Excursions and Regent Website

Gird yourselves...rant coming!

OK, I've posted before with a variation on the theme regarding choosing excursions 240 days out. Here is my list of frustrations:

• 240 days out - no excursions posted, no PDF
  
• 238 days out - Australia posted, no ability to choose Indonesia
  
• 235 days out - excursions listed except for two ports
  
• Currently (2 weeks after the 240 day mark), no excursions posted for Jakarta - will this port be cancelled?
  
• Once you choose excursions on the website, there is no ability to change your choices without calling Regent
  
• Called Regent to flip flop the choices for Bali as we will be there for two days. The time and day listed on the PDF and the website, does not exist in Miami's computer.
  
• Miami sent another PDF with the "revised" choices and times - except the PDF was the one I had with the original times
  
• It's not like this is a new itinerary for Regent....even Komodo had nothing listed at the deadline that Regent set - and Komodo only has one choice of something to do anyway - hike to see the dragons!
  

My suggestions:

• I like the idea of solidifying the choices before publishing the PDF, but there should be something listed for each port by the publication date.
  
• Give us a week to review before opening the selection window. I understand that things happen and some excursions will change or have to be cancelled as we get closer to sailing.
  
• Notify us by email when there are cancellations or additions so we don't have to check the website daily.
  
• Allow changes to be made through the "customize" tab so we don't have to make a phone call, go through the gauntlet of menu choices, and then have a real person make the changes (or not) which we can do ourselves.
  

I'm sure Regent has reasons for creating this convoluted process. I would feel better if I knew what those reasons were. OK, rant over! :D

Doesn't sound like a rant to me, just a rightly frustrated Regent customer making some constructive suggestions to both improve the website customer interface and also to cut down on the work that has to be done by the Regent offices.

If I might just add to the list of suggestions:

• allow the option on the website to be added to a waitlist for a 'sold-out' excursion without having to contact the Regent office
  

As mentioned previously, perhaps excursions should not be available for booking so far in advance. After all, do we really need to make excursion decisions that far in advance? IF Regent could give us accurate information 120/90 days prior to the cruise, how would that hurt us? IMO, showing us what was offered in the past is good - even if it changes somewhat due to tour operators, contracts, etc.

Agree that we should be able to change excursions online as we can do with dining reservations. This again speaks to the fact that we book something 240 days out and may change our minds as the cruise becomes closer. (I want to cancel a popular excursion in November but won't do it until I'm onboard because I don't want to call Regent - very selfish - I know!) While I see the point of booking airline reservations as far in advance as possible (would love that to change to 240 days) because airline reservations are open to everyone - not only Regent customers.

From what Mike Moore has said, his team is working on the new website and we don't know as yet what changes will be made. Whether we like it or not, we need to be patient (we have no other choice right now). I read somewhere that the new website would be complete in the second quarter of this year (which is upon us now) so we should be getting information on this soon.

I would love to be notified when excursions are added although this may not be necessary if all available excursions are listed on the day they can be booked. If excursions are added, I would likely still be checking all of the time -- just in case I missed the notification.

"As mentioned previously, perhaps excursions should not be available for booking so far in advance. After all, do we really need to make excursion decisions that far in advance? IF Regent could give us accurate information 120/90 days prior to the cruise, how would that hurt us? IMO, showing us what was offered in the past is good - even if it changes somewhat due to tour operators, contracts, etc. "

I think anyone who wanted to arrange a private tour or other option would potentially be hurt. From past experience in many ports 90 days out would be insufficient time to coordinate tour guides on your own.

Regent is really dropping the ball on this issue right now and causing undue frustration and stress for customers.

Not a rant at all forgap, but rather a well thought out post that Regent should pay attention to. You've made very good suggestions for fixes and should not be dealing with these frustrations.

I have also been frustrated with trying to book excursions. This is our first cruise on Regent after over 200 days on Seabourn. I way away when the bookings opened and when I check last month to book excursions for our November cruise some ports had zero options left. I can understand not getting my first choice or even second but no choice at all? They know how many passengers they have to accommodate I don't understand how there can be no choice at all. Also I had to call my travel agents to get me on a wait list for some ports. Would have been much better (as suggested) if there was the option to wait list yourself.

