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How difficult is it to get a reservation with an F1 suite?


kjbacon
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We have had a tough time finding the right cabin for our first Regent cruise in the spring. Our first choice had been a Concierge suite but we do not want the noise from being directly below Chartreuse.

 

We have decided to select the well placed F1 suite #846. My concern is how difficult will it be to get shore excursion reservations and restaurant reservations. Will everything be picked over by the time we are able to reserve?

 

Thanks for being such a nice group of helpful people!

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We have had a tough time finding the right cabin for our first Regent cruise in the spring. Our first choice had been a Concierge suite but we do not want the noise from being directly below Chartreuse.

 

We have decided to select the well placed F1 suite #846. My concern is how difficult will it be to get shore excursion reservations and restaurant reservations. Will everything be picked over by the time we are able to reserve?

 

Thanks for being such a nice group of helpful people!

 

No real way to definitively answer your question as it varies cruise to cruise and you haven't provided your specific cruise. It is much like getting additional reservations at the speciality restaurants. Our one cruise on Navigator we were able to get into Prime 7 anytime we wanted and another time on Mariner, it was near impossible.

 

Each cruise has a different mix of people and their wants may or may not be the same as you. Remember everyone is guaranteed at least one visit to each speciality. Good luck and have a wonderful cruise. Others may post that additional buses will be added and while that is true many times, may or may not apply to the tours you want when you are able to book them.

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You are guaranteed one reservation in each specialty restaurant. Those with advance reservations can only reserve one night in each restaurant also. You might not get the time and date you wish but you will get a reservation. Be flexible and consider sharing a table if your preferred time is unavailable.

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As a Brit never had issues re excursions by ringing up Regent in Southampton to book these including last year when we booked only 5 months out from the cruise. Equally always used phone not online internet to book restaurants, as then can discuss with them what's available if your first choice date/ time is unavailable.

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You should be able to get most if not all of your desired excursions booked online if you go on the website the day the excursions open for booking. I have never had a problem with that. And even once on board, lots of people change their minds about doing an excursion. Unless it is something with a really limited number of people allowed, it is usually bookable.

 

As far as dinner reservations, you need to make them online as soon as they open and for early in the cruise. Once on board, if you decide you want more, it may be possible, but depends on the cruise. If you have any days with really long excursions, those are perfect for popping into your desired restaurant as soon as they open and seeing if they have availability. Often they do.

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Our experience has been the same as Rachel’s - you typically have people cancelling excursions once onboard. You can also do a stand-by in the theater. When people do not show up, they call people from the waitlist (that are sitting in the theater).

 

Since your cruise isn’t for a while, you may want to put a deposit (refundable I believe) for a concierge suite. There are usually cancellations once final payment is due on a cruise.

 

BTW, the key to getting the suite that you want is to book as soon as itineraries come out.

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What is the difference in priority booking with a concierge level and the booking on the F1 superior suite? Is it that they are both available in advance but the concierge level is more in advance? I can’t seem to find that detail on the website.

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What is the difference in priority booking with a concierge level and the booking on the F1 superior suite? Is it that they are both available in advance but the concierge level is more in advance? I can’t seem to find that detail on the website.

Yes, concierge level guests, along with those with SSS status, have the opportunity to book excursions and dining in advance of those in standard suites.

The information is to be found in the FAQ section of the Regent website. (Unfortunately Regent buries most of the useful information in this difficult to locate area of their website)

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What is the difference in priority booking with a concierge level and the booking on the F1 superior suite? Is it that they are both available in advance but the concierge level is more in advance? I can’t seem to find that detail on the website.

 

From the FAQs website -- this may be helpful

 

Dining Reservations:

 

Can be booked 75 days prior to embarkation concierge and above level guests as well as Silver Seven Seas Society members (those having sailed 21 nights on Regent) and above.

 

90 nights prior to embarkation you can book in lower categories.

 

Unfortunately, most Regent guests are able to book 75 days in advance which, In my opinion, is a problem in terms of getting the date, time and table size that you wish to have onboard. Yes - you can make reservations onboard but they are limited to certain times and dates.

 

Excursions

 

Concierge and above and Silver and above can book 240 days in advance

 

180 days in advance for lower categories

 

In my opinion, it is worth paying extra to be in a concierge suite if you are not Silver in the Seven Seas Society. Otherwise, it probably isn't worth the money (again, just my opinion).

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From the FAQs website -- this may be helpful

 

Dining Reservations:

 

Can be booked 75 days prior to embarkation concierge and above level guests as well as Silver Seven Seas Society members (those having sailed 21 nights on Regent) and above.

 

90 nights prior to embarkation you can book in lower categories.

