Crusin6

Not always true. I was in the US and my CC was frozen and I did not call prior because I was assured that with the chip it's not needed by capital one. I flew from San Diego to Houston to Mississippi using my card in an airport at those stops. When I got to the hotel in MS and attempted to pay for dinner they had frozen my card. Which I can see because it was used in 3 states in one day. I purchased the flight on that card as well. I normally call when leaving the country but not in the US because I fly monthly for work and it's not a change in spending patterns .

 

 

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And this is exactly why I'm calling cap 1 to reconfirm my travel plans even though they told me the same thing

Just because cap 1 says you don't have to call them that DOES NOT mean that they won't block something if they suspect fraud

I'm even going as far as to tell them to expect hotel charges from specifically named hotels

Although, since I monitor my cards activity on line on a 2x daily basis I do know that my hotels have been running the 1st night charges through my account...to make sure it's a valid credit card...on a daily basis

It shows as pending for a few hours and then disappears

Additionally I've been in touch with the hotels reconfirming my stay and accommodations so if there were an issue I'd probably know it by now

Oh and I'm traveling with 3 cards from 2 different bank plus sufficient euro from home for my needs that I know must be paid in cash upon arrival and then some

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Or book a princess cruise with their free self service laundry. Lol

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Have your driver pick you at the airport and drop you at your Rome hotel. Relax regroup and then about 5pm walk around and enjoy a great dinner and stroll the piazza navona the pantheon area maybe the trevi Have great wine with dinner. Stay in the central historic area.

the next day hire a private driver from as early as possible to as late as possible for embark

It will cost you of course but trust me with a private driver you will get to see loads of stuff

They stop on side streets and let you out to explore

You could easily see the foroum from above the colesieum from outside the Spanish steps the trevi the piazza del popolo and more than likely an interior visit to St. Peter's. Just start out early

With a driver you get to other places too....the keyhole...palatine hill...St Peters in Chains for the Moses statue perhaps a ride on the Appia Antica

Of course you could try to do Day 2 on a modified diy basis but imho a private driver for the day is money very well spent that will give your friend a great overview of Rome

This assumes of course that you ship embarkation is very late in the day or early evening

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It was around 10pm and we were in the Atrium. Her and her guy (couldn't tell if married) asked if they could sit next to us on the couch since the room was packed, and we obliged. We chatted back and forth for a few minutes. I forgot what her exact words were, but when I remarked to my DH that I was surprised we were still up seeing as I'm usually "in bed by 9:30 with a book" she said "WHAAAAAT? AND HOW OLD ARE YOU!" When I told her I'm 35 and he's 33, she continued on with how that's kind of sad, that she's in bed by 1, 2am. I told her I'm usually up at 5/5:30 every morning, and it's normal to be tired. There was silence afterwards, and a minute or two later then got up to leave. All in all, it was a very unusual encounter, and only afterwards did I realize she was being a little too forward and rude with me. I was tired, after all, so I didn't think much of it until a proper night's sleep. :confused:

You should have said that you and dh just love to spend as much time as possible in bed together lol

However....She wasn't really all that bad in what she said to you. once years ago when I was nicely walking with my 4 well behaved kids I was told I had too many kids

Oh and then there was the time I was lectured by a total stranger in the mall because I was wearing sandals in October. Um ok

I actually don't mind these encounters because I'm very very quick with appropriate responses

You should be a fly on the wall when the telemarketers call and try to scam me. Lol

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My credit card issuer does not want to be informed of travel:

 

 

 

"With the added security of your Capital One chip card, you don’t have to tell us when and where you’re traveling, inside or outside the United States."

Lots of luck with this one....they rejected my purchase of Louvre tix when I bought them from home after they had seen many charges in euro in the previous weeks and didn't reject

Made a quick call and cleared it up but you can bet I'm calling and reconfirming for a 3rd time that they will not reject my hotel charges abroad

I travel with 3 cards from different banks with great credit limits....and use these cards for TRAVEL only.

Plus an ATM from a travel only checking account that will not have excessive cash in it.

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its paid done and over I was just pointing out the horrible customer service and lack of willingness to deal with a. customer trying to pay and continue to make purchases ... I dropped over 7 grand in the first couple days you would think they would want me to continue to spend money

Ok a new wrinkle here....may I ask how?

And how did they charge you for this if the card was declined?

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As they should! I worked for a bank and Credit Card fraud is a very serious issue, which you would think the OP would understand.

