dawnvip

Interesting! I didn't know Costco offered Manulife travel insurance.

We have never flown in day of cruise departure (too much stress!!!) but you could do as others suggest and get a fully refundable back up ticket with Porter just in case? We booked our flight from Vancouver through FlightEase on HAL, so that if the pilots are on strike, it is up to HAL to get us to the boat on time!

The same menu that my Navigator App shows for Oosterdam November 2023, except the daily special is in blue and says grilled beef tenderloin?

Edit: the regulations changed last September: Require airlines to provide a passenger affected by a cancellation or a lengthy delay due to a situation outside the airline’s control with a confirmed reservation on the next available flight that is operated by them or a partner airline, leaving within 48 hours of the departure time indicated on the passenger's original ticket. If the airline cannot provide a confirmed reservation within this 48-hour period, it is required to provide, at the passenger's choice, a refund or rebooking

DH and I went with Manulife All inclusive Multi-trip plan: Manulife Travel Insurance for Canadians

As per the Air Passenger Protection Act & Regs, labour disruptions are considered outside the air carrier's control and therefore: In the event of a flight disruption outside of the airline's control, a large airline is required to rebook using the services of another (competing) airline, if the next available flight operated by them or an airline with which they have a commercial agreement does not depart within 48 hours of the end of the event that caused the disruption. If a large airline is unable to rebook a passenger on a flight leaving the same airport within 48 hours of the end of the event that caused the disruption, they have to book the passenger on a flight leaving another airport, if there is an option nearby. So this could mean that AC would not have to start re-booking or refunding passengers until 48 hours after the end of the strike. (emphasis my own)

Probably not the answer you are looking for, but it depends.... If you are talking about getting from airport to downtown, then a taxi will likely be cheaper as there are fixed fares. I recently took an Uber home from the airport and it was exactly the same price as my taxi to the airport. Short trips around town are usually cheaper with Uber, unless there is a peak pricing in effect.

Well it seems my patience and persistence has paid off - passport delivered today!! 😁 The passport was issued one week after my application and took a week to arrive (including the long weekend). It is the "old style" passport though, so I wonder if they've stopped issuing new style or just using up last of the old ones?

Good to know, thanks!

UK is not part of the EU any longer, and I have not heard anything about Britian starting up ETIA's (for Canadians). Do you have any links for reference?

I went with Ubigi and DH used Airalo esims during our UK adventures this summer. Ubigi had better coverage and connectivity, especially in the more remote locations of Highlands and Hebrides of Scotland. However, there was some serious battery drain with my phone that hasn't been an issue in the past and has gone away since turning off the Ubigi esim. We are booked for South America this winter, so will likely stick with Airalo from now on.

Last year, we took an Alaska cruise and rode skytrain to the Waterfront station. We walked into the Pan Pacific and then took the elevator down to the "cruise terminal level" where cruise passengers start the process by handing off their bags. It is a huge time saver in Vancouver if your bags are tagged ahead of arrival!!

A few things to report of my recent passport renewal: -zero appointments available at any office in BC in the next 30 days, so I'm prepared to wait. - spent 2.5 hours in line-up at passport office in Surrey to be told I would not be given a number because they could not process any more that day before closing at 4 PM (I reached the front of line at 10:50 AM) - next morning I went to a smaller (hoping to be quieter) Service Canada office at 8 AM (half hour before opening) to find a line-up outside of about 50 people. Took 2 hours to get to front of line, get a "number" and another 2 hours to actually see the agent for renewal. I clocked the time with an agent at about 15 min per person to renew passport (so I had a good idea how long it would take for my number to be called!) - the "check the status of your passport" website is a joke. Even though I have a file number and all required personal info, the site is actually a request for status update - which takes up to 10 DAYS for a response. My estimated date of arrival is 30 days after submission. - you cannot renew a passport that has more than 6 months remaining unless lost/stolen/out of pages for a visa - new passports have issues with curling/warping, especially in humid environments which some countries have an issue with, and may not accept, so be warned and keep new passports in a ziploc bag and between two heavy books when not in use!

No further news or meetings over the summer. Contract negotiations expected to resume in September.

Canada is low risk for TB, so assuming you don't have TB, are not pregnant, don't plan on working in or visiting a hospital/care facility in Australia, you won't need the medical exam. https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/electronic-travel-authority-601#Eligibility

Remember that passport validity is dependant on the country you are entering - in this case the USA. You cannot be denied entry into Canada if you are a Canadian citizen, even with an expired passport. Some cruise lines have the "valid for 6 months beyond trip completion" to cover their butts in the event of unforseen circumstances. For instance, if you are medically evacuated, or ship is re-routed, to another country that does require 6 months validity, then there could be problems.

We're hedging our bets by doing the same thing - buying tickets through HAL flightease. That way, if AC pilots do go on strike, HAL will be on the hook to get us to MIA for the cruise.

The https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/ is a great resource that shows smoke concentrations time-lapse.

There is a Starbuck's right at the entrance to Canada Place/Pan Pacific Hotel, and McDonald's across the street if you want something quick. If you're looking for something to have during the cruise, there is a Rexall Drugs in Waterfront Centre across the street. They sell chips, soda and other packaged foods.

I used the verified traveller line coming home from YYC last month. While I appreciated not having to dig out the liquids and laptop, or take off my shoes, there was still a substantial line up. Not sure if there was a "random screening" session or some other reason, but several people ahead of me walked thru the metal detector and then had to endure the wand/pat down/swab of their carry-on. It doesn't matter if its a verified traveller line or regular screening line-up, as soon as they start doing a wand/pat down on someone, the whole line-up grinds to a standstill. Moving the person to the side/secondary seems to be beyond our system's capabilities.

Thanks for your insights! I'll just order an uber when we arrive and see what the price is. I don't mind spending the money for the speed and convenience, but also hoping not to spend hundreds of $ for a transfer. Worst case scenario we can take the train.

The Metropolitan is also a Marriott hotel (as indicated earlier in the thread). I forgot about the Delta Suites - it is a nice hotel as well, also within walking distance of the port but no more "happening" than where the Met is, IMO

That sounds much more reasonable! I used the "reserve" feature on the Uber app using the same flight number but as a "dummy" reservation since our flight isn't until the fall.

DH and I are flying into MIA (direct flight) on a Sunday afternoon and are planning on staying in Ft Lauderdale for 2 nights before boarding our cruise. I'm looking for transfer suggestions - Uber quotes $150, and I'm fairly sure a taxi would be just as expensive. Are there transfer shuttles or train service from MIA to the Las Olas area?

The Metropolitan Hotel on Howe Street is an excellent hotel and they also have an excellent restaurant (Diva at the Met). It is abou the same distance to the port, a bit further if you want to walk along the waterfront, but closer to shopping.