Ned
02-25-2008, 09:49 PM
Over at Tripso, Anita has written one of the best columns yet; 5 cruise miseries and how to avoid them (http://www.tripso.com/columns/5-cruise-miseries-and-how-to-avoid-them/)
She hit all the important items which are actually somewhat in a cruiser's control, or at least the remedies and prevention of really getting socked for financial loss.
I would like to emphasize some of her statements about luggage loss. She said,
Pack smart...print out your cruise itinerary and contact information, and put a copy inside each bag.
Report the lost luggage to the airline immediately.
Carry some essentials with you. Pack a two-day supply of clothes in your carry-on luggage, along with your tickets, cruise documents, jewelry, medication, eyeglasses, makeup, camera, computer and anything else you can’t live without for a day or two
Notify the cruise line staff.Packing at least one complete change of clothes, all your travel documents, medication and valuables in your carry-on is an absolute must. If nothing else, remember that the airlines won't cover your valuables if you have to put in a claim. Plus, if you've absolutely got to have it for your cruise, you don't want to entrust the airlines to get it there. Definitely notify the cruise line right away. I can't tell you how helpful and persistent Celebrity was when our luggage didn't make it from Atlanta to Barcelona. With their help, we got it before we sailed.
Anita talked about not missing the ship by planning to get to the port of embarkation early. She suggested a day early. Personally, I'm more conservative than that. If it's a domestic port, I'm there 2 days early, and if it's an international port, I'm there 3 days early. There's a major upside to being at the port of embarkation early, you get a great chance to explore the port and surrounding countryside.
On a cruise on the Med leaving from Barcelona, Spain, we got there a few hours late, but our luggage was still in Atlanta. Fortunately, we were in Barcelona, a fabulous city, 3 nights before the cruise was to begin. We had clothes in our carry-ons to tide us over, plus all our toilet articles, medications, and valuables. We had a great time in Barcelona and did buy some items in the department stores for the time we were in Barcelona. Finally, 72 hours later, the night before we were to sail, with the help of Celebrity Cruise lines, we got our luggage for the cruise. There were people on the cruise, who arrived in Barcelona the day of the cruise, who didn't have their luggage until half way through the cruise, as the airlines had a tough time having the luggage meet them during the cruise, even with Celebrity trying to expedite and remedy the situation in cooperation with the airlines.
There's actually multiple advantages to planning to get to the port of embarkation early.
You help ensure you won't miss your sailing.
If your luggage is delayed you have time before your ship sails for it to catch up to you.
You have a chance to purchase some essentials in port if your luggage won't make it before you sail.
You have a chance to enhance your trip substantially with a precruise exploration of the port of embarkation and its surrounding area and communities.Anita talked about preventing yourself from catching norovirus. Good hygiene works. I have a number of friends who have come back from cruises on which a significant number of passengers caught norovirus, but none of them got sick. We credit it to their fastidiousness of hygiene. They all made their moms proud.
Anita talked about travel insurance, with an emphasis on travel medical insurance. I've been emphasizing the medical aspect of travel insurance to my friends for years. I've got a $100,000 policy through AMEX. My next door neighbor was on a cruise with a few of his friends in South America a few years back. One of his friends had a heart attack. The bill to fly home from the hospital in a medivac plane was $70,000. Thank goodness he had the same AMEX insurance coverage I have. It saved his financial life, while the doctors saved his physical life.
Finally Anita talked about crime in port. She specifically mentioned the sad tale of some American passengers from Carnival's Liberty in Puerta Limon, Costa Rica, a port I am familiar with, having cruised their myself. I agree with Anita's recommendations.
In addition to her suggestions, before booking a cruise, I take a look at the US State Department's Country Specific Information (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html). These bulletins list all kinds of information about crime and safety in countries around the world. Often they have specific information on staying safe in a country. In countries outside the US I'm very careful to only use tour operators recommended by my travel agent who has personal knowledge of the operator, and/or the cruise line. When on an excursion, I have no choice when it comes to anyone seeing my camera, but I leave unnecessary cash in the stateroom safe, and neither my wife or I wear or take expensive jewelry, other than our gold wedding bands while traveling. I know people who take all their good jewelry with them on cruises. I don't understand it. Who are they trying to impress, a bunch of strangers who don't care?
*Additional Tip*
Before I leave on a trip, I not only take an inventory of everything in my wallet, but I also make 2 color copies of everything in my wallet, including fronts and backs of my credit cards. I leave one copy at home, and take one copy with me in my carry-on luggage. It helps with police reports if robbed and helps you when you have to call to cancel cards and have new ones issued. I also make 2 color copies of the relevant pages and cover of my passport. I leave one at home, and carry the other in my carry-on luggage. If your passport is stolen, this makes it a lot easier to get a new one quickly at a US Embassy or Consulate, and get back in the country, if you can't get one in time. When on the cruise, I keep this information in my stateroom safe to keep it private and out of prying eyes.
By the way, I also keep a list of everything I've packed in my checked-in and carry-on luggage, in case of theft or loss. I leave a copy of the list at home and have one with me. Lately, after getting a tip in these forums, I photographed everything I pack for the trip, while it's laid out on my bed next to the luggage, for additional proof.
