First Time Regent Cruise - Regent Business Class Air Question

[sabrefan]

We are booked on our first Regent cruise around Japan in April 2024. We have been on 20 + cruises before on Oceania, Viking and Celebrity. Business class air on this cruise was included which in addition to the cruise itself was also a reason for booking. As I understand the air gets ticketed 60 to 70 days prior to departure. My TA tells me that most customers accept the air arrangements that Regent assigns to them versus picking the custom air option. Just wondering how true my TA’s statement is based experience of folks here on cruise critic? 

[Pcardad]

I always deviate - this way I can lock in my preferred flights/carriers 210 (formally 270) days out.

[annapolitan369]

We have always found the best flights for us and then called Regent Air and have them book it.  Well worth the $175.  With the new rules, make sure you find the flights you want before you call them.

[PSU]

Choose the air deviation. You don’t wait to wait until 70 days before the trip.

[sabrefan]

Just a follow question, if you deviate and you have picked the cheapest business class seat in this case Tokyo do you have to pay the difference between Regent air credit and the actual published fare that you see on your own?

[Pcardad]

12 minutes ago, sabrefan said:

Just a follow question, if you deviate and you have picked the cheapest business class seat in this case Tokyo do you have to pay the difference between Regent air credit and the actual published fare that you see on your own?

If you deviate it means you chose seats from Regent other than what they would have offered you. If you decline Regent's flights, you get the air credit and you are on your own.

[slidebite]

I find Regent batting about .500 with the itineraries they come up with. For example, our last cruise in 2018 (Med) was great, as direct as it could be with minimal layovers on some great aircraft (including upstairs on a 744). The cruise next week, so so. I found an itinerary I would prefer but they said it wasn't available so we're stuck with a 4+ hour layover in Montreal. First world problem I know.

 

BUT, like the OP, one of the major reasons we cruise Regent is the business air. Even with the deviation fee for the smaller gateway airport it's easily worth it.

[sabrefan]

Since we are from the Rochester, NY area we sometimes fly out of Toronto because of more direct flights. Just wondering what airlines Regent uses for people flying to Asia if any of our Canadian friends have experience with this?

[travlr21]

1 hour ago, sabrefan said:

Just wondering what airlines Regent uses for people flying to Asia if any of our Canadian friends have experience with this?

We are flying JAL from Vancouver to Tokyo in early May. Since it is a direct flight we were OK with it. There is a direct Air Canada flight an hour or so earlier than the JAL one, surprised it was not the one used by Regent. We would have preferred it to earn mileage points but was not worth the deviation fee, assuming it would have even been an option.

[papaflamingo]

On 3/28/2023 at 4:45 PM, sabrefan said:

Just a follow question, if you deviate and you have picked the cheapest business class seat in this case Tokyo do you have to pay the difference between Regent air credit and the actual published fare that you see on your own?

No.  You provide them with your desired itinerary and flights.  They'll either have contract rates in which case you have no additional charge other than the $175, or they'll offer you the flight with some sort of upcharge (then you can decide if it's worth the extra cost), or they won't be able to book you on the flight at all.  We've run into all 3 situations.  Example we were trying to fly ATL to SYD on Delta and it simply wasn't available, however the return from Tokyo to ATL was no additional cost.  Go figure.  

Remember, if nothing works you can always forfeit the $75 per person and use whatever air they assign you.  

[PaulMCO]

10 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

No.  You provide them with your desired itinerary and flights.  They'll either have contract rates in which case you have no additional charge other than the $175, or they'll offer you the flight with some sort of upcharge (then you can decide if it's worth the extra cost), or they won't be able to book you on the flight at all.  We've run into all 3 situations.  Example we were trying to fly ATL to SYD on Delta and it simply wasn't available, however the return from Tokyo to ATL was no additional cost.  Go figure.  

Remember, if nothing works you can always forfeit the $75 per person and use whatever air they assign you.  

Will they tell you what air they are offering you at the210 day point or do yo have to wait until they ticket you at around 60 days???

[jeb_bud]

If you decide to fly out of Rochester deviating is especially important. If you get the same airline for the domestic and international flights you will likely be in first class for the domestic legs. Otherwise your domestic legs will be coach. 

