Grandeur-Nov24-Dec 6, 2024- Unavailable shore excursions already?

[Granddog]

We booked this cruise while onboard the Explorer in December.  As soon as we arrived home we wanted to book our shore excursions (first available to be booked Nov. 2023).  We are wait listed for one tour and then, in St Barts, there is only 1 free excursion and it is already sold out!
 

Is this typical?  What will be left for those who don’t have the privilege to book this early?

[jjwoben1]

We are also on this cruise…..tried to book St. Barth’s tour on first day available and it was filled.  Since ship is not very full so far, seems strange.

 

[GMIAC]

I wonder if they ever add capacity based on demand. It seems that many tour operators can add a bus, or similar.

[DaveFr]

1 hour ago, Granddog said:

We booked this cruise while onboard the Explorer in December.  As soon as we arrived home we wanted to book our shore excursions (first available to be booked Nov. 2023).  We are wait listed for one tour and then, in St Barts, there is only 1 free excursion and it is already sold out!
 

Is this typical?  What will be left for those who don’t have the privilege to book this early?

Have you called Regent to check on the status of the “free” St Barts excursion? When the website says that an excursion is sold out, it may mean that the excursion is not yet available for booking. When you call Regent, you can get the true status of the excursion.

 

Dave

[UUNetBill]

37 minutes ago, DaveFr said:

Have you called Regent to check on the status of the “free” St Barts excursion? When the website says that an excursion is sold out, it may mean that the excursion is not yet available for booking. When you call Regent, you can get the true status of the excursion.

 

Dave

I second this - and yes, Regent will often add additional capacity to suit the need.  We often call Regent directly and they've always been helpful with waitlisting, etc.  And they often clear.  Over a dozen cruises and I can count on one hand the number of excursions I haven't been able to take.

[boblerm]

2 hours ago, jjwoben1 said:

We are also on this cruise…..tried to book St. Barth’s tour on first day available and it was filled.  Since ship is not very full so far, seems strange.

 

I found the same thing happened to me for a different cruise.  I went on line the day after excursions became available, and everything was available except St.Barts, which was sold out.  I kept checking, and after a month or so, there was availability, so I was able to book it.

 

Keep checking.

[jjwoben1]

Thanks

[eric4395]

Wife and I are on this cruise as well 1st time with Regent flying from the UK.

We can't reserve any excursions till later this month . What's the situation regarding excursions as the whole point in booking was the added perks such as free excursions etc

and also business class return flights which was part of the deal. Do they not have to offer you a free excursion in every port or is it covered in the small print that it's not obligatory and only if available?

[-Lew-]

4 hours ago, boblerm said:

I found the same thing happened to me for a different cruise.  I went on line the day after excursions became available, and everything was available except St.Barts, which was sold out.  I kept checking, and after a month or so, there was availability, so I was able to book it.

 

Are you Sailing the Leeward Coast on February 13th.  Our waitlist came through on that tour.

[boblerm]

12 hours ago, -Lew- said:

 

Are you Sailing the Leeward Coast on February 13th.  Our waitlist came through on that tour.

That's the one.  When I first checked on the morning after tours opened up, there was no availability for any excursions in St.Barts, nor was there an option for going on a wait list.  I kept checking and that several tours showed opened up.

 

16 hours ago, eric4395 said:

Do they not have to offer you a free excursion in every port or is it covered in the small print that it's not obligatory and only if available?

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will be able to get a tour, but if you do not find availability when your window opens, go on the wait list and keep checking.  Also, when you board, go to the Destination Service desk, often they will have availability then.

[Mahogany]

I'm on a Splendor cruise in July that stops in St Peter Port, Guernsey. One of the excursions was sold out, no option to wait list, note said to pick something else. I called Regent shorex and was told because of the small size of the island and limited suppliers (guides, buses, etc.) that there was no chance there would be an additional time for that particular excursion.

 

Perhaps St Barts has similar issues because of its size and popularity.

[flossie009]

...........and of course St Bart's is a tender port so if the seas are rough you may not get ashore (as happened on our recent Mariner cruise)

I see the Grandeur cruise which is the subject of this topic has three consecutive tender ports; I hope you have calm weather 🤞

[GOARMY]

Reference several just-posted Posts as to availability of Shore Excursions:

 

The only "guarantee" as to availability of "free" excursions is that, as in Life, there is no guarantee except: As Ben Franklin (I think) opined: Death and Taxes. 

 

And, from the perspective as a retired (for over 20 years) criminal Investigator for the Postal Inspection Service:  Chain Letters, Get-Rich Quick Schemes, and Charity scams.

