Could PVSA finally be gone for good.

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, Blizzard54 said:

Another option would be to spend a couple days at the airport.  You could rent a car for the drive to the Boeing factory in Everett.  You can get to Pike Place market by taking the light rail from the airport.  If you stay near the market you have expensive hotels and high parking rates for the rental.  You can then shuttle to the pier when the time comes.  With 4 of you I believe UberXL or a VanTaxi would be the best options..

Excellent idea, thanks.

[Iamcruzin]

3 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

 

There is a market because millions live in the Northeast and driving to the port is convienient. They don't care that much about itinerary. Almost all my cruises out of New York/New Jersey have been to Bermuda. Bermuda is an island paradise and I prefer Bermuda to any of the Caribbean. I would not book the Oasis itinerary except that we have a group that cruises every year and Oasis class ships and Royal Carribean in general is good for groups. You have stuff for the old folks, younger folks and children. So that could be an exception for me as Oasis class can be a destination and the ports can be ignored. I have been on every Oasis class ship except the newest one but only with groups. I would not book that class otherwise.

Bermuda is a cruise destination. I don't see any appeal in Boston, New York and Florida for an itinerary. Granted I live in NY but what will you see in Manhattan in a few hours. You will be sitting in traffic and waiting in lines for the most part. 

[Iamcruzin]

4 hours ago, Biker19 said:

The RCI bean counters think plenty of folks.

They are not sailing the suggested Boston, NY Florida itinerary as suggested. 

[Charles4515]

58 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

Bermuda is a cruise destination. I don't see any appeal in Boston, New York and Florida for an itinerary. Granted I live in NY but what will you see in Manhattan in a few hours. You will be sitting in traffic and waiting in lines for the most part. 

 

I walked the Freedom Trail in Boston and had draft beer at a brewery near the port. Florida, I took a tour of NASA. New York, I would do MOMA. 

[Tree_skier]

6 hours ago, whitshel said:

If you're going to rent a car and will be there for a couple days, definitely take a trip to the Kitsap Peninsula.  Poulsbo, Silverdale, Port Townsend and most of all Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains.  A totally different vibe and speed than Seattle

Very good advice!  I love that area.

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, Blizzard54 said:

If you stay near the market you have expensive hotels and high parking rates for the rental.

This is very true.  When I stay in Seattle I rarely stay downtown anymore.  Probably been at least 10 years since I have.

[Blizzard54]

17 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Very good advice!  I love that area.

I have only been to Poulsbo once and that was by boat.  I have been to Port Ludlow by car and by boat.  Those are the only places I have been on the peninsula.  Rather amazing since we live so close but we have spent almost all our vacation time on cruise ships.    I hope to tour the whole peninsula in our RV soon.

[zekekelso]

3 hours ago, Iamcruzin said:

Bermuda is a cruise destination. I don't see any appeal in Boston, New York and Florida for an itinerary. Granted I live in NY but what will you see in Manhattan in a few hours. You will be sitting in traffic and waiting in lines for the most part. 

when you live in New York you get jaded and forget how awesome just being in New York can be for people who have never been there. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for many it’s a true bucket list moment. 

[Charles4515]

39 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

when you live in New York you get jaded and forget how awesome just being in New York can be for people who have never been there. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for many it’s a true bucket list moment. 

 

The sailaway out of New York is a great experience on its own. New York skyscrapers, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Islands. 

[MamaFej]

Another western WA area that's nice to visit is about an hour or so from Poulsbo: The Sequim area has lovely lavender farms. Very pretty.

[Baowen]

4 hours ago, MamaFej said:

Another western WA area that's nice to visit is about an hour or so from Poulsbo: The Sequim area has lovely lavender farms. Very pretty.

I would highly recommend taking that drive up to Sequim and Port Angeles. You can take the ferry for around $15  to Bainbridge Island and then up the Olympic Peninsula.  It's another breathtaking area of this beautiful state! 

