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psygist

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Posts posted by psygist

  1. 6 hours ago, Mercruiser said:

     

    You have significantly misinterpreted the travel advisory. 

     

    You state, "The US State Dept lists Cusco as DO NOT TRAVEL." You are implying that the city of Cusco is in the do not travel category. That is not correct.

     

    Actually, what they say is "Do not travel to: ... The Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers (VRAEM), including areas within the Departments of Ayacucho, Cusco, Huancavelica, and Junin, due to crime and terrorism."

     

    Firstly, the Department of Cusco is not the same as the city Cusco. The Department of Cusco is large area analogous to a US state or Canadian province. The city Cusco is the capital city of the Department of Cusco, analogous to Oklahoma City being the capital of the state of Oklahoma.

     

    Secondly, the State Department do not travel warning applies to the VRAEM area, which is no where near the city of Cusco. VRAEM is an area approximately midway between Lima and Cusco city. See map.

     

    image.png.f6b5763bdb72acdffc91a6943e52e77f.png

    Your explanation is absolutely correct.
    Many fail to understand the nuance of the situation, geography, or Peru’s fragile politics.

    The State Dept Level 4 Do Not Travel warning applies to a longstanding problem with terrorists and drug traffickers; not the recent civil unrest. The VRAEM is an area in which no tourists would have reason to visit (unless they were interested in how cocaine is produced).

    • Like 1
  2. We have a pre-cruise visit to Cusco in February. What is best way to obtain tickets and transportation in advance for Machu Picchu?  Tickets and transportation for 2023 aren’t available for purchase until December. 
    Better to purchase tickets online through official sites when they come available, or pre-purchase reservations through online tour agency now?

  3. Thanks for the encouragement. But, as the OP, the reason I ask if ships will call on South American ports in 2023 is that I’ve had 3 previous SA cruises canceled since the pandemic began. The cruise lines advertise, take your deposit (and sometimes final payment), then cancel just before the SA cruising season starts. Of course, the cruise lines are at the mercy of each country accepting cruise passengers. But I certainly wouldn’t purchase non refundable airfare at this point!

    • Like 1
  4. Does anyone have any inside information or care to hazard a guess as to whether cruise ships will return to South America in 2023?

    I can’t seem to find any information as to what the South American countries are considering at this point. 

  5. I have a tour booked with Patrick Watts for February 2023.  Though hopeful the Falklands will be accepting cruise ships next year, he did not sound too optimistic. After rebooking a South America cruise each year since 2019, I’m tempering my own optimism with realism that any cruises will return to South America any time soon. 

  6. 14 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

     

    Did you book separately, or all on the one booking made by your friend?

     

    If that was the case, your friend (as the person making the booking) would be the one notified. It is usual for the person making the booking to be notified, not all the people on the same booking.

     

    If you booked separately, then you are quite right . . . something is missing from the database.

    We made separate bookings with different booking numbers. However, we had since linked our reservations on Azamara website so that might explain why we only received one notification. 

    • Like 1
  7. On 2/25/2022 at 5:58 AM, john1970 said:

    Thanks for posting that. I am on the June 29th Black Sea Intensive so I am guessing they will make that change as well. I feel very sorry for all the civilians caught up in this war. Very sad.

     

    On 2/25/2022 at 6:09 PM, Baynanno1 said:

     

    Very strange then that you have not received the same communication as the other posters!

     

     

    On 2/25/2022 at 6:02 PM, Baynanno1 said:

     

    Gail, where are you located in the world?

    Perhaps that may have something to do with lack of information for you and your TA.

    Both the poster above and below your post are in USA.

    I actually was not notified directly from Azamara about the pending itinerary changes to the June 29 cruise. I found out about it from a friend who is cruising with us. We have not received other communication from Azamara as well, while my friend has received info and shared with me. Apparently, Azamara has gaps in their database when notifying their customers of important information. 

  8. Azamara informed us last night they canceled Russian and Ukraine ports for the June 29 Black Sea cruise. As the letter states, they are working on alternatives. 
    Azamara has been very accommodating with us, so far, extending our final payment due date for a month (until end of March) and allowing a full refund of deposit if itinerary is changed from Black Sea. 
     

