AweighToSea

Agree a good TA would do that. As I implied, the new to us agency and TA I have recently used does not fit into that category unfortunately. Previous agents have retired. The quest continues.

Thank-you for that clarificat@basor and @1985rz1 . I (mistakenly) thought I had seen O was reaching out to those affected. Must have been just me assuming they would want to move as many as possible over to SM and the usual "we are happy to let you know you are eleigible ..." type of thing. I think some TA would not look forward to the additional work and fielding many questions even with an increase in revenue if O sends them an email the obligation to advise the client vs knowing the program change and keeping quiet (not unlike not offereing to re-fare a booking if eleigble for a sale or such) I need to approach my TA about a different issue and wanted to get an understanding of this first And thanks @EJL2023 for looking up those posts. Reading them I am thinking TFree and MnDAL reached out to their TA . BTW, I just discovered by (on a PC) right-clicking the post's time stamp the link address can be copied and clicking the pasted link will go direct to the comment. i.e. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2944622-simply-mores-impact-on-current-bookings/?do=findComment&comment=65691071

Trying to pick which if the "Simply More" threads would be most appropriate for my question and I think this is it based on the original subject. Would anyone who had booked through a TA and has a cabin that is waitlist been offered Simply more let me know please? I have read of waitlisted bookings that have received SM but those might have been from the pax reaching out to O proactively (directly or through TA) I am wanting to determine if O are offering SM to waitlisted bookings on their own initiative and, if yes, if my TA has dropped the ball (again).

Thanks - that is good to know. We had an agent change (same agency). I suspect that email is sitting in the previous agent's inbox that is only occasionally monitored for "bigger" things. I'll follow-up with my (great) current agent to ensure we get timely emails from Atlas.

So much enjoying this thread. @rloke you have excellent photos! And for the play-by play notes. A great read. I'm quoting this post because we too did not receive an email from Atlas with a link to the photos. i have been intending to post a question regarding this issue on the board but have ben tied up with some issues since we returned (and also wanted to have the photos first which I happily now have) We were on a different sailing and don't want to hijack your excellent thread but as this came up I will interrupt with apologies. We used a TA and not direct. When I reached out to Atlas for the "missing email" they told me all communication would go through the agent. I was surprised that would include a follow-up informational email such as this but maybe that is why you two too did not get the link. We have another Atlas cruise booked so I would like to know where the "what we've got here is a failure to communicate" happened so can head it off before the next trip. That said, I am very curious if someone here on CC did get the original email and its contents. We understood the email would be more than the link to the photos but include links to some sites that we discussed in the recaps, the route taken, etc. I am disappointed we had to chase down the photos and that we did not get the other info but glad that we did eventually get a link. I suspect that the link we did receive was not a link to the original store as this seems unedited in that there are a few badly exposed shots that I'd expect the ship's photographer to have edited out before "publishing".

$13,500 CLP peso for a wee (pun intended) break; CAD$23 for two down the drain. I wonder if a US$10 would have interested the attendant to put the $1000 CLP in the hat on your behalf. Thanks for confirming the broad acceptance of credit cards as I have been coming across conflicting info on that. How did you deal with small purchases such as a bottle of water, paying a taxi or avoiding the problem of your now famous Chilean pee break in Buenos Aries?

Which two hotels are listed in your info package? I am curious even though as we are embarking next month we just recently received a physical info package. As it is such early days for your cruise I assume you received an information package by email - is that true? Did you book directly? We did not receive an Atlas info package when we booked as you have. We used a TA. As for the hotel there are two listed in our docs that we can purchase pre/post: Alvear Palace and Sofitel Recoleta. That said, we are not staying at either of those. Maybe that is a group thing with our TA or maybe it is Atlas sells a different hotel than the one in our package as an upgrade. Atlas prices seems good compared with current online prices. Yours could be completely different for 2024.

