ysolde

Current visa requirements: A valid passport: You must have a passport with at least six months of validity. It should be in good condition, have at least two blank pages, and should not have been reported stolen or lost. A visa application form receipt: After filling out your Brazil visa application form, you will get a receipt, which you must present to the consulate or embassy to get your visa. Print this, attach your passport photo, and keep it safe. A passport picture: The attached passport picture must be two inches by two inches. It must also be recent (within the last six months), against a plain white background, clearly show your face and neck, be free of glares and shadows, and be centered. You cannot wear headgear that covers your face, thick-rimmed or tinted glasses, or have anyone else in the picture. Additionally, you must have a neutral facial expression. A return or round trip ticket: Failure to present this can have your visa application denied. Evidence of sufficient funds to cover your stay: Brazilian immigration authorities must ensure you can support yourself during your stay. Thus, you must attach financial statements. Proof of accommodation: You must show where you will stay, whether in a hotel or with friends. Proof of employment status: If you are self-employed, you should attach an affidavit on the same, plus your tax assessment. Employees should attach letters from their employers stating their positions and salaries. Students should prove their status through enrolment letters from their universities. Proof of Brazil visa fee payment.

That sounds like a reasonable idea. I have been trying to get through to the consulate in LA for over an hour (the phone number for the consulate in Phoenix/Scottsdale does not go through, for some reason) and no one answers. I think a visa service may be the way to go. This whole thing is ridiculous. Gah! Why couldn't we book a Europe cruise like everyone else?

They require you to upload a copy of your bank account statement, which contains your bank account number (among other personal data). We don't have children.

The website indicates they want you to upload all these documents. We need to hire someone to do that for us, as neither one of us is technically savvy enough to do all that on our own. At some point, we are going to have to decide when the stress and expense of all of this is enough and just cancel the damn cruise. FTR, I am in a wheelchair and wonderful though Brazil may be, none of the excursions there are available to me, so I will be spending the Brazil portion of the trip on board the ship.

My main concern right now is that the automated system for the visa requires proof of a round-trip ticket to Brazil. We are going on a Transatlantic cruise and therefore will not have a round-trip ticket. I don't think the automated system is prepared to process a one-way ticket to Brazil and an exit from Brazil via a cruise ship. Thus, I don't think the system will issue us a visa. I am going to call the consulate tomorrow, but I don't know that the system, at this early date, is equipped to handle this type of issues on-line. We may need to go to the nearest Brazilian consulate to resolve it in person. There seems to be a Brazilian consulate here in Scottsdale. We'll see if they are equipped to handle this issue. Otherwise, we may have to make an appointment to go to Los Angeles to resolve it.

I don't disagree with you. However, the website outlining the actual visa requirements went live only in the last few days. Until then, no one had any way of knowing just how intrusive and onerous this process would really be. Add to that the fact that we booked this cruise a couple of YEARS ago, and final payment was due in what, October? Had we known that Brazil was going to want to know the ins and outs of our finances, including our bank account numbers, there was no way we would have booked this cruise. As it is, the only way to salvage it is to open a new bank account and hire a tech advisor to help us upload all of this information for us. If it is ever even going to work, given that we are on a Transatlantic cruise, and we don't have round-trip airline tickets, as the computerized system requires. Everyone on our Transatlantic cruise (and every Transatlantic cruise) may very well be in a bind. Something Regent needs to figure out, because an automated system is not built to comprehend the situation.

We are booked on the same cruise. We have not been notified by Regent that the visa was required, either, but apparently, it is. And it is a doozy. I would love to know what is going to happen, because I honestly don't know whether travelers of Regent's demographic are going to be readily able to upload all of this information on the internet. Like I said, DH and I looked at the website and realized n order to do this we need to hire a trusted tech consultant. It's ridiculous.

