OldBoot

Thank you Ann for your comments. Did you happen to do a trip report? If so, I'll search for it.

Lila

HAL says that for passengers arriving by ship to Myanmar--

• All nationalities can obtain the visa for Myanmar onboard for approximately USD $65 per person
• Visa can be obtained onboard if arriving to Myanmar with the ship
• The onboard visa is valid for 28 days and guests can go ashore for an overnight excursion OR overland tour to another city in Myanmar of tourist destination (NOT REMOTE AREA)
• Visa on arrival will be issued to all passengers onboard of all nationalities (that do not have one) whether they go ashore or not

My Travel Agent says--

• We can complete a hard copy to send in to the consulate at a fee of $30 CDN per person, but you do have to send in your Passports and pay for the courier return.
• There is also the option of completing the online Visa for a higher expense. It is more convenient and you do not need a letter of employment.
  

I think HAL's process sounds much simpler, albeit more pricey.

That's good to know! The travel agent has offered to do it through their office as well. Nice to have choices. :-)

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

Oops. I didn't read your post thoroughly. I have my answer.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

I know it has been awhile (!), but I am wondering if you did take this tour? Did you like the tour company?

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

HAL's on line chat feature advises that passengers can obtain their Visa for Myanmar while aboard. Does anyone have experience with using this service?

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

Volendam, departing 16 February 2016, 14-day Asian Adventure. Thank you.

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

It has been nearly a year since your trip but I am only just reading your report. Thank you for sharing. I'm curious, do you have anything further to add--with the perspective of time elapsed since?

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

Simple is best, in my opinion. But that is just me. I used to see cabin door tags from time to time, but I think I remember reading that HAL no longer allows this?

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

My DH is a smoker. He was very intimidated and hurt by the comments of our anonymous verandah neighbor one day as he enjoyed a cigarette on our verandah one afternoon. Goodness, you'd think the neighbor had paid for all the verandah rooms surrounding his stateroom!

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

The air conditioning/heating system seems to aggravate the condition. I succumbed to the "cruise ship cough" on our Med. cruise this May. It was worse overnight and when riding on enclosed tour buses. Agreed, its a side effect of congregating with a new bunch of people. But it does seem to be aggravated by an enclosed air system, such as overnight in the stateroom or after an hour or so on a tour bus.

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

If you connect with other private shore excursion participants at your Meet & Mingle, for example, make arrangements to meet with them privately after the fact. That way no etiquette is breached at an event where the cruise line has been gracious enough to offer time & space.

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

That's good news - a fair resolution.

 

Although I would still be wary about using the TA again for air travel. The TA should already have known about baggage interlining, through baggage allowances, IATA MSC rules, etc and already have found all of this out. While I'm sure she's been doing her best to help, she is obviously not that good at arranging air travel.

Agreed. It was definitely a sign of inexperience and perhaps even a tinge of arrogance (which I think this experience may have muted a bit!).

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

I have good news. My TA pulled her hair out trying to resolve this for me and from the steps she took I can tell it was as confusing for her as it was for me. She has discovered that the two airlines that we'll be using do in fact have a baggage agreement. If the stars align and everything goes according to plan, our bags should be tagged for Athens, with no need to collect them when we change airlines.

If that doesn't happen and we end up having to collect our bags in London and pay baggage fees, the travel agency will compensate us for 1 bag/person.

I am happy that the TA pulled out the stops trying to figure this out and that the agency is willing to offer a goodwill gesture if we end up being charged.

Now, to get those darn bags packed! Thanks for reading along and for your comments. :)

Smooth sailing!

 

We will be in port with you in Lisbon and Southampton. Both ports will be busy (there will be five or six ships in Lisbon on the 6th including Cunard's three Queens - which will also be in Southampton on the 9th).

Lovely. Which ship are you on? I'll wave. Lol

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

Not the pain of the baggage fee, but your irritation with someone who made a mistake and isn't doing the obvious thing to put it right for the customer.

Yes, exactly....and the pain of paying a baggage fee.... ;-)

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

Then tell her that if she doesn't reimburse you the baggage fees, you're going to go and find a different travel agent who actually knows something about 21st century air travel - or, at least, a different travel agent who doesn't pretend they know what they're doing when in fact they don't.

I see that you feel my pain!

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

Time to get a new TA.

 

This is a rookie move. We book fairly frequently on discount lines and regular air lines in Europe. We always book on their sites as it is often much cheaper than booking through NA travel sites. Most especially in Turkey. It is not a secret that on those lines that charge for bags, it is much, much cheaper to pay at time of booking than at the airport.

 

Your TA should know this. It I general industry knowledge.

Agreed. The reason I use a TA is to get professional travel advice for goodness sake. She is trying...I'm waiting to see what happens. I am looking for a little travel agency love here. :cool:

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

I understand your frustration. Nothing like thinking you got a good deal only to find out it's a lot more money.

 

I will play devil's advocate however:

1) What was the next least expensive flight you could have bought? Would it have worked out to less than the baggage charges? If so I'd ask your TA to cover the difference.

2) Would the cost of checking your bags have caused you to forgo the trip or put off booking it until you found something less expensive? If so I'd ask your TA to cover the difference.

 

I cannot put myself in your shoes but understand mistakes do happen and your TA is in business to help you. It would only seem fair that they make some effort to offset your extra costs (unless of course they have some very good weasel clauses in their paperwork).

 

To amuse myself I did go on their website and it's clear they definitely offer a cheaper fare for "Go Light" travel which states a fee per bag.

 

I'd definitely call or e-mail them (contact@aegeanair.com) to see if you can prepay for the bags to reduce your costs. They are part of the Star Alliance network so I'm sure something can be done.

 

Hope this works out for you and you don't let it bother you to the point where it impacts your vacation.

All good points. We unfortunately were not given a choice of fares, we were simply presented with an itinerary and the cost. I have no idea if the Economy fare which offers 1 free piece of checked luggage would have been a better or worse deal.

We leave in 3 days and had I not been overly diligent, we would not have known until we arrived at the airport to check in.

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

Even if these flights were booked directly on Aegean's web page, you'd have to pay the same checked bag fee for the cheapest fares with your routing.

 

It's €30 if paid in advance and €45 if paid at the airport. It's not clear to me why you can't prepay this. You should be able to do this through your TA or directly on Aegean's webpage. Have you tried?

If I had booked on the website I wouldn't have this problem and I wouldn't have chosen a fare for travelers with no checked bags. LOL

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

It has to do with something called a "plate". No one in Canada has a plate to book with Aegean so they have to use a supplier named Hahn who books the travel. I am locked out of Aegean's site other than to update my contact details and to see my itinerary. Its been quite an education for me and for my TA. I think she shouldn't have sold me a product that she wasn't familiar with.

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

What do you think would be the right thing for my travel agent to do? One leg of our air travel to reach our port is with Aegean air from London to Athens. Our TA sold us this flight, unaware that she had selected a class of service designed for travellers with no checked baggage. Because the TA had to use an outside supplier to bundle our flights, no changes are allowed. It turns out that we cannot pre-pay baggage fees and must pay at the airport....to the tune of 45 Euro per checked bag. I'm steamed. :mad:

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

It hardly seems real! Thanks everyone. :-)

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

Aw, thanks! Can't wait to get on board. :-)

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app

We leave the bathroom light on with the door closed. Enough light leaks under the door to get us to and from safely.

 

We also bring a small flashlight just in case. :D

Oooh, flashlight! Good idea. Putting that on my list.

Sent from my HTC One X+ using Forums mobile app