Shorex

A simple google search leads to the Brazilian embassy website in Canberra:

What other confirmation do you want that would be more definitive than from the Brazilian Embassy in the capital of your country? Yes, the cost per person for the tourist visa is $216. It's not what you want to hear, but it is what it is.

For US citizens using a visa service (CIBT), the price would be $119 (visa service) plus $160 (consular charge) = $279 per person. It's possible in the US to apply directly to a Brazilian consulate and bypass the visa service company.

I don't know your options in Australia, but I do know that anyone who attempts to board the ship without the proper visa will be denied boarding. Or (and this happened to some people on one of our cruises), they were required to leave the ship in Argentina and fly to the port after Brazil -- all at their own expense. So somehow, if you want to do this cruise, you do need to acquire a tourist visa for Brazil.

We always travel with universal adapters similar to this one. These devices are NOT voltage converters, so your devices must be compatible with input current and voltage from the "wall". Most (not all) modern electronic devices are compatible. This includes the power "bricks" and USB charging devices.

It is 100% your responsibility to actually read the voltage rating of anything you plug into a power source.

Also note that many extension cords are not rated to handle voltage higher than 130v. Serious risk of overheating and fire can result.

Ugg in going through this same thing for an early April cruise also from LAX, or San Diego, Ontario, Santa Ana, & or Long Beach lol. Found red eye flights on AMerican for $350 round trip. But waited for southwest to open up and the AA flight went to over $650 and SOuthwest was $250 one way and $600 returning lol. I'm kicking myself for not booking right when I found the AA flights. Hoping they come down again

This is an example of the triumph of Southwest marketing. So many people actually believe the hype that Southwest is always the lowest fare (and bags fly free!) that they pass up a really great fare on a legacy airline to wait for Southwest to be even cheaper. By the time Southwest opens up the dates, the great legacy fare is long gone and Southwest is more expensive. Moral of the story: when you see a relatively low fare, grab it.

We found the process smooth and easy. The application and website merely require reading and following instructions carefully. The card arrives with a letter that clearly states the card must be activated -- again a case of reading and following directions.

Yes, the wait time for a scheduled interview can be long. On the Cruise Air board someone tried walking in without an appointment and was immediately turned away, so you were fortunate.

There are two cases: 1) a passport is required by law to be on your person in a particular country OR 2) a passport is not required by law to be on your person in a particular country.

In case 1, the cruise ship will go out of its way to notify EVERYONE to have their passport when going ashore. It will be impossible to NOT know this. Don't worry about being the only person on the ship to not get the message.

In case 2, there are endless discussions and opinions about carrying your passport when it is not required. Make up your own mind and don't worry about the opinion of others. Do have some form of photo ID such as a driver's license and your ship card. ETA: yes, there are cases where you only need a ship card. Once again, the ship will tell you if a photo ID is REQUIRED. If it is not required, it is your option whether or not to take one.

Yes, there are different experiences about the ship holding your passport. In your case, they either will or won't. The decision is out of your control so don't worry about it.

For those who do not wish to cruise the Drake, there are companies that "fly the Drake." This is but one, Adventure Smith Explorations, there are others. We've done the cruise-by on Crystal, returned to do the landings on an expedition ship and on Seabourn, and we think it would be a great adventure to do another expedition, maybe on a converted Russian ice breaker.

However you get there, just get there. It's glorious.

Sorry for the hijack...but what would some of you recommend for a good small Point and Shoot camera ?

Canon PowerShot ELPH 170 IS

on sale at Amazon for $119.

I would contact Celebrity on this or the Chinese consulate.

 

Rules continue to change and I would not recommend relying on the information here because of that.

 

Keith

I completely support this answer. The situation is fluid. Do not rely on what happened to someone else 10 minutes ago, you need official responses, not anecdotes.

I am a great proponent of having passports, however, for a three day cruise I wouldn't bother. Passports for kids under 16 are valid for only 5 years.

Yes, if you need to fly home on day 2 of the cruise from Mexico or whatever, it will be a PIA to get the proper docs to fly. Totally your decision - there's no right or wrong, just personal risk tolerance.

Why do the cruise lines allow these auctioners on the ships ?

$$$$. We chatted informally with an art auctioneer who was previously a shore excursion manager. We've known him for years and he trusted us. He said he made WAY more money as an auctioneer.

Everyone gets a cut - the auctioneer, the ship, the art company, maybe even the artist. Remember PT Barnum's line about who is born every minute .....

About reaching the Falklands: a small expedition ship will be able to dock in Stanley rather than have to tender in. This makes it much more likely you will step ashore.

 

I don't know about Seabourne, but the expedition ships will also visit some of the smaller Falkland islands, but these do need tendering. On Fram we landed on three additional islands to see some amazing wildlife and lovely landscapes.

Very true. Seabourn can only tender into Stanley just like every other large cruise ship. Our expedition ship used zodiacs to land on West Point Island. We trooped across the farmland to the most amazing cliff side filled with rockhopper penguins and albatross. Someone else posted these pictures on a blog of their experience on West Point.

The expedition ships give you a much more intimate experience with nature.

We did Antarctica on Seabourn during their inaugural season. Few things to keep in mind:

The itinerary was Valparaiso to Buenos Aires - 24 days. Our ship stopped at Falklands, often the Falklands must be skipped because the seas are too rough to tender. OTOH, South Georgia is much richer in wild life, and is a must-do for our next trip far south.

If you want to focus on Antarctica without the other ports in Chile and Argentina, a dedicated Antarctica expedition would better suit your needs.

The expedition staff was outstanding.

We did manage two landings per day.

On the last day in Antarctic waters, there was a deck party with caviar, champagne, fresh salmon, and more.

A few people did not use the zodiacs, but preferred to observe from the ship.

