The Future of Luxury Cruising (from a Regent-lover's point of view)

[Dolebludger]

If I may respond to the above post, it was not a place with limited airline service when we chose to move here. We had numerous  AA flights per day to their Dallas and Phoenix hubs, and numerous flights from there to everywhere. We had numerous United flights  to Denver and numerous flights from there to everywhere. And we had Frontier flights from here to Albuquerque to almost everywhere.  While we lost Frontier a few years back (no huge loss) we continued with all the AA and United flights until the pandemic. It is not a matter of my choice, as the problem didn’t exist when we made our choice!. And have you checked on flights from and to your location? 

[TrulyBlonde]

15 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

If I may respond to the above post, it was not a place with limited airline service when we chose to move here. We had numerous  AA flights per day to their Dallas and Phoenix hubs, and numerous flights from there to everywhere. We had numerous United flights  to Denver and numerous flights from there to everywhere. And we had Frontier flights from here to Albuquerque to almost everywhere.  While we lost Frontier a few years back (no huge loss) we continued with all the AA and United flights until the pandemic. It is not a matter of my choice, as the problem didn’t exist when we made our choice!. And have you checked on flights from and to your location? 

Don't fret. Durango is a beautiful place to live and you are more fortunate than most to have chosen such a special place. I live in Aspen. Yes, flying in and out has it's issues, but we don't take the subway, no traffic issues, fresh clean air, and healthy living. You are  lucky and safer than being in a big city. Enjoy your choice and don't forget why you chose to live there.  I understand.

Edited May 13, 2020 by TrulyBlonde

[CBWIR]

58 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

If I may respond to the above post, it was not a place with limited airline service when we chose to move here. We had numerous  AA flights per day to their Dallas and Phoenix hubs, and numerous flights from there to everywhere. We had numerous United flights  to Denver and numerous flights from there to everywhere. And we had Frontier flights from here to Albuquerque to almost everywhere.  While we lost Frontier a few years back (no huge loss) we continued with all the AA and United flights until the pandemic. It is not a matter of my choice, as the problem didn’t exist when we made our choice!. And have you checked on flights from and to your location? And I see that your profile here does not disclose your location.  That’s fine, but tell us all; how do you find airline service from your location? Do you have anything good to tell us about it? Do you have any comments about how comfortable and socially distanced basis economy flying is?  
 

Another “daily screed: on airlines and their service? Please don’t criticize me unless you also tell us how much you like your airline service from and to your location. And if you do not like my belief and analysis that poor air services  to luxury cruises will hinder the profitable cruise reopening, please present your concept. Just please do not criticize mine without presenting yours.

I am fine with my air service. Always fly business or first with Regent, miles or on my own dime. Just went back and reviewed some of your posts from 2019 and 2018. Can't erase history. Your biggest complaint seemed always to be about airlines and flying. Long before the pandemic. Not sure if there is such a thing as "Air Critic" but if so hope you find it.

Edited May 13, 2020 by CBWIR

[Dolebludger]

Truly Blonde,

 

Thanks for your post! 
Being able to see the high mountains out your house window does help with the inability to take a cruise. The Colorado Rocky Mountains were always a special place to us, and that is why we retired here. I don’t know about Aspen, but the number of fights out of Durango to hubs, and the flights from the hubs, have been highly restricted since the pandemic. It makes a cruise for us “too much trouble”. But we are just glad we can be here during this troubled time. 
 

And to all;

 

People who live in Aspen or Durango CO are not “financially challenged”. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to live where we do.We are the perfect demographic for Regent  customers. So, one problem Regent has to overcome to be future viable is a way to get us to the ports that is healthy and comfortable.  Don’t know what that would involve, and I hope FDR does..

Edited May 13, 2020 by Dolebludger

[Dolebludger]

And to all;

 

it seems that some here are against my posting about airline service that is so poor it shouldn’t; be allowed in the First Word.  So fine. I challenge all of you to post about how you LIKE the airline service. Until I see such a post, I will post nothing about them. 

[CBWIR]

1 minute ago, Dolebludger said:

. Until I see such a post, I will post nothing about them. 

Promise.

[Dolebludger]

CBWIR,

 

Please tell me how you upgraded to first class your “included” North American flight legs from Regents “included”: air with points. We found just a few years ago that Regent’s included basic economy air in North America couldn’t be upgraded to first with either points or even cash. Let me know how.

[Travelcat2]

I know a CC’er that I believe lives in Durango (or near there).  It sounds like a lovely place to live.  We chose where we live because it is also a beautiful area and not a large city.  Interestingly, I find Colorado to be the most beautiful state of the union.  However, we need to be near an ocean which limited our choices.

 

Not sure if you are familiar with the saying that a person is allowing a problem to “rent space in their head”.  This seems to be what you are doing.  In my opinion, there is no chance that Regent will make air within the U.S. any better than it is currently.  No matter what you post or whom you contact at Regent, this will not change.  

