xxHadleyxx

Sean said on the two day trade event on Wonder just this weekend that Icon will be slightly smaller than Oasis class; between Oasis and Quantum in size.   The reporter seems to be confused.  (I was there in person on Saturday listening to Sean talk about this)

I was just on the Wonder TA....so 14 days and nights of meals......quite a few people on teh same ship/same sailing were complaining about the food, and I can't for the life of me figure out how we could have such different experiences.  I had one dissapointing meal out of, what?  28 (not a  breakfast eater, the few times i had it I skipped lunch).  Mostly everythimg was quite good.

I think people just want something to complain about.

29 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

So  there is testing at BCN Airport before you check your bags in?

Yes

8 minutes ago, blonde375 said:

FionaMG, thanks, that did cross my mind, but considering the flight departs at 12:50pm, I'm concerned about getting off the ship, transferred to the airport, through security and so on in order to make that flight and have time to test and get a result.

 

RCCL has stated they do not have answers at this time and that passengers who are booked will receive info via email as things are updated.

 

While I understand that things are ever changing, it doesn't make it easy to plan and purchase airfare, etc.

You could prebuy a test that has online protectoring and sends you a certificate in email and then buy internet the last day on the ship and take the test then.

Does anyone from the EU have experience boarding in the USA using the EU Digital Covid certificate? (Specifically Fort Lauderdale).

It's worked for flights to/from the US without issue, but then again I figure the people in the airports are probably more used to seeing them, than workers at the cruise terminal.

5 hours ago, harleyheiner said:

Hallo Hadley, do you have booked a flight already? We want to fly from Frankfurt to BCN one evening before.

HI...no I have not booked flights...I am on the TA with my son and can't decide if I should fly home and back out two days later or stay in BCN for two nights in between.

We also fly from BCN...there are plenty of options at least 🙂

On 4/2/2022 at 11:36 PM, rene26 said:

We signed up for this cruise immediately after receiving the mail. But we didn’t receive a confirmation or booking number yet. Is there anybody who got a response after registering? CAS support confirmed that we are registered but no more info yet.

That is the same situation we are in.  

I did call once, and they say they see we are confirmed.  And if I click on the link in the email again it says we are registered...but it has been weeks now and no email or confirmation number, no information about cabin # or what specific time they want us to arrive at port, etc.  

3 hours ago, SRF said:

 

What brand?  That would be annoying. 

I honestly don't remember...both my husband and grown son are given tests to take home from work pretty often, and then I buy them too and they all end up in the same drawer....I recall at the time we notived it was a different brand than the workplace normally gave out...just the one box of 6 tests (we one did not work at all for my son, the test line never appeared, then a couple of weeks later I had the two positives and we pitched the remaining three).  Mostly I buy and use teh hotgen tests that are carried at our local Aldi stores for 1.75€  they always work reliably.

Have all of your positive test results been with the same brand of home test?  If yes, maybe try a different kind.

I did a home test just to be safe before leading a girl scout meeting and it came out positive....within 3 hours I had gotten in for a PCR test.  My doctor said she had seen a few fasle postives recently so not to worry too much, but I was stressed about missing out anniversary trip so took a second test that same evening while waiting on teh PCR results...that second home test was also positive.  The PCR test was negative.  Both of the home tests were the same brand and one I had not bought previously.  

Bought a different brand of home and have not had any other positive results (and have also had officially protoctered antigen tests since, before every GS meeting, all negative as well).   My doctor thinks there was just something wrong with a whole batch of tests from the one brand.

My two kids are grown now, but any time we booked any accomidation which slept 4 as they were growing up we did enough research to be sure about what the bed set up would be.  Nothing official from RCI says there are are pullmans on the ship class you are on....I don't know how or where the confusion came in, but it doesn't seem reasonable to blame RCI on this particular issue given the rooms are clearly described as having a pull out sofa.  Hopefully one of the suggestions on the thread will work out for you.

6 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

I wasn’t aware of this. Have they put specific requirements on cruise ships arriving in Spain?

from what I undersatnd, Spain is at least requiring the one day prior test of Ta's disembakring there. I am pretty sure it is embarkign there too, but not positive.  And they are not requiring anything specific of ships/passengers which have port days in Spain but do not embark or disembark there.  (and yes, I know it is illogical to seperate the two given in both cases people from the ship are out and about in the nation, I am not the one making these rules).

1 hour ago, little britain said:

Copenhagen is 2 days prior

Barcelona is one day prior. RCI obviously haven’t realised that 4/15 is Good Friday and that every thing shuts at the drop of a hat for Holy Week in Spain! 

It's not RCI's fault...it is a requirenment the Spanish government is putting on them.  

34 minutes ago, Lane Hog said:

As far as boosters go.... if the first three shots don't fully protect you, why does anyone believe the fourth will?... or the inevitable fifth?

I am not expecting to be fully protected.  Much like my annual flu shot, I am expecting the covid shots to reduce my odds of getting sick and greatly reduce my odds of having serious complications if I do.  

Similarly, because I am asthmatic and more likely to have serious issues from teh flu not only do I get my flu shot every year, my husband and grown son both make sure they get theirs so they are less likley to contract the flu and spread it to me, we all know that the people I am around being vaccinated reduces my overall risks.

Technically, no, they are not required to offer you a refund of non refundable payments for itenerary changes.  In practice, really major changes are often offered the option to cancel and get a refund.

Honestly, we sail shoulder season which ups the odds of bad weather, even before covid between weather issues, strikes of port personel and poltical upheavle more than half our crusies had at least one port change either before sailing or while onboard.  We just consider it par for the course when cruising.