 

Unfortunately, most Regent guests are able to book 75 days in advance which, In my opinion, is a problem in terms of getting the date, time and table size that you wish to have onboard. Yes - you can make reservations onboard but they are limited to certain times and dates.

 

Excursions

 

Concierge and above and Silver and above can book 240 days in advance

 

180 days in advance for lower categories

 

In my opinion, it is worth paying extra to be in a concierge suite if you are not Silver in the Seven Seas Society. Otherwise, it probably isn't worth the money (again, just my opinion).

 

I think the dining reservation days are the wrong way round - it's 75 days for lower category guests and 90 days for concierge and higher.

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From the FAQs website -- this may be helpful

 

Dining Reservations:

 

Can be booked 75 days prior to embarkation concierge and above level guests as well as Silver Seven Seas Society members (those having sailed 21 nights on Regent) and above.

 

90 nights prior to embarkation you can book in lower categories.

 

Unfortunately, most Regent guests are able to book 75 days in advance which, In my opinion, is a problem in terms of getting the date, time and table size that you wish to have onboard. Yes - you can make reservations onboard but they are limited to certain times and dates.

 

Excursions

 

Concierge and above and Silver and above can book 240 days in advance

 

180 days in advance for lower categories

 

In my opinion, it is worth paying extra to be in a concierge suite if you are not Silver in the Seven Seas Society. Otherwise, it probably isn't worth the money (again, just my opinion).

 

I agree with you and the Concierge suite was our first choice but I don’t want the noise from the restaurants above (the 2 that are left are under Chartreuse and Prime 7). We were under a restaurant on our last Azamara cruise and it was just awful, wont do it again.

 

I’m very concerned though about getting decent ressies for shore excursions and restaurants. We love this itinerary and with recent changes to our schedules, the timing is now better for us than the cruise we booked for summer.

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If the excursion(s) that you want are sold out and wait list only, you may want to call Regent and ask whether there are plans to add tours and add your name to the wait list.

 

Also, if there are excursions that you have not cleared the wait list upon your arrival on the ship, go down to the destinations desk and let it be known that you are interested in specific excursion(s) - many passengers get over ambitious when booking their excursions and as the cruise progresses, get excursion fatigue and turn in their tickets, which are promptly reissued to those on the wait list.

 

As a last resort, if there is a specific excursion that you have not cleared the wait list, go down to the theatre (the meeting place for excursion bus assignments) a few minutes before the scheduled time (it will be listed in the Passages left in your room the previous evening) and place your name on the wait list and sit and wait - it is not unusual to have no shows.

 

gnomie :)

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Agree with that, but you don’t even need to call Regent. If you request an excursion it will specify wait list on the website, and I believe it automatically shows on your record that you are wait listed. We had that happen a couple of times before we were Silver, and both times, the wait list cleared and we got our requested excursions. Note however that even if you have a confirmed reservation, the excursion could be cancelled. That’s how we never did make it to Quito in S.A., to our great disappointment, the tour was cancelled during our cruise. Guess it was a weather or transport issue. Stuff happens.

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Agree with that, but you don’t even need to call Regent. If you request an excursion it will specify wait list on the website, and I believe it automatically shows on your record that you are wait listed.

The website used to allow you to wait list an excursion online but that feature no longer exists. Now you have to call Regent, or have your TA call Regent, to wait list an excursion.

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Oh my, I didn’t know that obviously, it’s been a while since we waitlisted. Thanks for that info. (Rather inconvenient of Regent, IMO).

 

Several of us have requested that when they go through the re-do of the Regent website that they put back the ability to waitlist excursions.

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Great news! A penthouse suite opened up and we’ve decided to treat ourselves .... now I’m furiously reading shore excursion descriptions and playing catch up. We are so excited.

 

That’s great news. Glad it’s all worked out for you and have fun choosing your excursions and booking the specialty restaurants. Jean.

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The TA got off to a rough start but pulled through and did a great job in the end.

 

I’ve been reading over the shore excursions and I am really impressed. If they are half as good as they sound, we are in for a treat!

 

 

Thank you all, again.

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Hi Travelcat2 I made a posting today about finding an agent who rebates, we have booked a 22 day cruise on Explorer for December 17 2019 we booked a Penthouse Suite the fare around 38,700 for both. I found an agent that will rebate $4400 do you think I can do better? If yes I’ll keep looking

Thanks for your input

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Hi Travelcat2 I made a posting today about finding an agent who rebates, we have booked a 22 day cruise on Explorer for December 17 2019 we booked a Penthouse Suite the fare around 38,700 for both. I found an agent that will rebate $4400 do you think I can do better? If yes I’ll keep looking

Thanks for your input

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

That sounds really good. Glad that you found a TA that will work for you:D

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