kahtrav

Is there any decent snorkeling from the beach at Carlisle Beach? Are there better options?

We will be in Dominica on the QM2 in November. My DH is dealing with some unexpected mobility issues but we're still hoping to get on the ship.

I'd love more information about the "open air bus tour". Is it mostly just a driving tour with commentary? Do you know if there's any schedule - like when to go find it at the vendor area? Was the price you mentioned US dollars or EC$?

I've also though about just taking one of the minibuses around to Soufriere or Scott's Beach and back - just to see the island from the bus. Any thoughts?

On 2/21/2022 at 6:57 AM, aliaschief said:

Good morning everyone! Just read through up to here. Always feel Blessed after reading about others woes and ailments. My day will come but very grateful for present health. I will continue to keep on praying for better days for those on list.

 

President’s Day but here it’s laundry day.☹️
 

Now that we have our house back we will start prepping for our upcoming cruises in two weeks. Under current conditions we hate the thought of possibly testing positive and not being able to embark. Azamara test at the port and then we test again for our Back to Back on Rotterdam. All you can do is be extra cautious and hope for the best.🙏🤞

 

Thanks Rich and Roy and to all of our frequent readers and contributors. Have a great week.

Trying to figure out how to convince my DH that we should try cruising again. I follow Roy's blogs and so glad he's back on board a ship 

Quick question: How long is it taking for passport renewals? Ours expire in December - might need it for an April land trip to Texas, but don't want to wait too long.

4 hours ago, fstuff1 said:

 

thats very cool.. no longer have to wait for a waiter to take your order.

i can see a downside of people over ordering and wasting alot of food though.

 

what are the procedures if someone has Covid-19 once the ship sails?

heck, do they even have test kits for covid-19 onboard?

 

I assumed that "order as usual" meant the waiter, not electronic ordering. Just no germy menus to pass around.

2 minutes ago, mrtrthompson said:

 

Did you get an email from HAL that it was posted, or did you find out when you looked at your CC balance?  I was informed by my bank (BOA) when asked about a big credit balance being posted soon, they said do NOT attempt to move it to your back account because it would generate a trigger for a cash advance. Just what I was told, may not be the case for others.

I think the CC will send a refund check if it's a large amount (not a cash advance) but best to check.

Love those trivia questions.

Glad you were able to find some yarn that you liked.

Kathi - so glad you posted about the yarn. We'll be on the QE come Monday and at the last minute my daughter said "IF you want to get me a present . . . and showed me a skein of NZ yarn with possum 😁" I'm thrilled to know there's a place I can get to easily.

Hi Kathi,

Just found your blog - need stuff to keep me going until we get on the QE in San Francisco (combo WC segments with two self organized land months in between (Australia and South Africa)). Even with the weather in Florida, you were lucky you weren't trying to catch a cruise on 6th or 7th. The folks I know managed to make the cruise but that storm in the NE USA was a nightmare.

It will be fun to follow the Amsterdam (and Roy on Serenity) now and while we are on the QE after SF. I've just started a blog for our trip. Happy sailing!

https://2018worldadventure.blogspot.com

Just perusing the Cunard forum. We're sailing on the QE WC and as far as I know have not been re-routed from Auckland (of course the QE is smaller). I understand that Auckland is in a huge uproar with massive major construction going on. May not be that wonderful a port this time around. If we were to have 2 days in Tauranga, I'd rent a car and stay over somewhere inland. Personally, I'd love to visit Hobbiton again, but going to the Maori area and the geysers, etc. is also an option. Yes, it's a long drive but it you do in two days it would be very do-able. New Zealand is a wonderful place and just to drive around would be great.

YouTube is a very good source to find videos about Cunard and other passenger ship lines which would even include videos from years ago. In the 1950s the Cunard Line did release this promotional film titled "Getting There Is Half The Fun". This film was filmed aboard the Queen Elizabeth sailing a transatlantic crossing from New York to Southampton and it is 33 minutes long. The start of this film does show the other Cunard Ships at that time in the 1950s. The film source is probably old 16 millimeter film so there are a few frames missing probably where the film broke apart and had to be scotch taped together again but it is worth viewing for people like us who like nostalgia about the great Ocean Liners. Here is the link

Any thoughts about this film? Regards,Jerry

We board the current QE in San Francisco next month. This was a fun video. Thanks

I will continue to work at the bike issue. We are really a pretty small group (generally there's only been one additional bike, though a friend mentioned 6 on the Amsterdam this fall) plus crew bikes. I'll try the other links and information to broaden that way, but don't actually know other people who have done this. I just know that it's been around as an option for at least 10 years on HAL from personal experience and I've seen references from many years back to persons taking bikes long before the advent of folding/travel bikes.

