Regent Smart Guide

[Sailor Sam 407]

Regarding the new Smart Guide app that Regent is using for tours. Many of the newer mobile phones do not have a headphone jack.

Does this mean you have to buy wireless headphones or does Regent have a workaround?

Thanks

[rcandkc]

You can buy an adapter that plugs into the power port of phone and you plug earphones into the adapter. 

[douginct]

if you are talking about an iPhone, here is the adaptor on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LXJFMGF?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details 

[Joanandjoe]

We're puzzled.  We both have old LG (which doesn't make smartphones anymore) Android smart phones, which we only bought after our flip phones were no longer supported.  We've never even tried to use headphones with them.  We will soon replace the phones with 5G phones.  Is Regent telling us that we need to buy headphones or wireless equivalents as well, even though we have absolutely no use for headphones under normal circumstances?

 

No, we're not luddites; but we only buy technology that we need.  If we're walking or driving, we don't want to have headphones to distract us.  J & J

[wcsdkqh]

Wired earphones or earbuds are about 5 bucks. what's the problem?

[Jimmcdaniel]

1 hour ago, Joanandjoe said:

Is Regent telling us that we need to buy headphones or wireless equivalents as well, even though we have absolutely no use for headphones under normal circumstances?

Basically, yes. Although in my experience about half the people on the tour didn't read the instructions, download the app, or have headphones so they just had to walk close to the guide so they could hear. 

[Joanandjoe]

25 minutes ago, Jimmcdaniel said:

Basically, yes. Although in my experience about half the people on the tour didn't read the instructions, download the app, or have headphones so they just had to walk close to the guide so they could hear. 

Interesting.  Regent used to use wireless headsets, which worked well on Regent and on my two recent trips with Road Scholar.  "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Don't they know that many seniors, including the two of us, are not enamored of app-based technology?  Regent cruisers include a lot of seniors.

[caribcruzr]

We just got off a 3 segment cruise on the explorer. We bought air pods yet not one of our tours used the ap. Only 2 of the tours used “whisperers”.  Very disappointing. 

[cwbegg]

We were on the Navigator for the 2022 Grand Arctic this summer.  VERY disappointed Regent Destination Services did not require guides, especially for any walking tours, to use the Smart Guide.  Some guides used the Whisperer system but I find the Whisperer box heavy and uncomfortable around my neck.  Because I already carry my cellphone as my camera, I am happy when it does double duty.  I was unhappy with passengers who didn't take the time to download the app (which can be done before you leave home; there is an excellent tutorial on the in-suite TV) but crowded around the guide and monopolized him/her.  You can use the cellphone speaker if you don't have or can't use headphones.  I did this once or twice but stayed to the rear of the group.  I included these comments on the mid-cruise and final guest survey.

[labonnevie]

What do we do if one of our party does not, heaven forbid, have a cell phone?

[Techno123]

Also does the app use any data when in use?

[flossie009]

3 hours ago, Techno123 said:

Also does the app use any data when in use?

No

[Hearthosesteeldrumsplayin]

On our cruise in November, I had downloaded the app because DH is hard of hearing.  However, the guides never used system.  I am hoping on our next cruise it will be used!

[Gilly]

Just home from our Voyager cruise when on several occasions the experience would have been far improved had the guide used the Regent system.  A couple of guides had their own microphone/headphone arrangement, which was fine, but others relied on their voice alone.  When a guide has used the Regent system - in Istanbul, for example - we have found it to work really well and it has enhanced our tour hugely (eg riding on public transport, when we could sit in different places on the tram and still hear our guide explaining what we were seeing through the windows, without disturbing other passengers)   

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 10/11/2022 at 11:11 AM, flossie009 said:

No

So presumably then you could use an old phone with no cellphone plan at all, just wifi?

[Turn 8A]

I suspect they communicate via Bluetooth and not wifi.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

23 minutes ago, Turn 8A said:

I suspect they communicate via Bluetooth and not wifi.

yes, of course, sorry.  I was mainly thinking of a phone that has no cellphone service, that you can use with Wifi, but of course Bluetooth too.

[UUNetBill]

On 10/10/2022 at 3:54 PM, wcsdkqh said:

Wired earphones or earbuds are about 5 bucks. what's the problem?

Or you could just grab one of the free pairs they offer up on the flight over - they've got baskets full of 'em...

[slidebite]

I haven't been on a Regent cruise since 2018. What's a smart guide?

[Sailor Sam 407]

Smart guide is an app on your phone, that allows you to listen to your tour guide while on excursions. Unfortunately it hasn’t worked well and Regent has ceased using it until they sort some technical issues out.