Every excursion is sold out

[Techno123]

Wasn't sure which thread to tag this onto so here is a new one - just a teeny, tiny gripe.

 

Background for you - we will be doing a cruise in November on Explorer. We have all our excursions booked, however, the Okinawa excursions were 'late to the table' and the couple we are travelling with (first time cruisers) thought they had booked the battle of Okinawa but obviously didn't press the confirm button. They are waitlisted but if they can't get on, the idea is I will donate my place so the 'boys' can go on the excursion and we 'girls' will do something else.

 

The issue is that every single excursion is now sold out. I fully understand that R can't provide everyone with their excursion of choice but surely the contract is an included excursion in every port so they at least provide an excursion of some type. We have reassured them that, hopefully, they will clear the wait list or something will materialise once we have spoken to destination services and failing that it will be the shuttle into town - but still 🤔

[flossie009]

48 minutes ago, Techno123 said:

I fully understand that R can't provide everyone with their excursion of choice but surely the contract is an included excursion in every port

I do not think so.

 

The UK Ts&Cs state: "Subject to availability, you can generally book places on advertised shore excursions in advance .......... Shore excursions are capacity controlled on a first come first served basis. Requested excursions may not be available at time of booking"

 

As you have advised your friends, the waitlist for their chosen excursion will hopefully clear. If not then pitch up at the theatre at the time tours are being despatched; Destinations may be able to accommodate you in the case of last minute cancelations/no-shows. 

[kjbacon]

We have almost always had good luck with waitlists. They often clear and sometimes regent will add another bus to a shorex that has a long waitlist. Definitely sign up for any waitlist that interests you asap. 
 

Pay a (friendly) visit to destination services on boarding day and (nicely) ask for their help. They can offer guidance as far as shorter v longer waitlists or which ones might expand or or or …

 

As Flossie suggested, be at the theater, ready to go, in plenty of time for any shorex you are interested in. Often, there will be a no show or two (think sunburn, hangover, or just plain tired). Good luck!

[Techno123]

Thank you @flossie009 and @kjbacon - I am not really fussed what excursion we go on just as long as there is something to do. There is usually access to an excursion no-one else wants to do (and to be honest, I think I may well be donating my place as the Battle of Okinawa is a very popular one so may not clear the waitlist) @flossie009 as you quote  Shore excursions are capacity controlled on a first come first served basis. Requested excursions may not be available at time of booking" but to have no available space on any excursion seemed very unusual to me. (Unless they are counting the shuttle into town as an excursion 😂)

[ChatKat in Ca.]

This happened to us last year.  The excursions that we did take were so bad 9no microphone for the guide on the bus, too much shopping stops) we canceled the others we booked.  I stopped sailing R when they included excursions and this confirmed my reason for not booking again.

[1982CruzStart]

We have a couple of unhappy friends going on a cruise with us in 2024. Instead of booking as soon as the window opened they dallied around and waited a couple of weeks. Now a number of the ones they want are sold out, some with waitlist and some not allowing any waitlists.  One of them has sailed Regent before and should have known to book as soon as possible, the other is a newbie but travelling with the previous passenger. The newbie is threatening to cancel though maybe that will change as the initial disappointment eases. We told them the waitlist will likely clear as we get closer to final payment or as people re-think their choices and cancel. 

 

On our very first Regent cruise we had sold out excursions and were very disappointed.  We cruise for the ports and tours. However in the end we were able to take every one we wanted. That experience taught me to book as soon as the window opens to make sure you get what you want. 

