Seven Seas Society (minor) changes...

[Portolan]

I noticed a few changes to the tier benefits which have been posted at:

https://www.rssc.com/seven-seas-society/members-benefits/

 

As current Gold, I see they now are explicit about two unlimited WiFi logins...which ought to mean per Gold member, but I guessing they will interpret as "per suite." [it might be worth challenging that interpretation since they explicitly stat that the phone benefit is per suite...hmm.] Thus providing some stated advantage over the free WiFi for all (1 per suite).

 

Now also 4 items per person per week for pressing.

 

Also don't remember getting the newspaper service (presuming they don't mean the extract). Think it was an additional charge when offered last fall.

 

Not having paid a lot of attention to the higher levels, though we'll make Platinum in a year or two...(with a really useful laundry benefit), but I think the now 9 hours of phone time is a boost?

[Travelcat2]

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I think that it is important to differentiate "free internet" that will soon be offered on all ships in all categories from "included internet" for Seven Seas Society Gold and above members. Having been on Oceania where we had the "free internet" benefit, it was difficult for my DH and I to share the one "free" internet connection after years of having unlimited internet on Regent for both of us!

[DaveFr]

I noticed a few changes to the tier benefits which have been posted at:

https://www.rssc.com/seven-seas-society/members-benefits/

 

As current Gold, I see they now are explicit about two unlimited WiFi logins...which ought to mean per Gold member, but I guessing they will interpret as "per suite." [it might be worth challenging that interpretation since they explicitly stat that the phone benefit is per suite...hmm.] Thus providing some stated advantage over the free WiFi for all (1 per suite).

 

Now also 4 items per person per week for pressing.

 

Also don't remember getting the newspaper service (presuming they don't mean the extract). Think it was an additional charge when offered last fall.

 

Not having paid a lot of attention to the higher levels, though we'll make Platinum in a year or two...(with a really useful laundry benefit), but I think the now 9 hours of phone time is a boost?

The only change I see to benefits over last year is the notation that the unlimited Wi-Fi benefit includes two logins. As you and TC stated, the change is meant to differentiate the Gold and above benefit from the standard one login per suite benefit. On our invoices these days, I see: "COMPLIMENTARY INTERNET - PLATINUM SOCIETY MEMBER" and an indication that the benefit is for Guests 1 & 2. Your Regent invoice for your upcoming Explorer cruise should have similar language.

 

For garment pressing, Gold passengers have been able to get four items pressed per seven day segment for at least five years. The text of the benefits used to show two items pressed per week for Silver plus an additional two items pressed per week for Gold for a total of four items per week. Now the Gold benefit is up to four items pressed per week and since Gold benefits include Silver benefits, I suppose you could argue that you are entitled to six items pressed per week combining the Gold and Silver benefits. You'll probably lose the argument but it can't hurt to try. :)

 

The free newspaper service for Golds has been in place at least since 2011. The form you fill out for the service indicates that there will be a daily charge but the charge is not accessed if you are Gold or above. I usually write our tier level on the request form as a precaution. Also, remember that the newspaper benefit is per person for everyone Gold and above and not per suite.

 

Hope this helps.

[DaveFr]

Oops, I probably should have used "imposed" instead of "accessed." :D

[Anchorbuoy]

I noticed a few changes to the tier benefits which have been posted at:

https://www.rssc.com/seven-seas-society/members-benefits/

 

The benefits page has been changed again, adding additional perks such as discounts for loyalty level. These are better than the concierge discounts. The new benefits start in late July.

 

 

Bronze-level and higher: Double Nights for Solo Travelers - When sailing in single occupancy, earn double the loyalty nights.

 

Silver-level and higher: Society Pages Newsletter Subscription - quarterly publication that offers an insider's view of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

 

Gold-level and higher: FREE Valet Laundry Service - complimentary bag of laundry picked up and delivered.

 

Platinum-level and higher: Discounts and Gifts - 10 percent discount on Regent Choice Shore Excursions, Hotel and Land Programs, as well as leather luggage tags delivered with cruise documents.

 

Titanium-level: Discounts and Suite Access - additional 15 percent discount (25% total) on Regent Choice Shore Excursions, Hotel and Land Programs. Access suite as early as 1pm on embarkation day.

[kmkord]

The benefits page has been changed again, adding additional perks such as discounts for loyalty level. These are better than the concierge discounts. The new benefits start in late July.

 

 

Bronze-level and higher: Double Nights for Solo Travelers - When sailing in single occupancy, earn double the loyalty nights.

 

Silver-level and higher: Society Pages Newsletter Subscription - quarterly publication that offers an insider's view of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

 

Gold-level and higher: FREE Valet Laundry Service - complimentary bag of laundry picked up and delivered.

 

Platinum-level and higher: Discounts and Gifts - 10 percent discount on Regent Choice Shore Excursions, Hotel and Land Programs, as well as leather luggage tags delivered with cruise documents.

 

Titanium-level: Discounts and Suite Access - additional 15 percent discount (25% total) on Regent Choice Shore Excursions, Hotel and Land Programs. Access suite as early as 1pm on embarkation day.

 

 

Double Nights for Solo Travelers - When sailing in single occupancy, earn double the loyalty nights.

 

This is fabulous news!!

[Emperor Norton]

Double Nights for Solo Travelers - When sailing in single occupancy, earn double the loyalty nights.

 

This is fabulous news!!

 

Pity it's not retroactive. Also Titanium still gets shorted over concierge (wrt boarding time and making restaurant reservations). It seems they'd rather cash grab upfront than cultivate clientele.

[DaveFr]

Pity it's not retroactive. Also Titanium still gets shorted over concierge (wrt boarding time and making restaurant reservations). It seems they'd rather cash grab upfront than cultivate clientele.

Criticize Regent all you want but please get your facts straight. No one in Concierge suites or above gets to board earlier than other passengers. Anyone who is Silver or above gets to book restaurants and excursions at the same time as those in Concierge suites or above.

[Emperor Norton]

Criticize Regent all you want but please get your facts straight. No one in Concierge suites or above gets to board earlier than other passengers. Anyone who is Silver or above gets to book restaurants and excursions at the same time as those in Concierge suites or above.

 

Mea culpa re: dining - I couldn't find specific dates for Titanium v. Concierge and my booking time for the upcoming Explorer cruise seemed suspiciously close.

 

The boarding time is a trickier issue - as Regent says "Beginning with the following voyages early boarding will be available to guests in the below suites and/or have the below Seven Seas Society status. " Suite availability is also tied to the Concierge passengers ahead of Titanium passengers.

Edited April 9, 2016 by Emperor Norton

[Portolan]

The boarding time is a trickier issue - as Regent says "Beginning with the following voyages early boarding will be available to guests in the below suites and/or have the below Seven Seas Society status. " Suite availability is also tied to the Concierge passengers ahead of Titanium passengers.

 

The chart you posted shows the same boarding time for all. Only difference is when the suite is available.

[Emperor Norton]

The chart you posted shows the same boarding time for all. Only difference is when the suite is available.

 

Indeed it does, but the text above it says differently. The question then becomes, which one will be correct, the text or the chart. Is the chart currently correct but as of the listed dates it will no longer be accurate? Or was the early boarding text totally inaccurate for those dates?

Edited April 9, 2016 by Emperor Norton

[mj_holiday]

Looking at the different benefits I have a question about a statement for Silver where it says

 

"Upgrade tier status instantly on your first voyage when sailing 21 nights or more "

 

What does this mean?

[DaveFr]

Mea culpa re: dining - I couldn't find specific dates for Titanium v. Concierge and my booking time for the upcoming Explorer cruise seemed suspiciously close.

