Texas Duck

FYI  80 years old and my wife and I have traveled extensively overseas.  Have done several cruises in Europe, China, Alaska, Egypt, etc. - last time was 2 months ago on Regent.  Live in Texas Hill Country.  Have used an online travel agent that offers nice discounts but little information. Am debating whether I should forgo any discounts and go directly to ACL. Hopefully you can help me decide by giving me your opinion on some beginner's questions.  We are considering the ACL Historic South cruise in April / May 2024 - Charleston to Amelia Island..  American Eagle in an AAM with private balcony. 

1.  Would you suggest port or starboard?  (guessing starboard)

2.  Are excursions included? (guessing yes)

3.  We make our own plane reservations? (guessing yes)

4.  Can we bring our own wine on ship? (guessing no)

5.  Should book directly with ACL or use online travel agent?

6.  Does ACL offer a hotel in Charleston the night before we embark?

7.  Do they offer transportation between airport and ship?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Couple are extra -for example, the Sunset Sail is $109/. But you are right, Regent is generally all inclusive.  Arrive at 2:00pm on June 19th and depart Tuesday, June 20 @ 5:00pm.  Arrive Hamilton and depart from St.George's.  Don't know anchorage - sorrry.

Taking a cruise next Summer and would appreciate your help. First of all, my wife and I love historical/quaint homes and villages. We equally love nature’s wonderlands. As all cruise ships do, Regent offers a choice of excursions. We have never been to this part of the world. Appreciate your help in making our selection.

Corner Brook
1. Highlights – drive and stop for views
2. Cox’s Cove – fish processing, folkloric demonstrations, photo stops

Sydney
1. Fortress Louisbourg
2. Bell Museum
3. City walking tour
4. Bras d’Or Lake grand tour
5. Highland Village highlights

Halifax
1. Peggy’s Cove Tour
2. Historic walk tour including brewery
3. City tour
4. Historic Halifax and Titanic

Bermuda
1. Walking tour of either place.
2. Southern shores
3. Crystal caves and Tuckers Town
4. Quintessential Bermuda & St. Georges
5. Glass bottom boat
6. Sunset sail
7. Catamaran snorkel trip

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and opinions.

Sorry but uninformed.  I have reservations on a June Baltic cruise.  Does Wait List actually mean that these cruises are about to be officially cancelled? 

IF so, and we made early plane reservations through their concierge  departing from Austin, what amount of the airfare fees will we get refunded? 

PAM, etc.

Thanks for great information.  I used Regent's Air Concierge.  We had to pay extra because Austin is not one of the "blessed cities".

Great information - thanks so much.

BACKGROUND Made reservations last Summer for Baltic cruise on Splendor June, 2021.  Not that it is germane to my question but this is our third attempt at a retirement vacation - COVID challenges.  Made reservations through a discount TA.  Nice but not as informative.  Appreciate your expertise.  Did take a Regent cruise 14 years ago but that seems like a different century.  We depart from Austin with great British Airways reservations.  I have looked through our paperwork and cannot find information on the Cancellation Policy.  We have only paid a small deposit fee.  The final payment is due April 14th.  We will be very surprised (and happy; and shocked) if the cruise departs as scheduled.  I found "something" saying that we would owe $100 if we cancelled 151 days.   I have found "something" says that we would owe $100 121 days.  Regent changed our date for the final payment from February, 2021 to April 14.  Splendor departs June 13th.  I am "so confused".

Q Where on the Regent website can I get a copy of our terms/conditions?

Q  What do you think we would receive if (or should I say when) Regent cancels the cruise?

Q What would you think we would receive if we cancel now or after we made the final payment (in April)?

Q What do we get back on the plane reservations?

I am sure I will have additional questions based on the information you share with me.

THANKS!

THANKS PCARDAD, DAVEFR AND FLOSSIE009.  

Exactly the info I was looking for.  As an observation - cruisecritic responses have been spot on and respectful.   I have noticed in the past few years - on other travel websites - some of the answers tend to be rude and degrading.

Thanks again!

My wife and I are traveling with two friends and used a "discount TA".  We made reservations on the Splendor for the 2021 summer (keeping our fingers crossed) and have a couple of questions.  

1.     Our suite category is only GTY (guaranteed).  When would you expect that Regent will actually allow us to select our suite number?  Sooner OR later? 

2.    We want to sit with our friends at the "reservation only restaurants".  2 questions.  Will I, for example, be allowed to make reservations for 4 people or just for my wife and me?  Do they start taking dinner reservations at midnight on the published date - which actually means I could make reservations - because of time zones - earlier since we are not on the east coast?

