Service on the Voyager

We are currently on the Voyager Hong Kong to Beijing cruise. The refurbishments are really beautiful and we have really enjoyed the menus. The service in the Compass Rose has been wonderful. Room stewards not so much. Service has been late virtually every day and a simple request that was honored on previous cruises was ignored.

I was particularly unhappy today on the pool deck. We arrived late to Hiroshima due to strong currents. Because of this all the tours were delayed and returned after the Compass Rose had closed. This required that literally hundreds of people converge on the pool deck and/ or Veranda at the same time. We actually arrived in time to get a table; many people from both the pool deck and the Veranda could not find a seat. My husband does not like the buffet and we ordered sandwiches. Well, we waited for nearly an hour and watched while other tables that arrived after us received their orders. We spoke with the waiters then the head waiter and were told the orders were stacked up. We finally left and cancelled our orders.

I found the entire situation completely unacceptable and should have been foreseen by management. The Compass Rose should have extended its hours to accommodate the crush of diners all arriving at the same time. This type of service is not what I expect given the price of this cruise.

It sounds like they lost your order. Usually, even if the pool deck is crowded, they are pretty fast about getting orders out. I have never had to wait more than 10 minutes (in 185 days on Regent).

The situation you encountered was extremely rare. You should not experience this in the future.

In terms of your room steward/stewardess, please do not sit back and say nothing. You need to either speak with the Head of Housekeeping or the General Manager. One discussion with them will solve the problem!

The situation you encountered was extremely rare. You should not experience this in the future.

 

In terms of your room steward/stewardess, please do not sit back and say nothing. You need to either speak with the Head of Housekeeping or the General Manager. One discussion with them will solve the problem!

This is what I would do, also. After 100 nights on Regent, we have never NOT had a concern attended to promptly. We get on Voyager on the 23rd and plan to have a wonderful trip. I hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise.

This is what I would do, also. After 100 nights on Regent, we have never NOT had a concern attended to promptly. We get on Voyager on the 23rd and plan to have a wonderful trip. I hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise.

Briar - nice to see a fellow Greenvillian racking up the nights on Regent. Maybe we'll meet up on board someday soon...

Glad to hear that you are enjoying Voyager but very sorry to hear of the service issues

Just to understand the specific problems a little more can I ask a few questions:

We are currently on the Voyager Hong Kong to Beijing cruise. The refurbishments are really beautiful and we have really enjoyed the menus. The service in the Compass Rose has been wonderful. Room stewards not so much. Service has been late virtually every day and a simple request that was honored on previous cruises was ignored.

How late is late? What time is your suite typically serviced? What time did you want it serviced? Did you put the "Service" sign on the door of your suite?

What was the simple request that was ignored? Did you remind your steward of the request?

What was the response of the Senior Housekeeper when you reported the issues?

I was particularly unhappy today on the pool deck. We arrived late to Hiroshima due to strong currents. Because of this all the tours were delayed and returned after the Compass Rose had closed. This required that literally hundreds of people converge on the pool deck and/ or Veranda at the same time. We actually arrived in time to get a table; many people from both the pool deck and the Veranda could not find a seat. My husband does not like the buffet and we ordered sandwiches. Well, we waited for nearly an hour and watched while other tables that arrived after us received their orders. We spoke with the waiters then the head waiter and were told the orders were stacked up. We finally left and cancelled our orders.

Where were you seated? Pool Deck or La Veranda?

Where did you order your sandwiches? From a waiter or from the service point at the Pool Grill? Did you give your table number?

Were the sandwiches 'specials' or did you order from the Pool Grill menu?

I see you are now 2/3 way through your cruise (a great itinerary). Hope the last few days are more enjoyable for you than today's lunch experience

The TS (thread starter) had not spoken to the Head Housekeeper when they posted. When they do, the situation will be rectified.

The TS indicated that they ordered sandwiches on the pool deck. I'm curious what difference it would make if the sandwiches were "specials" or not? The issue was that the orders were backed up (and/or could have mixed up in terms of what time the order was taken). Regardless of the reason, no one should have to wait almost an hour. OTOH, since they obviously had a seat, I would have gone into LV gotten some food and taken it outside - even if I did not like buffets.

This was obviously a very unusual situation from a few standpoints. People with excursions around lunch time usually have lunch before they go to the theater to wait for their excursion to be ready. For that reason, I wonder why so many people were famished when it was announced that the tours would be late? If CR was closed, it was obviously after the normal lunch time and LV likely had to stay open to accommodate guests. Another option would have been to go to the Coffee Connection and make a sandwich.

