GeezerCouple

"Is it now "rude" to be five-ten minutes late to dinner in the MDR?" When was it *not* rude? I'm going to quarrel with several of the above apparent "definitions" of "being late. Being late doesn't mean being at the back of the line, or in the middle and thus among the last to arrive at the table. It should be obvious that not everyone can be inside the MDR and be seated the moment the doors open. (!) So if one is among the last to arrive at the MDR AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME and then proceeds to one's seat, then how is that "late"? (And "the appropriate time" doesn't mean "early enough to try to fight for the front of the line". There's no need to push and shove to "avoid being late", etc. How about something like, "not strolling in *after* all of the others have obviously arrived, almost all are seated, and there is no longer a line"? - or something similar... ) If, on the other hand, you mean "late" as in "sauntering into the MDR 5-10+ minutes after everyone waiting in line has already been seated... then YES indeedy, that is rude, and *especially* if it is a place where orders are not taken (or no service) until "everyone has arrived at table". IF this is done repeatedly or is done because one simply isn't being concerned about the convenience/comfort (eating!) or other, then yes, that is rude. Full stop. GC

Welcome to CruiseCritic, albeit a bit belatedly! "Full Price"? What IS this, actually?? For one thing, the plain published price is almost always a moving target as time goes on, depending in good part on how well that particular sailing is selling (but not always, and certainly not only for that reason). And then... - Is there some special like drinks included? - Is there some special like drinks included, with fewer [or more!] restrictions? - Are gratuities "included" or not? (And what, exactly, is "included" in the "included gratuities"!?) - Are shore excursions included? If so, how many, and perhaps, at what price ceiling per excursion? - Ah... laundry/dry cleaning! Included or not? Or maybe a certain amount included! 🙂 - And those Specialty restaurants? Extra charge for those, or not? And what about extra charges for some entrees in the regular dining room? - Room service? Fees? - Any private facilities you might want, such as an "adults only" spa area? - Oh... entertainment! Special shows included? Extra charge per person, or depending upon something? And I see that ldubs has just posted what I was saving for last: The Official Brochure Price! In most (all?) cases, that is complete fiction, and it's both absurd and an insult to passengers, in our view. That's like going into the grocery store to buy, say, a box of cereal, marked at, say, $5.99, but IF there were a sign right over it showing, "Organized Listed Price: $9.99". There isn't going to be a way to process that "$9.99" price at the cash register. (Want to give the clerk the money and tell them to keep it themselves? That's a separate process, not linked to the cruise line, er, grocer.) Most people keep an eye on the fares, and also what is actually included! "Children sail free!"? Is the rate for the adults exactly the same as before? Are other perks different? And is anything for children "not included in that 'free' price"? As long as one is not in a penalty phase for cancelling (usually occurs some weeks or months prior to sail date, depending upon line), then one could change to a "Better Fare"! Uh oh... that no longer includes those free drinks, or whatever! Make SURE to do a real comparison. Yes, that sounds crazy making, and it can be. We make reservations at a price/cabin or suite level we would enjoy. We may occasionally double check if there is a "better deal", but often whatever we read about isn't useful to us. (For example, we aren't big drinkers, and when we do, it's going to be the pricier fine wines, which aren't included to start with. And we rarely take large group tours, although we might organize something like a large catamaran rental and invite a few other passengers to join us.) Mostly, we make reservations (ship, also airline) at a price we are comfortable with. IF there is a "better price" later - and IF we notice it! - and IF it is possible to change (with any change fees not negating the price advantage), then we will. Try not to let "getting the Very Best Deal" ruin the planning and anticipation; it may not be making a huge difference anyway. (But it could!) And do consider travel insurance. It may be helpful to you, or not, but at least consider it. Don't be "that guy/gal" who never realized that X or Y could end up interfering with the trip (or worse, foreign medical expenses that might need to be paid in cash before treatment begins.... yes, that can happen...). Now, make a reservation for a trip you'll love and start to enjoy the planning! "Don't let The Perfect be the enemy of The Good Enough!" GC

