Native Floridian 26

1 hour ago, pghflyer said:

FWIW I had a great experience filing my claim with Chase SR, got my payment in 6 weeks.  Definitely a good reminder though to put some of the balance on your card and could be questionable if they insure the cost or the amount on your card.

I thought you could only claim up to the amount you put on that card.  Can you clarify?

6 hours ago, DCThunder said:

On domestic flights, you should check the airline websites for their fares to compare to what you see on Flight Ease.  I have a cruise from Port Everglades in March 2024.  I was looking at Flight Ease fares for a RT from Myrtle Beach to FLL and they seemed high based on previous experience flying this route. 

 

So I checked the American Airlines website and discovered that for a basic economy fare, Flight Ease was $85 MORE expensive for the exact same flight.  And it was $584 more expensive for first class.  Flight Ease didn't even offer the Main Cabin/Premium Economy seats that you can get from AA.com.  

 

So it pays to check the airlines rather than just assume Flight Ease will be less expensive.  And you can't use points to book with Flight Ease.

Just remember you can't compare the Flightease prices to Basic Economy because they don't sell Basic Economy. You will get hold luggage in the Flightease price. It may be Economy, but it's not the lowest tier which excludes luggage.

4 hours ago, Skicruiser55 said:

How do you know for sure that they’ve been ticketed?  I am able to see the reservation online in My Trips with Delta.  

Do keep an eye on your reservations.  I had some cancelled before Final Payment due to non-payment.  You should be able to view the Eticket numbers when they've been ticketed.

9 minutes ago, Skicruiser55 said:

When do airline tickets using Flight Ease actually get ticketed?  I am flying in July.  

Based on prior threads, it seems like they ticket a couple weeks after Final Payment.  Due to reservations getting cancelled for non-payment by HAL, as soon as I made final payment, I requested ticketing.

59 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

On the Oosterdam last August, we were in a Signature suite and 5 days from the end of the cruise my wife tested positive and she got moved to a balcony cabin in the Covid ward of the ship, I was not allowed to be in that room with her unless I tested positive. I was tested the same day and negative but was not tested again. I stayed in our SS and had no restrictions on my use of the ship. I did wear a mask and dined in the Lido away from others or with room service in my cabin. My wife had a very mild case with hardly any symptoms but she had to spend 3 days in quarantine at a hotel in the Venice Maestre district until she tested negative. I got to stay in a room across from hers in the hotel and was free to do what I wanted and was never tested after the first time on the ship.

Shows how things have changed over the months.

7 minutes ago, syesmar said:

So, are you saying after your husband tested positive, you both moved from your original cabin into a different one and stayed together. He isolated, but after testing you a single time, HAL allowed you to dine in the MDR and enjoy the rest of the ship without anything further? Did they give any guidance regarding the current CDC protocols for those who have been exposed (additional testing and high quality masking at all times in public)?

 

I’m glad he’s feeling better. All the Best!

Yes on first question and No on second.

48 minutes ago, ldtr said:

the blood work that is needed to verify that  they do not have a condition for which Paxlovid is contraindicated can run as much or more than the drug itself.

 

Might not be necessary if you have a copy of recent medical records.

Wouldn't have had those handy on our cruise.

7 hours ago, liketraveling said:

Still have not received t for November Sailing that disembarked Dec 1, 2022.

Have you emailed them?

2 hours ago, donandmelissa said:

Short answer is 'yes'.  Just got off the Nieuw Statendam TA going the other way.  Pool was active the entire time.  Also, did a Celebrity TA from Rome last year.  Pool was active there, too.  Closing the roof makes a big difference.

Yes, I was on the TA With you. We had several poor weather days on the crossing, and having that pool closure made a world of difference. I can't imagine not having it on another TA, or cooler weather itinerary.

1 minute ago, sciencewonk said:

It's interesting that you were allowed to go out into the ship.  When I had COVID, we were given the choice of moving me to a new cabin, allowing my wife to roam the ship, or both of us isolating in our assigned cabin.  Since we had a terrific aft Neptune Suite, we chose the latter.  Thanksfully, DW never caught it from me.

Yes, I tested negative and they never tested again.  They have relaxed the protocols quite a bit.  However, they didn't want to give me a key to the new cabin.  They said I have to call Housekeeping every time I wanted to come into that cabin. Funny DH was always in the cabin, so he could have let me in.  Luckily I had a guy at Guest Services who remembered me from a prior issue and he issued both of us keys to the new cabin without any problem lol.

I can answer my own question now.  I emailed Guest Relations today at HAL and they responded within a couple hours giving me the amount of the FCC issued and that it would show up in DH's Mariner Account within 24-48 hours.  Within an hour the amount was in his account.  They took the base fare only divided by 14 days times 4 days of isolation.  That's fair. The FCC has a book and sail by date of 5/1/2024.

So it only took 9 days after disembarkation.

DH was covid positive on our Transatlantic 2 weeks ago. We asked about Paxlovid and they highly discouraged it. Their supplies are not high, the cost is $750 and they said they needed to do a blood work up also. They did not suggest it since his symptoms were not bad and he has no other issues. His flu like symptoms only lasted 4 days, so it wasn't a big deal.

1 hour ago, syesmar said:

Did the ship relocate you to a separate cabin? Thanks.

Since we were in an inside cabin, we asked if we could get a balcony. Apparently there are 4 obstructed cabins they are holding for isolation. We moved to that as soon as it was ready for us the day DH tested positive.

2 hours ago, oakridger said:

When does the Covid isolation FCC credit program end?  

