Dolebludger

papaflamingo: And, oh yeah, another question. We were able to choose a non-stop on United Denver - London (not knowing what Regent’s alternative would be) for the deviation charge only. So my question is, how much was your up charge for Delta direct?

Papaflamingo, just a question. On your flight, I understand that economy on Jet Blue is not what most of us Regent cruisers would like. But in addition, would you have to claim and recheck your luggage when you changed from JAL to Jet blue in Boston? We find that to be true often when connections involve an airline change, and that is a “deal breaker” for us.

On our near future cruise to the Caribbean on the Splendor. We took the credit and booked our own flights. We don’t want basic economy. We don’t like connections (we have been stranded too many times by connecting flights that didn’t connect). We want business and as few connections as possible. Even with all that, we still have one flight leg (Miami to Denver) where business class was full, and we had to take premium economy. We are wait listed for business. News at 11. our Regent cruise after that is a London to London cruise, and we need air from Durango to London and back. We knew it would involve a connection in Denver (United) or Dallas (American). But we wanted as few as possible connections, other than in one of those hubs. We researched and found a direct Denver to London and back on United in business. Other airlines from our accessible hubs had no such thing. Several connections within the US that we knew would be basic economy as soon as we cleared the “pond”. And we know the more connections, the less the fare. We feared Regent would put us on that type of routing. So, without no knowing that, we had our TA request a deviation that would United’s direct Denver to London in business, git it, and paid the deviation fee. But we’ll never know what routing Regent would have chosen for us. And he we waited to find out, the business class seats on our preferred direct flight might well have been sold out — as was on our Miami to Denver flight mentioned above. Airlines simply have too few business class Sears on their planes. And they have crammed economy so much that demand for business exceeds supply. And that perhaps is the problem here.

I think that cruising in a CS (or above) is what one must do to avoid the impact of most of the cuts. CS still has a butler AND a room steward. Anything below that lacks the butler, and on X the steward’s duties are limited. It seems that in a CS, included access to the mini fridge isn’t provided now — and it was on our 2018 cruise in a CS. But in a CS, the butler will bring in soda, water, and beer after he clears the “extra cost” contents out. Not so in any level below CS. We would gladly cruise again in a CS IF the cost were not more than one of the lux lines. Even lux cruisers watch their budgets!

Has anybody taken the “free intercontinental business class” without deviation and request for a certain airline and route? I ask because we never have done this, and we are just curious how good or bad the flights are this way. On such flight itineraries, I’d like to know if there were additional connections, inconvenient times, and such

Along these lines, I got an interesting email ad from Regent a few months ago concerning intercontinental flights with “free business air”. It offered a discount for those willing to fly premium economy instead. I wasn’t interested, and I have heard nothing about this option since. Just curious, as it seems that Regent’s air program regarding business air is having problems. It has gotten to the point that we check business air availability before we put down a deposit on a cruise.

Now wait just a minute. Regent just booked us in a non-stop on United from Denver to London and back, with only a deviation charge. Iceland Air goes there too, with one connection in Iceland, and it is much cheaper than United direct. And it’s not quite (just almost) international business class. `Now, if out of necessity or otherwise Regent books a guest on “not quite international business class” when it advertises “free intercontinental business class”, don’t you think some sort of compensation to the guest is in order? Now I am not disrespecting Iceland Air. If I needed to go to Northern Europe and pay for air, I’d book it - as we did a couple of times. It’s a good deal. But it isn’t quite what we think of as “intercontinental business class”

To answer the question about Iceland Air business class, it is the same as business class on domestic flights, while some other international lines have upgraded business class to include among other things, lay flat seats. All Iceland Air flights have a connection stop in Iceland — as of a few years ago. With that in mind, we found it to be a good airline, substantially less expensive than other lines’ business class. That is why I say, if Regent is providing international business air, they should credit the guest if it books Iceland Air. But if one is paying the fare, the savings would pay for a short stay in Iceland before continuing on, which Iceland Air allows at no cost, and which we did and enjoyed.

We have been on Regent more times than I can count. In fact we cruised it back when it was Radisson. We have never tipped anybody onboard. We never use the Spa, where tips are mandatory, which is not run by Regent. When you pay your fare for a Regent cruise, you ARE tipping. Many other lines don’t include tips in their fare, but add them on in some fashion. Regent’s program is more honest

I have the same problem. I’m more allergic to seafood — I just don’t like it. I looked at a sample pacific rim menu on the web site, and couldn’t put together a meal,I would eat because it is all sea food of some sort. There are many Asian dishes that do not contain seafood, and I gladly enjoy many of them.

I know of no ships currently doing itineraries totally in FP with a passenger load of much over 300. Silversea will start doing these itineraries in 2026 with close to 400 passengers. We did an itinerary on Regent that was partially FP in a ship of about 700 passengers. We have been to FP about ten times. Based on what we have experienced, Bora Bora is not capable of handling n more than 1200 cruise guests. In fact, that number should be set much lower. Not only for the benefit of the islands, but for the benefit of the passengers, who would not like being in paradise with a mob.

No sir, not discounting the Star Breeze at all. It may well host our next cruise in FP. And what are the other small ships planning cruises in FP in the future? And what alternative iteneraries you would like?

So, you are saying that Delta is declining to sell open business first seats to Regent on a flight by flight basis — not refusing Regent on all flights? And was there ever a contract in this regard between Delta and Regent. Sorry to be a pest, but we are booked by Regent on a direct flight Denver to London and return this August. This thread raises concern that somehow this may change to a flight with two or more additional connections, in which case we’d want cancel the whole thing, but probably couldn’t. Difficult position for the elderly.

