It is nice of Gary to take his time to do so, but too many people think the cruise lines are their friends. Every cruise line I've been on, I have either witnessed first hand, or observed customers receiving the company line from honest mistakes and misunderstandings. The cruise lines are not looking to be our friends.
I worked for a major cruise line for over 30 years - and EVERYTHING Gary says is true! So many travelers neglect to read the Terms and Conditions when they book a cruise (either directly with the cruise line or when dealing with a travel agent). TAKE THE TIME TO READ THOSE T&Cs, CAREFULLY! They are there for a reason. #1) for the protection of the cruise line and, #2) so that you, the traveler is aware of what you are, and are not, entitled to. TRUST GARY WHEN HE SPEAKS.
As someone who cruises solo in inside cabins, I'm routinely flabbergasted by the starting price for bidding up on lower grade rooms. Once recent cruise I was on with norwegian, when the bidding opened the minimum bid to upgrade to a basic balcony cabin was £1800, but norwegian were still selling bookings for balcony cabins on their main website for this cruise for £1600! An absolute con to charge guests who've already booked more--don't fall for the trap, and book the cabin grade you actually want.
I slipped on the wet stairs on a cruise, so I went to medical to get checked out even though I was not badly injured. My ankle was sore, but I was thinking about what if it got worse while I was on land. I had documentation just in case that injury became a costly pain. I did not receive a bill, and fortunately I felt fine. I recommend to anyone who has an accident on the ship, fill out an accident report even if you feel okay. Some injuries can get aggravated by activity. I have had work related injuries that became worse later.
number 3 is pretty simple, don't take a cruise for a single port. If you want to see a destination, travel to that destination by a conveyance other than a cruise ship. Ports change, ports are dropped, and weather can cause missed ports.
So true. The one and only cruise I took was a 1986 Carnival cruise to the western Caribbean. The ports of call were Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios on Jamaica. My primary interest was the opportunity to visit the Mayan ruins on Cozumel. The cruise took place starting in mid November. Hurricane risk had faded by then, but some rough waves affected the first few days of the cruise. When we approached Cozumel, it was announced that visiting the ruins would not happen, as it would be unsafe to use the tender boats required to access the site. However-and this part was annoying-the ship would be able to dock at a pier next to a tourist trap area of restaurants and shops. We wound up eating lunch at a Hard Rock Cafe and wandering past shops loaded with cheap souvenirs, hardly the tour of ancient civilization ruins that I had hoped to enjoy. I understood why that was no longer a viable option and had no objection to the caution being exercised by the ship staff. What bugged me was that the crappy touristy part of the island was doable, though it didn’t make up for the experience we had lost to weather. My disappointment was my own problem and not something I held against Carnival. However, I learned a lesson about assuming that any cruise itinerary could be relied upon. Since then I have traveled by air or land when I am focused on visiting specific destinations. Things can still go wrong, but the odds of success are better.
And war can cause missed ports too. Wife and I were on Celebrity Edge last fall for a Rome to Dubai cruise. Aqaba, Jordan was originally on the itinerary which thrilled us because Petra is on our bucket list. And then the Palestine/Israel conflict started, and Aqaba was dropped. We were supremely disappointed, but we still enjoyed the cruise.
What jumps into my mind is the old bait and switch. The cruise company advertises a port that is highly desirable but which they have no intention of going to. Then there’s the supposed last-minute change.
That crossed my mind right away. The cabin pictured looked fabulous, why spend even a small amount more for slightly more fabulous? Who hangs out in the cabin a lot anyway?
Agreed. But if you should change your mind, what’s the chances of a stateroom upgrade once you board the ship? Can you go to guest services and swap an ocean view for a balcony if there are still some staterooms in that category available? I for one would never book anything less than a balcony because I don’t like feeling closed in. But for some who can’t afford that when initially booking their cruise, I understand the desire for a last minute upgrade if funds suddenly become available. We are sailing in a suite on our next cruise because it’s a special occasion and we have our kids with us (need more space). But I want to know for the future if scoring an upgrade once aboard is even feasible and could possibly be cheaper?
Last year, I had only a deposit on QM2 transatlantic cruise. Around the 4th of July, Cunard had a sale. I was able to rebook my cabin and saved $1700 on a balcony cabin.
Regarding an incident or accident on board, if medical intervention is not required or considered necessary immediately (and you wish to avoid ship medical charges) then report the incident in writing to the Medical Centres and state that you not seeking medical advice for the moment but wish the incident to be logged. That way the incident is recorded. If the medical situation subsequently deteriorates then you have the necessary evidence for your insurance company/claim on the cruise co.
Thanks very much for your constant supply of excellent tips and advice that keep us cruisers so well informed. I fell prey several years ago to the "upgrade" ploy on a Carnival cruise and wound up paying them to upgrade from a balcony cabin on a higher deck to one that was lower down and had the outsude view blocked by lifeboats. Of course, after getting on the ship and complaining to Guest Services their position was that there was nothing they could do as the ship was full. Now I just delete the emails inviting me to upgrade my cabin as the cruise ship assigns the cabin to you and you have no say in what cabin you get.
Gary - we went our first (and last!) MSC cruise back in Feb. As soon as the first bid email landed in my inbox, I saw it as the gambling-style con it is. The problem is it's aimed at customers who have a strong 'fomo' tendency (fear of missing out). I was a copywriter for a while in a previous life, and can spot the triggers very easily. To me, it is almost an immoral way of levering more money out of unsuspecting clients who don't realise the position it could put them in. Well done fir highlighting it 👏
Some of the traps mentioned are obvious attempts by cruise lines to squeeze extra money out of a passenger using deceptive tactics. The "terms and conditions" often read like a law book and are designed to confuse rather than help the passenger. The lines know exactly what they are doing and generally don't care. Does it hurt their business, well yes, but they are in a seller's market which means someone else will replace the loss of a future customer. It's a crappy way to run a cruise line but given the nonsense we see in the industry today completely expected. When a line doesn't care about you it's time to move on to one that values your loyalty.
I would say the T&C are easier to understand than law books, but yes, they are generally one-sided and reserve a great deal of rights for the cruise line and few rights for the buyer. These people are not our friends despite how friendly the room attendant or MDR waiter seem (both of whom are peons, like us, to the cruise lines).
