Boarding denied? Why?

[reedl]

Have a physical interaction with another passenger? And her husband finds out about it.:-)

But from what I have heard, sometimes a member of the crew can get away with it. It just depends on the crew member.

 

But that makes me think of the old very bad joke:

 

A captain takes a liking to one of the female passengers. He tells he that if she does not join him in his cabin he will sink the ship. She agrees not wanting to cause harm to others.

 

Later in the evening she returns to her husband and he asks:

 

"Where have you been?"

 

She replies: "Saving the ship from sinking."

 

I know very bad joke.

[reedl]

In terms of complaining, there is a right way and a wrong way. The correct way is to write the company privately and let them know what the issues are. The best thing in terms of cruises is to have pictures or other evidence to back up your claim. If for example you have "fountains of poop" like the women being discussed here had, a picture would show that.

 

I had a cruise where the room smelled of crap. I called the front desk people up to my room, and they agreed that it was bad and took care of it. Simple and too the point. The best time to get something taken care of is on the ship. The worst time is to wait until after the trip. The people on the "front lines" are more than capable of taking care of you. You just need to go "up the foodchain" on the ship until you find someone who can help you.

 

I always try and get to know at least one senior officer on each cruise and befriend them. That way if I have issues, I can use that contact to help take care of any issues that might arise.

 

On a Liberty cruise a few years ago, I had no issues, but befriended the Revenue manager. Everytime I saw him, I would joke with him about how I did in the casino. If I made money, he would fake sadness, and if I lost money he would cheer. It become a running joke between us for the rest of the cruise.

[crazycooks]

I am so sorry this happened to you and so glad you posted! I would not have had any idea that I would need to carry my birth certificate with me to travel to Alaska!!! I have cruised only three times, but I am that kind of person who thinks she knows everything once she's done it, and I might be the very person to skip reading all the documentation, and miss that info myself!!

 

I knew we needed passports for the Caribbean when we sailed, not really so much because our TA or the cruise line told us (thought I am sure they did) but because we sailed just after the time that the State Department started requiring Americans to have passports to get to Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean, even on closed circle (or what ever the term is) Caribbean cruises. It was in the news, so I was aware.

 

If you don't mind my asking (and if you do, please ignore the question) did you get your money back for the cruise?

 

Well, surprisingly a little bit, yes. In very round figures we paid around 3000, and will be getting around 300 back. When my wife talked to them on the phone, the rep said she was "able to authorize" x amount. Wife and I assumed it was 10%, and it kinda is. Someone on another board said it was probably taxes and fees, because they generally do give that back? No idea, but we expected nothing so...

 

That should just cover two 10 year passports! There is a bright side! :o

 

I will stay around here. I'm reading so many threads and learning.

 

Stopped by the county records office today at lunch and picked up two fresh passport applications. Tentative plan to try Alaska again in May.

 

Thanks everyone.

[CraftyEC]

we paid around 3000, and will be getting around 300 back.

 

That should just cover two 10 year passports! There is a bright side! :o

 

I will stay around here. I'm reading so many threads and learning.

 

Stopped by the county records office today at lunch and picked up two fresh passport applications. Tentative plan to try Alaska again in May.

 

Thanks everyone.

I am extremely impressed by your positive attitude and acceptance of a bad situation. I'm sure you will be extremely well organised for a future cruise, and that you will enjoy in immensely!

 

Perhaps life is simpler in the 'rest of the world' where we wouldn't dream of trying to travel out of the country without a valid passport. Technically you don't need one for some travel (e.g. between UK and Republic of Ireland) but it just isn't worth the hassle of trying. My 92 year old mother has just paid for a ten-year renewal for her Irish passport and has used it to travel from the UK to Ireland to stay there for a couple of months - she would have gone earlier but she was having knee replacement surgery! Here's hoping she will get plenty of use out of it, in years to come, and that you do the same with yours :)

[Treven]

You are totally correct, but you would be surprised at how many Airport Security Screeners ask for my DL after I hand over my passport. :(

Yes I would be very surprised you would be asked for a DL in addition to your passport. I've never been asked for anything beyond my passport.

[Treven]

But from what I have heard, sometimes a member of the crew can get away with it. It just depends on the crew member.

 

But that makes me think of the old very bad joke:

 

A captain takes a liking to one of the female passengers. He tells he that if she does not join him in his cabin he will sink the ship. She agrees not wanting to cause harm to others.

 

Later in the evening she returns to her husband and he asks:

 

"Where have you been?"

 

She replies: "Saving the ship from sinking."

 

I know very bad joke.

I, for one, like that joke.

[Seaworthy01]

I just have this nightmare of the ship (and our 8 friends cruising with us) leaving as we wave from the pier...

:(

 

 

That is a nightmare.

[LH25]

Thanks for the answers - no BC for us. I will leave copies of ours with my mom.

 

What's funny(or sad depending on how you look at it) is that we live less then an hour from the pier, so I'm planning to leave home early enough to come back if I do forget something.

[Treven]

Thanks for the answers - no BC for us. I will leave copies of ours with my mom.

