"JUST ANNOUNCED – FREE 2-Category Suite Upgrades"

[pingpong1]

I just received a new "Special Offer" Email from Regent about 10 minutes ago.  They're ostensibly now offering "FREE" 2-category upgrades on all cruises, reduced booking deposits, and a "20% reduction" on selected cruises to Europe.  Then I compared the "old price" (yesterday's) for an F2 on Splendor to the "new price" for the same suite/sailing today, and it turns out that "overnight" the price for that same suite/sailing had "magically" increased by $400 per person.  "Funny" how that works out!  Booking the same original F2 suite and getting the "free" 2-category upgrade is now going to cost you $800 more per couple.  But the upgrade is "Free".  🤪

Edited January 9, 2023 by pingpong1

[-Lew-]

Regent previously announced a fare increase effective January 7th...

[Portolan]

We have 6 Regent cruises booked.  Those within a year would be more expensive under this promotion than we are paying.  Those more than a year out would be modestly less expensive (a few hundred dollars/pp) than when we booked.  None of the cruises we have booked were eligible for the 20% additional savings which are near-term European cruises where I assume they are trying to fill the ships.

[European_CruiseGirl]

Thank you @pingpong1 for letting us know. Would anyone have time to explain to me how pricing changes work at RSSC? I know some cruise lines let you re price (effectively I guess cancel and rebook) your reservation if there is a price drop and some cruise lines don't. And some cruise lines allow re pricing but only for US/CA customers and not for EU/UK customers as the terms and conditions of the bookings can be different.  

 

I booked during last December a longer RSSC cruise (3 suites) and checked that the prices are now quite much lower for that cruise than when I booked. If it makes any difference we are booked through RSSC EU office and our price includes only the cruise, not flights. Cancellation of the reservation is possible for us with a 100e/pp penalty as well is change of the cruise to another one. I am now wondering if there is any point to try to call and get a re pricing for our booking. Of course I could just call them but not really wanting to make me sound cheap if it is a known fact that this is not possible with RSSC ☺️ 

 

If this is not possible at RSSC it is completely fine. I am able to make lemonade out of lemons in this situation by the fact that we got exactly those suites that we wanted when we booked and had we waited until today perhaps those three suites side-by-side at the exact location that we wanted would not have been available anymore. So I can find peace and happiness in my mind in this fact alone. However it would feel stupid if I just expected "oh well, nothing that I can do about it" and then would find out later that there would have been a possibility to re price the bookings ☺️

 

Edit: Ah, I will answer to myself but won't delete this post if someone wonders about the same. I checked the promotion details and it clearly states that it applies to new bookings only. So I guess no way to get this promotion. In any case I will be happy that I have a lovely RSSC cruise booked even though it is around 4000€/suite more expensive than I could have gotten now. If any of you seasoned RSSC cruisers disagree with my understanding feel free to correct me if you think a cancellation and rebooking could be done 🙂

Edited January 9, 2023 by European_CruiseGirl

[jeb_bud]

If it makes financial sense for you to cancel and rebook it also makes financial sense for Regent to do it internally and reduce your fare for your booking. Either way I would certainly pursue it. 
 

A few years ago there were some threads on this topic. Some people went the cancel/rebook route and Regent woke up and and started taking care of it without the actual cancellation part. You should go back to whoever you originally booked with, Regent or your TA and have them work it out for you. 

[-Lew-]

1 hour ago, Portolan said:

We have 6 Regent cruises booked.  Those within a year would be more expensive under this promotion than we are paying.  Those more than a year out would be modestly less expensive (a few hundred dollars/pp) than when we booked. 

 

Were you checking fares to determine whether rebooking your current category in order to move up two categories would work?  If that doesn't work, how about booking two categories below and keeping your same cabin?

 

Our TA did that for us with the same type of promotion on our January 21st Splendor cruise.

[pappy1022]

It’s a marketing ploy, nothing is free, just included in the price. I have a September 2023 cruise on the books and I looked at this promotion and even if I went down 2 classes of cabins to get the free 2 category cabin upgrade to my concierge level I have booked today, it would have cost me more to do so. These rates with this new promotion are even higher than the January price increase. I guess it would be attractive if you were booking a new cruise but every promotion I have seen since we booked in the fall of 2022, would have cost me significantly more.

[pingpong1]

36 minutes ago, pappy1022 said:

It’s a marketing ploy, nothing is free, just included in the price. I have a September 2023 cruise on the books and I looked at this promotion and even if I went down 2 classes of cabins to get the free 2 category cabin upgrade to my concierge level I have booked today, it would have cost me more to do so. These rates with this new promotion are even higher than the January price increase. I guess it would be attractive if you were booking a new cruise but every promotion I have seen since we booked in the fall of 2022, would have cost me significantly more.

Same for me, Pappy!  I think for most people, the promotional works out most advantageously for new bookings...which I would guess is Regent's primary purpose.  I.e., to entice new/additional bookings and not to simply rebook/reprice already-booked passengers. That's why these promotional offers are usually accompanied by across-the-board fare increases - to dissuade those of us who have already booked the cruise.  Best Regards.

Edited January 9, 2023 by pingpong1

[dkatzenbach]

I am new to Regent, and trying to figure out how this promotion supposedly works.  I am trying to book via the website.  I am expecting that I select an F2, and but then I will get charged for the price listed for a G2.  Is that correct?  Every time I get to the final payment page it keeps showing me getting charged for the price that was shown for an F2.  I must be doing something wrong, or maybe I do not understand how this promotion is supposed to work.  Any help would be appreciated.  

