Pre Cruise hotel RIP OFF!

Cruising in September on the new Explorer Barcelona-Rome, our Concierge cabin includes one night pre-cruise.

We are arriving in Barcelona a few days earlier so asked Amex (having used their Platinum travel service to book the cruise) to check out which hotel - turns out to be the Melia - and get a price from Regent to upgrade the standard hotel room they provide to a junior suite.

From the Melia website I knew a junior suite was around 300 Euros per night (about $340USD). Amex came back with $400USD PER PERSON to upgrade the room - the price from Regent. Remember, this is only for the one night pre-cruise - the other nights we were booking ourselves.

I politely told the agent she must be mistaken. Firstly, I've never heard of a hotel charging per person (and we travel A LOT), and secondly, how could it cost more than the whole price of the room on the hotel website, just to upgrade?

She told me she was also shocked, and double, triple checked with Regent.

All I can say is that it would be laughable, if it wasn't such a blatant rip-off.

What experience have other cruisers had in this area?

Similar thing happened to me last week. We are booked on the Navigator World cruise and have decided to stay one extra night at the Biltmore before the Gala event.I knew I could do this online for under £300 for the room, not per person! I called Regent, they wanted £250 per person! Why? it hardly involves a lot of extra work, just a few clicks these days. Regent needs to address this policy of over charging their customers. I've now booked it independently, I would have been more than happy to book it with Regent, at a sensible price.They are the ones that have lost out,and left a customer with a bad taste! nobody likes to be ripped off. Let's not forget Regents buying power, if I can get the room for under £300 how much are they paying?Rant over.

This is an obvious ripoff off that occurs regularly and you are better off booking on your own. The only problem is that you will have separate reservations and may have to check out and check in but a small inconvenience for the price difference.

FWIW, when you book your hotel with Regent, they will provide ground transfers from the airport, even if you arrive up to 3 nights before the cruise. If you book the hotel on your own, you will need to arrange your own transportation to/from the hotel.

Transportation costs are a small part of the potential savings of booking independently, but you need to be aware of that difference.

Anchorbouy, we are having an extra day pre cruise for our Alaska cruise. We took it as a Regent package, as we always just take the Regent flights too, but for some reason I thought we would need to pay for a taxi from airport to hotel when we arrive? The paperwork doesn't say either way, but we pay the final balance this month so it may be clearer in the paperwork then. Could it possible be different with UK bookings? I will ask our TA to clarify when we go in to pay balance. Jean.

Anchorbouy, we are having an extra day pre cruise for our Alaska cruise. We took it as a Regent package, as we always just take the Regent flights too, but for some reason I thought we would need to pay for a taxi from airport to hotel when we arrive? The paperwork doesn't say either way, but we pay the final balance this month so it may be clearer in the paperwork then. Could it possible be different with UK bookings? I will ask our TA to clarify when we go in to pay balance. Jean.

If you have booked flights and hotel with Regent then all transfers are included

If you are concerned, ring your TA or Regent for confirmation and query if they say otherwise

If you have booked flights and hotel with Regent then all transfers are included

 

If you are concerned, ring your TA or Regent for confirmation and query if they say otherwise

Thanks Flossie. I don't know where I got the idea we had to take a taxi, you know what it's like when you book in advance. Pam has my email address so she may let me know about the availability in UK info. You are very helpful on all the questions we have. Thanks again, Jean.

Anchorbouy, we are having an extra day pre cruise for our Alaska cruise. We took it as a Regent package, as we always just take the Regent flights too, but for some reason I thought we would need to pay for a taxi from airport to hotel when we arrive? The paperwork doesn't say either way, but we pay the final balance this month so it may be clearer in the paperwork then. Could it possible be different with UK bookings? I will ask our TA to clarify when we go in to pay balance. Jean.

I checked the documents from some of our past cruises, and this what I found: The invoice (the one issued by Regent, not a TA) just lists the hotel and dates of travel under "Land Arrangements". So, that doesn't appear useful to confirm or deny ground transfers.

The "Cruise Vacation Summary", which you get 60 days before sailing, has a section "Ground Transfers". That calls out each and every bus or shuttle to/from the hotel, airport, or ship. Mine does list the transfer for early arrival. This should be the same for all passengers, regardless of nationality.

Still, it would be worth a call to your TA for peace of mind before you have to wait for final documents.

I checked the documents from some of our past cruises, and this what I found: The invoice (the one issued by Regent, not a TA) just lists the hotel and dates of travel under "Land Arrangements". So, that doesn't appear useful to confirm or deny ground transfers.

 

The "Cruise Vacation Summary", which you get 60 days before sailing, has a section "Ground Transfers". That calls out each and every bus or shuttle to/from the hotel, airport, or ship. Mine does list the transfer for early arrival. This should be the same for all passengers, regardless of nationality.

