Hotel Credit reduced

[DaveFr]

I just booked a future cruise while on the Navigator and the hotel credit was reduced to $200 per person. The same reduced credit applied when I made the same reservation online.

 

Dave

 

P.S. I just noticed that the cover letter from the Future Cruise Consultant expressly mentioned that the hotel credit was $200 per person.

[EleanorWW]

is the hotel credit less than what Regent said they would offer you?

 

is your city of departure an expensive hotel city?

 

perhaps Regent figured $300/person wasn't necessary?

 

just back from Mariner's Athens to Rome. we weren't offered the choice, a pre-cruise credit was all that was available. we booked a swell hotel with views of the Acropolis and Zeus' Temple. Regent-booked guests at the Intercontinental did not get any views. our privately arranged transfer from airport to hotel was €55/$80. taxi from hotel to port €35/$50. with hotel, we spent a total of $400 of Regent's $600 credit for our pre-cruise. while we were tickled at our "windfall" it doesn't make sense for Regent to be quite so careless.

 

perhaps if the $200/person credit is too stingy, you can work it out with your TA? good luck!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I presume the point is that the hotel credit has been reduced across the board, for all cruises after a certain date.

 

At that price point, it makes the credit less viable, although that depends on what the offered hotel would be, and the distance from the port.

[Travelcat2]

This change does make sense to me. On our cruise departing next month, we booked our own hotel simply because of the $600 credit. We were able to book pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel nights for about the same price. Regent may be able to get a better deal if they book more passengers into their contracted hotels. If Regent can save money without really impacting us, it's fine with me. I would like to know when this begins and if it affects cruises already booked.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I can't imagine that affects cruises before a certain date. After all, I already have an invoice with $300 pp subtracted from it.

[wripro]

All it means to me is that instead of raising the price of the cruise by $300 pp to accommodate the hotel credit they are only raising it by $200.

[turtlemichael]

All it means to me is that instead of raising the price of the cruise by $300 pp to accommodate the hotel credit they are only raising it by $200.

 

I think they are raising the price by $300x2 but only giving you back $200x2 if you don't take the hotel. Clearly this will be an encouragement to many to use the Regent provided hotel as it is obviously harder to find equivalent standard alternatives with transfers at the lower price. The consequence of that is that Regent, rather than forefeiting $400 or $600 per couple, will now make a tidy profit on their deal with the hotel.

[RachelG]

I always thought $300 pp was a bit high. Even in expensive cities like Venice, I could do better than that on my own.

[turtlemichael]

This change does make sense to me. On our cruise departing next month, we booked our own hotel simply because of the $600 credit. We were able to book pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel nights for about the same price. Regent may be able to get a better deal if they book more passengers into their contracted hotels. If Regent can save money without really impacting us, it's fine with me. I would like to know when this begins and if it affects cruises already booked.

 

But it will impact you and others. Let's say you book your hotel/transfer for $350. Previously, you would have been $250 ahead after the credit. Now you will only be $50 ahead. I am sure no one seriously expects Regent will reduce their prices by $200 to refect this. All up a good decision for Regent.

[DaveFr]

My TA said she just learned about the hotel credit reduction and that it would apply to new bookings of 2013 cruises.

 

Dave

[Travelcat2]

But it will impact you and others. Let's say you book your hotel/transfer for $350. Previously, you would have been $250 ahead after the credit. Now you will only be $50 ahead. I am sure no one seriously expects Regent will reduce their prices by $200 to refect this. All up a good decision for Regent.

 

You are correct. I should have said that the impact is acceptable to us. Regent is going to make changes -- some changes sting more than others. Perhaps I'm still so happy about the changes to the concierge program that anything Regent does seems okay:confused:

[Eager2Travel]

We just booked a December 2012 cruise and it appears that the credit is still $300. So, it looks like it starts in 2013. We just squeezed through.:)

[janisegn]

Eager2Travel - we just booked the 18th December Navigator 2012 cruise and we received a $200 pp hotel credit - different cruise? - we're leaving out of Miami -

[wripro]

So the hotel credit will now be $100 less on Regent than it is on Oceania. Unless they follow suit.

[Eager2Travel]

We are on the Dec. 19th Voyager which is Bali to Auckland. Maybe the amount of the credit is based on the expense of the location. Bali hotels and transfers would probably cost more as the port is not convenient to most of the better hotels. They also are including a 3 day hotel stay either pre or post cruise so that may factor into the hotel stay credit.