Regent's "New" Fare Options are Much Ado About Nothing imho

[Dolebludger]

Oh yes, there are complaints about business class flight routing, excessive connections and long layovers. I am confident that Regent is doing its best with the flights, and that the problem is mainly with the airlines, but too often Regent gets all of the blame.

[Sunprince]

3 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

I am confident that Regent is doing its best with the flights, and that the problem is mainly with the airlines, but too often Regent gets all of the blame.

Not necessarily true depending on how you look at it.There are many reports of guests trying to book their preferred flights, but those flights are either not available via Regent or are available at an unacceptable supplemental cost. The reason for this is, Regent has negotiated contracts for certain business fare classes with certain airlines, with limits that can restrict availability. So the problem is not the airlines, but the contracts that Regent has negotiated and the limits of those contracts. That is Regent's business decision to manage costs and is integral to them offering included business class flights.

 

[papaflamingo]

3 hours ago, Sunprince said:

Regent's business decision to manage costs and is integral to them offering included business class flights.

The cost of the flights has nothing to do with "managing costs."  The actual cost of the flight has always been passed along to us.  Regent gets a deeply discounted rate from the airlines (all cruise companies do).  Currently the airlines are understaffed and over booked, so there is no need for them to discount seats to the cruise lines. That's why it's so hard to get Business Class seats discounted. They are the premium airline product.  So Regent ends up booking on the least desirable flights as those are the flights that the airline is willing to discount.  So non stop to Europe is hard to find and decent layovers between flights are hard to find without an up charge.  

There is nothing Regent can do.  They are at the mercy of the airlines.  

[Sunprince]

10 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

The cost of the flights has nothing to do with "managing costs."  The actual cost of the flight has always been passed along to us.  Regent gets a deeply discounted rate from the airlines (all cruise companies do).  Currently the airlines are understaffed and over booked, so there is no need for them to discount seats to the cruise lines. That's why it's so hard to get Business Class seats discounted. They are the premium airline product.  So Regent ends up booking on the least desirable flights as those are the flights that the airline is willing to discount.  So non stop to Europe is hard to find and decent layovers between flights are hard to find without an up charge.  

There is nothing Regent can do.  They are at the mercy of the airlines.  

I do agree with you on this point as I think we are saying the same thing in just a little different way. With current business class pricing and availability, Regent is making a business decision in order to manage costs/viability of offering business class in the current environment. That is causing less desirable (cheaper) flight options being available within their included offer. This changes things.  I also believe it is why they are now moving to a “flexible” option for airfare because the “old (BC) system” is no longer viable. In the end, we will pay more for this flexibility.  For me, I’d rather just book my own air (at the current inflated BC fare prices) and be in control of it, without the hassle of dealing with Regent . 

[Dolebludger]

Nobody has said it, so I will. The airlines don’t have a sufficient number of business class seats, and are charging “rip-off” prices for what they have. This is all in the environment of increased demand for business class due to shrinkage of space in economy. The airlines’ self-created shortage of business class seats has made it difficult for Regent to promise intercontinental business class to all.who book. And when it is provided, it usually has unnecessary connections and excessive layovers. We are quite old, have the usual aches and pains, and absolute refuse to fly basic economy for flights over one hour. If we can’t set it up that way, we don’t go.

 

i’ll wait to see Regent’s new fare structure to decide whether we will cruise it (or any cruise line) again.

[Aloha 1]

On 5/29/2024 at 9:20 PM, Mike Moore said:

No pity required for me @PaulMCO as I’m actually no longer with the company.

I'm sure theres a story there we'd all like to hear.

[mrstanley]

I agree with Dolebluger:

 

No way I’m going to fly any international flight unless it’s BC.

 

I think we’ll see Regent cruises that go to the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal and New England and transoceanic cruises see an increase in bookings.

Due to the high costs of international BC flights.

