pingpong1

PC - I'll wager that we might never actually "know" the details at all. My own observations over the years have been that Regent discloses very little to their "adoring fans" about the inner workings of the company...even when those inner workings, decisions, and policies can/do/did have significant impacts on their customers. Regards.

Same for me, Pappy! I think for most people, the promotional works out most advantageously for new bookings...which I would guess is Regent's primary purpose. I.e., to entice new/additional bookings and not to simply rebook/reprice already-booked passengers. That's why these promotional offers are usually accompanied by across-the-board fare increases - to dissuade those of us who have already booked the cruise. Best Regards.

I just received a new "Special Offer" Email from Regent about 10 minutes ago. They're ostensibly now offering "FREE" 2-category upgrades on all cruises, reduced booking deposits, and a "20% reduction" on selected cruises to Europe. Then I compared the "old price" (yesterday's) for an F2 on Splendor to the "new price" for the same suite/sailing today, and it turns out that "overnight" the price for that same suite/sailing had "magically" increased by $400 per person. "Funny" how that works out! Booking the same original F2 suite and getting the "free" 2-category upgrade is now going to cost you $800 more per couple. But the upgrade is "Free". 🤪

"Heating, Ventilation, (and) Air-Conditioning"

Posting rules don't allow it to be mentioned.

Hmmm? Not sure I'm "All In" for paying $1 Grand per person per day, and not even getting Alaskan King Crab Legs at dinner! Whatta bargain!!

Is that a "forever thing" (change), or did they just happen to run out of it on that particular cruise?

Hi Steve...I'm probably the "average Regent demographic", and I was exhausted just reading your post...I'm going to lay down for a nap right now! Best Regards. 🤪

I'm sure that not everyone's experience will be exactly the same...but in our own case/s, when we've rebooked a few of our cruises in the past (to take advantage of upgraded benefits, promotions, etc.), we've been able to keep the same original suite unless of course, the whole object of the rebooking was to obtain a higher-level suite, and then our previously booked suite number changed. There's usually a "rebooking fee", and most probably the "price" of your same cruise/suite will have gone up since your first booking price, so you'll have to pay that price difference, as well. It probably wouldn't make good "business sense" for Regent to give an already-booked customer increased benefits (larger suite, butler, OBC's, pre/post travel, upgraded air, etc.) for less money than they've already collected from them. As the above posters have already said, you have to work with your TA to figure out if the cost increase will justify the increase in offered perks/benefits. Sometimes it might and in other cases it doesn't. Regards.

Hi Joanie ("Peach") - I'll be following your posts intently, as we (like "MysticTraveler") will be on next year's Splendor TA (Nov '23) from Barcelona to Miami. It will be our first cruise on Splendor and our first TA with Regent. Love your gorgeous decorations, too! Thanks for "taking us along". Best Regards.

Hi Robin. I'd be interested in knowing those two favorites. I might try them ourselves on our next cruise. Regards.

Hi SWAFLAOK - That's a little discouraging to hear this. 😲 We will also be "turning Gold" during one of our '23 cruises, and I certainly don't look forward to getting into a "thing" with the staff at reception....or anywhere else on the ship! That's one of the "things" that we trust Regent to completely, exactly, and correctly "get right", without really even having to bring it to their attention. Best Regards.

Please do not confuse this with the Connoisseur Wine Tasting Lunch...Where you absolutely DO need advance reservations, they only have a limited number of spaces/tables for guests, and there is an extra charge for it. The CWTL is not "complimentary". Regards.

MJ - As "Alaska" suggested, the diner's themselves can "guide the action and set the pace". It took us a while (and actually, a few cruises) to figure this out. You can spend the evening there without having to conform to any particular order of service. You can be as "structured" or as "free flow" as you wish. The key is just to let the waitstaff know (up front) what your preferences are going to be for the evening. You can browse and serve yourself at the buffet selections all evening if you want. Or you can just get a "starter" up at the buffet on your own, and let the staff bring everything else for the rest of the evening, or you can have the staff bring/serve you everything, and in the order you wish. The table is yours for the evening. Now that (at least), was the way things "used to be" when there was a full complement of well-trained, knowledgeable, and long-experienced waitstaff serving in Sette Mari (and all dining venues). Since Covid, leaner staffing levels, along with a newer and less experienced dining staff are making the entire dining experience (on all the Regent ships) a bit more "hit or miss" (my own opinion). Since Setti Mari is a "Bistro" - a smaller, more casual, less structured evening venue (compared to P7, CR, PR, and CHAR), it lends itself to diners exercising more personal preference in the "flow and order" of their various "plates". Perhaps look at a menu in the afternoon before going there for the evening meal. You might decide to treat it as a more structured "Italian" evening (appetizer, salad, primi, secondi, desert, etc.) and have it all served to you in order and entirely by the waitstaff or...do a bit of "this and that" on your own or using a combination of your own visits to the buffet selections and the staff bringing you additional other courses. We really enjoy dining in Sette Mari. I also like the variety of Italian wines available and offered with the different courses. Regards.

