Jersey42

Our kids took many Princess cruises with us starting at about age 9 and loved all of them. They utilized the kids/teen clubs until about age 14 or 15. Then as another poster mentioned, the teen club was pretty much a place you went on the first night to meet people. Unless there was something special on a particular day, they pretty much did their own thing with people they met. There will be plenty of teens on a Princess Alaska cruise to interact with. And they will be welcome at virtually any ship activity not based on alcohol. But, if your kids are expecting some of the teen friendly attractions on NCL and Carnival, they may be disappointed with Princess. By the way, the hardest age will be in a few years when they are 18-20. They are not allowed in the teen club to meet people and they will not be served in the bars. Princess often has a meet-up for people in that age group, but it was very hit or miss when our kids were that age.

Maybe I could have worded it differently, but I based it on some of chengkp's many comments including this one: Of course the how's and whys don't really make a difference if it is your toilet that is clogged.

I am going you guess you are on the Oct 1 Enchanted Princess round trip from NY. If not, then please post your cruise details. You need to: Be fully vaccinated (see the rules on the link below) Show a negative COVID-19 test at embarkation (see the rules on the link below) Submit an ArriveCAN up to 72 hours before boarding in New York In ArriveCAN, make sure you select "Entry by Marine" In ArriveCAN, select Saint John Marine Terminal (New Brunswick) as your port of entry If you did not select "Entry by Marine" you might get the message. If you did all of this correctly and are still getting the message I would call ArriveCAN support (1-833-283-7403). When I did, they were very helpful. Read this entire link for details on Canada's requirements for vaccination and testing. Testing is now only required for cruise ship passengers entering or departing Canada. Air/land arrivals do not need a negative test. https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise

Yes I can search for members and see all of their posts, but then I see no way to search within their posts. In the meantime I just tried using a google site search. This probably gives me what I need most of the time, although I prefer the format of the results on a CC search. For example in the google search box I preface my search with site:boards.cruisecritic.com. I can then search through all of the boards on the member name and specific words. I have not figured out how to search a specific forum using this approach.

Is there any way to search for posts that contain specific words that were made by a specific poster? There are several CC posters that I find extremely helpful. Sometimes I want to find one of their old posts on a specific topic. I can easily find all of their posts. I can also search for specific words in posts. But I can't figure out how to do both. For example: Find all posts made by poster @Iluv2post that contain the words "Canada" and "maple".

We were on the Caribbean in July and had some problems. Our cabin was on deck 8 aft. The room steward was on top of things and coordinated with engineering to keep things moving most of the time. So you might want to keep mentioning it to your room steward as well. For us it was manageable, but we only had one time where it was clogged for several hours, if not longer. If it is not flushing, it should eventually flush when the clog is gone. Avoid flushing multiple times because it won't help and it could eventually cause the toilet to overflow. I don't doubt that there are some problems that need to be fixed in drydock. If the pipes have been narrowed over time (think clogged artery), then when someone flushes the wrong things, the narrowed pipes clog much easier. It could even be one elbow where the pipes make a turn that is not easily accessible to maintenance. And it does not matter that you are doing everything correctly. It only takes one person downstream from your cabin to cause problems for everyone else. I'm sure all you care about now is getting it fixed or getting moved to a cabin in another location. But if you ever want to understand the details, search for some of of @chengkp75's posts about toilets. Very informative and interesting. Good luck and if guest services and your room steward don't get you relief, I would go right to the hotel general manager. He can not solve it, unless he gives yo a better room. But he probably has more pull with the people that make the ship systems work.

You don't usually get a lot of responses on this forum for insurance outside of the USA. You could also try re-posting your questions on the Canadian Cruisers forum. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2510-canadian-cruisers/ You might get a better response. Then again, the mods might move it back here. It's worth a try. Here is a current thread that might help.

