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Cruising Divers

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  1. On 1/4/2022 at 3:24 PM, John99 said:

     

      @Cruising Divers   We really enjoyed our cruises to Alaska in the past especially cruise/tours.  In fact, we have another 12 day cruise/tour planned for July 2022.  Relative to Victoria here are some ideas and/or suggestions delineated below.

     

    Your port time in Victoria from 7:00pm to 11:59pm (5 hours) is not a lot of time.   Most of your time will be in the late evening after dark.  I wish the port time started earlier and was longer.

    May 21st 2022:       Sunrise @ 5:25am   --   Sunset @ 8:55pm

     

    Taxi Service in Victoria

    Using a taxi is one of several options (ride sharing is another) available if you are going to any venue in Victoria for those do-it-yourselfers. Taxis may charge a “surcharge” based on certain traffic conditions which could be included in your bill.  Yes, another hidden fee in the world of hidden fees.  It is not clear to me when (& why) the surcharge is applied.  Also, taxi drivers expect a tip of between 10-15%. 

     

    Uber Service in Victoria

    Looking to catch a ride with Uber in Victoria? You might be waiting a while.

     

    December 16, 2021 -- The Passenger Transportation Board issued a ruling on Uber Canada’s application to operate in B.C.’s Interior (including Victoria) and on Vancouver Island. The application was denied.   Uber sought to expand into Victoria, BC.  Per the Transportation Board -- “the board is not convinced that there exists a public need for the service applied for. Further, the board considers that the application, if granted at this time, would not promote sound economic conditions in the passenger transportation business in B.C. For these reasons, the application is refused.”  It should be noted that over 6 Victoria taxi companies submitted viewpoints against approval.  Source: Global News

     

    Another Option for do-it-yourselfers

    The Princess cruise ships will dock at the Ogden Point Cruise Terminal in the “Outer” Harbor area of Victoria, which is located just over 1 mile from the “Inner” Harbor and downtown areas. The Port of Victoria offers an inexpensive shuttle service that will take you to the “Inner” Harbor area (and return).  This is called - Ogden Point Cruise Shuttle.  The shuttle runs a minimum of every 20 minutes. The last shuttle service is one hour prior to the ship's sailing time. The shuttle stops in downtown, at the 1000 block of Government Street. The shuttle costs C$11 for a round trip ticket; a one way ticket is C$6.  Please check for any price increase for 2022.

    Princess Option

    In the past, Princess offered a shuttle to the “Inner” Harbor area as an excursion. When on board your Princess ships please check to see if the shuttle is being offered for this cruise.  Otherwise, you can grab a cab or take a very pleasant walk to downtown.  Again check 2022 for current prices.

     

    Inner Harbor/downtown area

    The “Inner” Harbor/downtown area is where you'll find most of Victoria's attractions, including the Empress Hotel, the provincial Legislative building complex, museums, shops, restaurants and many pubs. These venues are an easy walk from one another.  Your short port time means you need to maximize your time in Victoria.

     

    Another Option -- Open top double-decker buses

    Whether you are just in town for the day with a cruise ship this tour provides a great overview of all that Victoria has to offer Limited time in Victoria? You can still experience Victoria’s best attractions on this 80-90 minute tour – all from the vantage point of our double-decker buses!  An Evening City Tour was approximately $40 in 2019. This tour is ideal for guests onboard cruise ships docked in Victoria for the evening.  Departs is from in front of the iconic Fairmont Empress Hotel (721 Government Street).  Please check the times and prices for 2022.

    Take the Ogden Point Shuttle from the Cruise terminal to a kiosk in front of the Fairmont Empress Hotel.

     

    From Ogden Point (cruise pier) to Butchart Gardens a taxi costs about $65 and takes 35/40 minutes a distance of 14.7 miles, one way.  At least that’s what the prices were in 2019.

     

    Enjoy your planning.    There are many good ideas and suggestion given by CC cruisers. 

    Do you have information overload yet?

    John

     

     

     

    Thank you John, you are a wealth of information! I had no idea of the taxi situation in Victoria but now between you and the poster right after you (XBGuy) we will be MUCH more prepared - thank you for that! The Ogden Shuttle Service sounds like a winner, now the only real choice will be between a self-exploration day or booking an excursion with the ship... Again we deeply appreciate all of the information from both you and all of the others who took the time to help us; our trip will be infinitely better because of it.

     

     

    18 hours ago, XBGuy said:

    I will offer another transportation option for Victoria.

