Explorer November shore excursions HELP please

could really use some help selecting shore excursions for our november crossing on the explorer. Have read about them on the Regent site and am confused. I know some of you were on the crossing in the fall. All suggestions would be appreciated.

I was on the November crossing of the Explorer. If you tell me what excursions you are confused about, I'll try to help!

lets start with Madeira: which area would be most interesting? the descriptions all sound good, but first hand knowledge would be best.

lets start with Madeira: which area would be most interesting? the descriptions all sound good, but first hand knowledge would be best.

Unfortunately, the excursion that we took (and loved) is no longer offered. However, we will be doing the "Santana and North Coast" excursion on our transatlantic cruise that begins Sunday. We chose that excursion since it includes a Portuguese lunch. If I don't report on it, please remind me.

If I were a tea person, I'd do the Tea at Reid's excursion as I have heard good things about it.

where did you go on the excursion that is no longer offered, if you don't mind my asking???

Do you think the excursion in Ponta Delgata Splendor of the Furnas is worth the extra charge? any suggestions for Ponta Delgata??? where did you go? how was it????

where did you go on the excursion that is no longer offered, if you don't mind my asking???

Do you think the excursion in Ponta Delgata Splendor of the Furnas is worth the extra charge? any suggestions for Ponta Delgata??? where did you go? how was it????

Since I'm not on your cruise, I cannot see the excursions that you see, So, I don't see Ponta Delgata .......................... We went to a Madeira wine tasting and then to a restaurant where we were able to see and participate in making the bread and putting meat on the skewers. The food was delicious, the service was amazing and the wine flowed! Note: This was a Regent Choice excursion which we paid for with OBC's.

Sharon,

We are on this Sunday's crossing as well as the November Crossing. In Madeira, we are taking the Monte Village and botanical garden excursion. It includes about a 10 minute wicker toboggan ride praised by Ernest Hemingway. I will report on the excursion after we take it.

TC, i am not logged into our cruise. i am on the regent site and at the second stop Ponta Delgata. Did you stop there? if so what did you do there? Do you find that the Regent choice excursions are better than the free ones?

Okay - now I get it. Firstly, we did the crossing last November from Rome go Miami so our itinerary was different. I am not familiar with the two ports Funchal. Perhaps someone else can assist you with information on those ports.

Hope that you have a wonderful cruise!

TC, i am not logged into our cruise. i am on the regent site and at the second stop Ponta Delgata. Did you stop there? if so what did you do there? Do you find that the Regent choice excursions are better than the free ones?

Not TC but I'll chime in - yes, the Regent Choice excursions are better than the standard excursions. They're extra cost and usually for a reason. We've found that they're usually less crowded, better managed, and more unique.

That said, we usually do the standard included excursions or go off on our own. On occasion we'll set something up with our TA. We've had some standard excursions that have been excellent, some just good, and a few just downright poor. We'll usually upcharge 3 or 4 on a 10-12 day cruise, sometimes more.

My husband and I spent five days in Funchal a year and half ago, because he has a friend that lives there. The monte sled ride is great and you can't do that anywhere else. Buy the picture at the end, your mouth will probably be wide open with laughter or you will be thinking you are going to be killed. The garden was also well worth a visit, if you like gardens. We saw the gardens in the end of September, so keep that in mind. One of the other options is Santana and the north coast. I have done most of that tour and is you want scenery, that is a good choice. The towns of Santana and Machico were just ok in my opinion. Keep in mind food and drink are very very cheap on Madeira, so if you get a chance have the local bread - bolo do caco try it.

My husband and I spent five days in Funchal a year and half ago, because he has a friend that lives there.

The monte sled ride is great and you can't do that anywhere else. Buy the picture at the end, your mouth will probably be wide open with laughter or you will be thinking you are going to be killed.

The garden was also well worth a visit, if you like gardens. We saw the gardens in the end of September, so keep that in mind.

