Regent flights value

[GOARMY]

Shoreviewgirl:  

 

Against CC Policy to provide names of a specific TA and or Company on this Forum.  Other will chime in on this--but, based on about 25+years of cruising--on different Lines, and on all Regent ships except Grandeur, have always used a TA.  All were good; our latest, for the past 15 years, is GREAT!.  

 

Best advice is to ask around when onboard at social gatherings for recommendations.  

 

GOARMY!

 

[papaflamingo]

14 hours ago, Shoreviewgirl said:

What is the $75 inquiry fee?

When you call Custom Air to discuss Air Deviation, there is an initial $75 charge to "talk" to Regent Air.  This was instituted a year or so ago because with all the airline changes after Covid the Air Dept. was getting crushed with people looking to possibly deviate.  So they instituted a $75 fee to inquire.  If you agree on a Deviation the $75 fee is rolled into one of the $175 pp Deviation Fees.  So the phone call becomes "free" when you choose to deviate. What they do is charge your credit card when agree to the call, then when you agree to a flight they charge you $100 and your travel companion $175.  All these fees are non-refundable, but it sure has sped up the Deviation process. 

[papaflamingo]

6 hours ago, Shoreviewgirl said:

Wow!  Again, sounds promising.  I'm still not sure I am accurate in my understanding of  how the "air deviation" policy works:

1) When first booking, you choose Cruise with Air option.

2) 210 days prior to the cruise, you contact Regent Air with flights you have found (do you look for flights that are within the allowance or do you pick any?)  You pay them $175 pp and they will see what your flight prices out at?  It sounds like they are able to do better pricing. 

If you pick that flight, they roll the $75 into the air fare? 

or, do they come back to you with other options?

 

When you do contact them and pay the $175 though you aren't aware of what they would have chosen for you at the later date, right? So, by doing it at the 210 day mark, you have a better chance of getting the flight you want?

 

So confusing.  

 

 

Hope this helps...

1. When you book you can choose with or without air. Unless you KNOW you don't want air, better to go "with" air and you can cancel the air portion for a credit up to (I think) 60 days prior to sailing.  

2. The EARLIEST you can contact Custom Air is 210 days prior to sailing.  When you call them you give them your requested flights.  Regent gets a deeply discounted rate in their contract rates.  What you need to look for is flights that have 2 fares, refundable and non-refundable.  Those are more likely to have contract rates.  However that's just a "wag," doesn't always work that way. But by comparing fares from different airlines, and different routes on the same airline, you will have a feel what might have contract rates.  Example, if you see a non-stop for $5000 and a one stop for $4000 it's most likely that one stop will be the flight with no up charge. You can request the non stop and may be able to get it for an additional charge, I've been quoted up to $1500 per person (and I know others have been quoted higher).  Then it's up to you if you want to pay the additional.  May be worth it to you, may not. Your choice.  And the more options you can present them the more likely you'll find something acceptable to you. Also don't hesitate to ask the agent for flights that may have no up charge.  I did that coming home on my last cruise, I could get the non stop for an additional $1000 per person or go through Boston and fly JetBlue in coach for the second leg for no up charge.  For me it was worth the extra $1000 pp to fly non stop.

The $175 pp is only charged IF you accept a deviation. If you don't, you only pay a single $75.  Both fees are non-refundable. 

Hope this helps answer your questions.  Remember, if you book with air, Regent will assign flights about 60-75 days out. So if you don't find any to deviate, then no problem, just accept their assigned flights, and remember after they assign them you can call and try to change if they're unreasonable in your view.  

I always deviate internationally because we go a few days early and usually stay a couple days after the cruise.  I am retired airlines and I know all the pitfalls of getting to a cruise, so I leave nothing to chance.  Plus if I'm going to fly somewhere for a cruise, I want to spend some time in the ports to tour.  

For Domestic flights I take the credit and book my own.  Domestic is generally Economy.  So when you add the credit plus $175 deviation fee, plus Baggage Fees, you can come close to paying for a First Class ticket, especially for me since we get a 25% employee discount. 

 

 

[DeepFreeze63]

We have done 28 Regent cruises; except when I was able to snag reasonable FF flights, I have always used Regent Air and deviated.  We do live in a major hub area; that is a help.   Only once, I had difficulty with the Regent offerings; getting to Santiago, Chile. Didn’t like the Regent offerings; cancelled that cruise.

[DeepFreeze63]

Forgot to mention! Am now in Taipei and taking Regent Air flight (UA) home - 19 days after disembarking from Explorer in Tokyo.

