AlbertaCruisers

It took over 2 weeks to be validated for our July 30 cruise. No notification, just one day I went in and it had changed to a check mark. 

Hi! This is Susan from Canada. Are friends on board are super fun and are some of our favourite people! We met them on the Equinox in 2019 and have been lucky enough to sail with them a few more times. I’ve really enjoyed following your reviews and I’m glad you guys met. 
 

Beyond on Nov 8 unfortunately doesn’t work for us - we are on the Equinox back to back - Oct 24 and Nov 3! 

This is 3112 on the Summit (Oct 2019)

I have also seen where bartenders write down the drinks and room numbers and if they are too busy they don't key them in at that time and instead I have seen them later with their list keying in a bunch when they have time, at whatever bar they are at, at that time.  So, if for example, you were up at the pool bar and it was one of the martini bar guys serving you, he may actually key in your drink later at the martini bar.

The interesting thing is that the 0 entries didn't show up in your account in the app before.  For our cruises last August, October and December, none of those entries showed.  We were on the Equinox at the end of April and for the first few days no 0 entries showed and then near the end of the cruise they started to show each day.  I actually hope that is a mistake that they can change again, I like keeping track of our account to make sure everything is correct and having to look through a number of 0 entries is annoying, but not the end of the world.  I did just double check and none of the 0 entries ended up on our final account that they emailed to us.

I posted screen shots of the health questionnaire questions from our April 24 Equinox sailing in the thread below (post #2):

I suggest asking your TA and getting them to check. We were on the Equinox in April and had all included. I didn’t notice my edocs docs said no to prepaid gratuities (I saw it after the issue). On day 2 of the cruise, gratuities started showing up on our account. I called guest relations and he said we didn’t have prepaid gratuities, even though I told him we had all included. I had to take my invoice down to show them the All Included promo and there is nothing they can do, they had to call head office to see why the promo wasn’t added to my account (ends up it was just missed by mistake). They did get ahold of head office and got it fixed. I wish I had saw that before the trip and fixed it instead of dealing with it on the cruise. 

20 minutes ago, prmssk said:

On the cruise planner, there is a section (towards the top right) that says "Order History".  This will show you the beverage package and internet package you have (although if you just booked it can take a few days to show up I have heard).  I'm not sure if the gratuities show up anywhere except maybe a code on your invoice.

I agree this used to work.  For my next cruise in July, the cruise planner looks different, updated, and it no longer shows that information.  There are items in the order history but it doesn't say what they are.  It is not as useful as it used to be.

I had an issue on my last cruise and they said that I did not have gratuities included (the gratuities started showing up on my account on the second day).  I took the invoice down that showed always included, and they had to call front office to find out why the right codes hadn't been added.  It was fixed, but I strongly suggest having paper work with you that shows something that says "Always Inc" - normally under the line that says Promotions Applied.

12 minutes ago, Froufie said:

So glad to hear about the Air Canada 'experience' - I am already stressing about my flights this week - with a 3 hr connection - but both AC flights (Ottawa/Toronto/Orlando) - hoping things go well and we don't sit on the tarmac or have any other issues.  

 

My only backup is another/later flight to Orlando at 6 pm (assuming there are seats available should I have to do that instead of my 1:20 pm flight!)

 

Fingers and toes crossed! ...and hoping I can stop worrying and get some sleep tonight! 🙂

 

Just make sure you follow the connections signs. I think they are purple. In the Air Canada terminal it felt like we walked forever, but just keep following the signs!  Good luck!

We normally choose Westjet over AirCanada based on pre-pandemic experiences. For our flights last year, Aug, Oct and Dec (to Fort Lauderdale and the last to Tampa), relatively last minute for all of those flights Westjet changed our flights so we were flying the day of the cruise, which I don’t do (too much risk with the Edmonton connection), so for all 3 we ended up flying with Air Canada.  Everything was generally fine and I’m now less worried about booking Air Canada in the future.  We had delays, but we also just had that with Westjet (AirCanada flight delayed 3 hours waiting for people to load our bags and then our flight crew timed out. Westjet delayed over 2 hours because of flight crew issues).
 

I like the experience connecting through the Air Canada terminal in Toronto much better.  For the way down to Florida, there is a separate security area and customs area for connecting passengers so we were not in the huge lines that the people starting in Toronto airport were experiencing. Also, on the way home, US to Canada, the connecting passages go to a separate customs area and never leave the secured area, so you don’t do security again. The lines in the connecting area in that terminal weren’t that bad.  Even without Nexus, the connection time was not too bad. 
 

