TnTom

On 8/15/2022 at 12:02 PM, VirginiaIsForCruisers said:

I travel by myself most of the time. I don't know if this would work for you, but I have a large carabiner that allows me to drag a suitcase behind my powerchair

That is so innovative!

Thank y'all for the input. I do feel better about the embarkation process, now.

11 hours ago, GoHuskies! said:

As a really quick answer to allay your fears, there are people at all cruise centers who will willingly help you from the front of the terminal clear up and into your cabin. Some are people who will help you to the ship and others (could be the same person) clear into your room.  So don't be afraid of this.

I'm sure there are people on this thread who can explain this more fully and better than I, so please chime in to reassure TnTom, everyone.

Thank you for the reassurance! In the back of my mind, I have been thinking I will go ahead and check the carry-on and tip the porter very well- asking if the bag can be marked "Fragile" or somehow specified to handle with care. I am less concerned about mishandling by the porters than I am by airport handlers. I do still have a vivid memory, however, of the end of my NCL Dawn cruise in Tampa... an entire cart of luggage got rolled into Tampa Bay. It was not a pretty sight!

I am a solo cruiser, and I will be boarding the NCL Getaway at Port Canaveral next Saturday. I recently had my right knee replaced, and will soon follow suit with the left knee. At the time I booked the cruise, I was much more mobile, but I recently realized the only way I could manage the trip was with a scooter. I have an amazing travel agent, and she immediately got me set up with an accessible cabin, and I have reserved my scooter- which will be picked up at the terminal entrance.

I do not travel light. I have a couple of medical devices that (together) fill a standard carry-on bag. I used to check that bag, but I learned the hard way that a "Fragile" or "Medical Equipment" tag doesn't help avoid damage to that equipment. After an expensive replacement, I now don't like to let it out of my possession. Additionally, I have a small laptop bag with documents and essentials.

I have flown a few times this year, requiring wheelchair assistance to/from my gates. I have learned that some wheelchairs come equipped with a rack under the seat which can hold the carry-on, and I can hold the smaller one in my lap. In other cases, I have had to hold the carry-on so that it rolls beside the wheelchair or rides on the foot rests.

My question/concern here is about the scooter and how to manage the bags at embarkation/disembarkation. Is there any kind of rack or shelf on the scooter where a carry-on can be accommodated? Any suggestions or observations for me will be greatly appreciated.

Removed

They did say I could wait for the first record to drop off, but that could take 14 days. That would not work in my case.

First thing this morning, I hopped on the phone to call the ArriveCAN phone number. I was expecting a long wait, as has become customary in the US, but after listening to a fairly long informational recording, I immediately spoke with a real person. After explaining my dilemma to him, he put me on hold to research the solution. After less than 5 minutes, he was back with the answer:

I registered again with a different Email address. I had to upload images of my vaccine card and my passport information again, but that wasn't much of a hassle. I then created the second visit record under the new Email address, and I now have my ArriveCAN receipt.

Kudos to the folks at ArriveCAN for providing a quick and easy solution!

6 hours ago, bookbabe said:

 I like ArriveCan better than that stupid form they used to use.

I am on Majestic Princess this week, and I hate to tell you... the immigration form is still alive and well. In our case, we had to fill it out and hand it to our cabin attendant.

Thank you for the feedback!

It did cross my mind that the same record might cover both visit, since they were only 8 days apart, but since you are required to provide the name of your ship, that didn't seem likely. The current record will have to stay out there until at least Saturday, I just don't trust that it will all work out by Sunday.

I will check out the West Coast Cruises area... and I still hope to call ArriveCAN tomorrow.

This week, I am sailing on a West Coast cruise on the Majestic Princess. We visit Victoria on May 6 and we disembark in Vancouver on May 7. I will transfer back to Seattle, spend the night at a hotel and then board the NCL Encore on May 8 for a 7 day Alaska cruise which stops in Victoria on May 14 before disembarking back in Seattle on May 15.

