GeezerCouple

Note: The "sleeping arrangement" here is ONLY for the reservations, as minors can't be "alone". The ship doesn't do "bed checks" 😉 so once you are on board, set up the sleeping as you wish, and given the ages of the children, yes, get two INTERIOR CONNECTING cabins so you can keep the door between them open. Don't make the mistake (ahem!) of ending up with two *adjacent* cabins... with no "interior connecting doors". Double check the cabins by looking at the deck plans and make *sure* the two that you have are designated as "connecting". Enjoy! GC

I hsve never heard of a company called "Travel Insured Store", and when I just Googled that, and a few variations, nothing with that name showed up. (I could have missed something, obviously.) However, "Travel Insured" [without the "store" as part of the official name] *IS* definitiely a travel insurance company. We have used them many times, and also filed several claims (all of which were paid very promptly). And "Trip Insurance Store" (or www.TripInsuranceStore,com ) also *IS* defnitely a company, a travel insurance broker, selling policies from quite a few vetted travel insurers, one of which is "Travel Insured". We have also used "Trip Insurance Store" for *all* of our travel insurance policy purchases, and also for some help with a coupld of claims. GC

We agree with most of what @Torquer wrote above. (The rest is mostly due to lack of knowledge, *not* disagreement.) We went on our first HAL cruise just before Covid (Nov/Dec, 2019). DH saw an itinerary and wanted to go, and "If HE wants to go, then... WE ARE GOING!!" 😀 There were a very few Neptune Suites available, so we grabbed one. We enjoy the PH Suites on Oceania's Riviera: Very comfortable space (although their new ships have apparenty done away with the walk-in closet; such a nice place to quickly stash things for a sudden cleanup, right!? 😉 ). We [meaning me] did *not* do our regular "due diligence studying" so we weren't sure quite what to expect. WE HAD A *WONDERFUL* TRIP! One of our best, although part of that was the itinerary. We were planning to enjoy it no matter what, but enjoyment was so easy! That included the MDR food, which was a special surprise. It may not have been the same as Oceania (or their specialty restaurants), but there wasn't a single dinner where we had any complaint... and we'll complain if we think it's appropriate, especially privately to each other. Didn't happen! Our Neptune Suite cost approximately the same as Oceania's PH Suite for a similar length cruise. Space seemed similar, albeit different layout, of course. But HAL won hands down with a MUCH nicer and larger bathroom. SO much nicer! We did miss the wonderful Butler service that we've somehow become a bit too much accustomed to (how'd that happen!?) on a couple of other lines. But that did not detract from our cruise, in part... because of... LINCOLN CENTER! I wrote earlier about how I'd arrive early with a book so we could get up front and personal, which makes a big difference to us with live performances, and especially chamber music. The venue was **MOBBED** every afternoon. People spilling out the back, standing... Why HAL thinks LC won't be missed "too much"?? We left our cruise feeling like we had found a new home (the ship was not too big). And then... and then... LC went poof. If there is a completely dynamite itinerary, maybe... But otherwise, we won't be back. Such a shame! 😡 GC

I would discuss any concerns with Steve, at TIS. Ask him about what you are worried about (medical costs? documenting losses? or?). My guess is that with good insurance companies, IF you have a loss that IS covered (not something excluded, in the fine print or main print) AND you have documentation, there's not going to be a serious problem with claims. We've had some large claims and NEVER had a problem. (Okay, I've mentioned somewhere about the <$10 for taxi tips when I didn't have any receipt. Maybe I could have argued? For <$10, it just wasn't worth fretting about!) ALL other claims were paid in approximately 2 weeks after we submitted the forms. (That is, a few times, we didn't submit the forms right away, because we were dealing with "what happened". That delay is obviously "on us"! And once, as described, we had trouble getting appropriate wording from a foreign physician, so I didn't submit the claim until we had a letter that properly described the situation. That's not any problem with the insurer.) Most of the complaints here (obviously not all) are because either the basis for the claim wasn't covered (READ *all* of the Terms & Conditions, and this is where Steve, or any broker, would be able to discuss your concerns about what is/isn't covered) or there was a problem with the documentation, What I tend to see with the latter issue is that travelers object to letting the insurer look at medical records. Sometimes they invoke HIPAA. HIPAA does NOT apply here (it's for health provider types) plus the insurance application included a statement about providing records if needed. (Those could also be proof of purchase of something claimed, such as an excursion.) The insurer has a right to do their best to check that there's no fraud, after all. Paying claims without full receipts/documentation? That's asking for fraud from at least some people! 😡 About your last concern, pre-existing conditions... obviously you haven't been either discussing this with the broker/agent or you haven't been reading all the terms and conditions. Some policies do NOT exclude pre-existing conditions, full stop. And for many others, "pre-existing condition" for travel insurance can be VERY different from what we typically consider it to be in "regular life". Having high blood pressure or taking meds for that (or similar ailments) is NOT automatically an "excluded condition". GC