When will testing positive for Covid (on a cruise) become the same as testing positive for a cold or the seasonal flu? In other words..."just no big deal", and without the need for quarantining at all?

Carolina - Thanks a lot! The reason why I'm asking...We've never bought travel insurance for our past cruises. We just "self-insured". I.e., "if something happens, it happens, and we'll just absorb the cost." But this "Covid Thing" has added a whole bunch of variables to the mix. So now, I'm thinking about the "wisdom" of buying "some kind of insurance" (and spending the extra money) for our 2 upcoming Regent Cruises...either from Regent's Insurance or maybe from another source. I'm just not sure what "actual costs" I'd be specifically "insuring" that might not be covered by the insurance I get from my Chase Sapphire Card? If I'm quarantined in my suite on the ship for the duration of the cruise, my trip hasn't really been "interrupted"...I'm just having to stay in my suite and not able to walk around the ship or go ashore for the rest of the trip. Right? Regards.

May I ask exactly "what it is" that your travel insurance will be paying for? I don't mean the actual amount of money; I'm just interested in the "type or category" of expense/s that you incurred (as a result of your "positive Covid test, and subsequent quarantine) that would be eligible for a reimbursement? Thanks.

I suggest you send a personal Email to Jennefer Teegen, Director of Guest Experience & Loyalty. "jteegen@rssc.com". I have done this before, myself. She appreciates the feedback.

Yes, I completely understand. I have no doubt that there may have been (and actually is) some continuing blockages in the Mariner waste system. My only point is that those blockages (which seem to be occurring on Mariner rather frequently - and none of the other ships reported) may actually be caused by something in the system itself that's not working correctly (and needs replacement/repair), rather than because some "foreign/wrong material" is being inappropriately flushed by passengers. This repair/maintenance issue might actually be causing these system breakdowns and overflows. Something like a leaking pipe, a leaking valve/seal/gasket, insufficient vacuum pressure, insufficient water flow, a pump not working correctly or at full pressure, etc. Just like the "brown water" in Navigator a few years ago. It was old/corroded pipes/tanks that were the problem and not "dirty water" that was in the system. Regards.

Not every plumbing problem is necessarily caused by "someone doing something wrong." Sometimes, the system itself can have some design, aging, or "system problems". On our Mariner Christmas/New Year's (Holiday) Panama Canal cruise 10 months ago, there were several times when the toilet system was simply "turned off" and didn't flush/work at all for periods up to an hour at a time. I don't think that every one of those occurrences was caused by someone (or several people) collectively deciding to flush "the wrong thing" down a toilet somewhere on the ship.

Regent is not Carnival! Personally bought/brought liquor can be carried and consumed onboard wherever/whenever you prefer without restriction or limitation. Regent doesn't care if you drink the (included/complimentary) liquor they provide, or if you bring your own, or if you buy some onshore and bring it onboard for consumption. They do not "hold" anyone's liquor until disembarkation. That's one of the primary distinctions between a "Luxury" cruise line... and "everybody else". Regards.

Hi Claranda - No need at all to feel embarrassed! Many of us "Yanks" don't particularly care for NYC, either. And it's a city that becoming more "problematic" each day. We'll be sailing out of NYC in May '23 and our flight will arrive there the afternoon before. We definitely will not be taking an evening stroll around town before the next morning's departure to the ship. It will be a limo ride directly from the airport to the hotel, and then dinner/drinks in the hotel before bedtime. Best Regards.

Just FYI, Blacklane has a Cell App you can load, as well and set up an "account" with log-in infor. I've used them several times and they're extremely reliable, professional, and reasonably priced (not "free" of course, but competitive with other limo services).

And then, just walk up to the pool deck with your soap, shampoo, and a glass of wine! 🤪

Hi Joe - Is this your first cruise on any "Luxury" cruise line, or just your first time on Regent? Thanks for taking the time on your cruise to post some of your observations. Please continue to do so, if time allows. As some have mentioned (above), there should be many different choices of complimentary (included) wine onboard. Sometimes it just takes a bit of investigation to discover them. 😉 The wine stewards are generally very helpful in finding several selections of different varieties that most people will like throughout the cruise. It just takes a bit of discussion with the stewards or sommeliers. Best regards.