Ovation of the Seas-Alaska-May 5, 2022-May 13, 2022

[graphicguy]

Made it to SEA.  Connecting to YVR.  Give SEA credit…one of the nicer Delta Sky Clubs I’ve been to.

[TxStacey]

Following!  I will be on The Ovation sailing out of Seattle on June 10th!

[graphicguy]

Nice hotel……Marriott Parq.  Nice room upgrade via AMEX!  Walked around downtown Vancouver.  Love the city!

[graphicguy]

BTW……some airline crew are heads above others,  it;s the little things…..

[graphicguy]

Vancouver airport requires masks. Completed ArriveCAN is required traveling to Canada (and must be shown).   Saw people being chosen at random for on site COVID testing.

[irishgal432]

On 5/3/2022 at 3:25 PM, graphicguy said:

Great.  Very cool about the upgrade.  I've long quit looking to see if any of my ROYAL UP bids were accepted.  

 

Hopeful we'll cross paths on board.

 

Interestingly, while I did get my ArriveCAN app completed, Delta (who I'm flying in on tomorrow) hasn't been able to check me in because the Delta App can't accept the ArriveCAN link.  Not really worried, as I can do that at the airport.  Just, mildly concerned that there's either something wrong with my flight or something wrong with the ArriveCAN check in.

Be awarre K you may have to fill out 2 arrive cans.  Someone reported they had one for when they flew into Canada and needed another to board the ship.

[graphicguy]

EMBARKATION DAY!

 

Little drizzly.  Scheduled boarding time is 10:30.  Docs in order.  Check in complete.  All systems go.

 

taxi is about $10CA.  Rocking and ready!

[graphicguy]

14 hours ago, irishgal432 said:

Be awarre K you may have to fill out 2 arrive cans.  Someone reported they had one for when they flew into Canada and needed another to board the ship.

Hmmmm….not sure how that would work.  Your ArriveCAN app is tied to your email.  You always sign in with that email.  You’d have to offer a different email address for your flight and a different one for the ship.  Both would have the same info.

 

Those reports sound wrong.  But, who knows?  Maybe they make you set up a whole new ArriveCAN profile and a whole new email address?

[crzndeb]

14 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

EMBARKATION DAY!

 

Little drizzly.  Scheduled boarding time is 10:30.  Docs in order.  Check in complete.  All systems go.

 

taxi is about $10CA.  Rocking and ready!

May see you at check in…my check in time is 10-1030.

I think I’m going to take a Lyft.

[crzndeb]

14 hours ago, irishgal432 said:

Be awarre K you may have to fill out 2 arrive cans.  Someone reported they had one for when they flew into Canada and needed another to board the ship.

That does sound odd. My ArriveCan, with QR code is still within the 72 hrs., when I completed it. I bussed over border yesterday and they didn’t even ask for it. I’m sure they will when I board today.

This Ovation sailing is unique, since it’s also a repo to Seattle for it’s normal Fri-Fri Alaska sailings. We don’t stop at any other Canadian ports, since we are leaving from Vancouver.

[graphicguy]

10 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

That does sound odd. My ArriveCan, with QR code is still within the 72 hrs., when I completed it. I bussed over border yesterday and they didn’t even ask for it. I’m sure they will when I board today.

This Ovation sailing is unique, since it’s also a repo to Seattle for it’s normal Fri-Fri Alaska sailings. We don’t stop at any other Canadian ports, since we are leaving from Vancouver.

Planning on being at the pier around 10.  I’ll be the “mature” gentleman in a blue hoodie and bluejeans!

 

Airline and customs officials only looked at my ArriveCAN QR code.  They didn’t scan it.

 

I’ve got a hard copy as backup in case my iPhone apps get obstinate!

 

I think all is good!

[Italy52]

11 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

That does sound odd. My ArriveCan, with QR code is still within the 72 hrs., when I completed it. I bussed over border yesterday and they didn’t even ask for it. I’m sure they will when I board today.

This Ovation sailing is unique, since it’s also a repo to Seattle for it’s normal Fri-Fri Alaska sailings. We don’t stop at any other Canadian ports, since we are leaving from Vancouver.

If I might ask, did you say you used a buss to go through the border?  If so, how long was the transit and was it a ship transfer?  Thanks.

[graphicguy]

Just received this email from Royal (redacted by me for  security)…..

 

“Hello Xxxxxx,

Thank you for contacting us.

Please go ahead and bring your tumbler, we will honor our promise.

We hope you have a great cruise!!