Great, thanks for the details and also to @kml246 for confirming they have the same in writing. I was told when I phoned Atlas the weight limit was 5 (lbs or kgs?) so both of you being told 16# and in writing is perfect. We are on the same carriers but in reverse. So as @kayakcove wrote it is indeed variable. Interestingly the carry-on limits are different than on each of the airlines' website. I *assume* Atlas has simplified with one limit for both carriers and can do this as a charter. As we will be returning with more clothes (the bulky parkas) we will bring a stuff sack for the flight from EZE to home as we are allowed an additional checked bag. Just learned we will be arriving back in EZE even a little earlier than you @dml71913 and also would like to find a half day tour (with our luggage) as hanging out at the airport until our midnight flight is not too appealing. So far I have not found something suitable but will post back if I do.

Hi @monikaabr I am sorry I cannot answer your question and yet have questions for you. We will not be sailing until later in February and not having been on the airlines I don't know their procedures. I am been told we are only allowed 5 lbs for carry-on (unless I misheard - I am guessing they meant 5 kgs)! And I think 50 lbs for checked luggage. Is that the same as what you have received. I have been (somewhat patiently) waiting / hoping to receive some sort of information package on this from Atlas. Don't think I can wait 3 weeks prior as you have. (I do realize they are re-organizing but some stuff would not change from the sailings they have dome real such a a packing list) What did it contain? Anything on a suggested packing list, Well, probably does not matter as we have already bought (probably more) than we will need and have to cut back to make the luggage weight limit. Which airline do they have you on, Aerolineas Argentinas perhaps? As i am sure you know this board is pretty quiet so any information or post cruise feedback would be MUCH appreciated.

We agree with you and optimistically have two sailings booked. With such small ships we are looking forward to some new to us/interesting/different ports

I too will be watching for any comment on a recent / upcoming experience on either ship. Like @kayakcove we have an Antarctic cruise booked (late Feb) and so hoping for a few posts to get an idea of how they are doing, what to expect / prepare for as we plan our trip. I realize Atlas launched a new line in pandemic times and has recently hired a new CEO and senior management with a lot of building to do. Land side operations still might be a little shaky but hoping ship board the crew will shine. And same as @GICNJC, we have sailed with Oceania a number of times and I hope kayakcove you will enjoy your first cruise with them as well. Over the years we've had a few minor issues with O but on the ship the experience has mostly been great. We are easy to please and know that nothing will be perfect in every detail and the overall experience will be what we make of it (baring a disaster of course) CC has been generally quieter (some of that is a good thing) and this newish board is very quiet but hoping as cruises start rolling out we will have some posts on recent experiences.

Thank-you @Diddn and @cluso. All good.

Your agent knows their stuff. I found it hard to find on SC site. A pdf at the top of a page about *on-board* protocols is not somewhere I would have looked for a pre boarding requirement. You starting this thread I am sure is appreciated by everyone else who can miss it. In searching the web for old copies I came across some EU regs dated Apr 2022 (don't know if still current or what those regs said previously) that state the cruise line is responsible for repatriation costs for pax who must quarantine even off ship (I am paraphrasing of course) unless the pax have insurance so I can understand why SC want to off load the cost and admin headaches for that. Something that important IMHO should be clearly listed in the booking statement (I skimmed the T & Cs and did not see it in there but maybe but missed it) Thanks for the update @Ben2travel Also I echo @cluso suggestion of checking out tripinsurancestore. While I have not purchased insurance from them ( did not go through with that booking) they were very helpful and clear in their explanations.

Thanks to the OP for posting the insurance requirement. It is not in their T & C and was not obvious on their website. While their web page "Travel and Health Statement" (T & H) helpfully has dated entries, there seems to be only one link to "HEALTH & HYGIENE PROTOCOLS ON BOARD" pdf, the current one. This document contains the statement that insurance coverage for Covid is required. I am trying to find out when this policy was implemented by Star Clippers. I do see the T & H statement page and if there was a restriction expected it to be listed right there. Later I saw the pdf link to "protocols on board". Having insurance is not something that I consider a on-board protocol but seems to be a boarding requirement. (IMHO it should have been part of the booking document / statement not unlike a valid passport.) It would be helpful if I could get some indication as to when this went into effect as I cannot find a historical document. Can someone post that they saw it say, Feb 2021 or Dec 2020 or ... Or did not see it on their Feb 2021 pdf. I know if it not definitive but would help. Thanks!