 

Still, it would be worth a call to your TA for peace of mind before you have to wait for final documents.

Thanks Anchourbouy,

Flossie also replied to me and confirmed that we will get picked up at airport the day we arrive for the pre cruise extra nights stay. More $ to spend in Vancouver. Thanks again, Jean.

In fairness to Regent they did say the price includes transfers, but as this is only around $20 for a taxi from MIA to the Biltmore hotel, its still a massive overcharge in my humble opinion!

I'm not a very experienced cruiser but I've done quite a bit of research. It never seems to make financial sense to let the cruise line make land travel arrangements.

You pay a lot for the convenience of not having to shop for hotel rooms. Fortunately for me I enjoy that stuff.

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Excellent example of why we NEVER take the land arrangements paid for by the cruise line. You will always do better taking a credit and doing it yourself.

Another reason to ALWAYS use an experienced Travel agent who is personally familiar with each "luxury" cruise brand and their policies. It rarely make any monetary or logistical sense to take the included hotel and/or air of any cruise package. Your agent should know and advise you of your choices. BTW all pre-cruise packages are per-person.

j

NEVER EVER book a hotel room through the cruise line. You will pay per person instead of per room. The cost of a transfer and breakfast is far less than the exorbitant upchrage a cruise line will level.

Unless I read it wrong, the OP states that the pre-cruise room came with the suite on the ship, and was not separately booked by the OP. Yet, the desired upgrade cost more than the desired room would have if the OP had booked it himself. Very weird,

But perhaps not. Did you ever try to upgrade cruise line furnished economy air to business or first class? Our experience has been that you can't, regardless of up-charge you are willing to pay. Cruise lines seem to have very strange arrangements with non-cruise providers. Best avoided when possible, I think.

Agree with RachelG and JMARINER. Better to take hotel credit and make your own arrangements. Transfer costs to and from hotels/airports/ship generally turn out to be minimal.

Another reason to ALWAYS use an experienced Travel agent who is personally familiar with each "luxury" cruise brand and their policies. It rarely make any monetary or logistical sense to take the included hotel and/or air of any cruise package. Your agent should know and advise you of your choices. BTW all pre-cruise packages are per-person.

 

j

Exactly, but some people don't know the difference between a good agent or a so so agent/agency.

For example, we knew a couple who booked through AMEX on the Crystal in CP Serenity and paying 50K pp they were excited about getting a $600.00 OBC for the cruse and a box of candy. The couple next to them were in the same category paying the same but their agent gave them a 8% rebate and a private shore excursion on them. We happen to use the same agent/agency. Powerful agencies and I am not talking consortiums can do so much more if they are big producers.

Did you ever try to upgrade cruise line furnished economy air to business or first class? Our experience has been that you can't, regardless of up-charge you are willing to pay. Cruise lines seem to have very strange arrangements with non-cruise providers. Best avoided when possible, I think.

Our experience with Regent (flying to/from UK) is that their upgrade costs to business class are very reasonable

I do however agree that additional hotel night costs are very high unless part of the original package or an inclusive offer

Unless I read it wrong, the OP states that the pre-cruise room came with the suite on the ship, and was not separately booked by the OP. Yet, the desired upgrade cost more than the desired room would have if the OP had booked it himself. Very weird,

 

But perhaps not. Did you ever try to upgrade cruise line furnished economy air to business or first class? Our experience has been that you can't, regardless of up-charge you are willing to pay. Cruise lines seem to have very strange arrangements with non-cruise providers. Best avoided when possible, I think.

Yes, that's right. The pre-cruise room was not booked separately by us. QUESTION: Will Regent swap us on-board credit instead of the one night pre-cruise hotel room?

Also, didn't know about transfers from the airport if book hotels 2 or 3 days ahead of a cruise (we are from Australia, so maybe same issue as UK posters)...but certainly that would not be incentive for us to pay much more for a room via Regent! Rather pay transport and book our own rooms.

Yes, that's right. The pre-cruise room was not booked separately by us. QUESTION: Will Regent swap us on-board credit instead of the one night pre-cruise hotel room?

Sorry but I have not heard of Regent ever doing that. Your best bet is to book the hotel on your own.

Sorry but I have not heard of Regent ever doing that. Your best bet is to book the hotel on your own.

Oh yes, we have already done that, I was just wondering if they would swap the hotel room.

Yes, that's right. The pre-cruise room was not booked separately by us. QUESTION: Will Regent swap us on-board credit instead of the one night pre-cruise hotel room?

We just take a credit for the hotel. They credit it off the cruise fare up front, so you don't have to pay for t at all.

I have just posted an update to this on a new thread

We just take a credit for the hotel. They credit it off the cruise fare up front, so you don't have to pay for t at all.

And now I know this is an option! We will do this from now on.