Regent- Stranded! Last minute change 🙀

[GOARMY]

CascadeLakeGirl:

 

As Pcardad noted in Post #190--

 

And, as any TA with experience booking a Regent cruise segment should be expected to know--for client guidance purposes: 

 

Formal Optional nights apply only for a segment of 16 or more nights. 

 

We were on several in 2023; two in 2024; and booked on three 2025s when aboard Grandeur or Explorer. Itineraries include Atlantic TAs; Central America-Carib; and Tokyo via  Alaska to Vancouver, BC.   

 

Spouse and self dress to reflect honoring the 5+star service we have received while with Radisson/Regent for over 22 years.  And, with TAs who have placed us on similar Seabourn, Silversea, and Crystal segments.  I wear a tux; my wife takes a gown.  No big deal. We have met, and anticipate future 2025 meetings with from 15-20% of couples similarly attired.

 

Easy to do.  Perhaps, perhaps, this is partially based on 30-years' in Military. (Also--and this is STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL--my dear wife was a professional Model when I met her 55+ years ago.)   

 

No one will be out of place in attire which reflects the top-shelf onboard ambience. Common sense.  

 

Safe cruising to all--

 

GOARMY!

 

 

[RELS]

59 minutes ago, TakingFlight said:

Our first cruise on Regent will be in December over the Christmas and New Year holidays, departing from Cape Town. Can I assume that dress will be more formal on those special holiday evenings?

 

Absolutely. Most people dress up a lot more on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. This isn't any kind of requirement, it's just what people do.

[Dolebludger]

We have never cruised over the holidays, largely because airplanes and airports seem to become a real mess then. But I assume that guests on those cruises would tend to dress a bit higher level, though the dress code will remain the same..so to “go along with the crowd” I’d be sure to take a sports jacket to wear if I see many of them onboard. I doubt that I’d take a dark suite, tie, or tux. But anybody who wanted to wear those things has the right to do so. Dress codes set the minimum dress standards — not the maximum.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

We're done cruising, but back in the day, my husband never even took a sports jacket (except for one early cruise on Diamond that demanded a suit on formal night).  But the last one we took, I brought him a sports jacket because I knew he's be cold in the lounges and dining rooms.  It was very helpful to have it.

[CJANDH]

17 hours ago, TakingFlight said:

Our first cruise on Regent will be in December over the Christmas and New Year holidays, departing from Cape Town. Can I assume that dress will be more formal on those special holiday evenings?

We have done several holiday cruises on Regent and Silversea. A lot more formal wear for the Christmas and New Year dinners. But not everyone. I think that the majority "dressed up" a bit more on those nights though.

[mrlevin]

Any reports from those that either disembarked or embarked in Whittier on 11 September?

[CascadeLakeGirl]

All went well. They had shuttles to the new ship terminal and then bussed us in nice coaches to Seward. The change was at the behest of the port. The new terminal was supposed to open in June but wasn't ready. They wanted to get at least a few ships in this season. We were the first ship to dock there. Very small town. All in all, it seemed as if everyone was taken care of. When going or coming to Whittier, you need to plan for the wait time to go through the tunnel. This was 35 minutes for us. 

[1teach53]

6 hours ago, mrlevin said:

Any reports from those that either disembarked or embarked in Whittier on 11 September?

Yes we are in board but not easy! 
Transfer from Seward to Whittier was supposed to leave at 11:30 , it left 1:00. 
Got to the port at 3:00 pm. Not sure what the rush was to use Whittier port as the build out does not seem complete. 
On our  way to now to Hubbard glacier, arrival around noon. 
Very rough seas last night & continuing. If we can get into Hubbard hopefully seas will calm down. 
Dinner last at Pacific Rim was excellent per usual! Tonight we will be in Prime 7. 
So happy to be onboard! 💓🚢💕

[1teach53]

PS: Captain just announced we are skipping Hubbard because high seas slowed us down so much we would not have time to make it to Sitka on time. 
We feel bad for those who have not  been to Hubbard! 😞 Many first time Regent & Alaska cruisers on board. 

