Voyager, 12-11-06: Anyone sailing?

[Older Sister]

Little Sister and I wish you all a wonderful vacation, wherever and whatever you end up with. After some frantic last-minute deliberations, she and I will be sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale on December 8 (yikes, less than 48 hours from now) on the Celebrity Constellation, 10-day Eastern Caribbean tour. We had our hearts set on the Regent Voyager cruise, but when that became an impossibility, we realized that we needed to be doing something next week besides sitting our respective offices!

 

We're looking at next December's Voyager "Chocolate" cruise, and hope perhaps to see you then.

[Jazmyn]

We are very sad at this cancellation. This would have been our third Regent cruise, and we were so looking forward to sailing. Considering the Voyager's problem, I have to wonder if any of the December dates will sail.

 

I really think that Regent should have notified guests, thru their travel agents, sooner than 2-5 day before the sail date to advise them that there could be a potential problem. Especially in light of the fact that two sail dates had already been cancelled. At least it wouldn't have been such a shock, and would allow the travel agents to help clients to come up with "Plan B"!

 

We are all litterally in the same boat..and I hope that we "December 11'ers" will get to meet, onboard, sooner than later.

 

In the meantime, Happy Holidays!

[AtA]

I hope they have it fixed in time for the Xmas cruise! That's a full ship, so I can't imagine what would happen then. Plus I'm on the New Years cruise.

 

For all of you who were booked on this one, I know I feel bad for you. We plan and anticipate sometimes for over a year, and then to have cold water thrown on our faces 5 days before must be awful.

[OrpingtonT]

Somehow, this cancellation was a real blow, probably because so many of us had gathered under the banner of this thread and the cruise had become secondary to the prospect of meeting you all. You seem to have been very efficient at making alternative arrangements for next week and I trust all will go well for all of you.

 

It is wet and stormy here in London and I shall not now be swapping this wintry weather for the Carribean. But it does give time for getting ready for Christmas and replanning my 80th birthday celebrations.

 

Regent have been in constant touch since their first breaking of the news of cancellation and we have re-booked on Mariner for the Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco, 15 day cruise via the Panama Canal on 27 April 2007. We are paying the basic, lowest price, less the full cost of the cancelled cruise and the $700pp credit. We have been offered a "D" grade suite with a review of what is available 14 days before sailing. I have no quarrel with their treatment of us.

 

caviargal. Judging from the numbers of cruises you rack up, it is not impossible that we shall meet up on the high seas sometime. I guess I shall always look out for you at the caviare bars in airports and on ships!

[popper]

We were looking forward to meeting everyone too, but have (not too happily) accepted the Navigator Dec 11th replacement. Not too excited about the itinerary, we are in an inferior level of cabin, and have been on Navigator before. Were we really looking forward to exploring the new larger ship and had been planning this for nearly a year.

We were really looking forward to Voyager suite 1055 after Youngpensioners review of the wrap around deck. Fortunately, we have been welcomed warmly by a large group who congregate on the other cruise chat board who are traveling on Navigator on the 11th.

OrpingtonT - Happy upcoming Birthday, sounds like a 2 week cruise is a great remedy for this cancelled one.

[OrpingtonT]

OrpingtonT - Happy upcoming Birthday, sounds like a 2 week cruise is a great remedy for this cancelled one.

 

Thank you, popper, and I hope that you and you UK relatives really enjoy your Navigator cruise.

 

The trouble with our new one is that is seems such a long time to wait.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Well, if it's any consolation, just think, when we're all back from the 12/11 cruise on Navigator, you will still have your April cruise to look forward to!

[young pensioner]

We were really looking forward to Voyager suite 1055 after Youngpensioners review of the wrap around deck

Just recently heard about the cancellation from OrpingtonT on another forum. What a blow!!

 

I think we should all make a selection of our choice cruise for the future, then have a vote and by process of elimination decide on the final choice. We should then approach Regent for a CruiseCritic block reservation with serious reductions for our chosen suite type! OpingtonT should be the Team Leader... he seems to be a splendid organiser! :D

[Chicago4]

Well the four of us from Chicago will be on the Navigator 12/11. Lots and lots of confusion. At first they told us absolutely no room. We were wait listed. We knew some other friends who had no problem switching. I think they booked extremely early.

