cassamanda

As the Sun is homeporting in Vancouver for the Alaska cruise season it will berth at Canada Place - Ballantyne pier is only used on two weekends a year - one in May and one in September when a number of non-homeporting ships stop in Vancouver as they start the repo season south.

There also was some talk that Ballantyne may not be used next year as there are reconstructing one of the overpasses to access it and the other one is some distance away.

Whether this happens will have to wait until the full schedule is posted.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

Looks like Radiance of the Seas is booked into Ballantyne in September for 2 weekends. We arrive from Seward on Sep 5 then depart again on Seo 12 for the repo to Australia via Hawaii.

Can anyone confirm if this is to be highly likely as many on the roll call have booked the Pan Pacific thinking we dock at Canada Place.

This will be a real bummer and let down if it's the case.

How do we get to Canada Place to pick up, for example, the Pacific Coach to Victoria (ferry!). Is taxi the only way? The ship does have 2 shore excursions with hotel/airport drop but that doesn't apply to us.

Any info appreciated and I will post on the roll call.

Hugh

Hi,

 

On my last cruise in December on Royal Caribbean I purchased a FCC and was led to believe that at the time of booking my next cruise this would be my deposit (as opposed to $400 deposit - 14night cruise). I understood that anyone else in my cabin pays $100 at time of booking

 

Forward to yesterday when I attended a cruise expo ( no cheaper btw) and travel agent said that with FCC we still pay full deposit?

 

This to me makes no sense as I then can't see benefit of FCC (other than maybe obc).

 

Can someone please clarify for me...

You are absolutely correct and the TA told you a lot of BS. Unfortunately most Australian TA's are not cruise specialists.

When you go to assign your next cruise to your on board booking, give RCCL a call and do it over the phone rather than online. The website may still show a minimum payment of $800 is required when you go to make an instalment online. Once again just call Royal to make the instalment.

To be picky, an on board booking on Royal is actually called a NCC (Next Cruise Certificate) and an FCC is what you get as compensation for a cruise gone wrong, although we all generally refer to them as one and the same:confused: I was told this by a Rep who thought I was trying to transfer a FCC, which is not the same.

My priority is never "dinner" when I'm in Alaska. :) Including on the ship. Having food with me, and enjoying the beauty of Alaska is my only goal. Certainly, MANY people think otherwise.

Well if they let us take a cooler (ice box, Eski) then that might be a different story:p

It will be our first time as well and staying in Sydney 3 days end of September. Still have not booked hotel and wondering best location thinking of Intercontinental, Mantra 2 Bond Street or Holiday Inn Old Sydney. Suggesting on hotels and things to do. Thanks

Intercontinental is closest to Opera House and Botanic Gardens and Sydney Museum. Also a downhill short walk to Circular Quay. Mantra is condo style and slightly closer to downtown shopping and I think more affordable. Old Sydney as explained is ideally located within the Rocks precinct and very close to cruise terminal. Good views from rooftop. Hotel is a little more rustic but fits in with the ambience of the district, being the oldest settlement in Oz.

Enjoy.

Hugh

Hi Mr Walker

We will be sailing opposite directions. We leave Seward on Radiance on Aug 29.

We were going to do a post cruise Rockies cruise tour via Jasper to Calgary but have just cancelled the land portion and will consider doing something similar to your plans in a couple of years time. We are spending 7 days around Anchorage etc with a hire car per cruise.

Would be interested in your findings.

We will still do some local touring around Vancouver and Victoria though. I did checkout going to Whistler by car or by train but elected to spend the time at Victoria instead.

The Pan Pacific Mountainside at Whistler seems to well located and has reasonable prices.

Hugh

We are also visiting in August and sailing out of Seward on the 29th. We also will be hiring a car and planned to spend 3 days from Anchorage to Seward. The other days will be between Anchorage and Denali.

We had thought of also visiting Kenai but dismissed that idea unless we were prepared to travel all the way to Homer and stay in that area before travelling back to Seward.

