Catlover54

The basic rule is that if you have OSA, you should always take your CPAP with you wherever you go. SS makes it easy to do so. And don't put it in checked luggage when you fly -- it should go in the overhead compartment or under your seat in hand luggage (along with important meds). The bottomline is you have sleep apnea significant enough for you to have been issued CPAP, doctors typically advise you should use it *every night* because your oxygen level in your blood typically periodically drops (especially if you have moderate or severe disease, but also with mild obstructive apnea with significant desaturations). Untreated OSA can contribute to fatigue during the day (who needs that on a cruise?) as well as cumulative damage to heart and lungs and enhanced diabetes and stroke risk. There is no proof that a few nights of non-use are going to give you a stroke, but why risk fatigue and other long-term problems? But make sure that before your cruise (and just in general) your settings have been checked and optimized , i.e., once you have been using it for a few months, your doctor should/will recheck and test if the unit with your current setting is doing what it is supposed to do and all adjustments needed are stable. Talk to your doctor about a recheck while using CPAP ( maybe already set up) and read about OSA online. And have a wonderful trip in September!

For the OP or anyone picking up this thread. I have the same problem (cannot properly lift a rollaboard into the overhead) This one weighs only 1.5 lb. I had/have it in black for 10 years, still looks great, never any zipper problems. I just got sick of everything being black so ordered another color for fun when there was a sale, so between the two they should last the rest of my senior life traveling (I also use it, relieved of some contents, for hiking at home and on trips). It is durable, water-resistant (but not waterproof, it's only failing, since I also use it as a daypack. The straps are cut out a little to make a gentle S shape, to better contour to a woman's form. Inside is gray, and the main compartment has a pouch for a laptop or ipad ( I use the latter for less weight, but with a detachable little keyboard that doubles as a stand )plus more. There are several outside compartments with good zippers too (one of them has little dividers for pens or keys as an option). I consistently place things in the same compartment each time so I'm not digging around wondering where I put things. Into the main comparment I put a mesh cube with a change of clothing (not shoes), and abundant medications/bottles, snacks, and still have room to stuff in my jacket or medium compressible handbag in a pinch. There are two mesh outside water holders that are adjustable. The other varyingly shaped zipper comparments are good for guidebooks, travel umbrella, shawl/gloves, hand fan, chargers and key adapters I don't dare check. I handwash it on cold in woolite after each major trip and air dry and it freshens up beautifully. https://store.ricksteves.com/shop/p/appenzell-day-pack

Part of my enormous 'travel pharmacy' includes caffeine tablets (for "emergencies", e.g., when I can't get room service, have no in-room coffeemaker (hotel or cruise), and a lounge machine coffeemaker is on strike for whatever reason). 🙂

Encouraging coffee addicts to tamper with mechanical devices in a pre-caffeinated state can be hazardous. 😲 Depending on the OP's definition of "early", a standing room service order at ____ AM for a pot may be the best bet (easiest logistics are if he/she takes it black). If the OP has variable wake times (though still always early) the butler service can be instructed to quietly slip the pot into the entryway and leave it there without knocking, so as not to wake the travel companion. I also suggest bringing your own lightweight "mug" or equivalent from home, which gives you more flexibility in transporting a whole bunch of coffee to wherever you want to go sit and read that iPAD without a lot of fuss. In-room coffeemakers are becoming the standard on newer luxury ships.

I just assumed you'd booked something on Hurtigruten, because this is the Hurtigruten forum. Have a wonderful trip (with or without 'guilt' -- after all, you will be flying many miles on jets to and from South America that burn fossil fuels). DH and I are also finally heading to Antarctica this coming season , but not on Hurtigruten (for various reasons). We had been putting it off a long time, each year a different excuse, but figured that it's just a matter of time before it is completely banned to tourists, so we better get to it now (guilt-free, again, for various reasons 🙂). Note there is also an Antarctica forum on CC, it might be good to subscribe to that to help with preparation. It helped a lot to both inspire and prepare us (including the photos by CDN Polar!)

