molly2kit

We did Holland America cruise tour last June. It was a great trip and we enjoyed every minute. We took a backpack each and 1 big suitcase each ( not a huge suitcase but one that would need to be checked on a plane). The Alaska cruises seem very casual. Our daily outfit on the tour part was jeans, long sleeved shirt and a puffy down vest. Always had a long sleeved fleece and windbreaker in the backpack. Our one piece of luggage came with us the whole trip and we were given times to have our bags outside the rooms and they were delivered to our rooms when we got to a new hotel. It was very well organized. I don't remember being told about 2 suitcases. Our trip was 10 days, 3days cruise and the rest land- 2nights Denali andDawson city, 1 Whitehorse,Fairbanks,Anchorage.

Sorry just retread title and you are doing tour first so hope this still gives some info

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What type of phone and carrier? Most can be unlocked by codes you can find online. And some carriers will even help you unlock your phone if you explain what you are doing.

I'm in British Columbia Canada. When I got this IPhone 6 a few years ago I paid $35 to unlock my iPhone 4 so I could give it to a friend who was activating on a different network. It may be different now so I will check with my carrier tomorrow

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Thanks for the advice. I was concerned about what would happen if we missed the last port due to weather or ? And then I couldn't mail it back. I will investigate the SIM card for Japan but unfortunately my carrier locks the sim to them and it costs $ 35 to unlock it, at least they did when I gave my last phone to a friend.

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Hello, hoping someone can give me some advice.

I land at Haneda airport in Tokyo April 20 and will be there for about a week. Leaving on Golden Princess from Yokohama April 27. We have several ports in Japan before going transpacific to Whittier Alaska.

I would like to rent a pocket wifi at the airport and use it to get to my hotel and for sightseeing before the cruise as well as at the 5 ports in Japan. Last port is Sapporo on May 5. I think I will need wifi for walking around the ports as so far only one excursion arranged.

I think I have read that they will give me an envelope to mail the device back from a mailbox. I thought I could just mail it back from the last port in Japan.

Can someone who has experience with pocket wifi advise me please.

Ports are Shimuzu, Osaka, Sakaiminato, Hakodate and Sapporo.

Thanks very much

I totally agree, we loved our time there and in Victoria. We also enjoyed going up to Prospect Point and waving at the ships leaving that day we got off.....amazing!

 

 

 

 

 

Told Dh I would love to live in either place. We spent a lot of time in the garden in Victoria.....ugh forgot its name...but it was lovely and we walked back to the ship past wonderful houses...told dh one was a bit more country feel and the other city feel.....laughed and he said we could split our time between the 2. Said sure now win me the lottery so we can do that.

Butchart Gardens in Victoria and there's another beautiful city to walk. Living on the west coast have done a few repo cruises and San Francisco and Victoria are favourites of mine

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Roberts Bank would be awful. It's where our ferries operate to and from Victoria. Nowhere near downtown Vancouver. It's about 45 minutes out.

I agree it is not optimum tourist location. However, there is a huge new mall and might be a new hotel coming too. That being said, nothing can match getting off or on a ship right in downtown Vancouver. Sailing under the Lions Gate Bridge is wonderful too!

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Just an article our local paper in November 2017 that port of Vancouver considering another cruise port at Roberts Bank to accommodate bigger cruise ships

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I am 65 and cruised a 7 day Mexican Riviera a year ago. In Cabo I got off the tender and walked along the waterfront and over to The Office, a favourite restaurant and had a mango smoothie. Then I shopped in their great store across the street and walked back to the ship. Never felt unsafe and had a wonderful time.

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I am Elite and always get 2 coffee cards by trading mini bar.

Regal in Dec 2017 - both the cards had Regal Dec 2017 written on the back in pen. Only used part of one card.

Ruby Jan 20-27 both coffee cards were blank on the back. No expiry on any of the cards. I used up 2 partial cards and the unused marked one from Regal. They punched for regular and special coffee which is fine by me.

At the beginning of the cruise they were giving multiple regular coffee and tea to people without punching a card. Last 2 days they were saying only one complimentary beverage per punched beverage ordered.

It seems to me that that only thing for sure is that every ship is different, sometimes same ship different day does it differently!

Forums and how to post on them are always challenges. Your question is going to be lost in this current location and should be an independent one. but, we are not allowed to mention specific websites or cruise agents, so answers will be vague. There are, however, numerous websites that a google search of 'last minute cruise' will get you some results. Also 'last minute solo cruise' may gain others. Then search from whatever port may work best for the price, if you can get it. Remember March is March break season, so prices are bound to be up.

