POLL- Concierge Programme

From April next year Regent intend to introduce the following:-

New Regent Seven Seas Cruises Concierge Program

Guests booking suite categories E and above on Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner and category D and above on Seven Seas Navigator will receive the following services:

* priority specialty restaurant reservations

* 25% off premium purchased wines & liquors

* priority spa reservations

* 10% off pre-or-post hotel or land packages

* priority embarkation

* space available upgrades at time of sailing

* priority luggage delivery

* complimentary binoculars

* 15 min. worth of free phone calls per suite

* complementary Regent Seven Seas tote bag

* one free hour of internet per suite

* printed air boarding passes

Likely to what?

Likely to book a suite in one of these categories - probably but would do so anyway. I don't really see anything listed there that I would deliberately pay more for. We don't buy the premium wines/liquors; I have never had a problem getting a spa reservation; we don't take the land programmes (too expensive - I can book them lots cheaper myself!); would like the priorty embarkation and space available upgrade (providing it is free of additional cost!); priority luggage delivery is nice - but as long as my suitcases are on the ship with me I really don't care when they come to my suite!; We have our own binos; I get 2 hours free phone calls anyway!; I doubt I need a Regent tote bag; I get free internet anyway; Regent doesn't do my air and I print my own boarding passes (This latter "benefit" I do not understand!! Will they be gold-embossed?)

In sum as I said on another thread - this is re-packaging benefits that already exist. But I like the name and if it "floats Regent's boat" to re-package what is on offer - why not??

I CAN however name one perk I would really really appreciate: Free laundry and dry cleanign with same day service!!

Oh heck, now I'm torn. The tote bag could be a deal breaker for me :rolleyes:

Likely to what?

 

The heading to the poll says "How likely are you to cruise with Regent from 2012" . I wondered in view of all the comments just how significant the change is.

Thanks OrpT - what fantastic computer skills you have for an elderly gent. You beat me full time.

I have placed my vote.

Thanks again

Tom, thanks for your IT contribution, pls pass warm regards to Barbara.

I agree with Hambagahle--the benefits they list are really not that meaningful to me. I certainly wouldn't pay more for any of them. I already have free internet and phone, which are important.

Haven't had problems getting speciality rest or spa reservations. Don't use the pre and post cruise services.

I think I would have phrased it slightly differently, since I don't know how many of us will positively *refuse* to book Regent, just be less likely to do so. I think I would have asked how uncomfortable folks are with the new system, and how it would affect their choice of luxury cruise lines.

But in any case, I'll vote "much less likely to", or something like that.

Never say never ... but am less likely

Miriam

Likely to what?

 

Likely to book a suite in one of these categories - probably but would do so anyway. I don't really see anything listed there that I would deliberately pay more for. We don't buy the premium wines/liquors; I have never had a problem getting a spa reservation; we don't take the land programmes (too expensive - I can book them lots cheaper myself!); would like the priorty embarkation and space available upgrade (providing it is free of additional cost!); priority luggage delivery is nice - but as long as my suitcases are on the ship with me I really don't care when they come to my suite!; We have our own binos; I get 2 hours free phone calls anyway!; I doubt I need a Regent tote bag; I get free internet anyway; Regent doesn't do my air and I print my own boarding passes (This latter "benefit" I do not understand!! Will they be gold-embossed?)

 

In sum as I said on another thread - this is re-packaging benefits that already exist. But I like the name and if it "floats Regent's boat" to re-package what is on offer - why not??

 

I CAN however name one perk I would really really appreciate: Free laundry and dry cleanign with same day service!!

Agree...you could amost say we are in the same boat.;)

Folks are citing the Concierge category on Oceania as an example. As an experienced Oceania guest, I can assure you that it doesn't make a hoot of difference on how one is treated on board, nor do any of the folks in lower categories miss anything they wanted in the first place. It's not a matter of "class"; it's a matter of finances. If you want concierge treatment, you pay a little more. Big whoop.

Think of it this way -- those suites on Regent have always cost more; now the folks that book them are going to get a little more for their money. More power to them. There's enough on Regent to go around so those like me who try to book the lowest price suite will likely never notice.

For those who are so concerned, I saw an announcement that Crystal is going to start including open bar starting in 2012.

When I first read about the Concierge Class I was quite opposed to it and stated so. However, after going over the benefits and reading the comments pro and con by other posters I have changed my mind. As Rachel and Hambagahle stated most of the amenities offered that will affect passengers OUTSIDE of their suites are things that some of us already have through the SSS, wouldn’t use anyway, or don’t care about. As for amenities INSIDE the suites I am all for them. If you pay for a more expensive suite then I think you deserve all the perks that Regent can give you.

I think the main attractive perk is the greater access to specialty restaurant bookings. Since I'm not willing to pay for that by booking an E instead of as G, in fact I prefer the G, then I see that as a negative. I can see why they are advertising that, although I do agree that people in the "named" cabins get this anyways, but extending it all the way down to E will skew the system in a way I won't like.

