Fouremco

I'm just curious as to where or from whom you acquired this (erroneous) information.

We've done Canadian/New England, but the repositioning cruise is still on our bucket list. I'll keep my fingers crossed too on your behalf!

All the information that you require, including on the AustralianETA app, can be found here: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au

Yes, you need to have a passport, but the point I was making is that you don't need to use it to fly to the US, you can leave it at home and just use your NEXUS card. That said, it is recommended that you have your passport with you, just in case. Also, flying privately or from a Canadian airport with no US pre-clearance, you will need your passport. BTW, I do hope that you realize that the website for which you have provided a link is not a Government of Canada website. Rather, it's for a company that will submit your application on your behalf. For a hefty fee, of course. The information on the website may be accurate, but when looking for information related to NEXUS, I'd suggest sticking to official US and Canadian government websites.

CIBT is just one of many similar companies that take advantage of people by charging usurious rates for visas and the like that are readily available online or through contact with foreign embassies/consulates at a far lower cost. It's a pity that HAL has chosen to promote this company without pointing out alternative courses of action.

I found this https://eticket.migracion.gob.do. It may be what you had to do as you were flying in.

What ship? Most HAL ships have walls and ceilings amenable to magnets, but in a recent thread, one ship was mentioned as an outlier. I don't recall which one.

How long were your visits? According to the Travel.gc.ca website, "Tourist visa: not required for up to 30 days."

3M makes a number of products, such as hooks and adhesive strips, that hold well but can be removed from the wall when finished with no holes, marks, or sticky residue. I don't know whether or not HAL approves any 3M or similar products. When in doubt, magnetic hooks are fine.

Also post on your Roll Call, as everyone there must be affected in one way or another. If you have travel insurance, have you checked to see if your policy provides coverage for such a change? I do hope that you will succeed in being compensated. It's incredible that NCL would make a change like this and offer only a token amount.

From the AARP website: We offer digital gift cards exclusively for our members from esteemed cruise lines such as Carnival, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, and Holland America Line. These can be purchased at a discounted rate from our AARP Rewards catalog. https://help.aarp.org/s/article/rewards-carnival-gift-cards Unfortunately: AARP Rewards is currently only available to residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. https://secure.aarp.org/applications/user/programOptIn?promo=AARPREWARDS&ref=https://www.aarp.org/rewards/ This second link requires you to be a member and sign in.

Yes, it's my understanding that Canadian residents are unable to purchase AARP gift cards. If there's a Canadian member who was successful, please let us know how you were able to buy them.

Only 15 more cruises docking in Montreal before the end of the season, only one of which is a HAL ship (Volendam). Hardly worth their while to target cruises given the small number left. Vancouver longshoremen workers at six grain terminals in Metro Vancouver walked off their jobs this past Tuesday, but the cruise port has not been affected.

As others have noted, it can vary with the airline. This webpage is quite useful: https://www.torontopearson.com/en/connections

The mini-fridge in your cabin is more a cooler than a fridge, so you are more like to have a "cool brew" than a "cold brew" unless you get your ice bucket filled and put your cup/glass in that for a while.

While Tripit was convenient for simple travel, I found that for cruises, spreadsheets provided me with an easier means of capturing all of the information that was relevant to me. So, for example, a shore excursion entry with the name of the company, its website, price, time, meeting location, meals provided (if any), etc., etc.

This issue has been discussed many, many times, and @chengkp75 has posted detailed information on many different CC forums. Hopefully he will address any further questions that you might have. In the meantime, here is the answer provided by Perplexity (AI) to the question "What are the risks of using non-marine surge protectors on ships?" Based on the search results, there are several key risks associated with using non-marine surge protectors on ships: Fire hazard: Non-marine surge protectors can overheat and potentially catch fire when used with shipboard electrical systems. This is due to differences in how ship power is configured compared to land-based systems. Ineffective protection: Standard surge protectors are designed for land-based power with consistent voltage. They may not function properly or provide adequate protection with the "dirty power" and voltage fluctuations common on ships. Electrical system incompatibility: Ships use an ungrounded electrical system where both "live" and "neutral" wires carry current, unlike home systems. Standard surge protectors only interrupt one conductor, which can create dangerous imbalances. Potential for shorting: If a standard surge protector trips, it may only secure one power conductor while the other continues providing power, possibly shorting to the device's ground wire and the ship's structure. Interference with ship systems: Surge protectors can create small leakage currents that may cause false indications on ships' electrical monitoring equipment. Regulatory non-compliance: Maritime regulations often require electrical devices used on ships to be specifically approved for marine use. Standard consumer surge protectors don't meet these requirements. Accelerated degradation of electronics: The fluctuating "dirty power" on ships can degrade consumer electronics faster than land-based power, and standard surge protectors are not designed to handle this. Due to these risks, maritime authorities like the U.S. Coast Guard strongly advise against using non-marine surge protectors on vessels and recommend using only marine-grade electrical protection devices that are compatible with shipboard electrical systems.

