Betty in Cozumel

Just spent the last hour or so reading through this entire thread.  Very informative and I thank all of the posters. I am currently in Taiwan solo doing a 5 week DIY land tour and am just starting to think of my transpacific cruise on the Westerdam leaving April 24th.

I sailed the Westerdam in 2019 from Shanghai to Hong Kong and loved it.  So much so that we booked it again for 2020.  Obviously that one was canceled.  I chose this cruise to return to North America because who wouldn't choose a 14 day cruise vs a 15 hr flight???

I'm sad that there will no longer be any classical music in the LCS and that the food is not up to par.  I'm not a drinker but like to socialize with fellow travelers.   Does anyone here play cards?  5 Crowns is my go to game and I'll have them with me.  Good for 2 to 7 players.  It was a big hit on my recent 19 day Antarctica  cruise.

Look forward to meeting you soon. 

1 hour ago, dreamers25 said:

We are watching our in box like hawks at the moment, leaving for Tokyo on Tuesday prior to the Feb 29th Cruise.... No news yet. 

 

Waiting for the cancellation email, so we can pull out all together. Less than 48 hours for us. 

We are too.  We don't leave Cozumel until Wed Feb 26th.  Flying to Toronto to catch our Feb 27th flight to Tokyo.  I wish they'd just cancel and let us deal with all the other cancellations we have to make (airfare, hotels, etc)

We're booked on the Feb 29th sailing and are waiting to hear if/when it is cancelled.  I hope we get some advance notice not like friends of mine who flew from Cozumel to Dallas to LAX to Tokyo and then to Singapore only to arrive and find out that NCL cancelled the Feb 15th sailing on the Jade.  They are booked for 2 more B2B so I'm not sure if they are going to stay in Singapore for 11 days before boarding and doing the 2nd cruise from Singapore to Dubai.  Might be nice to visit a few days and then head up to Kuala Lampur for a visit.

47 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Betty, I also think you should wait. If all goes well, people will disembark next week and the ship will be empty for two weeks. This buys HAL time to figure out itineraries and reposition the ship. It could turn out to be a very different cruise. But at least there will have been lots of time to scrub the ship and finalize ports.

That is exactly what I am thinking too.

3 hours ago, Viv0828 said:

 

i suggest you wait a bit longer.

we didn't hear till about the cancellation and refund plus 50% furure cruise credit till a week before the feb 15 cruise. hal may cancel with refund plus future cruise credit (my guess) or provide an interesting alternative. no rush for you to make a decision.

We're on the 29th sailing too and are waiting it out.  We still want to cruise.  Right now HAL has offered $250/person for the fees for changing our flights from Shanghai & Hong Kong to Tokyo.  Wonder if they'll increase that if we have to change our flights again.  

Plus we have $1,000 in flights from Mexico to Toronto to catch our flight to Asia.  Maybe we'll be spending our 3 week vacation in Canada.  LOL

7 hours ago, Mike B Landlubber said:

I do feel some envy for those like Betty in Cozumel who are going. Could be a great cruise, and I got an inexpensive upgrade offer for a Neptune Suite on corner stern that I’ll never be able to afford on a normal cruise! But that’s not guaranteed, and the stress and uncertainty I mentioned is

I had just asked my TA recently if we could get an upgrade out of our Inside cabin and was told that HAL said "no".  We sailed this same cruise last year and when the price dropped significantly 2 months before sailing, HAL upgrade us from a Guaranteed Inside to a Balcony cabin plus we got $100 beverage card each and a dinner in the Pinnacle Grill.  I was kind of hoping for the same thing.  If I'm going to be stuck on a ship, I'd rather do it in a balcony cabin.  If everyone keeps cancelling then maybe they'll reconsider.

HAL's official e-mail said "We understand this may not be the cruise vacation you anticipated, and some guests may prefer not to travel at this time. Should you choose to defer your travel and cancel your cruise you will receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit (excluding independent travel expenses) that can be used on a replacement cruise that sails within 12 months."     Someone had something about getting a full refund + a 50% FCC.  I think that was for the Feb 15th sailing.   That I might consider.

Right now it is a wait and see.

We are sailing Feb 29-Mar 14 and are still planning to go.  $250 OBC/person is nice plus they'll pay up to $250/person for change fees charged by the airlines to change our flights to Tokyo.  A full cruise credit to be used in 2020 doesn't appeal to us either.  A full refund plus a 100% cruise credit would be nice too but I don't think that will happen.

I am hoping that the current passengers get off safely and the ship is totally sanitized during the 2 weeks the ship has no passengers because of the cancellation of the Feb 15th cruise.

We also have over $1,000 in flights to/from Mexico to Toronto as we live in Cozumel.

