Regent World Cruises

[DavidTheWonderer]

We booked the 2021 World Cruise based on a Regent brochure we received in late August. We just got a huge (336 pages !) new brochure from Regent which also lists this cruise.  Just for fun I did a detailed comparison of the itinerary. There were a couple of trivial changes, such as the name of the sea we will cruise between Thursday Island and Darwin, and the cities served by the port in Livorno.  But the new brochure lists the Panama Canal but omits the phrase "Daylight Transit" which appeared in the older one.

 

I am assuming that this is just a glitch in the preparation of the new brochure.  But if I were head of Regent marketing I would be upset: some people considering whether to sign up would be positively influenced by the missing phrase.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

And this new mammoth book from Regent, Voyages to Explore July 2019 to May 2021, lists all of the segments of the two upcoming world cruises.  Our 2021 segments, if booked separately, would cost over $100K per person.  Just think of the money we're saving! 😉 

[Ladys Mom]

We are booked on the Barcelona to Auckland cruise on the Explorer in Nov. 2020.  I have a question that is totally off-topic but I ham hoping one or more of you can help.  We are trying to find reasonably priced trip insurance for our 80 day cruise.  Both my husband and myself will be over 70 when we depart.  Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Norma

[Wendy The Wanderer]

15 hours ago, Lady's Mom said:

We are booked on the Barcelona to Auckland cruise on the Explorer in Nov. 2020.  I have a question that is totally off-topic but I ham hoping one or more of you can help.  We are trying to find reasonably priced trip insurance for our 80 day cruise.  Both my husband and myself will be over 70 when we depart.  Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Norma

Norma, good luck. As Canadians,  we have had a terrible time with this, and have not as yet secured coverage for the entire cost. Try some online brokers who will search multiple insurers. Also ask if the coverage can be split among multiple insurers.

[Ladys Mom]

Thanks Wendy.  We will keep trying.  Glad we still have lots of time.

[cwn]

We have done the  137+ day 2018 world cruise and the 72+ day 2011 Circle South America with Regent, adding a few days pre and post cruise each time. We use Insur My Trip dot com when we insure these long trips, otherwise we self insure. Were 73 last year on the WC and have some stable health issues so we get the preexisting medical and also get med jet assist on all trips out of the country, a must for us. We get the least costly policy that will cover our investment in the cruise should we have to cancel at the last minute or come home during the trip. The WC insurance cost just under $8000 for the two of us. This was a lot of money for sure, but I thought it was reasonable for the peace of mind. In the 40 years of cruising be have only use the insurance once. That was on our first cruise when we had to cancel due medical reasons. 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

2 hours ago, cwn said:

We have done the  137+ day 2018 world cruise and the 72+ day 2011 Circle South America with Regent, adding a few days pre and post cruise each time. We use Insur My Trip dot com when we insure these long trips, otherwise we self insure. Were 73 last year on the WC and have some stable health issues so we get the preexisting medical and also get med jet assist on all trips out of the country, a must for us. We get the least costly policy that will cover our investment in the cruise should we have to cancel at the last minute or come home during the trip. The WC insurance cost just under $8000 for the two of us. This was a lot of money for sure, but I thought it was reasonable for the peace of mind. In the 40 years of cruising be have only use the insurance once. That was on our first cruise when we had to cancel due medical reasons. 

 

That sounds good to me, $8K, even in USD!  Regent, which will only cover pre-existing if you buy their policy within 10 days of booking, charges 20% of the price of the cruise.  You can do the math on a WC; ours has a minimum stateroom price right now of $62K, which would be a ridiculous $25K.  Even their insurance when bought on final payment (no pre-existing coverage) is the same, I believe.  Unfortunately for us, many of these companies won't insure Canadians.

[ronrick1943]

On 2/16/2019 at 10:14 AM, DavidTheWonderer said:

We booked the 2021 World Cruise based on a Regent brochure we received in late August. We just got a huge (336 pages !) new brochure from Regent which also lists this cruise.  Just for fun I did a detailed comparison of the itinerary. There were a couple of trivial changes, such as the name of the sea we will cruise between Thursday Island and Darwin, and the cities served by the port in Livorno.  But the new brochure lists the Panama Canal but omits the phrase "Daylight Transit" which appeared in the older one.

 

I am assuming that this is just a glitch in the preparation of the new brochure.  But if I were head of Regent marketing I would be upset: some people considering whether to sign up would be positively influenced by the missing phrase.

 

3 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

That sounds good to me, $8K, even in USD!  Regent, which will only cover pre-existing if you buy their policy within 10 days of booking, charges 20% of the price of the cruise.  You can do the math on a WC; ours has a minimum stateroom price right now of $62K, which would be a ridiculous $25K.  Even their insurance when bought on final payment (no pre-existing coverage) is the same, I believe.  Unfortunately for us, many of these companies won't insure Canadians.

 

Just FYI, we did the Panama Canal cruise once and lost are place in line, ended up going during the night.  We've done it day time too, however IMO the night time was better-with all the lights from the mules pulling the ship--it just seemed like magic (really).  So don't rule it out if it is night time.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

1 hour ago, ronrick1943 said:

 

Just FYI, we did the Panama Canal cruise once and lost are place in line, ended up going during the night.  We've done it day time too, however IMO the night time was better-with all the lights from the mules pulling the ship--it just seemed like magic (really).  So don't rule it out if it is night time.

 

Thanks, hadn't thought of that.  It's also true that the daylight crossing that we made (January) was very, very hot.  I'll be happy either way, frankly.

[cwn]

A night time passage sounds like it would be interesting. We been each way three times but never a night.

 

Yes, Regent insurance is highway robbery at 20% the cost of the cruise. A lot of good policies out there for no more than around 10%-12%. But even in the US the older we get , the harder it gets to get insurance.   

[travelwell]

Thanks Ronrick. I was a bit disappointed in the possibility of a night time transit. Now thinking it might be advantageous.

[Ladys Mom]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions.  Have a wonderful cruise or cruises.

Norma

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I've been wondering why no one on the Navigator 2019 WC seems to be posting.  Am I missing some blog somewhere?  I'm following blogs here on CC and elsewhere by folks on the Viking and Oceania 2019 WC's, but nothing but the roll-call for Navigator.

[HotRoot]

5 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I've been wondering why no one on the Navigator 2019 WC seems to be posting.  Am I missing some blog somewhere?  I'm following blogs here on CC and elsewhere by folks on the Viking and Oceania 2019 WC's, but nothing but the roll-call for Navigator.

You are not missing anything.  Many of us have private blogs.  We do not share them with people we do not know.  The blogs are for our family and friends.  

[MalbecWine]

Yes, others have private sites and blog there.  I have one but it is only for family and friends and some cruise people we have met.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Oh, well, too bad.

[travelwell]

I get the privacy factor but I would love to hear the day to day experiences of people on Regents WC. I realize it also takes time but I can not tell if more then one or two people on the ship are even lurking on the boards. I would like to know for example has anyone at this point had their hair colored, recommendations for shore excursions and just tidbits on what the cruise is like.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

14 hours ago, travelwell said:

I get the privacy factor but I would love to hear the day to day experiences of people on Regents WC. I realize it also takes time but I can not tell if more then one or two people on the ship are even lurking on the boards. I would like to know for example has anyone at this point had their hair colored, recommendations for shore excursions and just tidbits on what the cruise is like.

 

Me too, that summarizes why I asked.  It's also nice just to follow along vicariously.

 

And specifically it would be interesting to hear reviews of some of the Overland Programs people have taken, assuming some overlap between this year's cruise and future years.

Edited February 20, 2019 by Wendy The Wanderer

[Floridiana]

I am following a blogger on the world cruise of the MS Amsterdam. So far it is the same itinerary the Mariner will be following in 2021.

 

The Caribbean sea was rougher than usual.

Not everybody could get off at Easter Island because of the strong swell, but all ship's excursions made it safely to shore and back. The Pitcairn islanders came to the ship and made a brisk sale of their items, especially honey. Moorea had to be canceled, swells too strong to get the ship into the lagoon, but the ferries were running. If passengers wanted to explore Moorea instead of Tahiti, they could. 

[cwn]

We started blogging on blogspot for our first round the trip in 2009, so our extended family could keep up with us since we were planning to be gone 4 or 5 months. We didn't intend for it to go public, but many people found it on their own and our family also shared it with many others. 

 

It has helped us remember all the great things that we did and we had such positive feedback, we have done blogs for the rest of our longer trips, be they cruises, land trips or US RV trips.

 

Like others have said I also love to follow other peoples blogs....to get ideas for future trips and learn about others experiences. It fun reading and a valuable planning tool too. 

 

I love that more people recently are sharing their Regent cruises with CC. Thanks for taking the time. Too bad people aren't sharing the 2019 Regent WC with CC. We had a thread that several of us contributed to in 2018.