Same here, as best possible -- though too many others have also gotten the same idea and some nonpeak but tolerable months in many places (in terms of weather) are now also crowded. I've seen some hauntingly beautiful pictures of Venice and Santorini in winter, where I've been a couple times in the past, but always when there were too many tourists for my taste, and it is tempting (as long as one could find a decent hotel and restaurant). We are actually heading to the Lake District and Cotswalds this year late September for a driving trip (first time for both of us in those areas), but when we tried to book our desired hotel rooms several months ago, thinking we were planning in advance, many were already booked up as that isn't late enough to avoid crowds. Last year we did a land tour of Ireland in April, before a cruise, and the bigger cities were perfect (not crowded) , and we got lucky with weather. But in some of the rural areas it was hard to find a place that was open when we wanted to rest and eat. A friend of ours who hates crowds and is a big art fan did a small group boutique land tour of Italy in April and was very disappointed because it was packed (he thought April would avoid crowds). It's also a bit challenging for some of us to go to cold places like Iceland or Alaska in March (no comfortable cruises, hard to drive, my aches and pains from prior injuries flare up, and many hotels and places to eat aren't even open except a few in the bigger cities). We thought about doing a "northern lights" cruise to Norway in January or February, which Viking does, but when we realized there would only be 5 hours of light each day -- and landed up by chance seeing such lights in front of our comfortable home -- we nixed that idea. Also, a couple years ago, Viking had to evacuate one of their ships during a storm when for various reasons an engine failed -- including evacuation of some of their pax by helo (I love helo trips, but not in a storm where boarding involves a harness). There is a good reason that most northerners go *south* to vacation in the winter. Of course this is thread drift, but that is one of the joys of CC 🙂

I am glad you found my posts helpful. One of many other benefits of using a travel agent (TA), other than having them deal with a lot of the headaches, is that they typically offer some kind of OBC, or at least a bottle of champagne on boarding, or some other little perk (ask about it before using them). My TA also knows a lot about certain areas and countries because she's been there and also has had TA feedback from others on what the real story is (useful feedback that can go beyond the sales pitch of the web presence). She can also coordinate a long itineary (pre and post cruise hotels, transfers) if you like, or just parts if you want to use miles or hotel points on your own. There are youtube videos (and discussions on CC) about the many other benefits of TAs They don't cost anything to your bottomline. The only thing I don't like about using a TA is that for some cruises which I want to book on the spur of the moment (e.g., after months of procrastination, finally making a decision at 8PM on a Saturday night of a long weekend when I see that there is only one cabin left in my chosen category, or there is a special "first come first limited serve" offer), the TA may not be immediately available (they may be on a TA discounted cruise with their family!), so I just go ahead and book online or with the cruise line and then transfer the booking to the TA later (most lines let you transfer within 30 days of a booking as long as final payment hasn't been made, some allow more time). I also tend to get impatient when something seems to be taking a long time and I worry about losing my spot (e.g., when a "luxury" line changed the disembarkation port short notice, I was keen to get my most convenient fight booking change completed before all the seats were gone). But the bigger agenices usually have a backup person to help (maybe not always the best and the brightest on the off hours, but someone), and this is not an issue most of the time. I also have booked some foreign cruise lines directly, where the TA doesn't speak the language but I do (even though documents are supposed to come in both languages, I do it directly just to avoid communication confusion if their rep for the USA is not very strong). A TA can also warn you about hidden costs and potential "surprises". Take care.

