Regent unable to provide Reykjavik hotel and transfers

[Lvwindstar007]

We have two nights reserved at the Hilton Canopy downtown mid/late June.  It was highly recommended, and we are using Regency air for the first time.  $US 430 per night including taxes. FWIW: Jack in snowy Reno.  

[PhD-iva]

5 hours ago, cruisevirgin24 said:

Dave, why don't you cancel your booking and re-book a Superior Suite on the same cruise? It will save you about £1,000 each and the suites are the same size. Apart from the pre-cruise hotel, there is very little difference this close to the cruise. The Illy coffee maker is definitely not worth the extra expense!

If you don't want to lose any excursion or dining reservations, try telling Regent of your intention and the offer may be increased.

 

I believe it is past FP date, so I don’t think this is possible….?

[highlandshores]

57 minutes ago, Lvwindstar007 said:

We have two nights reserved at the Hilton Canopy downtown mid/late June.  It was highly recommended, and we are using Regency air for the first time.  $US 430 per night including taxes. FWIW: Jack in snowy Reno.  

That hotel is now in the 500's for July.  I just looked.  thanks for the info though 

[DaveA]

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. It is too late for us to cancel and re-book a non Concierge suite. We have flown to Costa Rica today for a tour here so I will wait and see what my TA can negotiate with Regent and meanwhile focus on enjoying Costa Rica.

[howiefrommd]

I had a similar situation last year in all places Rome (like Rome does not have enough hotels rooms). Regent sent out notice that they could not secure enough hotel space.  My TA easily found me a room, and of all things, Regent was utilizing (the same hotel) it for the cruise that I was on (for those they were providing rooms for),  My TA went way above the call of duty and provided a private car to pick me up at airport and next day to take me to Civitaveccia (through a company I think called Blacklane). It was amazingly generous and appreciated.

 

Saying that, I do not need more onboard credit or a few hundred bucks back.  What I need is peace of mind. One of the reasons I have enjoyed Regent is their inclusivity.  If you can’t guarantee a simple thing as a hotel room (which they promote endlessly in their non-stop catalogs that come) either do not offer it or come up with another itinerary.  Itineraries  come out years in advance, certainly enough time to contract enough hotel rooms.
 

 

[flossie009]

Regent have clearly stated in writing that the £150pp($200pp) is a ‘gesture of goodwill’ rather than a refund for the services not delivered.

 

Therefore guests have the right to simply book a suitable hotel (inc breakfast) and transfers; then submit an expense claim, with receipts, to Regent for reimbursement.

 

[welshfamily]

This happened to us in Lisbon last year and the amount credited back in no way paid for the hotel room never mind the transfers. We received no onboard credit as a goodwill gesture. 
We booked concierge again this year to get midship rooms, early access to both excursions and the speciality restaurants. We were happy to pay the cost as is our prerogative but after last years experience took the credit for the hotel. We received £145 per person. The transfers are never credited according to Regent Uk. However we were able to get our hotel room for a good early price. 

[pappy1022]

Another black eye for Regent as far as customer service. How far in advance does Regent book hotels? I realize that they need to book a large number of rooms but I recently experienced where they spread us out amongst multiple hotels. I would think they would have known there was an issue before final payment was due, don’t you? 

[fizzy]

6 hours ago, flossie009 said:

Regent have clearly stated in writing that the £150pp($200pp) is a ‘gesture of goodwill’ rather than a refund for the services not delivered.

 

Therefore guests have the right to simply book a suitable hotel (inc breakfast) and transfers; then submit an expense claim, with receipts, to Regent for reimbursement.

 

I think yours is a brilliant idea but how would you make it work? The onboard credit sometimes becomes onerous. i would like to see your plan where upon embarkation and receipts supplied, refundable credit was immediately supplied. I also don't understand why Travel Agents should have to jump in to make nice for good customers and not everyone uses a personal Travel Agent .Please don't sell me something.....something that I actually prepay for.... and then come up with excuses.

[flossie009]

5 hours ago, fizzy said:

how would you make it work?

Simply submit an expense claim for the unfulfilled part of the Contract (i.e. pre-cruise hotel & transfers), backed up with receipts, to Regent.

This could either be initiated on-board through the Executive Concierge or to your local Regent office as soon as you return from the cruise.

