Back to back cruise query

[cruzbug]

We have booked a cruise in 2020 and are considering adding another cruise. We won't be able to book the same stateroom so we are wondering what the protocol is for changing staterooms. Do they usually have an excursion for passengers continuing on to the next cruise and, if so, how are valuables such as computers, etc. handled?

[Travelcat2]

Regent makes it easy to change suites when your are doing a back to back cruise.  They do most of the work.

 

Regent offers an excursion (they pick it) for passengers that are continuing on if there are enough passengers that sign up.

 

In terms of valuables, I guess it depends upon if/when you leave the ship for the excursion.  Ask the day before the end of the first leg if you could have access to the new suite in order to put things in the safe.  Answering this question made me realize that I should pay more attention to what I leave out (although in our 33 Regent cruises, not 1 penny was ever taken from our suite)

[ronrick1943]

We're doing a b2b in April, never gave it thought about the valuables.  Good question!  Let's hope we have access to the safe, the other stuff really isn't a problem as it will be in the hands of Regent employees so I wouldn't worry about it.

[papaflamingo]

We, too, are doing a b2b in 2020.  I hadn't actually given valuables much thought.  Thanks for the info.  Since we'll be in NYC we'll likely just go out on our own, so we'll try to get access to the new safe before we go.  If not, we'll have locking suitcases so we'll lock our valuables in one of those and let the crew move them.

Does anyone have any idea how early you can switch cabins?  Do they clean those cabins first? 

 

Edited July 20, 2019 by papaflamingo

[Travelcat2]

Since guests have to be out of their suite by 8:00 a.m., the “new” suite should be vacant at that time - waiting to be cleaned.  While you really can’t put things in the suite until it is cleaned, you likely can put things in the safe but I assume that this should be arranged in advance with Reception or the Head of Housekeeping.

[Floridiana]

On ‎7‎/‎18‎/‎2019 at 2:54 AM, Travelcat2 said:

I should pay more attention to what I leave out (although in our 33 Regent cruises, not 1 penny was ever taken from our suite)

 

You should, not because of the crew but because of other passengers. On one of our many cruises, random things disappeared, some valuable others not at all. It made no sense whatsoever. One day, a young teenager's smartphone disappeared. Luckily it had a search function. The phone was located in a passenger's cabin together with the other disappeared items; a kleptomaniac had 'collected' the items! 

[Travelcat2]

2 hours ago, Floridiana said:

 

You should, not because of the crew but because of other passengers. On one of our many cruises, random things disappeared, some valuable others not at all. It made no sense whatsoever. One day, a young teenager's smartphone disappeared. Luckily it had a search function. The phone was located in a passenger's cabin together with the other disappeared items; a kleptomaniac had 'collected' the items! 

 

Agree with you about passengers.  If you leave something of value unattended, it can grow legs and end up in someones pocket.

[JMARINER]

You can leave any valuables with the Purser desk where they will be locked in their safe. However, unless you are leaving the ship very early , you will have access to you new/transfer suite once the old occupant has debarked, usually by 9:00 am. You can wheel over your hand luggage and put it in the closet. The staff will bring over everything else in that is in the closet and drawers later in the morning.

 

As mentioned above, excursions are not always offered to B2B passengers. there needs to be a minimum number, say 10-15. If anything is offered it is usually a basic city tour. Also, do not expect to have dock to town shuttle service provided by the ship.

 

Depending on the port you may have to go through customs and immigration on the dock. Someone from the ship sometimes goes with you to speed up the process.

 

Lastly, you will need to go through the life boat drill again.

 

J

[rcandkc]

On 7/22/2019 at 8:14 AM, Floridiana said:

 

You should, not because of the crew but because of other passengers. On one of our many cruises, random things disappeared, some valuable others not at all. It made no sense whatsoever. One day, a young teenager's smartphone disappeared. Luckily it had a search function. The phone was located in a passenger's cabin together with the other disappeared items; a kleptomaniac had 'collected' the items! 

 

I wonder how they got in your room?

[Floridiana]

Not in my room and not my items, but we had fellow passengers who complained. The kleptomaniac stole clothing and the phone in the gym and a magnet outside the door frame. I don't know the other items since the crew kept mum, but word got around on this relatively small ship. 

