LBCABob
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Posts posted by LBCABob
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So, janetmancity, did you keep your booking of #9089 on Jade? If so, what's your verdict? Was it as quiet as you hoped or something else?
Of course, responses from anyone with first-hand knowledge of this cabin are welcome.
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Does anyone know if the OBC from a promo also gets "held" by the 24-hour booking process? Specifically, I held a cabin Wed, 06/17/2015, (the last day of the WOW promo) and got $200 obc. IF I pay the deposit before the Hold dies, in addition to the fare+discount, does the OBC survive as well? Do not see any mention of the OBC in the held booking today but do not remember if it was there yesterday when booking was made. Maybe RCCL OBC just does not appear in Hold webpage details ever?
In a related question, does such a RCCL-provided OBC stick with the booking IF you transfer it to a TA?
I would understand if the "fine print" in the promo denies getting the OBC if the deposit is made after the promo ends and certainly if the booking is transferred to a TA.
Anyone have any experience with this/these situation(s)? Thanks!
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Thanks for taking the time to reply but not quite the info I was looking for. I had no problem locating this specific cruise at the NCL site. My question relates to how you came across this sailing in the first place. Just shopping around for Med cruises and saw the price? Knew Epic was one of few ships with solo Studio cabins and searched for same? On some NCL email list specific to solo cruisers?
I suspect there is no "magic bullet" website where you can find all the solo cruise prices in one convenient location. If there was, then it would have been mentioned here long, long ago, I'm sure.
Again, thanks for taking the time to reply to my question.
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Couldn't resist the 21 day Norwegian Epic sailing 11/27/16. $1500 total in a studio. Great itinerary....
Do you mind telling how you came across this price/itinerary? At NCL's site? Elsewhere? I looked at the only place I know of that specifically lists "Singles Discounts" (the one with vacations and togo in its name) and this cruise is not shown. Google not much help either (at least, to me).
I am at the point in my travels where I have cruised to the parts of the world in which I have an interest and, being a senior solo with a limited budget, now look for great prices going places I would not have otherwise considered.
For example, HAL had some amazing deals (in my opinion) on their Feb 2015 Rotterdam 33/49 day cruises between Singapore & London (no solo charge, $61-72/night). So, now I am keeping an eye on this ship for their 2016 sailings in case history repeats itself.
Any other ways to find good deals (besides this thread)?
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Any thoughts as to whether local (i.e. Colon or Panama City based) tour operators will be able to offer full/partial transit tours using the new lock(s)? I can see the Canal Authority reserving the new locks for only the ships that must use them but I wonder just how busy they will be come 1 April 2016 with Post-Panamax ships? Probably too early to say.
Other than the new Observation Center (http://www.canalmuseum.com/canalphotos/new-visitors-center.htm) at Colon, I am looking into what other options a tourist may have in regard to the new locks.
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We are going to try and get on early. Our plans are 'spa sign-up', walk around and lunch.
Feel free to knock on the door, 6125.
Stu and Jim
PS. We'll put it in the fridge to keep it cool. (I think there's a fridge).
Thanks! Will do! BTW, I upgraded to #7178.
Last check of CC before turning off the PC, zipping up the backpack and heading for the airport. Will be at JFK late this afternoon. Weather for NYC looks great! Will be strolling the High Line Park tomorrow.
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When's your actual birthday?
12/3 and 12/19 for my friend Richard. The Celebrity promo covered 60 days before & after your cruise.
Enjoy your Sky Suite!
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Neither my bff or I drink. I'm happy to give away any bottle that may be in our room upon arrival. I'm thinking anyone with a birthday close is worthy!
Let me know.
Kasius (Stu)
Just got off the phone with Celebrity and learned they have stopped giving Birthday Boys (and Girls) the $50 OBC they once did since the promo had so many restrictions it pissed off more passengers than it pleased. Since my birthday is coming up (sooner than I care to think about) and as I am on both cruises (solo on 1st and with a friend of 2nd), I was hoping for a double gift (yea, right, like that was gonna happen :rolleyes:) My friend's birthday is a few days later than mine so would have been great if we both could have scored the extra funds to spend on board.
So, if you find yourself with leftover vino, let me know and I can "dispose" of it for you! I am in #8179.
See you just 1 week from tomorrow!