[OhioOtter]

On 3/30/2023 at 10:11 AM, PaulMCO said:

Will they tell you what air they are offering you at the210 day point or do yo have to wait until they ticket you at around 60 days???

I am curious about this question, also. This is our first time with Regent. This particular line of questioning has been very helpful…so thank you, but I would love the answer about whether or not we will know Regent’s air selection before determining whether or not to pay the extra money to pick our own flights (which may be what Regent will select anyway). 

[red1head]

If you choose deviate and accept a flight itinerary (either one you have proposed or they have come back with), then you are charged the deviation fee and the flights are booked. You will receive an airline booking booking code (or codes if multiple airlines). For example, for our flights for our June cruise I can see our flights and seats on United’s website (using my confirmation code or logging into my account) for our flights to Barcelona and on Virgin’s website for our flight home from London.

[jeb_bud]

54 minutes ago, OhioOtter said:

I am curious about this question, also. This is our first time with Regent. This particular line of questioning has been very helpful…so thank you, but I would love the answer about whether or not we will know Regent’s air selection before determining whether or not to pay the extra money to pick our own flights (which may be what Regent will select anyway). 

My understanding is that if you don’t deviate Regent Air doesn’t think about you until the 75 day point, then they look at contracted flights available and cobble together an itinerary. Maybe luck of the draw gives you a perfect routing, maybe not. 

[OhioOtter]

1 hour ago, jeb_bud said:

My understanding is that if you don’t deviate Regent Air doesn’t think about you until the 75 day point, then they look at contracted flights available and cobble together an itinerary. Maybe luck of the draw gives you a perfect routing, maybe not. 

Thanks for info. I thought that would be the case. 

[sworksjr]

I use to just use whatever Regent assigned. Recently however, due to the lack of flights available and or seats, due to increased traffic, I will now start using air deviation all the time.

[mrstanley]

Regent will book your flights 210 days out if u deviate. 75 days if you don’t.

 

Airlines will book your flights 320 days out.

 

Of course u can search the airline website for flight routes. I use Expedia to search for flights. You need to be careful about connection time! I’ve found Regent Air to be bad about this! Just my experience with them.

[OhioOtter]

2 minutes ago, mrstanley said:

Regent will book your flights 210 days out if u deviate. 75 days if you don’t.

 

Airlines will book your flights 320 days out.

 

Of course u can search the airline website for flight routes. I use Expedia to search for flights. You need to be careful about connection time! I’ve found Regent Air to be bad about this! Just my experience with them.

Appreciate the info…very helpful. Will most likely try to select my preferred itinerary 210 days out. 

[mrstanley]

Ohiootter: You need to do your research on routes to your destination. We were able to get flights a few years ago that I presented to Regent that they didn’t offer me until I brought it to their attention. Do your homework!!

[jeb_bud]

22 hours ago, sworksjr said:

I use to just use whatever Regent assigned. Recently however, due to the lack of flights available and or seats, due to increased traffic, I will now start using air deviation all the time.

We’re you generally happy with the itineraries Regent assigned?

[sworksjr]

Yes. But in retrospect they may not have been the best had I chose my own.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 3/28/2023 at 4:45 PM, sabrefan said:

Just a follow question, if you deviate and you have picked the cheapest business class seat in this case Tokyo do you have to pay the difference between Regent air credit and the actual published fare that you see on your own?

Think this has been answered already, but no.  If you pick seats that Regent will cover, that's it.  If not, they will offer them to you with an upcharge, or offer you a free alternative.

 

On 3/30/2023 at 10:11 AM, PaulMCO said:

Will they tell you what air they are offering you at the210 day point or do yo have to wait until they ticket you at around 60 days???

Yes, you will get your air itinerary immediately.

 

I think perhaps most people here on CC deviate.  I know we always did, unless it was domestic in which case we often could do better ourselves. 

[kennetro]

Sorry if this is a silly question, but how does one find out what the amount of the flight credit might be if I choose to purchase our own air travel?

 

[OhioOtter]

On 3/31/2023 at 3:26 PM, mrstanley said:

Ohiootter: You need to do your research on routes to your destination. We were able to get flights a few years ago that I presented to Regent that they didn’t offer me until I brought it to their attention. Do your homework!!

That’s my plan. Already have one in mind. I’m glad they will tell you the option they are planning first. Appreciate all the help/info.