2910car

We have been on many cruises but never on Oceania. We are considering trying it. Would like to hear about some of the differences, due to the much higher cost.

Any information welcome. Thanks

There is a difference between medical coverage and trip cancellation. We can purchase medical coverage for our family of four for just over $150 for the year and would old not consider travelling without it.

 

Trip cancellation insurance to cover the OP's predicament would cost us $500+ per trip. We choose to self insure for this coverage.

Please let me know where you get travel medical insurance for $150 a year. That would be wonderful!

I really don't understand the reluctance to purchase travel insurance. I have seen people get sick and need emergency medical evacuation by helicopter and I have known someone who needed hospitalization in a foreign country where their health insurance (medicare) is not accepted. These situations can cost thousands. Really, losing the money for the cruise is not the biggest expense. Travel insurance is well worth the peace of mind and I would never plan a trip without it.

Can anyone tell me about the weather in Israel and Greece in October. We are booked on a Holy Land cruise and a friend just told me those places are very cold in October. Hoping that isn't true. The ship also goes to Florence, Ephesus, and Malta before a transatlantic back to Florida. Any information about the weather in these place would be appreciated.

It is really a personal thing as to whether or not a longer cruise is good for you.

 

At the end of 14 days were you:

 

"I can't wait to get home" or

 

"Why do I have to get off".

 

That probably answers your question.

 

Yes, as many say, you will get repeating menus, but how many different menus do you follow at home?

I am the OP.

We have been on two 14 night cruises - one TA and one Panama Canal. Also a 12 night Sydney to Auckland on Solstice that didn't seem long enough (even though we had a 2 week land tour of Australia before boarding). Since we live in Florida we have done alot of week Caribbean cruises. I would never want to spend more than 7 nights on one of those. We go mainly for relaxation.

But I feel the ports on this holy land and TA trip are so much more interesting and I don't think I would be bored. My DH is not so sure.

I am really most afraid of gaining too much weight. Do you guys eat like cruisers every day? If so I will have to be carried off in a wheel barrel!

Thanks for your insightful answers. Please keep them coming!

We are considering taking the Silhouette in October for the Holy Land cruise and then transatlantic back to Ft Lauderdale (we live in Florida). We would be on the ship for 29 days.

Since we have never been on a ship longer than 14 days we are wondering how we would feel about that long a cruise. Looking for encouragement from anyone with experience on this long a cruise.

If it matters to anyone, Air New Zealand weighs carryon luggage prior to boarding and any bag over 7kg must be checked, at an additional cost. We were totally surprised by this, since we traveled over on Qantas and they had no such requirement. We were on a 27 day holiday including a 12 day cruise so naturally we had a lot of luggage.

Also we were in economy on both airlines and I must say we thought the Qantas seat far superior for legroom. Service and entertainment options were about equal.

Good to know that March is the best travel season. We will be arriving in Cairns on February 28 then on to Ayers Rock and Alice Springs on March 3 and 4 then on to Sydney on March 5 and board the Celebrity Solstice on March 10 for Melbourne and around New Zealand.

I am a little worried about extreme heat in Ayers Rock (and maybe Cairns?) We are from Florida so not unaccustomed to hot weather but we are not usually out in the hot sun sightseeing in Florida. Can you ease my mind and tell me the heat will be okay. I know the experience will be well worth it.

Thank you.

I was just told we need a pin number on our credit card to use it in Australia and New Zealand. Can you tell me if that is true?

Thank you.

Thank you all so much for your suggestions. Sorry it took me so long to get back here but we have been traveling.

My husband and I have only very basic cell phones at home and I am sure they would not be usable overseas. We are really technologically challenged.

We will look into the Telstra website. We are arriving in Australia February 26 and sailing on the Solstice March 10 to New Zealand.

We will be arriving February 25

We are a group scheduled for a 12 day tour of Australia (Cairns, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs and Sydney) before our cruise. We would like to have a phone we could use intra-Australia so we can reconfirm and get in touch with various tour companies and hotels along the way.

Can anyone recommend a reliable company that would either rent a phone or sell a prepaid one for this trip? We would prefer to have our phone number before we leave the US so if possible we would want the phone sent to us in advance.

Thank you for your help.

Asking an ecig vapor to go to the smoking area is really insulting to them as they are probably just as bothered by cigarette smoke as any other non smoker. Maybe even more because they have successfully stopped smoking.

I am looking for a tour that cruises to Antarctica and flies back to South America.

Does anybody know of such a trip?

Thank you so much. That was a great help.

Can you tell me about the average weather in Sydney, Cairns and Ayers Rock in March? (Fahrenheit if possible). Also we are cruising around New Zealand so any weather information would be welcome as well. I think it will be cooler in New Zealand - is that correct? Thank you so much.

Just wondering if anyone has been in premium economy class on Qantas or Air New Zealand. We have 14 hour flights each way and I have never been able to sleep on a plane even on a 10 hour flight. Premium economy is twice the price of economy - so quite a bit - but wondering if it may be worth it. I would appreciate any opinions.

We live in Florida and are taking a Celebrity Solstice cruise from Sydney to Auckland. We will be taking a land tour first to Cairns, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs and Sydney. After the cruise we will fly home from Auckland.

I think it would be better to break up the flights by stopping for a night in LAX each way. My husband thinks it wouldn't be worth the hassle of going to a hotel with all the luggage and then back the next day.

We will be traveling with a group of 10 and we are all young seniors. What would you recommend?

Your review is awesome! Can you tell me the best place for a group of 14 to eat lunch on embarkation day without it being too crowded. We have heard the Windjammer is very crowded. Thank you.