Testing is no longer required to enter Canada by air or land. Testing is still required to board a cruise ship in Canada or to board a cruise ship that stops at a Canadian port. https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise#pre-embarkation-test

I was curious, so I did some searches. Here is the latest source document that I can find. It's 10 years old and I couldn't find any newer versions. https://www.sailorbob.com/files/cqe/NSTM_300.pdf Take a look at section 300-2.7.3.5. Requirements include: marine type, metal case, double-pole switch/circuit breaker, dual thermal fuses and both common and normal mode protection. They also mention specific approved models (as of 2012) and there is a periodic inspection requirement. Even if these were absolutely safe on a ship, I see two simple reasons why any cruise line would prohibit passengers from bringing these aboard: The people checking the luggage will never know if they are compliant and there is no way to ensure they have been properly inspected and maintained. I know you have explained many times before why surge protectors are not needed aboard ship, but do you have any thoughts on the safety issues with these marine devices. I don't pretend to know anything, I just always learn something from your posts.

I bet you are talking about HAL although other lines may say it too. Some posters have said the HAL people doing the check-ins in Quebec City and Montreal understand the actual Canada requirements and you don't need it. Others have said you need to "make up information" in order to check in. Does anyone know to fill out the ArriveCAN submission for this scenario without making up info? Here are questions that stump me for my Quebec City to Ft. Lauderdale cruise, when I am flying in a few days early: How are you entering Canada? I'm am already in Canada and I already filled out an ArriveCAN to enter. So I am not entering Canada again. If I select Air or Land, the next questions make no sense. So Marine is the only option left. Then . . . Country of original departure: Is this the USA or Canada? Port of entry. Note: This is the first port of arrival in Canada: Is this my embarkation port or my second port in Canada? (My first port in Canada is not even on the dropdown list, so that's not an option) Date and Time of Arrival: To where? Embarkation port, 2nd port, final destination in Florida? If I try to make the embarkation and arrival date/time the same, will it even let me do that? The best answer I have seen is: If the check-in people want an ArriveCAN for this cruise, let them fill it out for me or tell me how they want the questions answered. I am a little uncomfortable with submitting bogus info to the Canadian government.

ArriveCAN requirements will vary by itinerary, but in most cases you need an ArriveCAN submission every time you enter Canada from another country. Here is a summary of typical scenarios based on https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise and postings on various CC threads from knowledgeable Canadians. Red means you need an ArriveCAN submission to board the cruise, Green mean you don't. Cruises embarking in Canada Everyone needs to submit an ArriveCAN in order to enter Canada via air or land. This applies to anyone who is beginning their vacation from outside Canada (such as the USA). Canada to USA - No second ArriveCAN is required to board the cruise. Canada to Canada with only Canadian ports - No second ArriveCAN is required to board the cruise. Canada to Canada with non Canadian ports - A second ArriveCAN is required to be submitted less than 72 hours before boarding the cruise. If it is actually back to back cruises, the ArriveCAN may need to be submitted before boarding the cruise returning to Canada. I would follow the cruise line instructions and hope for the best. Cruises embarking in the USA USA to Canada - An ArriveCAN is required to be submitted less than 72 hours before boarding the cruise. USA to USA with Canadian port(s) - An ArriveCAN is required to be submitted less than 72 hours before boarding the cruise. Anyone returning to Canada from the USA after a cruise via air or land will need to submit another ArriveCAN in order to get back into Canada.

Item 35 on IMG SE, Item 39 on IMG LX. Applicable to Jersey residents.

I checked princess.com before my last post, and this language seems to be gone from their web site. But it does not surprise me that Princess is still giving passengers similar requirements to HAL, NCL and probably others. At least Princess is exempting those who reside in Canada. I am guessing it is just a CYA thing for the cruise lines.