On our cruise last year we each were given a $25 Beverage Card when we booked.  And then when the price dropped drastically....our TA called HAL and we got a cabin upgrade, a free dinner at the Pinnacle Grill AND a $100 beverage card each!   We don't drink.  We were buying cappuccinos for friends we met on the cruise and at the end we still had lots of $$$$ on it.  We were told "Use it or lose it".  So we ended up buying two coffee mugs, two cold drink beverage cups (glasses) and two red America's Kitchen aprons.

We always requested a table for two and got the same section and wait staff.  After a day or so we fell in love with our waiter on the Westerdam and was able to make a 7:45pm reservation for the same table for two for the rest of the week.  A few days before it ended, we made the same reservation for the second week of our cruise.

I am sailing the Westerdam Feb 29th to March 14 and am happy with the changes to Yokohama to Yokohama with no Manila or Kaoshing, Taiwan.  We did this same cruise last year and booked it again because we LOVED that cruise and this time there were a "few" changes.  Now there are a lot of changes.  More Japan which I am very happy about.  I'm not going to miss Hong Kong either as I've been there over a dozen times before.

I do not have insurance and Air Canada waived the fee for the change for the first flight from Toronto to Shanghai but not the second one home from Hong Kong.  That was because at that time (Tuesday night) they had not received an e-mail from head office saying flights to/from Hong Kong were banned (like they were for China).  We're out a total of $703 CDN for the two of us but the AC agent said to keep watching because if Air Canada DOES ever ban flights to Hong Kong; we could probably try to get those charges refunded.

Even if we don't....I am okay paying $350 more per person for this new itinerary.  At least we're not having 14 sea days.  LOL

After reading this whole thread....I think I may be one of the very few passengers that is okay with this change.  We never thought about cancelling as we also have an additional $553 CDN per person for our return flights to Toronto from Cancun and home to Cozumel.

Well just received an e-mail that Holland America is changing our Feb 29th cruise from Shanghai - Hong Kong to Tokyo - Tokyo.  So no more worries about the 144 hr TWOV or coronavirus.

3 hours ago, mking8288 said:

From the Hyatt at North Point, it is an easy walk to the pier for transfer to KTCT - here's the posted scheduled, just be sure to reconfirm it ahead, in case of last minute change.  Should not have any issues with a typical carry-on & personal bag, etc. 

https://www.td.gov.hk/en/transport_in_hong_kong/public_transport/ferries/service_details/index.html#i03

Is this still available?  We asked about it 2 years when in HK trying to get to the cruise terminal and we were told "no".  We tried again last year when we arrived in HK from another cruise and were still told "no"

On 1/16/2020 at 3:26 PM, tybrkr17 said:

 

Can you pre-apply for the other TWOV's as well besides the 144 hr? 

I believe it is the same for all.   I entered Feb 28th arrival.  Leave China March 1.   That requires us to get a 72hr TWOV.

Just tried to do my pre-application for the 144 hr TWOV on-line at the Chinese government site for my upcoming cruise in Feb/Mar and got a Error404.  I was able to enter all the information and save it but got the message so I will be holding off before submitting until I KNOW it saves properly.

Here is the website for those who need it:

https://gaj.sh.gov.cn/crj/ka144/enlogin/enindex

On 1/11/2020 at 8:07 PM, mking8288 said:

Here's one showing the water village's cross channel sampan shuttle - used to be a rope & pulley system in making the crossing, from one side to the other - nowadays, it's a quick blast with the marine engine.  Rest of video is a good orientation of what to see & expect when you are at Tai O.

Hey I did this crossing once when it was the rope & pulley system.

We got cranberry juice every night for dinner in the MDR and twice in the Pinnacle Grill but I think that waiter had to go get it from somewhere else.  As soon as we sat down in the MDR, our waiter brought us 2 cranberry juices without even asking for them.

On 12/30/2019 at 8:20 AM, suec12 said:

If I purchase before boarding, will the amount be on the same card I use for my room or will I need to be carrying both cards when I am out and about. thanks again!

It is a separate card.  Just get a hole punched in it and carry both together on your lanyard.

16 hours ago, happyzoey said:

We'll be on the Westerdam cruise Feb 29-March 14, If we are arriving in Shanghai on Feb 28 and the ship doesn't leave Shanghai until March 1, do we need a Visa? Thanks!

We are doing this cruise too.  (We also did the same one in March 2019)  

We are not getting a visa and will once again apply for the 144 hr Transit Without A Visa (TWOV).  Our only problem was that the agent saw that the first day of the cruise (embarkation only) was the next day so they gave us a 24 hr TWOV.  The ship spent the first night in Shanghai and didn't leave until 6pm the second day.  We had to ask to see a Supervisor to get this corrected to a 72 hr TWOV.  Even then the Supervisor and several agents had quite a lively discussion about it.  The Supervisor won.  While this was going on, it got corrected for all of the other cruisers that were in line behind us.  🙂  We wasted 45 minutes because of this.

Just make sure they don't just look at the first day on the ship's itinerary (which you have to provide a copy to them) and look at the actual date you sail out of the country.  Now that we learned it the hard way in 2019, we will get it right the first time in 2020.

