Expat Cruise

Google is your friend:

If you are a U.S. green card holder (lawful permanent resident), the right to travel outside the U.S. and return is one of the privileges that comes with your status. However, that does not mean that your reentry is guaranteed. You will need to take care to bring the proper documents, maintain your U.S. residence, and be aware of the risks of being found inadmissible or deportable upon your reentry.

Documents to Bring When Traveling

Passport From Country of Origin and Your U.S. Green Card

Even though you are now a U.S. resident, you will need to bring your foreign passport when traveling, for purposes of entering other countries. A U.S. green card is not sufficient by itself as a travel document, though it is enough to get you back into the United States.

You will, in fact, be expected to present your valid, unexpired green card upon reentry to the United States. (This is also known as a Permanent Resident Card or Form I-551.)

http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/us-immigration/leaving-returning-green-card.html

But of course, if you don't have the required visa (ETA, eVisitor or more conventional visa), you won't even fly in as the airline will have to deny you boarding. This is checked during the airline check-in process, electronically for electronic visas.

Yes they are required to check but it does not always happen. And even if you have the Visa it does not mean the officer will let you into the country. Any visa is subject to review once you land and present yourself.

Expat Cruise, are you involved in politics at all? Asking for a friend.

In all seriousness, did you read your post before submitting it?

Really is that the best reply you have? I really feel sorry for you

Australia does not play games, if you fly in and don't have the required paperwork or they make the decision that you should not be allowed in you will not be. No show up in court or later hearing. You are held in jail until you are shipped home. It is nothing like the United States when it comes to the rules and following them.

If you are not willing to tip you should consider eating in one of the dinning rooms. This is a personal service. If it makes someone smile it means it will make me smile knowing it was appreciated.

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Really, Room Service is included within the services provide for most cruises. No tripping is required , Gratuities by definition are voluntary., and therefore should be up to every person to make their own choice. Myself I don't believe in tipping for standard or even good performance. It must be above and beyond.

Yes I have fished in Alaska many times, never off a cruise ship port stop always trips for fishing. I would say yes do it as it will be a great day. But I do not believe you will be fishing for salmon. I believe the trip is a saltwater fishing trip on the bay. So you should be able to see great views and have lots of fun. I also believe it is a private trip but you should check only your group. The amount of fishing vs sightseeing will be up to your group. Also the cost seems to be very fair.

As everything is included. When I fished form salmon it was costly, river fishing, paid guides, licenses, etc.

Not sure where this worked for you but photocopies are so easy to forge they would not even look at it when I had to get a passport replaced at a consulate. Guess they are all different but my experience shows the photocopy was useless so don’t count on it being helpful.

The United State State Department advises all US Passport Holders to travel with a photo copy of your passport when leaving the country. So while you may believe useless, the Government, others, and I have found it to be very good practice. Hope you never have a issue.

It is fairly easy to call others liars when you don’t have to back it up with facts.

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The facts are clearly stated. You just don't like to here the truth.

You cannot argue with ignorant and self-absorbed and boorish behavior as I'm seeing here. Why bother!!

nice answer when you know you can't win because the facts back up the other side.

You certainly can do what ever you want. For the record, you do nit set policy, they do. It is their ship, but "doing the right thing" is up to you. You can disparage America all you want, it changes nothing.

 

 

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Consumers do control policy by the actions they take. If people just accept the lies of the cruise lines and pay these fees nothing changes. But if they make it a issue the cruise line or business will address it. Not disparaging America or the United States at all just stating simple facts. Most US citizens do not even hold passport, of those that do many have never left North America/ Caribbean. Really big World out here that is not all about the United States. Take the blinders off, US ways of doing standard business is not always right.

Cruise lines need to pay workers a fair wage for the workers, not a fair US wage, as not US ships. Our 35 % of ships crews now are from Philippines, except for officers or select highly skilled workers, if they work here in the Philippines they will earn US$200 to $300 dollars per month. Or get on a cruise line and earn a base pay of several times that. FYI: Don't try to say working on ship is hard because working in the Philippines is harder for many of them. If I ask 10 people here would you want to work on a cruise ship, 9 out of 10 say yes.

