NCTribeFan

Oh good grief. Had to use my last eMed test on Monday because it was a holiday and i couldn't get a test anywhere else. I was going to bring it with me (I'm on Zuiderdam now until 6/15), so the backup plan was to test at Canada Place. At least I have a late flight so testing at the airport shouldn't be too much of a hassle. I'll check into the other options.

I did the train this morning. Gorgeous! And it was about 78 around noon and sunny, but the wind really kicked up this afternoon. I went to the Skagway Brewing Co for a beer after the train ride. Zuiderdam is docked right in town. Grand Princess and Carnival Miracle are farther away.

I'm at the airport about to board my flight to Seattle. I really need this. The past 10 days have been stressful. Then my 5 am taxi pickup didn't show. Busy this morning at RDU but very efficient. Only one more hurdle before I board tomorrow. Hope the bus to Vancouver is a nice ride!

I went ahead and put Canada Place as the address and got a QR code immediately. If they don't like that, I'm sure someone will let me know!

I'm flying early tomorrow to Seattle, taking HAL's shuttle on 6/1 to sail from Vancouver. Trying to fill out my ArriveCan. I think this was addressed earlier but I can't find it now and I need to finish packing and get all my documents sorted. Just did my last eMed test (because I discovered I couldn't get a rapid test done anywhere today because it's a holiday here!). I was going to take that with me to test the morning of disembarking because I'm flying home from Vancouver. And I was exposed to Covid a week ago Thursday; used up all my non-proctored tests. Thankfully, all are negative. Anyway, what address do I put in the "Destination in Canada" section? Do they want the pier address for HAL Zuiderdam? Thanks!!

Can't wait to board her on Wednesday!

I'm already booked on the Rotterdam TA for next April. Just checked, and the HIA price is exactly the same. The base price is less than half! Is HIA available to add on to all sailings or is it one of those things that some sailings you can, some you cannot? I remember seeing it available to add at $50/night. I may send my TA an email and ask if it's possible to cancel and rebook using this current fare, then add HIA later. Total would be >$600 less than my current booking.

There have already been about a dozen threads about this subject, no? I fly to Seattle very early tomorrow morning. I'm staying there and taking the HAL transfer to Vancouver on Wednesday morning. I fly home from Vancouver (via Seattle). Booked my flights before HAL changed their policy or I would've flown RT Seattle. Checked what it would cost to change flights and decided it wasn't worth it to take out the Vancouver-Seattle leg, and add in the bus transport just to keep from having to test to get home. Unfortunately, I was exposed to Covid on Thursday, the 19th. When I returned home on Friday, I tested myself with one of the free (non-proctored) tests. It was negative. Tested myself again on Tuesday and again this past Friday. All negative. Then I discovered I could not schedule a rapid test for today because it's a holiday. Yikes! Thank goodness I have ONE eMed test left. Thing is, I was going to take it with me to do the self test before I disembark (I'm doing a B2B so disembark on 6/15). Now, I have to use that last test today for my pre-cruise test. Oh well. Looks like I'll be testing in Vancouver on 6/15. I imagine I'll book a test at Canada Place. Glad I booked a late afternoon flight, at least. No early-morning panic to get tested and get to the airport. Not looking forward to the red-eye flight home, but it is what it is.

No, not high tea. Just afternoon tea. I'm so happy that they not only have PG Tips bags available in the morning in the buffet, but they brew PG Tips for the afternoon tea. None of this nonsense of bringing around tea bags, then serving luke-warm water in little metal containers, then having to wait another 5 minutes for milk. I've given up on afternoon tea on most other lines. Glad HAL does a reasonable job with theirs.

Missed it. But I'll be on her next week (fingers crossed - I had a covid exposure last week but have tested negative 3 times now).

I always keep the original email offer from HAL and put it in my email folder along with my booking confirmation. I also always check with the casino club to confirm the offer shortly prior to sailing and print that response to take with me, just in case. All my casino offers are "only" for free insides until just recently, when I started getting free OV. Personally, I prefer an inside to a window. I wake very early when there's any light seeping in. Leaving next Wednesday on an Alaska B2B. By the time I added Club Orange and HIA, it wasn't so free any more. Let's not talk about the airfare cost! Still, much less than if I was paying rack rates. Will go check the January sailing I've been thinking about and see what comes up.

Thanks! I'm currently stressed about Covid exposure last Thursday (sat next to a woman for a few minutes and had a brief chat; found out about an hour later that her husband was at the hospital and tested positive!). Silly me should've known better to attend a multi-day function and not wear a mask the whole time. I tested last Friday night and last night and, so far, I'm negative. Phew. So, fingers crossed my Monday test will also be negative and I can fly to Seattle early on Tuesday. Really looking forward to seeing Alaska!

I was on my first X cruise in April, on Summit. Liked it very much. Felt it was much like HAL but with a slightly younger demographic. Honestly, there just isn't THAT much difference in any of the lines I've sailed (Carnival, RC, HAL, NCL, MSC, X). Currently prefer HAL (sailing next Wednesday on an Alaska B2B). Love their ships. Very similar to the Spirit-class ships without the hideous decor. 😄

I sailed Pride from Baltimore a few years back, then again this past January. I think the decor is hideous (as are all of Joe Farcus' designs), but I don't cruise for the ship's appearance. I'll be on her for about 32 days this fall (B2B2B Med/TA). One of my favorite places is the area shown in your first pic. It's about the only place I could find that didn't have bad blaring pop music and is quiet enough to sit and read. Did you only eat at the buffet? I never, ever eat dinner there and I typically don't go through the buffet line for lunch (prefer a deli sandwich or pizza). We had a different band in the Pub in January. They were very good. Hope we have a good band there in October. It will be unfortunate to sail for a month and not have a good band to listen/dance to.

