CruisingAlong4Now

2 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

Why would you say the travel from Milan to Venice is a waste of a day? I want to enjoy Milan, then go onto Venice. If I had extra time I’d also do the Lake Como and Swiss Alps extensions from Milan also but I have family obligations. 
 

I have been to Venice previously and am looking forward to a return trip plus the other places we never went to. Sure we could stay in a hotel. But we love the ease of River touring. All we have to do is show up. 

I never said that Milan was a waste of time, but I would consider sitting in a bus for several hours a waste of a vacation day if my priority was seeing Venice and the lagoon islands.  I've done all these trips, including Lake Como and the Swiss and Italian Alps.  

As was said, different strokes for different folks.  It's very interesting that people are very positive and encouraging about being bused from one destination to another destination on this pseudo-river cruise (Milan to Venice) but when water levels are low on the Danube, people agitate for a refund when they are bused from a central site on the Danube.  

Based on your post, I infer that the aide is an employee of a contracting company and covered under the company's standard worker's compensation policy for injuries incurred on the job and within the scope of the job.

The company has indicated that they do not believe that the worker's compensation policy will cover the aide during your extraterritorial travel.  As has been mentioned above, this probably is not a valid assumption.

Most state workers' compensation laws provide short-term coverage for workers who travel outside the state or country temporarily. Coverage varies by state and there are instances where overseas injuries may not be covered.  It may be a disease that is routinely excluded in the home territory or some other exclusion in the company's insurance policy or a statutory exclusion under state law.

The contracting company should contact their insurance broker to determine the limits of the worker's compensation policy and possible exclusions based on the aide's state of hire.

Someone should also address evacuation policies which is routinely covered under travel insurance but which the aide may not have unless you purchase one for this person.

I would write to one of the senior executives at Carnival and be specific in your inquiry.  Request a reply in writing.

When you are closer to sailing, confirm their response.  Provide the letter to ship management when you board.

Female stewards on Seabourn were excellent.  Many were from English speaking Africa.

Olga Austin - Stewardess - Seabourn Cruise Line | LinkedIn

One of the major takeaways from this discussion regarding lost luggage is the concept of primary or secondary insurance:  With whom do you file a claim for benefits whether it's for lost luggage or a medical claim outside your home area.

When purchasing travel insurance, especially medical insurance, you should be aware if the policy is primary or secondary to your US medical insurance.  If it is primary, it will quite often guarantee or pay the deposit required by many foreign hospitals.  If it is secondary, you will probably have to post cash bond yourself or accept an immediate charge on your credit card before getting treated in some ports.  You will then have to submit the claim to your home medical insurer, get the confirmation of claim denial, and then submit to the travel insurance company for adjudication.

Because of this upfront payment necessity, many people buy travel medical insurance that is primary since these could be quite large and in excess of some people's credit card limit.

If you are interested in seeing Venice, why not stay at a hotel in Vencie?  There are many hotels in which to stay.  Also, there is certainly no shortage of very interesting and excellent restaurants in the city.  Why limit your meals to the ship?

The bus trip from Milan to Venice is 150 miles.  Yes, you stop in Verona, but otherwise it's a waste of a day.  

Also, the stops that the boat makes in the Venice lagoon can easily be accomplished with local water transport.

My best cruises were on the Seabourn triplets:  Pride, Legend, and Spirit.  Wonderfully small and intimate.  Truly felt like a private yacht. Gratuities, all beverages included.  

Wonderful ports, interesting cruisers, fantastic food, well-trained and high performing staff.

Only 210 passengers.  I still bemoan their sale to Windstar.

Steinbeck had it all figured out:

"“Once Adam had remarked on the quiet splendor of Lee’s clothes, and Lee had grinned at him. “I have to do it,” he said. “One must be very rich to dress as badly as you do. The poor are forced to dress well.”
― John Steinbeck, East of Eden"

Thank you all for your replies.  

I will be on the Epic in the Western Med in July.  I will need speedy communications back to the US.  If the wi-fi on the Epic adequate for emails and the life.  I'm not looking to stream movies, but I need good wi-fi for business reasons.

I am looking into the AT&T International Day Pass for usage on land.

Has anyone used the AT&T Cruise Package on board?  is it reliable or am I better off using the ship's wi-fi for my internet needs?

It is an unfortunate time for Crystal however.  

On 1/11/2022 at 9:10 PM, CorbinCatFan said:

As few mentioned already, I can afford to loose the cruise and air fare (even though I would hate to) but I get insurance for international medical coverage, med evac, and if needed, repatriation of remains.

