Regent's "free" shore excursions??

[Senior Citizen]

We have just booked on Regent Seven Seas Navigator , Miami to Miami, round trip 14th Jan 2014. We've been tempted off Azamara. The so called 'free excursions' seem to be a bit of a joke for relatively 'late bookers' the few places have been snapped up by their 'extremely early' bookers and are just are a sales gimic! When we booked and tried to book so called 'free excursions' we were faced with 'sold out' on most of the most desirable ones. Happily we are fairly confident about being able to do our own thing but do feel a little cheated by their 'nothing to be concerned about' advertising ploy!

We'll see how we get on...................ready to be convinced. Is paying a premium really worth it..............

 

We're in the same "boat" as you. We recently booked a Regent cruise 1.5 months prior to its sailing---on the other side of the world! We found that all the interesting tours we wanted are waitlisted---8 of them! So I have been busily booking 4 days of private tours in order to compensate for tours which might not clear the waitlist.

 

"Is paying a premium really worth it..." We don't even drink! But we think that the lecturers and the bridge instructors and the trivia games with friends and the new experience (oh, yes, and of course the itinerary) will more than make up for the lack of "free excursions."

[Patti22]

Senior Citizen,

Can you then cancel your private tours if the Regent tours clear or would you even want to? We have been on many Regent cruises and some had wait listed tours and all (I believe) cleared. Regent tries very hard to accommodate the wait lists.

[jhp]

I'm not long off my last Regent cruise, on the Mariner in the Med in October, a back to back from Istanbul to Monte Carlo. Over 30 cruises with Regent since Navigator's maiden year, I think it was either 2000 or 2001.

 

This one was so port intensive, almost no sea days, but a couple of times, we could not tender, and Regent found, from Sorrento, another port to take us in Naples and all cruises went forward. We didn't have the best weather, but you take what you get this time of year.

 

Here's the thing, like the rest of you, I don't like crowded busses either. And I started cruising with Regent way long before excursions were included. Almost always booked private tours with friends I knew onboard in our group with same TA, who often travel together. But then Regent added excursions during the recession, 2009 as I remember, with no increase in prices. It filled the ships at a bad time in the economy. They are in business to make money, and who can fault them for that? It took off like crazy, and then the prices went up. People loved it, simple, they considered it value added in toto.

 

I found it more difficult now to find people to want to do private excursions. They can be so expensive in Europe, but way cheaper in Asia. But people hesitate, when they've already "paid for it". So on my last cruise, again, Mariner in October, I signed up for a few excursions. Well, one almost everyday but cancelled some.

 

I was pleasantly surprised at the improvements. You may be hearing here from people who cruised a long time ago at least more than a year. My experience was so different from my previous cruise, I think November 2012. The theater was never filled to capacity. It was organized, they changed the traffic flow, a simple fix that made a huge difference! None of the buses were full. I'm a solo traveler, and always looked around to see if there were empty seats, and yes, there were always several. They have perfected this communication thing to let people know about where the excursion will go, and almost the exact timing to the minute, and the guides strive to keep to it by the minute. Just ask at the Destinations desk, they will tell you.

 

Makes no difference what others choose, or even a different cruise line that doesn't include excursions. I just wanted to recount my last, and very recent experience. I'm booked on a Princess cruise next summer in Alaska with my family, we will likely save money by booking independently, and I look forward to that, nothing new to me, and I enjoy that.

 

On the Mariner, I was so impressed by the whole operation. I think a good idea that the captain and the general manager have their separate balliwicks now. No one should have to run a complicated ship and a big hotel at the same time. I really like the system now. It makes it a better experience for all of us, in terms of service and safety. Just my opinion. Editing to say that I have never been on a waitlist that didn't clear, and I've had a few. So long as the mode of travel can't be changed in numbers, like a horse ride, a cart, a boat, plane, or whatever. If it's a bus, it can be expanded. Or just show up, with this new system, there are always no-shows.

Edited November 15, 2013 by jhp

[Travelcat2]

Just want to make a comment about the last post. I certainly agree that there has been improvements in the way that Regent handles excursions. However, in my opinion, it has not been consistent. Our last Regent cruise ended in April, 2013. Our experience with excursions was actually better in November, 2012 than it was five months later. We did find the "theater experience" better on the Mariner (2013) than on the Voyager (2012). Next month we will be back on the Voyager and have several excursions booked. I will definitely post and let CC members know how many people were on the buses, how long the waits were in the theater, etc.

 

It sounds like the off-season Med. cruises have been well run. Next month we'll check out Singapore to Sydney and two months later Singapore to Bangkok. I would like nothing more than to see "included excursions" running smoothly on Regent (although my preference will most likely be for the premium excursions).

