Newbury newbie

18 minutes ago, AndyCapn said:

Maybe give it more than 12 hours before reposting?

 

I’m looking for helpful recommendations on MIA hotels, not advice on how to use the CC forum boards, thank you very much! 
Why would you feel the need to post this?

I have posted this on the Florida Ports of Call forum but not had any responses of yet. 
 

Looking for recommendations for a post-cruise hotel, near to MIA, that offers Day Pass facilities. Preferably one that provides a shuttle to the airport. We’ll be flying out at 9.00pm, so got the whole day to kill.

Looking for recommendations for a MIA airport hotel that offers day pass use. Preferably with a shuttle service to MIA. We’re due to fly at 9.00pm, so got all day to kill. 

2 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

Can I bring a total of four bottles of wine on embarkation day for my wife and myself to enjoy or just two? Also, am I right that the $25.00 corkage fee is waived if I bring a bottle of wine to a restaurant and have either a classic or premium drink package?  Yes and yes

 I’ve never heard of the corkage fee being waived if you have a drinks package? So I’ll be interested in what others say on this. 

11 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

 I am absolutely stunned that there were no yay'sayers for the fashion idea. Kudos to Mr. @Newbury newbie for bringing all of Cruise Critic together on an issue. A first that shall never be repeated. Well done good sir!

Happy, and pleased, to oblige!!

12 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

I don’t post my real photo……I changed it to that balding short guy photo because I got so tired of explaining to my wife all the emails I got asking me to marry them were from women (and a few men) who I’d never met and didnt ‘encourage’!

Den, a problem I clearly don’t have!!

Well you can all see my photo, as I’m not anonymous. Hope to meet you all onboard one day. 

3 hours ago, Pinboy said:

Let's be serious----The question was originally asked on a whim ( hey, maybe we can write the cruise off as a Business expense ) , then took a quick left turn, then " covered up " as asking for someone else---which was an "attempt " to cover up their " Goofy " idea.

Also-- LOL--- This site is called cruise Critic -- and in order to remain in " Good Standing " we have to  Criticize, but, make sure to follow the Guidelines.

“Let’s be serious”? How about let’s be factual. I’m all for some criticism, but keep it factual!

Contrary to your belief, I was always asking for someone else (I don’t own a business!), nor was it seen as free cruise written off as a business expense. So, far from a “cover up” of a “goofy idea”. 
I been on a few Celebrity cruises but wasn’t sure of the policy. Probably not understanding what some of the “group bookings” that I’ve seen get up to. 
The posters who came back pointing to the Celebrity booking conditions was all that was needed (thank you to them), with no need for all the other vitriolic comment. 
These forum boards can really get brutal!!

18 minutes ago, Alakegirl said:

Be sure to wear a T-shirt with your company logo and website information in very large print on it so that it can be seen easily videos as you are escorted off the ship 😁😵‍💫😀

Does that apply to Vloggers as well?

Thanks for the responses. I’ll tell them that’s a “NO” then!!

A bit of a random question this one! 
 

If you are a fare paying passenger and director of your own company, that has a fashion based product, are you allowed to self-promote it on board? I’m thinking like, posting flyers, or similar,  at cabins? May be advertising a website and/or arranging a gathering in a public space, for example? 
 

Would anyone know if this is allowed?

1 minute ago, emmas gran said:

As a fellow Brit we always print off ESTA when going over the pond

We also print off our ESTA’s, too. It’s just we’ve never been asked to see hard copies before! To me it seemed unusual, but would now appear to be the norm.

27 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

CBP published a document entitled Do I Need A Passport To Cruise on 2/2/2022. The document states that "an approved ESTA will be required for re-entering the United States as a cruise ship passenger."

 

Celebrity's FAQ on travel documents states that passengers "will be required to present their ESTA authorization approval receipt in order to board the vessel on applicable voyages."

 

Celebrity isn't alone in noting this requirement. Carnival states:

Guests will need to print and carry their Electronic System for Travel Authorization as it will need to be presented at cruise check-in along with their passport. An ESTA needs to be completed for each family member traveling on the cruise. 

 

While this may have been your first experience having to show your ESTA when checking in, it is a requirement.

 

Well I’ve learnt something today after posting this comment. Note to self - make sure you’ve got a copy of your ESTA’s to hand!! 
 

