Business class, No More?

[forgap]

40 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

So the air cost only went up $50 pp.  Nothing has changed. 

I hate that we have to hunker down into the math…..I miss the days of alil inclusive rather than trying to hack their system.  

[Pcardad]

1 hour ago, forgap said:

I hate that we have to hunker down into the math…..I miss the days of alil inclusive rather than trying to hack their system.  

Just ask your TA to find you the best deal - no reason you have to do anything but pay the bill and enjoy the trip.

[forgap]

Perhaps I’m too OCD, but I like to make sure I’m covering all the angles.  My TA has lots of clients while I am my only client.  

[Pcardad]

7 minutes ago, forgap said:

Perhaps I’m too OCD, but I like to make sure I’m covering all the angles.  My TA has lots of clients while I am my only client.  

Find a TA who is more OCD than you are?

 

[charltonkerry]

Firstly we live in the UK and we enjoy the long cruises, so we book grand cruises. Regent has not only increase the cost of the cruise, but rather sneakily they now omit the visa package and luggage forward, I wonder if that’s the same the other side of the pond?

[charltonkerry]

The above comments was made when I compared the benefits before July 1st and after on the grand Asian cruise departing January 2026. Sorry couldn’t amend the above comment to add this.

[forgap]

8 hours ago, Pcardad said:

Find a TA who is more OCD than you are?

 

Not amusing and rather snarky…..is it possible to just accept another point of view on this issue?  
 

[ChucktownSteve]

16 hours ago, Pcardad said:

I can clarify my point. Cruise prices, like prices for most items, go up. We have had some greater than normal increases lately for a variety of reasons. However, we have also seen some incredible increases in portfolio values. This lessens the price shock to this particular category of buyer. Your average Regent cruiser is probably far better suited to absorb inflationary increases due to the increase in their net worth. I know my portfolio has increased many times faster than cruise prices or air prices have. If you bought 1000 shares of NVidia for $50 a share 18 months ago then you have made well over a million and a quarter bucks in 18 months. Pretty silly to be complaining about relatively small price increases by Regent. The relationship exists because the stock market gains are partly because of Covid recovery - the same reason that we are seeing inflationary prices. The two are related...and this customer group probably benefits from the market appreciation more than any other group. And don't forget, Regent is not responsible for air costs and I totally get them distancing themselves from that pricing structure. You don't have to agree...but that is how we (we being myself and some friends in my investing group) see it.

I understand what you're saying about NVDA (I got in @ an average $31.45/ps) however I don't equate that to cruising prices because most retail investors aren't savvy enough to have gotten in that early. They have brokers who manage their portfolios.  My favorite expression about previously using a broker is, the only one broker was me!

 

I also agree with un-bundling the air because it caused me to balk at booking a cruise due to the excess they had to charge to get there.  The cruise would have been over $30k if memory serves me correctly.  Even though I have the portfolios which have gained incredibly well to cover it, that doesn't mean I want to spend it on a cruise and airfare. The air lines IMO have kept seat availability artificially low to raise pricing excessively.  I don't put Regent cruises in that category yet.

[The Hudson Co. Landlubber]

11 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

That isn't exactly what you said.  You said "They used to be inclusive of business air (in North America), now they're not."  But nothing at all has changed.  Regent offers air at the cost to Regent from the air lines. That's as it's always been.  They would agree on a contract rate, as I'm sure they try to do today, and that is the rate they charge you.  But Business Class is a premium product and the Airline's money maker.  They are flying full.  There is no reason for an airline to discount the rate.  So Regent can't get it. They publish whatever the rate they can secure for you.  If you can buy Business Class air cheaper, then do it, just like in the past.

We booked a cruise leaving out of Papeete.  The air credit was round trip was $9800 per person.  Today it's $10,100 per person, or $300 per person higher.  BUT, it now includes $250 pp Blacklane credit.  So the air cost only went up $50 pp.  Nothing has changed. 

 

Respectfully, the voyage I was looking at went up $2,580/pp overnight.  I kept a screen shot.  Am I missing something? (I often do...)

 

[papaflamingo]

31 minutes ago, The Hudson Co. Landlubber said:

 

Respectfully, the voyage I was looking at went up $2,580/pp overnight.  I kept a screen shot.  Am I missing something? (I often do...)

 

No, you're not missing anything.  The cost of Regent cruises have always gone up a few times per year.  The cost of air is reflective of the cost TO Regent for the air, just like it always has been.  Air costs are going up across the board, including for Regent. But on our cruise, the cost of air only went up $50 if you factor in the Blacklane credit.  Other cruises... who knows.  In the past (at least since 2018) it has always done the same.  Air credit changed per itinerary and per Regent's cost.  I have one cruise where the air credit was about $7,000 round trip and another cruise it was $9800 round trip.  Both were booked a while ago, one much earlier than the other.  The cost reflects the best rate that Regent can get for air.  It's no different today.  

