stromer

I just booked a cat BB  balcony on deck 5 and noticed the general categories of classes vs deck and it appears that deck 8 has lower categories than lower decks for the same general location.  For example:

Deck 7 has cat BA near the middle - Deck 8 for the same location has cat BB a lower price 

Decks 5, 6, 7 aft have cat BD  - Deck 8 aft for the same location has cat BE at a lower price 

Does anyone know why deck 8 have generally lower categories of cabins than lower decks. Generally higher decks have higher categories and costs than lower decks.  Is it because of noise of the open deck 9 or overhang of deck 9 or what.

There are openings on deck 8 for my cruise that I can transfer to at lower cost but do not want to if there is a problem.

Thanks for any advice on this, Rick

A cheaper cost is 1 device vs 4 devices which I do not use.  Does anyone know if 1 device includes your original tablet/phone or computer and the internet cafe computer so you can print boarding passes and other items.  

You were on a cruise a year ago.  We were on a similar cruise in June 2022 and the rules you stated were no longer in effect.  This cruise did not end in Canada but Boston.  All who had Covid just got off the ship and went home by flight or however means they had planned. 

Per my original post regarding having to call my TA to ask for my quarantine refund,  I got an email back from them with my refund amount.  I could not calculate what it was based on because I have had several upgrades from the original cruise booked for 2020 and 2021 which were both cancelled plus I had Celebrity air booked.  Thus the calculation was complex but it was based on 2 people being quarantined for the full 10 days plus other unknown amounts but the amount was higher than I thought.  The TA said X would send my refund within 45 days.

I called Celebrity today and they said I have to call my Travel Agent to get the Quarantine refund even though the letter X gave me said they would send out the refund in 7 - 14 days.  What a waste of time  -  I could have called my TA on day 2 and got the process going.  All they would have had to do is put in the letter to contact your TA to get the refund process going.  Maybe this method allows X to keep your money longer.

My wife and I were quarantined on a recent Celebrity cruise for 5 days because of Covid and was told we would get a prorated cruise refund in 7 to 14 days after our cruise ended which was Aug 31.  It has now been 18 days with nothing received yet.  What has been the experience of others in the same situation?  How long did it take to get your refund?

Thank, Rick

My and my wife self reported minor cold symptoms to medical and both tested Covid positive 6 days before the end of the cruise.  We have quarantined for 4 days and will get our 5 day test tomorrow on 8-30-22.  If we test negative all will be ok and we can leave the ship with no problems.  If we test positive, Celebrity says we can still leave the ship since they say the CDC says a 5 day quarantine with no symptoms (which we have) is still OK to travel on airlines in the US. 

Has anyone encountered this situation before and do you think Celebrity owes passengers who get Covid on their ship anything such as a covid quarantine hotel and transportation to it if they have symptoms.  Thus if we all of a sudden come down with some severe symptoms we don't feel it is right to fly home on 8-31. Should Celebrity help us with anything?  Airlines no longer require preflight Covid testing but we are not going to get on a plane with severe and obvious Covid symptoms.

Any links to protocols or regulations would be appreciated.

The main question I have is we test positive after we get off the ship how do you find a hotel for 10 days?  Do the authorities in Canada he,p us with that or do we have to search for a hotel using a service  such as Expedia, etc.  I have trip medical insurance that will pay for a good amount, but how do I find a last minute hotel?

Rick

How do I edit my original post topic to say Covid test.

 I need to schedule my departing covid test when I get off my Royal Princess cruise in Vancouver in late June and need to know when is the latest I can get off and how long is the line for customs and immigration?  Anyone who has recently done this I would appreciate any advice.  I know every cruise is different but approximate times would be appreciated

Thanks

I need to schedule my departing covid test when I get off my Princess cruise in Vancouver and need to know when is the latest I can get off and how long is the line for customs and immigration?  Anyone who has recently done this I would appreciate any advice.

Thanks

I will be on a Windstar cruise stopping in Portland, Oregon in May and need to know where the ship would dock.  There is no information when searching the internet and Winstar doesn't know per a phone call and so far has not got back to me about the exact location via a email request.  The location may or may not be different from where river boats dock

If any one has cruised there before or who lives there who has any information, it would be appreciated.

