pingpong1

5 minutes ago, Mike Moore said:

Hi wishIweretravelling - you can assign a different card to each guest in the suite. If you entered your details first, you just need to make sure your friend's name is not checked under the "use this payment for" section on your record. It sounds like you inadvertently assigned you card to her, so if you uncheck her name and save it, she should be able to go in under her record and add her card details.

Mike - That was nice of you to "jump on here" and provide that personal assistance "touch and expertise" to the conversation in order to help us Regent Customers out.  Many Thanks!!  Best Regards.

7 hours ago, charltonkerry said:

Firstly we are from the UK, but my wife passport required renewing very early 2023, and we got 115 nights booked on Regent next year (mostly held over from previous years because of Covid), so we because of this thread I checked up on the UK passport website and they said allow 8 to 12 weeks to renew, basically we didn’t have a gap to renew other than before the first of four cruises in late February. We filled in all the documentation on line last Sunday and just got notification that it’s being delivered tomorrow that’s a turn round of 8 days, can anyone beat that? 😀😀

Wow - That's "lightening fast"!  That certainly wouldn't normally happen here (U.S.) that fast unless somebody's Senator got involved!  Although admittedly, we do have many more millions of people (travelers) in the US than UK probably does, too!

An update on DW's passport renewal application is that I put it into "Express Mail" to the Passport Processing Center located in Philadelphia, PA on Sunday, 10 Oct.  It took 3 days  to arrive in Philly on the morning of Thursday, Oct 14.  On Monday, Oct 18, I had online acknowledgement from the passport service that they had received the renewal application and money, and that the new passport is now "being processed".  My bank account showed that my check payment had "cleared" my account.  So they've now had the application for about 1-1/2 weeks.  Their website says that "expedited handling" should take "no more than 10 weeks"... max, until we actually receive the new passport in hand.  Our flight to Miami, to board Mariner (on the 18th), will be on Friday, Dec 17.  On that travel day, it will be the end of "the 10th week".

The Passport Center's online message gave me a special "customer service" phone number to contact them, along with a unique "case number" to reference, if we haven't received the new passport back by 2 weeks prior to our actual travel date.  They would presumably than "track it down" and provide "really expedited service" to their processing service...."Fingers Crossed"!

I am somewhat heartened/hopeful by some of the above posted responses of others, who actually received their new passports back in half the 10-week time.  Again, "fingers crossed".  The  Passport Office website also said they would notify me (Email) when the DW's new passport leaves their office and is heading back to me (by expedited delivery service).  I'll keep you all posted.  Regards. 

A note on the

1 hour ago, Pcardad said:

Relax...it wasn't an attack and apologies that you took it as such. I simply believe that legitimate friendships do form and they are a good thing for both parties. We are both entitled to our own opinions and they certainly dont have to agree.

Yes, we do both agree that in many circumstances, legitimate friendships can and do form between both parties (crew and passengers).  And I also thought I actually said that in my original comment;  but perhaps not with enough enthusiasm.  Regards

49 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

I almost read this as you thinking the guests are mis-reading the situation and the consideration of friendship is more one-sided. I think legitimate friendships do develop on board between like-minded staff and passengers...by any standard one might set....and I think its a very nice thing for all parties involved.

11 hours ago, pingpong1 said:

"....Some of the avid/frequent Regent cruisers seek out and interact with the senior staff (who they sometimes regard as "old friends").  I'm not saying that's either "good" or "bad"...."

Think what you like... but that is NOT AT ALL what I actually stated OR "what you almost think" I meant...and you are completely mis-characterizing my words and meaning.

It is only natural that frequent long-time Regent cruisers are, over time,  going to get to know and perhaps become friends with some of the junior and senior crew members that they've had previous interaction with, whereas a potentially/actual new Regent cruiser (like "GreaterExpectations" seems to be) would not know or have any past relationship/friendship with folks like a particular GM or CD.

And as my post clearly and unequivocally stated  ".....that's not either good or bad..." 

