Clydesmom7865

Chocolate fondue in Tuscan Grill.

The tiny egg salad sandwiches with tea. For some reason I could not get enough of those.

I am going to Aruba curaçao grand turk

There is a great place in Aruba. When you are on the main street after you exit the pier turn left. The first side street on the right (I think where the Hard Rock store is) there is a little shop where a guy who emigrated from Cuba sells cigars. He sells by the stick or by the box. Good prices too. Great walk in humidor.

Sorry I can't remember the name but I would go back there in a heart beat. It is also walking distance easily from the pier and in the heart of decent shopping.

Oh they defiantly do re authorise the charges. I was told this by Celebrity and it's actually on a sign on the counter of the guest services re:multiple holds) Each hold in theory should run out after approx 3 days but some can be pending for longer depending on the bank.

 

For example if by day two of a cruise you've spent $200 they will authorise that amount, then by day five you've now spent $300 they will authorise $300 because the hold for the first amount is due to expire BUT depending on the bank it doesn't always so now you've got a cumulative hold of $500 and by day eight you've spent $400 they will authorise the $400, by now the first hold for $200 has dropped from the system do you now have $700 held and so on.... If you've got a credit card with a decent limit and you can't see pending charges you may never see this happening. But for those with a low limit or a debit card it's more noticeable. Also if you are with a bank whose pending transactions drop quickly then you may also never really notice.

 

Basically you can end up with multiple holds. If you spent only $200 on day one and nothing more they would still have to re authorise that amount every few days as they only have a few days for the authorisation to match up with a final transaction.

They did not do that on either of my cruises.

On day 1 I spent $45 and that was authorized. Day 2 $130, Day 3 $45, Day 4 $ 45 but by this point day one fell off because my bank has a strict 3 day policy to put the charge through or it is released. No duplicate charges were put through on any previous day once the hold was released. At the end of the cruise I had spent $485 and there was still three holds for approximately $50 each from the immediate previous days. The last night the $485 total was put through and within a day of getting home the other authorizations fell off and the total one pushed through.

The same thing happened with my traveling companions. At no time were daily charges double or triple authorized and I kept track as I was on a 14 day cruise.

My bank shows all pending transactions and as they were both port intensive cruises I checked my available credit before going in to port so that I knew where my balance was and avoided problems. I believe that sign means because they put through DAILY charges there may be multiple holds because of it being done daily to ensure payment rather than no pre-authorization for a flat amount and then having to credit passengers. I have yet to see them keep resubmitting the early days charges of a cruise once the credit hold is released until the final total billing which is different that authorizing that daily amount.

I think we are talking about the same thing :confused:

Not exactly. You said they keep reauthorizing the same charge to keep the hold. They do not. Once that hold expires it is released by your bank according to banking policy. Now some will keep the hold the entire cruise until the cruise line releases it others give them a set time frame to put the charge through or the hold is released automatically.

While I have not cruised a lot they have never put through a daily charge more than once on my card to hold it. The cumulative effect would be devastating on a ten day or longer cruise for many people.

A debit card is the same, as I said I've never seen any pre authorisation until money is spent but then you may see multiple authorisations for the same transactions. i.e if you spend $100 they will authorise it and it will show as pending, then another few days later they will authorise it again. A $300 spend could end up been authorised four times on a 14 night cruise, holding $1200 on the card, obviously they won't all go through but can take a while (depending on your bank) to stop pending. This can tie up cash you may otherwise need.

Actually that is not what happens. If on day 1 you charge $50 they authorize that amount. On day 2 you charge another $50 worth of stuff so another charge goes through and so on with each days charges. Until those pre-authorization charges disappear you may see multiple charges of the same amount depending on how much you spend each day. They do not push those daily authorizations through. At the end of the cruise they total the amount and charge the full amount one time. The problem comes into play when the last few days of the cruise authorizations are still holding space and they put through the entire amount. There could be a conflict with the credit limit at that point.

