MalbecWine

19 minutes ago, travelwell said:

Malbecwine sounds a lot like me. We have used Medjet for years. Biggest plus is they fly you to the hospital of your choice, in other words home. We used Medjet for the whole family even with no trips planned decades ago. When my DH traveled internationally for work his employer paid for it. Yearly insurance for the whole family just a few hundred dollars. A nobrainer for cruises. We also are using a physician with MDVIP. Concierge medicine is controversial but cheaper for us when we did the numbers for what we received. Got a discount on Medjet with them too. But MDVIP not travel insurance. We would never travel without travel insurance,  especially the medical coverage. 

Your screen name says it all.  MDVIP offers Medjet and highly recommended to have.  We have had it as well for years and they are very proactive.  Your peace of mind and health are important than money.

11 minutes ago, Pinksunset said:

Our Alaska cruise on the Mariner in May,  2019 had a lovely variety of all ages.  We are 60 and 70, and I’d say most people were in our age group, some younger, some a lot older. There were a handful of well behaved children on-board as well.  Those of us who could not do super active excursions chose appropriate excursions.  It was a fabulous cruise!

that’s all that counts is that you had a great time.  Some older people are in better shape  and can run circles around younger ones.  I see this all the time in the gym.  Age is just a number not necessarily a death sentence.  Continue to enjoy life!  

I don’t believe on trips on cruises that is available I maybe be wrong.  We insure our land and cruises fully.  I hope no one needs to use it but you can lose thousands of dollars.  One incident and it pays to have it.  If you travel on luxury line better to be safe than sorry..  As they say penny wise dollar foolish.

Yes, language is another issue and Medjet has interpreters all around the world.  Haveing been also in the airline business now retired after 26 years, the above poster is absolutely correct and I also worked for a major carrier.  Cabin crews are highly trained but they are not doctors and need to call for assistance either on the plane or doctors on the ground which can cause a diversion. 

Back in the day the airlines had breavment fares and youth youth fares and those days are long gone also at my airline we did take stretcher passenger being accompanied by a care giver but they needed to buy all three seats in coach.  The alrlines today with not accept the liability.

6 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

 

Also most airlines offer you the service at a discount, plus you get bonus miles.

Airlines will not accept stretcher pax’s that require medical attention.  On Medjet they provide you with a trained nurse or doctor.  If your doctor and the attending DR determine you can fly commercial your insurance should cover the cost.  If not it’s on you.  Let’s say you are at a lodge in the bush in Africa which there are many on Safari.  The lodges have contact with the flying doctors who will pick you up and get you to Medjet.  Many runways in the bush cannot have jets land on dirt runways so they will transfer the patient to the closest airport and then you fly to the closet airport where you live.  You may have a fuel stop as it will probably be a Lear Jet or Gulfsteam.

Just a note, we are only customers of Medjet and glad we have it for peace of mind for a few hundred dollars a year we have the family plan.   Most CC companies will evacuate you to the nearest hospital and God only know where that will be until you are stabilized to fly commercial.  With Medjet you personal doctor is in contact all the way until you arrive home and met.

5 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I think a lot of Regent fans are getting older, plain and simple!  We, for example, first sailed a (then) Radisson ship in the year 2000.  So I was almost 51.  Now nineteen years later, and guess what?  I'm 70!

 

Yes there are lots of younger cruisers, on some itineraries, as others have said, especially shorter ones.  Longer cruises, not so much.  We're close to being the geriatric ones now!

Yes, but we just saw some guy sky diving at 95 on TV.  Not all geriatrics are in poor physical shape.  Becoming over 100 is not uncommon these  day.

I’m glad I could provide this information.  It’s really a another layer of protection and peace of mind.

We never travel without insurance and not the credit card insurance as it may not cover all expenses and has too many loopholes.  We also carry Medjet Assist for evacuation which is very reasonable.  Paying for this by the hour would cost you 10K per hour.  We know of a couple that needed it and it would have cost them close to 100K from Africa.  We pay about $250 a year for this.  You will be transported to a hospital at home or where your home doctor wants you to go.  Another thing we have is MDVIP and we are able to contact our doctors 24&7 at home or when traveling land or sea.  When at home we never wait more than 15 minutes to see the DR. It’s well worth the money for a Concierge DR.  We know we are well covered for our medical needs should they arise.