As Zack1213 wrote: [emphasis added] When we were younger, it never would have occurred to us to do anything other than "least expensive economy" seats. Of course, back then, there was no concept of something like a single flight in the mid or upper teens of hours! 😲 Then we got older. No problem. Then, we started having assorted physical ailments, a few of which included various "discomforts" (sometimes leading to actual pain). That changed things, and fast. We've been on that Singapore Airlines non-stop NYC to Singapore, at the time (and maybe still?) the longest true non-stop flight. Yup, we even went out of our way to "experience that". Heh! However, we had awards, so we went Business class, with huge beds, and "Book the Cook" truly amazing meals. It was wonderful, as was Cathay Pacific F for mid-teen hours! (It was the comfortable flat-bed that made the difference; the wonderful food was just an "extra". but very nice.) These days, if we were required to sit in a relatively cramped, barely reclining chair for a very extended time, it would involve some discussions with physicians about medications, seriously. But that wouldn't even have crossed our minds a few decades ago. We considered the "pointy end" of the plane as "for those other people!", and it never occurred to us that we'd *ever* "turn left" upon entering the plane, etc. 😉 Chances are good that we'd break it up with overnights along the way, and some nice sightseeing, or... not go, due to aging bodies and pain issues. So think about *you*, how your bodies (and mind/emotions) might react to that mini endurance test. Have you flown, say, 8 hours straight? No problems? Probably okay, emphasis on "probably". If you aren't aware of any physical limitations that might affect this, then you are probably fine. Just remember, if it's a true non-stop, you are on that plane until the end of the flight, happy or not. GC

What about a portable commode, the type that can be moved, like a walker, with the, er, seat/etc., in the middle, and arms that can be used like handles. These are sometimes used in hospitals so a patient doesn't have to walk all the way to their bathroom. It can be positioned right next to the bed. Certainly better than a bedpan, for patients who can get out of bed at least a bit. Something like this: https://www.shopjourney.com/products/journey-softsecure-3-in-1-commode-chair?variant=41007078309971&num=8884101295&gclid=CjwKCAjw7c2pBhAZEiwA88pOF4d-1QPzVYx7VLJuZZe9SW8XQs5Fw8HU5Cfl6u5NjBjdyTcBq9TLwhoCldwQAvD_BwE I'd guess that the same places that rent wheelchairs and hospital beds and lifts, etc., handle these. I'm assuming that you'd need to do all of the cleaning, unless you are bringing an aide with you. But everything should be able to be flushed, I'd think. Then just clean out the commode for the next use. Would that work? (Sorry if I've misunderstood the type of need!) GC

Welcome to CruiseCritic! There is a very active thread on the Oceania sub-forum of CC about another cruise with this problem. People on other cruises are starting to discuss this also. (Seems there might be FCC - Future Cruise Credits - available, perhaps only by request? It isn't clear yet; this is a new and moving target issue.) https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2968949-marina-november-1-“holy-lands-and-treasures”-itinerary-changes/#comment-66269750 Keep in mind this is all still evolving, and the cruise lines NEED to deal first with cruises that are currently in progress (and may have had to evacuate suddenly and early), plus those about to depart, etc. See what your cruise's CC Roll Call chatter includes about this. That will be with others on your specific cruise. GC

