papaflamingo

In 2015 we stayed in Murano, the "glass island," where all the famous Murano Glass is blown. It was fantastic! Much nicer than Venice. About 4 pm all the tourists left so only those who were staying on the island were there. Very beautiful and quaint. We stayed at a great hotel which was built in an old glass foundry. It has since become the Hyatt Centric Murano. Of course there are other hotels there too. You are only a short Vaporetto ride (the water bus) to Venice so easy to come and go as you wish. Check it out. If you do go to Murano (and you should even if you stay in Venice), be sure to go to the Glass Museum. I found it amazingly interesting.

Me too.. but not because I'm chilled, but my wife makes me. And were I to say no...I'd then be "chilled." 😱

Interesting. Royal Caribbean has offered this program for years. It'll be interesting to see how it goes. Guess all the massive price raises are catching up to them.

Heck, we had friends with us who WALKED down. They about "killed" themselves slipping and sliding in donkey doo. And there was no way their shoes were going anywhere but out on the balcony even after a number of washings. 🤣

Personally I always try to schedule a longer sit time anywhere, but 90 minutes should be long enough. If your flight from RSW is the first flight of the day you should be just fine. Things can back up in Atlanta due to weather, etc. So for me, if there's a longer connect time I'd opt for that, but that's just me. If it's the best you can get, I'd certainly take it over the original routing. As for a new change fee, that's normal. Once you accept a route, any changes is effectively a "cancellation and re-booking." And as for contract rates, I imagine it will cost more. If it's advertised for the same cost as your original flight, you have a chance, but Delta tends to not give contract rates on the most direct or non-stop flights. But you won't know until you ask. I would call Regent and ask if they can get you the better route and what the additional cost is. If it's not too bad, even with a new $175pp added, it might be worth it. Flights from ATL to LAX tend to sell out in First Class. So by 60 days out you'll may find yourself priced out of the change. For our last cruise, about a month after I booked the flight from ATL-SFO-HKG the "turn time" in SFO changed from 4 hours to 1:40. Too close for me. So I called Regent and tried to see if we could get a published routing that actually got in the night before, but it would have been considered a "stop over" even though United had it published. So that would have added $500 pp to the flight, plus a new deviation of $175 pp. But the Agent did tell me the day the ticket would be paid, so I waited until a day or so after to call United and they, being extremely nice I must add, changed us to a departure with a 13 hour sit in SFO and arrival HKG the same day as originally planned, but 12 hours earlier for no additional cost. So I took it. Interestingly Regent was aware of the change because our actual flights showed up on our final paperwork. Always worth asking. 😎

I believe anyone using Regent air and not deviating WAS given transportation to the port. Reading this thread it seems the problem was people who went early using Custom Air Deviation or booking on their own. For either one the Terms and Conditions that they agree to specifically says "Guests who elect not to purchase the Ultimate All-Inclusive Fares package or do not purchase transfer arrangements from Regent Seven Seas Cruises® will be responsible for their own transfer arrangements to and from the ship. Transfers are not included for Guests making independent hotel arrangements." THAT'S the contract people make with Regent. Unfortunately we accept these risks when we book our own air or choose to deviate. The advantage of deviating is the ability to adjust the air if the departure port changes. Anyone on that cruise could have contacted Regent to change the flight to the departure port. The problem lay with third party reservations that couldn't be changed. I'm not defending or condemning Regent, I'm only pointing out that people need to start understanding EXACTLY what they are agreeing to when they book a cruise. I have a cruise next year where we are scheduled to end in Cape Town. I have a third party Safari booked with a non refundable deposit. I have deviated my flight home through Regent Custom Air. If they change the destination for any reason, I know they'll change my fight, but there is no way they'll either cover my Safari or fly me to the Safari and home as originally planned. They will fly me home from the port we end up at. That's simply the choice I accepted when I made the bookings.

