southerngoose

Can anyone recommend a private car pickup at the Quito Airport to the JW Marriott? I had tried to book with Blacklane and they didn't seem to offer service there. I asked my travel agent who wouldn't book it (long drama...first and last trip with her!)

If prices are dropping, it doesn't happen on my cruises. I booked my solo balcony cabin a year ago for a cruise in January. I got an 11day and b2b 12 day for approx $2500 each cruise (same room). I checked the prices today and an interior for one person is nearly $5000 for only 11 days. I don't think I would have paid $5000 for an interior room on that cruise (certainly not after seeing the air prices!). I ended up getting an award ticket for the airline ticket going and I'll buy the ticket for the return. I think that $4000-5000 for one person on a 12 day in a well located balcony could be reasonable (assuming it's not a repositioning/transatlantic/transpacific). But not an interior!

@81Zoomie thanks...I needed to know that you found it "fun" even though you didn't pay into it. I will try that. I've watched it on tv and have fun, even though I can't win. So I assume that it would be the same in this "live" version.

I happen to love Bingo on a cruise ship, but I think I need to limit myself. Luckily, it's not been a problem for me on other ships (I got into a "bad" habit of buying cards at every session). But I'm wondering if people enjoy going to Bingo and Deal/NoDeal without buying and just watching? I'm thinking I might try that (unless there's a better offering at that time...). I just don't want to be sucked into buying (which is controllable, by me, but you know...). I almost need a support group to enjoy watching, but not spending. Otherwise, I'll have to do what I have done before and just be a hermit in my room and watch a movie or work on my crafts.

@blackwing Not sure of their exact path, but when I looked it up, out of curiosity, it looked like this. So I think that this is close to what they did. I think it takes so long because not every flight runs every day or multiple times a day and I guess the connections aren't that good?

@rsato Hi...I want to go to the glow worm caves. Was it worth going? I get the feeling I signed up for a different cave because I'm going in Bay of Islands.

@luv2kroooz They should hire you to write the press release! I agree that they should have mentioned the risks of injury to reboard in that manner and the drama involved in setting up the tender after it was all put away. Seriously...how do you board the "less abled" members safely in the middle of the water? They would have to have everything set up with the gangway in order to even attempt that. I'm empathetic to the folks who were left, frankly. But I also understand why the captain might not want to pick them up in the water. I also liked your part where it said that the ship was ready to welcome them back on board - yes, they made a mistake, but they didn't do anything "wrong", please welcome them back on board.

Assuming that the indigenous people genuinely find crossing the falls to be disrespectful, I think we should not cross. I'd be thrilled to look and enjoy it that way. It also does sound dangerous if the boat gets pushed towards the rocks. I went to Ayers Rock when they allowed climbing and I'm sort of glad they don't allow it anymore. That was too dangerous (I was surprised that people in regular shoes with no equipment could just run on up to the top - that just wasn't for me). And I can see how the indigenous folks might find that to be disrespectful too. I enjoyed viewing it and am satisfied with the ability to visit and look, but not climb.

@kiwichick62 I think my goal is to just do a quick survey of what New Zealand has to offer and then decide if I want to come back. I've heard about train rides through the country etc. My travel agent is trying to get me on an excursion to see a sheep farm and sheep shearing. I spin wool into yarn and it would be cool to see where it came from. 🙂 She's also going to get me to the Zorb place where it was invented. I know it sounds crazy, but I'd like to try it once.

Hi...question - on Royal Caribbean, they would video tape the evening entertainment so that you could watch it on tv later. I'm curious if Celebrity does this. I find that 8:30pm is too late for me to go to a game show, if I need to be running off the ship the next morning. But I do enjoy watching. TV isn't as good as "live" but at least I can do everything I want to do without missing out. I thought that Royal Caribbean had tons of activities, but Celebrity seems to have even more, particularly on port days. I wonder if some activities would be repeated because it seems odd, to me, to skip a port to do the fun activities. Though, I may find that I only need 5-6 hrs on land and maybe I'll appreciate some activities being available on the ship. I just remember the Med where you were off the ship for maybe 7-8 hrs a day and it was so exhausting, yet, you didn't want to skip a port day. Not sure if New Zealand is at the same pace (more of the "attractions" seem to be closer to the port than it was in Europe so maybe it's not as bad?)

If you book a cruise to Africa to do these safari excursions, is it possible to know if the excursion is available prior to signing up for the cruise? I wouldn't want to book a cruise where everyone else goes on the excursion but me. 😞.

Forgive me if I missed this...any commentary on the quality of internet service? Do I "need" to upgrade? I have no need to stream video (I download in advance) but web browsing, email communication and sending a few photos to friends would be nice. PS...I'm in a low class cabin, obstructed view.

@81Zoomie I am taking the same cruise in 2025. Could you tell me whether you "need" New Zealand Dollars in New Zealand? I'm really hoping to do this by credit card. I'm going to Sydney for 2-3 days, then New Zealand and then Fiji and Samoa. Given the number of stops in New Zealand, I wouldn't mind exchanging money, but Samoa and Fiji will be painful because we're not there long. In Samoa I think I need like $20, max, but I hear that I'll need cash for that.

