Onboard guests

[flossie009]

32 minutes ago, UUNetBill said:

I’ve never brought guests aboard, and frankly I’ve never seen enough guests to even notice

Same with us, but are interested in the process as we may want to use the opportunity In the future.

 

We have met with others who have enjoyed visits from friends or relatives; and when we were in Bali for a two day visit a number of crew members had family visit which was something special.

 

The largest numbers we have observed were groups of Travel Agents - usually accommodated for lunch in a reserved area of Compass Rose, so of no issue to other guests.

 

 

[liptastic]

We had our niece and her partner onboard in St.John New Brunswick Canada on Navigator.

This wasn’t arranged pre cruise as we had no idea we could have arranged it.

Our neighbours at the block party mentioned they had friends coming onboard during our overnight in New York. We realised this was something we could have arranged prior the cruise, but on the off chance my husband spoke to the concierge who was amazing and contacted Miami who authorised this at short notice.

We were so thrilled and appreciative to the staff for this last minute arrangement and we were able to have the family on for lunch which they so enjoyed.

I realise this was not how things should be done but it really shows how much the staff onboard work so hard to help and make the experience as special as they can and it made a wonderful cruise even more enjoyable for us.    Jean.

[Silver Sweethearts]

1 hour ago, UUNetBill said:

I’ve never brought guests aboard, and frankly I’ve never seen enough guests to even notice.  I’m assuming it’s not too common and it appears to be well-managed...and probably done on most other cruise lines as well.  So if someone leaves Regent because of visitors onboard, are they really gaining anything?   🤔

 

Thanks to our TA we have been invited aboard Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Crystal and other ships calling at Maui, so if someone is going to leave a cruise line because of visitors onboard they should add those lines to their list too.

[Zqueeze1]

On 11/26/2019 at 6:49 PM, SWFLAOK said:

 

At this point, I'm done with the Regent board, and am considering cancelling our 2021 cruise. I obviously don't fit in with the regulars on this cruise line.

And no, you're not a guest if you board for 10 hours because you aren't paying for it. I've paid for the entire cruise, and Regent isn't inexpensive.

Sorry you feel that way. But, is it not a little extreme to jump ship (no pun intended) over a topic concerning guests’ security screening?  Wow!  I hope you don’t lose your deposit. 

Z and TB

[daetchief]

To bring some fresh air to this topic, I recently inquired with Regent the possibility of  bringing my TA(s) and a couple of very close friends/prospective Regent cruisers onto Mariner for dinner when she overnights in Honolulu in January.  The answer was No; but not, absolutely not.

The speed bump is COVID.  The Regent representative said that under normal conditions they would be pleased to entertain my request [subject to the usual prearrangements and formalities] to show friends and acquaintances what Regent offers its guests, but at this time they are restricting the opportunities for bringing visitors onboard to best control or enforce the health standards.  

The Regent Rep did say that rules, policies and decisions are being made within the present light and what is policy now could be modified in the months to come.  So ask again when the day draws nearer. 

I'm sure I've seen 'visitor guests' onboard during our various cruises.  Odd thing is, I don't recall any specifics of who, what, where - because they seemed to meld with the normalcy.  

If I get a different answer in the future I'll be sure to add that to the topic.

Edited June 3, 2021 by daetchief
Grammar

[ronrick1943]

On 11/27/2019 at 2:36 PM, flossie009 said:

Same with us, but are interested in the process as we may want to use the opportunity In the future.

 

We have met with others who have enjoyed visits from friends or relatives; and when we were in Bali for a two day visit a number of crew members had family visit which was something special.

 

The largest numbers we have observed were groups of Travel Agents - usually accommodated for lunch in a reserved area of Compass Rose, so of no issue to other guests.

 

 

We’ve done it, you just have to fill out paper work with ID numbers for we guest- it was pretty easy and was nice for guest.  For dinner they charge you a fee.  I wonder with Covid will they stop guest coming on the ship.

[SWFLAOK]

I've never understood why guests were allowed onboard. We pay a very large amount of money to cruise on Regent. I would rather there weren't guests, especially business guests like your TA and potential clients, coming aboard for meals. And maybe they're in the specialty restaurants limiting our chance of getting reservations. And maybe they bypass security as we saw a group of 6 bypass us as we reboarded Voyager after excursion. 

It seems obvious that guests shouldn't be allowed onboard for tours or meals as Regent comes back to cruising from Covid19.

