set up my shipping with Luggage Forward, and yes the website does say nothing with alcohol including perfume etc. It doesn’t say high content, so it’s anything with alcohol. I just didn’t realize that things like my Kiel’s moisturizer contain alcohol. I’d been planning to ship my regular toiletries and not check a bag for my flight, but this makes me re-think it.

Only once they are open for booking. Until then, the best you can do is click on the title of the cruise, which will take you to the listing for the cruise on the main part of the website. Then you can review the potential excursions as described by NCCruzQueen above.

If the Hop On Hop Off is included, one of the routes of the HoHo includes the yacht.

What all those people above said! I'll add that, if your ship has a scale, the movement of the ship may render that scale unreliable. So, I brought a very unforgiving article of clothing and wore it at least once a week. The biggest risk for weight gain is the final week: time for "just one last serving" of all the gooey favorites.

The listed prices don’t include gratuities. They do automatically add an 18% service charge on top of the listed price.

Follow up question for you: Did you file a claim with your travel insurer for the portion of your cruise fare covering the trip interruption of your quarantine period? If so, how did it go?

No limits. On my first Scenic cruise, I thought the laundry bag was the shoe shine bag.

No, Compass Rose is open for lunch on Voyager. It’s only Explorer and Splendor that use P7 and Chartreuse for lunch. Those ships do not serve lunch in Compass Rose

I travel with someone who is "ahead" of me in SSS status, so have some experience with this. When we board, my keycard shows the same status as hers. I don't get the same discounts she does on things like Regent Choice excursions, but I did get the complimentary custom air when she hit that status and I hadn't yet. She is currently one night short of Titanium, so we will have that status once on the ship, but won't get the private transfer yet. But once that does kick in, we both should get the ride since we are traveling together.

Is it a private transfer or a bus transfer? If the latter, no, you'd have to pay for the transfer. I'm not sure about the former, particularly if it's a function of the cabinmate's SSS status, since you get that same status by being in the same cabin.

Yes, they're overpriced for unpredictable quality, with annoying sales pitches (even the personal trainer does this!). But it's a place to burn those non-refundable OBCs. I doubt they could stay in business on a Regent ship any other way.

I have “met” some of my favorite go-to affordable wines on Regent, so don’t object to their included pours. Cashmere, Simi Cab, Oyster Bay SB, and Albariños in general are among my favorites. If I don’t care for what’s being poured, I can always find an included wine I like.

Interesting. I shop at that Costco, but have never seen it there. I have to admit I don’t often to to Total Wine. I’ve only seen it at HT, and there it was $14.99. I’m a big fan of Winestore in Morrisville, though most of their wines are not the better-known ones. So apparently we DO live in the same area.

On the pre-Explorer Regent ships, we’ve always been happy with the lowest level cabin we can snag—including window suites on Navigator. But the first time we booked Explorer, our TA (who knows Regent and knows us) warned us away from the Veranda suites if there’s 2 people and toward the Superior suites. And we’ve enjoyed that type of cabin ever since. A friend who also usually goes for the least expensive cabins did get a Veranda suite and said she and her husband felt cramped in it. I would expect that if you’re sailing solo, the Veranda suites would be fine.

You must live somewhere where wines are much cheaper than here in the hinterlands of the southeast. About the only wines you can get for $8 are Barefoot or Yellow Tail. Raymond is closer to the $15 range. It’s all in your perspective.

We have a BTB coming up in which we booked the second piece well after we'd booked the first part, so have separate booking numbers (and will be changing cabins). We actually will be on the ship when the online checkin for the second piece opens up. It will be interesting to see how this is handled, since I doubt the onboard wifi can cope with the checkin strain. I'm not sweating it--I'm certain the front desk can deal with this.