 

If Regent were to refuse reimbursement of reasonable costs then UK guests would have the option of referring the case to ABTA or escalating to a Court Claim.

 

Obviously none of this will be necessary if Regent "does the right thing" and either reverts to providing the hotel rooms & transfers as booked or gives a reasonable level of credit for the services that it is unable to provide. 

[SellaVee]

I wouldn’t hold my breath on Regent doing the right thing.  Like @DaveA booked a Concierge cabin to take advantage of the included hotel and transfers.  It is also our first cruise with Regent, and I think their attitude is a appalling.  I didn’t even get the letter, and had I not checked in here I'd be none the wiser.  I rang my travel agent this afternoon and she checked for information from Regent - there was none, so she put in a call to Regent and I've now received the same letter.  I don’t know how long I would have waited  if I hadn’t had the heads up.

 

I was only saying the other day that I'd booked a "one click holiday", ie pay Regent a shed load of money and they take care of everything.  At least that's what their advertising led me to believe.  The irony is I usually book flights, hotels and excursions separately from the cruise.  I won't be trusting Regent again.

[Dolebludger]

In the USA, collecting an overcharge is muck more difficult. No board regulates them. As ot court action. Their T&Cs provide tha sole jusisdiction is in Florida for such suits making bringing a legal action cumbersome for the complainant, if you don’t live in Florida.

[cruisevirgin24]

On 3/2/2024 at 11:49 PM, PhD-iva said:

I believe it is past FP date, so I don’t think this is possible….?

I don't think it is possible in the US but the OP is a UK resident and therefore covered by an ABTA guarantee. If any part of the contract is not fulfilled the client is due a refund. 

[asnaleah]

We also booked Concierge for the pre cruise hotel in Reykjavik and transfers as well as the extra WiFi devices. I’m very irritated. Happily I have lots of Marriott points so can buy down the cost at Edition. But as another person wrote, I paid for the convenience of not having to arrange every detail. My TA can help and is very responsive but it certainly isn’t her responsibility to cover RSSC’s misdeeds.

[Grandma Gilly]

We have also been ‘bumped’. Not a happy person! TA is on the case but I have reserved a hotel just in case

[GMIAC]

We're researching our Reykjavik transfer/hotel options for our July Splendor sailing too. Seems like most people "in the know" take the Flybus from the airport to their hotels. It's about $35pp, and all flights are met with buses at the airport. Sounds like it couldn't be easier. We're flying in the day before and staying overnight before embarkation. That's preferable for us to take the credit from Regent and do it on our own than paying the big bucks for an unknown.

[highlandshores]

2 hours ago, GMIAC said:

We're researching our Reykjavik transfer/hotel options for our July Splendor sailing too. Seems like most people "in the know" take the Flybus from the airport to their hotels. It's about $35pp, and all flights are met with buses at the airport. Sounds like it couldn't be easier. We're flying in the day before and staying overnight before embarkation. That's preferable for us to take the credit from Regent and do it on our own than paying the big bucks for an unknown.

I saw Flybus, but I understood that they have drop offs which would be in the area of your hotel, but not at your hotel.  Maybe I read it wrong 

[Bruce61]

2 hours ago, GMIAC said:

We're researching our Reykjavik transfer/hotel options for our July Splendor sailing too. Seems like most people "in the know" take the Flybus from the airport to their hotels. It's about $35pp, and all flights are met with buses at the airport. Sounds like it couldn't be easier. We're flying in the day before and staying overnight before embarkation. That's preferable for us to take the credit from Regent and do it on our own than paying the big bucks for an unknown.

 

I do not think the Flybus goes directly to any hotels.  It appears to stop at certain designated bus stops in the City which may be close to a hotel, or to a central bus station where you can board a taxi.  I downloaded the map.  I looked and it appears that our hotel is "bus stop 5" which appears directly in front of our hotel.  I would like to find this out for sure, however, as we are in a similar boat (meaning no transfers), but we never had them since we omitted air and hotels/transfers from our booking.

