Voyager, 12-11-06: Anyone sailing?

[Little Sister]

Orpington---not UK based. Live in the Washington D.C. area. By chance we chose the Westin. We did not book air through Regent. We will be arriving late morning, and will be wishing you and the Mrs. a safe trip in.

[Chicago4]

The snow storm was bad here. It hit just before the Friday morning rush. A lot of people stayed home so the traffic was not as bad as it could have been.

 

This is why people from Chicago and other Northern cities like to travel during the winter. Last year we were on the Voyager at about the same time and missed a huge storm here. It turned out to be the worst of the winter with only mild snow after.

 

I feel confident that our sailing will take place without a hitch. Think about this.. It is one thing to cancel the 12/4 sailing and to have to please so many people. Then if some of those people chose our 12/11 saling and that was also cancelled.. I would imagine that Regent would be hurt big time amount those travellers plus the travel agents that booked those trips.

 

We are all looking forward to a great time and hope to meet many new friends on such a wonderful ship.

 

Howard

[caviargal]

T

 

I feel confident that our sailing will take place without a hitch. Think about this.. It is one thing to cancel the 12/4 sailing and to have to please so many people. Then if some of those people chose our 12/11 saling and that was also cancelled.. I would imagine that Regent would be hurt big time amount those travellers plus the travel agents that booked those trips.

 

 

Cruise lines do not cancel sailings unless they are forced to; pod issues are not all that rare and have caused cancellations, delays and shorted port times and itineraries in the past. The cruise most assuredly does not want this, but sometimes there is no choice. It is not a matter of pleasing passengers and agents, it is a matter of safety and sea worthiness.

 

The parts and mechanics were flown in from Europe to repair problems identified when the originally scheduled repairs were started. These things sometimes take on a life of their own.:(

 

I am optimistic that we will sail as planned, as you are. But I know from experience that anything can happen when it comes to propulstion systems. If the call comes, I will be disappointed but not totally surprised.

[LindaandJeff]

... If the call comes, I will be disappointed but not totally surprised.

 

If the call comes, we won't be here! We fly out on Wednesday and are spending some time in Florida first. We did our packing tonight. Hopefully, we can find a way to get on the net and check this board to find out if we are still cruising...but I am quite confident.

 

Chicago4...we had quite a bit of snow here, too. Everything but the malls were closed!

 

See you all soon. I don't know if we will have a chance to post tomorrow...so, safe travels everyone! Bon voyage!

[Chicago4]

Hi all. Just got a call from my travel agent and the 12/11 voyager cruise was cancelled. This is terrible. How could they wait till so few days till the cruise. Oh well..

 

Howard

[Stock Cop]

They must be rowing the replacement pods over from Norway!!!!!:(

 

Rich

[Chicago4]

Anyone have any great ideas for an alternative 12/11? They offerred us the following week or the Christmas week cruise. We can't do that. They offerred full refund plus $700 pp credit toward a future trip. I hope they refund the cost of insurance that I did not need. Fortunately they booked our plane tickets so we don't lose there. Although we were going to try and just go to Florida... the problem is that our plane tickets also get cancelled and we would have to buy last minute tickets to Florida from Chicago...right after we had a big snowstorm and the windchills are below zero.

 

Maybe we will see you all in the future.

Howard

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Is the 12/11 Navigator full? That's our cruise. They may have already filled that ship up with the previous cancellations, but maybe not. It's the same time, just a different itinerary.

[Older Sister]

I haven't been able to reach my travel agent yet, so I called Regent directly. Since I have one of the super-discounted interline fares, they're only willing (at this point) to give me my money back. So sorry. As most of us know, this is the SECOND time they've cancelled the cruise. I recognize they have a legitimate reason for doing so, but I've got a legitimate reason to expect some consideration for everything I've gone through in rebooking airline and hotel reservations so that I could sail on the 12/11 cruise.

 

I haven't had the nerve to call Little Sister yet and give her the news. The lovely Christmas present -- the cruise -- that I was giving her has turned out to be nothing but frustration and disappointment so far.

 

As a first-time Regent customer, this entire process has left a very very bad taste in my mouth. I'm not sure I'll rebook with them.

[caviargal]

I am sooo disappointed. Just this morning, I called to verify and they said it was a go. It is our honeymoon and I have air from NY, rental car and hotel arranged, none through RSSC.

 

The pickings are slim and the only ships with space are those I do not care for; but what can one do?

 

OrpingtonT, what shall you do?

[popper]

caviargal,

 

We rebooked on the Navigator, itenerary is a little slim, and we have already cruised the Navigator, we were looking forward to Voyager. But we got 2 suites next to each other like we had on the Voyager, but they are not the Horizon Suites, with the large verandahs. Have you tried switching to the Navigator?

[popper]

If you cannot cruise, but still want to use your airline tickets. Rent a car, drive to Key West and stay at the Westin Sunset Key cottages, VERY NICE. We were going to use this as our back up if we could not get on the Navigator after the Voyager cancellation. They have cottages available, 2 and 3 bedrooms. The 3 bedroom, (that what we would have needed), beach front were $1095 a night. The cottages are located just off shore of Key West on a small island, you take a small boat back and forth, almost like tendering.

[caviargal]

popper, thanks so much for the info, but Key West is not a favorite of ours and we would not want to be there for a week. A few hours is generally enough:).

 

Navigator is being offered to those that booked first on Voyager, so I was told. We were a late booking so get no consideration.