[CJANDH]

On 5/30/2024 at 10:33 AM, papaflamingo said:

And they're now offering a credit for private transportation. Sure, that part may be copying Silversea door to door, but it's CHOICE only.  If you don't want it, don't take it.  

Read the announcement carefully. I think that the Blackstone credit is just that . . . a credit towards a transfer. It doesn't imply that you will get the money if you don't use it. Also note that the only way to get air included is to take the Ultimate, including the Blackstone credit (which I am sure will be baked into the Ultimate price).

[mrlevin]

21 minutes ago, CJANDH said:

(which I am sure will be baked into the Ultimate price).

Already is.  If you look at the two different columns of prices today and then get the "air credit" you will find that there is an additional $250 per person difference in price that is not in the credit.  And, if you price out concierge and above there is the credit for the hotel that you only get if you say no hotel.  In 35 cruises with Regent we have never used Regent air (until tomorrow with a deal we could not pass up).

 

Marc

[rallydave]

10 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

Already is.  If you look at the two different columns of prices today and then get the "air credit" you will find that there is an additional $250 per person difference in price that is not in the credit.  And, if you price out concierge and above there is the credit for the hotel that you only get if you say no hotel.  In 35 cruises with Regent we have never used Regent air (until tomorrow with a deal we could not pass up).

 

Marc

Absolutely true. Just remember when regent or any other company makes changes to ther pricing it is for sure to increase their profits and not to help their customers. 
 

Even the recent fast food special pricing that has been reduced in intended in the long run to improve profits as soon as the social pricing ends. 
 

Companies are not altruistic to the customer as the bottom line keeps the company open and in business. 

[Mike Moore]

2 hours ago, Aloha 1 said:

I'm sure theres a story there we'd all like to hear.

I’m sure there is too. 😉 I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, love the brand and the product, and wish them nothing but success.

[irishwitchy]

1 hour ago, Mike Moore said:

I’m sure there is too. 😉 I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, love the brand and the product, and wish them nothing but success.

I hope one day I find myself sitting next to you at the pool bar!  

[forevertravel]

Dear Regent Family,

We are excited to offer our new all-inclusive fare options which will offer true personalized all-inclusive luxury, with more ways to tailor your journey to your unique preferences. The all-inclusive fare options will be available for all reservations made from July 1, 2024, but in the meantime we've compiled a list of answers to your frequently asked questions about this upcoming change. This information will help you choose the right fare option for your future Regent voyage.

1. Will these changes impact existing reservations?

No, there will be no impact to existing reservations made before June 30, 2024. The new All-inclusive Fare options will only be available beginning July 1, 2024.

2. Will roundtrip air, including business class, still be available when booking?

Yes, roundtrip air will continue to be offered on all voyages through the Ultimate All-Inclusive Fare. Guests will be able to view pricing for the Ultimate All-Inclusive fares for all available air classes before booking and choose according to their preference. For our international regions where air is offered, the Ultimate All-Inclusive Fare includes economy class air at time of booking with air upgrades available on request.

3. Is Regent planning to move away from offering included air in its packages?

No, Regent remains committed to offering air-inclusive options, including business class, for guests who prefer to book air through us.

4. Will custom air fees still apply?

Yes, with the Ultimate All-Inclusive Fare guests will be able to choose their preferred air class at time of booking. However for specific flights, routes and early confirmation guests will still have to go through Regent’s Custom Air Department and fees will apply as they do today. For our international regions where air is offered, the Ultimate All-Inclusive Fare includes economy class air at time of booking with air upgrades available on request.

 

So, if I read this correctly the listed fare for "ultimate" will be economy and if one wants business there will be an upgrade. The bottom line is business class will cost more and there is no air credit when booking "all inclusive". I guess we'll have to wait and see what the cost is. Naturally, there will be a hidden cost for Blacklane. As high as fares are becoming many of us won't be able to cruise Regent any longer. I'm not interested in Caribbean or crossings which are the only less expensive fares.

