Eclipse Pacific Coastal Sailing To Vancouver (APR 16) Cancelled - Bad News For Alaska?

[Fly and Sail]

Status of my trip on the Eclipse for the Pacific Coastal (booked last week) just changed to VOYAGE CANCELLED.

 

This isn't a great sign  considering it was supposed to go to Vancouver for the summer Alaska sailings.

 

I should probably contact them and rebook it to something else. Such as Alaska out of Seattle, hoping that congress will extend the PVSA waiver.

[cruisin_123]

Oh boy, there are probably issues docking in Vancouver. We are on the May 4 sailing from Honolulu to Vancouver.

[RickT]

I’m guessing the Pacific Coastal cruise might have been cancelled due to the logistics of ensuring every passenger meets Canada’s current entry requirements which includes testing for Covid via one of the following:

Accepted types of molecular tests

• PCR - Polymerase chain reaction
• Nucleic acid test (NAT) or Nucleic acid amplification test (NAATs)
• Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP)

There would not have been enough time to test passengers prior to arriving in Victoria.  As far as Hawaii there are enough sea days that, in theory, all passengers can be tested.  As far as Alaska I suspect cruises will need to depart from Seattle unless Canada changes it’s rules.  

[sfaaa]

Not looking good.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Cruises to Canada currently scheduled to resume in March, but the current situation is elective surgeries delays, bars and gyms shuttered and hospitals at capacity.   Hard to get much visibility as decisions regarding covid restrictions are not likely to be made until late February; past notification has been made a day or two before expiration of the old order as to extension or cancelation. 

Testing is required for border crossing and currently there are long waiting lines on Vancouver Island.  Do not know about elsewhere in Canada.

[Fly and Sail]

Called and rebooked for Solstice ex Seattle two weeks later. Easy peasy.

[hulamoon]

The first sailing then is April 23 Vancouver to HNL. To pay or cancel, the days decision.

[Bill Miller]

Seattle, yes please. This is a great excuse to go to Anthony's Seafood at Pier 66.  Better flights from Seattle's Airport. Pike Market, always fun. Okay, I'm in.

[mikencarol]

Our April 2nd Pacific Coastal out of LA on Eclipse was also canceled today. 😞 

[Fouremco]

Lots of jumping to conclusions here. The Eclipse is still shown as being in Vancouver on April 23, taking on passengers for her cruise to Hawaii. The Eclipse then returns to Vancouver before spending the rest of the summer with Alaska cruise before heading off to Hawaii and Australia at the end of September. None of these cruises have disappeared from the website, so I'd suggest that the cancellation of the Pacific Coastal cruise is not at all indicative of an issue with Vancouver or cancellation of the Eclipse's Alaska cruise season.

 

The Canadian government has already announced that it is consulting with the cruise industry to address such issues as passenger vaccinations and test requirements. The outcome of these discussions will hopefully be announced soon, but I would be very surprised to see cruise passengers subjected to the same strict test requirements as travellers flying or driving into Canada. No one wants a repeat of last year's Alaska cruise season débâcle. 

[stavy]

24 minutes ago, mikencarol said:

Our April 2nd Pacific Coastal out of LA on Eclipse was also canceled today. 😞 

As was our April 9 cruise

 

[stavy]

[dgoz]

I'm on Solstice to Alaska out of Seattle in July. The last night we are supposed to dock in BC. Do you think people will be allowed off the ship?

[jwlane]

6 minutes ago, dgoz said:

allowed off the ship?

Waaaaaay too early to be surmising.

[Fly and Sail]

41 minutes ago, dgoz said:

I'm on Solstice to Alaska out of Seattle in July. The last night we are supposed to dock in BC. Do you think people will be allowed off the ship?

 

Nobody knows. Either Victoria will be skipped entirely and replaced with a sea day (as it was last year) or things go according to plan. Either way Victoria isn't exactly the most exciting destination so I wouldn't be too worried about it.

[john2003]

I think it is early to predict given the pace of change. Our briefing today in BC indicates that the current wave has peaked. Both testing positivity and sewage monitoring (Greater Vancouver) support this view. Hospitalization will peak sometime next week.

I would be cautiously optimistic.

 

[Northern Aurora]

1 hour ago, dgoz said:

I'm on Solstice to Alaska out of Seattle in July. The last night we are supposed to dock in BC. Do you think people will be allowed off the ship?

 

 

The Alaska Tourism Recovery Act, which was passed last year, allowed for the Alaska  RT itineraries out Seattle to bypass a Canadian port.  While I haven't read the act the news overage we had in Alaska seemed to indicate that it was a one season bypass.  If Canadian ports remain closed to cruise ships who knows if another version of the ATRA will get through congress again.

[Northern Aurora]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

.......

 

The Canadian government has already announced that it is consulting with the cruise industry to address such issues as passenger vaccinations and test requirements. The outcome of these discussions will hopefully be announced soon, but I would be very surprised to see cruise passengers subjected to the same strict test requirements as travellers flying or driving into Canada. No one wants a repeat of last year's Alaska cruise season débâcle. 

 

 

I'll be following the situation as we are booked on the Eclipse  Vancouver to Hawaii departing on April 23rd and then the return for a lovely B2B pair.  Please keep us posted.

[jy0ung1]

I believe the current cancelled cruises have nothing to due with Canada.  San Francisco and Sonoma County have changed travel requirements (SF you have to be boostered).   Only the last Pacific Coast Cruise was scheduled to go to Canada.  It is yet to be seen how Canada's policies my effect future cruises out of Vancouver.  I also believe the Alaska Tourism Act only applies to Alaska Cruises and would not apply to cruises to Hawaii. 

[hcat]

If  the US has  already relaxed rules on trvl from Canada..it would seem reciprocity would follow. If too many Canadians are ill, maybe the U,S.  should re think its position.  Wishing everyone good health.

[Northern Aurora]

21 minutes ago, jy0ung1 said:

......  I also believe the Alaska Tourism Act only applies to Alaska Cruises and would not apply to cruises to Hawaii. 

 

You are certainly correct.  The Alaska Tourism Recovery Act only allowed Alaska itineraries to bypass Canadian ports.  Did not apply to Hawaii at all.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

1 hour ago, Fly and Sail said:

 

Nobody knows. Either Victoria will be skipped entirely and replaced with a sea day (as it was last year) or things go according to plan. Either way Victoria isn't exactly the most exciting destination so I wouldn't be too worried about it.

 

Really?  Victoria isn't an exciting destination?  I've been there several times and found it to be fascinating.

[Arizona Wildcat]

16 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

 

Really?  Victoria isn't an exciting destination?  I've been there several times and found it to be fascinating.

Completely agree.  Victoria and the surrounding area is a magical place.

[deliver42]

We love Victoria. Beautiful city.

[Northern Aurora]

Add me to the list of folks who love Victoria.  Lovely and charming.