Included Shore Excursions

[Suite Travels]

Maybe the bus tours are good for some people but not for us we did our share of those. Buses arriving at the same destination with hundreds going to the same spot from all crusie lines and dropping you off with a guide and after your tour they direct you to their favorite tourist trap for purchases and now you wait for the ones who lose track of time and are not on the bus.

 

We either walk and stop at a bistro or we hire a private English speaking driver and get ahead of the crowds. We can do as we please and we want to go out of the throngs of tourists and go see something local that the bus crowd won't see with an average meal thrown in.

 

When we want to return to the ship we can or if we want to spend more time in a village with locals and not be rushed to get back to the bus. If we want to stop for a picture we can. We have had the pleasure of visiting private homes from Africa to Europe. Of course this costs more money but it is worth it to us.

 

For those of you who throw the word FREE Tours around; they are not really free as your fare includes it. I know Regent can arrange private tours but we do it through our TA and she gets a pulse on what we want to do and are provided with many options.

 

I see TC's perspective about AI tours and should get a small credit for opting out just like air and hotel packages they may not want. How do you opt out of drinks on a luxury line? You don't on any luxury line that would be a nightmare.

 

I think Regent is the only line that offers....cough cough FREE tours. Some I have heard were good and some not so good.

Edited October 19, 2014 by Suite Travels

[CANDYAPPLE]

I'm thinking about a first time Regent cruise in Feb 2015. From what I understand, (reading the small print), there is no guarantee of getting on a desired included excursion. Since I would be booking fairly late in the process, I'm concerned that it wouldn't be worth the higher cost (over Seabourn/Crystal) to go with Regent, if indeed all the excursions are booked up. Are there any frequent Regent cruisers out there who have had a problem getting listed for an excursion, or is Regent just covering their bases? I would appreciate any feed back. Thanks.:confused:

 

 

 

.............meanwhile, back on topic.....

 

We recently attended a presentation at the Trump Tower put on by our travel agency and Regent.

 

The question of wait listed excursions was brought up. The Regent staff member explained that their booking department was often overwhelmed with coordinating all the bookings that were being requested. With the system they are using, they can only handle a certain volume at any one time. In their opinion, 95% of all requested excursions DO wind up being accommodated, although some only get that O.K. once the passengers are on board.

 

Hope that is more like the answer you were looking for.

[Travelcat2]

Maybe the bus tours are good for some people but not for us we did our share of those. Buses arriving at the same destination with hundreds going to the same spot from all crusie lines and dropping you off with a guide and after your tour they direct you to their favorite tourist trap for purchases and now you wait for the ones who lose track of time and are not on the bus.

 

 

Amen!

[Mjflowers]

Just curious....

 

What is the tone of this thread and by whom was it set?

 

As I read other replies, I wonder why you don't suggest that they tune up as well?

 

Guess who.

Don't like it. Tune in or tune out.

[Mjflowers]

As I have said many times, if you can opt out for a credit then the excursions are no longer "included." Passengers would simply be paying the amount of the credit for their excursions.

 

Someone who doesn't drink wine will want a credit for not drinking it. Someone who doesn't drink any liquor will want a credit for being a teetotaler. Someone who doesn't want to eat at a table for four or six after their one allotted pre-reserved dinner in a specialty restaurant will want a credit for not going.

 

Excursions are "included," and, like gnomie and Responder, I'm glad they are. Those who find it abhorrent to be on a bus with 25-30 others should just arrange to do their own and stop complaining.

 

Or, maybe another cruise line. NCL might be just the ticket. Oh, but I would hate to have to sign for everything.

Does Regent have crew only excursions? This might work for some.

I, myself except what Regent offers and for this reason I'm on my 6th next month.

[Travelcat2]

Or, maybe another cruise line. NCL might be just the ticket. Oh, but I would hate to have to sign for everything.

Does Regent have crew only excursions? This might work for some.

I, myself except what Regent offers and for this reason I'm on my 6th next month.

 

Perhaps you misunderstood. I agree that people who do not like Regent should try other lines. Even those of us with many cruises (my 19th earlier this month) do not like absolutely everything about Regent. I'm sure that people that are almost Silver Seven Seas Society members that were hoping to get free internet on their next cruise aren't too happy that they will now have to wait until they are Gold (unless their trip is this month). Passengers that book category "H", "G" and "F" categories used to get an included pre-cruise hotel -- not anymore. Things change - either we accept the changes or we go elsewhere. Some have gone elsewhere -- we do not find the "excursion thing" enough to leave but will continue to voice our opinion when the subject comes up. After all, voicing opinions is what CC is all about.

[jjs217]

.............meanwhile, back on topic.....

 

We recently attended a presentation at the Trump Tower put on by our travel agency and Regent.

 

The question of wait listed excursions was brought up. The Regent staff member explained that their booking department was often overwhelmed with coordinating all the bookings that were being requested. With the system they are using, they can only handle a certain volume at any one time. In their opinion, 95% of all requested excursions DO wind up being accommodated, although some only get that O.K. once the passengers are on board.

 

Hope that is more like the answer you were looking for.

 

 

Thank you Candyapple for addressing my concern, and returning to the question at hand. I think I can live with 95%!!

[Island Cruiser]

The great thing about cruising is the multiple options it affords. Take socializing. Some are loners. Bravo! That option is always on the table. Most enjoy meeting others and a cruise ship is a fabulous place to do so. A few, a very few, enjoy socializing mostly with the crew, the only people on a cruise ship who are paid to be engaging when on duty on decks five and above. So be it. Better a friend for a few days at a price than no friends at all. There is something for everyone on a cruise ship.

[TedC]

Just received email confirming ALL my tours for upcoming Dubai to Cape Town cruise and one tour was waitlisted also cleared.

 

 

Can't beat that!

[Eager2Travel]

We currently are on the Mariner as well. At one point we had 4 tours wait listed. They have all cleared including a popular catamaran tour. It sometimes takes not giving up as things can always change.