[Wendy The Wanderer]

6 minutes ago, dkatzenbach said:

I am new to Regent, and trying to figure out how this promotion supposedly works.  I am trying to book via the website.  I am expecting that I select an F2, and but then I will get charged for the price listed for a G2.  Is that correct?  Every time I get to the final payment page it keeps showing me getting charged for the price that was shown for an F2.  I must be doing something wrong, or maybe I do not understand how this promotion is supposed to work.  Any help would be appreciated.  

I would talk to an agent at Regent, if not a TA.  Regent will get in touch with you to do this, if you don't want to find a TA right away, and then after booking, you can still transfer to a TA if you choose.

[dkatzenbach]

Thanks Wendy.  That was the answer.  I reached out to Regent and dealt with one of their agents and got the correct price quoted.  Appreciate your help.  

[Portolan]

7 hours ago, -Lew- said:

 

Were you checking fares to determine whether rebooking your current category in order to move up two categories would work?  If that doesn't work, how about booking two categories below and keeping your same cabin?

 

Our TA did that for us with the same type of promotion on our January 21st Splendor cruise.

When we do this (pretty much an annual event with Regent), we rebook two cats lower and end up in the same suite at a lower price.  On the Explorer-class ships, we have no desire to move from F1/2 to PH which we view as a poorer layout.  (let the analysis begin)

[Portolan]

4 hours ago, dkatzenbach said:

I am new to Regent, and trying to figure out how this promotion supposedly works.  I am trying to book via the website.  I am expecting that I select an F2, and but then I will get charged for the price listed for a G2.  Is that correct?  Every time I get to the final payment page it keeps showing me getting charged for the price that was shown for an F2.  I must be doing something wrong, or maybe I do not understand how this promotion is supposed to work.  Any help would be appreciated.  

No.  Choose a G2 suite and that's what you'll be charged for, but you'll be in an F2.  This is why you really want to use a TA.  Not sure how well this works directly dealing with Regent.

[European_CruiseGirl]

I am happy to report that Regent was able to adjust my reservations so that I have now the promotion price included in them. It didn't even require cancelling and rebooking 😊 It seems that at least for those who have booked during late 2022 it might make sense to call and ask for a reprice.

Edited January 10, 2023 by European_CruiseGirl

[Portolan]

16 hours ago, European_CruiseGirl said:

I am happy to report that Regent was able to adjust my reservations so that I have now the promotion price included in them. It didn't even require cancelling and rebooking 😊 It seems that at least for those who have booked during late 2022 it might make sense to call and ask for a reprice.

Regent ended the need to cancel and rebook or at least threaten to do so a few years ago.  So, as you mention, you just get an updated version of your booking at the price as reduced by the promo with your assigned suite, excursions, etc. intact.

[Lonedaddy]

It’ll we usually book a ph b or an and so we will reprice a couple of cruises at concierge d prices. It would be nice if I could just keep the ph b price and upgrade to a named suite but I’m sure they have reasons as there aren’t that many of them 

[papaflamingo]

4 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

It’ll we usually book a ph b or an and so we will reprice a couple of cruises at concierge d prices. It would be nice if I could just keep the ph b price and upgrade to a named suite but I’m sure they have reasons as there aren’t that many of them 

Named suites are not part of the promotion.  Penthouse A is as upgraded as you can get. 

 

"Upgrade Your Horizon offer is capacity controlled and applies to new bookings only made between January 9 and March 31, 2023. Guests will receive a FREE 2-Category Suite Upgrade, up to a Penthouse Suite (Category A), on applicable voyages†"

Edited January 11, 2023 by papaflamingo

[Gpilon]

4 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Named suites are not part of the promotion.  Penthouse A is as upgraded as you can get. 

 

"Upgrade Your Horizon offer is capacity controlled and applies to new bookings only made between January 9 and March 31, 2023. Guests will receive a FREE 2-Category Suite Upgrade, up to a Penthouse Suite (Category A), on applicable voyages†"

That is too bad. We are in a GS on Splendor in March and thought we would be upgraded to the Regent Suite!

[papaflamingo]

19 hours ago, Gpilon said:

That is too bad. We are in a GS on Splendor in March and thought we would be upgraded to the Regent Suite!

I like how you think!  👍😎

 

[2012_Alaska_bound]

Definitely have your TA check to see if you can benefit from this. Out of 3 cruises in the next 2 years, 2 of them reduced in price. One by $875 and the other by a whopping $2300 per person! So glad I asked!

[paratrooper69]

Our travel agent arranged for us to remain in our concierge d suite with a repricing for an F suite at the current price for an F.  If we would have moved up to Penthouse B it would have cost us a little more, because we had booked prior to the fare rise in January.  

[Gpilon]

On 1/12/2023 at 7:23 AM, papaflamingo said:

I like how you think!  👍😎

 

Day of embarkation I will be in GM's office stomping my feet with tears flowing demanding the Regent Suite! Or, just at pool bar enjoying beverages.

 

[jbandkb]

New promotion worked out well in our favor.  Thanks, all, for the guidance on how Regent handles.

[flyboyswife]

We paid in full when we booked in Nov 22 in order to secure an additional 25% off from TA. Since cruise is paid in full, Regent saying we can’t get promo. Does this sound right to everyone?

[-Lew-]

8 hours ago, flyboyswife said:

We paid in full when we booked in Nov 22 in order to secure an additional 25% off from TA. Since cruise is paid in full, Regent saying we can’t get promo. Does this sound right to everyone?

 

Has final payment date passed?  Doesn't sound right at all if you have not yet reached the normal final payment date.