1985rz1

Don't be so defensive. I'm not disagreeing with you.

Here's a list of countries that have a 6-month passport rule. It also has a list of those with a 3-month passport rule, and a table of those with other rules. https://visaguide.world/tips/passport-6-month-rule/

Here's a quote from the International Transportation Association: Passport, Travel Visa and National ID Card Proper identification is the foundation of international travel. As a result, you should ensure to always have an official identification document with you. You can even consider having multiple documents such as your passport, national ID card or driver’s licence. If you don’t feel comfortable bringing several documents, you can consider bringing copies. These can be especially useful if you lose your passport and must take steps to prove your citizenship at your country’s ambassy or consulate. When traveling abroad, it is also essential to have a valid passport. Many travelers don’t realize that most countries apply rules in regard to the passport expiration date. For most countries, visitors must have a valid passport for six-months after they plan to arrive at their destination, however this period can vary. Either way, if you are planning a trip abroad, always make sure to check the passport validity requirements and the expiry date of your passport. This will help avoid unfortunate issues at the airport or at immigration at your destination country. The full citation is: https://www.iata.org/en/publications/newsletters/iata-knowledge-hub/the-most-important-travel-documents-for-your-trip/

It may not have been their choice. If they couldn't get Sea Bass at the the resupply port, they do what they have to. O knows the "fame" of this dish, and wouldn't purposely change it without a strong reason.

Yes. It's all situational.

Yes, taking advantage of the OLife YWC does reduce the overall savings, and the OEs and OSs are part of the 25%. Usually we find enough "included" ones for the OLife benefit and then add other that we want. The net gain is small, and with SM in the future I won't worry about it. However, in the question of moving current bookings to SM, I don't see any advantage for us the give up even a small net gain for those cruises if there are no other benefits I want.

Yes.

I don't know exactly what liability problems you are thinking of, but you do know that in the US, when booking through most reputable cruise specialists, you are actually booking with the line and your payments go directly to the line, not to an agent who then pays the line with the agency funds, and the invoice is the cruise line's invoice, right? There may be exceptions if you are booking a cruise as part of a travel agency's tour package, but otherwise the contract is with the cruise line. And then there are disreputable agents....

Thank you for posting this list. We're on the Polaris later, so we will look for the announcement on our MVJ in a couple of weeks.

Yes, it's a mixed bag, and it is important to do the math as you have done. But be careful in using the maximum shore excursion value in the comparison, as it's rare to actually reach that value. Our experience is a factor of 1.6 to 1.7 is more in tune with what is actually doable. This doesn't change your assessment as the excursion comparison still shows a loss, just not quite as bad.

@TFree Remember to add the 20% gratuity to the drink prices listed by @LHT28.

It appears the SimplyMore excursion package is equivalent to the old YWC package: when when you book a specified number you get a 25% discount. The number of cruises needed depend on the cruise and in the past some cruises didn't have that option.

O's definition of "cruise only" is SimplyMore without air. Guess we have to get used to it.

I think it was a play on words...a still as in distilling.

The point I was trying to make is that one needs to compare existing bookings with the SM equivalents and see if higher SM pricing is a better deal for those who would add one or more of the included amenities that one would purchase anyway to the OLife pricing. The price increases seen are all over the board depending on itinerary and stateroom category, so there is no general rule. In our case, the price increase over our booked OLife was minimal and less than the cost of a second WiFi connection which we would want, so switching to SM makes sense for us, even though we would not be interested in the beverage package. The fact that under OLife both packages are over priced was irrelevant in making our decision, since the pricing is what it is. There is a loss when comparing the excursion pricing, but in our case, the SM excursion SBC was increased over our OLife allowance, so the loss was really quite minimal, and since we do use ship tours, the difference did not really come into play. Others in the same situation but would want the beverage package instead or both packages might find SM a better deal. But if someone doesn't want either package and/or use the ship's excursion, it is not. Similarly, if the price increase would have been much larger, then sticking with OLife would have been the better deal. Bottom line: There is no blanket answer to whether to upgrade to SM or not. It totally depends on the pricing differential and personal preference on the inclusions. Folks should do the math. In any event, none of what I've said is meant to be a comment on the SimplyMore promotion now or in the future. It's only a reflection on how we decided to upgrade to SM for our existing OLfe bookings. In the future we will approach cruising as we have always done: compare itineraries, pricing, and amenities across sevetal lines, all of which have seen significant price increases.

Each situation is different, but here's the impact for two cruises I have booked under OLife with the excursion option. Neither are sales cruises, and there are no special incentives included: 1. Norway/Scotland - 18 days: OLife price (with excursions): $14,299 pp SM price: $14,499 pp Price increase: $200 What do we get for the $200 increase: A second WiFi account, valued at $450 The basic drink package, valued at $720 Total benefit for the $200 increase: $1170. What do we lose for the $200 increase: Four OLife included excursions priced at $400; actual value around $600 to $700 replaced with $500 of excursions only SBC. 2.Greece/Turkey - 17 days: OLife price (with excursions): $9,299 pp SM price: $9599 pp Price increase: $300 What do we get for the $300 increase: A second WiFi account, valued at $425 The basic drink package, valued at $680 Total benefit for the $200 increase: $1105. What do we lose for the $300 increase: Four OLife included excursions priced at $500; actual value around $650 to $750 replaced with $700 of excursions only SBC. We're quite neutral on the basic drink package, so even if that is not included, SM is a better deal for us. YMMV

One needs to be careful in assuming that under OLife one always doubles the value of the nominal $100 paid per excursion. While it's true that one can chose excursions up to $199 for each OLife excursion, the reality is not every choice will be at that maximum value. We've found that averaged over all the OLife selections on a given cruise, the actual value is more like $160 to $175 per excursion.

Generically, it means to guarantee the conditions and rules of an older program will be honored in a new program, even if those conditions and rules are different inthe new program.

The great answers above are correct, but just to make sure, any pre-sailing bookings you do that includes your friends, uses their allotted pre-sailing bookings.

I believe that SimplyMore also includes a second WiFi account, which would have cost about $25 per day under the old OLife program, if that is of interest to you.

No. From today on, all cruise sailing after Oct 1 will be booked as SimplyMore whenever you book.

I think my comment was incorrect.😟

Other posters have said that the 20th cruise has no amenities. I'm surprised tour TA didn't know that.

Maybe, maybe not, if you read the reviews on other lines. Viking just did a menu change for it's Italian specialty, Manfredi's, and it ain't good.

Sorry, but it's against CC's rules to post TA information or post emails/telephone numbers for the purpose of providing TA information.