Cruise Cancellations & Cruise Preparation Continues @julescruisecompanion

With Australia’s 2022 cruising season starting, let's hope we don't have any of the problems that are happening in the northern hemisphere. Let's find out why some American cruise lines are having to cancel or reduce their services. What are we going to do on those last few days before we embark on our cruise? News out of the northern hemisphere is that NCL is reducing its passenger numbers on Pride of America. NCL is reducing its culinary services in specialty restaurants because of its inability to recruit staff. Let's hope none of that affects us here in Australia when sailing starts. The main reason for problems with sailing out of America is with the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 or the Jones Act. This act was put into place so that local steamboat companies could get most of the work and inhibit international cruise ships or service liners from coming to America. Of course, has backfired spectacularly after 130-something years because that's not the way that businesses are run anymore. Therefore, you have so many ships that are flagged from other countries. They are flags of convenience, registered in Nassau or Panama, etc. flying foreign flags even though most of the cruise company’s headquarters are in America, Florida. With vessels flying flags of convenience, they can use cheaper crew, they don't have to pay as much, and they have different laws, etc. That's one of the reasons why Pride of America is reducing its services, reducing the number of people on board, so that they don't have to cut the experience. They just reduce the number of passengers that are on the cruise ship so that they can still provide a higher level of service. With saying that let's pack our bags and get ready for Australian cruising to start. In the last couple of days before you are ready for your cruise, a few days before Embarkation, you have downloaded the app. You fill in all the information and you have printed off your luggage tags. You have organized your PCR test or purchased your RAT tests depending on which test you're going to do for embarkation. You're also going to need to make sure that you've got enough medication for the entirety of the cruise, plus an additional amount. I always say 25 to 50 percent more. You never know what's going to happen you may accidentally lose your bag, or you may drop some of your medication. If you are travelling overseas, you may need you'll need a copy of all of your prescription medications just to have them with you. You have that as a hard copy or a photo on your phone which is just another way of keeping information ready for when you do travel. On these final couple of days, before you embark on a cruise especially if you're going on an overseas cruise, it is important to get some currency of the country that you're going to. When getting the currency of your destination, it is important, especially in relation to tipping, to get smaller denominations of the notes. It is an easier way when you are wanting to tip, you are just going to give a smaller amount as a tip. For us in Australia, that's not necessarily an issue because we don't tip but if you do want to take some extra money on board for tipping have some notes. Put your tip in an envelope for your room steward or your favorite bartender etc. at the end of the cruise. While you are filling out your final health questionnaire and looking over your app it's important especially if you're traveling overseas to send some information to your at-home contact person. In case of emergency, they have the itinerary of the flights, the insurance number, your credit card details, etc. In an emergency, they're there to be able to assist you. In these final couple of days get the covered test organizing depending on if you want to do a PCR or a RAT test and keep going over tickets, passport, money, tickets, passport, money, making sure when you walk out the door you have your tickets, passport, money. Everything else you can buy if you leave something behind like deodorant etc. Tickets, passports, money. These are our priorities as we get ready for our cruise season to start in 2022. Stay Safe & Happy Travels. My book HANDY CRUISE COMPANION, Cruise with Confidence is available on Amazon bit.ly/HandyCruiseCompanioneBook Check out my website http://www.julescruisecompanion.com.au/ Follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/julie.burgess.5011 Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/julescruisecompanion/?hl=en Copyright JCC Edited by VideoGuru:https://videoguru.page.link/Best