Well, here's where it gets interesting. One of the required documents is a copy of the round trip flight itinerary. We are booked via Regent Air, and therefore, while we know the flights that we have (one way to Rio on AA), and I think I may be able to upload those (maybe, heck, I am over 50, and my technical skills are so-so), I cannot see the flights back from Europe to the US. I have tried on the LH website, and they say I have to try through my TA. I am going to have to call the Brazilian consulate on Monday to figure this out. They really, really are not making this. easy. I thought this would be like getting the Argentina e-visa ten years ago: go on the website, input your name, passport information, and e-mail address, pay for the visa with a credit card, and print out your visa, which was good for ten years. This? This is insane. My husband really, really wants to go to Brazil. I was never that into it. If Brazil is making travel to their country this difficult and intrusive, I really don't want to go. Like I said, I will call the consulate tomorrow, but if this procedure is going to require calling up our banker so that we can set up a new bank account with $2,000 in it (for safety's sake), then calling up a tech consultant to upload all of this information into the Brazilian website, my next call will be to Regent to ask if we can. get a FCC rather than take this cruise. When we reserved this cruise, this e-visa was not in place. This is not something we had any way of foreseeing. Is this really worth the hassle, stress, etc.?

Someone please explain to me: I understand you need to provide a bank statement. Do you also need to provide a credit card statement? What else do you need to provide? I know you need to provide a passport type photo (not sure how to upload that). I guess you also need to provide proof of vaccination? How do you provide this? Photograph your vaccination card? It's all a bit much.

I don't know. There is something awfully discomfiting about all of this. Can someone from Regent speak to the Brazil e-visa requirements, please? We are past final payment for our March 2024 cruise, but I feel very uncomfortable with all of this. Very uncomfortable.

I usually bring my Longchamp bag along when we go grocery shopping in Europe (we will do so because we want a few things in our hotel room or because we are having a picnic lunch somewhere). The Regent tote sounds kind of perfect for this purpose.

Do you really have to provide bank statements? Seems awfully intrusive. Wow . . .

In our experience, the Condado Vanderbilt is lovely. Can't speak to the Marriott, since we have not stayed there recently (our most recent stay was at the Residence Inn in Isla Verde, which seems to be quite new).

Check out the air deviation thread. Do some research on flights that are going to work for you (pick three going out and three coming back). You may have to pay a little bit, but you will like the flights that you get. Business class or not, there is nothing worse than running around airports trying to catch flights with extremely tight connections. Invest in trip insurance. Stuff happens. The laundry service onboard is, indeed, fantastic. You do not need to see every port. There may be days when you decide to stay onboard the ship and explore, sit in the library and read (one of the joys of Regent is that they have full libraries with books in many languages -- not only are books provided by Regent, they encourage passengers to donate the personal books they have finished reading to the library), perhaps have your hair done or enjoy other spa amenities, and enjoy the games and activities the crew sets up for those homebodies who take the day off with them. It will be a day well spent.

I had a good experience with Voyager's hair salon services. As someone with a mobility impairment, one of the things that I like about Regent is that its cabin layouts are usually large enough that I can request a suite that is not specifically wheelchair accessible, as long as the bathroom has a step-in shower. That having been said, when I stand in the shower, I can wash myself, but I cannot wash my hair (that requires two hands, and I need one hand to hold the grab bar). Thus, on longer cruises, I rely on the ship's hair salon to wash and blow out my hair. On Voyager, I got a Kerastase straightening treatment as well as a blow-out five days after that. My hair looked terrific throughout the cruise. And my hairdresser always made me feel welcome and comfortable as well as beautiful.

For those who were on the cruise when the conflict started, where are you now? Did you get out of Israel? Where did Voyager go, and when?

