Regent Flights - with and without deviation

[lesliebe]

9 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

Surprised that you think the Marriott properties aren't centrally located.  The Fontecruz is very convenient to most things, and is almost across the street from the Avenida metro station.  If you want to be in the neighborhood of the Ritz, I'd suggest the Intercontinental.  One thing about Lisbon....it's not a bastion of American hotel chains, so many of the better hotels are smaller independent properties.

 

Which of course leads to the overarching question....just what are you looking for in terms of your lodging requirements?  For only you know what fits your needs and desires.  (And FWIW IMO the Ritz is vastly overpriced for the market, especially for a short stay).

I was reacting to information from Trip Adviser/hadn't looked at that property.  What I WANT in Lisbon is a hotel where I don't feel ripped off, where I don't have to change to get my transfer to the ship and where Chase/Expedia offered a breakfast included option that they now say doesn't exist.  That is why I am frustrated.

 

There are 3 rooms involved, and only 2 of them get the free night from Regent..mom paid Regent separately from room for transfer/night as she is not in concierge level/traveling alone.  Anyone want a roommate?  lol

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, lesliebe said:

I was reacting to information from Trip Adviser/hadn't looked at that property.  What I WANT in Lisbon is a hotel where I don't feel ripped off, where I don't have to change to get my transfer to the ship and where Chase/Expedia offered a breakfast included option that they now say doesn't exist.  That is why I am frustrated.

 

Just my opinion, but the whole "transfers" thing is very port-dependent.  In Rome, Bangkok, Santiago and Beijing that's a significant issue.  OTOH, in a city like Lisbon, it's a throwaway.  Distance from the Fontecruz to the cruise port is less than 4 miles.  From the Ritz is around 4.5 miles.  Easy taxi rides.  IMO, spending several hundred dollars to be able to take a transfer instead of a $20 or less taxi ride doesn't add up.   But for some, the "convenience" is worth it.  Caveat emptor.

 

Remember that hotel inventory and rates is a dynamic situation, just as it is with airline tickets.  Here one moment, gone the next.  And vice versa.   As for using Chase points for hotels, compare the return when booking through the Chase travel portal compared to what you might pay through a pre-paid hotel site (such as Agoda or similar).  Also, compare the value you get from portal use compared to value you would receive by transferring Chase points to partner programs and then using the partner points for your hotel and/or airline use.  It's through partners that you get the most bang for your buck, albeit with inventory considerations.

[jashah]

Has anyone flown Air Canada to Europe booked through Regent Custom Air (deviation)?  Any idea on the chance of getting business class on the domestic part of the trip?

 

Thx

[UUNetBill]

7 hours ago, jashah said:

Has anyone flown Air Canada to Europe booked through Regent Custom Air (deviation)?  Any idea on the chance of getting business class on the domestic part of the trip?

 

Thx

Not sure about Canada but in the US we’ve sometimes been booked in domestic First Class if we’re on the same airline for the overwater leg.  Other times it’s Economy.  Most domestic carriers have pretty much done away with BC on their domestic flights, it’s FC or Economy, usually. I’m sure FlyerTalker will have more insight...

[rallydave]

7 hours ago, jashah said:

Has anyone flown Air Canada to Europe booked through Regent Custom Air (deviation)?  Any idea on the chance of getting business class on the domestic part of the trip?

 

Thx

Really think it depends on the particulars of your particular domestic flight.  If the airline thinks it will sell the domestic first class eat less likely they will put you in it.  DW and I were in this situation some years ago with a Qantas Business flight LAX to Auckland connecting via partner United and we got waitlisted for the first class seat IAH to LAX.  DW got upgraded and I did not.

 

lucky for me had a business trip to LA just before heading to Auckland so the company booked my one way full fare coach and I was automatically upgraded on that flight a few days before DW and we met at the Tom Bradley terminal at LAX.  Just had to make sure I notified  United that I would not be taking the coach flight so I wasn't cancelled on our Qantas flight.  Worked out really well.

 

In any case pretty sure each situation is different and in some ways luck of the draw so no real way to give you a definitive answer.

[Travelcat2]

10 hours ago, jashah said:

Has anyone flown Air Canada to Europe booked through Regent Custom Air (deviation)?  Any idea on the chance of getting business class on the domestic part of the trip?

 

Thx

 

Yes - have down Air Canada to Europe booked through Regent Custom Air.  Unless you are a bit lucky and get First Class within the U.S. and Business Class internationally, you will end up in coach on the domestic part of the trip.  For this reason, we only book airlines that do not have stops in the U.S.  (Lufthansa for instance).  

 

May I ask what airline you are looking at?  We almost always fly out of Vancouver and have never had a stop in the U.S.  

[1982CruzStart]

10 hours ago, jashah said:

Has anyone flown Air Canada to Europe booked through Regent Custom Air (deviation)?  Any idea on the chance of getting business class on the domestic part of the trip?

 

Thx

in a little over a month we are taking AC from YVR to YYZ to ZRH to BCN all in business class.  This is the first time we have taken AC within Canada with Regent. Most of the time they fly those of us from the west coast directly to Europe.  We had the option of LH but i didn't want to go through FRA after our experience last year. 