Rick

After talking to Windstar again, they said the Star Pride refurbishment was behind schedule so they had to realign the cruises for this along with the Legend, but this does not fully explain why there are no cruises scheduled for the Pride from May 15 to June 9 and the Legend for almost all of May.  

We were just notified that our Star Legend Europe - France cruise booked for May 18, 2022 was just cancelled along with a few others.  The reason they gave was Covid concerns and ship realignment.  They offered us 500 obc if we rebook another cruise departing before June 30 and 200 obc for those after June 30 if we leave the money with them.  Of course they also offered a full refund.  The strange thing is that several Star Legend cruises are not even being offered anymore and most of the earlier Mediterranean cruises were not affected.  The Star Pride and Legend has switched some of their trips.  It is strange that this happened since Europe seems to be reopening to Covid with less restrictions.  I got this info by email and I had to call to get additional explanations in which they could not explain why the cruises were cancelled.  Has anyone else had this happen to them recently where the cruise is more than several months away.

Rick

The cruise was great. We were the last to get on the boat at about 3:30 pm and got tested and had to go to our room for about 2 hours until the results were negative.  I did not hear anyone who tested positive at the pier.  Several employees in the spa tested positive a few days in and they had to close the entire spa for 5 days when employees were quarantined for 5 days.  Several other crew members tested positive but there was no effect on the cruise or itinerary.  We all got tested about 5 days in with no postitives.  The weather was rough the first 2 days with a little rain but got great the last 6 days.  We hit the tail end of the typhoon/cyclone on the first part of the cruise. 

The shows were good for what they were-just the house band doing tributes to the Beatles or Disco, etc. Per other posts we were not happy with the limited times of food compared to other cruise lines, but liked the food a lot.

Rick

The Star Grill was open for lunch 12:30 to 2:30 or 3:00 pm (varies) and burgers from 3-4 pm and reopened a few days as the Cuadro 44 specialty restaurant under the stars from 7-9 pm.  

Note: Veranda/Candles was open most nights from 7-9 pm with the Chadron 44 open sometimes with all restaurants closed during the special BBQ on the Bora Bora motu.   

Rick

Thank you for all the replies.  The current Covid requirements mean that the servers give you the pre main course food like they do in breakfast and lunch.  No one ever touches the food.  Veranda/Candles could remain the same but start earlier and make it a non specialty restaurant with no reservations like Regent does in the La Veranda/Sette Mari does and Oceania does in the Terrace grill.

The boat was about half full with about 160 passangers.

I just got off the Star Breeze and they had 2 special events in Tahiti for lunch and dinner on a motu.  Does Windstar have similar events at a special port on all their cruises or just Tahiti?

Rick

We just got off the Star Breeze and loved it except for the late dinner starting times - 7pm and no dinner buffet.  I have sailed most of the main line cruise lines and they all have dinner buffet and start dinner as early as 5:30 pm.  Even luxury lines I have been on - Regent and Oceania have a modified dinner buffet where you can get appetizers,  etc first and order the main course from a menu or grill and finish in 30 to 45 min or so vs almost 2 hours in the main no reservation restaurant.  I bet they do this because they don't think luxury cruise passengers want a buffet dinner.  Also the ship is small and they might want to have a specialty restaurant where the lunch buffet is for dinner.  However, this is contradicted by the above 2 lines that do this modified dinner buffet.

Also, they could make the dinner menu high quality like the others do.  Room service is not an option because the quality menu starts also at 7 pm.

So, does anyone have any opinions on why Windstar does this or is it a waste of time to discuss because no one cares.  My wife wants to eat earlier and not sit around eating bread for hours waiting to be served.

Rick 

Please talk me into taking my Tahiti cruise on Jan 16 on the Windstar Star Breeze and not cancel.  My wife thinks there is too much risk with Covid spreading so rapidly.  She saw the CDC information that says 80 to 90 ships or so are under investigation.  It is not clear what that means.  She thinks that means most cruise ships have Covid breakouts and thus it would be very dangerous to go on a cruise now.  It must mean something else since most lines are not canceling their cruises.
Also is there any data on how many people have got Covid on all of the cruises in Tahiti since the cruises started up recently?  I think it is less than 10.

Is there any information on the percentage of people who test positive on a cruise ship vs on land in the USA - varies per state.
Any advice or information would be appreciated.