 

Well at first we received word that one cabin was available with virtually no hope of a second one. However, late Wed we got word that the Navigator became available. I think that Regent convinced a lot of original Navigator travellers to take a credit and a future cruise thereby allowing more openings.

 

I would have preferred the Voyager and the original itinery but hey when you live in Chicago and it's December you will go anywhere south.

 

I was thinking of getting T-Shirts made up that says that we were original 12/11 Voyager passengers and then try to meet the others who were bumped. However, we weren't given a lot of notice.

 

See some of you on Monday.

 

Howard

[Chicago4]

Well the four of us from Chicago will be on the Navigator 12/11. Lots and lots of confusion. At first they told us absolutely no room. We were wait listed. We knew some other friends who had no problem switching. I think they booked extremely early.

 

Well at first we received word that one cabin was available with virtually no hope of a second one. However, late Wed we got word that the Navigator became available. I think that Regent convinced a lot of original Navigator travellers to take a credit and a future cruise thereby allowing more openings.

 

I would have preferred the Voyager and the original itinery but hey when you live in Chicago and it's December you will go anywhere south.

 

I was thinking of getting T-Shirts made up that says that we were original 12/11 Voyager passengers and then try to meet the others who were bumped. However, we weren't given a lot of notice.

 

See some of you on Monday.

 

Howard

[cruisinsince75]

Howard, welcome to our ship. We are on the Navigator on 12/11. Sorry to hear about all those displaced by the 12/11 Voyager cancellation, but this should be a fun cruise. Perhaps we will run into each other on board. My name is Don and my wife is Diana.

 

If you see some guy wearing a Silversea hat, it will probably be me. This will be our first RSSC cruise and we are looking forward to it. We have the Voyager booked for next years fall crossing.

[popper]

Chicago4,

 

Glad to see you made it to the Navigator, we also made it to the Navigator after the Voyager cancellation. Does this mean that there just might be some compliance officer discussions? I am not involved in the securities industry, but I am sure those discussions must be thrilling.

 

Don, I too will be bringing a blue Silver Seas ball cap and a white Silver Seas visor, hopefully your hat is a different color, or there might be some confused passengers. My name is Jeff.

 

See all of you on board. Safe travels tomorrow.

[OrpingtonT]

I think we should all make a selection of our choice cruise for the future, then have a vote and by process of elimination decide on the final choice. We should then approach Regent for a CruiseCritic block reservation with serious reductions for our chosen suite type! OpingtonT should be the Team Leader... he seems to be a splendid organiser! :D

 

It is clear that most of the original Dec 11 Voyagers have rebooked now. Indeed they are probably enjoying their cruises at this minute.

 

As far as future cruises go, there are many professional organisers who respond to these posts, indeed plenty of TA's who presumably get better deals that we poor individuals could ever negotiate.

 

Is the 18 Dec cruise still on?

[JoAnne B]

Popper

 

You may feel that you got an "inferior" cabin on the Navigator, but believe me the lower category cabins have a lot of advantages. Unless you got a balcony-less cabin or a "vibrator", in the back of thes ship you'll probably be very pleased with the cabin. I always beg for deck 6 or 7 rather than the higher up cabins and have been very happy with the locations.

[dougburns]

Folks returning to FLL aboard Navigator saw Voyager in FLL, so 12/18 should be a go.

[caviargal]

Folks returning to FLL aboard Navigator saw Voyager in FLL, so 12/18 should be a go.

 

Yes, she was there this morning. We are recently off our replacement cruise and all I can say is that it was everything I hate about mainstream cruising: chair hogs, stupid t shirt sales, rambunctious kids everywhere.

 

We had no choice but to cruise that week as it was our honeymoon and dates could not change. We chose Jewel of the Seas as there was no way I will get on a Carnival ship and the only options left with a junior suite were Princess and RCI. The Princess ship was even bigger with ever bigger crowds. It was just an incredible letdown compared to what we wanted on our honeymoon.

 

I am cancelling my Med cruise on Regent in October - a total of 15 cabins altogether - as I am not up to having my next vacation ruined as well by pod or other issues. I will put together a land trip and at least be able to plan on the hotels I enjoy instead of being stuck at a Holiday Inn when I booked a Ritz.

:(

[Texed]

. We are recently off our replacement cruise and all I can say is that it was everything I hate about mainstream cruising: chair hogs, stupid t shirt sales, rambunctious kids everywhere.

