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Arizona Wildcat

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Everything posted by Arizona Wildcat

  1. The cruise lines definitely would not want to post really any data regarding covid because it could also be negative as all cases diagnosed on board would be "blamed" on cruising. People that cancel do so for many reasons which I agree are mostly covid related. Remember you do not need to give a reason for canceling. British Columbia had a comment in the Victoria Colonist newspaper saying that they think covid cases are underreported by over 80%.
  2. Agree. You also have the complications from several countries having their own different rules for vaccination and testing including Canada and many Caribbean countries. 2023 is possible.
  3. Even a CDC covid card can take a couple of attempts to upload. Many report being more successful using a phone because the phone will automatically format the photos correctly
  4. Since visa processing is still taking 90-120 days for US authorities getting full crew will be difficult. Processing is getting faster - Sentri/Nexus backlog down to 90 days or so from 6 months - but passengers have come back faster than they can hire crews. Also remember having no cabins showing as available means little as TAs have blocks that might not be sold and the cruiselines as not selling many veranda cabins so as to have available for quarantine. This is a time to go with the flow and be flexible or stay home. Travelling today is not for everyone and not just cruising.
  5. Wondering how if taking a multi-day guided tour - presumably using a bus or other public transport - you are any less likely to contract covid?
  6. We have always brought a water bottle and refilled it on board. The water on board is desalinized purified sea water and excellent to drink. The water package is for packaged water - in aluminum bottles that I personally do not like as well as Pelligrino and similar water. There are water bottle filling stations, but I just fill from the tap in my room.
  7. The same as always. Extra OBC on top of whatever promotions X is running. Anywhere from $50 to $500 depending on the type of cabin and length of cruise.
  8. Patience. The one issue might be any air bookings go with the old reservation. Thus if you have a new booking number your air likely is cancelled. I would call and check. Any excursions on the prior cruise would indeed need to be refunded and that will take a bit of time. Probably 4-6 weeks. What I am wondering is where you heard no covid testing requirements to cruise. The US is eliminating the need to test for flying into the US, but you will most likely still need a negative test to board. Relax as you have proof your cruise was changed. My only thought is if you have a new booking number to transfer your reservation to a TA and let them sort things.
  9. Sadly there are always some who think themselves better. It has always been the same. Covid has brought out the best in many and shown weaknesses in others. Hoping for a return to cruising in August and meeting old and new friends on board.
  10. In sorting through a bunch of roll calls ships recently are sailing anywhere from 50 to 90% full. Crew staffing if obviously slightly short, but what I think the OP is referring to are a couple situations where a large number of staff from various areas came down with covid. In one case it was many theatre performers. In other several wait staff. Really simple if you lose 10 waiters then service in the MDR will be very slow. The issue is impossible to predict ahead of time just like the cancellation of thousands of airline flights. With processing of crew visas taking weeks instead of months and the number of covid cases on the rose again; one needs to be flexible as none of us knows exactly what will happen on board. Same way you could test positive and be denied boarding or be quarantined on board. If my parents were in their 80s, unless they could drive to and from the ship; I would not have them on a cruise now.
  11. You are also more likely to find an entree is sold out. The basic menus have not changed in many years. Just tweaking that over time means a lot.
  12. Do not understand why you cannot call Celebrity from the US? Would make no difference whether you are in the US or Canada. Suggest calling Celebrity Air now. Airlines are changing schedules daily. It is your responsibility to call if the connection seems too tight and ask for a change. Understand Celebrity Air is a consolidator and all they can do is ask the airlines to rebook. No magic wand to help you. The issues with booking through a 3rd party like Celebrity Air have been discussed almost daily on Cruise Critic. They are great and have benefits when things go smoothly. Not so good if things go off the track. Call and see what can be done. Good luck.
  13. Yes. In one case one bid was accepted about 48 hours before cruising. We have seen bids frozen a couple days out and usually bid on several cabins. Most times none of our bids were accepted as we put in a significant bid on one cabin and very small a.ounts on others. Good luck. You should know soon.
  14. The answer is maybe. Depends on how picky they are about the mattress and if they are tall. One grandson at 6'5" didn't fit. Another was not happy with the sofa bed. I thought it was fine. Using the spa shower certainly is inconvenient. We have simply booked an extra cabin as 3 except in a family veranda or top couple suites is too tight for us.
  15. Looks good except maybe another glass or two of wine.
  16. On nights 8 and beyond the menus are a reworked combination of the prior weeks menus on our prior cruises. Agree Day 1 the same with other days often shuffled. Supply issues will certainly effect both the selections offered and the timing.
  17. Port guides also have lots of details along hopefully with your roll call.
  18. You certainly could. I would hope you wouldn't. The staff at Luminae has lots of duties and they are doing things other than preparing a cheese plate for happy hour. Room service, your butler (it is their job!) or a walk to Oceanview to get exactly what you desire might work better
  19. Masking rules today are decided on a ship by ship basis generally according to the positivity rate for covid. Thus you will know the rules after you are on board. Be flexible and have a great time. If being flexible is c not your thing then probably not a great time to cruie
  20. No. Would need to cancel and rebook. Again doesn't hurt to ask. Shore excursions are going to open and be cancelled often.
  21. It needs to be done at the time you book unless Celebrity has an agent feeling generous. The discount does not apply to the first cruise. Only the B2B or subsequent. A B2B gets one discount. A B2B2B gets 2. Unless again you get X to do it for both legs - not common.
  22. There as said are dozens of pharmacies in Rome that can do your testing. Their charge will be small compared to the cost of your cruise. The cheapest way to do it is to bring tests from home and do a proctored test using your phone. I would bring 6 tests. 2 as a backup for proctored tests and two more you could use on board. Rapidtestandtrace.com is one example. For proctored testing. There again are many doing this. There is no testing at the port in Civitavecchia. There is testing in town but not convenient to the port.
  23. A humidifier on LI? Had to laugh. DW has seasonal sinus issues in the spring if at home in Arizona. Otherwise made worse by humidity. Saline rinse and if bad uses a nebulizer as Asthma kicks in. Worst is actually when on a cruise going from dry room to humid. Hmmm.
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