forgap

In my post, I meant get two bar codes, one for each of you.  The process of adding a family member was murky and when I went back in to check, my husband was not listed.  So, I did two separate applications and we had no problems.  

13 hours ago, Las Vegas Sailing said:

I will be arriving in Tokyo the end of October to sail on the Explorer.  Has anyone recently used the Visit Japan WEB Site to entere the country in Tokyo.  If so, I would appreciate any comments, advice or suggestions on using the web site. 

It is worth the effort to complete the forms.  I ended up getting a bar code for myself and my husband which worked out well.  

4 hours ago, cruiseaholic78 said:

Totally off topic but if you have some free time in Tokyo and have seen

enough temples might I suggest this.

https://www.teamlab.art/e/planets/

Very different and great fun, if its booked keep checking as some become available on the day.

Fabulous installation and well worth a visit. We did Team Lab Borderless in The Rhopongi district in Tokyo.  

I had very limited Japanese so asked two security people “sumimasen, team Lab doko deska?  Domo arigato gozismasu. 

2 hours ago, cruiseaholic78 said:

in our few days in Tokyo it was sold out

Yes, you have to be a keyboard warrior!  I booked the morning tickets became available,  it was really fantastic.  It is a bit difficult to find, though.  Look for small signs in English pointing to “ digital art”.  

We are on the Lisbon to cape town cruise and YF vaccine is required for passengers.  We just completed a visit to the Travel Well clinic at Emory University hospital in Atlanta.  Our doc had an MD and PhD in infectious diseases and reviewed our itinerary.  We were given a packet detailing the health risks in each country we are visiting and evaluated for our health risks.  We received an exemption certificate due to our ages.  We were up to date on the hepatitis vaccine but needed boosters for typhoid and polio.  Malaria is also a risk so we got prescriptions for that and antibiotics for the runs.  
 

All that being said, CDC and WHO accept YF exemption certificates but each African country can make their own policy.  

It is especially awful when an entitled passenger has their panties in a wad about something.  On one trip on the Mariner a woman was screaming at the excursion staff to the pont that the manager came out to the desk when the passenger demanded to speak to the captain.  The manager was steely and looked her in the eye and picked up the phone.  The woman then backed down and stomped off.  I was next in line and apologized to the young man she was berating.  He was grateful for the support.  We are all human and we can be good, bad, or ugly.  Let’s all try to be good. 

I haven’t read about this change, either.  I wonder if we can split the fares?  I mean, charge one of us entirely on one card, and the other on another Chase card?  Is the trip considered one fare or two?  

I’m a fan!  I look forward to following you here and on your blog.  Safe travels!

41 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

more came from FB than here.

I remember a similar thread on FB but can’t find and the search icon is not cooperating.   Did Regent pull the thread?  
 

1 hour ago, Pcardad said:

They caught this internally

This is the source of the confusion.  After impacted customers called, were given misinformation then forced the escalation through several supervisors until one brought it to the attention of upper management who corrected the issue.  This was hardly  “caught” internally.  More likely damage control.  

@RELS  we booked with Gate One - 12 days, small group.  Thank you for reading my travelogue.  I write so I can remember details of the sites and my impressions of the towns.  
 

We were fortunate that our group was very laid back and friendly - no difficult personalities emerged during the trip - you know what I mean!   I especially liked the tour as we did things that I never would have stumbled on alone.  Hotels were great, too. 

Seldom are excursions timed so you can do two in a day.  That being said, I think Japan is best done on a land tour rather than a cruise.  We did both this spring and the land tour was much more interesting and immersive.  

12 minutes ago, CruisetheCs said:

Also, this thread has been going on for some time and no one from Regent has bothered to respond here.

I’m suppressed that no one seems assigned to monitor this and Facebook.  In the past, there was a dedicated person or two that would respond to issues.  Seems like they went with the cost cuts.  

31 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

It was a simple error - nothing more. The reps are only allowed to give the info they have in front of them. Very often, things change outside of Regent and it takes them a while to determine the correct path forward.

Common sense dictates that most passengers, if not all passengers have their embarkation and debarkation plans in place three weeks prior to a cruise.  So, the decision makers for this “error” should have anticipated the resulting uproar and proactively offered an explanation for the change (which was probably out of their control) and detailed transportation options from this tiny town. Instead they indicated that they would only take care of those passengers who booked air and transfers with them.  The uproar generated mega bad will that will be difficult to clean up.