We had a Christmas & NYE cruise on the Riviera several years ago. As a side note, there were some children on board, and the small open area on the opposite side of the ship from The Sanctuary (we love that, even though we always get a balcony anyway) was "reserved" for <something about children's activities>. We NEVER saw a single child there, and by the end of the cruise, a few adults were sometimes seen sitting there reading. Both "Eve" festivities were very pleasant, but subdued compared with how we assume most people celebrate. As a side note, the year before, we had taken a similar cruise on NCL's Pearl, in the Haven. That Haven was very nice. But after ONE trip out of the Haven on Christmas Eve, we were literally acosted by one roving gang (emphasis on GANG) of kids after another. Totally out of control. Charging into elevators before letting anyone off; charging people in hallways while looking them directly in the eyes. And the entire ship was rowdy, crowded, and NOISY. NEVER AGAIN. But I digress. Did I mention how much we enjoyed the *subdued* celebrations on Riviera? 😉 However, there were LOTS of people still around the pool at midnight. That's at least in part a function of the different capacities of the O and R class ships, I assume. It was definitely a very festive affair. Attire ranged from very "dressy" (tux, gown) to somewhat dressy, to the classic chic casual. If some were there in more casual attire, I didn't notice, but I wasn't at all checking for that, and it wouldn't have bothered us at all. For us, it was a "just perfect" celebratory atmosphere. Music, sparkly lights, including things handed out to guests, hats/tiaras, and definitely champagne at midnight on NYE! Okay, perhaps it was sparkling white wine; I don't remember. We prefer fine red Bordeaux, so we didn't pay a lot of attention. It was "definitely festive!". 😁 We were slightly disappointed in the MDR dining on the two "Eves". We probably would have done better in one our our favorite Specialties, but we LOVE a couple of the specialties, so our view the MDR on that may differ from others. We tend to increase the "specialty" dining by having some of our favorite Specialty meals served in our PH. That's a real treat, especially after a busy day off the ship. GC

Welcome to CruiseCritic, and welcome to cruising! 🙂 Are you located in the USA? Travel insurance can work very differently in different countries. If you are in the USA, then for starters, take a look (and browse for a while, plus posting questions) on the CC subforum for travel insurance: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/ One very important thing for you (others, too, but this is definitely relevant to your situation) is that the definition of "pre-existing condition" as used for most travel insurance policies is *very* different from most "everyday usage". That can be good or bad, depending upon the situation, but my guess is it might work to your benefit. Please CALL www.TripInsuranceStore.com (CALL! You can read on the website, including the very short policy summaries, but do NOT rely upon those summaries entirely. There is just too much "fine print" plus varying personal situations, and it's especially complicated for "newbies"... and all of us who now use travel insurance a lot - including having many claims paid - obviously were once "newbies"! 😉 ) Discuss your specific medical issues and concerns with them. They are a travel insurance broker (no extra cost to the traveler, plus they can help with claims if that happens to be needed), and they work with several vetted travel insurers. You may find that if you make a new reservation and start the coverage within approx 10-21 days (state-dependent), it won't even matter IF you have a pre-existing condition - as long as you are "fit to travel" on the day you start the policy. Note: One time we encountered this situation, while DH was recovering from a medical emergency that had led to our first (and relatively large) travel insurance claim. He wasn't "fit to travel" for a while. However, as soon as his physician said, "Yup, you are good to go now!", I asked him to write down on his letterhead that DH was "fit to travel as of <date>". We then went home, made a deposit for a trip, and immediately called TIS to start the insurance coverage. You usually only need to pay for payments already made, so it was just the deposit (refundable or not) at first. Then one ups the coverage as more non-refundable payments are made. Hopefully you can start planning a nice trip, and then start using and enjoying the other sections of CruiseCritic! GC

It can be *VERY* different in Canada than in the USA - or other countries. Indeed, there can be differences in the policies offered to residents in some US states vs. others. ALWAYS make sure that you read and understand the terms/conditions of the specific policy YOU will be purchasing, not what someone else's policy said (or worse, "what someone else SAID their policy included...") GC