In 2019 we went on a 2 week Northern Isles cruise on HAL to Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Scotland. The original cruise in June was canceled and a similar cruise was added in August. We could get a refund or reschedule with $50 credit. The ports changed twice, Faroe Islands closed to all cruises so not HALs fault, another day was added in Iceland. The fare went down after the 90 day pay period. We could not get a refund but we did get upgraded and a small amount of credits. My husband got sick but the onboard, medical was wonderful. We were reimbursed by travel insurance. His day tour was reimbursed. Even though there was lots of changes we had a wonderful time.
I recently went on a cruise to Iceland on HAL, and my experience is the same, especially in regards to medical. They gave me (and other passengers before and after me in the line) a very clear warning about the costs of a consult (and it was rather high to be sure), allowing them to step away if they felt it unnecessary, and immediately gave the receipt in print as well. Mind you, it wasn't high enough for my travel insurance to reimburse, and I am not entirely sure what happens if you don't have a choice in case of an emergency, but still, I appreciated the openness.
Oh my goodness - I've seen so many people misunderstanding the bidding process, and finding themselves out of pocket. One thing that I did get caught out ages ago was that solo travellers bidding to upgrade usually need to pay the 'per person' price for TWO passengers, making it really expensive to bid!
On July 7, 2024 I made the final payment for a Holland America cruise. I am traveling solo in an inside cabin and the price is almost double. Mid-July, HAL had a flash sale on my cruise that made the cruise price $1000 less. I booked through a travel agent. HAL pretty much told both of us to go pound sand. Every pun intended. They would not compensate me in any way. This is my first cruise with HAL. I am unimpressed before getting on the ship!
Thank you for sharing these cautionary stories, Gary. Appreciate your guidance on how to avoid making mistakes or perhaps making difficult situations worse.
Lots of fantastic information to help cruise goers. The most shocking thing to me was the charge for helping a sea sick lady. If all these cruise ships are charging like a wounded Bull for simple medical procedures, the legislation should be changed. These ships are a floating city and if they have among the crew paid medical professionals the cruise lines shouldn't be allowed to use them as a licence to print. A small consultation fee and a prescription fee should be all that is allowed by law. Thousands for a fluid drip and sea sick pills is immoral.
My sister and I were on a 14 day HAL Australian cruise and she got a flare up of cellulitis from a surgical procedure 6 months before while sailing out of Sydney. I took her to the medical suite that night for an infusion of antibiotics to be followed by a second round the next morning. Each cost $800 US$ and Medicare does not cover care outside the US. We had a sea day on the way to Melbourne and they were going to arrange for her to be transported to a hospital with an infectious disease unit once we docked. She chose instead to fly home from Melbourne. Before she disembarked they had prepared a protocol detailing her treatment for her doctor at home. They were wonderful but she missed 12 days of the cruise. Get travel insurance!!!
I can't support your recommendation for travel ensurance strongly enough. Our family, including my mother in her eighties, were on an Alaskan cruise. My mother fell ill in Skagway, and the had to be airlifted back to Juneau. Then by Learjet on to Seattle. We were billed $40,000 for that last leg. My mother had insurance, which paid for all of it.
Travel agents are priceless - I know there's the convenience of doing it yourself but having someone you know and trust (very important) advocating on your behalf is worth any possible service charges. Also, make sure you know the EXACT process to contact your credit card provider as well as what documentation to have which greatly speeds things up. I make a point of reaching out to whoever I'm going to be using for that trip to confirm as things change especially with all of the new apps which in some cases have speeded things up.
Месяц назад+2
Our travel agent never checks on price changes and many calls to HAL about cruise issues never got a reasonable answer from HAL. Makes me feel they truly don’t care about my experience and is only concerned about how much money they will make off me. Thanks for sharing.
Gary, you are priceless! Your tips have saved me so much money, so many times. Most recently, you said to book airfare 330 days before my cruise or possibly miss out, and you were RIGHT!! Whew! Thank you!
This is another good reason to book with Holland. Their agents have called me a couple of times to ask if I want to purchase a discounted upgrade. These were great deals and I said yes. No bidding hassle and no deception
I've had great service from Holland America. Always honest and fair if things change. We did have an itinerary change on one occasion. We were offered on board credit, a full refund or re-booking for another date (we opted for the latter). When we re-booked, HAL honoured the original price, even though the new cruise was more expensive and still gave us the on board credit. I thought that was very generous.
Excellent video! Last year on an Oceania cruise we missed a pre-embarkation tour that was non-refundable but we had made sure our trip insurance covered that potential loss. The tour provider assisted us with information which we sent as part of our claim and the claim was paid.
Holland America listed cabin rates as “xyz”. They then had taxes and fee’s on top of that. Depending on the destination it could double the fare. They finally stopped doing it this month with all costs and fees included in promotional materials. I’m glad they did.
Not just HAL, I think most cruise companies did. It does depend on where you booked from... EU rules forbid it, so you get the final price immediately, what is more, they even remove the automatic crew appreciation fee for at least Dutch and Belgium customers, instead making it an opt in afair (I opted in, the crew most definitely deserved it, and while I feel companies should just pay their employees a good salary, I am not going to fight that fight over the backs of said employees). I suspect that is EU law as well, but not sure on that. I heard California recently implemented a similar law in regards to fees on promotional material, which means that effectively this now true for the whole of USA (not easy to differentiate users based on state if I understood correctly).
Booked a Mexican Rivera Cruise yesterday through Costco travel but instead of just booking online I called the 800 number for an agent. I’ve found an agent will give tips and assistance you don’t find online. Had an experience once where the fare changed and asked for an upgrade and got a much nicer cabin on Norwegian.
Thanks for the insight. I've been pushed before " if you want we can upgrade you for this much". I never bit as i have heard some horror stories from cruiser's. It's your vacation you don't need the stress of being scammed.
Very good points and lots to consider if these changes or cancelations or lack of understanding of how things work and are going to ruin your cruise experience.
Cost of medical care on ships varies a lot. We have had to go to the medical center on two separate Saga cruises. First one for sea sickness, total cost 60p, and second time saw doctor and prescribed antibiotics, total cost £37. However we just came back from a Regent cruise when we required a finger bandage changed that was put on in A&E for a serious injury that occurred just before the cruise, total Regent cost $680, for a new sterile dressing! Luckily we could claim it on the insurance but how ridiculous, for 15 minutes work and a sterile bandage. It seems that some cruise ships and UK vets went to the same school of "charge whatever you like, they are insured". What happened to paying a fair price for a service? Maybe I am just getting old.
