XuGator

Can you just buy 1 device and use the hotspot feature on your phone to feed any other devices you want to use?

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

What you miss is that a cruise line can enforce the requirement for a passport for all their passengers.

 

It doesn't matter if it is a close loop itinerary or someone says "No problem - just stay on the ship."

 

If the cruise line says a passport is needed to board, then a passport is needed. Just ask the large family group left standing on the pier for a closed loop cruise Princess cruise .

 

My upcoming Celebrity closed loop cruise that stops in two ports that require passports has a statement in the booking confirmation that a passport is needed

 

"Valid passports are required for all passengers, regardless of age. Passports must be valid for six (6) months after you disembark your cruise. Passport cards or photocopies of required documentation are not acceptable."

 

No statements  that one can decide to stay on the ship at those ports.

 

There are cruise lines that do require  passports for all  their sailings. HAL has a specific requirements for a passport for all in a cruising party that consists of minors and a single parent (guardian).

 

To tell people  to ignore the documentation that is required by the cruise line because of some quasi loophole is a disservice.

 

 

Im not sure where or when I ever said to ignore any documentation required by the cruise line. Quite the opposite, as I suggested the OP get a confirmation email from Celebrity giving them the ok to board without a passport. I am trying to salvage their trip because it sounds like they are too late to obtain a passport. Secondly, I dont believe its a loophole, when our daughter was able to sail just last year to Martinique on Celebrity without a passport.  So clearly its possible to travel to these islands without a passport by staying on the ship. Maybe Celebrity messed up in allowing them, maybe they didnt. I also am bringing light to the obscurity of the policy regarding this from Celebrity themselves. Celebrity needs to make it abundantly clear on their closed loop section which islands this does not apply to and state that a passport is required to board, which they do not do.

Finally, I personally wouldn't travel anywhere without a passport but Im not a risk taker that some others might be. Again, I am not condoning traveling without a passport but it sounds like OP is out of options to acquire one and am sharing a positive experience where we could still sail to one of these islands without one. Will it work for them, I have no clue , even if they get confirmation from a Celebrity agent via email like we did, its still a risk that they could be denied boarding. That is up to them if its worth it. It wouldn't be for me but I dont know enough about their situation or their refund options to know if its worth it to them.

There are other options to expedite a passport, even say day options in some locations if you have international travel scheduled within 14 days.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies.html

30 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

No one at Celebrity told the OP they could stay on the ship. Usually countries apply the passport rule to passengers that on ships in their territorial waters. If Martinique will allow passengers to stay on the ship then Celebrity should put that in writing. OP could not complete check in without passport info. 

We were mainly concerned after reading this below which states that RCL required a passport just to board starting in 2020.  We actually received an email from celebrity stating this was updated again in 2021 to allow passengers to sail but not disembark but could not find the update anywhere online and was just the agents word basically.  I made them print the email out and they didn’t have a problem but it’s a roll of the for the OP. I don’t want them to miss out on their cruise but encourage them to get a hard copy message from celebrity indicating it’s ok for them to board.  Seems like it’s a gray area and a roll of the dice without a passport. 

https://cruisefever.net/royal-caribbean-issues-policy-change-regarding-passport-requirement-for-caribbean-port/

I agree with you.  Celebrity is very vague in their verbiage regarding this and their agents don’t even seem to have the details.  This doesn’t surprise me because anytime I have had to call Celebrity, their agents have only been working there for a week and aren’t familiar with a lot of the inner-workings. They struggle with questions about their own drink package so this is going to be well over their heads. I don’t think it’s possible to complete the online check without a passport on any sailing is it? From what I understand, this has to be done in person at the checkin desk if you are using your birth certificate.   
 

We only know this because we were dealing with the same questions last year when my daughter and her friends were going.  Celebrity needs to update their closed loop literature outlining the specifics for everyone in this same situation. As long as Celebrity hasn’t adjusted something recently, I think the OP should be ok but they should know they can’t disembark in Martinique. 
 

Finally though, I agree with almost everyone else that it is wise to obtain a passport anytime you leave the country. 

9 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

So you believe Porthole which was talking about Carnival and the points Guy? OP reported that the online check in would not allow completion of check in without entering Passport info. 