 

While the stewards are cleaning the cabin, they leave the door open. When they are in the bathroom and the bed area, any passerby could have quickly grabbed an item from the desk.  It depends on the cabin configuration. 

[Me&Red]

We added a second cruise creating a back-to-back for our very first Regent experience in 2012. On the changeover day, we packed up our toiletries and emptied the drawers, putting those items in a suitcase. Valuables were checked with the purser. Crew handled everything else. Before we left the ship for the day’s adventures, we were given our new key cards. Upon our return, everything hanging in the closet, shoes, books, suitcases, etc had all been moved to the new room and put away. It couldn’t have been easier. 

 

Have a a great cruise!

[ronrick1943]

On 7/20/2019 at 6:17 AM, papaflamingo said:

We, too, are doing a b2b in 2020.  I hadn't actually given valuables much thought.  Thanks for the info.  Since we'll be in NYC we'll likely just go out on our own, so we'll try to get access to the new safe before we go.  If not, we'll have locking suitcases so we'll lock our valuables in one of those and let the crew move them.

Does anyone have any idea how early you can switch cabins?  Do they clean those cabins first? 

 

Be careful, if all goes well and you get off the ship ay 9:00AM in New York, the next cruise departs the dock at 4:00PM---don't be late.

[Travelcat2]

On 7/24/2019 at 1:34 PM, rcandkc said:

 

I wonder how they got in your room?

 

For us, the only things that have ever gone missing was when they were left in a restaurant or lounge.  I am 100% certain that the item(s) are taken by other passengers - not the crew.  I completely trust them to change rooms for us.  The only thing that we transfer ourselves is the items in the safe (the crew can't get Ito the safe).  

 

I also don't buy that because the doors are left open while cleaning the area that some random passenger can go into the suite, look around to find something worth stealing and take it......... without being seen by a crew member who knows who is in each suite.  

[merlot101]

On a recent cruise I went back to get something out of our cabin.  The asst butler had put a bean bag in the doorway of about 8 cabin doors to make cleaning, emptying trash,  linen replacement, etc  easier. No key was necessary to get in any of the cabins.   I got my camera and never saw our attendant.  I went directly to the hotel manager and complained.  He said this was not an approved shortcut.  

[papaflamingo]

10 hours ago, ronrick1943 said:

Be careful, if all goes well and you get off the ship ay 9:00AM in New York, the next cruise departs the dock at 4:00PM---don't be late.

Thanks...good point!  We've both been to NYC, so our current plan is to get an Uber to the World Trade Center Memorial and 9/11 Museum then head back to the ship around 1 pm. But you bring up an excellent point, to keep in mind Manhattan Traffic.

[Travelcat2]

4 hours ago, merlot101 said:

On a recent cruise I went back to get something out of our cabin.  The asst butler had put a bean bag in the doorway of about 8 cabin doors to make cleaning, emptying trash,  linen replacement, etc  easier. No key was necessary to get in any of the cabins.   I got my camera and never saw our attendant.  I went directly to the hotel manager and complained.  He said this was not an approved shortcut.  

 

I stand by my previous post.  You knew what you wanted - went into your suite and got it.  Other people would not know where to look for your camera (unless it was in plain sight).  Again, we have not had issues with anything going missing in our suite during our 449 days onboard Regent.  It is good that you reported this.

 

I have not heard of an "asst butler" and if there was one, he would not be cleaning, emptying trash, linen replacement, etc.  This is the job of the Stewardess/Steward.  Butlers do go into your suite to replenish ice, soft and hard drinks, delivering or cleaning up from room service (which is provided by the Butler - not by your Steward/Stewardess).  Regent also does not have "Hotel Managers" but I assume that you went to the General Manager.  

[JMARINER]

4 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Thanks...good point!  We've both been to NYC, so our current plan is to get an Uber to the World Trade Center Memorial and 9/11 Museum then head back to the ship around 1 pm. But you bring up an excellent point, to keep in mind Manhattan Traffic.

A couple of points about your excursion. Consider taking the Subway down to lower Manhattan. In the morning may be  lot faster than by Uber/Taxi, although you could use uber/taxi for the ship to the the nearest subway (34th Street-Hudson Yards Subway Station); it is about a15-20 minute walk. Total trip time using subway is about 20 minutes on the train or about 40 minutes total.  The other end station is right at the WTC.

 

Also buy your tickets for the museum in advance. You also might consider a small group tour with guide of the ground zero area, which is what we did last year. Our guide lived/work near ground zero on 9/11 and shared her personal story.

 

J

[papaflamingo]

7 hours ago, JMARINER said:

A couple of points about your excursion. Consider taking the Subway down to lower Manhattan. In the morning may be  lot faster than by Uber/Taxi, although you could use uber/taxi for the ship to the the nearest subway (34th Street-Hudson Yards Subway Station); it is about a15-20 minute walk. Total trip time using subway is about 20 minutes on the train or about 40 minutes total.  The other end station is right at the WTC.

 

Also buy your tickets for the museum in advance. You also might consider a small group tour with guide of the ground zero area, which is what we did last year. Our guide lived/work near ground zero on 9/11 and shared her personal story.

 

J

Excellent advice, thanks.  Do you  happen to know which pier Regent tends to use in New York?  I have a map program on my phone and if I can pre-mark the pier I can plan the easiest route.  

I will certainly look at pre-purchasing museum tickets.  Didn't actually consider that one.  Good idea. 

[rcandkc]

59 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

Excellent advice, thanks.  Do you  happen to know which pier Regent tends to use in New York?  I have a map program on my phone and if I can pre-mark the pier I can plan the easiest route.  

I will certainly look at pre-purchasing museum tickets.  Didn't actually consider that one.  Good idea. 

We have been in NYC 3 times on Regent.  We have disembarked at a pier in Brooklyn and twice been at the pier in Manhattan ( I think pier 88)..once embarking and once passing through.  You can research the nyc cruise port schedule...google. 😀

[angie7911922]

I once heard that if there are valuables missing from a guest suite and this is reported. That ALL crew that has access to that suite get a throughout cabin inspection themselves done by security. And if something is found. They can just pack their bags and disembark. But I am so lucky to say that we never had anything missing.

[papaflamingo]

2 hours ago, rcandkc said:

We have been in NYC 3 times on Regent.  We have disembarked at a pier in Brooklyn and twice been at the pier in Manhattan ( I think pier 88)..once embarking and once passing through.  You can research the nyc cruise port schedule...google. 😀

Thanks.  That'll help.   

[Kwaj girl]

We will be boarding the Navigator 10/15/19 and have been advised by Regent that the actual berth assignment may not be known until 5-7 days prior to departure. Just makes advance planning a bit of a challenge.

[JMARINER]

5 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Excellent advice, thanks.  Do you  happen to know which pier Regent tends to use in New York?  I have a map program on my phone and if I can pre-mark the pier I can plan the easiest route.  

I will certainly look at pre-purchasing museum tickets.  Didn't actually consider that one.  Good idea. 

Every time that we have docked in NYC it has been at the south end of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Usually at pier 88 or 90. Just up from the Intrepid Aircraft carrier museum. On the map about 49th Street and 12 Avenue.  Some one above mentioned Brooklyn Terminal (Red hook). If the ship docks at Brooklyn you would be very close to the WTC, just across the East river

[JMARINER]

6 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Excellent advice, thanks.  Do you  happen to know which pier Regent tends to use in New York?  I have a map program on my phone and if I can pre-mark the pier I can plan the easiest route.  

I will certainly look at pre-purchasing museum tickets.  Didn't actually consider that one.  Good idea. 

Every time that we have docked in NYC it has been at the south end of the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Usually at pier 88 or 90. Just up from the Intrepid Aircraft carrier museum. On the map about 49th Street and 12 Avenue. 

 

Some one above mentioned Brooklyn Terminal (Red hook). If the ship docks at Brooklyn you would be very close to the WTC, just across the East river. In that event Uber would be the best choice. You should be able to check online which dock the ship will be at. Or it should be in your cruise docs.

 

J

 

Edited September 2, 2019 by JMARINER
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