I can't really vote in the poll because I'm sure we will sail on Regent again. . . . . but, I am really tired of constant changes. How many times can Regent add something that is "free" that really is not. . . . . now they are repackaging benefits we already have (as mentioned above). Give me a break:rolleyes:

P.S. Interesting that it will take Regent a year to implement this policy. At least it gives them time to rethink their position.

Maybe not a year - when Regent went from paying for drinks to the all-inclusive policy (which I think we mostly agree we like! (Ken likes very much!!)) - they sort of "slid" into it. It was supposed to come into effect with the Christmas cruises. We were on the Voyager, TA, prior to the prolonged drydock. Civitavecchia to Funchal we signed chits for our drinks. Funchal to FLL - no chits, just drinks! The bar stewards said "this one's on me!!) At the end of the cruise - no bar bills to pay...even for the chits we signed. So something tells me the new policy might be like Topsy - and just grow!! Anyway, as pointed out, most of it is in place anyway.

Do you think that means it'll be in effect for our May 2012 Alaska trip? I sure hope not, that's particularly bad news, if so.

Reading the benefits of being concierge class is paying for a higher cabin.

My biggest concern is not the specialty restaurants, but that Oceania doesn't have a loyalty program comparable to Regent. The benefits of sailing as a Gold SSS member are more important to me. Where I see this heading is the loss of those benefits

I agree with you, Kathy. I'd think about booking an Oceania cruise if they had the same SSS perks as Regent.

Can't say I'm interested in the new Concierge Program. It doesn't offer me anything I'm interested in having.

Do you think that means it'll be in effect for our May 2012 Alaska trip? I sure hope not, that's particularly bad news, if so.

As I understand it, the new regime is from April 2012.

This staged restaurant res system is going to be a debacle, I predict.

Right now, under My Cruises, it says: "Make Dining Reservations on Feb 16, 2012". That's 75 days prior.

I'll wait and see if that changes.

I know I'm in the minority here but I honestly don't understand the apparent outrage over concierge class. It's not like we're going to have letters stamped on our foreheads indicating which level of room we paid for. People just need to relax and enjoy the wonderful product Regent offers us. We all get pampered, have great adventures and have the opportunty to meet interesting new friends. I, for one, plan to continue sailing on Regent with or without concierge class. Just call me classless.

I know I'm in the minority here but I honestly don't understand the apparent outrage over concierge class. It's not like we're going to have letters stamped on our foreheads indicating which level of room we paid for. People just need to relax and enjoy the wonderful product Regent offers us. We all get pampered, have great adventures and have the opportunty to meet interesting new friends. I, for one, plan to continue sailing on Regent with or without concierge class. Just call me classless.

Dear "classless" (just kidding),

I feel that the issue goes way beyond class. The three major all-inclusive luxury lines, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea have been in fairly direct competition with each other for years. Regent seems to have won in terms of filling their ships and making money. Crystal's resistance to open seating and becoming all-inclusive was not working as well as the model followed by the other luxury lines. It's good to hear they will be changing to an all-inclusive model.

It seems, at the moment, that the four luxury all-inclusive lines are in a wonderfully competitive position. Can't wait to see what Regent's competition will do next? Perhaps it will be more stringent smoking policies or more lenient dress policies. The rest of 2011 may be quite interesting.

Now Regent comes up with this convoluted policy that is currently used by mass market and premium cruise lines. We only have 10 cruises under our belt (with two more booked). . . . . many people we have met have 500 days or more. These people may book the lowest category, but book several times a year. The two things that will affect these customers the most is the dining reservations and boarding procedure.

Lastly (at least the last part of this rant) is that Regent isn't necessarily making more money by degrading their passengers. I selected a random 14 night cruise in October (Athens to Rome on the Mariner). An "E" suite is $11,299. Assuming that the category "E" passengers (2 people) take two cruises per year, the total would be $45,196 for the year.

The "H" category is $9,299. These folks tend to travel a lot more. If they took 4 cruises in a year, the total for the year would be $74,392.

The question remains. . . . . why is Prestige Cruise Holdings turning Regent into another premium cruise line?

JACKHAWK, to me this is an important matter of principle. At this moment I can book a G cabin and board the ship or make advance reservations at the same time as all passengers. Regent now plans to deny me equality in these matters to reward those who book premium cabins--a policy change solely at my expense. This is a fundamental change in the Regent model. What comes next?

I don't like the chnage either; but what can I do? I'm not going to cancel my November, 2012 Transatlantic, which I booked before Concierge Class was announced, in the lowest available category. The cost to upgrade to an E isn't worth it.

I do think everyone should have an equal shot at specialty restaurant reservations.

What I see happening is that people who are on the cruises won't be able to get spa/restaurant reservations and frankly, that is a huge part of the whole experience to me. If people are on the same airplane as I am on arrive at the same time and I have to sit in a terminal waiting to board the ship, while they board instantly - as happened to many on the Oceania Cruise in Istanbul - how is that fair? If there is a risk that we are going to spend $10,000 - 20,000 and not have the freedom to experience all that we want on board, then, why should we spend that amount of money to watch others enjoy it?