Watch you all Yuen time. One thing that almost happened to me. My cruise price went lower. What I didn’t realize if I did use the lower price I lost my perks which included gratuities. Remember to ask.
We were on a Cruise to Australia and New Zealand and bad weather in the tasman sea unfortunately prohibited us from going to australia. So disappointed but not the cruise fault. We were reimbursed for shore excursions and offered a two hundred dollar credit credit for another cruise but it had to be booked within thirty days which was not possible for us. Oh well , it's a chance to take when planning a vacation
When excursions booked through the cruise line be aware of the refund is given as onboard credit or refunded directly to your credit card. My sister and I (separate cabins) had an excursion cancelled and credited. As OBC. I used mine not knowingly just via purchases, she did not, and upon embarkation was stopped at the last swipe and told she had a cash refund to be collected at guest services.
We were on QV over Xmas and new year,(couple of years ago now ) and we were told we were going into dry dock in Cadiz,ship had propeller problems,so me missed Lisbon altogether on the way home,my god,all you heard was people complaining,yes upsetting but these things DO happen, we were in a QG at the aft,so it was very exciting watching the divers etc, nobody got compensation as much as they tried,they were told to contact their insurance. We've also missed Lanzarote a few times due to the weather but you either suck it up or let it ruin your whole cruise
Another great episode, Gary. Thank you. I've used the medical facility onboard a cruise ship three times over the years. The cost was extravagant, but trip insurance reimbursed me each time. Don't cruise without it.
Really depends on your medical condition or mobility, but if it helps you sleep nights, get it. If you take a lot of cruises each year, maybe consider an annual policy, rather than per voyage.
In March I booked (through my travel agent) a 15 day cruise from N.Y. to Galveston on NCL Prima. I started with a Studio cabin but the price went down in April and an Inside Solo guaranteed cabin was less expensive than the Studio so of course I went for it. On May 31 I received my cabin number and it was now for a regular inside cabin. 😀 And now the same inside cabin is $1265 more than my initial cost. So definitely keeping your eye on pricing is worth it. Only 165 days until cruise day, but who's counting! 😁
I did the upgrade after final payment and paid a minimal amount when the price drop. Not only I got a higher class of room, I got several bonus bundled including prepaid tips. So at the end, I have less out of pocket cost plus the cabin upgrade.
I can remember a time we were going to Grand Cayman on Carnival and you have to tender in,that day the waves were slightly higher not much and they said we couldn’t go in and there was another ship right next to us and they did the same thing
Hadn't considered asking for an upgrade after the full fare is paid and prices drop before sailing, but will definitely be keeping that in mind for my cruise coming up later in the year - thanks for the tip Gary 👍
I hate to think that a travel advisor wouldn’t help get that lower fare. I have two parties going on an Alaska cruise in 2025 and was able to save each party about $830 by watching the fares and asking the cruise line to honor that drop. That’s a lot of money for families. And I love the option to try for an upgrade!
I disagree with the advice to pressure MSC about the bidding upgrade. Its clear that it's a per person fee. Yeah, it sucks but its her fault. Who's to say that if MSC caves in, that people will bid and then change their mind over and over. People need to be responsible for themselves.
You are so right. I recently went on a Saga cruise for Guernsey and the Scilly Isles. In the event they were cancelled due t adverse weather after sailing. I am currently fighting my insurer for missed ports which they said was covered. They refused initially stating I was advised prior to sailing, however I’ve now sent another email from Saga stating they were cancelled AFTER sailing! I’m now awaiting their response.
Cunard had a significant reduction AFTER my final payment was made. Basically they told my travel agent too bad, so sad. Wouldn't upgrade the cabin or offer onboard credit. Then they had the nerve to send us a bid to upgrade offer about a week later. This was a transatlantic crossing voyage. PRINCESS had reductions before and after final payment and each time we saved several hundred dollars. We really liked our cabin location (AFT VIEW), so told the travel agent do what you can without moving our cabin. We actually got refared twice and got money refunded. I'm always watching and out of principal will not sail Cunard again.
All this depends on the cruise line. Royal Caribean are pretty good with upgrading and or issuing cruise credits. Princess are not. So I advise checking the cruise line reviews before booking.
I guess it maybe worth asking yourself what you like about cruising, do you like visiting lots of places or being on a big ship with lots of activities? If it's the former a cruise probably isn't for you, in many parts of the world it'll be cheaper just to fly between all your destinations (Europe in particular) and spend a few days in a hotel at each one. A bit less convenient but you'll be far more likely to be able to visit all the places you want to go to.
We tried to get our cruise at the lower price after we booked with BCL but was told that the cost of the admin fee would put the price higher than the cost of the cruise we had booked.
I booked a cruise on Cunard for South America while on the ship early this year. I booked a balcony cabin but begin regretting it soon after making the down payment. There is about a $5,000 difference between a balcony and a view. The remaining amount is due next month. When I spoke with an agent they said you can buy up but can't sell down. Total cost is about $25,000 for 52 days. I'm looking forward to the cruise but it may be my last for awhile.
Your point about booking for a particular port is well taken Gary. However, I have heard absolutely nothing about Red Sea/Suez Canal trips. There is zero possibility that any cruise ship will be sailing those waters under the present circumstances. However, Suez Canal trips are still being advertised by many lines. Similarly, no cruise ship will be going to any Israeli ports. Perhaps you could mention this at some point.
Hey Gary. I’ve been watching some videos on UK Isle cruises, and they seem to get a lot of port changes on Princess Line. Would love to see a video on how common this is and does it happen more often with any particular ship line?
If the terms as written is not immediately clear to you and hard to understand, do not book, bid or upgrade!! Additionally hubby and I do drink but not big drinkers. We average maybe 3 drinks each per day on a 4 night cruise. Our drink tab was only $149 between both of us and mostly because we had a $45 bottle of wine at dinner. The drink package is a SCAM if you are a light drinker or only one of you drink. Just budget maybe $300 in drinks for the trip and use that. If we had purchased the drink package on RC or MSC we would have added over $700 to our tab. 😮
It seems there are too many "traps", fine print and slights-of-hand intended to trick passengers into just paying the cruise line more money. It is not a vacation when you constantly have to out-guess the cruise line. At the very least, you should book with a cruise-wise TA to help you. The first lady only got her money back because Gary intervened, like the Consumer Advocate on the 6-o'clock news.