 

I am cancelling my Med cruise on Regent in October - a total of 15 cabins altogether - as I am not up to having my next vacation ruined as well by pod or other issues. I :(

 

It looks as though you have had less than you have expected lately on your cruises. I hope you have better luck in the future.

We booked Paul Gauguin for June 30, 2007. We hope it is as good as the last time we were on it. :)

[OrpingtonT]

Yes, she was there this morning. We are recently off our replacement cruise and all I can say is that it was everything I hate about mainstream cruising: chair hogs, stupid t shirt sales, rambunctious kids everywhere.

 

We had no choice but to cruise that week as it was our honeymoon and dates could not change. We chose Jewel of the Seas as there was no way I will get on a Carnival ship and the only options left with a junior suite were Princess and RCI. The Princess ship was even bigger with ever bigger crowds. It was just an incredible letdown compared to what we wanted on our honeymoon.

 

I am cancelling my Med cruise on Regent in October - a total of 15 cabins altogether - as I am not up to having my next vacation ruined as well by pod or other issues. I will put together a land trip and at least be able to plan on the hotels I enjoy instead of being stuck at a Holiday Inn when I booked a Ritz.

:(

 

Oh, caviargal. I am so sorry the cruise turned out to be so miserable. As you described it, it sounded like everything I have ever wanted to avoid and the reasons I have never been cruising before I discovered Regent.

 

Settle down now though for a great Christmas and don't rule out Regent altogether because of this experience

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE.

[caviargal]

Texed, I believe that I have just outgrown cruising, in its present state at least.:(

 

It was sad to be on such a lovely ship and have half the passengers running around in shorts and tennies for dinner and after. Barefoot kids, unsupervised, racing down the hallways at all hours, t shirts sales and inch of gold out by the pool taking up valuable space. Blasting music and constant announcements, etc., just do not appeal.

 

These things make cruising appealing for many, but are simply a turn off to me. We had so been looking forward to just the opposite on RSSC, that the diffiences were even more glaring. We never sat by the pool, never entered the dining room or buffet, just stuck to the ala carte restaurants, as many meals in port as possible, etc. Our suite was a lifesaver and the concierge lounge our quiet place for breakfast and a good cup of coffee.

 

I realize that my expectations of what cruising should be are tempered by so many years of enjoying it very much...I am very much a traditionalist and this new fangled world of ala carte cruising that caters to casual folks and families is simply not my style.

 

We did spend the day at the Ritz in Cayman as a guest of management and loved it so much we booked a "delayed honeymoon" for this summer there, three days of luxury which we look forward to very much after such a perfect experience.

 

OrpingtonT, you would not have been happy with a mainstream experience I am certain. While I will not write off RSSC for a future cruise, I would not take a chance with my group in the Med, as there would be too much liability involved with air and hotels and such should there be a problem such as we had with our sailing.

 

Merry Christmas to all!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

That's too bad, Caviargal! Remind me which cruise you were on--we saw lots of megaships this week on Navigator (just back!) We were berthed next to a huge RCI ship (Majesty) in Nassau yesterday, and didn't mind their reggae music wafting over, but when they announced the belly flop contest, I had to get below decks!

 

And we also saw Voyager this morning in FLL, everything is a go.

[caviargal]

We were on Jewel of the Seas, one of their smaller (and prettiest) ships. Majesty is actually half the size of RCI's newest behemoth:).

 

If it came down to having to cruise on one of their megaships, we would have indeed opted to stayed home as I would have expected the kids, dress, etc. But being a non holiday week I was quite surprised at the volume aboard.

 

All in all, we very much enjoyed our time together and tried our best to "luxe up" the mass market experience by dining at the surcharge restaurants every evening, avoiding the pool games, etc. We lucked out with a fabulous Jr Suite (299 sq feet plus a 66 sq ft balcony) and spent a good deal of time there.

[Chicago4]

We just returned to Chicago after a week on the Navigator. We had a fantastic time. Regent is still tops for service. The people both guests and staff were extremely friendly.

 

One thing we missed about the Voyager versus the Navigator is additional choices for dinner. We tried the Portofino room twice and it was a nice diversion.

 

The entertainment was very good. Especially compared to our last Oceania cruise on their Nautica. Oceania entertainment is pitiful.

 

While I was disappointed in the way and the timing of the cancelling of the Voyager I would not hesitate to book another Regent cruise.

 

Maybe we will see some of you on another cruise.

 

Howard