ededmd

Also looking forward to the full review!

Hope it finishes as good as it sounds to have started.

I was wondering about your thoughts on the blue lights in general in Compass Rose.

Besides the obvious photo challenges - do you find it affects your perception of the food?

P.s. there are other ways to really "perfect" your blue pics after the fact but was trying to share a 1 step improvement (lest the photogs among us come after me). :)

Enjoying your trip reporting including photos - blue or otherwise.

If you're using an iPad / iPhone, applying the "Transfer" filter is a one step fix to take some of that blue out.

Cheers!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Have received this before.

Just targeted marketing. In theory WSJ subscribers (vs newsstand purchases) have desirable demographic characteristics to convert to RSSC customers - namely income / wealth.

By using the /WSJ on the standard web address they can track the ROI on the use of that channel to bring site traffic.

Hi Ededmd,

 

 

Can you tell me if that is for all Med cruises in 2018? We are taking one in the fall but I did not get this email.

The fine print says:

FREE Unlimited Valet Laundry applies to new and current booked guests in all suite categories on 2018 Mediterranean voyages from April through November aboard Seven Seas Explorer (excluding May 22, 2018 and September 15, 2018 voyages) and from June through November aboard Seven Seas Voyager. Laundry Service includes garment pressing and excludes dry cleaning services

https://www.rssc.com/specials/details?Id=e3d614b1-dce7-4ecd-a13d-5b767431a55b&s=EM_RSS_PT_TCT_EMI_CTB_BLC_FREEBCA_DEC174043-20171219_NA_UC_DESTMED

150 € for drinks per person for any of the ships

Since Türchen 20 may be the last chance for this one this year.

Supply and demand, Regent. If the Med cruises aren’t selling well, drop the prices a little. Don’t nibble away at perks your loyal customers have earned through YEARS of repeat business.

 

I’m seeing some odd decisions come out of Miami...odd indeed.

IMO this is simply good marketing - adding benefits rather than dropping prices. And the cost of providing the benefit is less than the perceived value to the customer.

Agree with mmcguir.

When marketing a premium product (or in this case a "luxury" product), always better to add perceived value >> actual $ cost benefits and keep the floor solid on pricing. Only want to lower the floor if you've run out of the aforementioned cost beneficial (to the company) benefits and then only lower as little as possible / needed to meet sales goal for profitability....

The premium (luxury) pricing model is hard to regain once discounting base price is the norm.

Got an email this am.

29 voyages listed.

I am reminded of Father Jack.

 

Or Getränke, Getränke, Getränke - as the case may be...

Had to do a Wikipedia search.

I suspect the Father Ted show is pretty U.K. in its humour. You've intrigued me enough for a YouTube watch. :)

Türchen 15 now available

Another chance for the 200 € per person OBC.

Another good one today Türchen 12

200 € Bordguthaben auf unseren Luxusschiffen*

Große Genussmomente in Sicht... Jede einzelne Sekunde nach Herzenslust genießen, während Sie in Gedanken schon den nächsten traumhaften Hafen anlaufen. Welches Ziel Sie auch ansteuern: An Bord der EUROPA und der EUROPA 2 sind Sie in einer ganz eigenen Luxusklasse unterwegs. Sie mögen kleine Geschenke? Dann werden Sie dieses charmante Advents-Highlight lieben...

...Sie buchen eine Reise mit einer Reisedauer von mindestens 7 Tagen auf einem unserer beiden Luxusschiffe – und erhalten von uns einen attraktiven Gutschein in Höhe von 200 € pro Person.* Diesen können Sie an Bord der EUROPA für Getränke und Landausflüge und auf der EUROPA 2 für Getränke und Spa-Anwendungen einsetzen.

Viel Freude beim Genießen!

Today (Door 8) is a favorite -

150 € Gutschein für Getränke*

Erfüllen Sie sich Ihren persönlichen Reisetraum und reisen Sie mit einem Schiff unserer Flotte zu den schönsten Destinationen dieser Welt. Als kleine Aufmerksamkeit schenken wir Ihnen ein Guthaben in Höhe von 150 € pro Person für alle Getränke an Bord.

Wir freuen uns, Sie bald an Bord zu begrüßen.

150 € voucher for drinks *Fulfill your personal travel dream and travel with a ship of our fleet to the most beautiful destinations in the world. As a small consideration we give you a credit of 150 € per person for all drinks on board.We look forward to welcoming you on board soon.

Lana,

Consider using an insurance agent or price tool site to compare insurance coverage vs buying Regent coverage.

You may get more bang for your buck.

Also if you want "cancel for any reason" policies those typically must be bought within 7-14 days (depending on plan) of the initial deposit date - not final payment.

Hope you enjoy your Regent cruise immensely.

And yes - RSSC does offer upsells.

It is helpful to register your interest with your agent such that they can accept /reject immediately based on your parameters versus the time delay of contacting you and receiving a real time reply.

Those upsells can go quickly.

Floridiana - rest assured I shared my observations laudatory and critical on the cruise evaluation form.