It is not my job as a guest to improve the quality of life for all the workers. I pay the cruise fare the cruise line pays its works and makes a profit in the end. If I choose to reward select staff members that is my choice.

I have booked these short off the ship and to the plane flights before. But it has always been a very low cost ticket back home if I miss the flight. Myself I would not do it, to many things could go wrong, ship late, customs, transfers, weather, power outages, the list is 1000 items long.

Yes you could make it work if everything goes right but why take a chance.

I heard that it is OK to just bring a photocopy of your passport to shore for cruise stops. Is that correct?

I carry my smart phone always which has photos of my wife's and my passport and ID's on it. I have not cruise the Caribbean in over 20 years so not sure how the cruise lines handle passports. But on my Asian, Australian and Europe cruises the cruise line collects and holds all passports until the end of the cruise.

Drop the TA and move on not worth your time and effort at this point. Myself I do not use agents always book direct and can change anything up to 90 or 75 days out. The agent is not worth wasting your time.

After reading all the negative and horrible reviews of Royal Carribean's Voyager of the Seas. Just how many cruisers agree that all of these reviews are bona fide? I cant believe that the cruise line or the Voyager specifically can attract such a high Editors rating. We wish we had read the reviews before booking our cruise because we are not looking forward to it. Any one agree?

I only cruised on Voyager when it was in Asia, after it was refitted and shorter cruises, 4 or 5 days. Found it to be like all RCCL ships in that class. Yes it was older but still seem to be a good ship.

NCL $1.00 Deposits and you will have a booked cruise.

This year 2018 three cruises booked one already taken. Would have been more but had a few other commits to take care of first. If I was still living in the United States I'm sure I would do more cruises, limited number of options here in SE Asia to pick from. The visa issues for my wife really limit our choices.

But you are right cruises are a great way to spend free time.

Well I will tell you how I did it andit worked out very well. I have been on many cruises and know theships well. On Voyager Of The Sea the bow has a Observation observation area on deck 6, a little hard to find at firstand more private. I planned a cruise leaving Hong Kong at 5:30 pm I had got the Hotel Directors Name and email from another RCCL HotelDirector on a cruise two months before.

So I was able to set up with him tohave the area close as the ship was leaving the dock with Hong KongIsland off the port side of the ship. He was able to setup a few crewmembers on the deck, really ships photographer and a video person. Soafter the muster drill, I went to guest services to confirm it wasall set. The only problem with my master plan was Reynaline wentback to cabin and wanted to rest. So everything set and a hard timegetting her up and to walk around with me.

I went to the deck area because I toldher you need a Facebook picture with the city behind you. The staffhad put up a small rope saying close. But I told her it will onlytake a minute, she wasn't really happy she likes to follow rules.But we walked up and I started to take a picture, the Guest ServicesManger was on the deck and yelled across, “sir the deck is closeplease go to another area” that was the code we had worked out thateverything was set.

So on the bow of Voyager I asked her tomarry me. The crew got some great pictures. They brought us some drinks, Reynaline was still in shock over howit happen and the Staff Captain came over to us and ask her if shewanted to get married right now, he said I'm the Captain congratulations, I can marrypeople (yes I know he can't he was being funny). She said no I wanta big wedding with my family and friends. I told him since she saidyes I did not need to jump of the ship and swim back to the dock.

Looking back I'm happy I picked a moreprivate place. But it didn't stay private as the Cruise line put thepictures up in the photo shop. We had a great 5 night cruise. If Iwas doing it again I would not change a thing.

Good luck to you hope you findsomething that works as well for you.

OFTHE SEAS

Merriam Webster

Definition of gratuity

plural gratuities

: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially : tip added a gratuity for the server

 

It is not a gratuity as defined. Very tired of people saying it hurts the workers, the cruise lines are stealing money from guest and it needs to end. And yes it is on point to the OP post because the greedy worthless cruise lines are pushing people not only to pay these service fess but more on top of that.

 

Call me cheap or Scrouge I really do not care only drives me to do more to try and stop these fees. Let me be crystal clear here... I see it as no different than armed robbery and will fight the system to the end. If a cruise line makes service fees mandatory I stop booking that line.If the cruise lines told me people will die if you don't tip. My reply would be good population control is working and no mandatory service fees.[/quote

 

So you're comfortable letting others cover your share? So be it, to each their own.

