The rest of Q&A

Q – 12.1.23 We just returned from an in-depth cruise in Japan aboard the Regent Explorer. Overall we had a lovely time.  However, we were disappointed (as were many fellow cruisers) with Regent’s “Pre-Vibrant Tokyo Tours”.  Essentially, the tours were drop off bus rides to sites with superficial brief commentary by “Guides” who simply told passengers to “walk around on your own and return to the meeting sites within 30 – 45 minutes–or less”. Quite frankly, it is a waste of time to spend 15- 20 minutes strolling around unescorted in Tokyo’s wonderful National Museum. My husband and I ended up hiring our own private Guides who gave us outstanding, comprehensive and unique tours in Tokyo.

We met a travel agent aboard the ship who was a host (Free trip perhaps) for the Virtuoso organization.  Interestingly, she told us that she also books private tours avoiding the Ship’s tours. Per her insights and our own experience we question whether the current quality of Regent’s “All Inclusive Tours” outweighs the cost/benefit of cruising with Regent? 

Although there were some artwork changes from the last time we had cruised The Explorer, we have to say that dining in the Pacific Rim remains outstanding–and seems to be a favorite venue among a lot of our fellow cruisers.

All in all, a wonderful experience but we are concerned about our new perceptions about Regent touring. Why should tours we arranged on our own be better than the ones carefully selected by the cruise line? And what’s with the “Fleeting glimpses of Tokyo” tour that was included?

Q – We are going to try to give your question the space it deserves:

After air, the segment of the cruise experience that produces the largest number of complaints is touring. Let’s use Venice, Italy as an example. On a typical day in-season, Venice can have between 12 and 22 ships calling. About half of these ships are designated “Mega-Liners” meaning that they are carrying several thousand guests. There are also hundreds of crew members who have the day off in port and they often need to sign up for tour experiences.

Add to the number of cruise passengers requiring touring, the fact that Venice is a city that is trying to keep cruise ships away from the central Canal area, and you have the makings of a monumental logistics operation. And then you have to ask ………….

Where are the tour buses coming from and who owns them? The reality is that in most worldwide ports you only have one or two companies that have the equipment to move that many cruise passengers. That means you are sailing into a virtual monopoly. The bus companies can offer the tours they wish to offer and the cruise lines can discuss options and offer suggestions etc. but they do not control the process. In fact, finalization of cruise ship tours is done by the ship’s Purser staff working with their on-shore representatives. But touring is always under local control. 

Then there is the question of the guides. Where do they come from and are enough certified guides available? In Venice, for example, one must ask where the guides live. A home in central Venice is extremely expensive. Often, guides must travel great distances to reach their work. 

And then there is the stark reality that about half of all cruise passengers want to see the major sites while the other half wants to meet locals, explore the dining scene, and get a sense of real life in modern times with little interest in history. or the “Ancients”.

So cruise lines have to deal with that as well. That is why no cruise line is currently earning A+ scores for its land programs. Planning touring for several thousand people each of whom has paid several thousand dollars fore the experience is an operational challenge of the highest magnitude. Regent’s tour programs are similar to but not better than those offered by other five-star competitors. They are all drinking out of the same tour trough. And often there are fewer options than we would like.

Private touring is always an option and there are some good companies starting to make a dent in this market. But given that Regent includes free shore excursions, few of the lines guests feel any need to spend more money to purchase tours when the same essential tours offered by other lines are included in Regent’s fares.

As to the three-night Tokyo package included with your sailing as a comp pre-cruise package: Tokyo may be the world’s most expensive tourist city. Were Regent to include the kind of detailed, longer, and personally guided sightseeing you would have preferred, there would have to be a significant cost increase. You did have the option of not taking the Tokyo introductory package. We do agree with you that Regent’s wording of the tour was not as clear as it should have been regarding the manner in which guests would be dropped off to explore on their own.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Q – 11.18.23 – Dear, dear Traveltruthers. We recently learned that our son and daughter-in-law are going to give birth to our first grandchild. In their wisdom, they live in Silicon Valley while we happily reside  in Rhode Island. This, for us, means that we are going to start flying out to the west coast several times per year. Our question has to do with domestic airline planning. When should we be looking at flights/costs and is there one web site you would recommend that we can play with to learn the ropes. From everything of yours that we have read, it seems that for flights within the US you recommend searching online but doing the actual booking directly with the airline? True?

