Ship Full: Deals to change sailing

A week to go before our sailing on the Explorer had an interesting communication from Regent via our TA. We were offered a deal to swap 01/05 Rome to Monaco trip for an autumn one with upgrade to PH plus longer itinerary. However declined as too many other things to move, plus also as now semi retired first time we have been able to get away in May in 40 years and need the break after a long hard winter (by UK standards). Have others had good last minute offers s to be bumped? In future might be tempted if not a bucket list trip of a lifetime, maybe the joy of flexibility in retirement.

We just got a similar offer on a different itinerary (a bucket list one so we are declining). This will be our first cruise on Regent and this is the first time that we have ever received a "move over offer" so I am wondering if this is a common occurrence on Regent?

This has happened to us twice. Both times we took the deal. We have only been on one Regent cruise. 10 nights in the Caribbean paying half price for a 7 night cruise.

This can certainly happen depending on the sailing.

We were on the Mariner late last fall (the Amazon sailing), and about a couple of weeks out, we received an offer to move our booking to the Mariner's January 2018 sailing from Miami to Lima (I think). There were various upgrade options which Regent offered, but we were really looking forward to the Amazon so we declined.

This was our first Regent cruise.

A couple of years ago we received move over offers on our RT from Cape Town. Basically we could get a cruise twice the length for the same price. We had to decline because as working stiffs we couldn’t get enough leave to cover the longer trip. And we really wanted to see South Africa. But boy o boy, we really consider doing unpaid vacation and changing the part of the world we would see.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Update today ,another offer this time summer Mediterranean cruises on the Voyager. We are keen to sail the Explorer having sailed the other 3 ships, plus the itinerary and time of year away from crowds and summer heat appealed to us. So have declined again. When they offer the master suite, will maybe consider !! Maybe if had other flexibility in life could consider more easily on 5 days notice .I wonder if will get another offer ,as obviously this cruise is seriously overbooked. How in these computer based databases times can this happen, especially as this cruise had various reductions in price and incentives such as free laundry thrown in as recently as 2 months ago.

We have also taken advantage of a cruise switch (from Asia to Norway) and are thrilled that we did it. You do need flexibility and the itinerary has to be one that you are interested in.

In 27 cruises on Radisson/Regent I have never received a "bump" offer; maybe someday. I have known people that purposely book flights notorious for overbooking just to get bumped.

Marc

A couple of years back we received an offer to move from a Xmas cruise to one in February that was longer and we were given a cash offer as well. A few days later they bumped up the cash offer and we decided if it went up one more time, we would take it. It didn't get bumped up again, but since I was working crazy hours at that time, we really needed to take Xmas week off and enjoyed our original cruise.

We have also taken advantage of a cruise switch (from Asia to Norway) and are thrilled that we did it. You do need flexibility and the itinerary has to be one that you are interested in.

TC - We believe you took an upsell on your recent Amazon cruise just prior to sailing. We are booked in a GS on a cruise in just a few weeks. We see there is space still available in a MS on the same cruise. Do you think Regent might possibly make an upsell offer (and we mean paid upsell and not free upgrade) to us rather than see the MS go empty? Makes sense for them to offer, but don't know how sensible they are. Thanks!

The epitome of poorly timed bump offers came when my wife and I were booked on the Explorer for a 12 night Baltic cruise. Although it was a wonderful offer that we could select from various other ships at other times - even upgraded accommodations and longer itineraries. The only problem was: We received the offer in Stockholm a day before we were embarking... My TA said she was amused by the offer(s) but stated she had to forward it none-the-less...

We were offered to bump from Voyager several years ago on the Ireland / Scotland cruise. THey don’t sail that itinerary. Rey often so wasn’t surprised. We ended up with a bigger cabin and a longer cruise (from 12 to 16 days) to China/Korea/Japan - places on our list. We took it and now are doing the Ireland Scotland cruise two years later and on the Explorer. We feel we made out all around!

We have received various offers, some very generous many times. Only once have we been able to take advantage. We and our sons had 2 cabins booked on a New Year cruise. A couple of months before, we started getting offers, which I kept declining as it was our First family vacation after our oldest son got out of the Marine Corps. Finally the night before we were to fly out to Miami, they gave me an offer to cancel the cruise with full refund for all cabins plus a very large sum of money on another cruise, enough that my husband and I were able to go on one of the first Explorer voyages. Since the refund was cash, I took it, scurried around to find a hotel in Puerto Rico, which is where our airline tickets were to, and we had a land vacation for approximately the same cost as the cruise, plus a free trip.

Our overbooked experience was a 2014 Voyager Sydney and numerous stops northward, to Darwin, then Indonesia (Komodo Island and such); then on to Singapore (then three-day add-on land excursion to Kuala Lumpur).

This was a cash only offer. Inquiries began about three-weeks out. Now, my memory is not 100% on this--and all documents have long-since been purged. But, here was the basic "pitch" forwarded via our TA:

First was total refund; and $8,000 cash rebate.

That did not work.

