EleanorWW

Hambagahle - We had our TA long ago on Navigator cancelled!  We’ve enjoyed sailing with Navigator tremendously - through the Panama Canal, and the San Francisco to Alaska run.

Many more happy travels!

Captjohn - Thank you for your insight!  We’re the opposite, we typically don’t plan too far in advance.  Good to know a deposit might help!,

We’re set for the Navigator Miami-Miami late November for the Amazon.  When we booked a year ago, we pretty much got the last open cabin.  I know guaranteed bookings were taken as they’re on the roll call. 

We've been offered cash incentives to take a different  cruise.  Woohoo, free money!  The catch is we won’t get our itinerary, so that was that. 

But this has me thinking.  It’s not like cruising is like air travel and the passenger gets bumped and another flight comes along.  Do people make a waitlisted booking and then just wait and hope?  We sail in less than three weeks!

I’m also wondering how does profit margin  work here.  Navigator doesn’t have a wide range of cabins.  If we give up our ph cabin and pick up $5k for a different sailing, what does Regent get besides goodwill?  Our spot wouldn’t resell for much.  

I’m just curious.  Opinions?  

Galileo’s will also be open. 

The receipt of real or imagined slights due to ethnicity is tricky.  I am an American of Chinese descent.  I’ve sailed with Regent since the Radisson days and I don’t think I’ve ever felt any unease due to my ethnic origins on board ship.  BUT my behavior is American.  I speak American.  I’m on a cruise holiday and my demeanor is one of cheerfulness and pleasure with my surroundings.  I express my gratitude to those who work hard to make the Regent experience extraordinary.  

As for crew in the corridor forcing the letter writer to step aside - and they were not running to an emergency - if I sensed disrespect, I would have stopped and met the offender’s eye.  Either the crew member needs a “heads up” reminder or the passenger is mistaken.  There is nothing to be gained by stewing.

To FlyerTalker, are you totally not understanding what I am saying? Or am I not being clear?

This thread is about a new casual dining policy. We just read about it in the whatchamacallit Regent newsletter and as we will be cruising to So America in two months, the timing is wonderful.

On hot shore excursion days, and I find myself returning to the ship not looking forward to the rituals of cleansing and primping - only to head out to dine, the offer of a quick meal on pool deck before retiring has appeal.

Are you suggesting I return to the ship and bathe and then emerge to have a casual meal? What makes you think I’d stink otherwise? If you found yourself on the same ship as me, I’m sure we wouldn’t need to cross paths nor share a meal.

On another thought, this thread reminds me of the days when there were still formal nights. To get out of packing the extra clothes, one knew to make reservations at the Italian venue where dinner napkins where waved to the tune of singing staff and we could skip Compass Rose. I wonder. We used to put up with formal wear on cruises and that’s now gone and few miss it. I can remember women in evening GOWNS on board!

I don’t believe clothes need make a person. How a t-shirt and jeans looks is largely determined by the body in the clothes. Personally, I think a button down shirt that is short-sleeved is an curious look, but it is approved evening apparel and I understand that. I have seen it, so I’m guessing it’s approved.

We presumably all spend a bit of time contemplating what clothes to pack that meet a host of criteria. On cruises especially, whether it be an at-sea day or excursion day, “changing for dinner” is stil the norm. On a land trip, one can usually find a welcoming dining venue regardless of attire.

Don’t get me wrong! A well-dressed man is always a treat to behold!! I simply would like to not think too much about packing!!! I wear flip flops at home for most of the year. My feet are groomed. Slipping into heels at the end of the day whilst on holiday is sometimes just a PITA.

Do beg your pardon. Perhaps I misspoke. Trudging back from a hot day ashore and then showering, doing hair and makeup, and getting dressed, then going downstairs to dine can be tiring. In which case, we would opt to shower and then dine en suite.

This new option allows us to trudge back to the ship and eat, go shower, and then to bed to get up early to face the next fun day.

It’s been my experience that some cruise days can be exhausting. It has not been my experience to encounter a fellow passenger with particularly poor hygiene.

