Jonoro7

Extract from the post linked below:

Just leaving Mariner and found those awful Anomi TVs have been replaced by Samsung series 477 in 32" and 40" varieties.

These have USB inputs as well as 9 pin DIN and 3 off HDMIs BUT...

Whilst they are not locked into hotel mode like the old Anomis the Regent branded remotes are missing the one vital button to select an input.

So it's still not easy to display your own pictures on the TV but it's not impossible.

If you have a tablet with an IR port then it's easy to emulate a proper Samsung remote and then displaying pictures from your USB stick is easy or the cheat way out is to borrow a proper Samsung remote (from a laundrette).

It's a great shame that regent saved a few dollars by buying the 477 series instead of the 690 series as the latter have AllShareCast (aka Mediacast) built in which would enable wireless connection from any tablet and any phone to the TV, so easy to see your pictures on the big screen.

Very very variable, downloads have had from 3Mb/s to 500b/s (yes bits not even 1Kb)

Most sites drop out with very slow speeds.

Do not rely on it for anything important.

Not when you don't have one!

The tv is there, nothing to carry, ìt's built in.

Malbec

Both those Samsung ranges do have USB ports, which can be used for showing pictures and videos, BUT the regent remotes don't allow you to select them.

Further I do use the USBs on the TVs to charge stuff such as tablets and phones.

Not on the Explorer right now but last time I was, just over a year ago, the TVs were Samsung 477 series. On the refit of Mariner Samsung 690s were fitted.

Both are "hospitality" TVs, they can be, and are, locked down by Regent. Furthermore the remotes have been castrated and many features are not available from the supplied remotes.

However both models do have a standard 3.5mm stereo audio jack socket.  Unfortunately it is on the rear of the TV (none on the side).  When they are wall mounted you have to unmount them to gain access to the audio socket.

No USB ports that can be used to gain access to the audio.

Best you could do would be to ask to have the TV unmounted, your audio lead plugged in and then it remounted.

I thought that the payment you can make does not offer any increased speed but only unnlocks certain (computer) ports used fir streaming services.

I see that all Princess ships now equipped and can get 1,500Mb/s per ship.They are using SES's o3b satellites which are low to medium orbit.

Even with a few hundred simultaneous users still respectable  speeds and much lower ping times.

As flossie009 has already said there were some measurements of speed a while ago - https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2520275-new-wifi-system-on-oceania/

For me the revelation that Ep010835 has just made are very significant: There it appears that on a recent Princess Cruise it appears (the screen shout cropped of the word) that the ping was 256ms.  This is fundamental as for a start it rules out the use of geostationary satellites for the link.  Low orbit would be better that this but Medium orbit would fir the bill.

It is almost but impossible to get down/upload speeds of >10Mb/s with the ping times shown in earlier posts of 700ms plus. If the connection is clean and error free and the nodes along the routes don't generate any errors then it can be done, but as I say most unlikely.

Now Princess at 256ms stands a much much better chance of achieving >10Mb/s speeds.

Also as I mentioned in the earlier thread the contention ratio that Regent have come up with is absolutely key to  the speeds being so variable. (The contention ratio is the number of users sharing the fixed size data pipe at any one time)  If one individual is the only one online at a particular moment he/she enjoys the full speed.  But let 600 or so other passengers loose and he/she will only see a speed of a six hundredth of what was enjoyed before.  Slightly simplistic as Regent's own data comms needs will likely also be using the same data pipe.

It would be helpful to better understand the constraints in place to get time of each of the hops.  A tool like Tracert or even Fing on a tablet would provide further insight.

A link to Regent's policy on rebates:

https://www.rssc.com/media/hostedfiles/PDF/AntiRebatingPolicy.pdf

Thanks DaisyUK and flossie009, interesting, we have so far got zero! Need to look afresh for another TA!!

Fascinating thread, thanks to all contributors.

Anyone had success with rebates from UK agents??

T&Cs are different UK-US but does this extend to TA commisson?

Thank you for any information.

TC

Door propping and other tales such as port better than s board are just myths

I did post some quantitive results, see post 110 https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2612219&page=6

But the results are so variable.

