Leejnd4

All the menus and food pics are KILLING me! I want to get in those restaurants NOW! If I could just stop salivating, that'd be great... 😉

I know, what a pain! And for me it's going to be even more complicated. First of all is the fact that I don't HAVE a primary care doctor, nor are there any Undersea MDs anywhere in Mexico that I can find. I have only had to visit doctors a couple of times in the four years we've been living on our sailboat in Mexico, and that has only been for minor ailments so I went to a local clinic. I have no idea if a local doctor down here will be willing sign off on this form! Plus, I'll have to get it translated into Spanish, and then hope the doctor will be willing to sign the English form since he will have no way of knowing if my translation is actually what's on the form. Finding an English-speaking doctor in Mexico is no easy feat! This was DEFINITELY not a requirement on my prior two PG cruises. I'm not pleased. But I also don't want to deal with booking dives with an outside dive op - it's so much more convenient to dive with the PG team, since many of the dives are off an inflatable that takes off right from the marine platform. FYI, if you do want to book an outside op, Top Dive is the predominant dive op in the area and they do a great job. I dove with them when I visited FP another time. You will also likely save money, especially if you book a package of multiple dives. 😉 I would probably do this except that I am taking this cruise with a friend who is a non-diver, and I don't want to spend too much time away from her while doing dives. We have a number of other types of excursions planned. I fully agree that this verbiage is all VERY CONFUSING! I read those forms multiple times, and I was convinced that you only needed a medical sign-off if you answer YES to any of the questions. I'm very dismayed to learn that we ALL have to get one, no matter how healthy we are. UGH! I do not believe you need to go to a specially trained doctor. Your Primary Care doc should be able to sign this form. The form makes it clear the types of conditions that would preclude diving, and as long as you don't have them, the doctor should be willing to sign it. So sorry to be the bearer of unwelcome news! Good luck everyone, and I hope you all are able to get yourself underwater while on the PG! It really is some of the best diving on the planet. Here's a few shots I took on my last PG cruise to get you motivated! 😉

Hello divers, I wanted to let you know that I just posted in this forum about the PG's updated requirements to dive with them. Here's the link to my post: Updated requirements for scuba diving on the PG https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2953322-updated-requirements-for-scuba-diving-on-the-pg/ This should answer some of the questions that popped up in this thread. @minidonuts85 I think your digital logs will be fine, as they don't appear to be very rigid about having a logbook. Not a bad idea to print them out, if you can. Also, to answer your question about Bora Bora, these are the dives they offer, based on a recent form shared by a cruiser:

Hello divers, I had some questions about the requirements to dive with the PG dive team on my upcoming cruise. I learned that PG has recently updated its requirements, and the verbiage of its "Scuba Diving Policies" as stated on the PG website. To read their updated verbiage, here's the link: https://www.pgcruises.com/scuba/policies My specific questions pertained to these requirements, as stated on their website: 1. The need to provide a logbook: If a guest wishes to embark on a dive at the “active advanced diver” level, he or she must have logged 100 or more dives and must have their logbooks with them. 2. The requirement to have completed the PADI Deep Diver Specialty certification in order to dive in the Marquesas or Fakarava: For dives farther below the maximum depth, an Advance Open Water Certification plus Deep Diver Specialty is manadatory. (Drift dive in Fakarava and dives in the Marquesas Islands) Deep Diver Certification is available onboard for an additional $99 USD. 3. The requirement to have the Medical Form signed by a doctor prior to boarding: Guests must be in good physical condition in order to SCUBA dive from the m/s Paul Gauguin, and they must possess a valid recent medical certificate less than a year old of no contraindication to SCUBA dive before signing up for a dive. Without this certificate, guests will not be able to dive. The doctor on board will not be able to issue this certificate. I have issues with all three of these, none of which were required the last time I dove on the PG. As an advanced diver with hundreds of dives, I stopped logging dives years ago. (I live on my sailboat in Mexico and dive at least weekly if not daily, so it's just not practical to keep a logbook.) As for certifications, I have AOW and Nitrox but never bothered to get more certs, given how often I dive. I do not want to pay $99, and take time away from the cruise, to take a course for something I've done hundreds of times (deep diving). And obtaining a medical sign-off will be a challenge for me, as we are constantly moving around Mexico and finding an English-speaking doctor who can sign off on that form will be difficult. Last time I was on the PG, as long as you answer "NO" to all of the medical questions (which I do) you do not need to have a doctor sign-off. So I obtained the email address of the Marina Supervisor, Karim Djoudi, and emailed him directly. Here's his response: The log book is usually for the unexperienced divers, and it's a way for us to check the level of the divers. So if you don't have it, it will be ok.If you are advance diver, you won't need the deep dive specialty, but something very important, it's the medical certificate from your doctor, it's mandatory. I'm relieved I won't need to produce a log book or take a course! 😁 As for the medical certificate, I will get it translated to Spanish and try to find a doctor who will sign the English one. Kind of a pain but I'll figure it out. I thought it would be helpful to share all of this with other divers planning a PG cruise. Do NOT forget to get your medical certificate signed off by a doctor before you board! And be sure to fill out the required forms before you meet with the dive team to sign up for dives, as that will expedite the process. The dive forms are here: https://www.pgcruises.com/scuba/required-forms Happy diving! 😁

