First time I have had a tour canceled nine days before cruise

[angela miller]

I have traveled with Regent several times and  also with the number of other cruises.We are leaving on the fifth of May on the Navigator and this morning I got a notice from Regent for the second time an additional tour has been canceled. I was told to go online and book an additional tour. Of course, at this late date, there are not any tours. I did call Regent and was told that they had no solution at this point. Has anyone else had this problem?

[wcsdkqh]

Yep. Happened to me last fall in two ports in the Mediterranean. Life goes on.

[travlr21]

We also received an email today for our May 5 cruise on the Explorer about a tour cancellation. We now have 2 ports with no tours available to us, and we are on a wait list for another port. 

[pappy1022]

So much for included excursions.

[angela miller]

17 minutes ago, wcsdkqh said:

Yep. Happened to me last fall in two ports in the Mediterranean. Life goes on.

Yes, absolutely life goes on. I was just asking if there is any resolution.

[rcandkc]

Most likely the tour operator cancelled on Regent…not regent cancelling. 

[cwn]

This has happened off and on over the years at least since we started cruising Regent 12 years ago. Not so much precovid but it did happen. It happened once this past Dec after we boarded. Really Regent can’t control the tours canceling anymore than it can the airlines canceling you flight to the ship. There are only so many tours available in each port.
 

Sometimes a tour was added after we boarded or a full tour opened up. Do check once you board and the day of the tour for no shows.
 

There was nothing open in Dec so hired a taxi to take us around and found a place to have lunch.

[angela miller]

9 minutes ago, cwn said:

This has happened off and on over the years at least since we started cruising Regent 12 years ago. Not so much precovid but it did happen. It happened once this past Dec after we boarded. Really Regent can’t control the tours canceling anymore than it can the airlines canceling you flight to the ship. There are only so many tours available in each port.
 

Sometimes a tour was added after we boarded or a full tour opened up. Do check once you board and the day of the tour for no shows.
 

There was nothing open in Dec so hired a taxi to take us around and found a place to have lunch.

Thank you so much for your response. My concern was that we will get on the ship and there’s nothing available.

[cwn]

3 minutes ago, angela miller said:

Thank you so much for your response. My concern was that we will get on the ship and there’s nothing available.

For what port was you tour canceled. See you are on the Navigator. We were on her in Dec.

[angela miller]

4 minutes ago, cwn said:

For what port was you tour canceled. See you are on the Navigator. We were on her in Dec.

We leave May 5th.

[angela miller]

26 minutes ago, rcandkc said:

Most likely the tour operator cancelled on Regent…not regent cancelling. 

Maybe, but nothing offered with cancellation..

[rcandkc]

7 minutes ago, angela miller said:

Maybe, but nothing offered with cancellation..

I’m sorry. Frustrating. 

[makai 7]

What port are you lacking a tour in?  People might be able to provide alternate options- not included, but still ideas for things todo.

[Steve Q]

We are also scheduled for this cruise. Originally, we were to arrive in Hamilton early in the afternoon. We had scheduled an excursion for a twilight boat trip. Recently, Regent announced several port time changes. Thus, we now do not arrive in Hamilton until 6:00PM and depart early the next morning. Regent hasn’t provided any new excursions for this port. I suspect there might not be any due to the late arrival.

[RachelG]

Very common these days. We had 2 excursions cancelled after we boarded the ship.  None other alternatives offered in one port.  

[irishwitchy]

I know folks make comments about the tour being cancelled and it’s not Regent’s fault, because it is the tour company.  I don’t always agree with this.  I had a “tour”, that the bus was going to take us to a spa.   Basically, the tour was the one hour transportation to the place.  It wasn’t an included tour,  I was paying for it.  The spa didn’t close and had plenty of openings(I called them), but the “tour” was cancelled.   Regent, I’m sure could have hired transportation to the place, but didn’t.  It wasn’t a numbers issue, either.  We were also in a country that has very good transportation options.

 

I don’t Regent really tried that hard to make it happen.  
 

[RELS]

We have had decent luck hanging out in the theater the day of. If someone doesn't check in, the destination team will happily add you into a tour at the last minute. Having a couple tours you're OK with helps.

[TV Dad]

I have had two tours canceled on my Lisbon to London cruise in July. It's frustrating because, as you say, there were slim pickings left when we went to book alternate tours!

[papaflamingo]

12 hours ago, angela miller said:

Yes, absolutely life goes on. I was just asking if there is any resolution.

