Courtesy Shuttle

We are booked on our first Regency cruise this summer. We have booked the shore excursions we want but I was wondering if Regency provides courtesy shuttles from the port to the center of town for those not taking excursions.

It will vary with the port, of course, since many are just a short walk to the town center. In our experience, whenever the distance is above maybe 1/2 mile, Regent provides shuttle bus service.

Thank you, that's kind of what I thought but just wanted to make sure

IMO Regent will provide a shuttle to a town/shopping center only about a third of the time. So much depends on the port.

J

I just went through a list of excursions on my trip. Looks like they are pretty clear on what is included (i.e. shuttle) and also caution on the amount of walking, etc.

~Jar

I just went through a list of excursions on my trip. Looks like they are pretty clear on what is included (i.e. shuttle) and also caution on the amount of walking, etc.

 

~Jar

I'm not sure what you are referring to in terms of "what is included" on excursions. Typically, whether or not there are shuttles available will appear the night before you reach the port in your daily newspaper, "Passages". I have not seen this information included in excursion descriptions.

Now I'm getting confused. I have cruised on Crystal many times and they always provide complimentary shuttles all day to the center of the city if it is not in walking distance. I'm just trying to determine if that's also the case with Regent.

Now I'm getting confused. I have cruised on Crystal many times and they always provide complimentary shuttles all day to the center of the city if it is not in walking distance. I'm just trying to determine if that's also the case with Regent.

Regent does not always take you to the center of town. Some ports are a long way from the "gate" and people are not allowed to walk so they provide a shuttle to the gate. Other times the shuttle goes to the center of the city. Everything is really port dependent.

Someone from the port city generally comes onboard with information, maps and a shuttle schedule once the ship has been cleared.

When comparing two lines, it is easy to get confused. We did that when we decided to try Silversea for the first time. For us, not making comparisons until the end of the cruise worked best for us. This allowed to enjoy Silversea for what it was - the things that were better than Regent and those than were not. I'm sure that Crystal is a great cruise line -- Regent is as well - they are just different.

Travelcat 2, thank you for your response. I'm not trying to compare the two lines as I will do that after the cruise. I'm just trying to think ahead about the practicalities of getting to the main attractions in the port cities we may want to do on our own, as we have been to some of the ports on our itinerary and may not need an excursion or tour guide.

It always helps if you would put down the actual ports you are talking about. Otherwise, it's just generalized, often inapplicable answers.

And it's Regent, not Regency (those are Hyatt hotels ;))

Now I'm getting confused. I have cruised on Crystal many times and they always provide complimentary shuttles all day to the center of the city if it is not in walking distance. I'm just trying to determine if that's also the case with Regent.

Now I'm curious - does Crystal provide complimentary shuttles from Civitavecchia into central Rome? Or from Warnemünde into Berlin? There are so many variables on where ships dock that it's hard to say with any certainty what shuttles may be provided.

Now I'm curious - does Crystal provide complimentary shuttles from Civitavecchia into central Rome? Or from Warnemünde into Berlin? There are so many variables on where ships dock that it's hard to say with any certainty what shuttles may be provided.

I have yet to know of a Crystal cruise that merely did a transit of Civitavecchia - my prior ones had that as a start/end port for a segment. No transport into Rome provided.

At Warnemunde, trips into Berlin were shore excursions, paid for my the guest. In fact, IIRC there was no town shuttle as things were in walking distance (through the train station and over the bridge).

Bill, we have stopped in Civitavecchia a few times. The only way to get to Rome is when you book an excursion. If you book Regent air, you will be transported from the airport in Rome to Civitavecchia.

Bill, we have stopped in Civitavecchia a few times. The only way to get to Rome is when you book an excursion. If you book Regent air, you will be transported from the airport in Rome to Civitavecchia.

That was my point; some ports you don't just run a shuttle...

Bill, we have stopped in Civitavecchia a few times. The only way to get to Rome is when you book an excursion.

Which is effectively a shuttle like the OP asked about. When Civitavecchia is a port call there are both train and bus transfers (i.e., an excursion which drops you off in the city with no itinerary) into the city available at no cost ("free" excursion), though just one time to/from for the bus transfer. It looks like the train transfer might be open for return at several times. Not shuttles, but at 90 minutes each way it wouldn't be very reasonable to do this many times each way.

Which is effectively a shuttle like the OP asked about. When Civitavecchia is a port call there are both train and bus transfers (i.e., an excursion which drops you off in the city with no itinerary) into the city available at no cost ("free" excursion), though just one time to/from for the bus transfer. It looks like the train transfer might be open for return at several times. Not shuttles, but at 90 minutes each way it wouldn't be very reasonable to do this many times each way.

You're right of course. I was thinking of a shuttle that goes back and forth from the city multiple times a day.

Now I'm curious - does Crystal provide complimentary shuttles from Civitavecchia into central Rome? Or from Warnemünde into Berlin? There are so many variables on where ships dock that it's hard to say with any certainty what shuttles may be provided.

UUNetBill, no cruise line provides a free shuttle to Rome from Civitavecchia because it is a 50 mile trip. We know Rome pretty well, so we took ships' unstructured buses to Rome when available. Our destination was usually a favorite restaurant and handbag store in our old neighborhood.

There are certain cities that are inconveniently far from the port cities. For example, Berlin is far from Warnemunde. San Pedro where Panama Canal cruises start isn't convenient or attractive. When we first went to St. Petersburg on Seabourn Sun, we docked on the river across from the Hermitage. The next time, it was Navy Week or something, and we docked at the regular port. Getting into town was very difficult and there was no shuttle. Such are the vagaries of travel.

On our next trip, the March TA to Barcelona, the docking situation will be different from our first few trips to the city. Then, docking was within a short walk to Las Ramblas. That is hard to beat.

Mary