Full Free Excursions on Regent Mariner April 30 departure

[AdoptedYooper]

I went to register for the free excursions. I did not get my first, second or even third choice. They were FULL! On Zakynthos they only offer two excursions and they are both full 90 days out. This is ridiculous! Does anyone have experience with this problem? I feel everyone on the boat should have the opportunity to take the free excursion and it should not be first come, first choice.

[PaulaJK]

I agree, especially since they are not "free" but included in the price of your all inclusive fare. I suggest that you contact your travel agent and get her/him involved in this. Also, often some tours clear/open prior to sailing. Since you are 90 days out hopefully Regent is inspired to add a bus,etc.

[RachelG]

When did you book your cruise? Not getting your preferred excursions is one of the down sides of booking later. Since those who booked early can make their reservations for shore excursions 8 months in advance, some (perhaps most or all) will fill up. But if there are options, Regent will add an extra bus.

 

Hopefully, you put yourself on the waitlist for any excursions you want to do. I have had almost every waitlisted excursion clear, sometimes after embarkation, sometimes before.

[Travelcat2]

While I have never been in favor of "free" or "included" excursions, I do understand that limits are necessary for some excursions. Whenever possible, Regent adds buses to accommodate as many passengers as possible. It is not unusual to have 6-8 buses doing the same excursion (which leads to overcrowded restroom stops). Limitations are likely put in place by the tour operator -- not Regent.

 

It is not typical for there to be only two excursions available in a port which could be why they can not accommodate everyone on the ship. The only fair way to book excursions is first come, first served. People book excursions months in advance so it is possible that there will be cancellations. Hope you added yourselves to the wait list as there is a good chance that it will clear.

[wripro]

Since, as PaulaJK so right points out, you are paying for these excursion in your fare, there is no excuse for any of them to be sold out. They should send out as many busses as needed to accommodate EVERY passenger on the ship. How would anyone feel if they ran out of food for some people epoch is also included in the cost of the cruise?

[wbarrister]

We are on this cruise and I would echo some of the same thoughts. We are Silver level Regent travelers and tried to book some of these "free excursions" as early as it was allowed. Even then we were "waitlisted" on several.

 

I am hopeful (without any guarantee) that these excursions will be made available by the time we sail. We noted, as an earlier commenter did, that Zakynthos only offered two excursions, free or otherwise, and both were unavailable very early. Strange!

[Travelcat2]

Since, as PaulaJK so right points out, you are paying for these excursion in your fare, there is no excuse for any of them to be sold out. They should send out as many busses as needed to accommodate EVERY passenger on the ship. How would anyone feel if they ran out of food for some people epoch is also included in the cost of the cruise?

 

Guess we have to disagree on this one. There are simply not enough buses in some locations. Truly wish Regent would do away with included excursions. They create such an unrealistic expectation. My whole point regarding wanting an opt out option for excursions (as they do with flights and hotels) is that these are things that happen off of the ship -- provided by companies contracted with Regent. You can not logically compare these items with what is provided on the ship (although ships can certainly run out of certain foods, alcohol, etc. and one does not expect compensation). On the other hand, I suppose it is possible that someone tried to receive compensation for the four days when cucumbers were not available on one of our Regent cruises.

 

If everyone feels that they deserve to get a free excursion at each port, perhaps Regent should simply rent buses to drive people around for 3 hours and be done with it. Or, if the port is too small, don't offer excursions at all if they cannot accommodate the "whole ship".

 

If it does not already exist in Regent's "Terms and Conditions", they should add "depending upon availability". Or, "included excursions available only in ports where they can accommodate 500+ people on each excursion" since they never know how many people will sign up each excursion.

 

In the meantime, we'll continue to sail on Regent - pay for excursions that we don't want or need - just because we enjoy sailing on Regent.

[PaulaJK]

I,too, wish that Regent would do away with included excursions [and that no other line join them in this marketing package]. I have always understood when select [paid] excursions had limits, e.g. helicopters to an iceberg. However, once excursions are touted as included in your fare, we are going to have to disagree that the expectation of participating in them is "unrealistic".

Regent should be held responsible for delivering the package they sell.If for unanticipated reasons they cannot do so in a particular situation, Regent should have to compensate the passenger. Unfortunately, they can't have it both ways!

 

Paula

[Travelcat2]

Regent should be held responsible for delivering the package they sell.If for unanticipated reasons they cannot do so in a particular situation, Regent should have to compensate the passenger. Unfortunately, they can't have it both ways!

 

Paula

 

For whatever reason, they have had it both ways for approximately four years. They have lost and gained customers with this policy. I haven't read Regent's "small print" for a while but as I recall, it protects them for just about anything. IMO, the major difference with excursions is that you cannot opt out as you can with air and hotels. I still haven't given up hope that this policy will change (fingers crossed).

[TedC]

WE booked very late one Dec. and had our excursions waitlisted and cleared wait list when we had tickets in our cabin when we boarded. People cancel and Regent adds buses etc!

 

GOOD LUCK and Bon Voyage!

[wripro]

Not enough buses in any given location is not a suitable excuse imo. Their advertising does not say free excursions if we can find a bus. If they cannot accommodate someone there should eb a penalty they have to pay like an onboard credit or refund to compensate.

