Shipboard Credits for Shore Excursions - policy misleading

I find the way they offer you Shipboard credit as a way to pay for your shore excursions VERY misleading. I am traveling to Alaska in June and have $800 shipboard credits between promotions and AX Centurion benefits. They said when we booked the cruise that we could use the SBC to pay for Choice Excursions, but when I just called to reserve some helicopter tours which they offer and say "sell out fast," they said I had to pay immediately with a credit card to reserve the excursion; that I could only use the shipboard credit to pay for shore excursions which I reserve once onboard the boat. The RSSC agent then said that if I wait, I probably won't get the tour as it always sells out right away. This infuriates me! They bait you with credits to use for their tours, and then tell you if you want to use them, you won't be able to get on the tour. What is the point of offering early booking options for shore excursions, but not allowing you to use the shipboard credits? This is my first RSSC; I usually sail Silversea, Seadream, or Seabourn. On all of these, you can book ahead and charge it to your Shipboard Account and settle it at the end of the cruise with SBC or Credit card on file. I am traveling with 2 others, and including the Denali package, I am spending over 40K for this trip. I find this policy is petty and irritating. I hope it is not a prelude to what we can expect from RSSC for the entire cruise.

Firstly, welcome to the Regent board. Who said that OBC's could be used for your excursions? Was this a Regent representative or your TA? Regent has had this policy for as long as I can remember and we have never seen a written policy indicating otherwise. I do agree with you that I prefer the way other cruise lines allow you to use OBC's in advance but have to accept Regent's policy.

While it is a bit of a pain, I suggest that you book and pay for the excursion. Once on board, go to Destination Services and ask to cancel and rebook using OBC's. Fortunately, Regent's other policies are not this difficult.

Hope you enjoy your cruise.

I agree it is a big pain, but it has been that way for quite a while (in the "old days" you booked your excursions online but paid for them on your shipboard credit, a much kinder and gentler method.)

In Alaska, we did pay in advance, and then cancelled and rebooked at the Destinations desk well prior to the excursion day. This only works, apparently, if there is no waiting list for the excursion. So there's a risk, perhaps quite high for helicopter and plane flights. If it works, you get the money credited back to your account as refundable, so you get it in cash.

I agree it is a big pain, but it has been that way for quite a while (in the "old days" you booked your excursions online but paid for them on your shipboard credit, a much kinder and gentler method.)

 

In Alaska, we did pay in advance, and then cancelled and rebooked at the Destinations desk well prior to the excursion day. This only works, apparently, if there is no waiting list for the excursion. So there's a risk, perhaps quite high for helicopter and plane flights. If it works, you get the money credited back to your account as refundable, so you get it in cash.

There have been a couple of posts lately stating that this policy has changed and you can switch the excursions and pay with onboard credit even if they are full. While I do not know this first hand, I have no reason to not believe recent posts.

There have been a couple of posts lately stating that this policy has changed and you can switch the excursions and pay with onboard credit even if they are full. While I do not know this first hand, I have no reason to not believe recent posts.

If so, that's great news. Maybe the next step would be to use your credits directly when you book!

Surreal thread for a line that advertises "unlimited excursions free."

Surreal thread for a line that advertises "unlimited excursions free."

Regent's advertising is a bit difficult to understand sometimes. People are able to take as many of the "free" or included excursions as they wish -- time permitting. The majority of Regent excursions do not have a cost. They do offer Regent Choice excursions that have a cost. In the old days, you had to pay for an excursion in advance and were not able to cancel onboard and rebook with OBC's. About four years ago Regent allowed excursions to be cancelled and rebooked as long as the excursion wasn't full. Recently there have been posts indicating that you can cancel and rebook regardless of whether the excursion is full or not.

As someone who dislikes "free" excursions and the way it tends to make passengers act, the Regent Choice excursions are usually quite nice and not as packed with passengers that want to take every possible excursion because it's free. What the freebie lovers don't seem to understand is that they are paying for the excursions in the cruise fare and are limiting themselves to excursions that are at a set price point. If cruise fares were lower and excursions were priced closer to cost, the array of excursions offered could be much better (just my opinion).

I have ship board credits to use for the Choice excursions, but I was told that I wouldn't be guaranteed a spot on the excursion should I wish to cancel to get the credit and rebook once I was on board. I called the Regent excursion number that they post when you are booking your shore excursions.

So I reserved free ones in the port just in case....and was told to book the choice ones, once I got on board. I was told that I probably WOULD get the ones I was interested in. Maybe it depends on the cruise, this one is in the Mediterranean.

:confused:

Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately), Regent representatives in Florida have no clue how things are actually handled on the ship. What you are reading on Cruise Critic are actual ship board experiences from passengers. This particular policy has always been a bit strange (meaning that I do not know of anywhere where the policy is written). While it is better to be safe than sorry, the odds are pretty good that you can cancel and rebook onboard. If you have difficulty doing this, kindly post after your cruise so that the rest of us will be aware of your experience. Thanks:)

We've decided to wait to book the Choice tours when we get on board. We have booked free ones just in case.