My daughter and her friends went to Martinique on a celebrity cruise just last year.  They only had DL and BC. No issues at all.  

PS- Do you not know how reputable and renowned the points guy is ???  Not sure what other proof you need but your information is inaccurate. 

Lots of misinformation in these replies.  The fact that this sailing calls on one of the select islands that requires passport (Martinique) does not mean that they cannot sail without a passport.    It just means that they cannot get off the ship in Martinique.  It’s all outlined here 

https://porthole.com/cruising-to-martinique-dont-forget-your-passport/

“Cruisers without a passport can still book a cruise which stops at the island, but will not be allowed to disembark the ship while at the port”

Here as well

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/need-passport-cruise/

Thank you Kathy, that is what we have done in the past. I am guessing that even if it does show on the website as an upgrade option, it doesnt apply the captains club discount?

7 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Sometimes the upgrade option shows in the app, check there if you have t alread

 

Also the drink package and wi-fi are not always loaded to your reservation when you book, sometimes a matter of days other times months.  Go to Plan Cruisd and look at your Order History ( Circle on upper right has drop down menu). The drink package will show with zero charge.  If it hasn’t been added then the upgrade option will not show 

Thanks  - it says  "You dont have any orders yet". Maybe they just haven't been loaded in there yet like you said. We only booked a week ago so will give it some more time. Its odd that the on board credit shows up right away though, so we assumed the other packages would as well.

1 minute ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Could you already have the Premium package?

I wish. We booked the "all included" that comes with classic drinks. We seem to have this issue on every sailing. Maybe it has to do with the fact that we booked with a TA? Did you book directly through Celebrity ?

Thanks but for some reason we don't have the option to upgrade on there.  The only options are to select the classic or premium for the full price

Ambassade for hotel and Uber everywhere in Amsterdam. Easiest and fastest way to get around

We stayed at the Rubens at the palace. Great location with easy access to Victoria station and underground.

Every time we book a cruise, we always book the all included which comes with wifi, drinks , tips and on board credit. Our OBC shows up fine in the cruise personalizer but we can never figure out how to upgrade our drinks from the classic to the premium package. It should just be 15-20 bucks a day or something but when we click on drink packages, the only options that appear are ones to purchase the package for the full price. There doesn't seem to be an "upgrade" option. We have had to call in every time in the past to get this added but it would be nice to do this online. Does anyone know if this is possible or what we are missing? The planner never seems to detect that we have a drink package at all. Thank you for any insight

Thank you both. I appreciate all the info

26 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

Ah: yes, I’m afraid the train strike will be a problem if it goes ahead. Details haven’t yet been published but on previous strike days there have been no trains at all between Southampton & Salisbury, and only limited services between Salisbury & London involving a change of train half way, at Basingstoke.

There is an hourly bus, the X7, that would get you from Southampton to Salisbury in about 1 hour 20 mins, and the train from Salisbury to London should still be possible as above, so it’s still doable by public transport albeit not as simple as it would otherwise be. But note that the X7 is a normal city bus, not a coach, so luggage space will be limited.

 

Otherwise yes, realistically you would need to book a private transfer OR try the International Friends tour mentioned by @John Bullif it’s available, which has been recommended by many on CC before.

Great info. Thank you Gumshoe!

On 6/8/2023 at 7:47 PM, John Bull said:

As Globaliser's post, Stonehenge is about 10 miles past Salisbury. And there's no left-luggage facility at Stonehenge.

So taking an Uber to Stonehenge will mean keeping the car & driver there while you visit (about 90 minutes is ideal) then take you back to Salisbury to the train station.

You are also strongly advised to pre-book Stonehenge admission - you have to book a 30-minute arrival slot to be sure of admission without delay.

I doubt an Uber would want to do that, it'd probably mean a pre-booked private transfer. 

Try https://westquaycars.com/ or https://www.aquacars.co.uk/ or https://gunwharf-executive-travel.co.uk/

But it'll be expensive.