Our biggest planning disappointment is that we won't be able to do the longer 7-9 hour National Park cruise with either MM or Kenai Fiords Cruises as they both stop running them after Aug 24 (confirmed by email) and only offer the 6 hour or shorter for our time span:mad:

Hopefully we can get a Kayaking trip out to the Glaciers instead.

Hugh

Denali is not about the "commentary", it's about the moment by moment views you are seeing. Frankly, this timeframe is Wonder Lake for me. I never recommend the day Kantishna trip. It's a big cost, for not getting much, in my opinion. Far superior for overnight guests.

Thank you and Mapleleaves for your comments. Take it then that best value is to book early shuttle to Wonder Lake and if the weather is bad we could always turn around at Eilson.

I see the schedule is out and looks like 7.15am would be the latest one to catch if we go all the way to WL and be back in reasonable time for dinner (somewhere).

Hugh.

What would suggest in the month of October? What would the temperature be like? Is this a good time of year to be in Sydney?

Same as above. Temps are milder than January being spring time and a good time to be in Sydney. BTW also a good time to be in our tropical north - not so hot and wet.

I am trying to figure out how excursions are booked on RCI Alaska cruisetours.

 

I cannot book them online for July 2014 (eventhough I can do it for the cruise) and the RCI booklet states that these excursions can only be reserved while on your Cruisetour with your Adventure Specialist.

 

Can anyone shed light on when/how the booking of RCI cruisetour excursions happen and how I can increase my odds of getting the excursions that I want?

 

I am particularly interested in upgrading from the Natural History Tour in Denali which is included in Cruistour to the Tundra Wilderness Tour with RCI. Is it tough to get the TWT and does RCI just charge the price differential?

 

Thanks.

I think the answer is in your question. In other words, you can't book cruise tour excursions until you have met with you Tour Guide on day 1.

Northern Aurora thanks also for the suggestions and comments on Loreys other post. Pump house also sounds good.

Hugh

Lorey: Since in another post you expressed some reluctance about spending $15.00 for breakfast, I am not sure that you will be happy with the Alaska Salmon Bake. See my comments on the other thread you started about Fairbanks restaurants as I just included my thoughts about the Salmon Bake and the Silver Gulch.

 

The show you mention is the "Golden Heart Review." It is operated by the same family who own the Alaska Salmon Bake. The show was priced at $19.95 in 2013, and while I think it is cuter than the "Cabin Nites" at Denali, only you can judge if you think that that price is too much for an hour of entertainment.

This sounds like its right up my ally:). Food looks good and the price is reasonable. Thanks for the info. Here is the link

http://www.akvisit.com/index.html

We will be there either Aug 23 or 24 depending on whether we overnight at Paxton or not.

Hugh

We are doing a 5 day southbound Radiance cruise tour beginning in Fairbanks sailing out of Seward. What is RCI's policy with regard to the luggage allowance? I have searched high & low and can't find any info. DH and I usually cruise with 4 suitcases and 1 carry on, I hope I'm not going to be in big trouble with packing.

Lorey I did see some threads on this and I think that they get you to pack 2 bags. One stays on the coach or whatever that you don't have access to. I am assuming that there would be a weight limit - unless the driver is a machine:eek:

Check out some of the cruise tour reviews and reports..

Hugh

We will be in Alaska end August and finalising our plans. We will be self driving pre cruise and staying at Healy for our Denali visit.

I am tossing up between the TWT, Katishna Wilderness Trails (same as Katishna Experience) or the shuttles to Eilson.

As we are from Australia and very unlikely to return, what would be best option for us. I have already gleened from the earlier posts that the TWT only "just" makes the grade for seeing as much as possible and would be the bare minimum.

Is there any form of commentary on the shuttles or is that dependant on the driver? There is quite a large price difference.

Thanks, Hugh

I have read the temperatures in Australia recently (108-115F), and I am wondering if these high temperatures are what they generally are at this time of year.

 

I am planning a cruise Down Under for next January, and I would like to know if this is what I can expect.

