KillerSnake

Right now, my On-Line Web account shows Military as Refundable. It stays the same when I print out the Cruise documents. If they changed the rules - OK. It is free money after all. Just wondering with all the nickel and diming going on across all businesses lately.

How is OBC deducted when a charge is made? By this I mean, does PCL automatically deduct the charge by taking from the "Refundable Military Credit" first before the "Non-Refundable pile? I figure the "We have got make more profit" team has this set to do just that to save the costs of refunding the credit (refund check processing, overhead, etc) and the actual "refundable" OBC amount.

Follow up question as it have been 30 years since my first and only cruise..... If one is on the Aft Lido deck and one's cabin is forward on Desk 5, does one really have to go all the way back to the cabin to get one's floatation device if the "Man your Life Boat" was given? Or does one just get to the assigned spot ASAP?

We looked at the standard excursions and pricing. We opted to do the map guided walks in Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway that are offered by the American Volkssport Association (AVA.org). We are taking the 5K walks that will let see basically the same thing as the $60 pp walk offered by the cruise line. This gives us time to sit, drink coffee, have snack, read all the signs along the way. In Juneau, we might go up the tram. These walks then give us time to window shop, etc. In Skagway, we are still searching for a church (we will be there on Sunday) as that day is our actual anniversary (40th and the reason for this cruise) to attend. We are there for a long day so we have time to walk, etc...after church.

What was the one activity that stood out to you? I know all of the things you listed......I am looking for the one thing each of you found to be a "Wow, I really liked this and hope others try it."

We will be on a 7 Day Alaska, Northbound cruise in August (148 days!!! but who is counting). We are comfortable with our "excursion" selections. And we feel we have our dining set. What was your experience during the same cruise? What recommendations do you have for the Sea Days? We figure we will do a lot of sitting on our balcony during the while traveling the inside passage. But what activity got you out of the cabin and exploring the ship? We do plan on attending the National Park Service enrichment talks. But what else you recommned? Did something sound good, look good on paper but when you got there was not as desired, expected or hoped for?

Yes, Sitka has two 5K loops. one is rated 1B that can handle strollers and some mobility devices. The other is rated 2B. That means a more challenging trail that may have steps, tree roots, steep incline / decline, etc.....

Juneau is only walk that has a Physical Start Box with all the information. Alaskan Fudge Co, 195 S Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801 Skagway and Ketchican are On-line Start Boxes. This means you need to register before getting the map guide and Start Point. Because of insurance reasons, the maps are not released until one is registered - at least that is how it was explained to me. There are a lot of AVA events that do this remote registration because no one wants to check the Start Box or the actual trail is in a remote location. These three Alaska walks are managed by the HQ or a club in Washington State. Review the AVA.org site and do not be afraid to call them with questions.

As you mentioned walking / hiking, consider the American Volksport Association (ava.org) map-guided walks in each port. it does cost $5 but that is way less than the excursion rate of $50 on our cruise.

$50 into the prize pool, that leaves only $10 worth of chips to play with. Not much of game to me. Or is this one those places that give you $10K face value of playing chips and then if you win you get 50% of the pool? What are the starting Blinds? Straddles? 7-2, Stand up or Nit button? PLO Bomb pots? How far into the game before the level of Blinds kick in? Is this $5-$10, $10-$20? Or $1-$2?

Depending on your Ports of Call, I recommend the Guided Map walks under auspices of the American Volksport Association. They cover the nice major points of each port. Three that come mind offer 5K or 10K (some 11K - I think) options. The longer ones can be a bit more challenging for mobility-limited persons. There is a small fee of less than $10. The guides keep you on track and a Turn by Turn instructions. Plus you get AVA credit towards AVA Event & Distance tracking. After looking at the Excursions list and prices, this is what my wife and I opted to do. I know several of the Youtube videos of "Walking in Port X in Alaska" are fairly close to the 5K routes. For my wife and I, this is type of excursion we like. We get to see the key points, have time left to stop and eat or shop (before during or after) our 2-3 hours walking (we read all the signs LOL), earn our AVA credit and can then go back and enjoy more of the ship.

We have a local company that requires the men not assigned uniforms all wear dress shirts, dress pants and a tie. AND no man can have a beard. The owner says a beard means you hiding something. Yep, I am hiding the fact that I am 50 pounds overweight. The beard helps me face myself in the mirror each day. I currently wear jeans and a company logo polo every day for the job I have.

Bummer.........I like my passport to have the entrance and exit stamp. Sad day for International Travel. At least most Caribbean countries will let Cruisers get theirs stamped as if they came in on their own sailboat. Just have to find the Port Office if you really want it.

So, I can use ArriveCAN - just not required. And if I ask politely, will the agent stamp my passport? I like collection stamps. What about leave your wonderful country when I get on the ship? Will I be able to obtain an exit stamp and the port of embarkation?

What is the max buy-in for 5/10 NL Texas Hold 'Em on the Grand when she sails from Vancouver to Whittier?