TO Jason OKeefe re Price Change Reductions

[flyers]

In January of 2018 I made reservations through my TA in Nevada for an Explorer suite combining two cruises   ( from March 25th.2019 ) on S.S.  Explorer namely 

 Miami to Lisbon & Lisbon to Barcelona. Since that reservation was made there have been  price changes.

In January 2018

                 Miami to Lisbon   ( per person)  Explorer Suite was listed at $13,799.00  today its listed as $12,559.00  a difference of  $1,240.00pp

                Lisbon To Barcelona    “       “                 “           was listed at  $17 799.00  today its listed as $14,959.00  a difference of  $2.840.00.... For a total of     $4,080.00pp or $8,160.00 per couple. A substantial amount

               My TA tells me that Regent is unwilling to refund or credit the difference! This type of attitude destroys any desire to book long in advance a practice which should be beneficial to Regent and encouraged rather than to discourage advance bookings.  I had a similar situation with Seabourn with another  back to back booking in Alaska this past June and they promptly credited me with the difference when I approached them with the advertised price change. I hope that Regent can see the advantages to change this policy as it certainly leaves a bad taste in my mouth!

 

[chuckw]

Are you sure you're not looking at with and without air?  Looks to me like the fare went up $200.

[Travelcat2]

Yes - you need to look at everything.  Whenever I see what I think is a "deal", I check with our TA and learn that what we have booked is better than the "deal".  On the other hand, when you book a cruise onboard, there is a price guarantee so it is better to book when you are on the ship.

[seaknots]

apples & oranges

problem is for TA to sort not jason okeef

[flyers]

I am attaching copies of the actual Regent Page so that it can clearly be seen that this is not an Apples and Oranges comparison. Also Regent have admitted that the fares have been reduced to entice reluctant cruise customers. My TA claims to have contacted "a manager" and advised that they are unable to do anything!

 

Original Regent Booking price:-Miami to Lisbon Cruise 1

M

Explorer Suite - ES »

2-for-1 Fare Per Person With Free Air $13,799

Availability Wait List

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service •

Concierge Level Amenities •

                                                       Lisbon to Barcelona Cruise 2

Explorer Suite - ES »

2-for-1 Fare Per Person With Free Air $17,799

Availability Available

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service •

Concierge Level Amenities •

                              

New Pricing at 18/12/2018

Cruise 1

Explorer Suite - ES »

Special Fare $12,559

Availability Available

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service •

Concierge Level Amenities •

 

Cruise 2

Explorer Suite - ES »

Special Fare $14,959

Availability Available

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service

 

 

 

 

 

[UUNetBill]

3 hours ago, flyers said:

I am attaching copies of the actual Regent Page so that it can clearly be seen that this is not an Apples and Oranges comparison. Also Regent have admitted that the fares have been reduced to entice reluctant cruise customers. My TA claims to have contacted "a manager" and advised that they are unable to do anything!

 

Original Regent Booking price:-Miami to Lisbon Cruise 1

M

Explorer Suite - ES »

2-for-1 Fare Per Person With Free Air $13,799

Availability Wait List

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service •

Concierge Level Amenities •

                                                       Lisbon to Barcelona Cruise 2

Explorer Suite - ES »

2-for-1 Fare Per Person With Free Air $17,799

Availability Available

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service •

Concierge Level Amenities •

                              

New Pricing at 18/12/2018

Cruise 1

Explorer Suite - ES »

Special Fare $12,559

Availability Available

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service •

Concierge Level Amenities •

 

Cruise 2

Explorer Suite - ES »

Special Fare $14,959

Availability Available

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service

 

 

 

 

 

I noticed that the top fares are "2-for-1 Fare Per Person With Free Air" whereas the bottom one states "Special Fare" - I don't ever remember seeing 'Special Fare' on rssc.com - is that second listing from a third-party site?   I've seen some of those that look good but don't include air or other perks you'd get via Regent or your TA.  Also, as of today, each of those cruises look like they're $200 higher on rssc.com.

Edited December 20, 2018 by UUNetBill

[rcandkc]

I think once payment is made, you are pretty stuck with what you paid.  I hope you get a satisfactory answer.  

[UUNetBill]

15 minutes ago, rcandkc said:

I think once payment is made, you are pretty stuck with what you paid.  I hope you get a satisfactory answer.  

I know we got a fare reduction once when the published fares dropped, but I can't remember if we'd made our final payment yet.  I know our TA had to wrestle with Miami a little bit but he got it done.  Pretty sure we hadn't made final payment yet but I can't guarantee it.

 

I'm not sure where those lower fares came from - if you look at the website today, the published fares are higher than what the OP paid.  Lots of variables in play, I guess.

 

Whatever happens, keep us posted.

[BBWC]

We have always received a fare reduction when actual prices on rssc.com were reduced. We were also able to get a future cruise credit when prices fell after final payment but that may be due to the fact that our TA has clout with Regent.

[lincslady]

Since the cheaper price does not mention included air fares, surely that indicates that they are not included?

