papaflamingo

Yeah..... sorry.... this is also an on going discussion on another cruise line's forum where shorts, jeans, etc. are not allowed after 6 pm. Just got confused... my bad.... sorry.... obviously my ability to multitask has deteriorated. I'll shut up now. 😎

Sorry, I was having this discussion on another cruise line's website where wearing shorts by anyone after 6 pm is prohibited. Just got confused. I'll shut up now. 😎

You have absolutely NO idea what issues I have or don't have. When I book an excursion I read the "disclaimer." There are lots of excursions I can't go on. So I don't book them. I know EXACTLY which excursion you booked because it's the one I want to take when we go to St. Barts in Dec. And the disclaimer clearly says "The tour is not available to wheelchair guests or to those with mobility concerns." You booked a tour that specifically said was "not available" to you due to your "mobility concerns" and are angry at Regent for not letting you board the boat. I'm not advocating in any way the treatment you got from the Shore Excursion Rep, but I don't think you are being fair in thinking YOU should have some sort of "special exemption" from the published restrictions. By the way, The Semi-Submersible tour disclaimer states "Those with mobility concerns should evaluate their stamina and ability before joining the tour." That might have been a better selection for you as it would have allowed you to make the evaluation as to your personal restrictions.

My comment was sarcasm. 😏 But the dress code isn't based on what anyone finds "sexy," it's based on societal norms. But, the dress code does NOT restrict men from wearing dresses. It DOES restrict WOMEN from wearing shorts though. So it's completely fair...NO ONE is to wear shorts to dinner. But ANYONE can wear a dress to dinner. So there you go.

It's societal. When I was in the Military we heard the very same complaint about hair. If women in the Military can have shoulder length hair then men should be allowed to also. Societal norms dictate differently. But you CAN "bare your legs," just like a woman. Wear a Kilt or a dress. Women aren't supposed to wear shorts after 6 pm either. So there you go..... no discrimination. Doesn't say a man can't wear a cocktail dress, just no shorts......just like women. 😏

I think people have to stop taking things so literally. "Unlimited excursions" mean simply means that you can book as many or as few as you like. We've booked 2 excursions in a few ports. We weren't "limited" to "one excursion per port" like some other luxury cruise lines. As to mobility impaired, in many of the ports we've visited on our cruises an "accessible excursion" is offered. It's specifically FOR the mobility impaired. However places like St. Barts simply doesn't offer one. I checked other cruise lines that go there (there aren't that many) and ALL excursions listed were the very same offered by Regent (we go in Dec.). So apparently it's NOT Regent's fault that no mobility impaired excursion is offered, it's simply not available in the port. And I will say, the DO offer a semi-submersible excursion that states "Those with mobility concerns should evaluate their stamina and ability before joining the tour," so there is an option depending. We have also been to ports where excursions simply weren't available. Fakarava Atoll in French Polynesia for example. Again, simply the nature of the port. If mandating a guarantee that an excursion is available "in every port" or for those with mobility issues "in every port," St. Barts, Fakarava Atoll, et.al. would no longer be offered. That would be a shame. And as to the comment about alcohol, since I was one of those to make it, drinking alcohol is not always a "choice." Many people have medical reasons why they can't drink. So just like mobility issues, medical issues are the same.

Totally agree. It's absolutely about the "experience." We have sailed on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, NCL, HAL, Carnival as well as Regent. Enjoyed all of them, but the experience was different. Each attracted a different type of passenger. Nothing wrong with any of them, but we have gravitated to Regent because at our age we like the quieter and more luxurious experience we find. And that includes how people dress. If I want to be on a ship where people wander into the MDR in t-shirts and shorts or jeans then I will sail on a cruise line where that is acceptable. I don't want that. But really what is shows is a level of respect. Respect for the cruise line, the crew, and the fellow passengers. If someone violates the dress code and claims "why should what I wear affect you," it shows a lack of respect for everyone. It shows an attitude of "hey, the world's all about me and I can do what I want." Well, the world is NOT about any ONE, it's about EVERY one, especially on a 700 foot ship at sea. And the idea that one isn't judged by his appearance is pure rubbish. We judge people, ALL OF US, by first impressions. And the FIRST impression is appearance. I was a commercial pilot. I was required to wear a uniform, be clean shaven, and neatly groomed hair. Now, NONE of those things affected my ability to fly an airplane. But I guarantee that anyone here who says "what I wear shouldn't matter" is full of b.s. If they saw me sit in the Captain's seat of their flight wearing a t-shirt that says "born do die" and a pair of cut off jeans and flip flops with long unwashed hair and a beard, I'm betting they'd run off the plane like a scared rabbit. As attributed to Mark Twain "Clothes make a man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."

