Heidi13

Onboard ships for 4 months and in our RV for over a year.

We use 3M Command Strips. No damage to the bulkheads when removed.

Monaco is great for waking, although it does have lots of hills. If you tender, I'm not sure which pier in the harbour they will use, but if docked, most attractions are about 1/2 to 1 mile walk.

Clay - Once aboard the credits show as non-refundable and refundable credits. The OBC provided by Viking is non-refundable and anything received from your TA is refundable. We received additional refundable when receiving payment for our costs in receiving the China Visa. It doesn't show as spa, shore-ex, etc. Regardless if you purchase shore-ex, or from spa/shops, etc. they initially charge the non-refundable credits until exhausted, then charge the refundable ones.

The Chief has provided you with an answer and the actual facts. Personally, I would believe the Chief rather than Cruisehive. Cruise ships and a number of cargo ships make reservations for canal transits. They pay an extra fee for this service and the cruise lines pay a further fee for being guaranteed a daytime transit. Water levels would need to be extremely low for the Canal to refuse these additional revenues. Ships anchored waiting for a Canal transit is a daily occurence, but those ships turn up on spec, register and wait their turn. Ships, without reservations, waiting a week or more for a transit is not that uncommon. Based on the story, I'll suggest the cruise line have determined the ROI is insufficient due to high fuel costs, Canal costs and few ports to sell shore-ex. She was scheduled to transit the Canal weekly, which is a substantial cost. To put it in perspective, when sailing the Panama Canal shuttle many years ago, we were on 14-day cruises, with many more ports.

We have visited the Arizona Memorial and Missouri 2 or 3 times, never with a guide. Never missed having a guide.

Happy birthday on embarkation day, looking forward to the feedback on your experiences. Good time to be leaving as we just got hit with the forest fire smoke. Not too pleasant outside, so we wish we were joining you.

In the MDR, with 2 of my favourites dishes on the menu, I've been known to order one as an appy and the other as a main course.

Clay, We had a stbd side on our 1st WC and port side on the 2nd and didn't notice any real difference. Figuring out which side gets the most sun is rather complex on a World Cruise, as you need to compare the ship's latitude to the sun's declination. When steaming towards Australia, the port side gets AM sun and the stbd side evening sun, but when heading north after Australia it is the reverse. Basically, I suggest picking a cabin with the best location, as the sun will probably balance out. The only area I may take into consideration is the Red Sea, but that is only about 1 week.

Unfortunately, the Equator is not a factor in determining which side the Sun is on when heading West. It is based on the ship's Latitude in relation to the Sun's declination, which is basically the sun's Latitude. The sun moves above and below the Equator to a maximum of 23 degrees 27 minutes, which are the Tropic of Cancer (N/Hemisphere) and Tropic of Capricorn (S/Hemisphere). Provided the ship is further north than the Sun, when heading West, the Sun will track along the port side. During the southern solstice in December, when the Sun is at the Tropic of Capricorn, if the ship was in the southern hemisphere at 5 degree south latitude, the Sun would still track down the port side, but if the ship's Latitude was greater than 24 S, the sun would track along the stb'd side, when heading west. Even in the northern hemisphere, when heading west, the sun can track along the stbd side. During summer solstice in June, if the ship's Latitude is <23 N, the Sun will track along the stbd side.

Everything is detailed on the travel canada website - https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories You can then verify the information with each country's website. Don't rely on the cruise line, as their terms and conditions clearly state you are responsible to ensure you meet all requirements prior to boarding.

That's why we use a local TA. Under no circumstances would I permit the TA to deposit the funds into their account and then have the TA pay the cruise line. Our TA contacts the cruise line and provides our credit card details, so the payment is made directly. Since I believe you are from the USA, what protections do you have if your TA goes bankrupt between you paying the TA, and the TA paying the cruise line. In UK that is standard practice, but they have consumer protection laws protecting the customer.

If you can't get a transfer from Greenwich, I suggest taking the DLR to Victoria subway and catching the Gatwick Express from the Victoria train station.

For number of days on a ship it would be SS Oriana at 6 months, closely followed by Viking Sun at 4 months. Max number of cruises on the same ship is probably Diamond Princess at about 4.

The menu rotation depends on the cruise line. Our 2015 Princess World Cruise, the menus were repeated on each segment. On our 2020 Viking World Cruise, we never received the same menu. Yes, some dishes were repeated, but that is to be expected.

I'm not aware of any Ground Earth Stations for receiving AIS signals in Antarctica waters, so only satellite positions are possible. I don't know of any free service that provides continuous AIS positions by satellite. If you know of a free service providing 24/7 satellite positions, I am interested. Most of the cruise sites, such as cruisemapper provide 1 satellite position update per day, otherwise it is an estimated position based on route, course and speed. I have found numerous instances where the cruisemapper position was inaccurate when compared to the actual position shown on Marine Traffic. Sailing in Antarctica, fortunately I avoided that region, as it is way too cold for me.

