GeezerCouple

One of the few differences "per cabin/suite category" is access to the outside Spa Deck. I'm only familiar with the setup on the O class ships (the relatively larger Riviera and Marina at this point). It's automatic for PH and up suites, and I *think* there is one category of regular verandah cabin that has access, but I'm not certain. Others apparently can pay a daily fee; there may be restrictions. Other than that, it's just about impossible to know if someone is in a top suite or an inside by the way they are 'treated' or where they eat or sit. In suite dining is a real treat, for those with Butlers (PH + up). But that's not anything that others "see" when you or they are "out and around" on the ship. Because we love the Specialty restaurants and it can be difficult (sometimes) to get extra seating there, requesting dinner in the suite very nicely solves that problem. It's also nice if one is just tired after an active day, and one just wants to relax but still enjoy the wonderful food. GC

I just looked at the Joy deck and floor plans. That 2BR suite you described looks very nice. I actually thought it was a real Ocean View of some sort at first, or even that the balcony wasn't being shown. But the bedrooms are both of decent size, which is nicer for most cases. GC

When you are getting ready to choose, please do look at the Floorplans. AND then ask here about the specific category and ship, and also specific suite numbers. NCL does not always have, um, accurate Floorplans. That's especially true after major changes, when the new arrangements are sometimes actually in use before the online deck and floor plans are updated. (Like... they didn't know far in advance what it was going to be?? Or they've been known to be grossly inaccurate as in "wrong". 😡 ) So if it really matters (and actually, when does it not, spending thousands and expecting what was described/shown?), double check. To be fair, NCL does sometimes mention that the floor plan may not be as shown (or wording to that effect), but they don't make that obvious, plus... what ARE you getting!? It's really unfortunate. There's no reason there needs to be upsets, surprises, or disappointments like this when NCL has had the information for months and perhaps well more than a year. When we had that 2BR/2BA suite the first time, DH cracked up when we walked in and walked around. (He doesn't like trip planning; I love it!) It was just the two of us, and he called the little BR "his office". 😁 He does work on trips, which is fine, but thank goodness he did use the large LR for that, where there's much more space and lovely outside views with the balcony. IF you get a suite like this, be sure to read up here on CC about how to make the best use of the Butler, especially for customized snacks or in-suite dining. A *real* luxury trip! Even compared with some more expensive cruiselines/ships, the Butlers in NCL can really stand out with this type of service. (Or we've been lucky; only our very first Butler wasn't superb, but we didn't know enough then to realize what it "could have been like".) Also, given that some services are being cut back (not just on NCL, and not just on cruiselines), double check about the services/etc., to avoid disappointment with incorrect expectations about the current state of affairs... GC

Please also see Turtles06 post. At least with every policy we've had (and we have had some large claims paid with no problems), we get coverage that excludes *any* pre-existing medical conditions. That's precisely why many of us get policies that waive any pre-existing condition exclusions. (I suspect that an additional benefit is that claims based upon medical problems might be paid faster, as there is no need for the insurer to double check whether it was related to any pre-existing condition, but that's just a guess.) The only thing, which I suppose could be considered at least temporarily a "stability" issue, would be that one must be "fit to travel" on the day the insurance is started. If that's a problem. then as soon as one is okay to travel, then start the coverage. DH was in this situation once, so the day his physician answered "yes" to my query, "Is he fit to travel today?" (probably adding, "finally!?), I had the physician write that down, dated and signed, and as soon as we got home, I made the reservation and started the insurance. And if one is never fit to travel, well, the entire issue is moot. GC

"stability" ? Are you perhaps not in the USA? "Stability" isn't something that has tended to arise as a problem for policies here. GC

I'm assuming either a courtesy hold or the phone agent thought it was a likely "go". Either way, the decision to make the reservation (with no obligation to the prospective passenger(s)) makes sense. I can only imagine the times when someone called, asking about a cruise, *thought* they had a reservation on hold or would be billed soon or such... and then later found out a reservation had *not* been made, and prices went up or availability is gone, etc. GC

