mor mor

Last year we went on the wonderful Grand Asia, and rented a PO box for the time to collect our mail. BIG MISTAKE. The post office notified everyone that we had changed our address, though we marked it temporary, and we are still straightening out that mess. Magazines, real estate taxes, everything....Now we hire someone to pick up our mail.

All good posts but to avoid confusion, U.S. passport holders should know their passport is fine for entry back into U.S. right up to the date of expiration.

 

I know. That is why I can't understand why Americans with valid passports couldn't go home on the Cunard? What? They have to stay in England?

I agree. Have noticed the same. I have also noticed dressier crowds on the TA cruises. Many more tuxes.

We agree. For long cruises, we adhere to the tux/long dress. For Alaska and the hot Caribbean short cruises it is dressy pants and tops/cocktail dress and sport coat & tie. Also agree fixed seating seems dressier.

Because it's convenient, and most onshore sewer and septic systems can handle it, and sometimes there isn't a trash can handy.

Seems to be a huge issue on this thread about what the OP should pack, not concerning the OP's comfort and convenience, but concerning how the OP should look like a European and avoid looking like a tourist.

 

But the OP is a tourist -- why should she not pack and wear the clothes she has and that will contribute to her comfort and well-being, even if Europeans would not wear them?

 

There is nothing wrong with Americans looking like Americans in Europe, or anywhere else. European economies (as well as economies around the world) take in huge financial benefits from American tourists, and we should not be ashamed of that!

 

And before someone says that tourists (especially Americans) are targets for thieves, etc., I venture to say that the fact that most tourists are to be found congregating and taking photographs at tourist sites marks them as targets no matter what they are wearing. Most Americans, even wearing clothes similar to those Europeans wear, will not pass as Europeans waiting in line at the Louvre or craning their necks to see the rose windows at Notre Dame!

 

JMO

Thanks for this. I am not ashamed to be or to look like what I am - American.

Friends don't let friends wear socks with sandals. Seriously. No socks with boat shoes, either. Please. But on the other hand, nothing is worse than a gentleman of a certain age (and they're ALWAYS of a "certain age") wearing calf-legth black dress socks with sandals and Bermuda shorts.

Totally agree. Not that anyone ever listens to me!:)

I know it is very odd in this day and age to take several purses, but I like pretty purses and I use them to pack the jewelry. What is odd, but I never said I wasn't odd, I rarely if ever change purses at home. I am also odd in that I have a chart of outfits and what goes with what and what purse or shoe or jewelry. I normally, also, on my itinerary list code what I will wear each day and mark each outfit as I pack it as to what day I will wear it. Of course, there are always last minute changes, but as much as I love dressing up, I hate deciding what I am going to wear each day. I know, I know, I am very strange- my children tell me that and my friends and husband confirm it. They call me the "bag" lady because I pack everything in Ziploc baggies and I write what goes with them or what day or evening I am wearing them on the bag.. I know it sounds like I have way too much time on my hands. But I don't watch TV at all, like never. I don't even know how to turn ours on, so this is what I do in the evenings before a cruise instead of reading. Each of us has an oddity, I just have several... Not even get me started on the info I have on my itinerary sheets. IT is way too much info, but I love the planning almost more than the cruise. I said almost....I'm not that odd. :-)

Well you sound fun to me!

I am loving the pictures too.

 

Funny about Tracfone.... I used mine in Alaska in May.

 

Susan

My son used his in Alaska June 2013.

I live in San Diego and don't know ANYONE who follows that rule anymore.

Just across the bay from you and I am in white capris as I write this. Of course it is still summer. However when we lived in DC a few years ago this rule was definitely followed in the city.

Not to alarm anyone further, but fires onboard are a fairly common occurrence. It's just that the guests are usually unaware of them. When a fire is reported to the bridge, a "code" announcement will go out to the crew, and the emergency teams will muster and attend to the emergency/fire. There will be an "on scene commander" (generally the Staff Chief Engineer or Chief Officer) who will advise the Captain whether the situation is serious enough to warrant sounding the alarm and mustering the guests. Many fires are dealt with before even all of the fire teams have arrived on scene, and then things return to normal. I'm a bit surprised that an incinerator fire was announced that quickly, but the 30-40 minutes between the alarm and the Captain's announcement would be normal, as the fire teams need time to determine if the seat of the fire has been extinguished, and to check for hot spots to prevent re-flashing of the fire.

