Expat Cruise

f you do not like the show you leave. If you like the show you stay. If you do not want to deal with other people leaving, which you cannot control you do not go to the show. Really very simple.

I like staying in Chinatown, very near everything. Good prices and lots to do. But in Singapore I am no longer demanding about things like hotels. In the past stayed at Sands, Ritz Carlton, Intercontinental, but I find to be a waste. As I spend very little time in my hotel room.

The answer is really simple the bridge has a 49 meter clearance, any ship less than 49 meters from the waterline to top can pass under. The captain and harbor master do make the final ruling here. Even if a ship can clear they can decline at any time. Even if the same ship has past under the bridge before.

Have done both and found to be about the same. Really just which city fits better into your plans. The average ride is about 45 minutes. So allow over a hour to do.

Yes, but with so many travelling the same routes to the same destinations, it makes the oceans a lot smaller. A lot of people here on CC talk about many cruise ships at the same port at the same time.

Even if you took ever cruise ship and put all of them in the the Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean that is 2,754,000 square kilometers divided by 350 ships means one ship in every 7800 square kilometers, that is only one ship in every 3000 square miles of ocean. Again the oceans are very large and the ships are very very small. The largest ship every to sail was less than 560,000 tons and under 500 meters in length. You could put it in the middle of 3000 square miles and sail 20 ships around the edges never seeing each other. At 30 meters off the water open ocean you can only see about 20 kilometers. Cruise ships give each other lots of space, you will cruise right by without seeing each other.

Yes in port you will find many 30 minutes out of the port you feel all alone.

Only about 350 cruise ships (over 10,000 tons) working today. The Global oceanic waters, cover 361,132,000 square kilometers . Do the math very big oceans, very few ships.

If you are US Passport holder and not planning to do a overnight off the ship. The easy way is just let the ship handle the visa. But if you do a overnight land tour, or before after in the country you need a regular visa. Visa can be done on line if needed.

They go to all those ports, you could just not disembark in the russian ports maybe?

If you are not allowed to disembark as a ship, you are not allowed to enter the waters of the country. Even if you stay on the ship once within the territorial waters of the country you are under the control of the country. For example if you are wanted for a crime within the country stay on the ship would not protect you.

It was just posted today that the Government in Russia has order the US Consulate in St Petersburg closed and send the officers home. It is reaction to the United States closing Russian Consulates with the US. Not directly involving the cruise Industry but could have impact.

The fine is $300 per person. Certainly not "more than the cost of the cruise" in most cases.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/23/~/the-jones-act-%26-the-passenger-vessel-services-act

The $300 fee is what the US Government charges as a fine the cruise line will add additional fees and cost bring it to more than the cost of the cruise. And while the cruise line knowing will not allow you to book to do so, things happen. They cannot stop you from getting off the ship.

A good example is ship leaves Miami with first port Key West, passenger must leave in Key West, Family issues, medical, etc, the fees are charged under the act. The cruise line cannot and will con hold you and not allow you to leave the ship.

The NCL's Pride of America, currently the only larger cruise ship with US Registry, necessary to do Hawaii only cruises; actually has a hull built by Ingalls Shipbuilding (now Huntington Ingalls), in Pascagoula, Ms. The hull was towed to Germany, where it was lengthened and than the superstructure added....she was one of the three original government excepted ships that NCL operated in the Hawaiian market, and the only one remaining that way.

As I said that is why NCL went to Congress and got a ct passed so a non US Built ship could be reflagged to a US Flag.

From my post "To be flagged as a US ship the ship must be built in America or have a act of Congress pasted to allow a foreign built ship to have US Flagging. "

g - I concur to a great degree. Yet, we must admit this is almost always a U.S. vs rest of the world conundrum here on CC when talking about this topic.

 

There are a few Americans here on CC who believe and act similarly as well, do not get me wrong on that count, yet mainly it is non-Americans who I have found to be most vocal about this.

 

I attribute it to some lack of understanding of our economic system, right or wrong, yet the way of what it is, currently, there are a few hospitality establishments starting to change how this situation is handled here...

 

Thank you again for your post and support of those who serve us aboard.

 

bon voyage

Don't make statements that are false, it always will blow up in your face. I think I am the most vocal person in this thread against daily service fees being called and marketed as gratuities. And I'm a American born and raised in the United States.... Many more of us out here than you think most just don't waste their time and post about it. These fess are stealing and should be removed. If you want to tip or give gratuities give directly to the staff members you want.

The rules need to be enforced....No social order can works without rules. What is someone post they do not want to wear any clothes to the MDR? What if another person says they want to wear racist clothing. You cannot start down this path as it will end badly.

Cruise lines make rules passengers need to follow them. Why is it OK to pick and choose what rules you will follow?

Absolutely agree.....stiffing the people who take care of you just "to make a point" is terrible....

What is despicable is overpaying and allowing anyone to pick your pockets. Give away your own money if you want, but don't come after others monies or you could have a problem.

What is the dress code on Norwegian and is there any formal nights on 7 day cruises. I am also going to ask my girlfriend on Norwegian to marry me. Any suggestions where to propose onboard. I will be sailing on the Bliss March 23rd 2019. Out of Miami for a 7 day eastern Caribbean cruise

 

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Talk to a Officer from Guest Services or Cruise Director about a place, many great places on the ship to propose. You can also set up with the ships Photo Video department to record the event.

But the first thing you need to work out, cannot be answered here. Only you or people that know your wife to be can answer a very important question. Would she like a big public event or a smaller private event for you to propose to her? Once you know this many places and times will work.

Do you want to be creative, involve some of the special features of the ship or just do at dinner? Also planning really helps find out the cruise director's email and send a message. Even if wrong director should help you to right person. Really almost any officer or manger on the hotel side is a good place to start.

I have done many of these long flights. To fly Boston to SE Asia is no less than 24 counting all legs, with the big leg being 14 to 16 hours. As others have said, I do not get much Jet Lag flying East to West (Boston to Asia) but coming back I do have issues for about 3 days. One day to adjust is what I would do, depending upon time you land. If you land evening late (IE Tuesday Night, take Tuesday Wednesday Night). But you could do two days if you believe you need it.

It is important you sleep on the plane, even if you do not think you can sleep close your eyes and don't open them. If you don't sleep the darkness will help you, but most people fall a sleep. Drink lots of water, eat food and don't drink alcoholic drinks. I have made this trip more than 50 times and this is what has worked for me. Have a great cruise.

They can put you in any cabin the same grade as booked or higher, they cannot downgrade without your approval. But the cabin they give you could while being DA or higher, could be a downgrade in your eyes depending upon location and other factors. Taking guaranteed class or higher is always a small amount of risk.

Most of the answers here have been correct. But what has not been pointed out is you can do it, break the Jones or Passenger Acts but you would not want to do so because the fines would be more than the cost of the cruise.

The only ships that can operate in the United States, without a Foreign post stop is ships that are Flagged in the United States. To be flagged as a US ship the ship must be built in America or have a act of Congress pasted to allow a foreign built ship to have US Flagging. That is why NCL re flagged a ship when they started offering Hawaiian Island Cruises.

If you had a US Flagged ship is could travel within the United States or around the World. But being US Flagged means US Labor Laws full US Coast Guard approval, inspections and supervision. it is a major cost that most cruise lines will not do.

Thanks! We just arrived back from our cruise. We went with Royal as we have heard incredible things about them. Discounted flights to Sydney were helpful

 

 

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Yes I knew when I posted you already on a cruise. Posted the reply more for others that who maybe doing the same type of trip. Sites like this while you get your answers, the same post help others for years to come.

Happy you had a good cruise.

I always hated pooling tips. Those of us who busted our a$$ got the same amount as those that were outside smoking most of the night. It's like everyone getting a trophy win or lose at the soccer game.

And this in itself is a reason never to agree to daily auto gratuities. You do not know who is getting paid and the level of service goes down. Again now said for the hundredth time, I want to know who is tipped and control the amount they get.

Princess and the other lines have Guest they live on the ships, almost year round. Mario Salcedo has lived on cruise ships for over 22 years, 50 weeks a year.... He is on RCCL, so if you say most days it is very high for a few.

Myself I have not totaled all the days but just completed cruise number 80.... some years 85 days plus, others less than 10 days. Now being older I take 3 to 4 cruises a year.

Hello there,

 

I am planning a surprise cruise for my Dad's birthday next year. For as long as I can remember he has always always wanted to go on a cruise. My mum is dead against cruises as she doesn't like boats and gets incredibly bad motion sickness.

 

 

Any help with the planning stages, especially choosing a ship would be amazing! We would probably be leaving from either Brisbane or Sydney ports and are hoping to do 7 days as the shortest and 12 at the longest.

If you cruise from Brisbane you are really looking at Princess Cruises, over the next year 11 of 13 cruises from Brisbane are with them. Holland America has a couple. (Only looking at major lines).

If you cruise from Sydney about 80 cruises over the next year including Royal. So the choices are much great from Sydney but you would need to factor the air travel in.

So.... I just need to know.... when I pre pay gratuities.... I still need to tip???

 

 

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Need to, required to, no you do not.

Some will say tip more, others don't tip more, and everything in between. In the end it is your money do whatever you want.

1) .......

2) If the cruiseline did not allow removal of daily tip' date=' why would there be legal repercussions?

 

I don't know (or want to know) who removes their tips, but calling names (eg despicable) is in itself despicable in my opinion,

 

I can't understand why so many on cruise critic are so concerned with who tips what. Perhaps that is because you once worked for tips?? But that is no reason for the vitriol displayed here.

 

We shouldn't be so quick to judge others.[/quote']

 

The cruise lines dance around this because they want the passengers to believe it is a tip, and not a service charge which it is. The fee is totally controlled by the cruise line, who gets the money and how is controlled by them. They are free to keep whatever percent they want for administration cost or other fees. You the passenger never know who is getting your money.

 

As a gratuity if you dispute with your credit card company they will remove it and the cruise lines know this. A service fee or surcharge to the cruise would not be removed. But if they say service surcharge the cruise line cannot play on passenger emotions and feelings. Also they would need to pay taxes on payments vs tips and show as part of the crews pay. They want you to feel for the poor low paid staff, they want you to think they need more money. Truth is even if zero tips paid to them, only the base wage all the jobs would still be filled.

 

Member here should tip or pay as they want if you want to throw your money overboard go ahead but others like me have every right to do as we wish and remove these fake fees and point out our viewpoint every time the lines try to steal and transfer money this way.

No one is stealing money from you. It is you who is stealing money from hard working people by removing the gratuities/tips/whatever. That is their compensation. I hope it gives you great satisfaction to be "right" about your definition. And I'm sorry for the people who have the misfortune to have to serve you when you're on a cruise.

It is stealing, it is the cruise lines lying to guest and tying to move costs from the lines to the guest. It should not part of the crew compensation, cruise line should just pay the staff. I take great satisfaction being right about the correct definition, and that it upsets people who are like sheep and just follow. Gratuities are voluntary, they should not be given for providing required services.

If the cruise lines want to steal money make it a service surcharge then it cannot be questioned. No reason to pay extra for providing require service. Not my job to provide compensation for the crew I pay a cruise fare the cruise line pays their staff. If the cruise lines under pays them it is on them not me.