Hawaiidan

4 hours ago, cruisingxpert said:

Italy has extended mask wearing on public transport until September and I believe Spain is also doing something similar.  Cruise ships are considered public transport.

 

https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/covid-italy-extends-mask-mandate-for-public-transport.html

Thats why I cancelled my cruise  and put it off a year.... enough is enough

18 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

No Fast Track until you actually got into the main immigration area. They were stopping folks long before then.

As for connections in Europe, my experience is that the bizclass cost of United 58 (SFO-FRA) is very hard to beats and Lufthansa connects from there are often sale priced (though you won’t see that sale price (e.g., FRA-ARN) on the United website (Gotta call UA for that sale).

I avoid FRA....  so many times they  have to bus you to a gate as a UA at  term Z.  AMS  is good too you can do a NS from frisco too   or to IAH-AMS  also good..............enjoy amigo 

25 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

We planned a 4 hour layover window recently at FRA on the way from SFO to ARN. The line for immigration at FRA was so long that they kept folks waiting in a separate hall while the immigration line slowly moved through the checkpoint. Just to move slightly forward within that hall took almost an hour before I decided to chat with a police officer stationed there and ended up with his partner getting us to the final queue via a staff elevator. Even then, by the time we got to the Lufthansa bizclass lounge, it was only enough to grab a drink and snacks before we had to board the plane to Stockholm.

Sorry folks but, anyone who flies same day with a connection to the embarkation city and chooses cheap priced or quick connect over long layover and leisure with buffer time (and the usually higher price tag) is “pennywise and pound foolish.” 

didn't they give you fast track  as a business class pax?      Next time  try connecting via Zurich  or Munich.  

On 6/23/2022 at 7:02 AM, Flatbush Flyer said:

Most hotel chains, including the better ones like Intercontinental, will match any price you find on Expedia or other third party vendors. My advice: Always book direct with hotels - especially if you want geezer prices.

if you book via a 3 ed party  like price line / expedia,  you will get NO points/miles for your stay and limited access to Upgrades as well.   

That might not mean much  but this year I have stayed at 7 hotels  already  and only had to pay for 2.  but was upgraded to a suite for the  cheap rate!  

  OK.....   Miles are important to get... why throw away  benefits  you could get  for nothing !     Over time  they grow to huge sums you would never have dreamed....

What are they worth???   Well Flying to Europe in a few days, business class, for $36.00 rt... ( beats $6000.) ,just for buying gas, bacon beans, paying the phone bill etc.   later,  Taking the wife to meet a cruise in Europe,,  6 hotel nights + RT Business  air, .....  all for $72!  But parking I gotta pay and gas   getting to the airport and back. ... ( but I am working on that too !!!)....

How about  you?   

5 hours ago, Dwtlion said:

The 2 plans are apples & oranges! MJA flys you home at no cost; EA+ arranges for YOU to pay an air evac to fly you home.

Thanks for the input.    I will save the $180   and  skip the whole thing....sounded like a good idea at the time,    Works for others  but not in my case  I have discovered I have other options I did not consider ( see last post.  I eill be in Europe next week and will check out stuff locally my self wit my euro friends

Again, thanks  everyone for all your help.....thanks

15 hours ago, Dwtlion said:

Correct me if I am wrong, but EA+ just makes arrangements for client paid med evacuations; whereas MJA actually provides and pays for service.

I did not read it that way....but I will check....      No way am I going to lay out a grand for 14 days...  to rich for me    Since I already hold business paid tickets for return I think I have it covered already myself with my medical + existing air. and 900K in UA miles in reserve,   so no $10,000 air bill looming.    and my 20K CC COVERAGE .......... Further  its all in europe  not in darkest  Kai Fung Foo  .    I can  stay with friends if needed      .    

9 hours ago, Guest said:

I fear the carpet in the PH will make many a passenger dizzy!

