papaflamingo

Royal Caribbean has been using "print at home" tags for many years. It's really no big deal at all. They're designed for one tag per sheet of paper and then you multi-fold the paper and staple it together to make a "thick" tag. However on Amazon you can buy plastic cruise tag holders cheap and simply put them in there. Regent's tags seem very durable. However we still use our plastic holders and just stick the tag in there. Never once had a problem. Easy on, easy off, and the thick plastic holder fastens with a metal ring.

Also to add... even though the Coffee Connection doesn't open until 6:30 am, there is a self-serve machine in the Coffee Connection 24 hours per day. It offers a variety of coffees. I often wake up early and will go down there with a book and get a coffee even before it opens. Nice and quiet and lets my wife sleep in. Another "plus" to being the only one down there is when they do come and put out the breakfast items, you get FIRST PICK OF THE CRONUTS!!!! 😜

I'm pretty sure you can't get Regent transfer since you didn't book through them and are leaving a day early. But we used https://charleslimousine.com/ for transport from Montreal Airport to the hotel in 2022 before our cruise. They were really good so if you're interested, check them out.

Thank you. We are looking at one of the Regent tours that goes to Saba Sands, so thanks for the info. Also I'll look at East Cape Tours. I realize we can save quite a bit with a third party tour, but after 88 nights on a ship (we're starting in Papeete), not sure I want to do 9 more days of safari. Regent's tour is 4 days. But we're looking at all options. 😎

Thanks... Yeah we were hoping to find a tour that would include a flight to Victoria Falls but are getting the impression that likely won't happen in our time frame.

We booked a cruise in March that was $9199 per person no air. Today it's $12,790 without air, so about a 39% increase in cruise cost. For accuracy, the air portion for Business Class was $9800 in March and is now $10,100, so it only went up $300, and now includes $250 for Blacklane.

Can't speak for all cruises, but we booked a cruise in March, Papeete to Auckland. The air allowance in March was $9800 per person. The cost of Business Class today is $10,100 per person, or $300 pp more, AND it now includes $250 pp for Blacklane. So the cost of air really didn't go up at all. The CRUISE only cost...however.....😱

I have not. Since we are going to actually start the cruise in Papeete, we'll be on the ship already and won't be using the hotel. However we may try to come to the pre-cruise dinner so we can meet some of our fellow Grand Cruisers. So will certainly be watching for where that will be held. So if you get any info.... pass it on. 😎 As to Australia, I think that we have to get our own Electronic Visas, that Regent cannot do that for us. Also looks like we need to get a Sri Lanka transit visa. But doesn't look like we need one for Indonesia. Here is another list I found further down on our booking confirmation: "VISA REQUIREMENTS New Zealand - New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) & International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) India - Tourist Visa Required Sri Lanka - Transit ETA Required for All Nationalities Australia - Electronic Travel Authority/Authorization (ETA). Must be secured directly through mobile application. Vietnam - Transit Visa Required for Most Nationalities Cambodia - Transit Visa Required for Most Nationalities"

We show this on our Booking Confirmation: "Other Items Visa - New Zealand-Us 0.00 Visa- Vietnam - All Nationalities 0.00 Visa- Cambodia - All Nationalities 0.00 Visa- India E-Visa - Us 0.00". So they are all included. Are you starting the Grand Spice cruise in Auckland in March, 2025?

As you'll find, enjoyment of excursions are like dining...very subjective. For us, if there is something we really want to see, and a small group excursion is offered, we will book it. But it has to be something where the guide narrative is important. Most of the excursions we have been on have been fine. Usually a large bus about 1/2 full so maybe 30 or so. The small groups we have done are advertised for a max of 16, but we have only ever had maybe 10-12, so they've been great. But for us, if the excursion is a tour followed by a stop where we tour on our own, no real advantage to the small group. But an example where we LOVED the small group was in Liverpool. Did "In the Footsteps of the Beatles" small group. About 10 of us. The guide was fascinating and it was really nice not having to deal with 30 or so getting on and off the bus, and the personal interaction with the guide really enhanced the tour. On the other hand, we did a tour in Asia that went to Osaka Castle. Basically we got a narrated tour enroute, escorted to the castle, given an entry ticket, and then toured on our own at our own pace. I don't think a small group would have enhanced that as it seemed touring the castle isn't easy for a group of 12-16 together. So for us, we look at how important is the guide and how much do we really want to see the venue, etc.

I just looked at the 2025 Grand Voyage from Auckland and also the 2026 Grand voyage also from Auckland and both show "Comprehensive visa package," under "LUXURIES INCLUDED IN ALL SUITES:"

Thank you. That is definitely one of the tours we'd be interested in, but at this time it is not offered for our cruise. There are only 2 offered, one stays in Cape Town and tours then goes to Sabi Sands in Krueger National Park. The other spends a night in Cape Town then goes to Ngala Game Preserve in Krueger National Park. So we are looking at private tours since we'd really like to go to Victoria Falls. If you happen to have any tour companies that you have contacted or used that you might recommend, that would help. We're still hoping Regent will add the tour you referenced.