[Senior Citizen]

Senior Citizen,

Can you then cancel your private tours if the Regent tours clear or would you even want to? We have been on many Regent cruises and some had wait listed tours and all (I believe) cleared. Regent tries very hard to accommodate the wait lists.

 

Thanks for the reassuring words about excursions clearing! The private tours I have made cannot be cancelled but I am encouraged by the thought that others I am still waitlisted on might have a chance of clearing.

 

From reading posts, it sounds like anything can happen with waitlisted tours. Since there doesn't seem to be a penalty for people booking tours and not showing up, I can imagine that there would be no-shows and, therefore, last minute openings.

[jhp]

TC, my report was my own. And truthful from my perspective having a whole lot of experience on Regent.. Why cc is great to read, different perspectives.

 

I will tell, you however, that the "off-season" in the Med on the Mariner, the one that was on, was full. So it was not like a half empty ship as far as excursions were concerned. It runs just like in the summer. Perhaps you need to forget that cruises on Regent at this time of the year are less than full.

 

Will be nice to hear your impressions of your next cruise. To each his/her own impressions.

[jhp]

No, sr citizen, no penalties for no shows, just nice to let them know, as sometimes there's a waitlist.

[Travelcat2]

TC, my report was my own. And truthful from my perspective having a whole lot of experience on Regent.. Why cc is great to read, different perspectives.

 

I will tell, you however, that the "off-season" in the Med on the Mariner, the one that was on, was full. So it was not like a half empty ship as far as excursions were concerned. It runs just like in the summer. Perhaps you need to forget that cruises on Regent at this time of the year are less than full.

 

Will be nice to hear your impressions of your next cruise. To each his/her own impressions.

 

I was really not trying to dispute your impressions. As you said, it was your experience. My point in posting was to indicate that not everyone has the same experience and that it can be inconsistent.

 

In terms of off-season..... my thinking is that there are less people in the Med. in October than in July or August (in general). Even if there were 10-20% less people visiting the ports you visited, it would mean more buses available for Regent to have access to.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Travelcat2

[freddie]

We've just returned from a Venice to Rome cruise on Mariner, which was a very good cruise. However, the "included" excursions reminded us once again most emphatically of how much we dislike ship's tours.

 

I will agree that the chaos in the Constellation Lounge has been quite significantly reduced from our last several cruises. Finally, Destination Services has managed to get that part of its act together.

 

None of the included tours we took was horrible; and none was better than mediocre. The buses were either full or nearly so. There were no Vox units used, except for one tour. We had a totally preposterous "toilet stop" on one tour 20 minutes after leaving the ship. Hmm, was that to address the needs of someone who shouldn't go on a tour if he/she requires a toilet stop after 20 minutes or was it to give us 45 minutes at a cameo factory shopping opportunity? You can be the judge!

 

We ended up ditching the guide (after tipping her, of course) on 4 of our 6 tours, as we were not particularly interested in listening to endless recitations of historical facts that we'd already read about each port. Please understand that we do not fault the guides in those cases - we simply don't want to listen to details we already know or don't really want to know.

 

Our best port experiences were the several we did on our own, usually with another compatible couple. In Malta, for example, we cancelled our ship's tour and engaged a taxi driver to take us around the island. In Genoa, we wandered about on our own and found a fabulous artisanal food market which was operating on the day we were there, with dozens of booths selling wonderful local specialties. The "picnic" we made in our suite of cheeses, meats, breads, and wine from that market was the most memorable meal of our trip.

 

At the end of the day, we have decided that ship's tours are simply not for us. That is one of the reasons that our next cruise will be on Seabourn.

[Travelcat2]

Freddie: I can really identify with your post. We sailed the same itinerary last year (loved the ports). Interestingly, our best excursion was in Malta. We went to a local restaurant where the chef showed us how he prepared several dishes. After the demonstration we dined on the food he prepared. The only thing I can think of that would have exceeded that experience is having a picnic with cheeses, meats, bread and wine. I'm sure it was particularly yummy!

Edited November 16, 2013 by Travelcat2

[jhp]

 

My whole point here (and I think Mark's point) is that just because someone doesn't have too many Regent cruises (or any other cruise line trips) under their belt, does not necessarily mean that they are new to world traveling, or just "fell of the turnip truck" yesterday morning. And a lot of people actually like going back to the same places again and again. Regent certainly isn't the only way to "see the world". But it certainly is undeniably one of the most expensive (and enjoyable) ways to do it! ;)

 

Best Regards to all.

 

I just loved this post. For sure, you are so correct, pingpong. Sure takes a lot less physical energy and planning than the other way (albeit, expensive!)

Edited November 17, 2013 by jhp