JT1962

From Cruise Fever: Beginning September 5, 2022, all travelers, regardless of vaccination status, can take a cruise on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise ships from a few homeports. Unvaccinated travelers can cruise from the following homeports as long as they meet any testing requirements: Cruises from Los Angeles, California Cruises from Galveston, Texas Cruises from New Orleans, Louisiana Cruises from a European homeport However, only guests showing a valid vaccination card will be able to get off the ship in Grand Cayman. Guests who are not “up to date” on their vaccination per EMA standards will need to take a test onboard in order to get off the ship in Greece and Spain. https://cruisefever.net/royal-caribbean-ditching-vaccine-requirement-for-some-homeports-in-the-u-s/

Bliss is scheduled to use the Railroad Aft (RRA) dock in 9/27. You will tender from the dock to the small boat harbor. https://www.skagway.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/skagway_visitor_department/page/33137/aug_5_2022_update_skagway_cruise_ship_schedule.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0RmSq_aZ3PfkfX1eeTVKjoz3dsMeZx6auBicjL6vxKu6JqQ8ahHv-K3QQ

Here is a link to an updated schedule for Skagway. Those at Railroad Aft Dock (RRA) will use tenders from the dock to the small boat harbor. Those using the Ore and Broadway dock will be docked as usual and no tenders will be used. https://www.skagway.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/skagway_visitor_department/page/33137/aug_5_2022_update_skagway_cruise_ship_schedule.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0RmSq_aZ3PfkfX1eeTVKjoz3dsMeZx6auBicjL6vxKu6JqQ8ahHv-K3QQ

I was on the Splendor in May and the Ecstasy in June, and there were no pre-made sandwiches at the deli. All of the sandwiches were made as you ordered and had lots of meat on them.

Below is a link to the updated information for Skagway. The Carnival ships are small enough to use the Ore Dock, so shouldn’t be affected or have to tender. https://www.skagway.org/sites/default/files/fileattachments/skagway_visitor_department/page/33137/aug_5_2022_update_skagway_cruise_ship_schedule.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0RmSq_aZ3PfkfX1eeTVKjoz3dsMeZx6auBicjL6vxKu6JqQ8ahHv-K3QQ

Carnival is offering ridiculously low prices. I went 8 days to Alaska for $ 125, 5 days to Mexico from Mobile for $ 90, both solo. I get offers almost daily for solo rates of $20 per day or less. Those are not Casino rates. If it was not for expensive airfares, I would book several more.

Yes, the NCL pricing strategy of not giving large discounts to get people onboard seems to be a bad decision. I doubt the decision to change the Covid requirements will make much difference, because the other lines will soon fall in line with their requirements as well. NCL will likely need to offer better pricing as well to get the occupancy rates up.

I have to believe the most recent financial results sped up the decision to modify the testing and vaccine requirements. Sailing at 65% capacity when the competition is nearing 100% or more isn’t good for the bottom line. “(Reuters) - Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd forecast a loss for the current quarter and revenue below estimates as occupancy rates remained stubbornly below pre-pandemic levels, sending its shares down 12% on Tuesday. Its second-quarter occupancy of 65% compared with more than 107% in 2019, a level the company does not expect to reach till the second quarter next year. In contrast, rival Royal Caribbean Group forecast triple-digit occupancy by the end of this year and Carnival Cruise Line expects to approach 110% during its current quarter.” https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/norwegian-cruise-misses-revenue-estimates-occupancy-constraints-2022-08-09/

There seems to be confusion after the additional rockslide on Friday. Some articles are saying they closed the railroad dock for the year, however, I think it is only the Forward Berth and the Aft Berth will still be used with passengers tendering to the small boat harbor. Here are a couple of articles. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens when ships actually sail in the coming weeks. https://www.cruisehive.com/another-rockslide-in-skagway-dock-to-remain-closed-for-2022/78411 https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/more-rockslides-hit-white-pass-yukon-dock-in-skagway/

ACT is Anchor Cruise Terminal. You will anchor and tender to the Cruise Terminal dock. https://claalaska.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Berth-Codes.pdf

Just switching to proctored Monkeypox testing 😆

NCL is also dropping testing for all vaccinated passengers as well. Subject to any port requirements, of course.

