Slendor, PR to Miami.

[Dolebludger]

This will be the  first of what maybe several, posts about this cruise.  The onboard service and food have been great. Other things, not so much. Of course,,Wi Fi  has been bad, as we expected. But as RSS gold guests, with three hours  of ships phone time, we expected it to work. It does not. We have some calls that need to be made. We cannot make them via the WiFi using our cell phones. And the promised three hours time via the ship’s phone has not worked at all.i will discuss this problem with somebody in authority (if I can find such a person) and will report back.

[swansong]

The phone didn’t ‘work’ for us last year on Voyager. Reception told us, on several occasions, that the ‘satellite’ was down. We thought that they were in the process of removing that perk.

Fortunately we were able to use our cellphone but have used the ships phone in the past everyday to contact an elderly parent, sadly no longer with us now. I guess others may be in that position.

[fizzy]

We had to switch this cruise to another and I'm finding the included phone topic disturbing. We use no electronics when onboard but do like the security of the included regular phone time that we're entitled to in case of anything or not. Is this a blip on this ship/ this cruise or an ongoing issue?  Thanks.

[Dolebludger]

I’ve been trying to get an answer, but haven’t been able to get a clear one yet. Will keep trying.

[Nachosdelux]

I would never cruise on a ship named the "Slendor"

 

[Dolebludger]

Typo, sorry! I meant “Splendor”, of course.

[silkismom]

You won't be "Slender" when you get off.

[papaflamingo]

On 3/27/2024 at 7:19 AM, fizzy said:

We had to switch this cruise to another and I'm finding the included phone topic disturbing. We use no electronics when onboard but do like the security of the included regular phone time that we're entitled to in case of anything or not. Is this a blip on this ship/ this cruise or an ongoing issue?  Thanks.

Just so I understand, you're "disturbed" that you MIGHT someday have to make a phone call from the ship and it won't work?  If it's an emergency, I'm pretty sure that the crew will make sure you get through.  Or.... just use your cell phone in wifi calling.  

[fizzy]

9 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Just so I understand, you're "disturbed" that you MIGHT someday have to make a phone call from the ship and it won't work?  If it's an emergency, I'm pretty sure that the crew will make sure you get through.  Or.... just use your cell phone in wifi calling.  

Understanding is a good thing so I'll try to help you. Regular phone time is an included benefit for certain SSS levels or cabin classes. I would rather not take another " Oh well" approach to not receiving something I have prepaid for. I have also managed, so far, to not be connected to electronics all the time and most certainly while on vacation. That must free up time for others since we don't use this stuff. I might not (hope not) have an emergency but simply want to use the phone as I would at home and shouldn't have to explain it. We did have a semi-emergency some years ago onboard the Navigator and we did exactly as you suggested and it worked.

[papaflamingo]

On 3/29/2024 at 7:20 AM, fizzy said:

Understanding is a good thing so I'll try to help you. Regular phone time is an included benefit for certain SSS levels or cabin classes. I would rather not take another " Oh well" approach to not receiving something I have prepaid for. I have also managed, so far, to not be connected to electronics all the time and most certainly while on vacation. That must free up time for others since we don't use this stuff. I might not (hope not) have an emergency but simply want to use the phone as I would at home and shouldn't have to explain it. We did have a semi-emergency some years ago onboard the Navigator and we did exactly as you suggested and it worked.

Ok...  You're right, you shouldn't have to explain it.  I apologize for asking, although YOU were the one who put it out as "disturbing" on social media.  Just seems like an extremely small thing to be "disturbed" about since there is an easy "work around" as you stated.

Again... sorry for asking.  

Edited March 30 by papaflamingo

[fb0075]

WIFI CALLING does work very well on the Splendor but if you connect to an another network, you will need to log out and back in!

[fb0075]

just off the Splendor and wasnt impressed with the DUO playing in the Splendor Lounge----Does anyone know when they leave? Wanting to book in July butttttt 🙂

THANKS

Edited March 31 by fb0075

[Dolebludger]

We s phone home him numers in-the shiosph0hUSA tokiowij whijevfikiowq

[edgee]

31 minutes ago, fb0075 said:

just off the Splendor and wasnt impressed with the DUO playing in the Splendor Lounge----Does anyone know when they leave? Wanting to book in July butttttt 🙂

THANKS

Wow, must really be awful if you would base your decision to cruise or not based on whether they will still be on the ship! We embark tomorrow on the Splendor TA. Will ask them and get back to you. (should we stop at CVS and get some ear plugs on our way to the ship?) 😁

[fb0075]

Well thank you for your crude and frivolous comment but I don’t need your input. 
We spend our $$$ to enjoy ourselves and after 159 cruises we have a set routine. 
Please give me your daily itinerary on the cruise so I might critique your daily enjoyment!

