Question about Around-the-Horn Cruise

[rubrrick]

I totally agree with you. We took every shot we could as a precaution. It would be just my luck to be bitten by a pesky mosquito who was "out of bounds" and had just bitten a juicy yellow fever patient. While our shots were covered by insurance, it would have been worth the cost to me for peace of mind. On the other hand, I got a pneumonia shot last October for the very first time and we had not been home from the horn cruise a week before we both caught that "cruise crud"--and pneumonia for me!

 

Hope you are doing better. I was just finishing getting an insurance claim form filled out for Bobbie's dad..........who had pneumonia while on the cruise. He too.......had a pneumonia shot last fall.:cool:

 

Rick

[xpcdoojk]

So you dispute the premise that it would not be a burden for the cruise line to give better routine document advice and for that reason alone you believe they should not have to do so. Okay. There has to be a balancing of interests. In this particular case , how hard would it have been for RCCL to have given written advice that US citizens require a Brasilian visa to board the Brasil-bound ship?

Until it can be demonstated otherwise I just think it would not be too difficult to employ a computer program that runs the citizenship submitted by the passenger (or residence) through the itinerary and spits out visa, yellow fever , etc requirements. This info can be provided routinely at the time docs are sent. There can be suitable disclaimers to avoid liability. I don´t think the cruise line´s cost for its general liabilty insurance policy would be significantly affected. Do you think otherwise?

 

According to Jtutak he was given written notice. Now maybe it was not on a big red piece of paper that said you must have a Brazilian Visa. Who knows, and who cares. The reality is when you travel overseas it is your responsibility to find out what the requirements are. RCI sells to people from all over the world. Could they hold everyone's hands? Yes. Should they have to?

 

jc

[rubrrick]

I'll try to answer the yellow fever shot question.

 

I called both the tourist bureau in Sna Joswe and the Miami Consulate.

The gentleman at the toruist bureau said it was mandatory. I asked about a waiver because of age, health, etc. He said it might be possible, to ask the Miami Consulate.

Lady at the Miami Consulate said mandatory, no exceptions.

Other person on roll call called different Consulate and was told a waiver was OK.

As Carol said, some folks were sent back to the ship to get their card showing the YF shot and some weren't.

When the Costa Rican government gives different info and even does different things at the port, how can you expect RCI to give a definitive answer?

 

 

Point well made Paul!! I had my YF shot from about 7 years before, but my DW got hers based on the knowledge the Costa Rica indicated that it was needed. It had nothing to do with the CDC nor RCCL.

 

Rick

[jbond]

I am surprised that RCI didn't just say up front that the visa was required along with the yellow fever shot and then the onus is on the passenger to meet the requirements.

We were on the Splendour repositioning cruise last year, Valparaiso to Santos. About 50 people were denied boarding in Valparaiso because they didn't have visas. Most got expedited visas in Santiago and caught up with the ship in Puerto Madryn. The story they were telling was that RCI said that a visa was required but that it could be obtained on the ship, prior to arriving in Brazil. One person even said that when they were denied boarding, the called RCI Miami from the dock and were again told that they could get visas on the ship.

Regarding YF requirement for Costa Rica, it's only required if you have previously visited an endemic area and shouldn't be required for our next cruise on Radiance, but will RCI verify this, no. I don't understand RCI's attitude to visa requirements and vaccinations, when Princess is up front and informative with the requirements.

[ricko1]

We were on the Splendour repositioning cruise last year, Valparaiso to Santos. About 50 people were denied boarding in Valparaiso because they didn't have visas. Most got expedited visas in Santiago and caught up with the ship in Puerto Madryn. The story they were telling was that RCI said that a visa was required but that it could be obtained on the ship, prior to arriving in Brazil. One person even said that when they were denied boarding, the called RCI Miami from the dock and were again told that they could get visas on the ship.

Regarding YF requirement for Costa Rica, it's only required if you have previously visited an endemic area and shouldn't be required for our next cruise on Radiance, but will RCI verify this, no. I don't understand RCI's attitude to visa requirements and vaccinations, when Princess is up front and informative with the requirements.

 

Helo Jbond. When I questioned the need for Visas on our 46 ATH cruise and the dreaded YF shot, because I recieved som many different answers, I call the Embassies to get it right...