Bob
Long Beach CA
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Does anyone know of the schedule of events for the "bear" activities. I'm wondering if they'll be a 'dress up' night or something. To bring heels or not? LOL
Dan (the organizing TA) has posted his schedule of events on http://www.bearcruise.com - see the left-most column for the 2 links. There is no mention of specific formal nights beyond the 1 or 2 per cruise that Celebrity normally has. For me, I am on vacation and they are lucky I am wearing shoes much less a coat & tie!:D
On the 2nd cruise, there is a Halloween-themed event but the 1st cruise has a T-Dance on 10/20 with a "Turn Back Time" theme (70's-80's-90's). Do you have space in your luggage to pack your powder blue leisure suit? :eek:
See Ya on Board!
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Yes Oceankaj is the one, the bus stop is called UNICEF.
You can buy your 3 zone ticket at the airport for 36 kroner and its valid for the whole trip.
But drop the metro.
Take any Øresund train towards Nivå or Helsingør and get off at Østerport station.
The cruise shuttle goes from the bus stop that says "26 Holdeplads"
The above was my plan for Saturday 23 August Costa Luminosa sailing, but now see rain in the forecast and prefer not to walk with luggage in the rain from the bus stop to the terminal building (never been to Copenhagen before so uncertain of exact distances, covered walkways, sidewalks, etc.). Just substitute a taxi for Bus 26?
The Costa website says to change trains and go to Nordhavn and take taxi from there. Wonder if savings in taxi fare (for 2 pax) from Nordhavn instead of Osterport warrants a train connection. Your thoughts?
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From a website search and later from a story on the local (Los Angeles) news where other airlines are complaining about the competition, I found Norwegian offers the lowest one-way fares around for trans-Atlantic travel. They only fly on certain days of the week from certain airports so you must be flexible in your travel dates. Prices are a la carte - you pay extra for the things you want/need (meals, checked bags, assigned seat, etc.). [Many people hate this approach but I like it because I only pay for the services I need.] As with most airlines, their prices go up (and down) for a specific flight over the weeks before travel. Have not flown with them yet (already had my Air New Zealand ticket for next month) but certainly will be an airline I check for my next trip. Hope this helps.....
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Got email for TA Dan about 2015 Bear Cruise out of Barcelona (not interested since recently visited most all the ports) but then noticed he has this group on the Celebrity Summit. All ports on this itinerary will be new to me (although 1 Caribbean island tends to look that every other one, :D).
So, I have booked both legs (Celebrity had great deal for California residents on Leg #1) so got balcony for Leg #1 and inside on Leg #2 - each for about the same price! Travelling solo so have to pay the 100% surcharge.
Looking forward to hearing what excursions and events TA Dan will plan (he mentioned something about booking a comedian, catamaran trips but not much else). However, he did say that he is not doing anything in San Juan (other than pre/post cruise hotel). Thus, I am now busy looking into what's available there.
Problem with planning for Sat, Oct 25 (B2B day), is you never know exactly when you will be permitted off the ship. Often can go ashore very soon after arrival since you are an "in transit" passenger but govt rules vary from port to port. Seems safest approach is to do a ship excursion that (theoretically) ends at airport but is available to B2B pax as well.
Almost certain to stay a day or two at the end to see some more of SJ (never been before). Air fares are slightly better on Mon/Tue anyway.
Was on a Chumley Bear Cruise in 2012 with lots of bears (IIRC, 700+). Princess gave us the aft pool+bar area and we had entire 2nd seating of one of the MDR's. Glad they ignored assigned tables and everyone just sat with whomever they wished. Doubt this will be the case with this group as it is much smaller (i.e. ~200? More on 2nd leg?).
Anyone else notice that Celebrity changed our Tortola BVI port to St Thomas? That will make it a duplicate port for those of us on both cruises.
See ya on board!
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Wonder what would happen if you try to use the Chip (instead of swiping) on a USA terminal? Some appear to have the necessary slot beneath the keypad. It probably isn't even active and thus not even recognize that a card has been inserted. Would be fun to try (until it creates a problem for the merchant and disables the whole mechanism).:eek:
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Perhaps. Your account can have as little as $5 in it to qualify for the card so that's not a problem. Do bear in mind, Andrews FCU credit card is not a true chip and pin card no matter what they say, it's chip and signature priority but some have reported in does work in offline pin situations.
You might also look at the Bank of America travel rewards card. Officially, it's chip and signature but online pin verification is a card verification method not primary but secondary. All I can tell you is that on 05 June 2014, when I arrived at CPH airport I used one of the kiosks to buy my 24 hour Copenhagen card and the kiosk asked for a pin, I entered the cash advance pin (an online pin) and voila, the pin was accepted and the ticket issued.