Good point, and also for heat in cooler environments. However, a solution IF the walls are magnetic but ceilings aren't (is this a thing?) would also work a bit for the air circulation and privacy. Hang a line with curtain hooks from the top of a wall to the top of the opposite wall. One can't keep it too tight, or the magnets wouldn't be strong enough. But there should be enough tension to keep the curtain 'up', albeit sagging a bit towards the middle. Bring a very light weight fabric shower curtain along (or air circulation will be even more of a problem). That should work, unless there is someone in an upper bunk who decides to throw spitballs or whatever (and if you've got someone like that in your group/family, you probably have more serious issues to deal with! 😡). As for those pesky "throw pillows", YUCK! At least most ships (and also nicer hotels) have moved on from the Brightly Colored Patterned Bedspreads That Don't Get Washed Except Maybe On Leap Years (or!?? 😱), and now used white duvet covers (or at least white sheets above/below a white comforter (but actual duvet covers are MUCH better!). Those colors/patterns are there specifically to hide, er, "crud". IF there are bedspreads, we almost kick them off the bed first thing, into a corner, and ask housekeeping to REMOVE it/them from the room until our stay is over. And we do the same with those "Throw Thingies". Just "take 'em away, please!" We've never had an argument. It's probably easier for them than trying to find and replace those items, morning after morning after morning... (They've never put them into any usable drawer-space or such. Sometimes we noticed them stuffed on a top shelf of a closet, so we've started asking that they remove them from the room entirely. We just want those things ... gone! A small tip at the time of the request never hurts, with that or with other requests! 😉 ) GC

First, sincere sympathies for your loss. And if (hopefully when) you do start "cruising solo" ... for starters, try to find a ship (or some program) that is geared toward "solo/singles". That could be because of specific "single cabins", especially if organized together. And some other lines may not have specific "single areas" but try to find one that does have some sort of social host/hostess who specifically helps to organize activities for singles, be it meal times, on-board activities, or... maybe some excursions (?). Once you start meeting other singles, there's a much greater likelihood that you'll find someone who, even if not your next BestFriendForever, might become an acquaintance and travel companion. Also, do look for ships/cruiselines that have special rates/smaller cabins for singles. That will at least help avoid the 100% "penalty" for sailing single, for starters. And it's more likely to have other singles on board, for the same reason. 🙂 Make sure you participate in any group events, even if not specifically for singles (e.g., Meet & Greets). That's another place to "meet others"... where you may be able to find someone like-minded. If there are any "singles groups" where you live (church? adult education? etc.), perhaps you could ask if any others are interested in cruising and you could put together a group. Others may be interested but not know what to do, how to organize something, etc. You'll meet others interested in cruising, for starters, and some of those may eventually end up being interested in sharing accommodations. But a reasonable option is the lines that have smaller 'single cabins' so you still have privacy (vs. sharing with someone before you get to know them), but still have the benefit of lower costs and a group of other singles. Finally, aside from the cabin-sharing, keep in mind that others on the ship, even if part of a couple, might sometimes do things separately, in terms of activities. And some of those may lead to introductions to single friends, etc. GC

Flatbush Flyer has explained it all. You have been here on CC since 2009, and have been fairly active (well more than 1k posts, closer to 2k posts). Surely you've read about situations like this... where there were changes made and there were no refunds/etc. "How many changes is too many?" Everyone who has changes made to their itinerary might feel that it was "too different" from the "cruise they purchased". But the "terms and conditions" of any contract, including that for a cruise, are what determines the "rights" of each party. This won't help for 'now', but for the future: This type of possibility if one of the reasons (but not the main one) that we get travel insurance that includes "CFAR" (Cancel For Any Reason). IF we want to cancel, with the type of policy we get, as long as we make the change at least 48 hours before departure, we would get back 75% of our non-refundable costs, and in *cash*, not credits that might have a time limit. It's the best we can do if we are concerned about "unfortunate events" of various types. ALWAYS read the full terms and conditions of any contract that you are agreeing to; that's useful in all areas of life. GC