While I totally agree with both of you (and @broberts), the Canadian government site (https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise) is poorly worded, poorly presented and causes confusion. To make things worse, even though Princess seems to be currently OK, other cruise lines such as HAL and NCL are still telling people that an ArriveCAN is required to board one of their ships departing from Canada, no matter the itinerary. Here is why I think the government site needs some work. When you first enter the site you see the following: It seems pretty clear that a second ArriveCAN submission is required. They bolded "second" and they say "must". Better wording might have been "You may also need to submit a second ArriveCAN depending on your cruise itinerary" or "see the next section for exceptions", but they did not do that. Then the next section has two collapsed subsections with the pertinent details. Someone has to: See the next section, Realize there are subsections that must be expanded, and Figure out which subsection applies to them. In my case I am "Starting an international cruise in Canada", so the first section seems like it would apply to me. But I have to expand it, and read it to realize I am in the wrong section because I am "not returning to Canada". At least the area I highlighted is at the top of the lengthy subsection. So I collapse that sub section and open up the next subsection. This sure looks like it applies to me and no second ArriveCAN is required. But it took way to much effort to figure it out. And, there are still people questioning my conclusion because the first screen says you must complete a second ArriveCAN, so the "Boarding cruises and shore excursions" section does not apply. I still stand by the conclusion that no second ArriveCAN is required. But broberts suggestion in post 49 solves it all. If the people checking you in tell you it is required, let them tell you how to fill it out.

That works. Let them figure it out. I am completely convinced there is no way I can fill out the second ArriveCAN with accurate info.

@drowelf after reading your last post I think the best solution for you is to skip the annual medical policy and purchase a good comprehensive policy for each trip. Work with someone who understands your personal details, especially your existing medical coverage, so you get a good policy for you. If you find a better option than trip specific plans, please share.

I found this thread because I hoped it would offer some clarity for an upcoming cruise. In our situation we will be flying from the USA to Canada (ArriveCAN submission is required). After spending two nights in a Canadian hotel at the port, we board a cruise with a final destination of Florida. The cruise stops in several Canadian ports, but once it departs Canadian waters, it never reenters Canada. My take is no second ArriveCAN is required. Several good posts from @broberts support this and @Bobbiegentry shows official information from travel.gc.ca to support this as well. Does anyone disagree with this and why? If you do, how would I even fill out the second ArriveCAN with accurate information? How are you entering Canada? I'm am already in Canada and I already filled out an ArriveCAN to enter. If I select Air or Land, the next questions make no sense. So Marine is the only option left. Then . . . Country of original departure: Is this the USA or Canada? Port of entry. Note: This is the first port of arrival in Canada: Is this my embarkation port or my second port in Canada? (My first port in Canada is not even on the dropdown list, so that's not an option) Date and Time of Arrival: To where? Embarkation port, 2nd port, final destination in Florida? If I try to make the embarkation and arrival date/time the same, will it even let me do that? I have been told by several well meaning people that there is no harm in filling out a second AriveCAN, just in case I am wrong. But I can't figure out how to do this without providing bogus, or at the least, misleading information to the Canadian government.

I looked quickly at the policy and I cannot find anything that says they will pay up front for evacuation. Can you point out the page and section you are referring to? Here are the only things I see, that might give you that impression: There is an Advance Payment section (page 3 of 13 and again on page 2 of 5). This applies to Medical Expenses, not Emergency Evacuation. I also saw the following on page 9 of 12 and page 11 of 13: Medical Expense and Emergency Evacuation benefits may be payable directly to the provider. However, the provider: (a) must comply with the statutory provision for direct payment; and (b) must not have been paid from any other sources. This does not talk about advance payment. So if the provider complies with (a), and the provider is willing to send a bill, than you won't have to file for reimbursement. That said, you always hear stories about situations where the provider demands up front payment. Might the provider work with the insurance company and accept their promise to pay? Maybe. Might the insurance company wire the money up front? Maybe? But I would not count on either of these happening. Was there another section that I overlooked?

