Teechur

1 hour ago, Mississippian said:

Tickets purchased from the airlines can be changed without penalty. EZ-Air is just a way to ruin a vacation.

I purchased 2 tickets to Las Vegas from Hawaiian Airlines a couple of years ago and at the last minute, we both had Covid, so we cancelled to avoid spreading it.

The cancelled tickets became travel credits, but we discovered (the hard way) that you had to actually FLY within one year of the PURCHASE date, rather than the original flight date or the cancellation date.

Since we had purchased the tickets about 8 months in advance, we only had a 4-month window in which to use them or lose them. We lost the money. A lesson learned! 😪

That is the kind of fine print that is not extolled during their commercials while bragging about how flexible they are.

Most of the airlines, cruise lines, hotels, car rental agencies, etc., have "gotchas" built into their contracts that they use to pencil-whip customers.

23 minutes ago, Boiler Cruiser said:

 

This is what I have found on line about passport requirements in Mexico and Canada.

 

For entry into Canada, you need a passport, NEXUS card or enhanced driver's license.

 

This is detailed in https://www.afar.com/magazine/do-you-need-a-passport-to-go-to-canada as follows.

 

"Do you need a passport to enter Canada?

 

Yes, Americans need a passport to go to Canada, or an appropriate alternative document. And that’s whether you’re flying, driving, sailing, biking, taking the train, or walking into the country from the United States.

 

The policy that requires Americans to have a passport or equivalent document for transiting between the United States and Canada was passed by Congress in 2009 as the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) “to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States.”

 

Under this initiative, a passport is considered the standard document for international travel. It replaced previous forms of identification, such as a standard driver’s license or birth certificate, which were previously accepted for crossing the U.S.–Canada border."

 

For entry into Mexico, all US Citizens must have a valid passport.

 

This is detailed in https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/eua/index.php/en/2016-04-09-20-40-51/tourism/1601-3-know-before-you-go

 

"All citizens of the United States must present a valid passport when entering Mexican territory by any means of transportation. There are no exceptions for minors. Stays less than 72 hours within the border area, do not require an Official Entry Immigration Form (FMM).
Tourists"

 

I hope this helps.  I never leave the ship in a non-US port without my passport.

Per Google, Feb. 9, 2024:

Here's where you can cruise without a passport - The Points Guy

1 hour ago, rp23g7 said:

Hmm, let's see,

Once you see a glacier, you've seen them all IMHO.  

 

 

 

 

LOL, I agree completely with this statement. ⚓

4 minutes ago, Canuker said:

Are they the classic 'bath-tub' yellow ones?

If yellow, they must be quite hard to hide.

Or is the idea to allow people to find them fairly easily?

Do children get involved?

Rubber snakes would add an element of excitement! 🐍

2 hours ago, morechances said:

 

Understanding, I already paid $1800, they want a new $1800 to change,  plus a new $2200 for the new tickets.

 

So, in total,  if I were to continue with EZ Air, I will have to pay another $4000.

On top of the $1800 I previously paid.

No refund for the original payment. 

 

Once again, I doubt that you would have to pay an additional $1800 to cancel your original ticket. It sounds like a misunderstanding.

You will simply lose the original ticket, and will have to buy a new ticket from EZ Air or any random airline.

2 hours ago, morechances said:

Just wanted to warn everyone who uses EZ Air. 

 

The change fee is exactly the amount that we paid for the existing tickets. 

$1821 for the change fees,  then an extra $2244 for the new tickets. 

 

I can buy new tickets directly from the airline for $2244, and not pay a change fee, of course. 

 

It sounds like you will simply lose the cost of the original ticket as "the change fee" and then have to purchase a new ticket.

Your statement makes it sound like you are paying 3 times for your ticket.

$1821 original ticket

+

$1821 additional change fee

+

$2244 new ticket

This seems unlikely. I would check again if I were you.

3 hours ago, JamieLogical said:

 

I sail with a group of solo friends from time to time. On our last sailing together, one of our group had a medical emergency onboard and was medically disembarked at the nearest port. Fortunately, that was Port Canaveral, which was our first stop on our sailing out of NYC. Since our bookings were linked, the medical personnel contacted me and asked me to help pack up all of my friend's belongings so they could be sent ashore with him. I was horrified to find that he only had a driver's license, not a passport book anywhere among his things. Thank goodness we just happened to be stopping in another US port before sailing on to Mexico and the Bahamas. The situation could have turned out MUCH differently for my friend had he been disembarked on any of our other port stops. While the risk may be low, it is not zero. There is almost no downside to getting a passport beyond a small fee that only must be paid every 10 years. $200 spread out over 10 years comes out to under a dollar a month!