 

Yup.....  and not book PH and above..     Beware the line " new and improved"   I know I's never book one looking like that

4 hours ago, vlloyd said:

I am also new to Oceania (July 3, 2022, SIRENA, Ireland & England) and have cruised primarily on Celebrity and Princess. 

The printed info on the website and on the mailed documents indicates that sandals are not allowed in the MDR in the evening.  Seriously?

I'm hoping an Oceania veteran can enlighten me.  Thanks!

correct...seriously       they mean  casual stuff     flip flops and   bare feet stuff....   You aint on Princess 

3 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Not quite 50% larger  but yes bigger than the standard A & B cabins

AB cabins are no different than a B4...    with a fancy title

3 hours ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

MJA doesn't have "per trip" coverage anymore?

 

We always took the annual, given we tended to take more than one "vacation" per year, because that also covered us for short-notice business trips or visits to friends/family, as long as they were more than 150 miles from home - which they've always been.

So we never seriously looked at the per-trip choices or costs.

GC

ya  the quoted me  900-1200 for a policy  for a year  that would expire just before my next cruise !!!   

For 74+  they only do annual. my  friend + you have a ton of paperwork to submit     EA+   180 for 2 for a year..... to me  almost   $ 1000 difference

You will find EVERYTHING  on O, from passengers to meals to ambiance   night and day better.... itss s different  demographic  of well traveled well mannered low key people into conversation and dining.

3 hours ago, ne1travel said:

We will be cruising in Europe this fall.  We have looked at both this and MedJet and have decided (as others have mentioned) to use MedJet for the fact they will get you out of where you are to your home hospital.  We plan to buy a yearly plan to cover the cruises throughout a year for the “just in case”.

check out both sites and send them any questions you may have.

owing to  the  very big difference in cost  + lots of paper work for Med Jet , for  just 1  cruise , caused me to go EA+      Having to get doctors letters and forms and all sort of stuff was going to be a hassle  Too having to buy it for a year  where  we would only need it for 14 days. did not amortize to me.

If your booking a A/B  eating the cabin  is  like a marx brothers movie.....    there is litle advantage  to get specialty  reservation as on a 15 day  it will be easy , if your flexable, to get yourself just about anything 

As for the butler situation....that is a crap shoot     2 times I had then  and they were duds   Remember your river boat was  way smaller.   

   Id go for a B#3 ectended balcony. on an O class 1000 pax rather than a AB    However  if your on a R ship  ( 600 pax)    then go for the  PH   as ALL the cabins below the PH are tiny.     I have had both     Your food will arrive warm  not like  in a restaurant        The PH on R class has no walkin    

Golf  shirts and slacks or dockers..    Golf shirts  or similiar shirts  rather than Tee shirts and base ball caps.  Maybe a nice dress shirt and blazer for dinners. 

 There are no formal nights and  dressing up is more casual . However, dress to a level you feel comfortable in.  The ship has an ambiance that is low key and convivial yet  classy way..     Much of the evening revolves around conversation and dining.    TOTALY different than princess...... there is no class system, once out of the cabin all passengers are treated equal.    As to the size.... well you will be with about 75% less passengers then Princess... and of these, most will be well traveled and well mannered. 

 Children will be all but absent.It is an adult cruise

I tried 6 lines befor I found O  and  never looked back..   Maybe you will too

1 hour ago, ORV said:

Well, unless they use covid as an excuse to shutter these services, all in the name of our safety. Sure wish I had one of the $500+ a year credit cards giving me access to these non available services. It's getting better though. 

 

I was in a Marriott less than a month ago that the lounge was closed, as well as the business center.  Seems almost like more services in the lower end properties, Springhill, Residence Inn, etc. 

Orv...get  some $99 ayear UA  business cards    you get 4 passes a year  thats  $200  also free bags too.   The UA clubs are open and even better than before too  DEN, EWR ORD, SFO ZRH FRA LHR SYD IAD, IAH LAX ... top notch like the old First class lounges.............and if your holding intl business tickets !  Polaris lounges, will knock your sox off....even sit down dining... grab an eggs benedict and a cham for a morning flight..... Have not seen any shut.     all better than before !!!    Its not what you do  it is how you do it!!!       All the Marriotts I have seen are open.... was just in Buelton   and wow   full sit down comp b fast.       Carry a UA and  a Marriott business, wife does too.   you will be suprised at what  they are doing now !

