Can You Think of a Reason not to Book a Regent Cruise?

drsel · January 31, 2021

3 hours ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

Once we sailed on Regent, we never looked back... no mainstream ships for us.

how are the shows, entertainment and activities on Regent?

How do they compare with shows on Broadway, West end and Royal Caribbean ?

Edited January 31, 2021 by drsel

Pcardad · January 31, 2021

5 minutes ago, drsel said:

have you tried the bidding site, where many travel agents offer you lower and lower prices or more and more OBC?

Is that www.kickbackcashtobuyyourcruisebusiness.com?

drsel · January 31, 2021

2 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Is that www.kickbackcashtobuyyourcruisebusiness.com?

Haha 😂😂, did you make up the name just now?

Pcardad · January 31, 2021

I should go buy it fast...but yes it is a joke. 😃

wishIweretravelling · January 31, 2021

This discussion leads us back to the classic analysis that someone inserts from time to time. Today I guess I'm the one inserting it.

To figure out if Regent (or any other cruise) is worth the price, particularly as compared to other cruise options, one must look at (1) price; (2) value to you; (3) quasi-tangibles, and (4) intangibles.

Regent justifies its higher package prices by pointing to what's in the package that you may pay a la carte for on other lines. The ones that come to mind immediately are:

-Tips

-Port fees and taxes

-Alternative dining

-Beverages (most alcoholic and all non-alcoholic)

-Many excursions (and reduced rates on the higher end ones)

-Air fare (business class on international flights)

-Laundry service (a recent addition)

-Internet (even though it is poor quality).

That being said, these inclusions make it into the calculus only if they matter to you. Tips and port fees and taxes are (or should be) inescapable, so should always be part of the equation. Alternative dining? Maybe you like sticking with the main dining room or buffet restaurant the whole trip, so don't count it if that's you. Don't drink alcohol (or drink very little)? Or drink only the super-premium that even Regent charges extra for? Don't drink sodas or specialty coffees? Then the included beverages are of no value to you. Prefer to arrange your own shore adventures, and wouldn't take the ship's even if they cost nothing? Then excursions aren't a value factor for you. Don't use laundry or internet? Then zero value to you.

Air fare is a sometimes factor when it comes to value. If you don't feel the need for business class, you can probably do better making your own booking, so be sure to subtract the air credit from the overall price on Regent when doing your comparison. Same if you have lots of frequent flyer points to burn.

As for what I'm calling quasi-tangibles, these are the things that don't have a specific price tag attached, but are to some extent measurable. For instance, cabin size. Entry-level cabins on Regent tend to be equivalent to higher-end cabins on some other cruise lines. But if you're good with a small and/or inside cabin, you don't need to equate cabin sizes in your calculation since the larger cabin has no value to you. But if you'll go for a larger cabin on another ship, compare the sizes appropriately.

Then there's things like whether the ship feels crowded or the service is good. To some extent, that's measurable by space to passenger ratios and crew to passenger ratios.

Intangibles are the hardest to define, and yet are decisive for some. Like not having to pull out your key card for every interaction. Not having someone constantly trying to sell you something. Being greeted by name, and your drink and food preferences known. Not having to wait in long lines for a tender. Or not having to tender because your ship is small enough to dock. And being able to dock at the smaller, close-in pier.

It can work the other way too. You may find that a small ship doesn't have enough entertainment and activity options for you. Or if you want to party into the wee hours, there's no one out to party with.

It's all a matter of taste and what you want from your cruise.

Bellaggio Cruisers · January 31, 2021

Well written...

sheila

Bellaggio Cruisers · January 31, 2021

2 hours ago, drsel said:

how are the shows, entertainment and activities on Regent?

How do they compare with shows on Broadway, West end and Royal Caribbean ?

Perhaps you are beginning to show an interest in Regent.
Shows are not Broadway, West End or Royal Caribbean. The least important part of Regent for us, are the Shows. Most of the time we don’t go.
We also use mileage to fly, so we take the air and hotel credit.
Important to us..great dining, personalized attention, wonderful wines, great conversations with other guests and interesting tours. Regent is a luxury cruise line. We are hooked. I can’t explain it, but once tried, it’s very hard to go back to mainstream sailing. Try it once, let us know what you think.
sheila

ChucktownSteve · February 1, 2021

5 hours ago, drsel said:

how are the shows, entertainment and activities on Regent?

