Member123

53 minutes ago, VitaminSea53 said:

If you are about to disembark in Italy - why not test yourself on board, if positive keep it to yourself and book an Airbnb for 10 days.  Once negative, hop on a flight to the US or after 10 days use QuickMD.com to get yourself a Certificate of Recovery and head to the airport.   Keep the Italian government out of it…..

So what you are effectively saying is that no one should even consider disembarking in Italy without a 10 day AirBnB reservation. Your scenario doesn't fly in the face of logic if you have a flight heading back to the United States, if that's your home. I find it interesting how easy you think "hop on a flight to the US" can be accomplished by anyone without unlimited funds.

@bananavan is caught by Italian authorities and is in a bureaucratic snarl...

Respectfully, the issue here is the proverbial assumptions that are made where you bring what you believe to be true to a situation where your knowledge isn't fully adequate. As in.... how do you obtain a Certificate of Recovery? If your assumption is the passing of 10 days... well.... welcome to Italy. The requirements for obtaining a piece of paper that allows you to depart a foreign country for a flight back to the States isn't the same as the requirement that would allow entry to the foreign country... in the first place...

@bananavan's saga is a cautionary tale... to be sure....

A search into the requirements from the Italian Ministry of Health tells you all you need to know about what is going on with @bananavan. I copied this information from the Italian Ministry of Health (but don't commit to memory because it's slated to change again in June)...

Covid-19 is diagnosed in Italy via a molecular swab test.

If you test positive, even without symptoms, the Health Ministry mandates that you must self-isolate for at least 10 days. If you don't develop symptoms during this period, you can get another molecular test; if it comes back negative, you are considered to have recovered.

People who have symptoms must wait until they go  for at least three days without symptoms (and a minimum of ten days since their positive test) before being tested again.

People who continue to test positive after their symptoms have disappeared should continue to isolate for 21 days after they first showed symptoms (and at least seven days since they were last symptomatic). After this point, unless advised otherwise by a doctor, they are allowed to end their isolation.

If you believe you had Covid-19 but never confirmed it with a test or got treated by a doctor, you will not be able to demonstrate that you have recovered.

And all this has to be met in order to put your feet onto Italian soil and gain entry to the country just so you can transit. They have rigorous tests that have to be met if you're staying in the country even for less than 36 hours.

Hence @bananavan's statement that she MUST test negative OR pass a 21-day quarantine isolation period. At least she isn't symptomatic so she's meeting the terms of a seven day wait for re-testing purposes.

That's a silver lining to a black cloud.. but I can't even imagine what coping mechanisms are required to be able to sustain this type of uncomfortable confinement. As we all sit at home and consider how we would personally be able to rise to the mental stress we would endure? I know for a fact that when I'm truly sick all I want is a comfortable bed and a short trip to a bathroom. But when I'm well and cooped up? Isn't it true that reading a good book is even more delicious when you have a long, laundry list of things you're "supposed" to be doing? When you're trying to drive away boredom, even an excellent book oftentimes can't meet that task.

I'm grateful for this thread as its put my own personal limits into stark reality. I can have a temper tantrum with the best of them and I just know I'd be triggered trying to remain calm in the face of this entangled web of <insert your favorite word here>....

Who is the <blank> <blank> Captain on this ship?

Evana,

Reading what wasn't said, I can surmise that you've continued to test negative! That's good news.

At least if your husband's positive test continues, you will have accommodations. I remember that you're taking advantage of the tub in your current stateroom. I would hope that whatever stateroom is available to you that at least you'll be comfortable, somewhat.

And I hope this means that you also have the ability to use the ship's facilities, inclusive of the restaurants onboard.

It's so unsettling that your situation is so mercurial.

Thoughts and prayers...

@bananavan I'm so frustrated that this thread has moved away from supportive information for you and your situation and I sincerely hope this hasn't discouraged you from posting. The last that I heard was a post from you on Jim_Iian's thread indicating that you are trying to obtain a longer rental in Civitavecchia. 

How are you doing with that? How is your husband feeling? Did you test negative on your last/final day of the 5-day mandatory testing period?

I have traveled to Rome a number of times and know one terrific tour guide. I couldn't promise that he would be able to assist with information on Civitavecchia but I'm pretty sure that he would have contacts who could as he seems to know everyone in that part of Italy. I don't think I'm the only one who has some information about the region that would be of help to you, if needed. Just please let us know.

it might be worth the phone call to Celebrity and the hold time to get a clear answer to your individual timeline for the use of your FCCs.