Thank you all for your help

I find the way they offer you Shipboard credit as a way to pay for your shore excursions VERY misleading. I am traveling to Alaska in June and have $800 shipboard credits between promotions and AX Centurion benefits. They said when we booked the cruise that we could use the SBC to pay for Choice Excursions, but when I just called to reserve some helicopter tours which they offer and say "sell out fast," they said I had to pay immediately with a credit card to reserve the excursion; that I could only use the shipboard credit to pay for shore excursions which I reserve once onboard the boat. The RSSC agent then said that if I wait, I probably won't get the tour as it always sells out right away. This infuriates me! They bait you with credits to use for their tours, and then tell you if you want to use them, you won't be able to get on the tour. What is the point of offering early booking options for shore excursions, but not allowing you to use the shipboard credits? This is my first RSSC; I usually sail Silversea, Seadream, or Seabourn. On all of these, you can book ahead and charge it to your Shipboard Account and settle it at the end of the cruise with SBC or Credit card on file. I am traveling with 2 others, and including the Denali package, I am spending over 40K for this trip. I find this policy is petty and irritating. I hope it is not a prelude to what we can expect from RSSC for the entire cruise.

I just had the same problem. Had to pay in advance with my credit card and when I wanted to use my shipboard credits to get the refund they said no. They said that as soon as you board the ship before you take the tours you had to tell them you want to use your shipboard credit and they will give you a credit. How were we supposed to know this - no one tells us. We finally fought and got the credit. I have to check my credit card to make sure.

Our experience on recent Voyager cruise in Far East was very straightforward.

Booked with credit card months before cruise.

When on board went to Destinations desk and asked to cancel and re-book with on board credit. This was done immediately.

Credit and Debit were shown as separate transactions on our shipboard account.

On last night of the cruise we collected the refund in cash (for 'cancelled' excursion)

And how did you know this? Was it in the literature? Please let us know

Have to agree with the OP. This policy is not written anywhere. However, the cost of Regent Choice excursions are so much better than on other luxury lines that paying for them should not be a big deal. If someone does not want to pay, they can take the included excursions. It puzzles me that luxury cruise passengers can pay $20,000 for a cruise (plus or minus) and are upset if they have to pay for an excursion.

It puzzles me that luxury cruise passengers can pay $20,000 for a cruise (plus or minus) and are upset if they have to pay for an excursion.

Not when the $20,000 includes the very excursions you want to opt out of. If they didn't have any value, why would you care about opting out?

Not when the $20,000 includes the very excursions you want to opt out of. If they didn't have any value, why would you care about opting out?

Apples and oranges. We are not discussing included/free excursions. That is another discussion. Regent Choice excursions have a value above that of include excursions (which I still believe we should be able to opt out of). Anyone sailing on Regent has already paid for the included excursions. However, some of us elect to pay extra for premium excursions. I see the discussion as being whether or not the unwritten policy of being able to cancel and rebook a Regent Choice excursion onboard should be advertised (or written on the website). My position is that I am willing to pay the extra for a premium excursion whether it comes out of my pocket or use of OBC's.

And how did you know this? Was it in the literature? Please let us know

We knew this from previous experience, reading the excellent advice that can be found in these forums and discussing with the Destinations team on board.

As others have said there is no guarantee that you will be able to re-book with on-board credit as the excursion may be full/waitlisted. However it is always worth a try with the Destinations team (as early as possible when you get on board). Approach them with a smile.............I have seen others who approach the issue as a confrontation, which is not helpful.

Remember, like many things in life, "If you don't ask, you don't get" :rolleyes:

Personally I do not think it is a good idea to insist that RSSC to issue a written policy, as the easiest thing for them to write is "no re-booking of pre-booked excursions using on-board credit"

I find the way they offer you Shipboard credit as a way to pay for your shore excursions VERY misleading.

Who is "they"?

We have never been advised what products we should use any on-board credit for - either by Regent or our TA.

We accept it for what it is - a bonus to be used to enhance our cruise.......either in the Spa, in the shop or on a Choice Excursion.

We knew this from previous experience, reading the excellent advice that can be found in these forums and discussing with the Destinations team on board.

 

As others have said there is no guarantee that you will be able to re-book with on-board credit as the excursion may be full/waitlisted. However it is always worth a try with the Destinations team (as early as possible when you get on board). Approach them with a smile.............I have seen others who approach the issue as a confrontation, which is not helpful.

 

Remember, like many things in life, "If you don't ask, you don't get" :rolleyes:

 

Personally I do not think it is a good idea to insist that RSSC to issue a written policy, as the easiest thing for them to write is "no re-booking of pre-booked excursions using on-board credit"

Great post!