First morning under new rules.....

[UUNetBill]

20 minutes ago, Shippy said:

Paper towel issue just does’t seem to make sense. Since no holders, you grab the whole roll to rip off & the next person does the same. Seems individual towels made more sense.

I was thinking the exact same thing.  I really don't see the benefit...in fact, it seems like a worse solution to me.

[cruiseluv]

52 minutes ago, JVNYC said:

Sorry but this is no way to cruise, especially at Regent's pricing.  I'd rather not cruise then not get what I'm paying for. 

 

Agree. And the crew is only human, its just a matter of time until the added stress from these new procedures will start grating on them as well. 

[Hambagahle]

Paper vs cloth towels ?  Just tear off your paper towel BEFORE you wash your hands.  The wash hands properly.  Dry.  Discard.   Bit of a no brainer really...

 

Large gatherings?  Look at what other countries are doing maybe??  I can tell you that we had 1 - ONE - case in Switzerland when the Federal Council banned all gatherings of more than 1000 people.  This was 5 days before the Geneva Motor Show which is a huge international event.  it was cancelled on the spot and the losses amounted to well of 250'000'000frs (read about 5% more in USD) to the city and canton of Geneva let alone to the exhibitors etc etc.   I expect the Federal Council to lower the limits very soon, perhaps closing cinemas etc etc.  There are something like 1000 cases in the US right now...

[ronrick1943]

All the safe guards are good and should be in place, however does it make for the same cruise you would have had.  I just don't think I would be relaxed during the cruise.  

[Shippy]

4 hours ago, Ladys Mom said:

I feel bad about the library, especially if you have a number of sea days.  As far as LaVarenda, if you are not happy with the speed of the line or other issues with the buffet, why don't you just eat at Compass Rose or get room service.  It may be us, but in all of our Regent cruises we hardly ever eat in the buffet.  One of the things we enjoy about Regent is getting pampered with table service or being woken up by room service.  Eating at the buffet always reminds me of being on a mainstream cruise line.  I want more pampering than that.  Just my opinion.

   Totally get what you are saying but we have been on several Regent cruises and love LaVarada for breakfast.

They do bring hot items like Swedish pancakes, eggs benedict, etc. directly to your table for you.

But they usually offer about a dozen different types of breads and rolls & a dozen types of muffins, Danish,donuts etc.

We like to be able to choose those items. Same goes for fruits & juices/smoothies.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

15 hours ago, Hambagahle said:

As for the puzzles etc - come on!!  If your friends have typhoid and play with a puzzle would you want to play with it?  I wouldn't.  So why invite disease when you don't have to.  If a jigsaw puzzle is essential to the enjoyment of your cruise - bring your own.

 

I agree.  Here in my little Florida community, I've just today stopped playing weekly mah jongg with the rest of the "ladies".  Most are in their 80's, and I've never seen anyone cleaning those tiles, although I've offered to do just that.  And provide hand sanitizer so that we can use it every time somebody blows their nose or sneezes (allergy season.)

[jagoffee]

6 hours ago, Shippy said:

Paper towel issue just does’t seem to make sense. Since no holders, you grab the whole roll to rip off & the next person does the same. Seems individual towels made more sense.

 

6 hours ago, UUNetBill said:

I was thinking the exact same thing.  I really don't see the benefit...in fact, it seems like a worse solution to me.

It has to be worse.  I suspect this may be related to the lack of enough Cloth towels, since they want everyone to wash their hands more often.  They probably could not keep up with the demand for cloth towels.

[PaulaJK]

There may have been a concern about virus remaining on the cloth. Clearly individual paper towels would be preferred. I went to my local supermarket today where they had a roll of paper towels and a non alcohol based spray bottle at the door. Senseless.

 

That is why I wrote what I did...because a lot of the steps seem rather senseless. Certainly anyone at high risk or increased risk ..for whatever reason.....should factor that fact into their choices.

 

a total self quarantine would not be fool proof ...good points Wendy...and also all emergency personnel would be out and about...but it certainly does suggest an effort in mitigation. We are somewhat approaching this w closures...but closures set a lot of people free to go out and about.

[Hambagahle]

Publix supermarkets in Florida always have sterilising tissues to clean the handles of the carts.  I think that is great and always have...