Carnival Corporation - List of prohibited items: (No Segways)

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4090

 

Further detail, exemptions and exceptions:

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2261

 

Allowable to be stored in cabin, but for port use only: https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/3632 (Segways now okay)

 

One gets very confused and conflicting online information about this evolving issue. However, it may be productive to argue for inclusion of folding bikes in this last "port only use" exemption list.

I hope they can move toward the "port use only" side (especially if Segways are now okay). I never would have once thought of using a bike onboard. This decision hasn't been a Carnival Corporation policy (Cunard still openly accepts bikes), so it's a cruise line decision. Anyway, still hoping to have some kind of compromise - our bikes really are part of a healthy, active, lifestyle (and sometimes, due to foot issues, walking isn't possible, so, for us, it has been a mobility issue as well. We've sure seen other mobility aids used with less than normal care for persons or walls.

The discussion continues - we'll see what comes in future policies.

(The Fiat thing was a joke, okay a bad joke. ) However, the little mini 12x12 coolers did make the cut on the restricted list, which was asked about on another thread.

 

Other reports indicated hauling bikes through the hallways and stairwells, esp that last narrow one when embarking on tenders, left behind some gouge marks. That could have been a consideration too. Let's hope they do find a win-win accommodation. Keeping a folding bike in a large rolling suitcase - considering they allow "wheeled carts" -- should protect the halls and speed access. Then what do you do with the suitcase once it is off the ship?

Actually, our bike cases turn into a trailers, attach to the bikes, and off we go, often for several weeks.

Yes, I apologize for getting off topic (it was just an example of another area of change on HAL) but I didn't expect it to fly away quite like that. I'll definitely leave it for those who drink wine to share their future experiences elsewhere on the forum - Sorry about that.

I even had my opened bottle of San Pellegrino follow me around. Tip: four days and the bubbles are gone, gone, gone. :loudcry: But it is good for at least three - one glass per setting.

Okay, I'll backtrack a bit - we just got off the Maasdam on Saturday. Our daughter said the first day there was a sign saying you should take the bottle back to your cabin and drink it there (I did not see the sign). There was no evidence of bottles as usual at tables. I suspect this is a new rule, so check before you order. Like I said, it doesn't generally affect us, but there were several changes from our cruise in January.

I don't disagree at all but.....

 

that was the agreement our segway guy had that caused so much disruption and injury.

 

It didn't work and the only solution was for the ship to confiscate his segway. He didn't get it back until he left the ship. But, that didn't happen until after several complaints, warnings to him (which he ignored) and a passenger being injured.

 

The risk to the ship with a passenger injured and others nearly injured was pretty signficant I would guess, since they permitted it and, I would think, would be liable?

 

 

Sadly, it just takes a few incidents. The segway guy nearly ran me down and I was recovering from a serious olecranon surgery. Well enough to cruise, but not well enough to be knocked down and have it re-broken. He did run down another passenger who had to have medical treatment.

 

I don't know what happened with bicycles to cause this. I can only use the segway as an example.

 

One serious injury on board and they (HAL) are going to take a hard look.

 

It's sad I know. Some jerk(s) ruined it for the rest.[/quote

 

 

I'm really glad to see more discussion here. We have been on several cruises where the ship stored golf carts for port use (though HAL says they won't do that now either). The issue of cabin space is a non-issue - it compromises our space but never was in the way of the staff, or cause cleaning issues), I am sure there were a few people who weren't thrilled with our bike in the hallways, but we waited until most passengers were off before moving about). The vast majority were really supportive and thought it was great.

 

 

I'd love to be able to sign a waiver or agreement (and, for that matter, would even accept leaving it in it's luggage case for transport across - though we love using it in port). I think the biggest thing that has probably caused this issue is the unwillingness of the "ship" to enforce anything in favor of the "customer is always right mentality". I actually think it started when dress "codes" became "suggestions" and they no longer required them in the dining room (now you see jeans and sometimes even shorts on formal nights). If the safety personnel had confiscated the Segway the first time it was used on-board, it wouldn't have escalated to the situation described. I have never seen or heard of a bicycle being ridden on the ship, though I did hear of one person being very demanding about his right to take it on a busy tender, rather than waiting a bit.

