gingin410

Are New Zealand dollars accepted in Australia? Will have 2 days in Auckland plus cruising to several ports before going to Melbourne. So, will need some New Zealand currency. Also, any recommendations of approximately how much currency needed for time in New Zealand?

Fortunately, we had purchased out trip insurance before my husband was even diagnosed with it let alone the condition that developed while on-board. What developed wasn't even officially the result of Parkinson's but one of the possible neurological conditions a brain-based disease might develop. It certainly wasn't pre-existing. We also had prepaid for tours once in Europe that we had to cancel plus lost all of what we'd paid. However, our travel insurance covered both trip interruption and cancellation.

Our biggest problem was the doctor's in Portugal said my husband was fit to fly, but did not recommend going directly home. The travel agency kept insisting we return to the ship and do the rest of our tours. I was the one that said no and they did arrange our air travel home. We had to pay for that air travel; however, we got an exceptionally lower cost ticket than had we done it ourselves. Once home, and after my husband was hospitalized, I was able to get his Parkinson's neurologist to write a letter verifying that he had to come home. Finally we got a goodly portion of what we'd lost cost-wise for tours and airfare. It took about 3 months for the settlement to occur.

Let your friend understand we've met many other patients on-board with Parkinson's; some who've had it many years and don't even use a walker. The big thing to remember is that the ship's medical staff are primary care physicians so don't understand Parkinson't on a very deep level. Also, getting care in a foreign country's emergency room has some real drawbacks. Still, we will be cruising again once my husband's health is really improved.

My husband had a "medical crisis" while on-board and in the middle of the Atlantic on our way to Portugal (than France, and GB). WE spent 6 days at sea with him stuck in the cabin and then had to deal long distance with the agency once in Lisbon. Suffice it to say, we have learned the hard way about using travel insurance. We are grateful we had it as we got some of the costs involved back. However, you have to read the policy carefully and be prepared to deal with the agency as soon as you can notify them.

There are two very important things you must do if you have a medical problem that requires you return home. The doctors in Lisbon would only certify my husband was "fit to fly" or the insurance folks wouldn't pay our costs. However, the problem (BP related) didn't "show itself" so we couldn't get the doctors to to certify in writing that he needed to return home ASAP. Instead, they wanted us to catch up with the cruise plus continue the tour we booked after.

We finally insisted we come home ourselves. We had to pay our own hotels (4 nights in Lisbon, 2 in London) and airfare home. We also lost all the on-going trip costs of the rip to Berlin we'd planned after.

My husband ended up in the hospital once home. He actually spent 3 days in the hospital followed by 6 weeks in an inpatient rehab hospital. He then had two months of PT at home. Now, he's finally starting to really improve but it will be a long time gaining his strength back.

W applied for and got a good part of our lost costs back from the travel agency. However, the key terms you need to know should a medical crisis occur on-board are fit-to-fly and "must return home immediately for medical care.

In the future, I am going to buy cruise travel insurance from the cruiseline directly. Their doctors said we needed to go home ASAP and having them say that on-board should be sufficient for the company's insurance. We dealt with another company.

Also, be aware the doctors on-board are not PD specialists. They also did not have the medical knowledge or medications necessary for the condition my husband had developed. They did their best, but the first doctor my husband saw had to look Azelect up on google as she'd never heard of it. Try to foresee anything that might come up and be as prepared as you can.

We're taking a TA to Southampton to be followed by 3 days in London then on to Berlin for another 3 days. My husband (Parkinsons) normally uses a walker but would love to use an electric scooter while both in London and Berlin so we can go further distances than just using his walker. Does anyone know how we could arrange for a scooter to be delivered to our hotel in one-or-both cities then picked up when we leave?

We have already taken one cruise knowing he had Parkinsons. The 2 cruises before, he was having difficulties keeping up on excursions...now we know why. And, we are booked on two more cruises. He uses a walker and when it got a bit rocky on-board, would just lock the brakes and sit on the walker's seat. We were able to rent a wheelchair on-board with Carnival. Celebrity is who we cruise with most, and they have wheelchairs available when you are in port for your use once you're off the ship.

As to our cabin; we've found the regular-sized cabin to be better for him than as accessible one. That's because with the closer-in space, there's almost always something to hold on to. I also take one of those suction bars you can get at Lowes, most drug stores, Bed Bath and Beyond.... I put it on the long mirror (smooth surface). These can also be used in hotels rooms. Great little $30 item that's not too heavy and doesn't take up much suitcase space.

Trying to figure out what time to arrive for check in at Long Beach. We have priority boarding so want to get out of hotel and to ship as early as possible.

No ,but you can each buy Faster To the Fun and then everyone can check in together on that dedicated line and have your cabins ready when you board. FTTF boards right after priority which you would have with the suite.

How do we book FTTF?

Somehow managed to post twice when editing...sorry all!

We also just got off ship early this am...but only had a four hour drive to our home in The Villages, FL, where temps are in the 70's. We are anxious to hear from friends who had to change planes in New York and others flying into Dallas. Hoping the bad weather elsewhere hasn't left many folks stranded in FLL. Disembarkation went well, just running a bit late due to lack of open passport-control stations. Next Princess cruise, will try to pack for walk-off.

It was so much fun having a chance to meet so many of you in person. We surely have made some new lifetime friends and are looking forward to visiting each-other's homes. Plus, there's always another cruise where we can meet again as we are already starting to look ahead to the ext cruise.

We did anytime dining and loved it. Another member and my husband took the "Ultimate Ship Tour" where they learned the total number of passengers was jut over 1500 which is why we didn't have to wait in line anywhere on ship-board or have problems finding a deck chair at the pools.

If you've never taken the "Ultimate Ship Tour" it came with a small group viewing of several locations behind the scenes. Also, for your $150, you get a plush Princess bathrobe, a Princess chef's apron, 4 pictures, a notepad from printing shop with your name and name of ship, early sampling of that evening's desert..and, lastly (still to come) a letter from he Captain. It was well-worth the expense.

Special thanks to Janet Moss who arranged our meet-and-mingle. And, although we did opt to any of the small group excursions she had arranged, we leaned a good lesson. I never knew you could find excursion reviews on TripAdvisor as she did so have added that to my storehouse of important websites when cruising.