Shore Excursion Selection Process

[pappy1022]

My wife and I are travelling with another couple in 2020 and we intend on going on Regent shore excursions together. Is there a way to select all 4 of us for a specific excursion in 1 step or do we both have to select the specific excursions individually?  I know you can select both couples at the same time for dinner reservations but wasn't sure about excursion selections.

 

We will be flying from Dallas to London and wonder if you would recommend getting an air deviation.

 

And lastly (for now), we will be coming into London a day early (concierge level) and staying 2 nights after the cruise (via Regent). What has your experience been with the time of day that Regent will pick us up from the hotel on embarkation day, what time they will pick us up at the hotel to go to the airport post cruise stay and what time they will pick us up at the ship and take us to the hotel in London on disemabrakation day? I am trying to figure out if we have any time on those days to do anything in London.

 

Thank you.

[mj_holiday]

What I would do in this case with excursions is for both couples identify which excursions you want ahead of time.  When the excursions open up each go on and select the excursion and try to select the same time if the excursion is offered multiple time that day.  Do wait list for any excursion that is filled - these will likely clear.

If any excursions reservations didn't work for the same - call Regents and get them changed.

 

To make sure you get on the same tour the day of the excursion, when you go to the meeting place make sure all 4 tickets are turned in for bus tickets at the same time.  Destination services will get you on the same bus.

[pappy1022]

Follow up question on excursions. If you go on a waitlist for your primary excursion choice, can you make a reservation for your secondary choice and if the the primary choice clears at a later date, cancel the secondary choice? Or will the system see that you already have an excursion booked and not allow the primary choice to clear?

[orvil]

We travel with another couple.  We book our own excursions and sometimes they overlap.  If they overlap, we turn in the tickets at the same time and go together.  I don't know of any way you can link them at booking time.

 

As much as I like my friends, sometimes it helps to go on different excursions.  It gives the relationship a break and you have something to talk about at dinner.

 

Air deviation, yes, probably.  You can non-stop on AA out of DFW.  Otherwise, you may get stuck with three flights with a truly strange itinerary. 

 

Regarding your plans in London, it depends on where you are staying.  My guess is you won't be staying in Southampton.  It's a two hour minimum drive without traffic from Central London to Southampton.  Because of this, they will probably schedule your pickup for embarkation between 9 and 10.  They will be waiting for you at the docks to take you back to Central London upon arrival.  You will be in London for lunch after disembarkation.  

[pappy1022]

Thank you. Yes, the hotels are in London so the day of embarkation will only be breakfast and bus ride to Southhampton.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

2 hours ago, pappy1022 said:

Thank you. Yes, the hotels are in London so the day of embarkation will only be breakfast and bus ride to Southhampton.

 

Yes, unless you had booked your own air, in which case you wouldn't have included transfers so you could book private, and go later in the day.  But Southampton is quite a slog compared to Dover (where they often used to dock), so private transfers could be quite costly.