     

    On one of our trips, I made an arrangement to meet up with and friend from and online wine board.  He suggested we meet at a downtown restaurant (It was good, but I do not recall the name of it.) at 1:00.  The ship had docked at about 8:00 am and was scheduled to leave at 6:00 pm.  We spent the morning on the ship, and, as I was walking around, I could see the cab stand, below.  There was a line of cabs picking up cruise passengers as quick as they could.  So, now I knew where to get a cab.

     

    We left the ship and arrived at the cab stand at about 12:30.  Uh oh.  Now there was a line of passengers and no cabs.  After standing there for a few minutes a pedi-cab arrived and dropped off some people.  I asked the guy if he could take us, and he was happy to do so.  He was pretty gregarious and. not surprisingly, was able to quote the fare in both Canadian and U.S. dollars.  We arrived at the restaurant and met Darrin standing outside.  We had a great time.  Darrin ordered an nice Okanagan Valley Syrah (BC wines are impossible to find in my area), and we had some noshes to go with it.

     

    Epilog.  Getting transportation back to the ship was nontrivial.  We'd asked the restaurant to call a cab for us, but it wasn't happening.  We had them call again, and, still, nothing.  Cabs were not driving by us, and there were no pedi-cabs, either.  So, we walked back to the ship,  It took about 45 minutes.  My suspiciion is that if we'd been in a neighborhood where lots of other cruisers were--the Empress Hotel, for example--we would have been able to grab a cab.

     

    Thank you! This helpful information from both you and John is extremely insightful for us for Victoria and will be put to use - we are very grateful! 

  2. 14 hours ago, Mary loves to travel said:

    Yes, our walk on the glacier was stellar!    Everything we hoped for & more.   But, we were blessed with perfect weather.   The pilot mentioned how the past few days, it had been so overcast there wasn't much flightseeing to be done -- it was clear enough to fly to the glacier, but that was it.

     

    This was our 2nd Alaska cruise.   The first time, in Skagway, we did a self-guided hike to Lower Dewey Lake in the morning - beautiful!    Then, right after lunch took the WP&Y to the summit and back down.   Now, we were in the very last car, and what I loved about that was standing out on the back platform, and watching the train ahead curve into the tunnel.   Just lovely to be outside.

     

    I should also mention that on our first trip, in Juneau, we'd light a flight tour booked, but it was too overcast.   So, we went to our backup plan:   shuttle bus to Mendenhall, hiked out to the glacier (as close as we could get), shuttle back to town (watch the timing on the shuttle; I recall it coming maybe every hour, and we suddenly realized we'd better hoof it quickly or we'd miss the next bus 🙂   Again, lunch in town, then we took the tram up to the top of Mt Roberts and spent time hiking around up there.   A lovely day.

     

    As far as Victoria, don't you want to see Butchart Gardens?    It's about a 45 minute drive, and the port time was short, so we went with the Princess excursion.    My cousins chose the one that included tea while in the gardens, which they said was lovely; we wanted more time in the gardens so just want with the basic excursion (really transportation both ways & your entry ticket).

     

    You'll have a great time!

    Mary

     

    Thank you Mary! Seems like it may be wise for us to have backup plans for all of our port days actually, I'll work on that as well. I hope we have cooperating weather too because your glacier walk and float plane experiences sound just like what we're looking for - both excellent days! I also think booking our Victoria day with Princess (either Butchart, tea at Pendray or possibly the "Ocean Wildlife & Orca Exploration" excursion) is the right move too due to the short time in port - TYA!

     

     

    12 hours ago, DevilsFan38 said:

    I haven't been to Alaska yet, but I'm planning a trip for this coming summer and it sounds like we have similar interests (I'm active and mid 30's), so here's what I've found so far. For Skagway going to do the railway/van back with Chilkoot charters. In Juneau I'm looking at canoeing and glacier hiking (https://beyondak.com/trips/glacier-canoe-paddle-trek/), with fingers crossed that conditions on the glacier cooperate. In Ketchikan I'm looking at a floatplane, or possibly a bike and hike tour I found (https://www.ketchikankayakco.com/activities/e-bike-hike/) - not sure I'd have time for both.

     

    Thank you for the links! Perfect help. Chilkoot seems to be highly recommended and could be the right call for the railway day. We love the idea of canoeing and the hiking the glacier too, a fantastic day I'm sure, but I wonder if there is another company that would allow us our own canoe/something a little more private? The Beyond AK website shows a minimum of 8 people for their private trip/excursion, not a 1-on-1 perse guide/option (but of course we could be underestimating how fun it would be as shown), hmmm... Thank you again for the helpful suggestions and links!

     

    • Like 1
  3. 6 hours ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

    HAL usually has a priest on board to lead Mass for crew and passengers. 