I'm not surprised your cruise went up $2850.  But what probably went up was the cruise only cost.  Again... they have been doing that for years. A couple times per year they raise prices.  ALL of our cruises went up significantly over the years since we tend to book at least a year out.   Just the nature of the game.  All cruise lines do it. 

Edited July 10 by papaflamingo

[papaflamingo]

11 hours ago, forgap said:

I hate that we have to hunker down into the math…..I miss the days of alil inclusive rather than trying to hack their system.  

You don't have to "do the math," the website does it for you. It shows the cost without air, cost with economy air, and cost with Business Class air.  A few years ago it showed only the cost with Business Class air, and then at the bottom showed the "air credit" which meant you had to do the math to figure out if you could get it cheaper or not.  Then a year or so ago they showed cruise cost without air AND cruise cost WITH Business Class side by side.  NOW they show cost without, addition for economy air, and addition with Business Class air.  Much better.  I can see without ANY math how much it'll cost to purchase Business Air (knowing it might change a bit with departure airport) and see if I can get it cheaper without having to subtract the cost of air from the cruise cost.  Pretty simple, especially if you don't want to do the math. 

[forgap]

5 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

You don't have to "do the math," the website does it for you. It shows the cost without air, cost with economy air, and cost with Business Class air.  A few years ago it showed only the cost with Business Class air, and then at the bottom showed the "air credit" which meant you had to do the math to figure out if you could get it cheaper or not.  Then a year or so ago they showed cruise cost without air AND cruise cost WITH Business Class side by side.  NOW they show cost without, addition for economy air, and addition with Business Class air.  Much better.  I can see without ANY math how much it'll cost to purchase Business Air (knowing it might change a bit with departure airport) and see if I can get it cheaper without having to subtract the cost of air from the cruise cost.  Pretty simple, especially if you don't want to do the math. 

I was referencing the fact that air costs are based on travel for NYC (in small print, I might add) and the transfer via Blackline (or credit) is not obvious.  So, it’s not as simple as just looking at the costs on the cruise landing page.  Plus, on every booking we’ve made there are deductions as to when you booked, 2 for 1, etc., etc.   Not to mention additional costs to talk with Regent concerning air routes, deviation fees,  and air up-charges for reasonable routes.  It seems like a game of smoke and mirrors which, I guess, is marketing t its best.  

[ChucktownSteve]

I had booked a 14 night Caribbean cruise this past February for February 2026. The price has only increased $350pp. Air excluded. That's within their normal, regularly scheduled increases.

[The Hudson Co. Landlubber]

36 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

No, you're not missing anything.  The cost of Regent cruises have always gone up a few times per year.  The cost of air is reflective of the cost TO Regent for the air, just like it always has been.  Air costs are going up across the board, including for Regent. But on our cruise, the cost of air only went up $50 if you factor in the Blacklane credit.  Other cruises... who knows.  In the past (at least since 2018) it has always done the same.  Air credit changed per itinerary and per Regent's cost.  I have one cruise where the air credit was about $7,000 round trip and another cruise it was $9800 round trip.  Both were booked a while ago, one much earlier than the other.  The cost reflects the best rate that Regent can get for air.  It's no different today.  

I'm not surprised your cruise went up $2850.  But what probably went up was the cruise only cost.  Again... they have been doing that for years. A couple times per year they raise prices.  ALL of our cruises went up significantly over the years since we tend to book at least a year out.   Just the nature of the game.  All cruise lines do it. 

 

Thanks for the insight.  The cruise only cost is exactly the same as it was before the change, to the dollar.

 

[Pcardad]

2 hours ago, forgap said:

Not amusing and rather snarky…..is it possible to just accept another point of view on this issue?  
 

Not meant to be snarky...apologies. But if you don't trust your TA (who is making a very large commission) to do at least as good a job as you can do then perhaps it IS time for a different TA. They are earning a fee for doing whatever work you need to be done to be happy with the process. Let them work. 

Totally possible to accept your POV - and I do. But I read your post as expressing a need that there might be a solution to so I made a suggestion. It wasn't an argument.

[DeepFreeze63]

7 hours ago, charltonkerry said:

Firstly we live in the UK and we enjoy the long cruises, so we book grand cruises. Regent has not only increase the cost of the cruise, but rather sneakily they now omit the visa package and luggage forward, I wonder if that’s the same the other side of the pond?

We are on the same Explorer 01/2026 cruise as you. Price in U.S. for an F1 cabin as "cruise only" increased $3000 (+6%) on 7/01/2024 from what it was on 06/24/2024! Also, the price for RT BC air increased by $5000 (+68%)!!

Here, the visa package and the luggage forward are still included

[Pcardad]

31 minutes ago, DeepFreeze63 said:

We are on the same Explorer 01/2026 cruise as you. Price in U.S. for an F1 cabin as "cruise only" increased $3000 (+6%) on 7/01/2024 from what it was on 06/24/2024! Also, the price for RT BC air increased by $5000 (+68%)!!

