Shore excursion listening devices ,,,,

[frankpc123]

Does Regent currently have a listening device for passengers on a Shore Ex? Something like a Quiet vox?

 

A search here indicates that a bluetooth enabled app was tried early last year and that was withdrawn. Since then (pun intended) its been quiet.

 

Thanks,

Frank

[edgee]

3 minutes ago, frankpc123 said:

Does Regent currently have a listening device for passengers on a Shore Ex? Something like a Quiet vox?

 

A search here indicates that a bluetooth enabled app was tried early last year and that was withdrawn. Since then (pun intended) its been quiet.

 

Thanks,

Frank

Not normally. They are dependent on local tour providers and listening devices are not the norm in most of the ocean cruise industry. Regent is no exception.

[-Lew-]

2 hours ago, edgee said:

Not normally. They are dependent on local tour providers and listening devices are not the norm in most of the ocean cruise industry. Regent is no exception.

 

On a 55 day Viking Ocean Med + TA cruise last fall we used them on just about every shore excursion.  They were provided by Viking and we found they functioned very well.

[edgee]

Just now, -Lew- said:

 

On a 55 day Viking Ocean Med + TA cruise last fall we used them on just about every shore excursion.  They were provided by Viking and we found they functioned very well.

Viking has its roots in river cruising and is an exception to point I made above about microphone and speaker systems  ot being common on ocean cruise excursions.

[loriva]

A local guide told us on one of our excursions on a Med cruise on Splendor last year that Regent has the option to have the local operator provide listening devices--at an additional cost--but chooses not to do so.

[Kwaj girl]

6 hours ago, loriva said:

A local guide told us on one of our excursions on a Med cruise on Splendor last year that Regent has the option to have the local operator provide listening devices--at an additional cost--but chooses not to do so.

 

Not necessarily the case. We had them just 2 days ago for our walking tour in Bruges which was a Regent excursion.

[loriva]

4 hours ago, Kwaj girl said:

 

Not necessarily the case. We had them just 2 days ago for our walking tour in Bruges which was a Regent excursion.

 

As I said, they have the option to add them to the excursion.  It seems like sometimes they do and sometimes not.  I wonder if passengers asking for them at Destination Services would foster any change to make them standard?  I'd like to see them on every excursion that involves walking or inside visits.  The differing walking speeds of the groups ends up with them spread out and people away from the guide miss out.  Same within smaller spaces like castles.  We experienced the benefit of the QuietVox system on a tour with Viking River earlier this year where the group ended up spread out over multiple rooms within a castle--yet we could all still hear the guide.

[-Lew-]

14 minutes ago, loriva said:

We experienced the benefit of the QuietVox system on a tour with Viking River earlier this year where the group ended up spread out over multiple rooms within a castle--yet we could all still hear the guide.

 

Exactly!  Use of QuietVox added immeasurably to our enjoyment of excursions.

[frankpc123]

Thanks for the responses. We did a Viking River a couple of years ago and agree that the Quiet Vox worked well. I'd be happy with a basic Bluetooth feed to my ear buds, but understand that might not work for everyone.

Cruise norms aside, the typical Regent passenger demographics skews towards folks that might need a hearing boost so it would seem to be something they would consider.

 

Frank

[irishwitchy]

We just had a device from the vendor that did all the tours at the acropolis.  It is so crazy there,  I’m sure that is really the only option.  Didn't really need them anywhere else. 

[Argus68]

I just did a land tour in Italy earlier this year.  Not sure what brand of listening device was used but found it indispensable in places like St. Peter's, the Duomo, etc.  Other tour groups that didn't use these devices were at a noticeable disadvantage, constantly crowding around their guide, asking for information to be repeated, etc.