GeezerCouple

If you have until October to book, that's quite some time away. (It must be October, 2023 at the earliest, if the event that caused this was in November of 2022.) And there are usually cruises listed way more than a year in advance (sometimes 2 or 3 years in advance). That should give you, and your cousin, a lot of flexibility. GC

Ah, memories. We've enjoyed reading your reports. It's almost exactly 3 years since we left the Noordam in Sydney, after a NZ/Australia cruise, and it was one of our favorites. And then life shut down... It was our first HAL cruise and hopefully not our last. We thought that the Lincoln Center chamber group was really excellent, a wonderful surprise. GC

I'm so sorry to hear of her injuries. I can't imagine breaking one, but both!? That's going to be a difficult recovery, I'd think. I hope all goes well! One thing... I don't know when in January your cruise is, but please look at the cancellation penalty schedule. We had to cancel at the last minute some years ago (DH's first cruise and our first time using travel insurance - thank you CruiseCritic members!) Anyway, we were right at the deadline for 100% penalty, and we were worried that the insurer might claim we should have/could have notified the cruise line before the full 100% penalty set in (then the insurer would have had to pay less, etc.). It turned out not to be a problem, due to the documented time sequences of physician visits and continuing worsening of his condition. But we would not have been at all happy to find out something like, if we had dealt with it a day or two earlier, we would have avoided a nasty process or part of the claim denied. Our experience isn't with NCL insurance, but with 3rd party, and we've found them very easy to work with, *assuming* we have all of the proper documentation and receipts, etc. (They do have a right to get the receipts to try to avoid fraud, etc.) Anyway, good luck and best wishes to your wife! GC

I'm glad this finally got resolved properly! Perhaps try a different travel insurance company next time? (And thanks for mentioning which insurer it was, to help others make good decisions.) GC

Whenever we are going to cross an international border, we check that government's website for information about bringing "drugs"/medicine in as visitors/tourists. (There are usually completely different rules for those importing them for sale, etc.) And then we do exactly as they say! After all, they would be the ones with the power, should it come to that. And if we are visiting "them", then we'll follow "their" rules, full stop. We make sure that all Rx meds are in containers with pharmacy labels. (We do get extra labels from our pharmacist so we can stick them on tiny ziploc bag type containers. Those flatten out and take up *much* less space than the bottles that usually have so much extra air/space in them that is totally unused. We also each have copies of the scripts, plus a letter from our physician (on letterhead) about any special meds, such as something that might be considered a controlled substance or any injectibles (and the needle/syringe combo). We also keep a copy on our laptop and in the cloud. In some cases, we contact the appropriate government agency if their list includes anything that might need special permission. These days, it can be done by email, and thus can take less than 24 hours (other than time zone delays). Any time we've approached the customs/etc., people upon arriving in a country to "declare" that we are traveling with medication, they've just smiled and waived us away. In one country, we had to fill out a special form to present upon arrival, and... no one there knew what to do with it... But we will still *always* do exactly as "their country" requires. We are visitors, after all. Also, one country had complex rules about quantities, also, So I just emailed them with a complete list of the meds that DH and I each took and would be bringing with us (some are "just in case" meds that we keep on hand). The agency then let us know what quantity limits there were for some, and which needed an extra form to be completed. This entire process took slightly over 24 hours, far in advance of our trip. The rules can be unexpected. One country absolutely prohibits a medication that is OTC (Over The Counter; no prescription needed) in the USA. There was no way to get permission or any waiver, so we took a "next best" and hoped we wouldn't need it. The last thing we'd want is to have some sniffer dog take note of us and then get turned away at the border. Unlikely, but not impossible. Why risk it? We keep the same documentation for several years; we don't get it updated for each trip. (This should be very useful for anyone who needs a special appointment or fee, etc.) Better safe than sorry. 😉 GC

And if you bring wine to a dining room, if you aren't finishing it all, you can either bring it back to your room or you can ask them to store it for you for the next evening, by name and cabin/suite number. (No second charge.) Then, whichever dining area you are in, just ask them for it, and they'll get it for you. So it might take just a bit of extra time. GC

IF I remember correctly, and it's been a few years now thanks to other cruises and especially COVID (grrrr), then there may have been a little symbol, much like is used for vegetarian items (but a different symbol, of course!). Or perhaps a letter (V, GF...). I am not 100% sure about this on Oceania's menus, but I think we were able to use the menu plus ask about other items. It's been quite some time since we have *not* seen this on any nicer menu... but alas, it's also been "quite some time" since we've seen any menu at all! 😡 GC

So *THIS* is what has been happening to all the TP when there are shortages! 😁 GC

