CruisingAlong4Now

I am reminded of the recent hullaballoo about the two Florida women who cruised to Mexico without passports, were injured, and were "stuck" in Mexico because they could not fly home. "Although Carnival Cruises does not require passports for some trips, it is strongly encouraged. " Florida couple stranded in Mexican hospital after cruise pit stop takes a horrifying turn - WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale

Good advice. And be mindful that the ship sometimes has its own time that is not local time. It's called Ship's Time.

I entered "cruises around Ireland" into my search engine and got many results. I would also contact a good travel agent who specializes in small ship cruising (speak with friends - cannot recommend agents on this site) who can assist you. The British Isles/Western Europe - Cruise Critic Community board may also provide some assistance.

Happy son and mum. Perfect! Glad we could help!

We felt as well-cosseted sailing with Tauck on the Blue Danube as with sailing on Seabourn.

I'm only interested in insuring expenses that are uncapped and potentially ruinous. This excludes direct cruise expenses. If I have booked and paid for a cruise, it's a sunk cost that I can absorb. I may not get the vacation I expected, but it's a set, definite amount that will have no impact on my retirement or investment portfolio. However, medical bills have no real limit and can be ruinous. Medical charters are very expensive. These are the expenses I insure.

Sorry I don't have an answer, but rather some sources that might have answers. First, try posting this on the Disabled Cruise Travel Cruises: Ask a Question - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums
board. That board has very knowledgeable people. Second, try sending the question to the US Customs and Border Protection agency. Ask Us a Question (cbp.gov) You can use a new, single use email address for the inquiry rather than your usual email address. Lastly, I found this explanation of how to answer the Disability question on the ESTA application. It's possible that you can answer No if your son's disability does not pose a threat. Official ESTA Application Website, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (dhs.gov) Can you provide guidance and clarification for some of the Eligibility questions? Physical or Mental Disorders With regard to physical or mental disorders, answer "Yes" to this question if: You currently have a physical or mental disorder and a history of behavior associated with the disorder that may pose or has posed a threat to your property, safety or welfare or that of others; or You had a physical or mental disorder and a history of behavior associated with the disorder that has posed a threat to your property, safety or welfare or that of others and the behavior is likely to recur or lead to other harmful behavior. Answer "No" if: You currently have no physical or mental disorders; or You have or had a physical or mental disorder without associated behavior that may pose or has posed a threat to your property, safety or welfare of that of others; or You currently have a physical or mental disorder with associated behavior, but that behavior has not posed, does not currently pose nor will pose a threat to your property, safety or welfare or that of others; or You had a physical or mental disorder with associated behavior that posed a threat to your property, safety or welfare or that of others, but that behavior is unlikely to recur."

Ahhhhh- those wonderful triplets. Truly luxury cruising.

More "independent" statistics: 2024-state-of-the-cruise-industry-report-final_seatrade-live-web-revised.ashx (cruising.org) Number Single Travelers.pdf Passengers by Country.pdf Passengers by Region.pdf

Nice has plenty to do. If you haven't been there before, I would forego all the talk of visiting Monaco and taking buses to some of the small hill villages. Stay in Nice. Visit the Old Town and the local outdoor food, flower, and flea markets As was stated above, visit the Chagall and Matisse Museums. Walk along the Promenade des Anglais. Lunch at the Hotel Negresco.

People often sue large companies because the company will often settle the nuisance case even if they are not responsible. Under what legal theory does NCL have liability for your missed cruise? Or are you just looking for $3500 from somebody.

I would immediately contact the Special Needs department for the cruise line. This is not an uncommon problem. Alternatively, have you checked nearby states for their rules? Possibly you can get the additional two months at a neighboring state with more flexible regulations. A few years ago, we had some medications filled in Canada when we lost our meds (we're NYC based). A recommended local doctor contacted our NYC doctor and wrote a local script which was filled in Vancouver. These were non-narcotic drugs. Here are some earlier posts on this subject:

Hank explained the downside of always depending on digital apps, especially when travelling internationally, better than I. Much easier to slip some paper into my pocket than fumbling for a phone several times before boarding.

Many of the walking tours now use headphones so the guide can speak softly, but the participants can hear them clearly through the headphones. Interlopers wouldn't be able to hear the guide well enough to stay with the tour.

Yeah, mobile boarding passes are great until they aren't. On a recent trip, each leg had at least one person who tried to use a mobile boarding pass but had no battery left by the time they got to the gate. Quick - Quick- find a charging cord and an outlet. I find it much easier to print the boarding pass than use my phone. I don't walk around an airport with my phone in my hand - it's ensconced in my personal bag. My paper boarding pass is easily folded into my pocket and readily available at security and the boarding gate.

I guess I'm confused as to why you feel NCL owes you a refund. It did not cause any of your problems. When you book a transoceanic air trip with three separate segments, scheduled to arrive at boarding time, there is a high probability that you will miss the ship. This is why people plan to arrive the day before the sailing- to accommodate delayed flights and other operational and weather issues. I think you should pursue the claims with the insurance company. If you feel they have not fulfilled their contractual obligations, contact your state insurance commission.

Is that single or double occupancy?

We never know how we or anyone will react until we are actually tested.

Tauck also has no-supplement solo rates. European River Cruise for Solo Passengers | Tauck "Solo Travelers enjoy Special Savings in Category 1 Cabins – No Single Supplement on all European River Cruises! The single price in Category 1 is the same as the double price, which means savings of up to 50% for solo travelers on every departure of every European river cruise! In addition, Solo Travelers also enjoy Savings of $1,000 per cabin in Category 4 and 5 on select river cruises; you'll find all of the savings details under the pricing information for each river cruise here on our site (certain restrictions apply; ask at time of booking)."

Latest from the always factual internet: 😉 All passengers will not only receive a full refund but will receive a full future cruise credit to sail on Royal Caribbean. The cruise line also made its Wi-Fi free of charge to help passengers better navigate the disembarkation. Other complementary features include an open bar until the ship officially disembarked as well as reimbursement for airline change fees. Royal Caribbean Forced to Cancel Alaska Sailing With Guests Already Onboard (msn.com)

For the colder trips, I like hoodies that fit under my water-resistant windbreaker (also with hood). I think they are also useful even for the warmer trips since it can be chilly in the mornings. I also like walking shoes that are good for a damp or wet deck.

I've used these services shipping bags to and from a cruise. I like not having to deal with luggage, especially if we are traveling prior to the cruise. I do caution you to pay strict attention to the instructions regarding items that can and cannot be shipped in your cases. We once had an "iffy" item packed, and the suitcase was held in foreign customs until one day before our cruise. They finally released the bag and it was in our suite when we boarded. We took pictures of the packed, open suitcases so we knew what each contained. We just considered the shipping charges as part of our cruise fare.

What's Facebook? 😉

I'm still not sure what are you insuring? Have you incurred a financial loss due to a missed port? Are you just angry? It's not uncommon for ports to be changed. Your contract with the cruise line gives them this right. Most local tour companies don't charge you if your ship misses the port.

I only insure expenses that not capped, generally evac and medical. The cost of the trip is capped, and I've already spent the money, so I don't have any financial risk or exposure. The worst that can happen if I have to cancel my trip, is that I don't go on vacation. There are no financial risks. A result that is sad, but not bad. Medical expenses or medical evacuation however are essentially unlimited and pose significant financial risk, albeit with a very low probability. These I insure with third-party medical insurance being the primary insurer and my regular medical insurance being a secondary payer. I buy medical evacuation insurance for which I make the decision in which hospital I want to be treated. Most people return to their home hospital. All other vacation expenses are not material to my long-term financial health.