LIVE LIVE LIVE from the MARINER with MERION MOM for 53 DAYS!!!

[Rancher Dave]

but everyone knows that Medicare supplimental insurance denies everything...especially when it's out of the country!!

 

Rick

 

If you have the right plan design, as long as the lifetime max benefit is not exhausted it will pay, subject to a small deductible and co-insurance. Medicare itself will decline to pay. If the lifetime benefit is exhausted already then, I'd recommend a quick call to the carrier to get a letter to that effect so each claims doesn't have to go for rejection...the RCCL insurance folks know that Medicare will not pay and a letter from the MedSup that the benefit is already exhausted should cut down some of the turn around time.

 

Ok, time for the rest of my lunch break. I had to check this computer to see if my new Amateur Radio (Vanity) call sign is issued...still in process but it appears I am going to get the one I want.

[jmezmom]

Hey Rick,

 

Did i miss a post on the status of the falls refund?

 

$300 and dinner was the last I read but Bobbie wrote a letter......

 

Have a safe flight and enjoy your leg!

[Lynn the Cruiser]

Hey Carol, think of us here in PA who are about to get pelted with big time snow, including Philly area!!!! At least I might get a day off of school, then I can keep up with this thread a bit easier because it sure does move and I always have lots to catch up on after a day of WORK!!!! Keep those pics coming, I want to see some as you round the cape!:D

[nlcentralchmps03]

Wow. Almost 130,000 views.

[Lionesss]

I have not been on this thread in a couple days and alls I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!

I enjoy reading Carols post as well as the people who post interesting cruising stories, you guys really know what your talking about.

For now I will just read on and on, and not take your time up by complimenting you.

Thanks so much, for all the great post!

The interested but silent one, unless I really have something significant to offer.

Thank you again.

[xpcdoojk]

Ouch. Es muy expensivo.

 

It would be interesting to see what all the "exotic" excursions cost. Hair-raising. If we ever did a segment of this trip, I can see spending more on the side trips then the basic cruise.

 

No doubt. When we did the HAL around the horn cruise, we did a few days before the cruise in Rio de Janeiro, and flew from Rio to Iquassu. The trip to Iquassu booked on our own, with one night at the falls in a falls view room at the Sheraton was $200pp. Dinner was about $50pp. Breakfast at the Sheraton was included. Lunch was included by our tour guide, plus park fees. We were out like $30 for the boat ride and jungle tour. Plus a bit more for pictures that we didn't get. We flew TAM airlines, and that was about $200pp. The four of us had a guide to be with us when we needed her, to take us across the border twice. On HAL the excursion as a pre cruise option was just under $1000pp.

 

After the cruise we did a night in Santiago, then flew to Lima Peru and spent the night there before flying to Cuzco the next morning early. We spent 2 nights in Cuzco, the first to get acclimated the next after our train ride to Macchu Picchu, then we returned to Lima before flying home. HALs price for the 5 days 4 night excursion at the exact same hotels was $1875pp. The DW and I paid less than that for both of us for the entire excursion that we booked on our own.

 

The funniest part was on our cruise our table was next to Kramer and his family (remember Kramer from Seinfeld, well this guy wasn't Micheal Richards, he had to be the person from which Kramer sprang. He looked like Kramer, he was a rude obnoxious human being from LA). Anyway, the first few nights at dinner, I prayed for duck to be poison and to kill Kramer, but alas he survived the cruise. After a while it just became a humor filled dinner watching the antics of his family. Funny, we get to our hotel the Sheraton in Lima, and guess who is across the hall, I mean directly, yep Kramer. We get up the next morning to meet the taxi driver who brought us to the hotel the night before, and off we go to the airport. Guess who is checking into the LAN flight to Cuzco, yep. So we fly up to Cuzco, the stewardess offers Gin, bourbon, etc, not in airplance bottles but in a 1.75 liter bottle. I love LAN. We get to the airport in Cuzco and meet our taxi driver for the next couple of days, and we go to the Monasterio Hotel, and check in, and guess who comes in a few minutes later, yep. Finally, at dinner that night they are again sitting next to us, I finally start talking to Kramer. I am a very bad person, I explained to him (he booked with HAL), how I paid and planned the trip for over half the price, and had exactly the same experience. Well, almost, I never had to go with the bus group. I had private tours everywhere, and never was on a bus. I am bad.;) I just had to explain the difference between a world traveler and a tourist.