Again, if OP could let us know which ship, or that there's no preference yet? The Jewel class ships have a 2BR/2BA suite that is exactly like the Haven 2BR/2BA suite, except... it's not a Haven suite. In at least some ships (all Jewel class? not sure!), those suites still get the full non-Haven suite experience, meaning separate dining area for breakfast and lunch if desired, and the Butler service. Some find the Butler "not a big deal", but for us, it's phenomenal, a wonderful addition. The Jewel class ship Havens don't have a separate restaurant, so the extra fee for "Haven" isn't as valuable as on some other ships. Note: We made a dreadful mistake one year, and booked the Pearl for a holiday cruise, including both Christmas and NYE. That ship was MOBBED. Worse... the kids (of whom there *must* have been at leat 10,000!! 😱) were totally out of control. They roamed the halls in groups, purposefully blocking elevator access and such. Yes, purposefully... some of them would look you right in the eye as they stood there blocking the open elevator door, or as they barged in right into you, etc. They would do the same as they walked, or ran, right smack into you in a hallway, never missing eye contact while smirking. 😡 Thank goodness we were Haven! We escaped all of that as we sheltered in the Haven for most of the cruise. That was fine for us, as we rarely partake of the "entertainment" these days on most ships. That's not the purpose of cruising for us, so some of the smaller ships on other lines that don't offer much of that are really great for us; sometimes the itinerary dictates a smaller selection of ships. We had most of our meals served in the suite, something we often enjoy anyway, and we loved lounging in the common area, having more snacks or burgers/etc., delivered right there. (We anticipate never cruising again during school holidays on a ship that welcomes children. DH is no longer as constrained by scheduling, thank goodness.) However, if it's not a school holiday or such, then a non-Haven 2BR/2BA suite might work very well. Note that the 2nd BR is tiny, but fine for one person. Also a tiny bathroom, with tiny shower. And it IS an "inside". But open that 2nd BR door (complete privacy, nice in OP's situation), and there's a very comfortable LR and balcony (*small* balcony). >> This would be the same as if one had a 1BR suite with a real "bedroom with door". There is only a curtain separating the LR from the main BR/BA, but that would probably be fine in this situation. That arrangement might be much better than having Mother sleep in a "living room", or having to share one bathroom. I hope she enjoys her first cruise! GC

[emphasis added] So you posted here about whether there would be a problem with the passport the day before the departure? IF the answers had been categorically "NO, you will NOT be able to get on the ship" (that is probably not the case, but "what IF"), then... what were your plans? And if someone had answered "Yes" to your question of "Anyone experience getting on with a passport that expires in less than 6months?" what were you planning to do in one day, including a Sunday? Because, "Yes", many of us know how to do this: one gets a new passport. There are ways to do this in an expedited fashion, or even "same day" if necessary, but I don't know what documents one needs to have for that, especially with a minor child. GC

Good luck. What I was asking about, indirectly, was what Flatbush Flyer asked more directly. ... except that you still don't understand the risk. Maybe you'll be lucky and there won't be a problem If a child is not traveling with *both* parents, there is often a requirement (from the cruise line/ship or perhaps border authorities) that there be either 1) permission from BOTH parents, which means a formal letter from a parent who is not traveling with the child, orfrom both if that's the case, *or* 2) something like a court document proving sole legal custody or perhaps a death certificate for the other parent. Sure, these days, it's very possible that both parents surnames don't match the child's, so there may not be any other "questions". And obviously, there could be a non-custodial parent with the same surname, coincidentally. All of this is due to unfortunate international child abductions, the type where a non-custodial parent spirits the child out of the country... and they are gone. The procedures are meant to lower the chances of that happening. The USA State Department has more information about this, too. And the cruise lines often have their own forms. And yes indeed, "permission to treat" the child in case of emergency, plus insurance information! This is probably much less of a concern with one parent right there, to give permission should it be needed. I hope you all enjoy your cruise. Chances are good that you will. However, many of us try to avoid/minimize the chances that things will go wrong, when there are steps that can be/should be taken to make sure it goes smoothly. When things like this *do* go wrong, they can go very wrong. GC

[emphasis added] Is there another potential issue lurking? What does the section I bolded mean? Does she have the same last name as you do? GC

I would suggest speaking with your primary care physician about the risks to you personally, given your medical history and current state of health. They will be better able to discuss with you about *your* general risks of the diseases (both risk of actually getting it and the risks from having it if you do get it) and also your general risks from getting any vaccinations. You may have some health issues that would put you at higher risk of a bad outcome (no prediction is 100%, of course)... either way. In our case, whenever we go someplace "novel" (for us, anyway), in addition to our regular physicians, we make another visit to the Travel Clinic, who also have access to all of our medical records. For example, in one case a few years ago, we were advised that one of us should get a certain vaccination, but the other of us had a specific risk factor and thus should *not* get that same vaccination. GC

