Jan115

Glad to hear you’re thinking optimistically and planning now for next year! I am a pretty sedentary person on a cruise, preferring to lounge in a chair and nap or read most of the day, which is why I gravitate towards Princess and to smaller ships. I love the production shows at night, and Norwegian does a great job with their Broadway series. If you’re the type that likes non stop entertainment, you can’t go wrong with NCL and Carnival. For even more activity and people watching, though, you might want to try Royal’s Oasis class ships with their Floating-resort feel and “neighborhoods”, and a cabin overlooking Central Park or Boardwalk. If you’re traveling with a family of varying ages, these ships have something for everyone. For ports, I love The NYC or Boston to Bermuda cruises. The ship sits in port for three days with plenty of opportunity to explore the island. Any of the cruise line private islands (Cococay, Great Stirrup Cay) are always a great beach day. My favorite Caribbean ports have been St. Maarten, Aruba, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios. Caribbean is nice but my all-time fave destinations are Alaska, Norway, Mediterranean, and the British Isles. Check out some of the recent reviews here on CruiseCrazies for more inspiration. Have fun on your cruise!

Well said, Andi! Your agent thanks you!!🙂👍

[Updated 6/27/2020] If you experienced a recent COVID-related cancellation during the 2020 pandemic, you might be cursing the cruise lines, airlines, or resorts out of an abundance of frustration in obtaining refunds or credits. If you booked your own trip, unfortunately you’re on your own. The entire experience of contacting agencies for your refunds or credits can be time-consuming and stressful, especially if there’s an urgency to have your money refunded. Now imagine if you had booked with a travel professional. He or she would have expertly borne the frustration and aggravation of dealing with the travel providers so you wouldn’t have to. Travel agents may have more effective contacts and avenues at their disposal, making refunds more timely and with less hassle. This is just one of the reasons why working with a travel agent is very beneficial in today’s uncertain world. As a cruise specialist, one of the questions I hear most is “why should I book with a travel agent, when I can simply book directly on the web with the cruise line?” Great question. Purchasing a cruise should be a personal experience. All cruises are not alike, and the best cruise experience is one where the cruise ship and itinerary are matched to the client with his or her personality and interests in mind. So while booking directly on the cruise line’s website may appear to be an easy process, do you really have all the facts to make an informed decision to book that cruise? When it’s safe to cruise again, you’ll want to know about health and safety precautions, the safer travel destinations, and the best ways to get there. Following are ten compelling reasons why you should book with an experienced travel agent. Note, these recommendations are directed to cruise travelers, but can be applied in any travel situation. 1. You’re a first-time cruiser. You have always wanted to take a cruise, but simply don’t know where to begin. You’re befuddled by the all the choices: small ship, big ship, inside cabin, outside cabin, early dining, late dining, anytime dining and all the other variables that make up a cruise vacation. No wonder you’re in a tizzy. An agent that specializes specifically in ocean and river cruising will help you sort through a sea of options and find the best ones that work for you. With years of experience working in the travel industry and with different types of clients, a travel agent can easily provide you with options and help you compare the pros and cons of each. The information presented by the travel agent will allow you to see the bigger picture of all of your cruise options, making it very easy for you to come up with a sound decision. The cruise you’ll pick for the first time can leave an impression, which is why you should know how to pick the best type of cruise. 2. Your time is precious. Who wants to spend hours sorting through the hundreds of cruise ship and itinerary options? Do you actually have the luxury of time to sit in front of a computer for hours and then compare different cruise ships? An experienced agent will be happy to do the work for you – it’s what they love to do. Your time is precious, which is why it’s best if you let professionals search and book your cruises for you. As mentioned, travel agents have a proven track record in the industry, which means that they know where and how to search when looking for cruise ships suitable to your needs and budget. When you work with a travel agent, you just have to inform them about what you’re looking for in a trip and how much your budget is, and they’ll get back to you with options that suit your preferences. The time you’ll save from looking for cruise ships and itinerary options can be used for other important tasks such as packing for your cruise and preparing mentally for the trip. 3. Complete door-to-door service. Do you need a ride to or from the ship? Air transportation? A hotel the night before or after your cruise? A shore tour? The cruise line will be more than happy to book these as part of a complete package, but your choices will be quite limited to whomever the cruise line contracts with. A cruise agent, on the other hand, has connections to many taxi companies, local tour guides, discount hotels and other resources that can save you money or provide service in line with your particular style. 