Our FCCs amount to a large sum as we cancelled B3Bs in 2020. Our timing was a cancellation of fully-paid cruises within the penalty cancellation date(s), so essentially we're grateful that we were even issued FCCs.

Our time for the usage of the FCCs has been extended... then extended... then extended.  The last email we received had a timeline similar to yours. So, I called Celebrity and was informed that I have to book  AND sail before December 31st of this year. I have the entire year to consider the cruise that we might want to take and I can stack the FCCs so that all of them can be used for a singular cruise.

YMMV, but I would call and get a definite answer. We're in a situation where we may end up also contributing the money back to Celebrity because neither of us are willing to risk a residency on deck 3. 

10 hours ago, awhfy said:

I was able to paint the baseboards (cause they were on sawhorses & bending wasn’t an issue). Les will install day & we can move back into our bedroom!!!  I’m working on breaking up the scar tissue that was under the seroma...it won’t be a short process, but I do feel better & that’s what counts!  Melody

Melody,

So off topic, but would you please share what you’re doing to break up the scar tissue? Just adding my voice to the others wishing you well. I’ve been following along with everyone these past months just, strange for me, haven’t had much to share. 

On 10/26/2019 at 5:09 PM, Purplsmurf said:

I was on this cruise. It was a transatlantic on the Infinity. The captain told us that we would arrive Miami at 5:00 am so I was surprised that disembarking started so late. We were told that it was due to immigration since we came from Europe. The walk offs didn’t start until 8:30. We were originally scheduled to get off of the ship at 9:20,  but since our flight was at 11:30 our disembark time was changed to 8:10, which didn’t happen. We didn’t get off until after 9:00. I’m so glad that we changed our time. I’d be curious to hear when the last passengers were let off.

We were among the last passengers off the Infinity. We exited the ship at 10:45.

After reading this posting, I really felt so sorry for the crew on embarkation day on this ship. I know that some of the crew had to get up at 3:00am in order to get their paperwork together to meet with immigration on the pier. Even though the Captain originally said that we would arrive around 5am, I think we were alongside about 3am. What difference does it make if immigration doesn't arrive to process the people?

They wanted to process the crew first, then there was some in depth inspection that had to be made and then they started allowing passengers to disembark. Totally out of the control of ship's staff, but don't they get blamed for everything?

I hope the embarking passengers were a bit more understanding than this OP, as the crew were doing everything that they could do to accommodate.

A total SHOUT OUT to my grandson!

I can't believe I've struggled with those darn tickets from Trenitalia for YEARS and I've thought of everything under the sun to help with the fact that I probably won't have wifi and I know I won't want to use cellular for the $10/day charge just to show them a bar code ticket but NOW <drumroll> I learned how to take a screen shot! And my life just became so much easier! I can't believe that I never, ever thought of doing that. Bye bye paper clutter, weighing down my bag and my life.

So, thanks, Anita for mentioning this little gem....

2 hours ago, If only said:

Then your cruise is not non refundable.  It should say NRD on your invoice if it is.

Yes.

I have NONREFUNDABLE deposit bookings.

I'm telling you the exact wording as it appears on my invoices.

I think that this is false information being given that if you have a nonrefundable deposit that you automatically owe 25% of your cruise fare. That's not the case.

Clearly and absolutely the invoice states that you will forfeit the following: $100 for certain, if you change your reservation. The remainder of your deposit is applied to a future cruise booking.

AND, the cancellation policy of your reservation. Which clearly states the dates when the different cruise fare percentages come into play. The day AFTER final payment, if you cancel the cruise you owe 25% of the cruise fare. And the rest is just as normal as what everyone has with a nonrefundable OR refundable deposit.

It's called a nonrefundable DEPOSIT. It's the deposit money that is in discussion NOT the cruise fare itself.

4 minutes ago, If only said:

If you outright cancel with NRD Celebrity will charge you 25% of you cruise the day after it was booked.  I guess they are trying to lock everyone into booking cruises ahead for time but I’m sure they are not getting too many people booking that way.

No.

It clearly states on my invoices the date that the cancellation policy would be 25%.

And that date is the day AFTER final payment is due.

The date is clearly spelled out and it is not the day after my booking date.

If I do not move my deposit to another ship or sailing date, then I will lose the entire deposit. If I move my deposit then I will lose $100 of it, per person.