 

What's funny(or sad depending on how you look at it) is that we live less then an hour from the pier, so I'm planning to leave home early enough to come back if I do forget something.

What I do is leave a copy of the information page of my passport with a former co-worker. I'm retired and have no family so she got elected. She has that just in case...

[crazycooks]

Thanks for the answers - no BC for us. I will leave copies of ours with my mom.

 

What's funny(or sad depending on how you look at it) is that we live less then an hour from the pier, so I'm planning to leave home early enough to come back if I do forget something.

 

We were in a close but yet so far situation. We didn't fly in, but home is 4 hours from dock so 8 hours round trip with 3.5 until departure. May as well have been a 15 hour flight.:eek:

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[ducklite]

You are totally correct, but you would be surprised at how many Airport Security Screeners ask for my DL after I hand over my passport. :(

 

I'd tell them to go scratch. The US Passport is the single most valid piece of ID you can offer any type of Federal agent.

[Jsme]

I want to thank the OP for starting this thread. While at times it may have gone off topic, I have learned a lot.

[SeagoingMom]

Some countries require that your passport be good 6 months AFTER your trip, not before. That way, if something happens (major hospitalization, just as an example) and you end up stuck in their country for awhile, your passport is still good.

Ahhh! Now it is all made clear. Thanks for the explanation. Do you know, should I go to the State Department website to find out these sorts of requirements?

[SeagoingMom]

Maybe not for MONHTS prior to arriving, but if you need to apply for a visa that is attached/stamped into the passport, then you obviously need a valid passport so you can send it off to the embassy/consulate to obtain the visa then get your passport back.

 

This process CAN take some time. So plan accordingly if your situation warrants it.

Right, thanks. This part I understand perfectly, due to some past experiences. :( It was the thing about other countries having some sort of timing requirements for U.S. passports that I didn't understand, but that's now been cleared up, too. :)

[SeagoingMom]

I always try and get to know at least one senior officer on each cruise and befriend them. That way if I have issues, I can use that contact to help take care of any issues that might arise.

 

How do you "get to know and befriend" a senior officer? And what sort of issues do you ask a senior officer to "take care of" for you?

 

I am happy not to have had any issues on a cruise which my room steward, the maitre d', or the front desk could not solve for me.

[gerif]

How do you "get to know and befriend" a senior officer? And what sort of issues do you ask a senior officer to "take care of" for you?

 

I am happy not to have had any issues on a cruise which my room steward, the maitre d', or the front desk could not solve for me.

 

Good question. I'd be interested in the response myself.

[Capt_BJ]

Right, thanks. This part I understand perfectly, due to some past experiences. :( It was the thing about other countries having some sort of timing requirements for U.S. passports that I didn't understand, but that's now been cleared up, too. :)

 

Many counties that do not require a VISA b4 a US citizen enters the country are actually automatically granting a 6 months permission (VISA) when you enter. This requires that your passport be VALID for the 6 month period. Does not matter that you don't plan to stay that long ... that's just how the rules (treaties) connect to one another.

[SeagoingMom]

Oops -- duplicate post!

[paul929207]

I think the US State Department site will give info on the rules for entering the US, not rules for entering other countries. As far as the 6 month rule, I just get the passport renewed to avoid any problem like that.

[paul929207]

How do you "get to know and befriend" a senior officer? And what sort of issues do you ask a senior officer to "take care of" for you?

 

I am happy not to have had any issues on a cruise which my room steward, the maitre d', or the front desk could not solve for me.

In this case boring is good. Much rather not have a problem than hope an officer you have befriended can and will help out

[SeagoingMom]

Thanks for the answers - no BC for us. I will leave copies of ours with my mom.

 

What's funny(or sad depending on how you look at it) is that we live less then an hour from the pier, so I'm planning to leave home early enough to come back if I do forget something.

Not sad nor funny -- I call that smart!

[freebygsy]

Wearing Crocs, having them in packed luggage or even looking at though you own a pair. :)

[98Charlie]

I think the US State Department site will give info on the rules for entering the US, not rules for entering other countries. As far as the 6 month rule, I just get the passport renewed to avoid any problem like that.

 

The State Department does have a travel list that includes visa requirements and warnings. Click Here. Click on the various countries that you are visiting and check the Entry/Exit Requirements for U.S. Citizens.

 

Charlie

[freebygsy]

Wearing Crocs, having them in packed luggage or even looking at though you own a pair. :)

on a more serious note: Just get a passport.

 

I believe it's not uncommon in the USA for people to be without one. If your cruise is visiting other countries even if you don't intent to disembark you still need a passport as such the cruise line wont let you board without one.

[sparks1093]

on a more serious note: Just get a passport.

 

I believe it's not uncommon in the USA for people to be without one. If your cruise is visiting other countries even if you don't intent to disembark you still need a passport as such the cruise line wont let you board without one.

 

 

Not true at all, or at least not in every case. A US citizen leaving on a cruise from a US city, traveling in the Western Hemisphere, and returning to the same US city they left from can travel with as little as a government issued birth certificate and government issued photo ID. There are other alternatives available, also.