Cruise ships allowed to return to Canada on Nov 1.

[fisherguy]

A little too late for the Alaska cruise season.  Possible Pacific Coastal Cruises?

 

https://www.660citynews.com/2021/07/15/canada-cruise-ban-end-nov/

 

 

[Oceansaway17]

well I think they had to post after this season as to not interfere with Biden's special ruling for sailing to and from Seattle.

It think that was nice of them to not bother this year.

 

Glad for next year unless another darn virus shows up.  keep fingers crossed

[xpcdoojk]

Very popular time of the year for Canada cruises!  They could have just said May 1, 2022.  Same thing.  

[d9704011]

May be looking for a little icebreaker support by then.

[dswallow]

Kinda wish the US would just stop the PVSA nonsense; we really have no use for Canada on the Alaska side of cruising; it's mostly just a waste of a day that could be better used elsewhere. The east coast is the only side with ports in Canada people actually choose a cruise in order to visit (OK, that may be stretching it just a little; not sure that many people care about those ports vs just the cruise).

[d9704011]

3 minutes ago, dswallow said:

Kinda wish the US would just stop the PVSA nonsense; we really have no use for Canada on the Alaska side of cruising; it's mostly just a waste of a day that could be better used elsewhere. The east coast is the only side with ports in Canada people actually choose a cruise in order to visit (OK, that may be stretching it just a little; not sure that many people care about those ports vs just the cruise).

I guess you're not angling for a job with Destination Canada?

[fisherguy]

22 minutes ago, dswallow said:

Kinda wish the US would just stop the PVSA nonsense; we really have no use for Canada on the Alaska side of cruising; it's mostly just a waste of a day that could be better used elsewhere. The east coast is the only side with ports in Canada people actually choose a cruise in order to visit (OK, that may be stretching it just a little; not sure that many people care about those ports vs just the cruise).

Some cruisers actually like starting out their cruise in Vancouver and also don't forget that cruising the Inside Passage would not be allowed if Canadian ports were cut out.  Maybe fine in the summer but it can get mighty rough in the open pacific during the shoulder season.

[tottenhamfc]

For some reason some US residents seem to think that the US decides where and when the port stops are utilized. Wrong, it is the cruise lines that decide the itinerary. The only reason that Vancouver was bumped was because of a global virus which we have handled extremely well I might add. If you compare Seattle to Vancouver and Victoria I know where I would like to start or end my cruise. Seattle is not in the same league. 

[dswallow]

11 minutes ago, tottenhamfc said:

For some reason some US residents seem to think that the US decides where and when the port stops are utilized. Wrong, it is the cruise lines that decide the itinerary. The only reason that Vancouver was bumped was because of a global virus which we have handled extremely well I might add. If you compare Seattle to Vancouver and Victoria I know where I would like to start or end my cruise. Seattle is not in the same league. 

 

The cruise lines can only decide the itinerary that the laws of the relevant countries permit them to operate. There's probably decent reason to have the option of Vancouver as an embarkation/debarkation port for an Alaska cruise, if for no other reason than it generally skips over US Customs & Immigration laws that may be more limiting in who could enter the country to get on the ship in the first place.

 

But if a cruise line chooses to depart from Seattle, they are forced by US law to include a Canadian port (Canada for practical purposes being the only other country within reasonable distances for a 7-night sailing from which to choose a port) in order to be able to sail their ship to Alaskan ports. Whether Canada has some similar legal verbiage with regard to sailing in Canadian waters within the inside passage, I don't know, but apparently there may be. But from the point of view of someone seeking an Alaskan cruise, I have little doubt the vast majority of them couldn't care less about a port stop in Victoria, BC, Nanaimo, BC or Prince Rupert, BC. Those are port visits that exist purely and solely to work around legal requirements for the cruise ships to have the rest of the itineraries they have.

(And yeah, technically they do have the alternative of building a new cruise ship at a US facility and staffing it with a crew holding appropriate work visas, I suppose. :))

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by dswallow

[not-enough-cruising]

18 minutes ago, tottenhamfc said:

For some reason some US residents seem to think that the US decides where and when the port stops are utilized. Wrong, it is the cruise lines that decide the itinerary. The only reason that Vancouver was bumped was because of a global virus which we have handled extremely well I might add. If you compare Seattle to Vancouver and Victoria I know where I would like to start or end my cruise. Seattle is not in the same league. 

For some reason, some Canadian citizens think they know more about the operations of the US federal government than do some US citizens.

 

The US has a large say in how ports stops are utilized in many instances.

Edited July 15, 2021 by not-enough-cruising

[DirtyDawg]

Book fast everybody, those November Vancouver to Alaska cruises are selling fast!😊

 

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by DirtyDawg

[tottenhamfc]

Once again you are assuming that people do not want to start stop or leave from specific ports. I would suggest that the ones that you do not think are worthy are actually very attractive to some. Lets be honest stopping in Oregon is not that appealing to me on a Pacific Coastal. The cruiselines know their stuff let them decide.