Completing the ArriveCAN record for my current cruise was straight forward and pretty easy. My assumption all along has been that- when I am withing the 72 hour window- I can just enter a second record for the NCL stop in Victoria. Today, I sat down with the app to begin that record and I have discovered that is not an available option (I also tried through the Arrive Canada website) . I am currently floating in the North Pacific, so I can't really call anyone today, but I did initiate a chat on the NCL site. The agent simply told me I needed to contact Arrive Canada. I do intend to attempt such a call while in Astoria, Oregon tomorrow, but since time is fleeting, I thought I would open a Cruise Critic thread, to hopefully tap into the collective wisdom of my fellow cruisers.

Have any of y'all had a similar experience, or do you have suggestions?

TYIA!

I have used Abbott's Emeds proctored tests for a couple of prior cruises, and they worked great! After I watch a couple of YouTube videos of folks taking those tests, I elected to use my laptop. The users in the videos had issues with the app switching cameras on their phones- causing some confusion.

I had an older relative go with me on the last cruise, and I was sitting beside her when she took her covid test. When she got confused during the process, the proctor allowed me to help her. They have always been patient.

It is such an easy process, I can't imagine doing it another way.

I disagree with the blanket statement, "We all know the risks," and I see it in a lot of places where it seems intended to discount the opinions and concerns of others- often in a condescending way. Frankly, we don't know what all of the circumstances will be when we step onto a ship, so the risks will vary. Can we expect to be seated socially distant in the MDR if we want to be, or will we be required to share a table? Will the buffet suddenly switch back to self serve, where everyone is handling the utensils and food? Will masks once again be required if the covid case count on the ship rises significantly? If we end up testing positive and being quarantined, will we receive adequate food and medical attention (it appears not to always have been the case in the Ruby Princess)? The answers to those questions may be totally different with every sailing.

Yes, it is great. I have signed up for it, and the cost is $79- which is reasonable considering the distance/time involved.

In 2009, I used the same service. That time, those of us using it were gathered in a room, and we herded onto a bus. The unique aspect of it was when the bus was "sealed"... when the door was closed, a seal was placed so that U.S. Customs could see if it had been opened. When we got to the border, the customs agent climbed onto the bus and welcomed us "home". There were none of the usual steps normally encountered upon reentry. They advise you that the travel time is 4 hours.

Of course that was 13 years ago, so things may have changed. Still, it is an excellent option for flying back home. 

2 hours ago, kywildcatfanone said:

When you get your test results, are they an email, and do you show the email to Princess at boarding? 

Yes, you receive an official looking Email. I haven't sailed with Princess in the covid age, but MSC accepted it on my phone. Still, I always feel better with a paper copy- just in case.

Of course, I still print my airline tickets, too. 😁

9 hours ago, NMsunset said:

What tidbits/ questions do you have?

With the reduced capacity, is dinner still open seating (not a specified time)?

1 hour ago, Reenie75 said:

What is the difference between packages.

20211116 DrinkPackageComparison.pdf

9 hours ago, ready2cruzagain said:

Thanks for the info Tom! Good to see you still sailing.  Sailed with you on the Divina I think back in 2017 along with CTBob. That was a great cruise!  Our favorite cruise in almost 50! 

That definitely was a fun cruise! I am going to be on the Divina again starting February 13. When I was disembarking Divina last time, I realized there were areas of the ship I had failed to explore... looking forward to being on her again! To date, though, I think Meraviglia is my favorite MSC ship. Of course, that sailing had 1000 guests (with a 5400 capacity). Who wouldn't love that kind of elbow room!?!? 🙂

I sailed on Meraviglia back in September, 2021. After the restart and up until August, MSC did the at-port testing, but by the time we sailed they had stopped doing it. I am guessing they restarted that testing because of the flare-up of the Omicron variant. Now, there are signs that the infection rate is beginning to decline. MSC will likely discontinue the at-port testing as soon as is feasible- going back to relying solely on their cruisers getting tested 2 days prior to embarkation. 

