Turtles06

I sincerely meant what I said.

I’m curious. How is it “easily prevented” if there are guests who don’t practice basic hygiene? How does a cruise line know, for example, when a guest hasn’t washed their hands after using the bathroom and then proceeds to transmit germs to whatever they touch? And even people who are scrupulous about handwashing can still get noro, especially in the close quarters of something like a cruise ship. You touch the wrong thing at the wrong time … And I’m not sure of the relevance of your reference to a post-covid world. Covid is a respiratory illness, noro is not. I don’t see the connection. If your husband were running a cruise line, what would he “easily do” to prevent a noro outbreak? I’m sorry that your embarkation has been delayed and hope you enjoy your time on Mauritius and your shortened cruise.

@fordgal34 I agree with all of this. If you've ruled out the train, you can't beat parking at the cruise terminal for convenience. At the end of the cruise you'll be on your way home quickly. And if the older folks in your group have vetoed the train, I presume because of the schlep factor, then parking at the port avoids the schlepping involved with the other options you are considering. I know you said you don't want to drive farther than New Jersey, but it's not very difficult to get to the Manhattan cruise terminal from NJ. Or, given the cost of parking at the port, and the concerns of the older folks in your group, maybe bite the bullet and do the private transportation from Philly. (All of this assumes things don't work out with your friend in South Orange and Uber from there, which seems to be your preference.) Good luck!

Precisely. I wish folks would stop posting rumor and speculation from the media (or elsewhere).

Wow, thanks for that interesting factoid. While I always check the rules of countries I’m visiting re bringing in meds, it would never have occurred to me to look for a rule about CPAP machines. I wonder what their concern is.

Old news. The current cruise was supposed to end today, Sunday, Feb. 25, and as reported much earlier in this thread, guests were told it will likely be Tuesday before they disembark, because of testing being done by Mauritius.

You do realize, I hope, that noro is not confined to NCL, or even to cruise ships. It’s an illness that easily spreads in close quarters, including schools and nursing homes. But the media love to go nuts when there’s anything negative to report about a cruise. I’m sorry your cruise wasn’t what you’d hoped it would be.

The linked article does NOT “report” that it’s a cholera outbreak. It says this: ”While on the ground in Mauritius, USA TODAY and a group of journalists scheduled to depart on a press itinerary Sunday, heard the stomach illness was suspected to be cholera.” Let’s not get ahead of things!

I was on the Celebrity Summit not long after she was “revolutionized.” The upgrades included actual handwashing stations at the entrance to the buffet. Almost no one used them. I couldn’t believe it. Even before Covid, I was Lady Macbeth when it comes to handwashing, and I was glad to have more than a Purell spritz at the buffet. Ships with handwashing stations should not allow people into the buffet unless they have washed their hands. It’s not a total solution to the spread of germs, but it would help.

I hope those on board who are ill recover quickly and that everyone else remains healthy. I hope you all are able to get home without major hassles. And for those waiting to board, I hope that adequate accommodations are found for you asap. Some guests on the Dawn are posting on this Reddit site: @mking8288 apologies, I hadn’t seen that you’d posted the above link when I put up this comment

It’s a really long and tiring haul down to Buenos Aires from the U.S. (I’ve done it, and as much as I loved Buenos Aires, it’s not a flight I’d be eager to repeat.) And these particular cruises are not cheap.

I don’t know if this is too late for the OP, but Amtrak is having an incredible sale right now, including some very cheap fares (on the Acela) that aren’t even advertised as part of the sale.

I’m not sure what you’re talking about. Expedition ships anchor off shore and the guests take zodiacs ashore. (photo by turtles06)

I share that hope! 😊

Thanks Paul, I figured that had to be the case, but it’s helpful to have confirmation. Much appreciated. Hope you’re both well. 😊

We'll be on a New England/Canada cruise this fall, roundtrip out of Boston. On the return leg of our cruise, our first U.S. port after the Canadian ports is Portland, Maine, the day before we disembark in Boston. It's my understanding that we would clear U.S. immigration in Portland, and then just walk off the ship the next day in Boston, having already cleared immigration. Is that correct? Thanks!

Our ship is scheduled to arrive back in Boston at 7am on a Friday in October after a New England/Canada cruise. (The prior port is Portland, Maine, so U.S. immigration will already have been taken care of.) We’re considering an 11am Amtrak train from South Station, which I have read is about a 10-15 minute drive from the cruise terminal. Would it be reasonable for us to book this train? In terms of getting to South Station, I’ve read about Boston taxis and the general advice to take Uber or Lyft in Boston, but can we expect taxis to be lined up at the cruise terminal when a ship has arrived? If we do need to use Uber at the cruise terminal, is there a good place near the terminal where we’d want to be picked up (or, even better, a designated pickup spot for these car services)? I imagine it will be a zoo with everyone disembarking. Thanks for any info and advice!

Not only are extension cords not prohibited by NCL, but when you contact the Access Desk about distilled water and an extension cord, you are likely to receive a reply that includes this: "We also recommend that the guest bring an extension cord at least 6ft. long, as the outlet [sic] are not close enough to the bed. The extension cord may be confiscated from luggage to be examined for safety and if deemed safe, returned to the guest. The ship only has a very small supply (available first come, first serve) and can be requested at the Guest Services Desk."

No such place. And still missing the first “c.” 😊

PSA: It’s Antarctica, not Antartica 😊

The main issue is that is appears from the new itinerary that the ship will not be cruising by the continent of Antarctica (apologies if I'm wrong about that). Certainly weather issues, mechanical issues, and restrictions imposed by regulatory authorities can affect an itinerary. I'm not sure why some businesses don't understand that when there is bad news, it's best to be upfront about why; they generate more ill will by not being forthright with their guests and customers.

That is definitely a problem on Celebrity, for example, but there is more space between the tables on NCL. I can’t think of any time in the MDRs on NCL’s Jewel-class ships when my wife and I felt that we were so close to the next table that we were essentially eating with the people seated there.

You will have the same ability to make reservations at 120 days out as everyone else for whom booking opens then, regardless of the number of NCL cruises they’ve been on or the type of cabin. Give the MDRs a try. The larger one is beautiful and really makes you feel like you’re on a ship, the smaller one feels more like a restaurant on land. (Sometimes the service is better in the latter, but it depends. The menus are the same.)

Per @BirdTravels “The best advise is to book exactly 120 days prior to departure (12 midnight eastern time). And call as soon as NCL opens in the morning if you are having problems booking online. Onlne reservations open 130 days prior to departure for suites and 125 days for Club Balcony and top-tier Latitudes members.”

Indeed. And @KeithJenner has published a helpful guide to booking specialty dining in advance (pre-cruise) and making sure you book the restaurants in a certain order so you don’t get charged in advance when you shouldn’t. I believe this link is to his most recent guide, but if it isn’t, I hope he’ll let us know. (Some of the info is out of date, but I think it’s still the case that you should book the fixed price venues first if you have FAS meals.) (And huge thanks to Keith for all this helpful info over the years.) https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2561613-updated-speciality-restaurant-booking-guide/#comment-55222117