I happen to have both an Andrews FCU credit card and the B of A Travel Rewards card. It took about 3 weeks to get the FCU card (several steps). The one time I tried to use the FCU card in a Lisbon Metro Station ticket kiosk, without thinking I entered my usual ATM PIN & the transaction was, of course, rejected. I had forgotten the Andrews-assigned random PIN (which they previously told me CANNOT be changed since it is part of the Chip). Got my 3E ticket with coins. Laughed at myself for days. Had no need for Chip+PIN card the rest of the trip - the BofA Chip+Sign card was accepted at hotels, restaurants, etc.
Forgot that the BofA card came with a PIN - although the paperwork is quite clear that it is intended for cash-advance-at-ATM transactions. Have you gotten your statement, MATHA531, showing your 5 June transaction? Would be interesting to know if it appears as a purchase or cash advance. Will be at CPH next month and need to purchase a train ticket (plan to use FCU but if BofA works, so much the better).
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Yes, the PINK card reader is the key to getting the lower fare.If you want to avoid Zone 1 journeys, you may need to keep an eye out for the pinky/purpley coloured terminals which you need to touch your Oyster card on to show you did not go through Zone 1.The negative balance thing I think only applies to buses - you get one journey with a negative balance before it blocks you. The Tube does not let you on if you have insufficient credit (it didn't today anyway:().
From what I have found at various websites, the barrier will allow entry provided your Card has sufficient balance to cover the lowest fare possible from the entry station, zone, time of day, cap, etc.
The barrier when leaving a station calculates the exact fare applicable, of course, and updates your Card. From everything I have read, the balance is allowed to go negative (albeit not by much since you are more or less limited by the difference between the lowest fare & highest fare possible at the entry station).
Current plan is to have 2.80 on Card when start from Heathrow (where the lowest non-peak fare is ~1.50) and exit at LST which is a 3.00 fare = negative .20 balance. Travelling on a Saturday afternoon so station may not be very busy (would hate to be trampled by hordes of other passengers behind me trying to exit the station).
Just a little excitement to an otherwise dull trip from Heathrow into London....
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After further checking, I just realized it was from http://www.toptiplondon.com/transport/tickets/oyster-card/oyster-card-refunds.
If you scroll down to the bottom of that page, it gives you an email address for oyster card inquiries. Maybe the original poster can email them and ask the question.
Here is a news article (June 6, 2014) that mentions restrictions on getting your deposit(+) back on an unwanted Oyster Card: Happy Birthday Oyster Card. There is another site which I cannot find at this time that likewise mentions the problem with a refund where a mix cash and credit card top-up's happened.
My current plan is to wait until I get to London next month and check with the Underground Agent to see what the current rules allow. May call the Customer Service line as well. WTH, why not email too before I leave the USA?
May have some fun with the System and travel avoiding Zone 1 (via the London Overground) just because I have never gone that way before and have time to kill anyway. Might be able to test the rules regarding allowing your balance to go negative!
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... Even if you fill out the form and get the cheque in GBP, you can probably just deposit it in your regular bank account and they will convert it to U.S. funds.
It has been years since I tried to deposit a check drawn on a foreign bank in foreign currency, but when I did it my bank (e.g. Chase) was not happy, had to send it "for collection" and there was a fee involved. Maybe, things have changed and is easier now.
Anywho.... when I am in London next month and have some time to kill, I will ask at the Underground Station and see what the then current rules are (maybe the Agent can just tap the card and have the computer indicate the method of refund available?).
Unfortunately, the following week when I am passing through London on my final trip and rushing to catch my train (at Liverpool Street Station), I doubt I will have time to deal with an involved refund process.
Alternate plan would be to top-up my Card with the exact amount needed to make my final Tube trip and thus only be "stuck" with the 5 Pound deposit on the Card. Not the worst thing that's ever happened to me.
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Would a cash refund not work for you in these circumstances?
If you are saying the agent at an Underground Station will refund in GBP then that would work since the amount involved is so small (e.g. just over 5 Pounds). I will be leaving the UK the next day so can surely find something to buy. It's just that everything I have read online refers to issuing the refund to a credit card or mailing you a check (in GBP) or a refund to a UK-bank account.
My original question stands: Does having a mix of top-off methods restrict how a refund can be made?
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There are three ways to get a refund on Oyster cards -
- Take the card to a tube station
- Post the card back to TFL customer services
- Phone TFL customer services
The second two options are probably not viable for non-UK visitors as the refund is made either by cheque (in pounds sterling) or to a UK bank account......
I read online (somewhere) that if you have used cash in addition to a credit card to top-up your Oyster Card, their software does NOT permit refunding the balance (if any) and deposit back to your credit card. Any truth to this? Perhaps they have updated their programming? As a non-UK visitor, a refund to my credit card is the only viable option. Otherwise, my Oyster Card becomes a souvenir of my travels and TFL gets to hold on to my deposit for the foreseeable future.