I agree that for me Europa 2 still has more of what I like - nice cabins, good food, good beverages at reasonable prices, itinerary, and overall good value - than other lines I've sailed.

I think English Voyager and I agree the rate of staff turnover / lack of retention is driving a lot of what we're noticing.

Catlover54-

What an uncomfortable situation you've described.

Agree this is not luxury, not typical, and not acceptable.

Frankly you could have every soup and vegetable on the menu with your meal if you desired. Of course you do not have to choose and are not limited to a choice of one.

I found Katja to be engaged, supervisory, willing to help as needed, and open to feedback. I like her style with her staff.

I do think the turnover issues are real and there is more inexperienced (and young) staff being released onto the dining room floor perhaps before they are truly ready.

Because of the larger volume of new crew at a given time it is more noticeable than if just a handful of new folks.

I'm still a huge fan. I do want HL to be aware that we're sharing these concerns and take corrective action.

Dear Irishwitchy,

 

I took the pictures of the wine list for you. Just let me know where you want me to mail them to...

 

All the best,

M&P

Please post (if able) to this board.

The current wine list is recurrently a topic of interest for some.

If you want more post drydock video, these two are similar but good -

In the spa, the seats with the dedicated footbaths are gone replaced by a fireplace on the starboard side and I can't quite tell what on the port side.

Perhaps my perspective is off but it appears the Kneipp pool and ice fountain are also gone from the spa replaced with some seating.

(I hope I'm wrong about the Kniepp pool being gone as the cold water was quite soothing after walking a lot on tours.)

The bleacher style seating in the most aft starboard sauna appears to have been replaced by 4 wooden slat loungers.

I will let you know on Monday.

Thank you! Any other first hand observations (especially of changes) would I'm certain be welcomed by all the Europa 2-philes.

Your lovely long itinerary with 3 full seas days to explore the ship looks quite nice.

Enjoy the discovery and have a great cruise!

Thanks Hambagahle and UUNetBill for the correction.

It has been 2 years since I've been in Italy.

Sorry for the mistaken memory.

You should be able to get a short term refill of your meds at a farmacia (the one with the red cross).

You need to know the generic name and dosage and why you're taking the med (for what condition are you taking it). It may be helpful to have Google translate available if any confusion on the names or medical conditions are encountered.

I checked to see if this had changed since last I was there and saw articles written June 2017 saying the same thing I wrote above.

Best wishes for a smooth process. Lost luggage is painful.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has posted a video in respect of the 14 day refurbishment due for completion today.

 

 

Thanks so much for posting.

Collins looks so different from Herrenzimmer.

I would request confirmation from upcoming sailors that the beds were made to be separated as had been predicted.

Yea. By starting one cruise and ending the other in a foreign port (or otherwise including a foreign port stop on the itinerary of each leg), you're set. More of an issue for the cruise line than the cruiser - if this is the concern.

What was your original concern about the potential plan?

Also look at Hapag-Lloyd Europa 2 which would tick the boxes you've listed. My family's current preferred ship.

I can't recommend from personal experience but given the lines you've listed, I wouldn't see why you shouldn't look at Seabourn as well.

Would presume by your "casual" fun comment, you've ruled out Silversea for dress code.

Regent's clientele will skew older than your age - not to say that's a problem. Trivia especially can be lively and entertaining.

I'd just be concerned about the perceived value given the comparatively high cost to support "included" alcohol since you've said it is not important to you. To a degree the quality of excursions being included may vary depending on the region.

Which leads to a follow up question - where are you looking to cruise? Standard or Expedition ship?

Answers may vary depending on destination.

For example, there are many posters I respect who love the Paul Gauguin and if I was looking to cruise Polynesia it would be top of my list to investigate.

I'd recommend you spend some time on each of the individual boards to get a flavor of the current successes and concerns of each line's clientele. Within a week you should get a feel for the temperature of a group as well as how you feel about certain posters' content and whether or not you think your opinions may be concordant.

Alas - since Hapag-Lloyd hasn't been granted a board you may not visit a line specific site but there are several helpful posters who will answer those questions if you start a dedicated thread.

The research can be a part of the fun of a cruise.

Good luck.

I don't believe that poss has posted since the Hurricane.

Correct. She has not yet posted.

TC2 made a comment yesterday on the Canada / substitute port thread:

"poss - first have to say that we are happy to see you on the board. Hope that the damage to your home wasn't too bad."

The immediately preceding post from poss was from Aug 30 (prior to the hurricane).

our next Europa cruise (43 days) is coming up in January.

Wishing you the best.

I hope to hear this last experience was an aberration and you are able to completely enjoy your next Europa voyage.

Hapag-Lloyd was acquired in 1998 by TUI AG (Hanover), a tourism conglomerate, and became its fully owned subsidiary in 2002.

Europa 2 launched 2013 and had been under charter to Hapag-Lloyd Kreuzfahrten (former name) until 2015.

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises (current name - post rebranding) bought Europa 2 outright in 2015.

Regarding the one person's opinion on their Europa voyage - it is just that, ONE person's opinion. Certainly valid to that person. n=1

And yes agree - several of us who have sailed the line would prefer to have a separate board as well.