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The Smartest Way To Deal With These 6 Cruise Nightmares
1K views
Jan 19, 2025
I've recently been following several cruise-gone-wrong sagas that inspired me to make this. They include outraged passengers raging because the Captain decided to miss iconic ports that most had booked the cruise for, and a distraught family facing a medical bill of $150,000 after their father fell ill on European cruise. Like you I assume all my cruises will be perfect, but not all are. Here are the main things I’ve seen go wrong, and how to be ready for them and what to do if it happens to you. For bonus & exclusive content (including videos, articles, eBooks and more) become a channel member or patron: --------------------------------------------------- * Patreon Patron: https://www.patreon.com/tipsfortravellers * YouTube Channel Member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_qE-Obs2ocdmPXY0TIU-cw/join Check out my cruise-themed T-shirts and products: --------------------------------------------------- * T-Shirts: http://bit.ly/TFTStore * Mugs, notebooks, hoodies etc: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/tipsfortravellers?ref_id=22354 My social media: --------------------------------------------------- * Blog: https://www.tipsfortravellers.com * Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/garybembridge * Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipsfortravellers * Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/garybembridge * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bembridge
View Video Transcript
0:00
I've been following several Cruise gone
0:02
wrong sagas that inspired me to make
0:04
this they included outraged passengers
0:06
on board silver sea silver Muse in Asia
0:08
raging because the captain decided to
0:10
miss three iconic ports that most have
0:13
booked the cruise for and a distraught
0:15
Denver family facing a medical bill of
0:19
$150,000 after their father fell ill on
0:21
a European Cruise welcome aboard I'm
0:23
Gary benbridge and like you I assume all
0:25
my cruises will be perfect but not all
0:28
are here are the main things that I've
0:30
seen go wrong and how to be ready for
0:32
them and what to do if it happens to you
0:35
let's start with your dream cruise
0:36
disappearing when the cruise line
0:38
cancels it the issue we face is there is
0:41
no legal or regulatory compensation
0:44
required and nothing in the crw contract
0:47
about compensation if they cancel on us
0:49
and so what happens varies even by the
0:52
same line at different times so what
0:55
should you do well first of all there
0:57
are a couple of prevention steps like
1:00
booking cruises with a high risk of
1:01
cancellation to start with for example
1:03
I've always avoided booking Maiden
1:06
voyages because often they're cancelled
1:08
some princess when it came into service
1:10
had multiple of their Maiden voyages
1:12
cancelled for
1:14
example these days due to the Middle
1:16
East troubles don't book anything that's
1:19
going anywhere near the Red Sea and
1:21
relies on going through the sewers Canal
1:23
to get the ship to where you're picking
1:25
it up because the likelihood of
1:27
cancellation is very high second if
1:30
you're not booking flights and hotels
1:32
through the line try and ensure your
1:33
bookings are flexible or have low change
1:36
fees as a line will only offer Mega
1:39
compensation to cover changes if your
1:42
cruise gets cancelled before the trip
1:45
you'll have the option to get refunded
1:46
any money PID to date or to switch to
1:49
another Cruise the problem is they will
1:51
not guarantee the price you pay for
1:53
those cruises and the new Cruise will be
1:55
at the prevailing fairs as well as a
1:57
refund you'll usually be given some
1:58
future Cruise credit or a discount on a
2:01
future cruise is compensation how much
2:04
varies wildly by line if you booked
2:07
flights hotels or excursions through the
2:09
line they will cancel and refund but if
2:12
booked independently the cruise line
2:14
gives relatively small amounts to cover
2:16
flights or hotel changes only usually
2:19
for example I usually see $200 per
2:22
person to cover flight change fees if a
2:24
domestic flight has been booked
2:25
independently and $400 for international
2:28
flights as some insurance companies
2:31
won't cover your costs when a line
2:33
cancels your crew is arguing that you
2:35
need to reclaim them from the line make
2:37
sure you keep detail documentation for
2:40
any costs above that and submit a claim
2:42
to the cruise line anyway but what if
2:45
the cruise isn't cancelled but the line
2:47
makes major port and itinerary changes
2:50
before you go perhaps removing ports
2:52
that actually made you choose that
2:54
cruise unfortunately the cruise contract
2:57
that you agree to when you book your
2:59
cruise allows them to make changes
3:01
without any right for you to cancel or
3:04
receive compensation if they do so if
3:07
you do not like any changes you will
3:10
need to contact the line and argue you
3:12
see the change as significant and demand
3:15
a refund or to change to a different
3:17
Cruise you should of course be in a
3:20
stronger position to get compensation if
3:22
ports are cancelled or changed during
3:25
the cruise but only if it's due to a
3:28
cruise line issue like mechanical
3:29
problem and not weather unrest or safety
3:32
reasons if it is weather related change
3:34
and a port is skipped by the captain for
3:37
safety reasons you should expect to
3:39
standard very little in return you often
3:43
get or can ask for port fees to be
3:45
refunded but Lions generally will not
3:47
offer anything else and will resist
3:49
requests for
3:51
compensation but if it's a mechanical
3:54
issue then as there's no set agreed
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compensation expect an offer of some
3:58
kind and do push back if you think it's
4:00
not acceptable I've seen lines increase
4:03
compensation if the bulk of passengers
4:05
demand more during the cruise in that
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silver mic example I mentioned the ship
4:10
actually missed ports due to a
4:11
propulsion issue so the captain decided
4:14
to sell direct to Singapore to get it
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seen
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to passengers were in the end offered
4:20
future Cruise credit for the number of
4:22
days they missed in those iconic ports
4:25
the ship by the way had to drop the
4:26
ports because it needed to make its way
4:28
to Singapore for assessment and repairs
4:30
they also by the way arranged excursions
4:32
without any charge for the extra time
4:34
spent in Singapore now three things to
4:36
note here as there's no set agreed
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compensation rate you will need to
4:40
decide if any offer is appropriate
4:43
secondly don't book a cruise based on an
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absolute must go to Port there are too
4:48
many variables and reasons you may not
4:50
get in on a cruise if there's a place
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you absolutely want to see a landbased
4:55
trip rather than a cruise may actually
4:57
be a safer option and thirdly some
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insurance policies in some countries
5:02
will include missed port cover and if
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you have that make sure you get a letter
5:06
from the ship to prove a port was missed
5:09
the next nightmare issue where things
5:10
can go wrong is passengers being refused
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boarding and it happens more than I had
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realized I covered this in detail in a
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recent video but want to warn you that
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the main reason for being denied
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boarding is passengers not having the
5:24
right documents the key one being a
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passport many US a Cruisers are used to
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being able to cruise out of the USA to
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the Caribbean and Alaska with their
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birth certificate and picture ID like a
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driving license for example however many
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many have often Fallen foul going on say
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a Panama Canal cruise forgetting that
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these call into countries that will
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require a passport recently dozens of
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people were refused boarding a Princess
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Cruise Panama cruise out of Port
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Everglades and what makes it worse is
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many had called Princess to check if
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they needed a passport and been told
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they did not a couple this week told me
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they were denied boarding a queen
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married to transatlantic from the UK
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because they hadn't got a USA Esa Visa
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which UK residents need to get into the
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USA they were upset because they said
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kunard hadn't told them they needed one
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so the learning is to avoid being denied
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boarding for the wrong documents you
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must take control and you must check and
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do not rely on the cruise line what
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should you do to make sure this doesn't
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happen to you always cruise with the
6:34
passport even if it's not needed because
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even if you get disembarked in the
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Caribbean of a cruise like when
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Norwegian Encore ran a ground there or
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you need to get home sa for an emergency
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you're going to need to a passport to be
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able to fly into the United States check
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entry and visa requirements for
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countries on sites like the UK foreign
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office and for USA residents the US
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state department travel advisory site
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and remember things keep changing for
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example Europe and the UK are
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introducing Esa visas like the USA and
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Canada have currently for foreign
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visitors if you ever get refused at a
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port because you haven't got something
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like an esta go online and apply there
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and then because some of them get
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approved and issued immediately or
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within an hour or so and so you may
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still be able to board your ship next
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something I actually fear is getting
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back exploring a port and finding the
7:28
ship has left without me like with the
7:31
other nightmares some preparation is
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actually the best way to avoid this
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happening so first of all I check my
7:39
phone and watch on ship time so I know
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what time that the ship is on that I
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must work to usually of course that will
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be the same time as in the port I do not
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rely on my phone changing time
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automatically on a cruise I always set
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the time zone manually I take a photo as
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I leave the ship of the board with the
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audible time to remind me when I'm out
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and about and want to check I consider
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taking a cruise line Excursion because
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they will usually wait if those are
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delayed or the cruise line will get me
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to meet the ship at the next port at
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their cost if they do end up selling
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without me I always get off the ship
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with the details of the port agent and
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ideally my local Embassy those are
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normally within the cruise daily program
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or some cruise lines have it in the app
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so I take a screenshot of that in the
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app a photo of the daily program or I
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just actually take the whole program
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with me when I head off in Port I always
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take a credit card in some form of
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picture ID like a driver's license which
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will be key if I miss a ship and must
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fly to the next Port say in the same
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country or hire a car or book into a
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hotel I have copies of all important
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documents stored online where I can
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access them I use dropbox so that I can
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access copies of my passport Insurance
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Cruise booking and so on the other thing
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that I never go into Port without is a
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phone and often with a a charger as well
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but even with all that in hand what if
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you do get left behind first of all
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contact the cruise line Port agent as
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soon as you can and especially if you
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running late because they can often have
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a discussion with a captain to see
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whether there are any opportunities for
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the ship to wait for you or they will
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start to make plans if they know the
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ship can't wait the port agent will lias
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with the ship on the next best port to
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meet up with the ship and they will give
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you some guun guidance on how to get
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there they nor the cruise line will make
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those arrangements for you nor will they
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cover any costs for you to get to the
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next Port it is possible in some cases
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the line will give the port agent your
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passport especially if they're holding
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it as they have to do in some regions of
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the world or occasionally if they know
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that you're late and you'll need a
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passport to get to the next Port they
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may access your safe to recover it if
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you decide you're not going to try and
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catch up with the ship the line will'll
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of course pack up and ship your
9:59
belongings but at your cost let's talk
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about an unfortunately common nightmare
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these days and that is if your luggage
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doesn't arrive with your flight to join
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a cruise it has happened to me after it
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did I put in place some preventative
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steps first I now try and fly non-stop
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to reduce the risk of my bags getting
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stuck at a connecting airport that seems
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to be where most bags end up missing the
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flight next we spread our clothes across
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our suitcases so instead of having a
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suitcase for my clothes and another for
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my partner we split clothes across the
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suitcases if one goes missing we then
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both have some clothes I take a
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photograph of my bag so I can accurately
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describe it I've traveled all over the
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world with my suitcase and when it went
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missing I actually struggled to describe
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things like even the color next I
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started using Apple tags so I can track
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and find my suitcase and help locate it
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if your bag doesn't arrive speak to the
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baggage customer service desk who will
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be able to check where your bag is in
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the system for example before I had
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Apple tags when my bag did not come out
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on the flights baggage belt they could
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tell me it was actually in the hall but
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it been put on a different flights belt
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if missing they will give you a
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reference number and various contact
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details and they'll take yours and uh
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they will try to get the bags to you
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when of course they arrive asked to if
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they provided any immediate compensation
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to cover buying Essentials and a few
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items of clothing to tide you over many
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of them will do now as soon as you board
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go and see the guest services with those
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details and they will usually take over
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liasing with the airline because they
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understand how difficult it is to make
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those connections with uh people they
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can also let them of course know exactly
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where and how to get the bags to the
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ship I found that where my bags went
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missing that took away a lot of stress
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and my bags did arrive at the ship the
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next day and we actually had an
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overnight so it was even easier in that
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case if if you need to buy any clothes
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to cover you of course keep any receipts
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because you'll need that to make an
12:04
insurance claim the next thing where
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your cruise could go wrong is if you
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fall ill or injure yourself whilst on
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the cruise or even in the ports what
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should you do and expect if you find
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yourself in this particular situation
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again preparation could help I always
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take a first aid kit to cover the basics
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with me like painkillers anti dial
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seasickness bad a and so on which could
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and should address everyday issues but
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if it's not call the Medical Center
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cruise ships have a doctor and nurses
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and the ability to treat routine issues
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and do tests including x-rays on many
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ships and they have a pharmacy it is
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though really costly starting at at
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least $100 a visit and costs will Mount
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up really fast now even though you can
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claim back from your insurance by
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submitting the bill after the cruise you
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will have to pay the cruise line before
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disembarking the full amount due the
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Medical Center's job is to stabilize
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people and deal with minor issues if
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you've got something more serious
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that'll either disembark you in a
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hospital at the next port or if it's
13:03
serious they'll arrange for a medivac by
13:07
helicopter or by some sort of boat that
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is why it's essential to have insurance
13:11
and make sure that you're adequately
13:14
covered at the beginning of this I
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mentioned a couple facing
13:18
$150,000 Bill Diane and Adrian Matlock
13:22
from Denver USA were on a European
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cruise and he felt ill with flu and was
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disembarked in the Danish hospital he
13:29
spiral engine pneumonia and then had
13:30
actually unfortunately some minor
13:32
strokes now they had some insurance but
13:34
it only covered them for up to
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$24,000 but his bill hit over
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$150,000 as the doctors felt he needed
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to be medivaced back to the USA to
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finish treatment at home when you take
13:46
out insurance make sure that it's got
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Cruise cover and will cover you for
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medivac and stays in treatment in
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foreign hospitals they can be really
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costly if you're feeling seasick the
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cruise line will normally provide you
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seasick pills for free at gu services
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and if that does not work the doctor can
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prescribe or give you an injection if
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you have the symptoms of norovirus like
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diarrhea you can't buy anti-diarrheal
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products from the ship shops because
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it's a flag for either Co or norovirus
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so you can only get those from the
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medical center if You' taken a first aid
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pack and you've got some see if that
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helps first if you contact the medical
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center and assess norovirus risk you may
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be required to quarantine in your cabin
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usually with free rooms service and
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Wi-Fi similarly if you have covid
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symptoms if you've brought some tests
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then check you are expected to advise
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the medical center who likely to ask you
14:40
to quarantine till a negative test these
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days only some lines will refund in
14:45
future Cruise credit days if you're
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required to quarantine if you have teeth
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problems like when I had part of a tooth
14:50
crack off on a Caribbean cruise
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embarcation day other than painkillers
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the medical center cannot help as there
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are no dentists on cruise ship
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I always take a tooth repair kit which I
15:01
buy from my local pharmacy and if it
15:03
cannot wait I find an emergency dentist
15:05
online in a future Port I contact them
15:08
to arrange an appointment like I had to
15:09
do once in Key West on that trip I
15:11
mentioned I mentioned earlier there are
15:13
many reasons people are denied boarding
15:15
so join me over in this video to find
15:17
out what they are and what you can do to
15:19
avoid all of them see you over there
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