CruisingAlong4Now

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I'm still not sure what are you insuring? Have you incurred a financial loss due to a missed port? Are you just angry? It's not uncommon for ports to be changed. Your contract with the cruise line gives them this right. Most local tour companies don't charge you if your ship misses the port.

I only insure expenses that not capped, generally evac and medical. The cost of the trip is capped, and I've already spent the money, so I don't have any financial risk or exposure. The worst that can happen if I have to cancel my trip, is that I don't go on vacation. There are no financial risks. A result that is sad, but not bad. Medical expenses or medical evacuation however are essentially unlimited and pose significant financial risk, albeit with a very low probability. These I insure with third-party medical insurance being the primary insurer and my regular medical insurance being a secondary payer. I buy medical evacuation insurance for which I make the decision in which hospital I want to be treated. Most people return to their home hospital. All other vacation expenses are not material to my long-term financial health.

The minimum connecting time in Vancouver for Domestic to US is 1 hour and 10 minutes. I would not be comfortable with 1 hour and 16 minutes. Air Canada - Minimum Connection Time "Example: If you're travelling from Victoria to San Francisco with a connecting flight in Vancouver, you'll need to provide for a minimum connection time of 1 hour 10 min between your arrival in Vancouver and your departure for San Francisco."

The ship has been allowed to sail, albeit without these passengers. They were "off-loaded" to an in-transit area, still not allowed to enter Spain.

Yes- multiple cards for different accounts at different banks. Also, my DH and I carried different cards in our wallets, so if one of us "lost" our wallet, the other person still had good credit cards that were not compromised. [We also cross pack our suitcases so that all suitcases have a combination of his and her clothes. Ensures that each of us will have clothes if a suitcase is lost en route.]

You can see the aborted stop at Banjul, Gambia. The Dawn is currently (6:00 pm, EDT) enroute to Dakar Senegal. NORWEGIAN DAWN Current Location (cruisemapper.com)

Make sure his mobility and mental state are noted for the muster drill. Some cruise lines prefer that all passengers that need assistance be assigned to a specific muster station so that the crew member responsible for that station ensures the passengers in need are attended.

I do let the US Dept. of State know when I leave the country. With all the global turmoil, I'd like the local US Embassy or consulate to know I'm nearby. You can also register to receive State Dept travel advisories prior to, or during, your trip. Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (state.gov)

Are you looking for the cheapest spinner or the best value spinner?

Too many people booking multiple cruises and then cancelling without any penalties are responsible for this. Why not book everything and make a final decision right before payment? Insurance will solve your problem, especially CFAR.

Cancelling before or after final payment makes a difference. If you cancel after final payment, the cruise line receives all the money it expected from that cabin. No one has to show up- they don't care (although they are losing discretionary spending) If you cancel before final payment, cruise line has not received all their money and will adjust price.

Which cruise terminal does NCL use in Southampton?

On Seabourn, it is usually best to put a contribution to the Crew Fund on your account. No need for cash.

I appreciate the new thread. Once threads get to 15+ pages, I do not find them useful. My question: Dock at Southhampton, scheduled 6AM. Is a 2pm flight from LHR to USA reasonably certain? Will be checking luggage at airport (probably Virgin Atlantic), economy class.

It appears as if this cruise starts in Trieste for embarkation and then sails to Venice overnight for a tender port stop in Venice the day after embarkation. Probably for marketing purposes, they show embarkation as "Venice (Trieste) Italy." 10-day Cruise to Greek Isles: Santorini, Athens & Croatia from Venice (Trieste), Italy on Norwegian Pearl (ncl.com)

Amen to that. Longer cruises (that are not a combination of seven-day cruises) are very different from seven-day cruises. Early on, I went on a fourteen-day cruise. Loved it so much, two years later, I went on 2 B2B seven-day cruises. I vowed never to do that again. For my next cruise, I went on 2 B2B fourteen-day cruises. Twenty-seven days of Pure Heaven! The twenty-eighth day was terrible because we had to disembark.

Bugs, mess, and decaying food. If you have room service, staff is aware there is food in your room. It is usually self-contained on the table/tray. It is either picked up by staff or placed outside the room where it is visible. A single plate of food may be put in a cabinet (for "later") and forgotten. Crumbs fall on shelves and around the cabin. Seems very reasonable to me.

People sue (and are very rewarded) for their coffee being too hot. So why not soup?

Late to the party, but Crystal has a small single supplement for double rooms booked as a single. It's not available on all cruises, but, for a luxury line, it's worth it. Might be useful for other travelers or for your next cruise!

Just want to add a comment that Medicare in the US will usually pay for a rollator if medically necessary.

I believe in human inertia.

What do you do with the prepaid gratuities at the end of your cruise? 79% I leave the gratuities on my invoice. 18% I remove all prepaid gratuities and leave my own tips to specific crew members. 3% I remove all prepaid gratuities and do not tip at all. 3,566 people have voted in this poll Cruise Ship Tipping and Prepaid Gratuities: Should I Tip More? - WanderWisdom

My understanding is that while wage income is taxed in the crews' home countries, there are some countries that do not tax gratuities. I cannot post a reference to this, but I was told this many years ago.

Some of the all-inclusive luxury lines run sales that make them cost competitive to some higher priced mass market lines.