Note that EU customers can cancel or demand compensation when a cruise line changes ports. Those terms that the cruise lines put into the contracts are void vs. EU travel laws. If changed in advance you can cancel, if changed while on the cruise you can demand a compensation. Although it's usually not that big of a compensation, because it takes into consideration all kinds of factors (like that you're still on a cruise with room, food and entertainment during that day). Usually the highest that may get awarded is like 50% of that days cost. So for a 7-day cruise you get maybe 7% of your cost back (1/7*0.5) and usually it's even less than that (would you really take it all the way to court for like 1.4% of your cost if the verdict is that you're compensated for 10% of that single days cost?).
About terms and conditions when there is a payment transaction: I read them (to the extent possible because some are 100 pages). At the very least I look for key words like "refund" and read the sentences around it. During excursions I read the waivers and even when I go to doctor's appointments I read the documents they give me even if they "summarize" what it is for. I have people asking me if there is anything wrong because hey expect me to just take it, sign it, and give it back right away. I just tell them everything is fine and I'm reading it. I remember an excursion booked via the cruise line where the waiver said the excursion company was not responsible for injuries even if the injuries were due to negligence on their part 😂
Bidding used to be you said how much you want to pay for the upgrade, now it is more do you want this upgrade for $$$ I was able to jump from an inside to a mini suite for $100 per per person bid (as a let's see if this works) before, now that is not possible. It is no longer a bid but an offer to upgrade
We took cruise to see 2 ports we would never get to. Hurricane hit those 2 ports. Missed both and it snowed all day in 3rd port we had never been 2.😢 travel is an Adventure 😂
Discovered an aqua sky suite was $1200 cheaper than the sky suite i booked with celebrity. They would not price match and was told this was only available if booked on a ship with future cruise. Have never cruised before so unable to ever have been able to meet this criterion. Not impressed with celebrity pre cruise customer service to date.
During the bidding process the slider allows bids of a minimum of $50 up to $2000, times two for both people. It seems logical to me to bid the minimum if you want to chance it, but avoid anything higher assuming you are not exceeding the base fare for the higher grade.
I have had a go at bidding for an up grade on msc, I was taking my family on a cruise and booked and paid for 4 cabins 2 inside and 2 outside my cabin was one inside so when I got an email saying would you like to bid for an upgrade to outside for £30pp I thought I would have a go not knowing what would happen as I had never done this before, well two days later I get another email from msc and when I read it it just didn’t make sense the next day I read it again and I thought it was saying that they had cancelled my bid as it was too low but NO they had cancelled my cruise so I got on to my agent to make sure I was reading it correctly and he said yes they had. The agent got me booked back on the ship (£300 more) no I didn’t have to pay it and I didn’t get the upgrade 😂😂
Wow, it’s a bit unfair for solos that if they have a cabin, that’s not a solo cabin or they bid for another cabin that they pay Twice the price!! They don’t eat twice the food for one thing. I can understand paying a bit more than for the solo cabin, but not twice the amount.
I assume Denise failed to get her original booking reinstated as MSC would have rebooked her Yacht Club suite virtually at the same moment her upgrade bid was accepted. Re Fare reductions, I reckon every cruise line should be legally compelled to automatically Price Match after all, it's the cruise lines who have chosen to reduce a fare not the result of a passenger's negotiating skills.
Yes good point! I need to double check with her how her cabin was. She was so relieved to get the upgrade withdrawn I think she was happy with anything but I do need to check as you say as likely her original once would have gone in an upgrade from a lower grade
During the end of COVID we had a cruise change such that the tour needed to be cancelled. We only had $10-$15 deposits which were refundable. At least half the group decided that due to fact that many guides had not been employed we decided to forfeit the deposit to support the guide. Pretty cheap donation.
Curious about the people that "struggle to afford" a $13k cruise, but are perfectly okay with the $6500 cruise. Maybe I'm weird, but I wouldn't spend $6500 on a cruise unless I had the kind of money where an additional $6500 is also easily affordable.
@@tommaroon531 True, some people do that. I've never thought that wiping out my savings to spend the money on a vacation was a sound financial decision. But to each their own.
About fares: I have an upcoming cruise with Azamara and got an offer of 8% onboard credit if I paid the remaining balance early. Would you say that this is a good deal or not? That amount would pay for most of the excursions and maybe some other extravagances.
I also tracked my cruise back in 2017 on Royal Carribbean and my first and last travel agent didn’t get me my $800 back from them and I knew I didn’t like the reason she gave me. Never again.
Are you covered by Medicare on a US Flag Vessel (very few left) in international waters? If so, I reviewed Travel Insurance Policies and I find that they cover a lot more than just medical issues, so they might be worth the expense.
It's kind of you to help out all these individual travelers in distress!
It is nice of Gary to take his time to do so, but too many people think the cruise lines are their friends. Every cruise line I've been on, I have either witnessed first hand, or observed customers receiving the company line from honest mistakes and misunderstandings. The cruise lines are not looking to be our friends.
I worked for a major cruise line for over 30 years - and EVERYTHING Gary says is true! So many travelers neglect to read the Terms and Conditions when they book a cruise (either directly with the cruise line or when dealing with a travel agent). TAKE THE TIME TO READ THOSE T&Cs, CAREFULLY! They are there for a reason. #1) for the protection of the cruise line and, #2) so that you, the traveler is aware of what you are, and are not, entitled to. TRUST GARY WHEN HE SPEAKS.
As someone who cruises solo in inside cabins, I'm routinely flabbergasted by the starting price for bidding up on lower grade rooms. Once recent cruise I was on with norwegian, when the bidding opened the minimum bid to upgrade to a basic balcony cabin was £1800, but norwegian were still selling bookings for balcony cabins on their main website for this cruise for £1600! An absolute con to charge guests who've already booked more--don't fall for the trap, and book the cabin grade you actually want.
I slipped on the wet stairs on a cruise, so I went to medical to get checked out even though I was not badly injured. My ankle was sore, but I was thinking about what if it got worse while I was on land. I had documentation just in case that injury became a costly pain. I did not receive a bill, and fortunately I felt fine. I recommend to anyone who has an accident on the ship, fill out an accident report even if you feel okay. Some injuries can get aggravated by activity. I have had work related injuries that became worse later.
number 3 is pretty simple, don't take a cruise for a single port. If you want to see a destination, travel to that destination by a conveyance other than a cruise ship. Ports change, ports are dropped, and weather can cause missed ports.
So true. The one and only cruise I took was a 1986 Carnival cruise to the western Caribbean. The ports of call were Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios on Jamaica. My primary interest was the opportunity to visit the Mayan ruins on Cozumel. The cruise took place starting in mid November. Hurricane risk had faded by then, but some rough waves affected the first few days of the cruise. When we approached Cozumel, it was announced that visiting the ruins would not happen, as it would be unsafe to use the tender boats required to access the site. However-and this part was annoying-the ship would be able to dock at a pier next to a tourist trap area of restaurants and shops. We wound up eating lunch at a Hard Rock Cafe and wandering past shops loaded with cheap souvenirs, hardly the tour of ancient civilization ruins that I had hoped to enjoy. I understood why that was no longer a viable option and had no objection to the caution being exercised by the ship staff. What bugged me was that the crappy touristy part of the island was doable, though it didn’t make up for the experience we had lost to weather. My disappointment was my own problem and not something I held against Carnival. However, I learned a lesson about assuming that any cruise itinerary could be relied upon. Since then I have traveled by air or land when I am focused on visiting specific destinations. Things can still go wrong, but the odds of success are better.
And war can cause missed ports too. Wife and I were on Celebrity Edge last fall for a Rome to Dubai cruise. Aqaba, Jordan was originally on the itinerary which thrilled us because Petra is on our bucket list. And then the Palestine/Israel conflict started, and Aqaba was dropped. We were supremely disappointed, but we still enjoyed the cruise.
@@kepckatherinec805did you eventually get to see the ruins?
What jumps into my mind is the old bait and switch. The cruise company advertises a port that is highly desirable but which they have no intention of going to. Then there’s the supposed last-minute change.
To me o have done 20 cruises. So finding new ports are hard. So I would definitely book for a cool new port but if it is missed then so be it.
Guys book the right cabin from the beginning don’t fall for the bidding trap as it’s hit or miss.. and it could backfire
That crossed my mind right away. The cabin pictured looked fabulous, why spend even a small amount more for slightly more fabulous? Who hangs out in the cabin a lot anyway?
Agreed. But if you should change your mind, what’s the chances of a stateroom upgrade once you board the ship? Can you go to guest services and swap an ocean view for a balcony if there are still some staterooms in that category available? I for one would never book anything less than a balcony because I don’t like feeling closed in. But for some who can’t afford that when initially booking their cruise, I understand the desire for a last minute upgrade if funds suddenly become available. We are sailing in a suite on our next cruise because it’s a special occasion and we have our kids with us (need more space). But I want to know for the future if scoring an upgrade once aboard is even feasible and could possibly be cheaper?
Last year, I had only a deposit on QM2 transatlantic cruise. Around the 4th of July, Cunard had a sale. I was able to rebook my cabin and saved $1700 on a balcony cabin.
Congratulations!
We did a cancel and rebook on QM2 earlier this year a Fremantle to Sydney voyage when Cunard had a sale we saved $4500.
Regarding an incident or accident on board, if medical intervention is not required or considered necessary immediately (and you wish to avoid ship medical charges) then report the incident in writing to the Medical Centres and state that you not seeking medical advice for the moment but wish the incident to be logged. That way the incident is recorded. If the medical situation subsequently deteriorates then you have the necessary evidence for your insurance company/claim on the cruise co.
Thanks very much for your constant supply of excellent tips and advice that keep us cruisers so well informed. I fell prey several years ago to the "upgrade" ploy on a Carnival cruise and wound up paying them to upgrade from a balcony cabin on a higher deck to one that was lower down and had the outsude view blocked by lifeboats. Of course, after getting on the ship and complaining to Guest Services their position was that there was nothing they could do as the ship was full. Now I just delete the emails inviting me to upgrade my cabin as the cruise ship assigns the cabin to you and you have no say in what cabin you get.
Gary - we went our first (and last!) MSC cruise back in Feb. As soon as the first bid email landed in my inbox, I saw it as the gambling-style con it is. The problem is it's aimed at customers who have a strong 'fomo' tendency (fear of missing out). I was a copywriter for a while in a previous life, and can spot the triggers very easily. To me, it is almost an immoral way of levering more money out of unsuspecting clients who don't realise the position it could put them in. Well done fir highlighting it 👏
Some of the traps mentioned are obvious attempts by cruise lines to squeeze extra money out of a passenger using deceptive tactics. The "terms and conditions" often read like a law book and are designed to confuse rather than help the passenger. The lines know exactly what they are doing and generally don't care. Does it hurt their business, well yes, but they are in a seller's market which means someone else will replace the loss of a future customer. It's a crappy way to run a cruise line but given the nonsense we see in the industry today completely expected. When a line doesn't care about you it's time to move on to one that values your loyalty.
I would say the T&C are easier to understand than law books, but yes, they are generally one-sided and reserve a great deal of rights for the cruise line and few rights for the buyer. These people are not our friends despite how friendly the room attendant or MDR waiter seem (both of whom are peons, like us, to the cruise lines).
In 2019 we went on a 2 week Northern Isles cruise on HAL to Denmark, Norway, Iceland and Scotland. The original cruise in June was canceled and a similar cruise was added in August. We could get a refund or reschedule with $50 credit. The ports changed twice, Faroe Islands closed to all cruises so not HALs fault, another day was added in Iceland. The fare went down after the 90 day pay period. We could not get a refund but we did get upgraded and a small amount of credits. My husband got sick but the onboard, medical was wonderful. We were reimbursed by travel insurance. His day tour was reimbursed. Even though there was lots of changes we had a wonderful time.
I recently went on a cruise to Iceland on HAL, and my experience is the same, especially in regards to medical. They gave me (and other passengers before and after me in the line) a very clear warning about the costs of a consult (and it was rather high to be sure), allowing them to step away if they felt it unnecessary, and immediately gave the receipt in print as well. Mind you, it wasn't high enough for my travel insurance to reimburse, and I am not entirely sure what happens if you don't have a choice in case of an emergency, but still, I appreciated the openness.
Oh my goodness - I've seen so many people misunderstanding the bidding process, and finding themselves out of pocket. One thing that I did get caught out ages ago was that solo travellers bidding to upgrade usually need to pay the 'per person' price for TWO passengers, making it really expensive to bid!
On July 7, 2024 I made the final payment for a Holland America cruise. I am traveling solo in an inside cabin and the price is almost double. Mid-July, HAL had a flash sale on my cruise that made the cruise price $1000 less. I booked through a travel agent. HAL pretty much told both of us to go pound sand. Every pun intended. They would not compensate me in any way. This is my first cruise with HAL. I am unimpressed before getting on the ship!