Edited February 20, 2019 by cwn

[HotRoot]

21 hours ago, travelwell said:

I get the privacy factor but I would love to hear the day to day experiences of people on Regents WC. I realize it also takes time but I can not tell if more then one or two people on the ship are even lurking on the boards. I would like to know for example has anyone at this point had their hair colored, recommendations for shore excursions and just tidbits on what the cruise is like.

I typed a long response.  When I hit submit, I lost the Internet connection and my response.  So, I am going to try to write several small responses.  First up - Internet.  Sometimes it is fantastic.  Sometimes it is terrible.  We have found that if you sit on your toilet, it is usually better.  There is a door behind the toilet for access to the plumbing.  That door is not as thick as the walls.  But, since this is the last World Cruise on the Navigator, this will probably not help you on your World Cruise.  All World Cruisers are automatically Gold which gets you the ability to long in with four devices at the same time.  We have not attempted to watch videos, not really any need to.  We have been successful with banking only because I keep my laptop on home time.  When my husband tried to log into our bank, he could not because he was on a different day than the bank.  We had four days of basically no internet but once we learned the toilet trick, we have had internet every day.  I did not expect to be able to play solitaire on the ship but have been able to.  

[HotRoot]

Next up - the Spa  I have had a pedicure - $89.  I have a manicure booked in 30 minutes.  Many of us have had fingernails for the first time in years.  With no housework, dish washing, gardening, we are all growing fingernails.  I am going to find out what to do with them.  I do know they interrupt my typing.  I had a color and haircut ($204).  It is the best haircut I have ever had.  Many men and woman have used the hairdresser and I have not heard one complaint.  But, that doesn't mean you will have the same man on your World Cruise.  We do not use the fitness room.  Many do.  They talk about how people sweat all over the machines.  It sounds gross to me.  Many walkers.  11 times around for a mile.  

[HotRoot]

Shore Excursions - We have taken at least one tour at each port.  Some are good.  Some are not.  Sometimes the main problem is the other guests.  People think the rules are not for them.  You are to go to the theater, exchange your white ticket for a bus number, and wait until your number is called.  They exchange their tickets and go immediately to the bus.  That way they always get a seat in the front.  They do reserve the front seat for handicapped but if they need more seats, nobody will give up their seats.  They also reserve seats for their friends.  Everything is delayed while the handicapped person sitting in the back slowly makes their way off and on the bus.  We are always sitting behind them so can't change seats with them.  Then you have the French who march to their own drum.  You are always waiting for them to show up.  We have found all tours to be as advertised.  Just read the online descriptions.  We booked the first day we were able to.  Suites and Upper tiers all booked before us.  We waitlisted on about 10 tours.  All cleared except a glass bottom boat ride in Rangiora.  I stayed on the ship.  My husband stood by for the boat ride.  He made it on.    

[HotRoot]

Shows - We love the singers and dancers as people and performers.  We do not like the Production Shows.  These shows are produced in Florida.  We have been told they have the same shows on Regent, Oceania, and NCL.  Regent gets the most talented performers.  There are four production shows.  We can see them on each of the 7 legs.  We love the Top Tier Event shows.  These shows are produced by the singers and dancers.  They highlight their talents and have a different show each leg.  Our next favorite are the Krew Kapers.  Some acts are repeated each leg but they are still not to be missed.  And when the representatives from each department come to take their bow, our eyes tear up.  We do not know what is going to happen when we are the ones going home.  Other entertainers have been mostly British and Australian.  We can not understand their words nor their humor.  Last night we had an Australian comedian.  We skipped the show and sat in Stars Lounge.  We were having a good time celebrating a birthday.  About ten minutes after the start of the show, people started coming out.  We asked how the show was.  They told us we were laughing much more than they were.   Time for my manicure.  I'll be back with more short responses in the future.  Questions?

[HotRoot]

Back from my manicure - $55.  We thought about finding cheaper places in ports for pedicures and haircuts but decided it is just more convenient to just have it done on the ship.  And, they do do a great job.  Why waste time in port looking for a place for haircuts and pedicures?

 

Meet and Mingle - The first was well attended.  Too many to count.  A lot of those people left us in Papeete.  The second one had only 7 people - 4 segmenters and 3 World Cruisers.  The last one had about 8 couples - all World Cruisers.  Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Randall Soy joined the ship in Sydney and attended the meet and mingle.  It became more of a question and answer.  The rumor that the Navigator is being sold is not true.  Regent does a very nice job at these events with lots of food and drink.  They have all been held at 11 am on the first sea day.  It is a shame more people do not attend.