Best were d of 5Mb/s, u 2Mb/s and ping of 1.2 seconds (yes seconds)

But speeds are often down to a few Kb/s.

Unfortunately normal statmux parameters do not apply, as the majority of pax behave in a similar manner - off the ship together and little traffic or all back on board and all online. Plus the unwiting hogging with megapixel photographs being sent.

Dont believe the talk of some ship locations being good and others poor. I measured signal levels in many locations and virtually all were better than -50dbm (Navigator).

The real issue is integrity due to contention.

Oh and as for RJ45 LAN connection yes there is one in suite BUT not much use to you as it's on a private LAN and used for iptv.

Enjoy your cruise but don't plan on relying on an intetnet connection. Many times it will be >0.5Mb/s but other times connection dropout will render it useless.

In compass rose and sette marie restaurants, no reservations are made, just turn up, you will be asked share or not. You may have to wait at peak times, but relax have a drink and they will find you when table ready. Most waits are 10 mins or so.

Speciality restaurants, one prebooking per restaurant guaranteed, you can book these online if you want before you board. If you want additional reservations, then either try in advance at the reservation desk or turn up and ask. Generally you will get more sittings particularly if you will share

In 300+ nights onboard we have once had an upgrade offer, it was about a 30% discount on the extra cost of the upgrading. So little incentive, we declined.

Also once had an offer whilst onboard to stsy on for next segment. Never got to learn at what rate as we couldnt extend.

These both uk re uk bookings. Read before about uk specials on this site but never found any.

UK bookings start at big disadvantage to US bookings. Cancellation charges kick in immediately on booking.

Thanks Peggy, I stand corrected.

Thats good service from Regent.

I don't see how that would work.

The balcony divider is a sheet of steel hinged at the suite side of the balcony.

Whichever side it hinges towards it will block off the sliding door to the balcony on that side, make the suite dark inside and possibly block access out of the suite.

Unless the steel sheet is taken away for storage that is. Its thick heavy steel so that seems unlikely.

Regent do reserve tables - for the Officers. You will see the tables set out with diner's names, including guests inbited to join the Officers.

 

In terms of Regent cruisers being treated the same. This was 100% true before the pre-boarding fiasco began. Passengers were treated the same whether they were on their first cruise or if they stayed in a Master suite or the lowest suite. This is what luxury lines were known for. The differentiator was what happens inside the suite. As I have discussed with Regent corporate more than once, as long as the benefits (not loyalty benefits) are inside of your suite, it is something that others do not know about. If you are in a Grand suite or Category H suite, almost all crew members would be completely unaware of it since, unlike Oceania, you do not have to show your key card constantly.

???

Sorry tc2 but not true. The biggest bugbear we have is that upper suites have guaranteed reservations every night in the speciality rrestaurants. This is plain to see and is not inside your suite. Staff know it and cruisers know it when a table is empty as "it is reserved for xxx suite". Still knarks me!

TC???

Firstly "In fact, I would write directly to Jason Montague" then just 1 hour and 1 minute later "I do not recommend writing directly to Mr. Montague "

Which is it?

Sorry beaujolais, our posts crossed.

Silversea in UK charge admin fee of £130 for cancellation more than 120days ahead and this is refunded on another booking within 12 months.

Why can't Regent do similar as they do for US bookings, and on-board bookings?

Apart from my first cruise all others were booked on board, the first one being last minute booking. I will not risk loosing 20% deposit a year or more ahead.

Regents t&cs for UK customers are a real problem. It is not the law that requires this.

Thanks TC.

I agree with all your points. My last cruise on Navigator likely will be my last for many of the reasons you mentioned, oh plus the brown water we had.

Although we no longer sail on Navigator, I can tell you that it is a fact that there is occasional brown water on the Navigator. If the information about rust and sediment is incorrect, I obviously didn't make it up as I would not dream of such a thing. It was told to me by officers on the Navigator.

 

It is correct that if you run the water for a while it will go away, however, if it happens mid-shower, it isn't a very pleasant thing to rinse out of your hair.

TC

Why do you no longer sail on Navigator? Is brown water a factor for you?