SG65CB

Steve Daseos operates the Trip Insurance Store. A while ago he posted here that the highest medical claim he has ever seen for a traveler outside the US was $74,000. The most expensive medical evacuation he has seen was $127,000 from South Africa to Minnesota.

Yes you are correct there are many cabins for 5 or more. Some have two bathrooms which can make them a better option than two separate cabins. The problem is deeper than the website. The entire reservation system can only handle 4 people maximum on a reservation. Additional people go on a separate reservation number for the same cabin, and the two reservations are linked. The problem with the website is there is no way to book the two reservations yourself. You can book the cabin for 4 people but then you have to call and add additional people. After all this time and with the newest ships having a lot of suites that accommodate more than 4 people you'd think they would upgrade their systems.

To determine total pricing for five guests: On the website select the sailing you want, specify 4 guests, then find the cabin type. On the left side you will see the total pricing after discounts but not broken out by passenger. To get the price per passenger you need to select a specific cabin number. Once you do this you will see on the left hand side in the "Summary" section there will be a link that says "View pricing by guest". Click on this and it will break out the price for each person. Guests 3 and 4 will be the same price. Guest #5 would also be that same price so add that amount to the amount shown for 4 guests and that will be your price for 5. This is on a computer, not sure how this information shows up in the app but I'm guessing it is similar.

Today (Wednesday February 14) Jewel of the Seas is at the pier in Tobago. Edit: posted at the same time but saw the same thing.

The oil spill is off the southwest coast of Tobago. The port in Trinidad is on the complete opposite (west) side of Trinidad and nowhere near the spill. I doubt the Trinidad stop would be canceled. On Sunday Costa Fortuna did stop in Tobago. The next ship scheduled for Tobago is the Jewel of the Seas on Wednesday so we probably won't know more until Wednesday.

A person who is onboard this week will also be on the Feb 17th sailing. They are going to let us know on the Feb 17th group on a social media website once they have more information from the ship, and I can repeat that information here once I know more.

I work in IT and have developed websites but only recently figured out you can search on the website for specific dates and not just full months at a time. I don't think it's related to how familiar anyone is with computers, the functionality is not obvious.

I saw this! A few years ago (2020, right before the Covid shutdown) we were in a suite on Liberty of the Seas sailing out of Galveston. A group of Pinnacles came into the suite lounge every night and sat in their circle. They weren't there during the early pre-dinner rush but they were there after dinner. Most live nearby in Texas and sail out of Galveston a lot, often several weeks at a time. Seems like a pretty neat club.

Thank you for taking us along on your cruise. Two weeks to go until my turn on Jewel, you have helped me look forward to my trip even more by reading about your experiences.

if you want a cruise that goes to interesting new places instead of the usual Cozumel, Nassau, Coco Cay and Jamaica look into sailing from Puerto Rico. There is a whole string of eastern islands from the Virgin Islands to Barbados that offer new places to go and things to do.

It's a message board post about where ships are going to be stationed i.e. which ports they are sailing out of at various times during the year, plus all the associated commentary.

You can do all your research using 4 people. The price for the fifth person in a room is the same as the price for persons #3 and #4. There is an extra step you need to take to see the pricing per person. You need to select an actual cabin number, then on the left side where prices are displayed in the summary section a link is added that says "View pricing by guest". If you don't want to take any chances losing your chosen cabin you can actually book the cabin yourself for four people then call and add the fifth. I know all this works because that's what I did for my upcoming cruise.

When you say the refundable option is more expensive, do you mean the deposit is higher, or the cruise fare is higher?

Thanks for this report. Heading to Trinidad and Tobago in a few weeks and this helps us look forward to our visit.

Thanks for posting your cruise journal. We are taking this same cruise in a few weeks. Last week we had the pleasure of following along with a fellow from Pittsburgh, and this week we are following your adventures. I know a lot of people are looking for first-hand information and opinions about experiences in Trinidad and Tobago so eagerly waiting to see what you decide to do at those ports. Can't wait until it's our turn on board! Enjoy your trip!

Thank you so much for taking us along on your cruise. I found it particularly interesting because we are going on this same cruise in mid-February and your daily journal has really helped build our anticipation for our trip. It was a great recap at the end. We'll be in a suite and are looking forward to meeting Edna. It was also good to get some clarity on Trinidad and Tobago. Thanks again.

It's better to have the travel delays and uncertainty on the way home than at the beginning of the trip.

Yes they hold back inventory for the guarantee passengers. The website will show a category is sold out but people report they still get their guarantee cabins.

Some crazy yachts anchored around St Maarten, including some monsters anchored in Simpson Bay. I like to Google the yacht name + "yacht", you can learn all about them including the price to charter. Faith is a $200 million yacht that costs an estimated $20 million per year to operate. It is not available for charter. It does have its own Wikipedia page.

And they served them both at the same time. Interesting.

The people who are on the October 1 Quantum cruise that was canceled are being offered this cruise on Ovation as one of their replacement options. They can switch to a similar cabin on Ovation price-protected.

No extra charge. The fare for the world cruise includes: Voom internet Deluxe beverage package Laundry service Gratuities

Maybe he was being sarcastic, but it is the first level that has a very real financial impact because you get four free drinks a day.

On my Jewel sailing in February the Maracas Beach Break excursion from RC is $79 per person. I'm guessing you paid a similar amount. But you still had to pay for chairs and umbrellas. It seems like this excursion is just a round trip bus ride. Any idea what is the cost of a taxi to Maracas and back?

It is on the second formal night, usually night 6. Listed as "Dress your Best" night.