Regent Airport to Hotel Transfer Questions

[pappy1022]

I am not sure what to expect at the arriving airport, in our case Copenhagen. I would assume that someone holding a Regent sign will greet us once we have cleared immigration, customs and collected our luggage. Is it common to get on a bus and wait around for other Regent travelers to arrive, or is it more of a smaller van that picks you up? Can someone please explain the process and how long it usually takes (I’m sure it depends)? We are staying at an included Regent hotel.

[mj_holiday]

It is probably different for each airport. Our last transfer from the airport started when we saw a smiling face with a Regent sign as we came out of the luggage area. As to whether or not, you have other people in your transfer just depends on when they are arriving and how many there are. Just keep looking for a Regents sign to find you transfer. 

[red1head]

For our arrival transfer in June 2022 in Montreal and this past June in Barcelona, we were meet by  a driver holding a Regent sign with our last name after we came out of baggage claim. We were escorted to a Mercedes and whisked to our Regent hotel. YMMV.

[Flgreg]

Precovid we were on the Explorer for a Baltic cruise embarking in Stockholm. The plane arrived on time, unfortunately our luggage did not (not Regent's fault, and we did get our luggage approximately 13 hours later so still in time for embarkation). A couple of people on the cruise did not receive their luggage at all while on board.

 

We were the last people in baggage claim when we saw 2 people with a sign saying "Regent". We told them about our luggage predicament and they escorted us to lost luggage and waited while we provided all our information to the agent.

 

They then took us outside, told us to stand by the curb while they walked over to a cab and proceeded to talk to the driver for several minutes. Not sure what they were discussing but we were finally told to get in the cab. It was the most beat up cab I've ever seen---cracked windshield, torn upholstery, etc. From what I understand this is not the typical Regent transfer experience.

 

The driver then took us directly to our hotel. 

 

 

 

[labonnevie]

When we arrived in Tokyo (Narita) in April, a Regent rep with sign met us outside baggage claim and escorted 5 of us who were all on the same flight to our bus. A bit of a walk in the rain and she moved pretty quickly. We were the last on a rather full bus for the hour drive to the Hilton. Check in was slow as you can imagine with a full bus. But it worked smoothly and we were glad we had the transfer. 

[Scout16]

The only times that I have had problems with the airport/hotel transfer has been due to problems with the airlines.  My wife needed a wheelchair to get through the airport and we had to wait at the gate for the prearranged chair to arrive.  I then had to go to oversized luggage to retrieve her walker.  It took us over an hour to get to the lobby and by then everyone was gone.  We found someone to call the local contact number and a driver was sent to pick us up.  The other is a general comment about the airports.  I have been in several where it is hard to meet up with your contact due to the large number of people with signs waiting for people.  The other thing is what is available to help you move your luggage to the meeting site and then to your transportation.  Normally I have had carts to get to the meeting point and then had the Regent contact people take the luggage, this past Spring in Japan I had neither and had to drag my suitcases and carry on to the bus over rough sidewalks.  I think they did finally send help for a couple who had one of them in a wheelchair and a pile of luggage. 

[bitob]

Just an fyi

my first regent cruise no one picked us up

 

we took a taxi for $25

 

a very apologetic regent (thanks to my great ta) gave us 100 obc 

 

I made a profit. Lol

[jhenry1]

We have never had any issues other than sometimes long waits for others until last Oct in LA for our Mexico cruise. I was looking all over the baggage claim area for a Regent sign. After about 20 minutes I located a gentleman and a lady and told them our name. Our name was not on their list. Thank goodness I showed them our paperwork with t.he transfer on it. They said they would have to call and get another car and driver. After waiting what seemed about an hour someone finally showed up. This was a mess. Thank goodness we used Blacklane for our transfer from the ship back to the airport. Worked like a charm.

[ernieb]

Next March we will be taking the Splendor out of San Juan. I have used points to obtain first class flights into San Juan but we will be using the included pre cruise hotel night. I understand that I will need to cover the airport to hotel transfer myself, but the hotel to port transfer will be covered by Regent. Anyone else have experience with this?

