Why It Pays To be Able To Pay

Whenever I think about how much more this is costing than a mass-market cruise, I remember the crowd you run into on those ships. This excerpt from a thread on "Ask A Cruise Question" that wants to know the strangest thing you have seen on a cruise was obviously posted by someone who is an officer on a big ship (he refers to taking passengers to his office). He goes through a long recitation of the horrors he runs into and finishes this way:

I blame the cruise lines for making cruising so affordable that the homeless, the deranged, and the criminally insane can now afford to cruise with the rest of us.

I will pay whatever it costs to stay away from the nickle and dime large cruise ships..

You get what you pay for....

We have just started cruising and took our very first cruise on the PG and thought it was wonderful and then we took a 3 day cruise on the RC Monarch of the Seas...it was a totally different world. I turned to my husband and told him that I was very grateful that our 1st cruise was on the PG since if the MOnarch of the Seas was our 1st I would not be cruising again!

Whenever I think about how much more this is costing than a mass-market cruise, I remember the crowd you run into on those ships. This excerpt from a thread on "Ask A Cruise Question" that wants to know the strangest thing you have seen on a cruise was obviously posted by someone who is an officer on a big ship (he refers to taking passengers to his office). He goes through a long recitation of the horrors he runs into and finishes this way:

 

I blame the cruise lines for making cruising so affordable that the homeless, the deranged, and the criminally insane can now afford to cruise with the rest of us.

 

I am absolutelely disgusted. We plan on cruising on Regent Seven Seas in 2009 but I would never presume to think that because I can afford it I am somehow superior to those who cannot. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

I think you missed the point here; it's not that Regent guests think they are superior, we are just not the sandals and dress sock with polyester shorts wearing kind of crowd who would stand in line for an hour for a scoop of ice cream and take part in "harry chest" contests by the pool.

Just a bit classier, more traveled and perhaps better educated and mannered, not superior.

You will love your Regent cruise, the other guests and staff.

Lighten up Mochuck. I'm sure hvsteve1 did not mean that at all. I certainly did not interpret his post as saying that he thinks he is feeling superior. He's just sharing what a captain wrote and it does have a ring of truth to it. Nothing wrong with that......it's a fact of life......just like people live in certain areas so that they can be with their socio-economic counterparts. May not seem fair or right and people like to think that all are equal but in the real world that simply is not so.

Pat

I agree that the post wasn't meant to sound superior. And I don't think as a whole that Regent cruisers do (there's always one or two on any cruise, with their noses in the air, but that's another problem.)

I think most of us just feel lucky that we can afford to pay for superior service and small ships, and for the luxury of not being in a crowd.

I've never experienced a mass market line, and can't comment on what the crew member said, nor on perceptions such as "being treated like cattle". But I do not like crowds, nor theme-park-like environments. Some day I'll probably try a line like HAL or Celebrity, in fact I'll probably be forced to as R raises its prices.

As always, Wendy, you talk sense.

I am even more sorry I missed you when we were both due in FL last December and my Voyager cruise was cancelled.

Gee, thanks Orpington, you've made me blush.

Perhaps we'll be on a cruise together some day, that would be nice.

Where in Kent do you live, if you don't mind me asking? We were in Kent last year when we disembarked Voyager. Spent the day in Canterbury, and then saw the countryside from the inside of a limo. It looked very pretty, and we very much enjoyed Canterbury despite the tourism. I had been there years ago, hitchhiking, and the cathedral was just as awe-inspiring, it seemed to me that the Becket shrine had changed in the interim, or perhaps my memory was playing tricks on me.

I have no idea what Hsteve1 mean or didn't mean. Don't know the person.

But my question is, what's the purpose of the post? Why be offensive?

We have just started cruising and took our very first cruise on the PG and thought it was wonderful and then we took a 3 day cruise on the RC Monarch of the Seas...it was a totally different world. I turned to my husband and told him that I was very grateful that our 1st cruise was on the PG since if the MOnarch of the Seas was our 1st I would not be cruising again!

We're like you; we did our very first cruise last year on Regent, because I did my homework and got what was important to us: the right itinerary, a smaller ship, and all-inclusive fare (in order of importance). People we met and conversed with on board were astonished that our very FIRST cruise was with Regent; there seemed to be a feeling of "you pay your dues" on the mass market lines, then move up to luxury lines. I'm glad we got what we wanted the first time out. :)

Neimann Marcus vs WalMart--which do you prefer?

Gee, thanks Orpington, you've made me blush.

 

Perhaps we'll be on a cruise together some day, that would be nice.

 

Where in Kent do you live, if you don't mind me asking? We were in Kent last year when we disembarked Voyager. Spent the day in Canterbury, and then saw the countryside from the inside of a limo. It looked very pretty, and we very much enjoyed Canterbury despite the tourism. I had been there years ago, hitchhiking, and the cathedral was just as awe-inspiring, it seemed to me that the Becket shrine had changed in the interim, or perhaps my memory was playing tricks on me.

I live in a place called Orpington (surprise, surprise!) It is about 16 miles from central London and on the edge of the Kent countryside. Born in Cheshire and moved with my job to Gloucester before becoming a Whitehall warrier commuting into the capital. 81 years old on Christmas Day (but NOT born in a stable!) and have had our cruising days put on hold since my wife suffered a brain haemorrage in the summer, forcing the cancellation of our Osaka to Hong Kong cruise on Mariner.

There may be many reasons to avoid mass market cruising but "crowds" shouldn't be one of them. I've taken several cruises on Celebrity's large "M" class ships and, other than dining or disembarking, rarely saw more than a handful of people gathered anywhere (often I saw no one in some of the large public rooms). I actually cross paths with more people on the smaller ships.

