excursion questions, booking, choices, extras

[alaskabound2323]

I am planning our Alaska cruise in June. Does anyone know if I can book 4 different cabins excursions? Or does each cabin need to make an account and book there own?

 

For example, we are a group of 10 family members, can I book 10 slots on an excursion?

 

Also, looking on CC there are some excursions that are supposed to be awesome. Marv and Harves whale watch, and bering sea crab tour are a couple. Is it worthwhile to book these and pay full price or are the included excursions comparable?

 

Also, our cruise ends in Seward and we are thinking about doing the Fjords tour. Tripadvisors say go on the full day (9 hour) tour.....

Do you think we will be up for a 9 hour boat tour the day we get off the cruise ship?

 

Thank you for your help.

[sable1]

Morning,

Just booked ours for the May 26, S.F. - Vancouver. Had quite a surprise, as I was believing the Promo of Unlimited Shore Ex.

 

Well, most of them have the time arranged so it's difficult to book two tours in each port. Being that we were in some ports for 10 hours, I hoped to enjoy a morning and an afternoon tour.

Unfortunately, most of the tours I wanted are only offered in the A.M.

Did select alternates which weren't my first choice.

 

I feel the promo of free unlimited excursions is deceptive. Just disappointed in Regent's advertising them as unlimited when they aren't.

 

But, I'm still planning on having a great time.

 

As far as booking for 10. When you enter the excursion site, there will be a box to check for each pax. in your cabin/booking. So, if your party is on separate booking numbers, they will have to enter their own choices. At least this is how I interpret it.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

Joanne

[Travelcat2]

I learned that "Free Excursions" was a bit misleading on the cruise we are currently on. However, the few excursions with a cost are far below retail. I still feel that Regent should advertise either Many or Most Free Excursions.

 

The excursions we have experienced on this itinerary have been excellent and well managed. The tours I booked today for the Alaska cruise in May are most free (exception of one excursion). Still, it is a great deal.

 

I still have a great deal of concern regarding the Alaska cruises this summer..... just crossing my fingers that they will be managed well:-)

[Gmeg]

I found that all of the tours we were interested in were free except that in Juneau we were tempted by the Mendenhall Glacier By Helicopter & Guided Walk and the Whales and Rainforest Trail but have booked the Mendenhall Glacier & Juneau Highlights free tour. Do you have any thoughts as to whether we should change and if so which? What was the excursion you chose to pay extra for?

 

[breezepark]

glad to hear your bookings went ok. I have just looked at the excursions for the 6/9 alaska trip, and must admit to being disappointed in the changes from the offerings last year. the variety/number of trips are far less than before, and the costs are higher - the fly fishing trip my husband wants to do is 50% more expensive this year than 2009. I know the Navigator carries fewer people than the Mariner, but the tour choices are significantly curtailed. And unfortunately I am now wondering if Regent has decided excursions can still be money makers for them despite advertising all inclusive! Any thoughts from the loyal Regent customers to help a newbie not feel so jaded?

[wripro]

The free excursions sounds a bit like the all included liquor. If you want the premium stuff you have to pay extra.

[hoosier74]

I was a bit unsettled to find that several excursions I was interested in were not on the Free list either, but I looked up similar excusions on other lux lines to see what the charges were. I think you can estimate that Regent will 'include' about $100/per excursion and over that you can expect a charge. The overage was less (sometimes more) than some other lines but the exact excursion wasn't a perfect match either. There seem to be 'FREE' excursions in every port.

[egret]

We were on the Mariner to ALaska pre free excusions. I booked my son's excursions against their stateroom and the wife and mine against ours. All of the excursions were enjoyable and we never felt we needed an independent operators tour, but then we didn't know what we were missing.

WRIPRO, what premium brands did you have to pay for? On our Navigator cruise in the Med this summer, I didn't pay for anything.

[wripro]

Egret,

 

I'm talking about really premium brands like Johnnie Walker Blue. I agree most brands were included. Re: the excursions though it seems like the really good ones carry a charge and that should be reflected in Regent's advertising imo.

