Not-quite-Live < limited > cruise journal: QE (Q427) Alaska cruise: 10 night, 30 Aug – 9 Sep 2024 plus Vancouver pre & post

[www3traveler]

Henry, I hope that you and every member of your party have a wonderful time and everything goes very smoothly.

 

[Desert Cruisers]

19 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Compassion and patience, indeed.  Ketchikan has 6 ships scheduled to be there next Sunday - looks like QE will be at Berth 4 (furthest ??)   Road constructions is a given, landslide & mandatory evac ... plus weather.  What to do ... should I pack my walking sticks ?  

Berth 4 is the furthest of the downtown berths.  Very walkable.  NCL docks outside of downtown.

[mking8288]

@D&N  Seafood ... yums and thanks for sharing your recommendation - added to our not so "short list" of what & where.  If we turn this land portion into a foodie tour, going to be in trouble with weight management, LOL.  Gives me a reason to find, explore & use the gym a/k/a fitness center onboard the QE.  

 

Granville Island is a definite stop and pretty sure we will head south to Steveson and visit Garry Point Park and just saw the Cannery Cafe in that area.  Pink Peppercorn Seafood House read like another - going let the "girls" / twin nephews figure out the priorities since they are footing the bills for their folks.

 

@exlondoner and @Victoria2  Sound advice and good points about risk management, well "schooled" with it as part of career development in healthcare and disaster management training.  Lately and on recent cruises, no issues and surprises but it's all for contingency planning and being better prepared than most with surprises, especially when you will be 3,000 miles away from home.  It's all good and much obliged.  

 

Hi, Mandy @www3traveler  thanks, going to keep abreast of the landslide/rock slides and other natural wildfires & smokes, etc.  We are going to pray for nicer weather than the current forecast, but mother nature is the boss and we'll go with the flow.   

 

@Desert Cruisers  Berth 4 walkable to / in town, thanks.  

[Seas2mountains]

Have a wonderful cruise! I hope your flights are on schedule with no issues. We tend to fly on United for all of our flights and have not had any major issues for as long as I remember flying on United.
 

I’m excited to follow along and learn more about Cunard. Alaska is so beautiful and I hope you have good weather. Thank you for doing this review whether it’s almost live or not. 

[mking8288]

Today is our travel day - New York to Vancouver, BC as outline earlier.  

 

Uber ride should be here around 4:45 AM for a quick 15 minutes ride to LGA's Terminal B for our United flight.  All 6 of us checked in, digital BP issued and we plan to use Bag Drop counter for faster & easier counter services with 3 checked bags, prepaid.  Then, thru TSA and out to Gate 47 - where the inbound plane landed a few minutes earlier.  Should be serviced, cleaned and ready for the morning with a fresh crew ... LGA is closed during the overnight hours, midnight to 6 AM & then, flights resumed.  

 

Haven't been in the new & expanded LGA terminal, pictures will be forthcoming as part of this auxiliary trip report.  Last time we flew out for a 6 AM flight, it was too early for some of the cafe & restaurants then ... and a long line for coffee & a bit from the mobile cart around 5:15 AM, then gate agent began calling for early boarding.  

 

 

We are Group 2 in Priority Boarding, not bad and shouldn't have issues with overhead bin space for our 22" carry-on, the personal bag will go under the seats ... I waited to check us in after dinner time, only 19 seats left unassigned in Economy, E Plus has 28 open but First is full (guaranteed to have an upgrade waitlist too)

 

Denver to YVR, oh dear - First class is full with 28 open for E Plus, Basic Economy - only 2 seats unassigned ... if that is NOT a full flight & probably oversold, what is ??  Upgrades ??  we'll see about that - just $44 per seat for the short 3 hour flight (flying time is less ...)

 

WiFi in-flight, MP members is $8 and $10 for non-members.   As usual, qualifying T-Mo member plans get free WiFi access.  

 

That's a final wrap-up until we get moving in a few hours.  

 

Edited August 27 by mking8288

[mking8288]

13 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

I have never been able to sleep more than four hours a night since an infant. ... And it wasn’t fun like Hogwarts. 

 

Hope you and the family have a safe journey to YVR. I am headed to a magical destination for a few days where there is no clotted cream. Drat. 

I see, will not even get 4 hours of sleep "this morning" - probably 3.5 hours at most, hahaha.  Going to try to get some shut eyes once airborne.

 

Heading south to MCO ? Have a great time & the crowds 😁 

 

See our final bags all lined up 

 

 

Checked tag re-checked for weight compliance, passed - 49.75 lbs.

Her carry-on at 26 lbs.

Mine at 32 lbs.

Her personal bag (EB 20L daypack) around 7 lbs.

Mine, also EB 20L daypack at 11 lbs ... 2 power banks (USB packs) and 3 smart/iPhones and a digital camera, chargers, plus the Sony NB computer & adapter.

