Loverofcrafting

1 hour ago, shipgeeks said:

FWIW, a friend takes a medication which regularly causes a dry cough. The doctor acknowledges that this is a common symptom, and that there is no health concern (for him, or for people around him).  He does, of course, cover his mouth/use a handkerchief when this occurs.

I agree that, unfortunately, there are people who are careless and rude, and do not follow common hygiene and courtesy guidelines.  But sometimes things might not be as bad as they seem.

We've done five cruises in the last 14 months, and the cruiseline was quite zealous in enforcing hand sanitizing when entering dining rooms and buffet.

Yes I was ill before with a chronic cough after giving up smoking and sometimes cough is not contagious.   However there were many people with coughs and there were many not displaying manners.  I think we checked into the ship on a Friday and by mondi had fever.   I have an underlying condition and I had to establish if I was flaring and what happened was a flare and also a chest infection and it was likely the viral infection that was coughed around freely on board the ship. 

My issue was there was no manners or courtesy from other people.  There were people coughing in the buffet and everywhere else. Very little people concealed coughs and anyone who attempted to conceal germs was done into their hands and buffet utensils were then shared. 

I went on a cruise last year.   The first tour excursion me and my partner took and I noticed some people were coughing.  They never wore a mask and they never covered their mouths when coughing. 

Time on the ship was the same and especially the buffet.  Lots of people with coughs and no manners.  Coughing into other peoples directions and even over food.  Or some people coughed into their hands and then used the buffet utensils. 

I did not like my time on holidays and I became unwell too. 

My partner would like to book a holiday and another cruise but I am apprehensive due to last year's holiday. There was so much bad manners. 

Is there any particular type of cruise where people maintain manners? 

2 hours ago, JT1962 said:

It’s likely that the hold has been released by MSC, but the card issuers policy is the reason it is still showing. Many card issuers / banks keep a hold on up to 10 days before releasing the hold. 
 

https://www.lendingtree.com/credit-cards/articles/what-can-you-do-about-credit-card-holds/

Thank you so much for your valuable reply. I got in touch with my bank and it was reversed within minutes. 

My card was charged 250 euro pre authorization on the week on board the ship. 

Before disembarking, I made a payment for all of our bill (me and my partner). This was approximately 580 euro. 

I was reassured the pre authorization would come into my account but in never did. Today is the 7th working day since paying the bill. 

I need an email address please for MSC cruises.  I know there is a phone number but I want an email because I want it all down in writing so that if I don't get refunded, I will start a chargeback with the bank. 

Does anyone have an email for the cruise company? I checked online but I couldn't find an email. All found was an address but no email. 

Thanks.  I am in Europe if that makes any difference.  

7 minutes ago, awhcruiser said:

Has he taken a covid test?

I don't know.  There's more than covid going around. In my experience with covid, it doesn't show straight away on the home tests.  Whatever it is, he is sick. 

Me and my partner are due to fly on Thursday night for a cruise on Friday. 

Unfortunately he is now sick.  I don't know what his sickness is.  There is a dose going around.  I don't know how he is going to be for travelling. I suspect he will be down for a while with sickness.  

I will see how he is tomorrow.  I think we will have to make some calls. Maybe defer the holiday. I don't know. I don't know what the small print is with the travel agency.  I do suspect calls will be made to cancel it. 

What is the situation regarding sickness before cruising? Are people allowed to cancel or defer? 

Will be boarding the Seaview in a few more days and wondering about mulled wine.  

I am due to go on a West med cruise - ports around - Spain, France, italy. 

We don't usually do the ships excursions because they can be expensive.  We prefer walking out from the ship/docks and going private. 

How much money would I need to budget for each day for - taxis/private tours?   - would 120 euro each day be enough? 

Would I be allowed to bring a heated hair tool with me? 

It's a plug in hair brush for drying and creating body in the hair and I love it. 

1 hour ago, Zephyr173 said:

Just hopped on Meraviglia on the 26th of September.  Requirements were strict because it is a Grand Voyages. 
 

Needed a 72-hour PCR, and made all calculations and adjustments, as we are from Canada, and boarded in Genoa.  Test was 66 hours old upon boarding, and I noticed the medical person double-checked the times, including time zones.  

That's very strict. 

My partner rang the travel agents and he was told the policy has changed from the 1st of October and went need a test any more so long as we are vaccinated.  We are fully vaccinated as much as what out country will allow for our age group. 

5 minutes ago, defbref said:

Are you sure you need a test ? MSC is changing its protocols from 1st of Oct (except it seems for our USA friends) that if your fully vaccinated its only advised but not required to do a test.

I'm not aware of what the policy is.  That seems to be some good news. 

I am fully vaccinated as much as what my country and age group will allow.   I got the two original vaccines and a booster last winter.  I will be due another booster soon but I need to wait 4 months after my infection.  

That's some good news.  So I don't need to worry or stress. I will continue with the covid test anyways next week but it will fall out of the 48 hour window 

I am looking at timetables and if I plan, I could squeeze in a test first thing Thursday morning.  I wonder would that be OK instead of the Wednesday morning test. 

I am from Ireland and I am due to fly from Dublin to Barcelona next week. So we are all within the EU already. 

I haven't seen the details of hooking because my partner made the booking and he has the details. 

We are required to do a covid test before embarkation.   The ship sails for 6pm but we are required to be at the port for 2pm.  

