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Portolan

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Everything posted by Portolan

  1. Can't guarantee this for the Med, but on Voyager last month from the UK to France and the Netherlands, they had Euros, but at a pretty bad exchange rate (11% in favor of the Euro when the actual rate was 1-2% in favor of the Euro).
  2. The policy used to be 75 minutes between excursions. I haven't read of a change. Not always correctly implemented on the web site, so you may have to call if it isn't letting you add one less than 75-90 minutes from another.
  3. We're arriving early and staying over with friends so that won't be an option. But I'll look forward to meeting you on-board (noonish for us, as well).
  4. When we sailed on Splendor last March, the time offered for the boarding pass was clearly designed to deconflict with the transfers which arrived ahead of us as independent travelers. Didn't work since the pre-boarding processing was hugely backed up. Similarly, when we boarded Voyager last month using the Regent transfer (to Southampton...doing it on our own would have been quite expensive), we were only offered the set transfer time which, again, seemed to be different than the boarding time offered to independent travelers based on some conversations while on-board. I should note that the pre-boarding process last month was much simpler than March (and June for another Regent cruise) and should continue to converge on the old normal. We always try to arrive as early as possible since we don't feel totally relaxed until we are on-board and enjoying lunch.
  5. Regardless of whether or not the TA OBC is refundable (they usually are), if the total of all your OBCs (regardless of whether they are available before you board) is equal to or less than you pay for your excursions, the new money (when you paid now for the excursions) will be refundable either on-board or to your credit card at the end of you cruise. If the TA OBC and the total OBCs are less than you paid in advance for your excursions, the amount you pre-pay in excess of the OBC shortfall will likewise be refunded. The question about cancellation is (I hope) most easily explained as you'll get any money refunded where OBCs exceed the cost of the excursions your take. The bottom line is that Regent changed this from the older process where you had to be proactive to get to the same end result where any and all non-refundable OBCs will be spent first regardless of their timing.
  6. I think Regent has said that they'll add the ability to cancel previously selected excursions to the web site at some point since it is a waste of both our time and that of the Regent rep to do this manually. However, if you have to cancel an excursion, you can also ask the rep to add the replacement, if any.
  7. And, when you are aboard, your shipboard account will reflect any OBC added after you bought your excursions. If the OBC are non-refundable (most TA OBC are refundable, but Regent promotions or OBC from on-board bookings are not refundable), they will, in effect, be retroactively applied to excursions your already purchased. This used to require some extra effort, but is now automatic. An example my make this clearer: OBC at time excursions are booked = $200 Regent Choice or SG excursions booked = $500, paid for with the $200 OBC and $300 charge to credit card TA refundable OBC = $400 On-board booking credit (non-refundable) = $200 Your shipboard refundable credit will be $600 (the $400 from your TA plus $200 of your previously charged $300 since the $200 on-board booking credit will have been applied, retroactively, to your excursions). Basically, subtract any non-refundable OBC, no matter whether received before or after you buy the excursions, from the cost of the excursions + any refundable OBC and that amount will either be refunded to your credit card or you can cash it out from reception at any time during the cruise.
  8. Our WIFI calling through AT&T has worked pretty well when on-board. If you don't get a good connection, disconnect and call again to (probably) change the routing which may/should/could improve the connection. Voice only, of course. Video calling like Face Time would likely disappoint.
  9. We have quite a few hours of the ship-to-shore phone service (Platinum) and find it to be more solid than VOIP service from AT&T through the ship's WIFI. The WIFI-calling works for in-bound calls and then we return the call, if necessary, using the STS. It was nice to have the hours of STS last week when, the day before we docked in Amsterdam to fly home, Lufthansa canceled our AMS-FRA flight which was to connect with United home to Washington. Spent more than an hour on the phone to get through to, and explore options with, LH...they were useless and would only offer flying us home that day in coach and no solution for the next day in business. Then called United and received much better service: got their flight the next day AMS-ORD followed by ORD-IAD, in business and first class respectively. Had to spend a night at the Schiphol Airport Hilton which I'll be going after LH to cover since the EU passenger rights laws are very good. Anyway, I used about a third of our STS phone time rewickering the trip home.
  10. They had them on Navigator in June.
  11. I have to say I had a moment of great concern when I read the early part of the Regent email where it says that your cruise has been extended as we are on the next cruise and board Explorer on the 24th. Then I examined your new itinerary and realized that you are starting 2 days earlier rather than ending later. I think the new itinerary looks great with Thailand and Vietnam added. I hope you are happy with it. Of course, this change must mean that the cruise preceding yours has now been curtailed 2 days.
  12. I will usually wear a sports coat (without tie!) somewhat because the dining venues are usually cool...at least enough that I don't feel too warm wearing it. Ms. Portolan wears something comparable so that we look like we go together. For longer cruises with "formal optional" nights, I'll add a tie. The tux has been retired.
