CurlerRob

I’m not aware of any Airalo eSIMs that support maritime cellular service. Depending on the strength of the shore signal you should be able to use a Global or US eSIM when in range - but I have no personal experience with the coverage for the inside passage. Good luck! 🍺🥌

There are a couple of things that you should know about Airalo. First, as you recognized, a data eSIM will not help with confirmation texts - they need cellular service. If you go to the Airalo site and search their help function, you will find a section that explains how to still use your phone with the data eSIM. See the pic below. The section explains how to restrict data usage to your eSIM while activating your phone and text. If you only need to receive a confirmation text, you should not be charged or trigger a daily plan from your home provider. This is what I do when I need 2-factor authentication. Additionally, even if you have an eSIM that supports text and calls, it usually comes with a number different from your phone - may be useless if the text goes to your home number. Summary - I use the eSIM for data when away, but turn on my normal line for incoming text when I need a text code. 🍺

Is this a function of a newer iPhone? I’m very familiar with creating a wifi hotspot on iPhone using cellular data, but I’m unaware of the ability to do so when “connected to ship wifi”. Thanks. 🍺🥌

I’d be curious to know if there was any info in the shorex brochure in the cabin (it just looks like every other sales brochure you’re ever seen, not an important reference doc). On our first O cruise, there were significant changes made to multiple excursions and the only place they were documented was in that flyer. Nothing from DS, no letter advising a close read of the brochure. Lots of very unhappy pax who were blindsided. 🍺🥌

We regularly travel with 4 devices, all connected simultaneously (2 per person). I frankly don’t know if there is a limit pp, as that’s all we have. 🍺🥌

I second what others have said here - if you really, really want to see a specific destination, don't cruise - just fly to it. The hard facts are that cruising is always subject to weather diversions - and hurricane season just ups the odds. The pic below is from Sept/23 - it was a Regent TA. The large purple blob on the bottom left is Bermuda. Needless to say, we did not make it. Instead, we ran for NYC (our destination) and spent two days at anchor under the Verrazano Bridge without shore access, as there were no berths available when we got there. This was hurricane Hal as described by a previous poster. No master is going to play with a hurricane (they eat ships) - so your odds of really bad weather are not high, but your itinerary may be very different than you expected. As well, it's not always obvious what the storm tracks will be, so the cruise line seldom cancels the entire trip. Hope you manage to work out a visit with your daughter! 🍺🥌

If you're kind enough to take this on, here is a potential model from the RSSC board. You may wish to ask the OP for permission to filch it 🍺🥌

Ref. post #147. 🍺🥌

Jim, your flight story reminded me of a similar one from San Juan to Tortola many years ago. Aircraft was a 'vintage' DC3 (a good thing, as they are indestructible). When a few late arrival pax showed up, they moved a few goats farther back and strapped in additional seats. Critters and pax all landed safely. 🍺🥌

Your extremely charitable interpretation does you great credit! 🍺🥌

It doesn't forgive the lack of foresight, but in looking at the original shoreEx, the buses ran every 15 minutes from 8:30 until departure. Depending on the route time, it might have required up to 8 buses to keep the schedule alive. I'm not sure how many there might be in DH, but I suppose it's possible that a "bus flu" has impacted the fleet ... As well, the dockage looks very commercial, so I suspect there is no option for pax to wander off by themselves due to safety / security concerns. Frustrating, we were looking forward to a unique stop. 🍺🥌

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While not all cruises are required to report to the US CDC VSP, when they do, they must report all GI issues. E. coli is the second-most common, but others also show up. Have a look at the link for prior years and you'll see that it's not only Noro that must be reported through this channel. 🍺🥌 https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm

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E. coli or C. difficile are possibilities. Both are highly transmissible, cause severe bowel issues and generally respond to high-dose antibiotics (not a course of treatment that you want to experience, as it can cause issues down the road). Nothing on the CDC VSP site at present for Sirena ( https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm ), but that may be due to its itinerary, which I don't have at hand. 🍺🥌