And one more thing.......Have you noticed that there is no link to have the PDF excursion booklet emailed to you on the booked cruise page? Instead, you have to go to the original listing that, in a stroke of genius, you decided to save, navigate to "free excursions", somehow figure out that you have to select a port, and miraculously in light blue type your eyes focus on "receive all available tours via email".

If Regent is revamping the website, they should have a focus group of repeat Regent customers (both computer savvy and computer novices) to advise them and test the new version before it goes live. Perhaps this is in the works, but in the meantime the current site is a source of constant frustration.

 

If Regent is revamping the website, they should have a focus group of repeat Regent customers (both computer savvy and computer novices) to advise them and test the new version before it goes live. Perhaps this is in the works, but in the meantime the current site is a source of constant frustration.

This!!! And let's hope that they don't do with the website what they did with the cabins on Navigator, and let design aesthetics trump functionality.

Thanks Jennifer&Georges/forgap for starting this very useful thread. Did copy the thread and forward to Regent senior executives and included the CEO of NCL (owns both Regent and Oceania). Below is what Jason Montague (President of Regent replied to me:

This is great feedback - thanks for looping me in on this thread. Last month we hired a director and a coordinator that will be 100% focused on the Regent shore excursion program. We are dedicated to improving this key component of our offering. Thanks again!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hello forgap. Thank you for your feedback and suggestionsas it relates to improving the release of shore excursions through our website.We are pleased to let you know that we recently hired 2 dedicated resources that are 100% committed to the advancement of the Regent shore excursionprogram. You’ve provided us with valuable suggestions that our team canbuild from to help improve our current process. Your feedback is vital tothe success our brand and we appreciate you taking the time to share them withus.

Jason O'Keefe

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Gird yourselves...rant coming!

 

OK, I've posted before with a variation on the theme regarding choosing excursions 240 days out. Here is my list of frustrations:

• 240 days out - no excursions posted, no PDF
  
• 238 days out - Australia posted, no ability to choose Indonesia
  
• 235 days out - excursions listed except for two ports
  
• Currently (2 weeks after the 240 day mark), no excursions posted for Jakarta - will this port be cancelled?
  
• Once you choose excursions on the website, there is no ability to change your choices without calling Regent
  
• Called Regent to flip flop the choices for Bali as we will be there for two days. The time and day listed on the PDF and the website, does not exist in Miami's computer.
  
• Miami sent another PDF with the "revised" choices and times - except the PDF was the one I had with the original times
  
• It's not like this is a new itinerary for Regent....even Komodo had nothing listed at the deadline that Regent set - and Komodo only has one choice of something to do anyway - hike to see the dragons!
  

My suggestions:

• I like the idea of solidifying the choices before publishing the PDF, but there should be something listed for each port by the publication date.
  
• Give us a week to review before opening the selection window. I understand that things happen and some excursions will change or have to be cancelled as we get closer to sailing.
  
• Notify us by email when there are cancellations or additions so we don't have to check the website daily.
  
• Allow changes to be made through the "customize" tab so we don't have to make a phone call, go through the gauntlet of menu choices, and then have a real person make the changes (or not) which we can do ourselves.
  

I'm sure Regent has reasons for creating this convoluted process. I would feel better if I knew what those reasons were. OK, rant over! :D

Hooah Jason, thanks for listening, mean reading and posting on behalf of Regent.

Jackie/TC, yes my bad, left the H out of NCLH, thanks for correction.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thank you, Jason. We always have felt like we are part of the family when we are on board the ships. It is wonderful to also feel like part of the family in the home office!

Have to second that - Jason definitely makes us feel like part of the family at Corporate just as the officers and crew do on the ship.

Thank you!:D

Would love to be able to make changes to shore excursion choices and/or be wait listed without having to contact Regent or our travel agent.

I want to take the carriage ride in St. Georges Bermuda; in fact it was/is the only thing I want to do while there. However, when I went to choose it as a shore excursion, of course it was already full. Add the fact that I think they had a choice of 4 different times total to choose from over a course of the 2 days we will be in Bermuda. Then add on top of that, if even just a few of the Regent guests wanted to take the carriage ride, which holds what...maybe 6 people total in each carriage?....then no wonder I couldn't sign up for it. And this was on the first day as Silver I was able to choose my excursions! I was so disappointed. So, I contacted my travel agent, and he contacted Regent, and now we are wait listed. In the time it took to accomplish that, who knows how many people got wait listed before me?