Conversely, here are some of us who are also long-time "Regent Regulars", that have no particular interest or desire whatsoever to establish or engage in long term friendships or relationships with crew members (no matter what their "rank" is), and nothing negative should be inferred by that, either!. 

".....I almost read this as you thinking...."  Huh??....Give me a break!!  😵

10 minutes ago, GreaterExpectations said:

Do the senior officers really make a difference?

 

Are they heard and never seen less now since the pandemic?

You'll probably read from some folks on this board (mainly those with lots of Regent cruises/nights under their "Sea Legs") that the particular senior staff onboard can make a big difference in the "vibe" of the cruise.  I've never noticed it too much myself, but we don't normally have a lot of "interaction" with the officers, either.  Some of the avid/frequent Regent cruisers seek out and interact with the senior staff (who they sometimes regard as "old friends").  I'm not saying that's either "good" or "bad".  They just like seeing familiar faces when they walk onboard and they like be recognized/acknowledged as long standing returning customers and by name.  Regards.

MomC - Not a dumb or silly question at all!  😜   Regent is in the Eastern Time Zone (Miami).  Yes - you can book your dinner reservations when it turns Midnight (1 minute into the new  "magical day") on Miami time.  I do this all the time for our upcoming booked cruises.  Since I live in AZ, we're on Mountain Standard Time (AZ never goes to daylight savings time), so Midnight in Miami is 9PM in AZ during the summer (3 hours difference/earlier) and 2 hours difference (earlier) in the winter, when Miami goes off of daylight savings time.  If you're in CO, I think you'll always be 2 hours "behind" Miami...  Midnight in Miami will be 10 PM in Colorado.  Best Regards.  

6 hours ago, jmalux said:

We are in grand suite 784 on Splendor right now, and there is definitely no noise whatsoever. It’s a wonderful suite

jmalux - Thanks very much for taking the time to post while you're on your Splendor cruise.  Perhaps after you get back home, could you take a few moments to enter a review of Suite 784 on the "Suite Guru" database (can be found at the top of the Regent Forum page).  Thanks!

Amen!

1 hour ago, Zqueeze1 said:

No worries. We usually do a Live blog during our cruises and, as long as there are some juicy things to report, will continue to do so during our upcoming TA on 31 Oct onboard the Explorer. 
Z and TB

Z - Looking forward to reading all your on board reporting! Best Regards 

14 minutes ago, briar14 said:

Champagne Experience, Splendor, September 2021. Georgiana, Head Sommelier, presented this delightful, relaxed, luncheon to 23 passengers. 

 

Briar - That looks delightful!  Was this advertised prior to the cruise and did this have to be booked prior to the cruise, or was it announced/booked after you got onboard?

8 hours ago, cwbegg said:

I'm on the Splendor now, having embarked in Southampton September 22.  Regent did NOT collect passports as they have in the past.  We've had them, and still have them.  Keep them locked in the safe except when required to carry them ashore.  The shore excursions in Italy require you to carry your suite key card and Covid vaccination card.  Had to show the Covid card before entering a cathedral in Orvieto and at restaurants.

Thanks a lot for the info!  I really appreciate you taking the time while on your cruise to "reach out" to the rest of us.  As you can imagine, all of us cruise lovers are "thirsty" for any information or experiences you can pass along, while you're lucky enough to be onboard Splendor!  Best Regards.

19 hours ago, cwms said:

Ok, here’s my question…

I have a current passport book and I want to get a passbook card to use as back up and additional ID.

Working on the application for the card, they say I have to send in my current book with the application.  I have upcoming travel that I need my book for and to be honest, I really don’t want to put my passport book in the mail.

Anyway I can get a card without sending in my book?  I’ve searched the gov website with no clear answer.