[RetiredOnVacation]

@Shoreviewgirl All interesting stuff and very much what suits you best. Personally we value loyalty rewards and status miles/points with specific airlines and so always take the air credit and book our own air travel. I think I'm correct in believing you won't collect status points for a Regent air flight booking. Also there's some airlines I would not wish to travel on, eg Turkish (don't ask why!), so arranging our own air travel assures that we travel when and with who we like. Yes there are risks attached with any rerouted itinerary of the cruise but we build in contingency. Also allows for Amex travel insurance cover and points with them too! 

Fwiw! 

Edited April 14 by RetiredOnVacation
Added @OP

[jeb_bud]

51 minutes ago, RetiredOnVacation said:

@Shoreviewgirl All interesting stuff and very much what suits you best. Personally we value loyalty rewards and status miles/points with specific airlines and so always take the air credit and book our own air travel. I think I'm correct in believing you won't collect status points for a Regent air flight booking. Also there's some airlines I would not wish to travel on, eg Turkish (don't ask why!), so arranging our own air travel assures that we travel when and with who we like. Yes there are risks attached with any rerouted itinerary of the cruise but we build in contingency. Also allows for Amex travel insurance cover and points with them too! 

Fwiw! 

When we use Regent air and book United we always get our MileagePlus miles for the flights. I can’t comment on results with other airlines. 

[GOARMY]

Shoreviewgirl:  

 

A quick add-on to my earlier Post #26 as to finding a good TA--

 

When asking your fellow passengers for a recommendation, inquire if their TA has actually been a paying client on Regent ship(s); in addition to booking his/her clients.  That is one hallmark of someone with first-hand knowledge of the Regent "brand".  Hopefully, that TA--AND other colleagues in the TA's organization-- will have the benefit of sailing on at-least two Regent ships.  There is no substitute for first-hand experience. And, no substitute for working with a TA having back-up, knowledgeable associates, and a track record of working with Regent points-of-contact should problems crop-up.  

 

As to your Post #7:  YMMV, of course, based on others' earlier comments regarding quality of Regent-organized flight segment to/from a cruise. 

 

Ours, both pre-and post-COVID, have been positive.  Recent example:  Regent's original outgoing flight(s) for our rapidly-approaching (June) series of Splendor cruises beginning at London (Southampton) would have meant one-stop from SEA, via either Chicago or New York, to Heathrow.  Four-hour layover and change of planes (and baggage). Result: Evening arrival at Regent's London hotel night before next-morning's transfer to Southampton. Little value for Concierge pre-cruise stay at that nice hotel (where we have stayed before).  

 

So--did some checking.  Coordinated with our efficient TA (see Post 26) to request Regent get us on a N/S SEA-Heathrow British Air flight. Early afternoon departure from SEA; arrival at Heathrow 0700H.  This will provide us with time in London (and a visit to the British Museum located a few blocks from our hotel) for a leisurely lunch); nice dinner, and rest, before next-day transit to Southampton.  

 

Cost for deviation:  $500.00 pp.  Well worth it. This was accomplished in 24-hours.  Business Class seats assigned.  We are Platinum, so took advantage of waiver of the $175.00 deviation fee.  Even if we had to pay that fee, would have done it--given a marginal additional cost considering what we are paying for these cruise segments.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

[jeb_bud]

@GOARMY, how long in advance of your embarkation date did you receive the original one-stop itinerary and request the change to nonstop?

[GOARMY]

jeb-bud:

 

Had to go back into my email and Cruise segment files to confirm--

 

early 01/2024.  Decided to sign-on to Splendor's June-July segments starting with 06/21 embarkation at Southampton. Email exchanges w/TA as to air segments began on 01/12--a Friday.  TA dealt with a Regent Air contact as to "deviation" described in my Post #33. 

 

01/15: TA advised Regent Air Rep. was holding the last available BA Business Class seats for us--pending our approval for the deviation. Immediate positive response from us.  Later that day, received updated documents via our TA reflecting that BA Flight--with Seat assignments.

 

GOARMY!

 

 

    

 

[jeb_bud]

Thanks @GOARMY  I have one quick clarifying question. Was the original 1-stop itinerary a first response to a deviation request, or Regent’s standard non-deviation flight?

 

I have never waited to see what Regent would provide, always either deviating for international or booking my own domestic flights. I am interested in learning other people’s experiences with standard Regent air. The air travel industry has been so chaotic lately that making air arrangements 210 says in advance just seems to provide more time for the airlines to change the itinerary on their own. 

[GOARMY]

jeb-bud:

 

Normally, we also deviate at the 210-day mark.  If we have, say 250,000 to 400,000 FF miles just lying around, utilize those for two Business Class seats for long-haul over-the-ocean flight segments. Still go Concierge for early arrival at embarkation Port city; often two days early, and coordinate with Regent's assigned hotel to pay for the first night on our own.  So-much simpler.  

 

But, in the instant case, our decision to book Splendor b/t/bs was made well-within that 210 mark.  And, we had just expended around 400,000 FF miles on a Fall, 2023 Explorer Asian segment.  So--that FF wallet was reduced to about 50,000 miles.  

