labonnevie

Exactly our experience. In April, we flew LAX to Tokyo for our Explorer cruise. Regent’s flight credit was $5500 when we made our reservation (it later increased to $6000). We booked ANA business class on our own for $4300. Nice little savings. However, I am certain that if we had been flying from the east coast, we would not have been able to come close to Regent’s credit. Flying to Istanbul and home from Dubai in November/December we couldn’t come close to Regent’s air credit. Net: your home location and embarkation/disembarkation ports probably has a lot to do with whether you can meet or beat Regent’s air credit for a given cruise.

Best mushroom soup. Ever.

Dinner in the Platka is always fun. If you can time it right, the changing of the guard is entertaining.

I think I said that.

In April we disembarked in Yokohama, not Tokyo I know, but it was one of the slowest disembarkations we have ever experienced. Not sure why but it was painstakingly slow. It may have been partly due to Japanese immigration.

Any MaiTai’s?

But we only need 30 nights to get to leather luggage tags/Platinum status!

Wow! That is quite the incentive for me to spend thousands to get to Platinum. Need to go make three or four more bookings!

Sorry to hear that. We have had no problem getting a list of included wines sent to our cabin the first day on board. We just find the sommelier and request it (11 Regent cruises).

Easy to get tables for two in Compass Rose just about any time. Easier to get tables in the specialty restaurants at the time you want if you agree to share. Tables for two are limited. For Setti Mari we often opt for the second seating, about 8 or 8:15 to avoid waiting for the opening seating at 6:30. The restaurant is also quieter later. Sorry for the lack of clarity.

Suggest you reserve one specialty restaurant for the first night. Easier to get time you want, even easier if you agree to share. Then you can decide if you want to return later in the cruise. You can only make one reservation for each specialty restaurant before you board. In the Compass Rose (MDR), every night one side of the menu is the same every night, the other side changes nightly. If there is anything you want, they will make it for you, given 24 hours notice and that they have the ingredients. The included wines are generally good, not wow. Have the sommelier send a list of all the included wines on board to your cabin on embarkation day. That way you can pick what you like from day one, as they only offer a couple of included wines each night. But if they have it, you can order any wine on the list in any restaurant any night.

Definitely not true (11 Regent cruises). While we prefer to share and have met innumerable wonderful, outgoing, fun fellow passengers this way, we have never had a problem getting a table for two. Many of the tables for two in the CR are at the windows.

TMI

Totally agree. This is such a great part of sailing on Regent. The laundry service is fantastic. Wish my clothes looked like that after washing at home!

Referring to another thread on this board, ducks are not included. And, hopefully, never will be.

If I may add, generally the option for transport to the airport including some form of an excursion is only available after you are onboard. Check with Destination Services if you are interested.

Even if Regent proceeds with this cruise, there may not be much to look forward to. We were on the ill fated Navigator cruise Istanbul to Dubai in November. After canceling Aqaba (Petra) and the three ports in Oman, we wound up with two days in Luxor plus the Suez transit in the final ten days. While Luxor was incredible, it did not make up for all the other ports we missed. Eight out of ten sea days on the Navigator are ALOT! At least we had three days in Dubai after we got off.

No

It appears that LF doesn’t use this system. Just seems that if Amazon, UPS, FedEx and others can tell you exactly where everything is and when you’ll get it, LF should be able to as well. I’ve never had a problem schlepping my luggage to a cruise and I’m nearing 80. And the luggage technology is improving all the time; lighter, better wheels, etc. I understand others need a service like LF for various reasons, but they just don’t seem like the reliable answer to the issue. But that’s just me.

I’d rather use Air Tags than LF. But that’s just me.

Usually just a couple of beers and sodas in the mini fridge. You can request a bottle of any liquor be in your cabin.

It depends. In April, on Explorer, we left from the Tokyo cruise port and returned to the Yokohama cruise port. Suggest Regent is your best source of information. They may not even know yet. I would think your easiest transport would be with a hired car. When we disembarked at Yokohama it was a very slow process but there were a lot of hired cars waiting. Taking a bus to Haneda would be a huge hassle and a stressful experience.

Why not start one?

Insurance on Sapphire is up to the amount you put on the card. We cover some or all of the amount above $20,000 with another travel insurance policy or self insure. Sometimes just for medical evacuation.

How would you like to be on a world cruise without your luggage? Begin the thread below at post # 5: Between this experience and that of shark b8, I'll pass on LF.