Rare bebop bonnie Posted July 22 #1 Share Posted July 22 We are currently waitlisted for 3 day pre cruise on the Explorer in April. Doing Regent Air, which I’ll have to book soon and more likely prior to and also anticipating that land portion won’t clear, I’m considering the following. We mostly will book our own tours pre cruise anyway, and I have Hilton Honors. So, if I book my own Hilton room for 2 nights and get the last night anyway from Regent, can Hilton work with me so I won’t have to change rooms the last night? And….if I book my own at a higher level room/suite could Hilton just credit the free night to me? Sorry if my question is confusing, but I suspect some of you have experienced a similar but definitely first world problem! Thanks! Bonnie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IguanaJ Posted July 22 #2 Share Posted July 22 We have a somewhat similar experience situation with Tokyo Hilton, RSSC Explorer and a recent Hilton diamond FN in a Hilton. Last September into October we cruised on Explorer Vancouver to Tokyo. We received a three night post cruise Tokyo Hilton stay with tours. The tours and Hilton stay were fine. No upgrade for Hilton status members was noted pre stay so just a standard room even mentioning thanks for being a HH diamond on providing room key cards. I can’t predict how Hilton will handle your situation. But in a different take with Hilton in Hawaii in June, I paid cash for six nights at $450 per and had a H diamond FN for the seventh night. After six nights they were ready to move us to a garden standard room. I was able to stay in our oceanfront room by paying additional $165. Not really similar but apples to oranges insight perhaps. RSSC will have a likely standard room for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
czardas Posted July 22 #3 Share Posted July 22 Hi, we stayed at Hilton Tokyo for 4 nights, our first night we paid ourselves and had executive level, the next 3 were just the Regent standard room booking, which we had to change locations for. It was the Tokyo marathon during our stay and the hotel was booked out, so we didn’t have a chance to try the upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PaulMCO Posted July 22 #4 Share Posted July 22 JUST A WARNING -- Who says that Regent's one night pre-cruise room will be at the Hilton??? This year (March), they split the hotels. The one night pre-cruise hotel was close to the Tokyo port. Three night pre and post cruises were at the Hilton. Hilton was near capacity as both Regent and sister line Oceania were using the hotel. We did a 5 night pre cruise, 3 by Regent and two direct. Since we arrived before the crowd, it was easy for them to arrange keeping the same STANDARD room. The Hilton rooms are large by Japanese standards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare forgap Posted July 23 #5 Share Posted July 23 For the April cruise this year we did two nights (one FN) prior to the pre cruise, we received an email asking if we wanted to be on the upgrade list for an additional charge. When we arrived, they upgraded us to the executive level for all five nights (same room) for a cost of about $350. The executive lounge is a bit crowded for breakfast and cocktails but do-able. We were so exhausted from touring we often had a drink and a bite and called it a night. After a storm, this was our view at breakfast! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaflamingo Posted July 23 #6 Share Posted July 23 We had a pre-cruise in Hong Kong in Feb. We went early and I booked a cancellable room in the 2 hotels that Regent has used in the past. When we were assigned a hotel I cancelled the reservation in the other hotel. When checking in I requested no room change and there was no problem with that. Just had to go down the day we transitioned to the Regent room to close out my reservation and open theirs. This was not Hilton, but they likely may do the same thing. Just book the same level room that Regent will book you in. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare bebop bonnie Posted July 23 Author #7 Share Posted July 23 Thank you all, for your responses and experiences! I’ll talk with my TA again to confirm the Regent hotel being used. Likely, however, that nothing will be confirmed yet since our cruise isn’t til April! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare bebop bonnie Posted August 6 Author #8 Share Posted August 6 Update: We just cleared the waitlist for pre cruise Tokyo! Thanks for all your help. Now I’ll really be looking forward to hear everyone’s experiences on the pre land in Tokyo!