This is important, and catches some people by surprise, and unpleasantly. IF one is leaving a credit card on file, with a set limit, first, if you hit that limit, the ship will cut you off from any other "extras" that would cost money, until/unless you replenish. (Same thing with a cash account, of course.) But with the charge card, if there is extra money left, and some people plan it so that there is a considerable amount left (the extra was "just in case they wanted to spend more on something"), then it can take up to a month for that money to be "released" back to your own charge account limit. There are occasional reports of someone not being able to pay with their card for something important soon after they return home, because the money is still "pending". For those with plenty of "extra money" waiting in their credit limit, this can be almost unnoticeable, and wouldn't cause any inconvenience. Note: For those using a DEBIT card, the same process is used, except now it's *your* bank account that has been debited, and it might not be replenished for up to a month. Thus, any recurring charges could bounce... Just be aware of the differences when using a debit card (something we never use and don't recommend, but to each its own, etc.!). GC

Hmmm... I just looked more carefully at the Deck Plans. It looks like the balcony has a good windbreak... along with *not* having any forward views (unless one peers forward over the handrail?). Being able to "see where we are going" is important to us (yes, even if it's just sea and more sea 😉 ). At least a balcony further back has some "vaguely forward" diagonal views. (Our favorites are forward facing accommodations, no surprise. But there aren't PH suites like that on the Riviera or Marina, alas.) We had noticed 8000 due to what seemed to be an unusually quiet location for the R ship PH suites. So, maybe not after all. OTOH, the more we think about the small size of the Penthouse "Suite", and reports of the bathroom size, maybe that's not for us anyway. Too bad, as there is at least one itinerary we've noticed that is not (yet?) offered on the larger O ships. Plus... we'd seriously miss the regular Specialty restaurants. And that great therapy pool on the Riviera spa deck. I guess we'll stick with the Riviera, and perhaps Marina. We haven't returned to cruising post-Covid, so we are *really* missing it! GC

Is the Black Cod prepared the same way that the Sea Bass? And how does it *taste*?? Thanks! GC

As Jersey42 already mentioned, the bottom line is (always!) to read the terms and conditions of *your* specific policy. It doesn't matter what "many" or even "most" policies provide; it only matters for your care what your policy provides. Many people mention that there is a $50k *lifetime* coverage for foreign care. Note that's what "many people mention", but does *your* policy offer that? Additionally, if it does, there is that lifetime cap, full stop. One way around that is to get third-party travel insurance that is PRIMARY, meaning it does NOT require that one first file with other insurers, which would include a Medicare policy. (In fact, for those who do have Medicare, if one doesn't have that primary coverage, many insurers will first require that you apply under Medicare, get the denial - if that's what it is, or up to the cap - and only then would they pay. That can slow down payments that are going to be paid. If one has *primary* coverage, there's no need to first apply to Medicare. That could speed up the private coverage payment, and also, importantly, not use up any of the $50k. (That could then be used for some last minute trip where one didn't make full plans including separate insurance, such as to visit a friend briefly overseas or such.) GC

Even with the special assistance for wheelchair users, you can expect to be asked [and if you aren't asked, then *speak up* if you have a preference!] whether you can walk through the security checkpoint and have the wheelchair and pusher come next, OR if you need to remain in the wheelchair. In the latter case, expect a serious pat-down, including of the various wheelchair elements. IF you decide to walk through, make sure there is a place to sit on the other side in case the wheelchair isn't *immediately* behind you. And with any "pat down" you have the right to request an agent of the same sex (or to have it done in a private area). The latter choices may add time (especially requesting privacy), so plan accordingly. We've found the chair pushers almost always (*almost*!) to be very helpful... asking if one needs to use a rest room, for example. But if they don't ask, then speak up with what you need help with. (We always ask to stop at one of the little shops after security, so we can stock up on some bottled softdrinks and sparkling water, especially for long flights. And sometimes some extras to nibble on, depending upon what we brought with us. The beverages cannot be "brought with you", so those are always a request.) On the arrival end, if you request, the pusher can usually take you through luggage claim and then out to either parking area or taxi queue. But please tip them accordingly, especially if they are pleasant. (We like to reward those who are really helpful, hoping it will encourage them, and perhaps others, to continue to be that helpful. Sort of paying it forward in addition to expressing thanks for the help.) GC

