pingpong1

3 hours ago, UUNetBill said:

Another caveat on these is that if you bump up from a veranda suite to a concierge suite, you get the suite (same size/layout) but NOT all of the amenities such as the included pre-cruise hotel night.  I'm not sure, you may get the extra WiFi logins, but it isn't that great of an incentive, IMO, especially if you're Silver of above and get the extra logins already...

Excellent point, Bill.  Best Regards!

41 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

Today is the ninth of ten sea days; there is only one lecture scheduled for today; on algae.  Thinking back, a number of the lectures on this trip have been about algae. Miami sure made it hard on the CD.  Where is Terry Breen?

Marc - Perhaps they're thinking that "you can never know too much about algae"!  😵

I can't believe how "hung up" the writer was regarding the size of the closet!  Sheesh!  You're presumably not going to be spending all your cruise time in the closet!  It's just a place to hang and store the clothes.

It sounds like now, they're just "screwing" with people!  Does Brazil actually want visitors to their country?

6 minutes ago, mom0f3 said:

This is wonderful, thank you!   Regent should send this to everyone and pay you royalties.  

From what I've seen and heard so far (actually, from what I've NOT seen or heard...) Regent seems to be totally/corporately dis-engaged from this entire issue that's now being faced by their customers at the last moment.  I'm not "bashing" here.  I'm just totally surprised/disappointed that Regent (remember - the Luxury Cruise Line) doesn't seem to be actively reaching out to help (provide assistance, advice, or guidance) to their affected customers??

annmarz - I'm very sorry you had to cancel this cruise.  I can understand your decision, however.

I'm not sure why Regent has not stepped in quickly and proactively to offer more hands-on and immediate assistance to their booked customers.  "What kind of assistance should Regent be offering" (some on this board will undoubtedly say)?  I have no idea...but I'm not the company (Regent) that's selling an upcoming itinerary which includes a country that "my paid customers" are finding impossible/impractical to get a visa for!  And of course, it's all once again happening after the "final payment date"!

I would have thought that long before now, Regent would have "identified" this major stumbling block that is adversely impacting their customers and would have rushed in some "staff experts" and resources to adress "the problem" and would already have a "fix" to help their customers out and make things easier for their customers!

Once again...It all gets back to the question of "when" (exactly) does the "luxury cruise experience" actually begin?   

Really nice pictures, Susan!  Thanks for posting!

Cardow - Also consider this. We have never gone to CR for breakfast on an "Excursion morning".  Breakfast service in Compas Rose can be excruciatingly slow!  You could very well have to leave the ship for your excursion before your breakfast order ever actually reaches your table!  Regards

jssinc - That's a very nice tradition.  Thanks for sharing!

1 hour ago, bitob said:

As my ta says 

 

there is regent, and then there are all the rest

 

hes at the grandeur christening right now

The TA's and high-volume (i.e., "big bucks") Regent customers obviously have "skin in the game".  They are not exactly "un-biased 3rd parties".  But from what I've seen and read over the years on CC, the "high-volume Regent cruisers" who have many past and future cruises booked at any given time have a very different viewpoint than does the "once-in-a-lifetime cruisers" who have spent years saving up for that "one special Regent cruise.

The former group generally says, "Oh well, if this cruise is terrible there's always the next one"!  The latter group feels hurt, disappointed, and very angry.  The term might be, "Ripped off".  And telling the latter group, "Oh well, things happen", offers no solace or comfort to them whatsoever.  Gold and Platinum's aren't going to be dissuaded from future Regent cruising.  But Bronzes and Silvers just might.

1 hour ago, Whinenowine said:

Thanks @pingpong1 that's pretty much what I was looking for!  I only smoke a few cigars a month (living in the northeast limits my outdoor consumption), so when I partake I'm particular to brand and size (the fatter the better). Good to know I can just bring my travel humidor with me.

 

My drinks question was really around whether there is a limited and separate menu specific to the CC; sounds like the answer is 'no', which is what I was hoping for.  I normally sip bourbon with a cigar, but sometimes like tequila or even some wines. 

