Regent Says, We're Not Sorry You Have Cancer and We're Keeping Your Money

[ronrick1943]

F I doubt if there are many (or any) posters that have not had someone close to them (or themselves) devastated by a cancer diagnosis. .

 

Your ending is really a little sarcastic and heartless. But your wrong. We had cancer and had to have a transplant which is why we had to cancel 2 cruises. We were in Owners Suites. We spend 2 years waiting for the transplant, and a year getting better. We took out travel insurance for those trips. We made the choice as any one could. I don't regret "O" keeping the money, the full amount for the cruises as we cancel 5 days before one and 30 days before the other cruise. The insurance paid. Now we've been given the OK to travel again and we're starting to make reservations to travel and cruise. In fact 3 cruises on Regent and 2 cruises on "O". And yes we've taken travel insurance out for all the cruises as we know anything can happen between now and are cruising date(s). Now for us, this is our last statement on this subject. Rick

[Travelcat2]

Rick, my ending was "OTOH, I am likely guilty of having an overabundance of compassion and let things that happen to other people affect me a bit too much.".

If you find that sarcastic and heartless, there is absolutely no hope that you and I can agree on anything. Your post was wrong and hurtful on so many levels. I have many things that I can say but would likely regret it so I will remain silent. Peace be with you.

Edited October 5, 2017 by Travelcat2

[stpiloui]

Dear Friends,

 

This is a textbook story of how to take a loyal customer and piss them off for life. In the summer of 2016 my husband and I booked a cruise on Regent to the Western Caribbean. This trip would have been our fourth vacation with them. About a month later I was diagnosed with colon cancer and had surgery. We contacted Regent about the situation and asked them to allow us to reschedule our trip and apply our funds to another trip. It is important to note that we did not ask for a refund.

 

 

 

They Refused. Instead, they kept about $10,000 and refunded the balance.

 

 

 

This was wrong on so many levels. First, they showed no compassion for my medical situation, which we had no control over. Second, they made a very bad business decision, because we will never take another trip with them again. Had they accommodated our needs they would have made us loyal customers for life. Now they have our $10,000, but have lost who knows how much in future business

 

 

 

I am new to cruising (actually first one since I was 12, is in June 2018). Even new to this type of travel, know enough to get insurance. I don't anticipate any changes in health or circumstance.

Just like other types of insurance (auto & health) I hope I don't need it, but better to be prepared.

 

I'm sure it's not that the company doesn't care about your circumstance, it just that they are a business.

 

I hope you live a long and happy life and continue to travel. Think about insurance in the future, it may save you money and heartache.

 

 

Stpilou

[ronrick1943]

Rick, my ending was "OTOH, I am likely guilty of having an overabundance of compassion and let things that happen to other people affect me a bit too much.".

If you find that sarcastic and heartless, there is absolutely no hope that you and I can agree on anything. Your post was wrong and hurtful on so many levels. I have many things that I can say but would likely regret it so I will remain silent. Peace be with you.

 

TC2, I really wasn't going to post, --however your one sentence you pointed out doesn't make a full post. Your right I don't think we can agree on much, that's sad. But you said what you said, read your posts - it's not just this one post that people have trouble with. Your right we should end it here. Rick

[Travelcat2]

I am new to cruising (actually first one since I was 12, is in June 2018). Even new to this type of travel, know enough to get insurance. I don't anticipate any changes in health or circumstance.

Just like other types of insurance (auto & health) I hope I don't need it, but better to be prepared.

 

I'm sure it's not that the company doesn't care about your circumstance, it just that they are a business.

 

I hope you live a long and happy life and continue to travel. Think about insurance in the future, it may save you money and heartache.

 

 

Stpilou

 

Just to reiterate - no one on this thread has suggested not to get travel insurance!!!!!!!!!

[Zqueeze1]

Well said. We were broken into at the ranch last night. Approximately $40,000 of equipment , firearms, etc stolen. It is covered by insurance, but still very upsetting. However, I would not go back to the gun dealership to give me a new rifle, even though the rifle had never been used to shoot anything

 

 

 

 

Rachel: so sorry to hear that you were broken into last night. Hope you guys are ok.

