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

[jeb_bud]

The only difference I can see between what Regent has been doing for the last year or so and what they will start next month is the inclusion of the Blacklane “benefit”. Your interpretation may turn out to be correct but the words in the announcement leave plenty of room for my interpretation as well. 
 

When we choose to deviate we take in the risk of a higher price for air travel. But we don’t have to deviate. No matter how complex your cruise itinerary is, your flight itinerary was a simple open jaw. 

[Dolebludger]

Yes, it’s my theory that Regent is offering the Blacklane benefit (or credit) to relieve it from the need to directly provide land transfers. Regent has obviously been having difficulty providing the transfers directly (I.e. Barbados and Iceland), And our experience with Regent’s transfers in Miami weren’t great. Several overcrowded busses, and the first time our luggage was lost BEFORE the flight! 

[macbest]

On 5/30/2024 at 7:35 PM, 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.  

According to industry sources, prior to Covid 65% of the seats in business class or above were booked by business travelers. The rest were consumer. Today that has changed. 60% are now booked by consumers. Revenge spending is still in effect by the affluent!

[lprp]

I may well be over thinking this, but, by effectively unbundling the flights from being a booking, it removes the onus on Regent to ensure that the passenger to get to the ship, home, or wherever.

Think back to the beginning of Covid when the cruises were cancelled and passengers who had booked the fully packaged trip and were stuck had to be transported home by Regent.

in the UK, it may also remove some of the protection that booking a package holiday provides.

LP

[rallydave]

3 minutes ago, lprp said:

I may well be over thinking this, but, by effectively unbundling the flights from being a booking, it removes the onus on Regent to ensure that the passenger to get to the ship, home, or wherever.

Think back to the beginning of Covid when the cruises were cancelled and passengers who had booked the fully packaged trip and were stuck had to be transported home by Regent.

in the UK, it may also remove some of the protection that booking a package holiday provides.

LP

At least in the US while regent does at times ensures the passenger gets where they need to per the US ticket contract regent has no legal requirement to cover any third party bookings even though the bookings are done by regent

 

so at least in the US the unbundling does not have the effect mentioned by the poster. 

[papaflamingo]

17 minutes ago, lprp said:

I may well be over thinking this, but, by effectively unbundling the flights from being a booking, it removes the onus on Regent to ensure that the passenger to get to the ship, home, or wherever.

Think back to the beginning of Covid when the cruises were cancelled and passengers who had booked the fully packaged trip and were stuck had to be transported home by Regent.

in the UK, it may also remove some of the protection that booking a package holiday provides.

LP

Regent isn't "unbundling" flights, they're only offering Premium Select and Economy along with Business Class as an option. The flights will still be booked at contract rates with Regent so will still be bundled, along with addition of  Blacklane for alternate transportation needs. 

[Tsunami74]

I am not clear on what happens if Blacklane is not available in our city?

The wording is a little ambiguous.

Is the $250 a credit for only Blacklane or for any transport provider?

[papaflamingo]

On 6/5/2024 at 8:44 AM, Tsunami74 said:

I am not clear on what happens if Blacklane is not available in our city?

The wording is a little ambiguous.

Is the $250 a credit for only Blacklane or for any transport provider?

Good question.  

[rallydave]

On 6/5/2024 at 7:22 AM, papaflamingo said:

Regent isn't "unbundling" flights, they're only offering Premium Select and Economy along with Business Class as an option. The flights will still be booked at contract rates with Regent so will still be bundled, along with addition of  Blacklane for alternate transportation needs. 

You are partially correct. Regent is allowing you 2 options for booking your cruise. One without air so unbundled and the other with bundled air where you choose the air class or service with price differences thus bundled. 
 

Remember the ticket contract still states regent is not responsible for third parties which includes air. Regent does help with air issues but not legally required to 

 

so an unbundled option and bundled option when you book 

[labonnevie]

I know I am confused, so can anyone answer this:

In the future if I choose business class will I be paying what in the past was air included?

Or will the price for economy air be comparable to what I previously paid for business class?

In other words, will I be looking at a price increase for the same product?

Thanks. 

[rallydave]

Don’t believe anybody but the bean counters at regent can answer your and they are too busy counting beans to answer. 

[Pcardad]

13 hours ago, labonnevie said:

I know I am confused, so can anyone answer this:

In the future if I choose business class will I be paying what in the past was air included?

Or will the price for economy air be comparable to what I previously paid for business class?

In other words, will I be looking at a price increase for the same product?

Thanks. 

We may not get these answers until after July 1....

[Pcardad]

12 hours ago, rallydave said:

Don’t believe anybody but the bean counters at regent can answer your and they are too busy counting beans to answer. 

From a stockholder perspective, that's a good thing!

[rallydave]

30 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

We may not get these answers until after July 1....

Don’t believe the question will ever be answered as no way to compare prices after jul1. All kind of reasons for price changes and info only available internally to regent. 

[Pcardad]

21 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Don’t believe the question will ever be answered as no way to compare prices after jul1. All kind of reasons for price changes and info only available internally to regent. 

Call and get a price for a cruise today. Call again after July 1. Compare.

[rallydave]

6 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Call and get a price for a cruise today. Call again after July 1. Compare.

True but no way to know the reason for the price change.  Could be the two tier booking or a general change or even an increase or decrease based on your home location 

 

you see currently the cruise price including sir is the same no matter where you live. It is possible this change will take into account your home location and thus peoples fares including air will vary based on actual flight costs. 
 

bottom line many possibilities and only the bean counters know for sure. 

