Silversea Water Cooler: Part 3, Welcome!

[mw8811]

Beaujolais can you email me on mw8811@gmail.com please with the name of the company - we've just tried another and they don't cover pre-existing.

 

Thanks Jeff yes I have medical insurance but not him (because of pre-existing).

 

Thanks S it's all very stressful.

 

Once again we should never have left Bda......................

[machotspur]

Beaujolais can you email me on mw8811@gmail.com please with the name of the company - we've just tried another and they don't cover pre-existing.

 

Thanks Jeff yes I have medical insurance but not him (because of pre-existing).

 

Thanks S it's all very stressful.

 

Once again we should never have left Bda......................

 

Hi there mw8811

 

I can share your angst with regard to the whole issue of insurance for pre-existing conditions. It is a minefield !!

I suspect that there are many many people out there that think they have travel insurance but are not covered because they haven’t declared a pre existing condition. Very risky indeed (think medical costs in the USA/Caribbean !!)

 

I had a major heart issue when I was just 45 – way back in 2002. Despite having a pretty clean health record since then, and absolutely no recurrence of any heart condition, I am still unable to obtain travel insurance through mainstream insurers.

 

In the UK there are a handful of insurers that specialise in travel insurance that includes pre existing conditions. I switch between a couple of them , that even though they aren’t household names appear to be quite large now, because they are leaders in this niche market. (I’m not sure that I am permitted to post them, on here am I ?)

 

Almost all of these insurers that specialise in pre existing cover appear to use an identical ‘risk model’ that is available on their website for online quotes. This enables one to do a few ‘what ifs’ , without commitment.

 

One thing I do have to accept, is to under insure for cancellation, whilst maintaining a full cover for medical issues. Most – although not all - of these specialist insurers only insure for £5k per person cancellation. As I’ve said, by using the online sites you can input variables into their system to see what they produce.

 

BTW – the premium for my wife and I, including £10k per person cancellation is around £550 p.a, Worldwide including USA etc. This isn’t bad but we, in insurance terms at least, are still relatively young.

 

Do let me know if I can be of any further help, but do be aware that I rarely come onto this thread.

 

Best wishes & good luck – solutions are out there.

[mw8811]

Thanks everyone for the help with the insurance we're now going to explore various websites etc.

Stay tuned for the next update!

 

I will not let this beat me!

 

Mary

[machotspur]

Thanks everyone for the help with the insurance we're now going to explore various websites etc.

Stay tuned for the next update!

 

I will not let this beat me!

 

Mary

 

Hello again mw8811

 

Just a further thought. You may be aware of the website MoneySavingExpert.Com, set up by that TV money chap Martin Lewis.

 

Included on the site is a section on insurance for pre-existing medical conditions. It includes a list of the various insurers that are willing to offer cover. You will find it here :-

 

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/pre-existing-travel-insurance

 

For your info the two insurers we have used for the past 15 years, to give cover including my previous heart issue are :-

 

Avanti - https://www.avantitravelinsurance.co.uk/

All Clear Travel - https://www.allcleartravel.co.uk/

 

No recommendation from me either way but you may find these useful.

 

Whilst I am not aware of the details in your case it doesn't sound to me that you should have an issue in being able to secure appropriate insurance.

 

Kind regards

[duct tape]

TravelGuard, covers my pre-existing so.

[jpalbny]

All is well! Very little time to post, but enjoying every moment!

 

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[ShotsnCruises]

Ten days until fly time! We are packed, all luggage is within the weight limits and manageable! I even think the hubby is getting excited for his first cruise. Lately, the conversations while getting ready for bed include, "What are we doing on the first island?" and "What kind of food do you think we will have for lunches?"

This makes me so happy for my reluctant traveler. He just doesn't have any concept of a cruise, or the Caribbean. I can't wait!

[ShotsnCruises]

Quick question(s): There seem to be quite a few suites available on our cruise. Seeing as how we are under the 2 week mark, is this normal? If the rooms are unsold, does Silversea ever offer upgrades? Any chance we might find ourselves in a bigger suite?

Thanks

[UKCruiseJeff]

Quick question(s): There seem to be quite a few suites available on our cruise. Seeing as how we are under the 2 week mark, is this normal? If the rooms are unsold, does Silversea ever offer upgrades? Any chance we might find ourselves in a bigger suite?

Thanks

 

 

Hi Shot's

 

Sharing your anticipation and excitement!

 

Presuming your cruise history in the footer is correct, this is your first SS cruise? Even if SS were offering upgrades which I'm not clear I recall ever seeing posted as their normal MO, then would they not be more likely to offer such deals to their exisitng loyal Venetian customers in preference to new ones?

 

Jeff

[ShotsnCruises]

Hi Shot's

 

Sharing your anticipation and excitement!

 

Presuming your cruise history in the footer is correct, this is your first SS cruise? Even if SS were offering upgrades which I'm not clear I recall ever seeing posted as their normal MO, then would they not be more likely to offer such deals to their exisitng loyal Venetian customers in preference to new ones?