Z and TB

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Travelcat2]

Rick, I wasn't going to ever answer one of your posts and feel free to have the last word. I do read my posts and with the exception of typos or things that my iMac changes, I do not regret much of what I say.

 

Just in case you were referring to the sentence in my post "I doubt if there are many (or any) posters that have not had someone close to them (or themselves) devastated by a cancer diagnosis." I will explain that which should need no explanation.

 

 

Since many (or all) posters have likely had friends or family (or themselves) that have received a cancer diagnosis, we should know how devastating it is. People are faced with months/years of treatment, outrageously high payments for that treatment that may or may not be fully covered by insurance, etc. It is devastating on all possible levels. So, when I read the TS's post, I understood exactly how they may have wished for or prayed that Regent would make an exception.

Having said that, I understand that Regent can't make exceptions. However, it does not take away from the many lives that a cancer diagnosis touches. We should forgive the poster for their outrageous subject and perhaps for expecting something that they were not entitled to. If we, as human beings, do not have compassion, what does that make us (no response needed or wanted).

[JVilleGal]

Dear Friends,

 

This is a textbook story of how to take a loyal customer and piss them off for life. In the summer of 2016 my husband and I booked a cruise on Regent to the Western Caribbean. This trip would have been our fourth vacation with them. About a month later I was diagnosed with colon cancer and had surgery. We contacted Regent about the situation and asked them to allow us to reschedule our trip and apply our funds to another trip. It is important to note that we did not ask for a refund.

 

 

 

They Refused. Instead, they kept about $10,000 and refunded the balance.

 

 

 

This was wrong on so many levels. First, they showed no compassion for my medical situation, which we had no control over. Second, they made a very bad business decision, because we will never take another trip with them again. Had they accommodated our needs they would have made us loyal customers for life. Now they have our $10,000, but have lost who knows how much in future business

 

 

I am so sorry you are going thru this. I understand you do not have Travel Insurance BUT there is one form of Travel Insurance that many people overlook and do not realize the have. Many Credit Cards today have Benefits, one of those benefits is often Travel Insurance! Have you checked with the Benefit department of the credit card used to pay for your cruise? My Chase Sapphire Card would have covered this situation. Please call and check.

 

Be assured that Regent does care but they are a business and they offer Travel Insurance with every booking for a reason. You would have had the same experience no matter the cruise line. Please check with your Credit Card provider and see if the Card used for booking has TI benefits that may help with this situation.

I see that this happened well over a year ago and therefore may be too late but please make the call.

Prayers for a speedy recovery!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[flossie009]

Just to reiterate - no one on this thread has suggested not to get travel insurance!!!!!!!!!

It seems a little unfair to respond to stpiloui in this abrupt manner; stpiloui was simply responding to the TS/OP

 

The TS/OPs original, and only, post was absolutely about not having insurance (or having inadequate insurance) and then bemoaning the fact that Regent was imposing clearly stated Ts & Cs.

You then decided to divert the thread to a fruitless (albeit compassionate) discussion about whether Regent should reimburse cruisers who had no insurance, inadequate insurance or for cases where the cause of the cancellation was uninsurable.

Edited October 6, 2017 by flossie009

[Travelcat2]

It seems a little unfair to respond to stpiloui in this abrupt manner; stpiloui was simply responding to the TS/OP

 

The TS/OPs original, and only, post was absolutely about not having insurance (or having inadequate insurance) and then bemoaning the fact that Regent was imposing clearly stated Ts & Cs.

You then decided to divert the thread to a fruitless (albeit compassionate) discussion about whether Regent should reimburse cruisers who had no insurance, inadequate insurance or for cases where the cause of the cancellation was uninsurable.

 

To keep this thread on topic and moving along, it would be helpful if posters refrained from telling people what to post or deciding what is unfair or abrupt. It is not up to another poster to determine if posts are "fruitless". I am not playing "monitor" here - this is just common sense.