     


    Our first cruise was a Christmas cruise on HAL (Eurodam in 2015 I believe) and there was a non-denominational service and it was simple but lovely and we thoroughly appreciated the option of it. The ship decorations, the altered food/menu, the crew in Santa hats/etc, the music - all of it was as good as we had hoped for and we would do it again in a heartbeat if we could ever get that week off from work again (permanently blacked-out for DW unfortunately). 
     

    Of course I’m not sure of what all aspects

    have changed since our trip but based upon our one experience I’d highly recommend a HAL Christmas cruise for anyone looking for more secular options/experience, we enjoyed ours enough to decide that cruising was for us and that we’d like to do it, well, basically for forever. 

  4. 1 hour ago, John99 said:

    Greetings     @Cruising Divers  Typo - Victoria, CA should be Victoria BC.

    If you’re flying out of Seattle Airport (SEA) after your cruise please check out this FREE SERVICE.  For people that flight out of SEA on a regular basis you may already know about this service.  But, for those that don’t -- check it out 

    Seattle Port Valet

    The web site states “luggage free” & “complimentary”.  I understand FREE.

    They recommend you check in “early” at the ship’s Guest Service.

    Sign up and obtain a board pass and luggage tags.

    They truck your bags to the airport.

    You don’t see your bags until arrive at your destination.

    You can even track your bags.  Nice feature.  Seven (7) airlines participate in this program.  Sorry, only domestic airlines.

    The Port of Seattle is the sponsor for this FREE service.

     

    For more detailed info on Cruise Critic go to:

    Home

    Categories

    North American Homeports

    West Coast Departures

    Thread – Port of Seattle Launches free airport luggage service

     

    This program seems very similar to EZ Check. 

    The only difference is Princess charges for this service. 

     

    Happy Planning & Good luck,     John

     

    Also check out the Port of Seattle website:

    https://www.portseattle.org/page/port-valet-enjoy-seattle-luggage-free  

     

    Thank you John! Yes we definitely hope to visit Victoria, Canada and not Victoria, California (although Victoria Beach, CA does look lovely in the Google images ha!).

     

    I personally was aware of the (totally free to use as I also understand it) Seattle Port Luggage Valet Program and am positive that 98% (if not more) of users experience no issue whatsoever. However we are quite overly paranoid about losing our luggage (mostly from transporting expensive scuba equipment through some... less than ideal airports) and will probably pass on the service due to the (again very, very few) negative reviews. Our loss I'm sure and TYA for the great information!

     

     

    1 hour ago, XBGuy said:

    @Cruising Divers, what ship will you be on?  I ask that question with a bit of hesitation because, most assuredly, somebody will jump in with a comment about some other ship being better.  However, from your multiple posts, it is apparent that you are courteous to all respondents and are able to discern opinion from fact.

     

    Since this will be your first cruise on a Princess ship, I ask so that we can offer some opinions on the nicer features of the ship that you are on.  For example, in one of your posts you mention that you are "foodies."  While there is a lot of similarity in the dining options on the various Princess ship, similar is not identical.  There are options on some ships that are not available on others.

     

    Thank you for the kind words! We firmly believe that it costs nothing to be nice and that being rude or ugly (even in return) accomplishes nothing. We never know exactly what someone else is going through or causing them to keep that attitude/outlook - I see a crazy rude driver on the interstate blowing past me while using no turn signals when in reality it is a person trying to get to a hospital in time before their S.O. passes away... Food for thought and whatnot.

     

    To answer your question, we will be on the brand-new Princess Discovery. We have never sailed with PCL before and are looking forward to trying the differences as every line we've sailed with has had something amazing that the others did not. We welcome and thank you for any suggestions on "must-try's"!

     

    15 minutes ago, Buckeye10640 said:

    Regarding White Pass RR it was reported today on an Alaska FB page I follow that, according to one of the tour operators,  the bridge repairs are scheduled to be completed by the end of April. So I am cautiously optimistic. I have already booked with Chilkoot Tours bor mid-May but also looking for alternatives if it falls thru. 

     

    That is excellent news! We will likely be following your lead as we really do hope to ride the rails on this trip and with us not having a FB account your update is greatly appreciated - thank you!  👍

     

  5. 1 hour ago, Glaciers said:

    Just to clarify, did you book the Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm tour? 

     

    Hello, we booked the "Endicott Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer" excursion but on "Points of Interest" it lists "Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness" and under "Special Notes" it says:

     

    "In the event unpredictable ice conditions preclude your cruise ship from entering Endicott Arm, the tour will be modified to explore Tracy Arm, a fjord and tidewater glacier of equal beauty."

     

    Good catch!

