Regent Air Seat Assignments

[seashel]

We are using Regent's included air for our cruise to Alaska in August. We have received our reserved flight schedule, but have not received seat assignments. Is this something we should be handling ourselves or will the seat assignments be included with our final documents? If we should be handling it ourselves, do we need a reservation code or do we just call the airline with our flight number and date? We have received misinformation from our TA a few times concerning Regent, so we are asking the experts here on CC! Thanks in advance!

[cstrick]

We received our seat assignments with our flight arrangements about two weeks ago. Your travel agent should be able to find out. Maybe you didn't get the seat assignments because you are within a certain window for the flights. We are also going to Alaska in August.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I usually go online with the airline and check and change seat assignments. Regent doesn't do too much in this regard.

[Skipper2]

Ditto--we just worked through the airline directly on this as soon as we had a flight number.

[old grump]

A related question. When Regent gives your flight arrangements, do you have a initial chance to approve or ask for different flights?

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Normally, not without paying the deviation fee.

[Bearnaise]

We are using Regent's included air for our cruise to Alaska in August. We have received our reserved flight schedule, but have not received seat assignments. Is this something we should be handling ourselves or will the seat assignments be included with our final documents? If we should be handling it ourselves, do we need a reservation code or do we just call the airline with our flight number and date? We have received misinformation from our TA a few times concerning Regent, so we are asking the experts here on CC! Thanks in advance!

Definitely call the airline - they can easily look up your res by last name and flight number/date. We had to do that with our Regent flight to Alaska last year and Alaska Airlines was able to give us assigned seats for the flight to Anchorage. They weren't able to give us assigned seats for the return from Vancouver, which gave me a bit of a scare since that's usually what airlines do when flights are overbooked, but we didn't have any problems at the airport and even scored our own coach row of 3 for the two of us.

[Travelcat2]

We received our flight itinerary from our TA (Regent "stationery") two days ago. It included our Airline Reservation Code, as well as other pertinent information. One of our flights had seats that we were very happy with. We chose to change seats on another flight and called the airlines. There was no problem.

 

Your TA should know about all of this. If not, you definitely should switch TA's in the future (JMO). It is upsetting to hear stories of people not receiving the information they should be receiving due to a clueless TA.

[NJBelle]

Hi, I agree with TravelCat. We just got back from Alaska and while on the train to Anchorage, I heard the story from MsBatt of a person who missed the train in Vancouver and didn't join the trip until Ketchikan. She was all ticked off at Regent - but I say, travel agents are the ones who should make their clients aware that coming in on the day of the cruise is risky if there are connections, etc.

 

Unfortunately too many people think if a cruise line has provided the air connections that they will hold the ship in event of delays. That is not the case, and travel agents should know this and communicate to thier clients. We would never arrive for a cruise on the day of departure. Our vacation days are precious, but it is just too risky these days with all that can go wrong with air travel.

 

JMHO, NJBelle

[breezepark]

Our TA emailed the air arrangements and reservation code to us, then I went online to the airline to look at and change seat assignments just like when I buy the tickets myself. If you have your reservation number, online is much easier than by phone.

[stoli1021]

We always pay the deviation fee and pick our own flights. It's worth the extra $$. That way there is no stress and we get the time and flights that work for us.

[Travelcat2]

We always pay the deviation fee and pick our own flights. It's worth the extra $$. That way there is no stress and we get the time and flights that work for us.

 

Now that Regent has free air, even with the amount credited back to you, it could cost you quite a bit more than you would expect to book your own flights (especially if you are embarking in one city and disembarking in another). Additionally, we find having Regent transfers take a lot of worry off of our shoulders.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I think stoli was talking about deviating with Regent Air, not booking their own flights. This has worked well for us, although sometimes, for example our Rio trip, we book our own. You have to weight everything, including the deviation fees and the air credits.

[jina]

when we got our travel docs (I think it was 3 weeks prior to departure) I was able to go to the airline web sites (Alaska and United) and using the confirmation code or e-ticket number, saw and changed my seat selections.

 

BTW for anyone doing the Alaska Southbound and flying United, I found what I think is a "bug" in united's web site. Their published bag fees were something like $15 for the first bag if paid online (during online check-in) or $20 if at the counter in person. However, when I did the online check-in, the site was only charging me $1CAD per bag. So we decided to check 3 bags instead of 2 - all for only $3CAD. At the counter the next day, I heard a passenger complaining that she'd have to pay $20 for the first bag, and I think it's even more for subsequent bags. So check out United online check-in if you're flying out of Canada - you may save a bundle. Of course, I'm still teed that we have to pay anything to check the first bag - since we can't bring toiletries on board we really have no choice but to check a bag so they should not be charging us, but oh well. Our northbound Alaska Airlines flight didn't charge us anything to check the first bag.

[thehelenator1]

I have received conflicting information on Regent's change fees; do these apply to special requests for flights, or also special seat requests? We will fly as a group of 4, and Regent would not confirm that we would all be able to sit together, although we have the business class upgrade for the transatlantic leg our flights. We are still a long time from our cruise, not until next July, so the flight information will likely not be available for another 8 months or so, correct? Does anybody have any insights which airlines they will likely use? We are going from Chicago to Venice, assume we will have to change planes at least once, possibly twice.

[Travelcat2]

I have received conflicting information on Regent's change fees; do these apply to special requests for flights, or also special seat requests? We will fly as a group of 4, and Regent would not confirm that we would all be able to sit together, although we have the business class upgrade for the transatlantic leg our flights. We are still a long time from our cruise, not until next July, so the flight information will likely not be available for another 8 months or so, correct? Does anybody have any insights which airlines they will likely use? We are going from Chicago to Venice, assume we will have to change planes at least once, possibly twice.

 

Regent usually uses associated with Star Alliance (the one United Airlines is a part of.) They use Lufthansa quite a bit -- also British Air. If you do an Expedia check of flights from Chicago to Venice, you'll get a good idea of the airline they will use.

 

Regent does not charge for seat assignments -- it seems like they book anything that is available at the time with the thought that you will be able to select seats once the booking is made. There probably will be seats available when Regent books the flights (probably in May, 2010).

[Ka Honu]

Received our Regent air itinerary from our TA about ten weeks out - much sooner than the 45 days we expected. They had already made seat selections but I went to the airline and changed them to seats we preferred. Easy as the proverbial pie.

[FlyerTalker]

In regards to helenator's flights...July 2010 has not been loaded into reservation systems, so even Regent doesn't know what specific flights will be available.

[Travelcat2]

In regards to helenator's flights...July 2010 has not been loaded into reservation systems, so even Regent doesn't know what specific flights will be available.

 

Sorry, but, I am totally unfamiliar with "helenator" flights. However, Regent does not typically book airline reservations until 30-45 days prior to the cruise.

[Bearnaise]

Sorry, but, I am totally unfamiliar with "helenator" flights. However, Regent does not typically book airline reservations until 30-45 days prior to the cruise.

I believe "helenator" flights are quite similar to "travelcat" flights :p

[Travelcat2]

i believe "helenator" flights are quite similar to "travelcat" flights :p

 

:d:d