Nervous about people getting off & back on in ports.

[canderson]

9 minutes ago, susiesan said:

That is exactly what I have been doing for myself and others on a roll call over 40 years of cruising on over 50 cruises. I assume Celebrity charges a small fortune for the "service" they provide, for something I probably know more about than the X insider team on the ship.

Yes, as have we.  The difference now are the ports where DIY isn't presently possible, but Private Journey is allowed.  Cost isn't that different from booking a private tour directly with the operator.  In this case we know who the operator is, so that comparison was easily made.

[canderson]

52 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

That seems like a bargain to me for an all day tour.  How much would you tip?

Depends, of course, on the service.  If we get lucky and get the same driver/guide that Jim and Iain got (and we've specifically requested him based upon their experience), probably quite handsomely.

[susiesan]

12 hours ago, canderson said:

@susiesanPrivate Journeys.  You can arrange in advance or aboard.  X rep organizes it.  Better to do it in advance to give them time to arrange what you've requested. 

 

https://www.celebritycruises.com/shore-excursions/private-journeys

 

We are planning one like Jim's in St Kitts.

 

 

 

Can you tell me about Jim's tour in St. Kitts? That is one of my port stops. I may be able to put a group together from the roll call. You can email me offline 

susiesan8 at gmail.com. We can also talk about Japan since it seems maybe you lived there like I did.

Arigato.

[canderson]

3 minutes ago, susiesan said:

Can you tell me about Jim's tour in St. Kitts? That is one of my port stops. I may be able to put a group together from the roll call. You can email me offline 

susiesan8 at gmail.com. We can also talk about Japan since it seems maybe you lived there like I did.

Arigato.

I'll try to find his posts, but the thread/blog was probably 100+ pages long... Perhaps Jim can point us to the relevant bits more quickly.  I have a couple of key words (tour sites) that might work, though.

 

Altogether, I spent only about a year in Japan, but it was great times.  Will email later today.

[canderson]

1 hour ago, susiesan said:

Can you tell me about Jim's tour in St. Kitts? That is one of my port stops. I may be able to put a group together from the roll call. You can email me offline 

susiesan8 at gmail.com. We can also talk about Japan since it seems maybe you lived there like I did.

Arigato.

Email on the way.  Found decent links.  You can stand down, Jim!

 

[kokopelli-az]

On 9/30/2021 at 10:16 AM, LJSNY said:

We're booked 11/13 on Reflection. We love that everyone needs to be vaccinated & negative to cruise. We are however concerned about people getting off and touring on their own and getting back on the ship. Does anyone else have these concerns or should we not be worried? 

 

About getting off the ship, we were on the Equinox in August and got off in St Maarten to walk around the shopping area just off the ship.   We didn't have to worry about keeping our distance because there was no one there.   We were practically the only passengers walking around a big open area.   And most of the shops were closed.  Except Diamonds International, of course.  

 

We were more worried about so many people in the airport and on the plane flying to FLL from the west coast.  

 

(LJSNY, we're also booked on the 11/13 Reflection.)

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

Might be a good idea to give folks a sense of the cost of those “private journeys.”  $$$$  😉

We took 3 private Journey tours while on our B2B.   The cost ran between $225-300 per person for a 4 hour tour.  Personally I felt it was a great deal and about what I pay when I arrange private tours for a group of 2. 

 

I believe their rates are always on a per person basis. 

[canderson]

5 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

We took 3 private Journey tours while on our B2B.   The cost ran between $225-300 per person for a 4 hour tour.  Personally I felt it was a great deal and about what I pay when I arrange private tours for a group of 2. 

 

I believe their rates are always on a per person basis. 

Reading back, you said St Kitts was only $175 pp?

[Jim_Iain]

Your right.  Here’s the exact amount. 
 

 

[TeeRick]

21 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

We took 3 private Journey tours while on our B2B.   The cost ran between $225-300 per person for a 4 hour tour.  Personally I felt it was a great deal and about what I pay when I arrange private tours for a group of 2. 

 

I believe their rates are always on a per person basis. 

We have used Private Journey tours in the past.  Very nice but at least before COVID they would put perhaps 3 or 4 couples together on a small van/ mini-bus.  So two people is the best option now if they allow that.  There are private guides in most ports that will do tours for couples at similar prices to Private Journey.  But if you can use OBC for Private Journey that would be a different story.

[zitsky]

32 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

We have used Private Journey tours in the past.  Very nice but at least before COVID they would put perhaps 3 or 4 couples together on a small van/ mini-bus.  So two people is the best option now if they allow that.  There are private guides in most ports that will do tours for couples at similar prices to Private Journey.  But if you can use OBC for Private Journey that would be a different story.

 

So I guess Private is not so private.

[canderson]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

But if you can use OBC for Private Journey that would be a different story.

That's one of the nice features of planning it through X if you have a lot of OBC to burn through.

 

@zitsky

The rates that Jim showed on his tickets were for 2 pax.  So yeah, it's 'private'.

If you don't want to travel with others, you simply say so.  The price would, of course, be reduced if you put 2 or 3 couples together.

