John182

18 hours ago, eliana said:

We are also on the Voyager transatlantic from Miami to Barcelona next March. We booked cruise and flights from/to London with Regent. The hotel in Miami, booked by Regent, is the Pullman. I would appreciate any comments on the hotel.

We stayed at the Pullman on our enforced overnight stay before our cruise on Voyager earlier this month. It is just outside the airport with not an awful lot to do in the vicinity. I believe it used to be a Sofitel hotel. A typical airport hotel really. The room was adequate and very clean. There was an issue with the hot water being lukewarm but once we reported it the maintenance crew fixed the issue very quickly. Since we were tired after the flight we ate at the hotel. Reasonable food if a little pricey. One nice surprise was that the Regent booking included breakfast. We were staying in a standard Suite on Voyager so unlike with a concierge suite where breakfast is explicitly included with the pre cruise hotel we were not sure whether it would be. Arrangements at the airport and the following morning for transport were pretty flawless.

Not the Uk this time. We all run round tracks counter clockwise. If it was good enough for Michael Johnson it is good enough for us😀

We got our tickets about 2 and a half weeks before our embarkation date. TA told us they were being delivered the day before. Just got the suite allocated from our guarantee booking so all set. We set off this evening for an overnight stay at Heathrow before the morning flight to Miami tomorrow. 

Yes, Concorde was an amazing aircraft. It saddens me that she flies no more and even more so that with all the advances in technology there is no obvious replacement on the way. It seems like everybody I know that flew on her has an interesting story to tell. I hope they provided the cheese as a carry out for you!

12 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

John 182 -

 #5

Posted 6 hours ago (edited)PS – In reply to Hambagahle’s point on my initial post in the other thread, I forgot to mention why my son was trying to use his UK passport to get back into Canada. Rather amusing really, he had to come home to visit us in a hurry and he managed to wash his Canadian passport in the top pocket of a shirt. In the end he had to wait to get his new Canadian one

 

John - I have heard (a lot, living in Switzerland!) about money laundering but never, ever about passport laundering!!  Your poor son.  How did he explain that to the Canadian authorities?  !! 

 

Wendy -

 

my thoughts are now confirmed.  Canadians (normally) do not need a visa or ESTA to enter the US.  We Swiss do.  SO - Ken's US passport, issued through the post by some outfit (of the US government!) in Maine has no fingerprints in it because he was never asked to provide them... - and he cannot use his Swiss passport to enter the US because he would need an ESTA - which since he has a US passport he cannot get.

 

Next time we come to the US we will state all this when sent to the queue for the kiosk and ask to see a "real live person". Meantime Ken - who works with American Citizens Abroad on tax issues - will raise this question with ACA.  It should concern them!

 

I am SO glad we are having this conversation!  Many thanks to you and David for your input.

Gerry

I think the Canadian authorities saw the funny side of it and really it was just a damaged passport. We were a little upset because of the delay. That said it was impossible for me to be too critical as this was a case of like father like son. Twenty years previously I had done exactly the same thing.

I had been working away in Zurich. When I returned home I left the passport in my shirt pocket and it went into the washing machine. Unfortunately I was due to lead a very large proposal presentation in San Francisco the following week and the only way I could reschedule to allow me time to get a new passport in person in London meant that I would have to fly Concorde to NYC and then get an overnight flight to SFO in time to get to the presentation. Explaining this plan to the senior partner of the firm I was working for at the time tested my negotiation skills to the limit

After many mutterings and significant pauses he reluctantly agreed to my plan, although he did threaten that if we lost the job I might be asked to pay the Concorde fare back. That definitively focussed my mind. Luckily we won the job which led to me running jobs in SF and Zurich at the same time for the best part of 18 months. The airmiles mounted up pretty quickly.

Just an observation on Visas to enter Cuba. The Regent FAQs has a very comprehensive section on the need for a Visa when visiting and also the need to complete the OFAC Affidavit for the reason for the visit to Cuba. Also, I believe there is a separate thread on the complexities of this process here on the Regent Board.