A –  For domestic flights, we recommend getting serious about 100 days prior to departure date. After that point, fares begin to rise. We would use the much improved Google Flights website. This site will give you the fare history of your selected flights and it will tell you what it things is a fair price for your ticket. You can set a price alert when you your ticket hits the recommend price range. You can easily set up the site to notify you via e-mail when the prices are about top change.

Congratulations. Wishing you many more and a regular commute out west.

Q –  11.18.23 – We have been using a “cash-back” credit card for years. Now that we are retired and we are starting to see a bit of the world, we would like to start out with the better of the travel reward cards in the “under $100 Per Year” price range. Not sure if you really want to get involved in this sort of advice but thought I would ask. We love the site.

A – This is a subjective question. Virtually every travel website offers credit card advice and there is almost always a statement which essentially says they may receive renumeration in kind for their recommendations. You can assume that any website about travel that seems to have a good deal of credit card advice, ads, deals etc. is enjoying payback from the various credit cards they are hawking.

Unfortunately, we have no escape clause and we receive nothing from any travel product we might recommend. We are business fools.

That said, the current consensus seems to be that the best of the cards for those planning on traveling a few times per year is the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. We won’t do an ad for the card but it does give you better than usual travel rewards together with painless redemption procedures. You get some excellent benefits for $95 per year. You get points for dining, shopping etc. and, unlike an airline-branded card, you can redeem miles at a good rate on most of the world’s leading airlines.

We will now await the dozens of notes of disagreement from other credit card issuers and their users.

Q – 11.18.23  We are wondering what the status might be of our scheduled tour with Globus in February. We have called twice and all they are saying is there are no refunds being given and the tour will operate based on current information. Is there anywhere we can get more definitive information? We would love to postpone this trip by a year just to see if things calm down in Israel and along the Gaza Strip. We are not getting any information about safety from the company and we have paid in full. Any specifics you can provide would be really appreciated – our phone calls have not produced anything of value except that we are being told a credit to use another time is out. For what it is worth, we are in our seventies, we are Jewish, and we certainly don’t need the uncertainty or the stress. I am sure you understand.

A – What we don’t understand is why you are making these calls. Why isn’t this being handled by your travel advisor? Someone is earning a nice commission on your booking so it would seem appropriate that they do a little work to earn it. Our concern is that you may have booked this directly with the company. If that is the case, please make certain that the travel agent commission portion of the price you paid is returned to you. If, in this situation, you paid the full rate inclusive of the agent commission, but you never used an agent, someone is making a double profit. We hope that is not the case.

The specifics, for now, are these:

The war is in Israel and in Gaza. It has not extended to Egypt so tours are not being canceled and booked guests are, across-the-board, being denied future credited unless they specifically were booked on a canceled Israel departure. 

There is a travel “advisory” issued for American travelers going to Egypt. That means “take extra precautions”. It does not mean “don’t go”. Many American cities are under travel “advisories” and foreign visitors are warned about taking precautions to remain out of harms way. If our State Department, for whatever reason, changes the “Advisory” to a “Warning” your tour will, we are certain, be canceled and you will either be offered a total refund of all but your travel insurance fees or an attractive future credit.

If you are truly nervous about going and you booked with Globus without the advocacy of a travel professional, we would pout together a carefully crafter letter to the director of Customer Services at Globus laying out the reasons why you need to postpone this journey. You might want to include a letter from your physician as well. No guarantees, but that would take it out of the hands of the reservation agents at a call center who have been taking your calls. 

Q – 11.3.23 – Hello. You are now communicating with the person who has done more wine touring on the  west coast of the United States than any Californian alive. We’ve done it all over a 30 year span from Napa to Mendocino – even venturing into Washington State for some memorable Pinot tastings. Sad to say, my blood cell count has created the need to cut down on wine consumption so I am looking to find some upscale food touring that might best be accompanied by a single glass of wine. We don’t know who else to ask but we sense you understand. We don’t want to learn to cook pasta like someone’s grandmother and we have no interest in cupcakes or cheese. Something wonderful best accompanied by wine with a clear focus and beautiful scenery. Don’t feel the need to respond right away – if you could ponder it and respond I would raise a single glass in your honor. 

A – Yes, we try to ponder all questions for months before responding. We are not the best source for this question but we do have one rather strong recommendation assuming it clears your medical team: The latest trend in food tasting centers around Oyster events. Like wine, there are major geographical distinctions and the scenery from the California central coast, to the Gulf, on to Maine is often truly spectacular. You might start the search by checking out the tours offered by Hog Island Oysters outside San Francisco. 

