piscean

We have an invoice from both our UK TA and Regent showing this flight. We made our booking in May and fly out on the 24th stay overnight at a hotel and board on the 25th.

We want to book this cruise but have a serious flight problem. We need to fly from London to Rio direct. The only direct flight from London is BA and Regent have told us they do not have a contract for this with BA at least not in Business class. There are no seats available using aitmiles. Any suggestions?

....We are booked on this cruise and have direct flights with BA from Heathrow at 11.20am although we are not in business class ......

We have had this experience with Regent and when we have been offered indirect flights our agent obtains a direct flight with us paying an additional amount. Indeed on our trip in April we paid an additional £99pp for the outbound flight. I'm sure if you check the relevant flights available Regent will be helpful.

It was a wonderful cruise and worth it although we were not happy at the time.

We have another cruised booked in February with direct flights.

We also live in the Midlands and drive 3 hours to Heathrow for a direct flight.

Further.

Assuming it was Crystal 'testing' I am still waiting for a reply from Crystal.

Update.

After contacting Regent the matter is resolved. Two charges were lodged on my card but not invoiced. I had settled my bill onboard which was for visas only so couldn't understand the two charges.

At the same time Crystal made a nominal charge after I entered my details for a future cruise. I was not informed of this transaction and did not authorise it. As far as my credit card was concerned someone was 'testing' my card and they advised cancelling it. I have paid in full for my upcoming Crystal cruise and have sailed with them previously.

There was a recent thread (moved to Princess) regarding unauthorised charges which prompted me to post.

Indeed it is .....but it was my credit card provider that alerted me to these transactions and also of another cruise company. They advised cancelling the card!

We are currently enquiring as to why 2 transactions have been put on our card since our final settled account after our cruise.

Another small unauthorised transaction has been made by another cruise line after a future booking.

We've had to cancel our card.

Anyone else having this problem?

We watched the provisions being loaded......and left onshore!

I didn't get my pre requested drinks and there was a lack of other types onboard........

Wonderful cruise otherwise.

To clarify it is the Agent who has overbooked and they could only offer a lower grade with a money adjustment that was not even the equivalent of the difference between the grade booked and the lower offered one.

They have now offered a refund and a £200 future cruise credit.

This is not acceptable.

We have paid in full for a river cruise and stay in August. We have been informed the cruise is overbooked and have been offered a lower grade with a refund which is not even as much as the difference in grades!

We have refused as it is a lower deck on a river cruise which we would never book.

The Travel Agent are refusing to give compensation.

Surely they should offer at least the same or better or a full refund with compensation.

Anyone else experienced this?

Currently onboard the Nautica, Athens to Rome.

On boarding we were advised of problems but since day 2 we are back to normal service.

Shuttle service for Taormina is not available although advertised as the destination.

Enbarked Nautica today and we are still restricted by 'gastroenteritis' under the CDC guidelines.

Before we left for our cruise I enquired of Oceania if norovirus was onboard and was informed it was not!

Everyone appears to be using hand sanitizers.

We board the Nautica on Thursday and I have been advised by my TA that they have checked with Oceania and there is no norovirus onboard!

What is the position please?

Thank you

My sailing still has lots of availability and if bookings onboard can receive a price guarantee I fail to see why earlier bookings cannot.

Oceania will not allow OBC, gratuities or other perks as a gesture of goodwill. We take 2/3 cruises a year and will be disinclined to book early on Oceania.

The following is a statement received from my TA following my sending the CC post.

I have referred the cruise critic article to them "Oceania"and below is their response.

The statement is correct for guests that have booked on board as when guests book on board they have the best price promise.

For guests that have not booked on board then we will honour the new promotion as long as it is outside of cancellation charges and we still have availability on the grade they have booked on. If there booking is within cancellation charges or we have no more availability on the grade they are booked on then it needs to go to our managing director who will review the booking and decide if we will offer anything or not.