Well it is high summer, but no it is also unusual for coastal regions but quite common in the outback of Central Australia - that's why you only find flies there;)

If you read the previous post by Karennella you will see that Melbourne was quite cool (and wet) for weeks before. Now they are in the grip a heat wave with 40c temps.

Sydney is generally milder at 30c + but in the western suburbs some 5-10 warmer. Sydney in Feb can have heavy afternoon thunderstorms.

Temps further north are also around 30-33(90-95) but humid. In the far north it can be very wet.

On the west coast it is generally hot and dry around 35 but on the south coast around Albany and Esperance it is much milder.

And the Icons of Sydney

Love how the Australian bush regenerates after major fires.

Seems you have been quoted for a balcony. There are only large ocean view cabins left fr that cruise and they are only $4 cheaper than a balcony.

From the website, an E2 Oceanview with balcony is $6737 for 2 people.

The Xmas/NYE cruises are always lots and lots dearer than any other cruise.

Normally you would get that cruise for about $3500-$4000 for 2 people.

I find it just as easy to book direct with rccl either online or over the phone. No cancellation charges for early cancellations.

Nothing wrong with the tap water on board, probably cleaner than Sydney water. So take a spare bottle with your carry on in case they take your case. Don't forget you can take on 2 bottles of wine per cabin in your carry on.

Hugh

Congratulations Mic. Lots of good info you have shared. Hope to meet up on day.

Hugh

How did you go with this Hugh? I still have my double booking for my Feb 2015 cruise - the one I made with the early bird discount, with deposit due later this week, and the second booking they created with my next cruise certificate when they had second thoughts and decided I could use it (but without the early bird discount applied as yet). If I get a spare minute at work tomorrow I am going to give them another call and see if any progress.

Emailed them and its a no go if you have already assigned your next cruise certificate.

Well I will just get a new open booking next week then assign it myself the next day. Hopefully the cabin I want will still be available. Can't afford the high deposit on a new booking at the moment - too many other cruises etc to pay for just at the moment.

Hugh

Yes we have reservations at Pier One

 

 

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Top spot, right on the water and just a short walk to the OPT.

I just received a email from them with a quote for $88 for a 7 passenger van from Sydney International to a hotel in the Dawson Point Area. That was from towncars.com

 

 

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That's a good price. Would cost you $150 in 3 taxis with all the luggage.

You mentioned Dawson Point:confused: I presume you mean Dawes Point which is the peninsula of land around the Southern end of the bridge and includes the Park Hyatt and Pier One hotels.

Hugh

Hi,

 

Two of us. Tolerably savvy & mobile.

After exploring the coast & countryside for 8 days, we'll be dropping off a rented car at Sydney Int Airport, then we (and our luggage) are planning to go to White Bay terminal (for Princess) by train then a taxi hop.

No idea what time that'll be, but we have to be at the ship by mid-afternoon.

Town Hall station appears to be closest.

Would you (or others) recommend Museum, or St James, in preference to Town Hall?

 

Thanks

 

JB :)

Personally, I would drop my luggage off at White Bay before returning the car. From the city travel over the Anzac Bridge, stay far left lane and follow the blue signs to the cruise terminal. The road will take you back under the bridge. this is the same way that taxi should go. NOT off Victoria road as some of them have been doing and then having to turn back. Sufficient parking there for you to drop bags, right outside the building.

Coming back I would hop off the train at Museum and start walking down Market St - directly opposite the station's Elizabeth St exit. Hail the cab in Market St as it has a direct approach toward the Anzac Bridge, much faster and cheaper ride.

Been to jackie's blue hole, probably the same one.

Believe so. Great spot on a warm day.

http://www.nandabluehole.com/

47 here on Thursday? :eek: where did you see that?

 

Currently 45c here and a thunderstorm rolling by.

Well you can keep that where the sun don't shine

We have had glorious weather around Sydney around 28 but looks like you are about to send that hot stuff over here. Melbourne also very hot this time of year.

Always cooler at sea.