Why are we so boring???

[Blackduck59]

So not long ago we got our own section on cruise critic, great a Canadian point of view.

Now I look and there are no fewer than 10 threads on "testing". How friggin' many ways do we need to discuss that?

Is anyone actually cruising? If so forget the testing and tell us about your cruise.

I would start a "We went on a cruise and had a great time" but we don't leave until the 8th of April.

Please tell us about your cruise and leave out the testing, we already have 10 ways to discuss that.

[Labber 2]

I'm from southern Ontario and leaving for a cruise in 2 weeks to Mexico from LA. I'm so excited and have planned 3 excursions through Princess. I'm so looking forward to some much needed R&R. 3rd time on Princess and so glad to be back at it! I'm also going to do a couple of tours in LA pre and post cruise!

[Blackduck59]

1 minute ago, Labber 2 said:

I'm from southern Ontario and leaving for a cruise in 2 weeks to Mexico from LA. I'm so excited and have planned 3 excursions through Princess. I'm so looking forward to some much needed R&R. 3rd time on Princess and so glad to be back at it! I'm also going to do a couple of tours in LA pre and post cruise!

 

Excellent enjoy your cruise. We fly to LAX on April 8th, overnight at a hotel in San Pedro. We board Viking Orion on the 9th. This has been a long time coming, after planning and having 2 trips down under cancelled and also cancelling an east coast Canada cruise we chose this pacific coastal as a way to enjoy Viking Ocean for the first time and be reasonably certain of an enjoyable vacation. The Itinerary is nice, starting in LA with stops in San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Astoria Oregon, Victoria BC and ending in Vancouver. We have made arrangements to disembark here in Victoria.

We are so looking forward to this, we haven't been on a cruise since Celebrity Eclipse to Alaska in June of 2019.

[Labber 2]

Sounds amazing! I was considering booking the California coast when I booked the Mexico cruise, we chose Mexico this time as my family will be flying down from Vancouver and had yet been to Mexico. So the pacific coast will be next on the list! Enjoy your trip!! 

[Darfun]

The biggest reason for all the questions about testing is because that is the biggest hurdle for most of us. I know I have been reluctant to travel anywhere just because of the constant changing of Covid rules. With the rules about traveling and how many tests we need to take is a constant question I’m sure everyone has. 

[ski ww]

We're doing a Med cruise in July & hopefully all this testing will be over so we can think about cruising and not worrying how many tests we do when/were. Really looking forward to getting back on a ship after having two cancelled on us.

[DHP1]

I would like to know how people are experiencing with the testing requirements so that I can prepare myself for the cruise. 

[MaddyandMax]

We are getting on the Anthem March 13 (as long as we don't get sick).  I plan on reporting on the cruise when we get back.

 

This next week is going to be terrifying waiting to see if we get sick.  So many posts about testing because it's STRESSFUL.

 

I've got all my fingers, toes and limbs crossed! LOL

[*Miss G*]

7 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

The Itinerary is nice, starting in LA with stops in San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Astoria Oregon, Victoria BC and ending in Vancouver. We have made arrangements to disembark here in Victoria.

 

 

The Pacific Coastal was our first cancelled cruise due to Covid.  I had been looking forward to Astoria.  Antarctica was next, then a Fall TA.  All cancelled, along with business travel to Hawaii and Seattle.  That was an ouch.  😂  

 

In December we managed to squeeze in a Southern Caribbean as my husband had some use or lose time.  It had a different vibe, as you could tell that Aruba and Curaçao were suffering economically.

 

Next week we have a Spring TA.  I am interested to see Casablanca, as that will be my first time there, but I am most looking forward to the Azores and Madeira, as Funchal is one of my favourite ports.  

 

When we disembark in Southampton we will spend a few more days touring the south coast of England.  I was going to spend a month at my sister’s (she is leaving her car in Southampton and flying to meet us in FLL to board the ship) but felt uneasy about leaving my parents to fly home alone, so I’ll be flying back with them.

 

Currently, I am in the US so I have a Covid test on Sunday to cross into Canada, then another Covid test to fly back with my parents to FLL.  Had to time it perfectly in order to be able to board the ship, as well, so we don’t have to take yet another test.  (Which was beginning to look like a distinct possibility as Princess was requiring an additional test pre-embarkation, which they dropped last week.)  The logistics and the worry of passing all these tests has really put a damper on things, so I will be glad when we are sitting at our gate waiting to board.

[1kaper]

Trust me, I plan to post my post cruise thread, but I gotta get there first.  
As someone else said, testing is the biggest hurdle and possibly a huge cost.  They may be boring but I've gotten a ton of information from them and saved a ton of money.  There are so many factors with testing, testing before leaving (which depends on flying or driving), testing to get on the ship, testing to get home, cost, experience, etc. A lot of it is very dependant on where you are leaving from.  None of it is clear cut. 