Thanks!

We disembark in Copenhagen on a Sunday morning at 8 in June, 2021 (hopefully).  4 of us - will be returning to US very early the next morning.  Any chance y'all know of an established private guide with car that could pick us up at the ship (with luggage) and take a highlight 4 to 5 hour tour of Copenhagen and then drop us off in Nyhavn  - where we are staying.  Appreciate your suggestions.

2nd Post - I posted earlier to a similar but different topic..

I booked our airfare yesterday - 270 days from embarkation date.  Perhaps my good experience may help other Regent travelers from middle part of Texas.

*     I called the Regent Air Concierge department at 877.722.7772 (they open at 8am Central Time) on the 272 day before embarkation date.  We used a TA but called the  Regent number directly.  Was not sure if 270 days was when you were leaving for the cruise or the embarkation date -- it is EMBARKATION date.  So, called back two days later and talked with Air Concierge.

*     Air Concierge records indicated that we were entitled to free coach instead of business class airfare.  Air Concierge transferred me to sales and they corrected their mistake immediately.  They then transferred me back to Air Concierge.

*     They OK'ed our first choice which was British Airways from Austin nonstop to Heathrow.  Short flight after that to Stockholm.  I know, I know, hopefully BA will be flying that route next June.  Both the pond and continent flights are business/first class.  I also am aware that European business/first class is not like the USA.

*     I had done my research and was able to book the window seats with two windows - A350-1000.

*     We wanted to arrive in Stockholm the day before embarkation - not the morning of.  We preferred Austin over Houston (we live in Texas Hill Country).  We knew about and were happy to pay the $175 and the $249 pp  charges.  HOWEVER, remember that if you book directly with BA, you will pay about $125 pp (each way) to get seat assignments before the 24 hour open period.   YOU DO  NOT pay the early booking seat assignment fee by going through Regent.  Offsets some of the Regent fees.

*     Regent forwarded the flight information overnight to our TA.  The TA this  morning recorded and sent us an invoice.

Helped a fellow traveler make the same flight reservations.  They confirmed and she paid immediately.  She did not use a TA but rather booked directly with Regent.  A little easier but no big deal either way.  

Excellent information from cruisecritic people.  Thanks!  Seems like as many questions as answers.

I booked our airfare yesterday - 270 days from embarkation date.  Perhaps my good experience may help other Regent travelers from middle part of Texas.

*     I called the Regent Air Concierge department at 877.722.7772 (they open at 8am Central Time) on the 272 day before embarkation date.  We used a TA but called the  Regent number directly.  Was not sure if 270 days was when you were leaving for the cruise or the embarkation date -- it is EMBARKATION date.  So, called back two days later and talked with Air Concierge.

*     Air Concierge records indicated that we were entitled to free coach instead of business class airfare.  Air Concierge transferred me to sales and they corrected their mistake immediately.  They then transferred me back to Air Concierge.

*     They OK'ed our first choice which was British Airways from Austin nonstop to Heathrow.  Short flight after that to Stockholm.  I know, I know, hopefully BA will be flying that route next June.  Both the pond and continent flights are business/first class.  I also am aware that European business/first class is not like the USA.

*     I had done my research and was able to book the window seats with two windows - A350-1000.

*     We wanted to arrive in Stockholm the day before embarkation - not the morning of.  We preferred Austin over Houston (we live in Texas Hill Country).  We knew about and were happy to pay the $175 and the $249 pp charges.  HOWEVER, remember that if you book directly with BA, you will pay about $125 pp to get seat assignments before the 24 hour open period.   YOU DO  NOT pay the early booking seat assignment fee by going through Regent.  Offsets some of the Regent fees.

*     Regent forwarded the flight information overnight to our TA.  The TA this  morning recorded and sent us an invoice.

Helped a fellow traveler make the same flight reservations last night.  They confirmed and she paid immediately.  She did not use a TA but rather booked directly with Regent.  A little easier but no big deal either way.  

Let me know if you have  any questions.

jhenry1 - thanks for sharing local knowledge.  We live in Bulverde.  Instead of raising cattle, we raise Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  Instead of pulling for Texas, we pull for Texas Tech.

QUESTION  I am also a research fanatic.  Too much time on my hands.  With Austin/British Air - did you ended up paying the $175 + $249 pp?  No other upcharges?  Interesting, when you compare published business class flight cost between Austin and Houston,  Austin is about $1,000 rt less pp.

Austin has done a marvelous job of getting good flights versus San Antonio.  Fortunately, we are almost as close to AUS than we are to SAT.  Agreed, easy parking.

