Where are the ships going now?

[CBWIR]

7 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Interesting!  This shows how much the Navigator needs this refurbishment.  It is a shame that this ship is such a money pit.

 

In terms of your previous posts, if we ever meet onboard a Regent ship, I'll share the story (not long) of our luggage not arriving until we were in Agra (the luggage was in Mumbai) and a man was instructed to deliver it to us.  Wow - such a long way!

I would suggest that you talk to your friend FDR about how profitable the Navigator is. I think he will tell you a completely different story.

[Travelcat2]

54 minutes ago, CBWIR said:

I would suggest that you talk to your friend FDR about how profitable the Navigator is. I think he will tell you a completely different story.

 

I am aware of how profitable the Navigator is but it is also a money pit.  It is rather a low blow to bring up a friend that I do not discuss Regent with.  Let’s try to keep our posts calm and supportive.

 

Stay safe!

[Pcardad]

I think it is just going in for a specific fix, not a standard drydock.

[CBWIR]

1 hour ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

I am aware of how profitable the Navigator is but it is also a money pit.  It is rather a low blow to bring up a friend that I do not discuss Regent with.  Let’s try to keep our posts calm and supportive.

 

Stay safe!

Please explain how the most profitable ship in the Regent fleet can be a "money pit." 

[fizzy]

4 minutes ago, CBWIR said:

Please explain how the most profitable ship in the Regent fleet can be a "money pit." 

In a kind, calm and supportive way.

[Pcardad]

I don't know how it affects the bottom line, but they are constantly fixing the infrastructure on the Navigator...it is (unfortunately) showing its age and its hybrid design features.

[SusieQft]

At least it does not have a brand new mortgage.

[Travelcat2]

The Navigator was never meant to be a passenger ship as most of us know.  Prior to us deciding not to sail on her again, she would lose electricity and list. This was in addition to a severe aft vibration.  Numerous attempts were made to fix the ship.  The vibration remained until a "duck tail" was built across the the entire aft portion of the ship  This made the severe vibration a bit better (imagine dining while your wine glass dances across the table or doing a show that includes dancing when the dancers cannot stand up straight.)

 

Then there was the brown water coming out of the shower and sink.  This brown water was rust and stained the washcloths so one can imagine what it did to our hair.  After multiple refurbishments, the brown water still periodically came out of the faucets. It wasn't until last year that this was fixed.  Now it needs something else fixed.

 

 Years ago I knew the cost of all of these attempted fixes but now I can only guess. I would bet that the Navigator's fixes exceed the cost of Regent's two older ship's  (Mariner and Voyager) put together - even though both ships had pod issues. Regent likely has paid over $200M (so far) to keep this ship sailing.  Recent reports indicate that she looks old and tired.  She won't be refurbished again for two years but still needs a fix  

 

I hope that this answered your question somewhat. Wish that I could recall the exact costs of her numerous refurbishment and fixes.  I have no doubt that this little ship will continue to cost Regent more to maintain than their other ships.

 

Fortunately she is considered a money maker which is puzzling since she only carries 490 passengers and tends to have lower fares than other ships.

 

 

[Mudhen]

Navigator fan here.....must defend her a little! I totally agree with almost all of the issues with the Navigator. The biggest problems are the stern vibration (still there), only one special restaurant and lack of a forward lounge/bar. Those are biggies, I must admit. However in our minds, she has the BEST itineraries of ANY of the fleet. As far as her looking old and tired, I must disagree. We were on her in late Oct, early Nov. Didn't see a thing that looked in need of help. Yep, the carpeting, although new, is a little dicey...haha( you know if you've been on her!) but all is fresh. Although ALL Regent crew is wonderful, we found  the Navigator's to especially charming. With it being a small ship, EVERYONE knows your name! 

I realize that Regent is in business to make money. There may come a day when no one wants to sail her, but until then I hope she continues to make money for them. 

[RJ2002]

Agree with Mudhen on the condition of the ship and crew.  We sailed Navigator last year, just after her most recent update.  If I recall correctly, she is going back in for work that didn't get completed back then.  I think it is related to replacement of decking around the pool on Deck 10.

 

Only Regent knows the profitability of each ship.  If Navigator is a big money loser, then this is the time to lay it up for an extended time.  If it is returned to service around the same time as the other ships, then I suspect Regent is OK with the current economics.  If there was ever a time to identify cost savings, it is now.

Edited May 1, 2020 by RJ2002
spelling

[flossie009]

I wonder if the Indian government’s decision to extend the Coronavirus lockdown will hinder the plan for Voyager?

India’s lockdown was due to end May 4. Voyager due to dock in Mumbai/Bombay May 5.

Lockdown has now been extended by 2 weeks to May 18.

[lprp]

We were on Navigator in December/January. The pool deck was badly in need of refurbishment and we understood it was due to be done this summer. Everything else was fine. I imagine the dry dock has been expedited.

[flossie009]

16 hours ago, RJ2002 said:

If I recall correctly, she is going back in for work that didn't get completed back then.  I think it is related to replacement of decking around the pool on Deck 10.

 

27 minutes ago, lprp said:

The pool deck was badly in need of refurbishment and we understood it was due to be done this summer. Everything else was fine.

