Regent unable to provide Reykjavik hotel and transfers

[Bruce61]

9 minutes ago, cwn said:

I feel you have unrealistic expectations of what Regent can realistic provide in hotels at ports around the world. They are providing the customer with a connivence of one stop travel shopping. However to expect Regent to be able to provide a hotel like the Beverly Wiltshire in Beverly Hills in Anchorage Alaska is unrealistic. Regent tires to use the best available in the port city. At least that has been our experience. We usually don’t use the hotel because we are combining the cruise with a longer land trip and need more than one night in the port precruise . If the hotel is really something really special we may use Regents hotel otherwise the extra nights are too costly even booking them ourself. 

I think you misread my post.  I was astonished to see a post claiming they had been given a Ritz in SF and the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles, inferring that is the type of hotel we can expect.  I stated that my one experience with a tired Hilton hotel in Anchorage was the opposite and why I took a credit.  Maybe there was a time they provided luxury hotels but I don’t think that is the case now. 

[cwn]

57 minutes ago, Tucruisers said:

Best wishes to those continuing to battle for a fair outcome on this, I feel a little guilty about abandoning the fight! In the end, it was relatively straightforward to book hotel and taxi transfer from the airport (booking.com) but of course we will still have to arrange and pay for the taxi transfer from the hotel to the ship. Quite apart from the fact that this cost more than £300 even with pre-paying we paid unnecessarily for the much more expensive Concierge level precisely because of the promised pre-cruise night in Reykjavik. 

Best wishes…….

No need to feel that way. You solved the pre cruise problem,  go and have a good time cruising around Iceland. Itis beautiful!

Dealing with an issue with Regent can be a pain but it can pay off. We had a big problem on a long cruise and the ship personal could not solve it. But after we returned home with the help of our TA, Regent gave us satisfaction. Our next cruises were as good as the crust had been and we are still cruising with them. 
My advise is to save all receipts from the extra cost to you pre cruise. Once home have your TA send the copies to Regent asking to be reimbursed for the cost to for Regents inability to give you what you paid them for. You may have to write them also, we did. It is a process….and it use to work. Hope you have a good cruise despite this mess. 

[Dolebludger]

1 hour ago, cwn said:

I feel you have unrealistic expectations of what Regent can realistic provide in hotels at ports around the world. They are providing the customer with a connivence of one stop travel shopping. However to expect Regent to be able to provide a hotel like the Beverly Wiltshire in Beverly Hills in Anchorage Alaska is unrealistic. Regent tires to use the best available in the port city. At least that has been our experience. We usually don’t use the hotel because we are combining the cruise with a longer land trip and need more than one night in the port precruise . If the hotel is really something really special we may use Regents hotel otherwise the extra nights are too costly even booking them ourself. 

I don’t think anybody expects to have a hotel of the type listed above provided by Regent. You have to read the post from last summer about the Anchorage Hilton. It was a horror story. Just a few of the factors were defective HVAC, plumbing problems, cleaning deficiency’s no place to sit at the included breakfast, disorganized procedure for boarding busses, late busses, and overcrowded busses on the three hour trip to Seward. The same post was complimentary about the onboard experience on the Explorer. I think most only want Regent’s included hotel to be clean, functional, and for it to exist!

[Nachosdelux]

Frankly, Anchorage has few choices when it comes to (quality) Hotels.

 

The Captain Cook is the only large hotel in Anchorage that I would consider "Regent" level, but barely.

 

The Hilton and Marriott are both dated and have service issues.  They have both been remodeled, but frankly it was "lipstick on a pig"

 

When there are so few options (like Anchorage and Iceland), there is not much Regent can do.

 

That said, they should have given a much bigger refund/service gesture in the Iceland situation.

[Dolebludger]

Again, which hotel in Reykjavik did Regent use last year?

Edited March 17 by Dolebludger

[GOARMY]

Bruice61 and Dolebludger:  

 

A quick addendum to my Post #152, which was reviewed following comments on Posts #176 and 177:   

 

As being "astonished" by my referencing 5+star Regent hotel stays in USA and Europe; and "inferring" my expectation was that all Regent clients at Concierge level should expect a similar experience.  

 

Again, with respect:  those remarks were prefaced by ". . . and as always, one's mileage may vary pertaining to pre and post-pandemic Regent-assigned hotels.  Both in USA, and when in Europe." 

