GeezerCouple

Interesting. We always feel that there are three stages to each *trip*! - Planning it (and all of the thoughts, choices, expectations...); - The trip itself!! - Memories of the trip! That's partly why I prefer trips planned far in advance. Anything done within a short time frame, I feel like I missed out on the enjoyment of the planning. GC

If there is some type of supply/supplies that you expect to need during a cruise, ==>> Bring it with you. Regardless of any "policies" (which could change in any direction on very short notice anyway), even if they "do sell X", they could be "out of X". And on a cruise, one isn't able just to head to the store one block or 1 mile away, or even "phone around to see who does have X". IF a ship does stock X, what brands? And chances are excellent that there will be a very serious mark-up on it. After all, they have no competition, plus space is limited and valuable on a ship. And if you wait until you get on shore again, who knows what brands will be available, or at what prices? Your chances are better at any large-ish port, of course, but that means you wouldn't have had it until you reach that port. On some cruises, that's the next day. On others, several days later. We bring a supply of ALL Rx meds we need/might need, and also an assortment of small quantities of various OTC meds, potions, and lotions. GC

The cruise may indeed have been sold out. However, there can be late cancellations, something we know about first hand, alas. Twice (once with Oceania) we had to cancel within 2 weeks of sailing date, due to medical emergencies, first for DH, then a few years later, for MIL. Fortunately (and many thanks to several CC members shortly after we joined CC!), we had excellent travel insurance, which took the sting away. Unfortunately, we've had other claims, too, but those were the two largest claims. The Oceania cancellation was for a Med cruise that had an absolutely amazing collection of ports for our desires. I've kept watch, and never saw anything close to that again. And then once, we happened to notice a top suite for an Alaska cruise suddenly become available within the "full penalty" period (on another line), and for a very good price. So we pounced on that fast, and had a wonderful trip. 🙂 In all of those cases, there was suddenly space available that hadn't been there previously. And they didn't last long. GC

If you don't take any narcotics or other controlled substances (it's not only "narcotics" that are "controlled"), then you aren't affected this. But why would you consider yourself "out of the loop" or need to claim you are "truly not trying to argue"? GC

For any important meds, especially prescription, we always take an extra supply, in case of delays. It used to be something like 2-3 days' worth. However, after watching what happened to that cruise ship that was stuck in limbo in Japan at the start of the plague (I mean Covid! 😉 ), we would now take at least an extra week's worth. And more for anything that might/would be difficult to replace, such as controlled substances or unusual prescriptions. Once there is a packet with the regular supply, taking more isn't going to take up much room. But NOTE: There are some countries that may have restrictions that aren't obvious, and don't include the expected list. Japan will not allow ANY Sudafed (a common cold/decongestant in the USA) in the formulation that is now "by request behind the counter" (but not Rx). They don't fret about the formulation that is "on the shelf" (yup, that's the one that was just announced as being "ineffective"...). We are always VERY careful when crossing certain borders; others don't seem to present similar problems or risks. We keep all meds at the top of our carry-ons, in case anyone asks about them. We also have copies of the Rx scripts and a letter from the physician for anything that might be concerning. We don't update those for every trip, just every few years if it's the "same old, same old" med and dosage, etc. And we keep backup copies of just about everything about a trip on our laptops and also "in the cloud", so we could access it if needed. We've never had a problem, and hope to keep it that way! GC

You *can* ask your butler to bring you a Pina Colada, etc. But you will need to pay for the drink itself (not any extra for the butler delivery service). As for "inappropriate requests", the butlers are professionals. Assuming you don't ask for anything, er, "questionable", they'll let you know if there is any difficulty or problem with helping you with your request, and what a solution might be. But they'll do their best to be helpful and to fulfill your requests. (They do work for tips, of course, even if they also get satisfaction from a job well done and knowing they've helped their passengers enjoy their trips even more.) GC

Just realized we've never tried the Waves breakfast, but ohhhh... that surf & turf sandwich...! Yum!! GC

Any business can make exceptions when they feel it is appropriate. That is quite different from what the traveler can - or should - expect or is entitled to. In the case you describe, it doesn't seem to be surprising that they would consider offering a 50% refund as a credit... they would keep 50% and know they have the accommodations re-sold. That's a win/win/win! 🙂 GC

