Can a Regent cruise be easily self-managed, or should I assign new booking to a TA?

[Roxydog15]

Hi there experts!

Just off Grandeur and booked a new cruise while on board. I have less than 2 weeks to find a new travel agent and do that transaction.  But wondering if there is an advantage to just managing this directly with Regent.  We're really busy this month with high-priority issues, like getting a new trip insurance policy for this trip in like the next 3 days I think, among other things.

The trip is cruise Tokyo/Tokyo with their 3-day package in April 2025, Explorer.

What has been your experiences with both ways of handling a booking? 

And, any experience/opinions on going with RSSC insurance?

Thanks, Ellen

[Pies4u]

Don’t know about the US situation but in the UK it’s very straightforward. I’ve handled our last 2 cruises directly and have 2 more in the pipeline. We used a TA for the first few but it’s more practical, if you have sufficient time, to do it yourself.  It saves trying to do everything through a 3rd party, if you want something doing you just ask and get it sorted rather than passing it to an agent and hoping they get it done for you.

 

So many aspects of the booking you can control via “My Account” anyway, of course.

 

We’ve varied pre and post cruise details, flights etc - all painless and simple. I presume it would work the same way in the USA but I guess others will advise accordingly. Hope that helps.

 

Never used Regent insurance so can’t offer any opinion on that.

[DeepFreeze63]

Same here. No downside and many advantages to using a TA experienced with Regent.

[edgee]

43 minutes ago, Roxydog15 said:

Hi there experts!

Just off Grandeur and booked a new cruise while on board. I have less than 2 weeks to find a new travel agent and do that transaction.  But wondering if there is an advantage to just managing this directly with Regent.  We're really busy this month with high-priority issues, like getting a new trip insurance policy for this trip in like the next 3 days I think, among other things.

The trip is cruise Tokyo/Tokyo with their 3-day package in April 2025, Explorer.

What has been your experiences with both ways of handling a booking? 

And, any experience/opinions on going with RSSC insurance?

Thanks, Ellen

Find a TA that gives benefits like ship board credits and rebates a part of their commission. Mine gives me a rebate of about 8% of cruise cost back by check a couple of weeks before my cruise. In essence if I book direct with RSSC, I am paying up to ten percent more for my cruise. What is the sense of that? Also, always buy your trip insurance from an independent agency so that any part of the trip not arranged through the cruise line are covered. I use tripinsurance store

com. They will also help you if any issues come up if you need to file a claim.

[Roxydog15]

So far, seems like a majority believe in using a TA.

Does anyone know if any advantage/disadvantage of purchasing the insurance through the agent?  Or is it really simple to do so on own?  Is there generally a better price for the insurance through a TA?

 

[pappy1022]

I would also highly recommend using a TA who is experienced with Regent. As far as travel insurance, I would look at options other than Regent because they are more expensive and if you get in a dispute with Regent, who do you thing the insurance company will tend to side with. Your TA may be able to recommend a travel insurance company but it is easy to do on your own. Check your credit card included travel insurance benefits. For us, we were able to get $20,000 in travel insurance included for just having a Chase Visa Sapphire card. Look for an independent insurance company that offers plans from multiple providers. 

[GMIAC]

I"m a "planner" and like to be in control, and have trust issues with turning the control over to someone else. I do see the value in using a professional (I'm a real estate broker, after all!). 

 

Having just gotten off a Grandeur sailing in December with a $2,200 shipboard credit, we scrambled to spend it on the second to last day, buying some nice things in the boutiques that we like but really don't need (watches, clothes, sunglasses). We just booked our second Regent cruise recently with an agent recommended by a friend, and they matched the shipboard credit we'd shopped for in the form of that amount off the fare. That works better for us.

 

PS: We're also looking at the April, 2025, Tokyo sailing on Explorer!

Edited January 8 by GMIAC

[labonnevie]

1 hour ago, pappy1022 said:

Check your credit card included travel insurance benefits. For us, we were able to get $20,000 in travel insurance included for just having a Chase Visa Sapphire card. 

Insurance on Sapphire is up to the amount you put on the card. We cover some or all of the amount above $20,000 with another travel insurance policy or self insure. Sometimes just for medical evacuation. 

[Lonedaddy]

3 hours ago, edgee said:

Find a TA that gives benefits like ship board credits and rebates a part of their commission. Mine gives me a rebate of about 8% of cruise cost back by check a couple of weeks before my cruise. In essence if I book direct with RSSC, I am paying up to ten percent more for my cruise. What is the sense of that? Also, always buy your trip insurance from an independent agency so that any part of the trip not arranged through the cruise line are covered. I use tripinsurance store

com. They will also help you if any issues come up if you need to file a claim.

I would love that ta 

[Roxydog15]

1 hour ago, GMIAC said:

I"m a "planner" and like to be in control, and have trust issues with turning the control over to someone else. I do see the value in using a professional (I'm a real estate broker, after all!). 

