World cruise, apporx cost over and above basics??

[Tampa Girl]

Regarding Credit Cards, we have gotten the Barclay Holland America Card. If you do all your HAL charges on that card, you get double points for anything with HAL, and Shore Excursions booked through HAL provide triple bonus points. If you book Shore Excursions early (if you choose to book through HAL), you still get the Mariner points as long as you take the excursion.

 

We've charged enough to get back $7500 on the long cruises more than once. We save the money to help pay for the cruise rather than to spend it on a night in the Pinnacle or something.

 

On a different subject, if you change Mariner status during a Grand Voyages, the perks kick in immediately (which is huge if you roll over into the 4-star Mariner status which provides free laundry). On regular cruises you have to wait until the next cruise to get your Mariner perks.

 

The is last perk is wonderful to know. We are booked on a 15-day TA in November, primarily to make 4 star status before we take a Grand Voyage. Now we don't need to take the cruise and won't be disappointed if we have to cancel for November.

 

Regarding the points, what is a point worth?

[KirkNC]

Hi Kirk, fellow tour guide hee hee

Booked an F cabin early received free gratuities plus 2 pieces of luggage pre shipped.

Our neighbor who has done two WC, said the luggage is left in a warehouse, their things were really wrinkled, so we plan on sending winter things, shoes, toiletries down & hobby stuff. He said they spent $18 - $20,000. Also said HAL will hold your luggage on the cruise, will not return it until the end. They left with 9 suitcase's and return with 13!!! We will receive LOTS of goodies from HAL!!

 

Yea we are in a J cabin so no freebies for us.

 

Your neighbors sound like they spent about the same I am thinking we will (above the cost of the cruise).

 

Nine suitcases, I don't own that much stuff :eek:.

 

I think we will have 3, maybe 4 (which will be a ton for us) plus carry-on day bag type back packs. We will be 4 star so we will get free laundry :p.

 

We are actually doing a one way car rental so we could bring lots of luggage if we want. I am trying to decide how much if any wine to bring as well.

[Scrapnana]

As to credit cards, I have two that give cash back. One, from Bank of America, gives three points (3 cents) for every dollar spent on travel but it has a foreign transaction fee. I also have a rewards card with my credit union which gives two points for travel, restaurants, and entertainment and has no foreign transaction fee. Between the two I have all travel covered. The points add up quickly!

[Tampa Girl]

Yea we are in a J cabin so no freebies for us.

 

 

We are actually doing a one way car rental so we could bring lots of luggage if we want. I am trying to decide how much if any wine to bring as well.

 

On a GWC, can you bring in additional wine, with no extra charge, at ports other than embarkation?

[Tampa Girl]

As to credit cards, I have two that give cash back. One, from Bank of America, gives three points (3 cents) for every dollar spent on travel but it has a foreign transaction fee. I also have a rewards card with my credit union which gives two points for travel, restaurants, and entertainment and has no foreign transaction fee. Between the two I have all travel covered. The points add up quickly!

 

Check with Bank of America again. They just sent a notice that there will be no foreign transaction fees on our cards. OTOH, I am not sure if we get 3 cents back, either. So . . . charge the pre-trip costs (flights, cruise fare, excursions, etc. on the 3-cent card; and charge all foreign purchases on the other card. Good plan, unless a FF card may be a better deal.

[cruisingsherry]

On a GWC, can you bring in additional wine, with no extra charge, at ports other than embarkation?

 

That's a good question. I know HAL used to allow one case of wine. Then as much as you wanted soda's, water. It was changed to the usual two bottles per cabin, none from other ports.

 

A smart passenger posted he brings his own wine, pays the corkage fee, comes out cheaper in the end! I'm planning to call the world cruise desk asking if this is indeed allow.

 

WE paid $35 for a $6 bottle of Zin........if we paid the $15 or $18 corkage fee plus the $6 cost of the wine I would of came out cheaper!!!

 

Good to know about the liquids on the early shipping of luggage, yes shampoo was one of the things LOL.

 

We turn 4 * on WC, glad to learn they will honor it asap!!!! Just think we spent $60,00 + to get freee laundry!!!

 

Don't think electronics being packed in a suitcase...out of my sight....would be there when I unzipped it again

Edited February 23, 2016 by cruisingsherry
grammer

[KirkNC]

On a GWC, can you bring in additional wine, with no extra charge, at ports other than embarkation?

 

I don't believe you can. The only time I understand you can bring more then one bottle for free is if you are on a HAL excursion that visits a winery. Other then that I believe the $18 per bottle fee applies. I found out from WCB's world cruise thread that HAL offers additional packages of 24 and 48 bottles. The 48 bottle packages get the cost per bottle down to $18 and $25 for the regular and premium packages respectively if you are four star mariners. That includes the tip. That's quite a savings with no hassle of bringing any on board.

[Tampa Girl]

I don't believe you can. The only time I understand you can bring more then one bottle for free is if you are on a HAL excursion that visits a winery. Other then that I believe the $18 per bottle fee applies. I found out from WCB's world cruise thread that HAL offers additional packages of 24 and 48 bottles. The 48 bottle packages get the cost per bottle down to $18 and $25 for the regular and premium packages respectively if you are four star mariners. That includes the tip. That's quite a savings with no hassle of bringing any on board.