My only point is that although I was aware that I could get the visas via Regent for $75 each I was under the impression this should be done once on board and the costs added to the on board account. My TA informed me, after some prompting from me it must be said, that this had to be done prior to departure and paid for at that time. I have re-read the FAQs and it is not immediately apparent that this is the process to be followed.

Of course this might be a foible of booking from the UK and the process may be different for where you are.

It would be interesting to know if this is a generic process for all foreign entry visas obtained through Regent.

I think this will prove to be a very useful and informative thread. My initial contribution will be in an area I know fairly well, travelling to Canada. From March 2016, travellers from visa exempt countries have had to apply and be accepted for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

An eTA is an entry requirement for visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air. An eTA is electronically linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first.  If you get a new passport, you need to get a new eTA.

With a valid eTA, you can travel to Canada as often as you want for short stays (normally for up to six months at a time).

An eTA doesn’t guarantee entry to Canada. When you arrive, a border services officer will ask to see your passport and other documents – for example, a U.S. Green Card. You must convince the officer that you are eligible for entry into Canada.

Travellers who need an eTA:

• Visa-exempt foreign nationals need an eTA to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport. These travellers do not need an eTA when arriving by car, bus, train or boat (including a cruise ship). So if you fly into Seattle say for an Alaskan cruise you will not need an eTA if you happen to call into Victoria or Vancouver for example.
• Lawful permanent residents of the U.S. need an eTA to fly to or transit through a Canadian airport. They must present a valid Green Card and a valid passport at check-in.

Travellers who are exempt from needing an eTA

• Canadian citizens, including dual citizens, need a valid Canadian passport. American-Canadian dual citizens can travel with a valid Canadian or U.S. passport.
• Canadian permanent residents need a valid permanent resident card or permanent resident travel document.
• U.S. citizens must carry proper identification such as a valid U.S. passport.
• The usual list of exempt occupations including diplomats.
• Travellers from visa exempt countries that have had to obtain a visa to work or study in Canada. You do not need both a visa and an eTA.

Travellers from non visa-exempt countries will still need to obtain a visa irrespective of their method of entry into Canada. I think there were a few changes last year for a few such countries, Brazil being one of them, that allowed them to apply for an eTA under certain circumstances.

The eTA will cost $7 Canadian per person. Separate applications need to be made. There are a lot of alternative sites that will apply on your behalf but you will pay a lot more. In my opinion the application is straightforward and therefore not worth the extra costs of using a third party.

It is important to understand that any criminal convictions or arrests have to be declared and this would result in substantive extra information needing to be provided which would delay the application process. Canada, in my view correctly, has very strict conditions on entry. Even motoring convictions for unsafe driving can prevent you from entering Canada. I only know of one person who has had this type of problem for an old offence and it took a long time to resolve. In most cases you would need to make the offence inadmissible or more likely apply for a temporary residents permit (TPR) which is a long process apparently. Bottom line is if anybody in your party has some sort of criminal history then it is important to start the application process as early as possible. I am sure this will not apply to anybody reading this by the way! Oh and there are similar obstacles for some pre-existing medical conditions I believe.

PS – In reply to Hambagahle’s point on my initial post in the other thread, I forgot to mention why my son was trying to use his UK passport to get back into Canada. Rather amusing really, he had to come home to visit us in a hurry and he managed to wash his Canadian passport in the top pocket of a shirt. In the end he had to wait to get his new Canadian one.

2 minutes ago, Mr Rumor said:

Good morning from the Pool Deck!  Ari (Compass Rose waiter, eighth Regent contract, Bali) has prepared this cruise’s Rumor Special for you—banana, cantaloupe, carrot and pineapple.  Take a sip and start your day off right!

That looks very tasty AND healthy. I shall make a point of asking for the Rumor Special for breakfast when we board on 12/6.

Thank you so much for the very enjoyable blog. The upcoming cruise will be our first on Regent and this thread and the other recent excellent blogs have raised the excitement levels to fever pitch in our household.

