Vertygo

But if disembarking in Miami, halfapair’s tips would be in $ per the post, not other foreign currency. So no beating after all.

I’ll never use Allianz again after my last experience. I had purchased a policy that included pre-existing conditions & unfortunately had to cancel the trip 2 years later due to my husband’s advanced Alzheimer’s. They initially declined payment due to a clause buried on page 28 in fine print that excluded Alzheimer’s as a “mental illness”. I was later reimbursed after I mentioned the class action lawsuit in Washington state, got the office of CA Insurance Commissioner involved, & they reread the physician’s letter stating my husband had a neurological condition that wouldn’t allow him to travel.

I just purchased a policy from Zurich through CostcoTravel for a price 75% less than Regent. You don’t need to have booked the cruise or any part of it through them, but price drops even more if you do book a hotel stay or car rental.

Thanks for posting DeepFreeze63! I’ve just booked a family cruise to Alaska for my “special” birthday in 2025, including my GD & GS who will be 15 & 17 at the time. I realize there are more kids on Alaska summer cruises, but was a bit worried about them fitting in or getting bored, so nice to hear your experiences.

Shootingstar07, glad to know you were well taken care of & are hopefully doing better now. Highlights the fact that Covid can still be debilitating for some. Were you given Paxlovid?

Everyone needs to assess their own risk & take any precautions they feel necessary. For many, no precautions are taken & they’re comfortable with that. Up to them. Hopefully, anyone feeling ill will test & quarantine as indicated, but obviously many don’t. Covid is not going away. Less risky now due to mutations & available treatments, but still causing long term results in some, including the longest term result-death.

Here’s the standard cancellation rate chart, inaugural season or not. You were either very lucky or they really want your business. Hope you have that $100 in writing, but most of all hope you don’t need to cancel & have a wonderful cruise. DAYS PRIOR TO VACATION DATE CANCELLATION AMOUNT PER PERSON CATEGORY RS MS-H Deposit Date-121 25% of fare $100* 120-91 50% of fare 15% of fare 90-61 75% of fare 50% of fare 60-31 100% of fare 75% of fare 30-0 100% of fare 100% of fare

Really appreciate this info. I spoke with CoverMore this morning about a 7 person family cruise. Regent’s cost is $5848, Costco $2759, or $2123 if ANY part of the trip is booked through them. So, even though my cruise is booked through an outside TA, I can book one of the hotels through Costco & get the lower price. Another interesting wrinkle is that the other adults in my group need to be Costco members to get full coverage. If not, I can purchase a single policy for the same price & my family members will be covered for cancellation & medical, but not trip delay or luggage loss.

Thanks for the update Dolebludger! Wonderful to know they all enjoyed the cruise since I just booked same in 2 years for my family. (It’ll take me that long to save the $ I’m paying for the 7 of us🤣). I’ve been a little worried my 17 & 15 year old grandkids would get bored, so appreciate knowing your granddaughter had a great time.

Thanks for the update! Great to know they’re all having a wonderful time. Has your granddaughter mentioned if she’s met other kids on board? Has she tried any of the teen programs?

I’d love to know what your granddaughter thinks of the cruise! I’m planning a family trip in 2025, including 15 & 17 year old grandkids. I want the focus on Alaska rather than a huge ship experience. Did they do the train from Anchorage? If so, what did they think? TIA

I’m in a similar “boat” as GMIAC as my prior TA recently retired, so scouting around. Planning 2025 family Alaska cruise with 3 cabins, new to Regent. Also received a $1K per cabin discount offer as a new Regent passenger, but TA sounded new to the industry & in questioning further, admitted she’s never cruised Regent, much less even been to Alaska. As much as I love to save $, insider knowledge is important to me for this trip & I’ll find someone else. I did contact Regent this morning-phone answered quickly by Jorge who answered my questions & put me in line when booking opens for the 3 cabins I’d like so that gives me time to search for a knowledgeable TA.

I know which TA I would book with!!

Vielen dank!

Thanks all for your replies. My sister later told me they were so shocked that someone would do this they didn’t report the thief after their confrontation. I hope I would have told him to return it or I would report him, then follow-up as needed. Love the thought of him getting picked up at the airport as “more ports” mentioned.

My sister & her husband were on Nautica Tokyo to Singapore, visiting a temple on an Oceania excursion. My brother-in-law saw a guy in their group take a gold ball (larger than a golf ball) & place it in his bag. As they headed back to the bus he told the guy he should return what he’d taken. The thief responded “oh yeah?” & got on the bus. They decided not to report the jerk to the tour guide & make a scene, so the ugly American got away with the theft. He was wearing an Oceania ball cap with gold lettering, so likely cruises often. What would you have done in their situation?

Looking forward to Alaska family cruise for my 70th in 2025. 7 of us, including a 15 & 17 year old. I prefer small ships, but don’t want my grandkids to get bored. I see that Lindblad has daytime activities for teens, but wonder if much for them in evenings. I’m also considering NCL Haven which would offer more at night. Opinions? TIA

Travel insurance definitely an appropriate topic, but no need to call someone a fool.

Don’t know if they did or didn’t have travel insurance or the reason if they didn’t, but no need to call names & add salt to the wound, so to speak. We also can’t travel now due to DH’s advanced Alzheimer’s at 70. Had to cancel Tahiti/LA cruise last year due to his rapid decline & had to fight the insurance company for refund, but were successful.

It appears from reading the article that the couple did not have travel insurance for medical incidents. If they had, a simple phone call to the company contact would have taken care of anything needed. Not just medical expense reimbursement, but arrangements for care or evacuation. Best to have it at any age, but especially at their ages.

We also did Marriott Biscayne Bay prior to a cruise several years ago. It was Oceania’s pre-cruise hotel, charging several hundred $ more than we paid by booking on our own. Good lounge/breakfast which will be included at your level. Quick & inexpensive cab ride to the ship.

Just wondering if the title of this thread is deliberate or just a word check mishap. Hopefully the former-Is the gratuity increase gratuitous?

Were you able to read all the responses recounting personal experiences both past & present? I found them very helpful, especially all the pictures.

Actually, Merriam-Webster-Webster considers disirregardless equivalent to regardless, with the “dis” used as an intensifier rather than the true negative. So, by their definition it’s a double negative. The word has been in general use for about 200 years, so your teacher must have been really old! Nothing to do with cruising, but wordplay can be fun & I need the diversion.

So your ship was banned because there was minimal CoVID on board?? While I agree with your stance on the OP’s passport issues (apparently her husband as well), “disirregardless” is a double negative, if it’s even found in Webster. 🤣