Previously, we did Antarctica on an expedition ship - much different experience and just as rewarding. Our next trip to Antarctica (it's called "ice fever") will be in 2017 with Oceanwide Expeditions. We learned about Oceanwide because about half the expedition staff on Seabourn also worked for Oceanwide. We're also using them for a trip around Svalbard to see the polar bears.

My dream trip is the Northwest Passage on the Kapitan Khlebnikov. Maybe some day :)

Then google VPN (Virtual Private Network) and ask that teenager how to set it up for yourself. This is a very important step in using an unsecured network.

This thread was revived from 2009 to complain about personal property loss of a bracelet and glasses while on a cruise. It would never occur to me that personal property (other than lost baggage) would be covered by travel insurance. It's also the poster's very first post on CC. Welcome to CC.

One of our main reasons for booking this cruise was to spend time with our friends in Istanbul. While I do understand HAL's position, the 2nd part of our 24 night cruise is still calling in Toulon, France, another country under a "state of emergency". I question whether the company succumbed to a touch of Islamphobia from customers, who are probably not demanding that the Toulon port be pulled from the agenda. Personally, I will not stop traveling out of fear of the smallest chance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, including driving to my local grocery store and being killed in a car wreck.

Really? Have you not been following the news? Rather than knee jerk "Islamphobia" how about Erdogan now having the power to suspend HUMAN rights?

"Since the July 15 coup attempt, the government has arrested nearly 10,000 people. In addition, over 58,880 civil service employees -- including teachers, university deans and police -- have been dismissed, suspended, forced to resign or had their licenses revoked, accused of being Gulen followers."

France is a stable democracy. Turkey is careening toward autocracy and dictatorship.

ETA: We have been to numerous ports in Turkey on previous cruises and also have taken dedicated land trips to central Turkey and Cappadocia. We have come to know and befriend many Turkish people. The tragedy that is unfolding now in Turkey is incredibly sad. We worry for our friends and the future of this magnificent country.

Realize that there is no perfect answer to protecting your luggage. Consider these hazards:

theft of property from inside the bag

insertion of illegal contraband into the bag

physical damage to the bag

water damage to bag and contents

All anyone can do is use common sense and take reasonable precautions. After that, it's out of your control.

If TSA is suspicious about the X-ray of your bag, they will access the interior, even if it means breaking your lock with bolt cutters.

DH prefers TSA locks for his checked bags, I prefer cable ties. Traveling from Asia and Africa we have used the

I don't know where OP "heard" that checked bags cannot be locked. Of course you can lock a check bag at every airport in the world. Just be aware of the measures TSA (or the equivalent) will take to inspect the bag. And yes, definitely lock your bags before turning them over to porters at the pier.

It would help to know more about your definition of "foodie." Are you looking for something like miso black cod, wagyu beef, Iberico ham, fois gras, etc? You can get those selections on cruises, but only on the luxury lines.

Before I'd hire a lawyer I would go to my consulate. Take with you all your visa information and your cruise information. Even if all your paperwork was in order, the people that check you in at the end of the cruise only say "hi". There is no office and no additional paperwork is generated.

Actually, it is US law, not the law of India, that is applied when an H1B visa holder wants to leave the US for vacation. A place to start online research would be the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Sure, go ask at your consulate. The worst that can happen is that you will be referred to a source of US law.

Wikipedia, (not to be relied on for matters of law) states:

Administrative processing: When an H-1B worker goes outside of U.S. for vacation, he or she has to get the visa stamped on his passport unless he has already done so for re-entry in the United States. The interview is taken in U.S. Embassy by a visa officer. In some cases, H-1B workers can be required to undergo "administrative processing", involving extra, lengthy background checks. Under current rules, these checks are supposed to take ten days or less, but in some cases, have lasted years.

There is much that goes on behind the scenes when a cruise ship returns to the US. Perhaps chengkp75 can chime in. Everyone else here is way out of their depth.

Yes, Delta offers a collection of extras, including insurance. The following coverage was offered for $49 for my next DL trip.

Benefits

Coverage Details (per person) Amounts

Trip Cancellation / Interruption Up to trip cost (max $10,000)

Emergency Medical Transportation$50,000

Emergency Medical$10,000

Baggage Coverage$500

Baggage Delay$100

Travel Delay$150

Change Fee Coverage$150

Concierge Included 24-Hour Hotline Included

Existing Medical Conditions CoverageAvailableTerms, conditions and exclusions apply. Benefits underwritten by BCS Insurance Company or Jefferson Insurance Company, depending on your state of residence. Recommended by AGA Service Company, the licensed producer and administrator of this plan.

This is a question to be answered by an immigration attorney, not random strangers on the internet. Please seek the appropriate legal advice.

This is an example of why I never, ever do business with a family member or friend. Business is business.

Most people leave bags outside the door for the crew to handle. Imagine the chaos and logjams in the elevators and exits if most people schlepped their own bags off.

One thing I've learned about visas over the past years is that requirements can change in a flash. We never assume that what was true last year or last month or last week is still true. Just read about the confusion over China visas for cruise passengers.

Our most recent trip to Vietnam was about a year ago - I went online to get our voa's and noticed that only single entry voa's were possible. Oh, I thought, that's new - good thing we only need a single this time. But now - it seems that once again multiple entry voa's are offered.

If I needed a multiple entry voa now I would call the evisa company directly to ask. Here is what the website says in the FAQ:

"1. How many types of Vietnam visa on arrival are there?

Vietnam visa on arrival types are granted according to the length of staying, number of entries and visiting purpose.

* 1 month single entry visa

* 1 month multiple entries visa

* 3 months single entry visa

* 3 months multiple entries visa

* 6 months multiple entries visa"

Can I promise this is correct? Nope. But IMO it's worth a few phone calls to find out.