[Tree_skier]

15 hours ago, MamaFej said:

Another western WA area that's nice to visit is about an hour or so from Poulsbo: The Sequim area has lovely lavender farms. Very pretty.

If driving a little ways isn't a problem La Conner is a neat place for a day trip and a little shopping.  It' about an hour and half north of Seatac. 

 

[Tree_skier]

I thought I would resurrect this thread with an update.  On this and other threads I was eviscerated for suggesting that this could become permanent.  I was even accused by one poster of hating Canada, a country of which I am a citizen and in whose military I have served,  for suggesting the federal governments policies and the provicial governments unwillingness to communicate could lead to the serious damage to the Canadian tourism sector.

 

Sadly, I'm looking more and more like a prophet.

 

https://www.travelweek.ca/news/more-on-the-proposed-alaska-cruise-ship-legislation-and-b-c-ports-bypass/

Edited September 19, 2021 by Tree_skier

[SRF]

On 6/19/2021 at 8:42 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

we were looking forward to doing was the Boeing factory tour.  

 

There is a very nice aviation museum also.

 

https://www.airplanemuseums.com/museum-of-flight.htm

 

Nearby, we ate at Randy's Restaurant.  Basically a diner, but with aviation theme. A lot of model aircraft hanging from the ceiling.

 

[zekekelso]

22 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

Sadly, I'm looking more and more like a prophet.

Im not going to eviscerate you, but I’d bet this goes nowhere. We’ll see. 

[Tree_skier]

So it would appear that once again the Canadian Federal Government is bound and determined to work against their peoples own best interest and throw a monkey wrench into the Alaska cruise season.  After waiting an interminable amount of time to release their rules for cruise ships to return to Canada, they finally let the cruise lines know what is required and of course the rules will, for all practical purposes, scuttle the Alaskan season for every major cruise line. Among other things, the rules require 100% vaccination without any exemption for children unable to be vaccinated as well a requirement that their plan submitted include a masking protocol which are no longer required by the CDC, with the release of the new guidelines.   The Canadian requirements vastly exceed the CDC's most strict requirements since the restart.

 

Well done to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). You once again prove there are no bigger dingbat public health officials out there anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.

 

The Alaskan congressional delegation, of course, is requesting an extension to the bill that was passed last year that allowed them to skip Canadian ports.  There is no reason to suspect that this won't quickly and easily pass just like last year.  

 

What needs needs to happen is a serious discussion about how to make this extension permanent.  Victoria is worthless stop that is essentially just a technical stop to fulfill the requirements of PVSA.  My upcoming August cruise aboard Ovation is arriving at 5pm and leaves again at 10pm.  I wouldn't skip dinner to get off the ship in Victoria for such a short period time.  At best you have time for a bus ride to and a rushed walk through Butchart Gardens or short wander through the inner harbor and up Government St to buy overpriced t-shirts and a short look at the out of the legislative assembly.  You can't even peak inside the door of the legislature since it is closed to the public from 4pm onwards

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/alaska-cruises-at-risk-due-to-canada-requirements/66809

 

https://tc.canada.ca/en/initiatives/covid-19-measures-updates-guidance-issued-transport-canada/canada-s-cruise-ship-instructional-reference-tool

 

https://www.ktoo.org/2022/02/18/alaska-tourism-restoration-extension-act-for-cruises/

Edited March 1, 2022 by Tree_skier

[time4u2go]

3 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

So it would appear that once again the Canadian Federal Government is bound and determined to work against their peoples own best interest and throw a monkey wrench into the Alaska cruise season.  After waiting an interminable amount of time to release their rules for cruise ships to return to Canada, they finally let the cruise lines know what is required and of course the rules will, for all practical purposes, scuttle the Alaskan season for every major cruise line. Among other things, the rules require 100% vaccination without any exemption for children unable to be vaccinated as well a requirement that their plan submitted include a masking protocol.  The requirements vastly exceed the CDC's most strict requirements since the restart.

 

Well done to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). You once again prove there are no bigger dingbat public health officials out there anywhere in Western Hemisphere.