 

Having just gotten off a Grandeur sailing in December with a $2,200 shipboard credit, we scrambled to spend it on the second to last day, buying some nice things in the boutiques that we like but really don't need (watches, clothes, sunglasses). We just booked our second Regent cruise recently with an agent recommended by a friend, and they matched the shipboard credit we'd shopped for in the form of that amount off the fare. That works better for us.

 

PS: We're also looking at the April, 2025, Tokyo sailing on Explorer!

I feel the same way.  I wind up doing all the planning and research myself even though I have the TA.  But have been disappointed in my current agent and prefer not to move this booking over there. Frustrating. 

I haven't gotten the kind of benefit that Lonedaddy and edgee have.

I have a lot of work to do in just a few days!

Thanks All.

[bennett2005]

I would recommend using a travel agent.  A good one can add value in many ways.  Dollar rebates,added cruise credits etc.  Talk to fellow cruisers and I am sure you will get referrals. The agent can be anywhere as most communication occurs over the internet. 
 

One can develop a real friendship with their agent. The agent gets to know your likes and dislikes and provide real service. A Regent agent will not be the same. 
 

Some agents escort cruises and we have meet many long time friends all over the world because of that connection.  

[mj_holiday]

I recommend turning your cruise over to a travel agent and letting the travel agent recommend trip insurance. Our travel agent is always available to help us. While we are traveling a year ago, we had some issues with getting home. The airlines canceled our flight. Regent 24 hour service attempted to help us, but didn’t find a business class flight. (It was Christmas Eve/day. Our travel agent identified a flight for us and had Regent book it for us. 
We were delayed 24 hours in getting home because of the flight situation so we had to spend an extra night in a hotel and extra food. Since our travel agent had identified the insurance for us to buy and we bought it through our travel agent, our travel agent was very helpful when I asked questions and filling out the claim information. 
Our TA also watches for price changes and when it works for us, will update our booking with the savings. 

[cruiseluv]

5 hours ago, Roxydog15 said:

Hi there experts!

Just off Grandeur and booked a new cruise while on board. I have less than 2 weeks to find a new travel agent and do that transaction.  But wondering if there is an advantage to just managing this directly with Regent.  We're really busy this month with high-priority issues, like getting a new trip insurance policy for this trip in like the next 3 days I think, among other things.

The trip is cruise Tokyo/Tokyo with their 3-day package in April 2025, Explorer.

What has been your experiences with both ways of handling a booking? 

And, any experience/opinions on going with RSSC insurance?

Thanks, Ellen

There’s no advantage about not getting a travel agent that gives you a rebate

[the_dylaness]

We are of mixed opinions anymore about the TA we have been using for more than a decade, BUT... yes, the approximately 8% rebate check we get on lines like Regent and Azamara (we have also booked cruises on other lines with them like Celebrity and Silversea- definitely no rebate on X, can't remember on SS frankly) is a nice bonus. We don't need with our booking- we didn't take the pre cruise stay, for instance, and source our own air (control freak.)  When we get insurance we do it independently. So, honestly they just made the booking for me, I dealt directly with Regent on the few minor questions I had (like cancelling a cooking class) and then I'll get a check in the mail. Win win.

[Roxydog15]

1 hour ago, the_dylaness said:

We are of mixed opinions anymore about the TA we have been using for more than a decade, BUT... yes, the approximately 8% rebate check we get on lines like Regent and Azamara (we have also booked cruises on other lines with them like Celebrity and Silversea- definitely no rebate on X, can't remember on SS frankly) is a nice bonus. We don't need with our booking- we didn't take the pre cruise stay, for instance, and source our own air (control freak.)  When we get insurance we do it independently. So, honestly they just made the booking for me, I dealt directly with Regent on the few minor questions I had (like cancelling a cooking class) and then I'll get a check in the mail. Win win.

Hm. Similar methods.  This seems in large part to hinge on that rebate perk. And if my need for emergency TA assistance happens during business hours--and they happen to be available.  Otherwise the ins Co has assistance. 

Since this trip is Japan and not familiar at all, we decided to go fully with R so minimal variables.

I have like 3 days to find a new TA and get ins with pre-existing condition waiver. Ugh

[pappy1022]

20 hours ago, labonnevie said:

Insurance on Sapphire is up to the amount you put on the card. We cover some or all of the amount above $20,000 with another travel insurance policy or self insure. Sometimes just for medical evacuation. 

We do the same because there are some things that the Sapphire credit card won’t cover such as evacuation or medical care. But, we saved thousands of dollars on travel insurance by leveraging our credit card coverage. Fortunately, we never had to use it.

[GMIAC]

2 minutes ago, pappy1022 said:

We do the same because there are some things that the Sapphire credit card won’t cover such as evacuation or medical care. But, we saved thousands of dollars on travel insurance by leveraging our credit card coverage. Fortunately, we never had to use it.

