Regent communication and marketing issues

[UUNetBill]

I wouldn't say all of Regent corporate has a problem, but I'd say that a lot of Regent corporate has a problem.

 

The website issues are but an indication of an attitude of meh. The very fact that there are many threads where people are advising others to escalate issues to senior management tells me that the customer facing troops don't have the knowledge or the proper tools to do their jobs.

 

I've never sailed any of Regent's direct competitors, but to say that Regent doesn't need to be a leader in any aspect of their operation is the antithesis of a luxury experience. If a 'luxury' operation is aware of a deficiency anywhere in their organization and doesn't take steps to fix it, they've tarnished their reputation.

 

In the same way I expect better service in Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom than in Walmart, or Bentley or Rolls Royce over Hyundai, I can definitely expect Regent to fix problems in their operation. And it will take more than a Band Aid fix; it will take a concerted effort (and capital expenditures) to clear this up.

 

Ignoring problems in any area is a sure path to mediocrity.

Edited August 7, 2016 by UUNetBill

[CruisetheCs]

Perhaps I read Bill's post differently. I agree that there is an issue with the website but do not agree that all of corporate has a problem (and do not believe that is what Bill indicated). Whatever questions or issues we have are solved by speaking with our TA. From I have learned over the years, the job of cruise line executives not to interact with customers on a daily basis. They have people that are paid to do that (and I also agree that Customer Service Representatives need more training, however, if you have a good TA, there is no reason to even call them).

 

To paint all of corporate with one broad negative stroke is not fair to anyone.

 

What you stated ("When you have some customer service areas that are too often mediocre to poor (as in the web site or direct communications with Miami) the image of the company erodes") does not hold true. In the years that we have sailed on Regent, corporate is no better or worse than it was when PCH purchased Regent. The only thing that is the same is that some passengers (a small percentage based on the number of Regent passengers that are also CC members) continue to complain. If any readers have the time, look back 5 or 6 years at the posts on the Regent board. It is no different than it is today.

 

IMO, the solution is more training for Customer Service, adding staff to update the website and customers that find so much fault with Regent that they feel they must continually complain on the Regent website (which, IMO, causes more harm that good) to try another cruise line and see if the grass is greener on the other side.

 

P.S. Coincidentally, there are a handful of people that left Regent a few years ago and now are on the Regent board discussing their upcoming cruises. Not faulting them at all. We tried Silversea and Oceania and the result was that we enjoy Regent more than we ever did.

 

I said they have “a management problem.” They do not manage their communication and marketing well in many instances. By acknowledging the problems with their website, you have said the same thing as far as I can tell, though not in those words. (You even suggest changes to the call center and training in posts above. Isn’t the arrangement of the call center and customer service training a management decision?) I don’t see how it is possible to say that they have an ongoing website problem and to argue that there is no management issue. Some one is in charge!

 

If they have a web site problem and you work around that by using your travel agent, then I think there is a problem. This is like trying to argue that your brokerage company doesn’t have a management problem when their web site doesn’t update properly and you can’t rely on answers from their call center—so you just rely on your financial planner to get the info.

 

Please let me know exactly where I painted all of corporate with one broad stroke.

[DeepFreeze63]

Hope springs eternal! I, for one, intend to "chill out" on this topic and give Regent some time/space to fix the problem. What calmed me down? I went on the RSSC web site and under "Careers" I noted a flurry of hiring activity in the last 2 months for the ITT department (my particular pet peeve).

Besides getting my blood pressure down gives me a better chance of making "Titanium".

[Travelcat2]

Hope springs eternal! I, for one, intend to "chill out" on this topic and give Regent some time/space to fix the problem. What calmed me down? I went on the RSSC web site and under "Careers" I noted a flurry of hiring activity in the last 2 months for the ITT department (my particular pet peeve).

Besides getting my blood pressure down gives me a better chance of making "Titanium".

 

Really interesting information - thanks for sharing.

 

Bill and CruisetheCs, in my opinion, saying that Regent has a management issue is the "broad negative stroke" that I'm referring to. When you speak of individual departments (Customer Service, ITT, etc.) it is specific to possible problem areas rather than leaving it open to the readers interpretation. I interpreted the broad stroke to mean that most or all departments at Regent have issues which, IMO, is definitely not the case.

 

Bill, I do believe that Regent is a leader in many areas. You may recall that Regent had many "firsts" that were copied by other cruise lines. Regent was the first of the four major luxury lines to introduce the strict smoking policies and more relaxed dress policy for instance. Although I'm not a fan of included excursions, Regent was the first to include most excursions and now Silversea has some included excursions.

