Shorex

No. Every so-called "all-inclusive" cruise line will charge for some goods and services. Crystal will charge for the 3rd and more specialty dining reservations (some exceptions for their HVC - high value customers). Regent includes some shore excursions and will charge for higher end excursions. When alcohol is included, expect to still be charged for Johnnie Walker Blue. Want a massage? Expect to pay.

The good news is that cruise lines are very specific about what is included and what is not. Just check the relevant website. In general, "all inclusive" refers to alcohol, gratuities, and specialty dining. In specific, you would need to do research on each line.

Matrix ITA. There is a learning curve to maximize effectiveness of this tool. Also keep in mind that some airlines, Southwest, for example, are not included in the searches. You do not purchase tickets from ITA, it is strictly a search tool.

You can search for round-trip, one way, or multi-city; limit the search to specific airlines or alliances; and more.

I haven't read all of the responses, so this information may be redundant. Any stolen passport should be reported immediately to the nearest US consulate or to the State Department. There is a dual purpose: 1) to protect the owner from identity theft; and 2) to prevent an unauthorized person from using it illegally.

Detailed instructions as well as a toll free number to call are provided by the State Dept here.

AmaWaterways includes the Zambezi Queen stay in all of their Africa packages. We will be doing the Golden Trails of East Africa trip in 2016.

Friends of ours used AmaWaterways for Africa earlier this summer and were absolutely delighted with the experience.

Ask Royal Caribbean. Cruise lines will tell the earliest flight time you can book that they will accept responsibility for getting you the the airport on time. Whatever they tell you, believe them.

We had a bad experience booking Air Canada through Cheap-0. We booked almost a year in advance and were unable to book seats since it was through a third party. Upon arriving for our flight, 3 of our six people were assigned seats. The other three were to be assigned at the gate. Well, only 2 of them got on and the other one ended up shuffled all over the place. Just because you pay in full for a flight, it doesn't guarantee you'll get on it. They claim they overbook as a matter of course and in my mind, I think because we were the ones that booked through Cheap0 we were the ones SOL. Certainly since we booked almost 11 months ahead, we were not the last ones to purchase our tickets.

Being IDB'ed (involuntarily denied boarding) is rare, but happens occasionally. The airlines are very expert at calculating how much to oversell a flight to compensate for the no shows. And usually if the flight is over, there will be volunteers to take a later flight or different routing for compensation. Last time I volunteered for $600 from Delta.

But, when someone must be IDB'ed, who should it be? Well, not the flyers with status on that airline. Not the flyers who paid the most for their tickets. That leaves the one without status who paid the least. And so it goes.

Assuming the initial flight is on an AA plane, the answer is yes. You should be able to obtain the AA record locator, then use that to find your res on the AA website. You can check in online or at the AA airport counter. You will also pay any applicable bag fees to AA.

With plenty of time, the transfer is very doable. Couple of things to keep in mind:

1) You will be responsible for collecting your checked bags and moving them to HND for re-check.

2) The airports are about 50 miles apart, so a hotel near HND is the practical choice.

3) Even if on one ticket, you will pay for the transfer yourself.

4) You could use airport limo bus or rail for the transfer and get to your hotel from HND. More transfer info here.

There are interesting posts on this blog by someone who recently traveled with AmaWaterways on the Stars of South Africa itinerary. Just click "newer post" near the bottom of each page to read through all the relevant posts.

Pictures from the Zambezi Queen start here. Wow.

The last Africa post is dated June 21st.

The passport card is almost useless because it is the same as just using your birth certificate and picture ID. What is needed is a real passport. Don't waste your money on the card. If you have family members leaving today there is nothing they can do at this point.

Once it is a given that someone missed the ship in Jamaica (for example) and does not have a passport, having a passport card will facilitate the process for obtaining the necessary documents to fly. Obtaining either the passport card or an enhanced drivers license (available in some states) does require proof of citizenship.

There have been experiences posted by those who have needed to obtain travel documents while abroad, but I haven't noticed any lately.

You contact the local American embassy or consulate to get either a replacement passport (if you had one and it was lost or stolen) or an official document that grants one-time permission to enter the US. Presumably this will take some time as the embassy must verify that are a US citizen. It will be a hassle and all expenses will be yours.

