mrlevin

Since I didn’t get an answer to my specific question, I will provide my exact experience in case someone searches in the future. At exactly 11am, the prescribed time, a water taxi along with a representative from the ground operator arrived at our hotel. We and our bags were quickly shuttled via water taxi to a parking area near the cruise terminal. The ground operator then walked us over to our driver who loaded our bags into a nice van. A little less than two hours later we and our bags arrived at our Trieste hotel. Extremely easy and stress free.

Any idea when ship will be ready for embarkation?

What difference do sculptures make? I want service, food, accommodations. Forget any fancy eggs unless I can eat them. Grandeur now expected to arrive in Trieste 5am local time on the 18th.

Grandeur has left Ancona and is en route Dubrovnik schedulled to arrive tomorrow morning.

It is amazing that the President of the Company does not know what day Navigator sailed on. 🙃

Has anyone had any problems with Regent picking them up at their hotel via water taxi? For transfers to Trieste, did they transfer you to a vehicle at Piazzale Roma? thanks, Marc

Just got our first regent provided air for next year’s grand arctic. Credit would have been $1700 and we paid $249 per person to fly to and from Austin. Nonstop to JFK in first class on delta. One stop BCN-JFK-AUS on American in business and first. Fantastic flights with no up charge. Seats assigned. I put in our FF numbers and requested notification of changes. This is easy. I am a happy camper. Marc

A lot of reasons and you can find multiple threads. Primary reason is Horizon Lounge on Mariner and Voyager and the size of the Navigator (having a cabin on deck 6 of navigator is absolutely fantastic). Explorer has many design flaws that were partially corrected on Splendor.

I have found teams just come together naturally. Last cruise we found that a couple gals on our team just stopped showing up so we found replacements. Last year on a 94 day cruise we had the same team every day; 3, 4, 5, or 6 would show up but I don’t like to bring someone on just for a day; I guess a quirk of mine. I pretty much have given up bridge so I can be at trivia early. I get there one to two hours early to set up chairs and will either read the newspaper or study trivia. I guess we are all different. Marc PS two teammates from a 2017 cruise will be on grandeur inaugural and I hope they will still let me be on their team.

150 nights on the voyager and yes she has a bit of vibration but she is hands down far better than the explorer and I believe she is as good if not better than splendor. Mariner is my favorite with voyager (and navigator) close behind.

Has Regent made any recommendations regarding whether Jews should go ashore in Turkish ports? thanks, marc

I don’t often speak negatively about Regent but I would be very disappointed if you didn’t get a significant FCC and/or ability to cancel.

So I don't make the same error - which setting on iPad?

Did you get an official answer?

Thanks for ll the well wishes. Beautiful funeral today; Friday we fly to Athens and board on Sunday. Our friends got on in Rome today and have started the party; we will just have to catch when we do get on board. Again, thanks so much for the well wishes. Marc

I’ve never taken one and have received the $750 per person each time. I imagine the policy might have changed recently but that would be strange.

If you don’t take the free included pre or post you get $750 per person credit.

Why do you let regent book your hotel? Take the credit and book hotel of your choice. Of course, in the old days when Carlson owned raddison/regent they put us in nice hotels including the regent in Beijing.

Depends on whether you have been to Japan before. For first timer, I would try to find a cruise that lets you have two or three days in Kyoto; reachable from either Osaka or Kobe. Our first Japan cruise embarked at Osaka so we were able to do a three day pre-cruise on our own to Kyoto. If you have never been to Tokyo, I would allow at least three days there either pre or post. Forget the Regent tour and do it on your own. Other important ports are Hiroshima, Miyajima, and Nagasaki. The rest of the Kyushu and and Honshu ports are interesting but nothing must see. If you can go to Nikko that is also fantastic. And you have to see Kamakura. Cruises to the north are different; and although we have been to Hokkaido for Sapporo Snow Festival our cruise next year will be first with Hokkaido ports. Spring cruises are better just to see cherry blossoms. Marc

I will take a jab at this; having been twice before and again next week. If you are into ancient ruins; I strongly recommend the tour to Delos. I have taken the island tour and it is not much. My favorite activity is to sit at a beachside restaurant eating souvlaki and drinking retsina while my wife peruses all the cute shops.

I have had a laundry room tour on Regent. Although I haven't taken it I know of others that have had engine room tours. A while back on World Cruise they had dinner in the crew mess. Just ask. Marc

Steelers, thank you so much for your reply; it put my mind at ease while waiting for Princess and my TA. In 24 hours I had new travel summary and new luggage tags all listing Athens on 5 November for boarding. Still don't know what pier but we can figure that out once we are there. Again, thanks, Marc

I'm hoping to see it on the 17th in Trieste. 😁

Just curious about past experiences. Sister-in-law died over the weekend. Funeral 1 Nov in Orlando which happens to be same date we are/were scheduled to board in Civitavecchia. Found out through travel agent that Princess allows mid-cruise embarkation but you need to fill out a form and they need three to five business days to process the form. Cruise leaves in four business days. We have asked to board in Athens on 5 Nov (Guy Fawkes Day). Can I assume that Princess will eventually approve this so that I can get flights and pre-cruise hotel night? Or, does Princess ever deny? Do they ever deny when it is a major cruise port? Travel Agent is escalating but looking for a "warm fuzzy" or "we/re screwed" input from past cruisers. thanks, Marc

Susan, ask Luke if he may be on Mariner with us over Christmas?