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*LIVE* from the Voyager: August 12-26, 2023 Reykjavik to Southampton

WNcruiser

By WNcruiser,
in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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WNcruiser "Live from...." Rare

WNcruiser

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Our cruise is officially over 😢. Yesterday was hectic in Bruges with thousands of tourists and a group too large for a walking tour but I really enjoyed the city and all of the gothic buildings.
 

We had breakfast about 7:00 and walked off the ship at 7:30. As usual no lines and no chaos. Our bags were ready and our driver was waiting.
 

I highly recommend majestictaxis.com. The driver called to let me know he was outside waiting and I also received an email from them last night giving me the drivers cell # and license plate. They use all Mercedes E class cars. He had us to Gatwick in 1 1/2 hours. 
 

We are currently in the BA lounge waiting for our flight. Gatwick is crazy busy but as a One World Emerald I was able to use the first class check in and priority security lane. It took about 20 mins from check in to the lounge. 
 

I will post pictures from Bruges later tonight or tomorrow as well as a final summary of the cruise. 

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WNcruiser "Live from...." Rare

WNcruiser

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We had our last dinner In CR with a couple we met in Reykjavik the night before the cruise. There was no show after dinner which was fine, gave us time to finish packing. 
Courses were: Crab & avocado, NY strip steak and lobster tail (from the anytime menu) and a hazelnut cake which looks beautiful but was dry as can be. 
 

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Edited by WNcruiser
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WNcruiser "Live from...." Rare

WNcruiser

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Our trip was unfortunately extended as we are still in London thanks to British Airways. After boarding our plane yesterday we were told there was a mechanical issue with the flaps and it would take 45 mins to fix. After sitting on the plane for 3 more hours we’re told to deplane and go to the check in counter. Once at the counter they told us the flight was cancelled and to “go home”. Well, I’m trying to go home! The customer service at Gatwick from BA was deplorable. No one would help us. 
 

I spent hours on the phone all afternoon and evening trying to get rebooked for today, which we finally did (although to a different city) after multiple calls to BA. Hoping today is better as I would like to get home before this possible hurricane hits the gulf coast as we are In the forecasted track. 
 

Hopefully I can finish this live thread later tonight. 

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Gilly "Live from...." Rare

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@WNcruiser what a horrible way to end your lovely holiday!!  Wishing you a safe flight home without hurricane issues and no further nasty surprises.

 

We've so enjoyed your reports from Voyager.  Thank you for taking the time to post them!

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rcandkc

rcandkc

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8 hours ago, WNcruiser said:

Our trip was unfortunately extended as we are still in London thanks to British Airways. After boarding our plane yesterday we were told there was a mechanical issue with the flaps and it would take 45 mins to fix. After sitting on the plane for 3 more hours we’re told to deplane and go to the check in counter. Once at the counter they told us the flight was cancelled and to “go home”. Well, I’m trying to go home! The customer service at Gatwick from BA was deplorable. No one would help us. 
 

I spent hours on the phone all afternoon and evening trying to get rebooked for today, which we finally did (although to a different city) after multiple calls to BA. Hoping today is better as I would like to get home before this possible hurricane hits the gulf coast as we are In the forecasted track. 
 

Hopefully I can finish this live thread later tonight. 

Since mechanical did they put you up in hotel?  

  

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WNcruiser "Live from...." Rare

WNcruiser

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6 hours ago, rcandkc said:

Since mechanical did they put you up in hotel?  

  

They did not, even though the Captain told us they would. We were told at the check in counter to file a claim with BA online and they will repay us. We will see. 

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WNcruiser "Live from...." Rare

WNcruiser

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4 hours ago, flossie009 said:

U.K. CAA rules regarding reimbursement of costs and provision of compensation should apply to the delay suffered by @WNcruiser
…………….. and there is no excuse for BA poor customer service ☹️

 

Not that it should matter, but the employees at Gatwick are contractors and not actual BA employees. It was a very stressful and frustrating experience. 
 

Thank you for the link. 

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flossie009

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10 minutes ago, WNcruiser said:

I have learned that UK261 requires them to repay us for food and lodging. Will look more into it tomorrow. 

They should reimburse your expenses plus compensation of 600 euro per person

https://www.britishairways.com/content/en/de/information/delayed-or-cancelled-flights/compensation

 

(sorry it is a German link because of where I am located at present, but should be the same for USA or UK)

 

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WNcruiser "Live from...." Rare

WNcruiser

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Good morning from Florida. I promise to not drag this thread on any longer and will conclude the trip today!
 

Let’s start by catching up where we left off, at Bruges, Belgium. I really loved this port even though it was extremely crowded. The gothic architecture and beautiful 12th and 13th century buildings on every block with so many canals and parks was just amazing. We had a walking tour of about two hours, a 30 minute canal boat ride and then 1 1/2 hours free time. Of course we had a Belgian beer and waffle 😁. There will be a few more photos than usual since there were so many wonderful sights. 
 

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WNcruiser "Live from...." Rare

WNcruiser

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Final summary. 

 

We chose this cruise mainly for the itinerary and of course the cruise line. It did not disappoint. As I mentioned numerous times the crew on the Voyager was outstanding. Personal service by crew who genuinely want to help you and make sure you enjoy your cruise. Definitely one of the best crew we have ever had and many who we will remember for many years. 

 

There was a definite noticeable change in food quality since sailing on Explorer last year, however with that being said we had many great meals. There were a few days where nothing in La Veranda interested us for lunch so we ended up at the pool grill. Overall I would say we enjoyed the food but it wasn't a big highlight like on Explorer. 

 

Visiting Iceland, Shetland Islands, Norway, Amsterdam and Bruges was something I will never forget. The spectacular scenery and wonderful people of Iceland and Norway were beyond expectations and I would love to visit these countries again in the future. We had great luck with our Regent included tours. The guides and busses were all excellent, with a little hiccup in Bruges with a last minute guide change and a group of 37 for a walking tour that was difficult to keep together. Other than that I was very happy with all the tours. 

 

We met many wonderful people on board which always makes your trip special, including several from our CC roll call. We even had a sea day lunch at the end of the cruise and were put at the Captains table in CR by the amazing Restaurant Manager Luigi. 

 

My only minor complaint was the Wifi. It was terribly slow to the point I couldn't upload any photos to CC and had to wait until we were in port to use data. I didn't like that they had faster wifi but wanted to charge extra, Regent is the all inclusive line and that should include fast wifi.

 

Thank you all for coming along with me on this fantastic cruise and for all the nice comments. My next cruise will be on Oceania but hoping to be back on Regent next year on Grandeur. Goodbye for now, 

 

Steve 

Edited by WNcruiser
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