I don't know the implications of Viking Air Plus. Do you still get to select your own routing? Putting sample dates into ITA Matrix, you can get open jaw (BOS-PRG-BUD-BOS) routing next April for $928 pp on Turkish Airlines and numerous other airlines for around $1200 pp.

United Airlines uses "economy plus", Delta has "economy comfort," Air France has "premium economy" etc. Each term has an airline-specific meaning and the terms are not interchangeable.

You will get many more responses if you post this question (along with specific dates and your understanding of Viking Air Plus) on the Cruise Air board.

You will need a quality around-the-ear headphone like some models of Bose or Beats. I travel with Bose Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones. While they are designed to cancel external sounds, no one else can hear any sound emitting from my headphones. This model of Bose is popular with frequent flyers, perhaps because there is often a discount available through airline portals. I've seen first class half filled with Bose users and never heard any sound from what they were listening to.

Find a store that will let you or him try on the headphones and give them a real world test. Then google for the best price.

Beats is another brand of high end around-the-ear headphones. They are studio quality and no one else will hear what the wearer hears. Again, try to test them in a store for both comfort and functionality, then google for best prices.

Best of luck.

 

The quality of a tour depends more on the actual operator than Viator, but they're a convenient middle-man.

 

JB :)

Yes. Important to remember that Viator is ONLY a middleman. The same tours can be arranged directly with the provider. It is usually not difficult to decipher the underlying provider and compare prices.

When you file the lost bag claim with the airline, (the bag hasn't shown up in a timely manner), you tell them where to deliver the bag(s) then. Some people also put an itinerary inside the bag as well.

 

I would not put anything on the outside of the bag to further confuse things.

Yes. Never just shrug and leave the airport without a checked bag. When your bag doesn't appear on the carousel, go immediately to the appropriate airline office on the baggage claim level and file a claim. You will be asked to describe the bag in some detail, and leave instructions on where to send it. The airline will deliver to your hotel or to a cruise port according to your schedule.

Delta, and probably other airlines, has an app that tracks your bags every step of your itinerary. For example, bag loaded in Seattle, offloaded in Atlanta, loaded onto connection in Atlanta, offloaded in FLL. I know before I get off the plane at my final destination if all bags made my flights.

OK, but you haven't answered what area would be exciting and beautiful. Have you taken a river cruise through Asia?

Yes. We did Vietnam, Cambodia and the Riches of the Mekong with AmaWaterways. It is amazing. We may do the Myanmar cruise to Mandalay with them in a year or two.

For Europe, September is an excellent time to go. Kids are back in school, not quite so many tourists, and it may be a touch cooler.

I love both ocean and river cruising, and you'll never catch me on a ship with a "big party atmosphere" or "thousands of pax."

Have a serious look at the websites of Windstar, Regent, Crystal, Silversea, Seabourn, Oceania and Azamara. (I've sailed on all but Azamara.) Then get a feel for the line by spending some time on those boards. Some of these lines are all-inclusive and have a correspondingly higher per diem.

Some ocean ports are within walking distance of town. Some lines provide a free shuttle into town. Impossible to generalize or assume. Once you move beyond the mass market lines, it's a different world. And a much better one.

From a business point of view, it makes no sense to discount photos at the end of a cruise. If that is the policy, why would anyone NOT wait until the end of the cruise?

Hi

Won't even look at United as a choice in the future.

If your expectation is that other airlines don't change their schedules, you are in for a disappointment. The grass isn't greener. Typically I have 5-6 Delta itineraries lined up at any given time. I manage my trips by checking every weekend (DL adjusts their schedule every week) to verify that nothing has changed. If there is a schedule change that doesn't work, I'm on the phone immediately armed with the alternative that does work.

Iceland is amazing. We were first there on a cruise stop and later returned for a more intensive experience.

You are limited by the time you have in port. Unless your ship overnights there, most of the fantastic day tours out of Reykjavik that take 8-9 hours are simply not possible.

Downtown Reykjavik is not particularly interesting. Don't waste the time on a taxi. You must get out of town to experience anything worthwhile. The tour called "Golden Circle" is the best "beginners" tour. Here's the route:

This tour is done variously by bus, minivan, private car or 4x4. Google Golden Circle Iceland for the details.

The other highlight for first timers is the Blue Lagoon. Take your swimsuit, it's quite an experience.