 

I realized we were taking our chances in getting decent seats on both the long-haul June flight to London; and a mid-July return from Iceland.  That's where our reliable TA helped out.  

 

So---Yes, the original 1-stop at a USA airport on either Delta or United en route to London was what the Regent Air Rep. initially represented to our TA--and then on to us.   

 

I anticipated this possibility. We had utilized British Air on three or four previous occasions for N/Ss both from, and then back to SEA concerning Regent (and Seabourn) European cruises.  Advised our TA we would consider an upcharge, if reasonable, to get a BA flight.  TA went back to Regent; Regent offered that BA flight for upcharge of $500.00 ea.  There would be NO additional charge for securing SAGA Class Icelander Air seats coming back to SEA.  

 

For reasons already detailed in Post #33--this was a no-brainer.  

 

-------

 

And, of course YMMV.  

 

And, as to airline Post-Lock-down Pandemic "turbulence": we had this occur in late 2021 when working w/Regent Air (and our TA) to pin-down flights from SEA to Barcelona.  Lufthansa and British Air were offered.  Both required change of planes at either Heathrow or Hamburg.  First, it was BA; then it was Lufthansa.  Changes made due to canceling that second flight segment to Barcelona, or rescheduling it for another too-close to completing the first leg to be realistic to accomplish timely transfer of our bodies (and luggage). 

 

This back and forth dance went on during the last three weeks leading up to our departure from Seattle. Fortunately, Regent Air kept on-task.  Our itinerary was changed THREE times.  Finally settled-down four days before departure.  Even then--we only breathed a sigh of relief after successfully boarding that second Lufthansa flight at Hamburg.  Had a three hour layover.  Sufficient time for time at Lounge to decompress.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

[Lonedaddy]

6 hours ago, GOARMY said:

jeb-bud:

 

Normally, we also deviate at the 210-day mark.  If we have, say 250,000 to 400,000 FF miles just lying around, utilize those for two Business Class seats for long-haul over-the-ocean flight segments. Still go Concierge for early arrival at embarkation Port city; often two days early, and coordinate with Regent's assigned hotel to pay for the first night on our own.  So-much simpler.  

 

But, in the instant case, our decision to book Splendor b/t/bs was made well-within that 210 mark.  And, we had just expended around 400,000 FF miles on a Fall, 2023 Explorer Asian segment.  So--that FF wallet was reduced to about 50,000 miles.  

 

I realized we were taking our chances in getting decent seats on both the long-haul June flight to London; and a mid-July return from Iceland.  That's where our reliable TA helped out.  

 

So---Yes, the original 1-stop at a USA airport on either Delta or United en route to London was what the Regent Air Rep. initially represented to our TA--and then on to us.   

 

I anticipated this possibility. We had utilized British Air on three or four previous occasions for N/Ss both from, and then back to SEA concerning Regent (and Seabourn) European cruises.  Advised our TA we would consider an upcharge, if reasonable, to get a BA flight.  TA went back to Regent; Regent offered that BA flight for upcharge of $500.00 ea.  There would be NO additional charge for securing SAGA Class Icelander Air seats coming back to SEA.  

 

For reasons already detailed in Post #33--this was a no-brainer.  

 

-------

 

And, of course YMMV.  

 

And, as to airline Post-Lock-down Pandemic "turbulence": we had this occur in late 2021 when working w/Regent Air (and our TA) to pin-down flights from SEA to Barcelona.  Lufthansa and British Air were offered.  Both required change of planes at either Heathrow or Hamburg.  First, it was BA; then it was Lufthansa.  Changes made due to canceling that second flight segment to Barcelona, or rescheduling it for another too-close to completing the first leg to be realistic to accomplish timely transfer of our bodies (and luggage). 

 

This back and forth dance went on during the last three weeks leading up to our departure from Seattle. Fortunately, Regent Air kept on-task.  Our itinerary was changed THREE times.  Finally settled-down four days before departure.  Even then--we only breathed a sigh of relief after successfully boarding that second Lufthansa flight at Hamburg.  Had a three hour layover.  Sufficient time for time at Lounge to decompress.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

That was a novella of a post 

[asnaleah]

We took the air credit from RSSC and booked our own business class seats on Iceland - saved $600 pp. You just have to check for yourself and see what’s the best value for you. Traveling from Chicago does give us a lot of options.

[Shoreviewgirl]

4 minutes ago, asnaleah said:

We took the air credit from RSSC and booked our own business class seats on Iceland - saved $600 pp. You just have to check for yourself and see what’s the best value for you. Traveling from Chicago does give us a lot of options.

Good to know. I did think that it should be fairly easy to check flights beforehand to know how it compares. We fly out of MSP do should have good options as well. Thank you for responding.