 

 

[Dolebludger]

It appears that post #39 above was submitted by someone at Regent, and it is nice that  Regent responded to this confusing matter. As I mentioned in post #30 above, it appears that demand for business class seats exceeds capacity. Some excess demand comes from cruise guests, but I’ll bet the majority of the excess comes from passengers who simply cannot tolerate shrunken and inadequate economy seating, which the airlines created for us. Given this situation, it is understandable that Regent feels the can no longer guarantee business on all intercontinental flight legs, and do so with the minimum of connections and layovers. 
 

We are Regent guests who arrange our air travel to and from a cruise with NO economy air flight legs. And we want this arranged before final payment, to allow us to cancel the whole thing with minimum penalty if air cannot be arranged in this manner or if we deem the cost excessive,

 

Similarly, I understand that Regent has been unable to set up hotel and land transfers in some locations. Understood. There is a world-wide shortage in the hospitality industry of labor, facilities, and supplies. So I understand that Regent may not want to guarantee these things that aren’t available to it. 
 

I can’t say more without knowing the new Regent fare structure, researching business air and hotel costs, and doing some math. But I can say one thing. Regent needs to drop the $75 charge for only talking to its flight department. Guests may want to make this contact to research whether they want to book a given Regent cruise, or not. A guest who declines to book do to excessive air fare in the desired class, determined by contacting Regent, shouldn’t be charged anything by Regent. Including this contact for free motivates the guest to return to Regent to inquire about other cruises. Actually, what Regent has done requires more pre cruising research than before — and Regent should help with this at no charge.

[papaflamingo]

11 hours ago, Sunprince said:

In the end, we will pay more for this flexibility.

Why do you think this?  Air Fares have been going up for a few years now.  All Regent has been doing is raising the cost of the Air Credit and that reflects in an equal increase cost in the cruise fare.  For those who don't want to pay that, or can find cheaper flights, they simply opt out and take the Air Credit.  It's already flexible.  Giving us the option of Premium Select or Economy instead of Business Class at a lower rate gives us increased flexibility and an ability to pay less for the cruise. So why do you feel this will mean we will pay more?  

I imagine what has happened is that there are people out there that aren't willing to pay $9800 round trip for Business Class as part of a Regent cruise fare.  So they can offer the same cruise with air at a cost of say....$3000 round trip... saving someone $6800 per person on their cruise fare.  That could be a "deal maker" for some. As it stands today, if we don't want to pay for Business Class, we have to find our own flights and lose transportation as well as the flexibility to cancel the tickets if we cancel the cruise.  

But if someone doesn't want to pay these fares and wants to book themselves, they can simply do just that. 

[papaflamingo]

7 hours ago, CJANDH said:

Read the announcement carefully. I think that the Blackstone credit is just that . . . a credit towards a transfer. It doesn't imply that you will get the money if you don't use it. Also note that the only way to get air included is to take the Ultimate, including the Blackstone credit (which I am sure will be baked into the Ultimate price).

Good point.  I did read this, but simply figured that, like the included hotel night, if you choose not to use it you can get it credited back.  But you're right... that may not be the case.  

One thing this credit does though, is to allow someone to fly into the port a few days early, like we did when we went to Hong Kong last Feb. and get Regent supplied transportation from the airport to hotel, something forfeited if you deviate today.  

[Sunprince]

11 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Why do you think this?

Because Regent Executive management is motivated to maximize profit and is following orders from NCL CEO to do so.  They will use this rebranding of the fare structure to increase prices, both on the base cruise fare and the new “flexible” air structure. It’s like when a restaurant changes and prints new menus…that add on bacon to your burger now costs $5 more. The only way to know will be when Regent introduces the new pricing on July1.  Take some before/after snapshots of different itineraries and I bet prices will be higher, both on base fares and the BC air add ons.

[Aloha 1]

17 hours ago, Mike Moore said:

I’m sure there is too. 😉 I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, love the brand and the product, and wish them nothing but success.