 

Context is important. 

 

Our previous stays at Reykjavik were pre-pandemic, and incident to cruises on other Lines.  This next time--which is in early July--we will, thankfully, have remained overnight on Splendor.  Then, a tour following next day's disembarkation before Regent provides transportation to the airport.  

 

That is--unless volcanic activity causes our particular June-July London-Greenland-Iceland segment to be attenuated. The most-recent update from volcanologists is that Iceland may be at the beginning of another period of sustained seismic activity.  

 

Dolebludger:  As to the Anchorage Hilton hotel misadventure. Recall speaking with some folks who joined our Explorer segment last September at Seward--then on to Tokyo. Conversations at La Veranda.  Happy to be onboard. 

 

At that point, little would have been gained by opining that their stay at Anchorage would have been a better experience at Hotel Captain Cook.  That particular "ship" had already sailed.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

[cwn]

29 minutes ago, Nachosdelux said:

Frankly, Anchorage has few choices when it comes to (quality) Hotels.

 

The Captain Cook is the only large hotel in Anchorage that I would consider "Regent" level, but barely.

 

The Hilton and Marriott are both dated and have service issues.  They have both been remodeled, but frankly it was "lipstick on a pig"

 

When there are so few options (like Anchorage and Iceland), there is not much Regent can do.

 

That said, they should have given a much bigger refund/service gesture in the Iceland situation.

Totally agree with you about Anchorage and more compensation for Iceland. That was my point in my earlier post. You can’t make a silk purse from a sows ear, just sone kind of purse.

 

We have been to Anchorage on 6 cruises, but after the first two we do around trips. Also people really miss the mark when they pick a big bus transfer with Regent over the wonderful train ride. We have done it both ways! Just because the high end cruise line or travel company plan it, it isn’t always the best that you can do on your own, at least in our experience.

 

Edited March 17 by cwn

[Dolebludger]

cwn: Agree about the train! After reading less than inviting reviews of the Anchorage Hilton, we booked a small boutique hotel in Anchorage for our Explorer Alaska cruise last summer. We also booked a boutique hotel room in Seward for the next night and took the train to Seward the next morning. That is the way to go! 

[lprp]

1 hour ago, Dolebludger said:

Again, which hotel in Reykjavik did Regent use last year?

As per post #31

We stayed in the Reykjavik Grand last year and I can’t recommend it based on our stay.

[Bruce61]

I noticed that the pre-cruise land excursion said Hotel Borg or equivalent.  We initially booked there before being told by several people we must stay at the Edition. 

[Bruce61]

1 hour ago, GOARMY said:

 

As being "astonished" by my referencing 5+star Regent hotel stays in USA and Europe; and "inferring" my expectation was that all Regent clients at Concierge level should expect a similar experience.  

 

Again, with respect:  those remarks were prefaced by ". . . and as always, one's mileage may vary pertaining to pre and post-pandemic Regent-assigned hotels.  Both in USA, and when in Europe." 

 

No admonishment was intended.  More of a statement that what they previously did when they were a true customer-oriented luxury cruise line now seemed not to be the case.  
 

I am looking forward to a fabulous three week vacation and I won’t let a little volcanic activity interfere with that!!!

[howiefrommd]

As I previously articulated, had a similar experience with Regent (but in Rome) in which I was assisted by a good TA, certainly not Regent.

 

Reading these comments reminded me of a conversation with a patient several years ago. He was the CEO of a major hotel chain.  I happen to mention to him a negative experience I encountered recently in one of his hotels.  I am sure he was overjoyed to hear this as he traveled quite some distance for this consultation.  Anyway, he said something that really opened my neophyte eyes.  He said what the customer does not realize is that his responsibility as CEO is to the shareholder. His responsibility is to have a better quarter than the last one.

 

Unfortunately (especially for those that remember the Raddison/Regent good old days) that appears to be what is at play here.  Those that complain will eventually be given something (above what is currently offered) but most will just move on.  With more and more entities looking into developing (or expanding) the luxury end of cruising this will all play itself out.  
 

At least Regent will have its ever present cheerleaders, hopefully there will be enough of them to make them a viable business five years from now.  Saying that, given the thought that some hedge fund does not buy NCL and do what hedge funds do best.

