miscellaneous questions

[meow!]

On Oceania ships, can you get cash from your credit card? (On Silversea ships, they give you up to $500 on your credit card pay day, but on Celebrity ships, you can only exchange currencies, they will not give you any cash advance on your credit card).

 

On Oceania ships, if you give postcards to the concierge to mail for you, do they mail it in the individaul ports of call (such that you get local stamps and postal chops for souvenirs)? (On Silversea ships, they do, but on Celebrity ships they will only mail them altogether at your final disembarkation port).

 

I remember the other two lines because we have been on them within the last half year or so, we haven't been on Oceania ships since April, 2004, rules change, so we will appreciate recent information.

[Mike073]

You could charge euros to your room, but there was a 5% transaction fee along with a poor exchange rate. I think on shore it was 1.58 and they were using 1.62 on the ship. They would by extras back at the end of the trip at what you paid for them. Seem like there was a daily limit, but I do not remember what it was. ATMs on shore was a better way to get them.

[CruiseLiz]

They mail the postcards at the different ports that you visit. But the mailings are not that timely - if you're in one port on Monday and you drop your postcard, it won't get mailed until Tuesday or the next day when you're in another port.

 

Like the OP said, you can get cash at the purser's desk - they just the charge on your onboard account.

[meow!]

Thank you both kindly for your valuable information. We have just made our final payment and now have to take care of the details. Oceania told us that we would receive our tickets by the end of this month.

 

Celebrity final documents are in the form of a booklet, with both the cruise tickets and transfer tickets printed in the same booklet. It came in a pouch envelope. In 2000 and 2002, it was also in the form of a booklet, but somewhat different from the new ones.

 

Silversea final documents came in a silver coloured folding cardboard box with a magnetic strip at the edge of the flap (to keep it closed). The folder given was leatherette, i.e. PVC. The entire package was in a courier cardboard box. Four years ago, it had the same contents, though it was a small box looking like a child's shoebox, so there had been improvement in the design.

 

Oceania final documents was also in a leatherette folder four years ago, what is it like now? The above trivial pursuit is for those interested in "doc dance"!

[DaveFr]

Meow!

 

Our final documents for our Oceania cruise last January were in a leatherette folder that folded in half and was closed with a snap closure. It sort of looked like a large passport holder. Probably the same thing you had four years ago.

 

Dave

[LHT28]

Meow!

 

Our final documents for our Oceania cruise last January were in a leatherette folder that folded in half and was closed with a snap closure. It sort of looked like a large passport holder. Probably the same thing you had four years ago.

 

Dave

No they were nicer last year & in 2004 than the ones we got this year.

The brown ones look tacky compared to the black ones previously used.

[Sharicruz]

Oceania has changed their procedure with regard to documents. You will receive a Cruise Vacation Guide in the mail approximately 6-8 weeks prior to your sailing. Your final cruise vacation summary is now sent via e-mail.

 

 

 

Shari

*****

CCC Member

[meow!]

How about our "included" air tickets? Would they be e-tickets or IATA tickets?

[Sharicruz]

How about our "included" air tickets? Would they be e-tickets or IATA tickets?

 

They are e-tickets.

 

 

 

Shari

*****

CCC Member

[Sharicruz]

Sorry...Double post~

[merryecho]

this year's cruise doc's were a nice paper booklet, personalized with lots of info about our itinerary. I much prefer it to the old leatherette folders- too nice to throw out, but what do you do with them?

[tak2]

.. You will receive a Cruise Vacation Guide in the mail approximately 6-8 weeks prior to your sailing. Your final cruise vacation summary is now sent via e-mail.

 

 

 

Shari

*****

CCC Member

 

This is an improvement. Imagine those of us who do a 3 week tour before the cruise and documents don't arrive til 3 weeks pre-cruise?

 

I prefer not to have to rely on friends forwarding to me in another country. That can be nerve wrecking.

[meow!]