 

I feel that communication is a different issue. In the last year or so, Regent has improved some of their communication - specifically on their website (which in a way is funny). A few months ago I saw "notices" on the first page of the website communicating some issues (do not recall specifically what they were). I think that one reason the four luxury cruise lines have not delved into responding on Cruise Critic is it would like be jumping into a lake full of crocodiles. It is one thing to pass on information but quite another to have people arguing with you under assumed names. Randall Soy has been kind enough to answer Explorer questions and Jason O'Keefe has popped on to this board a couple of times. That is more than what happens on some other luxury cruise boards.

Edited August 7, 2016 by Travelcat2

[CruisetheCs]

....

Bill and CruisetheCs, in my opinion, saying that Regent has a management issue is the "broad negative stroke" that I'm referring to. When you speak of individual departments (Customer Service, ITT, etc.) it is specific to possible problem areas rather than leaving it open to the readers interpretation. I interpreted the broad stroke to mean that most or all departments at Regent have issues which, IMO, is definitely not the case.

....

 

Management is in charge of the website, marketing, communications and everything else. I have no idea what part of management is the problem with getting the web site fixed, for example, because I know nothing about their management structure or the interaction within divisions. But in all organizations, ultimately the CEO is responsible.

 

There is a another thread now on CC about Regent’s confusing and/or misleading advertising and the inability to get a resolution for that. When you these kind of complaints that are not resolved, there is a management problem somewhere within the organization. There is obviously a culture within management that permits these problems to continue. Such a culture is not a communication or marketing issue, it is a management issue.

 

BTW, the Explorer is currently under construction according to the web site!

[Travelcat2]

Management is in charge of the website, marketing, communications and everything else. I have no idea what part of management is the problem with getting the web site fixed, for example, because I know nothing about their management structure or the interaction within divisions. But in all organizations, ultimately the CEO is responsible.

 

There is a another thread now on CC about Regent’s confusing and/or misleading advertising and the inability to get a resolution for that. When you these kind of complaints that are not resolved, there is a management problem somewhere within the organization. There is obviously a culture within management that permits these problems to continue. Such a culture is not a communication or marketing issue, it is a management issue.

 

BTW, the Explorer is currently under construction according to the web site!

 

IMO, this is the same argument and does not make sense to me. The CEO of Regent is also the CEO of NCL and Oceania and is rarely in the office. There is likely at least two levels of management between him and the head of the departments we have been discussing. If one felt compelled to complain, it probably should be to the President of Regent rather the CEO of NCHL. Have you tried that?

 

Also, the problem with the website that you were specific about has been addressed earlier in this thread. What has also been discussed is the fact that Regent has been hiring ITT personnel to fix the problem(s).

 

With all due respect, your harsh comments regarding Regent management seems a bit over the top. Thankfully, the major issues that Regent deals with are not in question (safety, food, service etc.) In the overall scheme of things, the website and customer service representatives would, IMO, not be at the top of the list of anyone's concerns. While definitely a nuisance, it is not a deal-breaker for most long time Regent customers. Besides, as has been mentioned, anything you want to know from the website or a customer service representative can be answered by your TA. Hopefully, with new employees onboard, the website issues will be fixed sooner rather than later. '

 

In terms of advertising, people have complained about it for years but Regent still fully books most of their itineraries.

 

These are my opinions and you certainly are entitled to yours. It would be nice, however, if both of us were fair to Regent and not bashing them unnecessarily. Is it not enough to state that the website needs to be fixed and the customer service reps. could use more training? And, for CC members, is it not fair to suggest that they work with a TA experienced with luxury cruising so questions can be answered by them rather than customer service representatives that probably have a bias? After all, and I know that I'm repeating myself, a TA will advise you which suites to avoid while a customer service representative will likely not tell you this information - no matter how much training they have.

[UUNetBill]

Well, I'm gonna jump back in here and state that I, for one, wasn't 'bashing' Regent. In fact, I'm a pretty vocal cheerleader myself. But the problems with their land-based operations is most definitely a management issue. We can debate at which level the problem lies, but we can't discount the fact that there is a problem.

 

As I said earlier, it's not enough of an issue to get me to change lines, but it most certainly is an annoyance. I'd think that if you just spent half a billion dollars on a new toy, you'd want everyone to know - not show it as 'under construction' six weeks after launch. And when the phone reps don't know that Navigator is out of drydock weeks after the fact, it just shows a lack of product knowledge that taints the entire brand, IMO.

 

And I love the onboard experience, with my last cruise just last month and two more booked in Apr and Aug next year. I obviously still enjoy the onboard experience, I just wish they'd throw some resources at the land-based portion of the experience, that's all...

[gnomie1]

The old saying "you get one chance to make a good first impression" holds very true in this circumstance. Most vendors in the high end arena know this and take it very seriously. Just think about any high end retailer, no matter what the product, and you can be sure they go above and beyond to make sure that the process reflects "luxury" through all aspects of the business, not just the end product.