 

Very-recent experience earlier this PM when going online to "book" excursions on an upcoming Grandeur cruise. And this for a cruise beginning one year from now.  Went through the process.  "Booked" four shore excursions. 

 

By the time I negotiated the procedure to the FINAL step confirming all of the above--Had been put on the "Wait List" regarding the first one on the List. 

 

Things happen that fast.  No need to panic, or complain. A lot can happen during the next year.  So-much depends on a particular Port's flexibility as to onshore infrastructure and ability in expanding transportation and Guide assets. 

 

More busses; vans, whatever. 

 

Keep checking before, and after boarding.  Folks change their minds, and turn in excursion tickets.  right up to the moment of showing up at the check-in venue which will be either in the Theater, or onshore near the busses. 

 

GOARMY!

 

   

 

 

[Viognier2023]

We are booked on a British Isles Cruise in September 2024. We have been waitlisted on 5 of 10 excursions for two months. I am ready to cancel the cruise if I can't see the major sites of most destinations.  On our last Regent cruise in 2023, we didn't clear two waitlists so never got to Mont St. Michel.  I was able to get a last minute spot on a tour in Bilboa.

Is this a common problem with Regent? I'm close to cancelling this cruise.

[GMIAC]

5 minutes ago, Viognier2023 said:

We are booked on a British Isles Cruise in September 2024. We have been waitlisted on 5 of 10 excursions for two months. I am ready to cancel the cruise if I can't see the major sites of most destinations.  On our last Regent cruise in 2023, we didn't clear two waitlists so never got to Mont St. Michel.  I was able to get a last minute spot on a tour in Bilboa.

Is this a common problem with Regent? I'm close to cancelling this cruise.

 

I wonder if Regent's included excursions perk causes them to get booked faster than when they're an add-on cost like on other lines. 

 

I've considered booking my own excursions/tours even while on Regent, when Regent's offerings aren't exactly to my liking, of if my preferred choices are waitlisted. 

[Viognier2023]

That's been recommended to me but having paid already for "included" excursions, that's a lot of extra money. Plus availability may be a problem in some of the smaller ports.

Edited January 15 by Viognier2023

[msicmn11]

We have a similar issue with a Grandeur cruise in Oct 2024. We started looking in Nov. but some ports had nothing available and some excursions had no waitlists. I am actually surprised, as a frequent cruiser, that Regent allows booking of excursions so far in advance. You often can't book hotels or airline flights a year in advance. Since we all are paying for the inclusion of excursions( and yes, there are some excursions for an additional fee) as part of our fare (a hefty fare I might add) we should be able to have more options a year out. Maybe Regent should only offer excursions a few months closer to a cruise date. I don't want to wait until we are onboard and hope for a waitlisted spot. We shouldn't have to. If there are no available tickets it is usually too late to plan a tour with a third party. Having most excursions unavailable or waitlisted a year in advance is inexcusable.   Frustrating.

[fizzy]

There is also an ongoing discussion on another site where people are being surprised on day of excursions that age limits have been implemented......further muddying the waters. Lack of info is also unacceptable.

[Viognier2023]

In November 2023, we booked Isles of Legacy & Legend which departs on June 9, 2024. As of now we are still waitlisted on 5 out of 10 excursions.  Some have an additional charge and some are fully included but please be aware none are FREE, they are INCLUDED in the fare we pay Regent.  To claim something is included but unavailable seems very disingenuou.s.  We have are now a few weeks away from when we can cancel with minimum penalty and I am seriously considering doing so unless there is some reassurance that we will be able to take excursions of the major sites of the British Isles.

[Tsunami74]

7 hours ago, Viognier2023 said:

We are booked on a British Isles Cruise in September 2024. We have been waitlisted on 5 of 10 excursions for two months. I am ready to cancel the cruise if I can't see the major sites of most destinations.  On our last Regent cruise in 2023, we didn't clear two waitlists so never got to Mont St. Michel.  I was able to get a last minute spot on a tour in Bilboa.

Is this a common problem with Regent? I'm close to cancelling this cruise.

Some months ago we put a preliminary booking on either this cruise or another British Isle Cruise close to it.

It was about 10 months out, but when I looked into excursions, almost all the excursions we were interested were waitlisted. We then had to unfortunately cancel the booking.

British Isle must really book fast

[jeb_bud]

My experience is that waitlists clear. That being said I recently booked a British Isles cruise for June, 2025 and after reading this thread I will sign in to book excursions the minute they open.