A related story from today's news:

British tourist stranded in Mexican hospital after collapsing while on holiday with insurers refusing to pay out for heart attack treatment (msn.com)

9 minutes ago, Boiler Cruiser said:

The law changed a couple of years ago.  You now MUST have a US passport to enter/ return to Canada or Mexico.

 

The reason I mention this is that if the Police, Customs, or any other law enforcement stop you on the streets of Mexico or Canada away from the ship (on your own), or your ship's tour group, you will need a passport to show them (no carbon copies or cell phone pictures).

Undoubtedly this is true in MOST cases. In my case, my boys would be allowed to visit Victoria B.C. WITHOUT being passport holders, according to both govt. and Princess websites. I've made the decision to get them anyway for future travel.

1 minute ago, Torfamm said:

Passports for children under age 16 are only valid for 5 years.

With agency fees (Post Office) and pictures, they are more than $200 apiece. I was simply lamenting the fact that I will need to pay for 3 of them and make final payment for the cruise all in June, while I am on cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Quebec.

OK Boomer, LOL! 😉 First-world problem!

40 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

Perhaps, the adult grandsons could pay for their own passports...

The youngest one is 18 and a senior in high school, who doesn't currently have a job. The Alaska cruise is a graduation present from me.

The twins are 24 and would pay for them if I insisted, but I can afford it much more easily than them.

My hope is that they will become avid travelers, perhaps backpacking around the world like I did.

I turned 24 in Hong Kong, turned 28 in Colombia, and have visited 100+ countries on 6 continents.

Self-service laundry rooms are one of the main reasons we stick with Princess.

If they ever remove them, we will probably resume cruising with other lines.

I am currently getting passports for my 3 adult grandsons even though we will be on a closed loop from Seattle to Alaska and back. We have one 4-hour stop in Victoria, for which no passport is necessary, but I am reluctantly going to spend $600+ to get them for possible future travel.

Sucks! 🤑

Lots of snowbirds from Alaska winter in Hawaii. Many also go to Cuba or other Carribean Islands.

It sounds like we have some seriously well-traveled, adventurous people contributing to this thread. I believe most Mexican ports are safer than Jamaica, Haiti, St. Thomas, and more.

I hope we didn't scare off the OP. Daytime on a cruise ship excursion should be safe. 👍

35 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

Wow. How cool and exciting! Oh to be young again. I married into a family of sailors who regularly did the Newport to Ensenada races in the 80s and a couple of us wives would drive the van down to pick up our husbands and a couple of crew and then drive home while just my brother-in-law and his wife would sail the boat home together. We had some adventures for sure - but never anything scary. In fact, only ever kindness to a couple of wild young brides on the loose!

I did the Newport to Ensenada race once in 1977. I was at UCSB and a member of the SB yacht club. I had to take a final exam, and then raced down to Newport and met the boat and crew there.

Fun evening, cruising around the yacht clubs with all food and drinks "on the house". My aunt and uncle lived at the Balboa Bay Club in Newport during the summer when Palm Springs was too hot.

We didn't even come close to a win on the Newport/Ensenada race, but we won Santa Barbara to King Harbor once. Fun times! Good memories!

3 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

Sorry that happened to you. We have driven as far as Ensenada, also Tijuana and Rosarito Beach over the years. Our friends regularly drive between their homes in Arizona and San Felipe. Our friends in Cabo, La Paz, and PV sail back and forth. Fortunately neither we nor they have ever experienced anything similar to what happened to you. 
 

Sadly there is potential for bad people anywhere you go - as you said, situational awareness is key. One has to accept a certain level of risk in any type of foreign travel. Obviously visiting ports by cruise ship carries much less risk then driving through long stretches of land. 

Most of my experiences there were great! When we were robbed, we were out honky-tonkin' in some edgier parts of Tijuana and Ensenada. I was back a month after getting shaken down in Ensenada and ran into one of the cops, off-duty. He apologized and said it was the only way they could survive on their low pay. We actually had a beer together and parted with a handshake. 

Later on, I rode three times in the Rosarita to Ensenada bike rides. Great fun but 50 hard miles!

I always expected to retire around Cabo, but good fortune smiled upon me, and I was able to afford Maui instead.

Good times, and thanks for reminding me of what fun I had as a younger man. 😉

4 minutes ago, karatemom2 said:

 
Same. We live in Southern California and visit regularly from Baja to the ports on the coast of Mexico on an almost annual basis, not to mention having friends who actually live in La Paz, San Felipe, Cabo, and Puerto Vallarta. Some of these statements seem a little over the top. No wonder people get scared. 

