GeezerCouple

Sorry you had to cancel. We've had to do that a couple of times for medical emergencies, on very short notice. Once for DH, and once for very elderly MIL. Several other claims were for assorted expenses along the way, including almost a week in a luxury hotel when we should have been visiting dear friends, alas), plus some smaller claims. We had third party travel insurance, and each time, we received a check within about 2-3 weeks. As mentioned above, for any claim involving medical issues, make *sure* you have a physician's statement about the medical problem as well as any travel restrictions, etc. And receipts for all claimed expenses, whether they are for pre-paid non-refundable costs, or extra costs incurred due to <event>. You might also want to browse (or post questions) on the CC travel insurance sub-forum: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/ Hope your husband is feeling better soon! GC

"Stared at"?? How about perhaps some glances enjoying seeing others dressed up a bit, having an elegant evening! Dinner will be a wonderful opportunity to "dress" and to have a lovely evening and and a very nice meal. Enjoy! GC

The Oceania Butlers can be incredibly helpful, and all the more so if you make sure you "help them to help you". That is, they can't read your mind, so ask for whatever help you need or ask for whatever <X> you want. That could include certain balcony furniture. 🙂 And if you want any extra meals in the specialty restaurants, ask your butler to see if they can find some extra times. And if not, you can order from any specialty restaurant to be served in your suite. For us, that is one of the best perks of a PH. (I don't think that Vista has the same restaurants that we especially enjoy on the Riviera, but there are some others, of course.) And we loved waking up to the wonderful smell of coffee and bacon, and the gentle clinking of some china. [It is especially for these mornings that we let our butler know that any "privacy" notice is for everyone *but* them. IF we happen really to want privacy, we'll just bolt the door, and we certainly don't do that for the times we have requested our wonderful breakfasts to be delivered.] Also, we've requested loungers on a regular PH balcony. At first, our butler said it wouldn't fit. However, what had given us the idea is that one of the Oceania R ships (I forget which one, but one of Oceania's smaller ships) was docked immediately across from us. Those PH suites have smaller balconies... and there were two loungers on one of the balconies! So we pointed over there, and later that day, we had ours. It turned out it worked better with just one lounger, and on several evenings, I would sit out there ready, and with the balmy weather, the gentle rocking of the ship... I'd wake up a some point later and go back inside to join DH. What luxury! Enjoy! GC

What is the value of replacing the scooter, in a worst case scenario? And do you have a charge card that would offer any protection for something like this? (I have ZERO idea about this type of rental, so IF a rep says 'yes', ask they to point you to the specific sentences in the charge card terms/conditions that include this.) Also, how likely is it to be stolen? What type of area/neighborhoods, and how often would you be leaving it? Finally, what about *liability*... if you hit something or, worse, someone? Would your auto or homeowner's insurance cover that? GC

Are you asking about a time when there is a storm in the area, or perhaps even a late hurricane-like storm? Or are you asking about when the relevant weather is calm? Nope, I'm not trying to be annoying. But it's impossible to tell in advance, given that it would depend upon the weather, including some activity that could be some distance away. You could get sea that is almost glasslike, or you could get quite a bit of tossing about. The cruise ships tend to have good stabilizers, but those can't eliminate all of the motion of the ocean when the seas are rough. And given the distance (how far south into the Caribbean?), there could be several different "experiences". I'd love to take a cruise like that, but we don't get seasick (even when we had very rough seas in other areas of the world), heading into those nice warm waters...! 🙂 GC

Babr always has excellent information and suggestions. In addition to what they've just written, keep in mind that it is usually possible to purchase a travel insurance policy that "waives the pre-existing condition exclusion". That is, pre-existing condtions are not really considered at all if there is a claim, ASSUMING that one is "fit to travel the day the insurance is started". "Lookback periods" do not apply for these policies. And *these* are the policies where one usually must start the coverage within, say, 10-21 days of making the *first* payment for the trip. It's good that you are aware of "pre-existing conditions", but the definition for travel insurance typically is different from everyday usage. Those are mostly an issue with travel insurance if one doesn't start the coverage right at the beginning. Note: There used to be - and may still be! - at least one insurer/policy where one could get that waiver until just when one makes the final payment (defined narrowly). We are among those who have used (and recommend) www.TripInsuranceStore.com . But please CALL them to discuss "all of the above" so they can help you get a policy that best fits your needs. Enjoy your travels! GC

Nice! Perhaps you could post this on a more general CC subforum (Ask a Cruise Question? or?). NCL isn't the only cruiseline where this has been a problem. Many thanks! ETA: I should add that we have no quarrel when weather or other last minute or short notice issues interfere. However, there are times when the local excursion providers knew far in advance that the itinerary had changed, but the passengers weren't notified until after final payment (aka full penalty). *That* is not okay! GC

