xrvlcruiser

OK, I stand corrected. It's been a while since I've been to Africa with Regent . . as I said, it never happened to me.

Jackie, I agree - Regent is not going to change it's policy of included tours.

Thanks for the update.

Peggy

Kathy,

I'd love to know what tours - and where - you had 50 people on a bus. That has never been my experience. Just curious.

The only time I've seen a full bus is a shuttle to/from town.

Peggy

Ah . . .Halong Bay!

Happy and Healthy New Year to you as well.

Peggy

Included tours: I have not had any issue with them - I sailed with Regent before they were instituted. I don't see any difference between the the tours then or now.

And as a single, it is good way to see a port.

Peggy

The only time it's acceptable for someone other than an "assigned" person to sit in the front seats is if the escort says - after everyone is ON the bus - that the seats are empty and would someone like to move up here?

Also, it seems to me that it is polite for the "assigned" person to wait for the rest of the passengers to leave the bus before getting off since my assumption is that s/he moves slower and will delay everyone by insisting on being first.

Maybe I'm old fashioned.

Peggy

Are you saying that if every passenger on a particular sailing chose one specific tour, Regent should be obligated to take all 700 passengers (about 20 buses) on that tour?

And that should be true for every tour offered?

Think of the fact that if there are 5 tours offered in a particular port, the arrangements for each one of them wold have to be set up that way - and then reorganized as time went on, when the number became firmer.

I'm sorry but I don't see much logic in that and the financial obligation would be incredible, I would think.

I realize I'm pushing the limits . . . . .

Peggy

Sterns runs buses/cars for all the passengers on all the cruise lines. Not just Regent.

I did the crab fest by boat a number of years ago with my family - I'm not happy in a small plane - and loved it. Would do it again in a second.

Peggy

Hi Jackie,

I'm glad yo[re in Rio and that the sick passengers are in Hospital . . .

Jamie is !00% right - no jewelry what so ever . . . . stay cool and have safe flights home.

Peggy

I do not want to get into a discussion about this - everyone is entitled to his/her own opinion - but I do need to say that I have known and sailed with Jamie for more than 10 years as well as a number of other CDs. I have found him to be excellent in his job - organized, creative, nice to travel etc.

I have also enjoyed many of the other CDs, both on Regent and the other lines I've sailed on. Each has his/her own good point and not-so-good points. But most if not all, do a good job.

Wes,

Just to clarify, I assume your comment regarding Mark was that he is one of your favorite people who is no longer with Regent.

Thank you Jackie and Z!

Jackie,

Love your postings/pictures!

I've only sailed with Captain Felice on one cruise - South America in 2011 - a delightful person!

Crew Welfare Fund: you can also use a credit card. You cannot charge it to you on-board account - ie: use on board credit though.

I agree - do it!

Peggy

and noon when I boarded in New York.

Jackie and Dennis,

Safe travels and have a wonderful trip. I look forward to your posting. It looks like a great trip.

Peggy

I was in one of the starboard cabins on the next cruise and the carpet was damp from the storm. As I said, I had one of the large fans in the room for a day o two and then the problem was gone.

And no, no way was it the fault of the Navigator - no way to control the weather!

Peggy

I hate to see people denigrating the Navigator.

She is the oldest - and smallest - of the 3 current RSSC ships, the standard cabins are exactly the same size as the ones on the Voyager and the set-up is one central corridor on most cabin decks - again like the Voyager - an arrangement I prefer to the double corridors on the Mariner. Much "friendlier".

I did have a wet carpet in September/October due to the very large storm in the Carolinas before I boarded but it was taken care of with one of the large fans. No brown water (never have had any in the 3-4 times I've been on board). Is she due for dry dock? Sure - it's been several years and the Navigator is the ship to be used for the first World Cruise in 2017, the first in something like 5 years.

One advantage of her size is that she can get into ports which larger ships cannot - and I am not talking about the huge ships but many which are called "mid-sized".

The Officers/Staff/Crew are terrific, the food was outstanding in all the venues. No complaints at all.

I don't post very often but really felt that with some people knocking the Navigator, I thought it was time to speak up.

Peggy

I sailed on the Navigator this fall and everything was fine.

She is smaller than the Mariner and Voyager and very different in configuration.

Also, she goes into dry dock on March 31 for 2 weeks in Barcelona for what I understand will be major renovations.

That timing sounds like the end of your cruise.

Peggy

Hi Peggy,

You got some suggestions . . . .

Also, there is a World Cruise Forum on CC which touches on a few other areas - worth a quick look.

See you in 14+ months!

Peggy

I know I'm way ahead of the game but we'll be visiting close to 30 countries on the 2017WC and many of those countries require a clean page in our passport for their stamp.

It makes sense to have 20+ clean pages for the trip - it's very inconvenient if any of us gets on board and the Chief Purser/Clearance Officer decides you do not have enough pages for Miami->Miami.

In reality, many of us board in Miami so if necessary, this could be done in the US Consulate in CA but I'm sure that there are more interesting things to do than spend the day at the Consulate.

And one more item: the passports need to be valid for a specific time beyond the end of trip - I think it is 6 months - but check that.

As I said - a heads up.

Peggy

It's been a couple of years since I've called Regent but the person I spoke to - she has been promoted - was wonderful. She answered all my questions and if she did not have the answers, she found out and got back to me.

And yes, I have an excellent Travel Agent but some times I prefer to hear the information myself.

Peggy

Yes Larry,

I don't remember when the Block Parties started but certainly by 2007 . . . .

Peggy

Yes . . . .

I was on the mid-August around the UK trip on the Voyager - Chris Shaffer was the CD - and we had a Block Party on the 4th night - a sea day.

Every Regent cruise I have sailed on - all ships - have had a Black Party since the tradition was started a number of years ago. And if I sailed on a back to back, each cruise had a Block party.

Pamela1, clearly, I can't speak to your experience specifically but it seems like an exception as opposed to a change.

Peggy