[labonnevie]

For our April Explorer cruise around Japan, we cleared the waitlist in August and found for many ports all tours were waitlisted or not even available for waitlist. 
Over time, five ports had waitlists open up and we were able to get tours we were happy with, even if not our first choice. 
There was one small port that had no tours ever become available, wasn’t a bad miss for us. 
In Okinawa, if you can get into the Bingata Experience tour, we thought it was fun. YMMV

[Lonedaddy]

4 hours ago, Techno123 said:

Thank you @flossie009 and @kjbacon - I am not really fussed what excursion we go on just as long as there is something to do. There is usually access to an excursion no-one else wants to do (and to be honest, I think I may well be donating my place as the Battle of Okinawa is a very popular one so may not clear the waitlist) @flossie009 as you quote  Shore excursions are capacity controlled on a first come first served basis. Requested excursions may not be available at time of booking" but to have no available space on any excursion seemed very unusual to me. (Unless they are counting the shuttle into town as an excursion 😂)

Could look at viator or get your guide and book an excursion there.  Many are cancellable with no penalty 24 hrs before.  Then waitlist on regent and if it clears cancel the viator one.  You should definitely speak with the Shorex desk on day 1 and see what they can do.  

[Techno123]

@labonnevie even the Bingata tour is sold out. @1982CruzStart the couple we are sailing with thought they had booked the Okinawa excursion but it didn't show in their account nor did they get the confirmation email so we can only assume they didn't click the confirm button - we are well passed final payment so fingers crossed they clear the waitlist or it will be the bus into town if nothing better opens up

 

@Lonedaddy it's quite a short stop and we depart at 2pm so may not risk a non R excursion but will have a chat with the destination services team when we get onboard 😁

Edited September 10, 2023 by Techno123

[lprp]

On 9/10/2023 at 11:39 AM, flossie009 said:

If not then pitch up at the theatre at the time tours are being despatched; Destinations may be able to accommodate you in the case of last minute cancelations/no-shows. 

That has worked twice on our current trip 🤞

[RetiredandTravel]

If they are completely sold out does that mean the buses are at 100% or do they target a lower number?

 

 

[RachelG]

The Battle of Okinawa excursion is a great one.  Not sure why they couldn’t add more buses as it is an area.  My husband could literally have spent all day at the park, so an option is just to get a taxi to take you there and wait for you.

[Techno123]

@RachelG - yes, I heard that which is why I will donate my place to our sailing partner if needs be then his wife and I can do something else but the question is what 😁. Anyone visited Naha outside an excursion as there will be transport into town.

 

@RetiredandTravel I don't know but would have thought there would be one excursion per passenger allocated (even if it's not one we really want to do 😜)

[RachelG]

18 minutes ago, Techno123 said:

@RachelG - yes, I heard that which is why I will donate my place to our sailing partner if needs be then his wife and I can do something else but the question is what 😁. Anyone visited Naha outside an excursion as there will be transport into town.

 

@RetiredandTravel I don't know but would have thought there would be one excursion per passenger allocated (even if it's not one we really want to do 😜)

There is a shuttle bus to downtown.  There is a huge mall downtown which is really nice. after our excursion to the WWII sites, we took the shuttle there and it was not a long distance.   We had lunch and actually got some nice shopping done 

[Techno123]

45 minutes ago, RachelG said:

There is a shuttle bus to downtown.  There is a huge mall downtown which is really nice. after our excursion to the WWII sites, we took the shuttle there and it was not a long distance.   We had lunch and actually got some nice shopping done 

Well shopping sounds like a good idea 😜

[Jlhalldc]

22 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

If they are completely sold out does that mean the buses are at 100% or do they target a lower number?

 

 

Generallly, the Destinations Team tries to keep busses at 70-80 percent maximum. I say "generally" because I have been on a full bus or two in my 100+ days with Regent. But I have also been on busses that were filled 50 percent or less.

[RetiredandTravel]

4 hours ago, Techno123 said:

@RachelG - yes, I heard that which is why I will donate my place to our sailing partner if needs be then his wife and I can do something else but the question is what 😁. Anyone visited Naha outside an excursion as there will be transport into town.

 

@RetiredandTravel I don't know but would have thought there would be one excursion per passenger allocated (even if it's not one we really want to do 😜)

 

Hopefully Regent figures this out for you Techno.  I doesn't seem fair that you pay for the excursions but none are available.  

