StarFlyr

...That is how we are booked (deviated) on our flight to Rio. Although we will fly coach from Vancouver to Seattle (the plane is all coach for the 150 mile flight) - then First Class to Atlanta and Business Class to Rio.

 

StarFlyr: Your "briar patch" comment made me laugh. Actually, if you were to get Emirates non-stop from Seattle I would be jealous (but very happy for you).

Travelcat, did you "deviate" before or after Regent booked you differently than going through Vancouver? When you first mentioned Vancouver, I thought you drove up there.

Re Emirates from Seattle, that's not going to happen as we're meeting our ship in Istanbul, but we finish the cruise in Dabai and that's the nonstop Emirates flight I want to Seattle, but I don't expect it EVEN if we paid the deviation fee. Emirates charges an arm and a leg for BC.

I'll let you know what we end up getting, but without a deviation fee, I suspect it's going to be on Delta with perhaps a domestic leg to a gateway although they do fly from Seattle nonstop to both London and Amsterdam.

Thanks for the input Travelcat and Nana. Re the overwater guarantee, does that mean if we went BA out of Seattle, we might be in coach from London to Istanbul? Or other European land routing? And it is too late to "deviate our flights which costs $175.00/person" once we get assigned our flight schedule.

Our TA said that might be a chance we would get Business Class on Air Emirates nonstop (Dubai to Seattle), but I'm not betting on that happening. Don't throw me in that "briar patch". Oh, go ahead! I was just kidding.

We JUMPED at the Business Class upgrade on our coming Istanbul-Dubai cruise. On the surface, a real bargain at 2K extra per person R/T. I don't do long flights in steerage anymore. Especially on 24 hour days. We're flying from Seattle and with stop, each way will be about 24 hours including the ground stops.

So, I'm looking for some input as to how you found Regent's Business Class bookings. I don't care that much about the food, but the lay flat seat is the DECIDER for me. Throw in some drinks/extra room and I'm happy.

However, I'm wondering how Regent does this? I just did a "kayak" on Business Class to Istanbul and then back from Dubai and the cheapest was $5744 with the average pushing $8500. The coach fare is about $1490. Subtracting the coach fare from the Business Class show the extra cost at $4258 for the cheapest and around $6500 for the average.

So, how does Regent do it for $2000? Or less than half the price of Business Class?

Since many people do not make reservations online, Regent withholds reservations so that people boarding the ship have an opportunity to book....

Great information Travelcat2. Re the Captain's reception on the 2nd night, is that the actual 2nd night or the 2nd night of day cruising?

Thanks again for the tips!!!

Yes, that is the policy - guests are only allowed to book 1 meal in each restaurant in advance.

Since our cruise is around 90 days from now, we haven't received anything from Regent other than acknowledging that we have paid.

I understand the policy about only 2 advanced reservations so that everyone can get a chance to visit these restaurants. Does this policy change once everyone has made 2 advanced reservations?

Do you know if they restricted reservations to only one or two at a time once the cruise starts? I'm guessing these restaurants fill up every night.

On the Cunard trips we've taken, they charge extra for their special restaurants (I think it was around $30 per meal per person). Since most of the cruisers didn't want to pay extra, their special meal joints were generally available on short notice.

Thanks for the input.

Today is the first day we're allowed to make reservations in the speciality restaurants (Prime7 and Signatures). The online website only allows 2 reservations. Attempting to make further reservations cancels the first one.

Is this a Regent Seven Seas policy for pre cruise restaurant reservations? I assume when the ship is cruising, further reservations are allowed on a first come/first serve basis.

While it should have no baring on this question, we're on the Istanbul-Dubai cruise.

Some times a layover such as you were put on can be a blessing in disguise. Takes all the sweat out of a short layover with a late flight coming in, weather, equipment problems, etc.

I've missed more than one short connection in my life. The last time it happened returning to the US, we missed the last flight out of NY for Seattle and had to spend 9 hours in some airport dump. That delay was caused by 2 people having the same seat (on a full flight). Neither one would leave and it took about an hour and half to get one of them off the flight. I was torqued to say the least.

I think almost any airline business lounge offers day tickets.

My dad had an expression that "Some people would gripe if they were hung with a new rope". That about says it.

This is the first time we've booked a Regent Seven Seas cruise. In the past, we've done a couple of Cunard cruises and I seem to remember the wifi NOT allowing Skype calls. Anyone know if Skype works on Regent Cruises.

I'm not expect blistering wifi throughput, but does anyone know what speeds I can expect? We're on the Istanbul-Dubai run departing 31 Oct with 3 days in Israel. We booked it before the current "troubles" and probably wouldn't have if we had known it was coming.

Not too worried about a few sky rockets. Then, after that, there are the Gulf pirates.