4. Reliable Pricing. Have you ever logged on to a web-only cruise site to research pricing on a particular cruise? You’ll see one price listed, one for each cabin category. You say to yourself, great – I think I’ll book. However, in many cases that’s not the only price; there may be other promotion codes, as well, allowing for different rates for the same cabin. A knowledgeable agent will let you know whether any price discounting is available resulting from any special promotions, group pricing, or whether you might qualify for a past passenger rate, a military rate or other discount and/or added amenity. 5. Unbiased information. An independent agent is working for you, not a particular travel supplier or cruise line. While you are welcomed to take advantage of all the services the cruise line will offer as part of a cruise package, the agent will help you find other alternatives if the cruise choices are not to your liking or you simply want to find ways to save money on your vacation. 6. Added amenities and reduced group pricing. Cruise agencies will typically reserve groups of cabins and sell them to their clients at a reduced group-only rate and include other amenities such as onboard credit, a bottle of wine, free excursion, or any number of other gifts. If you’re fond of traveling, you can even look for a travel agent who can help you sell miles from United Airlines so you’ll be able to maximize your points and enjoy more perks. 7. Personalized Service. Have you ever been frustrated with the 800-number large web-based agencies, waiting on hold, unreturned phone calls, or misinformation? During the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly, many travelers have complained that calls to their OTA’s (online travel agency) for help have gone unanswered. With inexperienced order takers in their call centers, OTAs simply don’t have the means to handle this volume of request, let alone in a professional and knowledgeable manner. In some cases, the representative you are dealing with has never stepped foot on a cruise ship and is just relating information from the cruise line’s website. A good, reliable agent will never leave you hanging, always return calls and emails promptly, and pass along information from both the cruise line and the agent’s own personal experience. A good agent knows what you are looking for in a cruise vacation and will make it happen in a friendly and professional way. Most importantly, a qualified agent will be there to help you when you most need it. 8. Support Small Business. With thousands of agencies out there beckoning for your business – brick & mortar and on-line agencies alike – competition is fierce. Small, independent agencies – in business for years, with a loyal clientele – need to work hard to retain their place in the world of cruise selling. These mom & pop agents have access to the same resources as the big web agencies as well as personal experience and unmatched service you won’t find anywhere else. The next time you call 1-800 Big Cruise Outfit, keep in mind that you may be taking business away from the guy around the corner trying to feed a family. 9. We Have Your Back. If any problems should arise before or during your vacation, a good agent will advocate on your behalf to get the answers and results you’re looking for. Like during a pandemic or other world event having a broad effect on travel. 10. Transfer your direct-with-cruise-line booking to a travel agent. Did you know that if you find an agent you really like but have already booked direct with the cruise line, that you can transfer that booking to the agent? Simply let the agent know, and he or she will take care of the whole process. You’re cruise stays exactly the same, you will receive great service and bonus amenities, the agent will get a commission, and everyone wins! At the time of this writing, ship operations are paused, but when they sail again – and they will – you’ll want to be ready. A travel advisor is one of the best tools you can use in a post-pandemic vacation world. ______________________ By Janice Neves, CruiseCrazies Authorized Agent

When will the Great Cruise Shutdown end? That’s the question many cruise fans are asking now as they eagerly await the day when they can get back on the high seas. The bad news, for those who are itching to cruise again, is that many ships might not return to service for many months. Every major cruise line in the world suspended departures in mid-March as the coronavirus outbreak grew, and its likely many major lines will remain completely shut down at least into the fall. While we are seeing some very small cruise vessels — river ships, for instance, and coastal cruisers — starting to resume operations in Europe (with trips mostly aimed at local vacationers), most major lines have canceled sailings through at least September. A few lines have gone even further. Just Tuesday, cruise giant Royal Caribbean and two of its sister brands, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara, canceled sailings into mid-September. The move came a day after Carnival Cruise Line canceled sailings until early October. Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania Cruises also have canceled nearly all sailings into early October, and Cunard Line has dropped trips until November. In North America, the cancellations are partly being driven by a 100-day “no-sail” order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that is likely to be extended, and a cruise ship ban by Canada that will remain in effect until at least Oct. 31. Cruise lines also are contending with country-by-country travel restrictions and port closures around the world. Here’s a look at the dates when major river, ocean and expedition cruise brands that market to North Americans say they will resume operations: Adventure Canada has canceled all 2020 departures. AmaWaterways has canceled all sailings through Aug. 31. American Cruise Lines hopes to resume limited departures of some routes in July. But most sailings in the coming weeks have been canceled. American Queen Steamboat Company plans to resume limited operations on the Mississippi River complex on July 20 with a single vessel, the American Duchess. The line has canceled sailings on the Mississippi River complex-based American Countess and American Queen through Aug. 8. The line has canceled sailings on the Pacific Northwest-based American Empress through July 19. Avalon Waterways has canceled all sailings through Aug. 31. Azamara has canceled all sailings through Sept. 15. Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line plans to resume sailings on Grand Celebration on July 25. Sailings on Grand Classica will resume on Oct. 2. Carnival Cruise Line has canceled nearly all departures worldwide through the end of September. Carnival also has canceled all sailings from New York City and San Francisco for the rest of the year. Celebrity Cruises has canceled most sailings through Sept. 15. The line also has canceled all fall sailings to Canada and New England, and Hawaii. Celestyal Cruises has canceled all sailings through July 30. Costa Cruises has canceled all sailings through July 31. Crystal Cruises has canceled sailings of Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity through Sept. 1 and Oct. 1, respectively. The line also has canceled October sailings to Canada on Crystal Serenity and replaced them with trips out of Miami. Sailings of Crystal Esprit are canceled through October, and all river sailings are canceled through Sept. 6. The line also has delayed the debut of its new expedition ship, Crystal Endeavor, until 2021. Cunard Line has canceled departures of Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria through Nov. 1. Sailings of Queen Elizabeth have been canceled through Nov. 23. Disney Cruise Line has canceled all departures through mid-September. Disney Wonder and Disney Dream are scheduled to resume sailing on Sept. 18. Disney Fantasy is scheduled to restart trips on Sept. 19, with Disney Magic resuming operations on Oct. 12. Emerald Waterways has canceled all sailings through Aug. 31. Hapag-Lloyd Cruises has canceled all sailings through July 1. Holland America has canceled all Europe, Alaska, Canada and New England sailings for the rest of the year. The line also has canceled a 79-day Grand Africa voyage that was scheduled to begin in Boston on Oct. 3 and end in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Also canceled: All sailings out of Vancouver in September and October, and some Hawaii cruises as far out as February 2021. MSC Cruises has canceled all Caribbean sailings through Sept. 15, with sailings in other parts of the world canceled through July 31. The line also has canceled sailings out of New York City scheduled to take place between Sept. 5 and Oct. 22 on MSC Meraviglia. In addition, the line has made changes to its itineraries in North America for the coming year. MSC Seaside will be redeployed to a new home port in Port Canaveral, Florida, from Nov. 2020 through March 2021. It will then be replaced in Port Canaveral by MSC Divina from March 2021 through Nov. 2021. MSC Meraviglia and MSC Armonia will be redeployed to Miami from Nov. 2020 through Nov. 2021. Norwegian Cruise Line has canceled nearly all sailings through Sept. 30 and a few sailings in early October. Voyages on Norwegian Sun have been canceled through Oct. 18. Oceania Cruises has canceled nearly all sailings through Sept. 30 and one sailing in early October. Paul Gauguin Cruises plans to resume sailings in French Polynesia on July 11. Ponant hopes to resume some sailings in France, on new itineraries, in July. Pullmantur, citing the impact of the cruising shutdown, has filed for reorganization under Spanish insolvency laws. All sailings are canceled through at least Nov. 15, and affected customers are being offered cabins on ships operated by Royal Caribbean Cruises brands. Royal Caribbean Cruises owns a 49% stake in Pullmantur. Princess Cruises has canceled all Europe and Alaska sailings for the rest of the year as well as all 2020 cruises in the Canada and New England region. The line also has canceled Caribbean sailings through Nov. 4. Other cancellations include Japan cruises on Diamond Princess into the fall and Australia cruises on Sapphire Princess, Majestic Princess, Sun Princess and Sea Princess through mid-September. Seven-night roundtrip West Coast cruises on Star Princess out of San Francisco scheduled for September and October also have been canceled. Regent Seven Seas Cruises has canceled all sailings through Sept. 30. Royal Caribbean has canceled departures through Sept. 15. In addition, all Canada and Bermuda sailings have been canceled through the end of October. Voyager of the Seas sailings are canceled through Sept. 30. Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours has canceled all sailings through Aug. 31. Scenic Eclipse sailings have been halted through Sept. 30. Seabourn has canceled all sailings into October. The line’s five ships will return to service from Oct. 13 to Nov. 20. Sea Cloud Cruises has canceled sailings through Aug. 1. SeaDream Yacht Club restarted sailings on June 20 with new Norwegian coast itineraries aimed at local Norwegian travelers. Both of its two ships have redeployed to Norway for the trips. The line has canceled its Mediterranean voyages through the end of August. Silversea has canceled most departures into the fall, with most ships now scheduled to resume operations in September or October. Silversea also has pushed off the debut of two new ships scheduled to debut this year. Silver Moon now is scheduled to debut on Oct. 2. Silver Origin, the line’s new ship for the Galapagos, won’t begin operating until Aug. 22. Star Clippers has canceled sailings on Royal Clipper and Star Flyer through Aug. 1. Star Clipper is now scheduled to resume sailing on Sept. 12. Tauck has canceled sailings through Aug. 31. UnCruise Adventures has canceled Alaska departures through the end of July. Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection has canceled sailings through July 15. Variety Cruises has canceled all sailings through July 24. Victory Cruise Lines has canceled all sailings for the rest of the year. Viking has canceled all sailings through the end of August. Virgin Voyages has postponed the official debut of its first ship until Oct. 16. Windstar Cruises has canceled all sailings through early September. The line’s three sailing ships — Wind Spirit, Wind Surf and Wind Star — will resume operations in September, November and January, respectively. Its three motor ships — Star Breeze, Star Legend and Star Pride — will restart operations in October, March 2021 and July 2021. _______________________ By Gene Sloan (The Points Guy, June 25, 2020); Photo Credit: Photo by Artak Petrosyan on Unsplash Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com View full article

Keeping fingers crossed for you! We’re on the Nov. 5th CruiseCrazies cruise from NYC to FLL on the Sky Princess. I’ve canceled two cruises so far and hope third time is a charm. Let’s hope it’s safe to cruise this fall!

A Virginia couple is suing Royal Caribbean Cruises and an excursion company after they sustained severe burns during a visit to the White Island volcano in New Zealand, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in US District Court in Miami. The volcano erupted on December 9, 2019, while 47 people were visiting the island. Twenty-one people were killed. Others suffered severe injuries. The couple, Matthew Urey and Lauren Barham, who were on their honeymoon, sustained burns to 54% and 23% of their bodies respectively, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges the cruise line and the excursion company, ID Tours New Zealand Limited, were negligent in not informing them about the potential dangers of visiting the volcano. Royal Caribbean responded to the lawsuit filed on Thursday, saying: "We continue to support the needs of those affected by this tragic incident. We respectfully decline further comment while the investigation is still proceeding." CNN reached out to ID Tours New Zealand Limited for comment. The Royal Caribbean's shore excursion brochure referred to White Island, located on the east coast of New Zealand's north island, as "one of the most active volcanoes in the world," the lawsuit said. The potential danger of visiting the volcano was not obvious to the couple "because an 'active' volcano is defined as a volcano that has had at least one eruption during the past 10,000 years." The volcano had erupted "multiple times" in the past 10 years and was experiencing increased volcanic activity that the couple was unaware of, the lawsuit said. The cruise line also failed to notify the couple that a 5.9 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter located about 6.2 miles northeast of the volcano occurred two weeks earlier, the lawsuit said, which is notable "since seismic activity provides an increased risk of hydrothermal eruptions." According to a statement from the couple's attorney, Michael Winkleman, "the applicable maritime law holds that Royal Caribbean has a well-defined legal duty to warn its passengers of known dangers. As the Complaint alleges, Royal Caribbean egregiously breached this duty to warn." The couple is demanding judgment for all damages recoverable under the law and a trial by jury. ______________ Credit: CNN (Rebekah Riess, June 26, 2020); Photo courtesy of A.P. Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com View full article