 

Other than perhaps having the Captain apologize for waking all the guests in the middle of the night (as a courtesy), there is nothing to apologize for. To say that the crew should be "careful not to start fires in the first place" denigrates the company's policies and the crew's training (in fire prevention as well as fire fighting). Trust me when I say that the crew is far, far, more concerned with fire prevention onboard than the guests are, because the crew lives onboard for longer than the week the guests are there, and because the crew are the ones who will be on the business end of the fire hose facing the flames if a fire breaks out.

 

To say that HAL has many fires in crew areas "that are under their control", and this shows that they are somehow negligent is false. The reason there are fewer fires in guest areas is because the lines try to remove as many possible sources of fire as they can, yet they still allow hair care appliances and smoking, which are the two most common sources of fire in guest areas.

 

Let me explain about incinerator fires. Every day, the ship generates about 6-10 m3 (cubic meters) of paper and cardboard trash. This is shredded and stored in a silo until the ship gets underway, and the incinerator can be started at sea to burn all this trash. The crew is very conscious about trash sorting, and go through everything they take from your cabin wastebaskets (and their own, and all other trash receptacles) to ensure that not only is as much as possible recycled, but that no metal is left in the paper trash. This metal, when sent through the shredder, can spark, and this spark falls on a fine source of flammable material, the shredded paper in the silo. I have seen a silo fire caused by a single AA battery going through the shredder. This spark will ignite some of the paper, but as more paper is shredded and dumped on top of the smolder, it gets buried, and waits. At night, when the incinerator is being run, the smolder will gradually work its way towards the air as the shredded paper is dropped into the incinerator. This is when the smolder bursts into flame, and there is a fire in the silo. This will set off the fire alarm, and there are fire suppression means built into the silo to fight the fire. However, the fire teams will still need to open the silo doors, and using thermal cameras rake through the shredded paper looking for remaining hot spots before the all clear will happen. This can take a while.

 

Yes, fire at sea is a serious business. I've been at sea for 40 years, and seen my share. Yes, fire prevention is the most important aspect of fire fighting, and the crews are probably more aware of fire prevention than anything else in their shipboard life. To those of you who are asking for an apology from the line for the fire happening, would you expect an apology from them if the fire had started in a passenger cabin from a cigarette butt in a trash can?

Thank you for the clear explanation. I appreciate understanding this better.

Nieuw Amsterdam without even thinking it over.

Great review! I like the chatty style - as tho I am right there with you.

If you are just transiting China via flight/ship/train within 24 hours you do not need a visa.

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/intro2.htm

"2. For Direct Transit

No visa is required for foreigners who hold tickets to the final destination and have booked seats on international airlines, ships, trains transiting directly through China, and will stay for less than 24 hours and do not leave the specified transit area."

 

See past cases of 24hours visa-free transit:

 

1) From ship to airport:

http://www.sh-immigration.gov.cn/listPageEn.aspx?lx=37&id=2943

 

2) From airport to ship:

http://上海边检总站.中国/listPageEn.aspx?lx=37&id=3066

 

You may also want to contact the cruise line to confirm since some cruise line (Princess etc.) will require you to have visa to board the ship even though it is not necessary for direct transit.

 

3) For cruise ship transiting in and out of same port:

I contacted visacentral/CBIT/China Consulate/Celebrity regarding visa requirement for a cruise that will transit Shanghai for less than 24 hours and sail to a 3rd country. Visacentral/CBIT/China Consulate told me no visa is needed if I stay on the ship. Celebrity customer service told me I do not need a China visa to board the ship (they will not check) since all passport will be collected when boarding and only those passengers with valid China visa will have their passport back to enter the Chinese city.

 

I even contact RCCL/Celebrity port agent in Shanghai and he confirmed no visa is needed if remain on the ship.

 

If you are planning to stay on the ship no visa is needed. If you want to enter the city, you will need to get a visa.

Interesting! Holland America will not let you BOARD in Seattle without the Chinese visa in your passport whether you want to stay on the ship or not. And btw, we used ordinary passport photos and they were accepted.

No, wait ! ! ! That'll become the ship's theme song - can't you just picture it? Being on the Appledam, leaving the beautiful port of Venice, and instead of hearing "A Time To Say Goodbye", people will be standing on the outer decks, arms around each other's shoulders in true brotherly fashion, singing at the top of their lungs "BYE, BYE, MISS AMERICAN PIE, DROVE MY CHEVY TO THE LEVY, BUT THE LEVY WAS DRY" . . . . . sigh

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

Tears in my eyes at the image. I swear!