 

Looks like I'm going to love those sea days.  Thanks for the info!

Whine - You're quite welcome.  I have met so many interesting folks in the CC over the years.  It's probably my favorite place on the ship?  The menus that are placed on table in the CC are identical to the menus you'll find out in the lounges.  Regards.

24 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Perhaps, since these images will be used extensively by the media, etc. for many years, they would prefer not to have holiday decorations.

Pcardad - No one wants to state "the elephant in the room".

I'm just curious, as I've been reading some of the frustrations that have been expressed on this thread. I (fortunately) have never been in the situation where I needed a visa for any of our itineraries (at least in the past).

Does Regent provide/offer any kind of "visa service" for their passengers (even if an additional cost is involved) for itineraries that require them?  All of this frustration is certainly not helping folks/customers to get into a "happy cruise mode" beforehand.  Regards

13 hours ago, pappy1022 said:

I was just acknowledging the possibility that Regent knew about this situation ahead of time and failed to tell their customers. That would put a different light on the circumstances and what the response should be. You don’t know the facts either and we will probably never know. I am sorry if I ruffled the feathers of the cheerleaders and the “Regent can’t possibly be to blame for anything” people. Having a Pollyanna approach is living in a fairy tale and that’s not the real world. 

Pappy - And if I may add an additional thought to your above remarks.  For the discussion, let's give full credence to some folk's argument that in Regent's defense, they (Regent) had absolutely no advance knowledge of these potential adverse circumstances which necessitated them having to significantly alter their itinerary in such a major way.  And let's also stipulate that Regent has absolutely no LEGAL obligation (under this one-sided contract) to offer any compensation whatsoever to the affected customers or give them the permission to cancel their affected booking (after final payment was made) and to perhaps apply that money to a future cruise (remember, in some other countries they're legally required to do just that).

From a simple positive customer relations standpoint (and we're talking about a cruise line that sells itself as providing "the most luxurious, unrivaled/topnotch, blah, blah, blah experience), when something like this "unforeseen circumstance" happens their very first impulse always seems to "fall back and duck for cover" behind their own completely one-sided legal contract and offer "nothing" in the way of compensation or mitigation to "smooth over" a lot of "loyal customer" disappointments.  They ought to be working hard to build that loyalty long before one reaches "Gold/Platinum Level"

And then, after receiving hugely adverse/negative publicity (as we've seen on this board), from their first out-of-the-box "business decision" (gosh - who would have thought that would happen!?), they then (grudgingly) parse out a few extra "scraps" to try and "calm the natives"...some OBC's and FCC's 

It often feels like Regent only intends to provide that "luxury experience" AFTER their customers actually plant their first foot on deck on embarkation day.  Regards

Hello Whine!  I have spent many very pleasant hours in The Connoisseur Clubs over the years.  I was very disappointed when they removed the Club on Navigator several years ago (I think they needed extra space to enlarge the Coffee Connection...I though at the time that they should have reduced the size of the Fitness Center, instead! 🤪 ).

Most everyone brings their own cigars with them in their own travel humidors.  Regent does offer some limited varieties of cigars for sale onboard (they are stored in large humidors inside the CC).  But most everyone brings their own favorites/preferences with them.

I'm a little confused by your question of booze available in the CC.  Waiters/servers regularly stop into the CC throughout the day and will take your drink orders.  They're also coming in regularly to replace/clean ashtrays, and collect empty/used glasses/napkins, and put new books of matches out on the individual tables.  When they take your drink order, they'll go to the nearest open bar, get the drink you want, and bring it back to you in the CC.  On my way to the CC, I usually initially stop by the nearest bar on my way to the club, order my own drink, and take it with me to the club so I have a drink as soon as I enter the club.

You can order any booze in the Club (from one of the waiters who'll then bring it you) that you could otherwise order if you were sitting out at one of the bars/lounges anywhere else on the ship or through room service to your suite.  There are drink/bar menus sitting on each table in the CC and they're identical to the same bar menus that are sitting in every lounge on the ship.  On this forum you find that bar menus have been posted over time.  Most booze/beer/wine is "included" in the fare.  There are some premium brands that are also available for an extra cost (can be paid for with OBC's).