One of the other options is Santana and the north coast. I have done most of that tour and is you want scenery, that is a good choice. The towns of Santana and Machico were just ok in my opinion.

Keep in mind food and drink are very very cheap on Madeira, so if you get a chance have the local bread - bolo do caco try it.

Not sure which port you mean. Funchal is in Madiera, and Punta del Gada and Horta are in the Azores. Although both are Portuguese, they are different island "states". On our November crossing, we only stopped in Funchal and did not do the Azores. I'm not sure where the current (leaving Sunday) TA stops.....

Mudhen, we are on the November crossing and going to all three stops you mention, and information for excursions on these three would be very helpful. can sign up for excursions in a few days so trying to figure it out.

Not sure which port you mean. Funchal is in Madiera, and Punta del Gada and Horta are in the Azores. Although both are Portuguese, they are different island "states". On our November crossing, we only stopped in Funchal and did not do the Azores. I'm not sure where the current (leaving Sunday) TA stops.....

Their crossing was different than ours was - wish that we had made those additional stops!

I am also on the November crossing and would be very interested in any personal critiques re the excursions.

That being said, I read in one of Regent's descriptions of the ports somewhere that the two islands in the Azores are new ports of call for Regent (this was one reason we chose this cruise :) ). So, there may not be any info that past cruisers can provide us. I have not checked on the TA over to Europe that leaves this Sunday. If it stops at the new ports as well, hopefully someone on that cruise will give us their impressions after their trip.

I am also on the November crossing and would be very interested in any personal critiques re the excursions.

 

That being said, I read in one of Regent's descriptions of the ports somewhere that the two islands in the Azores are new ports of call for Regent (this was one reason we chose this cruise :) ). So, there may not be any info that past cruisers can provide us. I have not checked on the TA over to Europe that leaves this Sunday. If it stops at the new ports as well, hopefully someone on that cruise will give us their impressions after their trip.

Unfortunately, the TA on the Explorer that departs Sunday doesn't go to the new ports - only to Funchal. In addition to Funchal we will be in Bermuda for two days and Gibraltar. If you are interested in the excursion that we are taking in Funchal, I'll be happy to report on it.

Keep in mind that you can book an excursion and, if you change your mind, can call Regent and switch to another excursion (assuming there is availability on the cruise that you want to change to).

I have no idea what day of the week your call in the Azores is, but just be warned if it's on a Sunday, EVERYTHING is closed. That happened to us a few years ago and we were sorry we hadn't taken an excursion. We walked into town and it was buttoned up tight! No cafes, no restaurants, no bars, no nothing. We did find what I could call a newpaper stand open near the port that sold post cards, a couple of tee shirts and that was it! Things may have changed since we were there, but just a heads up to check on what may or may not be open.

In Funchal on Sunday, hope that is not an issue. and TC please do post details on your shore excursion.

In Funchal on Sunday, hope that is not an issue. and TC please do post details on your shore excursion.

We will be in Funchal April 5th and I'll report on it on a new thread that I'll be starting....."Live (lite) from the Explorer 3/26 - 4/9"

Sharon,

As I am on this cruise as well, I am reading your thread with interest. I have pretty much decided on the excursions I plan to book next week. Regarding your question about Funchal on Sunday, I looked on TripAdvisor and found this reply on a Shopping thread placed on March 5th.

"The small local shops usually close mid day Saturday until Monday morning,the fruit/veg/fish market in Funchal is also closed Sat aft and Sunday.The tourist shops/newspaper shops and shopping centres all open every day except Christmas Day."

we are looking at "panoramas of west madeira and it includes time in porto moniz for shopping and lunch, now i wonder if there will be shops open and somewhere for lunch???? does anyone know????

Sharon - I posted the tours for you that we selected for the November crossing. Check them out on our Roll Call.

Sheila

Thanks Sheila, I saw your post, we are on some of the same excursions as you are, no jeeps for us :)