47 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

We'll be facing that on our next renewal.  The trick is to buy 5 years of membership when you're 73!

EA+  is  $700 cheaper  and while not as good....  has less exclusions. 

 Insurance is a gamble face it  your betting you need it  they are betting you do not.....  chances are they win....  I only need it for 1 trip of 17 days..... and if needed only need it for transport for a non ambulatory situation.   The rest I have covered with CC and my own health coverage... + I speak the lingo in the countries I am off to and have friends in Europe if need be.      So   things more under control... just hedging my bets  Thanks for everyone for all the options. and advice

42 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

First class beats coach every day, in my experience,  and I fly both. Like the trip I am on right now...coach both ways. Mostly I fly first.

generally. you would think......  but the ua 737 8 max out of ANC the other day 5 hours   I was unable to get comfortable  till a 757-300  friggen coach seat felt like heaven to SFO.    

14 minutes ago, khuselid said:

We are using O's BC air from London to Portland, one way on our return from our cruise on Sept. 17. Airfares were crazy when I was trying to book this so I asked O what they could do for us. Turns out, and I did the math, they could do better right now than I could. We got great flights and BC on all, rather than limited over land. It actually is the second time I have used O for BC air ,recently,  and been pleased. So it isn't a solid rule. Yes, you do have to pay the 175 fee. Yes, you can choose which flight you want if you pay that fee. We negotiated back and forth until we got what we wanted. Soon we will have gold status and won't have to pay the air deviation fee, yeah!

There is a small bonus in it including transfer to the airport in London from Southhampton.

what is BC Air????        If your doing a 1 way trans atlantic flight  and have no ff miles to use... then  the O one way air will almost always  be far better option.    Most carriers charge about the same for a one way trans atlantic as a full round trip !!!    Taking O's air option in these cases is far better   Too flying east to west is  far easier on  the body than the  west to east overnight.   So you can get by returning, whereas   going can be an ordeal.   

14 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Just my Opinion

If someone wants  BIZ  class  PE  is no where close  to that experience

 

 For long haul flights  we enjoyed the lie flat seats  where I had the best sleep on a plane ever

 coming home last trip we did PE   ..no way to sleep on a plane

It was worth the extra $$$ for us to fly BIZ class  

YMMV

Correct.... PE=  Premimun Extortion.    There is no standard like lie flats    seating  4 across ! on some   seat pitch maybe 3-4 inches more, recline 3 inches and width 1 inch  and oh a cute foot rest.    Some airlines  not even that much !     Starting out on a cruise, arriving well fed, rested is far better than  enduring 11-12 hours in  contorted anguish beat jet lagged and cranky!.   

 When you buy Business class you also get the ground services  like lux lounges, and meals and  support services in the airport, that PE does not !    Arrive and take a shower and have a sit down breakfast ...  all part of the Business Class service     

18 hours ago, FolsomMike said:

If you don’t use their air, do you get a credit off of the OLife fare? If not, I guess the ‘cruise only’ fare is a better option. 

maybe.......you need to check current air fares as they are rising faster than the national debt !   in 6 months  I saw my fare jump $2500  increase  per person.     If your going to use $$ to buy your own  do it NOW  or take it in the shorts by waiting.   Same with cruise fares..... in this economy for the next few years things are not likely to get better than today.....    

16 minutes ago, willoL said:

Our family has purchased annual evacuation coverage via MedJet as mentioned by other posters. We carried it for at least a few years prior to the pandemic, let it lapse with no travel, but will renew next month shortly before we leave the USA. Their website is easy to use and it is quick to sign up.