I used the test I acquired from the "ID Now" link when I boarded the Meraviglia back in September. It is actually the BinaxNow test from Abbott, but you have to be careful to get the "AG Card" version (which is proctored) and not the OTC version (which is not accepted). Also, the tests do have a fairly short shelf life, so I would recommend you don't order them until a month or two before your cruise.

As a solo traveler, I find that MSC is usually the only cruise line that makes itineraries affordable for me. I have been cruising with them since 2009. I love NCL and Celebrity, but I can seldom afford them. My personal experience has been that MSC's landside operation is terrible, but once I am on a ship, it changes much for the better.

I was on the Meraviglia in September, and I had a really good experience with customer service. I was traveling with a friend who was a stroke victim (had speech and mobility issues) and I felt our cabins needed to be in close proximity... preferable next door. My TA wasn't able to accomplish that, but once on the ship (before we even visited our rooms), I went to customer service. The agent I dealt with worked hard to get our rooms together. Of course, the ship was sailing at a vastly reduced capacity and there were tons of empty cabins available, but she didn't have to be so accomodating. She spent about 30 minutes taking care of us. On the other hand, the CSR next to her was condescending and belittling to everyone who approached him. I guess blanket judgements on either side of the spectrum are a little unfair.

As for Ben and David... I have read commenters elsewhere complaining that they are always cheerleading and never say anything negative. I was quite taken aback when I saw their video running down MSC. They could have just made their point and moved on, but they droned on and on. It was really weird and out of character for them.

I don't get on an MSC ship expecting great food- but food isn't my reason for cruising. There have been some rude staff members along the way, but for the most part I have been treated well and had good service. MSC ships are the most beautiful vessels I have been on, and they still provide economical, very comfortable transportation to the same ports I would pay double or triple or more to get to on other lines.

I will be on Divina (for the second time) in February, and I am really looking forward to it.

These are the package prices for my February 11 day Divina Caribbean Cruise. To arrive at the daily price divide by 11.

2 hours ago, publicpersona said:

No, you have two different sessions. One leads you up through starting a 15 minute timer, and then a different once after 15 minutes is up.

 

Now, some may wonder - how do they know you didn't stick a "Negative" test card in place for the second session. Answer: This is a QR code that is scanned in both sessions (ostensibly).

When I did mine, the first agent instructed me to leave the card in sight of the camera for the duration of the 15 minute wait time. The implication was that it could be monitored.

I think I saw someone post (with the last few days) that because of the reduced passenger count, MDR dining is open seating. I hope that is the case.

Your scenario hit close to home for me. I am triple jabbed (vaccinated) and  very conscientious about social distancing and wearing my mask where appropriate. Frankly, I isolate much of the time. A week ago, I had to see my dentist about an abscessed tooth, and a few hours after that visit, I received a call that he had tested positive. Four days later, I developed a sore throat. This was all within 3 weeks of my Meraviglia sailing, and my concern was that- if I tested positive- there would not be enough time to recover and test negative for my cruise. Fortunately, my PCR test came back negative, but  your example is probably a reality more that we realize. I agree with the others, though... "rules is rules" and I probably wouldn't have been able to make my cruise.

I am booked on the Meraviglia on 9/25, and I have a friend whose cabin is a few doors down the hall. It seems like it might be a good idea to put some sort of decoration in our doors to cut down on the confusion. I don't want to use tape or anything else that could damage the door, and I am hoping the doors are metal so I can attach the decorations with magnets.

Can someone tell me of the doors are indeed metal and suitable for magnets?

Thank you in advance!

I took my first MSC cruise in 2009, and trust me... their website has always been a mess. I am scheduled to be on Meraviglia on 9/25, and I have requested docs through the website many times in the last couple of days with no success.

This is one reason I absolutely use a TA when booking an MSC cruise. My agent seems to be able to speak MSC-ese much better than I do, and she smooths the rough edges of dealing with them.

It astonishes me how different the experience is once I am on board the ships.