I gave you my first detailed response in post #74 on the now locked thread. Again, I am so sorry you had such an unfortunate series of errors on your short cruise. To reply to your questions, and more (before the thread gets locked again) : 1. Defensiveness: It isn't just some HAL fans who vigorously defend HAL when others report problems they have experienced. There are frequent cruisers on almost *all* cruise lines who will get very defensive about 'their' line (at least on Cruise Critic) , and that includes luxury lines. The default position of such Maginot Line type defenders is typically to accuse the poster of having done something wrong, or to directly or indirectly question their veracity. Some (almost certainly a minority) of the defenders have financial connections (direct or indirect) with the lines that makes them hesitant to criticize (e.g., travel agents or retired travel agents who book customers for the line, or used to, and/or who get travel agent cruising discounts, or who are people involved in selling their products to cruise lines, people who know the key players in the industry, and/or have family who meet such criteria etc.). Others have their own inside lines to the cruise company that give them some privilege, or prestige (e.g., the personal email and phone # of the head chef or other inside information) and they don't want to say anything negative. Some hope they might get an upgrade offer if they praise the line enough on social media. Others (most) have nothing to gain financially or personally, but they don't want to believe (despite believable evidence) that *their* favorite line could do any wrong (or they are embarassed by what their favorite line has done so don't want to admit it happened). There's a similarity to team sport rivalries, or even country rivalries, or criticisms of family -- some get defensive. Others also suspect (based on experience) that some customers make a stink because they are seeking unreasonable compensation and quickly assume that is what must be happening, and/or that the displeased customer is mentally off, and/or they always have a Pollyana or glass half-full approach to life in general (BTW not necessarily a bad thing, depending on perspective). And *it isn't just HAL* that sometimes doesn't adequately address customer issues and complaints (be it on board or after the cruise when customers write to them). Other lines, *even luxury lines*, also have problems (I say this from experience, and experience of others), especially since Covid. 2. Non-responsiveness, and going forward (apart from what I previously posted): I will repeat again as I did before, I am not surprised you haven't heard anything post-cruise. You might still get some lame response weeks from now, maybe even with a FCC offer. But if you swear up and down you will never cruise with HAL again, why should they bother? They may want to make efforts to win back cutomers to give them a second chance, if you'd consider cruising with them, otherwise it is mostly a waste of their time. Perhaps you should also make a specific suggestion/offer of what you would consider reasonable compensation (you declined the $250 Pinnacle dinner, so what would make you happy? Perhaps $500 cash or FCC or OBC, and a sincere apology would be reasonable, given so many things that you documented went wrong (especially the accusation by Guest Relations that you were not telling the truth about your excursion cancellation )? Tell them what you want to get back in their good graces and to give them a second chance. If you're really planning on Alaska, HAL and Princess -- both unfortunately under Carnival Cruise Lines -- are arguably the best lines for going there (e.g., Glacier Bay opportunities, docking locations, etc.), so *look forwards* , and learn from prior mixups, to maximize chances of having a good time. Readers at CC on all forums are mostly here to help -- they have helped me and others tremendously over the years, and I try and return the favors. They donate many hours of their time and advice, and much of what is said is quite valuable (some is in error, so be careful, and sometimes people just get testy -- it is like that on all forums, and in real life, so be it). And as I said before, if you cruise again, (Alaska?) *use a good travel agent* , preferably one associated with a large conglomerate that has some clout, and who knows the area you want to go to, for your booking. We cannot recommend one here, but ask your frequent cruiser friends for a recommendation, or look on You-Tube for one that specializes in the area or line you are interested in. Then he/she can be the one looking out for you in advance, on the phone, writing letters, and following up about things going wrong (mine has even helped me *when I was on board* with a major problem, on another line, by calling key personnel) and she will have a good sense of what would be reasonable compensation (if any) to ask for and expect. The cruise lines have an interest in keeping those booking conglomerates happy, so they steer customers to them and not so much to competitors, all else being equal. Another thing I didn't mention before, is to step back and consider consulting with your wife/daughters about what their preferences are going forward (if you have not already done this ). Do they want you to press forward with more complaints to HAL or work on booking another cruise or work on a non-cruise future vacation, or none of the above? Maybe they will have other suggestions or ideas, even if you're the guy who handled everything? Stepping back and asking family (in my case, my husband), has often given me some fresh ideas, and perspective on some consideration that hadn't previously occurred to me or that I hadn't considered (though I'm the one who researches and books our travel). Good luck, and if you cruise again, then happy sailing (as you know Alaska is beautiful -- and that is true even if it rains).