[tottenhamfc]

3 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

For some reason, some Canadian citizens think they know more about the operations of the US federal government than do some US citizens.

 

The US has a large say in how ports stops are utilized in many instances.

We are not saying anything about your Govt. you are assuming the cruiselines are only interested in Canada because they have to make port stops. I think you are wrong in that assumption. We could quite easily fill a ship with Canadians and Europeans.

[DirtyDawg]

Almost by definition a port stop on a cruise is usually a waist of time if you really want to 'see' the city. If you want to see Victoria, a cruise stop of a few hours is no the why to do it. The same applies to Rome, Venice, etc, etc, etc. All the cruise passenger can do is get a tiny little feel for the port city. If you really want to 'see' a city you need to spend a heck of a lot more time there then what most cruise port stops offer. 

Edited July 15, 2021 by DirtyDawg

[Hoopster95]

Plenty of arrogance and ignorance in this thread

[Iamcruzin]

If I have to fly across country for an Alaska itinerary I would choose to embark in Canada and spend a day or two there before the cruise. I don't feel the same about Seattle.

[lovescats5]

Not a fan of Seattle either and that is where we leave from next Sept. but also not a fan of Victoria.  Last Alaska cruise years ago it was just a short stop at night and you really could not see much of the city anyway.  Guess if we want to see AK we just need to suck it up and go where ever the ship takes us.

[Tree_skier]

3 hours ago, dswallow said:

Kinda wish the US would just stop the PVSA nonsense; we really have no use for Canada on the Alaska side of cruising; it's mostly just a waste of a day that could be better used elsewhere. The east coast is the only side with ports in Canada people actually choose a cruise in order to visit (OK, that may be stretching it just a little; not sure that many people care about those ports vs just the cruise).

I agree, while Victoria is an interesting spot to visit, it was little more than a technical stop to satisfy PVSA on a cruise ship.  On our now cancelled Ovation cruise I think it was 9am to 2pm, we had another one on Princess last year that was cancelled that arrived at 7am and departed at 2pm and next years Ovation cruise is scheduled from 5pm to 10pm.  You couldn't get a more useless stop than that.  If people want to visit Vancouver and Victoria I recommend you do it as a pre or post cruise trip on a one way Alaskan cruise where. you can spend a few days experiencing all this great area offers.

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, dswallow said:

Nanaimo, BC

Nanaimo is a great place to get heroin.  

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, DirtyDawg said:

Book fast everybody, those November Vancouver to Alaska cruises are selling fast!😊

 

 

The port of Vancouver is beautiful in November.  I especially like it because not only is it raining buckets but there is usually a lot of wind so rain is falling sideways, negating the effectiveness of requisite umbrella.  

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Tree_skier

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, tottenhamfc said:

Once again you are assuming that people do not want to start stop or leave from specific ports. I would suggest that the ones that you do not think are worthy are actually very attractive to some. Lets be honest stopping in Oregon is not that appealing to me on a Pacific Coastal. The cruiselines know their stuff let them decide.

And if the US govt. got rid of or modified PVSA the cruise lines could.  Until then Victoria is an afterthought.  

Edited July 15, 2021 by Tree_skier

[Tree_skier]

2 hours ago, Hoopster95 said:

Plenty of arrogance and ignorance in this thread

I don't think it is arrogance.  I love Vancouver.  It was my birthplace and home most of my life. I was raised on Georgia street, lived in West End as an adult and only later moved to the suburbs (Langley) because of my wife's work.  I think Vancouver is definitely a great vacation spot and an incredibly vibrant city.  I have encouraged many friends to go to Vancouver for vacation.  I usually send them with a list places to see, things to do and restaurants to eat at that you won't find in the guide book.

 

 I'd recommend a week in Vancouver Whistler and a week on Vancouver Island.  To me Victoria isn't worth more than a couple of days but then head north and west to Campbell River and Tofino for some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever encounter anywhere on earth.  

 

4 hours off a cruise ship in Victoria is a waste of a good sea day as far as I am concerned.

Edited July 15, 2021 by Tree_skier

[Tree_skier]

1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said:

If I have to fly across country for an Alaska itinerary I would choose to embark in Canada and spend a day or two there before the cruise. I don't feel the same about Seattle.

Absolutely and when you do let me know.  I'll let you know where they hide the good stuff. 🙂 

[Travelling2Some]

36 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

Nanaimo is a great place to get heroin.  

Finally a reason to go to Canada in the winter!

[silversneakers]

43 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I agree, while Victoria is an interesting spot to visit, it was little more than a technical stop to satisfy PVSA on a cruise ship.  On our now cancelled Ovation cruise I think it was 9am to 2pm, we had another one on Princess last year that was cancelled that arrived at 7am and departed at 2pm and next years Ovation cruise is scheduled from 5pm to 10pm.  You couldn't get a more useless stop than that.  If people want to visit Vancouver and Victoria I recommend you do it as a pre or post cruise trip on a one way Alaskan cruise where. you can spend a few days experiencing all this great area offers.

Butchart (sp?) Gardens were amazing.