20 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Which is correct?  The small print says if I cancel before final payment I get my deposit in the form of a future cruise credit less $100 pp.  so with $900 deposit that reads I like lose $200 and get the remaining $700 applied as a FCC.  

 

The other says  if I book today and cancel anytime from tomorrow until Aug 13, 2020 I owe 25% of the cruise fare or $2400+. 

Thats a big difference.

 

 

i just changed a few reservations to nonrefundable deposits.

I scanned the invoices and they all say the same thing. The wording for the nonrefundable deposit reads exactly as the website and its explanation. If you make a change to the ship or to the date of sailing, you will be charged $100 for the change; in other words, the deposit is nonrefundable but you can transfer the money to another sailing.

As far as the cancellation policy reads, on the day after final payment is due the cancellation penalty is 25%. And the amount increases from them, pretty much to the same level as any other cancellation policies I've ever read from Celebrity, irregardless of the type of deposit involved.

I would err on the side of caution, of course. But, I'm sure that when you ask for the invoice by email that you'll be assured the website is wrong. I'm sure that the programming of the website didn't calculate the proper date for the cancellation policy of 25% to come into effect.

Welcome to the world, little man.

Lots and lots of fun days ahead, Laurie. Congratulations to all.

Reading everyone's posts is such a welcome relief as a break from my current travel planning!

Margaret, I was in that Desigual store in Miami. So much fun! You didn't venture into the Kiko store? That's another cute, affordable fun store to spend a bit of time. Last season's nail polish colors for $1 and change! And, it's a good quality polish, as well. One of my guilty pleasures.

I'm in the midst of another bout of planning, all because I had a moment where I was persuaded by a low, low (I do mean low) price for an international flight on Alitalia! This flight was an awesome, amazing, outstanding price of $243 per person! Nonstop, direct, leaving MIA to FCO. And, I bought it!

And, then I started researching Alitalia flights. And, then Anita started telling me... don't pay attention to all those negative reviews, Mom... as she mentioned on her delight with her hotel in London versus a plethora of negative reviews. Well, the negative reviews notwithstanding, what is a fact is the really restrictive carry on guidelines from Alitalia. AND, it's proving to be quite an adventure to try to accomplish various things.... like packing for a few days in the roll aboard as well as packing for all the creature comforts of existence on a plane for an overnight flight that lasts for 10+ hours. We've been doing a bit of shopping... just to accommodate our needs for this super cheap airfare flight..... which does beg the question, doesn't it? Except that we can obviously use the smaller carryon luggage for more than just this flight, so there's that.

The planning is going along and coming together in its own haphazard, but seemingly efficient way.

https://shop.samsonite.com/luggage/softside-luggage/samsonite-solyte-dlx-underseat-wheeled-carry-on/123570XXXX.html?dwvar_123570XXXX_color=Mineral Grey&cgidmaster=

This luggage was chosen for the primary reason that it was the ONLY luggage we could find that was within Alitalia's dimensions for a carry on. And, happily, we can get enough in it so that we will have no difficulty in taking it on Trenitalia trains. Score. After quite a bit of thinking (and rethinking the thinking), I have enough in this bag to be able to (1) go to Ft Lauderdale for the night, (2) travel to Rome the next day, (3) spend 2 days and 3 nights in Rome, (4) travel to Sorrento by way of a train from Rome to Naples, followed by a short walk to catch a hydrofoil from Naples to Sorrento, followed by a walk to an elevator to take us up to the elevation of our hotel, followed by walk to said hotel... and (5) reversing the procedure after spending 4 days in Sorrento... going to Pompeii, Capri, Amalfi Coast tour, .. (6) spending one last night in Rome and then boarding the Celebrity Infinity for a TransAtlantic! Whew! FUN.

For our personal carry on item, DH is using my PacSafe MetroSafe 200 and I'm using a PacSafe CitySafe 200. We're getting it ALL IN... carrying not only our 3-1-1 bags, but all of our personal items that are required and necessities and we would be heartbroken without them (for example, my Chanel foundation!)... as well as the comfort items for the plane...eye masks, noise cancelling headphones, travel pillow, travel blanket... I'm a high maintenance plane traveler and I'm not ashamed or afraid to admit it!!! There are no strict guidelines surrounding the personal item, just the rather vague description of "small backpack" or "small purse" or "laptop bag." A quick phone call to Alitalia gave us the information that they expect the personal item to weigh about 2 to 3 kg. So, 9 American pounds, right?!? And, I'm not math challenged, so I know that isn't right. I just have to make 9 American pounds look like 6.6 Italian pounds and I'll be golden. EZ.

