On Board Booking Discount?

[JDRMYS]

Does this still exist for all cruises? I think that there was a thread on this board that said that it no longer applied to all sailings. Do I remember correctly? We're going to be on the Mariner in a couple of weeks. There is a 2009 cruise that I want to book. Should I wait until we get on board?

[Island Cruiser]

Sadly, Regent's standard 5% on board booking discount is now history. The discount is not available at all, apparently, on some sailings. And it is a fixed amount on others. They amount depends on the category of cabin you book. I haven't studied the details. But I am certain the amount of the discount offered is usually much less than 5%. Also, effective in 2009, Regent has adopted a $200 reservation cancellation fee. If you cancel a cruise, it may be waived if you book another Regent cruise within six months of the cancellation. So Regent is substantially reducing the incentives for on board booking. For me, the biggest incentive now is booking way in advance to get a category G or H cabin. They sell out first. But the cash incentives are now substantially reduced.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Oh wow, I did not know that! I definitely do not like that. I have coped with the more modest cancellation fee for the PG, but did not know it was going to be fleet-wide. I guess if you know you're going to go some time or other, perhaps it's no biggy, but.

[Ngaire]

Just thought I would share that in 2009 EVERY Regent cruise has an onboard booking discount that can be applied. They are now set amounts rather than the 5%. Normally less than the 5% but not diluted by gold points or other discounts that used to be applied prior to the calculation of the 5% discount, so that 5% often ended up being less than 5% also.

[JDRMYS]

Ngaire, Thanks for the update.

[Island Cruiser]

Thanks, Ngaire, for correcting me regarding the on board discount matter. The reason I posted that it is not available on some 2009 cruises is the following direct quote from NanSea Pelletier the Regent Cruise Consultant who confirmed in writing our waitlisted 2009 Sydney to Auckland Mariner cruise. "Please note that on board booking savings and Seven Seas Society savings are not necessarily offered on all voyages." It is also interesting that in this letter she makes no mention of the $200 cancellation penalty nor did she mention it when I made this booking. Pat

[Ngaire]

The "wording" these days is that "not all voyages may offer an onboard booking discount" so you were correct in the assumption that some may not. Just so happens so far all cruise HAVE offered a discount.

[VIRGINIA ARTIE]

Just got off the Voyager and was not very impressed with NanSea.

I had booked a cruise wirh Regent for 2008 with a Regent agent. I asked NanSea for the onboard discount, and she was not sure she could obtain it for an existing booking. I produced a letter from Regent stating I could. She contacted the main office and I was given the discount.

The $200 cancellation fee is only for world cruises. You can get the details from Regent's website

[Wendy The Wanderer]

That's funny, because I had a letter from my TA last week on Voyager asking to apply my onboard discount to an existing booking. I gave it to NanSea (did not even speak to her because she was busy), and got the confirmation in writing several days later. No doubts, no problems.

 

As for the cancellation fee, the website has it all spelled out. It's a $200 cancellation fee *per booking* 121 days or more prior. For normal cruises on all ships, I believe.

[VIRGINIA ARTIE]

On Regent's website under "cruise questions" no cancellation fee for over 120 days but these rules do not apply for world cruise and Paul Gauguin

[Ngaire]

The adminstrative fees of $200 per cabin are in effect for all 2009 cruises. It is possible Regent has just not updated their web in the area you are looking at this time.

 

As far as the onboard discount being added to an existing booking it all depends on the cruise.

 

If the category you have booked is still available, the price has not increased and you are outside of final payment they will add the onboard booking.

 

There are quite a few cruises that have gone up in price and also quite a few that are almost sold out. I have no idea what cruise you were trying to get the onboard applied to but it is possible Nansea knew the cruise you were trying to add the onboard booking to may fall into one of those situations and that your request might be denied. That might explain her reaction because she has been around a long time and has added many onboards to existing bookings before so she certainly knows how it works.

[VIRGINIA ARTIE]

Thanks for the info Ngaire and Island Cruiser

 

The website says one thing about cancellation fees, but when I looked at my bookings 2008 has no fees beyond 120 days, bur 2009 does

 

Nan Sea did not tell me about the new cancellation fee of $200. Thank God for this website!

 

Merry Christmas

[AtA]

Also, effective in 2009, Regent has adopted a $200 reservation cancellation fee. If you cancel a cruise, it may be waived if you book another Regent cruise within six months of the cancellation.

Only if you cancel 90-120 days out. If you book a year in advance you can still move it as I understand it.

 

This is from the regent q & a:

A: Cancellation penalties are assessed as follows:

120-91 days prior to sailing date: $200 administration fee per person

90-60 days prior to sailing date: 10% of fare per person

59-30 days prior to sailing date: 25% of fare per person

29-15 days prior to sailing date: 50% of fare per person

14-0 days prior to sailing date: 100% of fare per person

Cancellation period is based on vacation start date, not cruise departure date.

[AtA]

so which is it?

[cruiseluv]

so which is it?

 

 

The $200 cancelation fee is being charged starting with 2009 bookings if you cancel at anytime after you book, doesn't matter how far in advance you cancel. If you book another cruise within 6 months of the cancellation, then the $200 is applied as a credit.

 

I don't think they have updated their website.

[OrpingtonT]

I sat back and read with interest the comments about a $200 cancellation fee in the USA (and, presumably, Canada).

 

In the UK things are rather different. Upon booking, a fee of 15% of the cost of the cruise (20% for World Cruise and segments and also PG) has to accompany the booking, no matter how far ahead. If you cancel at any time up to 70 days before sailing (91 days for WC etc) you forfeit the whole of that deposit with greater percentages the nearer you get to sailing date. So if your cruise costs £5000 or about $10000 your cancellation fee is, in effect £750 or about $1500. This applies even if you have to cancel a couple of days after booking.

 

Good insurance including cover for cancellation becomes important.