 

[GMIAC]

1 minute ago, Bruce61 said:

 

I do not think the Flybus goes directly to any hotels.  It appears to stop at certain designated bus stops in the City which may be close to a hotel, or to a central bus station where you can board a taxi.  I downloaded the map.  I looked and it appears that our hotel is "bus stop 5" which appears directly in front of our hotel.  I would like to find this out for sure, however, as we are in a similar boat (meaning no transfers), but we never had them since we omitted air and hotels/transfers from our booking.

 

If you try to make a reservation, there’s an option to choose if you want to be dropped at the main station in town, or at any number of hotels. 

[Tucruisers]

Latest from Regent is that this has been referred up the line, the can't either give a decision on what to do about (lots of) unhappy pax or even when they might get to a decision. This is a bit of a problem in the UK at least as under our booking conditions it seems pretty clear that as this is a package and Regent are not fulfilling their promise people are entitled to a full refund and the date for final payment is fast approaching. As to the airport shuttle bus, really? Once an hour from the airport, limited to one bag then transfers to vans or walk with luggage to hotels. Even then the cost with hotel is way in excess of Regent's "gesture of goodwill".  If Regent sat there and thought what was the best way to stop people booking with us ever again they could not have come up with a better plan.

[Dolebludger]

I agree that nobody should sell what they can’t deliver, which is the case here. And people from the UK have a regulatory procedure to obtain justice. Unfortunately, those in the US have no such thing. The only thing we can do is to sue the cruise line. But here, the lines T&C specify that any such action must be brought in the state of Florida. In the US, some of us live up to 3,000 miles from Florida. This is a regulatory gap that needs to be bridged here in the US. In my opinion, Regent has advertised beyond what it can deliver in this case, and in the case of  shortages of shore excursions, and in the case of no land accommodations in Barbados.

 

Let me say that we love to cruise Regent — once we are on the ship. But getting to the ship and getting back home is another matter. On the Regent ship, it is pure luxury. Getting to the ship, and home after the cruise puts us at the mercy of mass market transportation which, as we all know, is bad.

[highlandshores]

7 minutes ago, Dolebludger said:

I agree that nobody should sell what they can’t deliver, which is the case here. And people from the UK have a regulatory procedure to obtain justice. Unfortunately, those in the US have no such thing. The only thing we can do is to sue the cruise line. But here, the lines T&C specify that any such action must be brought in the state of Florida. In the US, some of us live up to 3,000 miles from Florida. This is a regulatory gap that needs to be bridged here in the US. In my opinion, Regent has advertised beyond what it can deliver in this case, and in the case of  shortages of shore excursions, and in the case of no land accommodations in Barbados.

 

Let me say that we love to cruise Regent — once we are on the ship. But getting to the ship and getting back home is another matter. On the Regent ship, it is pure luxury. Getting to the ship, and home after the cruise puts us at the mercy of mass market transportation which, as we all know, is bad.

I love Regent also and this has never happened to us before.  I live in Texas and no matter where we live, if they decide UK get something, then US should also.    Everyone should be treated the same no matter where they live. 

 

I guess most use a  

[highlandshores]

Just now, highlandshores said:

I love Regent also and this has never happened to us before.  I live in Texas and no matter where we live, if they decide UK get something, then US should also.    Everyone should be treated the same no matter where they live. 

 

I guess most use a  

I guess most use a TA.  I always book with Regent themselves.  So I do not know who the TA's go thru, but someone higher then what I get to speak with, I am sure.

[Dolebludger]

Here is the problem, as I see it. Reykjavik is a small city.,Regent needs maybe 200 hotel rooms, but these rooms may not be available in that city. And Reykjavik,is a long distance from the airport. The only major airport in Iceland. I suspect that Regent didn’t “survey the territory” well before selling hotel rooms and transport there. And because if this, Regent can’t deliver on what it sold. Now, this doesn’t relieve Regent of liability for selling what it couldn’t deliver. It is merely a take on this mess.

[lprp]

4 minutes ago, highlandshores said:

if they decide UK get something, then US should also.    Everyone should be treated the same no matter where they live. 

 

The booking conditions in the UK are VERY different to the US, for instance:

1) We only get Economy Air as standard - Business Class is only offered for European cruises, utilising short haul flights, for those in Penthouse or above.

2) Deposits are 25% and non-refundable (there are occasional offers that mitigate this).

BUT, the consumer protection schemes we have afford us rights that mean we are treated differently.