This morning's Passages on the Mariner listed changes to the SSS tier levels for 2007. New enhancements are, in addition to existing benefits:

Silver - Invitations to exclusive Regent cruise and hotel events in select cities.

Gold - Choice of newspaper services from around the world.
Complimentary upgrade to hardcover of personalized commerative album at soft cover prices.

Platinum - Complimentary Air deviation services (once per sailing.)
Additional 6 hours of complimentary phone usage per suite (non-transferable or exchangeable.)

Titanium - new level for 400+ nights -Complimentary transfers to and from airport and home (within a 50 mile radius.)
Complimentary dry cleaning.

Interesting.....I was hoping the added Titanium level would include some type of a cruise, now that would be a great incentive....oh well!

Yes Marcie, they don't seem to be keeping up with Crystal and Silversea.

100 miles in transfers for 400 nights? That seems actually stingy! I know it's added to all the other benefits, but still. If I remember right on Seabourn you get a free (up to) 14 day cruise after 140 nights.

Sue...you're right. We'll earn our "free" 14 days on Seabourn when we complete our Holiday cruise. Can't wait to use those days!!!!!

Am I the only one that thought Platinums already had dry cleaning services? Here is a clip from the current benefits:

Isn't dry cleaning a "laundry service?"

And to think that all the Platinums got for losing their (exclusive) benefit of open bar, is a lousy six hours of phone time?? Of course, if you want to use Regent air you do get an air deviation....which I hope you would only need once. Maybe they are thinking of MUSH where TWO deviations may have been necessary. :D

Of course, with the Voyager on the sidelines for 28 days and the continuing problems on the Mariner (i.e., refunding a lot of money), I imagine Regent has gone back into the penny pinching mode. I wonder, even with the high 2007 fares, what cuts in food will be noticeable on FJORDS.

No cuts I hope, Marc.

Will 2008 fares go up higher than 2007 fare?

Marc, do you think Regent is insured against lost revenue when the ship "breaks" and cruises are cancelled??

Marc, with what they are charging for that cruise, there had better not be any cuts in food on FJORDS! No rib eye on Simplicity menu instead of filet, either!

I agree Olivia!!! I hate to not see the filet on the menu - I have been able to get it when I ask in CR but it is usually about the size of a golf ball - not same size filet you are served in Signatures -

I am sure they are insured for the loss...maybe not the cruise credits but the loss of use, yes. otherwise they and all the cruise lines would lose their shirts.

Marc,
In the past, there has been 'laundry service' which is washing and drying and pressing, then dry cleaning is another category. Sorry.
Lynn

The complete new tier information has been posted at rssc.com here . They have definitely not made the program any better. Now, Gold are limited to only having four items pressed over seven days; there was not a limit before. Of course, we do get a newspaper in our suite. Platinum get nine hours of phone which is just a five hour increase (if I remember correctly) from before. Not much for giving up the free liquor.

Still no mention of free cruises.

At least they haven't gotten rid of Goldpoints. $800 off (per couple which nets to $722 if also have other discounts) is much more valuable than any of the benefits stated here.

I think the comp air deviation for platinum is a nice feature!

Taking everything into account, the new Titanium level SUCKS.

Ardis, I have to agree....nothing on the Titanium level sounds too enticing. Guess the dry cleaning is nice but I'd rather have a free cruise and pay for my own dry cleaning! I've never used RSSC air so the air deviation isn't a turn on.

The free phone time is PER SEGMENT with the WC right?

Yes, as far as I know. My question now for Regent is: Does each passenger in the suite get the full phone time or is it just for each suite?

Marcie: yes - the phone time is per segment.
Ardis: the call time is per suite.

I agree - the Titanium level needs to be "enhanced".

My guess is that most of the Titanium level passengers are World/South American/Circle Pacific trip travelers so if they were to add a 2 week "free" cruise, how would they work it out for the passengers who only take the long trips? Credit us with $$ against the cost of that trip? That's what Seabourn did when they took over RVL.

Peggy

I see they have now cut the Gold "complimentary pressing" back to two items per 7 night cruise. That was the only perk that really meant anything to me, and now they have taken it away!

I didn't even take advantage of my 1 free night of pressing because I kept forgetting to put the stuff out.

I did, however, find a new solution. I took Mark to the laundry room and taught him how to plug the iron in,lol. Tony would of been proud of him!

My favorite perk so far is the comp internet time.

I just hope the Exclusive Gold & Platinum activity aboard or ashore gets better. As a lot of you know, I was less than please with the Cocktails in the Laundry on the Mariner this summer.

