Regent- Stranded! Last minute change 🙀

[CascadeLakeGirl]

40 minutes ago, 1teach53 said:

Well the very bad taste in our mouths regarding Regent has gotten somewhat better. We just received the following email. 
 

 

“I want to apologize as it relates to your experience with the call center regarding the Seward to Whittier change announced late last week. 

 

Regent will have two motorcoaches departing Seward at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., day of departure,  from the pier in Seward to transfer any guests who may be staying in Seward, as well as any guests who may not have read the Envogram communication and arrive in Seward.   

 

The transfer will be complimentary , please just let us know which time you would prefer.  You can just respond to this email vs calling and I will have you placed on the list.   

 

I do apologize as we did not properly communicate to our teams.”

I have t received any such communication from Regents. I already cancelled my train from Seward to Anchorage and rebooked. This is what I had asked for in the opposite direction and was told that would not be happening. 

[CascadeLakeGirl]

I have not received any such communication for our cruise ending in Whittier. 

[1teach53]

45 minutes ago, CascadeLakeGirl said:

I have not received any such communication for our cruise ending in Whittier. 

I would try and contact this person. 

Patricia Scheer | Vice President Guest and Air Services

pscheer@rssc.com /Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Office Address: 1401 NW 136^th Avenue, Suite #102 | Sunrise, FL 33323

Mailing Address: 7665 Corporate Center Drive | Miami FL 33126

[GOARMY]

1teach58:  Thank you for the Post #98 update.  

 

Or, as a Preacher might opine--

 

Salvation comes either by seeing the Light; or feeling the Heat!  Either way works. 

 

Intercession by TAs?  Intervention by Jennefer?  (See Post #82.)  We will probably never know.   

 

Regent Corporate:  Way, way too late stepping up to the Plate.  The Word will, ultimately get communicated.  But, again, this attempt to put the toothpaste back in the tube shows another gap in basic corporate communication protocols. 

 

GOARMY!

 

[forgap]

It’s like the bean counters are steering the ship!  Obviously, RSSC needs to balance the books, but someone in the head office needs to take the long view and balance decisions so they align with the corporate values and what they promise to customers in the glossy brochures.  
 

We are platinum on Regent and we liked the all inclusive aspect of travel.  The latest hurdles make me take a pause.   Regent seems to be spiraling down to the level of mainstream lines.  

[Dolebludger]

Thanks for the update! However, I will delay reversal of my attitude of “never again” concerning Regent pending reports of how the transfers worked out. 

[majcigar]

3 hours ago, 1teach53 said:

I would try and contact this person. 

Patricia Scheer | Vice President Guest and Air Services

pscheer@rssc.com /Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Office Address: 1401 NW 136^th Avenue, Suite #102 | Sunrise, FL 33323

Mailing Address: 7665 Corporate Center Drive | Miami FL 33126

I have just sent an email to Ms. Scheer requesting comped transportation to Anchorage so that we can get our train the next morning back to Seward to catch our follow-on cruise on SilverSeas! Thanks for the information. Jeff 

[rcandkc]

I’m certainly glad Regent came to their senses.  It should have been addressed in the first email that informed everyone of the change of embarkation port. 

[1teach53]

1 hour ago, rcandkc said:

I’m certainly glad Regent came to their senses.  It should have been addressed in the first email that informed everyone of the change of embarkation port. 

100% agree with you! 
To put us through all this stress, upset & and time involved in solving RSS’s !!  that problem they caused!!!

We will certainly not forget this incident! 
 

Edited August 27 by 1teach53

[rcandkc]

1 minute ago, 1teach53 said:

100% agree with you! 
To put us through all this stress, upset & and time involved in solving RSS’s !!  problem they caused!!!

We will certainly not forget this incident! 
 

I won’t either and I was not affected. 

[mariners]

1teach53, I am very glad that the transportation has worked out for you.  You were tenacious in finding a resolution and, as frequently happens, other CC members had excellent suggestions as to ways that you might follow up.  Thank you!

 

CascadeLakeGirl and majcigar, I hope that your e-mails will arrive today informing you that your transportation will also be provided. 

 

There are many passengers who will not be members of CC and will be unaware of what has transpired.  Regent needs to provide all passengers on the affected cruises with the updated information. 

 

Wishing everyone happy, and healthy cruises.

[CascadeLakeGirl]

3 hours ago, rcandkc said:

I’m certainly glad Regent came to their senses.  It should have been addressed in the first email that informed everyone of the change of embarkation port. 