They are excellent with gluten free diets. FIrst, let them know in advance. (I'm forgetting what the 'special needs' group e-address is - sorry.) However, there will be GF items *already* on each menu, labelled. Let them know if you have a "cross-contamination" type allergy. DH was diagnosed quite late in life with true celiac disease, but fortunately, it's not one where mere contamination will cause severe problems. We do tell them that, so they don't need to take some of the extra precautions that would otherwise be needed. If you want something that's normally not GF, ask (in advance, of course) if they might be able to prepare it for you GF. They'll really try to please if possible. Fortunately, these days, there is so much that is or can be made GF, it's not as much of a problem as it probably was some time ago. When we went to Italy several years ago, soon after the diagnosis, we were pretty worried. It turned out that all of the restaurants had GF offerings, including... pasta. LOTS of GF pasta! It just took them a bit longer to prepare it. What a nice surprise. Yum. 🙂 And I'm sure you already do something like this, but whenever we eat out (and each meal on a ship or at a resort, etc.), we always remind the waitstaff when ordering, and then when we are served. Better safe than sorry, etc. Enjoy! GC

This is us, too. We LOVE the forward view. And we also enjoy the motion of the ocean, etc. Well, the one time off the coast of Norway, when at least the Captain [not Oceania] gave us all advance warning that we'd have some "rough seas", when "it" started, we could not even stand up against the wall. We had to crawl to the bedroom, where we stayed in the middle of the bed all night, watching the water splashing everywhere via the bridge cam. 🙂 That's when we became even more sure that we don't get seasick. (A year or two later, this was the general area where the Viking Sky got into trouble. We were just glad that we went through this before knowing about that, rather than after that. But they had engine failure, etc., in rough seas, and that becomes a very different "thing" indeed.) But other times, it's not been such an "adventure", and mostly "no adventure at all". As for the need to keep lights off, instead of keeping the curtains closed all the time after dark, we sometimes just turn out the lights, and enjoy the view even more. Unfortunately, the few times we've tried to book a Vista Suite on Oceania (the suite type, not the ship), they are already sold out. We'll keep trying. GC

The Haven isn't "cost effective" for anyone, if one is measuring only "cost of the cruise". The value may well be worth it - or not - depending upon one's resources and preferences. But if the Garden Villa (on a ship that has one) is something like 3x the cost of at 2BR Haven suite. On our last reservation, it would have been more than that, although it does depend upon whether one is putting 3 or 7, etc., in that Garden Villa. So is it total dollars spent, or per person, or per person per square foot, or...? How does one evaluate the "cost effectiveness" of relaxing alone, for example? Is eating at Le Bistro "cost effective"? Is taking a cruise at all "cost effective"? This is like the statement that "An elephant for a dime is only a bargain [or "cost effective", perhaps?] if you have a dime and you need an elephant." GC

Thanks Steve, I know we asked about this quite some time ago, but just in case there has been any type of change: Is there *any* way to add extra days (and pay for the extra coverage, of course) at the end of a trip, if we really love where we are and want to stay longer or such? Or even add another stop on the way home? I'm asking here instead of by direct email to you, as this question does come up here on CC. NO way to do this, or maybe a different type of policy than the one we get from Travel Insured?? (Of course, we are reluctant to consider any other insurer, given how terrific TI has been with claims, even some pricy ones...) Thanks, and Happy Holidays! GC

I agree with this, mostly because it would otherwise be really inconvenient - for us, at least - if we wanted the peacefulness of the Haven... and our traveling companion could only join us in our suite. That would minimally be okay, of course, but not ideal. We took kids and a grand on a cruise some years ago, and had a lovely suite, but there was no Haven issue. So we just got each of them extra keycards so they could come and go as they pleased, almost as if they 'lived there', too. Then we had separate and more comfortable places to sleep, as we got them an OV for that. They insisted an inside would be okay, but it was their first cruise, and my goodness, I wanted them to at least be able to see the water! Also the little one was a toddler, and I would NEVER have relaxed with him and a balcony, unless I was there. (Yup, that's my problem, but at least I own it, right?) We were considering another cruise with them (now 2 grands), but.... COVID... Anyway, we decided to have everyone in the Haven, so we could all relax there together. But that's mostly because the two of *us* prefer to be there. If we were planning to spend more time in the general ship, this wouldn't be a problem. At least any non-Haven guests could join you in you own suite. GC

We both have waaaay too many t-shirts, as that's something we somehow manage to "want" on any interesting trip. Better than knick-knacks galore, I suppose. One of my favorites is getting a bit worn, and because it was a "really cheap touristy" t-shirt, the print is rubbing off. It's from Curaçao, and it is bright red with white lettering Cura Cao but that white lettering is in the exact style of the script "Diet Coke". Since I'm a Diet Coke junkie (I'm often seen carrying a bottle around; they should be paying me for advertising!), it's just perfect. But we've never been back. I should have gotten a few. (Ah, did I mention how we "somehow" accumulate too many t-shirts!?) Because the print wearing off, I don't wear it. Not an ideal way to enjoy a favorite t-shirt. 😡 GC

Doesn't sound appropriate, or it would probably rapidly get out of hand. 😡 (We used to create tons of these types of things, but mugs, champagne flutes, post-it pads, pens, a little stuffed animal, etc., except they were ALL left as gifts for our rental guests at our vacation rental properties. Great advertising, we figured... good memories for them, and perhaps their friends/etc, would see them. So even though it was a commercial endeavor, we still didn't sell the souvenirs. It would be so simple for us to do it again, but with a Roll Call... let's see... mugs, pens, tote bags, Oh My!) Did you report this to the Mods here? GC