[Pcardad]

23 minutes ago, rallydave said:

True but no way to know the reason for the price change.  Could be the two tier booking or a general change or even an increase or decrease based on your home location 

 

you see currently the cruise price including sir is the same no matter where you live. It is possible this change will take into account your home location and thus peoples fares including air will vary based on actual flight costs. 
 

bottom line many possibilities and only the bean counters know for sure. 

They will know the big picture but from a guest's perspective all that mattes is what it costs them, yes? That change, if any, we will easily identifiable. 

 

If it were me, I would call up on the last day in June and hold a booking for 5 days. Call back on July 1 and ask for a price on the same cruise.

[Kwaj girl]

I've priced 10 different voyages (some from each ship and different voyage lengths/destinations) from 11/24 thru 1/26  as follows:

 

All EBS fares

Same suite category

No "Past Passenger" (not every voyage has this discount and it may be discontinued at any time)

Cruise Only

With air (currently Biz class if intercontinental, economy class if domestic/Caribbean)

 

All on a spreadsheet so I can then get the pricing 7/1 for these same trips.

 

Yes, I know that Regent changes pricing almost monthly but this should hopefully give me an idea of what they're doing price-wise.

 

[RELS]

On 6/5/2024 at 5:44 AM, Tsunami74 said:

I am not clear on what happens if Blacklane is not available in our city?

The wording is a little ambiguous.

Is the $250 a credit for only Blacklane or for any transport provider?

 

If it's anything like Silversea, if there is no Blacklane in your city, there should be a credit.

 

Given the (few) horror stories about Blacklane failing so badly as to make people miss cruises on the Silversea forum, I'm just as happy that Blacklane isn't in my town.

[labonnevie]

2 hours ago, Kwaj girl said:

I've priced 10 different voyages (some from each ship and different voyage lengths/destinations) from 11/24 thru 1/26  as follows:

 

All EBS fares

Same suite category

No "Past Passenger" (not every voyage has this discount and it may be discontinued at any time)

Cruise Only

With air (currently Biz class if intercontinental, economy class if domestic/Caribbean)

 

All on a spreadsheet so I can then get the pricing 7/1 for these same trips.

 

Yes, I know that Regent changes pricing almost monthly but this should hopefully give me an idea of what they're doing price-wise.

 

Please let everyone know after July 1 what you find. Great idea. 

[Kwaj girl]

44 minutes ago, labonnevie said:

Please let everyone know after July 1 what you find. Great idea. 

 

If I can figure out how to upload an Excel sheet I will!

[AtlantaCruiser72]

On 6/5/2024 at 8:44 AM, Tsunami74 said:

I am not clear on what happens if Blacklane is not available in our city?

The wording is a little ambiguous.

Is the $250 a credit for only Blacklane or for any transport provider?

The black lane credit. Is not just for home / airport transfers. It can be used on trip between airport and hotel or hotel and ship, and on either or both ends of the cruise. The hotel does not have to be booked through regent. It can also be used airport/ship or reverse. They are providing a lot of flexibility with the offer. 

[papaflamingo]

On 6/7/2024 at 9:21 AM, rallydave said:

You are partially correct. Regent is allowing you 2 options for booking your cruise. One without air so unbundled and the other with bundled air where you choose the air class or service with price differences thus bundled. 
 

Remember the ticket contract still states regent is not responsible for third parties which includes air. Regent does help with air issues but not legally required to 

 

so an unbundled option and bundled option when you book 

What everyone seems to overlook is that Regent ALWAYS offered "bundled flights" or no flights at all.  All you had to do was turn down Regent's flights and receive the air credit. That isn't changing they're only offering other class air for an option.  

[papaflamingo]

19 hours ago, labonnevie said:

I know I am confused, so can anyone answer this:

In the future if I choose business class will I be paying what in the past was air included?

Or will the price for economy air be comparable to what I previously paid for business class?

In other words, will I be looking at a price increase for the same product?

Thanks. 

If you choose to use Regent Air today on an International flight you are already paying for Business Class.  If you choose to use Regent Air for a Domestic flight to a cruise, say Alaska or Miami, you are already paying for Economy Air.  If you choose to not use Regent Air you get the cost of air reduced from the cost of your cruise.  

What you will most likely find is that Regent will continue to offer Contract Rates for the cruise in whatever class you want to fly.  So if you want to fly Business Class you'll pay the Contract Rate just like today, and if you want to deviate you'll pay the contract rate plus any up charge if necessary, like today.  If you decide you want to save money and fly to Europe you'll pay the Contract Rate for economy or premium select.  Or you can simply not pay for Regent Air and buy your own tickets....just like today.  

Most the cruise lines offer an air option if you want.  That cost of air is whatever the cruise line pays for it.  Regent, as a marketing tool to differentiate from the other lines, simply include Business Class Air, but the cost of that air is about the same as you can find it on other cruise line.  I compared our cruise on Explorer last Feb. to a similar itinerary on Royal Caribbean, and was able to price Business Class Air via Royal Caribbean and it was about the same cost as Regent's Air Credit.  So...  they all offer Contract Rates.  There's absolutely no reason to think Regent won't continue to offer Contract Rates in all classes.  

[rallydave]

Unfortunately nobody as yet knows how regent is going to price these changes. And there are unknowns and knows for the current pricing

 

unknowns include nobody know how much regrnt actually pays for your flights. Nobody knows what credits are based on your location

 

knowns  on any given cruise everyone pays the exact same amount for air no matter where you live. Everyone gets the exact same credit no matter where they live for not taking sir. 
 

regent pays different amounts for air depending on your starting location. 
 

this change may or may not change these known snd unknowns. One more known regent is going to price the air so that they earn profits in the aggregate. May lose for some but to stay in business prices have to be skewed to be profitable for all companies.