I cruised with MSC in January and loved it and am booked for 19 days in October. Very low solo rates and the things I enjoy are included. It’s nice to not have to pay a higher base fare for things I won’t be using.

MSC currently charges extra for Shrimp Cocktail and Steak in the main dining room, other than elegant night, unless you are in the Yacht Club level dining room. Many complain about this, but would also complain if they raised the base fares $ 10-20 a day to be able to offer “free” shrimp cocktail and steak every evening.

After Sept 2, Norwegian is dropping testing requirements for all cruises for those that are vaccinated and allowing unvaccinated to cruise with a negative Covid test. Certain itineraries May still require a vaccine and / or test, based on port requirements. Hopefully other cruise lines will follow. https://cruiseradio.net/norwegian-cruise-line-drops-covid-19-vaccine-requirements-welcomes-everyone-to-sail/

Norwegian Cruise Line is dropping testing requirements for vaccinated passengers for all cruises and allowing unvaccinated passengers after Sept 2. Certain itineraries may still require testing and / or vaccines, based on the requirements of the ports visited. https://cruiseradio.net/norwegian-cruise-line-drops-covid-19-vaccine-requirements-welcomes-everyone-to-sail/

The free gondola runs between the 2 port areas - the original pier, now called Adventure Landing, and the new pier built with NCL, called Wilderness Landing. The Wilderness Landing area is where you can board the Gondola that takes you to the top of the mountain, which costs $ 49. There is a nice trail between the 2 pier areas. I recommend walking from Adventure Landing to Wilderness Landing and taking the free gondola back, since it is primarily downhill in that direction, lol.

Whale watching with Glacier Winds. If they are booked, try Hoonah Travel Adventures. Both were excellent.

There is a dock, so if there is no other ship there, you should not have to tender. The best option in Haines is the Kroschel Wildlife Center. You can book this through the ship, however, we rented a car for the day, went to the Kroschel wildlife Center, Chilkat & Chilkoot State Parks and drove the Haines Hwy to the border. The cost was not much more than the ship was charging for one person to go to Kroschel. You can also usually do excursions to Skagway, using the fast ferry. I would probably book anything going to Skagway through the ship, just to ensure the ship will wait for you if there is a delay in getting back

It sounds like another ship with propulsion issues. Most of the cruise lines currently have at least one ship that cannot maintain its normal speed. I have to think that the long lay up during Covid is related to these issues.

You will need to complete 2 ArriveCAN submissions. 1. For boarding the ship, choose arrival by ship at Ogden Point A & B. 2. Once you board the ship, no more than 3 days prior to arriving in Skagway, complete a land border crossing for your Skagway day into Canada with the entry point as Fraser. Save screenshots of both, as cell service may not always work. It is confusing because you actually arrive in Skagway before Victoria, but you need one to board the ship and another one to cross the land border from Skagway to Canada.

If you are in Juneau from at least 7 AM to 7 PM, check Adventure Bound. It is a small boat that does a trip to Tracy arm fjord. It is one of the best excursions we have done.

Glad you enjoyed it. I was on Ecstasy in June and was pleasantly surprised at the condition of the ship since it is leaving the fleet on a couple of months. The debarkation issues were the same on my cruise.

The only other thing I can come up with if those aren’t the answer is that Carnival wants to be the first major cruise line to go bankrupt. Maybe the new CEO wants to get out from under all of the debt they are in quickly.

Yes, those examples were something many find important, but they are trivial to me since I don’t use them. Those may be important to you. The other items were trivial to you, since you did not regularly use them. But obviously many found some of them important, based on the comments. Everyone has items that are important to them, but trivial to others. The point is, the small cuts add up over time and reduce the onboard experience. I am sure more cuts will come because they need to cut costs to survive. At some point, something will be cut that most everyone thinks is important to them.