How do they compare with shows on Broadway, West end and Royal Caribbean ?

Sounds like you should stick with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity.

ronrick1943 · February 1, 2021

4 hours ago, wishIweretravelling said:

This discussion leads us back to the classic analysis that someone inserts from time to time. Today I guess I'm the one inserting it.

To figure out if Regent (or any other cruise) is worth the price, particularly as compared to other cruise options, one must look at (1) price; (2) value to you; (3) quasi-tangibles, and (4) intangibles.

Regent justifies its higher package prices by pointing to what's in the package that you may pay a la carte for on other lines. The ones that come to mind immediately are:

-Tips

-Port fees and taxes

-Alternative dining

-Beverages (most alcoholic and all non-alcoholic)

-Many excursions (and reduced rates on the higher end ones)

-Air fare (business class on international flights)

-Laundry service (a recent addition)

-Internet (even though it is poor quality).

That being said, these inclusions make it into the calculus only if they matter to you. Tips and port fees and taxes are (or should be) inescapable, so should always be part of the equation. Alternative dining? Maybe you like sticking with the main dining room or buffet restaurant the whole trip, so don't count it if that's you. Don't drink alcohol (or drink very little)? Or drink only the super-premium that even Regent charges extra for? Don't drink sodas or specialty coffees? Then the included beverages are of no value to you. Prefer to arrange your own shore adventures, and wouldn't take the ship's even if they cost nothing? Then excursions aren't a value factor for you. Don't use laundry or internet? Then zero value to you.

Air fare is a sometimes factor when it comes to value. If you don't feel the need for business class, you can probably do better making your own booking, so be sure to subtract the air credit from the overall price on Regent when doing your comparison. Same if you have lots of frequent flyer points to burn.

As for what I'm calling quasi-tangibles, these are the things that don't have a specific price tag attached, but are to some extent measurable. For instance, cabin size. Entry-level cabins on Regent tend to be equivalent to higher-end cabins on some other cruise lines. But if you're good with a small and/or inside cabin, you don't need to equate cabin sizes in your calculation since the larger cabin has no value to you. But if you'll go for a larger cabin on another ship, compare the sizes appropriately.

Then there's things like whether the ship feels crowded or the service is good. To some extent, that's measurable by space to passenger ratios and crew to passenger ratios.

Intangibles are the hardest to define, and yet are decisive for some. Like not having to pull out your key card for every interaction. Not having someone constantly trying to sell you something. Being greeted by name, and your drink and food preferences known. Not having to wait in long lines for a tender. Or not having to tender because your ship is small enough to dock. And being able to dock at the smaller, close-in pier.

It can work the other way too. You may find that a small ship doesn't have enough entertainment and activity options for you. Or if you want to party into the wee hours, there's no one out to party with.

It's all a matter of taste and what you want from your cruise.

But a lot of lines now offer the most of those perks. I think the biggest perk Regent has to offer is service-to us it's about the best.

ChucktownSteve · February 1, 2021

38 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

But a lot of lines now offer the most of those perks. I think the biggest perk Regent has to offer is service-to us it's about the best.

What about the food quality in the included various restaurants compared to the other lines' included restaurants?

ronrick1943 · February 1, 2021

55 minutes ago, ChucktownSteve said:

What about the food quality in the included various restaurants compared to the other lines' included restaurants?

It's really good food, but not always the best----I've been on other lines with very good quality equal to Regent.

drsel · February 1, 2021

9 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

But a lot of lines now offer the most of those perks. I think the biggest perk Regent has to offer is service-to us it's about the best.

It should be. But even the service on Celebrity & HAL are highly rated.

And the shows, activities & entertainment on Royal are considered the best. Princess is also good.

For us, the most important aspect of ANY cruise is the entertainment, shows & activities.