 

The comment re the paper towel replacing the cotton ones because the cotton ones get used so quickly might be right BUT those cotton ones are washed nightly (daily?) in the ship's laundry so shouldn't be running out.  Maybe there is a concern about germs nesting in the cotton!!

[Shippy]

Well, just pushed the luggage out the door. Fly to San Francisco airport tomorrow.

   Overall a fabulous cruise, the majority without the new procedures.

We have cruised for decades & hope the industry can wether this storm.

I can tell some of the crew are worried.

 Best of luck to all you future cruisers and prayers to all that need them.

Love,

Shippy

[papaflamingo]

On 3/11/2020 at 8:51 AM, Shippy said:

Paper towel issue just does’t seem to make sense. Since no holders, you grab the whole roll to rip off & the next person does the same. Seems individual towels made more sense.

Agreed.  Makes WAY more sense.

[papaflamingo]

On 3/11/2020 at 9:12 AM, JVNYC said:

Sorry but this is no way to cruise, especially at Regent's pricing.  I'd rather not cruise then not get what I'm paying for. 

I know this will sound argumentative, and I apologize if it does.  But what would you have them do?  Cancel all cruises?  Be charged less?  If so, what percent of your cruise fare are paper towels in the public bathrooms worth? 

We are scheduled for 39 nights in June from Montreal to Dublin.  I really want to go, and hope we can.  If it means paper towels in the public bathrooms, I'll adjust.  In fact given the size of Regent ships, I don't actually plan to use the public bathrooms.  If it means slow service at La Veranda, so be it.  If it bothers me I'll use room service or Compass Rose.  But I'd rather deal with a few "non luxury" procedures than miss the cruise.  And that seems like the only other alternative.

This is an Extreme situation!   Regent, like the rest of the world, were caught off guard.  The virus has only been around about 3 months.  Can't completely renovate your ships in 3 months.  Roll with the punches folks or simply hunker down at home.  

Again, not trying to be snippy or argumentative.

[pingpong1]

Papa & JVNYC - I can fully understand BOTH of your respective points of view.

 

Their are some cruising "fans" (some might say "fanatics"), to whom cruising is so important, under almost any circumstances and notwithstanding any (diminished) conditions, that they are willing to "suck it up", pay nearly any price, and just "keep cruising" (that includes some Regent "cheerleaders", who apparently have in-exhaustible resources, and who are willing to spend them, no matter what present conditions might be in affect).  Their attitude seems to be that even if "the current conditions aren't so good", we'll get through it, the cost isn't "hurting us", and "if this cruise isn't so good - well, there's always the next one".  Regent would have to actually cancel the cruise for them not to go.

 

Then, there's the other group (in which I count myself), whose life is not "defined by cruising", at all.  DW and I can easily  "take it or leave" (things would be fine if we never went on another cruise, again) - and we'll still have a "good life", as long as we remain healthy.   For us, that total cruising experience vs. cost (particularly on lines such as Regent or even Oceania - Gasp!), can/does represent a significant portion of the family's yearly disposable/recreational budget.  If conditions "pop up" (like Coronavirus), that portend a diminished and "less than optimal experience" (particularly at Regent's price point), as well as a heightened degree of medical risk,  then we'll simply "take a pass" and say, "maybe later, when all of this passes and there's a better chance of having a better experience".

 

Paper towels instead of cloth towels, closed libraries, health screenings before you can board, the risk of quarantines along the way, curtailed flights, restrictive buffets and dining experiences, plastic sheeting taped over everything, etc., etc. NOPE - not for us - and particularly not at $1,000+ P/P per day.  I wouldn't sail on any cruise line under those conditions right now, let alone Regent.  And I wouldn't climb into a flying metal cylinder, filled with people wearing face masks (and maybe someone even having their "comfort pony" with them with his own face mask, too!). We have no urgency to see "how many cruises we can fit into a year".  We'd rather wait until things get back to "normal".  Our earlier years of "camping trips" are long past and for the price of a car, we're not willing to see what we can "put up with" for 2 weeks.

 

Our next booked cruise is not until late October, and the "Jury will remain out" for several more months, while we watch to see if conditions will have improved enough by then to make it worth our time and money to actually go on that sailing.  Best Regards.