[GOARMY]

ernieb:

 

No worries.  Your precruise hotel night includes next day's breakfast and then transfer to pier.  Done this many times.

 

GOARMY!

 

 

[Pcardad]

25 minutes ago, ernieb said:

Next March we will be taking the Splendor out of San Juan. I have used points to obtain first class flights into San Juan but we will be using the included pre cruise hotel night. I understand that I will need to cover the airport to hotel transfer myself, but the hotel to port transfer will be covered by Regent. Anyone else have experience with this?

Correct. If you buy the starting point and the ending point of the transfer from Regent - they provide the transfer. As you bought your flight directly, you are responsible for the transfer to the hotel. But as you bought the hotel and the cruise from Regent, they transfer you.

[ernieb]

Thank you.

[Mystictraveler]

This thread prompted me to review transfers from the airport to the hotel where a pre-cruise land package is involved. In my case, I am arriving in Bali on a flight I arranged personally. According to the itinerary, since I am arriving on the prescribed "Day 1" of the land package, Regent will arrange the transfer to the hotel as long as I give them my arrival details by the presctibed deadline. 

 

[Pcardad]

1 hour ago, Mystictraveler said:

This thread prompted me to review transfers from the airport to the hotel where a pre-cruise land package is involved. In my case, I am arriving in Bali on a flight I arranged personally. According to the itinerary, since I am arriving on the prescribed "Day 1" of the land package, Regent will arrange the transfer to the hotel as long as I give them my arrival details by the presctibed deadline. 

 

Yes, I think pre-packages are an exception.

[papaflamingo]

11 hours ago, Pcardad said:

Yes, I think pre-packages are an exception.

I don't believe it's the pre-package that is an exception,  it's the same as going straight to the ship.  If you deviate a flight but arrive or depart on boarding day or leave on arrival day you can still use Regent transfer (I believe).  We deviated our flights for our next cruise, but the return flight, even though I deviated, leaves the day we arrive in port so I will still be able to use the Regent airport transfer (or at least my TA says I can and I'm set up for it).  

Edited August 4, 2023 by papaflamingo

[flossie009]

16 hours ago, Pcardad said:

Yes, I think pre-packages are an exception.

........ and post-cruise packages. Regent will transport you to the airport even if you booked your own flight.

[RELS]

22 minutes ago, flossie009 said:

....... and post-cruise packages. Regent will transport you to the airport even if you booked your own flight.

 

...but won't refund/credit you anything if you don't take that transfer, even if they booked your flight.

[cruiseej]

A different transfer question: on our upcoming Splendor cruise roundtrip Reykjavik, we have an included hotel on disembarkation day due to no available flights on that day. Instead of taking the included bus transfer from the ship to the hotel, we're going to get picked up at the port for a Tours By Locals tour for the day, and get dropped at the hotel late afternoon. Do we need to do anything to contact the hotel to explain we won't arrive on the bus with others, but that we're still coming later in the day? Or is it safe to assume Regent has reserved rooms for us which will simply be waiting whenever we show up? I don't want to mess up our hotel reservation or our transfer to the airport the following morning. I'm concerned that if a local ground representative is at the hotel when the bus arrives in the morning, they will be gone by the time we get to the hotel. Will they leave our instructions for the airport transfer (what time we depart, whether we need to leave luggage out the night before) with the hotel desk to give us when we check in?

[GOARMY]

cruiseej:

 

First, "assuming" it would be safe to assume Regent will handle all the technicalities of your situation involved in getting you to Regent's hotel--

 

Conforming to proper protocol on this site, but--based on my background, "assuming" anything on a situation you still have some control over will turn out o.k. in the absence of your taking any proactive action to guarantee a positive outcome is not recommended.  Assumption is the mother of all--------ups.  :  

 

Assumption is not a plan.  Hope is not a plan.  Both might just wind up with a negative outcome.  The Spanish Generals and Admirals "hoped" Divine intervention would assure success in invading England in 1588.  How did that turn out?  