While we came close to calling MJA, we never did (and hope to keep it that way). But among the experiences we've heard about is the situation where someone needed continuing hospitalization, and the spouse/partner needed ("wanted", but that equals "needed" for many of us) to stay nearby, and also *not* having anyone at home for that extended time... And then there are situations where someone has difficult to control (or just unusual) medical conditions such that one's "home hospital and medical team" would be a more prudent place to be, even if a foreign hospital is "up to par". (And some of us live near, and use, very top tier medical school hospitals/physicians with specialists where some of that has definitely mattered...) And the problem isn't whether $75k would suffice for medevac (or one might pay any excess). Chances are that in an "up to par" hospital, no regular insurer is going to authorize that long distance medevac in the first place. So the insurance would be paying nothing. It would all be out of pocket, unless one has MJA (or something similar). GC

I totally forgot to mention this advantage of having at least one checked bag. In our case, DH developed some very serious allergies, so we need to take "his" toiletries, from soap to shampoo, etc. We can "carry on" the soap, but once at Security, my carry-on suitcase was searched and searched until they found "the culprit": a bar of his special soap. That now goes on the top, although it never again triggered a detailed search for possible contraband. And as long as we are bringing a small (but more than 3 oz) container of his shampoo, might as well bring my favorite products, too. And then, once one is checking a bag, why not add a few more things, right? 😡 And then... it isn't a small bag anymore. We prefer doing this anyway. GC

Others have already mentioned a cruise along the Norwegian fjords. Here is a more specific suggestion: Take a *traditional* Hurtigruten one-way or round-trip cruise from Burgen to the end at Kirkenes. (There are now newer itineraries that *don't* match this in the particular way that would be perfect in this situation, so double check it's the "Coastal Round Trip".) These are actually technically ferries (wait, they are NOT like the Staten Island Ferry! 😉 ) that also deliver mail and some large products along the coast. They stop in several ports every day, and the itinerary on the NorthBound trip and on the Southbound trip have different ports in the day and night. (During peak winter or summer, there won't be much difference, but especially in mid-fall or mid-spring, you'll get to see each port in the daytime and also in the nighttime, during a round-trip.) The scenery is SPECTACULAR. https://www.hurtigruten.com/destinations/norway/the-roundtrip-voyage-bergen-kirkenes-bergen/ And most stops are only about 15-30 minutes, not intended for serious excursions. But for passengers who DO want excursions, there are a few long stops, plus some excursions that start at one port and rejoin the ship at a later port. DH was really unsure of this idea when he heard the word "ferry" (as are many people) but "it's not like that", truly. There are regular cabins, and a few suites, and at least one very new ship that isn't even a ferry at all. (I'm not sure if that ship still does the Coastal RT.) The food was excellent. It was one of our best trips ever. Did I mention the scenery is *spectacular*? I have some mobility difficulties, so I was happy just sitting and watching everything, non-stop. We took two of the longer excursions (where the ship stays in the port). On one, DH did part without me, and I stayed on the small bus while the others went into an underground area that had been a major bomb shelter during the war. That excursion also stopped at the... Russian border, which was slightly spooky even a about 5 years ago (for those of us growing up in earlier times), but now... I'm not sure they'd go right there. (That border was not an active crossing, so we didn't even see any guards, but I'm sure they were back there somewhere...) There are also opportunities for dogsled rides, etc. I could go on and on... and on. It was the most breathtaking visual cruise we've been on. (There was one major fjord in New Zealand that was much more dramatic, but that was one day of a two-week cruise.) Additionally, if one takes the train from Oslo to Bergen, one goes over one of the highest rail passes (no "height" fears; it's a slow gradient most of the way). There was one section that looked positively other-worldly, or maybe like the "end of the world". I don't know how else to describe it. (Do get a comfort car seat, and preferably on the south side of the train. We had north side, and that was actually just fine anyway. There were not 2 seats together on the south side by the time I got tickets, and that was *early*.) Sorry to carry on. This was special. As an added bonus, we took a special "astronomy" group (through Hurtigruten). With or without a special group, there is a chance to see the... NORTHERN LIGHTS as an added bonus. Warning: The Northern Lights *colors* are usually not as dramatic viewed by human eye as what is captured on cameras. But they were there! Did I mention the scenery is *spectacular*? (Sorry, couldn't resist mentioning it again.) This is a very EASY cruise for those who prefer not to spend much time on their feet. (Note: I'm not sure how suitable it is for full-time wheelchair, but that could be checked, especially with the newer ships.) Just sailing into (and then back out of) some of these tiny port towns, between little islands and other small land masses... 🙂 We want to take it again, but we can't decide whether for Arctic Day or Arctic Night. We did it in late Feb/early March, so we had some day and some night time, relatively balanced. But 24 hour arctic night or daylight would be really interesting. Nope, no one is paying me to write long like this....! Enjoy! GC