It is purely NCL marketing hype. You will steam through Yakutat Bay down to the glacier. The Master will stop and spin the vessel, so everyone gets a view. The vessel then steams out of Yakutat Bay to open ocean.

Visa requirements may change over time and can be different based on your nationality, so what we required on our most recent visit may already not be accurate. Since I carry both UK & Canadian passports, I check the requirements on the UK FCO website and the equivalent Travel Canada website. I have found a few times where the requirement differ, depending on which passport I use. Therefore, always best to check the latest requirements personally, rather than following others experiences.

Similar to Alaska, they would be unable to operate RIB's in any US Waters, if they were not US Flagged. Even the expedition ships have similar restrictions in Alaska and the US waters of the Great Lakes.

With almost 30-years in command of pax vessels, I probably know more than most where vessels can sail and any restrictions. Don't need to watch AIS positions, especially as I don't pay for the premium service, so I don't get live satellite positions.

Unless your documentation specifies where the ship will dock/tender, you should be aware that Edinburgh has 4 potential options. Since it is unlikely the ship will fit within the entrance gates to Leith, you will be docked at Rosyth (close to Navy base), or anchored off South Queensferry or Newhaven. Both Rosyth and South Queensferry are a fair commute into Edinburgh, by bus or train. Newhaven is adjacent to Leith and has city bus service available. With respect to where to join your tour, I'll suggest the only option will be at the ship or tender dock. The Castle area is highly congested with a number of streets blocked off for the Tattoo. No bus access is permitted up to the Castle on Lawnmarket, with buses normally unloading on Johnston Terrace. You walk up the hill to the Tattoo entrance. Your chance of finding a bus dropping off HAL pax to join the tour is low. At the end of the show the area is a sea of humanity, especially if you are leaving the first show, when they have 2 shows that evening. You would have no idea where and when to find your bus and getting back to Rosyth, South Queensferry or Newhaven would be a challenge. The Tattoo is definitely worth it. If you have any option on seats, the best ones are in the shorter stand facing the Castle. I know Edinburgh very well and have visited the Tattoo a number of times, but unless the ship was staying overnight, I would only use a cruise line shore-ex, even if it meant missing out on our preferred seats. The challenge of getting back to any of the ports are considerable. Even living in St Andrews, we always arranged for a mini-bus to drop us off on Johnston Terrace and pick us up after the show, rather than the train.

Of course there are rules - the IMO Polar Code, which came into effect in 2017 and the vessel's Classification Society Rules, with respect to hull strengthening. In accordance with the ISM Code, the company also provides the Master with operational procedures, which must be followed, except situations relating to the safety of the vessel and preventing pollution. Non-Polar Class rated hulls may follow the same routes, as the smaller expedition ships with higher rated hulls, but it is entirely subject to the ice conditions. An example that more pax will have experienced is Hubbard Glacier and Tracy Arm in Alaska. Regular cruise ships with non-Polar Class hulls are sometimes/often unable to enter either bay due to floating bergy bits, but a Polar Class 5 or 6 expedition ship could go up to the glaciers. Bergy bits may look small and fragile, but did damage to the Norwegian Sun a couple years ago, as she clearly had insufficient ice strengthening for entering those waters. If you watch Marine Traffic or another AIS tracking website and all ships are operating in the same area, all it means is that current ice conditions are within the limits of the ship with the lowest ice classification. That may change the next day or week, as ice conditions change. If the operational area is consistent for the entire season, the expedition ships do not require the more expensive PC5 or 6 hulls to operate in those waters, having higher rated hulls for risk mitigation.

The IMO Polar Code came into effect in 2017, which is after I retired, so it isn't one I have studied in great detail. They normally have a phased in approach, so you could be correct.

If there is any ice in the vicinity, including small bergy bits, the hull's ice classification is most definitely a consideration. When operating in, or close to Polar regions, the Master is legally required to operate the vessel in accordance with the IMO Polar Code, and any restrictions based on the vessel's hull classification. In addition to current ice conditions they must also follow guidance from reports of ice projections.

You also need to consider the probability of actually getting close enough to see something, which can be severely impacted by weather and ice conditions. Most of the ships completing the scenic cruising do not have Polar Class hull ratings, so the Master is restricted when ice is present. Basically they are restricted to similar conditions experienced in Alaska with bergy bits. The Expedition ships, with Polar Class hulls can operate in thin 1st year ice. The Master may also be limited by the weather, both wind and seas, and the potential for moving ice. Therefore, if NCL only has 1 or 2-days scenic cruising, you have a higher potential of not seeing anything. With 4-days scenic cruising, the Master has more options to work around ice, wind and seas.