I guess we all have varied experiences. Over the years, I've had no issues with FLL, but all sorts of problems with YYZ. 🤷‍♂️

Unfortunately, this is just the type of power strip that has a surge protector and presents a potential fire risk aboard a ship. It's important to read the details for any adapter, and the description provided by Amazon is very clear: Power Strip with USB, SUPERDANNY Mini Surge Protector with 2 Wide-Spaced Outlets, 3 USB-A 1 USB-C, 5 Ft Extension Cord, Flat Plug, Compact Size Desktop Charging Station Travel, Home, Office, Black and from the superdanny website: 【7-Fold Protection】Made of fire-resistant PC (1382℉) material, rating: UL94 V-0, the highest fire resistance level. To protect you and your valuable electronic devices, this power adaptor offers all-round protection: overload/short-circuit/ USB over-voltage/ USB over-current/ USB over-heat/surge protection. Unfortunately, the fact that your power strip hasn't been confiscated does not mean that it ok to have aboard. Many such units look very similar, including ones that have no surge protection and are perfectly safe. You should replace it with a unit such as the following:

Let him pack what he wants. If the temperature drops below what he anticipated, he can go to the ship's stores and pick up something to keep him warm. On our very first cruise out of Port Everglades many years ago, the temperature made one of those sudden drops that leave oranges frozen in their wake. While I had long sleeved shirts, they were inadequate, and I bought a very nice sweater aboard that was perfect.

Like buying stocks, trying to time your buy before the price starts going up again can be challenging. 😇

Here's an interesting CNN article on the 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study from J.D. Power, ranking of airports in North America: https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/18/travel/airport-satisfaction-2024-north-america-jdpower/index.html?utm_term=1726696105023428352baa74e&utm_source=cnn_Evening+Newsletter+-+Wednesday%2C+September+18+2024&utm_medium=email&bt_ee=rjbgeXsRuw1sJUhKSoiwEHl%2FklwFsQjTlowazLyztNFWMCUR%2Fc0UIYnlV%2Fh1GzzM&bt_ts=1726696105025 Perhaps to no one's surprise, only one "mega" airport was rated lower than Pearson: Least satisfying North American mega-airports Bottom 5 scorers (in descending order) in the mega-airport category for 2024, on a 1,000-point scale: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) - 575 Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) - 574 O’Hare International Airport, Chicago (ORD) - 569 Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) - 559 Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) - 552 While the final report hasn't been published, this J.D. Power press release has additional information: https://www.jdpower.com/business/press-releases/2024-north-america-airport-satisfaction-study

After implimentation postponements in the past, it now looks like there's a firm start date.

Yikes, under two weeks to go. I do hope that you have some available time for follow-up research! First, we've used Shore Excursions, but not for any of the ports on your cruise. A very similar excursion company is Viator. Again, we've used them but not for these destinations. Both are reputable, and prices are lower than NCL's although more than what you'd pay if booking directly with the company that actually provides the excursion, or a provider offering a similar excursion. Personally, I would consider renting a car at each of these locations. In fact, that's exactly what we did for our HAL cruise. It's far cheaper than shore excursions and you can pick and choose what to see. For example, we rented a car in Sydney to visit the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site and it cost us under $100 for car rental, gas and entry fee for two of us. Compare that with an NCL excursion that is shorter in duration and costs over $130 per person. Each of the provinces that you'll be visiting offers an excellent online tourism website: https://tourismnewbrunswick.ca https://www.novascotia.com https://www.tourismpei.com https://www.bonjourquebec.com/en-ca Not knowing where your interests lie, or whether you've visited any of the ports previously on a land vacation, it's hard to make specific recommendations on things to see and do. Quebec City is a wonderful city to just get out and visit on your own. On the other hand, if you are taking this cruise to see Fall colours, rent a car and make a circular tour of Île d’Orléans just outside Quebec City. Whatever your interests, these guides certainly provide a good overview of what's available.

Our very first cruise was the 21-day Southern Caribbean Wayfarer/Seafarer aboard the Noordam. We knew within the first 7 days that we loved cruising, and were so thankful that we still had 2 weeks left to enjoy! Unless the OP has significant apprehension that she might not enjoy cruising at all, I'd definitely recommend taking the inside cabin for 14 days. Reviewing my Alaska photos taken aboard ship, the vast majority were taken from an open upper deck, not from our balcony. For most of your cruise, there's wonderful scenery on both sides of the ship, so you tend to miss out on a lot if you remain on your balcony, unless you have a stern cabin and don't mind seeing where you've been, not where you're going. 😇