We always have it. The main concern, which is reasonable, is that one needs to be an INpatient in a hospital for MJA to kick in. That's not usually a problem if one is really sick, but in some really "out of the way" place, it could be. And there must be an accessible airport for fixed-wing aircraft. Once admitted (not ER or Observation), *you* can decide if you want to be moved to a "better" hospital, with *you* defining "better". With most (all?) regular travel or health insurance, they'll move you only if it is medically necessary, and that... is in the eyes of the beancounters... and perhaps the local medical team who may be reluctant to declare themselves unable to provide proper care... You can select any hospital (in the USA, I think), such as your home hospital where your medical team knows you, or some specialty hospital (but they you'd need to get yourself back home). They'll use a fully equipped medevac air ambulance or lesser if sufficient. That could also be business class with a medical person accompanying you. (Spouse/partner gets a coach seat.) MJA kicks in (for USA residents) once you are at least 150 miles from home. There is an annual policy, which we get; it then covers major vacations plus the assorted shorter visits to relative/friends or business trips. Or there are "per trip" policies. We came very close to calling them when I was in hospital overseas. Just as we were looking at each other, "Should we call MJA??", I started to recover. 🙂 As always, read *all* the terms and conditions. GC

Regarding the air tags, this is quite a story (happy ending!): https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/airtag-lost-luggage-flight/index.html Short version, luggage "lost" at O'Hare connection. Airline wouldn't search for it. Passenger could see it "move" slightly (to baggage storage?). Finally flew to O'Hare, went to baggage storage, retrieved luggage. Yup, air tags for us from now on! 😉 GC

Not sure if you are joking, but the inside area is almost 7k sq ft., with the remainder being the private outdoor space of approx 3k sq ft.. There are three very distinct, separate bedrooms, and 3.5 bathrooms. Formal dining area, separate LR area, grand piano (player, I think?), and the huge outdoor private area includes a large hot tub and more seating and outside dining area as well. We were on one of those ships once with our grands and met the couple (just 2 of 'em!) staying in one, and they gave us a tour. (Back then, the decor was... garish.) For a large family, amazing, and at that point, the per-person isn't so stratospheric. Some larger groups/families combine both (each ship has two of these, mostly mirror-images). And for some reason, they seem to have limited the headcount to 7 instead of 8. No idea if they are flexible with that, but one could get an inside for not much else. Guests are welcome (but not into the special private "Haven" facilities). GC

Thanks. We really should give this a try, for one large suitcase. We seem to always promise ourselves that we won't overpack "next time", but... it never works out that way. Not even close, alas. There is no way that we could do carry-on only, given we have some critical essentials plus "just in case but IF we need it, we *need* it" things that take up too much room in carry-ons. So once there will be a checked bag, why not bring a bit more along... ugh. We could "make do" without the larger cases, and wear cruise, resort, or hotel logo'd attire for a while, or buy a few things if really necessary. The only time we had a real problem with a couple of large bags was in Italy. We travel by train there sometimes, and one of our stops was at a very little town. To get from the platforms to the station required descending a very deep staircase. And the elevator up at the station end of that tunnel was... broken. Ugh. That wasn't pleasant. We got really spoiled during a trip to Japan. They have luggage transport systems such that if you have your bag ready by something like 5? pm, the service will pick it up, and by afternoon/evening next day, the luggage appears at your next hotel. It worked like a charm every time. The only time we didn't use it was when we spent two nights at a Buddhist Monastery. (But guess what... we saw one of the logo'd vans in that little town, too.) We sent our bags ahead to the next town. No problem; we didn't need a lot of attire changes at the peaceful monastery, to put it mildly. That luggage service was *wonderful*! GC

For those of us raised in the USA (or most parts of it?), it *is* a "habit" to tip. It actually feels strange in a place where tipping isn't just not conventional but it could be considered rude. Do we (DH and I, and many others) like this? Not at all. But most of the people who tend to get tipped are not paid what they should be paid. Why? Well, now, it's "because they get tips", so it's ended up as a circular explanation. Truly, some workers are paid a pittance, in our opinion anyway. (I was once "there", so I know... it was almost entirely "tips... or nothing". I'll never forget - way back circa 1970 - when someone ordered one drink and then tipped me with a $5 bill and insisted I keep it. I know what that amount meant to me at that time. So we try to make a point to tip well, when the service warrants, even though the price point has changed.) So in the above case that you mention, it may be an oversight and inadvertant "double tipping", or it may be that the person giving the extra tip is very intentionally trying to help out with wages, etc. GC