 

The Alaskan congressional delegation, of course, is requesting an extension to the bill that was passed last year that allowed them to skip Canadian ports.  There is no reason to suspect that this won't quickly and easily pass just like last year.  

 

What needs needs to happen is a serious discussion about how to make this extension permanent.  Victoria is worthless stop that is essentially just a technical stop to fulfill the requirements of PVSA.  My upcoming August cruise aboard Ovation is arriving at 5pm and leaves again at 10pm.  I wouldn't skip dinner to get off the ship in Victoria for such a short period time.  At best you have time for a bus ride to and a rushed walk through Butchart Gardens or short wander through the inner harbor and up Government St to buy overpriced t-shirts and a short look at the out of the legislative assembly.  You can't even peak inside the door of the legislature since it is closed to the public from 4pm onwards

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/alaska-cruises-at-risk-due-to-canada-requirements/66809

 

https://tc.canada.ca/en/initiatives/covid-19-measures-updates-guidance-issued-transport-canada/canada-s-cruise-ship-instructional-reference-tool

 

https://www.ktoo.org/2022/02/18/alaska-tourism-restoration-extension-act-for-cruises/

How does this "scuttle the Alaskan season for every major cruise line"?  I'm going on a Princess cruise to Alaska this year.  I would bet there are few (if any) children aboard.  And I would bet that most people would be willing to wear masks, if necessary.

[Tree_skier]

12 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

How does this "scuttle the Alaskan season for every major cruise line"?  I'm going on a Princess cruise to Alaska this year.  I would bet there are few (if any) children aboard.  And I would bet that most people would be willing to wear masks, if necessary.

It requires 100% vaccination.  Not 95%, not 98%, not 99.974378 percent... 100%!   That means no unvaccinated children under any circumstances.  A few is still too many. I have friends who are booked on Princess and they are booked with young unvaccinated children.

 

Also, all cruise lines are removing masking protocols.  If you think for one second they'll re-implement them for these specific itineraries you're dreaming.  There would be mass cancellation.  I know I would cancel in a heart beat.  

 

I should have been more specific in my scuttle statement.  "It will scuttle the Canadian stop for cruises leaving Seattle and will possibly scuttle departure for some lines from Vancouver". The likely passing of the extension to last years exemption will leave the cruises going from Seattle just without a Canadian stop. Perhaps lines like HAL might be willing to go 100% no kids.

Edited March 1, 2022 by Tree_skier

[ADunk]

We are book on the only Oasis OTS Canadian sailing for 2022. After reading Canada's new guidance, I'm wondering if we really will be going North!

 

I interpreted the vax rule to be 100% of eligible passengers to be fully vaxed. Doesnt affect us but still. More notable I am wondering about Canada's testing requirements now. They say you have to have a negative test 24 hours prior to arrival at the boarder. We leave 6/5 and arrive in Canada on 6/7, 36 hours later. So is Royal going to test us all at sea twice? I know the kiddos were being tested onboard but testing 100 kids vs 1000 adults is a big logistical difference. 

 

Since we are only a 5 nighter, I wonder what they will do if they cancel Canada. Could we reach Coco on a 5 night cruise or would they lengthen ours to the standard 7 night? Food for thought! 

[Tree_skier]

35 minutes ago, ADunk said:

I interpreted the vax rule to be 100% of eligible passengers to be fully vaxed

After reading the actual text of the Canadian regs it was  clear there is no exceptions if you classed as a passenger.  100% vaccination required.  I never even considered the implications to the NE/Canada itineraries this fall. That is another blow to Canadians who work in the hospitality sector.

[barbeyg]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

It requires 100% vaccination.  Not 95%, not 98%, not 99.974378 percent... 100%!   That means no unvaccinated children under any circumstances.  A few is still too many. I have friends who are booked on Princess and they are booked with young unvaccinated children.

And they haven’t said yet whether fully vaccinated will require boosters. 🙄 I think these officials have been locked up in their homes too long.  