We have noticed that of late, it is more difficult to find otc medications on board cruise ships. While we always brought the basics with us (acetaminophen, seasick medicine (just in case), anti-diarrheal, cough drops), we now bring cough suppressant, Benadryl, Sudafed, and a pack of DayQuil/ NyQuil. Basically, anything for a cold or allergies. We don't overthink the wardrobe. Khakis and polo shirts (jacket over it when the weather requires it) for my husband; long sleeved, casual collared shirts in the evening. His day shoes can either be sandals (Tevas) in warm weather ports or comfortable closed toe shoes. In the evening, appropriate slip-ons. My wardrobe is similar. By day, I will wear slacks and a sweater combo (with a jacket over it when the weather warrants it). I will sometimes brighten that up with a silk scarf. Day shoes are keds type, very comfortable.In the evenings, I will wear knit dresses and knit skirts with matching sweaters. I will usually pair that up with a small heel, but I have recently discovered Rothy's so I may bring those on my next cruise. I will bring some some jewelry (nothing expensive) to play with in the evenings. I always have a pashmina or a thin cashmere sweater with me in the evenings. I find cruise ships tend to make their venues cooler than I enjoy in the evenings, and I like to keep a bit of warmth with me to keep comfortable. I find that if I bring clothes and jewelry that I love and. that work well together, I enjoy dressing up a bit for dinner on a cruise. Especially on longer cruises, clothes get dirty. There are laundry and dry cleaning services on cruise ships. Depending on the cruise line, they may cost money and they may not be inexpensive. Consider it part of the cost of the trip, and don't stress about it. Cruise ships allow passengers to plug in their US and European appliances. I bring our (I don't know what it's called) adapters? from our European travels so that we can plug in things into as many plugs as possible in our cabin. Since they're never unpacked from the little electronics bag where I pack the computer, it's not a big deal, really. I love my hairbrush. It keep my hair shiny and and it truly is wonderful. But it is large and takes up a lot of room in a suitcase. Years ago, I bought a travel-sized version of my hairbrush. I keep it in my underseat suitcase (the one for my laptop) so I always know where it is. Those are my top tips.

This. DH and I will be on Viva next year, too, on a late, late season repositioning cruise, so perhaps the small-venue overcrowding will be less of an issue. That having been said, I would be curious to hear how others have worked around these problems, and how NCL is working around these problems (if NCL perceives them as problems in the first place, of course). I also wonder whether these perceptions are universal amongst those who have traveled on Prima/Viva, or whether others on CC have a different perspective.

Oh, my . . . NCL Sunward or Skyward (can't remember which one). A Caribbean cruise in 1990, when I had just graduated college, and therefore my college sweetheart (and first true love) and I had gone our separate ways. I was heartbroken and at loose ends that summer, and my parents took me on a cruise toward the end of summer (I had been working several summer jobs), officially to celebrate my college graduation, but mostly, I think, to try to get me out of my emotional doldrums. It worked. Cruise ships back then were nothing like they are now. No race tracks. No escape rooms. No virtual reality game rooms. No specialty dining. There was early and late seating at each meal, and you had to dress for dinner (including one formal night on a one-week cruise). There were midnight buffets with ice sculptures, and during the day there were lectures and lively dance classes put on by local musicians. The islands were much less commercialized then, and the night before we disembarked in San Juan, the Cruise Director made a light hearted (but completely serious) remark about how any illegal substances people had purchased along the way they should smoke or otherwise dispose of discreetly that night, as the sniffer dogs in the port of San Juan were pros. I had spent the week lying quietly on a lounge chair, Diet Coke by my side, reading magazines or a Stephen King novel, as the days slipped on by. I enjoyed the food, spending time with my parents, even a harmless flirtation on board (that let me know that yes, I was ready to move on and meet new people -- dammit, my parents were right). Our cabin had a porthole and bunkbeds -- I think this was considered "outside view" or something like that back then. The bathroom was just functional. But like I said, it was a glorious time. My introduction to NCL. And a cruise that helped end a bittersweet time in my life on a completely sweet and happy note.

We enjoyed our first (and thus far only) Block Party. Discovered our next door neighbors were an absolutely delightful couple we had met at lunch on embarkation day. Also met members of the entertainment staff: a dancer and a musician. Both were lovely. The musician, who was from Argentina, was surprised to learn I speak Spanish. It was such a lovely, organic way to meet and get to know people. I hope others felt the same way.