She hit all the important items which are actually somewhat in a cruiser's control, or at least the remedies and prevention of really getting socked for financial loss.
I would like to emphasize some of her statements about luggage loss. She said,
Pack smart...print out your cruise itinerary and contact information, and put a copy inside each bag.
Report the lost luggage to the airline immediately.
Carry some essentials with you. Pack a two-day supply of clothes in your carry-on luggage, along with your tickets, cruise documents, jewelry, medication, eyeglasses, makeup, camera, computer and anything else you can’t live without for a day or two
Notify the cruise line staff.Packing at least one complete change of clothes, all your travel documents, medication and valuables in your carry-on is an absolute must. If nothing else, remember that the airlines won't cover your valuables if you have to put in a claim. Plus, if you've absolutely got to have it for your cruise, you don't want to entrust the airlines to get it there. Definitely notify the cruise line right away. I can't tell you how helpful and persistent Celebrity was when our luggage didn't make it from Atlanta to Barcelona. With their help, we got it before we sailed.
Anita talked about not missing the ship by planning to get to the port of embarkation early. She suggested a day early. Personally, I'm more conservative than that. If it's a domestic port, I'm there 2 days early, and if it's an international port, I'm there 3 days early. There's a major upside to being at the port of embarkation early, you get a great chance to explore the port and surrounding countryside.
On a cruise on the Med leaving from Barcelona, Spain, we got there a few hours late, but our luggage was still in Atlanta. Fortunately, we were in Barcelona, a fabulous city, 3 nights before the cruise was to begin. We had clothes in our carry-ons to tide us over, plus all our toilet articles, medications, and valuables. We had a great time in Barcelona and did buy some items in the department stores for the time we were in Barcelona. Finally, 72 hours later, the night before we were to sail, with the help of Celebrity Cruise lines, we got our luggage for the cruise. There were people on the cruise, who arrived in Barcelona the day of the cruise, who didn't have their luggage until half way through the cruise, as the airlines had a tough time having the luggage meet them during the cruise, even with Celebrity trying to expedite and remedy the situation in cooperation with the airlines.
There's actually multiple advantages to planning to get to the port of embarkation early.
You help ensure you won't miss your sailing.
If your luggage is delayed you have time before your ship sails for it to catch up to you.
You have a chance to purchase some essentials in port if your luggage won't make it before you sail.
You have a chance to enhance your trip substantially with a precruise exploration of the port of embarkation and its surrounding area and communities.Anita talked about preventing yourself from catching norovirus. Good hygiene works. I have a number of friends who have come back from cruises on which a significant number of passengers caught norovirus, but none of them got sick. We credit it to their fastidiousness of hygiene. They all made their moms proud.
Anita talked about travel insurance, with an emphasis on travel medical insurance. I've been emphasizing the medical aspect of travel insurance to my friends for years. I've got a $100,000 policy through AMEX. My next door neighbor was on a cruise with a few of his friends in South America a few years back. One of his friends had a heart attack. The bill to fly home from the hospital in a medivac plane was $70,000. Thank goodness he had the same AMEX insurance coverage I have. It saved his financial life, while the doctors saved his physical life.
Finally Anita talked about crime in port. She specifically mentioned the sad tale of some American passengers from Carnival's Liberty in Puerta Limon, Costa Rica, a port I am familiar with, having cruised their myself. I agree with Anita's recommendations.
In addition to her suggestions, before booking a cruise, I take a look at the US State Department's Country Specific Information (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html). These bulletins list all kinds of information about crime and safety in countries around the world. Often they have specific information on staying safe in a country. In countries outside the US I'm very careful to only use tour operators recommended by my travel agent who has personal knowledge of the operator, and/or the cruise line. When on an excursion, I have no choice when it comes to anyone seeing my camera, but I leave unnecessary cash in the stateroom safe, and neither my wife or I wear or take expensive jewelry, other than our gold wedding bands while traveling. I know people who take all their good jewelry with them on cruises. I don't understand it. Who are they trying to impress, a bunch of strangers who don't care?
*Additional Tip*
Before I leave on a trip, I not only take an inventory of everything in my wallet, but I also make 2 color copies of everything in my wallet, including fronts and backs of my credit cards. I leave one copy at home, and take one copy with me in my carry-on luggage. It helps with police reports if robbed and helps you when you have to call to cancel cards and have new ones issued. I also make 2 color copies of the relevant pages and cover of my passport. I leave one at home, and carry the other in my carry-on luggage. If your passport is stolen, this makes it a lot easier to get a new one quickly at a US Embassy or Consulate, and get back in the country, if you can't get one in time. When on the cruise, I keep this information in my stateroom safe to keep it private and out of prying eyes.
By the way, I also keep a list of everything I've packed in my checked-in and carry-on luggage, in case of theft or loss. I leave a copy of the list at home and have one with me. Lately, after getting a tip in these forums, I photographed everything I pack for the trip, while it's laid out on my bed next to the luggage, for additional proof.