To avoid this I typically go pay off the balance or a portion of it with cash a few days before the end of the cruise if I don't want it on a credit card. I do not want them having access to a debit card ever. Too much risk.

I've heard that some cruise lines offer you beach towels as you get off the ship. Is this true for Celebrity?

Yes but with the recent service cuts they are now burlap sacks instead of bath sheets. (sarcasm)

Yes, Celebrity does provide beach towels. Simply bring it back to your stateroom at the end of the day and your cabin steward will replace it with a fresh one the night before the next port of call. They are nice ones and has was already said make sure you do bring it back because they will charge you for it otherwise.

He had a ishemic stroke so all I am saying in his case the TPA worked if he had had a hemorrhagic stroke no it would not have without causing adverse effects.

I am sure the ships doctor would not have administered the drug without doing the needed work up that he had available to him on the ship. Everyone in any medical emergency on a cruise ship have to put their trust in the medical team onboard and trust they have the knowledge to cope with the emergency.

You are missing the point: the standard of care in a hospital is to do a CT scan and ensure the stroke is ischemic prior to administering TPA. That is not possible on a cruise ship. Your uncle was lucky that the ship's doctor had added training in neurology to enable him to accurately diagnose the difference between an ischemic event vs. hemorrhagic without a CT because had he been wrong the results would have been fatal.

Yes, you have to trust that they have the knowledge to deal with the emergency but assuming that they can handle every emergency adequately at sea with severely limited medical facilities is wrong. The reality is far more problems end up in death due to the limitations than the miracle that all the planets line up to enable an advanced treatment in a limited setting.

Even emergency rooms stocked with all the lifesaving equipment needed for an event cannot always save someone nor can they treat every situation.

Fortunate for him they did have TPA on board and it was given to him as it has to be administered within 4 hours to be of help. The doctor on board had previously worked in the neurological field.

 

 

I would hope that all cruise ships have TPA in their medical facility's as it can be a life saver. I think without it the outcome may not have been so positive.

The key words are bolded. It is not just a matter of having TPA on board but knowing how to properly administer it and monitor the patient. If done wrong or there is a reaction TPA can be fatal. The other part of TPA is having the training to recognize whether it is a hemorrhagic stroke or not. If TPA is administered in a bleeding stroke it could also kill the patient.

It is not just a matter of having a particular drug on board and giving it to the patient. You must know the drug, its dosage, prescribing, and how to properly administer it and what to do if complications arise.

It would be nice to know if they carry drugs to help limit a stroke....(non-invasive treatment).

Part of every crash cart are anti-coagulating drugs but as has been said without knowing whether the stroke is hemorrhagic or not they are not likely to administer them. The patient would already have to be on blood thinners for them to take that risk.

I seriously doubt they have TPA on board cruise ships and I know they do not have a CT scanner. A stroke in progress would be an acute situation calling for emergency evacuation as soon as possible.

It would be nice to know what is available vis a vis cardiac issues the number 1 killer of Americans or can they do any kind of life saving surgery at all?

If you cut yourself REALLY badly and were hemorrhaging they could stitch it shut but as for "life saving surgery" such as bypass, appendectomy, or brain surgery: no they cannot do any of that. The physician on board is not likely to be a surgeon anyway.

As for cardiac issues they have a limited supply of cardiac drugs and a crash cart. There are monitors and the ability to do an EKG. They can do supportive cardiac care but if you need emergency bypass in the middle of a transatlantic cruise you will be waiting until you can be medevaced off or until you reach the USA or Europe.

Are there refrigerators on this ship?

Yes. There is a dorm sized refrigerator in each state room. It is a mini-bar but you can ask the state room attendant to empty it so that you can use it for your personal items.

What deck are the lifeboats/tenders on? We have booked a GTY balcony -category 2D and wanted to know if these cabins will have a blocked view from the balcony? Any photos would be great of these cabins.

