General Cruise Discussion

[tgh]

Yes, QF should rebook if delayed into SCL. There’s an LA flight every hour or so.

This is a russian roulette option and should not be considered unless bulletproof.
I would not trust qantas to make this connection with baggage.
Go a day earlier , overnight in scl and fly latam next morning should deliver some level of certainty.
Most experienced cruisers allow extra nights to warrant boarding along with luggage

 

[SYD]

Yes, QF should rebook if delayed into SCL. There’s an LA flight every hour or so.

This is a russian roulette option and should not be considered unless bulletproof.
I would not trust qantas to make this connection with baggage.
Go a day earlier , overnight in scl and fly latam next morning should deliver some level of certainty.
Most experienced cruisers allow extra nights to warrant boarding along with luggage

Yes, joining a cruise, always allow a day or more.

My comment was purely on the connection at SCL and the OPs question about visas. They’re already booked on QF-KL. QF-LA probably would be easier - since it’ll already be in the LA system but I would be totally confident that QF will rebook if delayed.

I was in SCL earlier this year and a bunch of cruisers were late arriving but were rebooked ok. They were just knackered and had to wait an extra hour or two. I was just starting my day in SCL heading to MVD.

 

[Atleastonce]

Okay the guy at the desk who I know has been here for quite awhile, said very readily that if it’s on the one ticket - that is the same PNR - then the bag should be checked through to Buenos Aires - as long as the connection is within eight hours.

And he ventured that should you miss the connection they should put you on another flight. There should be a number between Santiago and Buenos Aires, say LATAM.

Thank you

Post automatically merged: Dec 6, 2024

Yes, QF should rebook if delayed into SCL. There’s an LA flight every hour or so.

This is a russian roulette option and should not be considered unless bulletproof.
I would not trust qantas to make this connection with baggage.
Go a day earlier , overnight in scl and fly latam next morning should deliver some level of certainty.
Most experienced cruisers allow extra nights to warrant boarding along with luggage

We do have a 3 day buffer that we have built in.

 

[drron]

I looked at the smart traveller site and it appears you may not need a visa if transiting. It suggests you contact the Embassy and ask what happens if you miss your connection.

Travel​

• Australian citizens must obtain a visa before travelling.
• If your travel includes a transit in Chile, contact your nearest Embassy or Consulate of Chile to confirm if you need a visa for Chile.
• Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. You should contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Chile for the latest details.
• Severe weather conditions in mountain areas may result in the closure of some land border crossings to neighbouring countries.

 

[VPS]

Getting close now. Cruising February to Antarctica on Scenic Eclipse and putting final touches on preparation. A few questions. We are traveling from Maroochydore to Sydney to Buenos Aires with an aircraft change in Santiago. (Qantas to KLM). I have looked on Qantas website and gave up waiting on hold on the phone after an hour. Will bags be checked through to Buenos Aires. We are on the same booking PNR so suspect they will. Second question. Has anyone had issues with not getting a transit visa for the Santiago transit. I know we are not leaving airport but if flight is delayed out of Sydney we only have a short connection in Santiago. If we need to stay overnight in Santiago and don’t have a visa it may get tricky. Anyone with experience with delayed flights or do we take the no visa risk ( I know risk is a personal choice, looking if anyone has experienced this). Last question, another personal choice I know but wondering if anyone has gone to the effort for travel vaccinations when traveling to Buenos Aires then onto Antarctica. Thanks.

Not sure about the visa for transit because my cruise left from Chile so I had to get a visa anyway.

I didn't get any travel vaccinations for the 21 day cruise and then three days in Buenos Aries at the end

 

[smckay]

I see many Silversea veterans here so I have a question for you.
We are booked on a Dublin/Dublin cruise next August.
We have a reward flight out of Dublin at 10.30am the same day the cruise disembarks. This has been bought forward from the original time by BA and no other rewards seats are available.
SS state disembarkation is from 0700.
Is there the possibility of a fast exit if we speak with the crew? The port looks to be a 15 minute cab ride from the airport and it's only a domestic to LHR to catch the homebound flight at 1810.
Our only experience is with Ponant and they do all they can to get you off the second the ship is cleared in this situation so hoping for some of that attention from SS.

If the consensus is it is too tight I'll cancel that leg and just buy a Aer Lingus ride later that day.

 

[drron]

You would need to talk to the shore service desk the day before to make sure you can get of early as taking their bus could be problematic. As well they usually call independent travellers late in the process.
But we had an identical experience in Capetown some years ago and we were let off first.
One fellow I have talked to who always books an early flight always keeps his luggage and doesn’t put it out the night before. Of course you may well have to carry it down the gangway.

