Are flights decent when Regent sets it all up?

[Tampachick]

Hi all,

New here. This is our first Regents sailing and I'm like a kid in a candy store. I'm so giddy with delight! It's our 40th Wedding Anniversary and we don't normally spend what we're spending when we cruise. This is just a very special cruise for us!

So I paid Costco Travel to include Business Class airfare for me. Will I be happy with what we're getting? I can't seem to find the flight information, but they may not have booked yet.

 

I just hope it's a fabulous in Business Class flying overseas as everyone says it is. I've got prosthetic discs in my lower back and being comfortable for a long period of time is our #1 wish.

thanks for reading. Nice to meet everyone! 🙂

Debra

[Lonedaddy]

39 minutes ago, Tampachick said:

Hi all,

New here. This is our first Regents sailing and I'm like a kid in a candy store. I'm so giddy with delight! It's our 40th Wedding Anniversary and we don't normally spend what we're spending when we cruise. This is just a very special cruise for us!

So I paid Costco Travel to include Business Class airfare for me. Will I be happy with what we're getting? I can't seem to find the flight information, but they may not have booked yet.

 

I just hope it's a fabulous in Business Class flying overseas as everyone says it is. I've got prosthetic discs in my lower back and being comfortable for a long period of time is our #1 wish.

thanks for reading. Nice to meet everyone! 🙂

Debra

Where are you heading?  Check out the regent flights sticky lots of comments there.  We used Regent for air the first time for our trip to Auckland and they gave me what I request with the deviation fee.  It is well worth it especially if you aren't booking a round trip.     As many have mention you should research what flights you want and then have Costco travel or you can call regent air yourself 270 days out.   If you are in Bryan (my daughter and son in law are Aggies) you could connect and fly out of Dallas or Houston which gives you lots of choice.  

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Consider paying the deviation fee so you can choose your own flights. Getting to Europe a day early is also recommended.

Edited April 29, 2022 by Wendy The Wanderer

[1982CruzStart]

I agree with Wendy, it is well worth the small deviation fee to get the airline and flight schedule that works for you. Flight deviation can be done at 270 days before the cruise leaves. When you or your TA talk to Regent Air, they will give you the routing for the gateway airport and final destination. If you don't like the option they offer, you go back to them with what you want and continue negotiation until you find what works for you. You don't pay the deviation fee until you agree to the flights offered by Regent. Not all airlines or routes will likely be available from your gateway city but you should be able to find something acceptable and not leave such an important part of your trip to chance. 

 

Also agree with Wendy that you should fly in at least 1 day before you are set to embark. 

[cwn]

Pay the deviation fee or book your own flights. Regent will not book your flights until about 75 days out and the choice for good ones will be limited. Paying the fee allows you’d to book flights as soon as they open and also some choice. Also fly in a day ahead…..much better if going overseas.

[Tampachick]

5 hours ago, Lonedaddy said:

Where are you heading?  Check out the regent flights sticky lots of comments there.  We used Regent for air the first time for our trip to Auckland and they gave me what I request with the deviation fee.  It is well worth it especially if you aren't booking a round trip.     As many have mention you should research what flights you want and then have Costco travel or you can call regent air yourself 270 days out.   If you are in Bryan (my daughter and son in law are Aggies) you could connect and fly out of Dallas or Houston which gives you lots of choice.  

Howdy Lonedaddy,

Yep, I am a Center Director (was adjunct faculty) at Texas A&M. We've been here 8 years and absolutely love it!  We're headed to Lisbon. I want to see Fatima before we board, so I guess I need to call my TA at Costco and just tell them we want to fly in a day early. I guess you never know what could happen and we miss the ship. So I guess I find my own flight and tell them what I want and they charge a deviation fee? Anyone remember how much that was? (like I said, I'm an educator, so we usually don't splurge like this... teehee.) 

[Tampachick]

4 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Consider paying the deviation fee so you can choose your own flights. Getting to Europe a day early is also recommended.

Will  call them tomorrow to do that. Thanks, Wendy.

[Tampachick]

2 hours ago, 1982CruzStart said:

I agree with Wendy, it is well worth the small deviation fee to get the airline and flight schedule that works for you. Flight deviation can be done at 270 days before the cruise leaves. When you or your TA talk to Regent Air, they will give you the routing for the gateway airport and final destination. If you don't like the option they offer, you go back to them with what you want and continue negotiation until you find what works for you. You don't pay the deviation fee until you agree to the flights offered by Regent. Not all airlines or routes will likely be available from your gateway city but you should be able to find something acceptable and not leave such an important part of your trip to chance. 

 

Also agree with Wendy that you should fly in at least 1 day before you are set to embark. 

Thanks 1982, I'll make sure I find a couple of choices. Do you know what airlines they tend to use? 

