Free Internet after 21 days, Lie

[WC11]

Regent Lied to me, maybe it was in the fine print, but you don't get the free internet after 21 days. You have to wait until the next segment on the World Cruise to become the society member. It's been 21 days. Free Internet. That's what my travel agent said. That's what it said in the brochure. Now I have to buy a whole a new package and waste a bunch of money because you never use up all the minutes at the end. Strike Two!!!! Mark Convoy

[Travelcat2]

Yes -- Regent's brochures and website are a little misleading when it comes to "free internet after 21 days" as well as "free excursions". It will be free on the next leg of the cruise. I cannot understand why they cannot charge you for the first 21 days and then switch something in the computer that no longer charges you for the internet. Isn't this leg almost over?

[WC11]

Got two more days. This was the understanding since I spend a good deal of time sending pictures out. This isn't Verizon and ATT maps commercials. You expect what you read in the brochure to be fact. To add to this there are some many people that get it for free it slows the whole internet reception to a crawl at times.

[ededmd]

From the Regent website-

http://www.rssc.com/society/

 

Per the "big print" - no asterisks, no 'see rules', etc:

 

Silver, 21 - 74 nights

Everything from Bronze tier PLUS the following items:

Complimentary Internet access on board

Complimentary pressing (up to two items per 7-night cruise segment)

Invitation to participate in Seven Seas Society Advisory Board (on select sailings)

One hour complimentary phone time per suite

 

One has to go to the FAQs (another page - http://www.rssc.com/society/societyfaqs.aspx) to actually find this:

 

Q: If I become eligible for a higher benefit tier while I'm on board, when can I take advantage of the additional benefits?

A: Your new tier benefits take effect at the conclusion of your cruise and will apply for all future sailings with us. If you are on back-to-back sailings, your new tier will take effect at the beginning of the second voyage.

 

 

While I can understand not wanting to have to keep track of where every passenger is in benefit status every day of every cruise, one would think that given the significant investment made by and presumably the loyalty the company wishes to garner from world cruisers, an exception to this policy (for full world cruisers only) might be prudent despite whatever logistics exist.

[WC11]

I've calmed down now. I want to stick with one cruise line for the milage benefits. Stuff like this is annoying. My TA was wrong as this was a big selling point with me was, free internet for 3/4 of the cruise. So she gets half the blame.

[ededmd]

I've calmed down now. I want to stick with one cruise line for the milage benefits. Stuff like this is annoying. My TA was wrong as this was a big selling point with me was, free internet for 3/4 of the cruise. So she gets half the blame.

 

Glad you're better. You cool off pretty quickly. :)

 

For me, it really wouldn't be the internet issue per se but rather the mis-match between expectation and reality.

[sea lover]

Sorry, WC11, that your TA didn't give you the correct info. As you stated, the perks start at the END of the segment, not during it. Regent is such a great cruise line and the Voyager is such a special ship, think of your disappointment as a learning experience. Relax and enjoy your wonderful cruise. Think how fortunate you are to be able to do a WC.

Elaine

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I too am sorry that your TA misinformed you. This is widely known and understood--tier changes only occur after the end of the segment where you gain the promotion. This was true for me on my last cruise--we attained Gold status, but that does not pertain until our next cruise.

[jhp]

Yep, that's just the way it is Warren, have to wait to the next segment. I worry not that you will get over it, but it surely is a sticking point, bad PR maybe for Regent, even though they are pretty clear about this. Keep posting! We love your little snippets of information!

 

I think I crossed the bar to Platinum when I was on ICE, in Antarctica one day after boarding. Couldn't get the extra benefits anyway on that ship, so it didn't hurt so badly!

[hondorner]

The most unfortunate aspect of this thread is that the word "Lie" remains in the subject, thereby possibly affecting everyone who only reads the "headlines", even though it has been established that it is not a lie, and the information is available on the website for anyone who does due diligence.

[Ka Honu]

Honey might have worked better than vinegar here. A few weeks ago a first-time Regent cruiser posted a very informative review at his own expense 3 days into a 10-day cruise. He mentioned that he didn't have free access but didn't make a big deal of it. Someone at Regent read it and they gave him free access for the remainder of the cruise.

 

On the other hand, I went "Silver" about four days into the same cruise and asked (nicely) if I could get access for the remainder of the trip. I got the same answer as everyone else - "Wait till next time."

 

Good things can happen, but not always and probably not ever if you start by inciting the powers that be.

[Rally]

I've calmed down now. I want to stick with one cruise line for the milage benefits. Stuff like this is annoying. My TA was wrong as this was a big selling point with me was, free internet for 3/4 of the cruise. So she gets half the blame.