I suspect that you are correct in general. Thus far, foreign border agents have seemed remarkably disinterested in us (which is fine!). It's TSA going through Security or getting clearances to board flights heading home. For some reason, I seem to trigger something, and I get called aside, or I get the dreaded SSSS tag on my boarding pass. DH has never gotten that. And once, my carry on was searched VERY carefully, while they kept looking at the contents and back at the scan... until they found... my new bar of "DOVE DELICATE SKIN" SOAP. 😱 But those SSSS can be annoying... a separate line, open the bags, full search, etc. What is funny (actually *not* funny at all from a true security perspective) is that once, as I was standing in my "new line" as DH stood off to the side to wait for me, I realized that I had *his* carry-on, and he had mine! I decided it was going to cause a lot more difficulties to announce that situation, so I just continued with his bag. >> We could have already swapped at any time once I knew I was SSSS and he was not. How secure is THAT? Another troubling time, from a true security perspective, was a few years ago, when again, I had the SSSS (I must have done something really wrong in a previous life, I guess!). We were at the counter and the agent saw my SSSS, and asked me, "Which bag is yours?" I pointed to one, and he took that one to search. DH stood there with "the other bag". DUH! 😡 But in all of those times, not once did anyone express any interest in my mini-pharmacy that takes up about half of the carry-on. There was one time ages ago, when they wanted to do a serious search of my bags and *me*. I insisted on a private room and TWO female agents. That took some extra time, but that was okay. So, they took my then-carry-on small duffel bag, and uncermoniously dumped it on a huge table. They they took their wand to double check... OK, no explosives INSIDE my bag (good to know, for sure!!). And there were lots of little ziplocs of pills and capsules, some little vials with a liquid and needles and syringes, etc., scattered all around. And... they pawed through those "drugs" ONLY to get them out of the way while they tested and checked various OTHER items from my bag! So... nope, I don't think TSA is interested in "drugs" (unless they've been alerted to something special, I suppose). Meanwhile, I wonder what I actually DID in that previous life... 😉 GC

First, to be clear, we *always* travel with our little ziploc with proper pharmacy label for prescription meds, and we *always* check carefully about the laws/regs in any country we'll be visiting, and we get official permissions if needed. However... about relying upon the "proper container with the proper label"...?? [And note, we always have Rx meds in properly labelled containers when traveling, as stated above. ALWAYS.] Who is to say that what is IN those properly labeled containers is what "belongs in them"? Once one starts questioning what the meds look like, it isn't likely to matter what the container has written on it. There's going to be some serious time spent investigating and comparing and hopefully nothing worse. One goal is to not draw attention to one's self by any untoward behavior or inappropriate comments. (Borders are not the place for snarky comments, no matter how tempting!) AND to be prepared for an occasional "spot check" or being the next arbitrarily selected "person to be searched", etc. Having meds in their original containers isn't actually proof in and of itself, unless the agent has some sort of photographic memory, and can quickly determing, "Oh, yes, these *are* 5mg tablets of <X> and those are 1mg tablets of <Y>. All good!" We've got plenty of documentation/paperwork with us (and copies on laptops and in the cloud) "just in case..." GC

Ah, in that case, thank you! If so, that makes a huge difference indeed! (I admit the "in general" makes me slightly uneasy.) But I still strongly think they should notify everyone on the other cruise dates as well, in case someone IS sick, and has not been properly diagnosed/treated, and may not be recovering properly, etc. A "possible exposure" or "diagnosis to consider" could be helpful, and shouldn't upset anyone who wasn't sick. If anything, "good to know we'd be notified IF there were something like this", etc... GC

You should probably get SEEN by a physician ASAP. Not doing so *prior* to cancelling can be a reason for insurance denial. No, that doesn't mean it would happen in your case, but why tempt the fates? IF he has that letter from a physician stating "patient may not travel" (or similar wording) based upon being seen in a TIMELY fashion. then insurance shouldn't be a problem. About the 72 hour advance notice (or 48, per our insurance policies), that's usually for CFAR, when the traveler has some discretion about going vs not going. When it is a sudden medical problem, there's no similar time constraint EXCEPT being SEEN by a physician in a timely fashion and getting that paperwork filled out/signed. The physician can sign the formal paperwork later. The "timing" refers to being SEEN by the physician who is then able to tell you "no traveling", etc., before the travel is cancelled. GC

But it's *possible* that it could make a difference if some appropriate persons have the relevant information such that someone gets treated more promptly or it doesn't spread further. IF the returning guests (from those particular cruises) perhaps passed it on to others in their family or friends/etc. (perhaps without ever realizing they had it themselves), then it might be useful to test any contacts who appear symptomatic, *before* someone who is more fragile becomes critically ill. GC