[CascadeLakeGirl]

That's tough. Yes, Hubbard was a highlight of our cruise. 

[rcandkc]

I would go to Hubbard and skip Sitka then. 

[CascadeLakeGirl]

5 minutes ago, rcandkc said:

I would go to Hubbard and skip Sitka then. 

Probably too long between ports then. Also, no one makes money when tourists go to Hubbard, only at ports. 

[mrlevin]

NCL admits it was their idea to send Seven Seas Explorer to Whittier as "dry run;" not the port's request.

 

https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ports-destinations/ncl-s-herrera-on-alaska-from-juneau-vote-to-new-whittier-facility

[CascadeLakeGirl]

With that in mind, they should have been completely ready to accommodate guests from the beginning. It was not a great roll out. 

[Dolebludger]

Yes, this whole story makes me want to re-think my future travel plans. In my mind. If I  had a contract with Regent to a certain port, and if that port were changed for any reason, I think that Regent has a duty to get us to that port. If Regent feels otherwise, I need a new cruise line — or maybe just stay home??!!

[Pcardad]

1 hour ago, Dolebludger said:

Yes, this whole story makes me want to re-think my future travel plans. In my mind. If I  had a contract with Regent to a certain port, and if that port were changed for any reason, I think that Regent has a duty to get us to that port. If Regent feels otherwise, I need a new cruise line — or maybe just stay home??!!

The cruise contracts for all lines, ASFAIK, allow them to change ports. They could have done a better job, in terms of Customer Service, in this case. No idea what they were thinking.

[papaflamingo]

11 hours ago, Dolebludger said:

If I  had a contract with Regent to a certain port, and if that port were changed for any reason, I think that Regent has a duty to get us to that port.

I believe anyone using Regent air and not deviating WAS given transportation to the port.  Reading this thread it seems the problem was people who went early using Custom Air Deviation or booking on their own.  For either one the Terms and Conditions that they agree to specifically says "Guests who elect not to purchase the Ultimate All-Inclusive Fares package or do not purchase transfer arrangements from Regent Seven Seas Cruises® will be responsible for their own transfer arrangements to and from the ship. Transfers are not included for Guests making independent hotel arrangements."  THAT'S the contract people make with Regent. 

Unfortunately we accept these risks when we book our own air or choose to deviate.  The advantage of deviating is the ability to adjust the air if the departure port changes.  Anyone on that cruise could have contacted Regent to change the flight to the departure port. The problem lay with third party reservations that couldn't be changed.   I'm not defending or condemning Regent, I'm only pointing out that people need to start understanding EXACTLY what they are agreeing to when they book a cruise.  I have a cruise next year where we are scheduled to end in Cape Town.  I have a third party Safari booked with a non refundable deposit.  I have deviated my flight home through Regent Custom Air.  If they change the destination for any reason, I know they'll change my fight, but there is no way they'll either cover my Safari or fly me to the Safari and home as originally planned. They will fly me home from the port we end up at.  That's simply the choice I accepted when I made the bookings. 

Edited Wednesday at 12:25 PM by papaflamingo

[Dolebludger]

I believe that Regent’s T&Cs provide that if the embarkation or final disembarkation port is changed, Regent has the obligation to provide transportation to the new port. I don’t think there are any exceptions for those who booked air on their own or deviated with Regent.

[Hoo27]

Paragraph 4.c. of the Ticket Contract for this specific cruise states as follows:  "c. If the scheduled port of embarkation or final destination is changed, We will arrange transportation to the new port from the originally scheduled port."  Regent clearly had a duty to get people from Seward to Whittier for those who needed it, and they ultimately did that (after initially saying they wouldn't).

 

We got ourselves to Whittier from Anchorage.  We incurred only a small cost and inconvenience doing that after having to cancel our plans to get from Anchorage to Seward, but it wasn't a big deal for us.  For those who already were in Seward before the cruise, I expect it was a bigger issue.