I'm hoping it will all work out, but it would have been so much easier if there was a "wait list" option right on the website.

I'm hoping it will all work out, but it would have been so much easier if there was a "wait list" option right on the website.

.............as there used to be. I never did understand why this 'wait-list' option was removed from the customer interface :(

I didn't know that there was a wait list option in the past. But, it's been 4 years since our last Regent cruise. I wonder why they got rid of it? At any rate, let's hope things improve on the website. I still can't access some of my information after I log in. I had to have my travel agent send it to me.

On a different note, after rereading my post, I sound like a whiner. There are truly worse things than not being able to take a carriage ride. Just disappointed.;)

Hello forgap. Thank you for your feedback and suggestionsas it relates to improving the release of shore excursions through our website.We are pleased to let you know that we recently hired 2 dedicated resources that are 100% committed to the advancement of the Regent shore excursionprogram. You’ve provided us with valuable suggestions that our team canbuild from to help improve our current process. Your feedback is vital tothe success our brand and we appreciate you taking the time to share them withus.

Jason O'Keefe

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Jason, regarding shore excursions, i was enjoying reading the Seven Seas Society Pages Quarterly when I read, on page 4, about this wonderful "free unlimited shore excursion" named "snorkeling at kho kha." Excursion sounded fantastic. Then, I realized that we booked that excursion on our upcoming trip but it cost $109 (minus 10% discount)!?!?! How does one go about getting the cost refunded? By the way, the website STILL has it as a Regent Choice excursion at the same $109 cost. Probably need to get the website updated too.

Marc

And one more thing.......Have you noticed that there is no link to have the PDF excursion booklet emailed to you on the booked cruise page? Instead, you have to go to the original listing that, in a stroke of genius, you decided to save, navigate to "free excursions", somehow figure out that you have to select a port, and miraculously in light blue type your eyes focus on "receive all available tours via email".

 

Happy you were able to find this because even with your instruction I can't.:(

Happy you were able to find this because even with your instruction I can't.:(

That link only appears when you're VERY close to your sailing date...

Interesting. Thanks, UUNetBill

That link only appears when you're VERY close to your sailing date...

Actually the link shows up just before the 240 days before cruise; to as much as two weeks before the 240 day point.

Actually the link shows up just before the 240 days before cruise; to as much as two weeks before the 240 day point.

I would love to print out something that listed and described all the tours as to free or cost, tour details, start time and length for each port. We are within the 240 days for the 2018WC and picking the 60 some excursions is proving to be a pain since I don't have any kind of full listing. We booked three weeks after the opening date so that isn't helping either.

I looked at my booking page and don't see a link other than the box for the port name then you get a page with the list of tours but still have to look at the tours one at a time to find out any thing about them.

I have had a print out for all the tours at each port for our Sept Alaska cruise on Seabourn for some time now. So easy to make a 1, 2, 3 choice and then book on line.

Am I missing something?

Thanks,

Carolyn

I would love to print out something that listed and described all the tours as to free or cost, tour details, start time and length for each port. We are within the 240 days for the 2018WC and picking the 60 some excursions is proving to be a pain since I don't have any kind of full listing. We booked three weeks after the opening date so that isn't helping either.

 

I looked at my booking page and don't see a link other than the box for the port name then you get a page with the list of tours but still have to look at the tours one at a time to find out any thing about them.

 

I have had a print out for all the tours at each port for our Sept Alaska cruise on Seabourn for some time now. So easy to make a 1, 2, 3 choice and then book on line.

 

Am I missing something?

 

Thanks,

Carolyn

Carolyn,

They're right here, just above the icon descriptions.

https://www.rssc.com/cruises/NAV180108E/activities/regent-choice-plus-free/day-7/default/default.aspx#Activities

Hello forgap. Thank you for your feedback and suggestionsas it relates to improving the release of shore excursions through our website.We are pleased to let you know that we recently hired 2 dedicated resources that are 100% committed to the advancement of the Regent shore excursionprogram. You’ve provided us with valuable suggestions that our team canbuild from to help improve our current process. Your feedback is vital tothe success our brand and we appreciate you taking the time to share them withus.

Jason O'Keefe

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Super happy to hear this. Hope they have some good UX experience and go thru this board and mine it for data. There are MANY threads on both shore excursion and website user issues.

Indi

An IT Project Manger when not cruising.