 

Mostly because of the situation in Ukraine, we are upgrading for the first time ever from the standard version of MedJet to MedJet Horizon which adds crisis response coverage. (But my husband left the USSR with his family as a refugee in the 1970s, he's an internationally known figure in his field, and we have a trip to a region much closer to the conflict than our August cruise will get. His paranoia amped up!) Until this year, we felt the base level MedJet was sufficient for our needs, and I don't expect to prolong the Horizon level unless DH resumes regular international travel and Russia's nefarious activities expand further...

 

I rarely purchase individual trip insurance--having calculated that I've already saved enough in premiums to walk away from almost any trip without feeling like I'd been foolish and suffering financial pain--but I do, like you, have medical insurance that will cover me outside the USA plus my Chase Sapphire card offers enough trip protection to alleviate any losses based upon the typical cost of my trips.

 a quick check shows if your over 74  you have to get a doctors report on you  for approval.   Prices are $499 for one person for 1 year    $899 for 2 persons     For people needing only evac from foreign hospital to US Hospital  thats the ticket.     You have to be non-ambulatory to get a  ride to a home hospital and that hospital  has got to first accept you for admission.     

1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

The passenger doesn't pay for the extra fuel consumed. Nor do you pay for helicopter evacuations carried out by government military operations such as the US Coast Guard.

Correct....under  international agreement no country charges for a air sea rescue helo.... $0   nada  zip,   Same with fuel   an emergency evac or rescue any ship having a need or asked to divert to assist  will render no charge as well.    Thank you US Navy and US Coast Guard    I have seen USCG launch several C130s  1000 miles and have para-rescue medics parachute at night into the sea  with tankers to refuel helos fly the patjent 1000 miles back to Honolulu..... to a private ambulance...   The only charge was for the Private ambulance to the hospital      !!!!!

4 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

It would probably be a code share on a partner carrier(s). But, it could still be booked as a UA flight itinerary. I’d check on the web with ITA Matrix to see what combos are available. The beauty of United Is their customer service. They actually answer the phone!

Thats been my experience.... hold time less than 5 min at most...   Also as many know, the fares on the web site,  are many times higher than what you can get by calling and  paying a $25 fee !!    like hundreds less.   The sheer size of the star alliance you have access to  UA-Tap, Air Can-,Luft, Turkey,-Austrian, LOT- ANA- SAS, + those airlines  feeder regionals......  can get you pretty much anywhere but antarctica !!!

 Second, never ever buy air  from a 3 rd party    or a hotel either.    You will not save and be exposed to all sorts of problems if your flight is changed or cancelled.     You have no idea of the problems that  you can have with a 3 rd party

GO DIRECT  I have learned after 50 years of flying evev working  for United and at one time Expedia too. ( never could hold a job)  nothing beats DIRECT overall.

8 hours ago, LNielsen said:

We cancelled in February  prior to our final payment being due basing our decision on what was going in that moment.   Much different time than now with regard to what countries required, testing to get back into the US, and we weren’t interested in what were becoming magical mystery cruises.   As it turns out we are happy we did cancel, one of the highlights for us was to be St.Petersburg.  

 

I wish you well in you decisions.....   

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Travel insurance evacuation coverage has a BIG loophole:  the insurance company will confer with the local doctor and only evacuate you if the doctor admits they are incapable of treating you.  [Cue memes about doctors with God complex.]  The solution is:  Medjet Assist, which puts YOU in control of the decision:  once you are admitted to a hospital anywhere in the world, YOU tell Medjet to 'get me outta here' and they will airlift you and a companion to the hospital of YOUR choice [i.e. a major hospital close to your home].  And if you are an AARP member, they have a special discounted rate.

https://medjetassist.com

https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/all/medjetassist-10063/

 

Hey thanks.... all  I am looking for is transport home dead or alive.    My medical costs are all take care of  by my own insurance, ( I have used it in the So Pacific and Europe...no cap)   Since I always fly Business   thats not an issue.   but an air ambulance is , if needed my concern.    Med Jet sounds like a good option