 

~Nancy

The Worry-Free Promise program provides further peace of mind for guests with bookings made by March 31, 2023, and sailing on or before May 31, 2023. It is designed to assist guests who, as a result of testing positive for COVID-19 during their cruise, are required to isolate on board or disembark early due to the positive COVID-19 test.   

I'm not sure if this is still current.

1 minute ago, CafeBruno said:

In our case, I tested positive, but my wife never did, so only I got the credits. They were posted to my account, not hers. 

Ok, thanks for the info.  Interesting Guest Services said it would be for both guests because of the disruption to both of our holidays lol.

6 minutes ago, CafeBruno said:

I got Covid on our last HAL cruise, which ended March 25. I noticed the FCC's in my account  approximately 3 weeks later. They could have been there sooner, because I only checked our account around once a week. HAL did not email me or otherwise notify me. So it should be pretty soon for you, in another week or 2. 

Thank you!  Was it for all passengers in the cabin, or just the sick one? Also was all it applied to the sick one's Mariner profile?

On 4/28/2023 at 5:06 PM, dalesyang said:

Never been on a cruise so apologies if this is a dumb question.

 

Going on a cruise this summer on the Rotterdam for 7 nights.   Just wondering if anyone knew when the busiest time for dinner is at the Lido Buffet?   Trying to plan to eat dinner there when its not so busy and we can find a table for 3 easily.         

 

Also,  is there any difference between the LIDO Buffet vs.  MDR?   I heard most of the food is about the same.     So the only difference would be the ambience and sitting for the meal basically right?     Just wanted to know what people prefer and why?

 

 

To me, the highlight of cruising is eating in the Main Dining Room every night.  Just dressing up, getting waited on, relaxing with my husband is what it's all about.  This is the same whether we're close to home in the Caribbean, in Alaska, on a Transatlantic or in Europe. Some people like the casualness of the buffet.  It's totally up to you.  We just got off the Transatlantic last Saturday and my DH was isolated for 4 days, so I was flying solo.  Sure I could have dined in the buffet, but it was always Main Dining Room for me, solo or not.  I'm almost at 250 nights of sailing on 12 different lines over 50 years and have never had dinner at a buffet on a cruise.

We disembarked in BCN from the Transatlantic on NS last Saturday, the 22nd.  DH was isolated for 4 days with COVID.  Has anyone recently gotten their promised FCCs for isolation from HAL and how long after cruise did you get them? Wondering when I need to start calling them.

Not a popular option based on the responses on this board, but on our longer cruises we like to find a laundromat in a port and take an hour to do laundry. It's easy to research ahead of time by Googling and mapping out the options.  Usually less than $10 for a 20 pound load.  There's usually wifi in the laundromat and it's on your schedule.  Hubby and I put our laundry bags in our backpacks, and bring them back all clean.  Obviously this doesn't work for all ports, but with some planning, it's super easy to do.

This only backfired on us once when the ship missed the port we had planned for laundry.

11 minutes ago, Coyote Chris said:

Greetings. I am on the Eurodam May 6 to Alaska.  A few days ago, I received an email from HAL prompting me to download the Verifly app, and go through the laborious proceedure of loading all my information, which on the last cruise in the FALL I was told that they didnt use it anymore???? Is this just a catchall for world wide HAL cruises?

Got the same email for my recent Transatlantic on NS.  Noone asked or mentioned anything about it.

8 hours ago, Stratheden said:

Geez!  So all of this huge thread has been about 1 cocktail a day. 

To each his own.  I find many of the HAL topics to be a bore, but this one had a direct impact on me.  Choose what you like to read.

11 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

 

That's all great information!!! 

 

Although we have the HIA, I hope that HAL continues to have the "Historic Happy Hour" on our cruise.   Very neat!   Reminds me of when my parents took the family to The Cloister at Sea Island, GA to celebrate their 50th anniversary.  My mother had read somewhere that if you honeymooned there (which they had), and could present your original bill, that the accommodations would be the same rate per day as that of the original bill if while visiting during your anniversary.   I cannot remember the amount, but it was something between $25-$50 per night.  This was back when the standard Cloister rooms were going for around $350 a night.  Not only did my parents get the reduced room rate per night, but upon check-in, The Cloister gave the same rate to the whole family!  In total, we had 4 rooms booked.   And not only that, but they upgraded us all to their ocean front suites!!!

 

That is so awesome! 

It's now a HAPPY Hour!  On our April 8 Transatlantic on NS the daily program mentioned the Happy Hour each day from 3-4 in Billboard offering 25% off drinks.  We didn't go for several days but did talk to a bartender one day and he said the drinks were half off.  Because the programs said 25% off, I sent a How Can we Help message through Navigator informing them of the discrepancy.  Within an hour of submission, we got a phone call in our cabin saying that they got my message.  Believe or not, from the following day forward the Daily Program said 50% off drinks!  Happy campers we were.

To top that off, on 3 days of the 14 day cruise, they had a Historic Happy Hour taking prices back to 150 years ago with beers, wines, and cocktails ranging from 25 cents to 75 cents.  It was so fun although the bar got very busy. 

38 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

Entirely too long, but I would estimate 3 to 6 months.

 

If you wish, you could always go check out your state insurance commissioners web site and see if the State has a minimum requirement. Mine has 60days, I believe. If nothing else, I like to just push them along and let them know I'm not afraid to use my state resources if needed. 

For Florida, your web site would be Home (floir.com)

It looks like it's 90 days. Thank you!

Filed a claim this week for Trip Interruption during our Transatlantic cruise due to isolation requrement.  How long are claims taking to be processed these days?  Bought Nationalwide Essentials policy through SquareMouth and claims are submitted through CBPconnect.com.