P.S. Bill, the only thing that sounds worse than being a " Greenvillian " is being a "Bellinghamster":evilsmile:

This was obviously a very unusual situation from a few standpoints. People with excursions around lunch time usually have lunch before they go to the theater to wait for their excursion to be ready. For that reason, I wonder why so many people were famished when it was announced that the tours would be late? If CR was closed, it was obviously after the normal lunch time and LV likely had to stay open to accommodate guests.

I think you will find that the issue with a rush for late lunches occurred on the return of shore excursions not before they left; this is how I read the original post..........but I may be incorrect

I think you will find that the issue with a rush for late lunches occurred on the return of shore excursions not before they left; this is how I read the original post..........but I may be incorrect

Just reread the post and it sounds as you are correct. I am still a bit taken aback that "hundreds" of passengers would return at approximately the same time. As you know, it is typical for LV to stay open late to accommodate passengers and sometimes it does get crowded. However, if I saw people that ordered after I did receiving food (assuming hot food like burgers, etc.) that arrived after me, I would definitely be checking on the status of my order and reordering if necessary (although this has never been required).

I recall when LV did not stay open late and your only option was the Pool Grill or Room Service. Although LV does stay open, they are working with a reduced staff (as is the Pool Grill) since the only break the crew gets is a couple of hours in the afternoon after lunch complete (based on scheduled hours).

Perhaps the problem is with the darn excursions coming back when the dining venues are scheduled to be closed (and this happens all the time - not just when excursions leave late)? Most 5 hour excursions that I have taken waste at last an hour and a half. So, if these excursions were cut back to 3-4 hour excursions), passengers would return to the ship in time for lunch (and could take another short excursion after lunch is they so desired).

Briar - nice to see a fellow Greenvillian racking up the nights on Regent. Maybe we'll meet up on board someday soon...

Would love to meet you! Love G-ville! Enjoying NCAA's! Wow, lots of exclamation points! sigh@islc.net.

Room service has consistently been in the mid afternoon; once it was not completed when we returned from a tour. This was especially irritating since the weather was horrible and we were pretty much drenched. We requested olives from the room steward on the first day (we enjoy a drink prior to our evening meal)---this has not been a problem on previous cruises on the Mariner and Navigator. We never received the olives. Also after a cruise we found maintenance in our room making some repairs and there was a large amount sawdust scattered on the floor. Maintenance told us housekeeping would be in to vacuum the sawdust. After waiting an hour I called Reception and housekeeping was immediately in our room. These are not major issues, but not the type of housekeeping attention we have become accustomed to.

BTW, this morning I sought out the waiter I lit into yesterday and apologized and slipped him some cash ( I know, I know many of you object to this). It was wrong of me to vent to him, this was clearly a management issue. My husband spoke to the Maitre 'd and perhaps this will prevent future such occurrences.

Gray Eagle - I will respectfully admit to being quite confused regarding your several posts and your complaints. It appears that some key elements of the various situations have been omitted from your posts.

First, with respect to the cleaning of your cabin, I will agree with you that the cabin should certainly be cleaned before noon. In 14 years of cruising on Regent we have never had a cabin cleaned in "mid-afternoon" or in any other portion of afternoon. Are you telling us that your cabin was not cleaned before lunch? If so, that is a legitimate matter to discuss with the Head Housekeeper.

As for the crowds in LV when a number of tours arrive late, that is, unfortunately something that we have experienced on several cruises. It seems that all too frequently Destination Services does not communicate sufficiently closely with the restaurant service to reduce that sort of mess by notifying restaurant service that tours are running late. Even though we entirely sympathize with the food service crew who need their afternoon break, it is also the responsibility of the ship to offer decent food service to passengers when they return from tours.

The missing olive issue - did you perhaps remind the steward that you would like olives delivered to your cabin? Or perhaps had you considered asking room service for some? You are certainly correct in your statement that this is not a "major" issue. While I agree with you that it should be something easily handled, I also suggest that it could have been just as easily remedied by a simple reminder to the steward or a call to room service.

And now, to the elephant in the room, the matter of the waiter that you "lit into yesterday". That is an interesting tidbit that did not appear in your original complaint regarding "Service on the Voyager". Was this associated with the missing sandwiches at the Pool Grill?