We just came back from the Celebrity Equinox in Fort Lauderdale on Westjet. On the way down, in the Westjet terminal on Saturday morning at 6 am, you leave the secured area and are out with all of the passengers. There is no separate connecting area. We had Nexus, so we were fine and everything went quickly, but the regular security and customs lines were huge. Without Nexus I would have been concerned with only a 2 hour connection.  On the way home on Friday night around 5:25 pm, there was a customs hold and only connecting passengers were able to leave the plane. I’m not sure how long the others were held on our plane.  There is no separate area for connecting passengers in this terminal, you go to the main customs area, through baggage (we did not have to pick up bags Westjet US to Canada but some flights do), then out, upstairs and through regular security. The first line to get into customs was one line, they didn’t care if you were Nexus or not. We waited in that line for about 40 minutes. You then go to the customs hall where the regular passport line was huge (I’m not sure how long that took, but it didn’t look good). There was no one at the Nexus machines so we were done and out of there in minutes. The regular security line was also huge but again Nexus was fast. Again, on Friday night without Nexus, US to Canada, I’m not sure that a 2 hour connection would have been enough time.  With Nexus the entire process took us right around 1 hour. 
 

Here are screen shots of the health questions from the April 24 Equinox sailing. Some overlap and bottom picture was first. 

4 minutes ago, Woody14 said:

thanks yeah that is very different than what the BC one looks like

 

I will see if I can get a new one.

Yeah, what you provided above will not work.

1 minute ago, Woody14 said:

our BC one has no flags just says BC Vaccine card, your name, date (issue of passport), vaccine status and a QR code.

 

Did you check to see if there is a new one to download.  That was the same for the Alberta one, and then it changed.  We still download through the Alberta website, but it now notes Alberta and also has a Canadian flag, has a QR code and includes all of our vaccine does and the date.

For Celebrity at least, it is important that your confirmation shows all of the doses and the date of each dose.  They can't and don't use the QR code.  

For checking in with Westjet I was able to use the QR code.

2 hours ago, macmax said:

Manulife DOES cover Trip Interruption if you test positive within 72 hrs.

 

Can you let me know where these screen shots are from, these are really helpful.

Edit - I see now, these may be from a webinar.  

Does anyone know if this information is anywhere on Manulife's website?

6 minutes ago, koolforkatz said:

 

Thanks @macmax That looks pretty clear for cancellation. But nothing for interruption 😞  My concern is testing positive day before boarding and then we'd be out all our cruise fare. 

When I sent an email for information to: am_info <am_info@manulife.ca, I got an email back with a lot of information.  This is what it says for cancellation and interruption (but the same email has wrong information about the cruise advisory still being in place, so who knows):

• For Trip Cancellation:  
  
  COVID-19 is still considered a known event in relation to Travel Advisory status changes, and a Trip Cancellation claim will not be paid if an individual cancels their trip for a reason related to COVID-19, except for one of the three events mentioned below in Question #5.  
  
  For Trip Interruption:  
  
  COVID-19 is still considered a known event in relation to Travel Advisory status changes and Trip Interruption claims related to COVID-19 would not be covered.  
  
  5. Is Trip Cancellation Insurance impacted by the Travel Advisory change?  
  
  No, Trip Cancellation is not impacted by the Advisory change. Until further notice, Manulife still considers COVID-19 a known event.  
• EXCEPTIONS: The following three events are not considered known events if they occur after the purchase of your Trip Cancellation insurance:  

1. Your sickness (accompanied by a medical certificate) due to contracting COVID-19 that prevents you from travelling as planned.  
2. A positive COVID-19 test result (accompanied by a medical certificate) within 72 hours before your departure from home which prevents you from travelling as planned.  
3. Your job loss as a result of the pandemic impact at your place of employment.  
   
   6. Will Trip Cancellation Insurance provide coverage for events related to COVID-19 on any policy that is issued on or after February 28, 2022?  
   
   No, Manulife continues to consider COVID-19 as a known event and benefits are not eligible for claims related to COVID-19, except for the three events mentioned above in Question #5.  
    
   7. If the Travel Advisory changes to “Avoid Non-Essential Travel” or “Avoid All Travel” due to COVID-19 after February 28, 2022, will I be able to cancel my trip and be reimbursed for the non-refundable component?  
   
   No, Manulife continues to consider COVID-19 as a known event and Trip Cancellation benefits are not eligible for claims related to COVID-19, except for the three events mentioned above in Question #5. This applies to any policy that was purchased after March 5, 2020.   
   
   8. Is Trip Interruption Insurance impacted by the Travel Advisory change?  
   
   Yes, Trip Interruption Insurance is impacted by the Travel Advisory change. The following two events will now be considered for Trip Interruption coverage:  

1. Your sickness (accompanied by a medical certificate) due to contracting COVID-19 that prevents you from travelling as planned.  

A positive COVID-19 test result (accompanied by a medical certificate) during your trip which prevents you from travelling as planned.  

Note: The two events mentioned above will not apply if the Advisory reverts to “Avoid Non-Essential Travel”.  

29 minutes ago, AlbertaCruisers said:

Sorry, to clarify, I sent an email to Manulife to try and get further information, and the bounce back email had some FAQs, including the below, so it looks like they won't cover travel, but this doesn't seem to be true on the Canadian Government website?  The website only says to avoid cruise ship travel if you are not fully vaccinated.

