Why won’t Regent cancel November 2020 cruises?

[mrlevin]

19 minutes ago, SusieQft said:

Or maybe they made an adjustment to "capacity" all at the same time.  One can hope?

 

Yes, that could be the case.

[rallydave]

2 minutes ago, SusieQft said:

Or maybe they made an adjustment to "capacity" all at the same time.  One can hope?

Don't believe there has been any agreement yet of how capacity will be determined so way too early for the waitlist to be based on new lower capacity.

[SusieQft]

26 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Don't believe there has been any agreement yet of how capacity will be determined so way too early for the waitlist to be based on new lower capacity.

Surely they have some idea of a percentage they want to stay under.  If the cruise is more than 50%, or 75%, or whatever number they are thinking of, there is no point is adding more passengers right now.  Although, I guess they could also figure that quite a few will cancel even if Regent does not, which would help them reduce capacity.  It is all a guessing game right now.  I agree it is most likely they are slated for cancellation, although the Christmas Cruise has been waitlisted for some time, so they must have done at least that one for capacity control.

Edited September 23, 2020 by SusieQft

[rallydave]

12 minutes ago, SusieQft said:

Surely they have some idea of a percentage they want to stay under.  If the cruise is more than 50%, or 75%, or whatever number they are thinking of, there is no point is adding more passengers right now.  Although, I guess they could also figure that quite a few will cancel even if Regent does not, which would help them reduce capacity.  It is all a guessing game right now.  I agree it is most likely they are slated for cancellation, although the Christmas Cruise has been waitlisted for some time, so they must have done at least that one for capacity control.

Agree with most of your post with the exception of capacity by percentage of occupancy.  Because of so many variables would think it more likely to be based on passengers by tonnage or passenger square footage.  This is because of social distancing which surely is affected by the available area per passenger and not number of passengers.

 

Doing it by tonnage or sq feet per passenger should allow the smaller ships with lots of relative sq feed to have a higher percentage of passengers than the behemoths and help with Regent profitability so depending on the size or tonnage, too early to have that number.. 

Edited September 23, 2020 by rallydave

[Pcardad]

35 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Agree with most of your post with the exception of capacity by percentage of occupancy.  Because of so many variables would think it more likely to be based on passengers by tonnage or passenger square footage.  This is because of social distancing which surely is affected by the available area per passenger and not number of passengers.

 

Doing it by tonnage or sq feet per passenger should allow the smaller ships with lots of relative sq feed to have a higher percentage of passengers than the behemoths and help with Regent profitability so depending on the size or tonnage, too early to have that number.. 

 

Rally - I've heard it will be based on SQft per person as well.

[SusieQft]

@rallydave, I understand that the percentage occupancy on Regent ships may not be the same as other lines, or even with other Regent ships.  But regardless of how they calculate it, they are going to have to figure out how many passengers they will take, and that number will be a percentage of the nominal occupancy.  Your argument is purely semantics.  The number that is relevant for going to "waitlisted" is the number of passengers allowed, however they calculate it.

 

On a slightly different note, if the percentage occupancy allowed on Regent is higher than other lines because of the reasons you state, then Regent's extra space will no longer be a reason to claim that Regent will be "safer" than other lines.  I'm not saying that this would be a reason for Regent to sail emptier than necessary.  Hopefully any line accepting and sailing with passengers will be as safe as possible.

Edited September 23, 2020 by SusieQft

[mrlevin]

Just made dinner reservation for my 28 November cruise; no problem.  When I tried to add another guest to our table all of a sudden we had "technical difficulties."

[Pcardad]

They have been having those technical difficulties for years lol. I think the Regent server is running in someone's hall closet.

[rallydave]

6 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

They have been having those technical difficulties for years lol. I think the Regent server is running in someone's hall closet.

While the server in the closet may be one of the issues, believe this to be a systemic problem across all cruise lines.  Unfortunately IT is not a high priority with cruise lines and they seem to hire fresh outs with very little to no experience with business software.  Once they get a little experience in business they leave for big salaries in other businesses and the cycle repeats.

 

Cannot count to software issues at many cruise lines.  One issue in particular with another unnamed cruise line that has existed for over 5 years.  Seems this cruise lines software is unable to accept requests to be on their email list and if you somehow get on the list, you may get emails for a month or two until they simply stop being sent.  The cruse lines solution put out in writing is not to fix the software but, to contact a particular person strangely in their frequent travelers department who at times is able to get people added to the list although even those adds at times are dropped.  Unfortunately the cruise lines at that is all, not just Regent cannot seem to see the forest for the trees in how these relatively simply problems to solve highly impact booking and thus the bottom line.

[GrJ Berkshire]

12 hours ago, mrlevin said:

Just made dinner reservation for my 28 November cruise; no problem.  When I tried to add another guest to our table all of a sudden we had "technical difficulties."

You will not be allowed mixed tables in the 'new normal' even if the cruise sails- which I doubt.

[mrlevin]

11 minutes ago, GrJ Berkshire said:

You will not be allowed mixed tables in the 'new normal' even if the cruise sails- which I doubt.

 

Had to call Regent but got friend added to our table; problem was that there were no tables for four on night we selected; just chose another night.  

 

If we can't have mixed tables, I don't think I want to cruise; having different dinner companions each night is one of the main draws of Regent.  None of the 74 recommendations talk about not having mixed dining.