In any event, dear lady, I will assure you that although there may well be disagreement on this board regarding "slipping cash" to staff members for various reasons, in my experience and sincere belief there is quite certainly no disagreement whatever regarding the total unacceptability of "lighting into" any staff member. Please bear in mind that these persons are not allowed to fight back against such assaults and must bear them without any reasonable recourse. You, the client, have a variety of recourses available and should use them if they are warranted. However, verbally attacking a server or any other member of the ship's staff is entirely inappropriate and offensive to anyone of normal human values. I recognize that my statements are quite dramatic; but I will stand by them without apology in consideration of the hard-working and kind people who work on the ships that we very fortunate people sail.

Okay, okay, all of those people who know me are going to roll their eyes about "cynical Freddie" being so maudlin; however, this is a matter of serious import to all of us who cruise and to all of the wonderful crew who live their lives on ships and for such long periods of time leave their own loved ones to do so. This is a very special social dynamic and requires quite special social etiquette.

Yes, the room service is routinely after lunch. Today (day 12) was the first day room service was completed before lunch. One night we arrived after dinner to find the evening service had not been done. We asked for a copy of Passages and told her to skip the service. We retire and rise early and on previous cruises the staff accommodated our patterns. I thought maybe the workload had increased dramatically but it is clearly a big change from the past.

I probably made a poor choice of words in my previous post. I was frustrated and expressed such to the waiter. I certainly did not publically chastise him. Clearly I was wrong, so I sought him out this AM and apologized. He seemed appreciative of my seeking him out and was gracious in his acceptance. I did find it odd that TC accepted my apology as it was not tendered to her.

And yes, I should have asked the stewardess a second time or ordered the olives from room service.

The events in the Veranda and Pool Deck were the sort if a perfect storm scenario-- we arrived late to port and were scheduled for mid afternoon departure. Almost all of the buses returned at the same. When I wrote hundreds of poeople converged on the 11th deck, it is no exaggeration. Management should have anticipated this event.

My husband and I are very low maintenance and have never complained about service on any cruise. I will certainly note the above on the cruise evaluation.

In any event, dear lady, I will assure you that although there may well be disagreement on this board regarding "slipping cash" to staff members for various reasons, in my experience and sincere belief there is quite certainly no disagreement whatever regarding the total unacceptability of "lighting into" any staff member. Please bear in mind that these persons are not allowed to fight back against such assaults and must bear them without any reasonable recourse.

In our memory as to "without reasonable recourse", we seem to recall that a passenger on one of the Oceania Insignia's 180-day cruises was verbally abusive to the crew - who reported the abuses - and he was put ashore. We are happy and hopeful to hear that there is perhaps reasonable recourse after all.

Room service has consistently been in the mid afternoon; once it was not completed when we returned from a tour.

Yes, the room service is routinely after lunch. Today (day 12) was the first day room service was completed before lunch.

I am very surprised that your suite is routinely not serviced before midday - especially if you had vacated the room and put the "Service" sign on the door early to mid morning

Our experience has always been that housekeeping try to get all their rooms serviced as early as possible so that they get a break before evening turn-down

Have you spoken to your Steward about this issue or raised the matter with the Chief Housekeeper?

Grey Eagle02, My comment is that nothing is perfect and maybe your complaints are justified, but all of them with the exception of the sandwich can easily be rectified by simply reminding (olives), or speaking to attendant or HD, (room service).

On every cruise we take be it Regent, SS or O, we always have a sit down with our attendant and let them know we are early people, both morning and night. We also let them know we want tonic water and lime in our frig. If it doesn't happen we remind them once. We have never had a problem after the reminder.

Been a while since i have been onboard; however, i thought stewards were to have morning cleaning done by 1400 and evening turndown between 1800-2000. Therefore, it is possible that you would have rooms cleaned after lunch and, if you came back quickly from early dinner, not have turndown service done. There is always a "last" room on the list; HOWEVER, that list can certainly be modified in order to match guests habits (i.e., talk to Chief Housekeeper and get moved up to beginning if you habitually return to your room prior to cleaning being done).

Marc

Fun and games on this thread. Multiple deleted comments and a reminder to only be critical in the "Review" section. Otherwise a Regent pundit will browbeat you and remind you that they can get you thrown off the boat at the next port if they let their "friends" on board know about your "bad" attitude.

Gray Eagle -

 

As for the crowds in LV when a number of tours arrive late, that is, unfortunately something that we have experienced on several cruises. It seems that all too frequently Destination Services does not communicate sufficiently closely with the restaurant service to reduce that sort of mess by notifying restaurant service that tours are running late. Even though we entirely sympathize with the food service crew who need their afternoon break, it is also the responsibility of the ship to offer decent food service to passengers when they return from tours.