They gave you drinks in the laundry room? That seems a little cheesy....not to mention steamy...

Have not seen this mentioned before but I believe one of the issues with the system is that only cruise nights are included and the pre and post cruise nights are not included. I could be wrong but it has been my impression that the pre and post cruise tours that are tied to a cruise are a fairly profitable venture for Regent. I think these nights should be included in the count for cruise nights.

All in all having such a program is probably viewed as a necessary evil by Regent just to be somewhat competitive to other programs. I can not believe any one and I really mean any one would book a cruise because of the benefits. They just are not that meaningfull in terms of financial value. In contrast the airline programs which started this entire trend do have significant benefits for the very high volume passenger or long time user of the airline. I have and do go out of my way to continue to use American because of the benefits of being a long time user of American. Mostly from my working life but makes the retirement life easier.

Looking forward to our cruise on PUBS in September 2007.

That's right, Robert. World Cruisers also enjoyed this perk as reported in the spring by Debbie. Fortunately the temperature was comfortable as they had turned off all the working machines earlier that afternoon. The crew on duty that evening was thrilled not to have to work. They waved and grinned as they were introduced.

The main focus of a "loyalty" program is not necessarily to make you travel more often but, rather, to keep you loyal to one brand. Like you said with respect to American, you stay loyal because of the long term benefits not necessarily the miles you earn on any one trip. I think Regent needs to tweak the program to maintain that loyalty. Free cruises are one way of doing that as you lose out on earning that benefit each time you use cruising dollars to cruise another cruiseline.

and even on regent, though it's AI, there are still benefits even if they have to give a free one week cruise. Money is spent elsewhere, the gift and jewelry shops, the casino, if you want premium liquor, the spas, and excursions.

I'm wondering if they privately give their really premium customers perks that we don't even know about. I know that a pair of loyal long-term Diamond patrons were offered free cruises to wean them away from the ship--I just wonder if this type of thing is done quietly, without any fanfare.

How many days must one have to be a "really premium" customer?

Ardis, I don't know but you better have a lot of them! I got so ticked off about them taking away my only perk that meant anything to me at gold level that I e-mailed them from the website. I hope anyone who appreciated the "free pressing" service and had it taken away will do the same. We spend a lot of money to keep our loyalty with Regent, and should not be treated this way.

I didn't realize they had taken that perk away!! How can they give it to the Gold's then renege?? That sounds very UN-Regent like!!

Sadly so, Marcie, here is from the website:
· Complimentary pressing of up to two additional items per 7-night cruise segment

I think it was an insult to add such a small perk as pressing two garments of clothing. Added were free newpapers, which I can read in the library, and an upgrade to hardcover IF you first purchase some sort of photo album, which interests me not one bit. I don't know what they were thinking, but it has left a sour taste with me.

Is it my imagination or is the new Titanium level geared toward Floridians? It provides transportation from "home to pier". It provides transportation from "airport to pier". Shouldn't it be transportation from any "home to airport" within 50 miles?

Ardis, I hadn't paid attention to the wording before, I think you are correct!

Life is unfair?

What happened to the complimentary canapes for Platinum? I understand adding a higher tier level but Regent SHOULD NOT take away what was originally promised via Marc Conroy's mail-out. <img border="0" alt="[c]" title="" src="graemlins/c.gif" />

They can have my private art auction viewing but not my canapes!

I don't want the private art auction. That is a joke. I also don't need the canapes since Stan and I enjoy the Observation Lounge in the evening and we enjoy the canapes there.

Geez, I can order canapes anytime and I won't be Gold until my next cruise. That benefit is no benefit! It's called Room Service.

Kathy, what we have been receiving are far better than what you would normally get from room service, it's likely more like what they deliver to the large suites....things like caviar, lobster claws etc. even though they refer to them as canapes.

We got the new benefits brochure in the mail today, along with another cruise brochure.

For the Gold pressing benefit, it's two pieces in addition to the two allowed Silver members.

And the canapes for Platinum aren't on the list anywhere, but the only time we have gotten caviar as a canape in a large suite is one night during our mega-upgrade on Mariner. Several times, it has been a bowl of potato chips and some kind of dip, or a few cubes of cheese with some crackers.

Ardis, I agree with you. After all, since Titanium (and Platinum) already get a free deviation, the transfer from the airport to the ship should already be included. The transfer from home to airport is much more important.

Olivia, if someone can post the best address to use, maybe we can get a letter writing campaign started. I think that we want to contact Fort Lauderdale and not the company that manages their website.