Sunprince Posted October 9, 2013 #1 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I have this question out to my TA who is contacting Regent, but in the meantime I just thought I would ask here in case anyone has any experience with this. I am having second thoughts on my already booked and fully paid for cruise. Booked on holiday Navigator sailing and thinking about switching to the holiday Buenos Aires/Rio sailing (same approx time/this year, although Rio is a few days longer). The South American sailing seems to be selling slower, while the Navigator is fully wait listed. Does anyone know if changing itineraries after final payment is possible? I am sure there are some fees, rules, complications with arranging airfare etc? It might be to Regent's advantage...for example: Regent could fill my Navigator cabin with a waitlist person (probably higher fare than what I paid) and I could in turn fill a vacant cabin on a sailing that is not yet full. Appreciate your thoughts on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RachelG Posted October 9, 2013 #2 Share Posted October 9, 2013 I tried this last year and was told a big NO. Apparently they are only good wih changes if they offer them to you and not the other way around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nana541 Posted October 10, 2013 #3 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Boy that's a tuffy but it does not cost a dime to ask!! Especially if you have a sought after cabin on the paid in full cruise.... Ask you have nothing to lose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted October 10, 2013 #4 Share Posted October 10, 2013 Unfortunately, I agree with RachelG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted October 10, 2013 #5 Share Posted October 10, 2013 No harm trying, or at least making sure your TA knows that you would entertain an offer to be bumped to the other cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nana541 Posted October 10, 2013 #6 Share Posted October 10, 2013 No harm trying, or at least making sure your TA knows that you would entertain an offer to be bumped to the other cruise. Ditto! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B. Posted October 10, 2013 #7 Share Posted October 10, 2013 We were able to do this on a Panama Canal cruise - changed from Mariner FLL to Lima to Voyager FLL to San Francisco - approximately the same dates. You never know, but sure doesn't hurt to ask! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxare Posted October 13, 2013 #8 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I certainly don't have nearly the experience that Travelcat2 or Wendy have. We are on the same cruise and were offered an alternative cruise in March with three additional cruise nights at the same cost. The offer was sent by a Stacy Cabrera in the Revenue Management office and the phone number referenced was 1-800-477-7500, x7363. Hope this may be of some help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted October 13, 2013 #9 Share Posted October 13, 2013 I certainly don't have nearly the experience that Travelcat2 or Wendy have. We are on the same cruise and were offered an alternative cruise in March with three additional cruise nights at the same cost. The offer was sent by a Stacy Cabrera in the Revenue Management office and the phone number referenced was 1-800-477-7500, x7363. Hope this may be of some help. Thanks for sharing that information:). We have taken advantage of offers to switch to a alternative cruise. I'm just not sure you can request to change to a specific cruise. Generally Regent moves passengers from overbooked cruises to cruises that are not selling well. AnnaB's post is the first time I have heard of doing that. Hopefully the OP will post and let everyone know if he was successful in making the change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWED23 Posted October 13, 2013 #10 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Thanks for sharing that information:). We have taken advantage of offers to switch to a alternative cruise. I'm just not sure you can request to change to a specific cruise. Generally Regent moves passengers from overbooked cruises to cruises that are not selling well. AnnaB's post is the first time I have heard of doing that. Hopefully the OP will post and let everyone know if he was successful in making the change. :)We had an illness come up on our Sydney-Hong Kong cruise this past Jan.-March. Treating the illness took us "Out of action" from March 3 until the present time. We will be 100% by Thanksgiving and have 99 days booked on 4 different cruises for 2014 beginning January 25, 2014. Thanks to our Seattle based Cruise agency and the very cooperative people at Regent we did not lose one cent of prepaid in full cruise monies (2) or in deposits (1) or future cruise credits($23,000.00). We had full choice of which cruises to take in 2014...How good can it get!...I defy anyone to tell me anything more that Regent could have done for us. Kudos to those in Miami that have justified our allegiance to Regent. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted October 13, 2013 #11 Share Posted October 13, 2013 :)We had an illness come up on our Sydney-Hong Kong cruise this past Jan.-March. Treating the illness took us "Out of action" from March 3 until the present time. We will be 100% by Thanksgiving and have 99 days booked on 4 different cruises for 2014 beginning January 25, 2014. Thanks to our Seattle based Cruise agency and the very cooperative people at Regent we did not lose one cent of prepaid in full cruise monies (2) or in deposits (1) or future cruise credits($23,000.00). We had full choice of which cruises to take in 2014...How good can it get!...I defy anyone to tell me anything more that Regent could have done for us. Kudos to those in Miami that have justified our allegiance to Regent. :D Good to hear that you able to cruise next year. It is also great that you were able to change cruises. Agree that Regent is amazing - in many ways:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWED23 Posted October 15, 2013 #12 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Agree that Regent is amazing - in many ways:) For me it reads, In all ways"..."Oceania is PDG also IMHO...:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong1 Posted October 15, 2013 #13 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Originally Posted by AWED23 - "We..... have 99 days booked on 4 different cruises for 2014 beginning January 25, 2014....." Being the "kind of customer you are", with that amount of business, revenue, and loyalty coming their way from you alone - Regent would be absolutely stupid, as a corporate entity, NOT to be very flexible and accommodating in meeting your requirements. There is "no downside" for them in being flexible in your particular case. In fact, your post alone just gave them thousands of dollars worth of favorable publicity and endorsement, without costing them a cent! I'm sure they had no problem filling all the potentially "vacant" staterooms that your past unfortunate medical issue created. They kept all the revenue that your bookings had produced, and will undoubtedly keep you as a loyal and frequent customer in the future. Best regards and "happy sailing". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunprince Posted October 15, 2013 Author #14 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Thank you all for your kind responses. I wanted to provide an update to you all that I received from my TA, who contacted Regent for an answer to my original question. As expected, Regent is offering no flexibility. If I wanted to switch sailings, I would incur a 50% penalty (as per the regular pre-cruise penalty schedule) and I would then need to re-book the other itinerary separately. This is despite my Navigator sailing being sold out and the Mariner sailing selling slowly. I do have a more desirable (Pent A) on the Navigator, but don't think that matters. I understand the need for rules/restrictions and I am not normally the type of person to make changes after making a commitment. Sometimes the rules can work to a company's advantage and other times not (as I think would be the case in my example). Anyway, not a big deal for me...I'll just go and enjoy the Navigator as planned! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare RachelG Posted October 15, 2013 #15 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Sunprince, the answer you received was exactly the same as what I was told when I proposed a switch. Their loss, as they would have had another suite available to book on a cruise which is sold out plus filling a suite on one which is not selling so well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted October 15, 2013 #16 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Perhaps it's because you're in a large, named suite. Often they seem to want to bump people up or out so they can fill the lower cabins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted October 15, 2013 #17 Share Posted October 15, 2013 As I posted earlier, this is their policy. If Regent needs/would like you to change cruises, it isn't the same as if you want to. It is understandable as they would have people switching all over the place if they had the option (IMO). Also, IMO, if Regent has made an exception or two over the years, posting information on CruiseCritic can cause more harm that good. If they make an exception for one person, everyone will expect it. This could be why Regent can be so strict about their rules. Do not mean to offend anyone...... just suggesting that you may want to be grateful for anything special that is done for you and not share it with those who may not be able to get the same thing.:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nana541 Posted October 15, 2013 #18 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Thank you all for your kind responses. I wanted to provide an update to you all that I received from my TA, who contacted Regent for an answer to my original question. As expected, Regent is offering no flexibility. If I wanted to switch sailings, I would incur a 50% penalty (as per the regular pre-cruise penalty schedule) and I would then need to re-book the other itinerary separately. This is despite my Navigator sailing being sold out and the Mariner sailing selling slowly. I do have a more desirable (Pent A) on the Navigator, but don't think that matters. I understand the need for rules/restrictions and I am not normally the type of person to make changes after making a commitment. Sometimes the rules can work to a company's advantage and other times not (as I think would be the case in my example). Anyway, not a big deal for me...I'll just go and enjoy the Navigator as planned! I read Regents response and then thought about it some more. On reflection I am thinking that the Regent response is a "Canned" by the book answer from a front line CSA who has no real decision making ability. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have a suspicion you are asking the wrong people. An offer to switch cruises coming from Regent come from a "special" revenue dept and it is to those folks that this offer you are making needs to be sent to. Maybe they don't want your cabin, but the front line people need to pass you request onto the REAL decision makers. I'd pass your request/offer up the Food Chain. JMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted October 16, 2013 #19 Share Posted October 16, 2013 I'd pass your request/offer up the Food Chain. JMHO The best person to do this is a good TA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted October 16, 2013 #20 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Going up the food chain to change cruises just because you feel like it???? Sorry, but that doesn't work in my book. I would not even go to my TA regarding that request. Strongly disagree with the last two posts. Again, what if everyone could change their cruise for no particular reason during the penalty period? Give me a break! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nana541 Posted October 16, 2013 #21 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Going up the food chain to change cruises just because you feel like it???? Sorry, but that doesn't work in my book. I would not even go to my TA regarding that request. Strongly disagree with the last two posts. Again, what if everyone could change their cruise for no particular reason during the penalty period? Give me a break! TC I think you misunderstand my reasoning. If the OP makes a reasonable request, based on the fact that her cruise is (based on her understanding) a very full cruise and the OP is willing to move over if Regent might like to consider the offer, then why should the "Proper" dept at Regent not be made aware of this willingness to move. There is no loss on either side to make the proper people aware of the willingness to accept a different cruise. If the front line folks she spoke to simply stated the "party line" and did not check with the dept that figures all this stuff out then I think a disservice has been done to all sides! Remember the OP is perfectly willing and happy to stay with the currently booked cruise but also seems happy yo swap cruises.... I do not believe this opportunity hurts anyone IF it's in Regents best interest and IF the OP has a cabin they might be interested in. I think Regent can say no, I just want the OP to have the Proper Dept to know of her willingness to move over and not a "Script" stating the rules from a CSA who has not a clue! Common sense that is all this is about, and if it is in Regents best interest to consider the offer. JMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pingpong1 Posted October 16, 2013 #22 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Nana - I most heartily agree with you on this one. I'm not sure why some people on the thread seem to have this seemingly overriding and constant compulsion to only worry about what might be in "Regent's best interest" - to the detriment of individual customers who might need special help or consideration on occasion? It's a pretty "rigid" organization that can't make exceptions to "the rules", when it ultimately works out to be in everyone's best interest. I would think that in most cases Regent is the "big boy on the block", holds 99% of the cards on any particular transaction, and is quite able to take care of themselves when it comes to their "bottom line" in determining whether a particular customer's request is going to "break the bank" or not. Do these same people stay awake at night worrying about whether their local electric company is making "enough money" off of them each month when they receive their electric bill? Over the years, I have often been in a position where I had a problem and my first attempt to resolve it - at the "lowest level" - had me talking to the "monkey" instead of to the "organ grinder". In fact, my very first experience with Regent started out with a "problem" (not of my making), and my first/lowest level response from the first person in the food chain was "No, we can't do that". By me not "settling" for that initial answer and taking it directly to Mark Conroy (at the time), it turns out that the answer was really "Yes, we can (and will) do what is necessary" to make things "right" for you. And because of Mr. Conroy's direct, personal, and positive action on my behalf - that's why I'm still here, periodically backing veritable dump trucks full of money up to Regent's "loading dock". Regent's sales brochures positively overflow with promises of special, unique, and personalized service to their customers. What does it hurt to put those claims to the test every now and then? Regards to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunprince Posted October 16, 2013 Author #23 Share Posted October 16, 2013 Going up the food chain to change cruises just because you feel like it???? Sorry, but that doesn't work in my book. I would not even go to my TA regarding that request. Strongly disagree with the last two posts. Again, what if everyone could change their cruise for no particular reason during the penalty period? Give me a break! I agree as well. I do not feel strongly enough on this to escalate and would feel a little silly doing it. I tend to save escalations for serious issues/complaints. I am not the type of person who tries to get something for nothing and "fight the fight" to get what I want. I was hoping for flexibility from Regent but do understand the need to stick to the rules...otherwise it would be a nightmare for them to be making switches at a customers whim. My TA does do a significant volume of business with Regent and has a regular contact to deal with. Not sure if that is the "right dept" but he is well connected and I will trust that the question was asked to the right area Thanks again, I do appreciate the advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Responder Posted October 16, 2013 #24 Share Posted October 16, 2013 TC I think you misunderstand my reasoning. If the OP makes a reasonable request, based on the fact that her cruise is (based on her understanding) a very full cruise and the OP is willing to move over if Regent might like to consider the offer, then why should the "Proper" dept at Regent not be made aware of this willingness to move.There is no loss on either side to make the proper people aware of the willingness to accept a different cruise. If the front line folks she spoke to simply stated the "party line" and did not check with the dept that figures all this stuff out then I think a disservice has been done to all sides! Remember the OP is perfectly willing and happy to stay with the currently booked cruise but also seems happy yo swap cruises.... I do not believe this opportunity hurts anyone IF it's in Regents best interest and IF the OP has a cabin they might be interested in. I think Regent can say no, I just want the OP to have the Proper Dept to know of her willingness to move over and not a "Script" stating the rules from a CSA who has not a clue! Common sense that is all this is about, and if it is in Regents best interest to consider the offer. JMHO You are absolutely correct... This is how the world of mercantile and commerce works. Otherwise we can all be sheep and follow along. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelcat2 Posted October 16, 2013 #25 Share Posted October 16, 2013 I agree as well. I do not feel strongly enough on this to escalate and would feel a little silly doing it. I tend to save escalations for serious issues/complaints. I am not the type of person who tries to get something for nothing and "fight the fight" to get what I want. I was hoping for flexibility from Regent but do understand the need to stick to the rules...otherwise it would be a nightmare for them to be making switches at a customers whim. My TA does do a significant volume of business with Regent and has a regular contact to deal with. Not sure if that is the "right dept" but he is well connected and I will trust that the question was asked to the right area Thanks again, I do appreciate the advice I admire how respectfully you handled the situation and hope your cruise exceeds your expectations:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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