 

Since we are taking several cruises this year, I've elected to take an annual policy for medical. 

I agree.  The cost of the trip is a sunk cost and is already spent.  It's sad if you can't go, but there is no additional financial risk.  Medical expenses on the other hand are an open ended financial risk for most people.  The expenses that might be incurred overseas for medical services, for evacuation, or for repatriation are usually more than the average person can easily absorb.

These are the expenses that warrant insurance.  Not expenses already met and paid for.

On 12/29/2021 at 3:04 PM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Want a safe land trip? Island of Kauai (stay at the Grand Hyatt- Poipu) + fly United. We were there in September - extreme pre-trip requirements and restrictions while there. But mere inconveniences when faced with the alternative of yet another staycation.

TICK TICK TICK.....

Mark Zuckerberg agrees with you about Kauai.

"Property records show Zuckerberg’s Kaloko LLC bought a 110-acre site on Kauai last month for $17 million from a company owned by the Pflueger family, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported.  They already had 1,300 acres (526 hectares) on the island."

The Zuckerbergs just bought more land on Kauai, including the site of a deadly dam failure (hawaiinewsnow.com)

"U.S. CDC says people should ‘avoid cruise travel, regardless of vaccination status’"

I think we now know how the CDC will react.

"The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday advised people against travelling by cruise ship regardless of their vaccination status after a recent increase in positive Covid cases as the omicron variant sweeps the world. 

The CDC increased its travel warning for cruise ships to the highest level. The agency is currently investigating or observing dozens of cruise ships that have had Covid outbreaks. 

The CDC warned that Covid transmits easily between people in close quarters on board ships, and the chance of catching the virus on a cruise is very high even for people who are vaccinated and have received a booster dose."

U.S. CDC says people should 'avoid cruise travel, regardless of vaccination status' (cnbc.com)

You can't buy fire insurance after your house goes up in flames.

Crystal has some attractive single rates on some cruises.

Here's the history.

Storylines, MV Narrative - cruise condos - Other Cruise Lines - Cruise Critic Community

Apparently there are unvaccinated children on board.  So, not really 100% vaccinated passengers.

I'm interested in cruises that will dock in Amsterdam and provide tours to Floriade.  Would like at least two days at Floriade.  I'm not interested in river cruises.  

Any cruises around the British Isles that might make a detour over to Amsterdam for this once every ten years exposition?

Any suggestions?

Never liked them.  Never participated.  Hope they're cancelled to keep corridors clear and quieter.

Thinking about a trip to Iceland next summer (2021).  I looked at driving the ring road, but I only have 8-10 days and I don't want to have to pack and unpack alot.  A cruise that circumnavigates Iceland would seem to fit the bill.  Ocean Diamond does this as does the Hurtigruten MS Fridtjof Nansene, a ship similiar to the Roald Amundsen.  Hurtigruten is a lot more money than the Ocean Diamond.

Any suggestions or comments on these ideas?

On 11/16/2020 at 12:21 PM, Heidi13 said:

 

We have only been tracking Viking Ocean for 4 years and have never experienced any of the points raised in the post you quoted:

• Never seen BOGO cruises, although they did have 2 for 1 deposits, when we booked our last cruise
• The post you quoted mentioned Inside & Ocean View cabins, which don't exist on Viking, with the lowest being a balcony
• BoGo Specialty Restaurants - again not even close, as both specialty restaurants are included in the base fare and you can use them as often as you want.
• Didn't see any cheap watches or t-shirts aboard, and the quality jacket we received is still in mint condition

Not sure which Viking you are referring to, but both the current Viking Cruises and long departed Royal Viking Line are/were quality operations. 

Not my intent to demean Viking's business model or integrity.  Merely stated a fact that Viking used this 2 for 1 business model for their river cruises.  Their oft sent brochures touted 2 for 1.  Hurry up and book now.  It was the standard joke on the river cruise board.  Don't know what your other points are. 

One advantage of being retired during the lock down phase is that I can't get fired from my job.  My pension and social security checks keep coming every month.  Income is very stable.

3 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

My suggestion to cruise lines.Offer a limited buy one cruise get one free.This would be for all Inside cabins and select Ocean View.Everything sold on the ship would be buy one get one free including Specialty restaurants,the $10 watches that stop working five minutes after you leave the ship and tee shirts that shrink after the first washing.Included would be select Shore Excursions,select beverages .

Isn't this the business model that Viking used for years?

Checking the list of companies for whom bankruptcy/financial default is not covered by your travel insurance is one way to access risk.