Anchorbuoy, truly thanks for correction.  We were debating between IAH and AUS and, because of cost, went to IAH.  I love to debate so now we are, again, debating between the two cities - there is a book about this tale.

Between covid and retirement, we have way too much time on our hands.

Great information Anchorbuoy and rallydave.   Good info for my wife and me and we also have friends going on trip.

It looks like - pending a conversation with Regent - that it will be a IAH trip (just don't want to pay at least $1,000 for use of Austin).  Houston has several good nonstop flights to Europe - KLM (like the ceramic houses), Lufthansa, Air France and British Airways.   All 4 have 1 transfer flights.   Do you know if Regent supports all 4 airlines?

We end the cruise too late to get good flights home the demarcation day to Houston so would probably stay overnight and catch early early flights the next day to Houston.  Any suggestions or guesses if Regent would pick up business class for European portion of flights?

Again, thanks.

OLD topic but, let's see: signed up for Regent cruise June, 2021.  We live 1 hour from Austin and 3 1/2 hours from Houston.  Have designated IAH as our airport but is it worth doing research on flights from AUS?  Austin offers two direct Europe flights through British Airways and Lufthansa.  Will Regent allow flights from Austin and, if so, should I expect BIG increase in cost along with the $175 deviation fee? 

FlyerTalker

I did remember but thanks a lot for reminder. 

Have another questions:  Are the 270 days counted  from the date you depart USA or the embarkation date (e.g., we are leaving two days before the embarkation date)?

Yes, sorry about terminology.  Do you know if the additional charge is a flat fee or based on a number of their internal factors (e.g., would they take into account the thousand dollar reduction in the Austin fare)?  Thanks for info.

Great advice. 

Putting together the list of flights.   FYI From our home,  Austin is an hour away and Houston 3 1/2.  So far, the best flight is British Airways from Austin - but Austin in not on their list of approved airports.  The Austin BA itinerary is about $1,000 less than similar flights out of Houston.  Obviously, we would prefer Austin but will they entertain flights outside of their approved list?

Thanks!

BRIEF BACKGROUND:  booked on Regent’s Splendor Summer 2021 in Europe (Covid willing).  Have sailed with Regent two previous times but made own air reservations.  Using Air Concierge Rep this time and would appreciate your suggestions.  Departing US from Houston.  Will arrive in Europe the day before embarkation and return to Houston the day after disembarkation.  Air France, KLM and Lufthansa all have direct flights to Europe followed with short flights to Schengen countries – 1 change.   United, Delta, Turkish, etc. all have less desirable flights with, say, 2 changes, longer distances, etc.

My wife and I do not care that if short flights are coach.  Obviously, the Atlantic flights are business. We do care, however, that the pond crossing flight back to US not be followed by a long coach flight – both from personal and health reasons.  I plan on calling them 270 days before embarkation and understand the booking fees.

If I had elected to book directly with the three Atlantic non-stop carriers, the round trip runs about $5,100 to $5,600.  I realize that Regent uses coach for short hops – no problem.  The less desirable flights (i.e., 2 changes) run about $4,200 to $4,600.

QUESTIONS

Does Regent always book the cheapest flights? 

How do they determine which carriers? 

Will Regent negotiate schedules and or carriers?

Will they tell me ahead of the 270-day time frame the carriers they use?  I have already researched carriers and flights.

If they allow the carriers with the better schedules but will not pick up the entire fare, will they allow us to make up the difference?  Could we use shipboard credit?

What am I forgetting to ask? Has anybody done flight bookings differently that I should consider?

Four of us used Liz at liz2arg@yahoo.com this past Spring and could not have been happier. I highly recommend her. Because of some postings, I would add, we are not associated with Liz in any way. We are experienced travelers (having visited over 50 countries) and I do a great deal of due diligence. Based on our research, we did retrain the services of Liz. Prompt, knowledgeable, responsive, very clean and new van, etc. All the things I am looking for.

My wife and I have taken both cruise sponsored tours and private tours. Both very nice, however, we prefer private tours because you can customize and actually see much more in the time allotted -- not the crowded buses.

We were in Buenos Aires for one night in April '17 -- returned back to Houston from BA that night. We decided to use Liz Private Tours. We departed that night after 8 so we booked a day long city tour with Liz. She was great. Beautiful van and day. It was the only 'drizzly' day we had but not a problem. She has two college majors - one being history. Enjoyed talking with her about her country's problems as well as her country's amazing history. Beautiful buildings and parks. We did not miss the daily protests. Liz warned us not to use English around the protestors because they think we are the problem.