worldtraveller99

Thank you all so much, you make me feel much better - and at least have a laugh about it, especially PhotoGal07's return flight and bags going walkabout! So I shall write a trip report about it all, and hopefully we will be overwhelmed with the beauty and wonder, and not mind the awful journey there and back!

I think so Terry. Though our TA sent to us a small flyer for Explora. They had an Aegean cruise, which is one of the places I am interested in, but they go to some weird and unknown islands, rather than Delos, Rhodes etc which I would like to see. I am not interested in beaches, swimming, sports etc, and I feel that may have been the Explora emphasis?

Hope you are feeling much better now quack2. Otherwise, was it nice?

Thank you both! I was beginning to think I was losing the point of going, and only thinking of the hassles. This will be our 1st ever ocean cruise and also our 1st time in Alaska. I love the flower photo Senga, thank you again.

PS Don't even mention the worry re the airports (and baggage coming with us?) - our flight to Vancouver has been consistently 2 - 3 hours delayed over the past 10 days on the BA website!

We go to Vancouver and then our Alaska cruise very soon. I am so stressed out with trying to reconfirm all our independent suppliers (we booked this originally in 2018 for a 2020 (cancelled) trip). Plus I have had to book the pre-cruise test, and don't mention finding somewhere in Vancouver to do an unnecessary online-only 2nd ArriveCan as we LeaveCan just before we get on the ship. Please may I ask - have you recently completed your 2022 Alaska cruise? Was it worth all this - did you actually get to relax, and was it wonderful?

Have a wonderful holiday bluestocking7! We will be off in Alaska, but look forward to reading all about it on my return.

Thank you GrandmaOhio, I shall use that. Sob.

I know! I'm just saying we won't be arriving in Canada but leaving it. And the address is really "the sea"! But if someone cares then I know we must do it - will go to the business centre at the hotel in Vancouver. Have just been told by the Hotel Captain Cook that once we reach Anchorage there are no restrictions or unnecessary online forms (or masks presumably).

Thank you. That is a blow.

Hi bluestocking7 We are (hopefully) doing the Tauck Christmas Market cruise on the Rhine this November. Are you on the Inspire? I also would love to hear all about it, thank you.

Hi frantic36 - is that your 3rd jab or your 4th? We have all had our 3rd last autumn, it is only the 75+ people who have been given a 4th jab this spring. The rest of us are probably waiting till this autumn for it.

Thank you very much BobbySu, that is really helpful!

I get a flu jab every year (now free), and I suppose they will include some COVID in that? Am waiting for the autumn.

This is our 3rd attempt to reach Alaska too, but assuming the BA strike is apres mois (le deluge) we will be there!x Re your interesting point re Shenghen, I think if few people are seriously ill they will remove all restrictions as we have done - else every tourist will come to the UK and none to the EU!

No ours still says "Coach" by "Silversea transfer". We go soon! I don't mind a coach if they will stop on the way - eg for photos?

But are the EU doing 4th jabs either (for the under 75s)? Anyway, it's November, so not going to worry - maybe it will be within the flu jab I have had for years in September? Also interested you are going to Osaka. We want to go in 2025 for their Expo, but not if they still insist you have to only be there in a group tour. Which is your cruise line for that?

Hi les37b I was worried re the 270 days rule too - we are going on a Christmas Market river cruise this autumn, but our Tauck rep assures me it just means if you are more than 270 days from the original pair of jabs (Spring 2021) then you need to have had a 3rd jab - which we did in autumn 2021. Hopefully! If there are no more dangerous variants (as opposed to the ones which gives you a slight cold) then I think the UK will stop vaccinations, not to mention tests. So will cruise lines ban all UK people? Hopefully not.

Has anyone taken the included Silversea bus transfer to Anchorage after your Alaska cruise? What time did you leave the ship and what time did you arrive at the Captain Cook Hotel (approx)? Was lunch included and / or did you stop anywhere on the way? Thank you for your help.

Did you have to do an ArriveCan to actually LeaveCan on the ship, and if so what did you put for your "Canada" address? Did anyone check this? Is it really attached to your passport (magically?)

It's very difficult Terry. We do watch for riots etc in places we hope to visit (eg Chile, maybe Sri Lanka one day), and if you are like me and like to book a long way in advance (I have already booked us to see the Eclipse in 2024) then a sudden uprising after you have booked is very worrying. So for the next couple of years we will stay with North America and Western Europe - hopefully safe there. Of course developing countries need tourism money, so very sad.

Thank you CJANDH. I am still not convinced that a pre-cruise test stops people catching a cough (COVID) as we go along. So long as it's just a few days of a cough, that could have happened in the past anyway. But stopping every passenger having to pay for a test saves a lot of money and time.

Thank you GloriaF, that is reassuring!

Just read that the Mayor of Niagara Falls (Canada) is campaigning for ArriveCan to stop, because people like to pop over the border for the day, then find they don't have a smartphone to download the App and can't get back home! Thank you vswan, we will put the address of Canada Place cruise port.

Gramma of Boys please may I ask what had you put in wrong? Because we are leaving Vancouver (for ever) I am sorely tempted to put the ship name and Pacific Ocean as the address? I am interested karatemom2 that you had to show it to your room steward, so I guess they are still taking it seriously.