Here, the visa package and the luggage forward are still included

And this is exactly why Regent wants to decouple their pricing from the cost of the air.....so every guest can see who is increasing prices by 68% vs. 6%.

[pingpong1]

4 hours ago, forgap said:

Not amusing and rather snarky…..is it possible to just accept another point of view on this issue?  
 

Also remember..."We're not supposed to even care about how much Regent raises its prices because our stock portfolios have gone up over the past year or two."  😵

[charltonkerry]

47 minutes ago, DeepFreeze63 said:

We are on the same Explorer 01/2026 cruise as you. Price in U.S. for an F1 cabin as "cruise only" increased $3000 (+6%) on 7/01/2024 from what it was on 06/24/2024! Also, the price for RT BC air increased by $5000 (+68%)!!

Here, the visa package and the luggage forward are still included

Would think it’s a similar increase here, although it’s a lot harder to tall as the package isn’t like for like, the difference based on the ultimate package booked after 1st July ‘24 and booked before are considerable

 

1. Business class flights replaced by economy class flights (phone for upgrade to business)

2. Door to door luggage removed

3. Comprehensive visa package removed

4. Included dry cleaning and pressing no longer mentioned so I assume removed, we still get free laundry.

5. Blacklane chauffeur service added.

 

I only got comparative costs for B class suite, if I compare the original cost (which we booked at) then to the post 1/7/24 cost (you may prefer it typed as 7/1/24) then the new ultimate cost without the items 1 to 4 but with 5 is actually around £5,050 ($6,500 based on $1.28 dollars to a pound) per person more expensive or around 9% but if you said the removed / reduced items then I would guess these to be another £5,000 ($6,500) or a total approaching 18% increase.

 

My main concern is the difference between the packages being offered, why are there a difference between the UK and USA (perhaps others as well), where as in the past there was none?

[Pcardad]

26 minutes ago, pingpong1 said:

Also remember..."We're not supposed to even care about how much Regent raises its prices because our stock portfolios have gone up over the past year or two."  😵

That isn't what I said...you should be careful with the quotes when you are making things up.

Regent has very small increases. The airlines have very large increases. The underlying cause to these increases is the same thing that has boosted your assets by a far greater amount. I am suggesting perspective. Someone stuck a blender into our economy - cruise prices are up, but your assets are up 10x more. Sounds like a win to me...keep it coming.

[kirtihk]

On 7/7/2024 at 7:30 AM, papaflamingo said:

No, they haven't. They've just added a coach option so you can save money if you wish.  But the price with Business Class is clearly stated on the website.

Yes, but it's also clearly increased (by $2,010 per person for our cruise in December 2024; so, it's $4,020 more for 2 now).  And the funny part is when I called at the time of booking it (2 years ago), they told me that the air price stays the same no matter what for any given cruise from a cruise's sale opening date through the cruise departure date.

Edited July 10 by kirtihk

[kirtihk]

On 7/7/2024 at 11:17 AM, forevertravel said:

The business add on listed for "ultimate cruises with business air is from NY JFK. If you, like most of us, fly from another city there will be a add on charge. The website recommends to do "plan my cruise" to get correct air. I'm glad we booked our next two cruises before July 1st. I think the best thing from now on is to get your own air if you can find a good fare or if you have lots of miles (we don't). The cruise fare alone has gone up also. I can't simply blame the airlines for this increase. I also noticed those included land tours from the past are gone.

All is true. So, there is nothing so special about Regent anymore in many aspects.  Oh, well...

 

To be fair, Regent increases the cruise price typically couple times a year (I figured out a few years ago that they do it by gradually decreasing the initial promotion % saving from the brochure price).

[kirtihk]

On 7/7/2024 at 10:12 PM, Tsunami74 said:

What I have noticed is that the "Free" 3 day land pre or post land programs have disappeared from the Australian and Asian cruises.

A big difference.

They are listed  at bottom of page as available, but with a fairly high charge

And from my Indian Ocean (Cape Town to Dubai) cruise, too.

Edited July 10 by kirtihk

[kirtihk]

On 7/8/2024 at 12:43 PM, UUNetBill said:

I haven't applied any of my 'spreadsheet geekiness' to this yet, but a cursory glance tells me that the fares have gone up noticeably.  Disappointing.  Expected, of course, but still disappointing.

 

For us, that was one of the things that distinguished Regent from the other cruise lines - 'one and done' shopping.  To me, it kind of cheapens the brand - but I'm not an MBA or a marketing whiz, so what the hell do I know, right?

It’s exactly my point, too (not one and done anymore).  From a cruiser’s perspective, they are losing their unique touch regardless of what they try to approach now.

[CJANDH]

10 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

NOW they show cost without, addition for economy air, and addition with Business Class air.

Yes. But only priced for flights from JFK. You still have to dial down to find the actual cost from your departure airport. In the past, they quoted a price including BC air that was not dependent on your departure/return airport. They sort of averaged the air price across the country (for their designated airports). Much more work involved now.