[jeb_bud]

14 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

We s phone home him numers in-the shiosph0hUSA tokiowij whijevfikiowq

You might want to have Ruth check you for symptoms of a stroke. 😉

[edgee]

15 hours ago, fb0075 said:

Well thank you for your crude and frivolous comment but I don’t need your input. 
We spend our $$$ to enjoy ourselves and after 159 cruises we have a set routine. 
Please give me your daily itinerary on the cruise so I might critique your daily enjoyment!

Unfortunately my transatlantic TA itinerary has been modified substituting Nassau instead of Bermuda. That lessens my daily enjoyment by a little bit, but still looking forward to our cruise! Thanks for kind words!

[Dolebludger]

12 hours ago, jeb_bud said:. 

 

12 hours ago, jeb_bud said:

You might want to have Ruth check you for symptoms of a stroke. 😉

Possibly, but on the ship the iPad wouldn’t type accurately and correctly. Now that I have returned home, it works fine. As to the phone problem, we got instructions and followed them When we would dial a number we know well, we would only get a recording stating the number was invalid

Edited April 1 by Dolebludger

[pappy1022]

On 3/30/2024 at 8:53 PM, edgee said:

Wow, must really be awful if you would base your decision to cruise or not based on whether they will still be on the ship! We embark tomorrow on the Splendor TA. Will ask them and get back to you. (should we stop at CVS and get some ear plugs on our way to the ship?) 😁

Why? 

[pappy1022]

16 hours ago, edgee said:

Unfortunately my transatlantic TA itinerary has been modified substituting Nassau instead of Bermuda. That lessens my daily enjoyment by a little bit, but still looking forward to our cruise! Thanks for kind words!

Again, why the anger and angst?

[fizzy]

27 minutes ago, pappy1022 said:

Again, why the anger and angst?

I get you Pappy.   No Bermuda,  you get Nassau instead. Perhaps another "oh well" moment.

[Dolebludger]

FWIW, we just returned from a cruise on the Splendor that visited Nassau two days ago. Based on our last stop there (maybe 15 years ago) we planned to stay on the ship. In spite of that, we disembarked there and found the place most improved. BUT, I can well understand the anger and disappointment in the way cruise lines (including Regent) have been changing and eliminating ports. I understand port elimination due to unsafe weather. On our Splendor cruise, the first port was St.Barts (a tender port). The captain launched a tender, and I could see it bouncing around. I thought “I don’t want to do that”! The captain apparently agreed and cancelled the port. Good! I also understand canceling ports that have become war zones. I don’t want to pay to go to a war zone. But there have been reports right here on CC that Regent cancelled ports (sometimes with a substitute — sometimes not) not due to weather or war. I do wish that Regent, when it changes or eliminates ports, would tell booked guests why. If the guest is onboard and the reason is weather, the captain tells the guests why (and in my case) the guests could see why. But if port changes (or eliminations) are made pre cruise, I suggest booked guests deserve an explanation. From what I am reading here on CC, this isn’t always happening.

 

[papaflamingo]

11 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

I suggest booked guests deserve an explanation.

We've been on over 40 cruises on multiple lines including over 120 days with Regent.  In my experience, we've always been able to find out why a port is cancelled if we ask. Mind you, I don't really ask as in most of our cruises we've had cancellations for pretty obvious reasons or "heard" a reason.  So maybe that's why.  But for me, as a former Airline Captain who dealt with issues my whole career, I tend to accept that there is a legitimate reason for any cancellation and whether I know it or agree with it as a passenger, is irrelevant.  So that could be why I haven't really noticed a lack of information.  

[Dolebludger]

If a port change or elimination happens in the course of a cruise, it is usually easy for guests to learn the reason why — and it is usually weather and rough seas. But recently, on a Grandeur cruise of Pacific Mexico and Central America a good number of ports were skipped in fair weather. The guests were not told a reason. There was speculation that the ports were unable to offer this ship an electrical hook up, which Regent prefers to have to reduce fuel consumption and pollution. But since ships can and do generate their own electricity in these and many ports, this would be a poor excuse for missing ports. 

[flossie009]

Our Travel Insurance provides monetary compensation for missed ports and we have never had any issues obtaining reasons in writing from the Regent Exec Concierge on board (A letter from the cruise line is required for our claims)