Pcardad

RCL was using Starlink - or at least had them in place on the ship. Regent has the capability to run 4x the bandwidth with the current hardware - it would only require contracting for more.

Really? https://spaceflightnow.com/2021/09/14/spacex-launches-first-full-batch-of-laser-equipped-starlink-satellites/

That is called a typo...I was on RCL and Regent back-to-back last month.

I was on RSSC and Regent back to back in last month and RSSC was about 30 times faster. It looks like we may be getting an announcement form NCL soon about Starlink though so that is good news!

You can now call Regent Air directly again...

That is your opinion and I respect it. I spend a lot of time keeping current with Regent's rules and policies and there is no disputing that it was there one day and gone the next and they didn't tell anyone they changed it. Not announcing a material change that is not favorable to clients is the same as hiding it, IMO. We can agree to disagree.

True. Regent chose to NOT announce this change. I understand why...they removed a substantial benefit to their clients. But in choosing not to share it it appears they were hiding it. That will, I think, cost them more in the long run. You all know I love Regent...but I certainly will call them on something that I consider to be a bad decision.

I am suggesting that material changes to their policies should be communicated via the sales reps to the TA's. This can be done with a simple email and at virtually no cost. The software is in place and is used all the time. We all know the rules change...and we look for these changes and we expect them. But material changes should be announced. I also keep up but this isn't the type of change I should have to "find", it should be announced. Knowing ahead of time would not make me cancel the cruise...that is not the issue. But it might cause people, who otherwise would not insure, to get insurance. Hiding this change by not openly sharing it was a poor choice, IMO.

I always have had my WL cleared. You can WL for 6 different categories with a single deposit. D0 all 6. Declining one doesn't change your other 4.

https://www.rssc.com/accessible-suites Here is more info...still looking. s

If memory serves, there are only 3 on each ship. One on Deck 9 (a penthouse) and 2 on Deck 8 (Concierge). I will see if I can find pictures but they are a standard layout with wider doors and grabrails/etc.

You can't take it if you are on a blood thinner.

Agreed - polos are perfectly fine. It doesn't matter what people on FB like or dislike - they don't make the rules.

My point is that I read policy and changes to policy all the time...there was no notice from Regent that this was changed and removed. As a TA, our internal Rep should have told us. It was there one day and gone the the next. Material changes in policy should be announced...this wasn't.

Here is the actual dress code from wwww.rssc.com Attire ranges from Casual to Formal Optional. Casual wear consists of resort-style outfits; some examples are jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and tennis shoes. Casual wear is appropriate for daytime both on board or ashore. Casual wear is not appropriate after 6:00 PM. On the night prior to disembarkation, guests may need to pack their luggage early due to morning flights the next day. With this in mind, on the last night of every voyage, we will relax the dress code for dinner to Casual. Otherwise, the recommended onboard dress in the evenings is Elegant Casual. Dinner dress for ladies includes a skirt, or slacks with a blouse or sweater, a pant suit or dress; slacks and a collared shirt for gentlemen. Sport jackets are optional. Casual wear is not to be worn at dinner. Ties are not required. On sailings of 16 nights or more, Formal and Semi-Formal attire is optional on two of the evenings. On the two Formal Optional evenings, guests are welcome to dress as per the elegant Casual dress code or opt for a more formal choice of clothing including gowns and cocktail dresses for ladies; tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits with tie for gentlemen.

Not if it isn't announced to the TA's by the TA's reps...and it wasn't. This policy change was slipped in without notice or warning. There is no symptom screening. No cruise line WANTS to find Covid on board.

NCLH has been testing this since November - look for news on this soon. https://crew-center.com/norwegian-cruise-line-testing-spacex-starlink-norwegian-breakaway

I know but they never mentioned it when they removed it. IMO, this is something they should have told their TA at least.

IMO, this is something they should have told us.

That's true but a surprising amount "gets" out...even if it doesn't make it here or to FB.

Agreed, it is the same to the 700 people on board.. However, the cause makes a HUGE difference to the entire customer base. I am looking forward to hearing all the details when they are public.

Insurance requires a negative test prior to leaving. Regent no longer covers Covid expenses (99% sure) but in the past they also required it.

Or the cleaning company grossly under-estimated the work required to clean Explorer's hull to a standard acceptable to NZ inspectors. We don't know which is true....but I know Regent's history and they tend to err in favor of their passengers. We have data on this all the way up to the previous Explorer cruise. I would suggest that their track record is solid and not consistent with a company that is cutting corners or one that fails to plan ahead. We will see.

There are connections on board that are extremely fast. The customer IT guy has one and so does the internal IT person who maintains the ships servers and computers. The ship also has a fast connection for navigational/command needs. A single limited bandwidth connection is used by all the staff and guests for personal use. This should be changing very soon.