 

Jeff

 

While I would hope they would respect and reward loyalty, they might also choose to build loyalty. Especially if ones first SS cruise happens to be a special occasion? Either way, we will have an amazing time. No expectations about an upgrade, just a curiosity.

[specialcruisegirl]

On one cruise following our disembarkation last year the ship was less than half full. Friends of mine who are 350 day Venetians asked to be moved from deck five to nine and they were accommodated but only due to the fact they suffered lots of noise on five forward.....they still had a verandah suite, just different location.

I doubt you will be offered a bigger suite as the price difference is quite substantial.....but one can always hope!

I'm sure you'll have a brilliant time wherever you are.....

 

Sophia [emoji5]

 

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

While I would hope they would respect and reward loyalty, they might also choose to build loyalty. Especially if ones first SS cruise happens to be a special occasion? Either way, we will have an amazing time. No expectations about an upgrade, just a curiosity.

 

Yes, they might do that when they make an offer to make your initial choice ie a first time customer offer to get you to make your first booking, but I guess they hope that the excellence of the product will get you back a second time ..... and your perception of how much better treatment loyal customers get - including presumably preferential upgrade treatment perhaps?

 

Whilst SS do many weird things that people can't explain, having a few first time customers being upgraded in preference to loyal customers after arrival on board and risking them boasting arround the bar to long-term loyal customers who just got what they booked and paid for is a great way of really peeing off your loyal customers and is potentially pretty harmful. I think that whilst they often appear to be as daft as a brush, I think they'd avoid that.

 

You'll both have a great time and I'm looking forward to hearing from you daily! ;)

 

Jeff

Edited February 12, 2017 by UKCruiseJeff

[jpalbny]

Good evening coolers, from the Hooghly River! We completed the land portion of the trip yesterday, and flew from Jaipur to Kolkata to board Ganges Voyager II. Having a great time so far!

 

There is hardly enough time to see the cities, but we really loved the two visits to the Taj Mahal. Lots of great views and pictures. Our guide Rishi knew all of the best spots, so we have more pictures of the two of us that day, than we have on most trips.

 

Food has been delicious and we're surprised by the Indian wines so far. We have enjoyed the Sauvignon Blanc very much, and it goes well with the spicy food. My clothes have shrunk already.

 

The pace on the ship is more relaxing. So far, it's been a pattern of a morning tour followed by afternoon scenic cruising. I had a nice nap this afternoon on deck after several glasses of wine with lunch. I could get used to this!

 

I'll share a picture that I took of Chris, reflecting on the timeless beauty of the Taj Mahal in the late afternoon sun. It was breathtakingly beautiful!

 

 

I will be working on a full review in the river cruising section at a later date. It's started, but not much there yet.

 

Best to all. ShotsnCruises, have a great trip!

 

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[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! We're expecting another 10 inches of snow from this afternoon into tomorrow morning. Did I mention that I hate winter?

 

JP...Thanks for the update and the AWESOME picture! So glad to hear that you are enjoying the experience! Looks like the scaffolding is down from the minarets. It was up on 3 of the 4 for our visit last year. Beautiful even with the scaffolding though!

 

Have a great day/evening all!

[TLCOhio]

Greetings Coolers! We're expecting another 10 inches of snow from this afternoon into tomorrow morning. Did I mention that I hate winter? JP...Thanks for the update and the AWESOME picture! So glad to hear that you are enjoying the experience! Looks like the scaffolding is down from the minarets. It was up on 3 of the 4 for our visit last year. Beautiful even with the scaffolding though!

 

YES!! Appreciate the update and picture from J.P. Glad that things are going so well in India. Looks and sounds wonderful. Keep sharing the pictures. Can't get enough!! Wanting more and more.

 

As shown below, here are the forecasts from AccuWeather for the next two weeks in Central Ohio. Very good!! It was very "spring-like" yesterday in the 60'sF. Sorry that the "cold-belt" is hitting Canada and some parts of our country so hard.

 

Agree for ShotsnCruises in having a great trip.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

If Venice is one of your future desires or past favorites, look at this earlier posting for many options and visual samples this city that is so great for "walking around", personally seeing its great history and architecture. This posting is now at 65,471 views.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

 

 

From AccuWeather for the next two weeks, here is our fairly mild forecast. We can live with missing the super cold weather here.:

 

[jpalbny]

Terry, nice weather. We picked the right time to get out of Albany! So much snow at home!

 

Mysty, there was scaffolding on 1 of 4. The other three were squeaky clean and the visual impact of the clean white marble was incredible.

 

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[ShotsnCruises]

Good morning cruisers! The days are ticking by so quickly now. I took tomorrow off work to try to catch my breath, as well as get things ready. This whole changing jobs the same time as a 2 week vacation thing is kind of overwhelming.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Good afternoon all ......

 

Great to see the JP shot .... must have more JP!