This would depend upon the specific travel insurance vendor and also on how complete the first claim is. We've had quite a few claims (unfortunately), including some large ones. And we've almost always had the claims paid within about 2 weeks. Once it was a bit longer; it happened to be during a rough hurricane season. Although our claim had nothing to do with any weather, the travel insurers were pretty overwhelmed. [So I contacted our travel insurance broker, Steve (owner of TripInsuranceStore), and he must have contacted our insurer because in a short time, the check arrived in the mail.] So the above description is *not* always "how insurance companies operate". Also, it's been clear from some complaints here on CC and elsewhere that some of the denials are because the reason for the claim was an event/circumstance that was *not* covered from the very start. For example, if someone has an excluded pre-existing condition and didn't get a policy that waives that exclusion, then... there will be a denial, full stop. But it's not the "fault" of the travel insurer. And likewise if there aren't appropriate receipts; the claim forms state that receipts must be included. (A travel insurer - and any business - has the right to make sure there isn't any fraud, etc.) I'm sure there are some travel insurers that are, er, more squirrelly about paying claims. So double check on the history and recommendations of the insurers before buying the policy. And then make sure you understand the terms and conditions. GC

There may or may not have been a verifiable "loss", but I'm pretty sure that most (all?) cruise reservations [and travel insurance policies] are written such that this is *not* a factor. Also, just because that one specific cabin/suite was "re-sold", that doesn't mean that the person who reserved it might not have reserved a different one, and perhaps a higher priced one. In other words, unless all of the accommodations are sold, one can't know if there are any "empties" that might be due to the cancellation. -->> Further, it might be that some were purchased at a discount due to being nearer the sailing date... in which case there *might* have been a partial loss.... It's very complicated, and because it's unlikely to be relevant due to the terms of the passenger contract, it's not worth trying to track. When we (twice) cancelled a cruise very shortly before the sailing date, we joked that someone probably got a nice discount (it can be difficult to fill a suite or cabin, say, one week before sailing date). IF they did sell it at a discount, it would "show" (IF one could see it at that late date) as "sold", but there'd still be a loss. OTOH, one one occasion, we probably got a really good deal on a top suite that had previously been sold out, but a few weeks before sailing, it suddenly showed up again, at a wonderful price. We pounced! 🙂 I'm sure the cruise line would not have considered there was "no loss". GC

With something as important as travel insurance (or any insurance), I'd be very reluctant to rely upon any universal statements about "effective date" (and especially from "random internet strangers", etc.!). Each insurer or even each policy could have specific critical information and definitions. I'd strongly suggest that you either read the policy terms and conditions (ALWAYS a good idea!) or call the insurer or your agent/broker. IF they tell you (and they should be able to!), then ask them to point you to the specific wording in *your* policy so you can highlight it in case you need it in the future. Note also that insurance is regulated by the states, so you want to be sure that you understand the terms for your state, and not from someone else in a different state, etc. And some third party travel insurance, if started within 10-20 days of the very first payment, do not have any restrictions about pre-existing medical conditions. However, one must be "fit to travel" on the day one starts the policy. GC

Sorry you had to cancel. We've had to do that a couple of times for medical emergencies, on very short notice. Once for DH, and once for very elderly MIL. Several other claims were for assorted expenses along the way, including almost a week in a luxury hotel when we should have been visiting dear friends, alas), plus some smaller claims. We had third party travel insurance, and each time, we received a check within about 2-3 weeks. As mentioned above, for any claim involving medical issues, make *sure* you have a physician's statement about the medical problem as well as any travel restrictions, etc. And receipts for all claimed expenses, whether they are for pre-paid non-refundable costs, or extra costs incurred due to <event>. You might also want to browse (or post questions) on the CC travel insurance sub-forum: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/499-cruisetravel-insurance/ Hope your husband is feeling better soon! GC

"Stared at"?? How about perhaps some glances enjoying seeing others dressed up a bit, having an elegant evening! Dinner will be a wonderful opportunity to "dress" and to have a lovely evening and and a very nice meal. Enjoy! GC