[Travelcat2]

I also wonder if you were really on the Regent website because what you copied and pasted (assume that is what you did) is not from their website.  Unfortunately, companies try to look like Regent on the internet but are actually travel agents.  I've been fooled by this more than once.

 

Suggest going to the rssc.com website and check out the prices there.

[UUNetBill]

13 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

I also wonder if you were really on the Regent website because what you copied and pasted (assume that is what you did) is not from their website.  Unfortunately, companies try to look like Regent on the internet but are actually travel agents.  I've been fooled by this more than once.

 

Suggest going to the rssc.com website and check out the prices there.

So have I - to the point of calling their toll-free number only to be told it was cruise only, no air.  Which actually ended up putting the cost higher for me when it was all said and done.

[wripro]

Have  your TA check to see if they will at least give you some shipboard credit to make up the difference.

[flyers]

I appreciate all that have responded and I am at a loss to understand why you cannot find this on the 'genuine' RSSC site so here are the two links:-

 

https://www.rssc.com/cruises/EXP190325/summary

https://www.rssc.com/cruises/EXP190408/summary

 

Also as I have previously indicated Regent has acknowledged that there has been a fare drop so its no secret. I believe that my TA just does not have the clout to make it happen as a previous responder has indicated.

[UUNetBill]

23 minutes ago, flyers said:

I appreciate all that have responded and I am at a loss to understand why you cannot find this on the 'genuine' RSSC site so here are the two links:-

 

https://www.rssc.com/cruises/EXP190325/summary

https://www.rssc.com/cruises/EXP190408/summary

 

Also as I have previously indicated Regent has acknowledged that there has been a fare drop so its no secret. I believe that my TA just does not have the clout to make it happen as a previous responder has indicated.

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but when I click the provided links, I get the higher prices - $13,999 and $17,999.  Nowhere on rssc.com do I see the lower fares quoted originally.  Maybe they were doing website updates and those were visible for a while, I don't know...but using those links you provided gives me a fare $200 higher per itinerary than what you originally paid.  

 

???

[CBWIR]

3 minutes ago, UUNetBill said:

Well, I don't know about anyone else, but when I click the provided links, I get the higher prices - $13,999 and $17,999.  Nowhere on rssc.com do I see the lower fares quoted originally.  Maybe they were doing website updates and those were visible for a while, I don't know...but using those links you provided gives me a fare $200 higher per itinerary than what you originally paid.  

 

???

Saw exactly the same as Bill. Perhaps the website that the TS is viewing is nonUS since he is from the West Indies. I would also guess that the "special fare" does not include air. It would probably say so if air was included.

[Portolan]

Yup, those links show the $200 higher prices that Bill mentioned earlier.  As others have noted, you might be seeing a different web site in the West Indies.  The delta in prices you noted are entirely consistent with fares offered (from your location) for cruise without airfare.  Flights to Miami and from Lisbon with a $1250 reduction w/o air is about right whereas flights to Lisbon and from Barcelona with a $2800 reduction w/o air is also about right.

 

When I backed the air out of each cruise (but not SSS status since I don't know the OP's status), I get:

$12699 for the Miami-Lisbon cruise (versus OP's $12559) essentially dead on considering the $200 price increase in the base fare

$15449 for the Lisbon-Barcelona cruise (versus OP's $14959)...maybe $300 less.

 

Not the multiple thousands that the OP thinks the change amounts to.

 

The "special fare" nay also not include the pre-cruise hotel which is typically another $300 delta.

 

To the OP: if your TA can't provide the same analysis that Cruise Critic members have provided, you may need to find another TA.

[flyers]

I will try and post an actual copy of the website page as its weird that in the US you are seeing a different result.

Cruise 1 Miami to Lisbon

Explorer Suite - ES »

Brochure Fare Per Person $30,998

2-for-1 Fare Per Person With Free Air $13,999

Availability Available

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service

 

 

Cruise 2 Lisbon to Barcelona

Explorer Suite - ES »

Standard Fare $17,159

Special Fare $14,959

Availability Wait List

Suite Size With Balcony ft2/m2 VIRTUAL TOUR 821/76.2

Deck Level 9, 10, 12

Butler Service •

Concierge Level Amenities •

 

 

I see now that the fares may  have changed again ?

 

Edited December 20, 2018 by flyers

[UUNetBill]

My money is on the 'Special Fare' excluding air.  Like Portolan said, the numbers support that...and if that's the case, yeah, it might be time for a new TA...

[morneau]

I agree with the above posters that this is perhaps an offer that excludes air.  It seems unlikely that the fares would have dropped specifically for the Lisbon to Barcelona leg of the trip as it is my understanding that all stateroom categories have been "waitlist" status for some time.

[1901Phil]

Slightly off topic

I was "hooked" by an offer from Regent that gave a 3 category cabin up grade and 3 day pre or post cruise hotel stay.

I selected the pre-cruise option and told my TA. When I received my confirmation documents I found I had not received the cabin upgrade. When told of this my TA acquired this for me.

 

I told this to a friend who used to be an executive of a cruise company. His comment was that "if you advertise an incentive it is normal practice to give this only if the client requests it"