rnr4thatsme

With the snorkelling from shore at Money Bar, do you walk into deep water or is it a shallow entrance that gets gradually deeper?   Do you need to be deep to see fish?

Hi there!  Any ideas what kind of updates we will see in Spirit's dry dock in January 2025?   Hoping there's a thermal spa!

Would Carnival Luminosa be likely to be able to make this stop in mid-August (reading that July may be iffy)...

Does anyone know where Luminosa docks in Ketchikan?   Is it walkable to Creek Street?

I haven't been, but I would recommend you watch a youtube video of the float before you decide.  I was thinking of that one myself, but just be aware it does go through some residential areas - it's not all scenic floating.

I've been reading about nightmare line-ups for shuttle busses in some of the Alaska ports such as Sitka (if it's a bigger ship using the out of town dock) and Ketchikan (if sailing on NCL to Ward Cove).  How does one find out if the ship one is considering drops you off in town where you can just walk to the town, or away and you need a shuttle?    Especially for the following ports - Juneau, Skagway, Icy Straight Point...  The thought of standing in line for an hour for a shuttle does not seem appealing.  We are having to sail in July or August, as well, so the ships will probably be full (friend is a teacher).

Does this promo run often?  I often book oceanview cabins and was able to take advantage of this this time, but wondering if on my upcoming cruise, I should buy two cruise next again with the hopes of using them again in summer 2025.

Sorry, I'm finding this confusing...   A person can buy FCD for ANOTHER PERSON who is NOT sailing?   Does that have to be done onboard or can it be done after the cruise within 60 days?  What information does the person buying the FCD (if it must be done onboard) need about the person the FCD is intended for?   And can they also still buy for themselves then?

I've been reading about the various cuts HAL is making and wondering if these classes are rumoured to be on the chopping block?   I am already sad to learn that classical music is being cut.  Hoping not too many more cuts before summer 2025!

51 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Ah, no. The Band gets one night off per week, typically, as does every performer.

Thanks @cruiserbruce!   Do they alternate, so that one is always open?

Hi there!  Considering Eurodam for Alaska 2025...  Are these venues open every night? 

Can anyone tell me the approximate costs of some of the additional activities onboard?  I was reading in the reviews that many of the activities are extra cost.   I was wondering, like i-Fly, bumper cars etc?   Are all those extra fee?

Hi there!   What is your favourite ship with the best indoor and/or heated outdoor (thinking heat lamps etc) viewing options with seating?  Is there a ship you've been on which you did NOT like the observation areas available?  We are doing an oceanview cabin, so we won't have our own private seating area.

Hello!   I've been thinking of gifting my elderly father and his wife an Alaskan cruise on HAL this summer.  I was reading about the platinum protection plan and it says it covers pre-existing conditions and makes no mention as to age?  Is this too good to be true?  Being as they are an older couple, they definitely have medical conditions etc - nothing serious, but the usual things for people of a certain age.  And being of that age, I want to purchase very good insurance, which this plans sounds like it is.  Does anyone have any advice?

I am looking at some excursions in ports where we would dock at 7am.  For example, one itinerary has us docking in Juneau from 7-1:30 and I was looking at the Sea Kayak Adventure which is 3.5 hours long.  Would there likely be multiple start times, some later than 7am?  Or are the 7am ports generally mean having a very early morning if you are planning on doing an excursion?

On 2/8/2024 at 10:36 PM, tetleytea said:

Those cruise line buses in Ward Cove are horrible.   The lines to get into town are terrible.  And to get back to the ship, you have to return 1 1/2 hours early--and for a NCL round-trip Seattle cruise, that port stop in Ketchikan is already very short. 

 

Taking the public bus the opposite direction to Totem Bight sounds like a great idea.  Or an excursion, or pretty much anything that lets you not have to take those buses.   We did Ward Cove twice:  one time we did the Zodiac excursion (which was awesome), and the other time we hired a driver who dropped us off at Ward Cove--quite a bit after all the bus passengers had boarded the ship already.  That bought us an extra hour of actually touring stuff.

 

So just curious, the Ketchikan stop for Bliss says 6:30am to 1:15 am, and you have to be back in the lineup downtown for the cruise line shuttle bus to Ward Cove by 11:45 then?  Or back on board ship at 11:45?

Has anyone done this tour?   We are contemplating going August 9, 2025.  While I would love to see bears, any wildlife with a beautiful view would make me happy. I ask specifically about the one offered through the cruiseline so we could use our excursion credit towards the cost.

I was just looking in general at this point... I was not aware that there would be different conditions for different times of year, etc.   Thanks for the info!

I guess it depends where you are living exactly - but @PG_traveller has a good point I often use.  Galveston and LAX, for me, are always cheaper flights.  I tend to do LAX as I can sometimes get direct to there from Manitoba.  I stay close to LAX, which tends to put me halfway between the things in LA I want to see the day before the cruise (Santa Monica etc) and the cruise ports a bit further south.  Even taking into account uber costs, it is always cheaper.

I also had just a random code on my account after taking a cruise.

I was also looking at this tour but it's not showing listed as a possible excursion on Grand Princess' stop in Juneau in July 2025.  Does that mean Allen Marine is not doing it on that day, or is it possible that it hasn't been added yet?   I see it listed on Discovery Princess the same month.  I was really hoping to do this excursion.  

I haven't actually booked the cruise yet, just looking at the itinerary.

We are looking at the Grand Princess for July 2025 to Alaska.  I was wondering if there would typically be live contemporary rock music bands performing somewhere in the evenings?   I've heard there is a usually a piano bar event at Crooners, is that still the case?  We enjoy having a drink and watching bands play contemporary rock music, not big jazz fans.

What type of live music could be found around the ship on the Grand Princess?   Are there contemporary rock bands or is it more of a classical vibe (for Alaska if that matters).

25 minutes ago, Cbtours said:

We went May 6-20 2023 Vancouver return and loved every minute. Loved the itinerary, got two stops each port, so two chances excursions we really wanted. Four days glacier cruising. Weather perfect. On Grand Princess.

plenty of snow too, so White Pass Rail excursion was amazing.

How was the Grand Princess?  I've seen questionable reviews on her...

Following!   Also, best month to book to ensure you have your pick of excursions!  Don't want to book too late and see the best excursions sold out!   We are thinking of going late June 2025.