 

I for one am glad that RCCL is so careful.

And what name was on the reservation on the Id the cruise accepted at embark?

Oh come on folks.....

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RCCL was doing was they should have done. You could have been using a stolen card and they have to protect themselves against that. Otherwise they would be in all kinds of legal trouble.

 

How hard is that to understand? You need to take a step back and look at it from there point.

Ftlog the card had his name on it....wouldn't the cruise have his name and Id too?

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Am I the only one that thinks the threat of arrest is extreme and uncalled for?

Was the threat because they thought you were using a stolen card? That clearly had your name on it? And clearly matched the ID you had? And clearly matched the name on your cruise docs?

Likely not....

However....could it have been that the guest services were doing what a lot of hotel front desk people are doing these days...pulling out the "you scare me or you offended me card" and I'm going to protect myself from you when they think you are being too aggressive toward them when in fact you are just stating your case?

Or could it have been that you were loud? Angry?

It's amazing how thin skinned some people can be and how often the "I'm afraid of you card" is pulled out these days

My thinking is guest services was just not going to deal with this issue

Why?

They just didn't want to

Or

They just wanted to make a stupid point

Or

You may have in fact been too forceful

I've heard workers threaten to call cops on customers who complain before when in fact the customer is not really a threat but use stating his or her case in a firm non threatening manner at all

Of course the media finds the obscure customer rage story and portrays it so that you think its happening every minute of the day

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the card was frozen and I had to reactivate it when the new one arrived in the mail. It was ruined because my pre paid dining and beverage packages were frozen and I could make no on board purchases. All they had to do was type in the CC # but would not do so because it was against policy... this policy was never made clear beforehand... the way you are defending them sounds like you work for RC.... I have been on many cruises before and never had a problem like this or was treated this way

Prepaid? Doesn't make sense to say you couldn't use it

What am I missing?

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Thank you :)

 

 

 

I'm also a native New Yorker, and I'm nothing but kind to my fellow pax and crew. As a matter of fact, it was a gentleman from another state who snapped at me after I kindly held the elevator for him last time we were on the Breakaway. Another passenger who identified herself as being from central PA who made a very rude remark to me upon finding out that my DH and I (mid 30's) don't go to bed at 1am like her. You're going to find rude behavior regardless of where someone is from in this world.

Please share what and why she thought she had a right to question your not staying up until 1am?

Unbelievable she thought she should even have an opinion but I'm thinking that her comment had something to do with your private lives. I understand if you don't want to divulge what she said but I'm dumbfounded anyone would remake about your bedtime...rude or otherwise

I don't think I've ever been up later than 11 on any cruise I've taken however I would have loved her to comment to me about that little tidbit

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Recently on the Spirit and Getaway, on those ships there is no smoking at the bars in the casino (this is enforced). As far as I can remember the same holds true for the Epic and Sky. There are some poker slot machines at the bar, that would be smoke free.

But the bar is inside the casino correct?

The casino is smoking correct?

Or are you saying the casino bars are located in the non smoking area of the casino?

Fwiw....smoking or non smoking makes little difference as the smoke knows no boundaries

The only way to realistically keep part of the casino non smoking is to fully wall off the smoking section and make sure there is no way for the smoke to seep to the non smoking side

In other words....enclose the smokers not the non smokers

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Ah ....the algorithms

Always correct and never require human intervention when they are wrong because they are never wrong

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We just returned from a Baltic cruise on the Getaway. I am a dyed-in-the-wool non-smoker, and generally hold my breath and rush through the casino if I absolutely MUST to get from one place to another. On this cruise, I barely noticed smoke, even on sea days when the casino was open. I was pretty surprised, frankly. I did see a notice that smoking was only allowed if you were actually playing; no idea if it is enforced, or not. Perhaps this cruise was an anomaly?

Personally I find Med cruises to be more of sophisticated mix of pax that aren't there to gamble party or drink 24/7 but rather tour the historical sites have a nice meal and show and bed by 11

Imho I'm thinking a Baltic cruise is similar....cruising for history and sites versus cruising to party gamble drink and such

And before anyone asks...party cruises mean more smokers to me.

Much different than a Carib cruise

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Stay near the pantheon

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Book a celebrity cruise. Their casinos are smoke free

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You're completely wrong there. Last minute fares are about as expensive as it gets, bar weird charter arrangements.