  13. While not happy to see this development, it may be some time before there is much impact. I'm assuming that unvaccinated folks haven't been booking Regent cruises in the hopes that the policy will change. If that's the case, then they will not likely be a large part of the passenger loads immediately as many of the near-term cruises are heavily booked so it'll be a while before there are masses of the unvaccinated, IMHO.
  14. If you were at approximately 66°57′ N, you were above the Arctic Circle which is 66°34′ N (to the nearest minute).
  15. Mike: Thanks for the quick reply and clarification. We're actually planning to get tested anyway since we have a fast and free PCR operation near us, but I thought that this could sow some confusion and last-minute scrambling or angst for some. Looking forward to being back on Voyager for "Spotlight on WWI and WWII."
  16. While it has been announced that pre-cruise COVID testing isn't required as of 1 August (at least for non-US departures), our on-line check-in boarding pass completed yesterday for our 23 August Voyager cruise from Southampton states (twice) that a negative COVID test must be presented at boarding. Both an email we received dated 21 July and the Southampton-specific page on the Regent web site (updated on 20 July) state there is no requirement for a negative COVID test at boarding. The letter and web site should be definitive (and I will assume so), but if this is a case, as appears likely, that Regent hasn't updated the boiler-plate text on the boarding passes, they are causing unnecessary confusion. They should fix the boarding pass text immediately.
  17. Besides improving your opportunities by being willing to share a table, we have had great success in the past by going by the restaurants at the time we'd like (say 7 PM) and letting the maitre'd know that we are available if they have a no-show. They'll hold the reservation for 10-15 minutes and a significant amount of the time they show us in. People tend not to do the responsible and cancel their reservations if their plans change. And, being Regent, if you don't get in you can just head to Compass Rose where, of course, no reservations are required. Since they greatly expanded the "always" and daily offerings in CR a few years ago, I can always find something I'll enjoy. Or Setti Mari (though that venue can fill whereas CR can always seat you).
  18. Navigator has a Concierge desk between Reception and Excursions. In March, I assumed that it was a similar operation to Splendor and Explorer. Nope. They aren't able to see or interact with the restaurant reservations. They did take my request and pass it to Prime 7 (the only reservable option), and I got confirmation later. Not as useful as direct interaction where you can negotiate on time or sharing to reach a solution.
  19. Your final cruise documents should be accurate, but there are also signs showing what ships are where. Of course if you are getting transferred by Regent either because of using their air or prep cruise night, they should have it straight. If you taking a cab, most cabbies serving the port will know where the ships are (though ours in March didn't know how to get there...non-intuitive, trust the signs for J). If driving, you may be able to use one of the ship tracking sites on the web to verify the ship's berth (after it docks earlier in the morning).
  20. Terminal J unless another small NCL-family ship is also in port. Like one of the smaller Oceana ships which bumped us one time to the large NCL complex on the north side of the cruise port island. Hope for Terminal J.
  21. About 85% (410 of 480? or whatever the not quite 490 capacity now) on Navigator in June. Quarantine suites were on deck 5, crew deck, but identical to standard suites without balcony. Don't ask how I know.
  22. I'd guess the reasoning for only providing access via your TA the (erroneous IMHO) belief that dealing with a professional reduces the burden on Regent. While that might be true if the customer has no clue how to research or understand hot to evaluate options, it is clearly not true for many of us. I provide the precise details to my TA who faithfully transacts with Regent, but if there are any questions or issues, she has to get back to us and get our response. This has, on occasion, consisted of many cycles all of which could have been short-circuited if I were talking directly to the air desk. Maybe there should be an option to choose an "expert" mode where one acknowledges the issues that may arise and accepts those "risks."
  23. We've had two cruises on Regent so far this year. Splendor in March was indistinguishable from our pre-pandemic experience. Navigator in June was not quite as good, but still at a level we found to be more than good enough. We'll be on Voyager next month and we expect to have a great time.
  24. I will again note that while all on-board will have access to the presentations in the theater, there will be smaller activities including invitations to dine with the presenters if you specifically register (at no charge) for the program. These special events will not be listed in the daily program. You'll get invitation cards like you get for the Seven Seas Party. For the Commemorating the World Wars Spotlight on Voyager in August we have it listed as a pre-selected shore excursion on the day we sail. The Artful Travelers web site provides the code to ask for. While you can wait until you board to register, the capacity for these extra events may have been reached. We have done these AT voyages before and they are great, even without the special events.
  25. We've sailed on both Splendor and Explorer. The differences (except maybe the theater improvements) are very subtle and don't sway our decision. We'll sail on whichever ship is going where we want to go.
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