Sounds reasonable. However, if we have ordered a *very* expensive bottle of wine in a restaurant (by the standards of what we consider very expensive), as opposed to a cheap or moderate wine (same), we don't tip proportionately on the cost of the wine when we are in the U.S. (anymore than we accept the "suggested" 20% credit card tip on the cost of the wine when we go to a California winery, have a nice pour person for 20-30 minutes, and then walk out with two or three cases of pricy wine -- even if it was on sale). The math doesn't add up for that "service."

I apparently got lucky the first time I went to Hubbard and the calving was spectacular, and my first time in Glacier was also fantastic (more luck). My understanding is that one is more likely to get into Hubbard than Glacier (but neither has a definitive chance of having good weather). I also read that May is the least likely chance of rain in general in the popular Alaskan cruise areas but any month one could have bad luck (but I have never been in May -- it is on my list).

We have friends who are very excited about their first cruise ever, which will be on Princess (Seattle to Alaska and back, just 1 week, sailing a couple months from now), celebrating a birthday. They are on a pretty limited budget, and my DH and I would like to, if possible, provide them with a surprise boarding treat of some kind -- either flowers in the room on arrival, or chocolate covered strawberries, or an on-board credit notification, or whatever is possible through the line (I have never sailed Princess). Is there a way of arranging this, or is that not practical or possible? I would imagine setting up on-board credit for them would be at risk for the usual problems people can have with getting OBC acknowledged. We didn't just want to hand them a wad of cash before they go, for obvious reasons. They don't drink alcohol. Thanks in advance 🙂

1. I agree that a "4 or 5 star" hotel may not be "better" *for me* than some 3 stars. When it comes to hotels, an elevator that works, AC that does the same, and a reasonably safe neighborhood are most important and non-negotiable for me (unfortunately this eliminates a lot of 3-star and even 4 and 5 star hotels in Europe). None of these issues are a problem on a cruise ship (usually there is a pretty safe neighborhood on all ships :). Then, in order of priority, comes a a bath tub (all else equal, I'll pick a 3 star with a tub over a 5 star without one), an in-room coffeemaker, a mini-fridge or mini-bar, and an 'open' feeling in my room (e.g., instead of looking at a wall, I'd rather look out at a parking lot in a hotel). If I'm driving, add easy parking to the list (not a problem on a cruise ship). In America, I'm quite comfy in a Hampton or Hilton Garden Inn Usually to get all my criteria (especially AC), this means at least a 4 star hotel in Europe. 2. But mainstream cruise lines can still meet all of these if I get a higher level cabin, usually a balcony and above. And when it comes to cruising, the "lower" rated relatively large HAL and Princess lines on average offer more bath tub opportunities (per diem spent) than the more modern small luxury ships (apparently as much as I love bath tubs, most "luxury" cruisers prefer big showers, so new construction has gone that route). Unfortunately I also hate standing in lines (I have trouble just standing a long time, even though I can walk a lot), and unfortunately when it comes to cruising, that is what can raise prices for me. I have enjoyed so much of my HAL cruises (I thought the food was more reliable and definitely more diverse than on all but one luxury line). But even in a HAL suite, I could not avoid long tender return lines, and lines at the bars in peak times (which is when I'm interested). So I'd like to ask those who have sailed in suites on both HAL and Princess (I have friends doing Princess, but am just starting to explore booking it for myself), if you're in a balcony or above, and in particular if you were in a suite, *on a full ship*, on which cruise company, HAL or Princess, did you stand in line more, e.g., for tender returns, bar drinks, excursions, and other venues? Or were they pretty much the same, give or take? Thanks in advance.