If there are any particular cigars that you like, I would advise you to buy them at home and bring them with you onboard.  Cigarettes are also available to purchase in the CC.  The cigar selection is relatively limited.  Most cigar smokers tend to "stick with what they regularly like/smoke.  Just like booze/wine, you can bring all these things (cigars/cigarettes) with you onboard free of any extra charge.  You'll find Regent cruising to be quite liberating!

Please feel free to follow up with any other questions you might have.  You'll find everyone on this forum to be quite helpful.  Regards.

I don't want to sound like a "conspiracy theorist" but...why do the significant changes always seem to invariably happen AFTER the final payment date and never before??  🙄

56 minutes ago, cruiseluv said:

I thought of you several times and thought of going around deck calling “pingpong anyone” but thought people would think I was nuts 😜

Now that we canceled our Mariner 2024 our next cruise is also on Grandeur 2025! We have booked a back to back starting in Southampton  on June 11, 2025 and ending in Reykjavik on 7/7 . Is that by any chance yours?

Unfortunately not.  😪  Our Grandeur cruise will be in March '25 and is a Miami to Miami (14 days) around the Caribbean.

9 hours ago, jbandkb said:

We just finished the Splendor transatlantic and are already looking forward to this cruise on Grandeur next year.

JB - We were on the Splendor TA as well!  It was our "very best Regent cruise" (so far).  We absolutely loved it!  Sorry we didn't meet you.  Best Regards.

3 minutes ago, cruiseluv said:

So sorry you’re going through this, I would be very upset. Several passengers are also posting about it on Regent Facebook page. Mainly due to this we have just canceled our June 2024 Mariner cruise, don’t feel like dealing with this risk. 
I hope you’ll get some sort of compensation and give one of the newer Regent ships a chance. We just go off from Splendor, 21 days Med/ transatlantic and it was almost flawless

Cruiseluv - Like you, we also just got off the Splendor TA to Miami.  I'm sorry we didn't have the opportunity to meet you!  That was an absolutely fabulous cruise for us, as well!  I would rank it as probably the "best Regent cruise" we have ever been on!  Everything was simply flawless!  The service, the food, the entertainment, the staff, all the wonderful people we met!  We loved it!  I would book Splendor again "in a heartbeat"!  Somehow (unless plans change), we're going to have to "get by" until '25 before our next Regent cruise (on Grandeur).  Best Regards.

1 hour ago, Jim Avery said:

Normal dry-docking is, as you say, scheduled far in advance.  I doubt the fix for the plumbing would necessitate out of water dry dock.  Plenty of spaces for "emergency" or other unscheduled needs.  When I was running cargo ships we had to have sudden work done, even out of water work done at short notice.  It's all about not wanting to give any money back.  Seems R would rather limp along and buy a large box of Band Aids to keep this down the road. 

Jim - I absolutely agree with you!  I.e., "It's all about not wanting to give any money back."  Regent has disappointingly proven time and again over recent years that they always start out with the "most minimal and money saving remedial offer" to their loyal customer base first...before finally getting around to doing the "right thing" (which is not always going to be the offer that will save Miami the most money)!

I can't imagine an anymore disgusting health-risk issue/condition on a cruise ship than having non-functioning or barely-functioning toilets throughout the ship - with contaminated waste water running out on decks and inside "suites" in various locations on the ship!

Okay..."no cronuts in the coffee connection", "running out of a favorite bourbon onboard", or "no Alaskan crab legs in P7"...that's one thing.  But it rises to "a whole different level" for any cruise line, let alone a "luxury cruise line", to knowingly be sending a ship out to sea with a barely/marginally functioning wastewater system!?

This has been going on/reported for quite some time now (on Mariner) and the "excuse" about it all being caused by an errant passenger flushing "the wrong item" down a toilet just doesn't "cut it" any longer.  It's not habitually happening or being reported on any of the other ships, which presumably also would occasionally have those same type of thoughtless passengers onboard, as well.

