Left High and Dry by Cruise Lines
I’ve been on seven cruises, but no more for me.
On a cruise through the Panama Canal, the staff advised us that we owed $300 for tips. And the line sold us $200 in shore tours that a $30 cab ride could have duplicated.
On a ship along the east coast of South America in January, the staff told us to dress for hot weather. But our flight was routed through New York, where we had to carry our luggage through the snow to a different terminal. When we arrived to board the ship in Rio, our luggage was brought to our cabin at 3 a.m. by toughs who demanded a bigger tip. The purser said they were independent operators.
In Puerto Rico, another cruise line sold us a cab ride to the airport for $12, but when we got there the driver demanded $25 more.
We were sold a tour by bus along with a train trip in Alaska, but when the train ride was over there was no bus back to the ship, so we walked a mile in the pouring rain without an umbrella or raincoat.
ED and COZY HILL
Sherman Oaks
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