 

No matter what the business or industry, the buck stops at the CEO or the equivalent. I have owned a number of businesses and no matter what the problem, at the end of the day I was ultimately responsible, even if it was completely out of my hands. That is what differentiates a great leader from a good leader - the willingness to take responsibility for errors and problems and going forward to make sure they are corrected and not repeated.

 

In 2016, it is inexcusable for any large organization to have web presence that is not monitored and updated daily if not hourly. As Regent tries to shift its demographics to a younger audience, they will have to realize that people have come to expect almost instant (and accurate) responses to their tweets, facebook postiings, web queries etc. Just in the last two years the marketplace has changed dramatically and businesses that do not keep up with technology and the expectations of the consumer will fall behind.

 

The "canned response" of one should have a TA that specializes in luxury travel is fine for someone who knows what type of vacation they want - however for many people just trying to get ideas and doing initial research, the method of choice for obtaining information is from a company website and as I said in my first sentence - you get one chance to make a good first impression - there are no second chances.

 

gnomie :)

[Travelcat2]

Well, I'm gonna jump back in here and state that I, for one, wasn't 'bashing' Regent. In fact, I'm a pretty vocal cheerleader myself. But the problems with their land-based operations is most definitely a management issue. We can debate at which level the problem lies, but we can't discount the fact that there is a problem.

 

As I said earlier, it's not enough of an issue to get me to change lines, but it most certainly is an annoyance. I'd think that if you just spent half a billion dollars on a new toy, you'd want everyone to know - not show it as 'under construction' six weeks after launch. And when the phone reps don't know that Navigator is out of drydock weeks after the fact, it just shows a lack of product knowledge that taints the entire brand, IMO.

 

And I love the onboard experience, with my last cruise just last month and two more booked in Apr and Aug next year. I obviously still enjoy the onboard experience, I just wish they'd throw some resources at the land-based portion of the experience, that's all...

 

Agree that you were not bashing Regent. I am wondering if you have tried contacting whomever is in charge of the website and letting him/her know your thoughts. You write very well and seem able to see all sides of an issue. I'm wondering if hearing from customers directly may help speed up the process. Just a thought.

[CruisetheCs]

It appears to me that Gnomie, Bill and I are all saying essentially the same thing, namely that there is a management problem of some kind. The labels “harsh” and “bashing” from an earlier post I still don’t understand, but so be it. Actually, there are any number of things in the world that I don't understand. :)

 

I will post more thoughts about Regent’s marketing when I have more time.

 

BTW, today the website still shows the Explorer to be under construction.

[Portolan]

Interesting...right now Cruise Critic isn't letting me quote a previous poster.

 

To wit: "BTW, today the website still shows the Explorer to be under construction."

 

So maybe that's technically correct as they fix a few things. However, it ought to at least say "Under Construction today in Corfu, Greece." :)

[Travelcat2]

Interesting...right now Cruise Critic isn't letting me quote a previous poster.

 

To wit: "BTW, today the website still shows the Explorer to be under construction."

 

So maybe that's technically correct as they fix a few things. However, it ought to at least say "Under Construction today in Corfu, Greece." :)

 

Think that the issue is your system - as you can see, I'm quoting you to test out the feature.

[CruisetheCs]

Interesting...right now Cruise Critic isn't letting me quote a previous poster.

 

To wit: "BTW, today the website still shows the Explorer to be under construction."

 

So maybe that's technically correct as they fix a few things. However, it ought to at least say "Under Construction today in Corfu, Greece." :)

 

Clever at breaking codes, I see:)

 

I didn't quote the whole thing though. It has another line "arriving summer 2016", but I can see now that the wording is not wrong. It is arriving somewhere everyday in 2016 :)

[UUNetBill]

Agree that you were not bashing Regent. I am wondering if you have tried contacting whomever is in charge of the website and letting him/her know your thoughts. You write very well and seem able to see all sides of an issue. I'm wondering if hearing from customers directly may help speed up the process. Just a thought.

 

Jackie, yep, I've sent several messages via their 'Contact Me' page as well as pointing out my observations in a recent popup survey. So far, no changes.

 

I'd love to see a 'Contact Webmaster' link, too, so it would be easier to report minor website issues. I think I'll make it one of my little goals in life to watch the website and see how long it takes to acknowledge that their new ship is actually built and sailing.

 

:D

[UUNetBill]

Interesting...right now Cruise Critic isn't letting me quote a previous poster.

 

If that happens, I'd recommend refreshing your page - it's entirely possible that a post was deleted between the time you opened the page and the time you clicked the 'Quote' button...just a thought...

[JMARINER]

I have been under the impression that some Regent Exec types (Randall Soy and occasionally FDR) follow this board. I wonder why there is no official acknowledgement or comment from Regent that they are concerned about addressing this long standing and ongoing problem with their internet presence being so technically and factual poor and out of date.

