Would you still cruise with Regent if you didn't take full advantage of excursions?

[dcsam]

Curious if you'd still cruise with Regent if you didn't take full advantage of their excursions?  

Thank you

[briar14]

Yes

[Silver Sweethearts]

5 minutes ago, dcsam said:

Curious if you'd still cruise with Regent if you didn't take full advantage of their excursions?  

Thank you

 

We don't take advantage of any of their excursions.  We go because we enjoy their ships.

[pingpong1]

I've taken a few cruises where I didn't even leave the ship while in port.  I just stayed onboard and enjoyed "having the ship to myself" for the day.  Regards.

[cuddles115]

Most excursions are poor and not worth leaving the ship. You get what you pay for and Regent's free excursions are, for the most part, worthless.

[GOARMY]

Yes.  Echo pingpong1's perspective. 

 

It has been fun when engaging Staff at either Reception Desk, or "refueling" at Pool Deck or Coffee Connection venues as to ease when enjoying that particular ship's ambience absent about 70% of fellow shipmates while they are, likewise, enjoying Port experiences at whatever Port.

 

To each his/her own.  

 

We anticipate a raft of upcoming opportunities to replicate the above when on a series of Navigator segments beginning this May, as such ashore locations have been visited on prior cruises.  

 

However, based on this positive history, have scheduled a revisit to a few sites.  

 

Just feel fortunate to have the opportunity of choice.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

[mrlevin]

We were on Splendor 20 nights over Christmas 2021 New Years 2022; never got off the ship.  We were on Splendor 23 nights Christmas 2022 New Years 2023 never got off the ship.  I hate included excursions but we still have 229 nights booked.

[GOARMY]

cuddles115: 

 

As American Humorist and Commentator Will Rogers opined back in the early 1930's (before his untimely 1935 death in an Alaskan airplane crash):

 

"A difference of opinions makes for a horse race and Missionaries." 

 

How poignant; and appropriate to this particular issue which continues to be a bone of contention.  

Based on 28+ years' cruising experiences on a variety of Lines, from the mega-ships to 5+star all-inclusive ones when aboard Radisson/Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, and Crystal (alas):

 

Refrain from conclusions which tend to throw the baby out with the bathwater.   

 

Sure, there are hits and misses.  However--

 

Regarding Regent:  Very-few misses when signing up for "Free" (not-really) or at an additional cost excursion.  A big "miss" when aboard Explorer in 2019 was an excursion at Helsinki.  We paid for this "dud".  Feedback was immediately provided.

 

A few misses have been more than compensated by positive experiences.  Most-notably when in Italy and Spain when on extended cruises aboard Mariner and Explorer.  

 

Life has no guarantees.  Cruising has even fewer.  

 

Best, and happy sailings.  See some of you in May when aboard Navigator.  

 

GOARMY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[flossie009]

Short answer: Yes

 

We have enjoyed some excellent included excursions; some average; some not worth repeating.

However our primary reasons for sailing with Regent is the on-board experience; friendly, efficient staff & crew; diverse, interesting fellow guests.

 

Personally we favour the “all inclusive” business model operated by Regent, but realise that it is not for everyone.

 

Today we are in Cambodia on Explorer. We decided against an excursion and just took the regular shuttle which dropped us at a huge indoor market, where we could absorb the sights, smells & ambience of local Cambodian life.

Tomorrow in Laem Chabang we will take a Regent included tour to the floating market in Pattaya; the following day we will opt for “Pattaya on your own”

In some ports we may just stay on board

Plenty of choices on Regent 😎

 

 

 

 

[dcsam]

Sounds great.  Thanks for the feedback.  

[Gilly]

Absolutely!  It's good to have a choice. 

[phillipahain]

10 hours ago, cuddles115 said:

Most excursions are poor and not worth leaving the ship. You get what you pay for and Regent's free excursions are, for the most part, worthless.

Sorry but certainly do not agree with that at all ...we have done many Regent Cruises and had some lovely free tours the only thing that has ever spoilt a tour has been passengers who refuse to face or accept that their poor mobility seriously affects other passengers ..if a tour says strenuous its exactly that 

[forgap]

Wouldn’t it be great if Regent implemented an easy rating system for excursions in each port?   Then, when booking excursions, we could look at the description and the ratings from passengers that have done the excursion, and make an informed decision.
 

This could be a simple star rating in several categories such as quality of the site, quality of the guide, and physical ability as described.  This could also be a way for the excursion desk to jettison the real clunkers as it seems that the menu of excursions for cruises stays the same year after year,  

[jjs217]

11 hours ago, cuddles115 said:

Most excursions are poor and not worth leaving the ship. You get what you pay for and Regent's free excursions are, for the most part, worthless.

Not true.  Some excursions are geared more towards those with mobility issues, so it is a panorama type tour (basically, stay on the bus and drive around.)  Others are for the more active.  It's important to read the description and not rely on the title of the tour. 