I originally had an appointment for a covid test for Thursday morning but my plans have changed and I can only do a test now on Wednesday morning.  So it falls outside of the 48 hour window. 

My test would be 51/52 hours. 

Would that be OK? 

I am vaccinated and I had covid a few months ago but It wasn't PCR confirmed so I don't have a certificate of recovery. 

I am an EU citizen and I have a cruise booked from Barcelona.  Our booking states we need a pcror antigen test within 24 hours of embarkation.  I have a test booked for the day before so it will be 24 hours.  I presume this will be OK.  

I was watching a video online on YouTube about one of the MSC ships.  A guest on board was taking a video of the buffet and people were temperature checked going into the buffet. I don't know the name of the ship or the location of the ship.  The video was uploaded 11 months ago. 

My question is, is that something they still do? 

I have a condition where I am prone to infections in my colon and I experience low grade fevers often and sometimes I fever over 38 degrees too. 

There's loads of different reasons why one would fever aside from a contagious viral dose. 

I am due to go on a cruise in a few weeks.  I will be taking a medicine bag with me that will help me manage my condition on board. 

11 minutes ago, chocolate melting cake said:

No problem with knitting other than if you are flying to the port. Our friends have had knitting needles thrown out at the luggage check area----they were classified as sharp "dangerous weapons" by the TSA agents in the USA! You might want to leave them in checked bags rather than carry-on.

 

Yes, I am flying into the destination country/port/Spain.  

I was thinking I won't be able to bring my knitting as carry on luggage.  Its great newa I can take it on holidays/cruising with me if I take a notion to do some knitting.  

I will find out from my airline/on a local knitting group if I can take my knitting in my carry on but it's doubtful. 

Due to go on a 7 day cruise in a few weeks.  Western Med with MSC. 

Can I take my knitting with me? 

In the buffet of the msc cruises I have been on, they have some nice sausages.  They are long and skinny sausages.   

I went on European MSc cruises if that makes a difference. 

I fell in love with them sausages. 

As reported above, some cruises are eager to get back like the carnival cruises as an example. 

That doesn't bode well with me at all, all.  Leaving aside my own personal situation here,  how about staff and the staff quarters on the ships. They live in cramped conditions while they are on board the ship. That doesn't bode well with me at all.  Right now, the virus is suppressed in some countries with cases decreasing but the virus will still be out there.   I don't feel comfortable with the idea of being served by staff who might be sick with this infection.

On 5/29/2020 at 1:36 PM, ssmea03 said:

Also CC just published an interview with the head of Carnival if you want to try to glean some more insight.

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5366/

The UK is still currently the 3rd worse hit country in the world. So will be fairly low on the list when it comes to other countries letting tourists in. Your arguments for cancelling are all valid. However if you can't convince your partner, maybe compromising with a postponement would. At least then you'd see the new cruising landscape before you sail.

If cruises go ahead in October you'll be a guinea pig for the industry.

Thanks for your reply. 

It's disappointing from my point to see cruises will be operating but at the end of the day, they are businesses.  Their job is to get people on board and spend money and make money. 

My cruise was booked well before this virus emerged.  I'm not interested in holidays this year. Not now.   Both me and my partner have no known underlying conditions.  I am in the obese category and he would be too.  That is an underlying condition in relation to this virus.  I'm spending the summer working hard at bring the bmi down. I started off at 39.9 and I'm 38 bmi now and I'm working more to bring it down, down, down.  I'm more worried about my partner.  Diabetes runs in his family.  I just don't want to take ill out abroad. I don't want to see him sick either. 

In relation to cruises getting up and running again with restrictions and social distancing, it wouldnt be half as bad if I lived in the same country as the departing port.  I could drive to the port, park and get on the ship.  I'm travelling from the UK.  It means travelling from my home by bus to the airport.  That's a 3 hour journey on the bus.   Then there is the airport and transfers.   There's far too much risks for picking this up in all them scenarios. 

I'm not interested in a deferral for next year either.  I have family abroad living in Australia. I miss them so much.  If a vaccine comes through and if I have money next year, I know what I want to do next year.  I want to see my family in Australia.   I won't be able to afford a holiday to a Australia and a cruise.

On 5/25/2020 at 8:48 AM, Sancho_proudfoot said:

Good luck sailing from Madrid. It's inland.

Thanks for that.  I'm flying into Spain and sailing from a port in Spain. I can't remember whice one. 

I ha e a western Mediterranean cruise booked with msc cruises.   Flying from the UK into Madrid and starting the cruise there and visiting ports in Italy and Malta and I don't know about the rest of the iternery.  The cruise was booked before all this virus emerged in countries.  Me and the partner were due to go in October. 

Me and the partner are divided on what way to go from here.  I don't want to go.  There's too much risks involved from travelling to the airports and flying, to a week on board the ship, to travelling home, and then implementing a 2 week isolation at home in case I come down with the virus.  I never really planned for any of that.  Also what if we get sick on holidays as well? It doesn't make sense to continue with the holidays/cruise booked.  

So far we only have a deposit payed. Me, I would gladly cancel and throw the deposit to the wall but I'm travelling with my partner.  I don't want him to lose out on his deposit.  We have decided to hold off from cancelling in the hopes the cruise line will cancel closer to the payment date.  Does that make sense? Will we get our deposit back then? Will cruises be operating by October? 

I'm not interested in a deferral for next year if that's another option.