CJANDH

I am booked in a Cocoon Residence in March. I haven't heard of the airport transfer. Did you know about it before you boarded? I am about to book a car for my transfer on debarkation and don't want to if I am to get this perk. Thanks for your honest review.

Good for you. Have a great voyage.

Really? Regent provides business class air in their fare. The amount they will give you for declining Regent Air is unlikely to cover your cost of purchasing independently. You might want to do the math before you commit.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a car and driver to transfer from the port to a hotel and then hotel to airport a few days later. Need a decent size car to manage two of us plus luggage. I understand that most taxis are small cars.

Most of the Regent cruises I have been on ending in Miami have offered, at no charge, a post debarkation tour ending at the airport for cruisers whose flights are leaving after 4 PM (I think). There may be a charge if you haven't booked your air though Regent. If that doesn't meet your needs, you can always book a private tour that will get you to the airport at the best time for you. Google "Miami cruise port excursions" and you will get a bunch of options, most of them customizable.

Yes. And very well organized. This is one inclusion that really sets Regent aside from competition.

Dangerous move to book your arrival flight on the day of the embarkation. A flight cancelation or even a delay could mean you miss your whole cruise. Most experienced cruisers always arrive the day before embarkation and stay a night (or two if traveling internationally) in a nearby hotel.

I agree with D to S. Regent promotes included excursions and charges for them in the fare. On several recent cruises the excursions have sold out, with no wait list, a few days after booking becomes available. All the messing around in case of "no shows" is not acceptable on a luxury cruise line. Either provision enough tours for everyone or drop the pretense of unlimited excursions included and reduce fare accordingly. If people have to pay for excursions they will not book as many and choice will be restored.

That is one of the many signs on Mariner that a refurbishment is needed.

We will be on Explora I in march. I will report back on my comparison with Regent.

It is interesting though that Explora Voyages is NOT all inclusive in the way RSS is. They do not include air, pre-hotels, transfers or free (included) shore excursions. They focus entirely on the on-board experience. Maybe that is why RSS is trying to decide the competitive advantage of including all they do.

I have heard from a friend doing the Amazon in February that Brazil has pushed the visa requirement date back a few more months.

Review of Mariner 1101 Mariner 1101.xls

We are booked in a Cocoon Residence in March. Anyone tried one yet? How was it? Bit concerned about the noise from the pool area right below the balcony.

Agree.

I am not sure what that means. Is John Ekin still on board as Cruise Director? Do Jamie and Dana report to him?

Things are definitely changing . . . for the good. We are booked on the March 8 sailing from Miami and have already received our Journey E-Ticket, including Boarding Pass, Luggage Tags, Health Questionnaire, along with a summary of our itinerary and directions to the port. A pretty comprehensive package well ahead of when I would have expected it.

I tend to agree with you on this. It is not just the reduced crew it is also the lower standards of maintenance. We were in a Grand Suite and the condition of the furnishings and the stained carpets were well below the standard I would expect from a 6 star cruise line. I feel sorry for the person who has booked this suite for the world cruise. I would have thought that a suite of this cost would have at least been recarpeted and had new chairs and sofa. Instead they seem to be waiting for the dry dock nearly two years from now. When I discussed it with the Hotel Manager he agreed that the Grand Suites need to be completely redesigned. But that the dry dock in November 2025 was when it would happen.

I called as suggested. Very smooth experience. Polite young lady booked my dining in the two specialty restaurants on the days I wanted and at the time I wanted. She then explained that I could ask my Butler to get me extra reservations if I wanted them once on board. Good customer service from head office. I am looking forward to my cruise even more now.

Thanks.

Who do I call? Should I do it through my TA?

Can anyone help me understand how to make dining reservations for my upcoming cruise in March. I have an account and the web page correctly shows my booking details. But I cannot get the links to "onboard activities" , "special requests" and "destination experiences" to work. They don't seem to be actual links. I am booked in a residence suite that states I have priority for dining reservations. Is there something I am missing?

We are in Miami waiting to disembark. Now that is also a problem. The port authorities have decided that all luggage must be transferred to the terminal before any passengers can disembark and that the ship's crew cannot move the luggage to the terminal. Only port employees can do it. This seems to be a new rule that our CD did not know about. So far it has delayed the start of disembarkation by at least an hour. Folk with early flights are going to be getting nervous. I hate to think what this rule will mean if applied to a 5,000 pax ship!!!

I am eager to hear how the top suites on EJ compare to Silversea and Regent. I heard that one of the Cocoon Residences had some noise issues early on. They look great; but I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

You are lucky. We are in a Grand Suite and it is far from being in great shape. The carpets are worn and stained and the soft furnishings are really showing their age.