new_cruiser

I'm wondering if the new engines are clean enough to meet the coming strict requirements for Norwegian fjords. I was booked on a Windstar cruise there that got canceled due to COVID and haven't managed to fit another into my schedule. Two additional ships might also give flexibility to go back to Asia or try some South American itineraries.

Do you prefer the Star suite configuration, bed by the window? All 3 are that configuration. I prefer the original sitting area by the window placement. Are none of the original Oceanview Suites available? Of the 3 you mention, I would prefer 440. It's over Amphora, but Amphora is usually used only for dinner and even then, I don't think the noise would carry up. Also, it is closer to midship than the other 2. 545 wouldn't be a bad choice either, cabins above and below so there shouldn't be any big noise issues. I like deck 5 for being in the middle so you are 2 decks or less from all public spaces other than Yacht Club and Star Grill.

Oh no! What an awful trip. "Bilateral", does that mean both legs? If the ship is next going to small Greek ports, you could be far from serious medical care for a week which doesn't sound like a good thing in the situation. Can insurance arrange for you to go to a hotel in Rome with some kind of aid/carer while they get transport home set up? Or even some kind of nursing or convalescent facility?

I the dental visit went well for you. Are you on the mend and back on the ship or heading back home?

And all aboard is usually 5 PM. You should receive an email with a boarding document that has the all aboard time. When we did it, we used a private transfer from Panama City with a half day of sight seeing along the way. We went to Portobelo to see the Caribbean end of the Spanish Gold Route across Panama. The driver also took us to see the Gatun Dam which was interesting. Most of the stops are nature related (or Canal history/technology related). There is a lot of bio diversity in Panama and Costa Rica because of climate and because of the isthmus mingling North and South American species. The Windstar tours are usually not crowded and usually have quite good guides, but as a party of 6, you probably can do well booking your own tours.

Travel insurance probably covers someone flying out to support you if needed. I think that's a pretty standard provision if you have someone able to do that.

I expect you didn't know you were going to need a root canal when you booked your trip. Pre-existing exclusion usually applies to a condition that arose or changed within some number of days (e.g. 120 days) before you bought the insurance. Not something that happened after buying insurance. So, assuming bought the insurance some time ago, that shouldn't apply. As a matter of principle, I never buy insurance from a company I'm traveling with. I want the insurance to be independent of my travel carrier (airline, cruiseline, etc.). I had travel insurance when I had the broken arm, but they got off lightly. Kaiser covers emergency care internationally so I submitted my bills to them and they reimbursed all but the hospital copay I would have had for same treatment at home. United waived the change fee and fare difference. They even gave me the upgrade that was wait listed for my original flight.

If I've added up the times correctly, you are around 6 days post root canal with pain and swelling that is getting worse and worse. I think the time for meek is over. If your cruise is 7 days, it will be almost half over by Marseille and you likely won't feel better right away. It's time to get medical attention on shore even if that means debarking early. If your cruise is longer than 7 days, you can catch back up to it when you feel better.

I'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing this. Is there any possibility of an earlier stop where you could visit an endodontist or even other medical help on land? I think I would worry more about the possible damage that may be going on from an unchecked infection. Possibly intervention other than a new antibiotic and pain medication is called for such as draining the infection. If it is much worse after 36 hours on the new antibiotic, it seems like that isn't doing the trick. Do you have trip insurance? It may be time to prepare to leave the ship to get medical intervention. I broke my arm on an excursion on the penultimate day of a solo cruise (on Star Clipper, not Windstar). These decisions are difficult. We didn't know it was broken and visited a clinic that wrapped it up and I reboarded, but looking back on it, I realize there were indications that it was broken. I debarked the next day and went to a hospital that the ship had arranged. Because it was a compound fracture, I ended up having to get immediate surgery and then stay in the hospital for 3 days for IV antibiotic before heading home. I hope you get seen soon for effective treatment.

That's unusual in my experience. Perhaps it helps that our most recent cruises have been cool weather ones: an unseasonably cool summer New Zealand/Australia and a fall Venice to Rome. Someone in a singlet or shorts would have been pretty cold.

For our Venice to Rome cruise last fall, we spent 5 days in Venice before boarding and 5 more days in Rome after the cruise. Arrive on board with most clothes needing laundry and debark with most clothes clean ready for the rest of the adventure.

They collect passports on most cruises. For my Japan to Alaska cruise they didn't collect them until after the last Japan port because Japan requires you to take the passport ashore (though mine was never checked at those port stops.

If they don't give passports back as a matter of course to all passengers because some might want to do this, you can let reception know your plans and pick the passports up from them the evening before or that morning.

You can get a laundry package for $19 per day per double occupancy cabin ($9.50 if solo). It has to be bought for the full cruise. Star Collectors or cruises 14 days and longer include the package without charge.

In addition to GeezerCouple's suggestions, there is also and Alaska section of the forums. Look in Ports of Call for Alaska. It is best to post questions about a specific area or a specific cruise line in the part of the board dedicated to that topic. You are more likely to get responses there. If you are tendering in the bigger Alaska ports like Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, then it probably means that all the docks are occupied - therefore a pretty busy day for the port.