 

For anyone that is still reading, the TS posted about an experience that happened over a year ago. There is nothing that can be said that can help them so some of us are/were making suggestions as to how things could have been handled better. My initial response was for Regent to give a future cruise credit ONLY when the cancelled suite is resold (this is the part of the thread that seemed to take off and had nothing to do with whether or not people purchased insurance). While I meant well, other posters and further examination on my part made me rethink the situation.

 

The quandary about insurance still remains since so many insurance companies in the U.S. are not quite as reputable as one would expect (finding ways not to pay claims, etc.). Currently, insurance that covers all eventualities for people the age of many Regent customers - with previous conditions -- is thousands of dollars. However, if you buy travel insurance that does include cancellation for any reason, you run into the endless exceptions. The insurance is still expensive but they would likely not pay for something like what two other Regent posters are going through (damage to the complex where they live but not specifically to their unit or severe damage to their business that required them to cancel the cruise). Regent does offer insurance and perhaps should see if they can insure at more reasonable rates at that what they do and do not pay claims for is spelled out clearly and not in small print!

[Kwaj girl]

I have a question regarding 'trip insurance' provided by a credit card. I thought that the coverage was only for 'post-departure' issues such as trip interruption, baggage delay/loss, emergency medical, etc. Do any of these cards really reimburse the thousands of dollars spent to purchase the trip in the event of a cancellation for what may be defined as a 'covered reason'?

 

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction to investigate these cards as an option next time I look for a new card.

[Travelcat2]

I have a question regarding 'trip insurance' provided by a credit card. I thought that the coverage was only for 'post-departure' issues such as trip interruption, baggage delay/loss, emergency medical, etc. Do any of these cards really reimburse the thousands of dollars spent to purchase the trip in the event of a cancellation for what may be defined as a 'covered reason'?

 

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction to investigate these cards as an option next time I look for a new card.

 

We did research fairly recently and have changed from Amex Platinum (where we were able to get $300 OBC for most cruises) to Chase Sapphire Reserve due to insurance coverage. While it definitely will not cover the full cost of the cruise, it was the best travel coverage that we could find using a credit card.

[Kwaj girl]

We did research fairly recently and have changed from Amex Platinum (where we were able to get $300 OBC for most cruises) to Chase Sapphire Reserve due to insurance coverage. While it definitely will not cover the full cost of the cruise, it was the best travel coverage that we could find using a credit card.

 

Do you recall what the dollar limit was? Or was it a percentage of the cruise cost paid? Regent's plan has a limit of (I think) $50,000 for trip cancellation...definitely not enough for our upcoming WC so we obtained a full-coverage policy with another carrier (AIG) for just over 9K. eek.

[flossie009]

To keep this thread on topic and moving along, it would be helpful if posters refrained from telling people what to post or deciding what is unfair or abrupt. It is not up to another poster to determine if posts are "fruitless". I am not playing "monitor" here - this is just common sense.

Pots & Kettles? :rolleyes:

[Travelcat2]

Pots & Kettles? :rolleyes:

 

Really?:mad: :cool: :rolleyes:

 

Kwaj girl -- don't remember exactly but it is definitely less than you mentioned for Regent.

 

Yes - $9K is a bit of money but it is for the WC. I've seen those kind of prices for much shorter itineraries. There is a point for some people when it is best to take the risk (that wouldn't be the case for the WC). I know someone who passed away on a Oceania WC. He was insured but went to the wrong company. This only added to my distrust of insurance companies (I should be more specific and state that I am speaking particularly of travel and healthcare insurance).

[JPR]

Could one of you please consider starting a new thread called Travel Insurance Options" or something similar, so we can get rid of then inflammatory title for this thread? The OP has gone radio silent.

[JVilleGal]

Do you recall what the dollar limit was? Or was it a percentage of the cruise cost paid? Regent's plan has a limit of (I think) $50,000 for trip cancellation...definitely not enough for our upcoming WC so we obtained a full-coverage policy with another carrier (AIG) for just over 9K. eek.