Are you saying that when you visit America (not on a cruise ship) you only tip if service is exceptional, and "that's the way it is"? Perhaps I misunderstood (given all the back and forth). If I didn't misunderstand, i.e., you don't tip in America unless service is exceptional, does that include waiters? If so, you cannot use the "they're on a higher pay scale" argument to support not tipping decent but unexceptional waiters. Other than in some high end restaurants, waiters are generally *not* on a high baseline wage pay scale in America. The custom and practice in the restaurant business here, understood by native owners, workers, and customers, is that a good portion of waiters' income is expected to be earned through tips . What that amount should be is up to debate. For many years it used to be, by custom and practice and not be law or any entitlement, 15% in America, has risen to 20%, and in some places got totally out of hand during Covid due to the distorted market, where customers were subtly encouraged to tip and tip high even for basic counter pickups. Counter service workers in chains get paid at least a minimum hourly wage, and often more depending on unskilled worker supply in the area, primarily because they are not expected to get 15-20% tips for decent service, the way waiters do. Waiters in normal American restaurants typically have a lower hourly pay rate (with regional variation of course). It provides incentive for them to give excellent service so they then get better tips. But if they're running ragged due to understaffing and can only provide basic and decent but "unexceptional" service, depriving them of the customary (but not required) 15-20%, is harsh. No one can *force* customers to tip unless it is made clear when they sit down that tips (gratuities, if you will) are automatically added to the bill. My guess is that in places like Miami, or at some airports, a lot of venues have started adding on 20% or so mandatory tips to bills (like in Europe) even if there is not a large group, because there are so many foreign visitors who do not understand the customary American tipping process. That makes it more difficult for waiters to receive decent enough pay to keep working. Generally, 'when in Rome, do as the Romans do', is a good rule of thumb. Same for New York, or Miami. For cruise ships, it's just not clear to many pax if one is in Rome or England or New York, and so regardless what the cruise ship says is recommended, "Romans" still behave like Romans.

According to this article in 2023, 4.1% of Barcelona visitors are from cruise ships. Is that "quite a lot", compared with the other 95.9%? Also according to this article cruise ship pax are more likely to be, on average, older, and spend more per person per day while in Barcelona. Cruise ship pax also often stay before/after in Barcelona if the cruise starts or ends there, as part of that spending. https://www.catalannews.com/society-science/item/cruise-ship-passengers-account-for-4-of-barcelona-visitors-study-estimates Recently a Wall Street Journal article discussed the fact that as a result of growing relative affluence in the world, there are millions of new "middle class" emerging from many places where people used to just stay home and vacation (if they even had one) locally, because they could not afford to spend on such luxuries. They are now keen on traveling. Most of the new "middle class" fly to their destinations, including Barcelona, and they do not come by cruise. Certainly their presence might in some cases make it "less fun going round lovely Barcelona" for those who had previously been used to less crowding, emptier streets, and a greater sense of exclusivity, and the same is true for locals who are so well-situated that they don't care about the revenue tourists generate for businesses and the local treasury. I don't like oppressive crowds either, neither at home nor places I travel to. Currently I live in a beautiful part of California which explodes with tourists in summer, and as a local, it is often not fun dealing with increases in traffic and noise. But I know people who support their families from visitors are very happy to see those tourists come, and I don't want to take any measures to prevent them from visiting (other than setting certain common sense behavioral limits). Sometimes the best thing to do to avoid local seasonal crowds is to travel somewhere else. 🙂

This actually creates more confusion, in that the author has opted to create his own categories' definitions (e.g., "entry level luxury" for what are typically considered "premium" lines, and the term "ultraluxury" for standard "luxury" lines). This is not surprising, as he could not even get the spelling of Silversea correct 🙂