Solo cruisers are really disadvantaged. Before pandemic, I found lots of special offers with no single supplement. They’re much harder to find now.
Don’t bid just buy what you want
Thank you for sharing these cautionary stories, Gary.
Appreciate your guidance on how to avoid making mistakes or perhaps making difficult situations worse.
Lots of fantastic information to help cruise goers. The most shocking thing to me was the charge for helping a sea sick lady. If all these cruise ships are charging like a wounded Bull for simple medical procedures, the legislation should be changed. These ships are a floating city and if they have among the crew paid medical professionals the cruise lines shouldn't be allowed to use them as a licence to print. A small consultation fee and a prescription fee should be all that is allowed by law. Thousands for a fluid drip and sea sick pills is immoral.
My sister and I were on a 14 day HAL Australian cruise and she got a flare up of cellulitis from a surgical procedure 6 months before while sailing out of Sydney. I took her to the medical suite that night for an infusion of antibiotics to be followed by a second round the next morning. Each cost $800 US$ and Medicare does not cover care outside the US. We had a sea day on the way to Melbourne and they were going to arrange for her to be transported to a hospital with an infectious disease unit once we docked. She chose instead to fly home from Melbourne. Before she disembarked they had prepared a protocol detailing her treatment for her doctor at home. They were wonderful but she missed 12 days of the cruise. Get travel insurance!!!
I can't support your recommendation for travel ensurance strongly enough. Our family, including my mother in her eighties, were on an Alaskan cruise. My mother fell ill in Skagway, and the had to be airlifted back to Juneau. Then by Learjet on to Seattle. We were billed $40,000 for that last leg. My mother had insurance, which paid for all of it.
*insurance
Travel agents are priceless - I know there's the convenience of doing it yourself but having someone you know and trust (very important) advocating on your behalf is worth any possible service charges. Also, make sure you know the EXACT process to contact your credit card provider as well as what documentation to have which greatly speeds things up. I make a point of reaching out to whoever I'm going to be using for that trip to confirm as things change especially with all of the new apps which in some cases have speeded things up.
Our travel agent never checks on price changes and many calls to HAL about cruise issues never got a reasonable answer from HAL. Makes me feel they truly don’t care about my experience and is only concerned about how much money they will make off me. Thanks for sharing.
Gary, you are priceless! Your tips have saved me so much money, so many times. Most recently, you said to book airfare 330 days before my cruise or possibly miss out, and you were RIGHT!! Whew! Thank you!
This is another good reason to book with Holland. Their agents have called me a couple of times to ask if I want to purchase a discounted upgrade. These were great deals and I said yes. No bidding hassle and no deception
I agree. We have always had excellent service with HAL getting room changes after viewing our room at embarkation for various minor issues.
I've had great service from Holland America. Always honest and fair if things change. We did have an itinerary change on one occasion. We were offered on board credit, a full refund or re-booking for another date (we opted for the latter). When we re-booked, HAL honoured the original price, even though the new cruise was more expensive and still gave us the on board credit. I thought that was very generous.
Excellent video! Last year on an Oceania cruise we missed a pre-embarkation tour that was non-refundable but we had made sure our trip insurance covered that potential loss. The tour provider assisted us with information which we sent as part of our claim and the claim was paid.
Holland America listed cabin rates as “xyz”. They then had taxes and fee’s on top of that. Depending on the destination it could double the fare. They finally stopped doing it this month with all costs and fees included in promotional materials. I’m glad they did.
Not just HAL, I think most cruise companies did. It does depend on where you booked from... EU rules forbid it, so you get the final price immediately, what is more, they even remove the automatic crew appreciation fee for at least Dutch and Belgium customers, instead making it an opt in afair (I opted in, the crew most definitely deserved it, and while I feel companies should just pay their employees a good salary, I am not going to fight that fight over the backs of said employees). I suspect that is EU law as well, but not sure on that. I heard California recently implemented a similar law in regards to fees on promotional material, which means that effectively this now true for the whole of USA (not easy to differentiate users based on state if I understood correctly).
@@pietersleijpen3662 It is good and its good crew appreciation is optional. I also opt in.
Booked a Mexican Rivera Cruise yesterday through Costco travel but instead of just booking online I called the 800 number for an agent. I’ve found an agent will give tips and assistance you don’t find online. Had an experience once where the fare changed and asked for an upgrade and got a much nicer cabin on Norwegian.
This is why I like this channel! Good info, and great job helping out fellow cruisers!!!
Thanks for the insight. I've been pushed before " if you want we can upgrade you for this much". I never bit as i have heard some horror stories from cruiser's. It's your vacation you don't need the stress of being scammed.
Very good points and lots to consider if these changes or cancelations or lack of understanding of how things work and are going to ruin your cruise experience.
Cost of medical care on ships varies a lot. We have had to go to the medical center on two separate Saga cruises. First one for sea sickness, total cost 60p, and second time saw doctor and prescribed antibiotics, total cost £37.
However we just came back from a Regent cruise when we required a finger bandage changed that was put on in A&E for a serious injury that occurred just before the cruise, total Regent cost $680, for a new sterile dressing! Luckily we could claim it on the insurance but how ridiculous, for 15 minutes work and a sterile bandage. It seems that some cruise ships and UK vets went to the same school of "charge whatever you like, they are insured". What happened to paying a fair price for a service? Maybe I am just getting old.
Watch you all Yuen time. One thing that almost happened to me. My cruise price went lower. What I didn’t realize if I did use the lower price I lost my perks which included gratuities. Remember to ask.
We were on a Cruise to Australia and New Zealand and bad weather in the tasman sea unfortunately prohibited us from going to australia. So disappointed but not the cruise fault. We were reimbursed for shore excursions and offered a two hundred dollar credit credit for another cruise but it had to be booked within thirty days which was not possible for us. Oh well , it's a chance to take when planning a vacation
When excursions booked through the cruise line be aware of the refund is given as onboard credit or refunded directly to your credit card. My sister and I (separate cabins) had an excursion cancelled and credited. As OBC. I used mine not knowingly just via purchases, she did not, and upon embarkation was stopped at the last swipe and told she had a cash refund to be collected at guest services.
upgrades are fun and could expand your positive experience on vacation but issues you explained here is all so true. Love your videos!
To be honest. The possibility of changing stops means I have lost much of my interest in cruising. Great to know!
