Medeba

5 hours ago, Beagle5 said:

On Riviera now, with cruise ending in Trieste (changed from Venice like yours).

Disembarkation questionnaire offers a complimentary coach transfer to either Venice or Trieste airport.

Thank you for this.  Oceania gave us almost a year of notification about the change to Trieste.  They gave us $250 OBC to compensate for this.  So, if they do charge for the coach transfer next year we'll use the OBC.  You never know, it might be a complimentary transfer!

16 minutes ago, HiFi43 said:

Medea, I should have added since you are in the UK their are flights to the UK from Trieste airport if you don’t want to fly from Venice.

Thank you for your replies.  Flights to the UK from Trieste don't go to London Gatwick which is close to us.  The alternatives involve long taxi rides or many public transport changes which we don't fancy with our luggage.

We are departing on the cruise from Lisbon and plan to stay a few days there pre cruise.  Flight to Lisbon already booked.  So, if we go home from Trieste (having been to Venice a number of times) we are just interested in the airport transfer.

We are on a Vista cruise next May and, after we booked, the disembarkation port was changed from Venice to Trieste.  Can anyone tell me if Oceania is offering airport transfers from Trieste to Venice? I'm not expecting a complimentary transfer but was wondering if a transfer is offered and how much it would be.  We are trying to decide whether to go to Ljubljana, Slovenia for a couple of days after the cruise and fly home from there.

10 hours ago, Airwavey said:

And there are 4 or 5 ships due in on Saturday morning. If they all miss the 5.30 deadline or all be fun having them all jostling for docking position at the same time. 

All the other ships made it back to Southampton in time.  Just Sky marooned in the English Channel.

20 hours ago, JoJo1947 said:

Would be more than happy to swop  Dover for  Portsmouth 😀

Me too!

I've just read an article in the Mallorca Daily Bulletin about a passenger who has gone overboard from the current Quest sailing.  Search and rescue has been unable to find her.  How incredibly sad.

14 hours ago, combine said:

Thanks Jazzbeau for clarification that the obc offer was just particular to Journey 6-18 October . Yes indeed you are correct the following cruisers needed the sweetener!! 

The following cruise out of Athens was also offered the sweetener but there was no reduction in the price of the cruise for one less day (I tried!).  I'm not too bothered as we benefited from the extra day for no more cost on the previous cruise (including the additional OBC) and we didn't have to make any changes to our other arrangements.  I was also impressed that Azamara is offering a complimentary transfer from Venice to Ravenna either from the airport or the city (Tronchetto).

I have had a problem for some while accessing one of my reservations in my account.  It comes up as 'reservation locked'. Azamara Circle was the only one to respond to my emails and I understand that the IT department is now looking at the problem.  I was informed yesterday that it would take 5 to 7 days to resolve. 

I wanted to book shorex and ended up booking them on the phone.  Customer service saw that the problem had been reported so did not attempt to unlock the reservation (unlike a couple of other CC members on my roll call who were having the same problem and now have access to Voyage Planner).  Ironically, I got an email from Azamara to confirm my booked shorex, but it directed me to voyage planner which, of course,  I can't access!. So, am hoping it will all turn out alright.

15 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Got the second notice from Azamara today for my Oct. 6 cruise on Journey.  Very thorough explanation, and IMO very generous accommodation offer.

What do you mean by "second notice"?  

Do my eyes deceive me?  Does "2 for 1 cruise fares" really mean that? Or are the prices shown taking that into account?🤔

50 minutes ago, seasickphil said:

I have been confined in from Monday afternoon with Norovirus

Oh no!  That's all you need!  Hope you manage to get ashore.

41 minutes ago, seasickphil said:

You are perfectly entitled to have your 2 cents worth this is a forum after all, but when having a go or as you say your 2 cents worth please make sure you get your facts right first.

Well said.  

2 hours ago, coronalady said:

So they are telling your agent that the Oct 17 cruise ia being firmed up but in your account they are showing it as cancelled??

Yes, that's right!  I'm hoping by 'firming up' that it means a change from an 11 night to a 10 night cruise.🤞🏼

2 hours ago, uktog said:

When are they going to put October 6 Journey sailing back on sail?  We are onboard and it’s one we want to book but no joy. 

We are on 6 October Journey cruise.  My TA contacted Azamara last week about the changes to this cruise (and the next one) and was told that changes were being 'firmed up' and that we would hear something once that was done.  Currently on my Azamara account, 6 October is showing the new itinerary but no access to the reservation and the following cruise is shown as cancelled.  

13 minutes ago, scottie920 said:

I feel for you. You have all waited a long time to return to cruising and expect the same high standard previously experienced with a six star cruise line. I sincerely hope Regent recognise all these problems and sort them out quickly. As I referred to earlier Regent should proactively pay compensation, but I guess that’s too much to hope. 

On a very selfish note, I sincerely hope they get things sorted for our cruise next week!