 

Very helpful info. That is quite a savings. Thank you.

[scluvsrain]

If you're a wine freak like me, then you'd likely get pretty tired of the same bottles of wine over and over with a 24 or 48 bottle package, unless they open up the offerings to more than just a few options for white and same for red.

 

But you are right, with the mariner discount, it really does pay to get a package. Either that or quit drinking for 4 months. That's always an interesting option to consider, especially since the WC happens during Lent season!

[KirkNC]

If you're a wine freak like me, then you'd likely get pretty tired of the same bottles of wine over and over with a 24 or 48 bottle package, unless they open up the offerings to more than just a few options for white and same for red.

 

But you are right, with the mariner discount, it really does pay to get a package. Either that or quit drinking for 4 months. That's always an interesting option to consider, especially since the WC happens during Lent season!

 

Yea this is an area that HAL really falls down on. We went on a cruise with X a year or so ago and they had almost 100 choices for wine so you would never get tired. Having 8-10 choices in a package can get repetitive.

[cruisingsherry]

I don't believe you can. The only time I understand you can bring more then one bottle for free is if you are on a HAL excursion that visits a winery. Other then that I believe the $18 per bottle fee applies. I found out from WCB's world cruise thread that HAL offers additional packages of 24 and 48 bottles. The 48 bottle packages get the cost per bottle down to $18 and $25 for the regular and premium packages respectively if you are four star mariners. That includes the tip. That's quite a savings with no hassle of bringing any on board.

 

48 bottles is a lot but we are going to be on for 111 days........I'm going to ask the World cruise desk. We aren't 4 star ....yet, mid way through the WC17 we will!!!!

 

We went to the health department for shots today. The DR gave us Hip A, it's two shots six months a part. Today we had yellow fever and Typhoid. Yellow fever is costly $$$$$ Our Dr suggested them and we felt it was better to safe than sick! We will leave for South America in less than 3 weeks, partly for this cruise/trip too.

[KirkNC]

48 bottles is a lot but we are going to be on for 111 days........I'm going to ask the World cruise desk. We aren't 4 star ....yet, mid way through the WC17 we will!!!!

 

We went to the health department for shots today. The DR gave us Hip A, it's two shots six months a part. Today we had yellow fever and Typhoid. Yellow fever is costly $$$$$ Our Dr suggested them and we felt it was better to safe than sick! We will leave for South America in less than 3 weeks, partly for this cruise/trip too.

 

It sounds like a lot, it's a bottle every 2-3 days. If you share that's not that much.

 

We need to get a booster for typhoid, other then the that we are good.

[Tampa Girl]

I

 

But you are right, with the mariner discount, it really does pay to get a package. Either that or quit drinking for 4 months. That's always an interesting option to consider, especially since the WC happens during Lent season!

 

Consider, maybe, but only briefly!

[BlackJack2]

How do you manage your medications during a Grand Voyage? For those of you that need to take medicine, how do you ensure that you have sufficient quantities before you go? How do you get your doctor to prescribe enough in advance? Specifically, medicines that are limited to 30-day refills.

[travelbug615]

48 bottles is a lot but we are going to be on for 111 days........I'm going to ask the World cruise desk. We aren't 4 star ....yet, mid way through the WC17 we will!!!!

 

We went to the health department for shots today. The DR gave us Hip A, it's two shots six months a part. Today we had yellow fever and Typhoid. Yellow fever is costly $$$$$ Our Dr suggested them and we felt it was better to safe than sick! We will leave for South America in less than 3 weeks, partly for this cruise/trip too.

 

 

Are travel vaccines cheaper at the health department versus going to a travel health clinic? Any recommendations? I think the entire cost of these will be out of pocket with our insurance coverage.

[Cruise NH]

As for medications. ..we just tell our doctor why we need the additional amount , he writes it up that way and they communicate that to the insurance company. We've never had a problem. You may think it's a unique circumstance, but it's not.

 

As to shots and going to a travel clinic. ..our insurance covered the cost of the shots (hep A and typhoid ) but not the cost of the visit which was $150 for the two of us. Had we gone in separately, it would have been $100 a piece.

[albingirl]

I would love to do this someday. We are about to turn 4 stars, so the laundry would be good. We are having lunch tomorrow with people we met on a cruise who are taking the WC in January 2017, and I am so excited for them. I know I would spend a fortune on a cruise like this. I'm not a shopper but I love those big tours!:)

[TraelorMex]

"where the window wasn't."

 

Love it!

[KirkNC]

Are travel vaccines cheaper at the health department versus going to a travel health clinic? Any recommendations? I think the entire cost of these will be out of pocket with our insurance coverage.

 

I would definitely shop around for shots. The easiest is to use a travel clinic, (Passport Health for example) but we found them to be the most expensive. And don't forget to check with the Wallgreen type stores, they do some of the vaccines cheaper then most. The real expensive one for us was yellow fever.