Yes, I understand that the refurbishment scheduled for early September this year is primarily to complete work that contractors did not do, due to heavy rain, during the 2019 docking. 

[Travelcat2]

On 5/1/2020 at 6:11 AM, Mudhen said:

Navigator fan here.....must defend her a little! I totally agree with almost all of the issues with the Navigator. The biggest problems are the stern vibration (still there), only one special restaurant and lack of a forward lounge/bar. Those are biggies, I must admit. However in our minds, she has the BEST itineraries of ANY of the fleet. As far as her looking old and tired, I must disagree. We were on her in late Oct, early Nov. Didn't see a thing that looked in need of help. Yep, the carpeting, although new, is a little dicey...haha( you know if you've been on her!) but all is fresh. Although ALL Regent crew is wonderful, we found  the Navigator's to especially charming. With it being a small ship, EVERYONE knows your name! 

I realize that Regent is in business to make money. There may come a day when no one wants to sail her, but until then I hope she continues to make money for them. 

 

Thank you for commenting on the condition of the Navigator.  Any information that I receive about her is from CC posters and there were comments about her condition.

 

My long post about the Navigator was in response to why I felt that she was a money pit rather than trying to be negative about the ship in general (which I typically am).  As long as Regent can hold the ship together, people that enjoy her can continue sail on her.  However if Regent needed to put one ship in cold storage due to Covid-19, I would guess that she would be the ship that they would select.

[Mudhen]

As much as we have enjoyed the Navigator, it's kind of a no brainer that she would be the one to go, if worst comes to worst. 

I do wish, however that some of Regent's itineraries could be spruced up a little so as to not include the same old, same old,

trans Atlantics in particular.....maybe the Azores, and Canaries, or a Moroccan port instead of the usual Madiera and Spanish "regulars".

[mrlevin]

Navigator currently going through Panama Canal; about to reach Gatun Lake.

[Essiesmom]

Miraflores Locks this morning:

 

 

Pedro Miguel

 

[Pcardad]

It's more than the decking...

[Travelcat2]

Good shot of the Navigator's "duck tail".

[JMARINER]

On 4/30/2020 at 10:10 PM, Travelcat2 said:

 

Fortunately she is considered a money maker which is puzzling since she only carries 490 passengers and tends to have lower fares than other ships.

 

 

Because the NAV doesn't have a mortgage. That is the main reason why it makes money.

 

Another reason has oddly to do with the vibration. The NAV has solid shaft propellers  that are problem free and require no maintenance. Yes, this design causes some cavitation vibration but far more reliable.  Unlike the Mariner and Voyager that  use the AZIPOD which has has had catastrophic failure, canceling several cruise cancellation and extremely expensive repairs. Note that the AZIPOD system was not used on the Explorer and Splendor, which both went back to the reliable straight shaft.

 

With only 490 passengers the NAV requires a much smaller crew making the more ship profitable for more specialized itineraries.

 

J

[RJB]

On 4/29/2020 at 10:05 AM, MikeD1000 said:

Many thanks to all of you for this detailed info on where ships are.

 

We have a cruise booked in October from Istanbul to Venice  on Splendor  (having already had a May cruise cancelled).  We would dearly love to be able to do this one. 

 

Splendor is currently taking bookings from 3 July in the Med.  This seems rather late to arrive for the European market, and it is not obvious that they will be able to get a crew together in time to cross the Atlantic by July.  Unfortunately we are supposed to pay the rest of the cruise by the end of May, probably before Regent choose to tell us they have cancelled after all. 

 

We are still waiting for a refund from Oceania.

 

Any further inside news would be really helpful.

 

 

I would keep my money in the bank unless you do not mind taking a FCC instead of a refund or waiting 3 months for your cash to come back. 

[Essiesmom]

Approaching Gatun Locks - seen at upper right:

 

 

Where do Regent ships go for drydock?  EM

Edited May 2, 2020 by Essiesmom

[Travelcat2]

49 minutes ago, JMARINER said:

Because the NAV doesn't have a mortgage. That is the main reason why it makes money.

 

Another reason has oddly to do with the vibration. The NAV has solid shaft propellers  that are problem free and require no maintenance. Yes, this design causes some cavitation vibration but far more reliable.  Unlike the Mariner and Voyager that  use the AZIPOD which has has had catastrophic failure, canceling several cruise cancellation and extremely expensive repairs. Note that the AZIPOD system was not used on the Explorer and Splendor, which both went back to the reliable straight shaft.

 

With only 490 passengers the NAV requires a much smaller crew making the more ship profitable for more specialized itineraries.

 

J

 

That makes sense.  The pods on Mariner and Voyager have definitely had severe issues (although the time that Voyager's pod was entangled in a fishing net that ended the world cruise was likely not the an issue with the pods but many other issues definitely were).

 

Thank you for your response.

[DaveFr]

The Splendor is on the move. It is moving along at about 10 kn on a SSE heading about 75 to 100 miles south of Ensenada. It might be headed to the East Coast via the Panama Canal or simply on a maintenance run. I will keep track of it for the next few hours to see if it continues on its present course or begins to turn to a more northerly heading back to LA.

 

Dave

[Essiesmom]

Marine Traffic says destination of Splendor is Puerto Vallarta.  EM