GeriatricNurse

Can a pre-loaded Starbucks card be used at Starbucks onboard the 'Getaway', so that any purchases will not be placed on the account?

When does Specialty Dining open up for booking Pre-Cruise?

Is there a surcharge for dining at 'Steamers' & 'Planks BBQ' onboard the Caribbean Princess?

On 7/2/2021 at 10:46 AM, Rick&Jeannie said:

The Medallion is used to open your cabin door.  Unless you plan to stay at the buffet for the entire cruise!

Does the Medallion LOCK your Cabin Door when you leave your Cabin?

On 1/18/2022 at 5:08 PM, Fouremco said:

Incredible. It's one thing to be sufficiently stable to postpone the surgery till the following day, presumably remaining in the hospital overnight, and an entirely different thing to fly back to Canada for the surgery. I'd suggest that the CAA rep was very inexperienced and wasn't thinking. In any event, I definitely would have gone after the insurance company for full payment.

 

By way of comparison, my DW had a medical issue that resulted in her going from the Nieuw Statendam's medical centre by ambulance to a hospital in Amsterdam upon disembarkation. After the better part of a day, the hospital released her but advised her that it would be better for her to not fly home for several days due to possible discomfort. Our insurance didn't even blink, covering changed flight tickets as well as accommodation, meals, etc., for the extra days in Amsterdam. The only thing they wouldn't cover was the bill for our dog's extra days at his boarding kennel!

What insurance company?

6 minutes ago, Reenie75 said:

Sigh.... MSC requires Canadians for a RT PCR TEST. Americians an Antigen Rapid test. I don't know? The thing that sucks is the RT PCR test has to be within 72 hours of the cruise and right now it's taking 24-48 hours to receive back. The US government requires the rapid test within 1 day before your flight. So now Canadians have to get both tests.

I truly get the safety they want to do but why the difference between a US citizen or a Canadian? 

I don't know why the reason but just (another) reason NOT to book MSC!

On 1/2/2022 at 1:03 AM, Blackduck59 said:

Or you could take a little sea cruise on this

 

and see some of these

Beautiful pics!

On 1/2/2022 at 12:59 AM, Blackduck59 said:

A little less known in my home town.

 

Finnerty Gardens at the University of Victoria. Free to the public.

 

Government House, free to the public (When there are no VIP guests then it is closed.)

Beautiful pics! 

3 hours ago, petite07 said:

Any ideas where there are coverage for trip interruption / cancellation / quarantine if it's related to covid? Blue cross, travel guard, rbc insurance does not cover it

How about Manulife?

(Another) new Covid-19 Variant, 'IHU', has been discovered in France!

26 minutes ago, gubby said:

I cancelled 3 Princess cruises on Dec 13. The deposits were in my CC account in two days, and my FCC (bought on the ship 3 years ago) were refunded the next day. Our Viking river cruise was refunded the same day. Great service in each case.

I'd love to do (another) European River Cruise!  I did a 15-Day Budapest to Amsterdam several years ago with 'AMAWaterways'!  It was excellent!

4 minutes ago, Froufie said:

How long ago was this?  I am after final payment and hearing about people waiting over 90 days to get their FCC!!!!

Froufie; (from my Hometown); it was on December 7th.

1 hour ago, Froufie said:

So about to cancel my upcoming Celebrity cruise (under the Cruise with Confidence policy) - I understand I will get an FCC (including celebrity booked flights) and eventually a refund as well for excursions/dining I booked more recently.  

 

I am however hoping that things settle down soon and considering booking another Celebrity cruise at the end of March - so do I have to wait until I get the FCC (I believe this might take over a month to be finalized) to do this?  Can I just use the FCC immediately (when I call to cancel) to book the new cruise?  

 

I am also assuming new cruise would be covered by the same Cruise with Confidence policy?

 

Would love to hear from anyone with experience in Celebrity cancellations?

I cancelled two Celebrity cruises before final payment and received my (refundable) deposit from both cruises, at the same time, in one week.

18 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

Good morning friends!  What a cold and blustery morning in north central Georgia.  The wind wants to keep tipping over the trash bins, or blow open their lids.  I'm wishing better weather blows in soon!  Yesterday morning's temp when we woke up was 70F and this morning it was 35F!  Crazy!

 

Thanks for our Daily report this morning Rich @richwmn.  And to Roy @rafinmdgood on ya for sleeping in today.  Thank you for keeping the lists.  Prayers for our friends and family on the Care list and cheers for those celebrating.  An interesting and no doubt true quote from Marilyn Monroe.  No thanks to the menu suggestion.  Unfortunately I never sleep straight through the night so I don't think I can celebrate Festival of Sleep properly.  I wouldn't know what to do if I slept 8 hours straight!  I have no fruitcake to toss.  Humiliation day sounds intriguing.  I should look that up.

 

I've been coughing a lot lately too Roy.  I've had that chronic cough for several years now and even the ENT didn't come up with anything, so not sure what it's all about.  But this week it's been ramped up a bit.  It is quite a disruption, isn't it?  Hope yours goes away and doesn't stick around like mine does.

 

Hoping for better news this week for Jacqui and Jose (and Marley!).  A new year, a new start! 

