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a.madruga

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Posts posted by a.madruga

  1. On 11/10/2023 at 7:01 AM, sambamama said:

    I found it was more expensive to combine two flights than to fly directly to Vancouver. And then you run into the added chance of delays and chance of lost luggage. But everyone makes choices. I've been to Vancouver many times. The mass transit is great there. If you truly are worried about money, stay further off the grid and use mass transit. You can find something for $200 or so. I stayed at the YMCA before. It was fine. That being said, the fancy hotels are gorgeous and Vancouver is a wonderful city. If you have extra time, come in 3 nights early and go to Victoria by ferry, and then come back. 

    Thanks sounds great

  2. 4 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

     

    I know exactly where Florida City is.  Used to have a place at The Harborage in Key Largo back in the 90's.  Now retired and we travel fulltime in our RV, wintering in Yuma AZ after living in Florida for 40+ years.....no desire to return either.

     

    Lots to consider and research for your cruise to Alaska.  Again a lot depends on the time of year you will be cruising.  We opted for shoulder season for several reasons.  My other half does not fly, so we are taking a 6 day repositioning cruise from SD to Vancouver.  Overnight in Vancouver then board HAL Koningsdam for B2B Inside Passage cruises.  We will return to Arizona via Amtrak....retirement is about adventures.

     

    We will be cruising on HAL Koningsdam this January 18 days to Hawaii......we love everything about HAL for sure.

    Gloria loves HAL hydro pool actually we both do funny about your RV we just rented a c class for a week to Jolly Rogers in Marathon’s first time doing it and we are hooked on RVing for good once we get back from our Alaska cruise selling and traveling our great country. Thanks again 

    • Like 2
  3. 9 minutes ago, Hogladyrider said:

    From your signature it looks like you might be flying out of Florida.  If so, I've done this twice, both times took red eye out of OIA.  Alaska Airlines offers a companion fare with their CC so you might want to research that.  

    It is a LONG flight no matter what airline you choose.  I have never booked flights via the cruise line as I prefer to select my own flight times.

    As for hotels we are doing HAL in Alaska in 2025 and OMG the hotels are VERY expensive.  Pan Pacific is $500 in May!  Guess it depends on your budget, for us it is one night, clean room, bathroom etc. I'd rather spend the extra  $$$ doing other things.  We do not have cc points so we will be paying for a room when bookings open for 2025.

    Good luck whatever you choose, it does depend on the time of year your are cruising, we will be cruising in May, early shoulder season.

    Thanks and yes we live closer to key largo than Miami it’s a long flight but can’t wait my only half will turn 65 and retire. We missed out on 60 because of Covid when our 10 day to Alaska was cancelled..,,

  4. 19 minutes ago, Susanmaz said:

    As for airfare, it depends on where you’re coming from and returning to… we fly from the west coast, so our options are different from flying from east coast. We like to stay down by Canada Place and spend a day or two exploring. If you don’t plan to come in until the day before, it may be better to stay by the airport and shuttle down to the pier. 

    Sounds good 

     

  5. Yes

    1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

    Please don't write in all caps. It is considered yelling, and against Cruise Critic rules.

     

    The only way to know about airfares is to do the research...compare what you can buy on your own, and what the cruise line offers. There is no one absolute better option.

     

  6. On 7/10/2023 at 9:39 PM, Heidi13 said:

    With 2 full seasons working Alaska cruises and numerous R/T as a pax, any cruise line still sailing to Alaska in October, clearly doesn't know Alaska. I have many reasons that we would never sail NCL, but that is the primary reason for Alaska.

     

    Another consideration, since NCL are one of the new cruise lines in Alaska, I note it was one of their ships that impacted a bergy bit in Alaska last year. More experienced cruise lines have been sailing in bergy bit waters without incident for well over 50 years.

     

    As @Coral posted, I would also never consider a R/T from Seattle, which spends way too much time in the Pacific Ocean. Seattle is an extra 100 miles each way, plus they must spend time in Victoria. Most of this time is reduced time in port. 

     

    HAL and Princess know Alaska, so for a mega ship, I would select either of them.

    It pays to read and learn !!!!!

  7. On 7/9/2023 at 8:56 AM, Coral said:

    I pick itineraries with long port days and with glacier days (2 is preferred, if 1, I try to pick Glacier Bay). The draw to Alaska is Alaska and not the ship. With long port days - I am not worried with what the ship offers. I do like naturalists on the ship and do attend their talks.

     

    I personally would never book a NCL cruise due to their times in port, where they dock in Ketchikan, etc....

     

    The only time I have ever been bored on a ship in Alaska is when we had fog all day, all week and it was difficult to look at scenery. And it was my first cruise to Alaska and we had crappy port times. Now, I look much closer when I book a cruise.

     

    I am not a fan of Seattle departures as their times in port are awful. Most don't realize it until closer to sailing when they are scheduling excursions when they are trying to make something work.

     

    I would definitely switch. That is me.

    agree on NCL not for ALASKA!!!!!!

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