 

j

[UUNetBill]

I have been under the impression that some Regent Exec types (Randall Soy and occasionally FDR) follow this board. I wonder why there is no official acknowledgement or comment from Regent that they are concerned about addressing this long standing and ongoing problem with their internet presence being so technically and factual poor and out of date.

 

j

 

I'd kind of wondered that myself. Although I want to rip my hair out when I see obvious, glaring errors on the website, I disagree that it's technically poor. I actually much prefer the Regent interface and layout to the competition's websites. I can't comment on the post-booking features of the other lines, since I've never sailed with them, but from a 'let me look at available cruises' standpoint, I think Regent is a bit better than the others.

 

Again, JMO.

[Travelcat2]

Jackie, yep, I've sent several messages via their 'Contact Me' page as well as pointing out my observations in a recent popup survey. So far, no changes.

 

I'd love to see a 'Contact Webmaster' link, too, so it would be easier to report minor website issues. I think I'll make it one of my little goals in life to watch the website and see how long it takes to acknowledge that their new ship is actually built and sailing.

 

:D

 

It may take a little time since it seems that Regent has been hiring for that department recently. If they have hired new people, they may be getting up to speed. I agree with you that Regent's website is a little better than others (especially having the ability to check out which suites are available, etc.)

 

JMARINER: FDR has not followed the Regent or Oceania boards for quite a while (guessing two years) and I would guess that Randall Soy may follow it but, IMO, made the right decision to stay out of the fray.

 

IMO, it would be good if Regent put a notice on their website indicating that the site is going to be under construction for a certain amount of time and to bear with them. BTW, I did notice another error on the site yesterday - a Seven Seas aft suite on the Mariner was listed under a Seven Seas forward suite (for those that are not aware of the difference, Seven Seas forward does not have the extra half-bath.)

Edited August 9, 2016 by Travelcat2

[UUNetBill]

It may take a little time since it seems that Regent has been hiring for that department recently. If they have hired new people, they may be getting up to speed. I agree with you that Regent's website is a little better than others (especially having the ability to check out which suites are available, etc.)

 

JMARINER: FDR has not followed the Regent or Oceania boards for quite a while (guessing two years) and I would guess that Randall Soy may follow it but, IMO, made the right decision to stay out of the fray.

 

IMO, it would be good if Regent put a notice on their website indicating that the site is going to be under construction for a certain amount of time and to bear with them. BTW, I did notice another error on the site yesterday - a Seven Seas aft suite on the Mariner was listed under a Seven Seas forward suite (for those that are not aware of the difference, Seven Seas forward does not have the extra half-bath.)

 

I don't think you'll ever see a company put up an 'Under Construction' notice in this day and age. But that error you noticed is indicative of the points we've been making - forward and aft haven't changed on the Mariner that I'm aware of, so there's really no excuse for that type of error. If I booked a suite expecting a bath and a half and ended up with just one bath, I would be absolutely livid. I know that ports and excursions can change, but forward and aft on a ship should be pretty much constant...

 

PS - rssc.com still says that Explorer is under construction. :rolleyes:

[Mike Moore]

Greetings Cruise Critic community. For those of you that have sailed with us, you know that we take a great deal of pride in our brand. We strive for excellence in all areas, and the website is no exception. The issues you have brought up in this thread are all known, and addressing them issues is on the short-term road map. There have been some changes in this area recently, and I'm optimistic that we will make significant strides in the right direction in the coming months.

 

Thank you as always for your patience, for sharing your thoughts, and above all, for sailing with Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

[UUNetBill]

Greetings Cruise Critic community. For those of you that have sailed with us, you know that we take a great deal of pride in our brand. We strive for excellence in all areas, and the website is no exception. The issues you have brought up in this thread are all known, and addressing them issues is on the short-term road map. There have been some changes in this area recently, and I'm optimistic that we will make significant strides in the right direction in the coming months.

 

Thank you as always for your patience, for sharing your thoughts, and above all, for sailing with Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

 

Mike Moore - good to hear, and thank you for taking the time to respond to our concerns! Maybe we'll get Explorer completed and out on the high seas before the end of summer! :D

[Travelcat2]

Mike Moore, appreciate seeing you back on the Regent board and it is good to know that these issues are known and will be addressed. Bill may well be right about an "under construction" notice being old fashioned so, how about a short notice about the website being updated?

[Mike Moore]

The website is always "under construction" - unlike Seven Seas Explorer ;) - so the notice would always have to be there.

[Rumpymuffin]

They don't make it easy. Has anyone cracked the code? :(

[Mike Moore]

If you complete the form at the page below, that should do the trick for you.

 

https://www.rssc.com/change-address/