Regent "Best Price Guarantee" 👎

This week we had reason to ask Regent UK about the "Best Price Guarantee" for one of our future cruises booked whilst on board last year. All suite grades on the cruise in question were reduced in price in the UK at the beginning of this year.

Annoyingly, Regent refused to reduce our price to the new figure because our suite grade is now 'waitlisted'. This seems to make a mockery of this "Guarantee".

Have others encountered this issue?

I too watch the pricing in case I need to use the guarantee but have not yet needed to. ( last year the price reduced to a few £ s above what we paid) but am interested in the outcome for yourself.

Under UK consumer law the excuse is not valid in my view as my understanding reading the guarantee we have for this year is if the price advertised by Regent ( not an agent ) drops below what was agreed then they will reduce the price accordingly if before final payment.

If after final payment they will either give OBC or an upgrade.

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Regent's Price Guarantee policy clearly states that what occurred is exactly what was suppose to occur. We received a copy of the Price Guarantee when we booked three cruises and read the details of the Price Guarantee while in the Cruise Consultant's office. It is interesting that a category was completely sold out on a cruise that was apparently not selling well (assuming that the cruise was not selling well based on the fact that there was a price reduction).

swansong - you have me curious as to what the Price Guarantee in the UK says. Is there no statement that there must be availability in the category booked in order to receive the discounted price?

This week we had reason to ask Regent UK about the "Best Price Guarantee" for one of our future cruises booked whilst on board last year. All suite grades on the cruise in question were reduced in price in the UK at the beginning of this year.

 

Annoyingly, Regent refused to reduce our price to the new figure because our suite grade is now 'waitlisted'. This seems to make a mockery of this "Guarantee".

 

Have others encountered this issue?

Someone please help me understand this.

Was your category of suite "wait-listed" before Regent reduced the price for that category?

Why would Regent reduce the price of a category that already was "wait-listed"?

Someone please help me understand this.

I will try, but have had a hard job understanding it myself ................ despite various communications, both via our TA and direct with Regent.

Was your category of suite "wait-listed" before Regent reduced the price for that category?

Yes. We booked an H grade, which obviously get snapped up very quickly.

The cruise is on Voyager and is not until 2020. All other suite grades, i.e. G grade and above, are still showing availability.

Why would Regent reduce the price of a category that already was "wait-listed"?

Regent opted to reduce the price of all suite grades for this particular cruise, including the waitlisted H grade. Why they made the reduction over 2 years in advance of the cruise is a mystery, but that is their decision.

My conclusion is that if you make an early booking of a popular suite type that has limited availability then the Best Price Guarantee is no more use than a chocolate teapot. Lesson learned.

For better or worse, the one thing that is guaranteed is that "H" category suites will be full. This has been consistent since we started sailing with Regent.

It seems that the Mediterranean cruises are selling so poorly that the only way to entice passengers is to lower prices and offer free laundry. To my knowledge, Regent has not lowered prices in North America for these cruises - likely due to airfare issues.

The price guarantee is not worth the price of the paper it is printed on. In addition to same category needing to be available (your case), it also doesn't apply if price is lower in a different country ( Canada at par for example or dumping Hong Kong to Beijing in Hong Kong market (67 from Hong Kong on our recent cruise)), or if they give special deals to only certain TAs (i.e., not available to the "public").

Regent can do what it wants and we can do what we want (i.e., no one is forcing us to book with Regent). I have known that the guarantee is worthless but still book onboard for other reasons.

In your case, you probably won't get any money back from guarantee but if not past final payment you may be able to go to a higher category at a lower price or just have your TA talk them into a free upgrade even if room size is same (three category upgrade should get your a concierge for a Cat H).

Marc

TC2, I quote from the price guaranteed we were given last September:

‘ Best Price Guarantee: Booking onboard always comes with our Best Price Guarantee from the day you book up until the day of sailing. Should there be another applicable public promotion offering a better value through a combination of lower price and amenities on the cruise and category you have selected, you will be able to take advantage of this new promotion plus the added benefit of the applicable onboard savings. Simply have your travel agent call Regent Seven Seas to have the new promotion added to your reservation ( subject to suite availability). Should there be a price reduction after final payment has been paid, the difference will be given to you in the form of a Shipboard Credit, suite upgrade, or a future cruise credit at our discretion.’

I feel that this is somewhat ambiguous as I would read ‘subject to suite availability’ as being applied when the promotion is one where ‘ book suite cat x and get a two suite upgrade to cat y’ type of promotion. If as in this case the price of the suite the OP booked has been advertised at a lower price even if there were none available this constitutes an offer. I’m no lawyer but I wouldn’t let this go without an argument!

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The Best Price guarantee does work, if you qualify with their 2 limitations, stated in the wording of the guarantee. I just received a $2000 FCC from our February Explorer cruise when I found a lower price on a USA promotion.

The 2 conditions from Regent are:

1) public promotion with a lower price, and

2) cruise and category you have selected is still available

If the suite category is sold out, then condition #2 disqualifies any refund or credit. I don't know why they would reprice a category that is unavailable. On the other hand, watch to see if the suite category opens up closer to departure......with upsells, you may find a period of time when the lower categories have availability again !!

TC2, I quote from the price guaranteed we were given last September:

 

‘ Best Price Guarantee: Booking onboard always comes with our Best Price Guarantee from the day you book up until the day of sailing. Should there be another applicable public promotion offering a better value through a combination of lower price and amenities on the cruise and category you have selected, you will be able to take advantage of this new promotion plus the added benefit of the applicable onboard savings. Simply have your travel agent call Regent Seven Seas to have the new promotion added to your reservation ( subject to suite availability). Should there be a price reduction after final payment has been paid, the difference will be given to you in the form of a Shipboard Credit, suite upgrade, or a future cruise credit at our discretion.’

 

I feel that this is somewhat ambiguous as I would read ‘subject to suite availability’ as being applied when the promotion is one where ‘ book suite cat x and get a two suite upgrade to cat y’ type of promotion. If as in this case the price of the suite the OP booked has been advertised at a lower price even if there were none available this constitutes an offer. I’m no lawyer but I wouldn’t let this go without an argument!

 

 

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Thanks so much for posting the details of the price guarantee. It looks the same as the policy that is offered in the U.S. and Canada. It does work the way Anchorbuoy stated and, since they received a $2,000 FCC, it is definitely not a useless benefit.

Not sure that arguing would do any good as Regent's lawyers are on top of every single word in their contracts and you would find that their offers meet the laws of whichever country they are offered in.

The amount of the price decrease has not been mentioned but I can't imagine that it is that much - especially for lower categories. IMO, when you purchase anything, there is always a chance (and a pretty good one) that someone will get a better deal that you did (on any flight, for example, you know that some people paid nothing other than points while some paid top dollar. Regent is offering a good benefit to their passengers but you do need to meet their guidelines in order to quality.

Anchorbuoy: When you say that you "found a lower price on a USA promotion," I'm not sure what you mean. I.e., where did you find the promotion? On the Regent website or somewhere else? Thanks.

Marq: I didn't realize that Regent gives special deals to certain TA's. Could you elaborate a bit? Thanks.

I will try, but have had a hard job understanding it myself ................ despite various communications, both via our TA and direct with Regent.

 

 

Yes. We booked an H grade, which obviously get snapped up very quickly.

The cruise is on Voyager and is not until 2020. All other suite grades, i.e. G grade and above, are still showing availability.

 

 

Regent opted to reduce the price of all suite grades for this particular cruise, including the waitlisted H grade. Why they made the reduction over 2 years in advance of the cruise is a mystery, but that is their decision.

 

 

My conclusion is that if you make an early booking of a popular suite type that has limited availability then the Best Price Guarantee is no more use than a chocolate teapot. Lesson learned.

A chocolate teapot. I love it.

Anchorbuoy: When you say that you "found a lower price on a USA promotion," I'm not sure what you mean. I.e., where did you find the promotion? On the Regent website or somewhere else? Thanks.

 

Marq: I didn't realize that Regent gives special deals to certain TA's. Could you elaborate a bit? Thanks.

One of the sites that has been referenced here for TAs that provide full inventory had a seriously cheaper price for Hong Kong to Beijing than was available on Regents site. It is always hard to do an apples to apples comparison because you need to look at what is included. I think TC2 also mentioned she got a special deal too a while back. BTW, I always (almost always now that Explorer is around) book Cat H or Cat H guarantee; therefore, it is often waitlisted early. Still, I was able to get lower price on both my 2018 cruises when price was lowered because they were lowered long before final payment.

Marc

I think TC2 also mentioned she got a special deal too a while back. .

 

Marc

I didn't get special pricing from our TA but saw "covert pricing" on a different website. We told our TA about the special pricing - they contacted Regent and they approved the pricing. This was a very difficult to sell cruise and by booking a "covert" price, we could not get on board credits (even though they were advertised for that cruise), we booked our own air and transportation but did receive a super good deal!

Anchorbuoy: When you say that you "found a lower price on a USA promotion," I'm not sure what you mean. I.e., where did you find the promotion? On the Regent website or somewhere else? Thanks..

My TA also had knowledge of "covert pricing". The list price in the brochures and on the RSSC website was unchanged. But a special sale was offered for unsold inventory close to sailing dates.

The price guarantee is not worth the price of the paper it is printed on. In addition to same category needing to be available (your case), it also doesn't apply if price is lower in a different country ( Canada at par for example or dumping Hong Kong to Beijing in Hong Kong market (67 from Hong Kong on our recent cruise)), or if they give special deals to only certain TAs (i.e., not available to the "public").

 

Regent can do what it wants and we can do what we want (i.e., no one is forcing us to book with Regent). I have known that the guarantee is worthless but still book onboard for other reasons.

 

In your case, you probably won't get any money back from guarantee but if not past final payment you may be able to go to a higher category at a lower price or just have your TA talk them into a free upgrade even if room size is same (three category upgrade should get your a concierge for a Cat H).

 

Marc

Yes MARC, you are absolutely right! The Hong Kong - Beijing leg was dumped very heavily in Europe as well. The price sank to E 2799. Would you believe that? It,s once of the reasons the demographic is changing...I did enjoy your reports from the Voyager. Indeed, she is in great shape and in fact my favorite ship!

Yes MARC, you are absolutely right! The Hong Kong - Beijing leg was dumped very heavily in Europe as well. The price sank to E 2799. Would you believe that? It,s once of the reasons the demographic is changing...I did enjoy your reports from the Voyager. Indeed, she is in great shape and in fact my favorite ship!

The 2799 euro price helps explain the 10 year old Spaniard and her family hogging the jukebox and playing Spanish language songs repetitively and the Brit on with his family who didn't wear a collared shirt, it seemed, the whole cruise.

Do I dare mention the Hong Kong family who didn't show up for immigration in Shanghai forcing all of us that went to immigration and were to return directly to the ship to wait in the terminal. When they were finally found in La Veranda, their response was to say they would go once they finished breakfast. :evilsmile:

Marc

Yes MARC, you are absolutely right! The Hong Kong - Beijing leg was dumped very heavily in Europe as well. The price sank to E 2799. Would you believe that? It,s once of the reasons the demographic is changing...I did enjoy your reports from the Voyager. Indeed, she is in great shape and in fact my favorite ship!

Why do you think that they are dropping these ports? Very strange. I don't like seeing prices drop so much as it seems to be a magnet for people are like what Marc described.

I'm curious to see what the demographics are for our upcoming Bali to Hong Kong cruise on Voyager (we love her too).

Why do you think that they are dropping these ports? Very strange. I don't like seeing prices drop so much as it seems to be a magnet for people are like what Marc described.

 

I'm curious to see what the demographics are for our upcoming Bali to Hong Kong cruise on Voyager (we love her too).

When I was in Beijing, I would get the Hong Kong site and Hong Kong prices (in US dollars) for cruises. Some of them seemed quite low. For example the 15 day trip Bali to Hong Kong was starting at $4876. That is significantly cheaper than US prices even if you take air credit.

Marc

I do understand that "covert pricing" is not really what this thread is about, but would still appreciate if someone(s) could make this clear to me, e.g. how one goes about finding covert pricing. I am totally naive about such things (and plenty of other things).

Thanks.

I do understand that "covert pricing" is not really what this thread is about, but would still appreciate if someone(s) could make this clear to me, e.g. how one goes about finding covert pricing. I am totally naive about such things (and plenty of other things).

 

Thanks.

You know that we'd love to tell you but we can't due to CC guidelines. I was looking for something and came upon a site that had the pricing. It is not something that I plan on doing in the future as Regent may not accept the pricing and I don't like losing OBC's.

Why do you think that they are dropping these ports? Very strange. I don't like seeing prices drop so much as it seems to be a magnet for people are like what Marc described.

 

I'm curious to see what the demographics are for our upcoming Bali to Hong Kong cruise on Voyager (we love her too).

JACKIE; It's just economics I guess...:halo:

For instance, your tip from Bali to Hongkong still has a lot of open cabins. Since October the price has been dropping. The trip now is offered for 6999 INCLUDING: Air, Land programm and transfers.

The following leg however, Hong Kong to Singapore has been wait listed for months!

It's not always easy to understand the preferences of men....:cool:. It certainly is a problem for those of us (yes indeed.....) who want(ed) to do the BtB, a real great trip on an excellent ship!

I just went to the rssc Web page and it was listed at $14,099. I know I can get it for a bit less through any number of agents but not for half. Am I looking at the wrong page on rssc?

I just went to the rssc Web page and it was listed at $14,099. I know I can get it for a bit less through any number of agents but not for half. Am I looking at the wrong page on rssc?

Start by subtracting $6K for air.

Marc

Mark,

Yes, I could subtract air but the referenced price of 6999 says it includes air etc. Is Regent giving truly free air on this cruise so I can deduct it and still get it? Either the Regent website is wrong or Paul and Shark are looking at something else or they are wrong about the price or inclusions or .....?

Thanks,

John