I have been to HMC many times (mostly on Carnival before I started sailing HAL). Have missed it only once (Hurricane Sandy). I love it. IMO, there have already been too many "improvements" to the island. I was just at MSC's Ocean Cay in late April. It will be nice in a few years after the vegetation grows in. I prefer HMC, though. I prefer somewhere relatively sedate with a beautiful beach and view of the water. Sure, it was nice to walk off the ship but taking a tender just isn't a big deal to me. And i personally can't see HMC with a ship the size of Mardi Gras docked there. Way too many people. They'll need to build more bars. And restrooms. And big cabanas with blaring music to house large groups. They'll end up ruining a beautiful island paradise.

They accept any tests provided by a pharmacy or clinic, as well as the proctored self-tests. Pretty sure their FAQ section lays it all out. I've used the "12-hr response" test at Walgreens several times since November and have had results in under a couple of hours. Plan on using them again next Monday.

Note: my Juneau whale-watching excursion is on the 2nd leg. Hopefully, there will be no changes to that leg. Or, if there are, the independent vendor will be able to alter their schedule. Also would be really nice to know before I board for the first leg in case the wi-fi is so bad I can't get in touch with the vendor. Yes, I'm pretty sure we're all aware that changes happen. The advice to not book a cruise because a port time might change isn't terribly helpful. We HAVE booked cruises and the late changes (that only show up in some places but not all of them thanks to HAL's sad IT) is the main concern.

Interesting. My Navigator app shows Tracy Arm Inlet 11 am depart 11:30 am; Juneau 3 pm, depart 10 pm. I'm on a B2B and I have an independent whale watching/glacier excursion booked for 2:30 in Juneau. 😡 Ketichan arrive at 11:00; depart 7:00 pm

I'd love to sail Virgin, but I'm not crazy about the high fares. Yes, they're definitely geared toward a young demographic. My DD's BFF worked in the theatre dept on Scarlet Lady before the pause. My TA has sailed 2 or 3 times since the restart and loves them. She's no millennial, but she's significantly younger than me! After 30+ Carnival cruises, I've been moving away from them simply because I don't need the FUN FUN FUN nonstop when I sail. And I've been known to dance (solo) to the BB Kings bands until they shut down for the night. But I think even I would find Virgin a bit too much of a party for me. My TA thought the food was great, so I guess it all just depends on what you want and expect from your cruise.

Except I'm pretty sure that just about everyone who had posted a"live from" thread has commented on how terrible the wifi is on the sea days. I only have 1 eMed test left and don't want to risk a dropped call. I be up early on disembark morning and test then. Then, if it doesn't work, I'll go to panic mode and hope to test at the convention center or airport. Glad I booked a late afternoon flight.

I just added HIA to my upcoming Alaska B2B (6/1) on Friday. Of course, NOW it includes crew appreciation. I sent an email to my PCC to ask if he can get that added. Because, well, you know, I now have to scramble to get Covid tested before I fly home and pay for that out-of-pocket. Seems a fair trade-off. We'll see what he says.

Yes, I suppose it's reasonable. But when you booked many months ago when the policy was that the testing would be performed at no charge by HAL, it doesn't feel like it's reasonable. The added cost and stress to get this done on the day you need to travel is what has people upset. Certainly doesn't seem that it would have been impossible for HAL to have made this change effective as of a certain date, perhaps a month from the date of the policy update, giving people more time to plan. Those of us who will attempt to test early the morning of disembarking may find that our efforts will fail for various reasons. So, on top of having paid for the self test, we then get the added stress - and expense - of scrambling to test before the flight.

OP, is there luggage service to the airport? Having never sailed from Vancouver, I have no idea how far it is (you noted Can35$ for a taxi). I understand there's also a train. Just wondering whether it makes more sense for me as an older, solo female to just take a taxi or do the luggage/train option. Is Uber/Lyft also an option? They're typically considerably less than a taxi. If I take a taxi, can I pay with a credit card? Since I'm spending my pre-cruise night in Seattle and taking HAL's bus shuttle, I hadn't planned on having any Canadian $$s on me.

Do you have to prepay for the test? I plan on taking an eMed test with me and doing it early the morning of disembarkation. If it doesn't work, for whatever reason, I'd like a backup plan in place. My flight isn't until late afternoon (5:30 on June 15). I haven't even looked at options to get from the ship to the airport. I'll have to do some research about Sky Train. I've never sailed from Vancouver and have no idea about distance from cruise port to airport. I'm a solo female, and it's always a little stressful the first time in a new area when you don't know your way around.

I just added to my Alaska B2B @ $45/pp/day as well. Not a huge difference, but I was expecting $50. That $5/day difference gives me $70 that covers one of the other excursions I plan on booking. I'll take every little bit I can get! 😁