Deck 5 is where the lifeboats are "blocked" is a relevant term. In a 2D you would see them if you look down but not at the horizon. There is a pinned cabin thread that might have pictures of the view.

How large (size) is the safe and where is it located in the cabin?

It will hold a few electronics and many small items. Some have got smaller laptop computers to fit inside. It is located above the refrigerator. They are both in between the desk and the drawers under the television.

Interesting thread. Just wanted to clear up a few misconceptions.

 

The ADA provides public access for service dogs. That can include Psychiatric service dogs. A service dog by definition does a task of some kind. Remind someone to take medicine, stop suicidal behavior etc.

 

The ADA does not address emotional support animals. The Fair housing act and the ACAA ( right to airplane transportation) both address and permit emotional support animals, but apply only to housing and airplanes.

 

Emotional support animals do not need to be trained because they do not perform a task, they are part of a patient's treatment plan usually in ptsd or anxiety or depression situations. In order to have an emotional support animal you need to be disabled, as certified by a mental health professional. A disability means that you can not perform a required function. For people who need an emotional support animal that can mean not being able to get out of bed, or having severe panic attacks that prevent you from leaving the house. The animal also needs to relieve a specific symptom of the illness. landlords and air carriers are allowed to require a signed certificate from an MD certifing a disability and that the dog provides a real part in mitigating the person's symptoms.

 

ESA are real and serve a very real function to those that need them. A legitimate mental health professional should never certify someone's need for an ESA Although there are, unfortunately people in every profession who do not follow the rules. Please do not judge someone because their disability may be very real, just not easy to see. I have a family member who has an ESA and who has been able to control her symptoms much better since getting the dog. As a result she has been able to work steadily, hold down a job and function relatively normally. She had been unable to do so before her dog was part of her life despite therapy and medication for more than 10years.

 

However, that being said there is absolutely no right, and frankly, in my view No real reason to have an ESA ( unlike a service animal) on a cruise. The person has no right under the ADA to take the animal on a bus, into stores or restaurants why should they on a ship? Finally even on a plane or in housing situations an ESA can be ejected if not well behaved.

Someone who is SO emotionally debilitated that they need an ESA to get out of bed or having panic attacks that bad is not signing up for a Caribbean cruise. A person who can smirk, then chuckle while they brag about how they beat the system to bring their pet on a cruise is NOT disabled they are self centered, egotistical, and do not believe the rules and laws apply to them.

I whole heartedly disagree that ESA dogs do not need to be trained. ANY animal that is going to accompany a person into a place that normally does not allow animals is expected to have a specific level of training with regards to behavior and bowel/bladder control. ANY dog on a cruise, bus, airplane, restaurant etc. defecating and urinating where it pleases or displaying excessive barking/aggressive behavior is NOT a service animal or ESA. PERIOD.

I do not understand why any cruise line allows an ESA on board. To allow one that is not well behaved is beyond the pale.

WHY? Because like many businesses the cruise line does not want the negative publicity when that self centered arrogant jerk makes a public stink that their alleged "support animal" was denied access. The cruise line knows they are lying when they say that yapping Chihuahua being fed cheese at the buffet off a plate or the Bichon being wheeled around in a stroller is NOT a service animal in even the remotest universe. However, because that clod can scream discrimination and have a plethora of people condemn them for abuse of the handicapped they don't object.

This is why stringent laws are needed defining what legitimate service animals are so that those @ssclowns that can't leave home without Fifi the incontinent yorkie in tow can be stopped in their tracks.

I too agree. On my last cruise I can count the number of alcoholic and specialty drinks I had on both hands without repeating any fingers. At least on board the ship. All this latest increase will do is have people smuggling more, drinking more in port, and spending less on board.

There is no incentive for me to choose a pre-paid drinks package only to have to pay more to upgrade to drink what I would choose because they have made most common ordered cocktails off limits. At the cost of the classic package I would have to drink myself into a stupor or death to get any value out of it and not lose money. This is likely the case for most passengers who are not regular if not over drinkers.

I do not expect Celebrity to roll back the prices but this is actually going to have a negative effect on their revenue in the long run not a positive one.

Anyone else share my opinion?

No. If I saw something billed as "Sin City" entertainment I would be fully expecting that it is adult oriented and pushes the limits.

Did they force you to attend? Personally I think Perry Grant is a waste of space and wouldn't line up to see him but Celebrity doesn't agree with me nor do they force me to watch his show.

If you don't want to see it don't go. What you think is appropriate doesn't matter each person decides for themselves whether to attend the show or not and what someone else believes is appropriate should not control their choice(s).

Especially considering "appropriate for (venue)" is very subjective.

a small terrier who we were told was classed as emotional support just so they could bring into the UK without quarantine as there daughter would have been too upset to leave it.

THIS is the biggest problem. This is not a support animal or even an emotional support animal. That terrier is a PET and the person attached to it got away with bringing it on a cruise by simply saying it is a support animal. Until this bad behavior on the part of passengers lying to bring their pets on a cruise or anywhere else for that matter I will not change my stance that there needs to be clear cut laws in place as to what is an actual service animal to prevent these clods from taking advantage.

There is a huge thing that is wrong with that scenario: legit service dogs who did not come from "bona fide agencies". Plenty of real service dogs were trained by private trainers hired by the disabled person (dog's owner) or the disabled person themself. There are many reasons for this, including there not being enough programs for everybody who needs a service dog (the many that do exist already have waiting lists several years long), there not being programs that train dogs for certain types of disabilities,

The "self" training IS the problem. While some individuals may be quite good at it, there is no actual recognized expert attesting to the animal's actual use as a service animal.

there are people who need certain breeds (such as hypoallergenic breeds) that programs do not train (most use only Goldens and Labs)

Actually the man who invented the "golden doodle" now regrets it and has come out and said developing that cross was his biggest mistake. There is a reason certain breeds are used and it is due to many factors and reduced allergies is but one of them. While service dogs are a great asset to many people it does not mean that you can automatically turn any dog into one because someone needs one. Not ever need can be fulfilled and it is a fantasy to believe that there is a one size fits all solution.

Something definitely needs to be done about the fakers, but not at the expense of people with disabilities who need their service dogs by taking away their abilities to get them if you were to limit it to only service dog programs.

Unfortunately when ever you have people who are willing to cheat or bypass the system to get their own way it is ALWAYS at the detriment of those who truly benefit from the purpose as it stands. Until there are rules that address the false claims of service animals merely so some spoiled entitled self centered jerk simply so they can take their nasty bark bark everywhere they go this will continue to be a huge problem. Even without those rules there still are not enough properly trained service animals for the number of people who legitimately need them. Enacting rules to ensure that animals that are in places requiring accommodation will not decrease the demand or increase the supply of them.

They really aren't, in my opinion, unless you are on a ship where the cabins are bigger and you want the extra points. Now Aqua Class, on the other hand, is worth paying more for because of the spa pass and Blu, which add value to those who will utilize both.

 

 

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And for me the extra cruise credit and cabin location are worth it for concierge but the spa and Blu are highly over rated and I have NO interest in paying more for Aqua class.

Whether it is "worth it" or not is entirely personally subjective and each person has to decide for themselves what is worth it or not.

Now that someone has answered seriously I just have to ask:

what exactly do batteries smell like? I have never seen a battery scented anything. :p

On my first cruise we had one person who needed a blood transfusion on the first sea day. They made a public address for anyone who was a Red Cross blood donor who had their card with them and O negative blood to come to Medical. I had everything but the negative as I am O positive. Found out the next day that over 20 people who did meet the need showed up to Medical and they tapped 2 pints. The person was evacuated off in Cozumel.

My last cruise someone died on the gangway the day we returned. I guess if you have to go that would be the way to do it: at the end of the cruise but before the agony of customs!

