BVILady

2 minutes ago, BVILady said:

I had emailed them and they got back with a temporary password for me to change my password trying for days now - that is what I get  

 

It's not you. It's us.

Try again in a couple minutes.

 

 

never mind finally fixed

I had emailed them and they got back with a temporary password for me to change my password trying for days now - that is what I get  

It's not you. It's us.

Try again in a couple minutes.

Have 2 cruises booked with Celebrity but am unable to sign into my account. Anyone else experiencing this problem?

Is anyone aware what OF stands for, I know it is an Ocean view but need to make sure it is not with restricted view. Had placed a bid on that category and only see Ocean view as C category. Thanks in advance.

On 9/16/2024 at 3:38 PM, www3traveler said:

There should be themed dance party nights- but no special clothing is required.

 

Norwegian does not require semi or formal dress.  The only time you will see people dress up is at Christmas and New Year's.  Resort casual is how most people dress.  Long pants and close toed shoes are required for the French restaurant and maybe one of the main dining rooms.

 

Enjoy your cruise 

Closed toe shoes for ladies? Had not planned on bringing any and have reservations for the French Restaurant.

Thanks, did cancel with virtual agent, so far so good.

Norwegian Newbe here. On all my prior cruises when I booked an excursion or other service online I have been able to also cancel it online. I don't see that on my booking with Norwegian Spirit. Am I overlooking something and really have to call customer services? Thank you for your assistance.

I have not seen any bookable laundry bags (I am not Platinum), usually prebooked laundry bags are cheaper then sending clothing to the laundry. Any insight to that?

4 hours ago, Travel Lady in CT said:

"most excursions on the world cruise I will do with local companies".  What sites do you use to find excursions with local companies?  

I  have been on the World Cruise with at7Seas and joined him in quite a few of the excursions he booked. Towards the later part of the cruise other passengers would also join him, because local excursions were with less people then ship-excursions. The picking of local companies is again a matter of research. Lot's of places you might find tours locally offered by international companies like getyourguide, Viator, Tripadvisor or civitatis but other places local companies are not affiliated with chains. Just let Google do the walking 😉

16 hours ago, Janet&Carl said:

I have been reading the board and still undecided on which world cruise.  I am surprised that no one mentioned which ports the cruise goes to as a priority.  I have short listed cruises and in doing so have added up how many port days to sea days.  Some of the cheaper ( Princess, Cunard)  have really bad ratios.  Next criteria is how many are new ports.  Having flown half way round the world to most cruises (which has been one of the biggest expenses of each holiday) to book a holiday that just repeats what we have already done would be crazy. 

 

So food is not that important, most lines have something I can choose to eat and I can buy specialty restaurant access on cheaper lines that dont provide a good menu.  Entertainment is ok but not the be all and end all of my considerations.  Comfort and service with a smile is important I get that on most cruises.   We prefer serene, quiet environments to loud party scenes. We are easy going and dont complain about very much at all so most lines suit us.  We have tried 7 different lines and can find good and bad in all. 

 

So given the above considerations and the fact that this may be a one of experience the more ports the better and the more new ports going to places that are still on our list to see is the primary consideration.  

that is the reason why I will not be able to take any more World Cruises, which is a pity. I did love to unpack ad pack only once, but life is short and I want to see as much as possible of this beautiful planet.

On 3/6/2024 at 1:56 AM, rog747 said:

 

Dress code must haves?

Oh yes.

Since 2017 I am now travelling Solo, thus on a Formal evening, I need my personal Butler/Valet to help tie/fasten my black tie, and put my cuff links in LOL !

But when sailing in Steerage (Britannia, but of course, I jest) then my very helpful Room Steward always assists.

OOps, he will be in trouble there because I do not know how to tie a black tie, wondering who can help, maybe we have to purchase a clip-on.

55 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I must have missed the QG reference and you are quite right. Dinner can be served in the cabin. We have had a couple of cabin dinners [with friends] and the experience was quite delightful.

 

However, 2025 is still some way off and  BVILady's circumstances might improve this year. Time can be a healer so why not wait awhile  BVILady  before making a decision.

Thank you all for the positive comments. I think some commenters have not read that I had booked the cruise by itinerary not aware of strict dress-codes. I travelled 2023 and now will travel 2024 for 5 month, so far I have 3 month scheduled for 2025, so might not do as much research on cruise-lines as I probably should. My son has decided to come and I have booked his cruise yesterday and we are looking forward to the itinerary, even quite a few ports are already well known to us, but not Sardinia and Corsica. We will be in Rome a few days before this cruise and I am looking forward to getting him a nice suit, always loved Italian men's wear. 

22 hours ago, bazzaw said:

I live in  a similar style in Austrlalia - will soon be doing my 10th Cunard cruise , this time around Japan. Most of my Cunard cruises have sailed out of Southampton and we have enjoyed the formality of the line . BUT - this time, the cruise is only 10 days long, we have been on QE six times before and we are only sailing on her again for the itinerary. I am now completely over bringing a Tux with me  and I dont own a dark suit, so I will simply wear trousers and a shirt at night ( probably with a blazer jacket) and not participate in the so-called Gala nights in the MDR 

I am waiting for my son to decide, but I am not willing to pay the equivalent of 4 person fare for 2 persons and then being excluded from the Gala-night menu, just because the cruise-line is stack somewhere in the 1950's 😂

On 1/24/2024 at 10:28 PM, Cruise Junky said:

I’d love the time and money to string a bunch of cruises together with land trips in the middle..ie transpacific followed by a month in Aus then find a Sydney to Asia cruise, spend a few weeks, find a Dubai to Europe then time in Provence, Tuscany and then a transatlantic home.  