ChucktownSteve · February 1, 2021

11 minutes ago, drsel said:

It should be. But even the service on Celebrity & HAL are highly rated.

And the shows, activities & entertainment on Royal are considered the best. Princess is also good.

For us, the most important aspect of ANY cruise is the entertainment, shows & activities.

I've sailed both XX and HAL. XX's service quality has erroded since the five year`provision in the Chandris sale document expired. For us, the entertainment, shows and activities while enjoyable, are far from the most important aspect of any of our cruises. Haven't you noticed how XX has cut back on the live entertainment to reduce costs?

Itineraries, food quality, service and overall value top our list before entertainment. More ports with overnights and less sea days are preferable. More than seven day turnarounds are also more preferable.

Edited February 1, 2021 by ChucktownSteve

jjs217 · February 1, 2021

For me, I like the quiet sophistication of Regent. If I want to be on a deck with a bunch of drunk college kids, I would sail NCL. If I want to be with a lot of families with children, I would sail Celebrity. It's pretty simple.

Bellaggio Cruisers · February 1, 2021

5 hours ago, drsel said:

It should be. But even the service on Celebrity & HAL are highly rated.

And the shows, activities & entertainment on Royal are considered the best. Princess is also good.

For us, the most important aspect of ANY cruise is the entertainment, shows & activities.

Ok.. I think Regent is not the right fit for you. Stay with the mainstream ship lines. They suit your needs.

sheila

drsel · February 1, 2021

21 hours ago, wishIweretravelling said:

This discussion leads us back to the classic analysis that someone inserts from time to time. Today I guess I'm the one inserting it.

To figure out if Regent (or any other cruise) is worth the price, particularly as compared to other cruise options, one must look at (1) price; (2) value to you; (3) quasi-tangibles, and (4) intangibles.

Regent justifies its higher package prices by pointing to what's in the package that you may pay a la carte for on other lines. The ones that come to mind immediately are:

-Tips

-Port fees and taxes

-Alternative dining

-Beverages (most alcoholic and all non-alcoholic)

-Many excursions (and reduced rates on the higher end ones)

-Air fare (business class on international flights)

-Laundry service (a recent addition)

-Internet (even though it is poor quality).

That being said, these inclusions make it into the calculus only if they matter to you. Tips and port fees and taxes are (or should be) inescapable, so should always be part of the equation. Alternative dining? Maybe you like sticking with the main dining room or buffet restaurant the whole trip, so don't count it if that's you. Don't drink alcohol (or drink very little)? Or drink only the super-premium that even Regent charges extra for? Don't drink sodas or specialty coffees? Then the included beverages are of no value to you. Prefer to arrange your own shore adventures, and wouldn't take the ship's even if they cost nothing? Then excursions aren't a value factor for you. Don't use laundry or internet? Then zero value to you.

Air fare is a sometimes factor when it comes to value. If you don't feel the need for business class, you can probably do better making your own booking, so be sure to subtract the air credit from the overall price on Regent when doing your comparison. Same if you have lots of frequent flyer points to burn.

As for what I'm calling quasi-tangibles, these are the things that don't have a specific price tag attached, but are to some extent measurable. For instance, cabin size. Entry-level cabins on Regent tend to be equivalent to higher-end cabins on some other cruise lines. But if you're good with a small and/or inside cabin, you don't need to equate cabin sizes in your calculation since the larger cabin has no value to you. But if you'll go for a larger cabin on another ship, compare the sizes appropriately.

Then there's things like whether the ship feels crowded or the service is good. To some extent, that's measurable by space to passenger ratios and crew to passenger ratios.

Intangibles are the hardest to define, and yet are decisive for some. Like not having to pull out your key card for every interaction. Not having someone constantly trying to sell you something. Being greeted by name, and your drink and food preferences known. Not having to wait in long lines for a tender. Or not having to tender because your ship is small enough to dock. And being able to dock at the smaller, close-in pier.

It can work the other way too. You may find that a small ship doesn't have enough entertainment and activity options for you. Or if you want to party into the wee hours, there's no one out to party with.

It's all a matter of taste and what you want from your cruise.

Very good analysis!