 

Just a thought: your TA sold you on the cruise with (apparently) misinformation. He/She should step up and take responsibility and credit you for unexpected expense.

[JMARINER]

.....Now I have to buy a whole a new package and waste a bunch of money because you never use up all the minutes at the end.....

 

WC11,

 

Did you go to the staff person who runs the club.com and explain the above to them. If you are a full world cruiser, I would think they would take the last package off the bill. Back before they added the free internet, I always found them to be very generous regarding crediting the minutes whenever issues arose like really slow speeds or log-off failures.

 

J

[Bfson]

Mark Conroy, at a Regent event last year in Texas, told the assembled cruisers that if you hit 21 days during a cruise Regent would move you up immediately. We hit that point on our last Auk to LA cruise. The staff on board kept saying no upgrade. I kept quoting Conroy. I finally asked them to send Conroy an E mail. They did. He told them to give us the upgrade and they did.

[Paint Horse]

Seemed crystal or should I say regent clear to me when I qualified for it.

[WC11]

Well maybe the term lie was a little excessive but it's truth in advertising. You get Free internet at 21 days. That what it says except for some little section in FAQ's. So it's only two days and then it's free internet forever. But it's annoying. I know they read this at Regent and that's why I do it.

 

This is something that I really like to do as I get older and there is the competition. I apologize if I offend but Regent wants me back they need to fix some of these little things. I need a different TA but now that I'm here I am really done with the Haggling part of it.

 

So Mr. Convoy as your punishment I will not gamble in your casino until I have free internet.

[ededmd]

Honey might have worked better than vinegar here.

 

Agree completely.

 

So Mr. Convoy as your punishment I will not gamble in your casino until I have free internet.

 

But then again, unless this is some intentional plan, calling the man by his name - Conroy - likely would help too.

 

Or perhaps it is a sly reference to the 1970s era hit "Convoy" by CW McCall. Oh you're a tricky one, WC11. :cool:

[WC11]

That's a big 10/4

[WC11]

And after this tread I may have to re register as the Rubber Duck.

[tallship]

Someone at Regent read it and they gave him free access for the remainder of the cruise.

 

 

 

So why do they give this benefit to some and not to others or is it because the other poster had only positive comments and the OP of this thread did not

 

Just curious

[dfb]

Warren,

As to wasting the money you spent on unused minutes after you gain free Internet, RSSC should be willing to refund the unused portion of the package. We were on a WC in 2006 when the loyalty tiers went into effect. We had a few hundred dollars of unused Internet time left on our account. RSSC did issue a credit to our account within a week of the free Internet kicking in. Just a thought. You might go to the Front Desk with the request for your unused money back after you are getting the free Internet. All they can do is say no.

Debbie

[scuba diver]

BFSON wrote: Mark Conroy, at a Regent event last year in Texas, told the assembled cruisers that if you hit 21 days during a cruise Regent would move you up immediately. We hit that point on our last Auk to LA cruise. The staff on board kept saying no upgrade. I kept quoting Conroy. I finally asked them to send Conroy an E mail. They did. He told them to give us the upgrade and they did.

 

How would you suggest that I get the issue resolved before the cruise? I am at 20 days now. We start our next cruise in November and I would like to get the benefits during the cruise.

[DaveFr]

How would you suggest that I get the issue resolved before the cruise? I am at 20 days now. We start our next cruise in November and I would like to get the benefits during the cruise.

My information is that Regent wants to change its policy so that you will be upgraded immediately to the next tier as soon as you have sailed the requisite number of days. The potential problem is that they must modify their computer system before implementing the policy change. Anyone who has followed or experienced the trials and tribulations of the Regent computer system in the last year knows that changes to the computer system tend to cause problems and take a fair amount of time to accomplish. :)

 

So for now, I'd advise sitting tight for a few months. Hopefully, by the time November rolls around, you'll get an automatic transfer to Silver after the first day of your cruise. If this issue hasn't been resolved by summer, you can get your TA involved.

 

Dave

[WC11]

I will probably get a letter when we embark again saying that I am a society member with all the perks. They will then register my new free account. That's the way I observed it when this cruise started. I went to the top when I ran out of pants and couldn't meet the dress code and I'm just not going to make a habit of it. I may from time to time vent here.

 

I could also buy a couple of shares of stock and go to the stock holders meetings but for now I'm happy. Hopefully CW will read this and it will chance some things. He is supposed to be on one of these segments.

[Goofyisme]

Wc11 I think it is great that you have this place to vent and I also believe it is a good thing for those of us who have travelled with Regent before and/or are considering travelling with them in the future to hear these issues and how they are handled.

 

I also must say how much I admire your ability to get it off your chest and then move on and enjoy yourself, an admirable quality.

 

Keep enjoying and please keep posting.

 

Thank you.