17 minutes ago, exm said:

 

I think the key here is the 270 days between shots which is currently a requirement in some countries in Europe. This excludes folks that got 2 shots, or even an early booster. That will become a problem.

 

Not sure how testing and unvaccinated children are tied together. The vaccine has nothing to do with spreading or getting the virus. I want to bet you that my unvaccinated child, who recovered from Covid in January is much less of a risk on a cruise ship than the average 60 year old who's vaccinated.

the rule is your primary vaccination series must not be more than 270 days old.....or if it is you must have had a booster, but the booser can be more than 270 days old, that does not (as of current rules) have an experiation date.

22 minutes ago, steamboats said:

 

I´d say the first port (Malaga?). That´s where you enter Spain the first time. But I remember from the Oasis TA that the passport control didn´t happen until Barcelona.

 

 

I remember that too.....which is why I am not sure what Spain is likely to actually want.

Thanks for answering...I figured if anyone might know it would be you, and I mishgt as wlel ask here given that I am far from the only person wondering.

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

I think it might be best for us to just fly over and do a land tour either in 2023 or 2024...........Most interested in Italy.

Maybe book something with Tauck Tours, I have  friends that used them and just rave about their land tours.

 

Looks like a nice trip.

Hard to know what, if any, Covid hoops will remain to be jumped through in September, or next year.  I've jumped through hoops figuring out the rules for land trips too (including a driving trip through Italy last fall).

54 minutes ago, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I am not just talking about compromising cards... There have been stories here on cc about people who have discovered bogus charges after having alcohol (or something else) poisoning at beach clubs... but since they signed the slips - the credit card company couldn't do anything about it. This wouldn't happen if you are paying $53 in cash.

 

I am confused...they signed slips without looking at the amounts?  

1 hour ago, SRF said:

 

I travel a lot internationally for work.  Over 150 different countries.

 

EVERY time a card has been compromised, it has occured in the US.  EVERY TIME.

 

In my experience, using a credit card outside the US is safer than in the US.

your experience matches mine.

On 3/29/2022 at 3:09 PM, Itchy&Scratchy said:

I'd use cash. I never want to use my credit card outside the US, especially in a country where armed guards are guarding the gas station.

I have had fraudulent charges on my credit cards exactly twice in my life (and travel 150-200 nights most years, using crecit to pay whenever possible)....both times linked back to using the card in Florida.  

And as a woman who is often out and about on my own in various countries, I defintely feel safer keeping minimal cash on my person.  

I guess experiences vary.

39 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Getting ready to cancel our Europe sailing in September, way to much to keep track of, Just isn't worth it to us. 

It can feel like a full time job keeping up with the requirenments travelling in the post covid era.

Personally, it is worth it to me, but i can understand if that is not for everyone.

Steamboats (or anyone else with lots of experiene and knowledge of different lines and varying international rules), maybe you can help puzzle out what is actually needed by Spain for the Wonder TA sailing (or any other TA ending in Spain really):

RCI said to fill in the SpTHm form but did not offer guidance as to whether we should list our first port day in Spain as the entry date, or the day we dismebark in Spain.  In googling to find guidance from the Spanish government on this, I found this, which was released in June of last year:

https://travelsafe.spain.info/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/NUEVOS_REQUISITOS_DE_ENTRADA_EN_ESPANA_A_PARTIR_DEL_7_DE-JUNIO_eng.pdf

From the link above there is this wording, which indicates we should not be filling out the SpTHm form at all, but rather the EU digital passenger locator form (which does make it clear to use the disembarkation date, then later on add in other ports):

" What if I enter Spain as a passenger on an international cruise? Passengers on international cruise ships sailing in territorial waters will not have to use the Spain Travel Health application, but their information will be collected through the EU Digital Passenger Locator Form application, available through the following link https://www.healthygateways.eu/."

Given how often the cruise lines are confused about what we really need (this would not be the first time RCI has given out wrong information, heck in the same email that said we need to SpTHm it said you need a PCR test to fly to the USA; which I know to be false), I am now just waiting in limbo hoping for clarity as we get closer to sail date.  ANY information you can share to help clear things up would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

20 hours ago, steamboats said:

 

 

 

 

There is no EU PLF form... France does not have a form at all. You need to fill in the Spanish form and the Italian (which uses the EU website).

 

 

The form Italy and France use is called the "EU digital passenger locator form"...not required or used EU wide, but that is the name, so that adds to the confusion for some.

https://www.euplf.eu/web/index-2.html

First of all, I am so sorry....having your wedding cruise cancelled must really hurt.

That said, I think you really need to think about what you want RCI to do, that is realistic, before contacting the executive emails.  You need to have a plan that you are asking for, rather than asking them to read your mind figure out what you want.

It's clearly not realistic to expect that the charter be cancelled to accomidate your wedding, or to expect that another Oasis class ship move to the same dates.  So what, that is possible, WILL make it OK? 

Find a Wonder sailing which works for you on other dates and see if they will price match it.

Or ask for some perks for the kids on the Jewel sailng to make up for missing the big ship experience.

Or find a sailing on a ship with more on it than Jewel, that works ok (Freedom and Quantum class both have lots to do for active kids/teens ... more than the Radiance class IMO, though my kids never found a class of RCI ship they did not like).

Etc

You'll probably get further and a better chance of a resolution you are happier with if you know what resolutions you WILL be happy with and can propose those.  

In September there were two little stand alone bar tables in the hallway outside Wonderland (on Anthem).  If you spoke to the hostess you could sit there and order the cocktails specific to the restaurant.   It's kind if s hassle and there's no atmosphere at all.... nothing like on the Oasis class ships.   But it is possible if you really want to try the drinks while you have the package