If your booking with Regent was a "deviation" and you already paid the $75 then you will not be charged again to call about the SAME reservation. If you just accepted their booking then don't really know, but I THINK that if you are calling about an existing flight then you do not get charged. However, you MIGHT be able to change the flight if you call Delta directly and the ticket has been paid for. I worked directly with United for our last Feb. cruise, but had to wait until 60 days out. That was when Regent actually paid for the ticket. Not sure if Delta will do the same. They are really tight on their flights as to contract rates. So even if you can get it changed, it may result in a significant up charge.

We were able to get into Pacific Rim (also Prime 7 if we wanted) on the first night of the cruise on both Grandeur and Explorer. So consider going on night one. In fact on Grandeur the Maitre D' of Compass Rose asked us if we would like to go to either Pacific Rim or Prime 7 as there was a small wait at Compass Rose (it was about 7 pm) and no wait in the other two. So we headed up to Pacific Rim and were immediately seated. So consider trying that night. Also go to the Restaurant Reservation Desk on Deck 6 and see if they're open and can get you reservations.

That's an excellent point. One advantage of booking Business Class, at least with U.S. airlines, is that they are usually changeable but not refundable. So if you have a port change you can likely change the flight. We mostly fly Delta as I am a retired pilot and get an employee discount, as well as I live in Atlanta. We went to London in June (not cruise related). I bought Delta One seats in Oct. of last year and changed them 5 times due to reductions in price. I used the E-credits to buy a ticket to Hawaii next July for a family trip. So it's not completely a bad thing. But certainly one of the advantages of buying air through Regent is the ability to cancel the cruise or change the port if necessary.

It has EVERYTHING to do with Airline's increasing their prices. The airlines don't need cruise line contracts to sell seats, especially Business Class seats, and especially on desirable routes. So the contracts expired and weren't renegotiable or were negotiated at a much higher price. But Regent was likely getting KILLED in Air Fare (and still is) on cruises booked 2 years ago at a set air price. That's why it's so costly to deviate on many routes, because they simply can't get those old contract rates on flights anymore. So to deviate they have to charge you what they're being charged which often results in an up charge. Keep in mind, Regent acts only as a "travel agent" when selling flights. They can only price them at the price they're able to get them. In fact, the Terms and Conditions even states: "Regent Seven Seas Cruises® acts only as an agent on the Guest’s behalf, and does not operate, control, or supervise any airlines and is not responsible for carriers failing to meet schedules." There are still many routes that you can get a cheaper rate via Regent Air, and some where you cannot. So all you can do is look at the cost of air via Regent, then look at what you can book personally, and decide. I take the cheaper of the options, and I get a 25% or better discount on Delta due to being a retired employee. Except for my upcoming trip to Papeete I have always done better with Regent. In fact, that cruise ends in Cape Town and Regent can't even sell me a ticket on Delta. Delta is at least 3 times more costly from Johannesburg (we deviated) than many other airlines. So... bought my own ticket TO the cruise. We're using Regent Air to get home with deviation and with NO up charge on a fairly desirable routing. We added the Papeete cruise as a B2B in March, before the pricing changes. The original cruise that ends in Cape Town was booked in 2022, at the contract rates in force at the time. So it's still doable.

Sorry, was out of town and just got this. I was 12 years Active Coast Guard Pilot (Fixed wing) and 8 years Reserve then retired. The flying was "most rewarding" also. Semper Paratus fellow Coastie!