We'll miss you, Mike. You were always there with help when needed. Best of luck in your future endeavors.

[papaflamingo]

On 6/1/2024 at 8:17 AM, Sunprince said:

Because Regent Executive management is motivated to maximize profit and is following orders from NCL CEO to do so.  They will use this rebranding of the fare structure to increase prices, both on the base cruise fare and the new “flexible” air structure. It’s like when a restaurant changes and prints new menus…that add on bacon to your burger now costs $5 more. The only way to know will be when Regent introduces the new pricing on July1.  Take some before/after snapshots of different itineraries and I bet prices will be higher, both on base fares and the BC air add ons.

Well, I hope Regent management is motivated to maximize profits, otherwise the company will go out of business.  But I disagree that this will be a reason to raise cruise costs.  Regent, at least since 2018, has always raised the costs for cruises throughout the year.  We have booked all our cruises (except one) very early and before the cruise and the costs have risen considerably as the cruise approached.  I have, only once, found a cruise where the cost actually came down during a sale, from the price I paid. And, ironically, that was just a few months ago for a cruise in late 2025.  The cruise wasn't selling all that well, so they ran a special. 

But the only "increase of cost" you'll see due to the new pricing will be whatever the air class YOU choose will cost.  If you compare the Air Credit that Regent gives with other cruise line's cost for Air you'll see they're quite competitive, and if you compare the Air Credit with the cost of a ticket YOU can purchase third party, Regent, at least for me, has only been more expensive once.  And that's only because Delta was starting up service and were selling tickets for a huge discount PLUS I get another 25% (or more) off via a Delta Employee Discount Program. 

So, sure cruise prices may go up, but that will be totally independent to cost of air. And if the air, via Regent Air, is too expensive, then book your own air.  I don't know why everyone is having so much difficulty understanding this. 

Edited June 2 by papaflamingo

[ysolde]

One of the things we liked about Regent was the fact that if we liked a cruise, we knew the price as soon as we figured out our cabin category.  It did not matter whether we lived in NYC (as we used to) or in Scottsdale (as we now do).  You booked your cruise and you paid your price.  You would get international business and domestic economy (often upgradeable, if you had status with the airline booked).  It was part of Regent's all-inclusive ethos: one fare.

 

Now, it seems, booking on Regent will be no different than booking on Norwegian.  Want a flight with that?  No problem!  Tell Regent where you live, and they will price out an economy flight for you.  Want business class? No problem!  You'll have to pay for that, of course.  Just as if you were cruising on NCL.  Or any other mass market cruise line.

 

What's next?  Drinks packages?

Edited June 2 by ysolde

[papaflamingo]

8 minutes ago, ysolde said:

One of the things we liked about Regent was the fact that if we liked a cruise, we knew the price as soon as we figured out our cabin category.  It did not matter whether we lived in NYC (as we used to) or in Scottsdale (as we now do).  You booked your cruise and you paid your price.  You would get international business and domestic economy (often upgradeable, if you had status with the airline booked).  It was part of Regent's all-inclusive ethos: one fare.

 

Now, it seems, booking on Regent will be no different than booking on Norwegian.  Want a flight with that?  No problem!  Tell Regent where you live, and they will price out an economy flight for you.  Want business class? No problem!  You'll have to pay for that, of course.  Just as if you were cruising on NCL.  Or any other mass market cruise line.

 

What's next?  Drinks packages?

I suspect (don't actually know) that there really won't be any difference.  I imagine you can do a "mock booking" and pick your air choice and it'll show you the price.  I also imagine you can change your departure city and compare to see if there's any difference.  I don't think Regent is changing how their contract rates work, just adding cheaper options.  

I really believe that everyone will be surprised at how little is really changing.  