Anyone know of this restriction???
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"All guests listed on the SetSail Pass must be present to board".
This is a direct quote from RCCL. If your wife is still listed as a passenger on the reservation, her name will still be included on the SetSail Pass.
I wouldn't chance not being allowed to board. Maybe honesty is the best policy. Just sayin'.
Each pax does the online check-in process separately. You have the OPTION of including other(s) when printing the Pass. People who share a cabin do not always arrive at the port at the same time (e.g. different flights).
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I recently booked a B2B2B on the Radiance in the SI category. 2 of the 3 itineraries were priced correctly but the 3rd had the capacity of the SI as 2 pax so when booked as a solo, the priced was doubled by the RCCL website. How I knew this was that I booked at their website to put a hold on the same cabin for all 3 cruises until I could contact my TA the next day.
My TA recognized the error but it took him 3-4 days working with RCCL to correct their database. Eventually, my booking was priced correctly.
Now, if/when prices drop a few weeks before sailing because there are a large number of unsold cabins, I would not be surprised if a standard Inside price falls enough to make it a better choice for a solo than the SI. I am watching this and may learn if RCCL allows a solo in an SI to "upgrade" to a standard Inside when its fare x 200% is less than the SI fare already paid. Of course, on a B2B2B, the question will also be do I want to change cabins for 1-2 cruises for the additional space of the standard Inside.
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IF RCCL says the worst: no refund other than tax and port charges. Could you change or add a new name to the cabin (IIRC, the original main pax name must remain as is) and allow that person to enjoy the 7 day cruise?
Would seem better to have someone utilize the cabin rather than let it go empty (wonder if you actually cancel the booking if RCCL will then try to sell it again and essentially get paid TWICE for the same cabin?).
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The last time I cancelled a cruise it took about a week for my refund to show up on my Credit Card...just curious though...since you were booking a replacement cruise why didn't you just transfer the old booking to the new cruise? When I cancelled my cruise that was the first thing the Rep suggested...
I actually booked the Liberty (to get the available price drop, preferred cabin, etc.) and then cancelled the Independence a few days later. I needed time to investigate changing my flight to Florida (LOS sails May 1, IOS on May 4) as well as the arrangements at the other end (LOS arrives Barcelona, IOS Southampton).
The TA may have suggested just switching the original booking to the new itinerary but I do not recall (even if did, would not have done it for reasons mentioned above).
Will contact CC company just to see if they are sitting on the credit for some reason of their own (interesting to note that the HAL and Carnival credits were on a different CC than the RCCL - so it could well be a CC company issue rather than cruise line).
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Since Search is not available at the moment, decided to post this question as a new thread:
How long (e.g. days) does it take RCCL to issue the refund back to your CC when you cancel a cruise?
I switched my May 2014 TransAtlantic from the Independence to the Liberty (almost identical fare, prefer the Liberty itinerary). Of course, this required a cancellation and new booking (done well before the dreaded Final Payment date). RCCL naturally charged my CC for the new cruise within seconds of booking but, at this writing 3 full weeks later, no refund of the original booking. My TA says it takes a month or more for RCCL to process the refund - which may well be totally correct. (Kinda got the impression the TA did not want to bother following up with RCCL - after all, there's no commission on a cancellation.)
Seems out of line, to me, given that I cancelled bookings with HAL and Carnival at the exact same time with the same travel agent and HAL and Carnival posted their respective refunds to my CC within 3 days.
BTW, RCCL dropped the booking from My Cruises on their website within a day or two of the cancellation request so it is clear they have, indeed, processed the cancellation.
What has been your experience with refunds on a cancelled booking? Your input will be greatly appreciated.
OBC/SBC Restrictions?
in Norwegian Cruise Line
Posted
My not-so-recent experience on another cruise line with the same "cannot be applied to DSC" in the fine print of the promo granting the cruise-line-provided OBC, was that they had not programmed their computer to enforce this rule and it applied the OBC against the DSC after all. Sounds like you, rvsullivan, have first hand experience with NCL and know their computers are indeed processing the OBC per their rules.
Specifically, the NCL agent is encouraging me to book ASAP (which is his job) and said (not in writing) if the fare goes down after Final Payment Date, NCL will give me the difference in OBC or cabin upgrade (IIRC, is/was fairly standard practice on some cruise lines). However, if such OBC is restricted then you are left with using it for (a) onboard store/photo purchases; (b) shore excursions, or © casino (assuming you already are getting the current almost-free beverage package promo).
Is my thinking on this matter correct or have I forgotten something?