Thanks, Rick

I will be on the Windstar Star Breeze and have a tour scheduled to the Fakarava Blue Lagoon with ATO Lissant that lasts 7 hours where the trip to the Blue Lagoon takes 45 minutes.  It looks like the distance from the cruise anchor point is only about 5 or 6 miles away.  To USNA 72 and the original poster:

1. Have you seen where the ships anchor in Fakarava-is it inside the Lagoon or outside and is it near Rotova?

2. Why does it take so long to go 5 or 6 miles - maybe because the ships anchor outside the lagoon?

3. What is there to do for 7 hours  - this tour includes lunch. Are there numerous stops going there and returning?

4, Is there a shorter tour- can't find any.  

5. Did Tahitianbigkahun use the PG excursion or an independent one like ATO and how long was the excursion?

6. On the picture you posted, is the Blue Lagoon the large water area just below the peninsula to the right and what is the little bay just to the left of center? 

7. Is the Green Lagoon picture shown above located at the Fakarava Blue Lagoon?

Thanks for your advice on this, Rick

First I would like to thank you for all your excellent advice on Tahiti..

I will be taking my first cruise to Tahiti which includes Fakarava and Rangiroa which both have lagoons as follows in which could you explain any differences and clarify the name confusion:

Fakarava has a lagoon called Blue Lagoon and or Coral Garden which is near Garuae pass located on the north end of the atoll.  Are these the same and is your video of this location?

Rangiroa also has a lagoon called Blue Lagoon and or Green Lagoon located on the west end of the atoll.  Once again, are these the same and since your above description says Fakarava I guess your video is not this Lagon?  

Are these 2 locations comparable and which one would be preferable as I do not want to go to both.  Also on Rangiroa there is drift snorkling at the Tiputa pass and swimming at the aquarium.  If I want to do this I cannot go to the lagoon here.  Any advice on the above would be appreciated.

Rick

I am trying to plan excursions in Tahaa to the Coral Gardens and need to know where my ship (Windstar Star Breeze) is actually docked or anchored since I do not know where my ships dock location is.  Windstar says it is near Baie Faha which is near Motu Mahaea.  They say they tender between these 2 locations.  I cannot find these locations on the map and Windstar cannot tell me so does anyone know where that is on the map.  I have a map of Tahaa - if you know where this location is could you point it out in relation to items on the map or in relation to clock locations on the map where 12:00 is at the top or Patio and 6:00 is at the bottom or Poutoru and 8:00 is at Tiva and the resort near the Coral Garden is about 9:30 on the atoll.. I am trying to coordinate this excursion with Winstar activities on the Motu Mahaea.  Also does this Motu have snorkling/reef, etc.

Thanks, Rick

I am trying to plan excursions in Tahaa to the Coral Gardens and need to know where my ship (Windstar Star Breeze) is actually docked or anchored since I do not know where my ships dock location is.  Windstar says it is near Baie Faha which is near Motu Mahaea.  They say they tender between these 2 locations.  I cannot find these locations on the map and Windstar cannot tell me so does anyone know where that is on the map.  I have a map of Tahaa - if you know where this location is could you point it out in relation to items on the map or in relation to clock locations on the map where 12:00 is at the top or Patio and 6:00 is at the bottom or Poutoru and 8:00 is at Tiva and the resort near the Coral Garden is about 9:30 on the atoll.. I am trying to coordinate this excursion with Winstar activities on the Motu Mahaea.  Also does this Motu have snorkling/reef, etc.

Thanks, Rick

I am trying to plan excursions in Tahaa to the Coral Gardens and need to know where my ship (Windstar Star Breeze) is actually docked or anchored since I do not know where my ships dock location is.  Windstar says it is near Baie Faha which is near Motu Mahaea.  They say they tender between these 2 locations.  I cannot find these locations on the map and Windstar cannot tell me so does anyone know where that is on the map.  I have a map of Tahaa - if you know where this location is could you point it out in relation to items on the map or in relation to clock locations on the map where 12:00 is at the top or Patio and 6:00 is at the bottom or Poutoru and 8:00 is at Tiva and the resort near the Coral Garden is about 9:30 on the atoll.. I am trying to coordinate this excursion with Winstar activities on the Motu Mahaea.  Also does this Motu have snorkling/reef, etc.

Thanks, Rick