[PSU]

They usually have a contract with American but not all routes.

[mrstanley]

Do an air deviation. Do your homework regarding options for flights.

I have spoken to Regent Air myself.

Due to my research on flights I’m able to ask Regent if these flights are available.

The airlines they have contracts with vary.

 

[wcsdkqh]

Please do not assume that just because you pay the deviation fee, you can have any carrier and/or flight you want. In order for your choice to be approved by Regent, it must be a carrier and specific flight that Regent has some number of seats contracted for. Once those seats are gone, then nothing will be available for you on that flight. This is why it us important to books your seats as early as possible.

[Portolan]

8 hours ago, cwn said:

Pay the deviation fee or book your own flights. Regent will not book your flights until about 75 days out and the choice for good ones will be limited. Paying the fee allows you’d to book flights as soon as they open and also some choice. Also fly in a day ahead…..much better if going overseas.

Our experience with Regent is that they book the air 270 days out.  You'll get a reservation and can choose your seats at that point, but they flights aren't actually ticketed until closer in.  That really shouldn't matter to you since you'll have a reservation but, for example, it won't show frequent flyer mileage accrual until it is ticketed.

 

That said, step one is (as described by others) to have your TA see what the flights are that Regent has as their contract for the route...it may be exactly what you want.  If not, consider paying for the deviation ($175/pp I believe right now...waived when you reach Platinum status with Regent) for your choice of routing or arriving earlier.  There could also be a fare surcharge if the carrier you want is more than their contracted price (the deviation fee is for their extra effort, not an extra fare).  If you are booked in a Concierge or above suite which includes a pre-cruise hotel night, it isn't a deviation to arrive the day before the cruise since they are providing a night in a hotel.

 

WRT who they contract with it very much depends on the international hub you'll depart from (if overseas, of course).  United, Delta and American are common (not all, but usually the dominant airport for the hub).

[ronrick1943]

Always check what you get before it’s to late to make a change.

[rkaratsu]

One other thing you might to consider before using Regent air (which we have used with the deviation fee) is how much credit you might get by *not* using Regent air.  For example, on an upcoming cruise in AUS/NZ, the air credit is $7.5K p/p.  I live in SoCal and fly in and out of LAX and was able to find a r/t business class flight on Fiji Air for a little over $5K (and this doesn't account for using Chase Sapphire travel points).  I think this savings is pretty significant.  (Yes it does make a stop in Fiji but I am more than fine with this to break up a long flight.  And the flight betwen LAX and Fiji is on a new-ish A350 so I am good with this).

 

When flying to Europe, from the West Coast I have found that using Regent air is good for us since they use either AA or BA and the credit is far less that what it would cost to pay out of pocket.  Still fine paying for the deviation fee since it gives us a say in the schedule.

 

Of course YMMV...

[mj_holiday]

Another good thing about having Regent manage your flight is that if something happens and flights get delayed or cruises get changed or whatever, Regent will rebook your flights.

[rallydave]

On 4/29/2022 at 7:35 AM, Tampachick said:

Hi all,

New here. This is our first Regents sailing and I'm like a kid in a candy store. I'm so giddy with delight! It's our 40th Wedding Anniversary and we don't normally spend what we're spending when we cruise. This is just a very special cruise for us!

So I paid Costco Travel to include Business Class airfare for me. Will I be happy with what we're getting? I can't seem to find the flight information, but they may not have booked yet.

 

I just hope it's a fabulous in Business Class flying overseas as everyone says it is. I've got prosthetic discs in my lower back and being comfortable for a long period of time is our #1 wish.

thanks for reading. Nice to meet everyone! 🙂

Debra

Rally hope you didn't pay Costco anything for your Business Class Air.  It is included in your cruise fare on Regent.  That said, you may fly coach if you have a domestic connecting flight.  As to why no booking yet.  Regent will not give you your flight info until approx 75 days prior to embarkation.

 

As others said strongly suggest the deviation and don't forget the deviation fee covers the round trip air so you can stay a few days extra at your disembarkation port without paying more and getting your chosen flights on the future days.

 

And nobody answered your actual question about decent flights.  Of course decent is in the eyes of the beholder but, if you don't deviate Regent will book you in the least costly flights which at times could involve multiple flights, backtracking, etc.

 

Don't believe there are any flights out of Houston non-stop to Lisbon, possible but, unlikely out of Austin and not sure of DFW so likely in any case you will have domestic flights possibly in coach or European flights which while they may say business are the same three across coach seats with the middle seat blocked.