 

We are trying to sail AK for the third year now, with two older relatives. I really hope the AK delegation gets an extension on the bypass. We can’t all sit around and wait for the hoops these bureaucrats will require us all to jump thru. We’d like to visit all the ports, but if Canada isn’t ready to host us, let’s bypass. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

[jk04]

2 minutes ago, barbeyg said:

And they haven’t said yet whether fully vaccinated will require boosters. 🙄 I think these officials have been locked up in their homes too long.  

 

We are trying to sail AK for the third year now, with two older relatives. I really hope the AK delegation gets an extension on the bypass. We can’t all sit around and wait for the hoops these bureaucrats will require us all to jump thru. We’d like to visit all the ports, but if Canada isn’t ready to host us, let’s bypass. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 

I wouldn't have a problem with that, more time in Ketchikan rather than a late night in Victoria.  We are on a different cruise line but have a group going in early June.

[smokeybandit]

6 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

After reading the actual text of the Canadian regs it was  clear there is no exceptions if you classed as a passenger.  100% vaccination required.

 

The actual text of the Canadian regs says only those 12 years (12 years and 4 months to be exact) are included in that 100%

[twangster]

1 hour ago, Tree_skier said:

So it would appear that once again the Canadian Federal Government is bound and determined to work against their peoples own best interest and throw a monkey wrench into the Alaska cruise season.  After waiting an interminable amount of time to release their rules for cruise ships to return to Canada, they finally let the cruise lines know what is required and of course the rules will, for all practical purposes, scuttle the Alaskan season for every major cruise line. Among other things, the rules require 100% vaccination without any exemption for children unable to be vaccinated as well a requirement that their plan submitted include a masking protocol which are no longer required by the CDC, with the release of the new guidelines.   The Canadian requirements vastly exceed the CDC's most strict requirements since the restart.

 

Well done to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). You once again prove there are no bigger dingbat public health officials out there anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.

 

The Alaskan congressional delegation, of course, is requesting an extension to the bill that was passed last year that allowed them to skip Canadian ports.  There is no reason to suspect that this won't quickly and easily pass just like last year.  

 

What needs needs to happen is a serious discussion about how to make this extension permanent.  Victoria is worthless stop that is essentially just a technical stop to fulfill the requirements of PVSA.  My upcoming August cruise aboard Ovation is arriving at 5pm and leaves again at 10pm.  I wouldn't skip dinner to get off the ship in Victoria for such a short period time.  At best you have time for a bus ride to and a rushed walk through Butchart Gardens or short wander through the inner harbor and up Government St to buy overpriced t-shirts and a short look at the out of the legislative assembly.  You can't even peak inside the door of the legislature since it is closed to the public from 4pm onwards

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/alaska-cruises-at-risk-due-to-canada-requirements/66809

 

https://tc.canada.ca/en/initiatives/covid-19-measures-updates-guidance-issued-transport-canada/canada-s-cruise-ship-instructional-reference-tool

 

https://www.ktoo.org/2022/02/18/alaska-tourism-restoration-extension-act-for-cruises/

 

The ATRA that passed last year named specific ships so if they simply extend it that will wreak it's own havoc.  

 

It's more complicated this year at least for Royal as they tend to send ships from Vancouver through Hawaii to Australia after Alaska.   ATRA included nothing for that and the named ships doesn't include everything Royal might need for 2022 and beyond down under.

 

The problem with fixing the PVSA is the explosive can of worms that is opened once you get past the surface of the issue as it relates to the cruise industry.

 

I'm still amazed ATRA actually passed last year and wasn't challenged by anyone.

 

I don't like Canada controlling tourism in any state.  Way too much power for a foreign entity.  The solution though gets complex pretty quickly.  

Edited March 1, 2022 by twangster

[jk04]

2 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

So it would appear that once again the Canadian Federal Government is bound and determined to work against their peoples own best interest and throw a monkey wrench into the Alaska cruise season.

Reposted the links from your post over on a Princess thread about the same subject.  This is going to have some conversation around it, I'm sure.