 

1 hour ago, Jlhalldc said:

Generallly, the Destinations Team tries to keep busses at 70-80 percent maximum. I say "generally" because I have been on a full bus or two in my 100+ days with Regent. But I have also been on busses that were filled 50 percent or less.

 

 

Thanks jlh.  We have another Regent cruise on our schedule but have only done two.  The Japan cruise was at or near 100% and Europe in the 50% range.  Maybe there is some room for Techno.

 

 

[bitob]

My 2 cents 

 

regent excursions are beyond awful

we book our own 

 

[docmark]

47 minutes ago, bitob said:

My 2 cents 

 

regent excursions are beyond awful

we book our own 

 

COMPARING to Silversea included excursions, they are fairly decent!!

[bitob]

Just now, docmark said:

COMPARING to Silversea included excursions, they are fairly decent!!

Both awful

we do our own on silversea as well

 

and I don’t want to go on a “fairly decent” excursion 

Edited September 14, 2023 by bitob

[newlondon]

We are doing Montreal to Boston next year. I queried my TA about private tours, almost none except Quebec and Montreal. I actually have enjoyed many of the Regent tours, especially the one on Komodo. I have also taken private tours that were terrible, the one that comes to mind is the Scavi under St. Peter's. Guide didn't really speak english- she was Polish. 

[RELS]

3 hours ago, bitob said:

My 2 cents 

 

regent excursions are beyond awful

we book our own 

 

 

We had a very expensive disappointing Tours by Locals tour in Quito, and an amazing best-in-show included Regent tour to the Rio Secreto from Cozumel.

 

Your Mileage May Vary!

[bitob]

11 hours ago, RELS said:

 

We had a very expensive disappointing Tours by Locals tour in Quito, and an amazing best-in-show included Regent tour to the Rio Secreto from Cozumel.

 

Your Mileage May Vary!

Anything is possible. In my cruising life I have booked way over 100 private tours and I have never had a bad one. 

[kjbacon]

Just cleared a waitlist for a cruise we are doing in February. Waitlists frequently clear, if not in advance, but once in board.

 

Be mindful that if you book an independent shorex that you have to be back to the ship in time to sail or they could leave without you. If an issue arises (flat tire or who knows what) on a Regent shorex, the ship will wait.

[rallydave]

On 9/10/2023 at 4:39 AM, flossie009 said:

I do not think so.

 

The UK Ts&Cs state: "Subject to availability, you can generally book places on advertised shore excursions in advance .......... Shore excursions are capacity controlled on a first come first served basis. Requested excursions may not be available at time of booking"

 

As you have advised your friends, the waitlist for their chosen excursion will hopefully clear. If not then pitch up at the theatre at the time tours are being despatched; Destinations may be able to accommodate you in the case of last minute cancelations/no-shows. 

While we fully understand no way to get everyone on a tour at every port, seems like this is completely  contrary to the advertising of "free unlimited shore excursions"

 

Consumer protection laws in the US are few and far between but, consumer  laws in UK and EU are quite a bit stronger so wondering how the type of advertising can continue.  Yes the Ts and C's cover the possible lack of free excursions but, people see the free in advertisements and on the website and rarely read the T's and C's.

 

Further to explain a flight cancellation issue with a flight from Iceland back to the US occurred last July and we were provided a paper explaining EU consumer protection.  We did get rebooked on Lufthansa flights the next day flying backwards to Frankfort but, then non stop to Houston.  We arrive home about 20 hours late.

 

Filed with United to my compensation for the cancellation and finally just yesterday got a confirmation that they were sending us 600  Euro checks for each of us per EU 261.  Had to be patient and eep on United.  They tried twice to send $200pp flight credits but, we ept responding with copies of their document and finally got confirmation the checks or being processed.

 

None of that would have happened had we been flying from or in the US.