BarbinMich

I'm so glad you're doing a "Live From"!! I was supposed to be on this cruise but realized I forgot to pack my medicines just before boarding so I had to fly back home.😟 Barb in Mich

My husband and I spent a number of one-week stays on Maui after he retired. It was so heartbreaking to see the results of the fire. I, too, hope the magnificent banyan tree survives!!

I was also very sad to see the site disappear without notice. It's where I kept the details of all our many cruises!

Looking forward to your reports on this cruise as I'm doing a similar one on the Rotterdam in August! Have a great criuse!!

I did this cruise on the Crown last May and enjoyed it very much. I was hoping for maximum snow around Glacier Bay and was not disappointed! Have a great time!

Thanks for the info! I missed the Princess cruise in Jan. that stopped at Guadeloupe [accidentally picked up my late DH's passport instead of my own]. As another big "Death in Paradise" fan, a very big disappointment.

Thanks for all the tips!

Thanks for the pretty photo! For many years my late husband and I used to spend two weeks in Hawaii in January (1 wk on one island, 2nd wk on another). We were well acquainted with the chickens, esp. on Kauai where we rented a house for a week. Certainly didn't need an alarm clock and driving was hazardous there and elsewhere! Eventually learned that Hurricane Iniki (1992) helped "free" all the chickens, at least on Kauai!

I look forward to your reports as I'll be on the Rotterdam (for the first time) in August as she sails from Amsterdam to Norway and back! Bon voyage!!

Looking forward to your reports! Such a historic cruise!! I'll be on the Rotterdam for the first time this August as she sails from Amsterdam to Norway and back.

I treated my sister to an Alaskan cruise as a retirement present. She had never been, but I'd been multiple times with my late husband. Booked for Sept. for right after she retired. It was rainy and the glaciers were much less impressive than in the spring/early summer, especially Margerie Glacier in Glacier N. P. Mostly bare rock as the glacier had receded considerably from its May position.

Sorry for the confusion. I'm flying to Amsterdam on Aug. 10 and will sail on Aug. 12.

I was at HMC on the Eurodam in Nov. 2021. Enjoyed "Historic Nature Walk" around the area beyond the beach with a naturalist.

I'll be on the Rotterdam (1st time) from Aug. 10-24 for B2B 7-day cruises out of Amsterdam ("Best of Norway"). 1st week the ship visits Eidfjord, Alesund, Geiranger, Bergen, 2 days at sea. 2nd week the ship visits different Oslofjord, Kristiansand, Ulvik, and Sognefjord, 2 days at sea. [I've only been to Bergen and Kristiansand so really looking forward to this cruise!]

I'll be on the Oosterdam for an EB TA from Apr 10-24 (FLA to Italy) and on the Rotterdam for 2 BTB 1-week cruises in Aug.12 -26 (2 1-week cruises RT from Amsterdam to Scandanavia).

When my great aunt traveled to Alaska back in the 1920s or so, Mendenhall came out to the highway. We've been there several times and there's really nothing to see of the glacier unless perhaps you hike to it (never have done that). From the Visitors Center you can't see the glacier. 😒

For my Alaska cruise last May I opted to pick up my medallion at the port (Seattle) and it didn't take very long once there to get it.

Thanks for this info! I may try this out as I have been in Rome several times and done the RR to the port at least once, which is kind of a hassle.

My late DH and I sailed to Alaska out of San Francisco several years ago. We usually do the Inside Passage route. But I enjoyed the SF cruise (love the city and first time sailing under the GG Bridge on a cruise ship). The second day we were at sea (no land in sight, except in the far distance), but we were lucky to see some seals swimming along side! I sailed to Alaska last May out of Seattle for the first time and enjoyed revisiting the city. I think I was on the first cruise of the season on the Crown P. It was the earliest I had been to the state and I picked it on purpose so as to see the glaciers at their snowiest. Was not disappointed!! Also, at Skagway I took the little train that runs into Canada for a bit and there was a lot of snow along the tracks up there! Weather was great--blue sky and mild temps.

Here's an article I just found online: https://www.tripsavvy.com/venice-cruise-ship-ban-5193260. The ban started in 2019. " By STEFANIE WALDEK Updated on 07/21/21 Fact checked by JILLIAN DARA By STEFANIE WALDEK Updated on 07/21/21 Fact checked by JILLIAN DARA Buena Vista Images / Getty Images In 2019, UNESCO warned that Venice could be irrevocably damaged if the local government refused to ban large cruise ships from the centrally located San Marco basin, the San Marco canal, and the Giudecca canal. The organization eventually threatened to add the coastal city to its blacklist of endangered World Heritage Sites. Fortunately for Venice's UNESCO status, the government has finally taken action. After years of protests by environmental and cultural conservation groups, Venice will officially ban large cruise ships—those longer than 590 feet and heavier than 25,000 tons—beginning Aug. 1. But the move is a largely controversial one. Venice is one of the most touristed cities in Italy, with some 1.5 million passengers arriving by some 400 cruise ships each year (before the pandemic, that is). One of the arguments for the ban is that these large ships could potentially damage the city's fragile ecosystem of canals. Another is that the ships contribute greatly to overtourism—Venice's pedestrian streets along the canals are often utterly mobbed by tourists. On the opposite side of the aisle, local businesses are protesting the decision to ban the ships, saying they will suffer without the big crowds. Ultimately, both proponents and opponents of the large cruise ship ban have flaws in their arguments. Venice will still be open to cruise ships in general, but they will have to dock outside the city at less picturesque ports. The scenario is not unlike Rome's—cruise ships that add the Eternal City to their itineraries actually dock nearly 40 miles away in Civitavecchia. Cruise ships provide shuttles from the port to the Italian capital. The issue right now is that there are no ports near Venice that are a good fit for large cruise ships. However, the Italian government has authorized the construction of temporary docks in nearby Marghera, a cargo port some 13 miles outside Venice, and a permanent dock elsewhere along the coast. As such, Venice will still attract hoards of cruise ship tourists, which means that overtourism will likely still be a major problem. On the flip side, there will still be plenty of business to shops and restaurants. Plus, the legislation that includes the ban also provides government aid for affected businesses. The only direct benefit of the large cruise ship ban is that Venice's ecosystem will get a much-needed break from the ships, which is a pretty strong reason to support the ban overall.

I just ran across this topic as I'm not on this cruise. We were in Venice back in the 2010's (can't find the exact date). We docked in Venice, but I think the following year or so, Venice disallowed large cruise ships which then had to dock on the mainland. So this has been going on for quite awhile.

Glad to hear that. We've sailed with him several times and I like him. He was supposed to be the captain on my Alaska cruise last May, but wasn't so glad to hear I'll see him in January on the Enchanted.

And GB is so much better than Hubbard. We saw the latter while on a Celebrity ship years ago. It's right on the coast and not inland like Glacier Bay (i.e. surrounded by lots of mountains).

Thanks for updating that information!

I've done Alaskan cruises on both those lines multiple times (also have did one on Celebrity back in the 90s). Princess ships are generally larger than HAL ships, so the latter visits a few ports that Princess can't. However, I've never done a southbound one, always have done northbound. Where do you depart from? Seward? In looking at my past itineraries, HAL ships visited a few ports that Princess never does, probably because the latter''s ships are larger. For example, College Fjiord is never visited by those two lines; we were there on a Celebrity ship--CF is magnificent, especially early in the season when there's still a lot of snow around. Also, we stopped at Sitka on a HAL ship (well worth it). Happy travels!