Thank you all. We are really looking forward to this. We are starting our cruise in Papeete and ending in Cape Town...88 nights!!!!! Then 2 nights in Cape Town and on to Kuger for a Safari and then Victoria Falls before finally returning to reality. This is a culmination of some Covid cancellations. For some reason we thought it would be a good idea to "bunch" them all together. Wife is taking bets on which of us makes it past day 44 and which of us "unexplainably" ends up taking a "midnight swim" off the back of the ship. All I can say is if she says "Hey honey, come look at this weird thing in the water right below our balcony" I'll probably pass! 😱

Yeah....that was sort of the "moral of the story" from Athens too. We also do the same thing....now.... Excellent words to the wise!!! 😎 Something else the same 3 of us learned on that cruise...DO NOT EVER ride the Donkeys down the hill in Santorini!!!! It includes a "killer donkey,"... a "stumbling donkey," ... and a "donkey doo attack" by the "killer donkey." Oh yeah... and WAY too much "donkey doo!" But that's a story for another day. 🤣

We are staying in Cape Town at the Victoria and Albert Hotel, and in Johannesburg at the Intercontinental OR Tambo International Airport. Looks like electric sockets are "all over the place." Does anyone know what adapters these specific hotels require? thanks

You can also do an "open booking" while on board. You have to use it within a certain time frame (I think a year) but you get the reduced deposit and the applicable OBC.

The South Pacific Islands are truly spectacular. We loved every port when we did it in 2018. By far our favorite destination.

I think the last refurbishment was in 2018 and the next one will be next year along with the other older ships. I know Mariner was done in 2018 and is going in to drydock in Nov. of next year.

Let's just say our "adventure" included a taxi driver that didn't speak English OR Greek (not that I could tell), a lot of "arm movement" when I finally convinced him "cruise port" NOT "airport" (although we did see the outside of the airport), and a lot of "comments" from my wife and her friend from the back seat when I tried really hard to convince them "they always drive 100mph around here...we'll be fine." 🤣

Just to add... it never hurts to go and ask. All they can say is "no." And, it never hurts to go to a Specialty Restaurant and ask if there's any availability. Again...all they can do is say "no."

Sort of depends on itinerary. Seems to me that itineraries like Caribbean or South Pacific are less formal. Generally you see the entire range from polo shirts to tuxes. I carry a gray sport coat and have a complimentary gray pants, white or blue shirt, and tie. Looks similar to a suit but isn't. My days of carrying a tux have ended so a sport coat works as I can use it multiple times on the cruise and can wear it on the plane to save luggage weight. I have always felt dressed "formal enough," but really no one notices unless you're "dressed to the nines" and then people will notice how good you look.

That's not the worse. I've called Govt. Offices before. 🤣

Also look at maybe a private tour in Athens. You won't know until a few days out if they're going to offer anything, so you could pre-book with a tour company to see what you want. Also you can catch the Hop on Hop off bus at the port and ride it around. If you want to stop and get off then you can. You can catch a cab back to or from the port also, just make ABSOLUTELY SURE the driver knows it's the CRUISE PORT and not the AIRPORT (I have an entire "adventure" on how I know that). 😱

You can only book 1 reservation per specialty restaurant (Sette Mari is first come first serve only) per segment. So if you have a 16 night cruise you get one pre-cruise reservation per the 3 specialty restaurants. As others have said, you can always book more on board as well as walk up and see if there happens to be availability. If you are willing to share a table it's even easier to get more reservations. And the first night of the cruise, it's very likely you can get in. People tend to go to Compass Rose on night one. On both our last 2 cruises, Grandeur in Jan. and Explorer in Feb. we had no problem going to Pacific Rim on the first night. In fact on Grandeur, when checking in for Compass Rose, the Maitre D' actually asked if we would like to go to either Pacific Rim or Prime 7 as there was no wait. So we "beat feet" up to Pacific Rim and go seated immediately. So consider that possibility too. But go to the Restaurant Reservations desk when you board and see what they still have available.

We will be on your trip. Also looking forward to it. We did the South Pacific in 2018 and have wanted to go back. This will be a fun cruise. 😎

U.S. Airlines don't offer Business Class domestically. You can sometimes find a lay flat seat on domestic routes, but that's still considered First Class. Occasionally they will use an International aircraft for a domestic flight, but it's hit and miss and still marketed as First Class. As for Regent, except for the special they're running they do not, nor ever did, offer First Class on Domestic flight. Only economy, thus the "NA" on the website.