 

jc

 

PS Rick, my little photo viewer is showing wonderful pictures of Iquassu as I type this. I think I will quit typing now to look at them in detail!:D

[xpcdoojk]

Ouch. Es muy expensivo.

 

It would be interesting to see what all the "exotic" excursions cost. Hair-raising. If we ever did a segment of this trip, I can see spending more on the side trips then the basic cruise.

Another quick aside on exotic tours. One option from Punta Arenas that gets cancelled about 1/2 the time is a airplane ride to Antartica as a flyover only. Cost was $3000.

 

jc

[The Big Booper]

Another quick aside on exotic tours. One option from Punta Arenas that gets cancelled about 1/2 the time is a airplane ride to Antartica as a flyover only. Cost was $3000.

 

jc

 

The Kenny Kramer you talked about in your long post was the model for Cosmo Kramer on the Seinfeld show. Both Jerry and Larry David knew him.

 

In real life a "Kramer" type is not so funny as he is on TV. Kenny for years ran a sightseeing tour in NY taking people around to the actual landmarks used as exterior shots, such as the diner on W. 110th and Broadway. The Soup **** is now closed, guy made a fortune licensing his soups. My son used to work at ABC on the West Side, waited on line for the soups at strange hours (TV has real strange working hours).

 

<<edit>> Oh h_ll, I forgot that is a banned word...... ((N-z-))

[Rancher Dave]

I could scream...what part of rush did the underwriter not understand. Ok, its not like the client died or anything, but she shoudl have approved the case before lunch yesterday...:mad: The uw has my client against a wall with extra costs looming.

 

Unless there is a miracle looks like I will only be meeting folks on the 1 night hop at the end of your historic sailing. Hopefully many of you will be aboard for the 1 night.

[twilightblue]

Carol and other Mariner folks,

 

It looks like the Queen Mary 2 will be passing you sometime around Cape Horn tomorrow. Keep an eye out! At 29 knots you may have to look quick :) Send us a picture if she gets close!

[CAC104]

jc....How do you go about finding all the guides and plan all the activities on your own. Do you use any specific web sites? It sounds as if you really know how to go about finding out how to travel and not pay through the roof.:p

[rubrrick]

Hey Rick,

 

Did i miss a post on the status of the falls refund?

 

$300 and dinner was the last I read but Bobbie wrote a letter......

 

Have a safe flight and enjoy your leg!

 

I'm going to bat for Bobbie with corporate over the lack of a sufficient refund. There are some very unhappy campers aboard!!

 

As the details of what everyone was suppose to have been able to enjoy, I'm getting reports of letter writing to the manager or Shorex........so we will see in the end what is the final outcome.

 

Knowing the time commitment just for flying there and back is almost 4 hours. Just a little over 1-3/4 hours each way! That is out of 8-1/2 to 9 hours allotted..........and they had almost 3 hours taken away......that would have been spent at the Falls..........to see what they paid for.

 

Carol must be talking to different people than I am.......as the one's that are privately emailing me.......are NOT thrilled!!:cool::mad:

 

On to happier subjects!! Like it's not too many hours now, and the ship will be rounding the horn............and then we get to hear what kind of weather..............sits on the other side!! Stay tuned!!:D

 

Rick

[Rancher Dave]

I'm going to bat for Bobbie with corporate over the lack of a sufficient refund. There are some very unhappy campers aboard!!

 

As the details of what everyone was suppose to have been able to enjoy, I'm getting reports of letter writing to the manager or Shorex........so we will see in the end what is the final outcome.

 

Knowing the time commitment just for flying there and back is almost 4 hours. Just a little over 1-3/4 hours each way! That is out of 8-1/2 to 9 hours allotted..........and they had almost 3 hours taken away......that would have been spent at the Falls..........to see what they paid for.