From reading the "Live From" thread by Tuggers she has posted that starting with her April 26th cruise there has been a major cut to the Elite Morning event. There is no more buffet and they just bring you a small tray of food to your table. Here are links to the two of her posts regarding this:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42608638&postcount=63

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42625508&postcount=70

 

Does anyone else have any more information regarding the Elite Breakfast? As it seems Gail is the only one reporting on this.

 

Thanks.

 

Anne Maria

I don't see this as being a huge problem. It isn't as though there is a derth of food on a cruise. So you can't eat in a separate location and call yourselves "elite" while gloating. Big deal. You act like they stopped serving breakfast on the entire cruise or that there is no other dining options.

As businesses move to follow the airline industry and gut reward programs you can expect a lot more of these changes. Brand loyalty is going to become a thing of the past.

I would pay extra for a guaranteed child free cruise during peak times. I hate not being able to travel at certain times of year to avoid being over run by kids whose parents think their antics are a delight to everyone.

Hello,

I was just wondering what is the most economical way to contact your family while on a cruise. I would like to be able to call my sons and receive calls but am wondering how to do this without it being a huge amount of money. Any ideas what is the best way to send and receive calls. Thanks for any information you have.

Going on Carnival Magic in June.

Even with cellular at sea you are going to pay $2.50 a minute for the call if you can even get reception. My parents made a habit of making a phone call as they sailed out of port and calling again when they returned. Now that they have both passed away it is a tradition we all carry on for sentimental reasons. Your sons will be fine if you don't call daily. You can call in port but the cost will be the same per minute.

Check with your cell carrier regarding the charges based on the ports you are going to.

Thanks for the responses.

I am looking an April '15 sailing from Puerto Rico. Wondering, should I book now, or wait for a bit to see what the price may do?

The only benefit I see of booking now, would be choice of staterooms.I do have a year to put this together so the more research I do the better.

I did the Celebrity Exotic Southern Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale and LOVED it. Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Antigua, St. Lucia, and Barbados.

The one thing I will say is Bonaire is GREAT if you are a scuba diver but if you are not: there is not much if anything to do there. It has some of the BEST scuba in the world and is renowned for it.

Caribbean prices tend to go up not down. I booked for the state room I wanted and the price only escalated after I purchased. I was glad I got my state room.

Several come to mind....

Another one - never assume that no one can see in your cabin window, even when it's a porthole on a lower deck. Came out of the shower in the soup-can sized bathroom one day to dress in the bedroom - saw a deck hand's face in our porthole, cleaning the window from a scaffold. He waved and went back to window cleaning while I quickly gathered my clothes and scrambled back into the bathroom.

I learned this one the hard way on my last cruise. 14 days very port intensive and a lot of activities scheduled off ship. I decided to jump in the shower as we sailed into port early one morning and be able to be ready the second they released the gangway. I exited the bathroom to discover not only were we docked (YAY!) but we had neighbors and I greeted (BUCK NAKED) :eek: a lovely couple having breakfast on their balcony (fully dressed) :o on the Equinox next door. The husband cheerfully waved as I scrambled for the bathroom and for a towel to wrap around myself to be able to close the drapes.

One other thing I learned on my first cruise or for traveling for anything longer than 7 days:

You can NEVER have too much underwear and socks but you can have TOO many pairs of shoes. Brought 9 pairs the first time and wore 3.

Biggest mistake wasn't for a cruise but a land tour to Israel for 16 days. It was a 10:45 pm flight out of Atlanta and I was puttering around the house in my Crocs doing last minute stuff with the intention of tossing them in my suitcase and wearing sneakers on the flight. Was SO excited to head to the airport zipped the suitcase and drove off. It wasn't until I was going through security that I realized I was still wearing the crocs and had no sneakers. I suffered through many tours in those awful rubber shoes including a face plant that almost knocked my teeth out in Haifa and a day long walking tour in Jerusalem that our group lovingly referred to as the Death March.

Never again: any shoes for the trip are either on my feet or in the suitcase!