Cheller1973

Update received from the executive office today 

I’ve had a reply from CIBTthis afternoon:

“For Honduras we still don’t have any information, we will know after the 15th of August if we can assist with the process, please contact us then for further information”

🤦‍♀️

1 hour ago, Emma Berry said:

I’ve been battling the Honduran visa change for the last two weeks and my situation is desperate. 
 

I noticed the change on 17th July, coming into force on 15th August. Our cruise with Royal is on the 17th August!

 

I phoned the Honduran embassy in London immediately and was told cruise passengers would not need a visa and to send in an email which they would reply to within 3 days.

 

10 days later - still no email, so I phoned again last Tuesday and the embassy said that they still did not have authority to send the emails. They said it will be “highly unlikely” i would need a visa and they could not get me an appointment just in case as they were inundated. 
 

The fallback would be to try the Honduran embassy in Miami before the cruise. 
 

I called the Miami embassy- this very nice lady again verbally reassured me that I would not need a visa. Also there’s no appointments available for August! 
 

So I’m utterly stuck, worried beyond belief, not knowing if we’ll be able to go on this cruise.  
 

There’s no information- CIBT visas didn’t even know of the change when I called two weeks ago. Their websites still show UK nationals not needing a visa for August! Royal Caribbean just pointed me to CIBT. 
 

I called CIBT again last week - now their call center staff know about it. And I was reassured that they were waiting for information from the Honduran embassy - they expected cruise passengers not to require a visa and told me to hang tight. Even if we do need visas CIBT won’t be able to help as they’re not setup with the Honduran embassy’s in order to process on behalf of clients yet.  
 

I’m not sure, given the complete lack of clarity, that it’s at all easy to get a visa. The only progress available is an in person appointment on Tuesdays or Thursdays. But given that the London Honduran embassy is swamped, it can’t get an appointment. 
 

Trying to stay calm faced with this pressure is ruining what should have been a once in a lifetime holiday for us. The threat of losing all of our cruise is heartbreaking. 
 

Good luck with your September trip. The minute I find out what happens for us on the 17th Aug, I’ll post our experience. 

Emma 

thank you for your reply. As omega has said your experience is very similar to ours. We too are sailing with RCI but not until 22 September- due in Honduras on 26 September.

Ive tried emailing the embassy but the email was undeliverable so I phoned them but the guy I spoke with didn’t have great English and I don’t think really understood my question about cruise passengers.

I’ve phoned RCI who pointed me to the CIBT site 🤦‍♀️.

I really hope this all works out for you (and subsequently all of us) and that you get clarity soon so that you can look forward to your holiday! 

4 minutes ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

 

You have 7 weeks to get your Visa.  Stop looking for a 'work-around' and just handle it.

 

You may find that it could be as simple as sending in a form outlining your travel plans (arriving by cruise ship, leaving by cruise ship the same day), and once approved, you send in your UK passport to the Honduran Embassy, they attach the VISA, and mail it back to you. 

Or, maybe you do have to apply in person.  Regardless, you know what is required, just start working on it tomorrow.

Thanks, I’m not looking for a work around. I’m looking for clarification which isn’t available on the UK government site nor the Honduran site from what I’ve managed to translate.

If we need to appear in person it’s a two day trip for us and will be costly and stressful just 6 weeks before we travel. 

35 minutes ago, ARandomTraveler said:

See if you can find out from Royal if they'll still allow you to board the ship and just not get off the ship at that port. I went on a cruise that required visas for different ports and I saw some people be denied boarding altogether, while others were let on the ship, but told they couldn't get off at certain ports, depending on their nationality and what visa was needed.

I’ve emailed the embassy and will call, them tomorrow. Roatán is the only port we haven’t been to and the primary reason we opted for this cruise. Typical.

41 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

When is your cruise?

22 September 

41 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Have you checked with Royal Caribbean or your TA if a Visa is needed if you are entering Honduras by a cruise?     It is possible the visa requirement may only be required if you were traveling to Honduras by plane and have a land vacation planned.

We don’t have a TA and past experience with them is that we usually know more anyway. Royal Caribbean just states all passengers are required to check their own visa requirements.

Thanks, the above link confirms what I’ve said. My concern is that there’s no way of making a visa appointment on the website and we are running out of time. I find it hard to believe that everyone cruising with a one day stop in Honduras has to travel to London to get a visa.

I’ve just become aware of the new requirements which will come into force on 15 August requiring UK citizens to have a visa for entry into Honduras.

I can’t read the Honduran information as it’s in Spanish but have been told to get a visa will require an in person appointment in London… 
 

Panicking as we’ve had this holiday booked for ages.  As we live in Scotland a trip to London before our cruise - assuming we can get an appointment at the embassy- would be expensive! 
 

I’m assuming lots of people will be affected by this and am thinking there must be an easier way - they can’t surely expect everyone going on a cruise to visit London for a visa? Can they? 

Wow, thank you for the  replies, especially snoozecrooze! Exactly the kind of informative I was looking for.

We would actually be sailing in October (5 nights in Vegas first) so I presume the weather would be even worse... maybe we need a rethink on dates? 

Im surprised at the more old fashioned cabin given the newness of the ship. We’ve previously sailed on Freedom and Harmony and found both ships absolutely stunning.  Food options on Princess sound lovely.