 

 

Edited April 30, 2022 by rallydave

[Gilly]

BA fly directly Austin-Heathrow and have lie flat beds in business, but changing planes in LHR isn't everyone's cup of tea.  Having said that, a flight to Lisbon is likely to leave from the same terminal, if you fly BA the whole way, so it wouldn't be any bother IMHO.  Business class within Europe is likely to be pretty similar to short haul within the US - slightly larger seats and better service, or on the shortest flights, the centre seat of three blocked off (dh and I book 2 aisle seats in that case).  We always choose our own flights with Regent - make a specific request for a particular flight on te day we want to travel.  It's well worth the slightly additional cost, if you have to pay.

[rallydave]

11 minutes ago, Gilly said:

BA fly directly Austin-Heathrow and have lie flat beds in business, but changing planes in LHR isn't everyone's cup of tea

Yes and BA flies Houston to LHR and much closer to Bryan. I too hate LHR.

[Gilly]

You mentioned Austin, which prompted my reply.  Actually, someone flying business into LHR Terminal 5 should have a pretty good experience as the lounge there is one of the best, though I agree, Terminal 3 leaves much to be desired.

[Lonedaddy]

If you are driving from Bryan IAH would be easier.  Austin airport is understaffed so a mess.  Usually if you on the same airline like United all they way you will go first from IAH to IAD (Dullas) and united Polaris to Lisbon direct from there.  IMHOP easier to connect in the US and fly over the pond direct.  I would avoid LHR at all costs and even though you transit you may have to go through security again vs just changing planes in Dullas.

[mrlevin]

lonedaddy, from many years of experience I am the exact opposite; I want my first flight to get across the pond.  Missed connections due to night time thunderstorms are no fun; I would rather get to Europe where I know there are multiple follow-on flights if I miss my connection.  

 

If I had my druthers (and days of week worked out) I would take the new KLM non-stop from Austin to Amsterdam; easy to connect anywhere in Europe.

Edited April 30, 2022 by mrlevin

[RetiredandTravel]

We always make our own arrangements but people we have talked to have had mixed experiences (more connections than necessary), it sounds like the deviation fee may help.   We met a couple going from Tokyo to London that had to connect thru Hong Kong.

 

The air/transfer "savings" from making your own flights/transfers is just $2500 to Europe which is fairly hard to find for business class tickets these days.  In Covid times there is a large advantage to using Regent air because if there is a disruption in the getting to the final city Regent has to get you home.  If you make your own arrangements its your responsibility.

 

Welcome Debra, have a great trip

 

 

[papaflamingo]

On 4/29/2022 at 2:45 PM, Tampachick said:

. So I guess I find my own flight and tell them what I want and they charge a deviation fee? Anyone remember how much that was? (like I said, I'm an educator, so we usually don't splurge like this... teehee.) 

The Deviation fee is $175 per person.  Find the flights you want on line (I live in Atlanta so I fly Delta).  Find a few alternatives.  Then 270 days out, contact Regent Air and tell them you want to deviate (you may need to get Costco Travel to give Regent permission to talk to you).  Give them the flights you want and if they are on the contract they'll reserve it and even assign seats as you're speaking to them.  If the flight isn't available for the contract rate they'll tell you how much more you'll have to pay.  Then you can work with them for an alternative that will be available at the contract rate so no additional.  Sometimes that might mean connecting somewhere, but they will work with you to get you what you want.  Once you accept the flights they're yours and will show up on the airlines website so you can change seats, etc. 

One piece of advice, if able I'd go more than one day early to Europe.  I was a career airline pilot and I could tell you volumes of stories of misconnected flights overseas.  Plus it will give you a few days to adjust to the time zone changes and see your port city. 

[Mystictraveler]

As mentioned previously, I also recommend doing the transatlantic portion of your flight as your first flight if possible. A few years ago, we were flying from Austin to Venice through Chicago and then Frankfurt. Well a very brief thunderstorm over Austin delayed our inbound flight as they decided to land at DFW. We, of course, missed our connection in Chicago and had to spend the night there. But the absolute nightmare was getting properly rebooked. United and Lufthansa kept arguing over who had control of our record. When I wrote to United and outlined the total mess, they did provide us with a fairly significant future travel credit within just a couple of days.

[GOARMY]

Tampachick:  

 

Reiterating what lonedaddy suggested in Post #2--that other Sticky is "Regent Flights w/without Deviation."  Entries on this long-existing Topic for discussion have now reached the Page 36 level.

 

Suggest if you have not-already done so, review in particular Posts 878-883.  My most-recent experience (October, 2021--Explorer Barcelona to Miami) as to advantages of utilizing Regent Air on overseas flights from the USA requiring an intermediate stop before arriving at the embarkation city) was Post 882.  

 

Thankfully, Regent Air and our TA coordinated dealing with constant changes (or outright cancelation) in flights and times concerning those intermediate cities which continued up to about two weeks of our departure.  And, we always had that safety net of scheduling arrival at Barcelona the day before embarkation--just in case.  

 

GOARMY!