hal2008

1.  Legal liability and paying off some money to make matter go away are two different things.

2.  Bahamas and Jamaica have higher crime rates than other places.  But such incidents happen in USA EVERY DAY (just look at the statistics reported by the most major universities and they report only what happens within the boundaries of their campus - a block away and they do not have to report it. Actual such cases on most US universities are guessed to be 20 times what they are required to  report)

3. Whenever something happens related to cruise lines, media and public go crazy (norovirus, covid, crime, suicide, etc.)

Here is ourstrategy that we have used with AU/NZ (it may or may not work with others)

we ALWAYS go through RED channel (or attempt to)

At least 3 or 4 people will ask you at every 5-6 feet distance what do you want to declare.

I tell them that we have always heard horror stories about strict Australian customs and we do not want to be in any trouble. Here is the written list of medicines that we are bringing (brand name along with generic name) and here is the written list of food items we carry (power bars, trail mix, cookies, brownies). Please take away anything that is prohibited.

Some smirk, some laugh, some show irritated face but all waive us through. Never ever inspect anything.

Please be considerate to the locals and not use public transport especially at the peak time.

Cities are aware that some folks while paying thousands for the cruise and ridiculous amount for each alcoholic drink on board like to cheapen out when it comes to port to city transfers and hence they try to arrange for more buses during peak hours on cruise days but there is so much they can do.

Local businesses who profit from the cruise industry love cruise ships visit. But for a big majority who are not directly or semi-directly benefitting from cruise ships, hate difficulties created to them by the cruise line pax.  

Christchurch is significantly better than Dunedin in that regard.

Every year there is an organized few times a year against cruise ships visits.

On 1/8/2024 at 6:12 PM, mr walker said:

We were on Ovation in February. There were shuttles from the port to downtown Dunedin. I think it was US$25 or so return. Can't be sure as we spent the day in Port Chalmers this time.

USD 20 return on Ovation this season in Dunedin

USD10 in Christchurch

On 1/4/2024 at 11:16 PM, colourbird said:

 

, but for some reason Celebrity organised free shuttle buses from the ship. 

from ship to the entrance of the port, you are not allowed to walk

shuttles use is mandatory (whether provide by city or port or ship, it should be and usually is free)

shuttle all the way to Christchurch depends on how much money cruise line wants to make off you or subsidize for you

Some upscale cruise line who have already lighted your pockets at the beginning may provide not only bus but the entire excursion for free

Others charge varying amounts

it gets confusing because AZ, US, CND, and NZ all name their currency Dollar and use $ symbol

but since each currency has different value, what gets quoted here is confusing

20 USD, 25 CDN, 30 AUD, 35 NZD are more or less same number of bitcoins at any given minute right now in Jan 2024

Lesson Learned:  Specify currency along with amount ($ is ambiguous)

1 hour ago, KKB said:

I much prefer Lyft...

Thats good to know.

But here on Australia/New Zeland forum, folks usually care about companies that operate here.

On 12/30/2023 at 5:25 AM, Gwendy said:

I was standing in the aisle at KMart,

Do K Mart still exist?

which port exactly?

At Picton, they have stopped renting vehicle to cruise pax (you must keep it overnight)

They claim pressure from local tourism related businesses.

However, it seems rental car companies were not getting left with enough cars for land tourists who are not allowed to bring rental cars on ferry across the cook strait on cruise in port days and those folks rents for many days/weeks compared to several hours by cruisers.

Wellington, Christchurch  you dont need to rental cars as buses provided by cruise or port or local transport is quite enough.

1 minute ago, schultz572 said:

Many of these travelers in my group have not travelled outside the USA. Sounds odd to us on these message boards but many people have not left the United States. I agree obtaining a passport is easy but helping and hoping 12-15 people submit proper documents and receive their passports before mid March is what I’m referring to as “frustration”. 

Understand.

You need to do what is easiest for you, of course 

But "proper documents" you need for passport (extremely simple and easy process) are no different than what you will need at port for most people (namely, appropriate version of tne birth certificate )

4 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

 

A cruise is a pretty straight-forward method of travel.  Unless you're getting some financial benefit from using a travel agent -- like, maybe a free room for yourself for doing the organizing? -- I don't see any reason to go with a travel agent. 

Having said that, I'd put together all the details for the 25 people, type if out and give it to them -- and then let them make their own reservations.  

 

When you type up the details, explain the pros and cons of cruising with a passport vs. cruising with a birth certificate.  Facts, not opinions.  Let each individual make his or her own choice.  

Possible, but highly unlikely.  

 

Actually an adult not having a passport would mean the person hasn't traveled outside the USA in the last ten years.  That's most people.  

Interesting.

Guess we hang in different demographics.

Hard pressed to think about any relative/friend/neighbour/coworker who has not traveled outside USA in ten years. 

Over the years have used many different cabins in different ships on different lines 

Channel on TV certainly is different than VB both in terms of usefulness and effects 

Our VB had only one camera view (did not change like TV channel) and cudnt handle darkness well (snowflakes on screen).   

Still, it was worth the 12 USD per person we paid extra for the entire cruise. It was useful when nearing port (gave better viewpoint than TV channel)

Having said that, wish they wud give option to select what view you wanted (front, aft, port, starboard)

On 12/21/2022 at 9:54 PM, Merion_Mom said:

 

Y'know, I understand several languages..................but this isn't one of them.  🤣

No problem.

Here it is:

Press and hold control button (it is the one with label CTRL) and then simultaneously also press F5 key.  

Hope above helps. 

16 hours ago, Kbonner said:

TAs only sail to Europe.

There is no European country that mandates a test/test result for entering the relevant country.