They have not addressed it for the passengers arriving in Whittier on 9/4. I was told that only passengers who purchased post cruise hotel accommodations were going to be offered transportation from Seward to Whittier. We are still waiting for any type of communication on a Whittier to Seward transportation option but at this point I am quite doubtful. 

[CascadeLakeGirl]

8 minutes ago, mariners said:

1teach53, I am very glad that the transportation has worked out for you.  You were tenacious in finding a resolution and, as frequently happens, other CC members had excellent suggestions as to ways that you might follow up.  Thank you!

 

CascadeLakeGirl and majcigar, I hope that your e-mails will arrive today informing you that your transportation will also be provided. 

 

There are many passengers who will not be members of CC and will be unaware of what has transpired.  Regent needs to provide all passengers on the affected cruises with the updated information. 

 

Wishing everyone happy, and healthy cruises.

I spoke to my Regents contact yesterday and no accommodations offered to date for getting Whittier arriving passengers to Seward. At this point, I have already changed my train tickets but have no place for luggage storage in Whittier. 

[mj_holiday]

While I don't have a dog in this battle, I am concerned about some future travel I am planning.

The bean counters should put someone in communications for this issue, the email needs to ask for an immediate reply that they received the communication and then someone needs to be checking off every passenger.

 

The issue that a passenger may be stranded in Seward and then realize they need to get to Whittier is serious enough that Regent needs to make sure that every passenger received the communication about the transfers.

 

The second issue is how many will be on the transfers and having enough busses for the transfers.  (and personally, I think there should be some sparkling wine on these transfers)

[Pcardad]

15 hours ago, GOARMY said:

1teach58:  Thank you for the Post #98 update.  

 

Or, as a Preacher might opine--

 

Salvation comes either by seeing the Light; or feeling the Heat!  Either way works. 

 

Intercession by TAs?  Intervention by Jennefer?  (See Post #82.)  We will probably never know.   

 

Regent Corporate:  Way, way too late stepping up to the Plate.  The Word will, ultimately get communicated.  But, again, this attempt to put the toothpaste back in the tube shows another gap in basic corporate communication protocols. 

 

GOARMY!

 

A customer service supervisor caught the error (based on phone calls) and escalated it to a level where it was corrected.

[1teach53]

40 minutes ago, CascadeLakeGirl said:

I spoke to my Regents contact yesterday and no accommodations offered to date for getting Whittier arriving passengers to Seward. At this point, I have already changed my train tickets but have no place for luggage storage in Whittier. 

Your situation is unacceptable!! 
Reach out to: 

 

Patricia Scheer | Vice President Guest and Air Services

pscheer@rssc.com /Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Office Address: 1401 NW 136^th Avenue, Suite #102 | Sunrise, FL 33323

Mailing Address: 7665 Corporate Center Drive | Miami FL 33126

 

 Hope this helps!!

[CascadeLakeGirl]

3 minutes ago, 1teach53 said:

Your situation is unacceptable!! 
Reach out to: 

 

 

Patricia Scheer | Vice President Guest and Air Services

pscheer@rssc.com /Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Office Address: 1401 NW 136^th Avenue, Suite #102 | Sunrise, FL 33323

Mailing Address: 7665 Corporate Center Drive | Miami FL 33126

 

 Hope this helps!!

Thank you!

[Dolebludger]

We are not directly impacted by this mess with the Alaska ports, but it is important to us for our planning for future travel — or not!  It appears unanswered whether Regent will provide solutions for all impacted guests. And it remains unclear regarding the reason for the last minute port change. All I know about this is that the Seward port has become very crowded with ships recently, but this may not be the cause. We won’t know until Regent tells us. Also, those of us who read travel related sites know that the entire travel industry has become a git of a dumpster fire. I had hoped that Regent could be immune from this, but it seems that it is not.

[Mahogany]

On 8/25/2024 at 6:59 PM, H2O Polo Willie said:

Mahogany -

Having sailed a dozen cruises give or take, what we encountered on that segment of the Reykjavik to Southampton were hardly "strong seas".  So, if that is how Regent is going to excuse being late that is as one of my kids would say, "weak sauce".  If Regent cannot handle the type of seas we encountered on that trip, they are in real trouble and you could hear that claim on any normal cruise.  I know "strong seas" having experienced 27 foot swells and 50 mph winds crossing the Drake Passage on the Oceania Marina, a ship a few tons smaller.  It was a bumpy ride but not really an issue.  I bet we did not even have 6 foot seas if that!

