julia

The only option I would consider is flying, period (border crossing and Seattle traffic would be a hard NO for me!) Getting to YVR from CP is easy, and there is a good light rail system to downtown Seattle from SeaTac.

@crystalspin We did your cruise this past Feb/Mar... it was SO great!! Without loyalty, I paid $210 for the unlimited laundry, and, (while it was really nice), I could have saved a bit of money by going with "by the bag" option. The bags held so much!!

6:00 am may be the "arrival" but ship walkoff typically begins around 7:30am. Day of week and # of ships disembarking in Seattle (there are two piers) will affect your commute to SeaTac. Having TSA Pre (or doing "spot saver") is essential at SeaTac, as the lines are long. If you are prompt, and this is a domestic flight, you should be okay.

It's fairly obvious that the OP does NOT care if he misses the SHIP (not boat) because he's not paying for anything. Enough said.

Yes, absolutely. Along with the above suggestion to join the roll call for your sailing (where many excursions are planned), please check out the "ports of call" boards here on Cruise Critic. It has lots of port-specific information for the self-explorer.

Long time cruiser here, just checking out some pricing for the fall of 2024 (comparing apples to apples, trust me). We sailed the Regatta, 7 night California coastal this past Sept in a C-2 verandah cabin for $3398 total fare. The EXACT same sailing, (in the exact same cabin) for Sept 2024 is $6198.... a $2800 increase!! That is SIMPLY MORE ridiculous! 😲😪

Your cruiseline status is irrelevant. What is relevant is your tolerance for gambling on an early flight. I'm sure it's been done, but I personally wouldn't.

Years ago, an employee in my office accidentally set her microwave popcorn to 30 minutes (instead of 3) in our lunchroom. The bag caught fire, ruined the microwave, and the burnt popcorn smell permeated the entire floor (for weeks!) Just sayin'.... 😲

Oh. my. gosh. 😲. I am sooo sorry to read this, and I'm truly hoping that O will make this right for you, and the others on this thread.

Yes.. print it ONCE. Announce it ONCE. Then be DONE. (So the rest of us responsible adults can enjoy our cruise). 😲😅

Great thread, as usual! I'd like to share a story about El Sombrero.... I've struck up many friendships on Cruise Critic over the 22 years since joining. One was with Cruisekitty, aka Debbie. We had not met "in person", but two years ago, we were to be in Juneau on the same day.... us on Nieuw Amsterdam, and she & Steve on Celebrity Millennium. We made plans to meet up at the El Sombrero (based on your recent postings). We had a great time together, laughing, drinking, and sharing cruise stories. Hours later, we all walked back to our ships in a cold, dark rain. Hugs all around, with hopes of sailing together soon. I remember texting them a beautiful pic of their ship as it sailed past our verandah. Debbie and I texted for over a year, but couldn't seem to get our sailings coordinated. Last spring, while waiting for our luggage at SAN for the K'dam South Pacific, my phone pinged a text from her. But shockingly, it was from Steve, who was letting me know that Debbie had passed away from lung cancer. We texted him our sad condolences and boarded with a heavy heart. She was a prolific and helpful poster here on Cruise Critic, and I miss her. So, thanks for helping us meet up at El Sombrero, and creating some lasting memories.

Agree.... recently on the Regatta, and had a yakkity CD who ended his many announcements with "and remember... always be kind to one another" (like we weren't?! 😲) Most annoying.

If you are referring to the Port of San Diego to the San Diego Airport, then you were indeed ripped off. Unfortunately, there is no fixed price (which would eliminate this bs), and the fare should have been $13-$17 before tip. So sorry this happened to you. @The-Inside-Cabin As always Pete, you've been most informative on this thread. Buckeye Strong!

Hi: that organizer worked really well.. five pockets, mesh. Held on door by magnets with hooks, on Koningsdam.

Nope, a ship shuttle will take much longer than an Uber or Lyft. We recently had a Lyft pickup at San Pedro at 8:30am on a Wed, with very heavy freeway traffic, and arrived at Terminal 7 in 45 minutes. Excellent service, very good driver. YMMV depending on day & time.

@Napagirl Recently was quoted $35 for a pedicab from Ferry Bldg to Pier 35... pretty steep! Taxi or ride share would be better. @CruiserBruce I somehow recall that luggage is not permitted on the F Trolley? They are older cars, and not designed for it. (But I could be mistaken).

I just read the above article and will say AGAIN that San Diego should invest some of the economic MILLIONS (that they reap from the cruise industry annually) into their terminal infrastructure! Signage, seating, elevators, etc. would make it a smoother experience.

Yes, and as there's NO clear signage or dedicated lines outside the port in San Diego... 4*,5* and CO can (and do) jump lines. As an ex-San Diegan who has sailed from there often, the convenient location of the port is far overshadowed by the unorganized chaos that we've often experienced. The facilities are old and unwelcoming, and there's no seating until you've been queued in several lines for hours (sometimes in hot sun). Arriving later is our go-to option in San Diego.

Recently off Regatta, our 33rd cruise, first time on O. We have always booked verandah cabins, which work fine for us. I'd read many posts about the bathrooms on this class, and was prepared for it, but the small shower was still shocking. 😲 Really. My guy is 6'5", 250, and he had to stand sideways (never complained) to shower. It was manageable for the week, but could be a deciding factor when considering a long cruise.

Ouch.... not good! Recently off the Regatta and the cruise director (Carson) was very loud and yakky on the speaker several times a day. It was annoying.

@tupper10 We stayed at the L'Hermitage last year and really loved it... beautiful hotel! Enjoy the Noordam... great ship, great crew!

@rialannah... thank you for the replies, appreciated!

Thx for the assist @LHT28! 😲 Our goal is to watch the Ohio State-Notre Dame 🏈 game next Sat afternoon. I've gleaned enough information to know that the ship is not an option, and streaming to our tablet may not be that good. Fortunately, we're docked in San Francisco on Sat-Sun, so a sports bar is DEFINITELY an option! Any suggestions for a "locals" sports bar would be appreciated!

Does anyone have a recommendation for a decent sports bar, walkable from Pier 35, that is not totally touristy (as in not on the Embarcadero or Pier 39)? I've googled a few, but not sure.... looking for Sat afternoon college football games. Thx!!

Whaaat?? This is NOT posted to your roll call... however, I appreciate the info.