Thank you. That would be very nice. (We had a meeting that could not be rescheduled, unfortunately,) GC

It's quite similar south of the border 🙂 as described by @CDNPolar Our medical records are typically "ours" (to view, unless there is some reason to consider harm to the patient from viewing in some circumstances). And at least in the past, in our experience, we would have to pay for printed copies of medical records *unless* they were to be sent to another physician. With travel insurance, I would have expected the insurer also to include the costs of the medical docs if they were covering the claim. And we also have online portals; I hadn't thought of that! (Duh!) When MIL was hospitalized days before our planned departure, we just had the doctors fill out the insurance forms, which were rather short. (She was nearing 100, and was admitted for heart trouble. No one was questioning anything! And she made it until about a month before her 100th!!) Even when DH had a last minute medical emergency, all that was required was that same one page form. Now, our coverage does NOT exclude pre-existing conditions, so that probably makes many of the claims easier. Now, the overseas/foreign hospital for me was different. We requested copies of my medical records, and I was handed a thick stack of papers, in a foreign language. We copied those and sent the batch to the insurer! So no "insurance forms" were ever filled out. We've never felt the claims process to be burdensome. The insurers have a right to try to prevent/detect fraud. GC

For starters, send a copy of your hospital discharge records, which will also include the length of your stay, your diagnosis, etc. Or get a fresh copy of your records. Given that you knew you'd be missing the cruise and wanting to file a claim, it would have made sense to get a note as you were discharged. The insurer will want documentation that confirms it was a necessary hospital stay and with something that precluded travel (e.g., not elective cosmetic surgery or such). Depending upon the insurance terms, they may need to review your previous medical records IF they need to rule out whether the hospital stay was due to an excluded pre-existing condition. Glad you are better! GC

Quick hints: For non-delicates, when you take a shower (especially when you wash your hair), put a few items on the shower floor before starting the water. Then let the assorted soap product(s) flow right onto those clothes. And then... make like Lucy in the I Love Lucy "grape stomping" episode. That is, stomp around on them, let the water and soap really get into them. Then the reverse as you rinse off. If the water isn't clear for the clothing, then either get some more exercise 😉 or just rinse them by hand a bit more in the shower (or tub). Before drying... open up a couple of bath towels (ask for more if needed). Wring by hand anything that can be safely done, for starters. Then lay out the wet clothing, spread out nicely. Then ROLL the clothing/towel so there is a layer of towel between every layer of clothing. Then... take the roll, and... do a bit more gentle stomping so a lot of the water is transferred to the towel. 🙂 There should be a little extension cord in the shower or tub to hang clothing on. Heavy clothing may take a bit longer to dry if you are in a very humid area. GC

I would definitely make that assumption, unless I had IN WRITING from the travel insurer that a cancellation or interruption due to this volcano WOULD BE COVERED. And then I'd want someone to double check! What is the point of not insuring "known events" if ... they will actually be insured (sometimes, often, or rarely)? Also I'm confused by your wording: This volcano has a "current eruption", "but the last time this volcano erupted was 800 years ago and it went on for years"...?? If your concern is about the length of the eruption, no one can predict when or for how long, etc. (Okay, Iceland has a reasonable record recently of predicting some of these and evacuating areas, thank goodness. But that isn't going to help in your situation for insurance purposes.) Only the insurer can tell you whether your assumptions are correct, and then make sure you understand exactly what they are stating. BTW, my larger concern right now would be: that main airport is on (or very near?) that same peninsula. What if (just asking for a friend...) some of that eruption shows up near or at the airport? How do many, many people leave? Full disclosure: My opinions are affected by having been near (NOT *AT*) the dreadful, abrupt, and deadly volcanic explosion/eruption in New Zealand, Dec, 2019. GC