 

Carol must be talking to different people than I am.......as the one's that are privately emailing me.......are NOT thrilled!!:cool::mad:

 

On to happier subjects!! Like it's not too many hours now, and the ship will be rounding the horn............and then we get to hear what kind of weather..............sits on the other side!! Stay tuned!!:D

 

Rick

 

 

Its a shame that the excursion was so mutilated. I guess several circumstanced came into the mix here. I agree if essentially the meat of the excursion did not happen, probably the meat of the fee should be returned.

 

I can understand the vendor paying for the flights etc...but maybe if they knew they couldn't pull off the excursion they should have cxld it and returned all fees...likely would have led to happier folks than now where there is a huge issue over the refunds.

[rubrrick]

No doubt. When we did the HAL around the horn cruise, we did a few days before the cruise in Rio de Janeiro, and flew from Rio to Iquassu. The trip to Iquassu booked on our own, with one night at the falls in a falls view room at the Sheraton was $200pp. Dinner was about $50pp. Breakfast at the Sheraton was included. Lunch was included by our tour guide, plus park fees. We were out like $30 for the boat ride and jungle tour. Plus a bit more for pictures that we didn't get. We flew TAM airlines, and that was about $200pp. The four of us had a guide to be with us when we needed her, to take us across the border twice. On HAL the excursion as a pre cruise option was just under $1000pp.

 

After the cruise we did a night in Santiago, then flew to Lima Peru and spent the night there before flying to Cuzco the next morning early. We spent 2 nights in Cuzco, the first to get acclimated the next after our train ride to Macchu Picchu, then we returned to Lima before flying home. HALs price for the 5 days 4 night excursion at the exact same hotels was $1875pp. The DW and I paid less than that for both of us for the entire excursion that we booked on our own.

 

The funniest part was on our cruise our table was next to Kramer and his family (remember Kramer from Seinfeld, well this guy wasn't Micheal Richards, he had to be the person from which Kramer sprang. He looked like Kramer, he was a rude obnoxious human being from LA). Anyway, the first few nights at dinner, I prayed for duck to be poison and to kill Kramer, but alas he survived the cruise. After a while it just became a humor filled dinner watching the antics of his family. Funny, we get to our hotel the Sheraton in Lima, and guess who is across the hall, I mean directly, yep Kramer. We get up the next morning to meet the taxi driver who brought us to the hotel the night before, and off we go to the airport. Guess who is checking into the LAN flight to Cuzco, yep. So we fly up to Cuzco, the stewardess offers Gin, bourbon, etc, not in airplance bottles but in a 1.75 liter bottle. I love LAN. We get to the airport in Cuzco and meet our taxi driver for the next couple of days, and we go to the Monasterio Hotel, and check in, and guess who comes in a few minutes later, yep. Finally, at dinner that night they are again sitting next to us, I finally start talking to Kramer. I am a very bad person, I explained to him (he booked with HAL), how I paid and planned the trip for over half the price, and had exactly the same experience. Well, almost, I never had to go with the bus group. I had private tours everywhere, and never was on a bus. I am bad.;) I just had to explain the difference between a world traveler and a tourist.

 

jc

 

PS Rick, my little photo viewer is showing wonderful pictures of Iquassu as I type this. I think I will quit typing now to look at them in detail!:D

 

 

JC...........you realize that I'm going to have to do the same thing........because Bobbie did not see what she came to see!!

 

I think that I'll wait till the Mariner is going back the other way...and book that one for the two of us!!

 

Cruelty towards certain animals is almost illegal......especially when they are called humans!:D

 

Care to share your pictures with me??? I think you have my email address!!:D:D

 

Rick

[rubrrick]

Its a shame that the excursion was so mutilated. I guess several circumstanced came into the mix here. I agree if essentially the meat of the excursion did not happen, probably the meat of the fee should be returned.

 

I can understand the vendor paying for the flights etc...but maybe if they knew they couldn't pull off the excursion they should have cxld it and returned all fees...likely would have led to happier folks than now where there is a huge issue over the refunds.