The Oceania Butlers can be incredibly helpful, and all the more so if you make sure you "help them to help you". That is, they can't read your mind, so ask for whatever help you need or ask for whatever <X> you want. That could include certain balcony furniture. 🙂 And if you want any extra meals in the specialty restaurants, ask your butler to see if they can find some extra times. And if not, you can order from any specialty restaurant to be served in your suite. For us, that is one of the best perks of a PH. (I don't think that Vista has the same restaurants that we especially enjoy on the Riviera, but there are some others, of course.) And we loved waking up to the wonderful smell of coffee and bacon, and the gentle clinking of some china. [It is especially for these mornings that we let our butler know that any "privacy" notice is for everyone *but* them. IF we happen really to want privacy, we'll just bolt the door, and we certainly don't do that for the times we have requested our wonderful breakfasts to be delivered.] Also, we've requested loungers on a regular PH balcony. At first, our butler said it wouldn't fit. However, what had given us the idea is that one of the Oceania R ships (I forget which one, but one of Oceania's smaller ships) was docked immediately across from us. Those PH suites have smaller balconies... and there were two loungers on one of the balconies! So we pointed over there, and later that day, we had ours. It turned out it worked better with just one lounger, and on several evenings, I would sit out there ready, and with the balmy weather, the gentle rocking of the ship... I'd wake up a some point later and go back inside to join DH. What luxury! Enjoy! GC

What is the value of replacing the scooter, in a worst case scenario? And do you have a charge card that would offer any protection for something like this? (I have ZERO idea about this type of rental, so IF a rep says 'yes', ask they to point you to the specific sentences in the charge card terms/conditions that include this.) Also, how likely is it to be stolen? What type of area/neighborhoods, and how often would you be leaving it? Finally, what about *liability*... if you hit something or, worse, someone? Would your auto or homeowner's insurance cover that? GC

Are you asking about a time when there is a storm in the area, or perhaps even a late hurricane-like storm? Or are you asking about when the relevant weather is calm? Nope, I'm not trying to be annoying. But it's impossible to tell in advance, given that it would depend upon the weather, including some activity that could be some distance away. You could get sea that is almost glasslike, or you could get quite a bit of tossing about. The cruise ships tend to have good stabilizers, but those can't eliminate all of the motion of the ocean when the seas are rough. And given the distance (how far south into the Caribbean?), there could be several different "experiences". I'd love to take a cruise like that, but we don't get seasick (even when we had very rough seas in other areas of the world), heading into those nice warm waters...! 🙂 GC

Babr always has excellent information and suggestions. In addition to what they've just written, keep in mind that it is usually possible to purchase a travel insurance policy that "waives the pre-existing condition exclusion". That is, pre-existing condtions are not really considered at all if there is a claim, ASSUMING that one is "fit to travel the day the insurance is started". "Lookback periods" do not apply for these policies. And *these* are the policies where one usually must start the coverage within, say, 10-21 days of making the *first* payment for the trip. It's good that you are aware of "pre-existing conditions", but the definition for travel insurance typically is different from everyday usage. Those are mostly an issue with travel insurance if one doesn't start the coverage right at the beginning. Note: There used to be - and may still be! - at least one insurer/policy where one could get that waiver until just when one makes the final payment (defined narrowly). We are among those who have used (and recommend) www.TripInsuranceStore.com . But please CALL them to discuss "all of the above" so they can help you get a policy that best fits your needs. Enjoy your travels! GC

Nice! Perhaps you could post this on a more general CC subforum (Ask a Cruise Question? or?). NCL isn't the only cruiseline where this has been a problem. Many thanks! ETA: I should add that we have no quarrel when weather or other last minute or short notice issues interfere. However, there are times when the local excursion providers knew far in advance that the itinerary had changed, but the passengers weren't notified until after final payment (aka full penalty). *That* is not okay! GC