 

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While I agree with almost all of your post, I feel that the food service crew not only "need their afternoon break", but it is mandatory if they are to perform their duties to the satisfaction of Regent guests. Human beings simply cannot get up at the crack of dawn and work continuously until 10:00 p.m. seven days a week for several months.

If there are too many people arriving back from excursions at the same time, IMO, Destination Services should reschedule the times of the excursions to avoid this problem. Even with the situation described by the TS, there was food available in La Veranda (buffet), food available on the Pool Deck (buffet or made to order) food available in the Coffee Connection (smaller buffet but with items to make sandwiches, desserts, etc.) and there is 24/7 Room Service.

Therefore, in my opinion, the problem (as usual) lies with the scheduling of excursions rather than food service. Late arrivals from excursions have become the "norm" rather than the exception. There is no need for this to happen consistently.

TC2 - You and I are not in disagreement on this issue, it appears. Frankly, I put the onus squarely upon Destination Services to coordinate with the food service and organize matters (to the degree reasonably possible) to avoid this unfortunately too-often-occurring problem of too many pax arriving back from tours at the same time, resulting in the food service venues being overwhelmed. We have discussed this problem with GM's on two cruises but have not seen any particular attention paid to any improvement. Perhaps part of the problem is the weakness in the management of Destination Services?

One final note. Room service began earlier the day after I posted on CC (day 12). Coincidental, I don't know but the timeing make me suspicious that someone from Regent may be monitoring this forum. Also the Maitre d' personnally abologized about the service on the pool deck. He also called this afternoon to apologize about morning room service, which was late this morning as 300 people ordered room service for 6:30- 7:00. This was completely unsolicited as we did not complain. Anyway it arrived at 7:10 and did not affect our departure.

Even though Regent personnel undoubtedly monitor this Board I would suspect that the improvement in service is coincidental - how would Regent be able to match your CC name to your cabin?.............unless the issue with the missing sandwich and/or olives created an unforgettable scene on-board

Sorry that it has taken until Day 12 of your cruise for room service to improve for you but hope you enjoyed your cruise otherwise

Even though Regent personnel undoubtedly monitor this Board I would suspect that the improvement in service is coincidental - how would Regent be able to match your CC name to your cabin?.............unless the issue with the missing sandwich and/or olives created an unforgettable scene on-board

 

Sorry that it has taken until Day 12 of your cruise for room service to improve for you but hope you enjoyed your cruise otherwise

You might be surprised at how easy it is for Regent to figure out who someone is from the boards. We occasionally use first names, there is information on where we live, etc. Regent learned who I was years ago without me having said a word. BTW, it is no only Regent corporate that monitors CC, so do some of the G.M.'s!

In this case, the server could identify Grey Eagle 02 and could point her out to an officer (who was no doubt inquiring about her). They have photos of everyone on board in their computer (remember the photos that we take at the beginning of the cruise?) A little detective work and it was all figured out. However, IMO, the service would have been corrected much faster if she had simply gone to the G.M. or Head Housekeeper!

As I was blogging about the 2nd segment of the world cruise, I finally posted a picture of my husband and Myself post Fijian mudbath. The next day, Davor, our GM did a double take and asked if I was blogging on cruise critic. I had mentioned in an earlier post that the head sommelier had said there was no more Montedon champagne. Davor pointed out that this was incorrect and sent a bottle to our suite.

I think it's good management to use all your resources to understand how passengers feel about their on-board experience. This is especially true when someone is posting an upsetting experience about which management can do something.

In our memory as to "without reasonable recourse", we seem to recall that a passenger on one of the Oceania Insignia's 180-day cruises was verbally abusive to the crew - who reported the abuses - and he was put ashore. We are happy and hopeful to hear that there is perhaps reasonable recourse after all.

Gray Eagle02 - As mentioned above, I would be very careful what you say to staff till your cruise is over. Apparently, they know who you are now and they are trying to make up for bad previous service. But at the same time, you need to realize that they could take any future negative interaction with staff as a reason to throw you off the ship based upon the comments in this thread.

I would be extremely careful about saying anything negative about the ship staff on this forum until you get off. It is obvious Regent has read your comments or one of the Regent pundits on the board has contacted their "friends" on board and you could still be in danger of being put ashore based upon a perception that you violated the rules by being verbally abusive to their staff.

I hope you enjoy the remainder of your cruise if you are able to make it to the end without a misunderstood comment on this thread or onboard gives them the ability to put you ashore and make some of the Regent pundits here happy and gloat about it in future threads.