 

Dave............you have one day to fix everything and come join us!! :D

 

Still counting on your coming..........but like everything......there are stoppages where we least expect it.

 

The people on my deal today..........which died.........were a coupld of thiefs..........and were bold about it.

 

Life goes on.

 

Talk to you tomorrow.

 

Rick

[mjldvlks]

Dave............you have one day to fix everything and come join us!! :D

 

Still counting on your coming..........but like everything......there are stoppages where we least expect it.

 

The people on my deal today..........which died.........were a coupld of thiefs..........and were bold about it.

 

Life goes on.

 

Talk to you tomorrow.

 

Rick

 

Rick - have a wonderful time!! Please let Carol know we have enjoyed the thread so much. So glad she is having a great time. Please also tell Bobbie, Doris, Len and Letty hello for us. Safe travels!! Mary

[rubrrick]

:D

Rick - have a wonderful time!! Please let Carol know we have enjoyed the thread so much. So glad she is having a great time. Please also tell Bobbie, Doris, Len and Letty hello for us. Safe travels!! Mary

 

 

Wish you were going with us!! You are well loved!! I'll pass the word, and, of course..........Dorass will have a wonderful come back!!:D Just for you!!

 

Rick

 

PS.............I just realized that it's under a hundred hours.........and I'm gone!! Ahh.......one that can start counting the hours! ANTICIPATION!!

 

72 hours till my flight check in!! YEP............I'm starting to count the hours!!

 

It won't be long and they will be saying "Good bye Rick!!" Well, maybe not quite like that!!:eek::rolleyes::D

 

For now............I'm just going to say.........Good night Rick!!;)

[Jsme]

Rick I wanted, in case, I do not see you post, have a safe flight and I hope all of you have a wonderful time. We that are working and living in the cold will think of all of you. Of course this goes out to everyone on this cruise. Not just the ones I know!! Have fun for all of us.

[My2Kitties]

I am still following you guys and wanted to wish all those headed on to the Mariner for the last leg a "Bon Voyage"

safe travels to all...

love the pics and looking forward to more...

[rubrrick]

The Mariner is coming up to about 3 hours away from the farthest point of South America..........Cape Horn. Bobbie tells me that she is having a few in to her cabin for wine as they watch the cape go by. She has a great viewing deck, on the hump of the ship!

 

I'm off to pick up a plaque that will be presented to the captain in honor of being the Master that is bringing the Mariner to the west coast.....and he is just past the half way point........as far as number of days goes.

 

A bit of work this afternoon............then I officially start my journey......well, my journey of packing!!:D:D

 

I hope everyone aboard enjoys the scenery! It's not raining, and it's not heavy seas............a real blessing!!

 

Rick

[The Big Booper]

I thought the Mariner will be on the West Coast for years. Are there plans to do this trip in reverse in the future?

 

With a half empty ship full of older people this can't be a big moneymaker for the line.

[bubbie617]

It must have something to do with men who speak Portuguese! When we were in Funchal, Madeira having lunch at an outdoor restaurant, the eye candy was better than the food - and the food was fabulous! :D

[tahoemc]

I thought the Mariner will be on the West Coast for years. Are there plans to do this trip in reverse in the future?

 

With a half empty ship full of older people this can't be a big moneymaker for the line.

 

Ouch, no flames please:D Booper, I hope your right that Mariner will be here a long while - only if RC can keep enough interest with varying itineraries.

[Papa T]

We will join the Mariner on February 3 and have gotten mixed information on the Costa Rica Yellow Fever shot requirement. What are they telling you on the ship? The Costa Rica consulate said yes but the CDC said it was not necessary because we are not going to the jungle areas of Peru. RCL (land based) won't give a definitive answer. Help!!!

[The Big Booper]

Ouch, no flames please:D Booper, I hope your right that Mariner will be here a long while - only if RC can keep enough interest with varying itineraries.

 

DW and I now collect social security with no earnings limits. We don't want to be on a cruise where we are the younguns'. Which of course eliminates HAL:)