Tim,
We are going on Carnival Victory; can we bring bottled spring water aboard
without any problems? We drink a lot of water and prefer a certain brand,
not to mention what it would cost us if purchased on the ship. Do you know
if this is allowed?
Joan
Joan,
You can bring water aboard, but be aware that the cruise line reserves the
right to confiscate beverages that are not purchased on the ship. It is also
accepted etiquette that any beverages you bring on board should be consumed
in your stateroom and not in public areas. Just be discreet and you should be
fine.
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Tim,
We cruise two or three times a year and I am always looking for bargains.
Any suggestions where to find them on the Internet?
For one thing, try CruiseMates' own Bargains area and classifieds. The try
the websites of major cruise retailers such as i-Cruise.com, MyTravelCo,
American Express, Carlson-Wagonlit, Uniglobe and others. You should also sign
up for e-mail specials from the cruise line websites themselves. You'd be
amazed at what you'll find!
Hi Tim,
I am planning to book a cruise for my 12 employees, and I am a bit concerned
about one employee leaving the company prior to the cruise. Would travel
insurance cover me if she left and was unable or unwilling to go on the
cruise?
Cathy Volpe
Cathy,
Most travel insurance will not cover you for that reason. Most policies only
cover for medical reasons. However, most cruise lines will be willing to make
a name change, and some of them, such as Holland America, offer Cruise
Protection Plans that allow you to cancel or change for any reason.
Tim,
On two message boards, I saw postings about a fire on the new Star Princess
now being built. Would you know how severe it was, (assuming it is true) and
the chances of this ship being delayed in its inaugural? We cannot get home
to L.A. much later than the ship's scheduled arrival in March. When a
company thinks there will be a delay, do they inform passengers of that
possibility?
Eric & Rochelle
Princess did confirm that there was a fire aboard, and several workers were
injured. However, at this point it is too early to determine if it will put
the ship behind schedule. My contacts at Princess in L.A. and P&O in London
say they don't believe the ship's delivery date will be compromised.
If the cruise line does find that the ship will be delayed, it will contact
you as far in advance as possible, but there is no telling when or where a
major delay may occur.
For now, I'd say you are safe. And I must say I'm envious of you making that
inaugural voyage! What a trip that will be!
Tim,
We are booked on HAL's Amsterdam Dec. 3 Panama Canal Cruise, with the
two-night pre-cruise in Costa Rica. I have seen articles referring to "soft"
vs. "strong" bookings. In your opinion, what type of passenger load can be
expected for the week after Thanksgiving? What are the pros and cons of a
verandah or no verandah during the Canal Passage?
Sulver
Sulver,
I'd anticipate that the ship will be full, or close to it. While bookings may
be "soft" at the moment, HAL very rarely lets a bed go out empty. If they see
the sailing is not filling, they'll come out with a promotion or special fare
that will help them fill it.
There are lots of pros--and no cons--as far as verandahs are concerned!
Especially for a voyage such as this, I find them extremely enjoyable. You'll
have your own private perch for viewing the Canal transit, and you'll have
all the comforts of "home" steps away--no fighting for rail space and the
comfort of your fridge, air conditioning and room service!
Hope this helps!
Tim,
We had reservations for a cruise last fall, right after the company that
owned this ship filed for bankruptcy. We have yet to receive any refund of
port charges, which I understand would have been held separately, and would
potentially be recovered from the bond they were required to post. Have you
heard anything about this? The travel agency (we won't be using them again)
hasn't been much help.
Mary
Disbursements from the required Federal Maritime Commission bond can
sometimes take years to administer. When Regency went bankrupt in September
1995, some passengers didn't receive any proceeds from the bond until 1998.
And in many cases, the proceeds one receives from the bond are pennies on the
dollar.
Unfortunately, travel agents can't do anything to speed up the process, so
you really shouldn't hold it against the agent.
Tim,
Do the cruise lines have any restrictions regarding pregnant women? I'm
traveling on Explorer of the Seas next month, and I'm four months pregnant
Tedra
Most cruise lines don't allow pregnant passengers aboard who are at or beyond
the 24th to 28th week of pregnancy at the time of their disembarkation. RCI's
policy is not to accept guests who have entered their third trimester at the
time they embark.
Dear Mr. Rubacky,
I am booked for Royal Olympic Voyager's October 27 cruise from Piraeus to
Greece, Turkey, and Egypt. I have heard that the cruise line may be in some
financial difficulty. How ominous is this? Could it go the way of Premier
and Commodore? I have third party travel insurance (Travel Guard), which I
took out when I made my deposit.
I am keen on taking this cruise due to the past reputation of Royal Olympic
and the quality of this ship. My vacation time is earmarked for this. Should
I cancel? Try another cruise? I am a part-time travel agent, and would like
to have some experience of some cruises behind me. I realize this is open to
all sorts of interpretations, etc. But I would appreciate any advice you
might have.
Richard
I'm no soothsayer, so it is tough to gauge at this point. However, Royal
Olympic's parent company recently posted financials that were somewhat
encouraging. While I certainly would retain my third party insurance and pay
with a credit card, things look a little better now than they did a few
months ago. Stay tuned for Anne Campbell's upcoming review of this ship and
that itinerary, as she just returned from it!
