Are the excursions as good as they “sound” in the description?

[The Hudson Co. Landlubber]

21 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Thank you for the great detail!  Your experience makes me feel even more excited about this excursion.  I don't mind paying extra for the experience because it's likely the only time we will ever be in this region.  Great to know they will ship their wines...

 

My pleasure.  Shipping was a reasonable 75€/case and the wines themselves were all under 30€ or so (did not buy the riservas because I had not tasted them).  These are wines produced for Italian consumption and they are priced accordingly but quite excellent.  All dry farmed (or you can't put the Etna DOC label on them, I was told when I asked.  Proof there is such a thing as a dumb question!) Here is their website:

 

https://www.villagrande.it/en/barone_di_villagrande_en/

 

I couldn't find too many pictures since I guess I was busy... umm.. "tasting" but here are a few.  I'll look and see if my wife has better ones.  She always does!

 

 

Those barrels are 250 years old, and no they don't use them any more.  There were more of them and they used the wood to make the tables you'll have lunch on.

 

I hope you enjoy as much as we did!  Goditi il vino!

 

Edited Sunday at 07:45 PM by The Hudson Co. Landlubber

[Redking]

Great thread. Thank for posting @Georgia_Peaches We too have our first Regent cruises in October and November. B2B from Tokyo to Honkong and then Hong Kong to Bangkok. We've set our excursions expectations bar very low. As other reviewers have said, the excursions seem to be Regent's weakest link.

 

Our Regent agent has been fabulous in getting us confirmed for almost all of our tours in Japan which were originally all waitlisted (we booked late). We're very comfortable touring independently and have only ever booked two ship tours both of which were cancelled (from our Celebrity days). It's good to have the peace of mind that we have something organised from which we can deviate if we wish.

 

Happy to come back on here at the end of November with impressions from a first time Regent experience perspective.

[chamima]

4 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Extremely helpful...not Debbie-downer at all.  As this is our first Regent cruise...half a world away, no less...I just don't have much of a frame of reference for what to expect.  My husband and I are generally go-it-aloners but wanted to at least give some of the excursions a try because it's part of the package.  That said, I'm not prepared to go all the way to be let down by the experience.  As others have suggested, I think lots of research is definitely the key!  Thank you so much for your perspective.

 

We will also be on our first Regent cruise in Sept.

We have never used ship's excursions on our other cruises in the past and I've always spent hours and hours researching private excursions.

One of the draws of Regent was the included shore excursions.

 

I have some similar questions as @Georgia_Peaches.  Are the small group excursions better?

Also, my husband is a vegan and I am vegetarian (but we both love wine!)  so, while the tour described above sounds great, our food restrictions mean I usually avoid excursions involving meals. @The Hudson Co. Landlubber - would you still recommend it if we can't eat the meal?

 

 

6 hours ago, The Hudson Co. Landlubber said:

 

Hi - just did exactly this excursion with Regent in May and loved it, despite the extra cost.  There's a full morning with a guide to explore Taormina (our guide Martine was wonderful but we peeled off to do our own thing).  Then you meet at the square and the bus drives you up Mt Etna.

 

Villagrande is the oldest winery on Etna, and the wines are excellent (I had 2 cases shipped home).  It's a beautiful setting and view, and a sommelier comes along (Mariella - also excellent) and you sit for the lunch where the wines are poured FREELY - no stingy 1.5 tastes here.  Whatever you like is refilled, regardless of pairing.  Food was excellent as well, more homestyle than haute cuisine, with a homemade rigatoni being my favorite.

 

I had not had any Nerello Mascalese wine before this trip and it has become a favorite.  Kinda like Italian Pinot Noir.  Can't find Villegrande near me but I found other Mt. Etna reds I liked as much, (maybe better) from nearby Gambino vineyards.

 

We had other excursion "blips" on the cruise but this one was perfect and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

Last tip: You must - MUST - go to Roberto's on Corso Umberto and get 2 Cannoli.

 

Why 2? He will not let you buy just one.

 

You will be glad you did. 

 

I hope this helped and enjoy your trip!

 

HCL

 

Where is Roberto's ? (City)

 

****

Edited Sunday at 11:47 PM by chamima

[papaflamingo]

11 hours ago, chamima said:

I have some similar questions as @Georgia_Peaches.  Are the small group excursions better?

