fwdpost

Someone else said that at Canaveral you have to go inside the terminal to find the white tent. Any thoughts or is someone confused?

Wasted three and a half hours driving to Orlando for rapid Antigent. What a loss of time and effort when I had Walgreen's appointment set for NAAT, but cancelled because  of advice from MSC including someone called Diggs - described as "cruise concierge."

Where do YC drop bags. At the regular place, or is there a separate spot?

Leaving tomorrow on Divina and also YC. Where is the tent located since I am coming in on a shuttle bus. I know the Canaveral terminal is CT110, but is the YC tent near the regular drop off place for bags, near front door of terminal or somewhere else?

14 minutes ago, Morgsmom said:

@fwdpost  Since you are in FL you can get a rapid at CVS or Walgreens with results in an hour.  Both of those are valid.  Used last month on Divina

MSC says that one-hour result Walgreens test -  NAAT - is not acceptable for Bahamas Divina cruise because only PCR and Antigen are mentioned on their website. There is nobody to talk to except poor connections who quote the web page. We originally signed up for it, but then cancelled when we were told by various MSC reps it was not acceptable. Tomorrow my wife will drive back and forth to Orlando for rapid antigen test there (nearest one) and we already registered and spent $49 each.

After about seven hours on the phone with MSC reps, I am ready to give up. Three said the rapid NAAT Covid test was sufficient to present at boarding, and four said it was not. Some suggested a rapid antigen test, but  the closest is nearly 100 miles away in Orlando and of course, costs $49 each, so the drive is 90 minutes each way and I have bad eyes and Florida has taken away my driver's license.  There  are other tests available nearby but they take 48 hours or more to process and MSC demands that any Bahamas cruise (May 29 YC DIVINA in this case) requires the test be taken two days prior boarding, but no more than that. If I take one of these tests two days ahead I will not get the results emailed to me until the day I cruise (if Lucky) and can't just show the email, etc. to MSC, because they require the official paper document. To add to this frustration, unvaccinated may take their test three days in advance, which gives them plenty of time to get results, so MSC appears to be punishing the vaccinated vs. the not vaccinated.

NCL just cancelled my cruise, but my agent said that the insurance is no refunded, only allowing me to transfer it to another cruise. Isn't that fraudulent, since I am 80 and may not be able to make another cruise in the next two years period offered?

OVC won't refund nearly $800 on a cruise cancelled by OVC. They won'y trfund their #200+ administrative fee, either.

4 hours ago, d9704011 said:

Although the jury is still out there is a possibility that a vaccinated person can carry and spread the virus and that a different vaccinated person will not be immune to the virus.  So, still a possibility of spread and falling ill.

 

Yes, I know others are going to huff and puff about the numbers and severity and a host of other things but you asked about why others thought it would continue to make sense (at least for some undetermined period of time) to some other posters to keep the masks on.

 

Also, I believe you’re just being facetious and aren’t looking for an explanation.

You are more likely to fall off the ship.

Booked Escape NCL Nov. Rome to NY and not only wonder if it will sail, but how to handle this if extended:

"During our first full month of operations, July and August 2021, guests will be required to purchase a Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursion. This policy will be continually evaluated with our Sail Safe expert council and we will modify requirements accordingly." - NCL

Can't go out on your own. Must pay to get off the ship for a tour you don't want. This will increase prices huge and make NCL tons of kickback money from tour operators. There are 11 ports on that cruise and I went with OVC to arrive early with room in Rome. Probably, would have to hife in room for two days if NCL continues this "bubble" nonsense.

Worst part is if you cancel at final payment it costs you your travel insurance, even if they decide to not cruise in the next three months.

5 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

People said the same thing last year when MSC instituted the same policy. Apparently, excursion prices didn't change and the cruise line gave people free ones. Let's wait and see what NCL offers before assuming the worst.

It's not just the price, it's how you decide what to do. Most fun is to go off on your own to small museums, restaurants, shops, sightseeing, and getting a drink in a local bar and talking to folks. Instead, we will be subjected to standing in line for 40 minutes, while some dolt assembles a long line of sheep, heading for a tour bus, listening to ane "expert" explain where you are while shooting by at 20 miles an hour and then landing in a "preferred" shopping center.

"During our first full month of operations, July and August 2021, guests will be required to purchase a Norwegian Cruise Line shore excursion. This policy will be continually evaluated with our Sail Safe expert council and we will modify requirements accordingly." - NCL

Can't go out on your own. Must pay to get off the ship for a tour you don't want. This will increase prices huge and make NCL tons of kickback money from tour operators.

On 4/6/2021 at 8:38 AM, newbe dave said:

Really? Think a little bit.  This is a change (requiring vaccinated passengers) that will be temporary only for the amount of time needed to start cruising again. And given that NCL has been 100% shut down, how can a temporary decision to start cruising "hurt their business even more"? What is "even more" than completely shut down. 

 

Everyone needs to please relax and think. Private businesses are doing anything they can to generate some type of revenue. The minute they can go back to business as it use to be, they will. 

Not so worried that NCL will always CYA, but that the CDC will do the same to the ultimate degree. Right now, plans are for you to be both vaccinated and tested right before you get onboard. Add to that - testing to get on the plane, then to get off the plane in foreign nations, and then possibly tested at every port. At $100 to $200 per person that makes international cruises to five or more ports VERY expensive and gives you really sore arms. Vaccinations are meaningless under these circumstances, and one wonders why we had to get them in the first place, especially if we already had the virus and recovered.

6 hours ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Its unrealistic to expect refunds from cruise lines until cruising resumes (in some form) and their finial balance sheets are showing decent income from actual cruising.  Cruise lines are hemorrhaging money and to "stay afloat" are using deposits to fund daily operations.  Its all they have except for lines of credit.  And, its gong to be a long time until income and expense begin to balance again.  I'm about $20K in the hole having been caught between final payment and cruising.  FCC is not a help to me since we are facing new guidance on health (existing conditions) and age restrictions not present before March.  Its going to be a long wait...

This is a joke - wait for them to make money? The interest on all the cruises cancelled would make Jeff Bezos envious.

On 5/12/2020 at 11:45 AM, K.T.B. said:

 

That's my assumption.  They want the passengers to cancel so they can get out of actually issuing refunds.  I won't do that since I have "non-refundable" airfare booked through Celebrity.  If I cancel, I lose that money; if Celebrity cancels, they must refund.  It benefits me to wait.  If it's not cancelled, I go.  Though I just found out the Cayman Islands is closed to tourists until Sept. 1, but I'm ok with that.

Celebrity - four departments -  says they don't have to refund non-refundable airfare from Celebrity Air even though they cancelled cruise.

This discussion is a joke, or just the company's pr effort to sow pity for the poor little cruise line and its billions of dollars?

email from Celebrity on Thursday regarding May 21 airfare booked with Air Canada and Jet Blue:

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

That was certainly my impression.

Absolutely!

This is am email reply on this subject received from Celebrity:

If you are older than 70 and have cruised before without problems but you have asthma, et5c. Clelbrity won't let you on their ship because you are not qualified to cruise according to them. Then, they will give you a credit for another cruise you will not be allowed to travel on because you are "unfit" to cruise. Sounds like theft to me.

Just notified that none of my bids were accepted. Apparently, they either didn't have the cabins listed or found someone to pay more. Very crass system that ignores little things like Elite status, etc.

Did anyone win? And what were the bids - nice to know so we can keep the crusie line honest. Why put up a bidding war when there is nothing to bid for?

Is this JS cabin one of the ones with posts in the room. Hope not!