 

So--hows about contacting the hotel directly?  From your text, I do not assume you have a Travel Agent with a history actually being on Regent ships who would be an advocate in contacting either Regent, your hotel, or both to guarantee these details have been ironed out. 

 

In any event--recommend you contact the hotel.  Actually talk to a representative.  Confirm hotel is aware of your situation. Get that confirmation in writing, text, or, whatever.  Then, a similar conversation and verification with Regent. 

 

The point is to remove any angst that would detract from enjoying your voyage before, during, or upon debarkation. 

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

 

[flossie009]

@cruiseej, During your cruise speak to Destinations and/or the Exec Concierge on board to explain your plans.

They can then confirm arrangements with their agent in Reykjavik to ensure no issues with your hotel check-in and airport transfer,

[Bearsparents]

@cruiseejwe are doing the same thing. I asked my TA about this.  They asked Regent.  I was told we could have Regent take our luggage to the hotel and leave it there and check in after our tour.  I will still be checking again as we get close to debarkation.  It seems like we should be good. 

[cruiseej]

On 8/6/2023 at 11:01 PM, GOARMY said:

From your text, I do not assume you have a Travel Agent with a history actually being on Regent ships who would be an advocate in contacting either Regent, your hotel, or both

 

@GOARMY Weren't you just saying not to assume? 😂

 

Actually, our TA is a very experienced Regent TA; she was actually just a Signature Travel Network host on the Splendor a couple weeks ago. I know that because I emailed her a question about this, and one of her colleagues answered because she was on the Splendor cruise. I was told it is not a problem for us to leave the ship on our own and show up at the hotel later.

 

I thought I'd ask the question here to see if any Regent cruisers here had done something similar, and how it unfolded for them. I haven't contacted the hotel because I don't know if they have the list of guest names for the room block Regent has reserved as far as three weeks in advance.

 

@Bearsparents The private tour I've booked has a van large enough for our luggage, so I was figuring we'd take our luggage with us when we disembark. That avoids any complexity/potential problems with getting Regent to hand off our luggage to their ground services company to hand it off to the hotel. Thanks @flossie009 for pointing me to whom I should speak onboard; I didn't even know there was an Executive Concierge. 😀

[Bearsparents]

@cruiseej that is my backup plan to just take my luggage off the ship and with me.  While i don't think we have a van, we are only bringing 2 normal pieces of luggage (maybe one i am going to try hard).  My first Regent cruise (not my first cruise), and we are on the same trip.  We are doing a South Coast tour. 

[TheShag]

Hopefully i am right in tacking on to this thread. Staying at a 'Regent' resort for a post cruise stay and wondering about timing. I would assume that check-out is noon. We have an 8 P.M. flight. Wondering what time the transportation would typically pick us up. Should we make prior arrangements with the resort to try and get a later check out? Does that all depend on any other passengers on the same flight? Should we expect to get in/not get in to the business class lounge [some biz lounges limit the time you can spend in there prior to flight departure time] whenever the transportation tales us to the airport? Just want to make the return day as pleasant as possible given that it is roughly a 24 hr flight home [Bali-Toronto via Dubai]! Thanks!!

[RELS]

1 hour ago, TheShag said:

Should we expect to get in/not get in to the business class lounge [some biz lounges limit the time you can spend in there prior to flight departure time] whenever the transportation tales us to the airport?

 

Sometimes the issue is getting checked in. Often the airline desk isn't staffed until two hours before the flight, leaving you cooling your heels outside security until you can check in and check your luggage. This happened to us in Barcelona (2 hour wait), Dublin (2 hour wait), Miami (3 hour wait), and Copenhagen (3 hour wait).

 

The Regent transfer comes when it comes. If there is more than one party, it might come earlier than you want in order to accommodate those with the earliest flights. You can always arrange your own transfer after you find out if the Regent transfer works for your timing.