The same can happen with flying; flights get delayed and cancelled.
We were on QV over Xmas and new year,(couple of years ago now ) and we were told we were going into dry dock in Cadiz,ship had propeller problems,so me missed Lisbon altogether on the way home,my god,all you heard was people complaining,yes upsetting but these things DO happen, we were in a QG at the aft,so it was very exciting watching the divers etc, nobody got compensation as much as they tried,they were told to contact their insurance. We've also missed Lanzarote a few times due to the weather but you either suck it up or let it ruin your whole cruise
Another great episode, Gary. Thank you.
I've used the medical facility onboard a cruise ship three times over the years. The cost was extravagant, but trip insurance reimbursed me each time. Don't cruise without it.
Travel Insurance is a must!
Really depends on your medical condition or mobility, but if it helps you sleep nights, get it. If you take a lot of cruises each year, maybe consider an annual policy, rather than per voyage.
Some have gotten OBC for the price drops.
In March I booked (through my travel agent) a 15 day cruise from N.Y. to Galveston on NCL Prima. I started with a Studio cabin but the price went down in April and an Inside Solo guaranteed cabin was less expensive than the Studio so of course I went for it. On May 31 I received my cabin number and it was now for a regular inside cabin. 😀 And now the same inside cabin is $1265 more than my initial cost. So definitely keeping your eye on pricing is worth it. Only 165 days until cruise day, but who's counting! 😁
I did the upgrade after final payment and paid a minimal amount when the price drop. Not only I got a higher class of room, I got several bonus bundled including prepaid tips. So at the end, I have less out of pocket cost plus the cabin upgrade.
I can remember a time we were going to Grand Cayman on Carnival and you have to tender in,that day the waves were slightly higher not much and they said we couldn’t go in and there was another ship right next to us and they did the same thing
Reading helps!
That charge for fluids and meds onboard is much cheaper than an emergency room in the US.
MSC… Such a fantastic way to alienate your customers
Cruises are good if you are not needing / wanting a deep dive into a port / destination.
When we cruise. I take the advertised price x 3 and that is fairly close to the real cost for my wife and me.
T & C's - the quickest click on the internet
And the longest read, 🥱
@@tommaroon531, yes but potentially very expensive if left unread!
Hadn't considered asking for an upgrade after the full fare is paid and prices drop before sailing, but will definitely be keeping that in mind for my cruise coming up later in the year - thanks for the tip Gary 👍
I hate to think that a travel advisor wouldn’t help get that lower fare. I have two parties going on an Alaska cruise in 2025 and was able to save each party about $830 by watching the fares and asking the cruise line to honor that drop. That’s a lot of money for families. And I love the option to try for an upgrade!
I disagree with the advice to pressure MSC about the bidding upgrade. Its clear that it's a per person fee. Yeah, it sucks but its her fault. Who's to say that if MSC caves in, that people will bid and then change their mind over and over. People need to be responsible for themselves.
Really lucky the original cabin was still available
You are so right. I recently went on a Saga cruise for Guernsey and the Scilly Isles. In the event they were cancelled due t adverse weather after sailing. I am currently fighting my insurer for missed ports which they said was covered. They refused initially stating I was advised prior to sailing, however I’ve now sent another email from Saga stating they were cancelled AFTER sailing! I’m now awaiting their response.
Cunard had a significant reduction AFTER my final payment was made. Basically they told my travel agent too bad, so sad. Wouldn't upgrade the cabin or offer onboard credit. Then they had the nerve to send us a bid to upgrade offer about a week later. This was a transatlantic crossing voyage. PRINCESS had reductions before and after final payment and each time we saved several hundred dollars. We really liked our cabin location (AFT VIEW), so told the travel agent do what you can without moving our cabin. We actually got refared twice and got money refunded. I'm always watching and out of principal will not sail Cunard again.
All this depends on the cruise line. Royal Caribean are pretty good with upgrading and or issuing cruise credits. Princess are not. So I advise checking the cruise line reviews before booking.
The cruise line should refund port fees when Missing a port. Princess did. NCL will not. Not happy about that.
I guess it maybe worth asking yourself what you like about cruising, do you like visiting lots of places or being on a big ship with lots of activities? If it's the former a cruise probably isn't for you, in many parts of the world it'll be cheaper just to fly between all your destinations (Europe in particular) and spend a few days in a hotel at each one. A bit less convenient but you'll be far more likely to be able to visit all the places you want to go to.
Gary is saving me big money, I
never plan on taking a cruise. I have terrible sea sickness.
Who in the HE*** would pay $15,000 for a $356.00 MSC cruise!? That's utter insanity!
People with money...
We tried to get our cruise at the lower price after we booked with BCL but was told that the cost of the admin fee would put the price higher than the cost of the cruise we had booked.
I booked a cruise on Cunard for South America while on the ship early this year. I booked a balcony cabin but begin regretting it soon after making the down payment. There is about a $5,000 difference between a balcony and a view. The remaining amount is due next month. When I spoke with an agent they said you can buy up but can't sell down.
Total cost is about $25,000 for 52 days. I'm looking forward to the cruise but it may be my last for awhile.
Excellent advice.
Your point about booking for a particular port is well taken Gary. However, I have heard absolutely nothing about Red Sea/Suez Canal trips. There is zero possibility that any cruise ship will be sailing those waters under the present circumstances. However, Suez Canal trips are still being advertised by many lines. Similarly, no cruise ship will be going to any Israeli ports. Perhaps you could mention this at some point.
On RC, before the 90 days, the key word is reprice. You want to reprice the cruise
Hey Gary. I’ve been watching some videos on UK Isle cruises, and they seem to get a lot of port changes on Princess Line. Would love to see a video on how common this is and does it happen more often with any particular ship line?
If the terms as written is not immediately clear to you and hard to understand, do not book, bid or upgrade!! Additionally hubby and I do drink but not big drinkers. We average maybe 3 drinks each per day on a 4 night cruise. Our drink tab was only $149 between both of us and mostly because we had a $45 bottle of wine at dinner. The drink package is a SCAM if you are a light drinker or only one of you drink. Just budget maybe $300 in drinks for the trip and use that. If we had purchased the drink package on RC or MSC we would have added over $700 to our tab. 😮
Yep
Just book the cabin you want.
Too easy.
Unless the bid is free.
I always wait to the last date to cancel to make my final payment. Saved a ton of money on Princess and Norwegian.
