schlogee

I'm so happy I read this whole thread - including the reveal!  We also do "family meetings" so I can imagine your parents state of mind at first, and then the shift to cruise vacation - so cool!

We have $400 onboard credit, but when I tried to book a Bungalow at Princess Cay ($229) it says I owe $29 to be paid by credit card since I have $200 and my husband has $200.  Since the bungalows are shared by up to 4 people, why wouldn't they just share the cost across the total credit available in the cabin?  Separate but related - if it is in fact by passenger not by cabin, can I transfer some of my credit to a passenger in another cabin - or do I just have to buy stuff for them?  We got the Princess plus package so this is the first time we don't need our credit for gratuities or drinks, and we like non-ship excursions, so trying to figure out the best use of this credit!

If you have an excursion booked through Princess is the time listed the time you meet up for the tour - or do you have to be there 15 min before (like most independent excursions)?  My husband is doing one excursion that ends at 3:00, and we want to do another that starts at 3:00 - not sure if this is going to work!

2 hours ago, Steve551 said:

Turns out it is provided by the city of Seattle.

 

The ship will provide you with a form to fill out. You take that form to Guest Services. The last night you will receive special luggage tags to place on you luggage. You set your luggage outside of your door and that's the last time you touch them until you reach your destination airport.

There is no fee for this service but if your airline charges a baggage fee you must pay that.

Do you remember the time limitations for flights?  I've seen a variety of information posted. My MIL has a flight at 11:15 pm, I'm hoping that's not too late to take advantage of the program!

13 hours ago, bluedevil72 said:

This is the email I received this morning from the Port of Seattle.

 

Good morning,

All of our cruise lines except Oceania are participating in the program as is Southwest Airlines. The times differ by ship so please check with the front desk when you board. It's typically flights on the same day after 11:30 am and before midnight.

 

Thank you,

Marie

That's not very helpful, not sure why they can't provide a little more info - as I noted in my other post, in previous years it was midnight for all airlines except SW, it was 4:30 pm cutoff for them.

On 6/24/2019 at 6:41 PM, bluedevil72 said:

We’ll be on the Ruby in two weeks and plan on using the Port Valet. Does this reply  mean that your SW flight has to be after 4:30?  I thought I’d read on another thread, that I can’t find, that the time was earlier than that. I can’t find the time on 

the Seattle port website either. 

In previous years your SW flight had to be after 11 am and BEFORE 4:30 pm,  which is a real bummer, since most of the flights to our location (nonstop) are later in the day!

3 hours ago, phred119s said:

I agree to try to obtain passports. When we renewed our daughter’s last year it was 17 days appointment to in hand. This was not expedited. My mom just renewed hers and it took less than 3 weeks. 

 

Earlier this month I drove into Canada and I was asked at the border where my daughter’s father was. I did have him write a note just in case I was asked as he was in Europe at the same time. 

 

Personally, I wouldn’t risk it (without passports and a note) with the inconsistency of the information you have been given. 

I would definitely recommend expediting - it seems to be taking longer right now.  My sisters renewal has been in for 4 weeks and it still says "processing" - oddly, her daughters new passport card is finalizing right now and shipping soon - don't know why her renewal is taking so long!

Anyone on Ruby this summer have the Seattle Port Valet form?  Just wondering if the Southwest flight time is still the same to use the service (I think it was 4:30 last year?).  

I loved having a balcony!  We spent so much time out there - the entire day in Glacier Bay, and in between ports (its light till 10pm or later!) - we saw so much wildlife (whales, otters, seals) and gorgeous scenery, it was awesome!

39 minutes ago, alnbrumom said:

Has anyone used the Port Valet this year?  I have a flight on Southwest but it isn't until 5pm.  I thought I read somewhere that the flights needed to before 4pm.  I can't find any information on the website, it just says fill out the form on the cruise ship.

 

I read something similar, but I don't remember the exact cutoff, only that there was one for SW and not for other airlines. I'm hoping someone will update this with the times for 2019. I haven't booked my return flight yet, partly because I'm waiting to see what my Port Valet options are!

Thanks!

5 hours ago, Hoyaheel said:

We enjoyed the Haines brewery as well! (no food though) I came home with art - unexpected souvenir; I don't normally shop for souvenirs when I travel 😉 But artists were prepping the space (brewery walls) for a showing and I loved the work - silk prints of marine life on top of old declassified naval charts. So we have a whale on an old USNavy chart of Alaskan waters in our dining room now 🙂

Do you happen to have the name of the artist?  That artwork sounds amazing 🙂

I haven't been yet - but it's on my itinerary for July - I've seen a lot of people post about the Sandbar and Grill in Juneau. It's supposed to be a good local place, a bit of a dive bar with amazing fish and chips!  

We did that drive a few years back in a small rental car - its a well taken care of highway, a jeep isn't necessary unless you're going off road somewhere.  Our little car made it up the hill just fine.

You can get reindeer sausage in Juneau!  I am going with family members that don't eat seafood either - there are a few places that are seafood only, but many other options.

We saw humpbacks and orcas - very cool!

1 minute ago, Thrak said:

 

Sooooooo... I assume that you will no longer be driving your vehicle or heating your house, etc. due to the fact that the oil industry and the natural gas industry are "raping" the environment. Surely this must cause you at least as much distress as the foibles of the cruise industry. I, for one, salute you as you walk everywhere and pile on extra sweaters to stay warm in your house next winter. Oh! Wait!! The textile industry is also polluting the atmosphere, etc. Don't wear those extra sweaters! ACK! How can you stand to live in your house after the way the lumber industry, etc. have tormented the planet. Perhaps you should live naked under an overpass. D'Oh! The overpass was built by the highway commission using materials torn from the earth and processed in a grossly polluting plant. OMG!!!

 

Sheesh...

I feel like so many of you are missing the point - yes, everything we do in our lives contributes to some form of pollution.  And I realize cruise ships have to deal with waste and dispose of it - but the fact that they intentionally violated known procedures, and in Glacier Bay of all places - that is the problem!  Are you just going to go take a dump in your local park?  No, because it is illegal, and there is a proper place for it - but the cruise lines are choosing to break the laws and I guess that doesn't seem to matter to many of you. I guess that is the theme of our times though, everyone thinks they are above the law....

16 hours ago, MissP22 said:

A few of the conservationists from California might, but the rest of the normal sailing people will still cruise just as before.

And this is what is wrong with our country - assuming that only a select few "non-normal" people in CA would even care about the environment.  I am terribly upset by this, and this is going to put a damper on my cruise this summer (for which we just finished final payment a week ago - so too late to cancel). I will probably not be cruising again - not because I think it will impact the cruise lines, because I know it won't, thanks to all you "normal" people - but because I don't want to be contributing to the harm they are doing to our precious natural resources. I really do enjoy cruising, so this is bumming me out 😞

3 minutes ago, jwattle said:

You run the risk of the excursion having a wait list, and when you cancel, they will give your slot to the first person on the wait list, not you...

Good point - didn't think about wait list!

This may be a weird question - we booked some excursions, but had to put on a credit card since we only had a little OBC from Princess. We have a lot of OBC coming once we board from our "big box store" booking.  Can I cancel the excursions once we're onboard and have them refund to my credit card, and immediately rebook using the OBC we will have available then? 

I found some of the private excursion companies wouldn't start booking for the next season till the current season was over - so October 2018 for our July 2019 trip.

I would consider getting them an interior room across the hall from your balcony, that way they have a short walk to come enjoy your view (If you're willing to have them 🙂).  As you said, they won't see much from a window - better to save that money and enjoy an extra excursion.

We're actually taking my MIL this summer too - and now have a bunch more extended family that have decided to join - I think there are now 17 in total! It will be interesting....but I'm sure it will be fun no matter what!

We booked our 2019 Alaska cruise in early 2018 - wanted a specific deck and a few cabins together.  I've been watching prices for the past year, and they haven't gone done for our room, so I'm happy I did it early!

Also - here are some from last year  

21 hours ago, PekingeseLady said:

 

I finally found my patters, LOL  thought I'd share in case someone else is looking too.

Will you share yours after your cruise?  We're doing the Ruby to AK in July 🙂