We haven’t regretted our dinners.

With the Captain, I sat to his right and he answered all my questions. He quietly talked about passenger expectations.

With the Hotel Director, we talked about certain passenger behaviors and laughed.

With an entertainer, she had her husband along, and we talked about the life afloat and travels. I was fascinated that she ordered only a beef steak. No sides, no other courses. Lovely evening dress and figure!

As for the other passengers at the table, it’s not different from choosing to share a table. Some people are amusing and some don’t try. If you get invited, do it. If it’s boring, it’s only a dinner.

Am thrilled at the prospect of trudging back to the ship and not having to shower, dress, and head downstairs... or dine en suite.

Isn’t the Regent demographic aging?? We were early 40’s with Radisson. Now, we are older and still wear jeans when it’s cold. Shorts or sundresses in the warm months. We do not wear “sneakers” unless we are chasing something.

So what’s the disdain with casual dress after 6pm? We retired at 55. Don’t look like bums. Will certainly adhere to dress rules. But am seriously curious. Why the perception that casual dress drags things down?

Will be on Navigator in November - 23 days. Looking forward to getting a burger and fries.

Our naval fleet in Norfolk VA has been sent out to sea to ride out Florence.

It’s safer to be at sea than docked in these storms.

I remember the waves coming over the Navigator pool deck. It was amazing.

Was on Navigator in 2005 leaving NYC for Panama Canal. We raced into the Atlantic out of the way of Rita and Wilma. Seas were crazy!!! Supplies left on the dock! Oh no, coffee supplies running low.

In the end, no one hurt. Not much damage. A wild wild ride for several days.

Good luck! Keep your balcony door shut. Have a great adventure!!!

"Insurance is something one never needs till one needs it." I recall words to that effect with our TA a few years ago. It's been several years since we last cruised and haven't visited these boards for a long long time.

Am now on brink of putting money down for a November 2018 visiting of the Amazon and I see "Regent Care" was included on the invoice. :confused:

We've always bought insurance the TA recommended but I don't recall it was from Regent. And these boards have always been useful for learning things we didn't know we didn't know.

No fancy credit cards for us. We use the Citi Visa Costco card in breathless anticipation for the rebate check in February 😂. We have massive miles on United but as we haven't gone abroad lately, that Chase United Visa card just sits mostly unused. I feel prompted to go credit card shopping ... but to do it just to get a better deal on a cruise vacation, is that a good idea? Aaaugh!

I found a list of sites for travel insurance. I should start there, right? I like that explanation of what MediJet does 👍🏼.

Lastly. I was scrolling this thread and was stunned to see Don Horner passed. I do know I enjoyed his posts enormously for his good humor and steady voice. Online communities can get so crazy sometimes 🤦🏻*♀️ . I just wanted to mention that even though I've not met most of you, or if we sailed together on the same ship and never met, I feel as if I know you.

Thank you all for your help.

Thank you thank you thank you!

I feel reassured with a far-forward cabin on Navigator. With the Sirena penthouses all sold and knowing the smaller cabins weren’t refurbished is depressing.

I think encountering crowded lounges only when Happy Hour is going on, sounds weird. I get it... but being on vacation lends to being happy for more than an hour. Plus yes, we probably drink more on board a ship.

I didn’t post this question on the Oceania board, mostly because we are looking from the Regent perspective. I dunno...

I haven’t thought much about excursions except I don’t expect to make private plans in South America. The Caribbean stops haven’t even registered in my head. Part of me thinks having excursions set out in front of us and we simply pick is mighty appealing. One can do never ending research!

Since I started my reply, Pirouette has lent a very informative voice!

When we started cruising, it was to escape to the Caribbean warmth and choosing the Diamond was a stroke of sublime luck. I don’t recall passengers being much different than us. Passengers on our Panama crossing were older also, probably because of the length of the sailing. Fast forward the years and we’re in our early-60’s and retired ... so maybe we are now in that older demographic.