This is all RCCL selfmade obstruction 

A quite sensible one 

Cruise ship is unusually crowded (in terms of Covid spread) area.  In most 7 days ones, acquired infectee become infectious after  disembarkation 

Last summer, RCL(and other cruise lines) acquired enough data about TA cruise vs local 7 nighters (both in US and Europe markets) to make them continue asking for this.

However, this may change too as consequences (if not probability) of this infection continue to abate.

TLDR-:

Very sensible policy on part of cruise line especially in absence of government mandate.  But hopefully, it will go away by summer. At least hope so. 

On 5/28/2022 at 8:58 AM, deliver42 said:

It's already been established that is was pilot error, not the captain's. Very minor damage to the ship, and they are already working on the  dock.

But confused.

Isn't Falmouth is one of the few ports where there is no pilot?

Captain Cedric on Odyssey said so in his captain corner 

5 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

Global entry doesn't indicate citizenship.  It isn't limited to US citizens.  The birth certificate exception is limited to US born citizens going on a closed loop cruise.

If a US naturalized citizen forgot their US passport, their foreign birth certificate wouldn't help them getting on the closed loop cruise.  A copy of their naturalization certificate (if they were carrying it) would be accepted.

 

 

Surprised that they accepted photo of bc.  They should not have.  Very easy to create a photo.

Also wonder why WHTI compliant Global entry of US citizen  is still not accepted?  It has lot more information than US passport 

First case left me really surprised 

Second case may be just case bureaucracy not catching up to it as such things happen so rarely 

Howany times a person will have GBE card on them (as it is not required to be in your possession) but not passport (which is required at checkin for any international trip except close end loop)

1. This happens lot more frequently than most people realize 

2. It is not totally random but based on certain red flags that manual observation or computer program generates.

 3. Some cases defies common sense but legal when going strictly by book (case of Delta lady saving apple given by airline to eat during layover).  Having said that, unfortunately skin color, ethnicity, name  also do play a role (more on air arrival compared to cruise)

3 hours ago, schultz572 said:

Hi there,

 

I am beginning to plan a 3 day weekend cruise departing Fort Lauderdale Florida and returning the nights later to For Lauderdale. The stops include Royal Caribbean's Private island, Cococay, and Nassau Bahamas. I am wanting to take about 25 people with, about half of them do not have a passport, is it worth the frustrations to acquire a passport book for those that don't have one? I am looking to go last week of March 2023 so I would need to urgently get this done, if I chose not to what documents are necessary to board without a passport?

 

Also, do you think it would be beneficial to use a travel agent? In the past I have dealt with all my own bookings and have had no issues. I appreciate any advice!

1. In this case a competent experienced travel agent will be helpful.  An incompetent one will increase your work 

2.  "Frustration to acquire passport" - are you kidding?

US has one of the smoothest process to get a passport compared to many other countries and it is a great excuse to acquire a very useful identification.

If any of this person gets sick or injured  in Nassau and require hospitalization and has to fly back later, passport will avoid any hassles related to that aspect.  

Grown adults not having passport means they have never traveled outside USA ever!! 

BTW, the fireboat transfer at Miami buoy.

was that a crew or pax?

who pays for the high cost of almost 20 hours of top speed sailing in case of pax?

Travel insurance will pay for it?

On 12/14/2022 at 9:33 PM, smokeybandit said:

4 sea days just to go to Coco Cay? Pass.

Its Harmony

Some RCL itineraries are meant for sea days on these maga ships. And labadee or coco cay beats same old Cozumel any day.

1 minute ago, SusieAV8R said:

 

 

 

Shares are tracked electronically for shareholder  voting purposes.  Might want to be careful about selling the 100 shares one owns prior to cruising and still expect to find the OBCs on one's account when one cruises.  Very simple for X to delete from the account when shares sold and where's one's defense??

You are right. It is best to honor T&C.

But in USA, shares registry doesnt work that way. Most shares are held in street name.

2 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

The one advantage to the pay version on a sea day is they hang you out over the side of the ship.  It’s kind of a cool view

 

Pay version (called extended experience) also available on port days once the ship is at ocean.

Did both versions.

Free version is ho-hum. It is just like going up a 10 story building (100 ft from top of deck, 300 ft from water line)

Paid version is worth 19 usd IMHO.

Just now, mets123 said:

I agree, I haven't been to 90% of the world. Have you????????

You do not need to travel to 90% of the world to know how "market" like this operate in 90% of the world!!

Look, no one is forcing you to such "markets". You can stick to made in china selling "stores".

But do not scare people away from these shops as it may be their only chance to come remotely close to such "market" experience. 

On 12/2/2022 at 9:32 PM, Wineaux007 said:

Seeing that I'm approved for two sailings in 2024, I guess I could sell my shares now if I'm so inclined?

You might get away with it.

But as per T&C, you need to own at least 100 shares per cabin owner.

1 minute ago, mets123 said:

You're entitled to your opinion. And I am too. But I didn't mention American advertising, you did. But you did agree they are aggressive. And yes, they have tried to block me in at times.

Asking you to give him an opportunity to repeat his sales pitch umpteeth time is irritating but totally in your control.

There is no way a haitian local in that particular marketplace with so many plain cloth security guys observing can ever block a cruise pax.  Consequences for him from both those security guys and fellow vendors will be too severe.

Unless your definition of "blocking" is different, it is impossible that it happened in that particular marketplace to ANY cruise pax. Apparently, you do not have much experience on how a "market" operates in 90% of the world. You need to stick to "stores" selling made in china stuff.

Quest was back on Odyssey

Same old raunchy stuff.

But seasoned cruisers seem to enjoy it.