 

Instead consider a train from Southampton central station to Salisbury station. Buy train tickets at the station, fare about £10 pp. Half-hourly service, 35 minute journey, 

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Drop your bags at the Railway Tavern, at the end of the station approach road (if out-of-hours, ring the bell). About £3 per bag.

https://www.facebook.com/LeighandJulie/

Take the Stonehenge Tour bus from the station approach.

https://www.thestonehengetour.info/

Buy your Stonehenge tickets with the Stonehenge Tour bus, ideally in advance - tickets bought from the tour bus allow you  admission at any time.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

Take the Stonehenge Tour bus back to Salisbury - get off in the city centre if you want to explore this laid-back historic city and visit its magnificent cathedral then walk or bus or taxi back to the station, or get off the bus back at the station.

Collect your bags & take a train to London Waterloo.

For Salisbury to London Waterloo advance tickets (available about 10 weeks out) can be as low as £9.20, - but it's only good for the train time that you booked. Miss that train and the tickets are trash & you'll have to purchase fresh tickets at the walk-up fare of about £30.

 

Another option is  

https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/southampton-cruise-tour-transfer-to-london.html

A long-established & reputable coach operator which provides ship-to-central London hotel tour-transfers from most cruise ships in Southampton via a choice of sights, very popular with cruisers.

One option includes a brief visit to Salisbury and 90 minutes at Stonehenge but then also includes Windsor & its castle, so it's a very full day with an early evening arrival in central London.

Like the Stonehenge Tour bus from Salisbury, Stonehenge tickets bought with your tour-transfer admit to Stonehenge at any time.

Certainly the simplest package for your needs

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

John - Thank you for all the helpful info you provide on these boards. So it appears there is a train strike scheduled for July 22nd. Will this definitely impact your prior suggesting to take the train from Southampton to Salisbury and also the train from Salisbury back to London on that day? I dont know enough about how these train strikes work. Does it mean that no trains will be running? Is our only option of doing Stonehenge on our own after the cruise going to be with a private transfer? Thanks again

4 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Have you considered International Friends? They generally run trips on disembarkation that spend time at Stonehenge before continuing to London hotels. 

It doesn’t look like they are available on July 22

2 hours ago, John Bull said:

As Globaliser's post, Stonehenge is about 10 miles past Salisbury. And there's no left-luggage facility at Stonehenge.

So taking an Uber to Stonehenge will mean keeping the car & driver there while you visit (about 90 minutes is ideal) then take you back to Salisbury to the train station.

You are also strongly advised to pre-book Stonehenge admission - you have to book a 30-minute arrival slot to be sure of admission without delay.

I doubt an Uber would want to do that, it'd probably mean a pre-booked private transfer. 

Try https://westquaycars.com/ or https://www.aquacars.co.uk/ or https://gunwharf-executive-travel.co.uk/

But it'll be expensive.

 

Instead consider a train from Southampton central station to Salisbury station. Buy train tickets at the station, fare about £10 pp. Half-hourly service, 35 minute journey, 

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/

Drop your bags at the Railway Tavern, at the end of the station approach road (if out-of-hours, ring the bell). About £3 per bag.

https://www.facebook.com/LeighandJulie/

Take the Stonehenge Tour bus from the station approach.

https://www.thestonehengetour.info/

Buy your Stonehenge tickets with the Stonehenge Tour bus, ideally in advance - tickets bought from the tour bus allow you  admission at any time.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/

Take the Stonehenge Tour bus back to Salisbury - get off in the city centre if you want to explore this laid-back historic city and visit its magnificent cathedral then walk or bus or taxi back to the station, or get off the bus back at the station.

Collect your bags & take a train to London Waterloo.

For Salisbury to London Waterloo advance tickets (available about 10 weeks out) can be as low as £9.20, - but it's only good for the train time that you booked. Miss that train and the tickets are trash & you'll have to purchase fresh tickets at the walk-up fare of about £30.

 

Another option is  

https://www.internationalfriends.co.uk/southampton-cruise-tour-transfer-to-london.html

A long-established & reputable coach operator which provides ship-to-central London hotel tour-transfers from most cruise ships in Southampton via a choice of sights, very popular with cruisers.