    So sad for the Ukrainian people. Europe, and the world for that matter, has been charged overnight. 

    • Like 1
  9. After spending 2+ hours on hold, I was finally able to speak with an Azamara agent. She said that a full refund of cruise and air fares would be offered if Azamara cancels or changes the itinerary.  

    • Like 1
  10. With final payment on my June 29 Black Sea cruise due this week, I feel caught between a rock and a hard place. After spending 2+ hours on hold, I was finally able to speak with an Azamara agent. Here is what she told me:

     

    1.  For what the agent’s opinion is worth, she said that, while the cruise itinerary hasn’t changed (as of February 22), she thought it unlikely the cruise would call on any Ukraine or Russia ports this year. 
     

    2.  If Azamara cancels or changes the itinerary, options will be made available, including a full refund. 
     

    Though time is dwindling to make final payment, I’m waiting for Putin’s next move. If he launches a full invasion, all bets are off on Azamara’s decision. 

  11. I’m booked on an Azamara Black Sea cruise in June with final payment imminent. If the cruise is canceled due to Russian hostilities in Ukraine, will Azamara refund my airfare?  It says there’s a $250 cancellation fee. Also wondering if I can change the flights to other cruise destinations without incurring any change or cancellation fees. 
     

    it’s impossible to get through to Azamara these days so any advice provided here is appreciated!

    • Like 1
  12. My guess is that if or when Putin invades Ukraine, ships will not cruise to any ports in the Black Sea. That is my recollection of what happened in 2014 when Russia invaded the Crimea. Cruise itineraries were changed to the Mediterranean. 

    • Like 1
  13. I’m on the June 29 Black Sea cruise. Very hesitant to make final payment which is due shortly. Azamara canceled Black Sea cruises in the past due to the Russia/Ukraine situation so I think it’s likely they’ll do so this year as well. They changed the itinerary to a Greek Isles cruise. I have no interest in that itinerary. 
    The question is, when will they cancel or change the itinerary?  

  14. A couple easy questions to anyone who has used Princess's EZ Air program:

     

    Am I limited to flying in and out of the embarkation and debarkation cities?  I would like to do a pre-cruise visit to Peru before flying to my embarkation city in Argentina.  

     

    Am I able to choose the dates of my flights?

     

    Thanks for any advice given!

  15. 9 minutes ago, pcur said:

    My guess is the conversation got political, so the board mods deleted all of them after 7/13.

     

    I find this thread pretty fascinating, and I'm glad I'm all booked for 2021 and into 2022.  I'll just sit tight and wait to see what Princes will do.  We are among those that won't cruise unless we have had a vaccine shot.  


    My cruise agent, whose 25+ years of being a top seller for the large cruise lines, feels certain there won’t be any cruises until there is a widespread vaccine. And then that’s assuming foreign ports have tamed the COVID-19 beast and allow cruise ships to call on their ports.
     

    As much as I love to travel and cruise, I’m afraid there will be no cruises until next summer (2021), at the earliest. I just booked for January 2022, hoping I’ll be vaccinated and can cruise mask-less by then. 

  16. This doesn’t bode well for many to be able to cruise in the not-too-distant future on Carnival-brand cruise lines. 


    Wondering, for those of us currently booked on a Princess cruise in 2021, how they will determine who cruises and who gets bumped when they reduce capacity to less than 50%?
     

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2020/07/10/carnival-corp-cruises-operations-capacity-coronavirus-2022/5405777002/

  17. 17 hours ago, Budget Queen said:

     

    Where are you going?    Most all US domestic flights leave in the evening.     Anywhere else,  I wouldn't consider before 1pm.    I've never used prearranged transportation and a wide assortment of options.   Depends,  again, what you are looking for?   Cruise ship transportation is efficient and in the range of taxis,  car service etc.   I simply take the public bus.  🙂   

     

    Planning on flying to Peru after disembarking in San Antonio.  Would like to book a flight that is scheduled to leave shortly after 12 noon from Santiago, but wondering if this is too early.  I'd think that if we could be off the ship before 8 am, we should be able to be at the airport in time for a 12:00pm flight.

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