I am currently working on something similar for Europe in 2025. It get's a little boring going to the same ports over and over again. It will not be similar to a World Cruise but just Europe and again 2 month, like my kids and I did in 2022, considering they don't have more then 2 month time off. On the cruises I have so far picked I have been to a few of the ports already but the one's we have not been to make up for that. Will spend time in between in places I have not been to since 1971 like Malta. Have found some excursions there I am looking forward to take. To early to look for accommodations and flights but checking on what is offered for 2024 it looks like it will be a great trip. I am fortunate to speak German besides English so for 2026 I have booked a cruise going through the Caribbean Islands offering more ports then the one's which are usually included in all North American Cruise-lines. Funny thing is living in the Caribbean I will fly to Europe to take this cruise. I will get off in Rio but the cruise continues around South America but have been there several times already.

Thank you Victoria2. We will both be booked single-occupancy, so that will be quite a cash-outlay and definitely not something you want to get into and being made uncomfortable. 

I don't know, I had booked that cruise because I liked the itinerary. If a black suit is not going to be enough (which I will have to talk him into already), I will just have no choice then to cancel and cut my losses with the deposit already paid. Never thought we well-traveled island-people will end up not being suitable for any trip. 🤣😀🤣 This is just too much trouble for the money we are spending.

I do live on a Tropical Island and even fur funerals or weddings gentlemen do not wear suits. How does the Tuxedo-Rental work, anyone can advise me on that? Is there an option for us to eat at the Buffet on Gala Nights, I really don't want to have to buy a suit for these 2 weeks, he will never have use for again. We will be in Europe for about 6 weeks, the suit will take up luggage-space we don't have. Whenever he travels with me and his sister he needs available empty space in his suit-case to take back our purchases which don't fit in our suit-case 🙂 So he will need a smart black pants, dress-shirts and one or 2 ties and dress-shoes.

I am also on Costa Deliziosa and in contact with At7Seas. Here is a message from him:

“I can’t follow this report up, because I got blocked for my obscene and abusive language, for being intimidating and other things. I have not even an idea what I did wrong in particular, but obviously my style is unwanted. I am sorry and I thank you for following me on this short part of my voyage. At 7 Seas”

I followed the blog and am very sorry t see that.

I am also on the ship for this World Cruise. I have been on Costa before, including last years World Cruise and always like the food. I have to say the food on this cruise is excellent. I have never been a person taking pictures of my meals, but I am actually tempted now. I am at the early sitting at dinner and quite a few people find the wait for the 2nd show at 21.00 kind of long, so that might be why people might not be hanging out longer after the shows. I am enjoying your reports and pictures a lot. Please keep them coming. Thank you very much.

13 minutes ago, NE John said:

Your son may enjoy dressing up, who knows? Many younger people I speak with and show pictures from Gala Nights are excited about the idea of dressing up and participating in Gala nights. Not all, but many more than I thought. Note that there is also a minimum dress code for “Smart Attire” nights to consider too.  He mainly has to realize that Cunard doesn’t have all the amusements and activities that the Mega/Mall ships offer; overall, Cunard is more laid back and quiet but he’ll be kept busy. 

thank you, he is laid back, we live in the Caribbean so I am pretty sure dressing up is not what he is looking for, will have to twist his arm hard.  What will he need for smart attire?  Thanks

I have not been on Cunard before but am booked now for 2025 on Queen Victoria, due to the schedule offered. I usually do only book according the schedule suiting my fancy and am not loyal to any cruise-line.  I am currently on a World Cruise with Costa but had a nasty fall before my departure and will have to rest about 4 weeks out of my 4 month cruise instead of taking excursions, Now I am questioning how advisable it is for me to travel solo and consider maybe talk my son to book the cruise also, The problem is he is in IT and probably never has even worn a tie. What would he necessarily need to come along, if he should decide to. I do get that schedules say Gala Night black/white - again what is the minimum requirement. What, even for me, stands Masquerade or Roaring Twenties for. Will hate to have to cancel the cruise and naturally take a loss on the deposit.

exiledowl thank you so much for pointing to Phoenix Reisen. I went on their website and discovered the same cruise At7Seas will be going on and he fortunately was able to put me onto the segment of the Caribbean and South America to Rio, which was better suitable for me, having been around South America already twice. That is the best cruise for the Caribbean Islands I have seen so far with visiting so many islands usually not on cruise-schedules and spending the night in several. Should you have previously been in Buenos Aires I recommend doing the excursion to Iguazo Falls. I did it early this year on the Costa World Cruise and loved it. 

How much is the current fee for the full internet package? Thanks in advance

19 minutes ago, DE Solo said:

Assume you booked this yourself online rather than using a TA or PCC?

yeap seems to have been a mistake. But too late now. Read somewhere that bookings made with a cruiseline direct can be transfered at a later date to a TA, is that correct for HAL also?

Good Afternoon. Does anyone have an e-mail address for HAL to get that done. Have been hanging on the phone for too long and no luck with the chat, it doesn't connect at all. Thanks in advance. Booked already but cannot find anything to change this on their website. Do not recall even being offered the option when I made my booking, just cabin-category.