[Travelcat2]

Not enough buses in any given location is not a suitable excuse imo. Their advertising does not say free excursions if we can find a bus. If they cannot accommodate someone there should eb a penalty they have to pay like an onboard credit or refund to compensate.

 

Like it or not....... here is some of the "fine print" regarding excursions (it is obviously up to us, the passenger, to read this and other Regent policies prior to booking a cruise).

 

Prices, Itineraries and General Information

-Shore excursions prices are subject to change to meet unexpected cost increase or currency fluctuations.

 

-The information contained in this document was current at the time of printing, however changes may occur before your scheduled departure. Please consult the Destination Services Desk onboard for information and current pricing.

 

-During local or national holidays, access to certain facilities (such as museums or archaeological sites) may be limited or denied. In such instances, adjustments will be made to minimize inconvenience to guests.

 

- Some tours have limited availability. Please sign up early to avoid disappointment.

 

Regent Seven Seas Cruises reserves the right to require Guests to complete a liability waiver for select shore excursions. For more information, please visit the Destination Service.

 

Please Note

While the greatest care has been taken to offer the finest services available, Regent Seven Seas Cruises will not be held responsible for any act, event or omission during the time that the passengers are not onboard the ship or its tenders. All arrangements for certain optional off-board activities, including air transportation, hotel accommodation, ground transfers and shore excursions are made by Regent Seven Seas Cruises for the convenience of our Guests with the suppliers of the services. Each Guest agrees not to hold Regent Seven Seas Cruises, its owners, employees, agents or representatives liable, the absence of its own negligence, for any loss, injury, expense, or damage which result directly or indirectly from any act or omission, whether negligent or otherwise, of any person or firm which provides any goods or services in connection with any optional travel component other than water transportation or any other option that is available for purchase.

 

Arrangements with independent contractors include, but are not limited to services, products and transportation provided elsewhere that onboard Regent Seen Seas Cruises vessels in connection with tours whether arrange or organized by tour operators, travel agents, or Regent Seven Seas Cruises. Tours including hotel accommodations and transportation by vessel(s) not owned or operated by Regent Seven Seas Cruises or by air, rail or land are not under the supervision and control of Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

 

Note: Typos are both mine and Regent's! There is an additional notice at the bottom of the document that states:

 

All Regent Seven Seas Cruises shore excursions fares are listed in U.S. dollars are per person, and are subject to change and availability. Some tours are capacity controlled and may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. While Regent Seven Sea Cruises makes every effort to adhere to the specifics mentioned in each shore excursion description, circumstances may require otherwise. All shore excursion information contained in this shore excursion book is subject to change without notice at Regent Seven Seas Cruises discretion. All shore excursion descriptions and fares listed are subject to change without notice. Regent Seven Seas Cruises is not responsible or liable or typographical errors, omissions or misprints (my note: that last sentence was really necessary in this document as there were quite a few typos:-)

Edited January 28, 2015 by Travelcat2

[cruiseluv]

I guess the old "Caveat Emptor" is operative here. These so called "included unlimited excursions" is the main reason Regent's business model doesn't work for me.

[Travelcat2]

It doesn't work for us either....... except that we would rather cruise on Regent -- even if it costs more -- than on any other luxury cruise line.

[JMARINER]

As TC2 wrote above from Regents site "- Some tours have limited availability."

 

The OP (AdoptedYooper) has said that that there are NO tours available. While Regent can limit availability on "Some" tours," it can not make it so there is not any tours.

 

But having said this, I have only once had a port where they ended up having all the tours full.

 

j

[fizzy]

We are in the group who dislikes the excursion policy. We now have several cruises on Silversea and not so much on Regent now. As Regent has lost some repeat cruisers over this issue I realize that they have also gained a whole new set of customers. Would anyone know whether the new people who come on board because of the excursions are becoming loyal customers as the cruise prices are soaring? I wish they could at least do a test time frame with an advertised opt out option to see if the program is still so successful, considering what a headache the whole thing seems to be. They might find former customers coming back and not have to deal with all the stress.

[JMARINER]

We are in the group who dislikes the excursion policy. We now have several cruises on Silversea and not so much on Regent now. As Regent has lost some repeat cruisers over this issue I realize that they have also gained a whole new set of customers. Would anyone know whether the new people who come on board because of the excursions are becoming loyal customers as the cruise prices are soaring? I wish they could at least do a test time frame with an advertised opt out option to see if the program is still so successful, considering what a headache the whole thing seems to be. They might find former customers coming back and not have to deal with all the stress.

 

Oh how I wish this was true. But I think this is the direction set by the top and it is not going to change. The new Corporate model seem to be on getting new blood from HAL, Princess, Oceania and now NCL and it seem to be working. On the popular routes, the Med, Alaska, Baltic, etc. the ships are close to full. There are now at least 250,000 Regent society (past passengers) so they need a smaller and smaller fraction of repeats to add to the mix and fill the ships. To me it makes some economic sense. Like many here, I don't like it, but that doesn't seem to matter to them.

 

j

[wripro]

It doesn't work for us either....... except that we would rather cruise on Regent -- even if it costs more -- than on any other luxury cruise line.

 

Fortunately, that's not the case for me so I can happily avoid Regent.