On our recent Tokyo to Vancouver cruise we had an unexpected stop in Homer.  Homer wasn’t ready for us so Regent chartered busses that arrived overnight from Anchorage to shuttle passengers around town.  This was a perfect solution for a port change.  

24 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

A customer service supervisor caught the error (based on phone calls) and escalated it to a level where it was corrected.

Curious why the Miami office is not proactive with this kind of issue.  Are the front line customer service people briefed on issues like this so they can answer correcly?  Why does the passenger have to escalate to a supervisor, then have the supervisors (x2 - see previous post) tell them they were on their own?  
 

My own experience with the customer service reps is that they generally either don’t know the answer or they give the wrong answer.   The most recent example was if a visa was required for US citizens in Togo.  Multiple incorrect information was given to multiple passengers (we discussed this in our roll call) until, finally, we got the correct information in an email.  And, don’t get me started on the RSSC misinformation about a Chinese visa….

It’s like the bean counters are steering the ship!  Obviously, RSSC needs to balance the books, but someone in the head office needs to take the long view and balance decisions so they align with the corporate values and what they promise to customers in the glossy brochures.  
 

We are platinum on Regent and we liked the all inclusive aspect of travel.  The latest hurdles make me take a pause.   Regent seems to be spiraling down to the level of mainstream lines.  

Wow!  I guess someone is actually monitoring social media (as they should).  My father had a saying for this kind of business decision….. “Step over a dime to pick up a nickel”….something that seems cost effective is NOT in the long run!  

7 minutes ago, H2O Polo Willie said:

If we want to see Normandy we will now have to book another European trip and that was to be the highlight of this cruise!

Spending time in Normandy and Brittany on a land trip is the way to go!  We spent a week in Dinan at an AirBNB situated right on the ramparts.   We rented a car and did day trips to the D day beaches, Mont St. Michel, calvados tasting on the side of the road and in ancient distilleries.  Plus, eating wonderful food and drinking wonderful wine.  
 

it’s unfortunate that the plans you anticipated did not work out, but don’t let that stop you from taking a land trip.  I think that France is better on a land trip.  

I posted this on FB but thought I would post it here too.  
 

The most distressing thing about this whole thread is how cavalier Regent is being with information.  No explanation (which IMO would be helpful to understand the switch), and no effort to help customers change their plans.  The response to take it up with travel insurance is just plain disrespectful and lazy and absolves them of any responsibility.  

It’s like booking a flight and the airline saying that even though the ticket is from Atlanta to Boston, your flight is now leaving from Chattanooga (two hours away).  Good luck!  Take it up with your travel insurance!

You might try contacting Jennifer Teegan at headquarters in Miami.  She has been very helpful when I have had issues in the past.  Here is her contact info:

Jennefer Teegen | Director of Guest Experience and Loyalty
P: +1 954.940.7217 | 😄 352.870.8279

8 hours ago, mjldvlks said:

Not completely certain I fully understand your comments

I opted for the dedicated USPS passport office because I thought (foolishly) that I would avoid the delays we read about for regular mail in ATL.  I just handed over the application and fee, paid for priority mail and went on my way.  The next day and each day of the next week I tracked the package.  It just sat there.  I was going to send all my screen shots to Sen. Ossoff’s office when it finally made its way to Philadelphia.  Of course, USPS offers no refund for priority mail that doesn’t live up to its promise.  

Our problem was USPS.  In Atlanta we have a no appointment passport facility.  I went in person with a completed renewal application and paid for priority mail.  It was supposed to arrive in Philadelphia in two days.  Instead, it sat in Atlanta for 10 days.  Once in Philadelphia it was a quick turn around.  This is why our senator launched an investigation into USPS.  Mail routinely goes missing, checks are stolen and “washed”, and some homes don’t get deliveries for weeks.  To top it off, the person who processed the application acted like she hated her job and humanity.  

Pulled the trigger and booked our first VO cruise!  It really grates to have to pay a year in advance, though!  We have been frequent Regent cruisers so that cruise line, although wonderful, is getting predictable.  VO will be exciting and new, hopefully.  
 

On this cruise (NE and Canada) we have small ports so I’m hoping that the ship docks close to town, or, at least, there is a shuttle bus to town.  Can anyone weigh in?