cruisr

I haven’t used traveler checks in probably 40 years. Your post is a trip down memory lane. A quick google search said that you can deposit them in your personal bank account. You just have to sign them in front of the bank teller and deposit them into the account matching the name on the travelers check.

Influencers. I hate that term and I really doubt the influencers are not in the demographic or psychographic of the typical Crystal cruiser. Perhaps Crystal should instal “Selfie Spots” around the ships. Perhaps they can be sure that the coasters in the bars be embossed with, “remember to include @crystal, like and # on your IG”. Yup, I can definitely see influencers in Crystal’s future. I would be curious as to which influencers Crystal forum members/posters follow on IG. I can tell you mine, oh wait, that would be none.

AND the pleasure of NO seat assignments in business until check in (24 hours before departure) unless you want to pay for a seat before that. BA business class inter Europe is a joke.

Thanks @cruiseej That is really good information.

The other was Cape Verde to Malaga on the Venture. Told could you could come only do the charter from Lisbon and the pre night n Lisbon

Already checked that and wanted to do that but Seabourn said I had to go on the charter. i explained I do not want a refund of the hotel night in BA nor do I want a refund for the charter (both of which are included in the price. They also said the same thing for another cruise I was considering which involved a charter. Been to Antarctica twice and enjoyed it. Silversea will let me do my own thing re Ushuaia so will probably book with them. Thanks for all the replies.

For those that have done these charters this past winter how bad were they? Friends of mine had a charter last year for Greenland and they said it was awful. What charter company did they use this past season. I know it could change of course. What type of equipment was it? Was there a business class section? How were seat assignments handled? What time did it leave Buenos Aires and what time did it return? Thanks

I cruise for itinerary. I have been on Oceania and really enjoyed it. I have not priced anything out since Simply More was introduced on July 1. There is a bit of a heated discussion about it on the Oceania board.

I fondly remember going many times to the lovely restaurant at Neiman Marcus in Dallas in the early to mid 80’s (I spent a lot of time in DFW area for work).Women who lunch would be there in dresses and pearls and lovely Chanel bags. It was really nice to see and all these years later I have vivid memories of them. Very elegant, perfectly coiffed. On one of these trips my local team brought me to Billy Bob’s the next night after lunch at NM. 45 minutes apart and worlds away in experiences. BTW, what is this thread topic? Oh, thats right, Jeans in the DR. So what does everyine think 😂

Yes, that was my point in my overly long post. US Bank is choosing to classify cruiselines as a category that would not pay out at a 5x multiplier.

Mastercard, Visa, Discover and Amex are the ones who set the MCC which is the Merchant Category Code. They each have their own system of coding. For example, if I buy something at a 7-11 with a gas station Visa codes this as a Gas Station and Amex codes it as a convenience store. i need to know this to maximize benefits and credit crd multipliers. Visa (which the Altitude Card is) classifies cruise lines under code 4411. Its pretty interesting reading, and I haven’t read it in a while but here is the April,2023 update on VISA MCCs. Page 50 and 51 reference Steamships and Cruiseships which are coded as 4411 but they fall under the broader category 4722 which are tour operators so US Bank is simply looking at the rules for the MCC coding and giving you 1x points. That being said I checked my last Crystal purchase with CSR card and I use that card because they code it as 4411 under steamships and cruiselines and I get a 3x multiplier. The OP may have a case as to why US Bank uses the MCC as tour operators for cruiselines when Chase uses the MCC for steamships and cruiselines. So there is some wiggle room in which MCC the issuing bank ( US Bank, Chase, Barclays, etc) wish to utilize these codes. If it were me I would fight for the extra multipliers. Most likely you will not win and if you read the T and C and all the fine print that you received when you got the card I believe there is wording about the issuing bank has the right to code transactions as they see fit. The link is to the manual which is over 100 pages https://usa.visa.com/content/dam/VCOM/download/merchants/visa-merchant-data-standards-manual.pdf

What reason was given for stopping? So I guess this means my stewardess will not be drawing me a bubble bath which is a one time indulgence for me.

Well, those are two items that obviously have not had the bans enforced.

My brother is looking at a cruise n one of the expedition ships all around Scotland amd then continuing on to Norway. He mentioned thatalmost every port on the first part, Scotland, tenders by zodiac. How does this work and ismt it time consuming. I have been on a zodiac in Alaska and it was very unpleasant as it was cold, rainy and windy. Is that what he is in for with Seabourn zodiacs?

That is what really annoys me with many res centers these days. Ask 3 reps and get 3 different answers. In those case the answers were all the same and the answer was No. Called earlier today and told if it is an OBC not part of a promotion or from a travel agency consortium or Amex Platinum you can get it back and its on a “case by case” basis at the discretion of the pursers office/reception.

That is from 2018 and was advised it is no longer accurate.

Hi Terri. How did you receive refundable shipboard credit? I have friends cruising on their anniversary and when the TA called Oceania to ask if they didn’t use all the SBC that I want to send them would they be able to receive a refund. She was told, No. She was told they have to use it or they lose it. So just curious how it worked for you that you had refundable SBC.

We have NO idea what New Crystal will be. Are you referring to Old Crystal?

Yes. I have had $500.00 given to me in cash and not at the end of the cruise. I just asked for it at Seabourn Square the day after I boarded and received it. No problem at all.

What a shame. I spent 9 days there in 2013. The people were so kind and just lovely. I eschewed touristy stuff and did things on my own such as the Circular Train in Rangoon where I was the only westerner onboard and loved Bagan. The airports and flights bring a whole new definition to chaos. I hope it works out for those on the cruise but it doesn’t look like it will.

I wonder what airline they are using for the charter to Sydney?

That is unfortunate as it was a great port for excursions and also for snorkeling and water activities.

My TA forwarded me an email she received from Crystal and its all good news. Mushroom Soup Bowl and Carpaccio will return to the new Italian restaurant. Bridge instructors, gentlemen hosts, lecturers, clergy, computer classes and golf pros are listed as being back. Past guests savings will be doubled to 5%. Glad to see all of the above. Now if they would just do something about the single supplements!

Perhaps the rumor about Seabourn being sold to to the Saudis was true, and it fell through. Now the new direction may be to sell off ships piece meal as buyers make offers. Seabourn is a shadow of what it was since my first sailing in 1998. One could say that the Seabourn that Atlee Brynsted started could not be sustained. When CCL purchased 1/2 of Seabourn from Atlee I was happy as it meant Seabourn would survive. I also did not notice any changes when CCL bought out Atlee completely. The downhill started after the Miami office was closed and day to day decisions were taken away from Pam Conover and her staff and everything was shifted to Seattle and in the same building as HAL with HAL looking over Rick Meadows shoulder. That was in 2011 and it has been a slow decline since then, which sped up, due to Covid. Customer service is non existent. Decision making has been taken away from the ships. They have to email Seattle and wait for an answer before anything can be done. Standards have dropped in terms of quality. That being said it is still streaks ahead of other cruise lines but those cruiselines do not charge the per diems that Seabourn does. I haven’t been on Seabourn in over a year, I still enjoyed it very much. For better or worse I can compare it to what it was. For those who just started cruising Seabourn after 2011 they may not see anything that would deter them from Seabourn. My kids have been on Seabourn with us many times and now, in their 30’s would rather do other vacations then cruises. When I was in my 30’s I loved cruises and cruised all the time. Times have changed.

Sorry, I started one also as I did not see another.