Sue from Canada

HABS lost.  But it was a good game and they played so well.  Nothing to be sad about.

19 hours ago, CruisingCanucksTwo said:

I've been dealing direct with Carnival reps and I can confirm that Pfizer combined with Moderna IS considered fully vaccinated not only in Ontario, but with the CDC and internationally.  I received this combination and will be cruising in several weeks.

I was told by Carnival to go to this website Ontario COVID-19 vaccination service (ontariohealth.ca) and obtain my official 2nd dose (fully vaccinated) print out.  I was told specifically to get this one that has the 'watermark' that is available on this site.

Here is what mine looks like...

Thanks Jerry.  My original two receipts did not have the 'watermark.'  I've just printed copies of each and saved the docs for future use.

PCR test etc.  What next?  So now I have to get a PCR three days before flying out and pay $199.  I don't have a smart phone so completing the ArriveCan info is another pain in the butt.  I'm too old for all this...

2 hours ago, waiting2retire said:

I am hoping someone here can explain to me the travel insurance for retired federal public servants. It seems what used to be out-of-country insurance is now called out-of-province insurance. If I am covered by that, why do I need the additional Medoc insurance?  I did purchase it once several years ago when I was out of the country for more than 40 days, but I thought for shorter trips my PSHCP insurance was sufficient, except for trip cancellation of course. 
 

Am I wrong?  Do I need additional insurance when outside Canada for less than 40 days?

 

Bonnie

Bonnie, my thoughts are the same as yours.

Whoo hoo. The Habs won on home ice in overtime.  What a sweet goal it was to win the game.  Next game is Wednesday.

Book with HAL and then you have 60 days to transfer the booking to your regular TA.

15 hours ago, matamanoa said:

Hockey was born in the north and we're being beaten by a team from the tropics.  It doesn't look too encouraging but I'm still hopeful 😞

I'll be watching the game on Monday but.....Hopefully they can at least win this one on home ice.

4 hours ago, kevingastreich said:

One time about half way through a 20 day cruise we got a nice note in our mailbox with our new star pins!

Once I got a plate of chocolate covered strawberries - nice surprise.

Volendam.  Love the smaller HAL ships (only two left).

Oh dear, two down.  I have faith - GO HABS GO.

Happy Canada Day to all from the Nation's Capital.  

On 5/31/2021 at 7:41 AM, Britboys said:

I'm sure it is something that has happened throughout the cruise industry as a result of the pandemic.

Re female officers, if I recall correctly, Celebrity has one ship where all the senior bridge staff are female.

Here's the announcement for the Celebrity Edge all female bridge.

https://www.cruisetradenews.com/celebrity-first-all-female-bridge-officer-team-international-womens-day/

5 hours ago, netpj said:

I wonder if  all cruise lines returning to US ports will continue to provide pre arrival testing for all passengers, especially as passenger numbers increse.  I suspect the Canadian Government will continue to require a negative PCR test, even if fully vaccinated,if arriving by air for a long time to come.  If that is the case, any thoughts on how to ensure you are tested if planning on flying same day as disembarking in Florida?  Hopefully, by later this year or next winter, proof of vaccination will be sufficient, but I would not count on it.

PCR test - I was wondering the same thing.  And what are people to do if they don't have a smart phone and are flying into departure city a few days before sailing??

On 6/18/2021 at 11:35 AM, john2003 said:

We board October 30. Still July 31 for us. Just checked with HAL.

I board Nov. 18th and final payment is July 31st.  IMO that's too early.

10 hours ago, Himself said:

I think cruises like everything is going to see rising prices.  Two reasons that I can think of 1. Inflation and 2 Try and recover lost revenue during the long shut down,

I sail solo and you wouldn't believe the prices.  I'm glad I booked two cruises last summer and got good prices and freebies.

I have quite a few of the fabric ones and pleather.  I use them for every cruise and other vacations.  So handy to have all my papers, docs, tags together in my purse.  Maybe HAL should bring them back and sell them in the gift shop - one way to make money.

I've never been on a looooong cruise as I can't afford it.  But for those of you who do, do you not get sick of all the food.  I know for lunch on a cruise many people go into the main dining room and order what I consider a supper meal.  I often skip lunch or just have a sandwich.  Then it's all those courses for supper.  Too much.  After I get home from a 18 day cruise, all I want is a hot dog and peanut butter sandwich. So, how do you eat like you do for 300 + days???

4 hours ago, Skorpora said:

We saw sharks in the water at Half Moon Cay.  We were watching them from our balcony on the ship while "anchored" off HMC.  They were far from the beach, so nothing to worry about.  We took pictures, and tried to ID the type, they may have been reef sharks.  Harmless.

I don't go swimming in water if there can be sharks.  Read a report a couple of weeks ago that the shark population has exploded around the Florida waters.  Fishermen are getting fed up that the sharks are eating their catch.  

8 hours ago, lostinparadise999 said:

I found that I usually pay the price that is quoted when I first booked. 

Thanks.  From my initial booking to this week I've been able to knock off almost $600 on the flights.  I was going to call my TA to pay for the flights early as I don't think the price will drop that much again.

On my last cruise before Covid, the Pinnacle Grill was not opened every day at lunch.  I can't remember if it was closed on sea days or port days.  I prefer to go there at lunch and love their crab cakes.

I'm using Flight Ease for the first time this November.  My flights on Air Canada keep dropping in price and I've cancelled and rebooked my flights twice so far (final payment is Sept.1st).

Has anyone booked and had to end up paying a higher price by final cruise payment?

My two beauties whom I've sailed on many times.  Love the photos but my heart aches to not be on them.

6 hours ago, gnome12 said:

I was told to only arrive 10 minutes early for my vaccination. Even so, I had a bit of a wait for the second shot; about 15 minutes later than booked, but 25 minutes of waiting in line.

 

Today I did transfer the cancellation insurance from my trip that was scheduled for May 2020 to the rescheduled date of September 2021. I wasn't sure that they would do it because I didn't talk to them at the time they rescheduled the trip, but they were good about it. I hadn't realized that if you don't claim you can transfer travel insurance from one trip to another if the trip doesn't go. (It has to be within 18 months, but I just made it.)

I didn't know you can transfer your canc insurance from one trip to another if the former doesn't go.  Which Co. did you use?  I'm looking for canc. insurance fro my sailing to Hawaii this November.

This is just a guess but could you do two separate bookings.

Yeah.  I was able to book my 97 year old mum her second Pfizer shot today in Ontario as soon as the site opened up at 8am.  By 9am the site crashed.  She's getting it this Thursday.  I can book my second one June 28th.

I've been looking at Fred Olsen cruises on the Bolette and Borealis (prev. HAL ships).  The prices are higher than what I would normally have paid going solo on HAL.  Even though they do have some 'solo specials,' the cabins are either on the dolphin deck or in the bow of the ship.  I'll keep looking as Air Canada has reasonable flights to the UK.