2 hours ago, uktog said:

For UK guests can we use the government provided self tests we use in so many situations already or what

For our upcoming Regent cruise we were specifically told either an antigen or PCR test from a private provider.  Maybe Azamara would be happy with an NHS test but I still think they have been remiss in not giving you timely detailed information about what exactly is required for Covid tests and other documents needed for the cruise eg PLFs.

13 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Same policy as Azamara.  Does Regent require a pre-departure Covid test like Viking, or is it your decision, like Azamara?

It's our decision.  In my view, it would be silly not to do it in case you test positive at the pier and you then subsequently have trouble with your insurance.

33 minutes ago, marinaro44 said:

Do other cruise lines offer this same coverage beyond your insurance coverage?

We are going on a Regent cruise next week and we received an email from them on 24 March to say that they would cover expenses if you tested positive at the port BUT only if your pre departure Covid test was negative and your insurance would not cover the quarantine etc expenses.

1 hour ago, Juno1956 said:

Thanks Medeba, I’m not sure. I’ll have to check. 

I only mention it because I got back APD recently from an all inclusive cruise that we decided not to go on but the cruise line point blank refused to return the port fees. I was just told that port fees were non refundable. Well, clearly they were in your case.

20 minutes ago, Juno1956 said:

Regent were not that helpful, told us to contact our insurance company who then told us to contact Regent .They did repay the port taxes immediately but that’s only a drop in the ocean! If our insurance company do not assist then we’ll go back to Regent. I hate having to go through all these hoops! 

Really sorry you didn’t make the cruise. Did Regent refund the air passenger duty as well as the port fees? 

4 hours ago, Boatmans Lady said:

Our travel day started well but Heathrow was busy. Queues for bag drop (no documents needed as all uploaded for online check in) very slow moving queue for security but we eventually arrived at BA's lounge (I have been in much better) Flight was full and slightly delayed but we made most of the time up. 

Once landed we were directed to the E gates and onto a very silent immigration official who only wanted our passports for stamping. 

Cases were already going round the luggage belt and the Regent Reps were there to meet us before customs. 

A better system could be put in place as they checked us off, told us to wait over there. Porters with big carts arrived to take our luggage, but didn't put our cases on one, but split them. 

Then called for people with their luggage on this cart to follow as they were going on bus 1 and you needed to be with your luggage. Swapping of luggage ensued but we made it to the coach. (there were 80 Regent passengers on the flight) 

Arrived at the Westin Excelsior, checked in and told to identify our luggage to the porters where we discovered that one of our cases had gone awol. (we knew it was unloaded from the coach as we had seen it as we exited) 

Eventually there was a knock on the door and the case had been tracked down, a lady had identified it as hers (we have straps with our name on!!) 

Panic over and we went out to see some sights and to eat. 

On arrival back, we had been left a bottle of wine and some cheeses as an apology from the hotel. 

Was an unexpected gesture and much appreciated. 

Rooms here are very nice and it's an easy enough walk down to some of the main sights, but what goes down must come up. Our steps were very much boosted by our romp out but our bodies thanked us for walking and not getting a taxi back. 

One last thing for those worried about full buses, they split us between 2 so about 40 people on a coach that holds 55 people. 

There are lots of us in the hotel and they have 10 coaches going to the port to join Voyager later this morning. The coaches are staggered at 20 minute intervals. 

Can't wait to be back on board. 

 

 

Thanks so much for the updates you are doing.  Hope all goes well today with the transfer to the ship.  At least you won't have to do another Covid test prior to boarding like we will when we join Voyager after you.  More anxiety!  Enjoy your cruise.

11 hours ago, CAT58 said:

Operational difficulties - whatever that means!  The cynic in me thinks not enough people wanted to go.

Cat58.  We are on the same cruise and we too had a tour cancelled in Mallorca for the same reason. We have friends staying on the island when we're there and they are going to take us out for the day.  How lovely is that?

6 hours ago, LandC said:

It’s also been posted on another social media site (which I’m-not allowed to mention here).  Or you could use the live chat facility on Saga website, quoting your reference number and ask them to email it to you.  
 

Saga have stated they will phone everyone who has pre-registered again, to see if they are interested in booking any of the revised Baltic itineraries.  
 

It’s probably touch and go as to whether they will be able to make all of the calls before the 2023 itineraries go on general sale on 5th April!

I have looked at the other social media site and am disappointed to see that still no Svalbard 😢.  So, we will see how our first Saga cruise goes this summer before we consider another.

My TA said that Regent weren't sending out luggage tags, so she kindly sent me some of theirs which I can at least complete before we leave home.  I've no desire to be scrabbling around at the pier filling in tags especially after I've gone through all the stress of fulfilling the pre cruise requirements!

18 hours ago, LandC said:

Did you receive another ebrochure from Saga today with the revised Baltic itineraries?

There is a 17 night North Cape cruise on SofA departing Dover on 19 June 2023.

No, nothing in my inbox!