SWANOZ

On 10/15/2022 at 12:23 AM, Maria63 said:

 

Boarded today in Barcelona, terminal B. Yes, you can still buy alcohol, both wine and spirits, after the security check and then board without any further scanning of your carryons. The security-scan is immediately when you enter the terminal building. This is port-security, and they are presumably not very concerned with policing cruise-line alcohol restrictions. After that is the check-in/control of documents, and when you afterwards proceed to the ship there is indeed a duty-free. No further scanning of carry-ons is done on the ship itself on embarkation day, which means that they do not check what you may have bought in the duty-free. 

Did any of the people who bought the alcohol sailed Holland America?

Hi was wondering if anyone has recently arrived in Barcelona?  How long did it take to claim bags and clear immigration? We have a 7.30am arrival on a Tuesday in May thank you 

Hi wondering if anyone has had experience with availability of taxis at the port in Kochi Japan? Looking to take a taxi to the Castle, then make our way back to the town. As there are 3 of us it maybe economical compared to the Princess shuttle cost. Thanks in advance Jennifer

Thank you everyone. We are on the Spirit in April. :)

If I was to purchase a 250 minute internet package on the first cruise, am I able to carry over any unused minutes to the second cruise? Thanks Jennifer

Thank you for your replies we will be arriving in Venice the day before so we will check out the walk and meeting place the day before the tour. Ciao Jennifer :)

Easiest way to get from cruise port to Rialto Bridge for 8.45am tour start. If using water bus which line? Thanks Jennifer:)

Hi stayed a couple of years ago at Hotel Royal @Queens. There were 3 of us but have noted they accommodate 4. Good location for Bugis market. Budget priced and included adequate breakfast. Worth a look Jennifer

Thank you everyone. I have a little of both currencies to take with us and usd as well for the cruise excursions. Good to hear the ATMs in Argentina are okay now.

Jennifer

Just wondering if anyone has experience using ATMs in Santiago and Bueno Aires. How much could you withdraw? Did they have enough money in Them? I have read that people have had trouble in Buenos Aires that most of the ATMs were closed and had no money in them. I have a Citibank debit card. Thanks Jennifer

If traveling in a family ocean view on the Sun with 3 people do you have the choice of using the pull down bed or the sofa for the third person? Which do they usually set up for you? Jennifer

You can but any cash advances attract a fee, better of just using it for purchases. We often load more money onto it so it is in credit and we then know we can be travelling for more than a month without having to pay the account.:D

I too use the 28 degrees MasterCard for international purchases and the Citibank visa debit card for cash or if MasterCard is not accepted. The other reason it is not a good idea to put any credit card into credit, is that if the card is accessed fraudulently the bank will only cover the transactions up to your credit limit. So if you have a credit limit of $4000 and you put a further $2000 onto the card the criminals have access to $6000 which the bank will only cover you for the $4000. Jennifer

Could someone please verify if Australians still need to pay a reciprocity fee when arriving in Chile by a cruise liner?

In reading what there is to read on the subject and asking our travel agent everyone seems to think that the fee for Australians has been recently waved and now only has to be paid if arriving in Chile at the international airport.

Hi we are going on the NCL Sun in January 2017 and have received an email from ncl that clearly states Australians arriving in Argentina by air or ship must paY the reciprocity, but no mention of Chile. My travel agent has already assisted with that fee. She has said there are No other visas or fee required but will check again closer to our departure. Jennifer

Chile does not have the NPDES regulations that the US has, so no, there will be no problem with discharging waste in these waters.

Thank you for the information. Regards Jennifer

chengkp75 - Thank you very much! Your answers are so detailed and precise, it's refreshing on CC with all the misinfo and what not. Thank you for your contributions. The overnight is happening in Mexican waters with the ship being in port for 28 hours. My concern was whether the smell would arise because we were in port so long without them being able to get rid of the solid wastes (toilet paper, food waste, etc.) without having a need to burn them and create that odor. From what I've gathered this should not be an issue so our sailing will likely not encounter this odor. Yay! Thanks again! :)

Does anyone think that this problem will be of concern on the South American itineraries through the Chilean fjords? Will they have to change the itinerary to allow the dumping out further to Sea? Seems ridiculous s that they sail a ship in waters that they can not manage the waste and advertise itineraries that they know they can't actually fulfill. Thanks Jennifer

Hi,

 

I have read a few Reviews noting that the cruise line (NCL, maybe all) keeps your passport from when you check in Valparaiso to when you disembark in Buenas Aires?

 

Is this a requirement by one of the countries the cruise visits (Chile, Uruguay, or Argentina), or why do they do it? I have always heard to take your passport ashore if you miss the ship and need to fly. It also seems like quite an ordeal to return all the passports at the end.