FlyerTalker: This reminds me... Do you happen to know if Singapore *ever* allows two awards tickets in Singapore Suites? (Er, maybe I should ask if they even allow one!?) We are at the point of trying special flights "just because we can"... that is, when we actually can. I had spotted the Singapore Suites some time ago, and then they announced the new suites, which looked amazing (and have windows, which the earlier ones didn't, or at least, some didn't). And now they are in the air. 🙂 I think Cathay has ended a "second F" awards ticket on one flight, unfortunately. At least we had a chance to enjoy that several years ago. (And I would have been delighted NOT to get off the plane and fly back and forth a few times. Those wide beds were amazing, as was the service!) Last time on Cathay, we had one F and one J awards tickets, even though there were NO other passengers in F. I would have thought that at the last minute, they may have allowed a second awards F. Business class was full. IF they had allowed us to use one of those empty F seats, they could almost certainly have sold that now-available business seat to someone, and gotten some actual money, without it costing much at all for "the other one" of us to be sitting in F. Many thanks for all of your really helpful comments! They can make a real difference. GC

We did make good use of Seat Guru in the past, but then stopped using it, probably due to your comments (among others), so thanks! Alas, we stopped using all such guides recently: Thanks Covid! 😡 I'll try to start getting used to aerolopa.com Hopefully our traveling days aren't over quite yet (although sadly, today isn't an auspicious day to be considering international travel...). GC

It must have been the Oceania one-ways to/from Panama City that I remember seeing relatively recently. That was unusual enough to remember, although not which ship. That would allow us to get the "full Panama Canal transit" AND also spend some time in Panama. Now I need to check further! Thanks! GC

Double "??" You *asked* for suggestions about this. And unless you are the *only* person involved (and "cruisefamilyholiday" suggests there are others), then... I'll change my recommendation for all of the others (but not for you, apparently) to try any remedies in advance, so they know how it will work for each of *them*, or perhaps that some possible remedy is *not* going to work for someone... CruiseCritic is an amazing resource, with input from many different perspectives and experiences. If you are going to immediately shoot down even general suggestions that are directly answering your questions, then...??? We are not, by any means, the only ones who recommend *trying* remedies at home, before traveling. GC

?? Well... for anyone for whom the medication MAY be useful! GC

We used to use SeatGuru.com However, we understand that the site is no longer kept up to date. We'd love to find a substitute. GC

Whatever you decide to use, please try it at home FIRST, to make sure you know how it will affect each of you, before you are on the trip. GC

I'd suggest that you call www.TripInsuranceStore.com - they are a broker (no extra charge to the traveler) who work with several vetter travel insurers. But CALL; reading the limited online summary information about the policies simply doesn't cut it. They'll discuss exactly the things you are asking about, plus more... We happen to use them to purchase policies from Travel Insured, but what works best for us may not work best for you. If you have made your FIRST payment within the past week or so, then call them ASAP, as there is a 10-14 day window after first payment to get some of the insurance features. (You may or may not want those, but it would be nice if you had that choice if possible.) And we have had several claims, including a couple of large ones. All were paid without nonsense, and Steve (owner of TIS) helped us with the very first (filling out that form so we got it right) and then again when I was in hospital overseas, when we needed much more assistance). The claims were paid within 2-3 weeks of our submitting all of the necessary documentation. GC

Ordinarily, I'd consider what just happened in Israel (horrific!!) as a terrorist attack, but then it became "We are at war". With at least some insurance, "terrorist" events are covered, but "war" is not. Does the so-called "simple" declaration immediately void any travel insurance claim coverage? Needless to say, one's personal safety is far more important than dealing with any reimbursement issues. Oceania's Nautica sailed early from Israel earlier today. I hope everyone made it back on board (or is safe wherever they are)! Are there other ships that were IN Israel today? GC