If you each have an anonymized type of CC or general travel e-address, just post that here on CC. You know, something like [and this is NOT a real one!] TheTravelingGCs at aolyahoogmail dot com 😉 Once you've connected that way, you can un-anonymize yourselves or not, without involving all of CC... and all of the Web! GC

Given what you've just written, I think you have the wrong idea of what "ordering not on the menu" or "off-menu" means. It would be quite likely that asking for "no sauce" (or yup, "sauce on the side, and only a little bit", etc.😁) or just about any simple *variation* of what IS on the menu would be possible. And almost definitely if you notice the menu earlier in the day and ask in advance. On another larger ship cruiseline, we've been offered a soup made without a problematic ingredient, but asked to give them 24 hour notice. (And oh yes, to please show up and order that special item, etc.!) And then there are special requests to make something gluten free even if it's not listed as available that way. No guarantees, of course! And asking for the green beans that are listed with the chicken instead of the broccoli that is listed with your desired fish? That's not "off-menu". [It might be when it's a huge convention where there are, for example, only 3 choices of "the meal", and everything is pre-plated, or mostly so. But that's not what a cruise ship is.] As for "mixing and matching" things that *are* on the menu... I wouldn't want to count the number of times something like that is requested at every meal when thousands of individual meal orders are being taken! Don't forget, there are all sorts of allergies, and there are special preparations of many of the items for each meal already happening, day after day, meal after meal. But that is NOT the same as requesting a cheese soufflé when there's nothing similar on the menu. Or asking for a pork chop when there is no pork on the menu, etc. Or asking for a duck a l'orange when duck isn't even being offered at that meal... Those are requesting things that are "not on the menu". Given what you *are* asking about, you will very likely have little or no trouble. Enjoy! GC [written by the "Sally" of GeezerCouple 😉 ]

Once that started happening... they'd need to hire a lot more front line staff to call a lot more supervisors to make all those calls "upstairs". I thought that some of any last-minute availability was already offered at somewhat reduced pricing to those in the area, or perhaps to TAs in the area. And some late pricing may be showing on some of the online discount cruise TA sites. But when a company has such a HUUUUGE number of customers, they just can't start "haggling", or it would never end. Also, if you didn't like the "haggle result", would you just keep calling back to try again with another rep? Okay, double or quadruple the numbers I was playing with above! GC

OP has been sailing mostly with Seabourn for the past many years, with a few Silversea thrown in... except of course for their first cruise.... on.... ... the Staten Island Ferry. 😁 That would be our situation, too, many, many times...! Next up was the ferry across Lake Michigan in 1962. At least on that, one loses sight of land for a while. 😉 And then my first "real cruise" in 1974, and life was never the same! GC

Thanks! I just signed up, so we'll see if there are any offers/reminders to watch it after the 'official viewing'. GC

Right. And the key language that would matter, aside from needing to be "admitted as an inpatient" to qualify for the MJA medivac is that there is *NOT* the typical language of most regular travel insurance policies that state something like you would be transferred only IF the local facilities were not *medically* satisfactory, in which case you'd be transferred to the nearest *appropriate* (etc.) facility. Well... what WE consider to be medically appropriate may not be what the beancounters consider. Plus, that also puts the local medical staff in the potentially awkward situation of declaring or agreeing that THEY are NOT able to provide medically appropriate care! We used to get the annual MJA policy, given that we usually took at least two major trips a year. In addition, the annual policy would then also be "waiting" in case there were last minute or shorter trips such as to visit friends/relatives, or perhaps a business trip (for any that were at least 150 miles from home). We came very close to calling MJA once when I was in hospital overseas, and things weren't improving (and we were, um, less than thrilled with the facility, although all did go well). Just about the time DH and I decided, "yup, maybe it's time to call them..." I barely started to improve, so we waited. And things calmed down. Then, we had to arrange (with help and suggestions from TIS) about how to recover and get to the final week of our planned trip. We obviously could have just headed home and gotten money refunded for that last prepaid week's stay at a wonderful resort, but we really want to try to get there. So I spent that week mostly relaxing on the shores of Lake Como, where we had already chartered a small boat for a day. I mostly just sat there as we were shown around some of the sights. We didn't do much else, as I wasn't up to it. But it was a great place to relax and recover. 🙂 GC