Did you inform your butler of the coffee bar needs?

Not yet... but at the rate they're building ships it's only a matter of time. 😱

Ok...intercontinental.

Use it to go from airport to hotel or ship at boarding or ship to airport or hotel upon debarkation. That way you can avoid a bus and a wait.

We are ending our cruise in Capetown next June and are interested in doing a safari like the one you did. We are going to look at Regent's offering when posted, but would love to look into the safari you did. So if you could post the info I'd be eternally grateful. Quick question....what did you do with you luggage while on safari? Did the tour company hold it or anything?

Actually the names are all Royal Caribbean. We, back in our younger days, sailed on Grandeur of the Seas, Voyager of the Seas, Explorer of the Seas, Navigator of the Seas, and Splendor of the Seas. Always wondered.... did the "namer of ships" at Regent come from Royal Caribbean? 🤔😜

U.S. cruisers only get Business Class if flying international. Domestic, including Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean are all in economy. Nothing has changed.

There are a number of hotels near Hartsfied that provide shuttles. Check TripAdvisor, one of the hotel discount websites, or just google hotels near Hartsfield if you want to shop price.

Sorry to just jump in. In the preceding conversation vegasdriven stated their TA handled the deviation. So... what likely happened was that they emailed their TA, the TA contacted Regent, Regent supplied the offers to the TA, the TA contacted the client, the client either said yes or no. If no, then the TA likely went back to Regent for different options, they were presented and finally accepted. If you do this directly with Regent by phone, you end up discussing ALL the options available until you fine one you will accept, or you reject them all and forfeit the $75. If it's being done by email via a TA then the process can easily take a few days. I have done both. It took days via email to our TA to get options since we were on. a cruise. But when I call them (I always call when I can) we agree on flights while I'm on the phone, by exploring options until I find the best one. If you agree and then later decide to change your flights you'll be subject to a new $175 deviation fee, but not charged another $75 since you are still working with an agreed upon deviation. If you do not agree on a deviation you forfeit the $75. If you decide a few weeks later to try again you will be charged a new $75 since it isn't a current booked deviation. Of course, if you agree on a deviation then later cancel you lose the non refundable $175pp. We did that for our last cruise. We found our flights, paid the $175 pp (including the single $75) deviation fee. Then about a month later United changed the flight to an uncomfortably short change in SFO. I called Regent and the only thing I could do is try to change to a different flight but since it didn't have contract rates the price would be higher, or change to a different day for an additional $175 pp plus a bit more since not contract rates. I waited until they paid for the flights (I think either 60 or 75 days out) then contacted United and changed to a better connection through United for no additional charges. So it's all workable.

Actually this is not necessarily correct. Airline dependent, if the flight is booked "Business Class" from Denver to London, then any domestic leg is in First Class. You only get a coach seat if the domestic leg is on a different airlines, or includes a coach only airlines like JetBlue. But if it's "single ticketed" as a "Business Class" ticket, especially on the same airlines (or ticketed on the same airline with a "code share"), you won't be put in coach. One way to find out is simply deviate your flights up to 210 days out. You can call Regent and give them your desired flights and either get them for no up charge (contract rate) or with an up charge, and then you can decide if you want to book your own flights or not. There is that "pesky" $75 charge (single charge, not per person) but if you choose to accept a deviation and use Regent air, the $75 is "rolled" into one of the $175 pp deviation fees. But at least you'll know which is cheaper, you'll have your reservation early, and on U.S. airlines (at least) you'll have your seat assignments.

Nothing has changed other than an option of air classes. Today you can't book your flights until 210 days out and only after you've made a deposit and choose to pay the deviation fee. They've NEVER assigned flights PRIOR to making a deposit on a cruise, and unless you deviate, you don't get your flights until about 75 days out, generally AFTER final payment is made. So what do you see as changing? Otherwise the email says NOTHING about having to wait until deposit is made to get pricing with flights, if that's what you are worried about. In fact, it indicates you can price a cruise with any class air BEFORE deciding to book, all you have to do is choose the class air you want. It says: “Guests who still want to include business class air in their package can easily do so by choosing the Ultimate All-Inclusive Fare and their desired air class,"

I believe if you arrive or depart at the same time Regent would normally get you there or have you leave they will include transportation to their hotel/ship/airport. At least if you deviate (pick your own flights through them) and don't arrive early or leave late then they will. We deviated on our cruise (which I ultimately cancelled for Covid) for our return flight, but since we were going directly to the airport we would have been able to use Regent transport to the airport no charge.

Could be. Did they resupply at one of the other ports?