 

[smckay]

You would need to talk to the shore service desk the day before to make sure you can get of early as taking their bus could be problematic. As well they usually call independent travellers late in the process.
But we had an identical experience in Capetown some years ago and we were let off first.
One fellow I have talked to who always books an early flight always keeps his luggage and doesn’t put it out the night before. Of course you may well have to carry it down the gangway.

Yes, that's what has happened before with others. I fully expect to be grabbing a cab.
The SS call centre was useless, they just read off the brochure.

 

[tgh]

Rolling the dice for sure, but IF you can manage your own bags AND Shore services are organised, you might be ok.
Conceptually they want everyone off as fast as possible and the ship would likely co-operate, not so sure about geting from the ship to the cab tho..

 

[smckay]

Rolling the dice for sure, but IF you can manage your own bags AND Shore services are organised, you might be ok.
Conceptually they want everyone off as fast as possible and the ship would likely co-operate, not so sure about geting from the ship to the cab tho..

Agree on the cab. Google doesn't show me how vehicles get in there.
Trust me to find the one thing Google does not know

 

[aplmac]

Agree on the cab. Google doesn't show me how vehicles get in there.
Trust me to find the one thing Google does not know

You might find the Port of Dublin is a commercial working port and thus not a "walk-off" terminal, and may require a shuttle bus service to the port entry, where you can pick up public transport. See this.

 

[smckay]

You might find the Port of Dublin is a commercial working port and thus not a "walk-off" terminal, and may require a shuttle bus service to the port entry, where you can pick up public transport. See this.

Thanks for this. Spent some time looking and Dublin Port does address this; Cruise Liners - Dublin Port
Whilst there is a cruise ship berth that does not allow free wanderings, the berth we are scheduled for does allow one to walk around and enter/exit the docks.
So, if all goes to plan we could grab a cab by about 0900 and still not break a sweat getting to the plane. We don't need assistance so I'll be ready at the front of the queue.

I also found this website which seems to have a lot of intel; Your cruise guide to 1200 cruise ports

 

[Quickstatus]

Can some please give examples of cruises that fit into these categories:

LCC
Y
J
F

 

[Flashback]

Can some please give examples of cruises that fit into these categories:

LCC
Y
J
F

LCC - P&O, Marella etc.
Y ? Kind of the same
J - Silver Seas, etc.?
F - Ponant, etc.?

 

[RooFlyer]

LCC - P&O, Marella etc.
Y ? Kind of the same
J - Silver Seas, etc.?
F - Ponant, etc.?

Only done Ponant (1) and SS (2) and I'd rate them equally J based on experiences in the past 18 months. Maybe SS would be equivalent to Qantas F (business class with a good bed)?

LCC I would say would be any large (3-5,000 pax) vessel - as in, the costs are very much lower than any small (<500pax) vessel. Think of them like an A380 all Y+ config Vs A320 all J flat bed.

 

[SYD]

LCC I would say would be any large (3-5,000 pax) vessel - as in, the costs are very much lower than any small (<500pax) vessel. Think of them like an A380 all Y+ config Vs A320 all J flat bed.

Some of those bigger ships can have a huge delta between steerage cabins and their “First class” suites. So not exactly “LCC” top to bottom.

I’d certainly plonk any Carnival branded ship into the LCC bucket.

VV are whY+

Celebrity pitch themselves as J

 

[Pushka]

NCL is a classic example LCC or Y for most but premium in the part of the ship they call The Haven. It's on par with the best. And also price wise too. Celebrity is almost J, but there are three different levels and within the top level there are significant difference in price and what you get. We usually sail in Aqua and which has a great small own restaurant and access to the Spa but not a true suite in that it doesn't give access to The Retreat. Next year we are sailing in a suite but the basic one.

 

[Quickstatus]

So on some cruise ships, there are sections/amenities only accessible to class of travel/cabin?

?VV = Virgin Voyages
?NCL = Norwegian cruise line

Where does Hurtigruten sit?

Im assuming the class categories mentioned above is not only cabin but amenity/ambience?

 

[Flashback]

In fact, I would put all non-UK POS (and AU possibly?) cruises into LCC, as tips are never included. The thing I liked about booking a Caribbean cruise in the UK is that tips etc. etc. etc. were all included, so nothing more to pay. It really grinds my teeth every time I go to the US........

 

[Quickstatus]

POS (and AU possibly?) cruises

Which line?