Business class airfare to Europe for two people, then back in economy from SJU in December (we will probably be doing this trip on points, so will probably be flying back in "Caribbean Business Class" and First Class too). Anyhow, add in the cost of Business class airfare to the cost of Viva's non-Haven suite class on this fare, add in the specialty dining, the soda package, the specialty coffee and tea package, the wifi, etc. and Regent looks quite reasonably priced. I should know. DH and I were on a Voyager TA in April, will be on a Splendor Caribbean in February, will be on a Voyager Brazilian journey that then crosses the Atlantic in March, and will be spending the holidays 2025 on a Christmas/New Year's cruise in the Caribbean on Mariner (our longest cruise to date -- 22 days!). It's a different way to go about it but the way we cruise we find real value for money on Regent. It's also just a bit more relaxing overall. Obviously opinions vary on this quite a bit. It's just where we have landed of late, and why. ETA: And btw I think a lot of it for us has been the realization that international business class airfare has increased in price, especially if we want to fly on certain airlines. I think this is where taking a cruise that includes business air becomes a value proposition (though you may need to consider deviation to make scheduling flights a bit easier). I think for travelers who are younger or are not quite as far away from where they may be traveling to as we are (we are often traveling fourteen hours or longer to reach our cruise), then the business class airfare may not be as determinative a factor as it is for us.

Yes. They were no longer able to accommodate the wheelchair. It was shocking, given all the assurances they had given us. At that point, what can you say? We have had much better experiences with excursions booked directly with the cruise lines that specifically say they will accommodate wheelchair users who can step onto the bus, etc. We have done this on Regent and Royal and it has gone from OK to quite well. This is what we will stick to in the future. No private tours (and certainly no taxis) for us.

We are sailing TA on Viva and went with a non-Haven suite (not a club balcony suite -- a full suite, just not in the Haven), since the reviews of the Haven on Viva have been less than enthusiastic. We do have access to the concierge and butler. The concierge should be nice. The butler, less so. I am well aware we don't have to accept the drinks package or the dining package. Given that the beverage options without a soda package are less than what I got in my college dorm (which was a pretty basic set-up), I think this says it all about the current cruise experience. DH and I enjoy a bit of variety in our food. Depriving ourselves on a 16-day TA, knowing the better food options are in the specialty dining venues seems like biting our own noses. We always end up purchasing the extra wi-fi minutes. It has turned out to be difficult for us, post-Covid, to hire outside excursions. I have a mobility impairment and use a small, collapsible wheelchair to get around. I can get into taxis, cars, buses, etc. Never had an issue prior to Covid. On our first cruise after Covid, when there were few excursions on NCL, we made arrangements with private excursions more than a year and a half in advance. Corresponded with the excursion owners personally, back and forth, several times. Paid our money. Were assured the wheelchair was not an issue. Were even told. they had a close family member who used a wheelchair and they completely understood. Of course, this was almost two years out, when Europe was desperate for tourist money. The day before the first of our excursions, I received an e-mail. DH was welcome; I was not. My money was being refunded. DH was livid. He said he was not leaving me alone in our cabin for six to eight hours while he went on an excursion of the south of France the next day and tried to determine whether there was any way I would be welcome in Barcelona. Anyway, forget Barcelona. They were lying to us. We had visited several times, and few cities, even in the US, were as accessible. I e-mailed them and told them DH would not be joining the private excursion. We did not even try finding taxis in those ports. Sometimes, you just feel entirely defeated.

We're getting way off-topic here, but I will say that the prices NCL is charging for suites (not Haven) are really pushing it, when you consider the fact that it is a mass market line (hence, we will be paying our own airfare, we have to purchase our own excursions, we have to purchase internet packages, we have to purchase specialty dining packages, we have to purchase soda packages, coffee and tea packages, etc.). When you start to add up all the additional costs, Regent looks quite reasonably priced. The only thing included in NCL suites class is breakfast and lunch in specialty dining restaurants (is it every day? Not sure), which sounds great, except it had never occurred to us to go to breakfast/lunch at a specialty dining venue on NCL. This seems to be new to Prima/Viva class ships (or perhaps we had not heard of it). It would be a much better value for us if they included the soda package or gave us a few nights' worth of specialty dining. I suspect that they are providing this specialty dining at breakfast and lunch because, apparently, the buffet is notoriously small on this class of ship and they are looking at ways to ease overcrowding.

Meh. He's older and he is picky. I'm not going to fault him for having his idiosyncrasies.