Q – Well we made it to India yesterday. Arrived at the hotel at 4 AM. Begin our tour today with a half day of sightseeing in Mumbai and then tomorrow off to Udapur. 

The hotel (Taj Palace) is off course lovely, historic and well maintained. I pointed out to my wife that they repaired all the bullet holes from the 2008 terrorist attack. She of course felt much better.

What can I say about Mumbai? It’s called the City of Dreams. I am dreaming of getting out of here.

Just one question. We are, in the first 24 hours, seeing people we pass on the street who have, we would guess, not had a healthy meal for a long time. Is it a good idea to purchase gift cards from a local chain restaurant and give them out when we see someone who might really need it. I am not entirely comfortable carrying cash and handing it out. I have budgeted about $1,000 for this purpose but I don’t want to be just another ugly American. How do I know it won’t be used for drugs?

A – That is so kind of you. Don’t worry about any money being used for drugs by the homeless on the streets. Crime is not a major issue but carrying a wad of cash is always a bad idea. The restaurant gift card is not a bad idea but we would suggest you discuss this with your local guide. You would need to know that the recipient can read and understands how to properly utilize such a gift. Our recommendation would be to do your giving in a different way. You may want to make a brief visit to an orphanage and bring them something they need – like a computer. You will also see versions of the soup kitchens we have in our own inner cities that are always in need of support. That would be a way to address the truly hungry without giving them cash on the street. Your local guide should be more than willing to help you achieve your goal of giving money to those who most desperately need it.  Thank you so much for the question. 

Q – 10.22.23 – So here is my dilemma: I am 64, my husband is 69. Next summer he has a big birthday and he deserves a great travel gift. But like so many of our friends, we are getting a bit concerned about the War in Israel and all of the demonstrations we are seeing.  I had planned to surprise him with a trip overseas but now, I feel restricted. He loves exotic locales, snow rather than beachy, and he loves to wander quaint streets without a lot of tourists and speaking with the locals.

I want to surprise him with a trip in a place I know he will feel safe yet a place that is really different enough to allow him to do some wandering and take some memorable shots of the two of us. We are not foodies and, while not on a budget of any kind, we certainly don’t expect five-star hotels wherever we end up going. Oh, one other rather important thing – he does not enjoy flying. A one-stop would work but nothing more than that. A city of several million is something he would hate. We live in Cincinnati and that is as much city as he ever wants to see. I know this is a tough one but just wondering if you might have a suggestion. Thanks so much for a really different website. It makes me feel like I have a friend in the “business”. 

A – First, thank you. And let us say “you do”.

We have put ourselves in your place and we can only respond with a location we would personally love to explore. Why not surprise him with a trip to the World’s Largest Island”, Greenland. There is the capital Nuuk, but we are thinking that he almost might prefer Ilusissat, a truly picturesque outpost that sits on a fjord surrounded by icebergs. Of course, getting to Greenland’s second city is no easy task but there is some good news regarding transportation to Greenland.

Starting in 2024, Icelandair will begin new service through its hub in Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. Currently, you would have to get off in Reykjavik and get to a second, smaller airport for the lift into Greenland. Now, you will have a simple stop and then proceed non-stop from Reykjavik to either Nuck or Ilusissat Airport. They are working on airport improvements and a slow growth in tourism as we speak. But you will be ahead of the herd if you plan something for this coming summer and your husband’s 70th. Hope this is helpful. 

Q – 10.22.23  – We were really excited about our planned program in Egypt with Kensington Tours. But then my husband started getting cold feet and coming around to my point of view that we ought to cancel. I found  the questions about this situation on this site extremely helpful but I am wondering about one specific issue. How exactly does the new Advisory by our State Department influence cancellation policy? Does this give everyone the right to get their money back? It sounds like our government is telling us not to go so why would any company make us go if we don’t want to? 

A – The specific answer to your question is that an “Advisory” is in no way binding on a tour operators decision to operate a profitable tour where guests are paid in full. If the situation were to become truly dangerous the State Department would issue a “Warning” and cite specifics reasons it was issuing the declaration. Any tour company that operated a tour in a country where American citizens were being specifically told by our government “Do Not Travel to ______” could, it seems clear, face potential legal ramifications from booked guests. 

The specific wording of a State Department announcement regarding travel to Egypt will also have an impact on the point at which your cancellation insurance will kick in. 