We loved the Deck 11 PH suites, specifically because of the extra shade. I suppose we wouldn't like it if we were sailing into fjords where we would want to be looking almost straight up, but otherwise, we've never felt the view was "obstructed". And the Executive Lounge is right there. But we (me!) love the tubs. So I guess it would be Deck 10 in the future... As for noise from the upper Deck, we chose PH suites that were under the Oceania Suites, so we were surrounded side-to-side and above-below with other suites, not potentially noisy areas. GC

Their filet really is the best! And the Coq Au Vin is a real sleeper. Once we discovered it, we couldn't get enough of it. (I hope they haven't changed the recipe as part of the post-COVID changes, due to costs or supplies...) GC

Of course. We might keep a meal perk because the extra cost is worth it to us. But not any beverage package, because we don't drink enough "liquor" to make it worthwhile, and the nicer wines we like aren't included in the package. It's really very simple. Please keep in mind, if there are costs such as tax or tips or whatever, then considering the item "free" just is not accurate. It doesn't matter what it's "called". ==>> If you eventually have to pay something for it, then there's a cost to the "thing". You answered it yourself... the "free stuff" makes "the cruise more expensive than [you] want to pay". Make your own decision based upon the value to *you*, but if something adds money to the total, don't keep considering it "free". [It doesn't matter if NCL or anyone else calls it "free". IF the end result is it costs extra if I get it, then it isn't truly "free". So we consider if the value to us is worth whatever it ultimately costs.] GC

Very glad to know that HAL was willing (and able!) to get this request done for you. As for "ship inventory", well... it depends upon ... Are you going to eat enough during the cruise to become "cargo"? 😄 GC

We also LOVE forward-facing! We just keep the lights off at night so we can keep the drapes open, even when all that is visible is the sky (maybe a nice moon?) and the sea! We also keep lights off usually later in the evening so we can "see" the view, unless we need serious lights on, such as for reading. I hadn't heard/thought about red lights. GC

My understanding is that if a TA makes a reservation, "they own it" and NCL can't do much with it. In any event, rather than wasting more time trying to figure out whether NCL can cancel your excursion, or if not, why not, etc., why not just call your TA to cancel it? Then it's done. GC

Sorry for the late comment... just noticed this. There are some ships that have suites that are NOT "Haven" suites. They also have Butlers who perform much the same types of services. Some of these non-Haven suites on are ships that have no Haven, but there are some on ships that ALSO have Haven suites. If a Butler helps to makes your cruise better, you can show your appreciation regardless of what type of suite you have. These suites also have a Concierge available. GC

Why is this any different from any previous version of a drivers license? Are people coerced into getting those? They don't "need" to get them unless they want to drive. Similarly, they wouldn't need a "Real ID" if they don't want to fly, etc. (or anything else that particular ID is required for). Unfortunately, the idea of personal privacy has become a bit of a joke, with just about everything already available on the dark web, and much of it on the regular visible web. Whether I, or others, prefer the "privacy of days of yore" is irrelevant. That ship sailed quite some time ago. As did a lot of the feelings of general safety. But needing a particular ID for driving for flying is *not* the same as 'needing to carry one's papers with one at all times". (I think back to my younger days, say, 60 years ago. Children would run around the neighborhood, go to their friends homes, and either come home pretty much on time for dinner, or call to ask if they could stay for dinner with the friend. Many people never locked their doors, something that I now find completely baffling... But "those were the days...") Nowadays, I'm more concerned about safety issues (sometimes of alarming concerns) than I had been in the past, and not necessarily going back half a century or more. Times have change, alas. GC

I was first warned about this problem back in 1977, while visiting Rome with some dear Italian friends (whom we still visit, but more in northern Italy nowadays). I would have been totally oblivious. And because I always use a shoulder bag, it would indeed have been likely to grab 'n drag me. They recommended that I never use the arm or shoulder near the street, and that it would be best if I always used a side of me that was right next to someone I was with... and remain close. I *never* forgot that. It was scary to think about. In fact, that affected how I walked with almost anything I was carrying (although that was most often a shoulder bag), anywhere. But yes, especially in Italy. Our friends have since joked that I learned my lesson well: I look like I am completely paranoid in the way I hold my shoulder bag. There aren't any dangling straps, and the purse itself is tightly clamped between the side of my torso and my upper arm. That's the same no matter where I am... in Italy, another country, or my home town. 🙄 *All* of my bags have some strap or handle that will fit over my shoulder, preferably relatively tightly. That quickly became automatic, starting in August, 1977. 😉 GC

Thanks. I guess I was indeed getting them mixed up. (We've always used passports for any travel, including domestic air, so whether our DL are "enhanced" or "Real ID" or whatever, doesn't matter to us.) GC