Sincerely,



Xxxxxxx

Royal Guest Experience Manager”

 

As an aside, earlier I posed the question that I had bought a soda package for my son 15 years ago on a Liberty of the Seas cruise.  At the time, the Royal promo was “buy the soft drink tumbler and get free soft drinks on every subsequent cruise”.  Most here said the promo, for so long ago, would no longer be honored.

 

Well, Royal came through on their promise!!!!!

[crzndeb]

16 minutes ago, Italy52 said:

If I might ask, did you say you used a buss to go through the border?  If so, how long was the transit and was it a ship transfer?  Thanks.

 Caught Quick Shuttle 20 miles north of my house. It wasn’t a ship transfer. We had a bit of a wait at border, since there were 2 buses ahead of us, and we have to get off and take our luggage through. Took about 4 hours total with stops, and I was at last stop, which was Holiday Inn Downtown.

[Italy52]

58 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

 Caught Quick Shuttle 20 miles north of my house. It wasn’t a ship transfer. We had a bit of a wait at border, since there were 2 buses ahead of us, and we have to get off and take our luggage through. Took about 4 hours total with stops, and I was at last stop, which was Holiday Inn Downtown.

Thank you for the information, I appreciate it.  You mentioned you had to take your luggage through --- did you have to collect it off the bus and then cross over the border with it?  Sorry for all the questions, I have never been through a bus process before --- we will be doing this with Princess Shuttle in June.

 

[Reds4life]

On 5/3/2022 at 11:13 AM, graphicguy said:

Walgreens COVID test done this a.m.  NEGATIVE!  So, day of laundry, packing and taking care of forgetting something I won’t know about until I’m on the ship.  LOL!

Hey GraphicsGuy, fellow Buckeye here. We are flying out of CVG for SEA in June. Which is the closest Walgreens to CVG that does the quick Covid test? TIA and have a great trip!

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, Reds4life said:

Hey GraphicsGuy, fellow Buckeye here. We are flying out of CVG for SEA in June. Which is the closest Walgreens to CVG that does the quick Covid test? TIA and have a great trip!

I got my test at Walgreens near my home in Liberty.  So not sure about Walgreens near CVG. Hebron?  Covington?  Newport?  But, I’m guessing!

[graphicguy]

OK…on board.  Some observations….

 

1.  Adhere to your boarding time.  Some tried to board early and were put into a very long line.  Pretty Miserable standing  and waiting to  board in the rain.  Those of us who showed up at the designated time walked right through!

 

2.  ArriveCAN IS NOT required by Royal.  They didn’t even check my QCR.

 

3.  They do check vaccination

and pre-boarding Negative COVID tests carefully and take pics of both.

 

Got my soda tumbler, as Royal promised.

 

 Crew is excited to welcome us to their first “normal” guest numbers on board.

[graphicguy]

[graphicguy]

Got to the pier at 10:30 exactly.  Was on board by 11:00.  Probably 15 minutes of that was going through customs.

 

Safety muster was easy-peezy.  Got to muster.  Listen to the 2 minute speech….DONE!  
 

 

[graphicguy]

BTW…can’t get served drinks or food until you do the muster briefing!

 

Walk around a bit and ready for Pizza and a 1st drink of the cruise!

 

 

[Lorey2007]

49 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

BTW…can’t get served drinks or food until you do the muster briefing!

 

Walk around a bit and ready for Pizza and a 1st drink of the cruise!

 

 

I love all the pic's keep em coming. It will help with my wait until Augist.

[crzndeb]

57 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

Got to the pier at 10:30 exactly.  Was on board by 11:00.  Probably 15 minutes of that was going through customs.

 

Safety muster was easy-peezy.  Got to muster.  Listen to the 2 minute speech….DONE!  
 

 

I don’t want to hijack your live thread, but they moved my cabin again. It was a bit crazy when I got onboard. My room steward got me a new card, since one that opened new cabin was a guy, and tracked down my suitcase. I’m ready for a drink now. 

[graphicguy]

17 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

I don’t want to hijack your live thread, but they moved my cabin again. It was a bit crazy when I got onboard. My room steward got me a new card, since one that opened new cabin was a guy, and tracked down my suitcase. I’m ready for a drink now. 

BNo issues at all.  Feel free to post here.  We have a shared experience.

 

Have 2 drinks.  You deserve them!

 

Did they give a reason for the changes?

Edited May 5, 2022 by graphicguy

[graphicguy]

Cafe 270 for lunch!

 

The famous roast beef sandwich!