Thanks for this detail. Certainly it's in Europe's, and the travel industry's, best interests to ensure this all works like clockwork, given the importance of tourism on Europe's economy. I'm not too worried. 🙂

Well this piqued my interest, given that I'm booked on a Crystal cruise for late next year! I read both of your links, and certainly it sounds like it will be a nothing-burger...provided their system really does work as smoothly as is being claimed. All new systems are subject to unforeseen glitches. Here in Mexico, where I currently live, they recently switched over from paper tourist visas (again not really "visas" per se - just a form called FMM) to electronic tracking and passport stamps. There was a lot of confusion at the beginning, but things are finally settling down. There are still some airports that make you fill out an FMM, but most are finally switching over to the electronic tracking & passport stamps. My only question is, what will happen to travelers who arrive in Europe without having obtained one prior to coming? Will there be a process at the airports for this?

Isn't that the great thing about getting older...we forget things we've done, so when we do them again they are new! 😝😉

Great post, and of course I adore the Pink reference. 😁 I love your positivity. On a related note (and not meant to derail the thread): As you know, my Mom recently passed away. Her service is coming up and I'm delivering the eulogy, which I've been composing. I read your post here and immediately thought of my Mom, because she too was a "glass half full" person. And here's the interesting part, Keith - I had just written a segment that described this trait. I think you'll appreciate it: Mom had an almost preternatural ability to see the best in everything. She just wasn’t wired to see negatives. Here’s an example: I took her on a cruise to Tahiti. While I was off scuba diving, she did an excursion to a winery on a small island. When she got back she told me she had a lovely time. The wine was great, the place was beautiful, it was a fun tour. Later that night I talked to a few other people who’d been on the tour with her, and they told me it was awful! The vines were scraggly, the tour leader was sullen, and the wine was undrinkable. They thought it was so bad they asked for their money back. When I asked Mom about this, she said, “Oh sure, that’s true but I still had a great time!” That’s Mom. She never saw a half-empty glass, even if it was full of crappy wine. You would have liked my Mom. 🙂 I'm SO looking forward to reading your travelogue! Your excitement comes off your posts is waves, and it makes the rest of us feel excited too.

THANK YOU! I was assuming that was the case when I first saw these forms a few months ago, so I was surprised that some seemed to think that everyone needed a medical exam.

I have both! I listen to the first one when I'm running or working out. I listen to the second one when I'm doing pretty much anything else. 🙂

YAAAS! That's exactly how I see it. I totally get why teenage girls adore her. I left my teens way too long ago to have any interest in the stuff she sings about. You won't see me making fun of you! We all like what we like and that's fine. 🙂 Pink is a female rock/pop singer. Her music is in a genre that I generally don't spend much time listening to, but she has a couple songs that have a very danceable vibe that makes me kick it in gear when they come up in my playlist when I'm on a run. But that's the only time I listen to her.

True dat! 😉

Looking forward to hearing your perspectives! And I hope you don't spend TOO much time posting on Cruise Critic. You're on vacation, after all! 😁 One comment: it seems a shame that you feel you need to include comments to forestall the attacks you expect to get over posting your personal opinions. Not that I don't understand it - that's Cruise Critic for ya, some people just can't stop themselves from being nasty. But I have seen so many people in here dump on you simply because of your positivity about Crystal. I hope those people will try to tamp down their negativity in this thread so that those of us who are EXCITED about the return of Crystal can enjoy it!

It's not that I don't *know* who Taylor Swift is. It's just that I don't enjoy her music. I find her lyrics to be immature and focused on topics that don't mean anything to me. I do not find her to be relatable. And the tunes themselves are not compelling at all. I realize she is one of the most popular artists in the world today, but I've never heard a song of hers that I would want to hear twice. Now Adele - that woman can SING! Her lyrics have depth, and the music itself is beautiful and makes me want to listen to it. Katy Perry has a couple songs that I like, but most of them are forgettable. Pink, however, is awesome! I have several of her songs on my running playlist. Just like with taste in food, taste in music is so subjective. I don't think any of us should be criticized for not liking a particular musical artist. And yes, our age and history matters. Most people do prefer to hear the music we grew up with. I'll listen to Pink Floyd or Elton John all day long every day...that's what I was listening to in my formative years. Now if Crystal would put on a Pink Floyd retrospective, I would push people out of the way to get a front row seat! 😉

It's always good to have some small bills for tips though. We will often use the ATM at the airport when we first arrive somewhere, and then buy something small (e.g. bottle of water) and ask for small bills in change. That way we have tips for cabs, porters, etc. We prefer only to use ATMs at actual banks (safer) but we'll use the one at the airport just for a small amount. ATMs at airports often have high fees, but we have the benefit of having a debit card from our investment bank that reimburses all ATM fees. That's a good tip, in fact: it's a good idea to have a debit card that reimburses ATM fees. Some credit unions and investment banks (e.g. Fidelity, Schwab) offer debit cards that do this.

Thanks! Good to know...I won't worry about it then. Enjoy your upcoming cruise - and if you're so inclined, please leave a review when it's done. A few of the most recent reviews seem to have been written by disgruntled people and are not representative of the PG that I remember, or that people are describing here in the forums. And of course I'm eager to read anything and everything about the PG as I impatiently wait for my own cruise! 😁

@saltrip Thanks for that info. Our cruise is 10 days so we'll have a White Nights, I presume. 🙂 We booked with a TA, who is aware of our inability to receive hard-copy mail. But just to be safe I sent him an email tonight asking him to confirm that we won't be missing anything important by not receiving this packet. We will have to obtain luggage tags at the ship, as we have no way to get them in advance.

He clearly has good taste in music! I like to think I'm a reasonably "young" 63-yr-old. There is plenty of contemporary music I enjoy listening to. But the music of the 60s and 70s is still my favorite. I enjoy plenty of music from the 80's, 90's, and beyond...but none of it can hold a candle to the classic stuff, IMO. And I don't think it has anything to do with my age, or what music I grew up with...I think it's just BETTER MUSIC! I mean think about it...what music from the 90's, 2000's, or 2010s is still getting the play that the music from the 60s/70s gets? Here's more evidence: go to see any live rock band playing at a bar. What music are they playing? Not Motley Crue! Or Lil Wayne! Or Taylor Swift! 😁

Yay! I love watching magicians, and very much enjoyed the magician on my last Crystal cruise in 2019.

I'm reluctant to wade into the whole "dress code" thing, and (full disclosure) I did not even bother reading the recent long thread about it, as I kinda feel like everything that could ever be said on Cruise Critic about dress codes has already been said, and boy people sure do get passionate about that topic! 😉 But I did want to point out that the "ties optional" thing on formal nights may be related to the fact that modern trends in suits and tuxedos do not always include a tie. So I suspect that the guidance around that had to move with the times. In fact here's a great shot of a fabulous tuxedo sans tie: Travelers checks are still generally available, but exceedingly rare these days and probably more trouble than they're worth. Given the easy access to ATMs all over the world, and the fact that most retailers accept credit cards, it really doesn't make much sense to use them. Most shops probably wouldn't even know what they are, and you'd likely have a difficult time finding someone to cash one. We've been traveling to some very remote villages in Mexico lately, and even the tiny neighborhood tiendas accept credit cards. 🙂

Wait...I thought PG wasn't sending anything through snail mail?? I could have sworn I read that they weren't sending hard copies of anything. In fact I just went and looked at the email I received from my TA regarding final payment, and I see this: So what are they sending via snail mail? My problem is that I don't have an address to receive any hard copies. We live on a sailboat currently cruising around Mexico, and we don't have a permanent address. Question: did what you received come directly from PG Cruises, or from your TA? Also...I didn't know about White Nights either! Thanks...now I know to pack something white, which I probably wouldn't have packed. 😁 I do have a great Polynesian dress for Polynesian night - I had one made for me in the Market in Papeete many years ago, before my first PG cruise. I haven't had too many opportunities to wear it, so I'm happy to be coming back on the PG so I can get some use out of it!

@sjkoen I just emailed my TA and asked him to reach out to his contacts at PG to ask these questions. If he's unable to do that, I'll try calling them directly. Thanks for telling me about your friends. I suspect it won't matter if we're in FP or Fiji/Bali - I don't think it's a regional requirement. I doubt I'll have an opportunity to visit an English-speaking doctor before we leave for the cruise. I'm pretty sure I also read in someone's detailed blog of their PG cruise that if someone didn't visit a doctor in advance and needed a medical sign-off, the doctor on board the ship could do it. I'm also going to try digging through all my dive stuff on my boat to see if I can find an old log-book. It won't show any recent dives (and we're currently traveling inland so I won't be doing any dives prior to our cruise), but I do underwater photography and I have a TON of recent photos I took diving in the past year! Hoping that will do the trick. I can't imagine, given my years of diving, that they would not allow me to dive. Worst case, I can just do the $50 refresher, which I'm sure would clear me to dive. 🙂 I just would prefer not to take the time away from my cruise to do that.

Okay I just looked at the forms, and I see this in the section of the form that we must fill out: The purpose of this Medical Questionnaire is to find out if you should be exam- ined by your doctor before participating in recreational diver training. A positive response to a question does not necessarily disqualify you from diving. A positive response means that there is a preexisting condition that may affect your safety while diving and you must seek the advice of your physician prior to engaging in dive activities. Please answer the following questions on your past or present medical history with a YES or NO. If you are not sure, answer YES. If any of these items apply to you, we must request that you consult with a physician prior to participating in scuba diving. Your instructor will supply you with an RSTC Medical Statement and Guidelines for Recreational Scuba Diver’s Physical Examination to take to your physician. I'm interpreting this to mean that we don't have to see a doctor unless we answered Yes to any of those questions. Did you learn something different onboard? Do we really need to get a medical clearance from a doctor before they will let us dive?

Wow, I don't recall having to visit a doctor before I did my last PG cruise. That's going to be difficult for me - I live on a sailboat, currently sailing on the Mexican Pacific Coast, and it will be challenging for me to find a doctor who speaks English well enough to fill out this form. I'm going to have to look into this. Also, I don't have a logbook. I've been diving since 2006, and have hundreds of dives. I stopped logging dives years ago. Given that I live on a boat, we dive nearly every week and sometimes daily. I can't be bothered to log all those dives. I'm hoping they still have my information in their records from the last time I was on the PG, which was quite a while ago.

Given the average age and musical tastes of the standard Crystal passenger, I cannot imagine Crystal would ever do a Taylor Swift/Beyonce show. This isn't Carnival or Disney. I'm probably on the lower end of the average Crystal passenger age, and I would MUCH rather hear classic rock than either of those ladies. They call it "classic" for a reason - it never gets old! Oh, and I love strolling strings. Baked Alaska, not so much. 😉 I'm with both of you! 😁