Your reservation was referred to the Managing Director in line with the above and it was their decision to not offer any compensation for the fare reduction."

We are shortly cruising with Oceania and our cruise has been substantially altered and our PH grade has dropped 20%.

My TA informs me that Oceania will honour price drops, if booked onboard! Nothing for booking early....not even an upgrade, gratuities or OBC.

I have another cruise booked on Oceania this year.

Not happy.........

I'm due to sail on my second Oceania cruise. New bookings with a couple of UK agents are being offered more enhanced deals than mine.

Oceania won't allow these benefits to my booking.

I am gold with Regent and take at least 2 cruises a year ........

I'm very cross.

Hardly encourages customer loyalty.

Could it be you are not from North America ?

Or you are past the final payment window?

 

This may account for the different letter

Just guessing on my part

Yes we are from the Uk and yes I've just payed the final balance!

"But still - Oceania should have sent out an announcement to its passengers the minute they decided to cancel Turkish ports. That would have been the respectful way to treat its customers - that would have been good customer service."

 

Until you get your letter,

If this new itinerary is no longer suitable for any reason, guests may choose to cancel this voyage by February 5, 2016. A full refund will be processed.

 

My letter from Oceania reads

guests that cancel by February 5th will receive a future cruise credit for the value of their cancelation policy valid for any new 2016 cruise commencing no later than December 31st 2016. The future cruise credit may only be applied towards the cruise fare.

 

Not a full refund for us!

From looking it seems to me that the vast majority of the canceled ports were way before final pay. You may be one of the few that got caught. Oceania should do something for you. Hope you have a good TA. Good Luck.

I've just paid my balance for our April cruise! I have another on Nautica in September so I wouldn't want to book another in 2016 (even if they let me!)

Celebrity cancelled Istanbul because the port is under construction and there would be fewer berths!

We have sailed Azamara, Regent, Crystal and others.

We tried Insignia shortly after it was returned to Oceania and it was lovely. We had a PH suite which is gorgeous although the bathroom is a not over large but perfectly OK. The food was excellent and nothing was too much trouble everyone was so friendly.

Unfortunately we can't find an itinerary that we would like but happily we are trying Nautica next........

We've never had a birthday card......we make gold on our September cruise!

We do have a cream tea from M&S who we have our travel insurance with. Yum.

At the risk of showing (or confirming) my total lack of sophistication I am reaching out to all Regent world travelers for advice on how to best make use of our butler during our 6 Sep 15 Regent Mariner cruise departing from Istanbul. Being butler-impaired I am questioning The Boss’ plan to dress him up as a gladiator and have him serve grapes on a silver platter just as she makes me do at home. I’ve seen some snippets of info and advice in various threads, but think that I, as well as other butler-deprived travelers, need a central point of reference in order to mitigate our butler faux-pas. I certainly do not want to misuse or overburden the poor guy to death (he’s NOT folding my underwear!!!) but want to make sure we have a great experience enhanced by the butler’s services. Having said that, I will certainly appreciate any recommendations and comments from the peanut gallery. Thanks in advance.

 

Z and TB

Your butler could arrange a drinks party and you could invite us! We are on the same cruise in the butler deprived staterooms......

"Seven Seas Society lapel badges : Why? We didn't see anyone wearing them and why would they? In my opinion a waste of money. I have not seen any discussion on CC about these?"

I agree but the magnetic backs could be used to hold papers on the stateroom walls! Much prefer a nice tote bag.

Don't assume Regent policies are identical. I believe in North America Regent charges a small cancellation fee, which again, can be applied to a future cruise.

Thank you I know Regent have different policies and under UK law we do not get deposits returned.

I was booked on Riviera in September when 2 weeks before the final balance I was able to cancel without penalty. This is not normally the case here in the UK a deposit is usually forfeited.

I only discovered this unusual arrangement quite recently.

Happily I am booked on Regent for the same itinerary.

My very nice travel agent did not charge an administration fee either.