Also suggest you log in to your NCL account and there is a spot to select number of cruisers. When you put 1 any deals will pop up. Good luck

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Regal Princess Dec 10 2017

Inside category ID to BA Balcony for $94 CDN each which is about $78 US each Great upsell,

I am the same. I think it is great! Just did a free upgrade from ocean view to top level balcony cabin because prices dropped and I phoned. Took a few minutes but a huge savings.

Also scored a really reasonable Caribbean cruise in December.

My friends are just amazed but it really is just checking on a regular basis.

Thank you everyone for this thread!!!! Was reading this thread and I rarely gamble so never see casino rates. decided to look anyway. I now have an inside on Royal Dec 10 for 7 days for $118.80 CDN. (99.00 US) per person. Taxes are 139 CDN. Held the cabin last night. Checked again this afternoon and rates were up so I paid for the room I had held. Have flight down but no return yet.

Appreciate all the comments and advice so much

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Thank you very much for this post wowzz. I am in Vancouver Canada with a bunch of pound coins as well as 10£ notes. I just happened to be looking for posts about Lerwick and saw this one. I am off to the currency exchange tomorrow to sell all my soon to be out of date currency. I only wish I could book a quick trip to Britain instead...... But thanks for saving me from a loss. I will sell all except the 20£ as hopefully I will visit before 2020 when they are due to be updated.

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Maybe it won't be too bad as some people stay on the ship in Nassau and Atlantis is a big draw. I don't know where NA will dock but we were on Allure last time and it was a beautiful sailaway with warm breezes, turquoise waters and palm trees beside the channel. We will be on NA as well this time from 11/4-18. I suspect some ports will be changed but nothing definite yet.

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We did this walking tour a couple of years ago. http://www.frommers.com/destinations/new-providence/walking-tours

We will be back in Nassau in November and will be doing it again. Really enjoyed the day.

We usually have a local beer in every port. In Nassau we found a little store in the main shopping area (not straw market) that sold cold bottles of beer-they opened the bottle and put it in a small brown paper bag so you could enjoy it while walking. I don't remember the variety but they sold a beer/lemonade combination that was lower alcohol and delicious. I'm going to enjoy one of those again!

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I used to receive standby offers and took a few of them. It has probably been 2 years since I received one. I wondered if they were even doing it any more

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I usually book hotels on a site that allows late cancellation with no penalty. Check how you booked. I don't know why you might not be able to go but this exact same thing happened to me a year ago. Mine was medical issue. TA spoke to resolutions dept and I leave later this week on the cruise Royal let me reschedule.

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Hi I am looking to book a cruise within the next week or so. I have a Canadian SPG Amex and am looking online but I can't find anywhere that offers would be. Has anyone with a Canadian card been successful?

Not sure what level of hotel you want to stay in but I have booked the Hotel Gracery Tamachi in Tokyo. I am landing at Haneda and it is easy to get to the hotel from the airport. I found it very reasonable. $125 CDN per night for single in April. - April was open for bookings in July, 8 months ahead. It seemed to me that lots of the more expensive hotels were available for booking a long time ahead but the more reasonable ones not so much.

In Hong Kong the Salisbury YMCA is on my list too.

I took it in February this year. It went to Long Beach and dropped us off for a few hours, sorry I can't remember how long. The luggage stayed on the bus, we were dropped near the Aquarium, there is a free hop on hop off bus that I took and visited the Queen Mary. There is tons of shopping, coffee and restaurants right across from where they drop you. The bus returned after a few hours and took us to the airport. I think my plane left around 5:30 so midnight is a long wait. I was flying to Canada so an international flight and I was at the airport with lots of spare time

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Coral is my favourite ship It was built for the original canal and has tons of public viewing areas. I love the smaller size, don't know if On the Bayou is still playing but I enjoyed that also.

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I did a land trip to china about 12 years ago. Always had toilet paper with me and needed it. I don't know if it's the same now but if I was travelling there I would be taking some with me for sure.

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I have cruised out of Galveston once. We did use cruise transfers after the cruise and it worked great because ship was really, really late because of fog. Was quite a few years ago though

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What about cruise transfers? You could stay at a hotel near the airport and then shuttle back the next day to catch the transfer

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