Just off Voyager Western Caribbean,,,questions??

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Good grief. After hearing about the wonderful crossing, then all of this. Very strange indeed. The carpets--the carpets are always that way, let's face it. They replace them fairly frequently, and they very quickly look like they've been through a flood. I have never seen them truly worn out.

 

I agree that opinions, and even experience, can vary widely. We met Silversea devotees on our last Voyager trip who felt like they just couldn't get a decent meal in Compass Rose, and that service was shoddy. We experienced a slippage on a couple of occasions, but overall thought the experience was wonderful, despite the staff being tried by almost loutish, overly-entitled behaviour on the part of certain passengers.

 

But what seems elusive to Regent is consistency of delivery, both of service and of quality dining. Consistency can often be the most elusive goal in any enterprise. I think they should appoint a Consistency Czar and make a serious run at topping the other luxury lines in this respect, instead of adding more expensive perks to their fares.

[Sunviking]

Sunviking (still love your avetar:-): Glad to hear that you enjoyed your first Regent cruise. Fortunately you did not have the same expectations as some repeat customers.

 

 

Regent is losing their longtime, loyal passengers while gaining new ones. This is the way of life sometimes. I do wonder what they will do when the "new" passengers see the trend downwards continuing:confused: Prestige Cruise Holdings (the parent company) seems to feel that going super all-inclusive will make up for the lack of service, etc. All it has done for us is make us try other luxury cruise lines. Our January, 2011 Mariner cruise will pretty much decide our future in luxury cruising.

 

I'm wondering how you can possibly know what our expectations were for our first Regent cruise.

 

As for losing loyal passengers, as Tom said 76 % of those on board were repeat passengers on the transatlantic.

[Hambagahle]

I find it hard to associate the experiences recounted above on the Voyager with those that Colonel Wes and Orpington T were telling us about on the trans-atlantic cruise that preceded it. The only explanation I can think of is what one poster suggests above - there was a mammoth crew changeover in FLL after the Voyager came back from Europe, and things on this particular cruise were in a bit of a "shakedown" stage.

 

Nothing though can excuse the smoking issues which should not have arisen and when they did should have been dealt with firmly...

 

I will say one thing about Travel Agents and their "AD's" - remember that Travel agents are any cruise line's frontline sales force. It is important for the line that they know exactly how things are on board and what is on offer. And I suppose if a cruise is under-booked, then it makes sense for the line to offer "Fam trips" on it since they will have all the expense of running the cruise and might just as well get some agents on board to experience things for themselves. I don't understand why airline staff should have the same discount though unless this is an industry thing...

 

In my previous incarnation (when I was working in the US) I had travel agents working for me and I cannot say that I recall that they smoked any more than anyone else though.

[alexandra cruiser]

seems all the questions were answered....but,,,one comment...about staff,,,did ask how long many had been on ship,,,most said 1 mo...and did not seem to know ,,or answer,,,about drydock...odd....

 

Wendy, you asked about room,,we were mid to aft on 6,,,,653.....sad to hear Navigator has same vibration problem...will be on Seabourn Sojourn in May,,,,same size as Voyager,,,will see if it has similar problem...

 

Re...eating at 8 30...only problem with that is probably not able to make show at 9 45.....or get poor seat.....

 

Good idea about keeping restaurants open till majority of tours get back,,,after 2,,,,seems poor timing....

 

Agree that best service was in Signatures,,,,no wait,,,friendly,,,etc...in Compass room,,,,seemed better before big rush,,,ie...earlier....we did that then had drinks in one of the bars before shows,,,and worked out fine....

 

PS..Loved the tub,,,,haha,,,but it vibrated too,,,,right about saving money on quarters,,,, Interesting to read all the different opinions,,,re,,,smoking,,,never noticed it in room or balcony,,,just around approved areas,,,:)

[hondorner]

...I recall comments about funny stains last year but those stains were tricks of light hitting the nap depending on where you were standing.

That was me, last January on the newly refurbished Navigator :o. In my defense, it really did appear to have light and dark streaks in the carpet, especially when looking down through the atrium at the deck below, but I was chagrined to learn that the carpets were less than 3 weeks old. I figured it out when the light and dark streaks shifted position depending on which way the vacuum cleaner was run (which was often)...

[OrpingtonT]

Wendy, you asked about room,,we were mid to aft on 6,,,,653.....

 

 

Wow.

 

653 is midship. I have never heard a complaint about vibration that far forward before.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

seems all the questions were answered....but,,,one comment...about staff,,,did ask how long many had been on ship,,,most said 1 mo...and did not seem to know ,,or answer,,,about drydock...odd....

 

Wendy, you asked about room,,we were mid to aft on 6,,,,653.....sad to hear Navigator has same vibration problem...will be on Seabourn Sojourn in May,,,,same size as Voyager,,,will see if it has similar problem...

 

Re...eating at 8 30...only problem with that is probably not able to make show at 9 45.....or get poor seat.....

 

Good idea about keeping restaurants open till majority of tours get back,,,after 2,,,,seems poor timing....