2 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

For us, we book a late afternoon flight and take are time getting off the ship,  Once at the airport have a nice lunch, go to one of the clubs---your vacation isn't over till you get home-so why have the stress, why hurry even if you're taking a chance to get on an earlier flight.  Another thing I don't run to gates any more, there is always another flight.

Great advice.  MIA can be a nightmare and keep in mind you need to recheck your luggage after customs and immigration.  Give yourself plenty of time and chill out at a lounge.  Why stress and you arrive home comfortably.  This advice goes for disembarking guests as well as those flying back from foreign countries.

IPad and auto correct.  Nothing intentional.

I agree as well well, but if Regent or any other line does not enforce it, than the policy is worthless.  It’s up to Regent to enforce the rules/policy not the guests. None of us own these companies.

We have had three boats two Sea Rays and one large post and did RO as well.  We also learned that ships do recycle glass and plastic and are not dumped at sea.  This can result in heavy fines.  Having a six pack license I am well informed.  Nothing that is not biodegradable should be dumped overboard.  Recently where we live no plastic straws are allowed on the beach and no smoking leaving butts on the beach.

We never drink ship water that has been bunkered in foreign ports.  Traversing the world land and sea, plastic water bottles are not allowed.  In most of those cases you are given refillable metallic ones for you personal use from water coolers either flat or fizzy.

Lets all try to keep our planet Crystal clean.

To be honest tipping is done on all the inclusive luxury lines it’s just a fact.  It’s a personal choice and I find it difficult for Regent or any other luxury line to enforce this

All cruise lines should do away with plastic water bottles.  No plastic is allowed in some areas of the world.  Filtered refill bottles are perfectly acceptable.  They do this on Galapagos cruises and African Safari’s.

1 hour ago, Juno56 said:

Here's a recent CruiseCritic article about tipping on a non-tipping cruise ship: https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2432

We will do as we please with exceptional service about tipping and it won’t be in front of any guest.  Here we go again on this subject.  Nobody needs to tip at all.  This is a personal decision and nobody onboard needs to know.

Unfortunately politics has been a major discussion for obvious conversations.  I would avoid it at all costs as our country is so divided like the UK.  Simply ask to be moved to another section where you can dine pleasantly.  Just a suggestion.

19 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

I agree, if Regent really has a "NO" tipping policy it really needs clarifying.  A company like Regent needs to put that in bold print in all their sales literature.  Then they need to let all employees know that if they accept any tips they will be terminated on the spot.  That will be the only way to make this work.  It's unfair to the passenger to enforce a policy/rule of Regent.  If this many people are talking about this, then Regent needs to step up and let the passenger and crew know what is expected.  Until this is done--it's a free for all.

We completely agree with you and this goes for other inclusive lines as well.

This is true host Dan.  The CWF should put donations on your final statement.  On another luxury line we get a letter of appreciation for the donation.

Does not apply to all OBC and even travel agent credits.  We opt for a rebate check for hard cash not credits.  

Indeed not a good thing for the CWF.  Yes, Silversea and Crystal do this and you can add it to your final statement.  Many travel agents give you onboard credit and we never spend it all and what’s leftover should go to the CWF.  Many people do not carry a lot of cash these days for obvious reasons.  We are more becoming a cashless society.  Maybe this is why people hand out gratuity’s at the end of an all inclusive cruise.

Our dermatologist tells us what to use and she should know.  As a Florida born resident I was a sun worshiper on the beach no more.  Unless you are a doctor I would not be giving advice about sunscreen.  Consult with your dermatologist or physician.  Not interested in taking a chance on getting Melanoma.

4 hours ago, krm55 said:

You can ask for a scale. We have always received one, just ask. 

Yes you can but don’t rely on its accuracy.

Those numbers will scare you for sure.  We have a well calibrated doctors scale at home.  We both weighed ourselves on cruises and they were way off for the better we did not gain any weight when we got an accurate reading.  The ships scale showed us gaining weight which was not true.  We were exactly the same weight pre- cruise when we returned home after 34 days.

16 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

I've heard that before, and we do have one around!  Next winter I will be haunting these places for our WC wardrobe!  Here in Dunedin we have lovely high-end dress shops, great stuff, but I really don't want to pay $150 for a dress.  Maybe on sale once in a while, but I love the discount places.

Steimart has great clothes and many other items including household.  I love that store.

Also, Steinmart has beautiful shirts if you have one in your area.  Designer clothes at deeply discounted prices.  The competition is getting stiff as a Nordstrom and a Nieman Marcus store is closing as they can’t compete with the other retailers.