 

We have a MedJet subscription which provides for medical evacuation for an entire year, not just one trip. We also leverage our Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

[mnocket]

I would love to find one these TAs people talk about that offer 8% rebates AND provide good service.  The only TAs I've been able to find who offer that kind of rebate don't provide good service.  Having given up the lion's share of their commission, they rely on volume to make money - hence not much time or willingness to provide outstanding customer care.  I'm not saying they don't exist - just that I've never found one.

[Roxydog15]

2 hours ago, mnocket said:

I would love to find one these TAs people talk about that offer 8% rebates AND provide good service.  The only TAs I've been able to find who offer that kind of rebate don't provide good service.  Having given up the lion's share of their commission, they rely on volume to make money - hence not much time or willingness to provide outstanding customer care.  I'm not saying they don't exist - just that I've never found one.

I agree!  I wish the contact info was allowed to be shared on C.C.  Frustrating.

Well my update is that I got just too overwhelmed by trying to crash learn about ins policies, the prospect of the details of self management, and everything else we have going on right now, that I decided to move my booking to my original TA.  She was able to get my normal ins policy for much less than I was seeing retail/online with a few different providers.  And got in within the window for the pre-existing condition waiver.

As always, I really appreciate everyone's input and your indulgence for my many questions.  I am learning!

Thank you!  Ellen

[Roxydog15]

3 hours ago, pappy1022 said:

We do the same because there are some things that the Sapphire credit card won’t cover such as evacuation or medical care. But, we saved thousands of dollars on travel insurance by leveraging our credit card coverage. Fortunately, we never had to use it.

I hadn't thought of combining the coverages.  My Saphire seems to have a limit of $6,000 (unless I'm reading that wrong--so i'll have to call them) for cancellation which is well short for RSSC trips.  But like the idea of insurance for balance needed coverage.  Would cut the cost a bit.  I will look into this method option as I ease into a normal life schedule. 

Thanks again 🙂

 

[edgee]

3 hours ago, GMIAC said:

 

We have a MedJet subscription which provides for medical evacuation for an entire year, not just one trip. We also leverage our Chase Sapphire Reserve card.

We have MedJet and actually used it; not like we expected (eg. during a cruise or foreign land trip.) My wife became deathly ill from an infection while visiting relatives a few hundred miles from home. They did a great job with medical evacuation to a hospital near our home. Do need to remember that MedJet only works when transfer is from hospital to hospital, so, for example if you become very ill or injured while on a ship you would have to be hospitalized at a local hospital in foreign country before Medjet would evacuate you back home and it would have to be to a hospital near home.

[jelayne]

On 1/8/2024 at 7:37 AM, the_dylaness said:

We are of mixed opinions anymore about the TA we have been using for more than a decade, BUT... yes, the approximately 8% rebate check we get on lines like Regent and Azamara (we have also booked cruises on other lines with them like Celebrity and Silversea- definitely no rebate on X, can't remember on SS frankly) is a nice bonus. We don't need with our booking- we didn't take the pre cruise stay, for instance, and source our own air (control freak.)  When we get insurance we do it independently. So, honestly they just made the booking for me, I dealt directly with Regent on the few minor questions I had (like cancelling a cooking class) and then I'll get a check in the mail. Win win.

We also use a TA and have gotten refundable OBC or a cash rebate on every booking.  The refundable OBC from the TA is rarely used on our cruises and we have had it refunded to our credit card by Celebrity and Azamara after each sailing. 

[NYC-London]

23 hours ago, mnocket said:

I would love to find one these TAs people talk about that offer 8% rebates AND provide good service.  The only TAs I've been able to find who offer that kind of rebate don't provide good service.  Having given up the lion's share of their commission, they rely on volume to make money - hence not much time or willingness to provide outstanding customer care.  I'm not saying they don't exist - just that I've never found one.

Believe me, they exist. They just don't need to advertise or put themselves out there because they get plenty of business from referrals. Unless you need LOTS OF HAND HOLDING, there are many top notch TA's that provide outstanding service and also offer rebates, however if you are the type of traveler who needs to call their agent every other day for the two year period prior to the cruise, then that agent is entitled to their full commission and more.

 

For any type of service or item, I never rely on the  opinion of just one group, such as those of us on CC. While there is a great deal of invaluable information provided here, it is good to learn from others who do not post of CC. Other flyers and travelers post on other travel web sites similar to CC but dealing with more aspects of travel (I'm not referring to Facebook or the large on line booking sites - for those who are unaware, CC is owned by TripAdvisor). Also, other travel websites allow one to PM with others (if one choses to allow it) which can be very helpful to learn and gain insight from others. Google is your friend - you will find some well heeled travelers who will be more than happy to help you out.

 

Also remember - when you book directly with Regent, you have no outside influence to go to bat for you in the event of a problem. When you work with a  top producing TA's who sell Regent as well as their competitors, you know that they have connections within the Regent organization. A well run business wants to keep their top producers happy and coming back for more and know that if they do not deliver, the TA will just direct their customers to another cruise line.

Edited January 9 by NYC-London