As for the balcony, maybe we are odd balls but we LOVE a dark room - our cruise sleeps are the best we ever have.

We are looking to book our first Princess cruise on Royal Princess in September - LA to San Fran, San Diego, Monterey and Ensenada.

We have always cruised RCI. Is there anything we should know? Booking entertainment? Good and not so good? Food choices etc. We have the drink package included - what does that cover? 

Finally, we are going for an interior cabin (always do as prefer more £ for spending). I’m thinking mid-front deck 9 or 10, cabins D125, 129, 130, 134, 137 and 138 are available as are C236, 237, 240, 241, 244, 245, 248 and 249. Any that we should avoid? It’s just the two of us.

amy advice would be greatly appreciated.

3 hours ago, ebedore said:

It has been noted in many place that Royal Caribbean doesn't offer a credit for not taking advantage of the free soda packages in the Boardwalk or Park Balconies.  Same situation for me.

Thanks, that makes it a no from us. We are happy with an inside but would have considered bidding if a credit would have been made.

Advice needed please. We have an Interior cabin booked and have also booked the drinks package at £35pppd. If we successfully bid on a neighbourhood balcony will we get a refund of £15pppd to cover the free soda package which is included with the balcony cabin? 

2 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

Harmony will most often dock on the starboard side.  Whether that is the "best" side is subjective.

Thanks Bob.  We have never had a balcony and I’m not entirely sure I want one as I sleep great in an interior due to the darkness. OH wants a balcony though and this is his “I’m lucky to be alive” holiday so who am I to deny him 😉

We are sailing the Eastern Caribbean on Harmony 22 September. We currently have an interior cabin but are enquiring about an upgrade to an ocean view balcony.

If funds allow should we book a port or starboard balcony? Ports are CocoCay, St Thomas and St Martin.

many thanks for any advice 😊

19 minutes ago, Dundee12 said:

Cheller1973 how much did you end up getting drinks package for? I've been looking the past week and ours has gone from £39.50 a day to £37.12. Did you have to phone rci up as I can't see any deals on website?

 

We got it for £37 and some pence a day. It was £41.08 before so not a huge saving but better in our pocket! I just booked through cruise planner. Just up the road from you in Forfar by the way.

28 minutes ago, Cyn874 said:

I'm a little bit confused about the menu. I've watched several videos on youtube and it looked like they got multiple (or all) items from each section. What is included? Are you supposed to pick one item from each section, or do you get all of them, or? 

I’m also wondering this. I don’t want to look stupid (it wouldn’t be the first time) but I don’t really understand the menu. I just know I need to go to sample the awesome looking melting dessert 😂.

We’ve booked the three night dining deal so I hope wonderland is included! 

1 minute ago, WorkerBee74 said:

Oooo - I'm going to look at our September 2019 sailing and report back... probably won't be on sale though that far out.  

I’ve just cancelled and rebooked our deluxe beverage package saving around £40. Also booked the three dining package.

We booked for September next year and our TA booked us cabin 9101.

We’ve never been on Harmony so no idea about the cabin. We are happy with an inside but is there anything to be concerned about? It’s not the highlighted cabin as I’ve done a search on the closest available... 

Maybe a pointless question as not sure if we can change cabin if there is something to put us off...? 

We are on 22 September sailing.we have flights booked from Scotland to Vegas but need to wait until southwest release their September flights to Orlando. I just want everything booked!

We are sailing on Harmony next September. I check the cruise planner almost daily in the hope of a discounted beverage package - no luck yet.

We know that we want to book three speciality restaurants (Wonderland, Chopps and Sabor) and I think there should be a package option but it’s not on my planner. Am I too early? If we manage to book the package can we decide what nights we use it and the times? 

Also, if we have the drinks package does it include cocktails in the speciality restaurants?

Apologies for all of the questions...

We’ve booked already for September next year. Manchester to Vegas, internal flight with southwest (not yet released) to MCO, two night stay in Orlando then the cruise, fly home direct to Glasgow from MCO. I priced DIY but Thomas Cook came really close so we went with them as it meant not having to pay in full at the time of booking.

We’ve done this route before and another two cruises after a week in Orlando. Need to figure out whether we will use a shuttle or Lyft to the port but that can be sorted nearer the time :).

I have been in cabins 8141 and 8437, which are both pretty far forward on deck 8. I liked the location of both. I don’t get seasick, so that wasn’t a problem. We did feel some motion a time or two during the week, but nothing

 

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Thank you! Touch wood neither of us has suffered from sickness before but then we’ve had calm seas. I think we’ll just leave the cabin and hope for the best.

We are booked on Harmony next September and our TA picked our cabin 9101. I’m now concerned at how far forward it is (always been mid ship). Can anyone offer any advice? Should we stick with it or change? Would there be a charge to change? Booked through a UK TA if that helps.

Also, the drink package is showing as £41.08 pp per day. Should I book now or wait? Am I right in thinking discounted packages don’t usually show until around 90 days :confused:.

I know they change the offers all of the time and had been watching the prices. I’ve literally just checked and we would have saved hundreds of pounds. I guess if the price had gone up I wouldn’t be complaining so we’ll just have to suck it up but it’s somewhat frustrating that being organised means we’ve missed out :rolleyes:.