turnin50

14 minutes ago, mrell345 said:

The Hilton Marina is a nice hotel, but higher prices, breakfast is not included, the buffet comes to $70.00 for two people with gratuity added.

Thanks yeah we've stayed at the Hilton twice before love the location buyt wanted to stay somewhere different this time, so we ended up choosing Riverside for 2 nights before the cruise and Hyatt Place for 1 night after. Tons of people have recommended those two so I'm happy with those choices.

1 hour ago, cruisegal40 said:

We've stayed there numerous times and love the location.  Very close to both. We did take a taxi from the hotel to the port in the morning. Very short ride.  We will most likely be staying there in September again.

Thank you! As soon as we decide on how many pre-cruise nights we're staying I'm gonna book it!

17 minutes ago, KreinKrunker said:

If I remember correctly, it was $15-20 to Uber from FLL to the Riverside on Los Olas.  In my opinion, a much better location than the Marina.  It is also located on the Water Taxi route. 

Thank you! It def looks like a good option the Hilton Marina is over double the price 

On 11/14/2023 at 6:26 PM, BlueHerons said:

The Riverside Hotel.

I've just spotted The Riverside online, have stayed at the Hilton Marina a couple times in the past but I like what the Riverside looks like (at least on their website) and the price is reasonable for Oct 2024. Is it close enough to airport and cruiseport to make it worthwhile?

We just got back (yesterday) from an 11 day cruise on Royal Vancouver to Hawaii. All crew and officers were masked everywhere, the ship seemed clean although didn't really notice constant sanitizing like I'd heard was going on. Most passengers unmasked and we were often packed in elevators with coughing and sneezing passengers, none of us really seemed bothered by that. No toiletries in the cabin bathrooms, room service would take sometimes over 2 hrs if they answered the phones at all so overall I think there was huge staff shortages. Having said that, I ended up getting covid (fully vax'd and boosted) and had to quarantine the last 5 days of the cruise.

My husband always brings his camera, he has a good quality backpack that fits all his lenses etc, it does take awesome pictures but I just use my phone. I think if you can carry it in a case without too much trouble take it.

Great tips thank you for sharing!

5 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Do let us know whether or not anyone actually asks to see the receipt when you check in at the port.

Yes we definitely need to hear from Canadians leaving on a cruise from Canada and not returning to Canada whether they were required to fill out the app hopefully before our cruise Sept 23

Will do. No doubt we won’t be the first at check in to question this so the check in agent should be able to advise us whether we need to fill it out and if so how. 

Thank you Foremco for going through all this for us, the cruiselines really need to update their requirements as the government rules change its stupid to fill out ArriveCan if one is not technically arriving! We are sailing with Royal Sept 23 from Vancouver to Hawaii not returning to Vancouver on the ship, we are not going to fill it out and if for some reason upon check in the person asks us I guess we'll do it right there! Hopefully Royal isn't as clueless and HAL.

13 hours ago, skatie said:

About three weeks ago I applied to renew my Nexus that was expiring March 2023. Yesterday I was notified that it was approved and extended to 2028!  Guess my new card will come in the mail.  Unfortunately my husband who forgot to renew prior to expiring during pandemic is still waiting for his new application to be approved and then I guess he’s need an interview?  

My husband also let his expire before he started the renewal process, approval took 14 months no interview and his card came 2 weeks after approval, also doesn't expire till Mar 2028. I think they're finally getting thru the backlog.

11 minutes ago, hancogran said:

We also have never ever received an email or any notification alerting us that it was time for our Nexus renewal. The Nexus card my husband received this week was his third renewal and like you,  it was right in the middle of the Covid chaos.  Now I'm waiting patiently for mine which I renewed in November 2021 since it expired in May 2022.  Let's see how long this takes.  I'm still trying to figure out their system regarding who gets priority processing.🤔

Fingers crossed you get it soon 

1 hour ago, turnin50 said:

My husband had retired since his last Nexus activity but I dunno if that had anything to do with the long wait, he did apply to renew right smack dab in the middle of Covid chaos so I'm thinking that played a part and I might add he got NO notification of his card expiring, nether of us had even looked at our Nexus cards since our last trip to the US Nov 2019. Wouldn't have even realized it expired if he hadn't dragged it out for picture ID for one of his pension applications. Glad they may be getting their ***** together finally.

Oooops I'm sorry I didn't know I couldn't use that word, my bad. 🤐

2 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I had a job change.  It didn't seem to make any difference thankfully.