10 minutes ago, forgap said:

Wouldn’t it be great if Regent implemented an easy rating system for excursions in each port?   Then, when booking excursions, we could look at the description and the ratings from passengers that have done the excursion, and make an informed decision.
 

This could be a simple star rating in several categories such as quality of the site, quality of the guide, and physical ability as described.  This could also be a way for the excursion desk to jettison the real clunkers as it seems that the menu of excursions for cruises stays the same year after year,  

A rating system won't work, because what is good for some, might not be good for others.  Again, just read the description.  

[cuddles115]

22 minutes ago, forgap said:

Wouldn’t it be great if Regent implemented an easy rating system for excursions in each port?   Then, when booking excursions, we could look at the description and the ratings from passengers that have done the excursion, and make an informed decision.
 

This could be a simple star rating in several categories such as quality of the site, quality of the guide, and physical ability as described.  This could also be a way for the excursion desk to jettison the real clunkers as it seems that the menu of excursions for cruises stays the same year after year,  

 

[dcsam]

Mobility… this is the reason I posted the question in the first place. We wouldn’t use the included excursions  due to my husband’s mobility issues.  We find enjoyment simply being on the ship and venturing on our own (utilizing private tours). Our travel friends, however, would sign up for as many tours as possible.  So it seems Regent might be a good fit for us after all .

[cuddles115]

Just now, cuddles115 said:

What a spectacular and simple idea.  Solves lots of problems.

 

28 minutes ago, forgap said:

Wouldn’t it be great if Regent implemented an easy rating system for excursions in each port?   Then, when booking excursions, we could look at the description and the ratings from passengers that have done the excursion, and make an informed decision.
 

This could be a simple star rating in several categories such as quality of the site, quality of the guide, and physical ability as described.  This could also be a way for the excursion desk to jettison the real clunkers as it seems that the menu of excursions for cruises stays the same year after year,  

 

[bitob]

Two cruises on regent

excursions awful

i don’t care 

I have 6 more Regent cruises booked

paying for private excursions 

[Scout16]

I tend to take the excursions to see, feel, and hear the area.  I only really have concern over a small list of places and things that I want to truly see.  I have a hard time convincing myself to spend money, so with Regent once I have paid the fare I will sign up or the tours and drink the drinks with no concern.  If I had to pay for each excursion I would most likely only take one or two for the entire cruise.  I am aware of my physical limits and try to keep those in mind when signing up for the excursions.  This has left me with no tours for two ports in Japan since one port had several hours of walking for all the tours and the other required climbing one hundred steps or both of the tours.  I would like to see if there could be an option to offer a bus for those with mobility concerns when there are multiple buses for the same tour.

[forgap]

1 hour ago, jjs217 said:

rating system won't work, because what is good for some, might not be good for others.  Again, just read the description.  

I always read ratings and reviews on Amazon before buying an item.  I find it helpful.  We read excursion descriptions but the descriptions are often not accurate.  As an example, in Hawaii we hiked a volcano crater.  Three man rating but five man rating should have been given with a stern warning that the hike was for the seriously fit.  Slippery and jagged lava on the downhill and a strenuous hike up from the crater in the heat.  
 

Another excursion recently in Ushuaia.  This was a catamaran to a penguin rookery.  Not much walking except to and from the catamaran. The problem? regent stuffed four cohorts on the boat.  The boat had enough seats but they were 5 across and stuffed together so in reality not enough seats.  It was cold and windy.  The excursion was about 5 hours.  We were in the forth cohort boarding so stuck outside until the return ride when we stuffed ourselves inside by asking people to move their gear.  Plus, inside the catamaran was a high risk Covid environment (low ceilings, no ventilation, no masks, cruise cough) Very unpleasant. 

[pappy1022]

A rating system would be wonderful for both us and for Regent to see what is working or not working. Feedback is always good if you take it with the perspective of continuous improvement. Of course people with have different opinions but if you get a big enough sample size you can figure out if a product or in this case an excursion is right for you. 

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Yes… we sail RSSC for the ambiance of the ships. Simply the best! If we take a tour, if it’s good or bad , I will comment. 
sheila

[phillipahain]

I appreciate a rating system would be a very good idea but I believe you will find and Destination Services teams will tell you that no matter how carefully or patiently they explain to passengers who have mobility issues etc ...passengers still insist they will go on the tour regardless

 

Our last Regent Cruise the team were tearing their hair out with one passenger who insisted on going on tours regardless ...he was unable to do the steps, inclines the lot and expected other passengers to help him ......as I said stubborn refusal to accept their disabilities affects other passengers and cruise line too 

[seasickphil]

Obviously not everyone sailing on Regent feels the same about the included excursions being poor, if they did then some of the tours that we would like to go on whilst aboard Splendor in July would not be showing as unavailable. 

[daka]

Good to see all the "opinions" obviously everyone has a different expectation and experience..

We are going to be on our first REGENT cruse in December...having been on 26 crises in the past on Celebrity, MSC, Princess etc...

Only 10 months to go, with a Celebrity sailing in between....😃