Edited September 24, 2020 by mrlevin

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

I tried to make dining reservations yesterday, as well. Finally called over to Regent. I was told their “system was not working ..  the rep did them for me by phone and I received a confirmation by email. 
sheila

[mrlevin]

Looks like NCLH is waiting out CDC.  Saturday will be 30 days prior to 2 November Voyager sailing; something has to give.

[phillipahain]

Does anyone see Nov 2nd Voyager cruise Barcelona to Lisbon cruise sailing ? 

 

Seems theres been no anouncements from Regent which most expected to happen today 

[Mudhen]

Can you see me tapping my foot? As much as we love Regent, we've waited long enough. It's time to fish or cut bait....bait should've been cut a long time ago, if they really had their passengers in mind. Getting pretty disgusted at this point.

[Portolan]

It occurs to me, belatedly, that there may be a reason for Regent to delay cancelling cruises (besides cash flow).  I assume they carry business interruption insurance which may or may not apply if they cancel due to COVID.  It might, however, apply if the US government tells them they cannot cruise (at least from US ports).  The former may be excluded as an act of God or specifically if there is some kind of pandemic clause.  The latter, though driven by the pandemic, is a government action.

[Pcardad]

5 minutes ago, Portolan said:

It occurs to me, belatedly, that there may be a reason for Regent to delay cancelling cruises (besides cash flow).  I assume they carry business interruption insurance which may or may not apply if they cancel due to COVID.  It might, however, apply if the US government tells them they cannot cruise (at least from US ports).  The former may be excluded as an act of God or specifically if there is some kind of pandemic clause.  The latter, though driven by the pandemic, is a government action.

 

I think this is an excellent observation....thank you for sharing it.

[rallydave]

1 minute ago, Pcardad said:

 

I think this is an excellent observation....thank you for sharing it.

Well except Regent already cancelled thru October while the CDC directive is thru September.so already lost October with the insurance if applicable and by doing that may have problems even if or when CDC moves the end date of the No Sail Order.

[mrlevin]

Force majeure has been brought up a number of times of why the delay in cancellation.  I guess CCL and RCG don't have contracts in place wherein they need to wait until the government cancels so cruise line can declare force majeure.  I don't think NCLH wants to cruise at all in current environment and they are looking for a government scapegoat.

[rallydave]

2 hours ago, Portolan said:

It occurs to me, belatedly, that there may be a reason for Regent to delay cancelling cruises (besides cash flow).  I assume they carry business interruption insurance which may or may not apply if they cancel due to COVID.  It might, however, apply if the US government tells them they cannot cruise (at least from US ports).  The former may be excluded as an act of God or specifically if there is some kind of pandemic clause.  The latter, though driven by the pandemic, is a government action.

Well, CDC really doesn't have to extend the No Sail Order until the end of October since CLIA announced that all members would not sail thru October 31 so CDC wins the waiting process but, not extending but, any cruise lines like Regent with sailings still scheduled for November will be in a quandary by waiting to cancel November sailings. should CDC extend beyond October 31.

[CruzC2C]

So the process starts again.  Just checked my flights to BCN for the Barcelona to Miami cruise in November 2020.  My selected, paid for and approved flights were changed on my American Airlines app.  They even changed airlines for one of our flight segments and to a time that we will miss our connection by 3 hours in LHR.  So, I went to the American Airlines website and checked the confirmation number, it came up "We couldn't display trip details".  This is pretty much what happened last May just before our cruise got cancelled.  Suggest people check their flight for the November cruises and see they have changed.  

[Dolebludger]

I am very sorry about all who have near term cruises. But having a cruise booked now, in the near term with air and all, it unfortunately a crap shoot. The airlines are not sticking to their schedules, as they should be required by law to do, and once were. We always charge all our cruise and air bookings on AmEx Platinum. If what we purchased isn’t furnished, they have always been good about reversing the charge. Other CC companies, I am told, are good about this too. If my air/cruise itinerary were impossibly messed up, we’d cancel the whole thing through AmEx.

[GrJ Berkshire]

9 hours ago, CruzC2C said:

So the process starts again.  Just checked my flights to BCN for the Barcelona to Miami cruise in November 2020.  My selected, paid for and approved flights were changed on my American Airlines app.  They even changed airlines for one of our flight segments and to a time that we will miss our connection by 3 hours in LHR.  So, I went to the American Airlines website and checked the confirmation number, it came up "We couldn't display trip details".  This is pretty much what happened last May just before our cruise got cancelled.  Suggest people check their flight for the November cruises and see they have changed.  

No way will cruises be happening through Barcelona in Nov...... read what is now going on in Spain. As to LHR connections hardly surprising, as the airport is running at 20% normal, few flights , connections not there. We must brace fully for many airlines and airports going under as a result along with Aircraft manufacturers- who is going to buy/ lease new planes in this climate. Boeing was already in trouble as a result of the 737max issue.

[tert333]

Now that the CDC has extended the shut down until end of October, I would expect the November cancellations to go through.   The cruise lines will not want to ramp up staff, not knowing if there will be another extension to November.

[mrlevin]

Cruise lines wanted no sail order extended through February so that CDC would be the scapegoat; CDC agreed.  Administration apparently overruled.  At least those are the tea leaves so far; will see what tomorrow brings.