Of course the VISAS are required for Brazil ..and When I called the Costa Rica Embassy I was told you need one if you visited Peru within 10 days in Brazil and without the shot I would need a waiver(OVER SIXTY) from my doctor.

When we arrived in Costa Rica, Of course no asked for anything:eek:..Such is life.. Happy crussing in your future..

[owl61]

When the Costa Rican government gives different info and even does different things at the port, how can you expect RCI to give a definitive answer?

No one said a definitive answer was always in order. The company should have a reliable resource or create one to provide reasonable information for routine document questions. Most visa questions are straightforward. The vaccination questions can be hedged with appropriate language when necessary. Frankly, I am surprised a visa service company doesn´t volunteer to establish such a program in conjunction with the major cruise lines in excange for referrals. Seems like a win-win-win situation.

 

According to Jtutak he was given written notice. Now maybe it was not on a big red piece of paper that said you must have a Brazilian Visa. Who knows, and who cares. The reality is when you travel overseas it is your responsibility to find out what the requirements are. RCI sells to people from all over the world. Could they hold everyone's hands? Yes. Should they have to?

jc

If cruise lines are in fact giving written notice, fine. Apparently they are not consistently doing so. As to who cares? I do. And I surmise so do a lot of other fair minded people. Your attitude is crass and unenlightened. And you seem to have changed your position on the issue. First, you contended it would be a burden on cruise lines to give notice, but when challenged on that you now seem to switch to a philosophical reason, much like the prior poster´s call for personal responsibility (to be contrasted with the cruise line industry´s adhesion contracts that purport to excupate the company from every kind of conduct short of murder on the high seas).

You apparently refuse to consider the ease of giving a routine advice on routine issues against the serious consequence that could be avoided. People are imperfect. They will screw it up. Why not anticipate it and prevent it if the cost is insignificant?

 

I don't understand RCI's attitude to visa requirements and vaccinations, when Princess is up front and informative with the requirements.

If one cruise line can get it right, then all can and should. It is not a great burden and the rewards in terms of customer convenience are great.

[glgolfer]

I heard RCI was getting a company to do visas. I did not check it out as I have a company I use and trust.

 

Does anyone know if that is true or not?

[xpcdoojk]

No one said a definitive answer was always in order. The company should have a reliable resource or create one to provide reasonable information for routine document questions. Most visa questions are straightforward. The vaccination questions can be hedged with appropriate language when necessary. Frankly, I am surprised a visa service company doesn´t volunteer to establish such a program in conjunction with the major cruise lines in excange for referrals. Seems like a win-win-win situation.

 

 

If cruise lines are in fact giving written notice, fine. Apparently they are not consistently doing so. As to who cares? I do. And I surmise so do a lot of other fair minded people. Your attitude is crass and unenlightened. And you seem to have changed your position on the issue. First, you contended it would be a burden on cruise lines to give notice, but when challenged on that you now seem to switch to a philosophical reason, much like the prior poster´s call for personal responsibility (to be contrasted with the cruise line industry´s adhesion contracts that purport to excupate the company from every kind of conduct short of murder on the high seas).

You apparently refuse to consider the ease of giving a routine advice on routine issues against the serious consequence that could be avoided. People are imperfect. They will screw it up. Why not anticipate it and prevent it if the cost is insignificant?

 

 

If one cruise line can get it right, then all can and should. It is not a great burden and the rewards in terms of customer convenience are great.

 

Thanks, crass is an improvement over what I thought you thought of my attitude. I actually, haven't changed my opinion at all. Thanks for not actually reading the whole thread. I think it is actually the passengers responsibility 100%. I think anyone dumb enough to book a cruise to South America without doing research is asking to be in trouble. I don't think of south america as the same as Grand Cayman. I remember not all that long ago a war in the Falklands. I know that some of the countries are either run by a military junta or an absolute socialist government. I know that they say death to America on the evening news on a regular basis. Therefore, I personally, would not ever go to a place like that without understanding what I was getting my family into. I have just been trying to be polite and non crass. Since, that didn't work, I will now revert to totally honest. OK?:D

 

I loved our trip to South America it was one of the absolute best vacations I have ever taken. I hope to return again, in the future. I feel terribly sad for people who's vacation was ruined by the lack of a visa. If RCI had saved the day I would say good for them. Since they apparently didn't I say those left behind got exactly what they deserved. I too would have been devestated, as they were. I would want to blame everyone but myself. I would have been just as wrong as they were. JMHO, and please feel free to let me know what you really think of me.

