Explorer Bookings

[forevertravel]

We considered the maiden voyage but the prices are way too high and Med in July is no fun. On top of that they want a 25% deposit. Really? I don't want Regent holding that amount of my money for a year. Travelcat, you're right on your comments. We are considering booking the September 14 cruise. I still think the prices are high for a 10 day cruise. Maybe I should wait until they have itinerary for TA cruise or wait for Caribbean.

[ridolphi]

We are on the Sept 14 segment. The prices are a little higher than I would like, but we decided on an F2, I too like that the bed faces the water. Could have been fine in a G, especially if its on the aft, but am happy with our choice. I think its going to be a great ship and looking forward to sailing on her.:D

[petlover]

We're going for broke (literally :eek:) and have booked the Maiden Voyage (732) and the B2B September 4-14th /14-24th (739).

Our requests had to be into our TA Friday and we found out our cabin assignments early Monday morning. My DH made the final call (whew...not me) , I'm very excited, can only imagine my excitement building during the next 18 months.:) We have good friends on both cruises which makes it all the more special. We were very fortunate and got our first choice cabin category for both cruises.

Edited January 21, 2015 by petlover

[RachelG]

JoAnn and Marcie, so excited I will finally get to meet you both. We are on the Sept 14th cruise.

[forgap]

We booked October 20th, Athens to Istanbul. I have not been to this part of the world in 40+ years! Since we had a future cruise certificate, the deposit didn't make us gasp! We are looking forward to some time post cruise in Istanbul.

[gnomie1]

Before making any reservations, we are waiting for the itineraries for the other three ships - any one know when they will be released?

 

gnomie :)

[charltonkerry]

Forgap, we have booked the same cruise as you today, October 12th i will be 64 on the cruise, also like you i have never to any of the ports apart from Athens and Istanbul, so really looking forward to it.

[forgap]

CharltonKerry - Oh, goody! We can start and early, early roll call! Yes, it is the 12th, not the 20th...my fingers got the best of me on the iPad! As a young thing (we're about the same age) I took a low budget cruise around the Greek islands when my pals and I discovered that the ferry costs amounted to more than the budget cruise fare. We went to a number of islands and got off in Mykanos (a day early) for a week there and on Ios. Our room for 3 had no windows (it was below sea level) and one took a shower by sitting on the toilet and pulling a chain....drain was in the floor! I remember we hired a taxi in Istanbul for $3 each for all day. Attila (our cab driver) ferried us to all the sights and served as body guard in the bazaar. Perhaps this experience colors my rosey view of Regent! It's all icing!

[ridolphi]

gnomie1 - maybe Feb sometime is what I think I remember hearing.

 

Marcie - was just going to email you and see if you had booked the Maiden voyage......good for you. We will see you before then, April on Azamara and Sept on the Navigator.

 

RachelG - so glad to finally get to meet you as well.

[petlover]

gnomie1 - maybe Feb sometime is what I think I remember hearing.

 

Marcie - was just going to email you and see if you had booked the Maiden voyage......good for you. We will see you before then, April on Azamara and Sept on the Navigator.

 

RachelG - so glad to finally get to meet you as well.

 

Lots of fun times ahead for sure. Looking forward to finally meeting you Rachel. Aren't you and George on Silver Explorer to Antarctica in January 2016?

[charltonkerry]

CharltonKerry - Oh, goody! We can start and early, early roll call! Yes, it is the 12th, not the 20th...my fingers got the best of me on the iPad! As a young thing (we're about the same age) I took a low budget cruise around the Greek islands when my pals and I discovered that the ferry costs amounted to more than the budget cruise fare. We went to a number of islands and got off in Mykanos (a day early) for a week there and on Ios. Our room for 3 had no windows (it was below sea level) and one took a shower by sitting on the toilet and pulling a chain....drain was in the floor! I remember we hired a taxi in Istanbul for $3 each for all day. Attila (our cab driver) ferried us to all the sights and served as body guard in the bazaar. Perhaps this experience colors my rosey view of Regent! It's all icing!

 

Well let's hope the showers a bit better than that, have sailed into Istanbul once, but that was with PandO and was escorted in by an over excited heavily armed coast guard cutter, he certainly livened up the journey as he threatened anything within a mile of us. The blue mosque is worth a visit in Istanbul as is the markets, but be aware if you go in a shop they lock the doors. Agree about the early roll call. Us youngster will rock the boat when we finally get on board, funny just got an email from regent saving they have just undertaken the keel laying ceremony, which when you think about it, is quiet important:)

 

Will be quiet a year for us that year as my son is getting married late June that year, he decided to do the dirty deed in a castle, so I think I'm going to be broke for this trip.

[forgap]

Well let's hope the showers a bit better than that, have sailed into Istanbul once, but that was with PandO and was escorted in by an over excited heavily armed coast guard cutter, he certainly livened up the journey as he threatened anything within a mile of us. The blue mosque is worth a visit in Istanbul as is the markets, but be aware if you go in a shop they lock the doors. Agree about the early roll call. Us youngster will rock the boat when we finally get on board, funny just got an email from regent saving they have just undertaken the keel laying ceremony, which when you think about it, is quiet important:)

 

Will be quiet a year for us that year as my son is getting married late June that year, he decided to do the dirty deed in a castle, so I think I'm going to be broke for this trip.