Then, three days later--up to $12,000

No.

Then up and up, to four days before our scheduled departure from Seattle to get to Sydney a few days early--$24,000.

Still no, for several reasons, but mainly that we had arranged this cruise to sail with my brother and his wife; and another couple we have known for over 50 years. All three couples used the same TA; all three got the same series of offers. None were accepted.

This became quite the conversation point--but just between us, as it was not discussed with anyone else on the ship. What would have been the "tipping point"? Oh, maybe $50,000?

GOARMY!

No

Wow - we would have taken the $24K in a minute!

I have had similar offers to what GOAMY posted above. If they have screwed up and oversold the ship Regent will keep pushing up the bump price until they get a taker.

Several years ago we accepted a bump from the last segment of a "Grand Voyage." We accepted it less than 36 hours before the next cruise segment was to start. I guess they were extremely desperate as the turn-around was in SE Asia and all of the new passenger were there or on route. They offered and offered over several days. Finally it was for a for lot, even more than the cost of that next segment. We accepted and debarked the next day. Was very lucky too, found a same day fight home using FF miles F/C on JAL (Nice Airline). Two minutes after we accepted someone else on the ship tried also take the deal. Worked out well, because that next segment ran into bad weather and had to cancel the best ports.

J

Travel Cat et al:

As to threshold as to how much it will, or would, have taken to get us off that Voyager 2014 cruise--

We would only have "taken the bait" of a cash-out if my brother and his wife, and the other couple, had agreed. Like, I have only one sibling. Brother and wife live only 5 miles from us-- And, our dear friends also live within almost-shouting distance.

And, they will be with us when we celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary aboard Splendor--March 2020 sailing from LA to Miami.

So, the math did not matter that much. Besides--my wife and I wanted to scuba and snorkel off The Great Barrier Reef; and visit a military museum at Darwin, Australia, based on service of one of my uncles during WWII--when still physically-able to do so.

Mission accomplished.

Life is too short, and did not want to risk possibilities of not being able to replicate a similar, future voyage in lieu of the present. BTW: that particular Voyager cruise was completely booked.

Have always wondered--what was the reason for this rather-unusual situation? It has never been repeated. Best guess is that Regent wanted to board VIPs, very-VIPs, regardless of cost. Well, maybe Regent was successful. Will never know, or care to know.

Another 1st World Situation.

GOARMY!

GOARMY - I completely understand your reasoning. We prefer to sail alone and since we are retired can change our itinerary at the drop of a hat (as long as our petsitter is available).

I cannot imagine a better place to celebrate a 50th anniversary than on the Splendor! That will be a wonderful cruise!

And, Travelcat: as things currently stand, you will be with us on that Splendor cruise.

Just an aside: It turns out to have been a good decision to get the Great Barrier Reef snorkel-scuba experience completed. Because, neither my spouse or I would care to repeat the experience. Well, maybe snorkel. Maybe.

Best to all.

GOAMRY!

No further offers today. Must have got their volunteers to jump ship and change cruise . Some interesting tales have come out of this. Our TA said this was a new experience for her in 35 years in the trade. Usually offers come 2/3 weeks prior to sailing not in the last few days !!

And, Travelcat: as things currently stand, you will be with us on that Splendor cruise.

 

Just an aside: It turns out to have been a good decision to get the Great Barrier Reef snorkel-scuba experience completed. Because, neither my spouse or I would care to repeat the experience. Well, maybe snorkel. Maybe.

 

Best to all.

 

GOAMRY!

Looking forward to that cruise and hope that we are all onboard in 2020.

Looking forward to that cruise and hope that we are all onboard in 2020.

Amen to that!

GOARMY - I cannot imagine a better place to celebrate a 50th anniversary than on the Splendor! That will be a wonderful cruise!

TC - We have been blessed to enjoy that milestone now, and have a cruise coming up next month to celebrate the fact. If you get a chance, please reference our post #10 on this thread and let us know what you think. Many thanks!

TC - We believe you took an upsell on your recent Amazon cruise just prior to sailing. We are booked in a GS on a cruise in just a few weeks. We see there is space still available in a MS on the same cruise. Do you think Regent might possibly make an upsell offer (and we mean paid upsell and not free upgrade) to us rather than see the MS go empty? Makes sense for them to offer, but don't know how sensible they are. Thanks!

Sorry that I missed your post. Yes - we did take an upsell on our Amazon cruise and loved the Grand Suite. Rather than wait for an upsell offer, I'd ask my TA to call Regent and see if they are open to an upsell to the Master Suite. It is definitely worth asking. Otherwise, the offer may not come until a couple of weeks before the cruise.

Hope that you are able to get the upsell. While we have had two upsells to Master Suites on Voyager, we have yet to be in a Master Suite on Mariner. Good luck!

I was wrong, this is not sorted yet. Had another offer this morning a full refund of the cruise, not sure if this includes the post cruise add on in Monaco PLUS £4000 cash. As we are flying out on Monday, still declined. How much higher will they go?