I think it works the same in Canada as USA that if your  domestic flight is on the same airline as the international flight then you get business class. 

[1982CruzStart]

3 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

May I ask what airline you are looking at?

I believe he was specifically asking about Air Canada within Canada.  

[rallydave]

5 minutes ago, 1982CruzStart said:

I think it works the same in Canada as USA that if your  domestic flight is on the same airline as the international flight then you get business class. 

your above statement would be correct if you add may between you and get.  Both in the US and Canada it depends if you will or won't get First within Canada or the US.  You do or don't get the First depending on many airline factors that nobody outside of the airline personnel know.  

[Travelcat2]

16 minutes ago, 1982CruzStart said:

I believe he was specifically asking about Air Canada within Canada.  

 

I certainly could have misinterpreted the post.  Unfortunately, there is no indication where jashah lives - I was assuming the U.S..  Wish that my memory was better...... I think that we have had a Regent flight from Vancouver that stopped in Toronto.  We had Business Class to Toronto.   

[1982CruzStart]

43 minutes ago, rallydave said:

your above statement would be correct if you add may between you and get.  Both in the US and Canada it depends if you will or won't get First within Canada or the US.  You do or don't get the First depending on many airline factors that nobody outside of the airline personnel know.  

i believe the part where i said 'i think' covers the fact that i wasn't suggesting that i knew for sure. 

[1982CruzStart]

30 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

I certainly could have misinterpreted the post.  Unfortunately, there is no indication where jashah lives - I was assuming the U.S..  Wish that my memory was better...... I think that we have had a Regent flight from Vancouver that stopped in Toronto.  We had Business Class to Toronto.   

I don't believe he lives in the US. I believe for him to be flying AC domestically it would have to be within Canada. 

[DaveFr]

In an earlier post, he said that he was flying from Victoria to Vancouver and then onward. From that I assume he lives somewhere on Vancouver Island. 

 

Dave

[jashah]

Thx for the comments.  To clarify, I live in Canada in YYJ so would be flying to YYZ on AC and then on to Europe from YYZ on AC.  Sorry for any confusion.

[gr'aunt]

On 9/18/2019 at 2:06 PM, snorkle lover said:

Hi Gr"aunt, I have been perusing this topic and came across your post asking for help on flights for a cruise

from Barcelona to Lisbon in April 2020. We are booked on that same cruise. This will only be our second

cruise on Regent and we also have another booked for the September 2020. You will Regent and we are 

very excited with the itinerary. Maybe we will meet on the ship :).

 

Hi Snorkle Lover: sorry it has taken me awhile to reply. I've been spending WAY too much time trying to get my ducks in a row...or perhaps I should say my flight/cruise/hotels/travel insurance in a row. Things are moving along. Yes, maybe we'll meet on the ship. Some friends we met 10 years ago on an Oceania cruise (and subsequently traveled again with 2 years later) are also taking this cruise. I looked last week to see if there was a roll call for our dates, but I didn't notice one. I would imagine that since the tours are for the most part included, there isn't really as much need for the "roll call". BTW, that's how I met the couple I mentioned above. We were trying to plan our own small excursions and asking if others wanted to join and share costs. It worked out fantastic. We were able to see twice as much for 1/2 of what the ships tours were. And, no huge busses. Plus, we had a driver at our disposal. I will miss that luxury on this cruise...but, I don't have to spend the months we did planning things either. I'm kind of looking forward to just showing up. LOL! 

[snorkle lover]

Hi gr'aunt,

I certainly understand about the amount of time one can spend getting everything in order for a 

trip. If you are taking the Explorer cruise Barcelona to Lisbon on April 27, 2020 there is a roll

call. We are coming in a few days early to see a bit of Barcelona since we have never been to

Spain before.  We can't wait to be back on the Explorer it is such a lovely ship. Will soon be

counting down the days.

[John G]

This has been a great thread – I’ve learned a lot from reading it. I’d like to provide details of our air deviation on our upcoming Barcelona to Dubai cruise in case the info is helpful to others.

 

We fly out of St. Louis, which means we’re always flying through another city to fly overseas – international flights from St. Louis just don’t exist. And because we’re not a Regent air gateway city, we always pay the $124.50 per person fee to access Regent’s air program (that charge is each way; so a for round trip air the charge is $249).

 

Our criteria in selecting flights is convenience, then comfort. We want to minimize the number of flight legs and plane changes. And we want to minimize the total time the trip takes. In terms of comfort, we’d like to fly first class on the domestic leg of the trip if possible (and at no extra charge).

 

Flying to Barcelona we are flying Delta through Atlanta. There is a $350/person air differential fee in order to select this routing. We submitted other routes through other cities (flying on American), and Regent’s air deviation desk told us the air differential fee would be even more. In order to avoid an air differential fee, we’d have to accept a route with at least two plane changes. We didn’t ask what that route was, but we’re guessing that would have been St. Louis to an east coast city; change planes and fly to London or Frankfurt; change again and fly to Barcelona. But this is a guess – the idea of this was so unappealing we didn’t even ask what the routing would be.