On 12/21/2019 at 2:23 AM, Darwould said:

I am also going to confirm that Cunard will accept this QR code document

My understanding is that the QR code is just a pre-registration.  You are not actually approved yet.  The ship should at least let you down to the area where the Chinese Immigration agents are located so you can ask.

2 minutes ago, gslvanbc said:

Celebrity offered us a "Customer Satisfaction" future cruise credit but no explanation for why the 144 policy was not honored, so still unclear what was going on and leaves future passengers confused.

Sorry you missed Shanghai.  It's a beautiful city down on the waterfront in The Bund. 

At least you got something.  We sailed out of Shanghai in March 2019 on the HAL Westerdam and used the TWOV and am planning to do the same thing again when we sail from there again in March 2020.

We had a problem at the PVG airport as the agent only gave us a 24 hr TWOV  when our ship was spending the first night in port and we needed a supervisor to change it to a 72 hr stamp so we could leave the ship on the 2nd day.  This wasted about 45 minutes.  This time we'll be ready and make sure the agent gives us the 72 hr TWOV the first time.

We were there in January 2018 with Celebrity and we walked off the restricted port area and negotiated with a taxi driver to take us into town, drive us to some of the highlights and wait for us at the market.  It was a van and there were 6 of us.  Cost was $30 USD each.  We thought it was reasonable.  We were back to the ship with lots of time to spare

We received the lightweight blue bag on our Asia cruise this past March.  I thought it wouldn't hold much but I use it every Saturday at the market and it holds quite a bit and gets quite heavy too.  I am hoping for a 2nd one on our upcoming Feb/Mar cruise in 2020.

On 12/17/2019 at 5:44 PM, gslvanbc said:

 

 

We did this Celebrity Nov. 23 cruise and it would seem pretty clear that it would qualify for the visa-free policy (Japan, Shanghai, Korea) and we were from Canada, but OMG, total mess. It wasn't the Chinese authorities that wouldn't allow us into Shanghai but the Celebrity Cruise Ship that wouldn't honor the policy and allow us off the ship. No blue Shanghai immigration forms were distributed prior to port call and only those with visas or prebooked tour with registered operators allowed through the ship immigration procedures. Our concerns at Guest Relations that they were incorrect with their policy fell on deaf ears as their response was that the policy applied only for passengers that will be leaving on a flight (ie. the cruise ends in Shanghai and passenger leaves by plane), which is not what it says. We weren't happy with Celebrity to say the least....

That is total BS.  I would send a letter to Celebrity's Head Office asking for at least your port fees back as you were not allowed on shore because of THEIR MISTAKE.

19 minutes ago, tybrkr17 said:

 

 

Will do! Since the cruise departs at 4:30pm on the 13th, and my flight doesn't get in until 9pm the night before on the 12th, it will for sure be under 24 hrs - plus even if they delay debarkation, I will have the travel cruise documents anyway that says we depart to Japan at 4:30.

 

We may get the Visa's anyways for peace of mind since we have everything prepared (just have to send it off in the mail) but its nice to know we dont *have* to get one.

 

But I will for sure get back to you in February and let you know if the 24 hr transit pass worked so maybe you can do this cruise too!

Don't worry too much about the 24hr TWOV.  There is also a 72 hr and 144 hr.

As Canadians we cannot mail our application in.  Must do in person as they take fingerprints.    We live in Mexico so we'd have to do a trip to Canada for about a week to just get the visa.  PITA

2 hours ago, tybrkr17 said:

 

 

I received this reply from China Travel Guide:

 

You are perfectly eligible for visa free transit in Shanghai twice and you don't need any kind of visa.

You will take a cruise "Best Of Japan Cruise" provided by Royal Caribbean International. This itinerary is really ideally constructed to allow you visa free transit during both of your stops in Shanghai.

You will print out your flight and cruise tickets and also your accommodation booking confirmation for your overnight in Shanghai. You will also bring those printouts with you. Also, you will declare at check-in in San Francisco that you will travel to Japan via Shanghai using 24 hour visa free transit. After a short check of your tickets, you will be allowed to board the plane.

Upon your landing in Shanghai, you will approach 24 hour visa free transit counter where you will apply for a temporary entry permit that will be granted to you and you will be allowed to exit the airport.

During both of your stops in Shanghai, you will be eligible for 24 hour visa free transit because in both of your cases your entire transit time will be less than 24 hours. The reason is simple, your cruise departs at 16:30 (4:30pm) and you will arrive by plane, whether you are flying China Eastern or United, in the later afternoon hours after 16:30 (4:30pm) the day before.

 

Does that sounds correct? 

 

 

That is amazing, if true.  If you do it this way, please come back after your cruise and tell us if it worked.  We want to do this same cruise but it's too hard for us to get a real visa and always come in with the 144 hr TWOV.