Since we are cruising with you this time, I selfishly planned to enjoy your blog after I got home to relive the fun. I think you are making a good decision for you(though you could just blog a little bit)

Stephanie

I disagree, I think this is the silliest thread on CC hence the introduction of aple pie :D

Have some apple pie all you furious people.;)

From now on when I feel self righteous I will eat (humble) apple pie.

We get our visas finally in a week time. We had an agency doing all the paperwork, but they wanted papers which are imposible to get from the cruiseline.

Good news! Enjoy your cruise.

Fun thread, Kazu! Seems we've been too serious lately. :(

 

1 of 4 - your comment on the chocolate diamonds touched a nerve with me -- how innocent questions end up stirring all kinds of negativity.

 

Goes like this:

 

OP: My TA told me HAL is going to place freshly baked apple pies in all the staterooms on embarkation day. Has anyone else heard about this?

 

Poster #2: What kind of apples?

#3: I am allergic to apples. I don't want the pie in my room.

#4: Are they going to give us plates and a pie slicer?

#5: We'll need forks too.

#6: Oh, I am so tired of hearing about allergies. Get a life.

#7: I am diabetic and I can't eat pie. I might see if I can get OBC instead.

#8: I wish it were chocolate pie.

#9: Who is your TA? My TA didn't say anything about pie.

#10: Allergies are serious. I have an allergy to peanuts.

#11: Good thing it's not peanut butter pie then.

#12: I suppose this means prices are going to go up.

#13: Do suite guests get a better kind of pie?

#14: What kind of apple pie - Dutch apple pie? This is too vague.

#15: Can't wait to enjoy it on the balcony while I smoke.

#16: If you're smoking on the balcony, I'll have to eat my pie in my room.

#!7: Not another smoking thread.

#18: The smell of apple pie bothers me.

#19: The OP has only 125 posts. Methinks it is a troll.

#20: I just talked to HAL customer service and was told it's a cherry pie.

 

:D:D:D:D:D

brilliant!

Yes it is hard to get through this process. Look at the Rollcall for Holland America Asia cruise leaving sept 21 and you will see the Chinese Visa is a problem for all -- particularly in the USA at least the different Embassies have different requirements! (One wanted proof of how you GOT TO THE SHIP within the US.)

I suggest you find an agency that specializes in getting you through this. It costs alittle but is well worth it. I know you need multiple entries. Also remember if you are staying in a hotel you will need to show your reservations. For Americans at least they also wanted to see plane reservations going home even though our plane does not leave from China. Very odd.

Good luck and let us know how you do.

This is almost as good as a smoking thread!

I make do with the specialty coffees in the Cafe too, and i also think Starbucks tastes burnt tho the lattes are ok, as the milk cuts it.

But I think the food is fine, and it has never been cold unless it is supposed to be - the fruit soups are very good -

You will have a good time and at least it will be more comfortable than the Navy ships used to be - think air conditioning, for one thing.

Ruth, I think I misunderstood what the poster was saying Princess did - I actually assumed that he/she was saying that the mandatory drill on Princess was more like a safety talk 'how to' and 'what to do' and a roll call in a lounge somewhere - but not to actually muster there during an emergency. Absolutely I agree the muster during a real emergency should be on the boat deck where the boats are, but I don't need to go there for a 45 min stand around just to find out where it is. In a real emergency I would think that everyone would know to head to the deck where the boats are - and from there to find the particular station by checking where you are assigned on your cruise card and checking the muster station numbers above.

 

As mentioned there is no way I will remember where I was anyhow a week later in a real emergency without the aid of my cruise card and staff as I cannot tell my left from right at the best of times, let alone during an emergency. The port and starboard thing is not something that comes naturally either - I have to stand facing the pointy end of ship, then use my writing bump (hah! that's a thing of the past isn't it?) on my right middle finger to figure out that is my right then I have to remember that port has 4 letters so it's on my left because that has 4 letters too. By then I'd be really panicked and what if I was turned around to begin with and wasn't really facing the pointy end of the ship? That's why in my case, mustering at the actual sight would not be of any benefit to me.

agreed!

Whoops, how do I edit my post? Spelling error - *calving instead of carving*!! I'm a touch typist and sometimes, my fingers type faster than my brain can work! :-)

Well I thought it was a cute way to express it and that you did it on purpose!

Great post.

Good suggestions. :)

 

Oh yes - some of these posts are weird as well as off point.

I hope you can ignore all the insulting posts blaming you for not having insurance, leaving the area, etc etc, and tell us if you ever find out what happened. It is an intriguing mystery in itself, and you have every right to be indignant.