 

 

[Covepointcruiser]

The Edition is the most expensive hotel in Reykjavik and it is not in the most convenient location.   We were happy with the Apotek, the Borg and the Parliament Hotel.  All are conveniently located with good restaurants and shopping in walking distance.   They are a very short distance from the pier.

[Dolebludger]

My anticipation is that Regent’s hotel and transfer benefit for concierge suites will disappear and be placed by some other perk — all due to Regent’s inability to deliver at the price they set for it. Or maybe concierge suites will be simply be placed in the F category, where suites are identical..l just looked up our future Splendor cruise seven nights San Juan to Miami. The difference between concierge and F suites is $550. The hotel and transfers were all of the additional perks of any value. But in this case, Regent is actually providing them. And I took to me that $550 should have been enough to have provided them in Reykjavik. Of course have to know the fare deferential on the Iceland cruise. But if it is like the Carbbean cruise I checked, Regent should have had sufficient additional fare money to have lived up to their contract

[mnocket]

15 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

The Edition is the most expensive hotel in Reykjavik and it is not in the most convenient location.   We were happy with the Apotek, the Borg and the Parliament Hotel.  All are conveniently located with good restaurants and shopping in walking distance.   They are a very short distance from the pier.

We stayed at the Borg in September.  It is perfectly located and very nice.  However, the day before boarding we were informed that our ship would not be docking at the pier that's right in town and easily walkable from the Borg, but instead would be docked at another pier several miles further from downtown. Just something for people making their own arrangements to be aware of. 

[SellaVee]

l believe Splendor is docking at the container port.

[Grandma Gilly]

Unfortunately all posts referring to Anchorage and other ports don’t help those of us who have been ‘bumped’.We will of course sort out somewhere to stay but Regent have behaved badly.

[Dolebludger]

Agreed! The references to Anchorage and Barbados were made only to show that Regent knew that it had problems with its pre-cruise accommodations before the Reykjavik disaster. 

[Pcardad]

1 hour ago, Dolebludger said:

Agreed! The references to Anchorage and Barbados were made only to show that Regent knew that it had problems with its pre-cruise accommodations before the Reykjavik disaster. 

Disaster in Reykjavik? Did a volcano erupt?

[Dolebludger]

35 minutes ago, Pcardad said:

Disaster in Reykjavik? Did a volcano erupt?

Well, actually, one did. And that could well turn into a disaster. But the one to which I referred involves Regent’s breaching its contractual obligations to fly guests there a day before embarkation and provide a hotel for the night before, along with transfers from airport to hotel, and to the port. This, along with providing no assistance to guests in booking their own hotel and transfers, and offering too little compensation to them to accomplish this, seems like a disaster in the world of luxury cruising. And if the volcano eruption makes the cruise impossible, I would expect Regent to give booked guests a full refund, plus a fairly small FCC. We shall see.

Edited March 19 by Dolebludger

[SellaVee]

The volcano won’t make the cruise impossible, unless there's an ash cloud or something that stops people flying anywhere.  Only a fraction of the cruise is in Iceland, so Regent would have to either start it late, or, more likely, start it somewhere else.

[GMIAC]

On 3/16/2024 at 11:02 AM, jjs217 said:

 

Geez - the first thing I think of doing while booking a luxury vacation is schlepping luggage on a bus.  

 

Whether it's a Flybus or a Regent-arranged bus, it's a bus. The luggage goes into the same storage area on the bus. If you need the "luxury" of a private car, there are plenty of options for that too, but you still have to schlep the bags to the car. 

[rcandkc]

1 minute ago, GMIAC said:

 

Whether it's a Flybus or a Regent-arranged bus, it's a bus. The luggage goes into the same storage area on the bus. If you need the "luxury" of a private car, there are plenty of options for that too, but you still have to schlep the bags to the car. 

Since when do we “schlep”….we roll 😀

[GMIAC]

Just now, rcandkc said:

Since when do we “schlep”….we roll 😀

 

IKR?  

[jjs217]

48 minutes ago, GMIAC said:

 

Whether it's a Flybus or a Regent-arranged bus, it's a bus. The luggage goes into the same storage area on the bus. If you need the "luxury" of a private car, there are plenty of options for that too, but you still have to schlep the bags to the car. 

I was referring to a public bus.  That is quite different from a Regent arranged bus.