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding something, but what does the hotel have to do with how you get transportation from an airport to get to the hotel? Obviously you didn't order this service through the hotel as you mentioned scheduling *private* transportation. We've taken a water taxi from the airport to our hotel in Venice, and it was THE Most Spectacular Way to Arrive in Venice! It was a bright sunny afternoon, and there we were, speeding along the little water-taxi route. When we made the advance plans, we asked the vendor to please arrange for us to be taken down the Grand Canal as a "Grand Entrance" to the city, even though our hotel was on the other side (where the Grand Canal ends). When we pulled up at the hotel dock, a few staff members came out to assist with our luggage. And yes, depending upon the tide level... it can indeed be a ... BIG step up from the taxi to the dock. I have some minor mobility difficulties, and suffice it to say that DH, er, how to put this... needed some assistance "shoving me up and out of the taxi" on to the dock. Two staff members each had one of my arms to help me stabilize as I was "heaved up" so I didn't fall right back into the boat... or worse - kerplunk! 😳 It was a bit expensive, but DH only had one chance to "arrive in Venice for the first time", as they say. Fun! (We love to arrange these little extras, and it's even more fun when I can arrange it such that it's a surprise for him! 😉 ) Enjoy! GC

We aren't traveling just now (but may be about to again), so we don't have any Travel Insurance that is active. However, a couple of clarifications: TIS (www.TripInsuranceStore.com) is a travel insurance broker. They sell policies from a selected number of vetted insurers. They aren't an insurer themselves. In fact, we purchase MedJetAssist *through* TIS, along with regular travel insurance. As for having other "medical evacuation" coverage, none of the general travel insurance policies we get (or have ever considered) would include what MJA provides, which it that if the traveler is admitted to a hospital as an inpatient, then you can request that MJA medivac you to the hospital of *your* choice (assuming you are at least 150 miles from home and are stable enough for a full medically-staffed evacuation, etc.). We would almost definitely prefer to be back at "our" hospital, with "our" medical team, who are familiar with our specific medical backgrounds, etc. GC

I'm less concerned about the baggage difference than why you are in economy if you are paying for business class from Venice to the USA... Why didn't you call AA when you saw that happening, before the ticketing was finalized? But it is "now", now. 😉 So I'd call AA and discuss with them, and see if you could be moved to a business class on the shorter flight, assuming that does indeed exist. And if business was full and still is, it seems there's quite some time until the actual flight, so there's a good chance that there will be some passengers changing. I'd definitely keep on it if they can't change that now. Now, keep in mind that the "business class" of some of the intra-European legs of the long itineraries may be "in economy seating", but could have the middle seat "blocked". That is, it's the same economy seat others have, but there's no one seated next to you; there'd be an empty seat in the middle of the 3-seat section. We don't much like that, as the "comfort" is certainly not better, but it is nicer to have the "space", plus no "unknowns" sitting right there. (One can "never know" about those "unknowns", right!? 😲 ) GC

Welcome to CruiseCritic... and to cruising! 🙂 Some people here can answer questions about tendering in Juneau. (When we were there, we docked, so I can't help specifically with that.) As for the Viking tendering process, why not ask on the Viking section of CC: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/689-viking-ocean/ Also browse there for other information and background. And you might want to look for the Roll Call for your *specific* cruise and connect in advance with other passengers. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/768-viking-ocean-roll-calls/ ENJOY! GC

We just got the following info from Hurtigruten: Tales of the North: Starry Nights March 21st at 11:00 AM PT/2:00 PM ET Join us as we sit down with astronomer, author, and passionate aurora chaser Tom Kerss. Delve into the captivating world of the Northern Lights as Tom shares his expertise and experience of the auroras, insider tips for maximizing your viewing experience and discover why this year promises to be one of the best in a decade for spotting these celestial wonders. This looks like it might be interesting, but it's happening during a weekday. Does anyone know if there is another broadcast time (or maybe a way to get access later that day)? Many thanks. GC

