Grateful for Cruise Critic

[mexico8]

On 8/1/2021 at 12:50 AM, USN59-79 said:

I have mentioned this before, but us old people tend to repeat our self...

We were about two weeks from boarding the Carnival Splendor in 2009 for a 49 day cruise from Miami to San Francisco around South America.  My DD suggested that I take a look at CC, especially the roll call for the cruise.  I looked at it and saw that a few people were discussing their Brazil visas.  It took me about a day to become a member and be able to post as every time I suggested a user name it was already in use.  Finally I got on and asked if I really needed the visa as my TA had said it wasn't necessary.  The reply was "You won't get on the ship if you don't have one".  I contacted my online TA and she said she got misinformation from Carnival and to express mail our passports to the Brazil Embassy in Miami and she would pick up the extra cost.  I did and got them back in time and when we boarded there were at least 100 passengers that had to stay in Miami overnight, get their visa the next day and fly to the next port to board the ship.  That was when I learned the value of Cruise Critic and have used it since then for another 30 or so cruises.

Wow - lucky you found out before your cruise.  I have heard similar stories from others before on this topic.