 

We're going for broke...Machu Picchu in May, Antarctica in January of 2016, and the Explorer cruise in October, 2016. Plus have to visit family in France and California! No inheritance for our kin!

[lisemare]

Hello everyone,

 

After seeing all options on MV waitlisted we were saddened, as hubby's birthday is the first day of sail . Today our TA happily advised us that we are secured to F1 level, our preference was D, but will wait on that. Really excited about the new ports of call on this MV.

 

Lisa

[RachelG]

Marcie, we had to cancel the antarctica trip. Too many days away from the office. Can't really be gone more than about 17 days total.

[charltonkerry]

Forgap, you certainly got a busy period coming up, what your doing is known as skiing in the UK (spending kids inheritance :D). Look forward to you starting the roll call.

 

Just seen where you live, it's coincidentual as we met and regularly corresponds a couple on our last Regent cruise who lives on the coast near to Atlanta, small world. In a few months think April 20th we are on mariner for a 10 night cruise from Barcelona to Venice which should be good.

[Ifitfits]

23/1/15 08:53 (UK time) - the Regent Suite is showing as Available again. If you are desperate it will cost you £42,799 pp.

[petlover]

Marcie, we had to cancel the antarctica trip. Too many days away from the office. Can't really be gone more than about 17 days total.

 

:(:(:( sorry to hear this Rachel. We were scheduled to go about 5 years ago but had to cancel when Tom had back trouble. This time all indications are a GO (fingers and toes crossed).

[Mr Rumor]

A little Regent message board history was made earlier today when Anchorbuoy started the first Explorer Roll Call, for the Maiden Voyage.

 

When I began this thread last Sunday after checking the Regent site and seeing the MV all but sold out even before Titanium booking began, I was resigned to settling for an August or September cruise instead. I was mulling a couple of Plan B possibilities when I received an e-mail Monday afternoon from my agent informing me that DW and I were booked and confirmed on a D for Monte Carlo-Venice and did I want cruise only, or with air? I probably stared at the monitor for thirty seconds before I could get my fingers to type a reply.

 

My takeaway from this booking experience is that you're in good hands if you work, like we do, with one of Regent's top-producing travel agencies (ideally one that offers a rebate!). I sent an e-mail to my TA over the summer asking to be put on the Explorer wait list, and then a brief follow-up e-mail last week. My agent took it from there.

 

So we look forward to joining Anchorbuoy, witt's end, petlover, and lisemarie on the Seven Seas Explorer Maiden Voyage, as well as all other MV-bound CCers. See you on the Roll Call!

 

Rich

[petlover]

That's great news Rich.

 

On a not so high note...I just called RSSC to inquire on the cost to upgrade to Business Class. The price is $2,598. PER PERSON. Yikes that seems high. We haven't used Regent Air program for a very long time but I don't remember it ever being so much. Anyone know what the cost for a Biz Class upgrade is for Mediterranean cruises in 2015?

Edited January 24, 2015 by petlover

[ridolphi]

Marcie - don't know about 2015 for sure, although have seen everything from $499 to $1299 to the current free biz class promo in all categories, but I asked about the upgrade for the Sept cruise and was told $1299 per person each way, which comes out to the amount you were quoted. Last time we used Regent air and upgraded to biz class, it was $999 per person each way. Don't know yet what we will do........doubt any of the promo biz class airfares will apply to Explorer, but one can hope!

[cAPS lOCK oN]

Business class upgrades for 2015 Mediterranean cruises all seem to have started out at $2600 (rounded) pp for the round trip. Regent then had been lowering it for cruises that aren't selling as briskly as they'd like. So while most of the cruises are still at $2600, some have gone down to $1600 round trip, and some are now just $1000.

 

It seems to be Regent's favorite "lever" to drive demand.

[TedC]

Copenhagen RT in July on Voyager is wide open and BC upgrade is $499 pp each way.

Edited January 24, 2015 by TedC

[rallydave]

Don't forget, they recently announced included Business Class fares for every booking category for about 10 different 2015 cruises mainly to the Baltic.

 

And, TedC, for all of the July Voyager cruises, the Business Upgrade for all categories is $0 and not $499. Seems they added the note at the top of the page "This voyage features FREE Business Class Air* in all suite categories." but, where the various fares are listed, the little airplane was not added to the below Penthouse categories.

 

Very confusing but, these are some of the cruises announced with $0 Business Class Upgrades and not the $499 TedC mentioned.

[Travelcat2]

The website is still being fine-tuned. in terms of Explorer itineraries. It is always best to go over details of your cruise with your TA. Should Regent make any additional changes, your TA will notify you

[rallydave]

Never Mind

Edited January 24, 2015 by rallydave