All of the advice you have been given has been spot on. You will not find a Cancellation/Interruption policy only. We also have an annual GeoBlue policy so we have faced the same dilemma. Here are a few more thoughts. Your best solution really depends on the types of cruises you take, the costs of these trips and your risk tolerance. Take a look at the Chase Sapphire (Preferred or Reserve cards) if you normally would not be traveling with pre-existing conditions. Make sure you fully understand the pre-existing conditions language. Babr has pointed out many of the disadvantages. But if pre-existing conditions are not an issue, the money you are saving in trip specific insurance premiums may more than offset some of the non covered items. Your signature makes me think you might do a lot of HAL cruises. HAL's platinum plan is fantastic for trip cancellation. You get 90% back in cash for any reason, and there are no covered reason issues nor any pre-existing condition exclusions for cancelation. It is very weak for medical, but you don't need that. Trip interruption is ok, but that excludes pre-existing conditions. HAL's plan also may be an issue if you have a lot of pre or post cruise travel. Other cruise line policies are also worth looking at, but all that I am aware of have a pre-existing exclusion for cancelation. Most offer CFAR, but it is in the form of a 75-100% future cruise credit. Our approach is to use the Chase card and then occasionally purchase a trip specific policy when the situation warrants it. These are usually for our more expensive cruises when pre-existing conditions could be an issue. Over time, we are way ahead with that strategy.

My bad - your previous post was very clear on that point. At least you know the proper way to use the credits for insurance coverage purposes.

Sorry that most of this is not working out the way you hoped. It is still better to find this out before making some of your payments. It is also much better to find out the gory details now, rather than when a claim is denied. If you don't have any pre-existing conditions and your medical history for the lookback period can document this, is it worth the risk to go without a pre-existing conditions waiver? Benefits: It is simpler You could use the Visa and credits now You would not have to insure the airfare You don't have to hold on to airline credits for a future trip with the same insurance issues You save a few bucks on the insurance and finance charges Of course, if you still have a high level of concern with the insurance company and pre-existing conditions, the approach you discussed with Steve solves all of that and you may sleep better at night 🙂. Thanks for filling us in.

I'm not sure that is correct. Royal Caribbean (and Celebrity) have the most restrictive rules of any of the cruise lines that I have seen. They ban all "Electrical Extension Cords". We always travel with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SY5O5K. I don't consider it an extension cord - as it has no cord. It has no surge protection, but it turns one European plug into two (euro or US). I don't think this causes safety concerns nor does it violate the letter or the spirit of the rules. By the way, I have had a grounded 14 gauge extension cord without multiple outlets confiscated. One of these adapters was visible right next to the cord, and they did not say a word.

Definitely a good idea. They only offer a subset of available policies, but they know their policies very well and can provide you with the correct info for those policies. Some of the other big insurance sites are very good to help you filter out policies you don't want. But to figure out which ones work for you, you still need to read the policies as the high level summaries often miss important details. The last time I tried calling one of the others when I had two specific questions they gave me bad advice. When I called Steve at TIS about that policy, he was able to give me accurate advice, even though it was for a policy he did not sell. He did look at his policies, but agreed that the other one I was looking at was a better choice for my unique situation. He lost a sale, but gained a lifetime fan and customer. Be careful with this one. Some policies that require you to insure all pre-paid non-refundable costs in order to qualify for a pre-existing conditions waiver will require you insure the airfare. If the airfare is fully refundable in cash, there is never a requirement to insure it. If it is refundable in an airline credit then the airfare is often considered a "pre-paid non-refundable cost". You may want to look at https://tripinsurancestore.com/what-is-your-trip-cost/ before calling TIS. It addresses two of your initial questions (although with most cruise lines "taxes, fees, and port expenses" are fully refundable). It also has a link to an old blog post that touches upon your hotel question. A phone call to discuss your situation and ask what-if questions is still extremely beneficial. Please let us know what you find out.

Yes they were being helpful to you by giving you a way to get a good deal on your cruise. The post flaunted the cruise critic guidelines, so one of the monitors deleted it. (You can not delete your own posts, you can only edit them within 20 minutes of posting.) The monitors are very good at finding and deleting these kinds of posts. The poster also risks permanent suspension if happens again. If I am being too cryptic, take a look at the CC guidelines. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/guidelines/#guides_agentrecommendations If you search the boards you will find threads about booking with a TA vs booking directly with the cruise line. People swear by both approaches. But, getting the best deal is never the reason to book directly with the cruise line.

Several people are trying to be helpful to you while staying within the CC rules. If that is not what you want, you have already been given your answer. Princess will not match the deal you found with a TA. If you want the deal, book with the TA. If you want to book with Princess, then do so. And to repeat, any TA can apply your FCDs/FCCs.