We are young, so we like non stop entertainment activities, shows and events; with plenty of variety and options.

We don't feel that the salesmen are pushy, we aren't pressured into buying anything.

We hardly drink, maybe 1 drink before dinner.

We prefer private shore excursions.

We don't like to pay for things we don't need/ don't use. They should be optional.

wishIweretravelling · February 1, 2021

44 minutes ago, drsel said:

Very good analysis!

We are young, so we like non stop entertainment activities, shows and events; with plenty of variety and options.

We don't feel that the salesmen are pushy, we aren't pressured into buying anything.

We hardly drink, maybe 1 drink before dinner.

We prefer private shore excursions.

We don't like to pay for things we don't need/ don't use. They should be optional.

Sounds like you've found your sweet spot with Celebrity. I like longer cruises on smaller ships with lots of ports, and make use of the inclusions, so Regent is a good value proposition for me. I enjoy the shows and other activities, but they aren't priorities for me. I've looked at Celebrity, and it does look nice, but the ships are larger than I like and once you add in the items I would use, the pricing is in the same neighborhood as Regent.

lprp · February 1, 2021

2 hours ago, drsel said:

Very good analysis!

We are young, so we like non stop entertainment activities, shows and events; with plenty of variety and options.

We don't feel that the salesmen are pushy, we aren't pressured into buying anything.

We hardly drink, maybe 1 drink before dinner.

We prefer private shore excursions.

We don't like to pay for things we don't need/ don't use. They should be optional.

Before you try Regent, which given your age and preferences might not be suitable for you yet. I suggest that you might like Oceania, the Premium as opposed to Luxury sister brand to Regent. If you go for the larger ships, Riviera or Marina, you should have entertainment that is more aligned to your likes.

The food is excellent, especially the specialty restaurants, Red Ginger is on a par with Pacific Rim. The demographic is a little younger. You can usually choose from a pick n mix of add-ons such as Drinks, Internet, Excursions or OBC. This is very similar to the offerings by Celebrity.

Oceania could provide a stepping stone between Celebrity and Regent.
We’ve been on all these lines, but prefer Regent by a long way. That said, we would still happily cruise Oceania or Celebrity if the itinerary and price (value) was right.

ChucktownSteve · February 1, 2021

14 minutes ago, lprp said:

Before you try Regent, which given your age and preferences might not be suitable for you yet. I suggest that you might like Oceania, the Premium as opposed to Luxury sister brand to Regent. If you go for the larger ships, Riviera or Marina, you should have entertainment that is more aligned to your likes.

The food is excellent, especially the specialty restaurants, Red Ginger is on a par with Pacific Rim. The demographic is a little younger. You can usually choose from a pick n mix of add-ons such as Drinks, Internet, Excursions or OBC. This is very similar to the offerings by Celebrity.

Oceania could provide a stepping stone between Celebrity and Regent.
We’ve been on all these lines, but prefer Regent by a long way. That said, we would still happily cruise Oceania or Celebrity if the itinerary and price (value) was right.

It doesn't sound like Oceania would fit his needs either. While larger than the R class, the O class ship still is smaller than XX's new Edge and Apex builds. Entertainment, while perhaps better than Regent, won't be the "non stop entertainment activities, shows and events; with plenty of variety and options" he craves. The Edge class is built for cruisers like drsel.

I don't understand why he's even on the Regent board since Regent apparently isn't for him. The mass market lines will supply him with plenty of the activity he desires.

docmark · February 1, 2021

Steve said:;

----"I don't understand why he's even on the Regent board since Regent apparently isn't for him. The mass market lines will supply him with plenty of the activity he desires."

I agree totally, it is CLEAR Regent is not a good fit for him, so "dragging' the "debate' is a total waste of time

BogeyMom · February 6, 2021

On 1/29/2021 at 9:24 AM, drsel said:

now we have to start a new thread--

"what are the reasons to justify spending 1000 dollars per person per night on a Regent Cruise?"

We are splurging ( approx $1k pp per day) on Regent because business class airfare is include from USA to Europe. Plus excursions are included. Hoping it’s worth the money