2024 Grand World Voyage with The Inside Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

1 hour ago, Lido deck main said:

Pete, your blogs are exceptional.  The detail is so very informative and helpful.  Wishing you and Judy a wonderful world cruise.

Thanks.    I can't recommend this luggage enough.  We were able to move out 5 checked bags and two carry ons from the baggage carton our hotel room with luggage carts or assistance

[cruising sister]

21 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

On the way to the airport with this amazing Tach luggage!   We can easily roll these bags around unassisted.   They all stay connected with Velcro.  H/T to @Mary Ellen
 

 

I have the Tach hard sided and love them. Unfortunately I got a boo boo on the way to San Diego. I have filed a claim and hopefully it will go through. 

[sandiego1]

Pete - why did you check 5 pieces of luggage instead of sending them via Luggage Forward? Don’t you get unlimited luggage shipment?

[The-Inside-Cabin]

3 minutes ago, sandiego1 said:

Pete - why did you check 5 pieces of luggage instead of sending them via Luggage Forward? Don’t you get unlimited luggage shipment?

I think the chances of losing something in LF is greater than checked do some stuff we choose to check vice send ahead.  

 

Also we don't usually have everything ready by the 15th.   Coming home we will send more with LF as everything will be ready and losing stuff on the way home has less impact.  
 

If LF loses a box going to the cruise you may not know until the ship leaves and in some cases you can't replace it during the cruise.   So we don't ship every formal outfit etc.   Send half the consumables etc.   So if all LF got lost  we got still manage.  
 

 

[sandiego1]

@The-Inside-Cabin makes sense!!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

GRAND WORLD VOYAGE PACKAGES (POST #4)

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We finish packing and fly all night, arriving in Fort Lauderdale

TAKING THE REDEYE TO FORT LAUDERDALE

While we shipped seven bags and a box on 15 Dec 23 using luggage forward, we still left for the airport with five checked bags. We hate to have everything in our advance shipment as you don’t know what will be missing until the ship has left. Some things can’t be replaced during the cruise regardless of cost, as many items we use aren’t available outside the USA.

Regardless of how many checklists you make, you always seem to find a few things that you can’t live without – (but you really could), but we aren’t known for packing light, and we aren’t ready to start now.

Our bags are packed, and we’re ready to go!

We have been using the same airport driver, Stan with San Diego Transporters, for 15 years. While more expensive than other options, the reliability and quality are worth the premium.

Traveling on New Year’s Eve is never crowded, and we enjoyed smaller crowds throughout the trip. On our final leg from Atlanta to San Diego, the Delta 757 probably had 30 people onboard.

Are final flight to FLL was almost empty

Our Avis rental car was ready on arrival, and we arrived at the Residence Inn in Plantation around 11 AM. We enjoy staying in Plantation near the large mall and Target for last-minute shopping. While you are about 10 minutes further away than the closer hotels, the prices are lower, and you don’t have the throngs of people crowding and looking for taxis and transfers at the same time.

I can’t say enough about our new Tach Luggage. For the first time we were able to move our bags from the carousel to the curb and from the parking lot to our hotel room without using any luggage carts or porters.

GRAND WORLD VOYAGE PACKAGES

Every cruise has a variety of packages available for purchase in advance, ranging from beverages, wine, laundry, internet, and more. A Grand World Voyage has similar packages but with much more extensive offerings. For example, the signature beverage package is usually around $50 a day, but on the GWV, you can get one for $16.95 a day.

 

 

 

HAL GWV Packages Dec 2023.pdf

Edited January 2 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Bill B]

I assume you can't add HIA to Grand World Voyage. Correct? However, The Signature Beverage Package at $16.52/ day  is a 'steal'. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

6 hours ago, Bill B said:

I assume you can't add HIA to Grand World Voyage. Correct? However, The Signature Beverage Package at $16.52/ day  is a 'steal'. 

The bargain-priced beverage package is only for people booked for the entire 128-day voyage.   Not available for segment cruisers.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

[sciteach603]

I don't see the Beverage Package listed for the 2025 WC.  Will that come in later emails?

[The-Inside-Cabin]

4 hours ago, sciteach603 said:

I don't see the Beverage Package listed for the 2025 WC.  Will that come in later emails?