Regent Navigator, it will be!

Hello all.

It's been a while since I've visited this site and this forum. We've been busy and simply not cruised for a long while.

The spouse and I decided it was time we visited the Amazon and Navigator will do a round trip Miami in November 2018. Yippee! Navigator is our favorite ship. No snickers please.

The sailing is largely filled and the best we could get (yesterday!) is 1003 which is a far forward penthouse B. There are NO other small penthouses available and NO concierge cabins. I've not found the butler a real amenity but, oh well.

Then... I spied an Oceania sailing on their Sirena for a similar itinerary, round trip Miami, visiting the Amazon. That sailing has NO penthouses left, only verandas and we have a hold on a midship A1 7043.

Staring at the two ships, I'm thinking the cabin size is the big difference. We began our cruising with the Radisson Diamond and the all-inclusive booze, unlimited excursions, are not a big deal for us. FWIW, we have Gold with Regent, which gives us some free clothes pressing.

My question to you insightful, helpful fellow cruisers... since the itinerary is pretty much the same, should we go and save a few dollars with Oceania, in a smaller cabin? Or not risk it and go with the Regent product in a far forward cabin? Our sailings on Navigator have been in 822-824 which is midship. We've raced a hurricane on Navigator with no problems.

Maybe the funds saved on Oceania will go to excursions and drinks and the $ difference is moot? Far forward on Navigator is easy peasy?

Would appreciate your thoughts. We need to get our deposit in SOON. Thank You!!!

just some observations. I apologize if I am out of line.

we had only a standard suite, so I had to debate whether to bring my own iPad. I didn't and didn't miss it. DH and I read and wrote emails from our iPhones. I also read a guidebook on the kindle app. the kindle we brought along stayed in the safe. the ship's library had masses of volumes we hadn't picked up but were happy to read. of course, DH had to read fast in the last days to finish his fourth novel before the cruise finished.

this last cruise in October was the second we didn't bring an iPad along, so I can gauge that the tablet has been out for at least 18 months and isn't a novelty. yet I thought the men (and they were mostly men) carrying their tablets about looked like they were holding onto their new toys. so not cool.

aren't you on vacation? the ships have computers to keep in touch. hotels generally have free use of computers and wifi. why haul your own stuff along?

if you're on a port-intensive cruise, does it make sense to bring hardware along when you'll likely be touring and exploring and making acquaintances and generally having masses of fun? you are planning to stay holed up in front of a screen?

I'm making assumptions based on our own experience. we like to travel light.

we hate overpacking. cruising is a vacation for us. our longest cruise has been 21 days and honestly... most people want you to have a good time and are not going to bug you about whatever issues that wait for your attention when you get home.

as I said, I apologize for butting in. if you're on a crossing and have no ports to visit... or have many days at sea and need to get away from the social aspects of a cruise ship... there's comfort in going into seclusion.

but generally, the specter of hauling your own laptops and tablets abroad seems to counter the idea of being on a holiday.

my five cents.

10-hour flight to London was to be followed by a 3-hour layover till we flew onto Athens.

on 9 October 2011, Athens air traffic controllers staged a "work slowdown" and declined to clear international flights for landing. our plane was at Heathrow. the weather was clear. we had nowhere to go. agents at the gate could only tell us to not go too far as clearance to takeoff could come at any hour.

as it was... with no warning, the announcements came over loudspeakers that we should all hustle immediately as the flight was suddenly in final boarding! we had been sitting at Heathrow Terminal One for TEN hours. 200+ of us just went running for the boarding gate with high hopes and deep frustration.

we arrived Athens after 10pm on a Sunday. we were fully expecting to not see the driver we had booked with Paul Kalomiris. after all, we were so late and

we understand schedules need to be kept.

it was a huge relief to see the sign held up with my name on it. Paul's nephew was waiting with good humor. he briskly got us into his car and delivered us to

our hotel.

absolutely, I recommend Paul Kalomiris and his greektaxi because in this crazy

world, there are still those who work hard and work smart.