"Voluntary Opportunity"

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Just received a "voluntary opportunity" from Regent to switch our Grandeur voyage Feb/March for 3 later ones in March. (One Splendor, two Grandeur), offering free additional days onboard and a monetary bonus.

From your experience, would we get the same suite category? And what about excursions at this late date? Specialty dining reservations? 
For our current cruise, all that was set up many months ago.

I'd appreciate hearing your experiences with this?

Thank you!

[Pcardad]

You should get the same suite or higher - details would be in the email or could be obtained from your TA. You (or they) could also enquire about the excursions. I am assuming there is no fee for the swap - they are considering the extra days as compensation? Any OBC offered?

 

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Suite details in offer say "accommodations indicated for the rate already booked.....subject to remaining availability."

They are offering a monetary bonus on two of the newly offered voyages plus the added days at no cost.

No OBC in the offer

It's tempting but we are going with another couple--waiting to see if they received the offer as well--just would like to know what the excursion situation is this late and the opportunity to book the specialty restaurants. As I said, this was all settled so long ago, so this it throwing us a bit....

Edited January 22 by Worldtraveler 4727
addition

[Pcardad]

1 hour ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

Suite details in offer say "accommodations indicated for the rate already booked.....subject to remaining availability."

They are offering a monetary bonus on two of the newly offered voyages plus the added days at no cost.

No OBC in the offer

It's tempting but we are going with another couple--waiting to see if they received the offer as well--just would like to know what the excursion situation is this late and the opportunity to book the specialty restaurants. As I said, this was all settled so long ago, so this it throwing us a bit....

You, or your TA, should call into Regent and see if they will extend the offer to both couples. Be proactive to maximize your chances of getting it. You can also take the savings and book a private car for 4 at key ports if you don't get excursions.

[Older Sister]

4 hours ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

Just received a "voluntary opportunity" from Regent to switch our Grandeur voyage Feb/March for 3 later ones in March. (One Splendor, two Grandeur), offering free additional days onboard and a monetary bonus.

I got the same email and am interested in the two Grandeur cruises later in March.  My TA contacted Regent, we’ll see if his works out.  

[rallydave]

Need to be quick to accept as Regent will go down the list to find takers.  Obviously overbooked and trying to find suites for guarantees.  The offer will be gone if you don't respond quickly

[Older Sister]

Regent got enough people yesterday to move to another cruise, so looks like we’ll be staying on our original cruise.  However, they did tell my TA that there’s still a long waiting list for our cruise so they might make additional offers later.  

[papaflamingo]

We had a similar offer last year.  We were booked on Navigator last March for a 10 night Caribbean cruise.  On Christmas 2022 we had a pipe freeze with major house damage.  Too late to cancel, we were going to let the construction crew simply continue the repair well we were gone.  Four days before the cruise got an email asking if we would be interested in changing to Mariner in Dec. and an upgrade to a Penthouse and about a 20% refund!  JUMPED ON IT!  As you may know.... Navigator to Mariner IS and upgrade, and Mariner's Penthouses are fantastic!!!   AND it allowed us to be home to finish the house repair!  So...win-win for sure!  

These offers come along.  For us it was a "God send."  But if it doesn't work for you don't take it.  

As for shore excursions, we were still able to get everyone we wanted except one and we cleared that waiting list about 2 weeks later.  So it all depends on where the ship is going, etc.  You may or may not be able to get excursions.  Specialty Dining you can probably get when you get on board.  So if excursions are "make it or break it" for you then don't change cruises.  Othewise if it works to your advantage and is worth the savings, go for it.  But call Regent and see what they say about cabin assignment, etc. and if you don't like what you hear simply say no thank you. 

[Worldtraveler 4727]

@papaflamingoThank you! I was hoping for information from someone who took Regent up on one of these offers. I appreciate your insights.

(Yes! Navigator to Mariner MUCH BETTER! Won't sail on Navigator again. Just not a fan.)

If we were not traveling with dear friends, and if this was not their very first (!) cruise, my husband and I would have jumped on one of the options, in particular.  But too many "if's" for this time.

I was happy to hear about the open excursions, and you are right about the Specialty Restaurants. We'd not likely get prime time reservations, but most likely get a chance to try them. 

May I ask...how did your trip insurance transfer? Hopefully seamlessly??

Edited January 25 by Worldtraveler 4727
addition

[papaflamingo]

18 hours ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

May I ask...how did your trip insurance transfer? Hopefully seamlessly??

Yes.  I was insured by GoReady and when I changed the cruise, I called them and "pushed" the dates.  There was a bit of an upcharge since we had been covered for months and would continue coverage for another 10 months, but not a big deal, I think about $200 or so to extend the time. Even if we had to lose the premium and re insure the money we were refunded by Regent would have still made it a great deal. 

  One more thing, at least for us.... since we had passed Final Payment for our cruise, we were considered past final payment for the new cruise too.  So we couldn't cancel without loss of full payment.  Not an issue for us since we were insured anyway, and seemed fair to me. 

[Always_Packed_FL]

21 hours ago, Worldtraveler 4727 said:

@papaflamingoThank you! I was hoping for information from someone who took Regent up on one of these offers. I appreciate your insights.

 

 

@Worldtraveler 4727  FYI, we accepted the Regent offer to change cruises.  I left a message immediately when I received the email and received a call back that afternoon.

 

 

[Worldtraveler 4727]

3 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Yes.  I was insured by GoReady and when I changed the cruise, I called them and "pushed" the dates.  There was a bit of an upcharge since we had been covered for months and would continue coverage for another 10 months, but not a big deal, I think about $200 or so to extend the time. Even if we had to lose the premium and re insure the money we were refunded by Regent would have still made it a great deal. 

  One more thing, at least for us.... since we had passed Final Payment for our cruise, we were considered past final payment for the new cruise too.  So we couldn't cancel without loss of full payment.  Not an issue for us since we were insured anyway, and seemed fair to me. 

 

Thank you for the added information.