I forgot to mention...! Contact Princess and ask for "Special Needs" (if that dept is under a different name, they'll get you to them). They may have a form for you to fill out. If so, don't be surprised if many/most of the questions have nothing to do with *your* situation; it's meant for "everyone with anything", etc. Make it clear what help you do or might need, and chances are very good that they'll have some help for you or a contact person if needed. This is often for dietary special needs, but in your case it could also be to have meals brought to you or... whatever would help you (and that could obviously be sometimes but not other times). Enjoy!! GC

If you have not purchased tickets yet (or if you've done so within the past few days), then NOW is a good time to consider travel insurance. We are among those who recommend 3rd-party insurance, but I've heard that Princess may have good policies, too. The biggest problem often is "pre-existing conditions". But at least with many of the 3rd party policies, IF one starts the coverage within 10-20 days of the very first payment (it varies by state of residence), then there are *no* exclusions due to pre-existing conditions as long as one is "fit to travel" on the day the policy is started. [Note: We once got a physician to write a short note along the lines of, "as of <date>, <name> is able to travel internationally" or words to that effect. We didn't need the note, but we were happy to have it in hand just in case, given a very recent medical issue.] And a cruise sounds perfect, given the opportunity to "be active" or to sit and enjoy the sea, the sea air, other views, and just relax, etc. Enjoy! RM

Welcome to CruiseCritic! You might get a lot of information if you post this on the "Solo Cruising" section of CC: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/279-solo-cruisers/ And also just browse there a bit. 🙂 GC

If this particular excursion seems important or especially appealing to you, then ask how many steps there are to the ladder, and perhaps a photo. (Some ladders have something like thick rods as "step"; others have flattened steps, etc.) Ask if there is any help for someone uncomfortable with ladders. But the bottom line is that this should be a *pleasant* experience for you. If you are likely to be dreading it in advance, or fearful during the excursion, then it's probably not the best choice. (Note: I have a different fear, of heights. There are some excursions I simply will NOT go on. Very occasionally, if it's something really special, then DH may go without me that day. But usually, we just select something else.) GC

Welcome to CruiseCritic! We almost always take private tours/excursions, so we can "do it our way", and, for example, spend more time 'here', and less time 'there', etc. Usually we plan this in advance, but if it's really just the two of us, then we can also adjust the itinerary on the go, as long as the guide agrees it will work in terms of timing, etc. And we've also had some terrific experiences using this strategy: There were two times in the Caribbean when we chartered a large catamaran. Not only was it more than we wanted to spend, but it had *plenty* of room for more than the two of us. (For overnight charters, which we did not do, there were four private bedroom/bath accommodations, in each corner of the catamaran. Overnight sure would have been wonderful. Maybe another time...) We posted each on the appropriate Roll Call, describing what we had planned, and the pp cost. One was a regular "tour", but we chartered "all of it". So instead of something like 16 or 18 people for the day, we kept it at 8, with lots of room to spread out. (We did not use the bedrooms, or there would have been extra charges for cleaning, etc.) The other was another large catamaran at another island, with a planned itinerary to some nice swimming and also some special sight-seeing opportunities from the boat. Both times, it included a BBQ handled by the guides on board. Nice! And in both cases, it was less per person than if we had each gone with the regular excursion individually, with a larger group. Win/Win. And there was a 3rd, for a sailboat along the coast of Cinque Terre (Italy). Alas, a family member got critically ill days before our planned departure, so I transferred all of the contact info to someone else in the group, and ... they all went without us. 😞 For starters, you might want to inquire on your Roll Call about what others have planned and join in. Later, perhaps you'd want to plan something and invite others. Our favorite trip ever (!) was to Japan, but it was a land trip, so we got to stay overnight at places like traditional onsen ryokans (hot springs inns) and a Buddhist Monastery, among other places in various cities and towns. It's a beautiful and fascinating place. Enjoy! 🙂 GC