 

Returning from Dubai, we’re flying Air Canada. Air Canada has flights from Dubai to Toronto three times a week. Our ship docks in Dubai on a Friday, and we are scheduled to disembark on Saturday. The Air Canada flight leaves Dubai shortly before midnight on Friday (they don't have a Saturday flight). So we’re going to leave the ship after dinner on Friday to take that flight. This flight is about 14 hours, which is long. But once we land in Toronto, we can catch a nonstop flight to St. Louis. So again, only one change of planes. BTW, because we’re leaving earlier than the official disembarkment time (even if only by a few hours), we’re responsible for arranging our own transportation from the ship to the airport – even though Regent is handling the air for us. Not a big deal as far as we’re concerned, but something to be aware of.

 

Our experience flying with Regent-arranged air is that when we fly on Delta or American, we often are given first class on the domestic portion of flights with international destinations. It’s largely an equipment issue – those two airlines have a lot of planes with first class cabins that fly through St. Louis, whereas some of the other airlines that Regent uses (United, for example) typically use smaller, regional jets. In the case of this trip, we were given first class seat assignments flying to Atlanta; but flying from Toronto to St. Louis on Air Canada we’re flying coach (it’s a smaller plane, and has only coach seats).

 

To sum up, we’re pretty happy with most of our flights and the equipment we’re flying on. And very glad we deviated – we would not have been happy having two plane changes flying to Barcelona, and suspect we’d have had at least two planes changes returning from Dubai had we let Regent select our flights (again, flying to/from our home airport can be a challenge). This is the first time we’ve deviated, and it’s a very easy process. I suspect in the future we’ll always  deviate.

 

[jashah]

Very interesting post. $350 seems pretty steep for an upcharge.  Can you clarify the $124.50 fee to "access Regent's air program"?  Is this above the deviation fee which I thought was $175.

 

Just curious, did you compare the price if you just booked the airline tickets on your own and took the air credit from Regent?

 

Like you, I am not in a gateway city and keep going back and forth as to whether I should book flights through Regent or take the credit and book on my own.

[Sharle]

If I understand correctly the $350 is the deviation fee for 2 people (175 x 2)

the 124.50 is per person to leave from a non gateway city. Yes, it is in addition to the deviation fee. We are in a non gateway city as well and have that charge per person each way. 

 

Rereading it sounds like the 350 was an upcharge in addition to the deviation and non gateway charge. We tried to get a flight to Hong Kong thru Atlanta and Regent told us it was not available. Was not given an option to pay more. And yes, even with all these fees, it was more expensive to book our own.

Edited September 29, 2019 by Sharle

[Travelcat2]

Sharle, if you can get to Miami (I know that it is about 100 miles away) there are some great flights on Cathay Pacific (one of our favorite airlines).  Just something to think about.  Note:  I picked a random date since I have no idea when you will be traveling.

 

Miami (MIA) to Hong Kong (HKG) — Wed, Oct 16

 

Miami (MIA) to New York (JFK) — Wed, Oct 16

Cathay Pacific 7536

Dep: 8:58 pm

Arr: 11:55 pm

2h 57m

Airbus A321

Business (I)

 

OPERATED BY AMERICAN

Layover in JFK

1h 40m

New York (JFK) to Hong Kong (HKG) — Thu, Oct 17

Cathay Pacific 845

Dep: 1:35 am

Arr: 5:15 am

15h 40m

Boeing 777

Business (I)

 

Fri, Oct 18

 

[Sharle]

Thanks.we are going end of February and are all set with our flights. 

[jashah]

To clarify for my own interest, if "deviating" from a non-gateway city, the extra charges are $175 deviation fee + $124.50 non-gateway fee + any extra fare cost from the non-gateway city.

 

Is this correct?

[DaveFr]

5 minutes ago, jashah said:

To clarify for my own interest, if "deviating" from a non-gateway city, the extra charges are $175 deviation fee + $124.50 non-gateway fee + any extra fare cost from the non-gateway city.

 

Is this correct?

 Isn’t the total non-gateway city fee $249 per person? 

 

Dave

[Sharle]

1 minute ago, DaveFr said:

 Isn’t the total non-gateway city fee $249 per person? 

 

Dave

It's 124.50 each use of the non gateway city. 249 if you go both ways. 

[John G]

Sorry about some of the confusion with my post.

 

To clarify, if your trip does not begin or end in one of the Regent gateway cities, they charge you $124.50 each way ($249 round trip) for Regent air. The rationale is that flights tend to be more complicated/expensive from these cities. St. Louis isn't a Regent gateway city, so in order to access their air program — the "free" air — we have to pay this fee.

 

In addition to that, we were charged the $175 deviation fee (which covered both the outbound and return flights).

 

In addition to that, we were charged $350 each air differential fee on our outbound flight. This is because Regent didn't have contracts with the airline to fly the routes we wanted to fly. We could have avoided this fee if we selected different flights, but we would have had two plane changes, which we didn't want to endure.

 

We did look at booking our own flights, but even with the additional fees, Regent's flight were cheaper.

 

Hope that helps!