A few newbie questions

[Apostle]

Hi, we're off on our first cruise on the Grand from the UK (i'm British) in a few weeks. I've a few newbie questions I need help with please.

 

1) I'm filling in the cruise personaliser on the Princess site and it's asking for '* 24hr Medical Assistance Company' and '* 24hr Medical Helpline Number'. Can someone tell me what this is? I have travel insurance but is this saying I need medical insurance as well?

 

2) My passport expires 29th March 2011, I return from my cruise on 3rd September 2011. This is more than 6 months so is it ok? I don't need 6 full months from November do I?

 

3) Our 2 year old daughter is cruising with us. She can't sit still for more than about 30mins so I don't know if she'd be able to cope with a full sit down 5 course meal without getting bored and restless. So we'll use the buffet most nights but I really want to attend the formal nights. Our thinking is to request our anytime table then push her around until she sleeps in the buggy, then we can eat in peacet. Is there enough room in the dining room to push a fairly large buggy in? Would this be an issue do you think?

 

I'm going to email these questions to Princess as well but thought i'd consult yourselves as well.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[hansi]

1. Your insurance policy should have a 24 emergency contact number and assistance company stated. These are the details you have to input.

 

2. As long as you passport is valid on your sailing date, you are ok.

 

3. Best to speak to Princess about this one.

 

Above all, enjoy your cruise. We are on GP in August too.

 

P S. I stand to be corrected on any of the above!

 

Please confiim with Princess.

[hughdm]

2. As long as you passport is valid on your sailing date, you are ok.

This is not true for Princess out of the US. A 6 month window is required. It may be different if sailing from the UK. As you point out, you are outside this window, so you will be OK. Fill out the passenger immigration info on the Cruise Personalizer, and it will show up as "complete" when Princess is happy with your info. You can do this way far in advance.

3) Our 2 year old daughter is cruising with us. She can't sit still for more than about 30mins so I don't know if she'd be able to cope with a full sit down 5 course meal without getting bored and restless. So we'll use the buffet most nights but I really want to attend the formal nights. Our thinking is to request our anytime table then push her around until she sleeps in the buggy, then we can eat in peacet. Is there enough room in the dining room to push a fairly large buggy in? Would this be an issue do you think?

Walkers and wheel chairs navigate the dining rooms. Is your buggy larger than this? Also, if you tell the MD this in the dining room, I bet he'll set you up.

[beewee]

Had the same question. Rang my travel insurance and they told me there was not the name of a company for UK travellers. The number for emergency med. help is given in your policy and for company name they told me to fill in 'Medical Assistance'. You could just ring your travel insurance to confirm that I imagine.

 

One thing to watch out for if you booked through a TA. Now yours might be more competent but I had to chase up our e-ticket last Sat. as we fly on Thurs. They hadn't passed it on to me - their excuse was they were waiting for the baggage labels etc to come through to them, and these hadn't come through cos I had used Cruise Personaliser and printed my own. Could be a load of baloney, of course!

[hansi]

But the OP is sailing from the UK. That is why his passport is ok. He doesn't need the the "6 month window" if he sailing ex UK!

[hansi]

Had the same question. Rang my travel insurance and they told me there was not the name of a company for UK travellers. The number for emergency med. help is given in your policy and for company name they told me to fill in 'Medical Assistance'. You could just ring your travel insurance to confirm that I imagine.

 

One thing to watch out for if you booked through a TA. Now yours might be more competent but I had to chase up our e-ticket last Sat. as we fly on Thurs. They hadn't passed it on to me - their excuse was they were waiting for the baggage labels etc to come through to them, and these hadn't come through cos I had used Cruise Personaliser and printed my own. Could be a load of baloney, of course!

 

Your TA should have said that your tickets and labels should be printed from the website. I would change yout TA!

[hansi]

Had the same question. Rang my travel insurance and they told me there was not the name of a company for UK travellers. The number for emergency med. help is given in your policy and for company name they told me to fill in 'Medical Assistance'. You could just ring your travel insurance to confirm that I imagine.

 

One thing to watch out for if you booked through a TA. Now yours might be more competent but I had to chase up our e-ticket last Sat. as we fly on Thurs. They hadn't passed it on to me - their excuse was they were waiting for the baggage labels etc to come through to them, and these hadn't come through cos I had used Cruise Personaliser and printed my own. Could be a load of baloney, of course!

 

On most policies they quote the name of the medical assistance company and the number. There has to be a name. Which insurance company are you with?

[beewee]

Perhaps not in the UK? In the policy - WorldFirst - it just list '24hour medical assistance number' and gives a number. Presumably I call that and someone arranges assistance ie. contacts whoever deals with it, which, I agree, has to be a company of some sort, but is someone contacted by your Travel Insurers. Woman I spoke to was most exasperated when I asked as she said other people had rung up when going on cruises and had asked the same thing. 'There is no company,' she said, in irritated tones!

[beewee]

Your TA should have said that your tickets and labels should be printed from the website. I would change yout TA!

 

Don't have a regular TA as usually book hols entirely on net. Used a TA as this was our first-time cruising and wanted advice on companies etc. They were good at initial booking but since then have just forwarded letters re. flight times. She said no one had printed stuff off net before!!! What annoyed me was no apology and no safety-net to spot an imminent flight and details still not sent out.

 

Will be going back to do-it-yourself from now on and giving TA a miss. We don't get the voucher booklets or discounts in UK anyway so other than advice no motivation to use a TA here.

[caribill]

But the OP is sailing from the UK. That is why his passport is ok. He doesn't need the the "6 month window" if he sailing ex UK!