I live in a place called Orpington (surprise, surprise!) It is about 16 miles from central London and on the edge of the Kent countryside. Born in Cheshire and moved with my job to Gloucester before becoming a Whitehall warrier commuting into the capital. 81 years old on Christmas Day (but NOT born in a stable!) and have had our cruising days put on hold since my wife suffered a brain haemorrage in the summer, forcing the cancellation of our Osaka to Hong Kong cruise on Mariner.

Right, I do remember that you had to cancel. I'm so sorry about your wife.

To me it's all a question of preferences. If one group of people likes serious lectures and reading good books as a favourite holiday pastime, and another likes crazy games and glitzy surroundings to enjoy themselves, why can't both be happy? But clearly not on the same ship !

I don't see anything wrong in paying more for excellent food and having an "all-inclusive" policy, plus a real opportunity to learn something each day. If I were the other kind of person I would be bored stiff on a Regent or Silversea ship and feel I was not getting value for money. Takes all sorts...and takes all sorts of cruise lines. I am really glad we found Regent and I hope the sale only makes it better - ot that it stays just the same!!:)

Neimann Marcus vs WalMart--which do you prefer?

Personally I prefer Walmart over Needless Markup :D

But when I cruise, I prefer Regent and some of the other high end, all inclusive lines over ALL of the mass market lines. I dislike the long lines, some of the rowdy activities and misbehavior, not to mention getting on & off the ship, etc. I do not feel I am superior to any of the folks on those lines, but I am grateful that I can afford to cruise in the manor I prefer. Having said all of that, if I could not afford to cruise on the high end lines, I would still cruise on whatever line I could afford..... .....and love it!

I buy laundry detergent at Wal-Mart, but I would never buy a lot of things there--such as clothing. There are things, such as clothing and cruises, where paying more really does get you a better quality product and better service. So I choose the more expensive product since I can afford it and the difference in quality is worth it to me.

RachelG - Not to turn this thread into a referendum on Wal*Mart; but why on earth if you can afford to buy clothing and cruises at better places would you set foot into that store in order to save $0.59 on laundry detergent??

We love Regent and Hapag-Lloyd and look forward to our booked cruises this year on Silversea and Seabourn to compare the small luxury lines. We agree emphatically with the previous posters who have noted that it is not a question of feeling superior to passengers on the mass market lines, but rather to preferring a different sort of cruise experience. My former secretary and her husband love Carnivore and all the highjinks aboard (e.g. wet T-shirt contests, drinks poured into passengers' mouths from five feet above, etc.). They would be bored stiff on the small luxury ships and not in the remotest sense get their money's worth. On the other hand, my partner and I love the good dining, great service, good booze, and other delights of the small ships and would not likely be well-suited for the gigantic ones.

We are fortunate that both sorts of ships (and a lot of ships in between) exist, so that we can all find the cruising experience that suits us.

Cheers, Fred (who will not in any event whatever set foot inside a Wal*Mart, but is a total addict of Costco)

Freddie, you made me laugh! I don't buy laundry detergent at Wal-Mart to save money, but rather because Wal-Mart is just down the road--convenience factor.

But my point was that some things are the same no matter where you purchase them (laundry detergent) so it really doesn't matter, while other things (such as cruises) have a significant difference in quality from place to place which is somewhat (though not completely) related to price.

Agreed that we all take these high end cruises for different luxuries. However that is not to say that the "other" cruise lines are anything less. I have five children and when its time to cruise with them the Regent will be the farthest thing on my mind. Carnival or the mega liners of RCCL will be the place. Why, because they are family friendly. And yes its all about the glitz, the shows, and then ammentities (rock climbing, wave pool, etc) and at the same time my wife and I can get away to the spa to relax...oh and did I mention the kid's clubs??

I guess my point is that there needs to be a mass market for everyone. And if that means lowering the rates to appeal to the masses then fine, but don't expect a luxury cruise feel. We spent the money to come to Regent for the service, the itinerary and that small ship intimate feel. But when I am with the kids I want the awesome shows (carnival) and the different activities (rccl) that these "other" lines offer...without having to mortgage the home! I am sure everyone would agree that we pay the higher fares to appeal to the masses that don't want the children and carnival type atmosphere. But there is a time and place for everything...

I didn't know that where I shop, or why I shop there, was a basis for determining which cruise lines I can choose or will be permitted to choose.

I eat at Max's Hot Dogs regularly (Springsteen fans know the place), but also just returned from a stay at the new Raffles hotel in Dubai. I shop at Costco and Tiffany's. I muck out horse stalls and cruise on superyachts.

Am I conflicted or just going to places that I just don't belong...and who is empowered to make that decision???

Money does not create class. Not denigrating someone is class.

"I blame the cruise lines for making cruising so affordable that the homeless, the deranged, and the criminally insane can now afford to cruise with the rest of us."

Unfortunately, two out of the three aren't dictated by how much money you have and how much you chose to spend on a vacation. I'll cruise with the homeless anyday over some of the rich, higher educated, what was it, better mannered? deranged and criminally insane snob.

I have worked all my life to be able to afford the better things in life. My choice to be able to cruise and pay whatever on a ship that understands what I am looking for...

I have worked all my life to be able to afford the better things in life. My choice to be able to cruise and pay whatever on a ship that understands what I am looking for...

And, of course, so too is it someone else's choice independent of yours...which is, of course, the point. We know many people from many backgrounds truly enjoy Regent...as they should be able to.