While we came close to calling MJA, we never did (and hope to keep it that way). But among the experiences we've heard about is the situation where someone needed continuing hospitalization, and the spouse/partner needed ("wanted", but that equals "needed" for many of us) to stay nearby, and also *not* having anyone at home for that extended time... And then there are situations where someone has difficult to control (or just unusual) medical conditions such that one's "home hospital and medical team" would be a more prudent place to be, even if a foreign hospital is "up to par". (And some of us live near, and use, very top tier medical school hospitals/physicians with specialists where some of that has definitely mattered...) And the problem isn't whether $75k would suffice for medevac (or one might pay any excess). Chances are that in an "up to par" hospital, no regular insurer is going to authorize that long distance medevac in the first place. So the insurance would be paying nothing. It would all be out of pocket, unless one has MJA (or something similar). GC

I totally forgot to mention this advantage of having at least one checked bag. In our case, DH developed some very serious allergies, so we need to take "his" toiletries, from soap to shampoo, etc. We can "carry on" the soap, but once at Security, my carry-on suitcase was searched and searched until they found "the culprit": a bar of his special soap. That now goes on the top, although it never again triggered a detailed search for possible contraband. And as long as we are bringing a small (but more than 3 oz) container of his shampoo, might as well bring my favorite products, too. And then, once one is checking a bag, why not add a few more things, right? 😡 And then... it isn't a small bag anymore. We prefer doing this anyway. GC

Others have already mentioned a cruise along the Norwegian fjords. Here is a more specific suggestion: Take a *traditional* Hurtigruten one-way or round-trip cruise from Burgen to the end at Kirkenes. (There are now newer itineraries that *don't* match this in the particular way that would be perfect in this situation, so double check it's the "Coastal Round Trip".) These are actually technically ferries (wait, they are NOT like the Staten Island Ferry! 😉 ) that also deliver mail and some large products along the coast. They stop in several ports every day, and the itinerary on the NorthBound trip and on the Southbound trip have different ports in the day and night. (During peak winter or summer, there won't be much difference, but especially in mid-fall or mid-spring, you'll get to see each port in the daytime and also in the nighttime, during a round-trip.) The scenery is SPECTACULAR. https://www.hurtigruten.com/destinations/norway/the-roundtrip-voyage-bergen-kirkenes-bergen/ And most stops are only about 15-30 minutes, not intended for serious excursions. But for passengers who DO want excursions, there are a few long stops, plus some excursions that start at one port and rejoin the ship at a later port. DH was really unsure of this idea when he heard the word "ferry" (as are many people) but "it's not like that", truly. There are regular cabins, and a few suites, and at least one very new ship that isn't even a ferry at all. (I'm not sure if that ship still does the Coastal RT.) The food was excellent. It was one of our best trips ever. Did I mention the scenery is *spectacular*? I have some mobility difficulties, so I was happy just sitting and watching everything, non-stop. We took two of the longer excursions (where the ship stays in the port). On one, DH did part without me, and I stayed on the small bus while the others went into an underground area that had been a major bomb shelter during the war. That excursion also stopped at the... Russian border, which was slightly spooky even a about 5 years ago (for those of us growing up in earlier times), but now... I'm not sure they'd go right there. (That border was not an active crossing, so we didn't even see any guards, but I'm sure they were back there somewhere...) There are also opportunities for dogsled rides, etc. I could go on and on... and on. It was the most breathtaking visual cruise we've been on. (There was one major fjord in New Zealand that was much more dramatic, but that was one day of a two-week cruise.) Additionally, if one takes the train from Oslo to Bergen, one goes over one of the highest rail passes (no "height" fears; it's a slow gradient most of the way). There was one section that looked positively other-worldly, or maybe like the "end of the world". I don't know how else to describe it. (Do get a comfort car seat, and preferably on the south side of the train. We had north side, and that was actually just fine anyway. There were not 2 seats together on the south side by the time I got tickets, and that was *early*.) Sorry to carry on. This was special. As an added bonus, we took a special "astronomy" group (through Hurtigruten). With or without a special group, there is a chance to see the... NORTHERN LIGHTS as an added bonus. Warning: The Northern Lights *colors* are usually not as dramatic viewed by human eye as what is captured on cameras. But they were there! Did I mention the scenery is *spectacular*? (Sorry, couldn't resist mentioning it again.) This is a very EASY cruise for those who prefer not to spend much time on their feet. (Note: I'm not sure how suitable it is for full-time wheelchair, but that could be checked, especially with the newer ships.) Just sailing into (and then back out of) some of these tiny port towns, between little islands and other small land masses... 🙂 We want to take it again, but we can't decide whether for Arctic Day or Arctic Night. We did it in late Feb/early March, so we had some day and some night time, relatively balanced. But 24 hour arctic night or daylight would be really interesting. Nope, no one is paying me to write long like this....! Enjoy! GC