 

10. Has there been a change to the Travel Advisory for cruises?  

Currently, we do not have any new information regarding cruises outside of Canada. The Canadian Government still advises Canadians to “Avoid All Cruise Ship Travel” outside of Canada. The Manulife COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Plan offers coverage for COVID-19 and related complications for fully vaccinated cruise passengers.  

 

I believe this is old, because other travel insurance companies have said this has been lifted, but its unfortunate they have this in there information and it is impossible to get anyone on the phone!

Sorry, to clarify, I sent an email to Manulife to try and get further information, and the bounce back email had some FAQs, including the below, so it looks like they won't cover travel, but this doesn't seem to be true on the Canadian Government website?  The website only says to avoid cruise ship travel if you are not fully vaccinated.

10. Has there been a change to the Travel Advisory for cruises?  

Currently, we do not have any new information regarding cruises outside of Canada. The Canadian Government still advises Canadians to “Avoid All Cruise Ship Travel” outside of Canada. The Manulife COVID-19 Pandemic Travel Plan offers coverage for COVID-19 and related complications for fully vaccinated cruise passengers.  

 

I was able to find the below link from Manulife.  It looks like COVID may currently be covered with regular Medical coverage and if you had to cancel because you got COVID and couldn't travel regular cancellation travel insurance should cover as well.

https://www.manulife.ca/page/covid-19-statement.html

I’ve attached pictures of the wording from my warning in the App (that I get when I go to the check in area) for the Equinox on April 24 to the Carribean. Vaccinated and up to date people have the same testing requirement. Nothing says you have to be up to date to board.

I’m confident this is an IT issue in the app. This same wording is now on the app for our April 24 sailing (when you go to the check in section) on the Equinox to the Caribbean as well, and people don’t have 14 days to get their booster. This is the wording being used for the Europe sailings and there is no corresponding change in the rest of the wording for our cruise to differentiate between fully vaccinated and up to date in relation to testing requirements, et .  There also has not been a corresponding change to the US sailings requirements on the website. 

With Celebrity potentially ending its Covid assistance program for cruises leaving after April 30 (so far at least it doesn't look like it has been extended), I'm starting to think about our July cruise.  I know a lot can happen before then, but has anyone found an insurance policy that will cover cancellation if you end up testing positive for COVID within 48 hours of the cruise and cannot travel? (I have to double check, but I believe cruise with confidence still applies, so I can cancel up to 48 hours in advance, but if testing is still required, the test is within the 48 hour window).

Thanks!

Hi Jim,

Great pictures and great thread, as usual!

I’m hoping you can answer a weird question for me. For the health questionnaire, do you remember, are the questions for whether you have tested positive or been a close contact both 10 days now or is the close contact one still 14 days?  Thanks for any help. 

For our flight on Westjet this month, on March 18, during check in you had to attest to that information and confirm you review the form.  There was a link to click on to review the PDF, that you had click before it would let you continue.  No one anywhere asked us for the hard copy of the attestation form.

In December on Air Canada, it was the same and we attested to the information during check in and no one asked us for the form.

Back in August of 2021, we did have to complete the form, and there was a table with people reviewing and collecting the forms in Toronto airport, but that was not the case in October 2021 or December 2021.

I have entered back into Canada 4 times now (3 times in Toronto and once in Edmonton).  I have my passport in the ArriveCan app, I use the Nexus machines and hand the agent my Passport and the slip from the machine (the last agent asked for my Nexus card as well as my passport) and we have had no issues and have never been asked to show the agent our Arrivecan receipt (we have shown the arrive can receipt to the airline check in person in the US each time and the last time in Edmonton they had a person asking to see the Arrivecan receipt before they let you in the custom's hall). 

When we came back from Vegas, the Westjet check in lady asked to see ours.  We also had to flash it quickly to enter the customs hall in Edmonton.  Somehow a number a people had not filled it in in advance and where being held up before entering customs until they completed it. The guy in front of us had issues. He said he completed it but the customs officer said that since he just filled it in upstairs the information hadn’t synced into her system yet and she had to confirm all details with her.  She didn’t have to see anything from us except our passports and the form that prints out of the Nexus machines. 

2 hours ago, mousefan73 said:

Question I was looking at the browser version and it recommends and gives links to pre-register for random testing at airport testing sites. Are people doing this. I am trying to avoid the whole random testing thing. Is this really required?? 

 

 

If you get selected, it is easier if you already have an account set up, as they just take your phone number and they already have all your information. If you are a way away from your trip, I would wait to see if anything changes, but yes, pre registering is easier. In early Jan, we were selected for testing and people were scrambling in line to try and register. When they found out we already had an account, they took us to the front of the line. Last week, my husband was selected and the process was easy with his existing account.