 

These will get flagged going to/from EU and/or UK for sure with their stricter rules.  That's with certain things left behind at home.  

 

Heck, at least the monkey suit & dress shoes, white shirts are in.  Just a carry-on and backpack for this cruise ... "Mission Impossible" 

Edited August 27 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Rise & shine - let's get rolling, under the cover of pre-sunrise darkness

 

 

"Get your motor runnin'

Head out on the highway

Lookin' for adventure

And whatever comes our way"

 

Flight on time, ready for a quick trip to the airport shortly. 

 

Uber is here, Toyota Highlander riding $25 fare + tipping 

 

[mking8288]

That was quick and we are at T-B's UA check-in & bag drop area

 

 

[mking8288]

LaGuardia Airport renewed & expanded - 

 

 

 

TSA today was fast, early flights help 👍

 

 

Airside already

 

 

Gate 47 

 

 

United Red Carpet Club in my travel days, now just United Club with the Continental logo ! 

 

 

Bathroom, refreshment & wait ... 30 minutes to boarding, on-time departure expected.

[mking8288]

Priority boarded quickly, all set, no carry-on hassles. Ready to early push back ? Plus middle seats empty (4 out of 6, not bad) and luggage compartment closing below us. 

 

 

Next stop, Denver w early arrival expected.

 

[cruiseny4life]

Glad you're onboard! As I type this, it looks like you're over Indiana. I hope sunrise over flyover country was spectacular today! On the ground in Central New York, it's too foggy to see a frog in the pond. 

 

Continued safe travels to you, good sir!

 

[schmoopie17]

Just stumbled over from the NCL board. It took me a while to get here, since I didn't feel it was appropriate to venture into the Cunard board without a tuxedo. So I rented one...

 

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

4 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

Just stumbled over from the NCL board. It took me a while to get here, since I didn't feel it was appropriate to venture into the Cunard board without a tuxedo. So I rented one...

I know your type

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

9 hours ago, mking8288 said:

Heading south to MCO ? Have a great time & the crowds 😁

Headed north to MCO … and low crowds everywhere comparatively speaking 😁. Best time to visit if you don’t mind occasional monsoon.

 

Looking forward to Vancouver meal pics. 
 

[cruiseny4life]

Looks like our intrepid United flyer has landed in Denver a few minutes early. 

 

[mking8288]

Mile High City 😉 The Eagles have just landed.

 

Edited August 27 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Only 3 FA onboard but managed 2 beverages services on this B738Max R2

 

 

 

Legroom, just enough for being 6 ft. and elbow room w middle seat empty for 5 out of 6 of us 😆

[mking8288]

Inside DEN's Terminal A, going to Terminal B via train ... 

 

 

Snacks ? 

 

Moving on - need a ride

 

Automated Walkways

 

Escalators & elevators 

 

Make sure to allow plenty of layover time - finally over at B Gate 27

 

[mking8288]

Destination checks - going International ? 

 

Busy concourse in Terminal B

 

Duty-free shopping, maybe 🤔 

[mking8288]

Quick check on Airtagged bags, accounted for & here at DEN. United App does track the bar codes bags from the bag drop counter.

 

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

@mking8288 did you see many furry creatures at DEN? Every time I fly through DEN I always notice more dogs present than at any other airport. And we are talking big dogs not little Fifi. One big dog sat in back of me and kept licking my ankle. 
 

Edited August 27 by Sugar Magnolia

[mking8288]

It's indeed a full flight, 167 pax and volunteers needed to gate check 30 bags - saved $35 x 6 and walking them from the gate to luggage claim.  Done & we did it 

 

 

 

Ah, yes 

 

Lots of cruise ship passengers on the flight & extra luggage 

[mking8288]

@Sugar Magnolia  yes, bigger service ones too, including a small one out of NY to here .but more like comfort pets 🙄

 

A slight delay, change a flat tire for this plane, 10 minutes delay & hope to depart by 12:30

 

13 wheelchair assistance waiting, but only 3 attendants w chairs available ... needed everywhere.  Sister in law is using her folding cane and offered aid deplaning over at Terminal A 

 

Got a Samsung tracker tag and an Airtag here - being prepared for gate checking. 

 

 

Edited August 27 by mking8288

[mking8288]

Vancouver, we have a slight delay of additional 10 - 15 minutes.  Per Captain's tarmac inspection, he wanted to replace the other nose tire, just in case ...wear n tear. 

 

If the cruise ship passengers on this flight are flying in the day of, delay in getting to Canada Place is going to be a given not. 

 

 

Priority boarding group 2 seated, 12:15 PM local time 

 

Edited August 27 by mking8288

[NE John]

1 hour ago, mking8288 said:

If the cruise ship passengers on this flight are flying in the day of, delay in getting to Canada Place is going to be a given not. 

This is a great example of why we all should fly in a day or two before embarking and leave a day after coming back. TY!