[Been There, Planning That]

The fact is the Canadian thread was barely limping along until COVID hit.  As I'd noted in a much earlier thread most followed the threads for their favourite cruise line.

 

I'd love to dream that we'll continue to share interests long after the challenges of COVID testing have passed.

 

I now first check here and then move onto HAL where we have two booked cruises.  

 

For us a great pleasure of travelling is meeting fellow travellers from afar.

 

Proud Canadian, Ruth

[Travelexpert35]

Would love to be cruising right now but still too many obstacles to get through. When I do book something I’ll be sure to post here. I love hearing about everyone’s trips. It’s amazing that there were only 7.2K posts a while ago and now we’re at 12.6K. We may zoom past the UK cruisers soon. It’s great to get a Canadian perspective.

[knuyens]

We are looking forward to our June 15/22 11 day Baltic cruise. All tours, flights booked, hotels booked. Testing dropped on Iceland air. By the time we return I hope rest of testing will be gone. Also booked b2b from Vancouver to Sydney in Sept 22 with all flights,hotels,excursions booked. We are so looking to travel this year. 

[bookbabe]

We did the Mexican Riviera on NCL Bliss in November, and a Caribbean cruise on NCL Encore over New Years.  Both were fabulous.  Extremely low crowds in November, manageable crowds in December.  Great service, great food, no concerns, easy travel, no issues at all.  We were in the Haven both times, and on the last cruise our butler and room steward were total ninja superstars…they’d swoop in unseen and clean or leave us snacks when we blinked or turned our backs even for a moment.  I miss having someone else make the bed and leave us fresh towels every day.  Gotta love Cruise Life.
 

We’ve also been to WDW a half a dozen times and Vegas and Grand Cayman once each since June of 2021.  You get used to the hoop jumping very quickly, and once you do, the travel and testing is no big deal.  We leave tomorrow for another long weekend at WDW.  (DH can’t do too many longer trips since he has elder care responsibilities and it’s tough to get a suitable sitter.)

 

Our next cruise is on NCL Encore again in May, taking my elderly mom on her bucket list Alaska cruise.  Specifically booked a ship that was already sailing and an itinerary out of Seattle so that we didn’t have to deal with the uncertainties of if/when/how cruising would resume out of Canadian ports.  It’s a bit more of a pain to get to Seattle, but I’m much more confident that the cruise itinerary will go mostly as planned…the worst I expect is that Victoria might get dropped, which we don’t care about since mom and other relatives live on Vancouver Island so we’ve been to Victoria a lot.

 

We do not regret traveling at all.  We love it, and it totally rejuvenates us. 

[Fouremco]

There are issues that transcend the boundaries of individual cruise lines and that are either unique to Canadians or have a very definite Canadian component. COVID testing and travel insurance, for example. And that is where this board shines!

 

While discussing problems may not be as uplifting as reading someone's joyful cruise review, this board constantly finds solutions to those problems and serves the Canadian cruise community extremely well. This isn't a structured board with the moderators dictating what we should discuss. Rather, it has evolved into its current format based on the needs and interests of its contributors.

 

Personally, if I want to read a cruise review, I'll go to the cruise line boards for reporting on specific ships or itineraries in which I have an answer. I'll also go to the cruise line boards to discuss an issue unrelated to my nationality. But if I have a Canada-related question on something of no interest to the general readership on a cruise line board, I'll come home to Canadian Cruisers.

[cruiseamm]

40 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Personally, if I want to read a cruise review, I'll go to the cruise line boards for reporting on specific ships or itineraries in which I have an answer. I'll also go to the cruise line boards to discuss an issue unrelated to my nationality. But if I have a Canada-related question on something of no interest to the general readership on a cruise line board, I'll come home to Canadian Cruisers.

Thank you.  My thoughts exactly. 

I hope "Canadian Cruisers" does not get cluttered with reviews that should be posted in their appropriate boards. 

Thank you to all the helpful contributors on "Testing" and "Insurance".  These topics have been invaluable as we continue to move forward.

[1kaper]

8 minutes ago, cruiseamm said:

Thank you.  My thoughts exactly. 

I hope "Canadian Cruisers" does not get cluttered with reviews that should be posted in their appropriate boards. 

Thank you to all the helpful contributors on "Testing" and "Insurance".  These topics have been invaluable as we continue to move forward.

Well, my plan was to post about my travel experience involving testing, flights, etc.  Things that specifically apply to the board.  Not necessarily a review of the cruise itself.  