 

Enjoy!

[esther e]

If you cannot cruise, but still want to use your airline tickets. Rent a car, drive to Key West and stay at the Westin Sunset Key cottages, VERY NICE. We were going to use this as our back up if we could not get on the Navigator after the Voyager cancellation. They have cottages available, 2 and 3 bedrooms. The 3 bedroom, (that what we would have needed), beach front were $1095 a night. The cottages are located just off shore of Key West on a small island, you take a small boat back and forth, almost like tendering.

 

This is what I'm giving my husband (and me;) ) for Christmas. But not the cottages...the hotel. I snagged a suite ocean-front, and am really looking forward to it. Then driving up to FLL to grab a HAL cruise.

[LindaandJeff]

We actually got something on Carnival ....we're booking right now. DH is on the phone with them as I write. Always said I would never cruise Carnival but it's the only thing that works with our airfare. Unfortunately, our hotel nights will be lost since it leaves a different day. We leave to go to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow and I obviously have all the wrong clothes packed for a Carnival cruise....Ugh...I have always said , I never met a cruise I didn't like...now I will find out!!! Good luck to everyone else.

 

Stock cop are you a compliance officer or a regulator?

[caviargal]

Looks like we are stuck with either Freedom of the Seas or Adventure from SJU. Waiting to see if a balcony clears tomorrow on FOS as they were closed today.

 

Not even close to first choice but it will work:)

[Stock Cop]

Yes, I am a securities regulator.

 

Rich:cool:

[LindaandJeff]

I'm a compliance officer...too bad we aren't cruising together....we could thrill our table mates!

[LindaandJeff]

Okay...so we were lucky enough to be able to book another cruise this afternoon for the same time period...ok...it's on Carnival...but it's a cruise....then I got a call that my father who I was going to be visiting for the next couple of days before we cruised had a stroke today and is in the hospital....and he is not healthy to begin with. So, we may be cancelling the new cruise, too! I am just hoping that our flight tomorrow night gets us to Florida in time.

 

 

So, I know alot of you are disappointed as are we....and some of you think that Regent isn't doing enough about our cancelled cruise...but things like my father's stroke put things in perspective.

[caviargal]

Linda and Jeff, so sorry to hear about your fathers illness:(. I hope he recovers.

 

I got up at 3:30 looking for options and a balcony cabin cleared on Jewel from FLL, same date range. I like the ship, so I took it. The only balcony left and it was not there yesterday. At least we have something.

 

Will be thinking good thoughts...

[OrpingtonT]

I am sooo disappointed. Just this morning, I called to verify and they said it was a go. It is our honeymoon and I have air from NY, rental car and hotel arranged, none through RSSC.

 

The pickings are slim and the only ships with space are those I do not care for; but what can one do?

 

OrpingtonT, what shall you do?

 

I have not heard a word from Regent yet and have only just been able to log on to hear the news on here, having being doing some shopping prior to our departure, as we had hoped, on Sunday. I think I shall wait to let them contact me and see what they come up with. I am not, at the moment, too keen on the Navigator of the same date, preferring a Voyager cruise in the New Year. BUT, I will wait for an offer and let you know.

 

Commiserations to all who have made plans including ourselves!

[Stock Cop]

So sorry about your dad's condition. Please keep in touch on the board and hopefully all will work out in the end.

 

About the table conversation: we would probably be banned from the table after the first night. :)

 

Have a safe journey. Hope you do make it on the cruise.

 

Rich

[OrpingtonT]

Regent have now contacted me suggesting the Navigator departure of the same day which I have not accepted. I am at the moment trying to transfer the booking to the FL to San Franciso via the Panama Canal in late April on Mariner. As that is a 15 day cruise, I expect to pay something extra.

 

However, I shall miss meeting all you people next week, especially caviargal. Hearing about the wedding, the honeymoon and the hen party made me feel like one of the family! In total the cancelled cruise had become quite a get-together in prospect.

 

I shan't be able to wave to Wendy on Navigator either. :(

[caviargal]

Regent have now contacted me suggesting the Navigator departure of the same day which I have not accepted. I am at the moment trying to transfer the booking to the FL to San Franciso via the Panama Canal in late April on Mariner. As that is a 15 day cruise, I expect to pay something extra.

 

However, I shall miss meeting all you people next week, especially caviargal. Hearing about the wedding, the honeymoon and the hen party made me feel like one of the family! In total the cancelled cruise had become quite a get-together in prospect.

 

I shan't be able to wave to Wendy on Navigator either. :(

 

OrpingtonT, I am also very disappointed as I was looking forward to meeting you as well.:(

 

I agree about Navigator; I don't care for the itinerary either and the ship does not have the appeal of Voyager. I hope it all works out the way you prefer.

 

Perhaps another day, another sailing, our paths will cross.

 

Safe travels.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Well, next time guys! I'm really looking forward to Navigator. I sailed on Voyager last summer, and it was wonderful. But I wanted to try Nav as well. I like smaller ships (PG is my favourite), and I admit I found Voyager just a titch big. I agree the itinerary is a bit sparse, but there's a wonderful group on it, I hear the cabins are terrific, and I intend to spend lots of my time on my balcony! (Oh, and at the time of booking, the price was really attractive, and we got a two-category upgrade.) We get a beach day, and it's a spotlight on chocolate cruise! A couple of sea-days suits me fine, and frankly seeing Key West from a cruise ship is no great thrill for me (been there twice.)