Thanks for the clarification Fouremco

17 minutes ago, canderson said:

Too strange.  Immigration at the airport, yes, but cruise line check-in?  Bizarre.  Will be surprised if you hear of others who were required to present any kind of visa.

My thoughts entirely! But that’s what happened. Wonder what they’d have done if I didn’t have a hard copy printed off with me. 

We were on Silhouette out of Fort Lauderdale back in February, having flown in from the UK. When we arrived at the port for embarkation we were organised and prepared to show our passports, Xpress Pass and hard copy records of full vaccinations and the recent negative LFT we’d taken the day before. But that’s when the X agent threw a curve ball and asked for our proof of ESTA! Luckily I had a copy of these that I had to scramble around in the travel wallet to find, but have never been asked to show this before, to anyone. I offered that I wouldn’t have been standing there and let into the US if I didn’t have an ESTA, but that wasn’t accepted!! Is this a new X procedure, to view proof of ESTA? Or just a whim of that particular agent? Be interested in the experience of other non-US pax, so next time I’m better prepared!

We’re booked on Solstice for HK in Jan 2023 and not over confident that this is going to happen! We’ve been trying to do this SE Asia itinerary since it first got cancelled in Feb 2020. We rebooked for 2022 but eventually pushed that back to 2023, with the thinking travel restrictions would be well behind us by then. But HK is still shut with no obvious plans for changing that!

16 minutes ago, sunlover33 said:

Your reply fascinated me. So does the time you  check in online relate to boarding time given, or have I misunderstood your reply? 

When we checked in we were asked to select a boarding time, which started with a slot for 10.30 to 11.00am, which we took. You’d think after so many had taken the 10.30 option it would be withdrawn and people who check in later would have less choice. 

50 minutes ago, dateacher said:

I did mine the other day at the 45 day mark.  I actually set my alarm for midnight to get a good time. We got 10:30 boarding.  Interestingly, my app also shows the original trip that we had which was leaving today.  When I went to check in thinking it was the new trip, it said it was too late to check in.  I didn't realize it was still showing the one from today (even thought that one was changed to March).

Top marks for enthusiasm!! 😀

We’ll it must be getting longer as we get further into “back to normal”. Check in opened for our Silhouette 14th Feb, just 30 days before. 

For any British cruisers still needing to sort their testing I’ve booked all our requirement with Qured.com today. Bought 4 x “Fit to Fly” supervised Antigen test kits for the wife and I to do the day before we fly out of LHR for MIA (on Friday) and then to carry two kits out to the US to repeat in our hotel supervised on the Saturday morning to satisfy the Celebrity pre-boarding requirements. 
 

If you use qured.com you can enter discount code BATRAVEL15 to get 15% off, with no need to be flying BA!

5 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

Newbury Newbie... it's possible, in your situation, to get the test at the pier.  Check this link to Celebrity and contact them if unable to get a test on your own.  Scroll down to "International guests only" section. 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/healthy-at-sea/us-travel-requirements

Yes, I’m aware of that option, thank you. But it’s $99, and probably more importantly, I wouldn’t want to find I’d gone positive at the pier (and so close to cruising again)!!

9 minutes ago, fridge said:

 

That's good news, hopefully that also counts for us Germans. We are flying to Miami on a Saturday. I asked Celebrity if the German Fit to Fly test counts towards boarding on Sunday. Having to queue at MIA or elsewhere for testing would make me anxious. Now I'm waiting for the answer...

If your fit to fly test is good enough to meet the CDC requirements for entering the US then it should be good for the ship.

24 minutes ago, hopeless holiday booker said:

 

Hi. I'm sorry to take us back but I need some help from UK travellers.  Do I have to take a supervised test ie via video for it to be accepted so I can get on my plane!  I can't find the answer to my specific question.

Yes, the US fit to fly test, taken in the UK, needs to be supervised via video link or actually in person. 

44 minutes ago, The Gremlin said:

Do you have to have an appointment to do the proctored telemed test with BinaxNOW or can you just activate the app on the day you need it done? 

I believe that you activate the kit through the App on the day. In seeing some of the YouTube videos people say you may have wait to get a proctor online at busy times. 

14 minutes ago, hawkesbaynz said:

And schedule the monitored appointment for Florida time not UK GMT. I used my iPhone for the session and it was fine. 

I had factored that, but worth pointing out!!