There isn’t any guarantee it will be offered in 2025.   We didn’t see it until Sept timeframe.   So you may see it later 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

A LAZY DAY IN FORT LAUDERDALE (POST #5)

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We sleep in and visit a local yarn shop

LATE SLEEPERS

We didn’t do much today – we slept in until noon.  Then we headed to Judy’s favorite Fort Lauderdale Yarn Shop – Sheep Thrills.   Judy picked up some silk and linen blend yarn from Anzula Yarns in the “Florida Room, No Merino Allowed.”  She had to explain to me that sweaters worn in Florida need to be knit in linen, cotton or bamboo to keep the wearer cool.  And, as usual, she bought the same color yarn, which matched the color of the sweater that she was wearing.

NO MERINO in the Florida Room – Wait, What! Judy shows off her purchase outside Sheep Thrills yarn shop

Chick-fil-A was our dinner tonight.

I spent the rest of the evening downloading maps for my new MAP App – Pocket Earth Pro, which I will be using instead of Maps.me, which started charging a $60 annual subscription fee.

We will be heading over to Terminal 26 around 10 AM to drop off bags and then return the rental car and get back to the Terminal to check in around 11 AM.

Judy took this photo as we landed in FLL on New Year’s Day – You can see Terminals 26 and 19 – both empty. They will be busy tomorrow.  Sunrise at Atlanta Hartsfield – Terminal A

Off we go!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Getting Brazil Visas continues to be a problem for most.   We applied directly with VFS Global - Brazil's processing agent, when they opened on Dec 1st.   We beat the rush and received our visas in about six days.   People who waited a week or so took much longer, and many are still waiting, along with most people who used a visa service.   There is a rumor on social media that HAL has arranged for Brazil Immigration Officials to join the ship in FLL and spend the next week processing VISAs onboard.  

 

The biggest stumbling block for most has been getting an acceptable financial document to prove that you had over $2000 to ensure you would be able to leave Brazil at the end of your visa.  HAL and the other cruise lines have provided "Declarations" to certify that the passengers have enough cash. This appears to have solved the problem of getting the correct financial documents.   Nevertheless, there is a high backlog of applications still in the system.

 

It's unusual, but not unprecedented, for immigration officials to join the ship at an earlier port to start processing the immigration paperwork.  This should help smooth our way for our arrival in our first Brazilian port on 11 Jan 24.    

 

For folks on other sailings trying to understand the Brazil Visa requirements, check out the first page of my blog HERE which has a handy "How to get a Brazil Visa Guide"

Edited January 3 by The-Inside-Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We arrived at 10:50 and checked in.  They wanted to see your Brazil status form before security.   Then security.  Then tablet checkin.  Then passport drop off -then wait.  
 

 

 O yellow fever.  No visas necessary to present. 
 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tonight's menu

 

a few quick hits.   
 

Someone left their passport in the security screening tray.   Passport missing.  Home it turns up

 

[BetsyS.]

Bon Voyage! 🥂😊 Thanks for all the updates! 

[Overhead Fred]

[Ellencruise]

Your blog is so enjoyable. I can’t wait til we all start the cruise through your post!

[cunnorl]

Bon Voyage !  Wish you all the best!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Henk, Cruise Director Kimberly and the Captain. Welcomed us in the terminal.  
 

[julia]

Firstly, wishing you Bon Voyage!

Secondly, wondering why the HIA (shown in above pic) is $65 pp/pd??  I just booked it at $55 pp/pd! 😲🍷

[Bill B]

Do I understand correctly they're trying to sell you HIA at $65/pp/pd (with only $100 shore excursion credit) on a world cruise when you can get a Signature BP for $16.50/pp/pd?

[1ANGELCAT]

It was a beautiful night for sailing away.

Here’s to 128 days of beautiful memories.🎉🍾🛳️

[Toad]

Dear Inside Cabin,

With all that luggage you could have packed me in a box, I am a very small toad. I would also like a sweater made with the beautiful yarn purchased in FLL!

Have a safe and amazing journey!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

10 hours ago, julia said:

Firstly, wishing you Bon Voyage!

Secondly, wondering why the HIA (shown in above pic) is $65 pp/pd??  I just booked it at $55 pp/pd! 😲🍷

 

6 hours ago, Bill B said:

Do I understand correctly they're trying to sell you HIA at $65/pp/pd (with only $100 shore excursion credit) on a world cruise when you can get a Signature BP for $16.50/pp/pd?

I don't get it.   They may be targeting segment people who aren't eligible for the $16 a day package.