 

Agree that best service was in Signatures,,,,no wait,,,friendly,,,etc...in Compass room,,,,seemed better before big rush,,,ie...earlier....we did that then had drinks in one of the bars before shows,,,and worked out fine....

 

PS..Loved the tub,,,,haha,,,but it vibrated too,,,,right about saving money on quarters,,,, Interesting to read all the different opinions,,,re,,,smoking,,,never noticed it in room or balcony,,,just around approved areas,,,:)

 

 

Funny, we're in 653 too! We've been in that corridor twice, and had no issues. Will remember about lunchtime, don't think we have any just morning tours except perhaps in Costa Maya where we're just doing some kind of beach break in the morning.

[Travelcat2]

OrpingtonT: Would like to respond to your statements/question. I did not mean to make my post sound like I was stating facts. I should have put more emphasis on the "some repeat customers". As evidenced by many posts over the last year, "some" customers have made comments regarding the level of service and food on Regent being less than what they were. This has been my experience and is my opinion as well. If you look on other boards, you will find Regent customers reporting on their Seabourn and Silversea cruises. Some of these CC members have 2-3 times more days than we do on Regent.

 

Sunviking: One can only assume that a new Regent customer would have different expectations than someone who has been on the cruiseline previously. I didn't think I was trying to read your mind or the minds of repeat customers.

 

I did not read the long transatlantic thread -- just didn't think there would be enough content in terms of ports, the ship, etc. By the same token, I will not even write a thread when on the Mariner next month unless there is something new and different about the Mariner. There are some CC people who will probably post about the ports. I will probably do a review.

 

I agree with Threechicks about the very small number of Regent passengers that post on CruiseCritic. If you look at a particular cruise, there are only a handful of CC members on board that post and many of them have different opinions. I do not feel that we represent anything other than opinions.

 

It does not surprise us that there are a lot of repeat customers on Regent. Most people who post here that have branched out to other cruise lines still sail on Regent . . . just as we are doing. Some people new to Regent have sailed on another line many times. . . . but, for whatever reason, they want to try something new/different/better?

 

This is just a long winded way of saying that kbuck73's experiences and opinions are just as real and valid as someone else on the cruise with the opposite experiences and opinions. (IMO, of course:-)

 

The comments about the Voyager very interesting. As Wendy indicated, the carpets always look like they have water stains or something on them. There was a technical explanation given to this a couple of years ago in case anyone wants to do a search. The vibration issue is always interesting. . . . some feel it. . . some don't.

[TahoeTraveler]

I had no trouble switching around my excursions a couple of days when I decided I was tired of visiting Mayan ruins. Even the morning of the excursions, there wasn’t a problem. The best excursion for me was Tikal by Air in Depth, the 10-hr excursion in Guatemala. Second best was in Belize, the Lamanai Ruins and New River Cruise. We had excellent guides on both these tours, and a good guide is key to a good tour. Do not waste your time on the Highlights and Shopping tour in Cozumel. You will be taken to several tourist traps and will never get to go shopping in downtown Cozumel. In Costa Maya, I signed up for the Kohunlich Ruins tour, but Regent cancelled the tour. The people who did the Dune Buggy tour said it was the best excursion of their whole cruise. I did the Jungle Beach Break, which was okay, but the beach wasn’t the greatest. It is typical for that area of coastline in Mexico, however.

Does anyone know if it is common for the Kohunlich Ruins tour in Costa Maya to be cancelled? We are scheduled for it on 9 Jan, which is hubby's birthday, and it is the one tour he is really looking forward to. And if a tour is cancelled, does Regent usually give you enough of a heads up that you can hopefully schedule a different tour? This is our first time on Regent, and we're not sure what to expect, so we're hoping for some advice/info regarding the excursions.

 

Thanks, Tami

[MarilynA]

Tami, there was a note in my stateroom when I boarded saying that this excursion had been cancelled by the vendor. There was no other explanation given, and I didn't ask for one since there were other options. I just switched to the Chaccoben tour, which I later switched to the Jungle Beach Break the morning we were in port.

 

If I were you, I would keep your reservation for Kohunlich and then switch to something else if it becomes necessary. It should be a good excursion.

[wripro]

Consistency is what defines a good luxury line. Service should be the same whether there is a crew changeover or not. Service should be the same whether TAs are aboard or not. There are lots of alarming viewpoints in this thread and Regent needs to pay attention.

 

AS for the carpeting I have seen the same problem on Silversea. I think it's due to the kind of carpeting they install which has sort of a sheen to the nap and can look worn out from one direction and perfectly fine from another.

[TahoeTraveler]

Thank you Marilyn for the info on the Costa Maya tour. I'll keep my fingers crossed that the cancellation was a one-time thing and not a trend. Either way, a cancellation notice upon boarding definitely should give us the opportunity to book something else (like the dune buggy tour, which sounds like more fun to me...but it's hubby's birthday, not mine, so he gets to pick:rolleyes:).

 

Tami

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Wow.

 

653 is midship. I have never heard a complaint about vibration that far forward before.