 

On 8/25/2024 at 6:59 PM, H2O Polo Willie said:

Mahogany -

Having sailed a dozen cruises give or take, what we encountered on that segment of the Reykjavik to Southampton were hardly "strong seas".  So, if that is how Regent is going to excuse being late that is as one of my kids would say, "weak sauce".  If Regent cannot handle the type of seas we encountered on that trip, they are in real trouble and you could hear that claim on any normal cruise.  I know "strong seas" having experienced 27 foot swells and 50 mph winds crossing the Drake Passage on the Oceania Marina, a ship a few tons smaller.  It was a bumpy ride but not really an issue.  I bet we did not even have 6 foot seas if that!

I agree that the Captain's word to us of strong seas was not one I agreed with. Just quoting him. Having sailed the North Atlantic in December, I also know strong seas!

[forgap]

24 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

A customer service supervisor caught the error (based on phone calls) and escalated it to a level where it was corrected.

Curious why the Miami office is not proactive with this kind of issue.  Are the front line customer service people briefed on issues like this so they can answer correcly?  Why does the passenger have to escalate to a supervisor, then have the supervisors (x2 - see previous post) tell them they were on their own?  
 

My own experience with the customer service reps is that they generally either don’t know the answer or they give the wrong answer.   The most recent example was if a visa was required for US citizens in Togo.  Multiple incorrect information was given to multiple passengers (we discussed this in our roll call) until, finally, we got the correct information in an email.  And, don’t get me started on the RSSC misinformation about a Chinese visa….

[Pcardad]

13 minutes ago, forgap said:

Curious why the Miami office is not proactive with this kind of issue.  Are the front line customer service people briefed on issues like this so they can answer correcly?  Why does the passenger have to escalate to a supervisor, then have the supervisors (x2 - see previous post) tell them they were on their own?  
 

My own experience with the customer service reps is that they generally either don’t know the answer or they give the wrong answer.   The most recent example was if a visa was required for US citizens in Togo.  Multiple incorrect information was given to multiple passengers (we discussed this in our roll call) until, finally, we got the correct information in an email.  And, don’t get me started on the RSSC misinformation about a Chinese visa….

It was a simple error - nothing more. The reps are only allowed to give the info they have in front of them. Very often, things change outside of Regent and it takes them a while to determine the correct path forward. Like any other cruise company, they are sometimes put in a tough spot by other entities. They aren't perfect but I don't know of anyone who is better.

[majcigar]

9 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

It was a simple error - nothing more. The reps are only allowed to give the info they have in front of them. Very often, things change outside of Regent and it takes them a while to determine the correct path forward. Like any other cruise company, they are sometimes put in a tough spot by other entities. They aren't perfect but I don't know of anyone who is better.

I completely disagree! Before RSSC hit the SEND Button on this change they should have had their S___ in one sock and been prepared for this storm! You only get one chance to make a first impression. RSSC completely BLEW IT!

[Pcardad]

2 minutes ago, majcigar said:

I completely disagree! Before RSSC hit the SEND Button on this change they should have had their S___ in one sock and been prepared for this storm! You only get one chance to make a first impression. RSSC completely BLEW IT!

The entire industry is like this - we see it every day. Many things going on outside of the ability of the companies to react to quickly. Was it an error, sure. But they caught it and are fixing it. Certainly could have been worse. If you go through life expecting everything to be perfect, the only result you are guaranteed is to be disappointed, especially in the cruise business where anything can change on moment's notice.. Don't take this as me defending Regent - more of explaining how expectations need to be adjusted post-Covid. But you certainly have the right to vote with your wallet and I wish all your future cruises to be hassle free! 

[forgap]

31 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

It was a simple error - nothing more. The reps are only allowed to give the info they have in front of them. Very often, things change outside of Regent and it takes them a while to determine the correct path forward.

Common sense dictates that most passengers, if not all passengers have their embarkation and debarkation plans in place three weeks prior to a cruise.  So, the decision makers for this “error” should have anticipated the resulting uproar and proactively offered an explanation for the change (which was probably out of their control) and detailed transportation options from this tiny town. Instead they indicated that they would only take care of those passengers who booked air and transfers with them.  The uproar generated mega bad will that will be difficult to clean up.

 

On our recent Tokyo to Vancouver cruise we had an unexpected stop in Homer.  Homer wasn’t ready for us so Regent chartered busses that arrived overnight from Anchorage to shuttle passengers around town.  This was a perfect solution for a port change.  

 

[SellaVee]

I wonder if it is only the passengers who get in touch with the right people who are offered the comped transport. 
 

What about those who have already made other (expensive) arrangements?

 

i did get a phone call from my TA a week before we left for Iceland to make sure I had sorted my own accommodation, so hopefully no one will be left stranded.