That's not necessarily wise. What if someone(s) from an earlier sailing (before the dates listed in the letter) are indeed sick with Legionnaires, but it hasn't been properly identified. It's probably not the first thing on the minds of a non-specialist's mind. So "this cough" keeps spreading... Not everyone gets desperately ill... until someone does. If this is CDC protocol, then - I'm very surprised. GC

Here you go, in case you want a multi-course meal: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/2578/full-course-meal.html Suggestions up to 12 courses. But seriously, it's not uncommon for formal dinners to have, for example, a fish course and a separate meat course, etc. White wine for the former; red wine for the latter, usually. And perhaps a dessert wine at the end? There can be a different wine for each course, or not... as preferred. And Oceania does offer the more formal dinners, in La Reserve, which is like what I've just described, although I don't remember just how many courses (probably not quite 12). Unlike the regular Specialty restaurants on Oceania, which have no extra charge, the La Reserve tasting dinners do have an additional charge, which varies with the specific offerings of the meal, and only have one seating per evening. You don't need to eat more courses than you want, of *course*, but similarly, others should be able to dine the way *they* prefer. GC

Make sure you ask for a room overlooking the cruise ships! And ask for a higher floor. The lowest won't have as good a view. Especially if one arrives a day or two early (always recommended, at least one day early!), it's fun to watch the ships arrive and depart, and turn around. The Oceania ship will probably be docked at J, which is on the closer side of Dodge Island. The larger ships will be on the other side of the island. It can be quite a sight. 🙂 GC

Legionnaire's was diagnosed in two passengers on the 19 November 2022 sailing? "...In an abundance of caution as we continue our investigations, we are reaching out to guests who sailed aboardNorwegian Prima voyages departing on January 22, January 29, February 5, and February 12, 2023, to sharedetails provided by the CDC about Legionnaires’ disease...." What about all the sailings between November and 22 January? If they were already notified it would have been helpful to mention that in this letter! GC

Why do travel agencies "take the money and then pass it along to the vendor"? For decades, we've *always* had a travel agent pass along our credit card information such that the charge is directly from the vendor, be it a cruise line, hotel, etc. Any refund is directly to our same charge card. Any commission is invisible to us; that's between the agent and the travel provider. As an added "benefit", there's no concern about what if the travel agent goes out of business and hasn't yet paid "our" money to the travel provider. GC

Thanks for posting a few photos. I remember reading about this as it was happening, before it was known how it would end, where they'd meet up with the others again. These images certainly bring it home! This looks like quite a miserable experience. And they didn't get to see the Canal. No one was hurt? And apropos another current thread elsewhere on CC, this is but one example of why one should bring along a "few extra" of any critical meds when off the ship. Telling someone, "Oh, you can just purchase more at a local pharmacy!" Uh, not always... I do agree that there should/could have been more compensation. Sure, "act of nature", etc. But that can be done without accepting responsibility/liability/etc. What good PR it would have been if HAL had been somewhat generous with these folks. That can be done without accepting responsibility/liability/etc. We used to have some vacation rentals (before our cruising interfered 😉 ). If *anything* went wrong, we went out of our way to "over-compensate" our rental guests, and instead of being angry, they were always (!) very (!) appreciative of our "above and beyond" response... It usually doesn't really take that much to take the "sting" away *and* let them know you are genuinely trying to make it right to the best of your ability, and to offer some meaningful compensation. And then one has very loyal, returning guests. 🙂 There's a billboard (!?) I once saw, and it really stuck in my mind: "THERE IS ONE THING PEOPLE REMEMBER MORE THAN GOOD SERVICE. BAD SERVICE." GC

We've never had to cancel quite *this* close to sailing. Is there any recoverable expense at this point? Is it worth the trouble to contact NCL, or would being a no-show be the same? The latest times we had to cancel were about 2 weeks prior to sailing date, and about 5 days, both due to medical emergencies. (One was DH; the other was very elderly MIL. We had travel insurance both times [thank you, fellow CC members!], and we notified the travel insurer, and then the pre-cruise hotel, and then the cruise line. No refunds were possible at that late date. For the second, our airlines awards points were re-bankable.) GC

If it was cancelled for a charter, that doesn't need to affect the specific cruising itineraries at all. GC

And do NOT hesitate to CALL Steve and his associates at TIS. They are incredibly patient with even the most naive newbie questions, and calling to speak directly with one of them also gives them an opportunity to ask a few questions about you and your situation. That can lead to a much better understanding of what type of policy might work best for you and for that trip. (There is no extra charge for using their services.) GC