sparks1093

While I've met many Carnival cruisers who feel that Carnival is the best I've never heard one brag about how cruising on Carnival makes them better than someone else. (I have heard a few brag about how much money they've saved, which is of course different.)

All you have to do is observe people and you'll see it for yourself. It is also something that is discussed in numerous textbooks (including textbooks on marketing).

No, it's not, but as I mentioned what we are discussing goes deeper than that. Snobism and snobbery probably better capture the sense of things (although the two concepts are very closely related).

And of course we aren't talking about another person's opinion of a product, but another person's opinion of another person for their choice of product. I have highlighted the key word in your response. I don't care if someone chooses to look down on me for my choices, it says more about them then it does about me, but I don't want to surround myself with such people for a week. That would be a huge turn off. As for you comment about Celebrity costing more, maybe. We just booked a Celebrity cruise for 2025 and when you factor in what is included in Celebrity's fare (drink package, gratuities, wifi) and add those items to the Carnival fare then Celebrity costs less for that particular cruise. Of course, if someone doesn't buy the drink package the math would be different, but one thing that I've found is that rarely is anything "always this" or "always that".

Oh, there are much more than one and that cruiser in particular is a very good example. And I know this from having read a good many of his posts over the years.

The funny thing is if you read that thread that poster is the only one that brings up a cruise line at all. The OP certainly didn't.

Perfect case in point.

Looks good to me!

If it's just a different point of view, sure, the term can be off point. But if someone feels superior to someone else just because of the choices they make then "elitism" does apply. This isn't a matter of "this cruise line is better than that cruise line" or even "my cruise line is better than your cruise line". This is "I am better than you because I cruise on this line and you cruise on that line". Same thing would apply with what neighborhood one lives in, what car one drives, what clothes one wears, etc. etc. etc. I also have a Celebrity cruise booked and while I'm not overly concerned with it I can say that if I sense too much of it then it will likely turn me off of the cruise line, even if everything else is perfect. (Although it wouldn't necessarily keep me from cruising with them again.) (ETA after reading some definitions, "snobbism" might be the more accurate descriptor."

Thanks for the update!

Maybe because we're realists who know that this is how long it can take. It says that it can "take up to 45 days", not that it will take 45 days. Sort of like "allow up to 4 to 6 weeks for shipping". It might take that long, it might not. Companies always give themselves plenty of time. In any event none of us have any idea of what sort of staffing is available to handle this type of thing or how many requests (of all types) that they have to process.

I don't think anyone has said a refund isn't deserved.

In these post-COVID days they may have to wait longer, since it seems like a lot of things are taking longer these days.

If he listed a card that he's an authorized user on then that is the card that will be charged for him and his wife.

The question was why an immediate refund. You'll get the refund it will just take time. You booked and paid before the trip so the ship can't refund anything and shore operations has a backlog. You just need to be patient.

No, they are also good for sea ports of entry when returning from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean which means they are good for certain cruises as well.

Yes, a passport card may be used for open jaw sailings like the one that you took, but that doesn't mean they are the same as passports. I was simply pointing out that they aren't mentioned by the tour operator, but they should work because they are allowed for that type of travel.

In theory yes, the passport card and EDL should work but the website for the tour operator specifies passport.

It's always good to know what alternatives are available.

For some reason people have it in their head that the REAL ID compliant licenses are sufficient to prove both citizenship and identity, very likely because they had to produce their birth certificate to obtain it. Short of each cruise line emphasizing this in their FAQ I don't know what can be done (and of course even if it is in the FAQ that doesn't mean that folks will read it, but at least an attempt to educate was made). I wouldn't want to be in your shoes, that's for sure.

Hmmm, I recall a ship having to disembark everyone in a Caribbean port (I believe St Maarten, but it's been a while) due to mechanical issues. Everyone flew home, even those without passports. CBP issued them a letter authorizing them to fly without a passport. The regulations that give us the closed loop exception gives the authorities the ability to waive the passport requirement for emergencies and for humanitarian reasons.

As I understand it most of the arranging is done by the authorities other than actually booking the flight. And this presupposes that one is leaving the cruise at the (typically) one port stop in Canada. Leave the ship in Alaska and you just get on a plane (there might be an issue with a PVSA violation, but under the right circumstances that fine may be waived). A closed loop cruise to Alaska has far less risk than a typical closed loop cruise to the Caribbean.

If she has a client list, or a place where she can make announcements, I would suggest that she lets everyone know that this cruise is booked and she will fulfill orders ahead of time if the client so chooses. I am pretty sure that is what my DW would do (and does do, with her daycare since she lets the families know when she'll be closed for trips or whatever in ample time for them to obtain coverage).

First you want all 50 states to have drivers licenses that are the same, but countries should just have whatever design suits them? REAL ID is an attempt to make licenses the same in the ways that matter and states (and their citizens) can chose to have a non-compliant license, which only limits one's ability to enter federal jurisdiction. We need passport books to hold stamps and visas, among other things. Granted the day may come with electronics that this can be done in a system of record (and no doubt is in some countries) but until that day comes we're stuck with books.

That's good to know since we want to do a B2B eventually. As for skirting the rules I have heard of people doing what the previous poster suggested on a single sailing, so the method is not unheard of (and since it is allowed on a B2B they could have just gone through security together instead of separating.)