Is Regent's "business plan" (for Mariner) to just simply keep operating (with corporate fingers crossed) and "hope for the best" until they can finally get the waste disposal system fixed, once and for all!?  While in the meantime, just keep scheduling more cruises and accepting new bookings to keep the money coming in?

Sure, I'll keep booking more cruises with Regent (at least for now)...but it won't be on Mariner  anymore unless/until the problem is finally fixed.  Best Regards.

18 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Thank you for sharing this. 

So why couldn't Regent have just stated this (the new San Pedro/CA regulation/requirement) right up front....instead of wasting time (and damaging their public image) by spouting out all the corporate "feel good green social conscientiousness by 2050 blather"?

The "Miami corporate wizards" with the MBA degrees should have known right upfront that there was going to be a lot of potential/actual negative publicity and hard feelings resulting from this sudden (yet now seemingly unavoidable) itinerary change from their customers...and should have spent just a few extra minutes to come with a "better and final offer" of the OBC's and FCC's right from the start...instead of throwing out a "first and measly cheapskate offer" to see if it "would fly"!

This is not the first time they've had to (from a public relations standpoint) come back with a second  and more palatable offer ... after causing a lot of negative and unnecessary publicity at the outset. Jeesh!

3 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

When you book a cruise, doesn't your TA tell you that the cruise line can change EVERY port under the terms of the contract? Just curious...I have people sign a disclosure so that I can be absolutely certain they know exactly what the possibilities are.

Does your contract also tell your clients that they should never expect (or feel in any way entitled) to any reasonable amount of compensation or redress from the cruise line when those ports are changed (doesn't matter "whose "fault" it is), eliminated, or when "the product" that is (was) being sold (and fully paid for well in advance by the client) is substantially changed from what was first advertised and purchased?

The letter's specious excuse (goal) of wanting to limit/eliminate "Green House Gases" by 2050 sounds like something that was "cranked out" of the Public Relations Department and not the Operations or Security Department.

I.e., "We don't want to pollute Acapulco, Cabo, and Ensenada right now, so we'll pollute Puerto Vallarta, the ocean, and LA instead!"  Huh??  🤔

I'm usually one to give Regent the "benefit of the doubt"...up to a point.  But this one is certainly like the ocean itself...It smells fishy!  And again, leads us back into the endless/recent discussion about Regent's "contractual right" to do just about anything they please, right up to the last moment, and with the legal obligation to provide any real monetary compensation.

To my own suspicious mind, it sounds like someone in Miami thought that waving the "Environmental Flag" would provide rational cover for making a quite significant itinerary change to one particular cruise.  Those new shore electrical power facilities (in Acapulco, Cabo, and Ensenada) certainly aren't going to be completed anytime in the near future and certainly not before many other cruise ships dock in those ports.  There are absolutely "other actual/real reasons" going on behind the scenes for changing this particular sailing schedule. Regards.

LovesPurple - Did you happen to wave to us (on the Splendor) this morning when our two ships passed close by to each other while sailing north of Cuba?  You of course, are heading south out of Miami while we are on our last day at sea and docking in Miami tomorrow morning.  😪  Regards.

Crisy -  It was a real pleasure to meet you and your sister on our cruise.  Your descriptions have all been spot on and your pictures have all been beautiful.  We got our own suitcases out from under the bed yesterday (Saturday) and have been slowly but steadily transferring items from drawers and closets into the cases.  There are now just the last few items left to put in the cases before placing them outside the door tonight.

We've met tons of nice people onboard (including staff and other passengers) and have had a wonderful time.  We could not have asked for better weather or smoother sailing.  In Captain Marco's remarks last night (Krews Kapers) he even said it was the smoothest crossing he had ever experienced himself.

Although my contributions to this thread were very limited, I certainly appreciated Crusin7's many thoughts and pictures along the way. Regards to everyone who followed along with us on our cruise.