ETA: The tour to see the puffins is only a few hours and one of the least expensive tours.

We have for various tours used Iceland Guided Tours, Geo Iceland, Season Tours, GoEcco, Super Travel Iceland, and MountainGuides.is. They were all good, check out the websites.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/

In addition to the other suggestions, I make my own amenity kit if I'm flying coach on the long haul. The contents resemble a business class kit -- disposable toothbrush and small toothpaste, travel size moisturizer (the air is very dry and will suck moisture out of you), lip moisturizer, eye mask, disposable slippers (you will want to take your shoes off), a few sugar free lozenges.

I take my Ipod loaded with favorite movies or tv shows worth re-watching - that really helps pass the time -- and my own headphones -- they are a much better quality than what you can get on the plane.

In coach you will get a thin blanket, but I still dress in layers. The temp can either be too warm, or too chilly (especially near an exit row window).

After all the eat, walk, watch movies, walk, sleep, eat, walk, etc. you will be at an exciting new place about to embark on a new adventure.

Travel Agents are getting anywhere from 8-15% of the Cruise Fare they do not get commission on the Air. The question I would like to pose is with every Cruise Line offering their own Reservation System why do we still need them. I personally would like to see that Commission used to either reduce fares or to bring back some of the things we are now charged for.

Renaissance Cruise Lines did not work with travel agents, but only accepted direct bookings. Ever heard of them? They went under. No TA would ever suggest them. Shortly after 9/11, they ceased operations, but they had been floundering financially even before then.

Don't assume every cruise line accepts direct bookings, some will simply refer your booking to a TA if you don't already have one.

The TA's and the cruise lines have a symbiotic relationship. They need each other, and that is not going to change.

We went with Ama Waterways two years ago. Amazing experience -- You can also get some feedback from the river cruise board, plenty of people there who have done this itinerary. We returned independently to Vietnam and Cambodia this year to spend additional time in Siem Reap (New Year's Eve) and Ho Chi Minh City -- and we may go back yet again.

From the Ama website:

"Your journey begins in Vietnam’s bustling capital, Hanoi, followed by an excursion to breathtaking Ha Long Bay for an overnight sojourn. A short flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia, brings you to the gateway of the ancient Khmer empire. Spend three days touring the temples of Angkor Archeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before embarking your Mekong cruise on Tonle Sap Lake. Visit rural villages, historic pagodas, floating markets and a Buddhist monastery along the way. Overnight in Phnom Phen, capital of Cambodia. Conclude your cruise in lively Ho Chi Minh City, where you will enjoy a two-night stay. (An optional 3-night pre-cruise stay in Siem Reap is also available in conjunction with the 7-night cruise)

Space bags work well on puffy, airy clothes like sweaters or down jackets. As noted, you save only space, not weight. Also sweaters and down jackets just spring back up, no wrinkle worries. We have used them successfully for cold weather cruises, such as a recent one to Antarctica.

For the return, we borrow a vacuum hose from the stewardess. The space bags work well, as advertised, but only for specific and limited purposes.

You are so wrong about this! You are always advised to NEVER return to your cabin in case of an emergency. You are ALWAYS advised to go immediately to your muster station. Due to the unknowns in an emergency situation, wandering about the ship trying to get back to your cabin is suicide. Several of the passenger who died in the Costa Concordia disaster were found in or near their cabins, with at least one daughter reporting that her mother went back to her cabin to retrieve something, and never made it out alive.

 

Personally, in an emergency, I would never ever consider going back to my cabin. My life is much more valuable than any document, item of jewelry, or even medication.

Not quite. I was recently on a cruise where at the muster drill, the explanation was: at the first alarm, return to your suite; at the second alarm, go to your muster station; at the third alarm, crew will lead you to the lifeboats.

The ship was relatively small, about 400 passengers, and there were four muster stations, all in the dining room. As it happens, a color code crew alarm (not the "first" general alarm) was sounded during a dinner (not a drill). There was a small fire in the kitchen and I have never seen the crew move so fast. A few minutes later the all clear was announced.

Now, on a ship the size of Concordia, upon hearing the sound of something ripping through the hull of the ship and feeling the tilt of the ship, yes, I would go directly to a lifeboat. When the emergency does not involve a collision, there should be time to follow instructions.