 

[KruznKimmie]

FWIW, it I were high risk regardless if I had the vaccine & booster, I would probably stay home due to the many cases of breakthrough cases with those having received the vaccine.

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, KruznKimmie said:

FWIW, it I were high risk regardless if I had the vaccine & booster, I would probably stay home due to the many cases of breakthrough cases with those having received the vaccine.

 

Well yea, we all have to see what risk we're comfortable with.  I will get a booster when available.  I don't want to wear a mask onboard but I will if told to do do.

 

I know someone who is immune compromised and they will still cruise following what I said above... booster, masks etc

 

And you have to think of flying to get to your cruise, or driving.  I will take that risk to cruise again.

 

Now I don't cruise for another year so I hope it gets better, but I don't expect it.

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours ago, TeeRick said:

We have used Private Journey tours in the past.  Very nice but at least before COVID they would put perhaps 3 or 4 couples together on a small van/ mini-bus.  So two people is the best option now if they allow that.  There are private guides in most ports that will do tours for couples at similar prices to Private Journey.  But if you can use OBC for Private Journey that would be a different story.

When arranging them I specifically told them we wanted private trips for just the two of us.   No problems.    Possibly the ones you saw were the "Small Group" tours.  

 

The main reason we used them initially was that we had loads of non-refundable OBC's.   

[TeeRick]

14 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

When arranging them I specifically told them we wanted private trips for just the two of us.   No problems.    Possibly the ones you saw were the "Small Group" tours.  

 

The main reason we used them initially was that we had loads of non-refundable OBC's.   

Jim it was a few years ago pre-pandemic.  If I had OBC and was cruising soon- I would definitely do Private Journey again.  For two!

[LJSNY]

On 10/2/2021 at 12:01 PM, kokopelli-az said:

 

About getting off the ship, we were on the Equinox in August and got off in St Maarten to walk around the shopping area just off the ship.   We didn't have to worry about keeping our distance because there was no one there.   We were practically the only passengers walking around a big open area.   And most of the shops were closed.  Except Diamonds International, of course.  

 

We were more worried about so many people in the airport and on the plane flying to FLL from the west coast.  

 

(LJSNY, we're also booked on the 11/13 Reflection.)

Nice to hear you will be cruising that week as well.

[Jim_Iain]

On 10/4/2021 at 6:04 AM, TeeRick said:

Jim it was a few years ago pre-pandemic.  If I had OBC and was cruising soon- I would definitely do Private Journey again.  For two!

Same here.    I normally used an agency that arranges tours by locals.   We have arranged about a dozen tours and have never been disappointed.   We really enjoy having control over what we want to do and when.   

[Ipeeinthepools]

On 9/30/2021 at 2:32 PM, canderson said:

Not worried about catching something so much as getting caught up in a bloody "contact trace", which is the more likely scenario of the two.

 

I agree 100%.  As far as I've heard it seems like Celebrity discontinued the Tracelets on the Equinox after they collected all of the bartenders at the Martini bar.  I wonder if Celebrity found that the Tracelets caused a lot more problems than it solved.  I was disappointed to that RCL has signed an agreement with the Tracelet company to continue their use.

[zitsky]

10 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I agree 100%.  As far as I've heard it seems like Celebrity discontinued the Tracelets on the Equinox after they collected all of the bartenders at the Martini bar.  I wonder if Celebrity found that the Tracelets caused a lot more problems than it solved.  I was disappointed to that RCL has signed an agreement with the Tracelet company to continue their use.

 

What do bartenders have to do with tracelets?

[canderson]

18 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

I agree 100%.  As far as I've heard it seems like Celebrity discontinued the Tracelets on the Equinox after they collected all of the bartenders at the Martini bar.  I wonder if Celebrity found that the Tracelets caused a lot more problems than it solved.  I was disappointed to that RCL has signed an agreement with the Tracelet company to continue their use.

I haven't seen any confirmation that the contract was signed with the same company that supplied the initial 'Tracelet' product used by Celebrity.

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

 

What do bartenders have to do with tracelets?

 

The bartenders and a number of others who frequented the martini bar were collected as close contacts by the tracelets.  

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, canderson said:

I haven't seen any confirmation that the contract was signed with the same company that supplied the initial 'Tracelet' product used by Celebrity.

 

TraceSafe has been working with the cruise lines since January and just signed the new contract with RCL.

 

https://apnews.com/press-release/accesswire/business-technology-government-business-and-finance-products-and-services-coronavirus-pandemic-13ec99e0d7352b70152500eed088f844

[zitsky]

2 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

TraceSafe has been working with the cruise lines since January and just signed the new contract with RCL.

 

https://apnews.com/press-release/accesswire/business-technology-government-business-and-finance-products-and-services-coronavirus-pandemic-13ec99e0d7352b70152500eed088f844

 

So is this the same tracelet that pax reported using because I thought they stopped using it on some ships?

[Ipeeinthepools]

40 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

So is this the same tracelet that pax reported using because I thought they stopped using it on some ships?

 

Yep.  Sure looks that way.  I was hoping they had given up on the concept.