 

The boarding time is a trickier issue - as Regent says "Beginning with the following voyages early boarding will be available to guests in the below suites and/or have the below Seven Seas Society status. " Suite availability is also tied to the Concierge passengers ahead of Titanium passengers.

Sorry for doubting you on the boarding issue. It appears that Regent has silently changed its boarding procedures via the FAQ. Get ready for a contentious thread on class warfare. :( Courtesy of the Wayback Machine, here is what the FAQ said in 2014:

 

"The ship is ready for embarkation between 12pm (noon) and 1pm. However, the suites are not usually available before 3pm. If sailing from a U.S. port, in order to meet U.S. Customs and Border Protection requirements, all guests must embark the ship no later than two hours prior to sailing time. All other sailings require guests to embark no later than an hour and 30 minutes prior to sailing time. For disembarkation, guests should plan on vacating their suites shortly after the scheduled arrival time into port. Cruise-only guests should not schedule flights prior to four hours after disembarkation."

 

The chart and explanatory paragraph are new. If, as it seems, Regent intends to differentiate boarding times by category (above Penthouse suites) and Titanium level, I believe the passengers in suites above the Penthouse category and Titanium passengers will be allowed to board at noon while everyone else will have to wait until 1 pm to board. If so, then the embark time for "Remaining Suites" in the chart should be 1 pm instead of noon.

Edited April 9, 2016 by DaveFr

[DaveFr]

Looking at the different benefits I have a question about a statement for Silver where it says

 

"Upgrade tier status instantly on your first voyage when sailing 21 nights or more "

 

What does this mean?

If a passenger sails enough nights to reach a new Society tier level at any time during a cruise, Regent will upgrade the passenger to the new level at the beginning of the cruise. For example if a passenger has sailed 10 nights with Regent and then books a second cruise of 12 nights, Regent will upgrade the passenger to Silver (21 or more nights) at the beginning of the second cruise.

 

My last cruise was for 28 nights. Since all first time cruisers would have at least 21 nights on Regent during the cruise, they started the cruise as Silver tier members.

[Portolan]

Indeed it does, but the text above it says differently. The question then becomes, which one will be correct, the text or the chart. Is the chart currently correct but as of the listed dates it will no longer be accurate? Or was the early boarding text totally inaccurate for those dates?

 

Personally, I'd believe the chart. It has more explicit information. The preceding paragraph looks like copy written quickly without paying attention to the chart, not the other way around.

 

It also makes little sense to stagger the boarding times by status/suite since in 14 cruises with Regent so far, we have never experienced any consequential jam when boarding. We have always boarded ~noon and then have lunch while waiting for our suite. The basic logistics of having the ships ready for boarding and providing lunch, always a signature feature for Regent, don't change. They are just going to prioritize suite prep based on status and category...I'm OK with that.

 

I'm a cup-half-full kinda guy. If you wish to look at the worst case scenario (from your perspective), fine.

[Gilly]

Just Like Portolan, we have never experienced any differentiation when it comes to boarding, regardless of the suite we booked nor our SSS status, but have simply arrived around lunchtime and enjoyed a relaxed lunch on the pool deck, maybe spotting a few familiar faces along the way. Sometime when we're done, we've pottered down and found our suite and settled in. I can see no point in rushing to get into a suite any earlier, when there's likely to be no luggage delivered yet and nothing much to do: much better to get into the groove, relax and leave all the hassle behind.

[IndiTravler]

Just Like Portolan, we have never experienced any differentiation when it comes to boarding, regardless of the suite we booked nor our SSS status, but have simply arrived around lunchtime and enjoyed a relaxed lunch on the pool deck, maybe spotting a few familiar faces along the way. Sometime when we're done, we've pottered down and found our suite and settled in. I can see no point in rushing to get into a suite any earlier, when there's likely to be no luggage delivered yet and nothing much to do: much better to get into the groove, relax and leave all the hassle behind.

 

LIKE -- that's what we have done too.