When we fly into Venice airport, we will go to a hotel near San Marco Square for a few days before going on the Nautica. How do we go from airport to San Marco, by water taxi? Easily available? And then from San Marco to the ship, I guess by water taxi (we had done the reverse, from ship to hotel in 2004, then it was 80 euros), how much do they charge now? Thanks

[LHT28]

You could take the Alilaguna line it is longer than the water taxi but cheaper

http://www.alilaguna.com/?funzione=1&contesto=1&valore=8&modo=6

or just follow the signs to the water taxis at the airport

http://www.motoscafivenezia.it/

 

Lots of info on the Med forum just do a search

[meow!]

Thanks for your link and information.

[PintoLvr]

On Oceania ships, can you get cash from your credit card? (On Silversea ships, they give you up to $500 on your credit card pay day, but on Celebrity ships, you can only exchange currencies, they will not give you any cash advance on your credit card).

 

Hi Meow, you can get a cash from the casino's change booth (when it's open) that will be put on your ship's bill. I can't remember the highest amount you can get, but it's a daily limit. That is the easiest way to get real cash, with no cash advance fee. Then you can use it to gamble with onboard, which is what they assume you will be using it for, or use it wherever you wish. At least that was true a couple of years ago on Nautica. Things might have changed since then. Hope that helps!

[CA traveler]

As someone else mentioned you can get cash from reception or the casino - they charge you a 5% fee to get cash and put it on your room.credit card. If you have traveler's checks reception will cash them without any fee. US traveler's checks for US dollars. If you want other currency they use a higher exchange rate and charge a fee.

 

Susan

[Jancruz]

On Oceania ships, can you get cash from your credit card? (On Silversea ships, they give you up to $500 on your credit card pay day, but on Celebrity ships, you can only exchange currencies, they will not give you any cash advance on your credit card).

 

Hi Meow, you can get a cash from the casino's change booth (when it's open) that will be put on your ship's bill. I can't remember the highest amount you can get, but it's a daily limit. That is the easiest way to get real cash, with no cash advance fee. Then you can use it to gamble with onboard, which is what they assume you will be using it for, or use it wherever you wish. At least that was true a couple of years ago on Nautica. Things might have changed since then. Hope that helps!

 

You can get up to $500 a day BUT there is still a 5% fee to get that money.

Jancruz1

[meow!]

Thank you all again, for your helpful information.

[meow!]

We are just about two months from our voyage. It has been fully paid, including air arrangements, and hotels booked pre- and post- cruise on our own. So there is not much to do or say. Does Oceania provide shuttle at the ports of call? Is there anything else we should know? It has been so quiet lately!

 

P.S. Are we to have eighty winks (a double nap) before we wake up to pack our luggage and hit the road .. zz .. meow!

[orchestrapal]

Sorry, no shuttles on any European cruise we have ever been on.:(

[orchestrapal]

Sorry, no shuttles on any European cruise we have ever been on.:(

[meow!]

This afternoon, we received our documents. It came in a Fedex ground envelope. Inside there is a thin paper envelope, a booklet (just like Celebrity, except for larger paper size) which contains our cruise ticket, our air arrangement and some information on excursions offered. There is no leatherette pouch, unlike four years ago. There is also no leatherette luggage tags, again unlike four years ago, just sticky paper peel and stick tags.

 

So unlike four years ago, when Oceania perhaps tried to look luxurious, this time it is plain functional. Of course, we are only in B category. Do folks who are in concierge or suites get anything different? Just curious.

[Sharicruz]

This afternoon, we received our documents. It came in a Fedex ground envelope. Inside there is a thin paper envelope, a booklet (just like Celebrity, except for larger paper size) which contains our cruise ticket, our air arrangement and some information on excursions offered. There is no leatherette pouch, unlike four years ago. There is also no leatherette luggage tags, again unlike four years ago, just sticky paper peel and stick tags.

 

So unlike four years ago, when Oceania perhaps tried to look luxurious, this time it is plain functional. Of course, we are only in B category. Do folks who are in concierge or suites get anything different? Just curious.

 

 

All passengers receive a cruise vacation guide approximately 75 days prior to sailing, and a final cruise vacation summary, which is sent by e-mail, approximately 14-21 days prior to sailing.

 

Shari

*****

CCC Member

[lcand1923]

Personally, we considered the leatherette folder a pain. It was too nice to just throw out, but was too large to carry with us. We like the new document procedures.