Shore excursions - changes since 2018

[HongKongAlan]

Just to clarify, my expectations of Regent are simple. If Regent claims "Unlimited shore excursions" and "included land programmes in all suite categories" as part of its value proposition then 1 year out from my cruise I expect to be able to book an included excursion. Not seeking reimbursement if they aren't available rather I feel that the marketing creates a positive obligation on Regent to provide an appropriate excursion in each port and that just isn't the case. No one expects helicopter flights etc to be included but when we sailed with Regent in 2018 there were really great excusions included and available. Now what is available is frankly poor or already booked out. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[papaflamingo]

3 hours ago, HongKongAlan said:

Just to clarify, my expectations of Regent are simple. If Regent claims "Unlimited shore excursions" and "included land programmes in all suite categories" as part of its value proposition then 1 year out from my cruise I expect to be able to book an included excursion. Not seeking reimbursement if they aren't available rather I feel that the marketing creates a positive obligation on Regent to provide an appropriate excursion in each port and that just isn't the case. No one expects helicopter flights etc to be included but when we sailed with Regent in 2018 there were really great excusions included and available. Now what is available is frankly poor or already booked out. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a bit like "beating a dead horse," but let's "beat" away, As you point out, Regent says "Unlimited shore excursions."   You have no published limit on shore excursions, you can book as many in each port as you can with the time constraints, BUT all excursions are "first come, first served."  So there are no guarantees the one excursion you really want is available.  

You state "1 year out from my cruise I expect to be able to book an included excursion."  If you are Silver Seven Seas Society member or higher, OR booked in a Concierge Suite or higher, then you CAN book any and all excursions that you want 365 days out.  As I said, there are no published limitations however all excursions are "first come, first served" and have only a certain number of available slots.  If you go on line at 8pm Eastern time, 365 days prior to sailing then your chances of getting all the excursions you want is close to 100%.  If not, then you can book 300 days out and yes, the availability is often not there.  But if you waitlist the excursion you want and book an available alternate then it's a fairly good chance you'll clear the waitlist before the cruise.   

Also keep in mind that Covid shutdown many of the shore excursion companies and Regent has to "fight" all the other cruise lines for available excursions in each port.  So what was available in 2018 is simply not available in 2023.   It's just the way it is in the post Covid cruise world.  

 

[HotRoot]

On 5/7/2023 at 2:22 AM, flossie009 said:

Just for clarity, in how many ports have you found excursions to be unavailable or subject to late cancellation on your past or future Regent cruises?

 

Last Regent cruise - 10 nights - Caribbean - 6 ports - our chosen shore tours cancelled after boarding in two ports - every other shore tour offered sold out.  Yes, we could have waitlisted.  Yes, we could have gone to the theater and tried to get on another tour.  We have been to both islands on both cruises and land trips too many times to count.  We just enjoyed the ship.

 

But, had this happened on a cruise to places we had never been to, we would have waitlisted and spent the morning in the theater trying to get on another tour.  We would have been upset if unsuccessful.

[pappy1022]

Seems to be happening way to often.

[flossie009]

1 hour ago, pappy1022 said:

Seems to be happening way to often.

 

Just for clarity, in how many ports have you found excursions to be unavailable or subject to late cancellation on your past or future Regent cruises?

[Pcardad]

This is now common across all cruise lines....not just Regent. Capacity (excursions, port access, certain foods/drinks) is down across the board and sometimes the big ships win and sometimes the high-end ships win. Welcome to the post-Covid world.

[Shelley G]

Most excursions are booked before final payment is due. I would think that many excursions will open up after final payment and wait lists will be cleared. 

[pappy1022]

1 hour ago, flossie009 said:

 

Just for clarity, in how many ports have you found excursions to be unavailable or subject to late cancellation on your past or future Regent cruises?

I haven’t cruised Regent post COVID yet but I do have one scheduled this year. I do read these boards and it is easy to ascertain that this is becoming a more common issue. Whose fault doesn’t matter, it’s the same outcome for the customer. 

[Pcardad]

2 minutes ago, pappy1022 said:

I haven’t cruised Regent post COVID yet but I do have one scheduled this year. I do read these boards and it is easy to ascertain that this is becoming a more common issue. Whose fault doesn’t matter, it’s the same outcome for the customer. 

But it does change the argument. It stops being about Regent falling short and now becomes all about if the client wants to cruise at all in the current environment. I've been on 6 cruises post-Covid and the differences are real but minor. Get on excursion waitlists - most will clear. Worst case - go to theater and ask for tickets when 25% go unclaimed. Best case case - you don't have to go to the museum your partner wants and you can spend the day drinking by the pool and working on your tan.

[cwn]

1 hour ago, Pcardad said:

But it does change the argument. It stops being about Regent falling short and now becomes all about if the client wants to cruise at all in the current environment. I've been on 6 cruises post-Covid and the differences are real but minor. Get on excursion waitlists - most will clear. Worst case - go to theater and ask for tickets when 25% go unclaimed. Best case case - you don't have to go to the museum your partner wants and you can spend the day drinking by the pool and working on your tan.

And remember there are upwards to 2500 passengers a day, everyday on the Regent ships. Most are having a wonderful time and we don’t hear about the good things they have enjoyed.
 

The people posting problems with canceled tours, canceled cruises and other issues on CC are a drop in the bucket…. Maybe 1 or 2 a day. 
 

Our family cruises with Cunard and HAL, so I read those board also. They are having the same complaints as Regent is, except on a larger scale. Went to our favorite little eatery last night and they were still out of Minute Maid lemonade😟…they have been out for a week.  Very irritating, but s sign of the times.