by Debi Shank, ITN
After a full day at sea, I woke up, peered through the window of my cabin and had my first sighting of Antarctica. The months of anticipation were over as we sailed past Deception Island and began our 5-day voyage through the South Shetland Islands and down the Antarctic Peninsula.
This is in reference to the letter from the couple who missed a cruise due to the lack of, in a passport, an entire blank page for a South African visa stamp (June ’07, pg. 32). We encountered a similar problem on a Holland America cruise from Lisbon to Cape Town, Oct. 17-Nov. 7, 2006.
The letter “Missed Cruise Due to Visa Snafu” (June ’07, pg. 32) highlighted the potential danger in not having sufficient blank pages in your passport. A couple was denied boarding in Frankfurt for their flight to South Africa because they each did not have a full page remaining in their passport for the required visa on arrival (they had booked the cruise and flight through Princess Cruises). They, like many travelers, were unaware that a full blank page was needed.
As my wife, Jeanell, and I were planning a trip to England and Italy in October ’06 connecting with a cruise, we felt we should have medical insurance. I had read in ITN (April ’06, pg. 54 & Aug. ’06, pg. 57) about Travelex Insurance Services (Box 641070, Omaha, NE 68164-7070; 800/228-9792, www.travelex-insurance.com), so I went online and contacted the agent Alan (alan@travelinsurance center.com).
On my Holland America cruise around the Mediterranean in October ’06, one of the ports of call was Gibraltar. The cruise line sold tours of “the rock,” but my wife and I wanted to go into the town first to do a little shopping and arrange for a tour by cab later in the day.
Claire McElarney is the energetic and always-smiling Activities & Dive Mate aboard the S.V. (sailing vessel) Mandalay, one of the fleet of four tall ships run by Windjammer Barefoot Cruises (Box 190120, Miami, FL 33119; 800/327-2601, www.windjammer.com).
I interviewed Claire on the deck of the Mandalay in summer 2006 as the 236-foot vessel sailed from Grenada to St. Vincent.
Q: Tell me about your background, Claire.
A: I am from Fleet, Hampshire, in the U.K., and I’m 25. I have an unmarried older brother.
I was surprised by the reader’s letter “Re Shore Tours, Stockholder Perk” (Sept. ’06, pg. 30) complaining about Holland America Line’s (HAL’s) customer service. While experiences are individual, I have found HAL’s customer service personnel to be unfailingly prompt and helpful.
My husband and I sailed on Holland America Line’s MS Statendam for a “Japan and Transpacific Passage” (Japan/Siberia) cruise, April 29-May 21, 2006, which we booked through Vantage Deluxe World Travel. Before leaving home, we sent a copy of our 100 shares of stock to the cruise line’s parent company, Carnival Cruises, in order to receive $250 in shipboard credit.
My wife and I took a cruise out of San Pedro, California, on the Celebrity Summit, March 31-April 14, 2007, visiting the Mexican Riviera, Costa Rica, Panama and Aruba and disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale. Based on our experience, we suggest that if you are flying to Los Angeles to pick up a cruise, consider using the Long Beach airport (LGB) rather than Los Angeles International (LAX).
by Lew Toulmin