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

Well, my plan was to post about my travel experience involving testing, flights, etc.  Things that specifically apply to the board.  Not necessarily a review of the cruise itself.  

Thank you. There have already been a good number of "reviews" like that and they have been very informative. I'll look forward to reading about your experience.

[lots-of-km2]

4 hours ago, Fouremco said:

There are issues that transcend the boundaries of individual cruise lines and that are either unique to Canadians or have a very definite Canadian component. COVID testing and travel insurance, for example. And that is where this board shines!

 

I'm so here for that!⏫

 

I have a TA booked in late April for which the vast majority of ports of call are places I've never been to before, and I'm super excited to do this -- but to do it as safely as possible, mitigating as much health-related risk as possible.  And in December, fingers crossed, I cruise to Antarctica.  Absent the wise input from people on the Canadian board, I'd be much more reticent to try cruising again since Covid entered our lives.   I think the advice and observations of many people (e.g.  @Fouremco ) helps us ease back into something that used to be relatively issueless and drama-free. 

 

15 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Please tell us about your cruise and leave out the testing, we already have 10 ways to discuss that.

 

I get your frustration.  My plan is to report out on cruises while I'm on them, or shortly afterward, as a way of providing useful information to others.   I think we're in a new reality, though, which compels a lot of cruisers to report on health-related measures and testing as part of the overall experience.  

[Jack1]

Right now we are in Aswan, Egypt.  Sailing on Amawaterways Amadahlia.  So many different things to be aware of for traveling nowadays.  However, even with the vaccines and tests and masking and all the other requirements it was so nice to sit out on the sun deck and enjoy!

[AandBmom]

11 hours ago, Darfun said:

The biggest reason for all the questions about testing is because that is the biggest hurdle for most of us. I know I have been reluctant to travel anywhere just because of the constant changing of Covid rules. With the rules about traveling and how many tests we need to take is a constant question I’m sure everyone has. 

Agree and it's ever changing.

[DHP1]

To talk about testing and the issues with it “is not boring”. If someone has a concern about testing I what to hear about and maybe I can suggest to them a few ideas.  May I also suggest that people visit there cruise ship “roll call” for specifics. 

Edited March 3, 2022 by DHP1

[*Miss G*]

9 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Currently, I am in the US so I have a Covid test on Sunday to cross into Canada, then another Covid test to fly back with my parents to FLL.  Had to time it perfectly in order to be able to board the ship, as well, so we don’t have to take yet another test.  (Which was beginning to look like a distinct possibility as Princess was requiring an additional test pre-embarkation, which they dropped last week.)  The logistics and the worry of passing all these tests has really put a damper on things, so I will be glad when we are sitting at our gate waiting to board.

 

I stand corrected.  Or at least conflicted.  Went into my booking and it appears Princess is still requiring an additional Covid test at embarkation.  🙁 Totally conflicts with another Health Protocol on their site.  Oh well.

 

 

[Magicat]

20 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

So not long ago we got our own section on cruise critic, great a Canadian point of view.

Now I look and there are no fewer than 10 threads on "testing". How friggin' many ways do we need to discuss that?

Is anyone actually cruising? If so forget the testing and tell us about your cruise.

I would start a "We went on a cruise and had a great time" but we don't leave until the 8th of April.

Please tell us about your cruise and leave out the testing, we already have 10 ways to discuss that.

I can't agree with you more.  We had a fabulous time last week sailing from Galveston on the Liberty of the Seas.  Best port was Roatan Honduras.  We did a Royal excursion to a brewery in the middle of the jungle.  Funny enough that one of the partners of this venture was Canadian.  Beer was great as we upgraded our experience to 8 tasters of their brews.  Had a plate of bratwurst and pretzel bites to make it interesting.  Lot's of expats there.  Met people  from St. Albert Alberta and the Soo.  I identified them as I speaking with them they replied with "eh".  

We have another cruise booked end of April from Galveston to Cape Liberty.  Can't wait to get out there.  

[Dismomx5]

6 hours ago, Jack1 said:

Right now we are in Aswan, Egypt.  Sailing on Amawaterways Amadahlia.  So many different things to be aware of for traveling nowadays.  However, even with the vaccines and tests and masking and all the other requirements it was so nice to sit out on the sun deck and enjoy!

Can you elaborate on the COVID protocols in Egypt? We'll hopefully be travelling there in a few weeks for the birth of our grandson. DD is nonchalant about the whole thing so I don't know if masking is done, recommended etc. We're both vaccinated, but I think I need a PCR/antigen test. Did you need something from the embassy as well? I'm reading something about a vaccine certificate certified by the Egyptian embassy. That I wasn't prepared for.