 

No I am not comfortable paying fees the cruise line should pay their workers. The cruise line needs to set a total fare and then pay the workers. Do not lie and try to claim it is a tip it is not it is stealing from guest. If anyone is stupid enough to believe the cruise lines false claims you should be robbed. Say these fees are gratuities is like the defense lawyer for the rapist saying, it was only exercise for my client. Sorry call it what it is they are stealing money from guest so they can underpay their staff.

An obsession for Americans.

 

 

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No my fellow Americans are fools and have been brainwashed into believing tipping is something that is standard.

The $12.50-$16/day is split among 20 or so staff, many of whom you never see. Now consider how low that tip for your room steward or waitstaff actually is!

If you receive exceptional service, tipping beyond the $12.50/day is perfectly appropriate.

It is not my job or responsibility to pay these people I never see. It is not a gratuity by definition, cruise lines need to stop lying and trying to play this game. These cost should be paid by the company to the workers from the cruise fare. Auto tipping in fact hurts the people who give great service and you want to reward.

Since the United States is only about 60% of the cruise market and this percent is going down. maybe time to stop thinking based upon the US market and start thinking based upon the World Market. Do you think if the US Cruise market stopped the World market would follow? It is not going to happen and the cruise business is based upon profit, if people want to go they will offer the ports.

It is a service fee and Carnival should call it that. Since you live in the P.I. have you sailed Carnival Australia? The service fee is included in your cruise fare and tipping is truly tipping per Webster on Carnival Australia. Happy Sailings

No have not use Carnival for Australia or New Zealand, used two other cruise lines and removed the auto tipping from both and tip those who I believe had earned Gratuities.

Glad you recognize that this is gasoline, and not really a response to the OP.

 

That said, for those that may be unaware of the reason for tips, it is because the cruise line pays an hourly wage - assuming the typical custom in the Americas of tipping. When you remove your tips, not only do those that directly service you not receive adequate compensation, but those behind the scenes that wash your sheets and prepare your food are neglected as well.

 

It is very important to be aware of the payment system and cultural norms in which you are traveling. In Europe for example, tipping is much less common, but there, the wage structure is much different than on Carnival.

 

Yes, it is your money and you can do what you want with it...Scrouge certainly did.

Merriam Webster

Definition of gratuity

plural gratuities

: something given voluntarily or beyond obligation usually for some service; especially : tip added a gratuity for the server

It is not a gratuity as defined. Very tired of people saying it hurts the workers, the cruise lines are stealing money from guest and it needs to end. And yes it is on point to the OP post because the greedy worthless cruise lines are pushing people not only to pay these service fess but more on top of that.

Call me cheap or Scrouge I really do not care only drives me to do more to try and stop these fees. Let me be crystal clear here... I see it as no different than armed robbery and will fight the system to the end. If a cruise line makes service fees mandatory I stop booking that line.If the cruise lines told me people will die if you don't tip. My reply would be good population control is working and no mandatory service fees.

If your mom does not cancel and put in a claim you could just go and not get hit with the double charge. Just don't say anything about the other person when you check in, she will show as a no show

This seems like the best way to handle this. Just go and check in say she is coming on here own. But she should not put claim in until last minute so the ship does not have until after it has sailed. Sometimes you need to play the system so you can win.

Has been covered many times. Myself I do not like auto Gratuities or service fees. Never have and never will, as a matter of policy I feel they are wrong and should not be charged. I also check everything and remove from my account if possible. If the cruise line will not remove my credit card providers seem to be willing to remove the fees.

I know this post is like throwing gasoline on a fire... but I am entitled to handle my money as I see fit. If others feel different I will allow you to handle your money your way, that seems more than fair. I do not tip for average or normal service, I tip for extra services provided.

I would not travel today in this world without a valid passport. To many things could go wrong that will cost you much more than the cost of passports. If the ship has a problem, weather, security, medical, mechanical etc, and you go into a passport country you have problems. I seem to remember a cruise a few years ago, non passport cruise and the ship had problems and went into a country that required passports. The cruise line flew the people home who had legal documents to enter the country (passports) others had to say on ship and return with the ship.... about two weeks late.