 

Time to go cut DH's hair for him, and then groom mine too.  I have plenty of photos of Ushuaia from our 4 visits but they will have to wait until afterwards.  📷

I've also had the same chronic cough for several years and, thus far, I've received no definitive diagnosis!

I have had a CXR done and am booked for an appointment at a 'Respiratory Clinic'!  Dependent upon the results, the next step will be an appointment with the ENT Clinic!

9 hours ago, gubby said:

We have also done that cruise. The scenery and the water is so gorgeous, it takes your breath away. Add the weather with an almost constant soft breeze and you will feel like you are in paradise. I hope you get to go soon. I think I need to go soon.

Happy New Year!

If I am able to cruise ever again, I believe that this will be my ?final cruise!

I am going to do some research to discover the cruise lines that do this cruise.

For my reference, what cruise line did you cruise with on this cruise?

I loved Bora Bora, Moorea, Papete, etc.!

On 12/29/2021 at 5:51 PM, canadianbear said:

So happy to hear you’ve booked!  We are not ready to book anything in the near future yet but have been following along on “live” threads.  
 

We do have a South Pacific cruise (my bucket list) booked for next Fall but as it gets closer to final payment will have to see how covid stuff is.  Sure miss cruising.  

I did a 30 Hawaiian/South Pacific Cruise with HAL, onboard the 'Ryndam' several years ago!

It was a fantastic cruise & would highly recommend that you do it if at all possible!

6 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Currently sold out.

And VERY expensive at $10 per mask + HST!!!

7 hours ago, ljtinney said:

It was a pretty easy decision to make. Seeing that almost three quarters of the ships are now in yellow status also made us think twice about going. 

I will sit here and watch the webcam as the Rotterdam sails out of FLL on Sunday and dream. 

 

Good luck with your decision. When is your cruise? 

I believe that Fouremco had posted that their cruise is, (would have been) in April, (but I have no doubt that he will return here soon to respond to your question directly once he has returned home from his early morning walk with his dog, but before he has enjoyed a good solid breakfast to include a large bowl of hot, oatmeal porridge, etc.) 😀

3 hours ago, Laszlo said:

If your looking for a home test and can't find one in your area these work well and shipping is 2-3 days

 

https://amzn.to/3He8VXv

Currently 'unavailable'!

1 hour ago, skatie said:

We have already paid in full for Celebrity February 12 cruise - I am sooo torn.  I personally believe there is going to be a very high spike in cases that will drop very quickly.  My son had Omicron 10 days ago and it was more like a head cold - which is what we are hearing are the symptoms vs Delta - so he's been in his room isolating and ready to come out!  Surprisingly we are living in same household and hubby and I are negative ( we had our booster 4 days before he tested positive).  This thing is going around like wildfire tho - this may be the way to end it, if, fingers crossed, its mild.   I haven't booked our airfare yet.  The AC website says that you can cancel and get a credit for future travel, but it doesn't indicate if you have to book your airfare by a certain date to get this assurance.  I had heard that was maybe over Dec 30 - can anyone confirm?

Why don't you consider booking REFUNDABLE flights with AC?  I did & have received a FULL REFUND!

10 hours ago, millybess said:

We also have Lifelabs here. They recently “upgraded” their website and it is abysmal at best. 

Yes, it now known as 'MyCareCompass' By LifeLabs.

It has been *upgraded* for quite some time and I have never experienced any 'issues' using the site!

Why, specifically, do you state that "it is abysmal at best"?

6 hours ago, waiting2retire said:

Good point!  I might consider it if I knew how ☺️

1.  Click on your Avatar.

2.  Your Profile page will be displayed.

3.  Click on the Image button in the bottom left corner of your Avatar page.

4.  This will 'pop' a Profile Photo window that allows you to Remove or Change the Picture.

On 12/9/2021 at 4:48 PM, gubby said:

We were able to purchase KN 95 masks from our pharmacy. We picked up a box of 10 for about $ 30 and our trusted pharmacist said that he would also agree with our plan to wear them in airports and during the flights. Costco was sold out. Happy to have made this purchase. Plans coming together makes it seem real.

There were tons of 20 pack boxes of the KN95 masks at Costco for $7.99; 40 cents per mask!

The masks are each individually sealed.

You paid far too much at $3 per mask!!!

6 hours ago, waiting2retire said:

More of a mantra or state of mind than a theory, but you have the right idea 😊. We also practice gratitude. Try counting your blessings rather than your problems. I am lucky to be retired so that I don’t have go outside if the weather is particularly bad. I also live in an apartment with underground parking, so no driveway to shovel or icy sidewalk to navigate. 
 

I was really looking forward to getting out of the winter this year after being stuck here last year but if it doesn’t happen, I will survive. And have more money saved to go away longer at the first opportunity!

Acceptance is the answer. Nothing I can do to alter the state of Covid in the world and the consequent travel restrictions and risks. Accept that things are the way they are and do the best I can. Find new TV series to watch. Silent Witness on Britbox has 23 seasons. That should take me at least until February 😁

 

good luck!

  Congratulations!  Are you going to change your avatar 'waiting2retire'!

21 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

I'm just curious, but if you are going to drive down and back, why not use your own vehicle rather than renting one?

I'm thinking what would happen if they were driving their own car & it developed mechanical issues and became 'non driveable'?

What would they do with themselves (and their car)?