bitob

The misery is never ending

So should we expect additional payments beyond the initial payment we received?

The GM rules. Some enforce policies; others throw up their hands and claim they are helpless because guests will be offended 

I personally don’t care who wears what but if you ignore a stated dress policy will folks be smoking on their verandahs next?

Paul mco has been on both lines

Maybe he will post

Relevant article from today's NY Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/travel/american-airlines-loyalty-program-changes.html

14 hours ago, SWFLAOK said:

Until you are ticketed, you're basically ignored by the airline. From our experience, you're just put on the list for seats that Regent has access to for the flight. Once you're ticketed, you have an assigned seat, and if you see the seat and your ff numbers on the airline's website, you're good to go.

I have seats already

14 minutes ago, silkismom said:

Yes, please. We have a Tokyo-LAX in Sept on AA.

When flight was booked I was able to add my ff number 

4 minutes ago, edgee said:

Wondering about how American's new policy not allowing tickets bought through unaffiliated (whatever that means) travel agents to earn Aadvantage miles will affect mileage earning for folks using cruise line air arrangements. One would presume that cruise lines have a contract with airlines on which they book passengers, but not sure if this new policy affects mileage earning for them.

Good point.  I guess we will find out as soon as someone tries to collect the miles and is told they don't count!  I am using Regent air for an August cruise (one way) -- we are booked on American.

If I am first to find out I will let you know.

They do not function as a butler does. It’s not like silversea. 

i will say that I tried a ph on seabourn and the 2 attendants I had were fabulous. But it still does not equate to a butler 

9 minutes ago, nancygp said:

On SB there are 2 cabin attendants for the standard suites

 

nancy

Thx for correcting me

it has been a while

In standard cabins one

in top suites 2

Cabin size fine

stateroom attendant is NOT equivalent of butler

If only we could find the perfect cruise line 😁

5 minutes ago, ak1004 said:

 

Thanks, found it!

 

One thing I noticed is that SS typically has more late night stays. For example, on our upcoming 10 nights cruise in May (Venice-Rome) there are 4 late night stays (10-11pm) and one overnight. And this is pretty typical for SS. For similar itineraries with SB, there is maybe 1-2 late night stays on most sailings that I checked, sometimes none. Most ports depart at 5-6pm.  

Yes.  NO cruise line has better itineraries.  Lots of small out of the way places.  Alas, no butlers.  LOL

8 hours ago, ak1004 said:

Can you give some examples please? We are looking mostly to Europe and South America.

Yes. Last year we cruised the turquoise  coast of Turkey and Greece // tiny islands -/ cesme. Simi. Kas. Stops at Antalya Bodrum they do this cruise every year. Usually April. Before the crowds. Sensational

we are doing a similar seabourn in 2025. Treasures of Adriatic and Mediterranean. Seabourn goes to ports no one else goes to. Just browse through the itineraries and you will see

6 hours ago, sanne said:

I have found the same with Seabourn  NZ/ Australian  itineraries too. They do several cruises each year and have different itineraries for each cruise, something I haven’t seen as much on Silversea or Regent. 

Seabourn has the most unusual itineraries. Much more interesting than the other luxury lines 

3 hours ago, vistaman said:

hello mrs bitob, last time i had a not so great time in the JW Marquis marriott in Miami 

very poor breakfast and one had to pay for beer wine and liquor in the lounge , what was also not very ok  poor canapes  and cheese nearly a sponge  regular bar was expensive 

i stayed several times in club room intercontinental   - lounge was better as JW   - ok for max 2 nights

Mandarin O is a very nice hotel but you need a taxi to do something ... 

I am on my way to catch a BA business  to Barbados to join the Splendor on next Monday 

have to write down the full name of nasa ☺️ for the trivia and hoping for a good team !!!

 

 

 

 

 

Have a ball. Hope you find great trivia team and hope we sail together again

On 2/21/2024 at 8:37 AM, southerngoose said:

@bitob Curious what you have the butler do?   I've never had one so I'm still trying to understand this butler thing.  I'm not going to have them pack/unpack.   I do want them to refill my fridge.  🙂. But beyond that and room service, I'm not sure what they do.  

 

I have been asked this question many times.  We really do use the butler -- but not to make dinner reservations or unpack.  First, unlike a stateroom attendant, a butler is available 24/7.  If we need something --something for the suite, a special snack, changes to dining reservations or a tour, an issue resolved, extra fruit whatever -- we get an immediate response.  The queue for room service on Seabourn can be quite long.  There is no waiting when you have a butler.  We love course by course in suite dining on some nights.  Second, a proactive butler is a godsend.  I have posted the story how when I left the ship and my husband (who has some mobility issues) stayed behind, the butler was concerned about whether my husband would go for lunch without me -- a brought him lunch without being asked.  Wow.  There have been many special things butlers have done for us over the years -- too many to list. The butler really enhances our cruise experience. The only time we book a cabin without a butler is on Seabourn.

Amex will protect you against bankruptcy I am told

Wise choice IMO

58 minutes ago, nancygp said:

Simply not accurate!

 

nancy

Thank you Nancy.  Shocking how clueless some people are about those who lost boatloads of money with the Old Crystal.

Good luck to all with your FCCs from the New Crystal.  Fool me once . . .

I do not understand how a cruise line refuses to give refunds for cruises THEY cancel.  They must need your money.

Both are excellent. Seabourn has some unique itineraries 
 

the one aspect of Seabourn we don’t like is no butlers— even in the top suites. 

2 minutes ago, Whinenowine said:

If you've not already done so, you should eat a dinner up in the Crow's Nest.  Stunning views (when the weather cooperates). 

Thanks for the recommendation. 

3 minutes ago, Old Sea Dog said:

Word on the floor at Lloyds is that no passenger ships going Canal/Red Sea this year.

Any that do are at owners risk totally.

I like others are booked to Mumbai and again being mid eighties costs are already racking up, cruise,air,insurance and lastly balance so a definite statement sooner rather than later is in my opinion an obligation that the owners must address.

A UK ship is at present taking on water as a result of a Houthi action in the Red Seao

 

 

Not shocked. Our cruise on ss Mumbai to Athens cancelled. Fortunately everything refundable including the cost of the cruise. That cruise was to follow a fabulous land trip in India. So we just extended the India trip and it’s all good. 

On 2/18/2024 at 8:59 PM, Stickman1990 said:

We’re on the back to back Athens to Mumbai too - the reality is no one knows what the situation will be by then - all we can do is hope for the best. We’re planning on it happening so making flight bookings etc (all refundable of course)

 

Then the challenge is when do Crystal make a call on it - should it be late to allow more time or early so we can make alternate choices?

I think the bigger challenge is that Crystal is not giving refunds for voyages THEY cancel.  "Deja vu all over again."  We all learned the true value of an FCC

SS is charging per room - that's how it should be

Regent is charging per person.  Disgraceful