 

Not true. The six-month requirement is not based on your nationality or where you are sailing from.

 

It is a requirement of countries being visited. Some have this six-month requirement, some have a three-month requirement, and some just need it valid until your scheduled departure date.

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

Not true. The six-month requirement is not based on your nationality or where you are sailing from.

 

It is a requirement of countries being visited. Some have this six-month requirement, some have a three-month requirement, and some just need it valid until your scheduled departure date.

 

This is correct. Please see link for info

 

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/?l=S

[mtaylor04]

Hi, we're off on our first cruise on the Grand from the UK (i'm British) in a few weeks. I've a few newbie questions I need help with please.

 

1) I'm filling in the cruise personaliser on the Princess site and it's asking for '* 24hr Medical Assistance Company' and '* 24hr Medical Helpline Number'. Can someone tell me what this is? I have travel insurance but is this saying I need medical insurance as well?

 

2) My passport expires 29th March 2011, I return from my cruise on 3rd September 2011. This is more than 6 months so is it ok? I don't need 6 full months from November do I?

 

3) Our 2 year old daughter is cruising with us. She can't sit still for more than about 30mins so I don't know if she'd be able to cope with a full sit down 5 course meal without getting bored and restless. So we'll use the buffet most nights but I really want to attend the formal nights. Our thinking is to request our anytime table then push her around until she sleeps in the buggy, then we can eat in peacet. Is there enough room in the dining room to push a fairly large buggy in? Would this be an issue do you think?

 

I'm going to email these questions to Princess as well but thought i'd consult yourselves as well.

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

 

Am I reading this right? Your passport expires March 2011 and you return from your cruise September 2011? That means your passport will be expired - is there a problem with your dates?

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

Am I reading this right? Your passport expires March 2011 and you return from your cruise September 2011? That means your passport will be expired - is there a problem with your dates?

 

Good point! However, I think it's a typo as the OP said they were cruising in a few weeks, so I think they mean they return from cruise sept 2010 :)

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Your medi assistance company name and contact details are not always

 

that clear on your holiday insurance documents, I have had to phone

 

insurance companies before and ask for details, once a large supermarket,

 

the call girl said, all I had to do was call them, yeh right they are open

 

only 12 hours a day, and they would be able to get me doctor, a hospital

 

a flight home, on a bank holiday I think not.

 

Have found that almost all insurance companies use the same company.

 

yours Shogun

[hughdm]

Am I reading this right? Your passport expires March 2011 and you return from your cruise September 2011? That means your passport will be expired - is there a problem with your dates?

Oops. I read the dates backwards, too!

[RMLincoln]

A formal night dinner is an occasion to be enjoyed... for you and for those around you. Instead of having to spend it pushing a buggy around the dining room, babysitting services are available. I hope you have a great cruise and a special time. Anyone chasing around after a 2 year old really needs a vacation, as I recall.:)

[caribill]

babysitting services are available.

 

Not true on Princess ships.

[Apostle]

Thanks for the responses guys, i'm all sorted now. Yeah, I meant 2010 as my return date.

 

Unfortunately there are no babysitting services on Princess and my daughter is too young to be left in the kids club, you need to be 3. Funnily enough she was old enough at 2 to be charged as a child!

 

Not that we wanted to leave her all holiday. Just wanted to be able to hit the casino together at some point. I'll just have to go and lose the money for us both now!

[Pam in CA]

Your 2 YO would have to be in a small stroller, and you would need to walk the baby outside the dining room. The waitstaff carry huge trays loaded with plates, bowls, etc. and you would impede them. There isn't room for anything bigger than a small stroller next to you at the table. Even those using walkers or wheelchairs are seated and the walkers/chairs stored out of the way until needed.

 

FYI. A newborn would be charged the same price as an adult. Heck, I go as a single and often pay 200% fare for a "phantom" roommate. Age doesn't have anything to do with Princess pricing.

[Colo Cruiser]

Am I reading this right? Your passport expires March 2011 and you return from your cruise September 2011? That means your passport will be expired - is there a problem with your dates?

 

Ha ha, thats what I thought so I had to look at it several times. :D

[rdsqrl]

And does my phantom roommate ever pick up a bar tab once in a while? I swear, I'm gonna stop cruising with him if he doesn't step up! On the plus side, he is quiet on mornings I want to sleep in and is never hogging the shower. . . .

[vmom]

Your 2 YO would have to be in a small stroller, and you would need to walk the baby outside the dining room. The waitstaff carry huge trays loaded with plates, bowls, etc. and you would impede them. There isn't room for anything bigger than a small stroller next to you at the table. Even those using walkers or wheelchairs are seated and the walkers/chairs stored out of the way until needed.

 

FYI. A newborn would be charged the same price as an adult. Heck, I go as a single and often pay 200% fare for a "phantom" roommate. Age doesn't have anything to do with Princess pricing.

 

I agree. There really is not much room in the dining room to be pushing around a stroller, big or small, plus pushing around a stroller would be a danger to the wait staff who have narrow pathways to walk with their large trays. It would be a recipe for disaster.

 

Just outside the dining area there are more open public areas to push a stroller, although keep in mind that on formal nights even these areas become very crowded since there are photography backdrops with lights all around and lines of people waiting to have their picture taken.

 

I think your best solution is to walk the child around in the stroller in an open area that is not crowded, then after the child is asleep bring the stroller to the dining area. I would also suggest you talk to the head waiter about this in advance so he can find a table for you that is off to the side where the stroller can be easily parked next to the table.