As you’ve probably heard, CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) has voluntarily suspended operations of its member lines until September 15 due to Covid-19. If your cruise in the next few months has not been canceled yet, it soon will. With the virus very much alive - and even re-surging in parts of the U.S. - and so much future uncertainty, you may be wondering about the likelihood of any cruises taking place at all through the end of 2020 and beyond. The good news is that Cruise Lines have Introduced temporary flexible cancellation and change policies and are even extending final payment dates, allowing guests options and more time to decide whether to postpone or cancel. This is a huge advantage over the normal policies usually in place, which only allow for cancellations or changes without penalty 90 days or more prior to departure. Cruises Canceled by the Cruise Line due to Suspension of Operations: If your currently-booked cruise has been affected by the suspension through September 15 due to Covid-19, or your cruise line has canceled any other sailing you may have reserved in the next few months due to port closures and the like, you have two options, depending on the cruise line: Change the sailing to a new future date with no penalty. In return for loyalty, the guest would be offered a generous amount of bonus future cruise credit toward the new cruise, and perhaps an additional amount of onboard credit. If the guest wants to cruise at another time, but is not sure when or where there next cruise will be, the cruise line would hold the funds as FCC (future cruise credit) which would be applied to the cruise once the guest decides on a new sailing, and apply bonus credits at that time. Cancel the cruise outright for a full refund. In this case, the guest receives return of the full fare, taxes and fees, plus any money paid for pre-booked excursion, pre-paid gratuities, etc. In most case, no bonus credits would be rewarded. Cruise Booked for a Date Following the End of the Cruise Suspension Let’s say you have a cruise booked for the end of 2020 or into 2021, but you are having doubts about whether or not it will depart, you’re anxious about the future of the virus situation, or your waiting for a Coronavirus vaccine to be introduced by the CDC. Maybe you’re wondering if the risk is too great or your financial situation has changed. Whatever your situation, most cruise lines have similar no-risk cancellation or rescheduling options in place should you decide later to cancel: Cancel up to 24-48 hours prior to sailing with no risk. Any penalty that would normally have been assessed would be given in the form of FCC (future cruise credit) to be used on any future cruise of the guests choice. Change the date to a new date without penalty. In return, and to keep the client coming back at another date, the guest would be offered a generous amount of bonus future cruise credit toward the new cruise, and sometimes an additional amount of onboard credit. Don’t Rush to Cancel If you have a cruise booked in late 2020, 2021 or beyond, and you are waiting to see how the world health situation pans out, that’s a valid choice. The relaxed cancellation/change policies will most likely remain in effect while the world waits to see how the Pandemic plays out. Pulling the trigger on a booking too soon, may cost you money - not necessarily with the cruise line given its lenient cancellation policy, but with any flights or hotels you have reserved. Cancelling a flight too soon, for instance, could trigger a hefty penalty. A better plan would be to wait until the cruise line cancels the cruise. If your cruise is cut by the cruise line due to Covid-19, the airline will then offer a penalty waiver, allowing you to cancel or change the flight to a later date. It’s important to remember that the amended Covid-19 cancel/change policies are only temporary and may differ across the cruise lines. Before making a decision, it’s important for cruisers to review their cruise line’s Covid-19 cancellation policy to see exactly what they will gain or lose by cancelling or changing plans. In most cases, you’ll find updated policies posted on the home page of the supplier’s website. If you have questions about canceling, it’s best to call your line directly (or your travel agent, if you’ve chose one to handle your cruise vacation) to discuss your options before making a decision. A word of warning: Due to shorter hours, understaffing and agents’ working from home, hold times for customer service are extremely long during these unprecedented times. Be patient, or if you are lucky, you might have a travel agent that has your back. It’s their job to contact the cruise line for you and assist you in obtaining your refund, making a change or otherwise advocate on your behalf. A travel agent might have a quicker route to your refund. Refunds Don't expect an instant refund if you decide to cancel. In fact, a vast amount of patience will be required on your part. Due to the unprecedented number of cancellations, refunds are taking weeks to months. Allow up to 90 days for any refunds to be returned to your credit card. One day it will be safe to cruise again. Until then, it’s good to know you have some options if you decide to plan now and cruise later! ~~~~~~~~~ By Janice Neves, CruiseCrazies Authorized Agent Re-posted on CruiseCrazies.com - Cruise News, Articles, Forums, Packing List, Ship Tracker, and more For more cruise news and articles go to https://www.cruisecrazies.com View full article