I visited Mexico dozens of times during my life. I've been to all of the major resorts, Mexico City, and many smaller towns. I even drove from Southern California to Cabo San Lucas/La Paz and back in the 1990s just for the experience. (It was mostly boring.)

Twice I was robbed at gunpoint by crooked cops. Both times were in Baja, once in the 1970s and once in the 1980s. The first time, the cops were drunk. It was just part of what you had to accept there.

I quit going to Mexico about 15 years ago because there are better places to vacation, (and I live in Maui). Even so, I may still return on a cruise ship.

Not trying to scare anyone, just recommending situational awareness. 👌

10 minutes ago, jimlouisesophie said:

That was in 2012

 

 

I assumed by the title that you are soliciting opinions since no one can absolutely guarantee your safety.

I've visited more than 100 countries worldwide and several of them are sketchier than Mexico. A number of U.S. cities are also more dangerous.

Enjoy your cruise and shore excursions! 🤙

40 minutes ago, startedwithamouse said:

This was the question:  "With the violence in Mexico, is it safe to take the excursion to Todos Santos while in Cabo San Lucas?"

 

Quite a different situation, they were killed because they most likely refused to give up their truck/tires. 

 

The OP asked about a cruise ship excursion.  

 

Here you go:

Cruise line: 22 passengers robbed in Mexican seaside resort | CNN

Is It Safe to Travel to Mexico? What Cruisers Need to Know (cruisecritic.com)

When I looked for the cruise ship robbery I recalled on Baja, I ran across this story instead. 

15 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

You are so right!  My cousin and her husband (A Mexican doctor) moved to Cancun in the early 80’s.  She said that crime and corruption in the Mayan Riviera area is now rampant.  The gangs and law enforcement work together and everything is covered up.  She is planning to leave and relocate in Merida, which is safer.  She told us that the Baja Peninsula is one of the worst.  If you stay at a resort, don’t leave it and stay in your room when it gets dark.  Do not walk around at night!  Mexico is not safe for tourists in the wrong area.  We used to enjoy Mexico, but we won’t go now.  A Princess excursion is the best bet because they will ensure your safety or they won’t offer the excursion.

The gangs try to avoid the scrutiny of U.S. law enforcement, which is in your favor on a ship tour, but doesn't protect you from the actions of random thugs.

There are an estimated 100,000 people who have disappeared in Mexico.

I recall reading about a ship tour that was robbed at gunpoint. Someone discreetly took pictures of the thieves, who were later identified by local police. Being on a ship tour is not a guarantee of safety.

1 hour ago, startedwithamouse said:

Baja California is pretty safe. I'd be more concerned about mainland Mexico. 

I used to think that but it's hard to believe any longer. The peninsula is controlled by gangs. Three surfers were recently murdered just outside of Ensenada to steal the tires from their truck. When the bodies were found, another, older murder victim was discovered dumped in the same well.

Nearby Tijuana has become one of the most dangerous cities in the world.

I was a fan of Mexico travel for most of my life, but I won't go there anymore.

Surfers' deaths in Mexico 'eerily' similar to San Diego couple's murders: 'Anyone can be killed for anything' | Fox News

On 5/15/2024 at 11:59 AM, ChemistBabe said:

FYI Shout Color Catchers are AMAZING.  Whenever I wash something new I make sure a color catcher is in the load right next to it.  

 

They do an amazing job at absorbing excess dye.  (We had a Rugby shirt come out with a white collar and a fully saturated color catcher once.)

Where were they when I was in elementary school with pink underwear from laundry Oops.

1 hour ago, Cruise Raider said:

To offer that $50 to bring old customers back but not giving it to loyal customers does kind of irk me.  I know, it is all in marketing but still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  
 

Probably from the wine served to those with only the PLUS package. 🤣

On 5/12/2024 at 8:19 AM, voljeep said:

add a 24 hour Waffle House - casual dining option for the "steak"

The main dining rooms already offer menu items reminiscent of a Waffle House (ex. meat loaf). Let's not encourage Princess to move any further in that direction.

8 hours ago, arizonaperson said:

$50 obc per state room/ cabin is ridiculous in my opinion. Since Princess is not very Solo friendly at the very least offer $50 per passenger in the cabin .

So for those of you that received these letters, what amount would be reasonable to get you to come back to Princess? I have cruised Princess the most, but have not cruised for quite awhile just because… So I’m not necessarily a Princess cheerleader .I’m open to all cruise lines, so I’m just curious. Or would no amount be satisfactory ?

$50 per cabin is like ONE glass of wine each (if they can find any of the better brands) or maybe two each if Canyon Road (Gallo) is the only option.

$50 and a bottle of good champagne might be more enticing.