As a man, I find women's legs extremely attractive as well as open toed dressy shoes. As a man, if you find men's legs "sexy and attractive" and men's bare feed in flip flops "dressy," well good on you. It is the new millennium after all.

Sounds like you're going on a cruise with your DD and her boyfriend, correct? If so, maybe her boyfriend should consider who he's with and do a little more to impress both his girlfriend and her parents. Of course I'm old fashioned, but I know if I had a daughter and her boyfriend wore shorts on a cruise where we were all dressing up, regardless of the dress code, I'd be less than impressed. Just sayin'.

Well...umm...yes... they are making money off the tours. And they're making money off alcohol, food, etc. That's sort of the point of being in business. I'm sure you would be happy taking the $129 credit. I know people who'd love a credit for not using the specialty dining venues, drinking alcohol, using a butler, not using the internet. And they can.... book a cruise line that offers Ala carte cruising. I don't mean that in a snarky way, seriously. it's just that it's crazy that people want an "all inclusive cruise" but ONLY including the "things" that they want. If they don't want to use them then they want money back which, by definition, makes them NOT "all inclusive." It simply makes the rate published an "all inclusive rate." I also book third party when I cruise other cruise lines. And I find the tours better and cheaper. BUT if you miss the ship you're on your own. A risk you better be able to take. I like the all inclusive part of Regent. I don't have to explore each port on a 70 night Grand Cruise to find reliable vendors, put down multiple deposits in various countries, work out required visas, etc. I simply look at the offered tours and pick the ones I think sound most interesting. Are they always "great?" Nope. But most of mine have been exactly what I expected or better, and I'm guaranteed the ship will wait or Regent will get me to the next port (important in many small places where transportation is very limited). And they are rarely (if ever) full. That's because Regent spreads the cost among all the passengers. So those who don't take tours subsidize those of us who do, just like those who don't drink alcohol subsidize those of us who do. If tours were not included then we'd see fuller busses or more cancellations since the tours would need minimum participation to warrant the cost. As it stands now that is less likely to happen as the tour company is paid whether 20 people go or 60 people go. Regardless, I doubt Regent will change its business model to satisfy a few. I hope not as it will lead to the same slippery slope other cruise lines have gone down by trying to achieve the same mediocrity that their major competitors offer.

I may have misunderstood your comment, but if the flight was cancelled by the airlines so, and you say, "no Regent flight," then technically, it seems, your friend deviated and booked a separate night at their expense. Is that correct? If so, it clearly states that airport transfer will be at the person's expense. Or was it that Regent wanted to rebook them on a different flight the same day (not a day early)? Eitherway, considering they were given OBC to cover the cost of airport transportation I can't see how this would lead to a feeling of being "let down." Sounds like a good deal to me, especially if they didn't have to pay for the extra night. Again, I admit I may be misreading your comment.

I get why people want a credit for not using Regent excursions. I imagine those who don't drink alcohol would like a credit also. And those who don't use the internet (if there is anyone). Or how about those who don't eat in Prime 7? Or maybe those in upper suites could get a refund if they prefer not having a butler? While we're at it, should we just pay our own tips so we can decide to whom and how much we tip? The point of "All inclusive" is to actually BE "All inclusive." The excursions are based on a maximum cost (I heard $129 per person per cruise but don't really know). That isn't all that much if you compare to the cost of the same tour on any other cruise line. To expect a tour tailored to each individuals desires in each port for $129 is absurd. Many of these ports are small and limited in availability. Others have multiple ships in each day. HOW does Regent offer unique excursions when they are in a small port like Nuka Hiva or a crowded port like St. Martin? In all honesty, in most ports, if you want a unique tailored experience Regent offers an Executive Car or Executive Van that can be purchased for the day, at a flat rate, where you pick your own itinerary. Just book one of those. I like the All Inclusive aspect of "all inclusive." It allows for excursions to go with fewer people as the cost is likely a guaranteed rate and not per person since it's spread among all passengers.