The r/t NYC /Paris. Naples/NYC That I paid less than $600 each for 7 months ago are now around $2500 each

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Other signs of maturity are getting the party started without gambling in the casino, or dressing up and posing for expensive photos, or not shopping excitedly at overpriced cruise ship stores, or relaxing with overpriced spa treatments. Heck, if we all got the party started in a mature way, the cruise industry would go bankrupt! :eek: And then you could get your party started on very DRY, DULL land!!

I agree with everything you say ....and yes I get your sarcasm too.... except for the photo...

Better way to say it imho.....

A sign of maturity is dressing nicely and having a lovely photo taken and then realizing that 1 8x 10 at $24.99 of perhaps the best pose is really all you need

Try getting a great 8x10 in a photo studio at home for $24.99. Not happening. Even a Sears or JC Penney. Lol

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I honestly can't believe that there are still people who can tolerate that kind of smoke exposure (enclosed in a small room) in this day and age knowing what we all know about smoking and also the dangers of second hand smoke. I also think that because of this knowledge of the carcinogen affects of smoking, that it should be all cruise lines duty to ban smoking entirely on their ships. Now, I'm sure I will take heat from those that say that infringes on their right, but the way I see it, it is NOT your right to endanger me or my family. Second hand smoke is very prevalent in those smoking areas on the ships--there is no denying it. And it is sometimes virtually impossible to just avoid those areas, as they are main areas and atriums of the ships. I think it is time they ban all smoking and just deal with it.

Nah all they need to do is ban all indoor smoking

Then they can build a rather large enclosed on 3 sides plexiglass enclosure at the way far aft of a very high deck for the smokers and even put a bar setup in there and a few tables and chairs or bar stools and a some slot machines too a hot tub a waterfall Sort of like a very remote version of spice h2o. Only keep it away from non smokers

I guess a plexiglass roof too so to protect them from the elements and space permitting ultra nice cabins too up there

Make this area available 24/7 of course

The smoke would then just waif out over the ocean from a high point and the plexiglass enclosure would protect the smokers from the elements

Basically a smoking deck

Deck 16 or 17 or whatever depending on the ship

Make it large and far aft and on new builds even run an elevator up there. Perhaps some sort of real really great food service and a mini thermal spa which of course they could smoke in

Nice nice comfy loungers

Make it a wonderful place for smokers to spend lots of time plus it would really be a special unique extra that would attract lots of new pax that sail on other lines now

Oh and definitely DO NOT charge for entrance to this area It is not meant to replace Vibe passes or anything. It is meant to benefit the non smokers by making it so appealing that smokers want to stay in that area all the time

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Yes

No.

 

The Paradise is always rolled out as an example of a failed attempt and "proof" by all the naysayers. I firmly believe, however, that it was just ahead of its time. People weren't ready to embrace the non-smoking aspect of it. But since then, most public areas, bars, restaurants in North america have gone smoke-free with the rest of the world not far behind. I think if this was attempted again, now, it would be a much more successful endeavour.

 

As to the belief that non-smokers don't gamble.... based on the current set up, most don't. Not because they don't want to, but because the casinos on most ships are so heavily laden with smoke, they steer clear of the casino altogether. Remove that smoke, and you will likely see a much different scenario.

Absolutely correct!!! I don't smoke but if the casino were smoke free I would gamble As it stands now I spend zero money in the casino

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I find it interesting that people who would probably risk their lives to save a squirrel and would protest treatment of humans in other parts of the world

Would actually spend a dime in Cuba

Spending dollars in Cuba is not helping the common man in Cuba. Don't kid yourself

But hey at least you have bragging rights for visiting Cuba

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Sailing the BA versus say the Gem are 2 different things

Imho BA is noisy and rocky on every deck everywhere ...but I digress and am no fan of the ba....but I was deck 11 furthest aft possible and things were rocking and rolling and engines revving up 24/7. Sea was like glass btw.

On the gem we were far forward deck 8 and didn't feel a thing

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Do they reuse the pineapples?

Just wonderin' that's all

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Yes they are the best. Will meet you when you get off the ship, not outside the port area like others.. and believe Me when you're in your private transfer being whisked away you will see people struggling with luggage trying to make their way to the train station. You can sit back, relax and watch the scenery.

 

 

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Absolutely the best imho!!

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I walked past there yesterday and saw that mortons steakhouse is moving to that general and looked close to ready to open

They are just relocating from another area of town

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