 

Just another note, not related. We just got off a 7 day cruise on HAL with our family and, just since January, there have been a number of "downgrades" in service. One, in particular, doesn't affect us, but my daughter likes a glass of wine with dinner - I suggested that she buy a bottle and have them keep it for other nights, but they no longer will do that - you are expected to take any remaining to your cabin to drink there - they must make a bundle off that change (or maybe not - in our case, she ordered that one glass and nothing else for the week). The wine stewards just stood around most of the evening since they weren't pouring much wine - I don't think this will be a "win-win" for the ship.

 

I'm into "Cunard" planning for next year, but would like to collect some of the comments from here to send to HAL in a response letter (I'll do it without any identifying info). I don't honestly expect them to budge, but, want to keep working at it. If they'd actually give a reason, but the vague "for the safety of crew and passengers" doesn't do that.

 

Thanks for keeping the conversation going,

 

Karen

I hope this conversation will broaden somehow. I will post the formal response I got from HAL, with no explanation just that they won't make exceptions. I've had very nice conversations with Cunard, Celebrity and Oceania, who will, at this time, welcome bikes.

I still think it's a conversation to keep alive.

Roscoe (and Safarigal)

Thanks so much for taking us along on your voyage again this year. We happened to fly into San Francisco today for a short break and realized you we're in the city. We could just barely see the QV and her red stack thru the haze from the Golden Gate Bridge as we headed north. I suspect she's about to head out under the Gate soon.

We hope to sail part of the WC in 2019 :-).

It should be the second day - they wouldn't want to have empty cabins for a night.

Hi Roy,

Beautiful day at the glacier - love the 4X pics. The one right before (I assume your first full view of the glacier) won't open for some reason. We managed a day like that a couple of years ago in the Sarmiento Canal - beautiful. This last time all fog :(. But then, we had beautiful Antarctic weather, so can't really complain (we've seen the Drake in both phases - Drake Lake and Beaufort 9). Beautiful with the lake, but exciting the other way.

Thanks for taking us along.

https://aroundamericabitbybit.files....4/arrbrujo.jpg

YES! We need you back on board right now. Dunedin is a no go - still foggy so we are off to Akaroa. Who knows what will happen in Akaroa tomorrow :)

Sorry you missed Dunedin - we actually saw it from the land side (we did 5 weeks in camper van, then 5 week cruise home via Vancouver), which was good since I was sick the day the ship was in port. You'll need to go back some day - New Zealand is wonderful.

Am following this thread with great jealousy. So wish I was on board with you. Glad you are having a good time. Have a drink for me please

 

Love Pat

Hi Pat - so good to see you pop up on the boards now and them. We just got back from a 2nd trip to Antarctica and are booked on the HAL Amazon trip next winter. Might manage another big chunk of a World Cruise in 2019, we'll have to wait and see.

Hope you have better weather than we had last year for all the sounds. Very rainy and high winds outside the sounds but still beautiful inside. ~ ~ Never met Hobie last year either. ~ ~ Would love to be having dinner at The Verandah as we did several times and always thought it was a 5 star experience.

 

Read the QV's itinerary for 2019 and it's nearly exactly what we did last year but missing Madeira which was so special. Wish there was a bit of variety to make it worthwhile.

 

Enjoy your days on that wonderful, friendly ship.

Patti

Patti, we were on the QE 2015 (was it really only 2 years ago!) and I, too, am wishing that they could find some new ports. I'd love to do another World Cruise and the ships are wonderful, but I want to go to new places - looking at 2019 but segments aren't showing up yet.

Hi Roscoe - I find myself confused once in awhile these days. The last blog of yours I followed, you and Roy were on the same ship, this time you are headed toward Sydney while he is headed to Rio - but had stormy days about the same time 😜. I've also been enjoying having side by side blogs with safarigal - same cruise, different experiences. Keep sharing your adventures with those of us currently ashore. Thanks

Love reading the blog - keep up the good work.

Roy, always great fun. We loved the Canadian (we went from Toronto to Vancouver in March - very wintry up there that time of year - except in Vancouver where the grass was green and the flowers blooming. :-). I really like your overland approach to connecting with your ships. We are still using flights (our overland connections from Colorado are very limited, while domestic flights are generally pretty easy).