As you'll find, enjoyment of excursions are like dining...very subjective.  For us, if there is something we really want to see, and a small group excursion is offered, we will book it.  But it has to be something where the guide narrative is important.  Most of the excursions we have been on have been fine.  Usually a large bus about 1/2 full so maybe 30 or so.  The small groups we have done are advertised for a max of 16, but we have only ever had maybe 10-12, so they've been great.   But for us, if the excursion is a tour followed by a stop where we tour on our own, no real advantage to the small group.  But an example where we LOVED the small group was in Liverpool. Did "In the Footsteps of the Beatles" small group.  About 10 of us.  The guide was fascinating and it was really nice not having to deal with 30 or so getting on and off the bus, and the personal interaction with the guide really enhanced the tour.  

On the other hand, we did a tour in Asia that went to Osaka Castle.  Basically we got a narrated tour enroute, escorted to the castle, given an entry ticket, and then toured on our own at our own pace.  I don't think a small group would have enhanced that as it seemed touring the castle isn't easy for a group of 12-16 together.  So for us, we look at how important is the guide and how much do we really want to see the venue, etc.  

 

[The Hudson Co. Landlubber]

12 hours ago, chamima said:

 

We will also be on our first Regent cruise in Sept.

We have never used ship's excursions on our other cruises in the past and I've always spent hours and hours researching private excursions.

One of the draws of Regent was the included shore excursions.

 

I have some similar questions as @Georgia_Peaches.  Are the small group excursions better?

Also, my husband is a vegan and I am vegetarian (but we both love wine!)  so, while the tour described above sounds great, our food restrictions mean I usually avoid excursions involving meals. @The Hudson Co. Landlubber - would you still recommend it if we can't eat the meal?

 

 

 

Where is Roberto's ? (City)

 

****

 

I can't remember every course of the meal but the pasta was probably vegan-compliant (southern Italy with EVOO as lipid of choice rather than dairy).  There was a fish course, salad and bread also as I recall,,, but maybe a private excursion to a winery with no meal is a better choice?  There are many wineries nearby and I remember there was a second excursion that went to a different winery as well.

 

Here is the card of the somm we had.  I bet you can contact her for a private tour and maybe hit a few?

 

 

Roberto's is in Taormina (as per the excursion listed) and while I still recommend you try it I think it is clearly a "vegan's nightmare" of ricotta.  And BTW that recommendation is your typical "I had one cannoli in Sicily and you must have the same one!" type, I am sure there are plenty of good ones.

 

Enjoy!

 

Edited Monday at 12:36 PM by The Hudson Co. Landlubber

[Georgia_Peaches]

I just wanted to follow up and report that we chose our excursions yesterday at 8 pm EST. I really appreciate all the feedback from this board as it helped us strategize. 
 

Upper suites could select excursions 365 days from embarkation and lower suites like us, 360 days. Our sailing is sold out as were a few of our desired small group excursions. Per recommendations, we wait listed one of them. 
 

Our Intenet was slow, or perhaps it was Regent’s site but each excursion transaction took 3-5 minutes to lock into place. 
 

Prior to selecting, we ordered the excursions available in each port numerically based on what we wanted the most. DH likened it to the NFL draft 😊. When the window opened we went directly to the port and excursion we most wanted. We did not go in order of the itinerary. In all we snagged 4 of our first choices, 3 second choice, a wait list and 1 3rd choice. For not having any selection priority, I was pretty pleased with what we were able to secure. 
 

I hope this helps other Regent newbies like us wade through the process when the time comes!  
 

Thanks for all the help!

[The Hudson Co. Landlubber]

On 6/30/2024 at 7:46 PM, chamima said:

 

We will also be on our first Regent cruise in Sept.

We have never used ship's excursions on our other cruises in the past and I've always spent hours and hours researching private excursions.

One of the draws of Regent was the included shore excursions.

 

I have some similar questions as @Georgia_Peaches.  Are the small group excursions better?

Also, my husband is a vegan and I am vegetarian (but we both love wine!)  so, while the tour described above sounds great, our food restrictions mean I usually avoid excursions involving meals. @The Hudson Co. Landlubber - would you still recommend it if we can't eat the meal?

 

 

 

Where is Roberto's ? (City)

 

****

 

I was telling my wife about this thread yesterday and because she is so much smarter than I am when I mentioned the vegetarian/vegan thing she quickly replied "Just tell them, they'll do something to accommodate".

 

She is not only a genius, she has much more natural confidence in humans than I do! But I agree it is worth emailing them and asking.

[cAPS lOCK oN]

Last week we took a Regent tour that stopped in a taberna in Bilbao for pintxos. This was a colossal seven course serving of local specialities. There was a vegetarian in the group and for each course she was served a separate pintxo from the rest of us. I'm sure Regent made special arrangements for her.

Edited 4 hours ago by cAPS lOCK oN