[ronrick1943]

On 11/26/2019 at 5:30 PM, JMARINER said:

Please re-read what I wrote. I said "Rarely" not never. But in my 50 Regent Cruises over nearly 19 years, I can think of only a handful of port where you are checked (metal detectors and x-ray handbags) both on the dock and again on the ship.

 

The guest is given a ID badge that works much like a key card. The ship manifest computer knows who is and is not aboard. If they are not off, the Captain will come on the PA looking for them.

 

Actually,  you are paying for the right to have a guest as part of your cruise fare. Look at it this way: in many US ports, local Travel Agents are invited onboard for the day for a tour and lunch. Who pays for them? Bottom line, that cost is part of everyone cruise fare.

 

J

Also when given the ID badge they must leave their Passport or  state issued ID, when they leave the ship they get it back. 

[Pcardad]

I've been a guest and have had guests on board. They do go through regular security. I have never been charged for meals, drinks or anything nor has any guest I know of but, to be honest, I don't know what the policy is. I have no idea why there would be anything negative about a guest being on board. I've had clients with over 1500 nights on Regent come aboard as guests of a crew member for a visit...who could possibly object to that? TA are usually brought on while the ship is in port and there are occasionally 2 night familiarization cruises for TA's. If they don't understand the product, they can't server their clients. These aren't criminals we are talking about here...they are the same as you and I.

[GOARMY]

Pcardad:

 

As usual, you bring civility and common sense to the conversation.  We have invited guests (in-laws [not criminal outlaws]; my brother and his wife; and close friends aboard) on one or two occasions.  Those were several years ago.  The opportunities were for lunch and a tour of the ship prior to our embarkation.   They were impressed--which was the point.  

 

Such is an effective marketing tool.  Have also observed numerous occasions while at foreign ports when local TAs are similarly allowed boarding for lunch and tour. 

 

It works.  Our friends, and my brother and his wife, subsequently signed-up for Regent cruises.  We have been able to share these extended onboard experiences with them.   

 

Given the current COVID environment--who knows what the protocol will be. 

 

GOARMY!

 

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

We've also had guests onboard, once ourselves in Ecuador, and once our friends brought our tour guides onboard in Rio.

 

Yes, they go through security.  They had to be pre-cleared and carry passports.  We had to arrange that they be there for a meal in advance as well. I see no problem with that, in normal (non-covid) times. Although there is supposed to be a nominal charge for a meal, neither we nor our friends were charged anything.

[DavidTheWonderer]

At least in my limited experience, staff were clearly told that guests were very important to the company.  The already top experience of being a passenger on a Regent ship was exceeded by the way we and our guests were treated. And, as Wendy and others have noted, although the policy is a nominal charge it seems that at least often the charge is never made.

[GOARMY]

One other note, regarding picking up a tab for a guest's meal (almost-always a lunch):  

 

Dining room Staff were well-aware that the folks at our table were friends, or relatives who would be leaving the ship before we sailed.  At the conclusion of that meal--with wine, of course--thanked the Manager for the great service; and provided our Suite No. so charges for the guests would show up on our tab. 

 

The response, with a smile was, as they say in Brooklyn: 

 

"Fagett aboudid it."

 

GOARMY!

 

 

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

Wow!  Thank you for this topic!  I never even would have thought about bringing a guest on board.  I understand that during CoVID, this is likely not an option, but during our TA in Nov, we are stopping in Puerto Rico, where a dear friend is currently working as a missionary.  I would LOVE to have her join us on the ship!  Now I know that I can at least ask regarding the possibility!

[charltonkerry]

Yes thanks for resurrecting this topic. We are planning to ask some of our relations on board in Brisbane in around 18 months time, we had never one this before, so I thought I get in touch with Regent UK, to see firstly if we could and secondly what the procedure is. They replied immediately, with not surprisingly bad news that they are not allowing guest on board, but they hope to resume this in the future, but obviously they couldn’t say when, they also sent us the form to fill, so that sort of confirms they will in the future be allowing guests. We got a lovely suite (I know they all are) and hopefully if allowed we could perhaps have a meal in the suite, but I was wondering can we all wander off the ship to perhaps visit somewhere and then come back on board or once your guest are on board, do they have to remain until departure? As me and my brother are great cricket fans I have wondered if we could wander of to the Gabba (the world famous international cricket in Brisbane) and do a tour there?

[Pcardad]

The quest will get a white ID card that allows them access for a specific time frame.