cruisequeen4ever

I feel very sorry for everyone who ends up testing positive on the land tour and being unable to do the cruise as a result. At the same time, I am very glad they require testing before the cruise since it is a congregate setting, and a lot of time is spent indoors due to the cold weather. I live in AK, and the news announced this week that there’s high community spread in the Denali area now, so they’re requiring masks. There’s limited medical care out there, so it’s wise to be extra careful. Testing and masks aren’t foolproof, but they help.

I’ve been getting email discount offers from them lately despite only sailing Celebrity once and not spending much in the casino.

Good for you for ensuring the wire issue made it to the top, and I’m so glad your hubby’s ok! I can’t say I’m surprised about the food quality or lack thereof. My buffet burger (they had the grill closed all cruise) a few years ago was red inside, and they ran out of things without replacing them til asked by a pax.

Unfortunately, no; there is no available transportation from anywhere in Waikiki to Kualoa Ranch unless you book their all day adventure, in which case you can pay it an extra $25 or $30 per person for their shuttle from a hotel in Waikiki. Ubers are not in the Kualoa area hanging out either, so don’t rely on that as an option. Celebrity may offer an excursion there, you can hire a driver for the day, or you can rent a car for the day to get there. It’s about a 45 minute drive. We just went through all of this in May, so it is fresh in my mind. We rented a car. If you do choose to rent a car, book far in advance because car rentals are still limited there, and they sell out fast. Kualoa Ranch is awesome; we’ve been twice, doing the horseback ride the first time and the jungle jeep expedition the second.

The home tests can become faulty if exposed to extreme temps; we Alaskans were warned of this when the government shipped their free ones during the winter. If you live in a cold climate, yours may have become faulty if ordered during the winter. I’m very sad for you having your vacation ruined and hope you can have a redo.

Thank you for posting; that’s gonna be really helpful to watch!

I wish it would be decided firmly for each ship whether there will be an official change to ISP for the rest of the season. It’d really help people plan.

Thank you to all the contributors! The Emerald and Ruby are special ships to me, and I hope Princess maintains them well for years to come.

Outstanding depiction of your cruisetour; thank you for sharing!

Such a wonderful, thorough trip report; thank you! It’s very concerning how many tested positive after the land portion.

My 2 cents: The Discovery Princess is over 20 years newer. We highly prefer Princess’s food to Celebrity’s. You experienced Celebrity’s best food options by sailing on their newer ships. The Millenium does have that wonderful classic ship feel, though. Have fun deciding and planning!

Oh my; keep us posted!

So glad you got to celebrate your 40th (a year late) with such a special cruise!

It would be mighty disappointing to plan and anticipate a big cruise vacation only to have it canceled. I suppose NCL would rather proactively cancel pax than risk a bunch of complaints from pax onboard about lacking service. At least they’re giving what I consider to be very nice compensation! Maybe you could pick a different cruise to use the FCC on this summer and then use your refund to book the Hawaii cruise for next year.

Goodness, I would contact the Holland America rep at the hotel again and report that no one ever contacted you. They are not supposed to leave you in the lurch like that. Thank you for doing the right thing and isolating! It’s scary to think that some people are ignoring it and just flying like someone else reported. I hope you guys get better soon!

I’m so sorry for your loss! I always enjoyed his posts on here. God bless you as you grieve.

That’s great news!

I absolutely love Skagway and so I’m disappointed for those who won’t get to experience it, but I am so excited for that news! I’ve been wanting to go to ISP for years because it’s a place I haven’t been but mostly because of the zip line!

I like the Medallion system. Yes, we have had issues with it, but the concept is awesome, and someday, it should (It better!!) work smoothly!

I didn’t realize the Voyager is run by the Captain Cook and am quite surprised it is given that the Captain Cook is the nicest hotel here, and the Voyager does show as a 1 star. They’re right across the street from each other. I can’t believe Princess (and probably other cruise lines) would put their pax there. To me, quarantine hotels should be on par with the quality of the cruise line, and this place is not a match with Princess! I truly hope those quarantined in Anchorage (and all other port cities) will respect the lives of fellow travelers and locals by staying in isolation as mandated until they’re cleared!

That would definitely complicate matters for someone doing a B2B from Whittier. Would the second leg be refunded then? Thank you for going the extra mile to get the most current info!

I feel so bad for all of you affected by this! Copper River was a cool place to visit, but I can see how that would be the first to temporarily cut, since it’s the least frequented. I hope you all can find good replacements. Alaska will still be a wonderful experience!

You will be picked up from the Egan Center, then. The earlier you get there, the earlier bus you’ll be on. It’s a beautiful drive. Sit on the right side for the coastal view. Check-in in Whittier doesn’t start until the train arrives about 12:05 PM, so you will either arrive right around then or later. The bus drops you off directly in front of the terminal. If you don’t depart til after lunch, I recommend grabbing a Tia’s Reindeer dog from her stand on 4th Ave; there are other stands, but hers are the best. They’re delicious and a unique Alaskan experience. Have fun! I never tire of the AK cruises; they’re so beautiful!

The train cars are fully enclosed but apparently were quite air conditioned, based on what the op said. I believe you can still buy cough meds onboard, but you must ask for them, so they can track who is sick and test them. I have used the new cough pills, and they’re so much easier to take than the liquid and do work. 👍

Personally, I highly prefer Princess’s food to Royal’s. As for daily activities, they’re very similar, except Royal Caribbean has way more attractions like the water slides etc. Royal’s crowd skews younger. If you would like a reprieve from a ton of kids onboard, Princess will deliver.