I don’t understand many things about airlines — except that all need to improve! In booking our own, we have always just booked business, and the selected our seats among those available in that class.we have never encountered any “fare buckets”which I assume means different prices among business class seats. So I don’t understand “fare buckets”. But from what I read here, it seems that airline policies are interfering with Regent’s advertised “free business air”. It may be asking too much, but I wish we could get some word direct from Regent with details if the problem, so we would know the situation. Now, as for Iceland Air, it is true that there are no lay down seats in business, and there is no first. Seating is similar to business on domestic flights. Much like economy but with more space all around, and 2X2 seating instead of 3X3. In about 2018, we took Iceland from Denver to Reykjavik to get to a river cruise. Can’t remember the flight length, but it was doable for us, and cheaper than other business class. But if you have flight legs on either end, you may have to claim and recheck your luggage in route. Bottom line, if Iceland air is the only business class available to a guest, I feel that Regent should give the guest a partial credit/refund, as it is not quite international business class. But, on a positive note, Iceland air allows you a “stay over” in Iceland before continuing your journey, at no extra cost. We did this for two days and enjoyed it.

Just for information, Silversea is bringing its Silver Whisper to French Polynesia with cruises beginning in 2026. So then there will be three smaller motor ships operating there. We have cruised on this ship in the past and it’s a good one. The base suites are 285 sq. ft. Interior — a little larger than the Star Breeze and considerably larger than the Paul Gauguin. Announced itineraries look familiar, from all our past Paul Gauguin cruises. The amount of local culture that Silversea will offer is, of course, yet to be seen. But competition is a good thing

There might be a way for you to determine, in this case at least, what is going on. Check with Delta directly and see if you individually can book your preferred Delta flights in business class. If you can’t, it might be that those flights in business were sold out. If you can book them, there is a larger problem involving Regent.

I hope so as well, and hope it is copied by other airlines too. Back 20-30 years ago, I always flew what was called “coach” back then (main cabin) and no problem — even on long flights. But the seat room has shrunk, and my body has aged. Now it is business class, or no go if I can avoid the trip. For those of us who in the middle of the USA, it means that we can’t cruise as often due to the higher air fares. Even if it is a cruise where Regent provides business class on “inter-continental” legs, there might be a lot of economy flying involved to get to the inter-continental flights.

Years ago, I practiced some in bankruptcy law. Back then, a consumer who had paid money to the debtor for undelivered goods and services had a high priority claim for up to $2500. The law could have changed since then, but the last I followed it the amount of the priority claim had been increased. At least, this bears looking into.

If I may, I’ll say it again. We need much more good information about the status of Delta with Regent. Seems to me it could be many things other a complete break in relationship.

\Oh, yes sir, we chose to go for deviation for our flight to our London/London Splendor cruise this August,— even before we knew what Regent would automatically give us. We paid a bit of a small fee to get direct Denver to London and London to Denver back in United — all business first and we have to book our own business flights to and from the Denver “gateway” airport to and from Durango. Again no problem if this works according to plan, all is fine. But if the airline involved decides to cancel the agreement with Regent, where are we? This would be my question. It appears there is a shortage of business/first seats on some flights. For our March E. Caribbean cruise on the Splendor also, we took the credit as Regent does not include business/first on the flights involved. We were able to get most legs booked business first, except the Miami — Denver flight post cruise. On that one we had to book premium economy (what is that?) and wait list for business. Wouldn’t have made final payment on that cruise had I known I’d have to ride in the cattle car for a major air leg. So, it appears that Regent is doing the best it can. I instead blame the airlines for failure to accommodate up scale passengers. For the last two decades, when I finally got to step on a Regent/Radisson ship, I have always said “Thank God:!

The problem here is that US law bans non U.S.noassenger vessles

True, sir. At our age, some airline arraignments are not doable. Like multiple connections, bookings meant to have most legs in North America and therefore basic economy, and bookings with more connections than necessary. Here in SW Colorado, we really have only two airlines (and their partners) from which to choose. United and American are all we have without claiming and rechecking our luggage. Now, we have disabilities and just cannot fly basic economy for a flight of any length. On our cruise in the Splendor this March in the E. Caribbean, we took the credit and booked our own flights, because Regent included only basic economy, and we can’t do that. Still, on one leg (return, Miami to Denver) all we could get was premium economy. If we weren’t in an extreme penalty phase to cancel our cruise, I would do so. We have a Regent cruise later this year London to London. We paid deviation for a direct Denver to London flight — reverse on return, in included business class. Without deviation, Regent might have routed us with extra connections around the US in basic economy before flying business overseas. So we are concerned about ability to get air we deem suitable for us so we can cruise Regent. I saw this thread after I read a CNN article reporting that domestic airlines wanted to get rid of business/first. I wonder if this thread and the article are connected.

It makes me wonder whether a booked Regent guest who has already been booked on Delta by Regent will have booked flight reservation honored by Delta. My guess would be yes. But if I were in this situation, I’d certainly contact Regent. This is one of many reasons why we need more information.

Does anybody know the backstory on Delta’s cancellation its deal with Regent? Just curious, as we can’t use Delta without otherwise unnecessary connections and luggage retrieval and rechecking. We are stuck with United or American for luggage straight to destination and the fewest connections.

Still, my wife and I have yet to receive this survey. And we are well into the Gold level with the SSS. (I doubt that our life expectancy will allow us to reach Platinum.) But yet, we have a substantial history over more than two decades with Regent/Radisson. And we have a recent Regent cruise with two more booked. Just wonder what the criteria is for selection for the survey.