Fouremco

Unless there have been recent changes that I have missed, valid passports, passport cards, and NEXUS or FAST cards satisfy the marine entry requirements for US citizens. Original birth certificates don't meet the requirements, while enhanced drivers licenses are acceptable if issued by a limited number of states, excluding Georgia.

Here's a look at three cruise ships in Juneau, two docked port side in, one starboard side in. Another day and a different trio of ships, the arrangement might be quite different. I took this photo in Skagway, and as you can see, we were docked starboard side in. Rather the a view of the town, however, all you could see was sheer mountainside. As we spent no time looking out from our balcony when docked in port, it really didn't matter which side we docked on. Consider all the other factors that go into choosing a cabin, and ignore docking side.

Correct, not all cruise lines followed this course of action. That said, I know that Celebrity certainly did. Here's a January 17, 2018 "Today" describing the policy, posted by a passenger aboard the Eclipse.

The removal of baggage when a passenger doesn't fly dates back to the 80's and was originally introduced to prevent terrorists from checking in a bag containing explosives and then not boarding the plane. I can recall a business trip to Europe in the mid-80's when we sat on the runway at Schiphol for a couple of hours while they searched for and finally located the bags of a passenger who had checked in but didn't board. As there had been a recent string of terrorist bombings in Europe, and the Air India bombing was still fresh in people's minds, no-one aboard the plane complained about the delay. There are many reasons why flights are delayed or even cancelled - weather, mechanical issues, disruptive passengers, etc. - which is why most of us fly in for a cruise a day or two early. Just in case. I'd obviously prefer not to be delayed, and I can't do anything about it, so I simply accept that possibility as part of the reality of travel.

I'd recommend Royal Caribbean for an Alaskan cruise. DW and I normally cruise with HAL or Celebrity, but on two occasions when we've done a family cruise with our kids and our grandkids, we've gone with Royal Caribbean and they have loved it. RCI offers a variety of cruises that should meet your needs: https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruises?search=departurePort:YVR|destination:ALCAN&conflict_banner=false&country=CAN RCI also offers Hawaiian cruises, but they are longer, mostly sea days, and terminate in Hawaii, so you'd have to book a return cruise or fly home. HAL offers a Vancouver return cruise (we're booked for later this year) but it's 17 nights on a ship with few activities and a lot of sea days. Wonderful for we seniors, but not for teenagers.

I think that, at this point, your best bet might be to contact Canadian Embassy or one of the consular offices in Mexico. Here is a list of their locations and contact information. https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates/mexico

As you have never exited Canada, sailing on Canadian waters is simply an continuation of your visit here. Once you arrive here, there is no further requirement for an eTA or visa unless you fully exit Canadian soil and territorial waters, then return. As you aren't returning, that initial eTA is all that you require. If you were to fly into Montreal and took a cruise ending in Boston, you'd need an eTA to fly in initially. But after that, as you visit numerous Canadian ports along the way, you remain in Canada until such time as you depart our territorial waters and enter US waters. There'd be no further eTA requirement as you entered each of these ports.

If you do an "Everywhere" search on "plantation", you'll get tons of hits. We're headed to Hawaii later this year, and have read numerous of threads on the Hawaii Ports of Call forum that mention different plantations on several of the islands.

While an eTA is required for entry into Canada, there is no similar requirement for exiting. As you will not be re-entering Canada during your cruise, that initial eTA when flying into Vancouver is all that you need.

I see that you have now started a new Roll Call for this cruise. That's the perfect place to discuss this cruise. For more general discussion on the Equinox or Celebrity, you might want to post on the Celebrity forum.

There's no need for concern. It's purely a domestic flight with no immigration or customs processing upon arrival.

Absolutely not. If my travel agency started to charge such fees, I'd definitely find a new one. I realize that there are other agencies that follow a similar approach, but as long as there are good agencies who don't, I will continue to avoid the former.

On the other hand, you can access and download that information from your TA's website in many cases.

According to Perplexity, these are the hurricanes that have hit the Bahamas over the past 10 years: Hurricane Dorian: August 24 to September 5, 2019 - This was a Category 5 hurricane that caused massive destruction in the Bahamas, particularly in North Abaco, East Grand Bahama, and West Grand Bahama. Hurricane Irma: August 25 to September 13, 2017 - This Category 5 hurricane passed over Inagua and South Acklins islands in the Bahamas, downing power lines, knocking out communications, and damaging homes. Hurricane Joaquin: October 1-8, 2015 - This Category 4 hurricane meandered over the southern Bahamas for over two days, causing extensive devastation and storm surge that trapped hundreds in their homes. Hurricane Matthew: October 3-9, 2016 - This Category 5 hurricane caused massive destruction in Haiti and also damaged several islands in the Bahamas. Hurricane Humberto: September 12-20, 2019 - This Category 3 hurricane affected regions like Crooked Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, Cat Island, Harbour Island, and North Abaco in the Bahamas. Based on the foregoing, your odds seem better leaving a couple of weeks later, in October. Whether it's worth spending the extra $400 is up to you, but if I was in your shoes, I'd probably pay it. It's a bit like flying into your embarkation port the day before your departure and paying for a hotel and meals, rather than flying in on the day of your departure. It costs more, but it improves your odds of not missing your cruise.

Yes, your understanding is correct. Unfortunately, adherence to the rules is not always enforced.