3 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

I just realised there is another issue - ESTA.  I don't think this applies to Canadians?   As a Swiss I have to have one.  If Ken applies for an ESTA so he can use his CH passport he has to state any other former OR current nationalities and I think the Americans would not issue the ESTA if he says he has a US passport.  Which of course he would have to say.   The ESTA is a pain in the neck.  And US nationals are about to discover this because the EU is bringing in something similar and all Americans are going to have to apply for one.  (Luckily we Swiss won't!  we belong to Schengen and the EU can't impose this on us...just as well too because there are places around here when if hiking you aren't sure if you are in Switzerland, France or Italy!!)

I think you are probably correct about the ESTA. Our eldest son who has lived in BC, Canada for 10 years now and has dual British and Canadian nationality can only use his UK passport to return to Canada if he has an ETA which is the Canadian equivalent of the ESTA. When he applied for one so that he could use his UK passport to return to the UK he was told that since he had a Canadian passport he must use that one when returning to Canada. I would imagine the US system is broadly comparable.

2 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

What you are doing, pingpong, is covering up the fact that turkey is tasteless!!   I like all the things you list - stuffing, brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce (but not jelly) - but I hate, loathe and despise sweet potatoes!! (and peanut butter but that is another issue...)    To each his own.   Please eat all the turkeys you like!!

So that is the real reason why the President pardons the turkey. 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you across The Pond.

Thank you Travelcat2 for such an entertaining blog and in particular for the comprehensive wine lists. It is really useful for me in planning my wife's birthday when we are on board in December. I think we will probably give the Cristal champagne a miss this time though!

Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

7 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

I already plan to type or scan a list of available spirits and Champagnes so look for it on my "Mini Blog........"

Thank you so much for that Travelcat2. I look forwards to seeing the list. Really enjoying all of the various blogs including yours. The only problem I have is managing my expectations which are increasing by the day.

I am still at a loss to understand why they switched to Germain. In terms of retail price there is little difference between Germain and at least some of the Montaudon varieties. Judging by all the reactions on here from people who have tried the Germain it seems improbable that it was by popular demand as has been claimed.

I would be very interested to know which premium champagnes are available for purchase on Voyager as my wife has a significant birthday on our cruise in December. Please don't go out of your way to find the answer but if in passing ……..

This could be serious. I sense the need for some contingency planning and have therefore started the packing for our December cruise earlier than usual.

Raffles is the only place in Singapore that you can throw litter, peanut shells, on to the floor without being fined or locked up😀

Will be there in January en route to Auckland. I hope the refurbishment is completed by then as the main bar is I think still closed off.

Reading the early posts in this thread I became quite excited by the thought that the 'house' champagne might be

We have been on Celebrity 5 times and on Regent 5 times the best way for me to compare the differences is Celebrity is like driving a Ford Focus and Regent is like a Lexus LS 460

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Taking this analogy further, if anybody knows a cruise line that is like a Ferrari F40 can they let me know who it is please:)

As long as the car service know your flight number there will be no need to worry about transit times through the airport. They are used to the typical times involved and any delays that may occur. It should not impact on the price of the service unless they are charging for car parking time at LHR separately from the trip cost.

With just a day available and if you have never been to either before then Bruges would be a sensible choice in my view. That said I much prefer Ghent. It is less artificial, has a vibrant university town feel and better and cheaper restaurants and bars. Overall there is more to Ghent in my opinion and with a longer visit you would be fully occupied, something you would probably not say about Bruges. Bruges is also extremely busy in the peak season.

I agree with an earlier post recommending Ypres and its surrounds. The WW1 sites and graveyards are incredibly powerful and moving. The time I spent there and around Mons had a profound impact upon me.

In 2016 Celebrity hired Accenture to collaborate on the rewrite their website to fix all the problems. Personal opinion is it is worse now than it ever was before the "redesign". It's one thing to have a terrible IT Department, it is worse if you hire a "professional" and the results are what we have today.

 

https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/celebrity-cruises-to-collaborate-with-accenture-to-bring-modern-luxury-brand-promise-to-its-digital-customer-experience.htm

Aha, I can blame the Rhinos* then.

*my pet name for them when I used to work for one of their main competitors as they were thick skinned and charged a lot.

"Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, remove oneself from the unacceptable"

No way that you are ever going to change anybody that ignorant so I would have just walked away and made a point of avoiding him at all times.

You are correct in thinking that you can change your first reservation when you get on board. I am not aware that you can do this is advance of embarkation. We did not have a problem changing our first reservation or booking the others when we boarded. I think it is prudent to do this fairly quickly to get the times you are looking for. I remember that we had to juggle some venues and times around but it all worked out in the end.

Do not book your restaurants and times online in the cruise planner. These are for individual reservations only and you will be charged for them with no credit for your package. The thinking is that the discount you get for the package comes at the price of not being able to book until you board. Like I say this was not a problem for us in reality.

I think you are right about the need to bus around from Greenock. There used to be some very good local tours run by volunteers in Greenock which were very popular, mainly because they were free. Might not be so now though.

If the Southampton to Southampton itinerary is the one that I think it is then one of the lesser known ports of call is Portland in Dorset. That is the part of England where I grew up so if you need any information on the area then I would be pleased to oblige.

PS My DW would of course assert that I have yet to grow up....

I am not an experienced ‘cruiser’ by any means and only have a couple (with another ‘luxury’ company) under my belt .... all my sea time has been at the business end of things.

I am looking for another luxury cruise for 2020 and a couple from Regent feature on my short list because of specific ports of call, but from reading this and other threads it appears to me that if you are in a sub-concierge suite then the chances of getting the included excursion of your choice could be quite limited? Is this correct? If so then to me that is a deal breaker. Yes I agree that something might turn up once on board but ......

 

 

Sent from the magic box!

My own experience as someone who had booked a suite below the level of concierge, which does not have early booking privileges for excursions, has been the polar opposite of those people who have had difficulty in getting the excursions they wanted. I could not get on to the web site to book our excursions at midnight EST on the magic day since I was in the wilds of North West Scotland with no wifi or phone signal. I only managed to book about 8 hours after the opening but had no problems whatsoever. I would imagine I was lucky as the cruise was not full and maybe the percentage of people with early booking privileges was lower.

It does seem a little strange that so many people have early booking entitlement. If it is 80% of passengers then I don't see the value to both prime suite occupants and very loyal customers as the benefit to them is diluted whilst at the same time making it more difficult for a small group of newcomers who are trying the brand by booking a 'standard' suite. Like many on here have said once on board there seems to be little or no differentiation based upon which suite you have chosen so why differentiate against a small group in the booking process? To me it makes sense to reduce the proportion of cruisers who can book early, perhaps with a view to rewarding loyalty more? That sid I am a complete newbie so what do I know:)

I had anticipated that we might not get the excursions we wished for but I had rationalised this by thinking that we would have got a satisfactory set of tours on board. If not then Regent SS would have lost a customer for the future. They really would not want that. I also know that there will be ports where we will do our own independent thing anyway.

I will take the same approach to reservations in the speciality restaurants which we cannot book for a few more weeks. I may not get the dates and times we would like but it is not going to throw me into the depths of despair. An hour or so later or earlier is not going to detract from our eagerly awaited cruise.

The reviews I have read on here and the incredibly helpful advice from regular Regent SS cruisers make me feel very comfortable that our investment is going to be very worthwhile indeed.

I am going to start a head to head comparison of X with RSSC and Oceania as we want to get an idea about what it costs for the inclusive vs adding it all in

Including bev package, airfare (biz), land tours, tips etc... we are now wondering whether on port intensive/more "exotic" sailings IF RSSC would be the way to go.

AND how does it compare to what folks are paying for "suites/Luminae...as the staterooms on RSS are Much larger.

 

Has anyone done a head to head on this? link?

I'm not sure there is such a thing as a generic head to head that can be carried out. It seems to vary enormously based on the itinerary, time of year and how booked up each sailing is. My only conclusions from looking at RSSC and X was that for the specific time and area I was interested in it made economic sense to opt for RSSC this time and that in future I am going to look at all alternatives including those that I , perhaps naively, had assumed would be too expensive.