I believe it’s $10,000 per person but you need to actually go on the website and check ALL the details. Fee is $450 but you get a $300 Travel Credit Annually so that’s super easy. Will pay for one Global Entry $100 and Priority Pass which is $95 a yr. the current promo is 75,000 Chase Reward points.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

I believe it’s $10,000 per person but you need to actually go on the website and check ALL the details. Fee is $450 but you get a $300 Travel Credit Annually so that’s super easy. Will pay for one Global Entry $100 and Priority Pass which is $95 a yr. the current promo is 75,000 Chase Reward points.

 

Please go to my new thread --Travel Insurance and RSSC-to share all this great information. Which credit card is this? I would love to read alll this on a real cohesive thread.

Thanks.

Sheila

[Travelcat2]

I believe it’s $10,000 per person but you need to actually go on the website and check ALL the details. Fee is $450 but you get a $300 Travel Credit Annually so that’s super easy. Will pay for one Global Entry $100 and Priority Pass which is $95 a yr. the current promo is 75,000 Chase Reward points.

 

Just checked with my DH (he handles the financial end of things) and it is $10,000/person. We also like the Travel Credit and the reimbursement for Global Entry. While we preferred the American Express Centurion Lounge, they were in only a few airports in the U.S. and we generally use the airport lounges when we are outside of the U.S. The first thing that we did after getting the Chase card was to use points (some transferred over from Amex) to book First Class roundtrip flights to Miami for our cruise month. So far we are loving the card.

[JVilleGal]

Just checked with my DH (he handles the financial end of things) and it is $10,000/person. We also like the Travel Credit and the reimbursement for Global Entry. While we preferred the American Express Centurion Lounge, they were in only a few airports in the U.S. and we generally use the airport lounges when we are outside of the U.S. The first thing that we did after getting the Chase card was to use points (some transferred over from Amex) to book First Class roundtrip flights to Miami for our cruise month. So far we are loving the card.

 

We each have this card and signed up under the 100,000 Point Promo so 200,000 Chase Reward Points was a big influence! $300 annual Travel Credit for each and Annual Priority Pass, plus the Global Entry was a no brainer and made the $450 annual fee affordable! This card is also Primary Coverage for Car rentals which is super valuable. :)

[JVilleGal]

Please go to my new thread --Travel Insurance and RSSC-to share all this great information. Which credit card is this? I would love to read alll this on a real cohesive thread.

Thanks.

Sheila

I’ll look for it :)

[JVilleGal]

I believe it’s $10,000 per person but you need to actually go on the website and check ALL the details. Fee is $450 but you get a $300 Travel Credit Annually so that’s super easy. Will pay for one Global Entry $100 and Priority Pass which is $95 a yr. the current promo is 75,000 Chase Reward points.

Promo just changed to 50,000 Chase Rewards Points :(

 

https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/sapphire/reserve

[Travelcat2]

Promo just changed to 50,000 Chase Rewards Points :(

 

https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/sapphire/reserve

 

Wow - a few months before we signed up it was either 100K or 125K. I think that they are getting a lot of business (some of it from former Amex customers).

[RachelG]

I also got the Chase card. I still have my Amex as I had just paid the annual renewal fee, but plan on closing the account next year before the fee is due. Of course, I will have to transfer all my points out of my Amex account over to Delta, but that is fine. Amex is useful for some things ($15 per month Uber credit, the $300 OBC, centurion lounges), but Chase is overall much better for us now.

[Travelcat2]

I also got the Chase card. I still have my Amex as I had just paid the annual renewal fee, but plan on closing the account next year before the fee is due. Of course, I will have to transfer all my points out of my Amex account over to Delta, but that is fine. Amex is useful for some things ($15 per month Uber credit, the $300 OBC, centurion lounges), but Chase is overall much better for us now.

 

The $300 OBC wasn't working for us anymore because if we received any OBC's from our TA, we would not receive OBC from Amex. We have also noticed that the Centurion Lounges were not as good as when they first opened so we won't miss them that much (except perhaps for the one in Dallas).