 

Shots, I guess the art is to try and put any new job jitters firmly on the back burner whilst on the trip. Bet you're counting down the hours now.

 

Today was a lovely fresh loin of haddock pan fried in butter and finished in the oven, served with a rich parsley sauce and over-buttered mash and 'specially for Spins some peas. :)

 

Jeff

 

[jpalbny]

Yum, Jeff! We've been chowing down on spicy stuff for the past 10 days or so. Amazing flavors but occasionally get a hankering for something less assertive.

 

Here are a few pics to whet the appetite until I get around to the whole blog.

 

Humayan's Tomb in Delhi

 

 

 

Taj Mahal in evening light

 

 

 

Taj Mahal at sunrise

 

 

 

Amber Fort in Jaipur

 

 

 

Terra cotta temples in Kalna

 

 

 

Time warp along the Hooghly. Ox cart. Guy with cell phone taking a picture of our boat. I can post this with a 3G data connection. Juxtaposition of old and new tech.

 

 

Signal is fading as we move north. Not sure how much posting I can do for the next few days. Will see. Will stop in when able.

 

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Edited February 13, 2017 by jpalbny

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers! Well we definitely got snow thanks to a Colorado Low (Canada and the US do tend to share weather systems :(). It picked up moisture over the Great Lakes and dumped it on a huge swath of Ontario. More snow predicted for this week!

 

JP.... Thanks for the awesome visuals! Didn't seem as crowded as when we were there. Makes the visit more enjoyable than fitting through crowds. Spectacular lighting makes the monument glow!

 

J...that meal looks delicious! Myster has taken over the cooking and is doing a wonderful job! He has much more imagination and patience in the kitchen than I ever did. He made coconut lime ginger mussels this weekend. Scrumptious!

 

Have a great day/evening all!

[TLCOhio]

Yum, Jeff! We've been chowing down on spicy stuff for the past 10 days or so. Amazing flavors but occasionally get a hankering for something less assertive. Here are a few pics to whet the appetite until I get around to the whole blog.

Taj Mahal in evening light

 

Appreciate the wonderful visuals from J.P. and Jeff. Yes, Yes!! Wanting to see more. It's super sunny today in Central Ohio. High will be 42F, but seems so much warmer and better with that spectacular sunshine.

 

Just two weeks exactly till we arrive in Fort Lauderdale to start our Panama Canal adventure on Feb. 28. It's been very mild this winter here in this part of Ohio. But, getting more warmth and great sights will be fun.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 47,793 views for these postings.

[UKCruiseJeff]

JP, lovely pics ..... what an adventure ...

 

Thanks Terry ....

 

M, I don't know whether this is to your taste but our favourite fresh mussels dish apart from good old moules marinière is even easier. Mussels in a green or red Thai sauce. Purchased thai paste with fried chopped onions and some canned coconut cream and a dash of fish sauce. It is sublime and shells were made to scoop alongside some crusty French bread for dipping.

 

Jeff

 

....... some of last Summer's at Seaside!

 

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[mysty]

Thanks so much Jeff!!!! I think Myster would love that dish! He is a huge fan of Thai cooking. I'll make sure to capture this recipe for him!

[spinnaker2]

Love the color green!

thanks Jeff.

 

Amazing photos JP. What a trip!

 

Mysty sorry about the snow.

 

Shots, not long now...and for what it's worth it never hurts to ask for the upgrade. Squeaky wheel and all that.

 

Sophia, hope you are fine now and no more dreary cold.

 

46 days until I embark. Will bring the DD and a friend of hers aboard for lunch, which is a token payment for caring for the dog and bringing us to the Port.

 

I have been busy at the maison. DH has taken over a room for his man cave which required lots of logistics. The retirement thing is taking some getting used to for him. He still has his office in town but DD is using it in a sweetheart deal, she's also a therapist.

 

Son is getting better. Still has nerve pain, but all the hardware in place and bony growth happening sans impingement.

 

Enjoy Valentines Day![emoji307][emoji898][emoji257][emoji485][emoji516]

[TLCOhio]

Thanks Terry ....

M, I don't know whether this is to your taste but our favourite fresh mussels dish apart from good old moules marinière is even easier. Mussels in a green or red Thai sauce. Purchased thai paste with fried chopped onions and some canned coconut cream and a dash of fish sauce. It is sublime and shells were made to scoop alongside some crusty French bread for dipping. Jeff

 

Super love and appreciate the food pictures. Mussels and good sauce are among my top, best personal favorite dining delights. Looks great!!

 

On weather, here is our current weather in Central Ohio. BUT, the second chart shows what is now hitting New York state and New England, etc.. Good for Chris and J.P. to be warmer in India.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 170,481 views for this posting.

 

 

From AccuWeather, first is our Columbus weather now, plus what is scheduled tomorrow. Being warmer is even better!! BUT, not as much sunshine for Tuesday. Then, below is the weather map for how things look in the cold and winter-attack northeastern United States and parts of Canada.: