Mary229

The HIA package was just increased to $55 so it should be set for a while. I do not know about the spa pass, sorry.

It just started. It is too early to gather experiences yet

I can’t compare but the N. Statendam is a clean, fresh newer ship and one of my favorites. The tips are included in the HIA package. My understanding is the new program notifies you at least 7 days in advance and that is sufficient time to purchase the HiA package.

Interesting. Our early January itinerary shows all ports intact so far, maybe I will get an email tomorrow

Unless you can keep up with the capriciousness of all of the various world governments it is best to carry them. My yellow fever card has been stored with my passport for over 20 years so it goes on every trip

It could be. We don’t know the background of this individual and he may have ideas related to his own commercial expertise. We could start another thread called “suggestions for cruise lines” but you know where that would go

Your TA will send confirmation. It will now be included on your official invoice also

I don’t know where your are in the metroplex but for future reference check the universities. UTD has a manned passport office now which I hear is a better experience than the post office

Thanks for your response Hank. I had just never really thought about it but after being detained for the third time in South America last year (at a frontier crossing) I am crossing all of my Ts. My usual plan is have credit card and passport will travel but that is not necessarily a quality plan. The folks on this thread have given me great insight into the procedures and I appreciate all of your responses

I met a person who made a small but impactful suggestion to a hotel director onboard. She was rewarded with small gifts and a nice OBC and her idea was implemented fleet wide. I remember her telling me about it and thinking “good idea” but for the life of me I can’t recall the details😂 As long as you accept you may not receive compensation go for it. Customers aren’t always right but sometimes they are awfully clever

We thoroughly enjoyed Malaga on our own and made a full day of it. Safety was never a concern. Using GPS my city app or alltrails app is helpful. in Greece my sister and I used the hop on bus to orient ourselves and to have a convenient ride back to the ship when we tuckered out. Again safety never was a concern. Hop ons are easy and cheap transportation to major tourist sites and also make independent touring easy

My group actually had this discussion yesterday. The myth I defused is cruising is all about eating and drinking. Of course the lines advertise the food but in reality you will find much better food in any big city and secondly many of us don’t focus on the food. Another issue they brought up was being claustrophobic and I couldn’t disagree. If someone is bothered by limited spaces then cruising may not be for them.

I prefer to find a great spa onshore than on the ship. I travel occasionally with a sister who loved the spa until I turned her on to booking onshore. The only spa assets I will occasionally pay for are the thermal suite (steam room, sauna, hydro pool) and on longer cruises I will get my very curly locks blown out and straightened. I have tried a variety of other treatments and did not care for them. I am a spa person at home. Treat yourself to a great facial before and after the cruise at home, it will help with any sun damage 😉

I have read all of your posts. You are not cut out for a world cruise if the humdrum is so bothersome.

You should be able to get the AARp OBC which is $100 which easily defrays the cost of membership.

I rarely worry about it but I usually have more time on the ground before heading out on a remote sea voyage. And South America, being what it is, seems to be a bit of a special case. None of my 5 journeys there have ever gone off without a major issue. I worry up front then enjoy the ease of away time. (I traveled for a living for 30 years and even left my own luggage at home twice!)

There are upgrades available. You can use your TA but she may receive no commission and may not be interested in being involved .

If you choose an inside cabin you may want to get opinions on this forum. They range from minuscule to a decent sized cabin.

It has been reported on this forum that you can deliver cash to the general office on ship upon checkin to have the amount reduced or totally averted. I have no personal experience No snark from me, I don’t allow large credit balances on credit cards, it just seems foolhardy unless one has a specific need I often email HAL these questions if the cruise is a few months away. Usually the emails get a thoughtful response as you are being given a written record.

@Shorex do you know if it is the port agent that takes responsibility for the luggage until the ship arrives? My philosophy is worrying now and developing a plan far outweighs concerning myself about it once traveling. From your experiences it seems it may be handy to have the port agent address and phone number for my early ports. Thank you and @CDNPolar for your responses

We often discuss this topic at home and would like to hear anyone’s experiences. We are flying internationally (South America) and did happen to use the cruise line’s flight service. This flight is only available once daily so if our luggage is lost we won’t have reasonable time to retrieve the luggage the following day. In this case we are flying in a day early but adding another extra day is not feasible Has anyone had experience with lost luggage? Did the cruise line offer any assistance to forward luggage to the ship in next port? I am curious. Our habit has always been to carry enough clothing to get by and only checking bags with dressier and extra clothing knowing we can always buy something if need be. My pan has always been to tell the airline to return the luggage to my home airport for delivery to my home (available in my area). I appreciate any comments

I don’t disagree. I only tip extra for service above standard. to the OP - if your cruise is a back to back you may want to tip any extra weekly as your crew can change at the turnaround point.

I booked the other day with air credit. It will show a red sale banner when looking at the various flights. It did not show on my invoice with the other perks. yes you can fly in and out during a 30 day window on either or both sides.

Those are actually not a bad table if you intend to linger as usually no one else wants them. I have been known to sit through two seatings enjoying a very leisurely dinner at those tables. We share with strangers at dinner and breakfast only when everyone is aware this is a one time engagement and there is no need to impress.

The advanced search feature on cruise critic cruise search allows you to choose ports and embarkation ports. Start with the embarkation port only to get a good variety. (Other travel sites also have these search engines)