sparks1093

True, but I know that I would still be doing my own research.

Our experiences have been varied because of the port. Sometimes there is a separate line, sometimes there isn't. Sometimes they are using facial recognition, sometimes not. There was one debarkation (Legend/Baltimore) where the CBP Officers stood outside of their cubicles and watched everyone walk past with no checking of documents. We've traveled with people with different documents than us who have had to go in a different line and we all exited on the other side within minutes of each other.

All of the passengers are vetted during the cruise, so there is no need for any checks to be done at debark. We've never had a CBP Officer give our documents more than a passing glance (as opposed to returning across the border and having everything gone over with a fine toothed comb).

The cruise ship website is often the first (and only stop) for many US citizens, but since the majority of US citizens sail solely from the US and predominantly on closed loop cruises this limited research serves them adequately (especially since most of them only cruise once every year or two). I do make sure when we are traveling to research the type of travel we are doing and where we are going (including what countries we may be passing through). As has been stated, though, many government websites overlook cruise passengers and don't include information for them on their website for visitors, which is when sites like Cruise Critic come in handy. Our first cruise was a cruise to nowhere and I searched for information on what documentation was required. The information was not on any government site, nor was it on the cruise line's site. I finally got the answer (just a valid photo ID) from a cruise forum that I used to belong to (I had found CC and signed up, but was intimidated by how "busy" the site is. Now I am used to it.)

Thank you (and everyone else) for the well wishes. This week will drag by. I will check into this for you. 🙂

Human nature suggests that would not be the case. Unfortunately.

As I recall (I don't have time to go back and look) virtually all of the initial responses included something to the effect of "check with the cruise line". And no, it's not legal advice because it's not coming from a lawyer nor does it involve a court of law. And yet once more, with feeling, the contract is NOT the place to refer anyone to because it doesn't discuss the topic at all.

I'm sure that every cruise line wants all of the passengers boarded as long as they meet the minimum requirements. And while they may make an exception to the rule for one passenger it doesn't necessarily follow that they will for the next. Personally I wouldn't want to chance it, even if there was firm evidence that it's allowed in every instance.

Yes, her information is very helpful.

Only 5 days to go so if anyone has any questions for me to research while onboard now is the time to ask them! 😀

Yes, they absolutely do but that doesn't mean that the savings are easy to pass on to each consumer. I'm sure that a ten cent reduction (made up number for discussion purposes only) might induce a passenger to order the item in the case of the bread bowl but I have my doubts about that.

Yes, and no. The website does contain a lot of marketing, but no cruise line is going to put on their website something that will keep a passenger from boarding. They want you onboard and will do everything they can to make that happen (and even with Royal's language regarding 6 months validity they might waive that on a case by case basis anyway since it is only their requirement and not the legal requirement. I personally wouldn't want to count on that, but it's still a consideration.). First source of info- government websites related to the issue; second source of info- the carrier's requirements as outlined in their documentation (usually the website FAQ); third source of info- the experiences of others.

Nope, because that isn't where the answer is. Read what they say on their website, that's where the specifics are.

It costs them less but it's not really a cost savings that can be easily passed on to the consumer (think pennies per serving, not dollars). They are eliminating one thing (material to make the bread, the staff hours necessary to make the bread) and replacing it with something else (the staff hours needed to wash the extra dishes, the cost to replace any broken dishes). I'm sure that their bean counters have this all enumerated on the appropriate spreadsheet.