Regent Excursions

[DeepFreeze63]

Hi: I wasn’t going to write this post but after reading the “Does Regent Care” thread, I believe that maybe I can contribute to some information valuable to Regent’s consideration of their off-ship operations. Please read through to the end.

DW and I just returned from a terrific 33 day cruise on the Voyager from Sydney to Hong Kong (our 6th Regent Cruise). Regent handled all the arrangements. The on-board experience was wonderful. We especially loved: our fellow passengers, Ray Solaire (the CD), the dancers and their shows, the restaurant managers in Verandah and Setti Mare, the renovations done at the last “dry dock”, the medical staff, the special lunches on the pool deck, and as usual the smiling crew. We had Regent-sponsored stays in Sydney (3 nights) and in Hong Kong (1 night); they were perfectly enjoyable.

All our excursions (all were “included”) at ports in AUS went well and were enjoyable. Later, Komodo Dragons was a very pleasant surprise – great fun (we had a cool temperature) On many of these we had an Regent crew member with us as well as the local guide.

When our excursion to the temple at Borobudur was cancelled because of the nearby volcanic eruption, we requested Regent to get us aboard the scheduled side trip to Angkor Wat – they obliged. We had a terrific, fun –packed 3 day/2 night experience in a wonderful venue. Regent provided a crew member (Ass’t. F&B Manager) as our chaperone. Any little issues were solved before they could detract from our enjoyment. Way to go Regent!

BUT (yes there is a But). We had a horrific experience on an excursion in Da Nang – our well being was put in danger. The excursion took us to the cable car ride and then to Bana Hill. As advertized the cable car ride was fun. When we got off the cable car, we were ushered into a 10 passenger van that drove a short distance down an unpaved, one lane mountain road that was missing several guard rails. We were let off in an active construction site (they are busy building a “Disney World” type venue). We were the only ones without hard hats and had to walk among both workers carrying 10 foot sections of rebar and others welding. Our guide got lost and took us walking along a dirt, construction road (we were within 3 feet of moving dump trucks and concrete trucks). We walked ¼ mile the wrong way before the guide discovered (told by a truck driver) the error; we turned and walked about a half mile (though active construction) to the base of the cable car tower where there was no regular entrance (we climbed a 35 step fire escape for entry). Pictures were provided by some of the participants to Destination Services plus complaints about putting us in harm’s way. I’ll bet that Regent doesn’t show them to their insurance company.

Yes, we had a awful, awful local guide but Regent should have had boots on the ground to evaluate such venues and make adjustments. This excursion could have easily led to serious injury to passengers and really bad press for Regent.