 

jc

[owl61]

JMHO, and please feel free to let me know what you really think of me.

jc

I´ll leave that to others.

[rubrrick]

I heard RCI was getting a company to do visas. I did not check it out as I have a company I use and trust.

 

Does anyone know if that is true or not?

 

Paul...........I think that this would be very hard to do. The reason being, depending on what part of the country that you live in.......the countries consulate would prefer that you dealt with that particular consulate. 'For instance, we live in Arizona, and looking at the Brazilian consulate in our area........we needed to send our documents to the consulate in Los Angeles, California. Now, we actually don't deal with the consulate directly........it was thru an agency.

 

I believe that it is the agency that you are talking about to do all of the visas. I can't imagine one agency that could do visas from all over the country. It has to do with proximity to the consulate........in my mind.

 

I believe that the Brazilian consulate in Florida felt obligated to take care of all of the stranded passengers visas.......no matter what part of the country they were from........because they were all in Miami, in person.

 

Some parts of travel involve a traveler to understand certain rules and regulations forced upon them by other countries.

 

This is where a good travel agent would really shine!! They are the ones responsible for getting the proper information to their client. Actually, this is one of the reasons that RCCL recommends that people use a good travel agent......rather than book directly with them.

 

Rick

[annierie]

Paul...........I think that this would be very hard to do. The reason being, depending on what part of the country that you live in.......the countries consulate would prefer that you dealt with that particular consulate. 'For instance, we live in Arizona, and looking at the Brazilian consulate in our area........we needed to send our documents to the consulate in Los Angeles, California. Now, we actually don't deal with the consulate directly........it was thru an agency.

 

I believe that it is the agency that you are talking about to do all of the visas. I can't imagine one agency that could do visas from all over the country. It has to do with proximity to the consulate........in my mind.

 

I believe that the Brazilian consulate in Florida felt obligated to take care of all of the stranded passengers visas.......no matter what part of the country they were from........because they were all in Miami, in person.

 

Some parts of travel involve a traveler to understand certain rules and regulations forced upon them by other countries.

 

This is where a good travel agent would really shine!! They are the ones responsible for getting the proper information to their client. Actually, this is one of the reasons that RCCL recommends that people use a good travel agent......rather than book directly with them.

 

Rick

 

It is totally the passengers responsibility to ascertain their requirements based on their circumstances and needs.

 

But, there are companies that will do everything for you, like this one --

http://www.zvs.com/

 

Regent uses them for their passengers and we have used their services for our Med cruise a few years ago. We needed a Turkish visa for a land tour prior to our cruise.

 

If owl61 wants RCCL to raise the cost of their cruises to provide these services to their customers, by all means, he should write to them and ask them to become a member of this service and be willing to pay for this privilege in the basic cruise fares.

 

Regent, as well as every other tour company and cruise line states in their brochures that it is THE PASSENGER'S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain any necessary visas, have valid passports, and obtain required immunizations.

 

I have no sympathy for individual stupidity. By allowing people to abdicate all personal responsibilities and become victims because they can't bother to read directions just makes the cost of everything we buy higher.

 

People are left behind on tours, flights and cruises for these reasons all the time. They can't enter Canada because of prior convictions, can't enter certain Med countries due to Israeli stamp in passport, can't leave the USA with a non-certified birth certificate, etc., etc. The Mariner example was a large enough population to attract interest but it is no different than other smaller cases where irresponsibility caused someone to become stranded or not board a ship or plane.

[eddiethekub]

. JMHO, and please feel free to let me know what you really think of me.

jc

 

JC-I agree with you 100%. People need to take responsibility for their actions (or inactions). We are no longer in Kindergarten. We have to take care of ourselves.

I saw the same situation when we sailed the QM2 around the Horn in 2007. Second stop was Rio. Pre-Cruise documents said passengers should check for visa requirements...they are not the same for everyone...different requirements for citizens of each country.

 

There was no problem for 95% of the Americans sailing...they had their documents in order. Clearly the other 5% were oblivious to the requirement, or (as I heard some state) thought it didn't apply to them.

 

No matter how you try, some folks just never get the message...and it is alwalys someone else's fault.

[xpcdoojk]

eddiethekub, your popularity is now almost as low as mine!:D

 

jc:eek: