I'm type 1 diabetic on insulin injections. On one of my first cruises the cabin steward said I should have told them because of the danger of used needles. I now tell them every time and they give me a sharps box for free and dispose also of it for me. (Carnival/Celebrity/Royal Caribbean/MSC)
@@estherwilliams4346 I do, Do you happen to have more info? I use an Omnipod 5 and Dexcom G7. Technically the Omnipod does say that it needs an internet connection...
About 4 years ago, I was watching TH-cam videos and came across one of yours. At that time, based on zero knowledge or research, I was an avid never cruiser. But your videos were fun and good entertainment, even if the idea of me cruising was ridiculous. Yesterday we made final payment on our first cruise and our bucket list has at least 6 cruises on it.
Good wishes, I hope you have taken Gary’s advise in that the No 1 thing to look at before booking is to get the right cruise line for you. We are all different and each line has its own character. Enjoy.
@@chriswilliams6568 We think that our first cruise is one of the best cruise lines that fits our budget. We put a lot of importance on the ports, and also onboard food and drink. Of our top two choices, the itinerary tipped us to the cruise we chose. We are not slide or pool people and we looked for cruise line & ship combos that fit. We will cruise our second top choice assuming we enjoy our first enough to commit to another.
I was recently on a P&O Australia cruise that had a very large number pf passengers with a wide range of disabilities, including many members of the deaf community. There were 3 or 4 Auslan interpreters provided on the ship and they were at every show, trivia etc. I was also impressed that every staff member I saw had learned some basic Auslan and were using it.
Had to look it up: Auslan=Australian sign language; unique to Australia. I guess Australians, Irish and British have a few words that Americans don't understand. Also, Auslan uses two hands whereas ASL (American Sign Language) uses only one.
Something I didn't realize, if you have had a knee replacement or any other joint replacement within 6 months, some shore excursions will ban you. I got kicked off one in Cozumel due to that, even though I felt fine and was completely mobile. It ended well, as they were able to pivot and get us on another shore excursion equally fun.
I will never tell them about any private medical procedures-it’s not their business--are they going to throw you off with an attack of appendicitis ???
One thing missed that got someone I once knew BANNED for Life…… arriving LATE and then still fighting the staff for them to be allowed to board even though the gates were closed!!
Acting out in any way (not just what you mentioned) will result in a lifetime ban on most ships. Make a scene and it will be your last cruise with this line.
An issue with motorized chairs that is becomming a problem on cruises and elsewhere is that the occupants think they have cart blanc to do whatever they want. No, this does not give you the right to jump lines. No this does not give you the right to travel in the wrong direction in a queue. No, you cannot park it wherever you want; crew will show you and assist. Most cruise lines require that your chair be able to fit through the cabin door and no, you cannot park it in the hall outside your door. The mobility that the chair gives you, makes you just another passenger, subject to all the rules and protocol of all other passengers.
Additionally for medicine: not just make it known what and how much of it you are bringing aboard, but if your medication requires constant cooling, most cruise lines can put a mini fridge into your cabin. Just let them know in advance!
Gary, I am a wheelchair user who has been on many cruises and it baffles me as to why people would not be honest about their need and then be surprised when refused boarding!
@@haylieg2780Not necessarily. If I try to check into a hotel without a reservation and their only wheelchair-accessible rooms are occupied (and you'd be surprised how few some places have) they're not breaking any laws by not renting me a room. Most wheelchair-bound travelers know that they have to plan every detail in advance, even more so than able-bodied people do. Even everyday tasks are at least a little more complicated, let alone travel. After a while it just becomes second nature. It surprises me that anyone would make such a rookie mistake, but I guess it happens.
People are usually asked about their allergies for a venue that is offering food. I've seen cases when some who have severe allergies will refuse to tell them beforehand, then be angry and disappointed when they get no food. I will always send my list, and last time we went through with it with the staff beforehand, and everything at the venue was great. I just overheard one woman ask if she can also get a special dessert (since I had special portions reserved for me), since she has a severe nut allergy, and can't eat the normal cake that was provided. Of course she got nothing, as the staff can't conjure ingredients out of thin air. I guess it's a form of being difficult by trying to act nice and conform. Trying to not make a fuss, but end up causing more trouble for everyone involved. My mom refuses to get a wheelchair, though she keeps complaining how she can't visit any museums or walk normal distances, though she'd love to be more active. She'll just get angry at me if I talk about mobility aids - which she 100% would need. Anyway I can see how she might refuse to tell about mobility aids (if she'd use one).
@@elainelouve My dad's 96. He too starts hissing when we offer to wheel him around. He's got a wheelchair, but prefers to shuffle along, at the speed of a snail... We always bring the chair however, because after 10 minutes he's usually completely finished... 👴👣🦽 Love from Norway 🚢🇳🇴
@@haylieg2780 It's illegal to ask WHY someone needs accommodations. Not illegal to ask them to provide a list of those accommodations up front. They can't be expected to provide accommodations if they don't know what they need to provide!
I worked as a passenger physician on Holland America Line two or three times a year for twenty years, and was always astonished to find out that many passengers who I had to disembark because of severe illness, did not have adequate insurance. On person who had to be repatriated to the USA from Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, had to pay thousands of dollars just for the transportation in an air ambulance, before any of the medical costs were added. Another person had been discharged from the ICU with severe cardiac failure, the day before boarding; he had a cardiac arrest the day after the cruise started.
I'm not surprised. Many people will get on a cruise ship without being cleared by their doctor. I knew a person who went on a cruise a week after having open heart surgery, they were lucky that nothing bad happened on the ship because they had no travel insurance.
@@cherifurr3935 I began cruising in 1992, and I never thought to purchase travel insurance. My mindset was when I travel to Disney, resorts, etc. I never purchased additional insurance. Now, before cruising travel, insurance is on my to-do list.
For our last cruise with HAL, they provided the distilled water for my husband CPAP. It was sitting in our cabin for our embarkation day. We had no issues with plugging it as in was on one of their newest Pinnacle Class ship. We will advise about the CPAP in our upcoming cruise with them.
When we sailed on Princess, a gallon of distilled water was complimentary. We’re sailing on HAL next week and I had to purchase the water for about $3. Expensive, yes, but $3 certainly wasn’t going to break me and having it delivered to our room beat having to carry it during embarkation.
We took a Carnival cruise out of New Orleans, and I took my cpap machine. I thought there might be a plug close to the bed. Unfortunately, there was none. I asked our steward if there was one we could use, and one of his staff brought one that I used the whole cruise. I brought an adapter that I could use for charging our phones and use my cpap machine. I had no problems with any of that equipment. When we would leave the cabin, I would unplug the cord at the receptacle.
In 2018 we had a port of call in Portland Maine on Anthem of the Seas. This port had a very popular potato doughnut shop and we weren't allowed to bring our doughnuts with us back on board (We had purchased a dozen to share with some friends we'd made on the ship). I had read the sign while disembarking that said no fresh fruits, veg, or meats allowed back on board but I wish I had checked with the crew about baked goods. I was really surprised since I usually sail Princess and had never had any issues taking baked good back on the ship with me. FWIW Royal Caribbean later clarified it was a US Customs restriction that had been put in place for them when I reached out to ask. In the end we ate what we could in port and offered the rest to random passengers as they were getting back onto the ship 😅
@@valeriepark9444 I guess I'd have to try them, but even that description doesn't help as gluten is a protein and gluten is what makes bread, bread, including doughnuts,.
@@kcgunesqThat is not true regarding only gluten products in baking breads, etc. For quite some time, there have been gluten-free flours and alternatives for those with gluten-intolerance or celiac disease. Regarding the potato flour donuts… have you ever had the Martin’s brand potato rolls or sliced bread? Pure heaven….light, fluffy and delicious! 😋😋😋
Thanks! I just booked my first solo cruise. Thank you for all your help in deciding which line to use. What I really learned though, is I can cruise on any line with the right attitude. You really helped me understand that different ships, at different times have a different vibe.
We've left two cruises early. The first time we cleared it with the cruise line before embarkation, the second time we requested it onboard at Guest Services. No problems, but if you do the latter, have a Plan B in case you aren't allowed to leave (and wish to cruise again).
4:00 I know people who got off a ship in Halifax when it was bound for New York. They had to tell the cruise line up front, pay for the trip to New York (i.e. they did not get a discount for getting off early) and they were Canadian citizens and the Canadian Government said they could get off as they were Canadian citizens.
You can request to get off a cruise early. Like you mentioned, you have to request the early disembarking ahead of time. My client just this week successfully did this on a Princess cruise in the UK
Well the blindness issue just killed any chance of me every cruising. This is the first time I have seen this and that includes on the cruise line Web sites. Thanks for letting em know before I wasted time and money pursuing a cruise only to be turned away at the last moment.
If you intend to downline (get off a ship at an interim port) make sure your cruise agent notifies the line well in advance and gets approval. We downlined at a Japanese port on a cruise from Vancouver to Shanghai, China, and were allowed to disembark only at 8 AM or 4 PM. You can't just waltz off. Get all your ducks in a row well in advance, be aware of any inconveniences you may encounter, and you should be OK.
I worked with a woman who decided to go on a cruise with her husband that departed from New Orleans. (It was a Panama Canal cruise.). As the husband had family near New Orleans, it was also an opportunity to visit them for a few days as well. They decided to drive down, with a gun in the car. (They had a carry permit from Virginia.). After visiting family, they drove down to the dock area in NO. The husband was denied boarding when the gun was discovered in his luggage. The wife was given the option to board and enjoy the cruise, which she refused. Don't know if they were offered refunds. That must have been one fun car ride back to Virginia!
Seriously?!?!? One of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard a gun owner do. He should have known better and because he didn’t, or was reckless, I’m glad he was refused. Guns are not toys. They are to be taken seriously. Oh, BTW, I’m a gun owner too.
@@choosewisely616Thank you for sharing that! It reminds me of the recent arrests of 2 men & now 1 woman having a gun in their luggage. They are each facing 12yrs in prison.
As they bloody should. Having a licence to carry a gun in Virginia doesn't mean you should think you can travel on a ship with hundreds of passengers, packing heat. Does he also carry his gun on flights?
Hey Gary, I never thought about it until your video, but my CPAP has a heating element in it. I've never been asked about it and I never considered it. I will mention it before my Alaska cruise in July, thanks for the video!
I travel worldwide and also use a CPAP machine. I always make it known to cruise line in advance and request Distilled water. In my experience most cruise lines provide distilled water. As a CPAP is deemed a medical device I have never had a problem.
My wife and I use CPAP and have never had a problem bringing one on board, although depending on the ship we've needed extension cords. I'm amazed that Cunard wouldn't provide distilled water. All cruise ships manufacture distilled water on board.
another worth watching most in it i knew but i still always learn something your videos are always well presented and full of information i have watched other cruise videos but they all seem to want to be movie stars with a bit of info thrown in, thanks
Our last NCL cruise was on the Joy, which didn't have a regular outlet by the bed. I had to make sure that I brought a NON-SURGE PROTECTED extension cord, because the surge-protected ones can be a fire hazard. They did provide the distilled water, as I gave them plenty of notice. I've done the same for our upcoming transatlantic crossing on the Encore.
My wife is a licensed amateur radio operator. She wanted to take a voyage from the USA where her license is issued to the EU (where it's legal for her to operate). The cruise lines nowadays for reasons unclear prohibit radios. We asked if they would hold her radios and then give them back to her when she reached the destination, and they said no. They said they'd confiscate her radios and she'd not get them back. This seems mad to us. There should at least be some way to check items that you won't need on board and then reclaim them at the end of the voyage.
It looks like there is no commonality between lines. I'm UK licenced too. Years ago I was on a CTC cruise around Norway from Tilbury & took my 2m handheld & not only could I use it ashore but went to the radio room & they gave permission to use it even from the rear deck when sailing. I've not tried but I have heard that Holland America is quite amateur radio friendly. We were also on a Fred Olsen last year (again to Norway & Spitzbergen) & met someone there on desk listening with an amateur set (VERY public area, right by the bar so they certainly weren't trying to be "under the radar" given the staff visibility so it seems like it can be worth checking with your specific line beforehand).
@@StreakyP Thank you. All of those lines with which we checked (admittedly we didn't check them all) insisted that radios were absolutely forbidden, would be confiscated, and (this was the part we found particularly galling) would not be returned under any circumstances. I assume this is what the people who answer the emails are told to say, but there's no way that I know of to get to anyone above that. Pre-pandemic, we probably would have tried cargo ship travel (we don't need round-the-clock entertainment like a cruise; it's just the transportation without having to fly for which we're hankering), but apparently after COVID-19, all of the carriers stopped offering it and there's no sign of it coming back.
KB7QOD here. Unless something has changed recently, the rules are very, very clear, and she should know this by taking her tests. The first thing you need to do is to clear them with the cruise line and then, once on board, get permission from the captain of the ship to make sure that any HF signals at sea will not disturb the radio communications of the ship. Often, when in port (you still have to get permission) UHF/VHF low watt transmissions are permissible assuming the radio operator also has a valid reciprocal agreement with the port country. Dot your I’s and cross your T’s. And don’t forget…don’t talk about politics or religion on the ham bands.
To me it sounds like the cruise line didn't wanna bother with the risk of interference and does not have storage facilities for things by customers that need to be locked away from them aside from the space much needed for consfiscated items that needs to be available instead of being used at leisure. The cruise line's word is final here.
The problem is Devil runs the world. He is lier and murderer. This is the reason why Hitler got the power, but Christ was executed as "blasphemer" and "rioter" by denunciation of clergy. That's why we've got the Gospel about the God's kingdom. Jehovah would put everything in order. The dead will be resurected and we'll meet our beloved ones again! :-)
Some months back I was looking at one cruise where they advertised a croquet court - presumably a much-reduced size! - and I wondered if they'd let me bring my croquet mallet, so thanks for addressing that.
I've never been on a cruise and don't plan to take one anytime soon but i love your videos! I have a friend who cruises with her in laws about once a year and I told her, you need to watch this guy before you go. I've been watching you for about 2 years so she'd only been once and all I knew was what i saw on the Love Boat as a kid lol.
NEW SUBSCRIBER: I've been watching your videos for a few weeks now and enjoy them very much. Thank you for this information. I will be going on my very first cruise as a solo cruiser and the information you provided is invaluable. Thank you!
My wife and I just completed a Tokyo-to-Dubai cruise on Oceania's Riviera. My wife has mobility problems and brought along her walker. Many other passengers used canes and other mobility devices. One guy had a cart that split into two parts so it could be easily carried. Also, because the cruise with extensions was more than 30 days long, we had to complete a form to bring more than 30 days of prescription drugs into Japan. It was hard to complete, but we got it done. However, Japanese customs did not ask for the form.
Cruising with children who have autism was mentioned in this video. I recently watched a video which talked about a wonderful program called "Autism on the Seas". They collaborate with Royal Caribbean "developing cruise vacation services to accommodate adults and families living with children with Special Needs, including, but not limited to, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and all Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities."
thanks for this info as I had no idea a cpap needed prior notification to the cruise line. I knew about the distilled water and extension cord policies for cpaps, but it didn’t occur to me to let them know at booking rather than embarkation day.
That great information! I’ve cruises 17x on 4 lines but ya never know! My wife & I both use CPAPs & have never had issues with cruise lines HAL or Princess. We don’t use water but I have the non-surge protected cruise ship safe socket extensions
I can see why it's bad to leave the ship early. You mentioned it might be illegal for a country to do that in but yet cruise ships don't wait for guests who are late when they are touring around. So interesting that they can leave people but only if THEY do the leaving and not he other way around.
my first cruise was in 2012. I had the flu one week before cruise so when filling out health questionnaire I was honest and ticked yes. I had to answer a few extra questions but was cleared to board. just before cruising shut down due to covid a port official was telling people to tick no to both health questions on form, even if they should be ticking yes so that they could still get on cruise. it is no wonder covid was spread so easy on cruise ships when people lie on health form.
This is an interesting topic. There are things here that I’ve never heard of or thought about. I haven’t cruised in over two decades, so I’m not aware of the current rules and regulations, but it seems that some of these weren’t in place when I last cruised. I have several chronic illnesses that I’ve had since childhood, and I have to travel with all sorts of medications. I was never asked to fill out any paperwork that listed my medical conditions or medications. All my medications were in my carry-on backpack, which was searched each time I boarded the ship, but no one ever asked a single question about any of it. I’m now disabled, which includes a mobility impairment, so I guess I’d have even more paperwork to fill out. While I’d never travel alone, it strikes me as a little odd that people with certain disabilities aren’t allowed to solo travel. I know people who are wheelchair-bound who live alone, can drive a car, hold a regular job, and completely care for themselves, so it seems odd that they’re not allowed to travel by themselves. The same for people with some vision impairments. I guess it’s the cruise lines’ right to set their own rules, though.
The cruise lines are concerned with passenger safety. If in the event you were unable to use your wheelchair, they might not have anyone available to aid you
I went on a week long Carnival cruise in mid April and came home with a gnarly chest cold and cough. In mid May, I'm still dealing with some mild symptoms. I really wish people would take those screening questions seriously and respect other people enough not to board a cruise with a contagious illness (or at least take precautions not to spread it). Carnival actually didn't have screening questions that I recall, but people can still be respectful of others.
I usually always wear a face mask as I have COPD (25% lung Capacity) One time I didn't I caught Covid from my mother on mothers day. 8 of us did a 7 day 2024 New year cruise and we generally hanged out together. Those of us that didn't wear masks (4) had covid a day after the cruise.
oh please stop pushing off the responsibility of YOUR POOR HEALTH on others. it's not anyone's job, other than your own, to make sure you're ok. it's YOUR job to make sure you're healthy. if you catch colds easily - then please, stay away from places with lots of people. thank you! otherwise , don't blame others for your lack of good health.
I'm quite glad that I long ago decided that ocean cruising was not for me. All that enforced jollity and all those rowdy people. We are doing a river cruise later this year, which is on a very much smaller scale in terms of both boat size and passenger numbers. We'll see how it goes.
I have cruised many times with Fred. Olsen and have never experienced rowdiness or enforced jollity. I enjoy the classical concerts, lectures on a wide variety of topics and quiet places to sit and read, as well as good food and entertainment, and friendly passengers and crew.
From what i understand it's fairly common for Canadian citizens to disembark in Victoria from round trip Alaska cruises based out of Seattle, since the itineraries usually just include a token stop on the final day for PVSA compliance and going back to Seattle requires another international border crossing to get home. That said, PVSA compliance is probably the most likely reason a request to disembark from a cruise early might be denied, at least for cruises with US ports.
"she bought them legally", Some states in the US have "legalised" cannabis, but it remains illegal under federal law. My understanding is that the feds aren't generally enforcing said laws against individual users, but large businesses remain legitimately wary of having anything to do with it.
I suppose it is important to tell on before hand if you need / want a special diet. Also if that is due to allergic reactions or simply religious diets. I always will tell any accomodation, even restaurants, that I'm sensitiv for natrium glutaminat. My tolerance is far lower than average. Yes I check all bought food products on the ingredients list for this substance (flavour enhancer. ), It is added to a lot of meat products
The really important thing to realise is that although something is legal and acceptable in your country its not necessarily on a cruise ship. The main reason why is because the cruise ship is registered in different country to the departure country. For example a P&O vessel isn't necessarily uk registered despite p&o being a uk based company. The country of registration and the flag the ship flies under is the laws the ship operates under.
They aren't THAT accommodating. The kids program staff are mostly, if not entirely, young adults without children. They don't have the experience and skills.
@@jimzakany3900My niece started babysitting at 13 fit the neighbor whose triplet had autism. She had a training course too. When she got to college she had several parents in awe when in just a few weeks she got the kids doing things no one had manage in 3 + years! She now has a PhD that includes autism as a specialty, and she still doesn’t have her own children! Having children in general doesn’t bestow experience or skills about autism. And Gary said some are trained. I’ve been on a couple of cruise where they had a specialize event for a group of autistic children. Great cruise.
@@jimzakany3900Hi, I’m an adult with Autism and this is not my experience. Both Silversea and Regent were extremely great at making sure my needs were met. My nephew is also Autistic and Silversea made sure his cruise in Alaska was great.
@@jimzakany3900 I'm sorry - are you saying that you can only understand how to look after young people with autism and other conditions if you have children? If so, then you are insulting many people out there (such as myself) who are highly trained and experienced in teaching and caring for children in all kinds of Special Needs situations.
Excellent Video Gary! My partner uses a wheel chair but doesn't need any adaptations to a cabin etc and can walk, but long distances cause big issues. We are going on our first cruise next year with Princess, so I will definatelly give them a call and see what we need to do, fortunately we have only paid £1 deposit lol
In 2019 we were on the MS Prinsendam. There was a small (20ish) tour group that left the ship about halfway thru the cruise. I am sure this was pre-cleared with HAL.
Funny enough I just got off a 15 day transatlantic cruise and on the message boards people posted about norovirus and we both got upper respiratory infections. As someone disabled the cruise line dropped the ball when notified of my need for wheelchair assistance, etc. People need to be very vigilant when cruising with any disability. Thanks Gary!
Agree. It's not the line's fault - they have to abide by the laws. It's the laws that are unjust - and we-the-people are the ones who make those laws. People are dumb, panicky animals who will kick you off the island for being different.
I think those rules are common sense, although that should be called rare sense, as not many folks seem to have it. I take CBD for pain, I live in Canada so it is legal all across our country. I do know it is also legal in some USA states. But even though BC and Washington state are next to each other, I know that the border control is federal, therefore one cannot cross the border with it. I know not to take it out of my country. Why on earth anyone else would not know this boggles my mind, especially those who ingest it. Ignorance being the reason. Folk should read the terms and conditions of a cruise contract, as when one pays the cruise line one is virtually agreeing to this contract. Unfortunately for me, when I leave Canada I have to take another heavy pain killer that is worse for me than cannabis is. Thank you Gary for a good coverage of these important points.
Having worked a long time at a hotel; a lot of these (especially the medical needs) also apply to hotels 🤗 Please let them know if you have medicine that needs to stay cold or machines that need distilled water, deafness, blindness, mobility issues etc. If they know in advance they can make sure you get the best suitable room for your needs and that for example some things like ice is already prepared for you. Making check in and your stay much more pleasant 🤗
Tony (La Lido Loca) just talked about the P&O cruiser who was denied boarding because he didn't mention his wheelchair in advance. I can see the line's point of view, but I looked at their website and the requirement to disclose it in advance is so obscure that I can also understand why he didn't fill out the form. I've always been a "why didn't you read the T&C?" type of guy but in this case, at least, the requirement wasn't the slightest bit clear (maybe it was in the T&C, but since I wasn't doing a booking I didn't get that far). Absolutely nothing in the FAQs, which is the first place I'd look.
I can’t see why he wouldn’t have declared it anyway. I know that sometimes people forget things like that because it’s a part of life it just makes sense to tell people.
We just got back from an Oceania cruise from Istanbul to Rome and there's some respiratory bug going around that had everyone coughing. It also didn't help that there was also a Sirocco which brought dust/sand from the Sahara and made for miserable air quality particularly in Malta. Luckily, the Oceania medical team was very well prepared to support anyone who's coughing became bad.
On our recent cruise the people on the balcony next to us were smoking weed. The smell was horrendous. I said to my husband “don’t worry you can’t do that all day”. Turns out you can 😂. I told the cabin attendants but they were too shy to do anything about it, fair enough.
Cruise security retain the right to search cabins and passenger property. Refuse you are removed and dumped on wharf. Find anything they can turn you over to police to deal with.
Never mind reporting it to room steward. Go straight to security and they will take care of anything illegal. The people in the next cabin smoked on their balcony and after three warnings, they were put off the ship in the next port. It was a great three last days of the cruise with no noise or smoke smell coming from next door.
Like it or not the companies own their ships and make the rules; if you don't like their rules, don't cruise...you can't get on a plane with CBD products either...I suspect itis easier overall just to ban it...many countries do not allow it...I use the gummies at home and I must admit that I sleep well! I am grateful that curling irons are allowed; you can use it to remove some rinkels from clothes in a pinch!
that's apples & pears. On an airplane - which is transport - the carrier is responsible that you can leave the airplane at destination. On a boat the only real problem would be you leaving on a location were CBD would not be alowed and you taking that outside. It would be perfectly OK to go from A (boarding) to B (disembark) where on both locations CBD is allowed. So allowing it is much more a choice by the operators. Similar with passports. An airliner MUST check the validity because they are responsible and have to take you back if you're not allowed in. On a ship passing more than one harbour, it "technically" would be feasible to pass thourgh harbours where some guests could not go off board to go out because of their passports because the final destination is ok with that status. Also here it is a choice by the operators to not do that. The later of course is also a management thingy. And would make the controling life much harder so it IS undertandable that they do not do it. SImilar with the CBD. Of course you have the "stupid" traveler going off board WITH the gummy bears and caught by customs and put in prison, now the shipping company has an issue. SO saying NO makes their life much easier.
I use a CPAP machine. I have never put anything in it but tap water. I just bring an ordinary extension cord. I have done a couple of cruises on Vista Class Ships. never had a problem with the power cord of my machine reaching from the power outlets on one side of the room, to the bedside table on the other
Gary. Read HAL contract. It doesnt mention the so called required gratuities. Its also not mentioned at all when booking. As a point of law i raise it each time to have it waived. They still havent learned. Why would i pay something i didnt agree to. So many do !!
Amateur radio is a global hobby. We radio amateurs have almost blanket world wide reciprocal licensing but I understand amateur radio gear - which I might want to use ashore & in port for ‘Parks on the Air,’ ‘Summits on the Air’ activities - is banned on some cruise lines. The intention is not to use it under way; the intention is to enjoy the hobby/use the gear ashore. You might talk about this in some future video. Thanks & 73 de W8IJN
I think the CBD gummy lady should have had the gummies confiscated and maybe been prevented from boarding, but a lifetime ban seems a bit extreme for that. Unless there were other circumstances involved, like being disruptive at the terminal, etc.
@@elimtevir1 None of the reports I've seen have mentioned anything like abusive behavior or language from the lady cruiser, but it sure seems like there is more to the story.
Report indicates she had cruised multiple times with the cruise line. She should have known the terms and conditions. Perhaps it is her level of experience with the line that raised the le el of consequences.
Under federal law they are still illegal even if she bought them in a state where they are legal. That is why it turns into an issue when you start trying to do anything that crosses international boundaries
Holland America charged me $1.25/gallon in March on Rotterdam. I notified them in advance - thru special needs - that I would be bringing CPAP. They informed me to buy the water in advance so it was in my cabin at boarding.
I travelled the queen mary in September of 2022 and they provided us with distilled water and an extension cord as we weren’t allowed to use our own. But maybe they’ve changed since ‘22
Ironically, according to CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program, Carnival's ships have a substantially LOWER incidence of norovirus than Royal, Princess OR Holland America. Makes me feel a little safer cruising on Carnival, and of course the prices are good and I enjoy the "Fun."
We cruised a B to B to B on the QM2 last year (2023) and both of us use CPAP machines. We were provided distilled water at no extra cost. We were in Britannia Club not sure if that makes a difference.
sometime people tell cruise line the day or better two if you planning to leave to get to another island or country. some cruise line will let you drink if you 19 or 20 sign by waiver by your parent.
That really sad about blind people I was on a p&o cruise in April and there was a blind man travelling alone and he did it without any help he used his white stick and crew where very respectful abd helpful.there is no reason why a person who manage at home alone cannot do this on a cruise. There should be some sort of discrimination laws that stops this behaviour. P&O seem to be a more aware cruise company
I went to Alaska brought an ax which was allowed on the ship however it was confiscated once I got on board and was returned to me once the cruise had ended
I plan to travel with my father. he cant stand or walk for long so should I tell in advance. for instance if we need to wait in line, he is going to need a chair we also need to use the buffet instead of the resturants as he needs a long time to eat, a botched surgery has made it difficult to swallow.
Please tell them in advance. A family member has issues with Fatigue so we take a collapsible wheelchair which can be stored in your cabin and does not require an accessible cabin as only used if needed when she goes out around ship or to and from ship. You can purchase a small heavy round plastic stool which collapses up to the size of a dinner plate and can be carried like a handbag over your shoulder. These are also useful as shower stools or if he goes anywhere and needs to rest. Just google it.
Why do you even ask? Of course they need to know! Also, get Dad a rollator. It's a walker with wheels that can lock and a seat. Good stability/support for walking and when you get tired/hurting, instant seat! Until my arthritis got bad I never noticed, great big stores have nowhere to sit down. Maybe one place in the whole huge store.
I went on a cruise right before Covid I had severe arthritis in both hips and although I was only 51/52 years old I did use a cane if I had to stand for a while or walk long distances. When I was checking in the carnival rep noticed my cane and questioned me I told her that it was arthritis etc…she immediately called for another rep to get me a wheelchair and the gave me first class treatment! I never really thought about letting a cruise ship know in advance regarding health issues but looking at this and other videos I can see why it is smart to do so. Have fun on your cruise!
It's about completely unplugging from the world. Any other vacation, it's too easy to slip into bad social media habits.... check work email... etc. It's a lot easier to completely tune out your life when you're in the middle of the ocean.
What about small scissors? I crochet & need a pair to yarn or crochet thread. I haven’t been able to travel for several years but last time I went in an airplane I took a pair of those rounded tip scissors that preschoolers use instead of my pointed ones, which was allowed
Some friends and I were there for the Grateful Dead/Bob Dylan/Tom Petty concert in 1986-my first time seeing any of them. It totally changed my view on music.
Don't get the drones one. Ban the use on board, get that. Ban you from packing on rather over stepping the mark. And can't see why they would need to do that.
As many know, cruise ship passengers had to disembark in Norfolk, instead of Baltimore, after the Key Bridge collapsed. The cruise lines then transferred the passengers back to Baltimore by motor coach. Could any of the passengers choose to stay in Norfolk if it was more convenient for them?
I have a CPAP, and discovered that you CANNOT bring an extension cord. THEY will supply a certified (electrically) one if required. I also have a certificate from my doctor for the CPAP, as well as a list of drugs that I am taking. SO FAR, only the pills (at LAX airport, not cruise) have been questioned.
My hubby uses a CPAP as well, we cruise about every 18 months. We brought a cord the first time, learned that they supply them. We make sure though when we do our notes on needs (e/cord needed etc) to the ship’s info on us. Never had a problem, but just to be sure🤷♀️
Can you really legally buy cannabis in the form of a child's sweet? (Unfortunately, this video is full of photo stock clips, so I'm not sure). If these exist, they should totally be made illegal everywhere.
@@evelynwoolston7they do look like sweets and CBD isn't the substance that gets you high, and CBD is proven to have positive medical effects. It's the THC that makes you high and this is the part people smoke. Cannabis is a very versatile plant and it's literally a weed, wil grow everywhere with little to no care and people have been using it since forever. As for the lady who got banned, that's a shame really. She should've declared it and would probably be allowed. Since they're boarding at diffrent places with diffrent laws, the cruise company can be held responsible for smuggling narcotics and be banned from entering the port. So from the company's perspective it's better to be safe than sorry, facing lawsuits, huge fines and loosing profit.
Some good points. In Puerto Rico and St. Thomas (where I live and visit often) … lot of people think they can buy a vape or gummies and try to walk back onboard. Just get drunk but stay “capable”. ❌No open container laws in Key West, St. Thomas and probably Puerto Rico. Just walk around with your open container but don’t bring stuff onboard … and be nice & “capable” .
I'm type 1 diabetic on insulin injections. On one of my first cruises the cabin steward said I should have told them because of the danger of used needles. I now tell them every time and they give me a sharps box for free and dispose also of it for me. (Carnival/Celebrity/Royal Caribbean/MSC)
This is a good reminder, thank you for posting.
If you use the new, digital monitors, you may also be eligible for a medical exemption and free Wi-Fi!
@@estherwilliams4346 I do, Do you happen to have more info? I use an Omnipod 5 and Dexcom G7. Technically the Omnipod does say that it needs an internet connection...
About 4 years ago, I was watching TH-cam videos and came across one of yours. At that time, based on zero knowledge or research, I was an avid never cruiser. But your videos were fun and good entertainment, even if the idea of me cruising was ridiculous. Yesterday we made final payment on our first cruise and our bucket list has at least 6 cruises on it.
You’ll love it !
We did our first cruise in 2021 and will embark on our 10th one in a few weeks. It’s very addictive!
Good for you! I hope you enjoy your trip!! Have Fun!!👍🤙
Good wishes, I hope you have taken Gary’s advise in that the No 1 thing to look at before booking is to get the right cruise line for you. We are all different and each line has its own character. Enjoy.
@@chriswilliams6568 We think that our first cruise is one of the best cruise lines that fits our budget.
We put a lot of importance on the ports, and also onboard food and drink. Of our top two choices, the itinerary tipped us to the cruise we chose. We are not slide or pool people and we looked for cruise line & ship combos that fit.
We will cruise our second top choice assuming we enjoy our first enough to commit to another.
I was recently on a P&O Australia cruise that had a very large number pf passengers with a wide range of disabilities, including many members of the deaf community. There were 3 or 4 Auslan interpreters provided on the ship and they were at every show, trivia etc. I was also impressed that every staff member I saw had learned some basic Auslan and were using it.
😊 hi Judy, I was also on that cruise. Small world. 🛳️
Had to look it up: Auslan=Australian sign language; unique to Australia. I guess Australians, Irish and British have a few words that Americans don't understand. Also, Auslan uses two hands whereas ASL (American Sign Language) uses only one.
Auslan and BSL both use two hands for most signs and finger spelling, though some ASL signs use two hands as well.
@@shellyvick6300Do they have funny accents???
For my husband who is hearing impaired, I use my own hand signals. 😂 He wears a cochlear and a hearing aid.
Something I didn't realize, if you have had a knee replacement or any other joint replacement within 6 months, some shore excursions will ban you. I got kicked off one in Cozumel due to that, even though I felt fine and was completely mobile. It ended well, as they were able to pivot and get us on another shore excursion equally fun.
I will never tell them about any private medical procedures-it’s not their business--are they going to throw you off with an attack of appendicitis ???
One thing missed that got someone I once knew BANNED for Life…… arriving LATE and then still fighting the staff for them to be allowed to board even though the gates were closed!!
Acting out in any way (not just what you mentioned) will result in a lifetime ban on most ships. Make a scene and it will be your last cruise with this line.
An issue with motorized chairs that is becomming a problem on cruises and elsewhere is that the occupants think they have cart blanc to do whatever they want. No, this does not give you the right to jump lines. No this does not give you the right to travel in the wrong direction in a queue. No, you cannot park it wherever you want; crew will show you and assist. Most cruise lines require that your chair be able to fit through the cabin door and no, you cannot park it in the hall outside your door. The mobility that the chair gives you, makes you just another passenger, subject to all the rules and protocol of all other passengers.
Additionally for medicine: not just make it known what and how much of it you are bringing aboard, but if your medication requires constant cooling, most cruise lines can put a mini fridge into your cabin. Just let them know in advance!
So invent a medication and get free mini fridge for beer?
all cabins have mini fridges already!
@@Mumsgardenoasis depends on the cruise line and sometimes the cabin grade
Gary, I am a wheelchair user who has been on many cruises and it baffles me as to why people would not be honest about their need and then be surprised when refused boarding!
Here in the US that would be illegal, however
@@haylieg2780Not necessarily. If I try to check into a hotel without a reservation and their only wheelchair-accessible rooms are occupied (and you'd be surprised how few some places have) they're not breaking any laws by not renting me a room. Most wheelchair-bound travelers know that they have to plan every detail in advance, even more so than able-bodied people do. Even everyday tasks are at least a little more complicated, let alone travel. After a while it just becomes second nature. It surprises me that anyone would make such a rookie mistake, but I guess it happens.
People are usually asked about their allergies for a venue that is offering food. I've seen cases when some who have severe allergies will refuse to tell them beforehand, then be angry and disappointed when they get no food.
I will always send my list, and last time we went through with it with the staff beforehand, and everything at the venue was great. I just overheard one woman ask if she can also get a special dessert (since I had special portions reserved for me), since she has a severe nut allergy, and can't eat the normal cake that was provided. Of course she got nothing, as the staff can't conjure ingredients out of thin air.
I guess it's a form of being difficult by trying to act nice and conform. Trying to not make a fuss, but end up causing more trouble for everyone involved.
My mom refuses to get a wheelchair, though she keeps complaining how she can't visit any museums or walk normal distances, though she'd love to be more active. She'll just get angry at me if I talk about mobility aids - which she 100% would need. Anyway I can see how she might refuse to tell about mobility aids (if she'd use one).
@@elainelouve
My dad's 96.
He too starts hissing when we offer to wheel him around.
He's got a wheelchair, but prefers to shuffle along, at the speed of a snail...
We always bring the chair however, because after 10 minutes he's usually completely finished...
👴👣🦽
Love from Norway 🚢🇳🇴
@@haylieg2780 It's illegal to ask WHY someone needs accommodations. Not illegal to ask them to provide a list of those accommodations up front. They can't be expected to provide accommodations if they don't know what they need to provide!
I worked as a passenger physician on Holland America Line two or three times a year for twenty years, and was always astonished to find out that many passengers who I had to disembark because of severe illness, did not have adequate insurance. On person who had to be repatriated to the USA from Ushuaia, Tierra Del Fuego, had to pay thousands of dollars just for the transportation in an air ambulance, before any of the medical costs were added. Another person had been discharged from the ICU with severe cardiac failure, the day before boarding; he had a cardiac arrest the day after the cruise started.
I'm not surprised. Many people will get on a cruise ship without being cleared by their doctor. I knew a person who went on a cruise a week after having open heart surgery, they were lucky that nothing bad happened on the ship because they had no travel insurance.
People are crazy to travel without travel insurance.
@@cherifurr3935
I began cruising in 1992, and I never thought to purchase travel insurance. My mindset was when I travel to Disney, resorts, etc. I never purchased additional insurance. Now, before cruising travel, insurance is on my to-do list.
What happens if the patient cannot pay? Are they just left to die?
When I worked for HAL, the company would cover the initial costs and then chase the passenger for the money.
For our last cruise with HAL, they provided the distilled water for my husband CPAP. It was sitting in our cabin for our embarkation day. We had no issues with plugging it as in was on one of their newest Pinnacle Class ship. We will advise about the CPAP in our upcoming cruise with them.
They supplied it? My experience is that it is for sale and you can buy it. $3 per gallon.
@@iowa_don They do sell it but it’s easy to get it.
When we sailed on Princess, a gallon of distilled water was complimentary. We’re sailing on HAL next week and I had to purchase the water for about $3. Expensive, yes, but $3 certainly wasn’t going to break me and having it delivered to our room beat having to carry it during embarkation.
My husband is a physician and has had a CPAP for about 8 years and has NEVER used distilled water in it. He uses tap water. Just fyi
@@PaulaBrahanCan Depends upon anyone’s preference. Some doesn’t even put water at all. 🤷♀️
We took a Carnival cruise out of New Orleans, and I took my cpap machine. I thought there might be a plug close to the bed. Unfortunately, there was none. I asked our steward if there was one we could use, and one of his staff brought one that I used the whole cruise. I brought an adapter that I could use for charging our phones and use my cpap machine. I had no problems with any of that equipment. When we would leave the cabin, I would unplug the cord at the receptacle.
In 2018 we had a port of call in Portland Maine on Anthem of the Seas. This port had a very popular potato doughnut shop and we weren't allowed to bring our doughnuts with us back on board (We had purchased a dozen to share with some friends we'd made on the ship). I had read the sign while disembarking that said no fresh fruits, veg, or meats allowed back on board but I wish I had checked with the crew about baked goods. I was really surprised since I usually sail Princess and had never had any issues taking baked good back on the ship with me. FWIW Royal Caribbean later clarified it was a US Customs restriction that had been put in place for them when I reached out to ask.
In the end we ate what we could in port and offered the rest to random passengers as they were getting back onto the ship 😅
Why would anyone want doughnuts made from potatoes?
@@kcgunesq They're made from potato flour.
@@kcgunesq potato flour has less protein than wheat flour, so they are fluffier and lighter than wheat doughnuts. Delicious!
@@valeriepark9444 I guess I'd have to try them, but even that description doesn't help as gluten is a protein and gluten is what makes bread, bread, including doughnuts,.
@@kcgunesqThat is not true regarding only gluten products in baking breads, etc. For quite some time, there have been gluten-free flours and alternatives for those with gluten-intolerance or celiac disease. Regarding the potato flour donuts… have you ever had the Martin’s brand potato rolls or sliced bread? Pure heaven….light, fluffy and delicious! 😋😋😋
Thanks! I just booked my first solo cruise. Thank you for all your help in deciding which line to use. What I really learned though, is I can cruise on any line with the right attitude. You really helped me understand that different ships, at different times have a different vibe.
Brilliant! And thanks for the super
Wishing you a great first solo cruise Mattie! Sounds like you have it well planned!
We've left two cruises early. The first time we cleared it with the cruise line before embarkation, the second time we requested it onboard at Guest Services. No problems, but if you do the latter, have a Plan B in case you aren't allowed to leave (and wish to cruise again).
4:00 I know people who got off a ship in Halifax when it was bound for New York. They had to tell the cruise line up front, pay for the trip to New York (i.e. they did not get a discount for getting off early) and they were Canadian citizens and the Canadian Government said they could get off as they were Canadian citizens.
You can request to get off a cruise early. Like you mentioned, you have to request the early disembarking ahead of time. My client just this week successfully did this on a Princess cruise in the UK
Well the blindness issue just killed any chance of me every cruising. This is the first time I have seen this and that includes on the cruise line Web sites. Thanks for letting em know before I wasted time and money pursuing a cruise only to be turned away at the last moment.
LMAO
It makes a lot of sense to travel with a partner if you have low vision or are blind. I have my eyesight and I got lost!
If you intend to downline (get off a ship at an interim port) make sure your cruise agent notifies the line well in advance and gets approval. We downlined at a Japanese port on a cruise from Vancouver to Shanghai, China, and were allowed to disembark only at 8 AM or 4 PM. You can't just waltz off. Get all your ducks in a row well in advance, be aware of any inconveniences you may encounter, and you should be OK.
I worked with a woman who decided to go on a cruise with her husband that departed from New Orleans. (It was a Panama Canal cruise.). As the husband had family near New Orleans, it was also an opportunity to visit them for a few days as well. They decided to drive down, with a gun in the car. (They had a carry permit from Virginia.). After visiting family, they drove down to the dock area in NO. The husband was denied boarding when the gun was discovered in his luggage. The wife was given the option to board and enjoy the cruise, which she refused. Don't know if they were offered refunds. That must have been one fun car ride back to Virginia!
😮
Seriously?!?!? One of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard a gun owner do. He should have known better and because he didn’t, or was reckless, I’m glad he was refused. Guns are not toys. They are to be taken seriously. Oh, BTW, I’m a gun owner too.
@@choosewisely616Thank you for sharing that! It reminds me of the recent arrests of 2 men & now 1 woman having a gun in their luggage. They are each facing 12yrs in prison.
Not guns, just stray ammunition was found in their bags. Why they use the same bags for hunting as travel.
As they bloody should. Having a licence to carry a gun in Virginia doesn't mean you should think you can travel on a ship with hundreds of passengers, packing heat. Does he also carry his gun on flights?
Hey Gary, I never thought about it until your video, but my CPAP has a heating element in it. I've never been asked about it and I never considered it. I will mention it before my Alaska cruise in July, thanks for the video!
I travel worldwide and also use a CPAP machine. I always make it known to cruise line in advance and request Distilled water. In my experience most cruise lines provide distilled water. As a CPAP is deemed a medical device I have never had a problem.
@@nicolepare1646 Congratulations
My wife and I use CPAP and have never had a problem bringing one on board, although depending on the ship we've needed extension cords. I'm amazed that Cunard wouldn't provide distilled water. All cruise ships manufacture distilled water on board.
another worth watching most in it i knew but i still always learn something your videos are always well presented and full of information i have watched other cruise videos but they all seem to want to be movie stars with a bit of info thrown in, thanks
Our last NCL cruise was on the Joy, which didn't have a regular outlet by the bed. I had to make sure that I brought a NON-SURGE PROTECTED extension cord, because the surge-protected ones can be a fire hazard. They did provide the distilled water, as I gave them plenty of notice. I've done the same for our upcoming transatlantic crossing on the Encore.
No cruise lines allow surge protectors.
My wife is a licensed amateur radio operator. She wanted to take a voyage from the USA where her license is issued to the EU (where it's legal for her to operate). The cruise lines nowadays for reasons unclear prohibit radios. We asked if they would hold her radios and then give them back to her when she reached the destination, and they said no. They said they'd confiscate her radios and she'd not get them back. This seems mad to us. There should at least be some way to check items that you won't need on board and then reclaim them at the end of the voyage.
It looks like there is no commonality between lines. I'm UK licenced too. Years ago I was on a CTC cruise around Norway from Tilbury & took my 2m handheld & not only could I use it ashore but went to the radio room & they gave permission to use it even from the rear deck when sailing. I've not tried but I have heard that Holland America is quite amateur radio friendly. We were also on a Fred Olsen last year (again to Norway & Spitzbergen) & met someone there on desk listening with an amateur set (VERY public area, right by the bar so they certainly weren't trying to be "under the radar" given the staff visibility so it seems like it can be worth checking with your specific line beforehand).
@@StreakyP Thank you. All of those lines with which we checked (admittedly we didn't check them all) insisted that radios were absolutely forbidden, would be confiscated, and (this was the part we found particularly galling) would not be returned under any circumstances. I assume this is what the people who answer the emails are told to say, but there's no way that I know of to get to anyone above that.
Pre-pandemic, we probably would have tried cargo ship travel (we don't need round-the-clock entertainment like a cruise; it's just the transportation without having to fly for which we're hankering), but apparently after COVID-19, all of the carriers stopped offering it and there's no sign of it coming back.
KB7QOD here. Unless something has changed recently, the rules are very, very clear, and she should know this by taking her tests. The first thing you need to do is to clear them with the cruise line and then, once on board, get permission from the captain of the ship to make sure that any HF signals at sea will not disturb the radio communications of the ship. Often, when in port (you still have to get permission) UHF/VHF low watt transmissions are permissible assuming the radio operator also has a valid reciprocal agreement with the port country. Dot your I’s and cross your T’s. And don’t forget…don’t talk about politics or religion on the ham bands.
To me it sounds like the cruise line didn't wanna bother with the risk of interference and does not have storage facilities for things by customers that need to be locked away from them aside from the space much needed for consfiscated items that needs to be available instead of being used at leisure. The cruise line's word is final here.
The problem is Devil runs the world. He is lier and murderer. This is the reason why Hitler got the power, but Christ was executed as "blasphemer" and "rioter" by denunciation of clergy.
That's why we've got the Gospel about the God's kingdom. Jehovah would put everything in order. The dead will be resurected and we'll meet our beloved ones again! :-)
This is so interesting! Some of these are no brainwork’s but some I wouldn’t have thought of. Thanks!
Some months back I was looking at one cruise where they advertised a croquet court - presumably a much-reduced size! - and I wondered if they'd let me bring my croquet mallet, so thanks for addressing that.
I've never been on a cruise and don't plan to take one anytime soon but i love your videos! I have a friend who cruises with her in laws about once a year and I told her, you need to watch this guy before you go. I've been watching you for about 2 years so she'd only been once and all I knew was what i saw on the Love Boat as a kid lol.
As always, informative and helpful. Thank you.
NEW SUBSCRIBER: I've been watching your videos for a few weeks now and enjoy them very much. Thank you for this information. I will be going on my very first cruise as a solo cruiser and the information you provided is invaluable. Thank you!
ARE YOU EVER IN FOR IT. GET YOUR MONEY BACK NOW
Also, check out videos from Life Well Cruised(?). She does lots of videos on great things to make sure and take with you. Have an awesome time!
My wife and I just completed a Tokyo-to-Dubai cruise on Oceania's Riviera. My wife has mobility problems and brought along her walker. Many other passengers used canes and other mobility devices. One guy had a cart that split into two parts so it could be easily carried.
Also, because the cruise with extensions was more than 30 days long, we had to complete a form to bring more than 30 days of prescription drugs into Japan. It was hard to complete, but we got it done. However, Japanese customs did not ask for the form.
THATS JUST THE KIND OF CRAP YOU GET.
@@samcolt1079Why are you being so rude about it??
Cruising with children who have autism was mentioned in this video. I recently watched a video which talked about a wonderful program called "Autism on the Seas". They collaborate with Royal Caribbean "developing cruise vacation services to accommodate adults and families living with children with Special Needs, including, but not limited to, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and all Cognitive, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities."
thanks for this info as I had no idea a cpap needed prior notification to the cruise line. I knew about the distilled water and extension cord policies for cpaps, but it didn’t occur to me to let them know at booking rather than embarkation day.
Although oxygen tanks are not allowed on board, oxygen concentraters are, but have to be declared ahead of time.
That great information! I’ve cruises 17x on 4 lines but ya never know! My wife & I both use CPAPs & have never had issues with cruise lines HAL or Princess. We don’t use water but I have the non-surge protected cruise ship safe socket extensions
One way too think about the drugs, is that the cruise ship is private property, and if the "landlord " says no, than that's that..
Or just dock in a country where possessing those items carries a life sentence in squalor or the death penalty. People just don’t think.
I can see why it's bad to leave the ship early. You mentioned it might be illegal for a country to do that in but yet cruise ships don't wait for guests who are late when they are touring around. So interesting that they can leave people but only if THEY do the leaving and not he other way around.
my first cruise was in 2012. I had the flu one week before cruise so when filling out health questionnaire I was honest and ticked yes. I had to answer a few extra questions but was cleared to board.
just before cruising shut down due to covid a port official was telling people to tick no to both health questions on form, even if they should be ticking yes so that they could still get on cruise. it is no wonder covid was spread so easy on cruise ships when people lie on health form.
We need an extension cord for mobility scooter charging. A request to our cabin steward always got us a loaner extension cord.
This is an interesting topic. There are things here that I’ve never heard of or thought about. I haven’t cruised in over two decades, so I’m not aware of the current rules and regulations, but it seems that some of these weren’t in place when I last cruised.
I have several chronic illnesses that I’ve had since childhood, and I have to travel with all sorts of medications. I was never asked to fill out any paperwork that listed my medical conditions or medications. All my medications were in my carry-on backpack, which was searched each time I boarded the ship, but no one ever asked a single question about any of it.
I’m now disabled, which includes a mobility impairment, so I guess I’d have even more paperwork to fill out. While I’d never travel alone, it strikes me as a little odd that people with certain disabilities aren’t allowed to solo travel. I know people who are wheelchair-bound who live alone, can drive a car, hold a regular job, and completely care for themselves, so it seems odd that they’re not allowed to travel by themselves. The same for people with some vision impairments. I guess it’s the cruise lines’ right to set their own rules, though.
The cruise lines are concerned with passenger safety. If in the event you were unable to use your wheelchair, they might not have anyone available to aid you
Oh very interesting indeed Gary. My hubbie has a CPAP machine and we have 2 cruises booked, we will let them know. Thank you very much.
We were.on a cruise that had a fridge in the room. We went to lunch in Port and had leftovers. They would not let us bring the food on the ship.
It's against regulations to take food off the ship or to bring food on the ship.
I went on a week long Carnival cruise in mid April and came home with a gnarly chest cold and cough. In mid May, I'm still dealing with some mild symptoms. I really wish people would take those screening questions seriously and respect other people enough not to board a cruise with a contagious illness (or at least take precautions not to spread it). Carnival actually didn't have screening questions that I recall, but people can still be respectful of others.
I usually always wear a face mask as I have COPD (25% lung Capacity) One time I didn't I caught Covid from my mother on mothers day.
8 of us did a 7 day 2024 New year cruise and we generally hanged out together. Those of us that didn't wear masks (4) had covid a day after the cruise.
oh please stop pushing off the responsibility of YOUR POOR HEALTH on others. it's not anyone's job, other than your own, to make sure you're ok.
it's YOUR job to make sure you're healthy.
if you catch colds easily - then please, stay away from places with lots of people. thank you!
otherwise , don't blame others for your lack of good health.
Really useful tips. I had no idea about the first one, CBD, which I take for insomnia too.
I'm quite glad that I long ago decided that ocean cruising was not for me. All that enforced jollity and all those rowdy people. We are doing a river cruise later this year, which is on a very much smaller scale in terms of both boat size and passenger numbers. We'll see how it goes.
I have cruised many times with Fred. Olsen and have never experienced rowdiness or enforced jollity. I enjoy the classical concerts, lectures on a wide variety of topics and quiet places to sit and read, as well as good food and entertainment, and friendly passengers and crew.
I avoid Carnival, & RCL because I don’t like the rowdiness neither.
Cunard is the cruise line for grownups. I have booked my fourth cruise with them.
From what i understand it's fairly common for Canadian citizens to disembark in Victoria from round trip Alaska cruises based out of Seattle, since the itineraries usually just include a token stop on the final day for PVSA compliance and going back to Seattle requires another international border crossing to get home.
That said, PVSA compliance is probably the most likely reason a request to disembark from a cruise early might be denied, at least for cruises with US ports.
About half the river cruise passengers got sick because someone came on with the flu.
"she bought them legally", Some states in the US have "legalised" cannabis, but it remains illegal under federal law. My understanding is that the feds aren't generally enforcing said laws against individual users, but large businesses remain legitimately wary of having anything to do with it.
Excellent and accurate point.
Cruisers would save themselves an awful lot of headaches if they just took the time to read the terms and conditions
The 200 page long terms and conditions where every third word is a jargon that nobody knows the meaning of?
Too bad so many do not take the time to do so.
@@joaoricardo9174skim read.
Or just used common sense.
@@joaoricardo9174 Confusing words like “prohibited” or “confiscated”
I suppose it is important to tell on before hand if you need / want a special diet.
Also if that is due to allergic reactions or simply religious diets.
I always will tell any accomodation, even restaurants, that I'm sensitiv for natrium glutaminat. My tolerance is far lower than average.
Yes I check all bought food products on the ingredients list for this substance (flavour enhancer. ), It is added to a lot of meat products
The really important thing to realise is that although something is legal and acceptable in your country its not necessarily on a cruise ship. The main reason why is because the cruise ship is registered in different country to the departure country. For example a P&O vessel isn't necessarily uk registered despite p&o being a uk based company. The country of registration and the flag the ship flies under is the laws the ship operates under.
Hi Gary..please swap 'issues' for 'needs' when talking about accessibility. Because that's what they are. Love your advice!
Many good points. Well grouped on this video
Great to hear that the companies are accommodating towards Austium Spectrum Disdorders.
They aren't THAT accommodating. The kids program staff are mostly, if not entirely, young adults without children. They don't have the experience and skills.
@@jimzakany3900My niece started babysitting at 13 fit the neighbor whose triplet had autism. She had a training course too. When she got to college she had several parents in awe when in just a few weeks she got the kids doing things no one had manage in 3 + years! She now has a PhD that includes autism as a specialty, and she still doesn’t have her own children! Having children in general doesn’t bestow experience or skills about autism.
And Gary said some are trained. I’ve been on a couple of cruise where they had a specialize event for a group of autistic children. Great cruise.
@@jimzakany3900Hi, I’m an adult with Autism and this is not my experience. Both Silversea and Regent were extremely great at making sure my needs were met. My nephew is also Autistic and Silversea made sure his cruise in Alaska was great.
@@jimzakany3900 I'm sorry - are you saying that you can only understand how to look after young people with autism and other conditions if you have children? If so, then you are insulting many people out there (such as myself) who are highly trained and experienced in teaching and caring for children in all kinds of Special Needs situations.
What about adults on the spectrum?
That list is pretty interesting. No ham radios. You have to respect those things that you are told not to bring. I suggest copying it, just in case.
Excellent Video Gary! My partner uses a wheel chair but doesn't need any adaptations to a cabin etc and can walk, but long distances cause big issues. We are going on our first cruise next year with Princess, so I will definatelly give them a call and see what we need to do, fortunately we have only paid £1 deposit lol
Excellent informative video, learnt a lot. Thank you.
In 2019 we were on the MS Prinsendam. There was a small (20ish) tour group that left the ship about halfway thru the cruise. I am sure this was pre-cleared with HAL.
Funny enough I just got off a 15 day transatlantic cruise and on the message boards people posted about norovirus and we both got upper respiratory infections. As someone disabled the cruise line dropped the ball when notified of my need for wheelchair assistance, etc. People need to be very vigilant when cruising with any disability. Thanks Gary!
It's not up to the cruise line to wheel you around
@@sarahann530 kind of is when you’re disabled and need to board the ship. Please go back under the rock you crawled from.
@Adam_The_Archivist How did you get off your 15 day cruise if you couldn't get onboard the ship . ?
Banning for life in this case seems very harsh. It's not like she was bring on fentanyl, or Oxycodone.
Agree. It's not the line's fault - they have to abide by the laws. It's the laws that are unjust - and we-the-people are the ones who make those laws. People are dumb, panicky animals who will kick you off the island for being different.
I think those rules are common sense, although that should be called rare sense, as not many folks seem to have it. I take CBD for pain, I live in Canada so it is legal all across our country. I do know it is also legal in some USA states. But even though BC and Washington state are next to each other, I know that the border control is federal, therefore one cannot cross the border with it. I know not to take it out of my country. Why on earth anyone else would not know this boggles my mind, especially those who ingest it. Ignorance being the reason. Folk should read the terms and conditions of a cruise contract, as when one pays the cruise line one is virtually agreeing to this contract. Unfortunately for me, when I leave Canada I have to take another heavy pain killer that is worse for me than cannabis is. Thank you Gary for a good coverage of these important points.
Having worked a long time at a hotel; a lot of these (especially the medical needs) also apply to hotels 🤗 Please let them know if you have medicine that needs to stay cold or machines that need distilled water, deafness, blindness, mobility issues etc. If they know in advance they can make sure you get the best suitable room for your needs and that for example some things like ice is already prepared for you. Making check in and your stay much more pleasant 🤗
This is a truly superb video that we all can make a note of. Your articulation and depth of knowledge is second to none.
Thank you kindly! Great to hear!!!
Tony (La Lido Loca) just talked about the P&O cruiser who was denied boarding because he didn't mention his wheelchair in advance. I can see the line's point of view, but I looked at their website and the requirement to disclose it in advance is so obscure that I can also understand why he didn't fill out the form. I've always been a "why didn't you read the T&C?" type of guy but in this case, at least, the requirement wasn't the slightest bit clear (maybe it was in the T&C, but since I wasn't doing a booking I didn't get that far). Absolutely nothing in the FAQs, which is the first place I'd look.
I can’t see why he wouldn’t have declared it anyway. I know that sometimes people forget things like that because it’s a part of life it just makes sense to tell people.
We just got back from an Oceania cruise from Istanbul to Rome and there's some respiratory bug going around that had everyone coughing. It also didn't help that there was also a Sirocco which brought dust/sand from the Sahara and made for miserable air quality particularly in Malta. Luckily, the Oceania medical team was very well prepared to support anyone who's coughing became bad.
On our recent cruise the people on the balcony next to us were smoking weed. The smell was horrendous. I said to my husband “don’t worry you can’t do that all day”. Turns out you can 😂. I told the cabin attendants but they were too shy to do anything about it, fair enough.
We had same issue and reported it to security. Within 2 days, after they had been monitoring and checking cabin, occupants were removed from ship.
Cruise security retain the right to search cabins and passenger property. Refuse you are removed and dumped on wharf. Find anything they can turn you over to police to deal with.
Cabin attendants probably don't want to see their income reduced by reporting guests.
Never mind reporting it to room steward. Go straight to security and they will take care of anything illegal. The people in the next cabin smoked on their balcony and after three warnings, they were put off the ship in the next port. It was a great three last days of the cruise with no noise or smoke smell coming from next door.
@@CaroleDowney narc
To sum up, when travelling (especially by air or ship), take ONLY what you need.
Well done - another valuable message. When are you going on Queen Anne?
Can you do a video on the gyms on ships. This can cover the type, quality and range of the equipment found.
Like it or not the companies own their ships and make the rules; if you don't like their rules, don't cruise...you can't get on a plane with CBD products either...I suspect itis easier overall just to ban it...many countries do not allow it...I use the gummies at home and I must admit that I sleep well! I am grateful that curling irons are allowed; you can use it to remove some rinkels from clothes in a pinch!
that's apples & pears. On an airplane - which is transport - the carrier is responsible that you can leave the airplane at destination. On a boat the only real problem would be you leaving on a location were CBD would not be alowed and you taking that outside. It would be perfectly OK to go from A (boarding) to B (disembark) where on both locations CBD is allowed. So allowing it is much more a choice by the operators. Similar with passports. An airliner MUST check the validity because they are responsible and have to take you back if you're not allowed in. On a ship passing more than one harbour, it "technically" would be feasible to pass thourgh harbours where some guests could not go off board to go out because of their passports because the final destination is ok with that status. Also here it is a choice by the operators to not do that. The later of course is also a management thingy. And would make the controling life much harder so it IS undertandable that they do not do it. SImilar with the CBD. Of course you have the "stupid" traveler going off board WITH the gummy bears and caught by customs and put in prison, now the shipping company has an issue. SO saying NO makes their life much easier.
Seems even more stressful than DIY vacations to me.
I use a CPAP machine. I have never put anything in it but tap water. I just bring an ordinary extension cord. I have done a couple of cruises on Vista Class Ships. never had a problem with the power cord of my machine reaching from the power outlets on one side of the room, to the bedside table on the other
Gary. Read HAL contract. It doesnt mention the so called required gratuities. Its also not mentioned at all when booking. As a point of law i raise it each time to have it waived. They still havent learned. Why would i pay something i didnt agree to. So many do !!
Unbelievable! Constantly surprised!
Amateur radio is a global hobby. We radio amateurs have almost blanket world wide reciprocal licensing but I understand amateur radio gear - which I might want to use ashore & in port for ‘Parks on the Air,’ ‘Summits on the Air’ activities - is banned on some cruise lines. The intention is not to use it under way; the intention is to enjoy the hobby/use the gear ashore. You might talk about this in some future video. Thanks & 73 de W8IJN
I think the CBD gummy lady should have had the gummies confiscated and maybe been prevented from boarding, but a lifetime ban seems a bit extreme for that. Unless there were other circumstances involved, like being disruptive at the terminal, etc.
Yea, I call bs in that story
@@elimtevir1 None of the reports I've seen have mentioned anything like abusive behavior or language from the lady cruiser, but it sure seems like there is more to the story.
Seems ridiculous to me-she wasn’t a drug dealer!!!
Report indicates she had cruised multiple times with the cruise line. She should have known the terms and conditions. Perhaps it is her level of experience with the line that raised the le el of consequences.
Under federal law they are still illegal even if she bought them in a state where they are legal. That is why it turns into an issue when you start trying to do anything that crosses international boundaries
People who hide they're experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms. Probably won't wash their hands at the buffets.
No doubt!
people are gross. 🤣
Gary, can I bring my trebuchet?
This is Gary. Go ahead. I bring mine on every cruise passing by pirate waters.
I'm shocked to hear Cunard won't provide distilled water. Holland, Princess, MSC and windstar all provided distilled water for my cpap, usually free.
Norweigan also provides distilled water at no charge.
Holland America charged me $1.25/gallon in March on Rotterdam. I notified them in advance - thru special needs - that I would be bringing CPAP. They informed me to buy the water in advance so it was in my cabin at boarding.
@@Snorkeler Not bad. They charged me $3 on the Zaandam last August
Travel cpaps don't need it
I travelled the queen mary in September of 2022 and they provided us with distilled water and an extension cord as we weren’t allowed to use our own. But maybe they’ve changed since ‘22
The pregnancy thing also has to do with port countries rules re: citizenship.
Being BANNED-FOR-LIFE from all Carnival cruise ships is not a detriment...It's a BLESSING!!!
Ironically, according to CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program, Carnival's ships have a substantially LOWER incidence of norovirus than Royal, Princess OR Holland America. Makes me feel a little safer cruising on Carnival, and of course the prices are good and I enjoy the "Fun."
If you get banned for life from one cruise line you could find yourself banned from many others
Definately don’t like them!! Princess or RC are the best!
@@kathybrem880 you know Princess is also owned by Carnival, right?
If it were just carnival I'd agree but ALL carnival cruise ships would include Holland America, Princess, etc... that would be a LOT of bans
We cruised a B to B to B on the QM2 last year (2023) and both of us use CPAP machines. We were provided distilled water at no extra cost. We were in Britannia Club not sure if that makes a difference.
we always travel with our medication in their original bottles and got a letter from the doctor for additional that is not available by prescription
Many Caribbean islands have prohibitions on camouflage clothing
sometime people tell cruise line the day or better two if you planning to leave to get to another island or country. some cruise line will let you drink if you 19 or 20 sign by waiver by your parent.
That really sad about blind people I was on a p&o cruise in April and there was a blind man travelling alone and he did it without any help he used his white stick and crew where very respectful abd helpful.there is no reason why a person who manage at home alone cannot do this on a cruise. There should be some sort of discrimination laws that stops this behaviour. P&O seem to be a more aware cruise company
I went to Alaska brought an ax which was allowed on the ship however it was confiscated once I got on board and was returned to me once the cruise had ended
Really?
I plan to travel with my father. he cant stand or walk for long so should I tell in advance. for instance if we need to wait in line, he is going to need a chair we also need to use the buffet instead of the resturants as he needs a long time to eat, a botched surgery has made it difficult to swallow.
Yes, tell the cruise line. If he uses any aids - walking frame or similar - let them know that too. Safe sailing!
You may want to bring a small wheelchair or a rollator for him.
Please tell them in advance. A family member has issues with Fatigue so we take a collapsible wheelchair which can be stored in your cabin and does not require an accessible cabin as only used if needed when she goes out around ship or to and from ship. You can purchase a small heavy round plastic stool which collapses up to the size of a dinner plate and can be carried like a handbag over your shoulder. These are also useful as shower stools or if he goes anywhere and needs to rest. Just google it.
Why do you even ask? Of course they need to know!
Also, get Dad a rollator. It's a walker with wheels that can lock and a seat. Good stability/support for walking and when you get tired/hurting, instant seat!
Until my arthritis got bad I never noticed, great big stores have nowhere to sit down. Maybe one place in the whole huge store.
I went on a cruise right before Covid I had severe arthritis in both hips and although I was only 51/52 years old I did use a cane if I had to stand for a while or walk long distances. When I was checking in the carnival rep noticed my cane and questioned me I told her that it was arthritis etc…she immediately called for another rep to get me a wheelchair and the gave me first class treatment! I never really thought about letting a cruise ship know in advance regarding health issues but looking at this and other videos I can see why it is smart to do so. Have fun on your cruise!
I can't believe cruises are so popular. Wait in lines, everything is crowded, you're on a strict schedule. Not for me.
It's about completely unplugging from the world. Any other vacation, it's too easy to slip into bad social media habits.... check work email... etc. It's a lot easier to completely tune out your life when you're in the middle of the ocean.
Gary, do I have to declare my love for you when getting on a cruise ship too?
This is funny!😂😅
Yes!
What about small scissors?
I crochet & need a pair to yarn or crochet thread.
I haven’t been able to travel for several years but last time I went in an airplane I took a pair of those rounded tip scissors that preschoolers use instead of my pointed ones, which was allowed
On my last cruise with Royal Caribbean. The casino confiscated my money and wouldn't give it back.
😂😂😂😂
That’s harsh 😊
LOL!
LOL! Those thieves!
Some friends and I were there for the Grateful Dead/Bob Dylan/Tom Petty concert in 1986-my first time seeing any of them. It totally changed my view on music.
Genuinely surprised that Cunard is so inhospitable to passengers with basic health issues.
Cunard are a cruise line. Not a medical care provider. Hilton hotels call an ambulance for ill passengers. Cant to that at sea
Well,they won’t be getting my money-
Don't get the drones one. Ban the use on board, get that. Ban you from packing on rather over stepping the mark. And can't see why they would need to do that.
As many know, cruise ship passengers had to disembark in Norfolk, instead of Baltimore, after the Key Bridge collapsed. The cruise lines then transferred the passengers back to Baltimore by motor coach. Could any of the passengers choose to stay in Norfolk if it was more convenient for them?
I have a CPAP, and discovered that you CANNOT bring an extension cord. THEY will supply a certified (electrically) one if required.
I also have a certificate from my doctor for the CPAP, as well as a list of drugs that I am taking. SO FAR, only the pills (at LAX airport, not cruise) have been questioned.
My hubby uses a CPAP as well, we cruise about every 18 months. We brought a cord the first time, learned that they supply them.
We make sure though when we do our notes on needs (e/cord needed etc) to the ship’s info on us.
Never had a problem, but just to be sure🤷♀️
You can drink 12 beers washed down with 12 whiskey's, be in a total drunken state but a few legal cbd gummies gets you barred for life?!
Not legal on the ship and likely not legal in ports of call.
Follow the rules. If you don’t like the rules, don’t go on the boat.
Can you really legally buy cannabis in the form of a child's sweet? (Unfortunately, this video is full of photo stock clips, so I'm not sure). If these exist, they should totally be made illegal everywhere.
@@evelynwoolston7they do look like sweets and CBD isn't the substance that gets you high, and CBD is proven to have positive medical effects. It's the THC that makes you high and this is the part people smoke. Cannabis is a very versatile plant and it's literally a weed, wil grow everywhere with little to no care and people have been using it since forever. As for the lady who got banned, that's a shame really. She should've declared it and would probably be allowed. Since they're boarding at diffrent places with diffrent laws, the cruise company can be held responsible for smuggling narcotics and be banned from entering the port. So from the company's perspective it's better to be safe than sorry, facing lawsuits, huge fines and loosing profit.
@@jahnacarlson3528why not just confiscate them?
I take liquid vitamins daily, about a tablespoon a day. Would those be allowed to bring on board?
Do I need to keep them in their original bottle?
Yes! Original bottle!
Thankyoi.
Some good points. In Puerto Rico and St. Thomas (where I live and visit often) … lot of people think they can buy a vape or gummies and try to walk back onboard. Just get drunk but stay “capable”.
❌No open container laws in Key West, St. Thomas and probably Puerto Rico. Just walk around with your open container but don’t bring stuff onboard … and be nice & “capable” .
This is a useful video.
Interesting info for sure but seeing the crowds on board, it would be unlikely that,even if I were paid, would not go on a cruise.