One option includes a brief visit to Salisbury and 90 minutes at Stonehenge but then also includes Windsor & its castle, so it's a very full day with an early evening arrival in central London.

Like the Stonehenge Tour bus from Salisbury, Stonehenge tickets bought with your tour-transfer admit to Stonehenge at any time.

Certainly the simplest package for your needs

 

JB 🙂

 

 

 

JB - Thank you for the thorough and detailed response.  That is very insightful and helps a lot.  Two more quick questions 

1. Salisbury to Waterloo.  I know tickets are more expensive if not purchased in advance but do these tickets ever sell out? Is there any risk of not getting a train back to London if we wait until the day of to buy?

2. I understand that Stonehenge won’t store luggage but is keeping our luggage with us an option if we just wheel them on the path at Stonehenge? We don’t mind walking from the Stonehenge visitor center to the site with our bags if this is allowed. 
 

Thanks again 

This thread is a wealth of information but am having trouble sifting through all 28 pages. Is someone able to recommend a couple of car / taxi service that will pick us up at the Southampton cruise terminal, stop by stonehenge for a quick visit and then take us on to central london?

The only alternative we can think of is to uber from the cruise port to the stonehenge visitor center and then take the train back to London ourselves. I guess in this scenario we just need to figure out where to ditch our larger suitcase for an hour or 2 while we visit stonehenge. Im guessing its not possible to just wheel our luggage around the monument but we would be willing to do that also if it was allowed.

Any and all insight would be appreciated.

Hi - We return into Southampton from a cruise on July 22nd. If we want to tour Stonehenge before returning to London, how easy is it to just catch an Uber to Salisbury when we get into port and then take the train from Salisbury to Waterloo?  I guess my questions are:

1. Do the trains (southwestern rail) book up from Salisbury to London Waterloo? We really dont know how long the Stonehenge tour would take so hoping to just go to the station when we are ready and get a ticket then. It looks like the train runs very frequently.

2. Do we need to book tickets for Stonehenge ahead of time (does this sell out) ?

3. Should we Uber directly to the Stonehenge parking area or to the Visitors center to take the tram?

4. Is there a place we can store our luggage while touring here?

Thank you for any insight - I just want to make sure I am not missing anything with this tentative plan. Thank you

Ambassade or Banks Mansion for the hotel.  Uber for all transportation needs.

A lot depends on the itinerary as well. A sailing with a lot of sea days might make the Plus option more advantageous as more time on the ship = more drinks, more time with wifi etc. However, some cruises, especially European cruises can be very port intensive where you might be in port every day. If you are not on the ship often then this neutralizes the benefits of the plus package for drinks. Also - if you already have an international phone plane, this also reduces the need to pay for wifi from the ship as well because you can just use your phone every day in port. There will never be a universal answer on this for everyone because people drink different amounts and different types of drinks and some do not care for wifi. So its best to do your own math on how much you forecast spending per day out of pocket vs plus  for everything (drinks, wifi, tips, etc)

Can someone share some insight on how reliable / dependable the National Express coaches are? Specifically we are debating taking the National express coach from Victoria station to Southampton on the morning of our cruise for a price of only 10 pounds each. Its this or the Princess transfer from the same spot for 60 dollars each. Our concern isnt so much the money or savings but rather the assurance we wont have any issue making it to SOU. We are on a 14 night cruise and definitely don't want to miss it. We are considering the 830 National express coach that gets to the Southampton station around 1030 but our question basically is  - are there ever cancellations of these coaches, mechanical issues where they break down, labor strikes etc) ? Is it safer to just go with the Princess cruise transfer ? We are leaning just taking the National express bus I just like having contingency plans in case something happens. In my mind Im thinking that something will happen with our coach that morning and all other coaches will be booked by then. Any advice would be appreciated.

Uber is everywhere in Amsterdam. Just use that to get anywhere. There are canal cruise companies right in front of the Anne Frank House as well and you dont really need to prebook those either. They leave every 10-15 min

On 10/31/2022 at 2:03 PM, m8zenblue said:

Jim, you are a wealth of cruise knowledge, thank you !

According to the X site isn't it 9 days ?

School me if I am wrong.

You aren't wrong. It is definitely 9 nights or less