Bali-Melbourne December 2012: Excursions Are "Sold Out"

[room010]

Regent have been selling this cruise hard and changed the itinerary to make Melbourne an embark/disembark port so we duly booked for our first Christmas at sea. There are very few ports of call (Exmouth, Geraldton, Perth, Kangaroo Island) and apart from Perth they are small places with VERY few excursions (2 each in fact). Needless to say these excursions are all fully booked so we are waitlisted on all our choices apart from Perth. Just a heads up to anyone who hasn't booked their excursions yet :cool: Things may change nearer the time of course but with so many people wanting so few excursions I think Regent is going to cop some flak, especially as everyone has technically "paid" for their inclusive excursions and expect to be able to take them (or an alternative).

[Travelcat2]

If possible, Regent will continue to add buses to accommodate everyone. We have been in situations where there are 16 busloads of people going to the same places (not necessarily in the same order). Wish I could say something positive about this situation, but, our experiences have not allowed me to honestly say that.

[room010]

The Regent website flags these excursions "was $149, now FREE" which we all know is nonsense but it does beg the question, if we are unable to take a fully booked excursion with no alternatives available can we ask for a $149 credit or will Regent say its Free so no credit applies. Let me guess....... ;)

[pingpong1]

Room010 - During a long career with the US Navy (both in and out of uniform), I had the pleasure of traveling to Harold E. Holt Naval Communications Station (Exmouth Gulf) on several occasions (tallest antenna tower in the southern hemisphere). I can firmly attest to having drank some rather substantial quantities of mighty fine beer (Swan Lager), seeing tons of jack rabbits, and enjoying the warm hospitality and welcome of many friendly "locals". As great a place as it was/is, I can't imagine that there would be too much to do in the way of "excursions" for Regent passengers - unless they organized a beer drinking and rabbit chasing adventure :D

 

Perhaps local attractions have expanded a bit since I was there in the late 80's/early 90's. Now Fremantle/Perth - That's a different story! One of the most beautiful areas in the world and the citizens are simply the very BEST! Perth, situated on the Swan River is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It's too bad Regent wouldn't/couldn't dock in Albany (in Princess Royal Harbor) after leaving Fremantle (about 260 miles south of Fremantle). Albany (as you know) is on the very southwest tip of the continent and is at the point where the Indian and Southern Oceans converge. Exhibits document 200 years of history in WA, Boardwalks with spectacular ocean views, and miles and miles of beautiful unspoiled and sparsely populated beaches. Some of the most spectacular hiking, fishing, and whale watching in the world. My Mom was born in Albany and was the great-great grandaughter of Charles Donat Keyser - originally, an American who arrived in Bussleton (south of Fremantle) on a whaling ship from Philadelphia in 1850. He left the ship and remained in Australia for the rest of his life. Best Regards

[room010]

I take your point of course. These WA ports of call (except Perth/Freo) don't have a huge range of Must See's it must be said and as a "local" - albeit from the other side of the continent - I have completely realistic expectations of the Harold Holt radio mast and surrounding attractions ;) I agree that a stop in Albany would have been a very interesting look at Australia's whaling history, un-PC as it now is.

 

Essentially this is a repositioning cruise in preparation for the NZ and eastern Aussie seaboard and beyond season so Regent have only organised the bare minimum of stops and excursions and that's well understood. But what few arrangements they have made should at least be able to accommodate the number of pax likely to want them.