We were on a New Year's cruise a number of years ago on a major cruise line. On New Year's Eve there was a big party on the Promenade Deck. Almost everyone was actually in formal or at least very dressy. At Midnight, in the middle of the crowd, was a lady in a bathrobe, fuzzy slippers, and hair curlers. It was truly a sight to see. 🤣

I think there's some important things to realize about shore excursions. First and foremost Regent included excursions have a cost limit. I was told at one point $129 per excursion, but don't actually know if that's true. But say it is.... then the options are pretty limited. You won't get a Private Helicopter Glacier Tour for $129. You will get a bus tour of the local sights. Second, there are a number of ports that Regent only visits once or twice a year. Pretty hard to get the top tours from all the other cruise lines when you bring in 700 people twice a year and they bring in 1500-7000 people every week. Third, if Regent was to satisfy the specific wishes of every passenger, the cost would be prohibitive. As it is most tours have some extra space so we aren't hauling 60 people on a 60 person bus, but 30 or so on a 60 person bus. Anyone really want the cost to go up so we can all get private tours? I'm not defending anyone, but I'm a realist. There's only so much that can be done. But we've snorkeled with the sharks in the South Pacific, visited Hobbiton and seen the Albatross nests in New Zealand, watched them feed Tasmanian Devils and witnessed Glow Worms in Australia, visited castles, cathedrals, famous mansions, ancient settlements, boat rides to beautiful cliffs, waterfalls, museums, sheep farms, the Waterford Crystal Factory, wineries, the Book of Kells, swum in the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, etc. I'm pretty happy with the offerings.

A lot of excursion reviews can be read on sites like TripAdvisor or in the Ports of Call section of Cruise Critic. In most ports the excursions used by Regent are the same or very similar to excursions used by other cruise lines. So if you "google" the name of the excursion you often can find reviews of the exact one.

The camo was back when formal night was actually formal, so no, it didn't meet the dress code. And it wasn't the LA NYC or any big city, it was on Carnival. But yeah.. they probably thought it was "fashion," And NO.... NO ONE should smoke on their balcony EVER. That's how this happens:

I'm retired Military/Airline Pilot (38 years of flying). I would LOVE to tour the Airbus factory! Have a wonderful time and take pics and post them...please? 😎

True, it is reasonable. But keep in mind, the staff on board the ships generally hasn't been on the tours. They aren't the ones who pick and book the tours. And in many ports even Regent doesn't pre-take the tours. Most tours are those that NCL or other companies use. All that the staff on board has is the description supplied to them by Regent home office. In my experience they do the best they can. But many Regent cruises visit a port once then on they go. It's not like they're visiting every week all year long. The staff only has what information it has.

I have actually found nothing wrong with most of the tours we've booked through Regent. Yes some tours are mediocre at best, but most have been pretty good. However I read the descriptions and have realistic expectations. If it's a "Panoramic Tour" it's going to be a bus ride around the sites. If that's not what someone likes, pass on it. If it's a "Hike" or "Snorkel." it's going to involve walking or swimming. If you can't do those things then pass on it. But many Regent cruise only visit a port once or twice a year. Sure during the winter they do Caribbean cruises and during the Summer, Alaska. But so does everyone else, and those others come in with 1500-7000 passengers. How does a small town or island provide "interesting" tours for 10000 people? They can't. So having a bunch of individually tailored tours for a small ship of 700 in every port is simply not possible, and in the fight for tour companies with all the other cruise ships certainly is a difficult constraint on Regent. If I was a tour company and had to choose between 30 people off Regent or 300 people off Wonder of the Seas, there's no contest. Go with the large ship that comes into port every week and sends me 300 people for my limited tour company.

Why is it so difficult for people to just simply dress according to the dress code? Is it really that hard to change into clean clothes after a day on shore? It's not like Regent's dress code is all that formal. In fact it's quite informal compared most other luxury cruise lines. That's one of the reasons we like Regent, I don't have to wear a sport coat EVER. I don't mind wearing dockers and a collared shirt after 6 pm. Gotta wear something. And even though I was the one who mentioned a speedo, rest assured I won't be caught dead in one. I'd probably be mistaken for the "great white whale" and be harpooned. 😜

Don't take this personally, but everyone is celebrating something. But if you let them know you could get a cake. 😎

Yup. And it wasn't like the pic posted. All 4..Father, Mother, Son, and Daughter were in the cami's that you buy at the Army/Navy Surplus store.

Apparently you missed my point. I neither want to, nor will I get into a political discussion on these boards. My only point was you stated that not paying taxes on tips or Social Security was "Totally unfair to the rest of us who pay income taxes on every dime we make." If's not "unfair," it's ILLEGAL. If you don't want to report your income to the govt., don't file a tax return or work a deal with your employer to pay YOU under the table and avoid all the taxes. You aren't being "unfair" to me or anyone else, you're simply breaking the law and when caught, you'll be prosecuted and punished. To suggest that people who are paid in tips or under the table make some "gross amount" of money and don't pay any taxes is pretty unrealistic. Pretty sure no waiter or field worker (legal or not) is cruising on a Regent cruise.