[breezepark]

perhaps I was not specific enough in my prior comment as the point seems to have been missed. for example, in 2009 there were 21 offered excusions in Ketchikan, in 2010 there are 11. the Misty fiords seaplane was $79 in 2009, and is $149 in 2010. In Skagway, there were 5 excursions that included the rail, in 2010 there is only one, and that one has gone from $39 to $99 (yes the exact same excursion). Other posts also mention tours are only offered in the am even when the ship is in port for 10hrs. I do not mind paying a surcharge for upgraded experiences. I do mind that it seems Regent evaluated their excursion policy last year, and decided they could make some additional revenue - excursions are historically money makers for cruise lines. I guess I was hoping someone would stick up for Regent's need to be profitable, and say the multiple low cost excurisons of last year were simply too expensive for them to continue. Do experienced cruisers believe Regent will charge what the market will bear, or that they have the corporate integrity to provide an excellent product at a fair price and avoid misleading advertising?

[wripro]

Breezepark,

 

You answered your own question. Regent is in business to make money. The way they chose to differentiate themselves from the other lux lines is by offering supposedly free excursions. It's about as legitimate as offering two for one prices. But it has attracted people and many now believe they will truly get unlimited free excursions as Regent advertises. Last year when the economy was in a real free fall they offered more free excursions and lower prices on the premium ones. This year things look a bit better so they are starting to cut back hoping people won't notice and they can continue to advertise the same way. Once you book and they get you on the ship they know you'll pay extra for what you want.

[egret]

That explains it, scotch....yuck. I can't handle single malts either.

[alaskabound2323]

That is a disturbing price increase. I look forward to this cruise being better than my HAL experiences, but at quite a cost. We have typically done our own excursions which is why I asked about booking our own or are Regents comparable?

 

There are free ones that we are interested in, but we would be more likely to book the ones with a charge if we were not being "taken".

 

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

[ededmd]

perhaps I was not specific enough in my prior comment as the point seems to have been missed. for example, in 2009 there were 21 offered excusions in Ketchikan, in 2010 there are 11. the Misty fiords seaplane was $79 in 2009, and is $149 in 2010. In Skagway, there were 5 excursions that included the rail, in 2010 there is only one, and that one has gone from $39 to $99 (yes the exact same excursion). Other posts also mention tours are only offered in the am even when the ship is in port for 10hrs. I do not mind paying a surcharge for upgraded experiences. I do mind that it seems Regent evaluated their excursion policy last year, and decided they could make some additional revenue - excursions are historically money makers for cruise lines. I guess I was hoping someone would stick up for Regent's need to be profitable, and say the multiple low cost excurisons of last year were simply too expensive for them to continue. Do experienced cruisers believe Regent will charge what the market will bear, or that they have the corporate integrity to provide an excellent product at a fair price and avoid misleading advertising?

 

Perhaps you will find this thread interesting; a lot of these issues were discussed:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1087142&highlight=

[breezepark]

Breezepark,

 

You answered your own question. Regent is in business to make money. The way they chose to differentiate themselves from the other lux lines is by offering supposedly free excursions. It's about as legitimate as offering two for one prices. But it has attracted people and many now believe they will truly get unlimited free excursions as Regent advertises. Last year when the economy was in a real free fall they offered more free excursions and lower prices on the premium ones. This year things look a bit better so they are starting to cut back hoping people won't notice and they can continue to advertise the same way. Once you book and they get you on the ship they know you'll pay extra for what you want.

 

That is a disturbing price increase. I look forward to this cruise being better than my HAL experiences, but at quite a cost. We have typically done our own excursions which is why I asked about booking our own or are Regents comparable?

 

There are free ones that we are interested in, but we would be more likely to book the ones with a charge if we were not being "taken".

 

Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

 

Thanks Wripro for your clarity of response!

 

Alaskabound - I would not consider the increase as being "taken" as the premium trips do seem to yield about $100 off per excursion versus independent booking (even though it was around $200 off last year). The changes just make it that much more difficult to compare costs between cruise lines when deciding who to book, already a hard process for a first time luxury cruiser. I will still book what I want this time, but will also talk with my TA so he can better guide others this year who are comparing lines. Paying everything upfront is still my preference to charges at the end of a cruise. But next year I will start all over again in comparing costs and product offerings.

[breezepark]

Perhaps you will find this thread interesting; a lot of these issues were discussed:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1087142&highlight=

 

Thanks for thread post-- was also helpful to me.