trivia addict

I find this incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to anyone who has ever served or given their lives to their country. To equate their sacrifice to a waste of your time is hard for me to understand

Last May we took the cruise from Honolulu to Vancouver. We live near Seattle so decided to spend the day in Vancouver and take the 5 pm Amtrak back to Seattle. It was a VERY long day. After having lunch we got to the station a bit early. The train ride was lovely but the Amtrak station while clean and safe is in the middle of nowhere and has almost no real food or drink options. If you are dealing with mobility issues, those many hours wandering with your luggage is going to be difficult. there are shuttle buses right next to the cruise terminal. We once took one of them. It is a quick, easy ride to Seattle. I would look into those and then spend a night in Seattle or by Seatac.

Thanks but the problem is that the transfer is included in the price I paid. was hoping that someone would just reassure me that they had a good experience with them. i will not book them for my trip back from ship to airport. Would you advise an Uber or the ship shuttle at the end of the cruise?

Just booked a pre cruise hotel from a big box store that includes transportation from the airport. Apparently they use Aloha VIP Tours. Reviews of it online are not good. Anyone have experience with a transfer with this company?

Just to be clear, the Puget Sound is a natural habitat!

Two important questions to be answered. it seems that all responses were assuming the OP was leaving from Brooklyn. OP only used the term New York. Perhaps it could have been the Manhattan port?

You do not need to do anything special to get into the Vibe once you board. Just find it and enjoy The door to the Vibe requires your key or wristband to enter. But once you are in, the bartenders will absolutely remember you almost from your first visit

Two suggestions. First, always fly in at least a day early. Second, always get insurance. DD once missed a cruise from Florida because although she had plane reservations to fly in a day early, horrific storms up and down the East Coast backed up flight for 2 days.

For those of us who love and use the Vibe, can we just stop telling everyone how great it is? Better for us, I think, that we tell others who ask, that it is a terrible waste of money😉

To each his own and I’m sure that many agree with you. But I think it is fair to warn others who may prefer more active activities that taking the bus to St George or Hamilton will take up much of their time in port.

Be aware that the local bus is just that, a local bus. It makes many stops on the route from St George to Hamilton and from Hamilton to the Dockyard. So if you are in any kind of a hurry, or going a great distance, I would not suggest it. We once did it from St George back to the ship ( transfer in Hamilton) and I would not do it again.

We took out of town friends on this cruise in July of 2022. It was great. They try very hard to give you a good experience and find whales. We saw a pod of orca whales that stay in the area through the summer and then as we went further north ( to our own Whidbey Island!), we saw a humpback and her calf. Through the marine radio the boat kept getting reports from other boats as to where the whales were, and we would then take off to that spot. On board there is a very knowledgeable naturalist who explains what you are looking at and gives facts on the area and the whales. The boat is comfortable and clean. The marina is next to a large local seafood restaurant where you could have lunch or dinner. It’s walkable into the town of Edmonds which is filled with shops, restaurants and bars. And if you are lucky you might run into Rick Steves, a local who is frequently seen walking through town! It’s a bit expensive but we found it worth it.

I did not realize that Spice had coffee so early in the morning. That sounds really nice and I am going to try it. Also did not know about the coffee on the waterfront. Thank you for the information. Makes me like the Joy even more!

On the Norwegian Joy there is a Starbucks in the 15 th floor Observation Lounge. I was on her twice last year and got my coffee there every morning. Part of the reason I had my cabin on the 15 th floor, was so that I could be close to morning coffee! Next to it was a small station with morning pastries, and yogurt, No hot food. Posters are correct. There was no place to take used cups and plates. That being said, I hope this coffee station has not been removed from this floor, with the renovation, because my upcoming cruise in June will again have a cabin on the 15 th floor.

Is the Starbucks still in the Observation Lounge?

I fly in and out of Seatac 4-5 times a year. Have never had a problem or long wait. Last July, I flew out of Amsterdam and waited in the checkin line for 90 minutes. After that, I was chosen for an extra security check at the gate. A senior woman who definitely does not look to be a threat. So yes, it can be much worse than Seattle.

New movie. Bob Marley: One Love. Could always watch that😊

I will take the original question in another direction from the safety debate here. The poster states that her husband will feel uncomfortable getting off the ship in Jamaica. My answer is why would you want to spend one of your vacation days feeling anxious? Perhaps if there was something in Jamaica that was incredibly wonderful to do or see, but in my experience, neither of these are true. There is nothing here that cannot be seen on any of the other Caribbean Islands. I spent my honeymoon there nearly 50 years ago and then had a port stop on a cruise about 15 years ago. In that time space neither landscape nor culture had much changed and I suspect has not now. I would venture that a day experiencing the joys of shipboard would be much more relaxing for this couple.

Wow! Gardyloo. I’m going to use your plan when my East Coast friends and family come to visit at Whidbey. Great itinerary !

Sorry, not a hiker so can’t help you with that, but maybe there are some readers out there that can help. Bainbridge has buses and Ubers. Further research could give some answers. The advice of the OP above on other things to do in Seattle is very good and I would second those suggestions. Whatever you do, have a great time in Seattle and on your cruise!

If you are a Chihuly fan then you will like the museum. It’s not terribly big but is well done. For crossing the Sound, it is very easy to do as a walk on on one of the many ferries that traverse the Seattle/ Puget Sound area. Our ferries are reliable, modern, and a major part of the life here. Just sitting on the observation deck and seeing the amazing beauty of the Northwest water and mountains is worth a trip. Leaving from the ferry dock in Seattle, you might take a 35 minute ride across to Bainbridge Island, and then it is a short walk to the shops and restaurants there. Or you could take an hour ride across to the town of Bremerton which is on the Kitsap Peninsula. Again, a short walk to this town which has 3 museums dedicated to its culture and military history. Bremerton has a major Naval base. Google the Washington State Ferry system for times and information if interested.

If you are flying to your embarkation port you cannot attach your cruise tags to your luggage and so must then bring along your packing tape and stapler with you. ( or go to the trouble of borrowing a stapler from a busy hotel desk.) These tag holders last forever and can be prepared at home and then kept with your cruise items ready for easy attachment the morning of your cruise. I have had two sets for many years. A thin set for Royal/Celebrity and the wider one for Holland/ Norwegian. And like others here, I have given them as gifts to family members when they are cruising for the first time.

Our children also traveled extensively from a young elementary school age and it has benefited them tremendously in all aspects of their adult life. i truly believe that if more people would travel and meet those of other cultures and mindsets, our world would be a much better place of peace and understanding

But you don’t say why you feel it is not worth it unless I missed one of your posts. You are entitled to feeling this way, but it would be helpful for others to know why you think Vibe is not worthwhile at either the old price or the new price.

Do you hang out in the trash room often?