How to Make the Most of Regent's Free Shore Excursions

One of the most generous things Regent does is include a real lineup of shore tours in every fare — not a token "one per port" voucher. You can book as many as you want each day, as long as the timing works. After a few sailings, here is how I help clients actually use that benefit without coming home more tired than when they left.

Yes, you can do more than one a day

On a long port day it is completely normal to do a morning tour and an afternoon tour. Regent's own rules require at least a 75-minute window between tours operating on the same day in port, and that's the minimum I plan around — tours run late, traffic happens, and you want time to actually use the restroom and grab water before the next one boards.

When a private guide is the right call

The included group tours are good, but they aren't always the right fit. In a port you've visited before, a port with a museum or church you want to linger in, or any day you want to set your own pace, a private guide will give you a dramatically better experience. I book private guides for clients through Project Expedition, which vets local operators in nearly every Regent port. If you want help picking the right tour for your day, just reach out and I'll put something together for you.

Don't forget about lunch and dinner

The food onboard is part of why you booked Regent. A back-to-back excursion plan that skips lunch in the dining room or pushes you into the last dinner seating gets old quickly. Build at least one real meal break into every port day.

Use the free shuttle into town

In ports where the pier is a hike from the city center, Regent runs a complimentary shuttle. It is honestly one of the most underused benefits — perfect when you want to stroll a town for a couple of hours without committing to a full tour.

Sometimes "on your own" is the better tour

The included tours are good — but they are group tours. In ports you already know, or ports with a famous museum or church you want to linger in, you will have a better day on your own or with a small private guide. Do not feel obligated to use an included excursion every single day just because it is free.

Don't overdo it

The single biggest mistake I see: booking a tour in every port, often two a day, for ten days straight. You are on a luxury ship. Take a sea day off. Sit on your balcony in a smaller port. The vacation should feel like a vacation.