Regent's "New" Fare Options are Much Ado About Nothing imho

[mnocket]

Ultimate-All-Inclusive-Luxury-Blacklane-Flyer-052924.pdf (rssc.com)

 

I received their email this morning announcing 2 "new" fare options, All-Inclusive and Ultimate All-Inclusive.  It just looks to me like a minor repackaging of what we're all used to.  What am I missing?

 

 

[makai 7]

And since Blacklane doesn’t operate where I live, useless too.

[irishwitchy]

Blah, blah, blah.  I’m expecting the ultimate will be very high and sounds like you can pick your price - do you want the cheap seats or the nice seats?  

Edited May 29 by irishwitchy
Missing word

[forevertravel]

So does flexibility to use (or ask) for preferred airline means that "deviation cost" will be added to ultimate experience? What about those of us platinum and higher who do not have to pay for deviation? Having Blacklane from airport to ship does nothing for me since we go early and arrange for transportation. This is nothing new other than excuse to raise fares. Pretty soon those of us who are not rich won't be able to cruise with Regent. I miss the old days. The new managers keep on missing what's important to loyal cruisers.

Edited May 29 by forevertravel

[BBWC]

For those that already get private transfers (Titanium and above), but want to add air, they now have to pay for private transfer again.

[vfrost_rssc]

We’re thrilled to announce our enhanced All-Inclusive Fares, giving you even more ways to personalize your ultra-luxury cruise experience. These changes have been made after gathering extensive feedback from our loyal guests and valued Travel Partners, who indicated that luxury travelers desired more choice to customize their travel before and after their cruise experience.

 

Starting July 1, 2024, choose between our All-Inclusive Cruise Fare and enjoy all the lavish inclusions of The Most Inclusive Luxury Experience™, from unlimited shore excursions to gourmet cuisine and more or alternatively, choose our Ultimate All-Inclusive Fare which includes roundtrip flights customizable to your preferred air class and a brand-new exclusive private chauffeur service with Blacklane! Both fares have the same deposit, cancellation and payment policies.

 

Guests who still want to include business class air in their package can easily do so by choosing the Ultimate All-Inclusive Fare and their desired air class, ensuring an even more hassle-free and seamless journey from start to finish.

 

Read more on our new fares and enhanced inclusions at RSSC.com and in our Press Release.

Edited May 29 by vfrost_rssc

[mrlevin]

This already exists today (sort of); air credit on my 2026 cruise went from $6,600 to $7,350 (online) although my paperwork shows just $7,100 credit.  Even with new pricing you can get credit if you don't want/need Blacklane.  

 

Here is description on RSSC:

 

https://www.rssc.com/ultimate-all-inclusive-luxury

Edited May 29 by mrlevin

[Just2guys]

Maybe I am over-thinking this....but it seems to me that this is creating more problems than currently exist with Regent's air policy.

 

Currently, I can see the base cruise fare without business class air and how much more the fare would be if choosing business class air, and then make a decision as to what I want. 

 

How is this going to work now if one can make choices between first, business, premium economy and coach?  How will cruise fares be structured on their website with so many choices on class of service available?

 

Also, will we still have to go through their air department to get our flights?  If so, seems a lot more work for them if people start making comparisons between four classes of service before making their choice.  I assume there will still be up-charges depending upon what flights are chosen and when.  Maybe there will be a search engine where we go to make our own air arrangements, and then the cost  -- based on what we chose  -- goes back to Regent and is added to our cruise fare.  That was not mentioned, so who knows?

 

Again, seems a lot of questions which were not discussed on the video.

 

 

 

 

[DeepFreeze63]

39 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

This already exists today (sort of); air credit on my 2026 cruise went from $6,600 to $7,350 (online) although my paperwork shows just $7,100 credit.  Even with new pricing you can get credit if you don't want/need Blacklane.  