@jpalbny I'm sorry that his cruise is over! I've enjoyed it without even going on it.

Could I ask (just for my future reference, in case I get in this situation) - if notice was provided 2 days before starting, could I just call my travel agent and ask them to help me book a new flight (or convince Silversea to do the right thing and do that)? Or is this logistically not possible? I ask because I usually book my own stuff, but have been using an agent recently. I have used an agent before, but haven't had difficult situations like this before. On my last trip, I did ask them to rebook a flight because I was unhappy with a 6am departure and asked them to rebook for later in the day. I think that it took 3 days to work that out, but we had a week's notice so it was fine. I had the "24 hr what's app" line, but it seems that they are the message service and contact the agent. My agent was in Florida and I was in Finland so we clearly had some timezone challenges that likely was the cause of the delay. I'll ask my own agent about this but I'm wondering if the people involved in this situation called their agent or did it themselves or? I know that when my flight was cancelled, I didn't bother calling the agent because the problem was within 24 hrs and I chased the two airlines involved myself, but that was a far simpler case than being dumped in the wrong country.

To me, port to port means you get me back to the port that you told me you would. Meaning, in this case, get my butt to Dubai. This wasn't a "port to wherever" fare. I don't expect them to get me home, but get me to the port that I expected to be at (or worst case, get me to a larger airport). Also, whoever decided that it was a good idea to debark in Mahe should have figured out that there weren't enough hotel rooms and to let people stay on the ship vs telling some people one thing and other people another.

At least they ran spell check this go around.

For once, I'll be high class - at least I won't be in a bathing suit at dinner! I also hope not to be someone who looks "days away from the grave"...I hope that guy is enjoying his cruise (what a way to go out!).

@Port Power Thank you...maybe there will be other people who choose that so that I'm not the only one. It's not like we can bring 3 trunks of clothes with us! My goal is to be warm and wear clothing to keep me safe (non slip and such) - not to look like a fashion plate.

@dawntrdr Sorry...I did intend to say expedition cruise. But that requires that you not wear "sneakers" or jeans indoors after 6pm. I find that insane. But I'm now locked in. Maybe they can broadcast the talks so that I don't disturb people. I can't imagine that people will be wearing "5 star resort sportswear" to Antarctica where you're dressed in attire suitable to go outside and hike... At least we'll all be in the same 5 star resort bougie coat and elegant rubber boots with space to create "heath" inside the boot. I don't recall the rules to be this strict when I booked. Everyone said that everyone would be dressed comfortably for the landings and not to worry about it.

How can they just dump you at another port and say "figure it out"? I mean, if they told me to get off in Paris instead of London, I could figure that out. But leaving you in Mahe instead of Dubai? Depending on when the planned departure from Dubai, maybe you could fly Mahe to Dubai. But hey...why doesn't Silversea fly you Mahe to Dubai since they dumped you in Mahe. Don't they have an obligation to get you to the place where they promised to get you? I mean, the airlines will make an effort to get you to your ticketed destination. I don't know how a cruise line doesn't have an obligation to get you to the destination. Plus, there's the loss of the cruise that you paid for... But if they could at least get you to where you need to be on the proper day without extra cost, that would be nice.

I thought that they would be more lenient on excursion cruises. I'll be hiding in my room after 6pm. I'm not bringing extra shoes and clothes just to be able to leave the room after 6pm. That may not have been different before, but I heard there would be leniency. Hopefully the talks are before 6pm or else someone may be traumatized by a sighting of my horrifying hiking shoes and waterproof pants. I think I should be allowed to do excursion activities in excursion clothing.

I'm a bit surprised because I just booked my trip in the last month and the pricing has changed dramatically. I know that there was a good offer - which is why I booked fast. But now they're saying that the 25% single supplement deal is only on door to door vs port to port. I really wanted to book my own flights to ensure I fly non-stop. I hadn't thought about it...but it seems that if I'm paying single supplement on a door to door, I'm paying 25% more for the flight too (which doesn't feel fair at all). Part of me would like an "essential" fare because I don't drink alcohol and don't have any interest in some of the fancy food (I will likely skip dinner altogether or eat light room service). But it wouldn't feel "luxurious" and "all inclusive" anymore. I suspect the next thing is that you'll have to pay gratuity separately.

@DavyWavey70 Thanks...maybe I'm not missing out by just enjoying it from the ship. It looks beautiful.

I'm taking a cruise that will go to Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound. Is there a "need" to go on land and see something there? I ask because the cruise line offers an extremely overpriced excursion that takes you off the ship to go to Fiordland. The fact that they offer it, doesn't mean it's good. I'm trying to work with my travel agent to determine if I need to stay in New Zealand after the cruise or if I can see what I need while on the cruise and go home. I'm not looking to burn money. At the same time, I want to avoid coming home thinking "2 more days and I could have 'finished' New Zealand and now I have to go back". It seems that if you go from land, you just get back on a ship. So I'm not sure whether there's something so special there that I couldn't see from the ship.