 

Several of us have tried to explain this to you in the nicest way possible.  It is a difficult reality for people as they age and it becomes more difficult to travel the way that we used to when we were younger.  

 

Perhaps you can take a break from thinking about this since we currently cannot go anywhere.  I do wish you the best and hope that you either find a way to travel in a different way or accept the reality of the situation.  

 

Be safe!

[wcsdkqh]

I find it laughable that some spending 20k + on a cruise would be whining about a few hundred dollars for a hotel.

[CBWIR]

4 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

CBWIR,

 

Please tell me how you upgraded to first class your “included” North American flight legs from Regents “included”: air with points. We found just a few years ago that Regent’s included basic economy air in North America couldn’t be upgraded to first with either points or even cash. Let me know how.

I said "Regent, miles or my own dime"  Never said I upgraded using miles with Regent. 

[cruiseluv]

17 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

And to all;

 

it seems that some here are against my posting about airline service that is so poor it shouldn’t; be allowed in the First Word.  So fine. I challenge all of you to post about how you LIKE the airline service. Until I see such a post, I will post nothing about them. 

I have nothing against you or anybody commenting about airline service, but now??? That's the least of our problems, and its frankly not even representative of what it was 6 months ago (even with all its imperfections). So, yes, maybe better if you give it a rest. 

[Dolebludger]

TC2,

 

Oh, no, I am not allowing the airline deficiencies to rule me. I just want Regent to be saved. And I am radical about that!

 

CBWIR,

 

Yep, if you like airline service, I’m done!

[Dolebludger]

56 minutes ago, wcsdkqh said:

I find it laughable that some spending 20k + on a cruise would be whining about a few hundred dollars for a hotel.

No, it’s not laughable. If you must know, the cost of a couple of additional hotel bills means nothing to us. But the burden is really the added need for us to drag our luggage around four more times about an airport with no porterage service (ever been in one that does) at our older ages. It was not physically easy for us to fly to a cruise years ago. Now, it is becoming impossible. My wife has MS, but can walk, thank heavens. I am 76 years old and have a military connected mobility disability, but I can walk. If I could pay a porter something each time our luggage had to be claimed and taken to the airport hotel, it would be better. But did you ever try to find a porter in an airport?

 

But, as nobody seems to want to hear about the increasing difficulties in getting to a cruise, just disregard this post.

Edited May 13, 2020 by Dolebludger

[Silver Sweethearts]

33 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

But did you ever try to find a porter in an airport?

 

But, as nobody seems to want to hear about the increasing difficulties in getting to a cruise, just disregard this post.

 

Just a thought you may have considered already:  We were tired (in more ways than one) of going through airports while trying to manage ourselves and our luggage, so we decided to try a luggage forwarding service and make it easier on ourselves.  It is a tad expensive, but some things are just worth the money.  

[Dolebludger]

Yes, that is a possibility. Even though we just don’t fly other than first/business these days, we have difficulties in packing sufficiently in carry on luggage to take care of us for two hotel nights before a cruise and two after. One night is what we would plan on anyway (at the port) but the second night is one forced on us due to lack of connections. And if we could pack for two nights in carry on, we would still need porterage for the carry ons to get to an airport hotel. And there isn’t any. Although this isn’t about cost with us, at some point people like us get to the point of saying “if we can’t get service on a luxury cruise, the heck with it”.  This is a good place for me to note that our first Regent cruise (then Radisson) was on the Paul Gauguin (then an RSSC ship) in 2002. We were picked up at our home, taken to the local airport,  flown to LAX in coach (which was decent then) with luggage transferred to Air Tahiti Nui (ATN), and flown to the ship. Back then, all airlines transferred luggage from one line to another (an outlier was Southwest, which we didn’t take). On the trip back home, we were given a day room in Tahiti to await a night flight back to the US, our luggage was taken and hauled for us to the Tahiti FAAA airport, and checked there all the way to our home. We flew ATN in coach (which was decent then) to a connecting flight to our home (which was coach, but decent), and we were taken to our home. Now that is what I consider to be a “luxury cruise”. It seems that sort of cruise is not around anymore. We wish it were.  Of course, that was 18 years ago, and we would expect the price to be much higher. But real problem is that the service is gone, and now that we are 18 years older, we need it.

[SusieQft]

Dolebludger, can't you book private transfers, either through Regent or independently?  I would think that they should meet you at your home or at baggage claim and take care of the luggage.

[Dolebludger]

Susie,

 

I frankly don't know about private transfers. But I doubt if they would take care of the luggage for an "airline forced" over night in Dallas, Denver or Phoenix due to lack of airline connective flights.

 

But I do have some good news to report here. I have a friend that I have known for 50 years who is highly placed with a major pharma company. The friend told me that the company has developed a very promising vaccine, that should be ready by September, if our FDA will get off its butt and approve it. The company is so confident in it that it has spent $1B to pre stockpile the vaccine. Now I shan't reveal the name of the friend, or the company, and I shall not make any investments in it that I don't already have. I don't want to go to jail for insider trading like Martha Stewart did! So if this information proves to be correct, this whole mess should be over by late 2020. I sure hope so. Then I can go back to loving Regent, and hating the airlines, and same as it ever was!