I totally agree. I look at my cruises nearly every day. As soon as they go down- im onto my agent. And get the lower price
It seems there are too many "traps", fine print and slights-of-hand intended to trick passengers into just paying the cruise line more money. It is not a vacation when you constantly have to out-guess the cruise line. At the very least, you should book with a cruise-wise TA to help you. The first lady only got her money back because Gary intervened, like the Consumer Advocate on the 6-o'clock news.
Fantastic advice as always
Follow this old saying........
If it sounds too good to be true it probably is!
Note that EU customers can cancel or demand compensation when a cruise line changes ports. Those terms that the cruise lines put into the contracts are void vs. EU travel laws. If changed in advance you can cancel, if changed while on the cruise you can demand a compensation. Although it's usually not that big of a compensation, because it takes into consideration all kinds of factors (like that you're still on a cruise with room, food and entertainment during that day). Usually the highest that may get awarded is like 50% of that days cost. So for a 7-day cruise you get maybe 7% of your cost back (1/7*0.5) and usually it's even less than that (would you really take it all the way to court for like 1.4% of your cost if the verdict is that you're compensated for 10% of that single days cost?).
About terms and conditions when there is a payment transaction: I read them (to the extent possible because some are 100 pages). At the very least I look for key words like "refund" and read the sentences around it. During excursions I read the waivers and even when I go to doctor's appointments I read the documents they give me even if they "summarize" what it is for. I have people asking me if there is anything wrong because hey expect me to just take it, sign it, and give it back right away. I just tell them everything is fine and I'm reading it. I remember an excursion booked via the cruise line where the waiver said the excursion company was not responsible for injuries even if the injuries were due to negligence on their part 😂
Bidding used to be you said how much you want to pay for the upgrade, now it is more do you want this upgrade for $$$ I was able to jump from an inside to a mini suite for $100 per per person bid (as a let's see if this works) before, now that is not possible. It is no longer a bid but an offer to upgrade
We took cruise to see 2 ports we would never get to. Hurricane hit those 2 ports. Missed both and it snowed all day in 3rd port we had never been 2.😢 travel is an Adventure 😂
Gary you’re so great.
I enjoy your travel blogs, it’s very informative I have learned a lot
Really sound advice 👍
Thanks!
Amazing what you can save by tracking lower fares even after you book.
Discovered an aqua sky suite was $1200 cheaper than the sky suite i booked with celebrity. They would not price match and was told this was only available if booked on a ship with future cruise. Have never cruised before so unable to ever have been able to meet this criterion. Not impressed with celebrity pre cruise customer service to date.
During the bidding process the slider allows bids of a minimum of $50 up to $2000, times two for both people. It seems logical to me to bid the minimum if you want to chance it, but avoid anything higher assuming you are not exceeding the base fare for the higher grade.
I have had a go at bidding for an up grade on msc, I was taking my family on a cruise and booked and paid for 4 cabins 2 inside and 2 outside my cabin was one inside so when I got an email saying would you like to bid for an upgrade to outside for £30pp I thought I would have a go not knowing what would happen as I had never done this before, well two days later I get another email from msc and when I read it it just didn’t make sense the next day I read it again and I thought it was saying that they had cancelled my bid as it was too low but NO they had cancelled my cruise so I got on to my agent to make sure I was reading it correctly and he said yes they had. The agent got me booked back on the ship (£300 more) no I didn’t have to pay it and I didn’t get the upgrade 😂😂
Thank you 🙏🏼 ! Thank You 🙏🏼
Rule #1 DO NOT bid for an upgrade.
#2 DO NOT buy the package drink or wifi.
As for the lady with sea sickness, do all cruise ships offer the "Jab"/ shot that stops sea sickness?
Would NEVER travel on MSC again. Not surprised.
Wow, it’s a bit unfair for solos that if they have a cabin, that’s not a solo cabin or they bid for another cabin that they pay Twice the price!! They don’t eat twice the food for one thing. I can understand paying a bit more than for the solo cabin, but not twice the amount.
I assume Denise failed to get her original booking reinstated as MSC would have rebooked her Yacht Club suite virtually at the same moment her upgrade bid was accepted. Re Fare reductions, I reckon every cruise line should be legally compelled to automatically Price Match after all, it's the cruise lines who have chosen to reduce a fare not the result of a passenger's negotiating skills.
Yes good point! I need to double check with her how her cabin was. She was so relieved to get the upgrade withdrawn I think she was happy with anything but I do need to check as you say as likely her original once would have gone in an upgrade from a lower grade
Holland America Platinum Protection Plan, $0 to you if you have to see the ship's doctor.
READ THE SMALL PRINT.
BUYER BEWARE!
During the end of COVID we had a cruise change such that the tour needed to be cancelled. We only had $10-$15 deposits which were refundable. At least half the group decided that due to fact that many guides had not been employed we decided to forfeit the deposit to support the guide. Pretty cheap donation.
Cancellation of an upgrade “bid” should certainly be accepted
Curious about the people that "struggle to afford" a $13k cruise, but are perfectly okay with the $6500 cruise. Maybe I'm weird, but I wouldn't spend $6500 on a cruise unless I had the kind of money where an additional $6500 is also easily affordable.
No fair using common sense. Remember that most people are terrible with money.
Everyone has a line somewhere between what they can afford and what they can't.
@@devoron123 That's fair.
That is weird. Many people save all year to afford a holiday to the value of those savings
@@tommaroon531 True, some people do that. I've never thought that wiping out my savings to spend the money on a vacation was a sound financial decision. But to each their own.
About fares: I have an upcoming cruise with Azamara and got an offer of 8% onboard credit if I paid the remaining balance early. Would you say that this is a good deal or not? That amount would pay for most of the excursions and maybe some other extravagances.
My costly mistake was to book Princess.
Felt more like a ferry than a cruise
I also tracked my cruise back in 2017 on Royal Carribbean and my first and last travel agent didn’t get me my $800 back from them and I knew I didn’t like the reason she gave me. Never again.
These are the very reasons that I use 2 fabulous Travel Agents. They know all best deals and are looking out for me and my preferences/ 😅
Are you covered by Medicare on a US Flag Vessel (very few left) in international waters? If so, I reviewed Travel Insurance Policies and I find that they cover a lot more than just medical issues, so they might be worth the expense.
No you are not covered on the ship by any type os US insurance.
Thank you
It was probably a mistake to include stock footage of a first aid kit with scissors. Generally, they are not allowed on planes and cruise ships