 

I agree. I've not been in this particular cabin of course. The ship always creaks a bit when it's at sea of course, and there are normal ship sounds.

 

Alexandra, should I be worried? How bad was this cabin? Did others complain about noise in their cabins? I've been on both sides in that range of cabins, but several cabins further forward.

 

I really am hoping that it is "princess and the pea" syndrome! No blame for that, I find the first night on board any ship kind of uncomfortable with all the creaks and groans going on.

[3T's Cruiser]

It's funny how so many people can be on the same cruise and have totally different experiences!

 

I too was on the 11-23 Voyager....I saw iced tea being passed around daily on serving trays....I smelled no smoke except at the cigar lounge (believe me I notice smoke because I am allergic to it).....towels were being replaced quickly at the gang plank.....my meals were fabulous at all 3 dining venues....I got the wines I wanted everynight....bar staff had my drink order ready before I barely sat down at a table....we only had one tender port and the tenders provided by a tour company in Belize held 3 times as many people as a Regent tender.....there were over 350 repeaters on this sailing...and the total amount of pax was 682.

 

Was I on the same cruise? Oh - and I have 120 nights with Regent :)

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Sounds lovely! I intend to have a good time a week from now, believe me.

[xrvlcruiser]

Alexandra Cruiser:

>>will be on Seabourn Sojourn in May,,,,same size as Voyager,,,will see if it has similar problem...<<

The Voyager has a capacity of 700 (I know - more when 3 in a cabin) and the Seabourn holds closer to 450.

[Travelcat2]

It seems that the new ships are intentionally not putting cabins/suites aft. There were no aft suites on the Silver Spirit and, if I am reading the deck plan correctly, the Seabourn Sojourn and Odyssey are built in the same manner. Sitting in a aft lounge, I did notice a shudder/vibration on the Spirit. The vibration on the Navigator and Voyager is well documented and could be one of the reasons that aft suites are missing from newer ships.

[Sunviking]

It seems that the new ships are intentionally not putting cabins/suites aft. There were no aft suites on the Silver Spirit and, if I am reading the deck plan correctly, the Seabourn Sojourn and Odyssey are built in the same manner. Sitting in a aft lounge, I did notice a shudder/vibration on the Spirit. The vibration on the Navigator and Voyager is well documented and could be one of the reasons that aft suites are missing from newer ships.

 

What a shame! One of the most lovely things to do is sit on your aft balcony and sip some fine wine or champagne and watch the wake and the sky. For those of us that don't have a problem with motion sickness (yes, I know we are blessed), side balconies just don't fill the bill. Forward balconies are a negative since when you are underway they are unusable.

[WesW]

Darn Ann, if I knew Al and you were enjoying fine wine and exquisite champagne on your aft balcony I would have pestered you for an invite :)...sounds absolutely wonderful.

[Sunviking]

Darn Ann, if I knew Al and you were enjoying fine wine and exquisite champagne on your aft balcony I would have pestered you for an invite :)...sounds absolutely wonderful.

Next time, Wes! :):) The aft balconies are absolutely wonderful. I hope you and Ida (and the dogs) had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Emma has taken over again.

[Travelcat2]

Sunviking: Yes, you were definitely blessed. Some passengers have become extremely ill in those suites and were forced to find other accommodations on the ship. We were in 701 on a "crossing" last year (Cape Town to Rio) and the seas were like glass so I understand how wonderful it can be. Past reviews do indicate that aft suites on the Voyager can be a nightmare. Glad to hear that this was not your experience.

[OrpingtonT]

What a shame! One of the most lovely things to do is sit on your aft balcony and sip some fine wine or champagne and watch the wake and the sky.

 

I do agree with you, Ann. Our first cruise on Voyager was in an aft-facing balcony suite and it was heaven in the evenings at sailaway.

 

We tried to get a paid upgrade on our recent TA and were offered one, but too much money was reuquired for little old me to stomach.

[alexandra cruiser]

sorry,,but I really WAS bothered by vibration,,,hubby felt it,,but not a real problem....maybe I m just super sensitive,,,but felt it ALL the time,,,,esp.on bed and toilet,,,sorry,,,,odd we d be in same room...other than that,,,,I loved room,,,spacious,nice balcony,clean,,etc.....so just see for yourself...

 

Sorry,about Sojourn passenger number,,,right its much less....

 

PS...do bring a few granola bars,,or similar,,,,will not let you take "food or fruit" onshore when going on tours,etc....these dont count,it seems....for late lunch times....

 

Good luck....as I said,,,would go on another Regent,,,but try another ship,,,hear they have similar problem...maybe ship size????We ll see,,,,,,,;)

[OrpingtonT]

PS...do bring a few granola bars,,or similar,,,,will not let you take "food or fruit" onshore when going on tours,etc....these dont count,it seems....for late lunch times....

 

;)

 

Crikey!...Our problem is eating less so we have an appetite for lunch or dinner or whatever. I cannot "do" snacks.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I agree. I don't really need snacks, let alone granola bars.