My husband had retired since his last Nexus activity but I dunno if that had anything to do with the long wait, he did apply to renew right smack dab in the middle of Covid chaos so I'm thinking that played a part and I might add he got NO notification of his card expiring, nether of us had even looked at our Nexus cards since our last trip to the US Nov 2019. Wouldn't have even realized it expired if he hadn't dragged it out for picture ID for one of his pension applications. Glad they may be getting their ***** together finally.

13 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I got mine today!  Maybe it got a piggy back from yours.  I’m on the west side of the country too.

Finally eh? Mine expires Oct 2024, you can bet I'll start the renewal process as soon as the website allows me, Oct of next year.

2 minutes ago, hancogran said:

I'm guessing it's irrelevant now  now since you've received your husband's renewal card but I said I'd post when we got my husband's card... it came today!  That's a total of 10 days from when we received the approval.  I expected it to be much longer (considering we waited almost 14 months for the approval).  Good luck to everyone who's still waiting. 

Thats ok I'm glad his came. I'm guessing your husband's was slightly quicker cuz it came from the east, ours had to come all the way to the west lol The approval wait time was almost the same.

On 8/22/2022 at 6:52 PM, turnin50 said:

Thanks I appreciate that, I’ll also post when he gets his.

On 8/22/2022 at 6:52 PM, turnin50 said:

Well 13 months after applying for re-newal and over 2 weeks after approval my husband FINALLY got his new Nexus card today!

 

4 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

sounds like  a standard  requirement  but they are not taking into account those cruises that leave Canada  & NOT returning

I am sure you will not be the only one unable to complete the form

You could call RCCL & tell them it is not possible & let them revise their  requirement

You are not going to be able to fill in the form so why stress yourself  out

 

 

I would take your vaccine documentation  just to be covered  for that requirement

JMO

 

Absolutely I'm still old school I print out everything plus I have documents saved on my phone. I did email them but since we live here its a 5 min cab ride to the peer we won't be frazzled when we get to the pier, if they for some reason ask us to fill it out and have a way around the arrival question then we'll just step aside fill it out and get back in line lol I'm done stressing about it, I'm sure you're right they have it on their website for most of the cruises (Alaska) that leave out of Vancouver and return to Vancouver. Thanks everyone, I feel much better.

12 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

It's always a pleasure to help when possible. 🙂

By the way, you joined Cruise Critic on my Birthday 😁

27 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

Since ArriveCAN is not required for cruises leaving Canada the paragraph is correct. Misleading perhaps, but technically correct. It's not only government agencies that have confusing web pages 😀.

I want to thank you both broberts and Foremco for so patiently addressing my concerns, I felt this way at the beginning also but of course the more answers I get the more I start to doubt myself. I will not question this anymore lol

Some are saying that its a requirement by Royal Caribbean based on this:

.

"ArriveCAN: All guests - including Canadians - or their legal guardians, must submit the mandatory travel information required by the Canadian government prior to boarding the cruise ship. Guests can complete the form on the ArriveCAN website or via the app available in the AppStore or on Google Play. Once completed you'll need to print or show the QR code provided at boarding."

Taken from the safety protocols for cruises departing Vancouver on Royal's website.

2 hours ago, broberts said:

 

The only way to complete an ArriveCAN submission for a cruise that does not enter Canada is to make a false statement.

I agree thats what it looks like to me too, I've read Royals safety protocols I've emailed them about it and read on our governments website but its not clear on this particular situation.

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

from what I have read  YES you need to fill it out before boarding  IF the ship returns or visits  Canada

 

 I was going to ask if you tried inputting your info for that cruise  & if it worked??

No cuz right off the get go it asks how we are ENTERING Canada (land sea or air) which we are not so there's no real way for us to answer that question. Our cruise has no stops in Canada, it boards in Vancouver and ends in Hawaii, there is no entering Canada for us on this particular cruise.

46 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Maybe they are just using the  rules for the Alaska cruise  & have not changed the rules for those leaving Canada

 Or  they are just confused  also 😉

 

I dunno, I guess we’ll fill it out as best as we can before we board to be sure. I’ve had several friends that have cruised Alaska round trip Vancouver with Holland America who also had to have it filled out before and after AND the app called Verifly as well, Holland American and Carnival both require that one too!

3 hours ago, gnome12 said:

You only need ArriveCan if the ship is leaving Canada and then returning to Canada. If it is leaving Canada and you are disembarking outside Canada you don't need ArriveCan for that cruise. You will, however, need it to return to Canada, whether by land or air. (If you don't leave Canada on the cruise you also don't need ArepartiriveCan.)

And yet I've read on numerous threads that some cruiselines like Royal are requiring it just to board regardless. We are on a Royal leaving Vancouver ending in Hawaii and live in Vancouver so not ARRIVING in Canada until we fly home after the cruise and I've read we all have to have it filled out before we board!