If you can apply "in person" at a local passport agency, you'll be using form DS-11 and will present a verification document (like your current passport, drivers license, military ID, etc.) on site and can get your Passport Card without having to mail off your passport.  Otherwise, if you're applying for a card remotely (not personally going to a passport agency), it appears that you'll have to submit (i.e., mail off) a form DS-82, which also requires that you mail in your current passport, along with the application, in order to get the card.  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/card.html

1 hour ago, flossie009 said:

Hope to meet you on board Mariner ......................... you need a passport; we need permission to enter the U.S.A. 🤯. Promised for early November but no details yet ☹️

Also the UK Government is still warning against 'all but essential travel' to Costa Rica, Nicaragua & Guatemala.

 

 

 

Flossie - We can all just "stay onboard" when docked in those 3 countries, sit on the pool deck with "adult beverages" in hand, and propose a respectful "toast" to each of those 3 countries...than get on with the important business at hand of deciding what we'll order for dinner that evening!  😜 

59 minutes ago, flossie009 said:

But it will be worth it when we are relaxing on board 😎 🍹

 

 

 

Hi Flossie - That's what we're all fervently hoping for!!  😉

19 hours ago, ChucktownSteve said:

Our passports didn't expire until June '22 either but with the nightmare stories, we figured why wait. Our next cruise is Feb '22 to Caribbean then Mia to Montreal in May '22.  We just went ahead and did it feeling better to be safe than face anxiety. It's good for another 10 years.

 

You might consider expediting the renewal. Or as DaveFr suggested, make the call to find out how Regent will handle it.

Thanks to Chucktown and DaveFR for your collective thoughts.  I appreciate it!  I coincidentally got a message from Regent over the weekend (by way of my TA) that "the omnipotent Regent database" (specifically, DW's customer information profile) wasn't "accepting the fact" that Mary's passport (although still valid throughout the entire cruise, which begins and ends in the U.S.) did not have at least 6 full months left on it (only 5 months) before completing our upcoming Mariner cruise.  Apparently, software programs don't like to be argued or reasoned with!

So with much trepidation, I stuffed her "good" passport (Gulp!), a renewal application, a new/updated picture, and a huge/obscene amount of money (for "Expedited Handling and return service") into an "Express mail envelope" (which now has become "far less Express" than it used to be), drove to our local Post Office on Sunday, and dropped it into the outgoing mail chute, and "waved goodbye to it"!

It's now in the "most capable hands of our ever-efficient government system" to crank out a new passport for Mary and get it back into her anxiously waiting hands within the next 10 weeks, before we're "supposed to" arrive in Miami and hopefully walk onboard "Mariner"....And that assumes of course, that we don't "blow positive" at pier-side from a last minute/unexpected Covid "break-through" test!

I wish this whole "cruising thing" hadn't become so "stressful" lately.  Cruising is supposed to be "fun and relaxing"....Right?  😬  I'll update this thread when/if the new passport actually arrives!

Okay - I need a "warm and fuzzy opinion" from my CC friends....DW's current passport expires on Jun 4, 2022.  We leave on a Panama Canal Cruise out of Miami on Dec 18 (2021).  We arrive back in San Francisco on Jan 5, 2022.  So her passport will expire 5 months (minus one day) AFTER she arrives back in the U.S.

We're not having to fly into any foreign country and won't be "showing them" to any immigration officials in the 5 foreign countries we will be stopping in (Columbia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua)  . We board the ship in Miami and get off in San Francisco).  The ship "holds" our passports on the ship the whole time during the cruise (we never take them into town with us).

Can anyone see any reason why (at this late juncture) we should take the "risk" (time-wise) of trying to renew her passport in the next 10-weeks before this trip?  Regards 

42 minutes ago, flossie009 said:

If you want a tour of the galley, register your interest with Reception early in the cruise.

In the past (pre-covid shutdown) tours were held on some cruises but not advertised.

 

 

Thanks, Flossie!  We'll be sure to do that!  Still hoping to see you onboard!!

54 minutes ago, briar14 said:

I second everything you said about the cruise. We began September 11 and left Splendor on the 6th. Enjoyed ourselves tremendously. The champagne lunch was amazing, and Georgiana’s presentation was relaxed and knowledgeable. I hope Regent continues to have a successful return. We will be on Mariner, December 18.

