Just back from the Owners Signatures conference in San Diego. Regent news as follows.

The winter collection for Regent is due to open soon. Rumor says around October 8th I am glad I will be back in town by then.

The Mariner will probably do the usual South American itinerary. I also heard that the Mariner may be doing Alaska! I like the Mariner in Alaska and I may consider the re-positioning cruise from CA to Vancouver via Alaska. I always enjoy Alaska.

I bet the Navigator will do the Caribbean during the winter months as usual but if the Mariner DOES do Alaska what then for the Navigator?

The Voyager ends up the 2015 schedules in Beijing so will be doing the Asian area but I think it will need to probably end up in the UK or Copenhagen ready to do the Baltic's that is the normal pattern. That could prove to offer some interesting itineraries towards the end of the winter collection as the ship re-positions to Europe.

Explorer 2016 wont be out until later and will start sailing at some time in 2016. Hopefully we have those itineraries in January/February with the release of the Summer collection.

I did hear at the Signatures meeting that the maiden cruise for the Explorer would be offered by tier level. Order I assume would be Titanium, Platinum, Gold and Silver and then the general public.

Great assurances from NCL, Regent and Oceania that the three brands would remain completely independent operating separately. The savings from consolidation would be more in purchasing power, for fuel, food etc things that are back office and not really affecting each brand.