[mnocket]

2 hours ago, ysolde said:

One of the things we liked about Regent was the fact that if we liked a cruise, we knew the price as soon as we figured out our cabin category.  It did not matter whether we lived in NYC (as we used to) or in Scottsdale (as we now do).  You booked your cruise and you paid your price.  You would get international business and domestic economy (often upgradeable, if you had status with the airline booked).  It was part of Regent's all-inclusive ethos: one fare.

 

Now, it seems, booking on Regent will be no different than booking on Norwegian.  Want a flight with that?  No problem!  Tell Regent where you live, and they will price out an economy flight for you.  Want business class? No problem!  You'll have to pay for that, of course.  Just as if you were cruising on NCL.  Or any other mass market cruise line.

 

What's next?  Drinks packages?

I think that is most likely where this is headed.  Unfortunately, I fear the days of cruise lines offering their customers savings on air travel, if they booked with them, are a thing of the past. Even mass-market lines often used to offer significant savings on one-way international business class.  That has become very rare.  I suspect reaping business class savings on Regent is also going to become a rarity. Going forward, the only reason to book air with Regent may be convenience.  That will still be sufficient for some, but not for those who are hesitant to give up control of their booking - the financial incentive is likely disappearing. 

Edited June 2 by mnocket

[jeb_bud]

2 hours ago, ysolde said:

One of the things we liked about Regent was the fact that if we liked a cruise, we knew the price as soon as we figured out our cabin category.  It did not matter whether we lived in NYC (as we used to) or in Scottsdale (as we now do).  You booked your cruise and you paid your price.  You would get international business and domestic economy (often upgradeable, if you had status with the airline booked).  It was part of Regent's all-inclusive ethos: one fare.

 

Now, it seems, booking on Regent will be no different than booking on Norwegian.  Want a flight with that?  No problem!  Tell Regent where you live, and they will price out an economy flight for you.  Want business class? No problem!  You'll have to pay for that, of course.  Just as if you were cruising on NCL.  Or any other mass market cruise line.

 

What's next?  Drinks packages?

I think you’re conflating Regent’s included air, which is part of the all inclusive fare, and deviating, which is a decision the passenger makes after the booking is completed. I don’t recall reading any complaints about Regent adding a surcharge to a booking that used the included air. 
 

Deviating is harder to do without a surcharge due to issues already covered on this thread but extrapolating that to not being able to know your price anymore seems a little extreme. We have two cruises in Europe booked for next year. I’ll be interested to see if deviating or booking on my own is the best way to go by then. 

[Pcardad]

On 5/31/2024 at 3:11 PM, Mike Moore said:

I’m sure there is too. 😉 I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, love the brand and the product, and wish them nothing but success.

I have nothing but good things to say about Mike. 

I heard that Regent eliminated the position as a cost cutting measure.

[ysolde]

48 minutes ago, jeb_bud said:

I think you’re conflating Regent’s included air, which is part of the all inclusive fare, and deviating, which is a decision the passenger makes after the booking is completed. I don’t recall reading any complaints about Regent adding a surcharge to a booking that used the included air. 
 

Deviating is harder to do without a surcharge due to issues already covered on this thread but extrapolating that to not being able to know your price anymore seems a little extreme. We have two cruises in Europe booked for next year. I’ll be interested to see if deviating or booking on my own is the best way to go by then. 

Nope.  We have deviated every time we have booked with Regent, in order to get the exact flights we want.

 

Regent is now setting up a new system.  When you book your cruise, you book without airfare.  Or, you add (economy) airfare, for a fee.  Or you can add business class air, for a fee.  All the other cruise lines do this.  And all of them ask where you are flying from, to, etc.  Regent's cruises are often complex in terms of flights -- our last cruise saw us flying out of our home airport to Rio then cruising to various ports along the coast of Brazil, then across the Atlantic to various ports, then on to Lisbon, from where we flew home.  The other cruise lines base your airfare on where you are flying to and from, as well as class of service.  It is not less expensive to book with them  than it is to book your own flight (except in economy class).  However, it used to be more convenient to do so (although these days, who knows?).

Edited June 2 by ysolde