[JVNYC]

3 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

I know this will sound argumentative, and I apologize if it does.  But what would you have them do?  Cancel all cruises?  Be charged less?  If so, what percent of your cruise fare are paper towels in the public bathrooms worth? 

We are scheduled for 39 nights in June from Montreal to Dublin.  I really want to go, and hope we can.  If it means paper towels in the public bathrooms, I'll adjust.  In fact given the size of Regent ships, I don't actually plan to use the public bathrooms.  If it means slow service at La Veranda, so be it.  If it bothers me I'll use room service or Compass Rose.  But I'd rather deal with a few "non luxury" procedures than miss the cruise.  And that seems like the only other alternative.

This is an Extreme situation!   Regent, like the rest of the world, were caught off guard.  The virus has only been around about 3 months.  Can't completely renovate your ships in 3 months.  Roll with the punches folks or simply hunker down at home.  

Again, not trying to be snippy or argumentative.

 

Happy to answer your question and I totally get your not being argumentative.  What would I have them do?  Cancel the cruises for 30 days or so like Viking and resume when the full experience can be delivered and fully appreciated.  It's more than just paper towels....there were many things that are not right now.  I would bet most people would want the full Regent experience versus "dealing" with it.  Just my opinion.

 

[JVNYC]

30 minutes ago, pingpong1 said:

Paper towels instead of cloth towels, closed libraries, health screenings before you can board, the risk of quarantines along the way, curtailed flights, restrictive buffets and dining experiences, plastic sheeting taped over everything, etc., etc. NOPE - not for us - and particularly not at $1,000+ P/P per day.  I wouldn't sail on any cruise line under those conditions right now, let alone Regent. 

 

Totally agree with you!!

[Shippy]

16 minutes ago, JVNYC said:

 

Happy to answer your question and I totally get your not being argumentative.  What would I have them do?  Cancel the cruises for 30 days or so like Viking and resume when the full experience can be delivered and fully appreciated.  It's more than just paper towels....there were many things that are not right now.  I would bet most people would want the full Regent experience versus "dealing" with it.  Just my opinion.

 

  Unfortunately, it is now not just Viking. Princess and Disney have also canceled all there cruises for an unknown period of time.

There was a 25% last minute cancel on our Explorer cruise and over 70%  cancellation on the one after us.

 Do not know how long they can continue like that. We are supposed to sail on the Mariner in June.

I will be very disappointed if they cancel but not surprised.

 

[witt's end]

Add Windstar to the list.

[ronrick1943]

12 minutes ago, witt's end said:

Add Windstar to the list.

I think the list will grow larger.

[cruiseluv]

1 hour ago, JVNYC said:

 

Happy to answer your question and I totally get your not being argumentative.  What would I have them do?  Cancel the cruises for 30 days or so like Viking and resume when the full experience can be delivered and fully appreciated.  It's more than just paper towels....there were many things that are not right now.  I would bet most people would want the full Regent experience versus "dealing" with it.  Just my opinion.

 

Agree! I think they'll be forced to do it as Mediterranean cruises will be an impossibility now that Spain is in a national state of emergency. Given this, its just a matter of days before the Barcelona port doesnt allow cruise ships and airlines cutback on their flights. Even if they didnt, who in their right mind would want to cruise there at this point!

Edited March 13, 2020 by cruiseluv

[papaflamingo]

5 hours ago, JVNYC said:

 

Happy to answer your question and I totally get your not being argumentative.  What would I have them do?  Cancel the cruises for 30 days or so like Viking and resume when the full experience can be delivered and fully appreciated.  It's more than just paper towels....there were many things that are not right now.  I would bet most people would want the full Regent experience versus "dealing" with it.  Just my opinion.

 

Fair enough... but Regent is actually allowing you to postpone with 100% FCC.  I still want to do my cruise.  I'd rather have some inconveniences and go while I can than have to wait 2 years.  And there's no guarantee that a Norovirus outbreak won't happen and your cruise goes "code Red."  That has happened in the past.  Then you get back to the same sanitary procedures.  Anyway, maybe this will all wash out soon and we'll be laughing about it over a frozen drink around the pool. 😎