Do you not have time to renew her passport at any time before the cruise? GC

As Jersey42 wrote, there isn't any single "best travel insurance", and each person/family is likely to have their own combination of preferences, needs, and characteristics of the actual trip. Why don't you contact a travel insurance broker? They handle several different travel insurers, and a good one will spend some time with you (especially for the first trip, when they don't yet know "you" and your travel preferences) not only to answer your questions, but to ask you some questions as well. That way, they can help find the policy that best meets your needs for this trip. (It could be a different policy/insurer for a different trip.) There should be NO extra fee to the traveler for the service. We use - and strongly recommend - www.TripInsuranceStore.com Please CALL them and do *not* rely upon the policy summaries online. There is just too much fine print, plus not all of the situations and choices may be obvious. Also, if you happen to need to make a claim, they can help with that if you need/want it. GC

I assume OP is referring to glass *below* the top "railing', instead of the metal bars between the top railing and the "floor"/balcony deck. As an aside, a major pet peeve of ours about those metal railings... I wish they were vertical instead of horizontal. Horizontal railings almost scream out an invitation to youngsters to "Climb Me!" 😱 (And same thing about horizontal decorative railings near residential stairways or across balcony type landings. The newer homes don't have the fancy curlique-type metal work, but simple thin bars, and too often... horizontal "ladder-like". In a large home with several bedrooms, where children are very likely to be living... Why!!??) </rant> GC

Welcome to CruiseCritic! As mentioned, you can certainlly bring a wheelchair on board. Indeed, IF you need a wheelchair, you must bring your own OR arrange in ADVANCE to rent one from one of the recommended vendors. (There are not "extra" wheelchairs on board.) But do make SURE that your cabin is large enough, including the doors, to let the wheelchair in and to maneuver within the room. A folding wheelchair is unlikely to be a problem; a motorized one... double check dimensions and get an "accessible" cabin. Those are intended to accommodate a wheelchair, etc. Enjoy your cruise! GC

We get our "pre-trip" currency from our bank also. However, we can order online, and have it mailed directly to us. GC

There have been reports from passengers who were on cruises immediately before and also those on cruises immediately after dry docks. Both groups have reported "inconveniences" of various sorts, but it's not clear how widespread they were (e.g., was almost everyone on board affected, or perhaps mainly just those in certain locations or using certain facilities). We have not experienced either... and hope to keep it that way. However, the reports included things like having carpets/flooring removed and roped off, for example... getting a head start for the new flooring... Similarly, immediately afterwards, there was some of the new carpeting still being put down. And there were reports of noise, no surprise, both before and after. But I have no idea how widespread or disruptive this was. On the other hand, it doesn't necessarily matter how many *others* are bothered, if *you* are among those being bothered. Worse, there were reports of the off-gassing of various new materials, after the dry dock. *That* could be very bad for someone with certain allergies, and something they wouldn't necessarily expect to find on a cruise. And unlike with some similar problem with a hotel immediately after some renovations, on a ship, one can't just move to a different hotel the next night... I don't know where those workpersons would be staying (unless the need is predicted?). Would the ship try to entice a bunch of less expensive cabins in some separated area to move to another cruise (tempting offers can certainly be made, when cruise lines want or need to "encourage" passengers to change to a different cruise!)? I assume the crew quarters don't have empty accommodations sitting around waiting for too many "others". GC

Are you really going to need a cruise departing on a specific day of the week, and NOT possibly the day before or day after? That could really restrict your choices. Given travel time, etc., might you be able to shift by even one day IF "the right cruise(s)" 😉 happened to sail then, rather than on *the* specified day of the week? RM

We had this same routing, connecting in Oslo when leaving Bergen, heading for LHR. All we remember was a relatively quiet airport. It was rather spartan, which is our main recollection. Otherwise, a relatively unmemorable memory...! It was early in the day; we had taken something like a 6am flight from Bergen (whatever the earliest flight to Oslo was). That may have made a difference, given the short flight time. On the outbound, we took that amazing train from Oslo to Bergen. 😁 GC

Or *rear* facing?? GC

Others have been mentioned in earlier posts right here. Markanddonna made a couple of suggestions, for example. Have you tried those? GC