[Dolebludger]

4 hours ago, CBWIR said:

I said "Regent, miles or my own dime"  Never said I upgraded using miles with Regent. 

 

When we last cruised Regent a couple of years back, that is when we discovered that their "free air" was only basic economy for flights originating and ending in N. America. We could not use even a massive number of  AmEx or United points to upgrade to first/business class. All we could do for points or cash was to upgrade to "premium economy" (now what is that?). But it did  give me sufficient room so I did not die from a 2 1/2 hour flight. For that (perhaps I alone) am thankful. If you were allowed to use any airline or credit card points or miles or cash to upgrade from Regent's "basic economy in N. America" flight legs to business/ first, please tell us how you did it.

[pappy1022]

Lost in all the focus on trashing Dolebludger for his rants on airlines is the reality that airline financial health and ability to safely and responsibly move people to the various cities around the world, will have a major impact on the cruise industry coming back. Those 2 industries are tightly tied together. If one doesn't feel safe to fly then they won't cruise. I know that some folks won't consider flying and cruising much of a risk but many will consider it too big a risk until they see proof that people won't get sick just to do discretionary travel. I have been blasted on this board for getting too personal at times with my comments (guilty as charged) and I hope that others would follow their own advice while responding to other opinions.

[Dolebludger]

pappy, 

 

You are correct about the cruise industry and the airline industry being "tightly tied together". That is what I have been attempting to say. What good is paying for a luxury cruise if you have to endure misery to get to it? Oh well, if nobody wants to admit they understand this -- good bye!

[tubeamps]

Agree with pappy  and dolebludger. Flying to and from your cruise destination is part of the experience.

If flying becomes a major  pain, it will certainly deter many from booking cruises in distant locations. 
Last year we made it to Bangkok and return from Hong Kong with only one stop in both directions. That was somewhat enjoyable, 747 upper deck both directions, everything on time.

Some of our cruise mates had two or three stopovers to get home. It doesn’t sound too bad until you add the hours up that you are in transit.

For my Asia cruise I was in transit 36 hours with just one stop. Actual flight time about 21 hours. I’m including arriving at airport as start time.

Totally exhausting, I would do it again, but I wouldn’t be willing to do any more than that.

 

 

[wristband]

Airlines & masks aside, I am curious about Frank's vision of life onboard.  Specifically, elevators.

 

Having been on many Regent cruises, all of us here know how small ship elevators are and how crowded they can be - packed like sardines throughout the day, esp during meal times, to attend lectures & evening shows, Captain parties and Trivia, when going for excursions.  Many passengers are elderly with mobility concerns - they depend on ship elevators to get from deck to deck.

 

How will social distancing 6 feet possibly be enforced? Standing shoulder to shoulder in elevators, waiting for an elevator, lining up to enter dining venues... I can't visualize how this can be policed - if it is to be policed - to ensure our health and safety. 

 

Personally, my concern is transmission of the virus - elevators are enclosed units, people sandwiched in close proximity to each other - an ideal setting for the virus to breed.  Unlike a packed plane, of course, an elevator ride is of a much shorter duration.

 

Curious how others think about this.  

[fizzy]

I'm fascinated about how they will ever re staff the ships......from top to bottom if this mess ever straightens out. I'm sure there are a good amount of crew who will never want to set foot on a ship again and certainly with good reason after what they have endured. That would eliminate a large pool of experienced employees. I would assume the pay scale would have to raise considerably to entice some back and and the old repeated song about " hard workers who just want to support their families in poor countries" may no longer hold true. They may most  certainly be a group who also decide that it just isn't worth the risk and I wouldn't blame them.

[pappy1022]

Regent can do many things to reduce the risk of virus spread and I’m sure that they will do everything in their power to do so. However, They can’t control everything. Many precautions are up to the individual people and while most will do their part, some won’t, as we have seen in societies across the globe. One major risk that they cannot change is what happens off the ship in ports of cal, unless of course, if they don’t make any stops. My personal solution is not to cruise until we have control over this virus and the entire cruising eco system including air travel, the actual cruise ship and ports of call have proven that it is safe. 

[RJ2002]

7 minutes ago, fizzy said:

I'm fascinated about how they will ever re staff the ships......from top to bottom if this mess ever straightens out. I'm sure there are a good amount of crew who will never want to set foot on a ship again and certainly with good reason after what they have endured. That would eliminate a large pool of experienced employees. I would assume the pay scale would have to raise considerably to entice some back and and the old repeated song about " hard workers who just want to support their families in poor countries" may no longer hold true. They may most  certainly be a group who also decide that it just isn't worth the risk and I wouldn't blame them.

 

I brought this up in another thread, and agree that all the cruise lines might find that at least some portion of their crew may not wish to return to working on a cruise ship.  My gosh, there are thousands of them still stuck on ships waiting to return to their homes and families.