If I were one of those ladies on other parts of this fashion board, I'd be done. BUT I'M NOT. I still have the cross-pack of our checked luggage to plan. By gosh and by golly, I know that i'm going to want to put those clothes way into the back of my stateroom closet that I've been wearing for 8 days! The great thing is that our Rome hotel has sweetly accommodated us leaving our large suitcases with them when we travel to Sorrento. SO, I'm taking advantage of that and now planning for the cruise part of this upcoming trip.

We leave on October 1st.

And in the meantime, I'm having a ball reading about Miami and London. 

My experience on Harmony of the Seas just a few weeks ago was that they made an announcement that anyone with the UDP was covered UNLESS they wanted two proteins. If two proteins were desired, then the difference of $4 + gratuity would be charged. Consistent with the RCCL message above.

Phantom of the Opera !!!!

😍😢😢😢

<sniff> <sniff>

Made a mad dash to Soft Surroundings this morning because they have some leggings (they've named them Have-to-Have) and I have a perfect top for one of the prints. Had to spare those precious moments to go try on the leggings because the size chart showed me as maybe one or maybe another size. Sizes are so horrible to figure out using those size charts! Anyway, they did have the print and they did have my size, so... score!

What I really wanted to talk about though is that when I was being helped by a salesperson, she told me that I needed to spend a LOT of time in the stores in the coming inventory season. She said that I'll be able to see a lot of warm colors that will be in a good brown, green, and red for me. She said, "I have to tell you that you shouldn't buy any color that has an undertone of blue though; make sure that you stick to the undertones of orange or yellow." I said that I knew fabulous colors were coming because Margaret told me! And I told her that I already knew that I needed warm undertones.

Then she said, "you know that 92% of people are cool undertones. That's why it's so difficult for you to find colors that work really well for you without trying to make them right by fiddling with your makeup." Which I thought was pretty interesting. But... 92%!!! Do you ladies believe that? That would mean that we're all pretty special, aren't we? And, can you imagine that clothes designers and store shoppers would cater to only 8% of the market? I'm not sure that she's correct in her data, but it sure feels that way sometimes!

Daniel,

I'm so sorry that your friend had this anguishing experience. I'm glad that you posted this question because I definitely learned something! Thank you to Hoyaheel for providing links to that important information, not that I have THAT much jewelry that I take with me, but I never even thought about re-entry with valuables, Customs issues, and/or electronics registrations!

And, thank you for coming back with a complete scenario explanation. I hope that your friend enjoyed wearing the gifts given to her by her late husband and that this experience didn't affect what was, hopefully, good memories.

Laurie,

We went on a NE cruise (kind of a quick decision) this past June. We expected to be cold and have a lot of rain so, of course, we packed accordingly. We sailed out of Bayonne and our ports were Newport, Portland, Bar Harbor, Bermuda.

There were two trip reports posted right before our departure. One trip report was inundated with rain; the other had bright, hot sunshine. One trip report left Bayonne in warmth and the other returned to Bayonne in a torrential downpour.

For us... as I said, we expected rain. We were supposed to sail with rain; we didn't. We were supposed to have cool weather in Newport; we didn't... we experienced the most torrential rain of the entire trip. In fact, the morning at Newport was sunny which progressed to a pounding rain that we didn't escape because we were out on the Cliff Walk (fabulous, by the way!). Let's see... it was so HOT in Portland that I was sweating because I decided to wear a long sleeve rash guard and carry my rain jacket. We walked almost 11 miles that day because I was intent on finding a specific brewery. In Bar Harbor, we had the best weather of the entire trip. Wonderful day. Blueberry beer. Who knew it was so delicious? Which brings me to Bermuda.... so HOT. Unbearable heat. I didn't have light enough clothes to enjoy Bermuda, to be honest. It was even HOT at night. We were on an overnight so we ended up walking outside, thinking it would be comfortable, and had a shortened walk because it was still so hot (and that's saying something considering where we live, but I know it was humidity related).

So the point I have to make is to listen to the people who say the weather is highly changeable. Pack with flexibility in mind. I might even say to ignore the weather predictions because I don't think they could get it right if they were reporting on Tuesday what the weather was for Monday! Seriously.

