pingpong1

As Lew just stated...If you're not using one of many TA's (specifically, the ones who give you either a percentage discount off the published Regent fare... or give you an actual cash rebate after you've paid the published Regent fare)...you're leaving a whole lot of money on the table! A "whole lot" as defined by Thousands of Dollars! Plus OBC's that Lew mentioned.

So, if I understand correctly... are you saying that the letter that Regent provided to guests gave a specific reason for each port's cancellation...including the Nicaragua port visit being missed "due to political uprisings?"

The cheerleaders always want to assure us that this is a pure coincidence. 🙄

Seems to be many more than "just a few" recent reports (from Regent's well-experienced cruisers like "Z & TB") of less than stellar fillet and lobster dinners in Regent's restaurants. Could this be a "sourcing/supplier" problem rather than a simple "cooking mistake"...i.e., in the corporate pursuit of "reducing food costs"? Just wondering?

Hi Tom...We have to walk a bit "softly" here and not get into too much specific detail for fear of breaking some forum "rule". You are correct that TA's overseas (UK, OZ, Europe, etc.) operate differently (and have substantially different industry rules that govern their conduct) than in the U.S. In the U.S., there is no "one size fits all". Some agents are able to provide a discount off of the published fare, others provide some compensation in the form of OBC's, other TA's merely provide a "friendly handshake or voice" on the other end of the phone (with no actual discount in any form given), and still others are able to provide an actual cash-in-hand rebate at some point after an actual booking and final cruise documents have been issued. Your best source of info is available once you're on an actual cruise and make friends with some fellow passengers and ask them for more specific details and experiences (which can't be given on the CC forum). Best Regards

PC...I'm wondering how you know for sure that "Regent would make it right"? It looks to me like Regent has only "made things right" for their own corporate accountants/balance sheet. This significant change, turmoil, and major inconvenience and additional expense to their passengers (along with the short notice given AFTER final payments have been collected) has certainly/already NOT made things "right" at all for their customers. Regards

Just remember that if you think Regent's Connoisseur bourbon offerings "fall short" of expectation...you can always bring your own supply with you (since you'd be paying extra anyway if they offered it on the connoisseur list. Regent really doesn't mind at all if you bring your own! I do the same with my own cigars! I bring my own, and they absolutely don't care! I've even brought some of my own wine along in the past. Remember, if you set "the bar" low enough...you're always satisfied! Regards

Negative. Why isn't it happening on the other ships? Do all the ignorant/low IQ "flushers" just all happen to book on Mariner? Probably not.

Hi Rachel - I've really enjoyed following along with your sailing. Hope you and George have safe travels back home. On our last (Splendor) cruise in November, I also found the quality of the lobster to be quite inferior to what we had remembered from past Regent cruises. And I gave it several "chances" on various nights and in different venues. It was "tough" and "grisly"...I would not have thought that was possible for lobster tail?? After ordering it on 3 different occasions on that cruise I "gave up" and switched to (much better) other seafood selections instead. In all truthfulness, we have bought/cooked live Maine lobster at home - Arizona in the middle of the desert - (purchased from our local Safeway store) that was far better and "much more like" lobster is supposed to be! Best Regards.

Here's my "Hypothesis"... and it's completely devoid of any facts! 🤪 The soundproofing material used by the builder was the "same" throughout all the suite spaces. They didn't use one type (i.e., "better") in the upper suites vs. a different type (i.e., "inferior") in the lower level suites. But since the higher-level suites are also larger (more square footage), they dissipate the sounds from adjoining suites better than the smaller suites. So it makes it "seem" like the "upper suites" are quieter, even though the same sound proofing material inside the walls is exactly the same throughout the ship. Sound levels dissipate with distance from the source. That's my own "SWAG". ((Stupid Wild-A Guess)). Regards

I believe there's also a rather significant difference between the Constellation Theatre on Explorer and the theatres on Splendor/Grandeur. Sightlines and support structures blocking many stage views in the Constellation Theatre on Explorer. This was corrected on the next two ships...Splendor and Grandeur.

You probably meant "Hundreds of Thousands" 😉

That's for sure! 🤪

And then there's the additional problem of feeding them, housing them, and of course...cleaning up after them!

Whole-heartedly agree with you, Marc! I would think Regent's business model and operating mode (along with that of most Regent customers) is to "look and act" LESS like mass-market lines! Certainly not MORE like them! Regards

Jhenry1 - A particular red we liked on Splendor (one month ago) was Rocca Sveva Valpolicella Superiore (2018). We particularly like most Italian reds, to begin with. For our first dinner in Setti Mari, we asked the wine steward for a Valpolicella (not an "extra cost" wine - an "included pour"). He brought us this. We loved it (4 of us went through 2 bottles of it at that first dinner), and we had that same wine "follow us" for dinners throughout the cruise in various venues, including Pacific Rim, Chartreuse, and CR. We asked for it in those venues and they all gladly went and got it for us. Give it try, particularly if you like reds. Regards

Lovely Pics, Crisy. Thanks for sharing these with us!

Excellent summation, PC. I'm sure someone else will have to repeat the same message about 6 times a year, as newbies sign on for the first time and others...will just want to whip that poor horse to death...once again. 😉🐴

Or perhaps bring your own case of it with you if it's so critical?

Pappy, perhaps the viewpoint might change just a little bit...if they experience it themselves. Just wondering? 🤔

Hi Crisy - So looking forward to your wonderful pictures and narrative! 🙂

CJ - I think I completely agree with you! And that's a Grand Suite? Wow! I think a Motel 6 would look nicer than that! The problem is that Regent keeps filling these "Suites" and people keep paying the huge prices for them! Regards

Excellent point, Bill. Best Regards!

Marc - Perhaps they're thinking that "you can never know too much about algae"! 😵

I can't believe how "hung up" the writer was regarding the size of the closet! Sheesh! You're presumably not going to be spending all your cruise time in the closet! It's just a place to hang and store the clothes.