Travel advisors are prohibited from discussing insurance policies and practices. We would recommend that you call your carrier directly to fully understand at what point of cancellation you might be covered.

We would add two briefs bits of advice:

01 – If you are really worried about a trip to the point that you are no longer looking forward to it, we would advise you to cancel it if possible.

02 – Do note that when you are traveling with a top grade tour operator, guides are trained to keep you far away from street demonstrations and any activity that could be unpleasant. If that could not be assured, the tour will always be cancelled by the operator. 

Q – 10.19.23 –  My wife and I are booked on a major five-star line whose name begins with the letter “S”. We worked with them directly so there would be no funny business. Our cruise was calling in Egypt and Israel after sailing to Greece and other ports. The cruise departs in a month and a half and I called them this morning after consulting with my wife. I was told that the stops in Egypt are still on but that Israel ports are going to be replaced with time in Cyprus and Turkey. The cruise will now end in Turkey and I am responsible for changing my air return from Tel Aviv.

They were nice about it but they will not consider giving me a refund or even allowing me to let them keep my money and allow me to go on a different cruise some time nest year.

This is really lousy customer service and I am surprised the media is not calling them out about it. I did everything they asked me to do but they were non-responsive. Is there some strategy you can recommend to get me my money back or a future credit? 

A –  Thank you and truly sorry about this situation. We have heard from dozens of cruisers in much the same position. Let us make just a few specific observations that may be too late for you to have a satisfactory outcome but hopefully will help others avoid the same travel trauma.

• The rules are, as stated to you by “S”. The only way they will cancel your cruise and offer any form of refund is if there is a government order that Americans not travel to Europe as well as the Middle East.
• It sounds as though you did not use a travel advisor but, instead, booked this cruise yourself in the expectation that the approximately 15% travel agent commission would be refunded to you in cash. Our guess is that you never asked for it.
• You likely spoke to someone in the “S” call center. You are representing one booking, one revenue source – yours. The call should have been made by a trusted travel advisor familiar with the line’s management team. You could have been working with a travel advisor who gives upward of $1,000,000 in annual revenue to the line. Instead, you decided to give up the advocacy a talented advisor represents while representing yourself and your single booking. And, sadly, you never knew to demand the refund of the built-in commission for services you never received.
• The cruise line does have the right to change itineraries when they feel it is in the best interests of the guests to do so. That language appears in every cruise line contract. So we would suggest you persist, be firm, but be kind as they are only doing what every one of their competitors is doing.

As to what to do now?

We would suggest that you start writing every day to executives  using their Facebook and other social media accounts. Try calling again and try to speak to the head of the line’s Customer Service division The reservation team does not have the authority to change policy but the Customer Service Desk does. 

You will not be put in harm’s way – not when you are traveling aboard one of the company’s prized assets.  At this point we would think you might want to start thinking about how you can maximize your enjoyment of this cruise. And do take our advice – never book directly again unless you  have the cruise line’s or the tour operators assurances in writing that you will be refunded the 10-17% of the total cost represented by the build-in travel agent commission. 

Q – 10.9.23 Please get back to us as soon as possible as we are booked on a December scheduled tour to Israel with the tour firm Abercrombie & Kent. There were 14 others, I believe in our group on the Crossroads of History Tour. I had tried to call and they were really busy. My wife and I would love to do the tour but we don’t understand our options. Can you tell us who to call or, perhaps, you could find out about this tour. We are in our mid-seventies and this was something we have always wanted to do. We’re a little adventurous so there is a chance we will still go. Do you know when we can find out about this program. We made final payment two weeks ago by calling in our credit card to their 800 number. Nothing since.

A – As you provided your names we were able to trace your booking. You did call it in to the right 800 number but please be careful about doing it again as there are thousands of travel-related “ghost sites” that will take your credit card information and sell it. You think you are calling the travel company but you are calling a fake number.

Sadly, your tour is being cancelled. You will receive a full refund. Give the company a few weeks to get the credit back on the credit card you used for payment. You had not received information as this decision to cancel was just made this afternoon.

For the near term, the State Department is advising American citizens to avoid travel to Israel. That has triggered your “no questions asked” refund. Hopefully, in a year or two your trip can be re-scheduled.

You should not have had to contact A&K yourself. Unless you receive a refund of the travel agent commission you should use a travel consultant next time. You are always paying for one – it is baked into the price of your tour or cruise.