 

We look forward to meeting you on Mariner in December!  I hope there will be some Champagne lunches and/or wine tasting events offered on our sea days.  We'd also like a Chef-conducted galley tour!  Best Regards

We did as well, for our Dec 18 Mariner cruise.  😉

1 hour ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Not really, you just have to coordinate testing, probably multiple times.

 

But you've got me thinking.  Assuming things don't change drastically by next summer (an we all know they probably will), we will have to get tested to fly to Denmark from Canada, then test again in Copenhagen before we board the ship.  Hmm.  This does get complicated.

Wendy - Yes, it does seem to be really complicated, and there are lots of different scenarios and permutations for what each one of us has to do, for each upcoming itinerary, depending upon where each of us is traveling/coming from, where each of us is heading to (to board the ship), what method of travel is being used and how long it will take to get there, and whether we'll be arriving "how many days in advance" of each cruise commencing.  Sheesh!  All those things can make a difference!

I am hoping that Regent can/will "personalize and tailor" testing and pre-cruise instructions for each passenger on each ship/cruise and send that guidance to each of us (maybe via our TA if we have one) with enough advance time for us to "sort things out" and actually arrange to carry out all the instructions/testing necessary before we actually "show up" for each cruise.  I can easily see how some people/groups could potentially/actually be denied boarding on cruise day for not having "followed all the rules" correctly.  I wish things didn't have to be so complicated!

Am I over-dramatizing the situation?  Will things really "not be as complicated" as they seem to be at the moment?  Here's hoping!  Regards.

29 minutes ago, Kwaj girl said:

 

If it's the July 2022 voyage we'll be there, too.  And staying on for the next one dubbed The Reunion Cruise (Southampton to Reykjavik)

Voyager's a wonderful ship. We have loved all our Voyager cruises  It all sounds like you'll have a good time!  😜 

11 minutes ago, gcorgain said:

First of all, I also think that Jennifer's participation here is a great step forward. I also "self insure". I'm wondering how you prove that you don't have insurance as there won't be a denial to submit...

 

Greg

Yes, I was sort of wondering about that myself??

16 hours ago, DaveFr said:

Good choice Sheila. Hopefully your Horizon Suite is on deck 8 or deck 9. We’ve sailed in 992 twice and loved it. IMO, there are a couple of very minor drawbacks. With a king bed, the bedroom area is a little tight. Also, when the suite was renovated a few years ago, the safe was not enlarged as it was in most other suite categories..

 

Dave

Hi Dave - Having a larger safe comes in very handy to store all the nightly  "winnings" from the casino!  Regards 😜  

Many of us choose to "self-Insure".  But even so, if Regent is providing reimbursement to/by one's insurance company for a "denied" boarding due to a positive Covid test at pier-side, then reimbursement (and please remember, there's two different forms of "reimbursement"...an FCC or Cash) should also be provided to those of us who "self-insure", as well.  I "think" it is, if you read the wording in the Ticket Contract (which I provided earlier), but some of the posters have been referring to an "FFC or nothing" reimbursement/situation.  We have to get this all "straight" and clearly understand it so we know exactly what "the definitive rules" are.

Many of us are now withing a 2-3 month window of our cruises and need to know what definitive actions we might have to take.

I also Thank Jennefer Teegen very much for her positive engagement and weighing in on the subject!  I'm looking forward very much to getting more clarification on this (as opposed to some further language that only makes it even more confusing! 🙄  Regards to All.

2 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

If this is true then there is no FCC given for a positive pre-boarding.

...Or even a cash refund for the fare (only the transportation cost "might" seem to be reimbursable)....Correct??  Pcardad - I hope you've got lots of good/solid contacts at Regent to "de-conflict" all of this!  Passengers simply need to know what it is, they're "supposed to do", "have to do", "can do", before they're forced to sign pre-cruise forms that are not understandable to the average person regarding pre-cruise testing, etc., and what their actual "rights & responsibilities" are.  Most passengers aren't lawyers, either!  It need's to all be laid out in clear, concise, understandable language.  Regards.