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare forgap Posted August 7 #9 Share Posted August 7 The Tokyo pre cruise is very underwhelming. I think it is a way to get guests to Tokyo prior to sailing. It would be better to get a tour in Tokyo in order to see more of the city. We also booked Team Lab Borderless (https://www.teamlab.art/e/tokyo/) which is a digital art exhibition that was simply fantastic. Hope you enjoy your cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaunceyb Posted August 7 #10 Share Posted August 7 On 7/22/2024 at 10:05 AM, bebop bonnie said: We are currently waitlisted for 3 day pre cruise on the Explorer in April. Doing Regent Air, which I’ll have to book soon and more likely prior to and also anticipating that land portion won’t clear, I’m considering the following. We mostly will book our own tours pre cruise anyway, and I have Hilton Honors. So, if I book my own Hilton room for 2 nights and get the last night anyway from Regent, can Hilton work with me so I won’t have to change rooms the last night? And….if I book my own at a higher level room/suite could Hilton just credit the free night to me? Sorry if my question is confusing, but I suspect some of you have experienced a similar but definitely first world problem! Thanks! Bonnie Just make your reservations through Hilton and then email the Tokyo Hilton - as long as your room category is the same they won't move your room, but they won't have the Regent name list until I believe 60 days out, here is their email address; (tyohi_reservations@hilton.com) they were very accomodating when we stayed there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaunceyb Posted August 7 #11 Share Posted August 7 Fun and interesting tour if you want to get out of the city https://www.viator.com/tours/Tokyo/Tokyo-Countryside-Tours/d334-216288P1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Meer Posted August 10 #12 Share Posted August 10 On 8/7/2024 at 8:56 AM, forgap said: The Tokyo pre cruise is very underwhelming. I think it is a way to get guests to Tokyo prior to sailing. It would be better to get a tour in Tokyo in order to see more of the city. We also booked Team Lab Borderless (https://www.teamlab.art/e/tokyo/) which is a digital art exhibition that was simply fantastic. Hope you enjoy your cruise! Agree, it was very underwhelming and disappointing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare PaulMCO Posted August 10 #13 Share Posted August 10 (edited) The best part of the Tokyo Pre-Cruise is the hotel is being paid for by Regent plus the transfers (from airport if using Regent air). Agree the tours were very underwhelming. What we did is two private day tours and skipped the first two Regent tours. Used the Regent tour the final morning for the transfer to the ship. 1) Regent does not do the fish market - because it would be impossible to take a group through there. We did a Tokyo day tour using a Tours by Locals guide which allowed us to do the gardens near the Hilton, Asakusa, and the fish market. We chose our guide from Tours by Locals. Had lunch at a great local Sushi restaurant that caters to locals. Make sure if you do Asakusa, you do this on a weekday. The weekend is a zoo - wall to wall people and you have trouble moving through the crowds.. 2) Second day we went to Hakone using the high speed train - again using a guide from Tours by Locals. The pre-cruise does not include any dinners. Some cruisers went to Denny's near the hotel -- not our style. There are a couple of good restaurants in the Hilton basement. There are several within a short walking distance. There is a good 7-11 type quickie market in the basement also with snacks and sandwiches. There is also an ATM in the basement mall that is low fee and good exch rate. The one in the hotel has a high fee. The Hilton has a shuttle to Shinjuku station that runs every 20 minutes. Lots of restaurants and shopping there. Edited August 10 by PaulMCO 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labonnevie Posted August 10 #14 Share Posted August 10 We found both the Chinese and Japanese restaurants in the Hilton to be very good. The tours to Asakusa, Meiji shrine and Hamarikyu gardens were very good, the others not so much. In retrospect, we would have done better with a private guide. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare bebop bonnie Posted August 10 Author #15 Share Posted August 10 PaulMCO and Labonnevie and everyone….. Thanks so much for your valuable input! Have often used TBL and thought they were great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avidtravler Posted August 10 #16 Share Posted August 10 Hi PaulMCO, In your comments about private tours in Tokyo you mention some better restaurants in the Hilton Basement and in the nearby area. Could you, or anyone that has stayed at the Hilton, recommend specific restaurants you enjoyed. We would appreciate your input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare forgap Posted August 10 #17 Share Posted August 10 There is an Indian restaurant in the basement which was OK, not stellar. We liked the 7-11 in the basement as we were exhausted from the day. Sandwiches were great as well as other Japanese delights. Sometimes a snack and a beer in your room is all you are up for! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labonnevie Posted August 11 #18 Share Posted August 11 We used the 7-11 in the basement for lunches. Lots of variety to choose from. Not like a 7-11 in the states at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 2012_Alaska_bound Posted August 11 #19 Share Posted August 11 5 hours ago, labonnevie said: We used the 7-11 in the basement for lunches. Lots of variety to choose from. Not like a 7-11 in the states at all. Food Mart anywhere in Japan for the win! My favorites there: salmon roll which looks like a 3-D pre-packaged triangle and pork buns! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami74 Posted August 11 #20 Share Posted August 11 On 8/7/2024 at 5:56 AM, forgap said: The Tokyo pre cruise is very underwhelming. I think it is a way to get guests to Tokyo prior to sailing. On 8/10/2024 at 9:27 AM, Lady Meer said: Agree, it was very underwhelming and disappointing. Could anyone elaborate why it was underwhelming and disappointing. (i.e. too many people, too fast/slow, didn't go to good places??) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare forgap Posted August 11 #21 Share Posted August 11 Day one was to the Imperial Palace…..commentary on the bus then a walk to the moat. Did not go inside which we had done on our land trip. At that point, we could go back to the hotel or wander around on our own. day two was a bus ride to the Ginza. Commentary on the bus. Then you could shop on your own or go back to the hotel on the bus. day three was more interesting, and, more importantly, got you to the ship. There was a longish stop at a Shinto shrine that we had we had visited on our land trip so we stayed on the bus. The shrine is surrounded by a Forrest and quite beautiful and interesting. Then we traversed across Tokyo and passed by the fish market and stopped at the Shogun’s duck hunting preserve and saw the oldest living pine tree. Then on to the port area to view a bridge and a small Statue of Liberty. We were supposed to do something else there but the venue had another event. We just milled around for an hour then went onto the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcto Posted August 11 #22 Share Posted August 11 18 hours ago, Avidtravler said: Hi PaulMCO, In your comments about private tours in Tokyo you mention some better restaurants in the Hilton Basement and in the nearby area. Could you, or anyone that has stayed at the Hilton, recommend specific restaurants you enjoyed. We would appreciate your input. Restaurants in the hotel are quite pricy and if you don't have reservations you might be out of luck or getting a rushed service. The Indian restaurant in the basement is quite good, but then...you are in Japan and should try local cuisine. We enjoyed a few Ramen places close to the Hotel, one of which was Ramen War (yes, that's the name). Great food and low prices as well. Other things we did was walking to the area of Shinjuku station (close to were the big department store is) and there are tons of small restaurant in the side streets. Make sure you have your translator app (google for example) and you can see what is offered. The lunch specials are especially worth trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gcto Posted August 11 #23 Share Posted August 11 3 hours ago, Tsunami74 said: Could anyone elaborate why it was underwhelming and disappointing. (i.e. too many people, too fast/slow, didn't go to good places??) we did the post cruise and the weather was...very rainy. Guides were hit and miss. First day we had a guide who was overwhelmed by a group of 30 "mature" people. Spent most of his time counting us, making us stand in groups of 3 (so counting was easier), etc. Other guide changed program times without communicating much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami74 Posted August 11 #24 Share Posted August 11 44 minutes ago, Gcto said: we did the post cruise and the weather was...very rainy. Guides were hit and miss. First day we had a guide who was overwhelmed by a group of 30 "mature" people. Spent most of his time counting us, making us stand in groups of 3 (so counting was easier), etc. Other guide changed program times without communicating much. We are doing a post also. Hope none of your experiences will repeat on ours. Can't pick weather though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michyfis Posted August 12 #25 Share Posted August 12 On our first dat, we got a late start due to bus shortage so only had less than a half hour at National museum before next stop at Gonzalo. A few people left the tour and stayed at the museum. We were very sorry we did not do that since there was so much to see there. If I had it to do over again, as others have said, I would only take the last day tour that gets you to the ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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