 

Thanks!

 

Tammy

They do the same on Asian cruises. Both Celetrity and Princess took our passports when boarding and they were returned the day before disembarkation. Some country's stamp all passports and require officials to sight each one, much quicker than everyone with passport in hand waiting to get a stamp. The returning was easy. Our stewardess returned them to us on Princess and on Celebrity you were given a time to collect them alphabetically.Jennifer

Batu Caves. A lot of steps but very impressive.jennifer

Day 12 - Puerto Chacabuco is small, very small. Not many taxis available for last minute hire. If this is your preference, make arrangements ahead of time. I had pre arranged for a car and driver for three of us for only US$100 from 8:30 am - 1:30 pm. That was a perfect amount of time. Most roads in the area are unpaved. Our driver Victor used a very clean and comfortable Hundai for us. He first took us to the town of Aysen (as there is NOTHING in Port Chacabuco) for a brief tour of the Plaza de Armas, a stop at a working bank's ATM and then to a well-stocked local market to buy some local jams, cookies, honey, and sundries.

 

We then visited the longest suspension bridge in Chile in Aysen, the silted up Aysen Channel (because Port Aysen used to be the main port until it became unnavigable). We loved the many rose bushes in bloom throwing the small town. We left paved roads to visit a beautiful bay which is the main public beach for Aysen locals, a lovely river, and an impressive powerful waterfall. We stopped,along the way to photograph animals and lovely landscapes. On the way back to the ship, we had time to stop briefly at a small group of stores where local artisans sell everything from handmade wool booties, to wallets and eyeglass cases made from the local salmon skins, and so much more; prices were excellent.

 

The cost was US$100 and I invited two passengers to come along to share the cost and still be comfortable. If you want to contact this taxi driver and arrange to be picked up and taken around for the little time we are at port contact: (tell him Hilarion Martinez fromNCL SUN have you his name, email and number) and make your own arrangements.

Hi can you please post Victor's contact details. We are doing this cruise next January. Your description sounds very good.

Thanks Jennifer

Hi does the unlimited soda or unlimited plus more include Fanta, Sunkist or any other form of orange soft drink? Secondly can you buy the Orange variety in cans independently from the packages? Thanks Jennifer.

Renting cars is definitely NOT out for Aussies. We hired a car in Maui for 2 days. The rental agencies are just a short shuttle bus away. We pre booked the cars and whale watching online before we left Australia. First day we did whale watching after driving over to Lahaina. We parked the car at the pier over night and the second day we drove up to the crater. Both were great lots of whales up close and the view from the top of the crater was quite spectacular. We did these trips at our leisure stopping when we liked along the way. We were nor rushed at all. My husband just had to concentrate on driving on the other side of the road. Kona and Hilo we went on a tour with May Lou but you could hire cars here. Kauai we hired a car the first day and drove to Waimea canyon the second day we took a flight with Wings Over Kauai> this was spectacular and we had a clear day which is some what unusual. The traffic was okay, so not too stressing. We were a little tired at the end of each day but we saw as much we could at our pace. Hope this helps. Jennifer

Try Siam Sam we used him in 2012. He will tell you if it is possible. It is quite a drive to phang Ng bay from Patong which is where we tendered. Google Siam Sam jennifer

The tickets for the Bowfin are 12 dollars and can be purchases at the gift shop near the Bowfin. Jennifer

Halong Bay is a tender port the ferry terminal is about 1 KM to the left when you come ashore if you are looking at the shore. It is walkable along the promenade, we walked. There is a market near where the ferries/ boats leave. There is a lot of taxi touts as you come ashore as well. You could get a taxi. If you take a taxi be sure they take you along the esplanade to the ferry terminal. If you walk you will be hassled by taxi drivers and people selling things. Hope this helps Jennifer

The company we used was "the limo Pattaya" have a look at their website confirm a price for the day, we then paid at the end of the day in Thailand. They take you wherever you like. We researched before and asked them to take us there. We did the elephant sanctuary, floating market and then shopping for DVDs. Jennifer

Phu My is also in the middle of nowhere. It is an industrial port no taxis. We arranged all our touring transport through Stephen of Private Vietnam tours. I got prices from a few companies and they were the most reasonable. If you are able to walk about 300 metres don't pay to be picked up in the port. Others will tell you to pay this fee, it depends if you are able to walk that far and it will be hot. For me it's an unessarcery cost. They charge per person per port. Just follow the buses to the gate. I paid a deposit prior to our cruise and paid the rest in USD at our first Vietnam port. We were very happy with the guides and drivers. Hope this helps Jennifer