You are on a beautiful itinerary. I know you will enjoy your trip immensely. I wouldn't mind returning for a rerun cruise (one I've seen before....)...

I've done a fair amount of jewelry shopping in the Caribbean. Of course, if you buy it that means that you're going to bring it BACK to be worn, right?

I've never encountered the unfortunate experience of your friend. My circumstances with customs has always been pretty straightforward. Of course, I pack my valuables in my carry on to be taken with me off ship. This carry on is never, ever out of my possession so there is no way that a customs agent would confiscate anything that it contained. I've never had them perform a search of my possessions. Maybe I've just been lucky? Or?

Over the years I've heard some amazing stories, but most of them center around customs finding some questionable items in checked luggage; i.e., unlabeled CBD oil, etc. As I mentioned, I've not encountered anything like your friend's dilemma and, as this hasn't been a subject of conversation, I've never seen any advice on being prepared for such a thing.

Hopefully, you'll get some responses to this question by others who may have experienced similar difficulty? And, by doing so, give us both some advice on this subject.

BTW, I don't think the question about your friend wearing her jewelry was meant as a comment of ostentatious display. Let's be honest: there's a lot of cubic zirconia out there as well as the "good" stuff and there are a lot of ladies who mix and mingle "good" items with costume. It was just a question of what caught the customs agent's eye? And why would they feel justified in pulling her jewelry out of her bag and mutter words like "smuggle" which implies trying to skip a tax.

Just to know. What port was this?

I have never, ever had this experience nor have any of the people I've cruised with who tend to wear expensive pieces. Actually, I've never heard of anyone having this experience! I can't imagine how your friend got entangled in such an experience! 

I've never heard of having to PROVE that you owned something prior to going through customs. I wish you could explain this a bit more so that I can envision what transpired here. The only time I've ever been asked for receipts was for a purchase that was part of the customs declaration form. In the last few cruises, even to the Caribbean, lately I've not even received a declaration form.

As described, this event is particularly egregious. I don't know a single person who takes pictures of their jewelry prior to their cruise. @pcur are you in the habit of doing that?

1 hour ago, awhfy said:

Our house stays at 75 in summer & 66 in winter. Good insulation

Our house stays at 80 in summer, primarily because if it's lower than that we feel cold! And, I'm not kidding. This is why I take all those reviews of temperatures with a huge grain (maybe even a flake) of salt, because we are all a product of our specific environment as to whether we feel comfortable at a certain temperature. I know that humidity levels play a part in that feeling of being comfortable, but I think that your body physiology plays a huge part as well. One of the coldest cruises I ever took where I was extremely uncomfortable was in the Caribbean on a ship that overcompensated in the interior restaurants. I didn't have warm enough clothes for that ship! Miserable evening dinners. So cold my nose felt like a small iceberg sitting on my face. I wasn't as miserable cold on some TransPacific crossings because I expected to be cold and so I prepared for that! It's these unexpected situations that are so difficult to combat when traveling. For us, it's an ongoing struggle cause we never know exactly how we're going to respond to a temperature, but most of the time... we feel cold.

And, I wonder what the difference is between your temperature inside versus outside? For us, we can be a 30-degree to 35-degree difference, keeping the house at 80. Keeping it at 75, does the outside temperature "feel" like a 30+-degree difference?

33 minutes ago, Sailor_Sally said:

Our house is a cool 75 always .

I would have goosebumps in your house and need a sweater! LOL

Absolutely.

We are so hot here we literally can't breathe. It's supposed to DROP to 90 degrees tonight! Oh, boy... what a relief. BUT, our store mannequins are ready for the ski slopes with their parkas and UGG boots! Seriously, store buyers... have you been outside?!?

Laurie,

We've been talking on this thread for such a long time, what's a bit of overshare, right? So, that being said... here's a tip. I don't know if you mean that you have difficulty with elimination after a procedure for <ahem> both of our activities in the water closet, but in the event that you're really having some difficulty with.... well, let's call it poop.... I highly recommend the herbal tea called Smooth Move.

Seriously. I have what I just call "traveler's tummy" at times, especially when I travel (hence the name). A cup of Smooth Move in the evening and you will be amazed at <ahem> the relief it provides in the morning. Again... seriously. I usually travel with a tea bag as just one of those things that can make a trip more enjoyable! LOL.

And now that I've shared the most important thought I had when reading your posts! I'm glad that you're feeling so much better that you're thinking about your wardrobe for your cruise!