ContemporaryTraveler

Also out of curiosity, what lenses did you use with your DSLR camera?

I truly enjoyed reading through your blog and looking at the photos you posted. It was absolutely fantastic! Thank you so much for taking the time to post. I'm hoping in the near future to have the opportunity to sail on expedition cruise to Antarctica.

They aren't. They might wear Princess uniforms one day, HAL the next, RCL the next, etc. I believe they work for a service.

The pier agents for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Azamara are all employees of Royal Caribbean. RCCL has not outsourced this department yet in South Florida. Actually Carnival Cruises hires some pier agents directly still, but most of the other lines now outsource their pier agents. Some of the lines use SMS International Shoreline Operations, Holland I believe uses a different company.

Thank you for your review. I'm planning on doing the Chef's Table as a solo cruiser next year. The Chef's Table Package sounds like a great deal!

Your son was present with his ID and birth certificate (which indicates that Terri is his mother). This may have been a factor in allowing your wife to board. This article on Fodor's states that there are other ways authorities can verify someone's identity.

 

http://www.fodors.com/news/story_5647.html

 

Article excerpt:

Show any unofficial ID. If you're traveling with family who share your last name, their presence is a form of proof, along with credit cards, business cards, family photos. The Transportation Security Administration website states that passengers are required to show a U.S. federal or state-issued photo ID in order to pass through the checkpoint and onto their flight.

 

As does this page from the TSA website:

 

http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/acceptable-ids

I really wonder how customs handled this at the end of the cruise during disembarkation. Since the son was not at the end of the cruise, then his ID and birth certificate does not count. From my experience another person vouching for someone does not count for embarking on a cruise. Each individual has to have their own documentation. For example, Royal Caribbean wants to avoid fines and as employees we are always carefully checking ID's. Identification is a large focus of the training as well for a pier agent, so I presume Princess would be the exact same way. The biggest issue I have noticed is wrong birth certificate type or a one-entry visa. Usually in those circumstances the guest is always denied, unless they can get a correct birth certificate in time for sailing (One-entry visa is automatic denial). I have yet to see a missing ID or hear about one at the port I work at, which is why I am curious as to how CBP handled this at disembarkation.

Thank you so much for sharing your photos. Absolutely great to look at!

I really enjoyed reading your review. I'm very interested in trying Windstar in the near future once my schedule allows it. The menus and the photos of the ship you posted were very helpful in getting a basic idea of what Windstar is like. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.

Out of curiosity, what happened at the end of the cruise when you disembarked without the government issued ID?

I'm surprised the pier agent did not go to a supervisor about the drivers license. With Royal Caribbean this would have been immediately escalated to a pier coordinator.