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KP@Sea

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    Radisson resort at the Port

    in Florida Departures

    Posted

    10 hours ago, metairiegal said:

    We just booked this hotel for 1 night pre-cruise in April.  Now I am having doubts.  I researched all the hotels in the port area and choose the Radisson because it was at least below $300.00.  I can't believe how high the prices are at the rest of the hotels in that area.  The poster above mentioned Home2Suites, but that one is $400 for 1 night - with either a Senior or AAA rate.  We don't have to stay that close to the port, so any suggestions would be appreciated.  (We are driving up from South Florida, so maybe even Melbourne?)

    We are staying at Country Inn & Suites, which was recommended by others. It’s not as close to the port, but the price was right. 

    Natural Seasickness Remedies

    in Ask a Cruise Question

    Posted

    33 minutes ago, Wayfairers said:

    Has anyone tried the pressure point bracelets?  I read online they work quickly but don’t work for everyone.  I’m wondering if those they didn’t work for had them over the pressure point and were wearing one on each arm. 

    My husband wears two of the bands, and they do a great job for him. He wore them on a deep sea fishing trip and he was one of two that didn’t get sick.

    For me the bands provide a little relief, but I take ginger capsules twice a day for the best results. 

     

    • Like 1

    What is NCL doing now if you test positive for covid-19 on board?

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    12 minutes ago, DaisyGoldberg said:

    I will do a longer write up later when I'm up to it, but my mom tested + in our cabin in Getaway Haven one week ago today and here's how it worked:

     

    I had brought tests from home, so when she fell ill we tested, got a positive result and called medical and left a message.

     

    The nurse on duty called back and outlined the procedure, basically enumerating the initial fees for consultation (several hundred dollars to walk in and see the doctor and be tested, followed by whatever treatment required, which was likely to be in the $3000.00 range.) I can only imagine how many people say "no thanks" at that point and simply stay in bed or continue their vacation infecting others. My mother was quite ill, however, and we had insurance and the money to cover it even if insurance didn't, so I indicated we wanted to come down. We were told to come down when the clinic opened at 6.  (The clinic is only open for walk ins about 90 minutes morning and evening. Obviously they are open outside those hours for emergencies and treatments, but that's when they process as much as possible)

     

    We arrived at the clinic, filled out pages of releases and promises to pay, and waited until called to see the nurse where her  vital signs were checked. (This was maybe 10 minutes.) Then back to the waiting room and another few minutes to see the doctor, who examined her, explained that this was basically an emergency department, ran according to some maritime law, and he was bound to follow certain treatment protocols depending on what he found upon further testing, and we would be responsible for those costs. We wanted testing and treatment so agreed. I found the doctor extremely pleasant and professional and felt very confident in his approach and thankful for his reassurance to my mom that he would make her feel better. 

     

    I was struck that fully half the medical staff wasn't wearing masks. Even once my mother was fully diagnosed there was not 100% masking in her presence. The doctors all masked. 

     

    We were taken to another room where she was given a rapid test for COVID (positive) followed by a PCR test, and tests for flu A+B and strep (he had noted the state of her tonsils, so I don't know if everybody gets that). She also needed a chest xray because of what he heard in her chest (again, may not be routine if chest sounds are clear). My sister and I had tested negative in our room at the same time she tested positive so the doctor explained that we were free to move about the ship but please wear a mask out of consideration. I was concerned that my sister was up in our room with no information, so given that my mother would be there another couple of hours, decided to go back to the cabin, let her know what was going on, and fetch some reading material.

     

    I returned and the doctor pulled me into a side room to show me her chest xray, indicating she had an infection and would need antibiotics (which he had predicted based on his exam). They did a urinalysis to make sure she could tolerate the necessary medications. She ended up hooked up to multiple ivs for tylenol, antibiotics, and other meds for lung support, as well as nebulizer treatments. The PCR test had come back positive for COVID and negative for the other illnesses.

     

    We stayed several hours until these were finished, then returned to the cabin, where she would be isolated except for medical center visits until disembarkation. We returned to the medical center the next morning and evening for a couple of hours, then the following morning as well, at which point they declared their treatment finished. She felt much better very quickly after the initial treatments and continued improving.  

     

    At all times I felt the care equivalent to what she would have received in our local U.S. emergency departments; it certainly was quicker than she would have received at home, where she likely would have spent hours waiting to be seen. I imagine her age (86) may have sped this up a bit, but I could watch people come and go down the hall and I don't think other people in the waiting room had long wait times.  

     

    While we were happy with her care, other folks were extremely unhappy with their bills and taking it out on the woman at the desk. Chief complaints were things listed and charged that were not done. Because of those complaints I overheard I did read the reports extremely carefully and caught an important error (where it said no COVID virus had been found instead of that COVID virus had been found - I imagine that mistake would have really screwed up the insurance battle ahead). However, I simply showed it to the doctor and asked if this could be fixed and she took care of it immediately. It was clearly a case of the wrong code being typed in and easily fixed. So read your documentation carefully when they hand it to you. It's a lot, but it's important - you don't want to try to fix a problem AFTER your cruise.

     

    There were three doctors and three nurses on duty and we met them all over those 3 days (and most every day). Given the volume of patients they have to deal with, they were amazing and really running wild those hours that they were open for walk ins. So if you need to go to medical for an issue and feel like you're waiting a long time, remember that the same nurse who went to get you ice for your knee or a pillow might have to suddenly grab somebody a basin so they can vomit, or attend to an iv machine beeping because it ran out and is ready for the next medication, and there are only so many hands on deck even when all are present.  

     

    Total for visit 1: $5300.00 (I'm rounding off)

    Total for visit 2: $3200.00

    Total for visit 3: $1600.00

     

    After the first night the charges showed up on the account on the tv before I received the paper accounting.  Everything was itemized, and the prices actually were not insane - $139 for a chest xray? Try getting that at home. However, paxlovid (actually the Indian pharmaceutical company equivalent) was $800. On her insurance at home it would have been free. But she was not at home, it's a floating hospital with limited supply capability and we were thankful to get it. From other accounts I've seen ships do run out. All of us who cruise know how much more expensive basic staples are on islands, let alone on ships.

     

    As far as the rest of the trip went, my sister and I were still testing negative but chose not to move about the ship. Being in a 2 bedroom Haven suite didn't hurt. The Haven didn't really give us any guidance (we think that by this point in the pandemic there should have been a handout provided explaining EVERYTHING but we had to feel our way through one question at a time.). Our butler brought our meals from the Haven, but came masked and could not step over the threshold and indicated that cameras were watching him.  That was fine - he brought trays and I answered the door in a mask and took the trays from him and handed him old trays/dishes back. The room steward stopped coming, though we sent word we needed more small towels and he brought them. I asked about disembarkation and was told to keep our luggage and we would be last off the ship and accompanied by medical. I told them we could not possibly move three suitcases, carry ons and push a walker and wheelchair and they said help would be provided.

     

    On disembarkation we waited in our cabin until they called and said they would be coming at 10 but to be ready by 9:15. That person told us that only my mother would be taken off and my sister and I would have to run down to the main disembarkation area and meet up with her afterwards.  The medical staff person contradicted this when she arrived and kept us together. There were people to help with luggage and we took the service elevator down to a separate exit where we keycarded out, a customs person checked my mom's name off a list and we were listed as her companions and he checked us off.  Then we went down a steep/slippery ramp (aided by staff, thankfully) to a deserted pier on the opposite side from where others disembarked, as far as I could tell. And then we waited outside a building for several minutes until everybody else infected was present. Thank goodness it was not raining/snowing because that was about 10 minutes outside with no cover. Then we were whisked through another building, directly out the other side onto a side alley, and along the port building  out to 12th avenue where all the luggage assistance people wished us luck and literally disappeared, leaving us with 3 bags, carryons, a walker and a wheelchair in the middle of hundreds of people moving both to enter and exit the terminal building. The police were screaming at everybody to cross the street and we were caught in that, but our ride was not in that direction so we had to fight the flow of traffic and inch our way sideways a few feet at a time through people without leaving bags behind which was complete insanity and we angered a lot of people who must have wondered why we were in the way. 

     

    We were on the drop off level not the pick up level but were able to finally make connection with our ride and get picked up and out of there.  Essentially NCL wants you off their ship, the terminal people want you out of their terminal, and once you're on the sidewalk in NYC you're on your own. I understand it, but it's horrifying if you're not expecting it, and there are safer ways of doing it - if they took us off FIRST, we could have been directed to a specific area to wait for our pickups without encountering the peak arrival times for incoming passengers. Instead we were literally walked right into them. 

     

    So we got home and my sister tested positive and then a couple of days later I did too. I will deal with the insurance in a few days when I'm up to it. Mom is almost back to normal and sister and I are dealing with minor cases so far (thank goodness). 

     

    So, long story short:

     

    1) Have insurance

    2) Have a second credit card ready if the one you checked in with has a limit under 10K (I had used my low limit card because I like the points on that one, thinking it would just be a few hundred total.)

    3) Bring home covid tests to make sure you are positive before approaching medical

    4) Bring over the counter meds from home to deal with symptoms if you have them - we had immodium, thankfully - not sure what they would have charged for that!)

    5) Don't bring more luggage than you can manage without a porter; next solo trip I will be particularly mindful to pack light.

    6) Be nice to the medical staff and ship staff, and that includes not being a jerk and traveling around the ship when you've been exposed to a sick person but aren't sick yet yourself

    7) Don't expect a lot of direction from staff - even in the Haven. 

    8 ) Read your documentation carefully and request any edits politely 

    9) If you're a smoker, have a plan, maybe a patch or gum, for if you can't leave the cabin to smoke.

    10) DO NOT let them separate you from loved ones when disembarking - had we disembarked with the rest of the pax I don't know how we ever would have found my mother who would have possibly been left on the sidewalk in front of the terminal in her wheel chair (I hope not, but...)

     

    Hope this account gives people some idea of what to expect/prepare for, and that they never have to put any of it into use. But better to know than not know...

     

    I’m glad your mom is feeling better, and hopefully you and your sister recover quickly as well. 
    Thank you for the reminder to always have a high-limit credit card available for unexpected expenses. 

    • Like 1

    Ziplocks, NCL is turning cruisers into squirrels

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    39 minutes ago, Monica887 said:

    I had no idea it was frowned upon to take food out of the buffet. I also love making my own fruit and cheese plate to sit on my balcony alone. My husband and I try to give each other some downtime without the kids and a snack plate or lunch by myself is HEAVENLY. 

    I agree.. by about day three, I just want/need to get away from the crowds for a bit..

    • Like 1

    Posh Beach Club on Norwegian Epic

    in Norwegian Cruise Line

    Posted

    2 hours ago, vacation44 said:

    What I am trying to figure out is if we can go to guest services when we board and purchase them for our nephew and his wife who will not be staying in the Haven.  We will also be paying for them if that makes a difference.  I know for the run for the Vibe passes, you got a number then you purchased it on your own timeline.   

    It’s been a few years since we have been on the Gem, so procedures may have changed, but when we purchased them my husband had to wait for me. They would not sell him 2 passes until I got to the desk. They may make your family be present. 

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