You'd probably get more ideas if you would say what port your tour was cancelled.

[pappy1022]

I understand that Regent doesn’t control the airlines and tour companies BUT Regent is our “agent” to procure these services on behalf of their customers. Just maybe Regent advertises these excursions as “free” for a legal reason so they don’t have to reimburse their customers in the event that the excursion is cancelled. We all know that we pay for these excursions in our base price. I just believe that Regent should reimburse the customer for a cancelled excursion if no reasonable alternative is available. After all, I’m sure Regent isn’t going to pay the tour provider if they cancel, so in effect, Regent is getting that money back and should pass it along to the customer. 

[Sapphire45]

We're on Navigator leaving Montreal on the 20th of May and have had 3 excursions cancelled. The first one was in Halifax and we were able to book another. Unfortunately, like others, by the time the ones in Shelburne and the Quebec were cancelled there was nothing left that we are interested in. Trying to decide whether to go on waitlists or just do our own thing!

[Gilly]

I can't say about Shelburne, but I'd happily do my own thing in Quebec, which is a very walkable and beautiful city with many nooks and crannies to explore.  Our cruise ship berthed right in the centre of the city, right beneath the Chateau Frontenac, so we didn't even need a shuttle bus.

[seasickphil]

UNLIMITED SHORE EXCURSIONS

 

Embark on an unforgettable journey, enjoying as many shoreside tours and experiences as you wish with our INCLUDED Unlimited Shore Excursions, from encountering majestic wildlife to sampling delicious cuisine to touring iconic UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Only Regent Seven Seas Cruises^® offers this extraordinary inclusion and you are encouraged to take full advantage of it.

 

Maybe Regent might have to think about changing their advertising to LIMITED SHORE EXCURSIONS rather than UNLIMITED. Somehow i don't think they would want to do that.

[cruiseej]

@seasickphil "Unlimited shore excursions" means you are free to book as many shore excursions as you want, in every port, even more than one a day if the timing allows — there is no limit on the number of excursions you can book. It does not mean they provide an unlimited number of shore excursions — there may be 3 or 5 or 9 or 14 in any given port — but it's a finite, not unlimited, number of excursions. And it does not mean there is unlimited capacity on every shore excursion such that every passenger can get a seat on every excursion offered. It's just common sense, really. (They also offer unlimited alcoholic beverages, but that doesn't mean that they will have the bottle/brand you want in every bar on every day or every cruise. Nor that you can consume them all. 🤣)

 

If the exclusion company that have contracted with cancels an excursion — whether because their boat or bus or ATV is broken, or because they can't get enough staff to provide drivers/guides on every bus or boat — what do you think the cruise line should do? They can't manufacture a bus or tour guide if one isn't available from one of their vetted and approved tour operators. Refunds aren't a viable option, because the excursions are not priced a la carte to begin with; some people sail on the cruise and never leave the ship, and they don't get money back, so why would someone whose excursion gets canceled?

[cwn]

52 minutes ago, cruiseej said:

@seasickphil "Unlimited shore excursions" means you are free to book as many shore excursions as you want, in every port, even more than one a day if the timing allows — there is no limit on the number of excursions you can book. It does not mean they provide an unlimited number of shore excursions — there may be 3 or 5 or 9 or 14 in any given port — but it's a finite, not unlimited, number of excursions. And it does not mean there is unlimited capacity on every shore excursion such that every passenger can get a seat on every excursion offered. It's just common sense, really. (They also offer unlimited alcoholic beverages, but that doesn't mean that they will have the bottle/brand you want in every bar on every day or every cruise. Nor that you can consume them all. 🤣)

 

If the exclusion company that have contracted with cancels an excursion — whether because their boat or bus or ATV is broken, or because they can't get enough staff to provide drivers/guides on every bus or boat — what do you think the cruise line should do? They can't manufacture a bus or tour guide if one isn't available from one of their vetted and approved tour operators. Refunds aren't a viable option, because the excursions are not priced a la carte to begin with; some people sail on the cruise and never leave the ship, and they don't get money back, so why would someone whose excursion gets canceled?

You are exactly right in your take on the “unlimited”. In the contract you sign when you pay it is explained every well. But as you say it is just common sense really…. But that seems very uncommon these days.

Hopefully the marketplace and the work force through out the world will soon get back some stability. Mean while I will enjoy everything a Regent offers. 

Edited April 27, 2023 by cwn