We always have it. The main concern, which is reasonable, is that one needs to be an INpatient in a hospital for MJA to kick in. That's not usually a problem if one is really sick, but in some really "out of the way" place, it could be. And there must be an accessible airport for fixed-wing aircraft. Once admitted (not ER or Observation), *you* can decide if you want to be moved to a "better" hospital, with *you* defining "better". With most (all?) regular travel or health insurance, they'll move you only if it is medically necessary, and that... is in the eyes of the beancounters... and perhaps the local medical team who may be reluctant to declare themselves unable to provide proper care... You can select any hospital (in the USA, I think), such as your home hospital where your medical team knows you, or some specialty hospital (but they you'd need to get yourself back home). They'll use a fully equipped medevac air ambulance or lesser if sufficient. That could also be business class with a medical person accompanying you. (Spouse/partner gets a coach seat.) MJA kicks in (for USA residents) once you are at least 150 miles from home. There is an annual policy, which we get; it then covers major vacations plus the assorted shorter visits to relative/friends or business trips. Or there are "per trip" policies. We came very close to calling them when I was in hospital overseas. Just as we were looking at each other, "Should we call MJA??", I started to recover. 🙂 As always, read *all* the terms and conditions. GC

Regarding the air tags, this is quite a story (happy ending!): https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/airtag-lost-luggage-flight/index.html Short version, luggage "lost" at O'Hare connection. Airline wouldn't search for it. Passenger could see it "move" slightly (to baggage storage?). Finally flew to O'Hare, went to baggage storage, retrieved luggage. Yup, air tags for us from now on! 😉 GC

Not sure if you are joking, but the inside area is almost 7k sq ft., with the remainder being the private outdoor space of approx 3k sq ft.. There are three very distinct, separate bedrooms, and 3.5 bathrooms. Formal dining area, separate LR area, grand piano (player, I think?), and the huge outdoor private area includes a large hot tub and more seating and outside dining area as well. We were on one of those ships once with our grands and met the couple (just 2 of 'em!) staying in one, and they gave us a tour. (Back then, the decor was... garish.) For a large family, amazing, and at that point, the per-person isn't so stratospheric. Some larger groups/families combine both (each ship has two of these, mostly mirror-images). And for some reason, they seem to have limited the headcount to 7 instead of 8. No idea if they are flexible with that, but one could get an inside for not much else. Guests are welcome (but not into the special private "Haven" facilities). GC

Thanks. We really should give this a try, for one large suitcase. We seem to always promise ourselves that we won't overpack "next time", but... it never works out that way. Not even close, alas. There is no way that we could do carry-on only, given we have some critical essentials plus "just in case but IF we need it, we *need* it" things that take up too much room in carry-ons. So once there will be a checked bag, why not bring a bit more along... ugh. We could "make do" without the larger cases, and wear cruise, resort, or hotel logo'd attire for a while, or buy a few things if really necessary. The only time we had a real problem with a couple of large bags was in Italy. We travel by train there sometimes, and one of our stops was at a very little town. To get from the platforms to the station required descending a very deep staircase. And the elevator up at the station end of that tunnel was... broken. Ugh. That wasn't pleasant. We got really spoiled during a trip to Japan. They have luggage transport systems such that if you have your bag ready by something like 5? pm, the service will pick it up, and by afternoon/evening next day, the luggage appears at your next hotel. It worked like a charm every time. The only time we didn't use it was when we spent two nights at a Buddhist Monastery. (But guess what... we saw one of the logo'd vans in that little town, too.) We sent our bags ahead to the next town. No problem; we didn't need a lot of attire changes at the peaceful monastery, to put it mildly. That luggage service was *wonderful*! GC