 

Here is description on RSSC:

 

https://www.rssc.com/ultimate-all-inclusive-luxury

Marc:

The changes that you have seen should be separate from this announced change which is scheduled for new booking beginning on 7/1/2024, a time for usual price increases.

A lot to "chew on" but I'm mainly interested in split air reservations - I quite often use Regent Air one way and purchase or use FF the other way.

Jim C

[mrlevin]

Jim, awfully coincidental.  I just had TA reprice Grand Asia 2026 as air credit increased $500 per person but could not get the extra $250 per person which is exactly what website says new pricing credit will be - coincidental?  As for the split, you need to watch out.  With $4,800 credit for Cape Town to Lisbon I thought it would be $3,200 and $1,600 for air segments respectively; ends up Regent has split it down the middle (like the good old days) and wants to charge me $2,400 to add back in air Lisbon to USA.  The times they are a changing; we need to adjust to the new reality.

 

Marc

 

edited to add:  I hope they do something with regard to titanium transfers; maybe give us $250 per person shipboard credit liked they gave us $100 with laundry.

Edited May 29 by mrlevin

[mrlevin]

37 minutes ago, Just2guys said:

Maybe I am over-thinking this....but it seems to me that this is creating more problems than currently exist with Regent's air policy.

 

Currently, I can see the base cruise fare without business class air and how much more the fare would be if choosing business class air, and then make a decision as to what I want. 

 

How is this going to work now if one can make choices between first, business, premium economy and coach?  How will cruise fares be structured on their website with so many choices on class of service available?

 

Also, will we still have to go through their air department to get our flights?  If so, seems a lot more work for them if people start making comparisons between four classes of service before making their choice.  I assume there will still be up-charges depending upon what flights are chosen and when.  Maybe there will be a search engine where we go to make our own air arrangements, and then the cost  -- based on what we chose  -- goes back to Regent and is added to our cruise fare.  That was not mentioned, so who knows?

 

Again, seems a lot of questions which were not discussed on the video.

 

 

 

 

Per the new policy you can use $250 per person for backlane and/or premium class on US segments.  There aren't multiple prices; just no air or business class air (on transoceanic or coach on domestic).  They are just matching Silveursea's P2P or D2D policy.  

[Dolebludger]

Rather like all changes announced by all cruise lines, I’m having problems understanding this change. The regular all inclusive sounds like what we had on our Caribbean cruise two months ago. As Regent’s air in that area is all basic economy (which we don’t like) and as Regent’s air is not even upgradable with cash, we took a credit for rejecting Regent’s air and transfers, and booked our own. 
 

The ultimate all inclusive sounds like what we got on a booked but, still future Regent cruise, in Europe. We opted for Regent’s air and transfers, but wanted an airline that had direct service from our gateway airport (Denver) and return without a plane change within the US — meaning that the leg from Denver to and from the domestic connection would be basic economy. We found an airline with flights we wanted, requested a deviation to it, and paid $175 pp. 

My problem with understanding the new programs is that I can’t see how it would change the two above scenarios in any major way. The only change I can see is that now, instead of including land transfers in ultimate (which recently have been by bus), Regent is giving a credit for limo transfers. Also, under the old program, we could separately chose to utilize Regent’s hotel one night pre cruise, while rejecting or deviating the air. 
 

Of course, we haven’t seen the pricing on cruises under these two new programs. All this could be a “smoke screen” attempting to hide a major price increase. Or ir could be Regent’s response to its own inability to set up hotel and ground transfers in some locations (Barbados and Iceland recently).
 

In any event, it makes me sad that Regent hasn’t notified me of this, having recently returned from a Regent cruise, with another about two months away, and a long term history of more Regent cruises than I can count!

Edited May 29 by Dolebludger

[rallydave]

Seems to me the significant change that nobody has mentioned is that the all inclusive fare does not include any air while the Ultimate includes air is all possible flavors so no credits for not taking air and multiple pricings for the Ultimate which also may mean that unlike today where air is included and everyone pays the same amount for the air included in the prices no matter your home airport, since you will be able to chhhse your class of service they may als price your cruise differently depending on your home airport location.

 

Believe there is more to come with the removal air for the ultimate.

[papaflamingo]

7 hours ago, Just2guys said:

How will cruise fares be structured on their website with so many choices on class of service available?

 

Also, will we still have to go through their air department to get our flights? 

Yes you are probably overthinking this.

Of course I'm only guessing, but what I would expect is they'll show a price with everything included (most expensive) and a price with no additional inclusions.  THEN, if you do a mock booking, just like today, it'll give you choices (or have your TA price it).  Remember when they offered Premium Select in lieu of Business Class for a savings?  It'll be just like that.  In fact I bet that was a test program to see how many would choose a lower level of air class to save money.  Looks like there were enough to make the change.  Anyway, when you select your cabin level on the web it'll offer you the options to do a non refundable deposit like today, any of the air options, and probably limo service.  As you make your selections the price of the cruise will change accordingly. 

That's how they did it when Premium Select seats were an option, and still do it with the non-refundable option.  

As for the Air Department to get your flights, nothing really should change.  If you choose Business Class you'll be assigned flights in business class (or deviate like today).  If you choose Economy, you'll be assigned flights in economy (or deviate like today).  The email doesn't say you get to choose your airline, it says "flights customizable to your preferred air class."

As for perks...no changes there either.  As the OP says in the title "Much Ado About Nothing imho." 

[PaulMCO]

Playing Silversea games.  Just like Silversea did when they added excursions.  Nothing more than D to D.  Blacklane if you do not want the home transfers gets you the $250pp less on the fare.  They already created last year the separate cruise fare (without air and transfers) - without the fine print for air credit

 

Just show some pity to  @Mike Moore and his team who to have to implement this change. 🙂

[Mike Moore]

7 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

Playing Silversea games.  Just like Silversea did when they added excursions.  Nothing more than D to D.  Blacklane if you do not want the home transfers gets you the $250pp less on the fare.  They already created last year the separate cruise fare (without air and transfers) - without the fine print for air credit

 

Just show some pity to  @Mike Moore and his team who to have to implement this change. 🙂

No pity required for me @PaulMCO as I’m actually no longer with the company.

[Eno-Bob]

9 minutes ago, Mike Moore said:

No pity required for me @PaulMCO as I’m actually no longer with the company.

And we are all worse off for that...

[flare3192]

 I am new to this but it seems to me that business class air is getting more difficult for the cruise lines to get at a lower rate as they did in the past. Apart from all the mileage upgrades, people are purchasing business class themselves. I know I have. So I think this is a way to pass on more of the cost to of the air to us. They are trying to make it sound as if we have more of a choice -- we have always had the choice to accept their price for the included business class air or find our own air -- business or otherwise.

We are doing our first cruise with Regent in July and part of the thing I liked was the included air because it was a bit less than I could find on my own. However, in the past I have done my own because I like the control if I need to change something. I am skeptical of this being good. 

[rcandkc]

We have stopped doing regent air because we are picky.  

[irishwitchy]

9 hours ago, rcandkc said:

We have stopped doing regent air because we are picky.  

Me, too!  

[Tsunami74]

11 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

 

Just show some pity to  @Mike Moore and his team who to have to implement this change. 🙂

 

I believe that Mike Moore left Regent a few months ago. A great loss.

 

What I am afraid of is that the air included price shown will be for economy, and we would have to book and wait to see what business cost would be - like it is on Oceania now - one of the reasons we have changed from Oceania to Regent. 

 

We cannot ever get a price for business anywhere close to what Regent would give us for taking cruise only.

[Sunprince]

13 hours ago, rallydave said:

Seems to me the significant change that nobody has mentioned is that the all inclusive fare does not include any air while the Ultimate includes air is all possible flavors so no credits for not taking air and multiple pricings for the Ultimate which also may mean that unlike today where air is included and everyone pays the same amount for the air included in the prices no matter your home airport, since you will be able to chhhse your class of service they may als price your cruise differently depending on your home airport location.

 

Believe there is more to come with the removal air for the ultimate.

Agreed.  To me it sounds like the end of Regent’s standard included business class air. Now BC will be an add on cost, priced at who knows what “flexible” fare.  And as noted above, will the “new flexibility” mean a higher cost and different fares from different home airports? This is a big change to Regent’s long time all inclusive strategy.  It sounds very similar to Silversea’s Port to Port, and Door to Door pricing….which I find totally confusing and unnecessary.  
 

And BTW, Regent’s use of the word “flexible” is just corporate speak for price increase/maximize revenue.

[PaulMCO]

I really think people are making more into what the changes mean.  They are just trying to compete.

 

Contract air fare rates are not going to disappear.  Regent air can be a bargain and sometimes not.

 

Regent used to have an economy fare, unless you were in a higher suite.  Then they switched to biz only (with an air credit possible), then they started a "quiet" downgrade option to PE.

 

So they are giving more flexibility, which is good, plus added blacklane transfers -- giving a total turnkey type of experience. 

[papaflamingo]

12 hours ago, flare3192 said:

 I am new to this but it seems to me that business class air is getting more difficult for the cruise lines to get at a lower rate as they did in the past. Apart from all the mileage upgrades, people are purchasing business class themselves. I know I have. So I think this is a way to pass on more of the cost to of the air to us. They are trying to make it sound as if we have more of a choice -- we have always had the choice to accept their price for the included business class air or find our own air -- business or otherwise.

We are doing our first cruise with Regent in July and part of the thing I liked was the included air because it was a bit less than I could find on my own. However, in the past I have done my own because I like the control if I need to change something. I am skeptical of this being good. 

As it stands now, there are TWO prices on the website.  One is ALL inclusive, including air,  Business Class internationally and economy domestically. The other is Cruise Only.  As I read the new change, all they're doing is offering an OPTION to fly in a higher class domestically OR a lower class internationally, YOUR choice. And they're now offering a credit for private transportation. Sure, that part may be copying Silversea door to door, but it's CHOICE only.  If you don't want it, don't take it.  

As for pricing shown, my guess is they'll have a way to show this on the website, so you won't actually have to "book a cruise" to get air pricing. MY guess is they'll show the whole thing and cruise only, just like they do now, and did when Premium Select was an option.  If you want less than all, then all you have to do is a mock booking on line and likely it will ask if you want to save money in Premium Select, or Economy, just like they do now with Non-Refundable option.  

Honestly, I don't know what all the fuss is about.  It seems they're responding to the desires of people who DON'T want everything but want some things. 

As to your comment "business class air is getting more difficult for the cruise lines to get at a lower rate," EXACTLY.  I am retired Delta and my son is a Fed Ex pilot, so I keep in touch through him and friends as to the state of the airlines.  Ridership is UP and availability is DOWN.  That equates to higher prices.  And Business Class is their "bread and butter."  It is selling out as fast as it can so no need to discount it for anyone.  Regent really struggles to find seats at a rate that is within their contract.  And those rates go up...and up...and up as the airlines increases their prices.  Those prices are passed on to us.  Always have been, by the way. 

Anyway, as the title of this thread says "Much Ado About Nothing."  Just more options for us, in essence giving us MORE control.

Edited May 30 by papaflamingo

[Dolebludger]

I don’t know how any of us can form an opinion on the “new deal” until we learn of some prices for it, and can compare them to the old deal. The only hard fact that I have learned from out TA is that we can still book until July 1 under the “old deal”. `

 

Also, I do know that Regent has been having problems obtaining hotels and transfers, and with the shortage of business class seats. These things may be responsible for changing “the deal”.