    • Like 1
  6. 15 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

    Ketchikan:  Bering Sea Fisherman’s Tour

    Juneau:  Taku Glacier floatplane with lunch.  

    Skagway:  Go to the visitor’s center and pick up a map of hikes in the area rated from easy to strenuous

    Definitely do the small boat tour into Tracy Arm if offered.

    Victoria:  Walk from the ship to the inner harbor.  Lovely community and culture with the Empress Hotel and the Legislature building plus Fisherman’s Wharf.

     

    15 hours ago, oaktreerb said:

    You will probably decide to return so that you can spend some time in Alaska.   There are many places to visit and adventures to be had if you continue on to Seward/Whittier and move into  the interior of the Great Land.

     

    Thank you! The Taku Glacier Floatplane looks very promising, that is just the type of excursion we are looking towards. We also just booked the Tracy Arm small boat tour as well; there were very few spots left so we feel fortunate to now be booked - Thank you again!

     

    13 hours ago, mskaufman said:

    Here is a link to some pictures from the White Pass Trip

     

    Mark and Karen Alaska 2011 (shutterfly.com)

     

     

     

    Thank you so much for your pictures - they are extremely helpful to us! The WP trip looks like it was totally worth it, looks like you both had a great time. I'm assuming there will be a bit more snow on the ground during our visit as we will be there in the middle of May? I also hope the bridge is repaired by time we get there too but that seems a bit overly optimistic IMHO... Thank you again for sharing!

     

     

  7.  

    13 hours ago, Katwoman007 said:

    100% Float plane in Ketchikan. Island Wings was AMAZING!!! This is a NON cruise booking. We booked outside of the boat due to the issues that had happened prior our trip with a different company. We woke up and were off the boat the minute that we could be. We walked the town, went up to the Totum area, back down ALL before our appointment for our plane ride. Pending the schedule there, they have longer tours if you would like as well. We had a perfectly clear day and landed on a private lake that was just ours. We got out and were able to explore a little before getting back in. We saw a small pod of Ocra's from the plane. AMAZING!! 

    Island Wings is privately owned and operated, I do not know the current situation with them. But if I could go back, I would for sure fly with them again! 

     

     

    13 hours ago, geoherb said:

    We loved snorkeling in Ketchikan on our first cruise to Alaska. We also have enjoyed our kayaking excursions. One of the best of them was catching the fast ferry to Haines from Skagway to kayak in Chilkhoot Lake on an independent excursion. It was just the two of us with a guide. Another time I booked us an independent kayaking excursion in Juneau at Mendenhall Lake. That time it was just the two of us without a guide. It would have been great except for the drizzly day.

     

     

    Thank you both - those sounds like amazing days! Island Wings seems to be quite highly recommended everywhere too, seems like it is very well run and would provide a great Ketchikan experience. We also intially looked into the snorkeling excursion as we have dove all over but never in the PNW or similar; that would be very fitting for us to still go snorkeling on our 1st non-diving trip too ha! We really do love diving.

     

    We have done a fair-to-moderate amount of canoeing so the kayak excursions (especially a well-planned out independent route) during great weather would be stellar! Thank you both again for the helpful suggestions 🥂 

     

     

    10 hours ago, John99 said:

    Hi @Cruising Divers   Good question.  According to the White Pass & Yukon website – work on a bridge replacement started in the later part of the summer.  Will it be ready for 2022?  Unknown at this time. You will have to check for “operation updates” on their WPY website.  DW and myself plan on taking the WPY in 2022.  Most likely we will book the tour with Princess because I can cancel at any time before the cruise without any problem. We taken this trip several times in the past an always enjoyed the experience to see what pioneers had to endure in search of fortune.  We plan on taking the train to the summit then a bus ride back to Liarsville Gold Rush Camp for Alaskan-caught wild salmon grilling over an open alder wood fire.   DW favorite place for Alaskan salmon.  Of course an Alaskan ale for me.  All-you-can-eat meal.

    Side note:  We also like Dominica.

    John

     

    Thank you John! That is very helpful information. We would love to book/take the full WPY route but would probably opt for another activity if the train is unable to reach the summit/complete the journey due to the bridge; more research is definitely in order.

     

    Your 2022 plan sounds like a perfect day! I also can appreciate being able to cancel via the cruise line in these uncertain times. One of the biggest hesitations we have currently is booking and paying for a pricey helicopter tour since many of the companies basically list "no refund/100% loss of payment for any reason regardless" and we are still 5 months away from our departure (plus it's not like we can control the weather...). We have seen 1-2 companies who do offer a reasonable cancelation policy (plus the available cruise ship options) though so I'm sure we will make something happen. Thank you again and I hope we all make it back to The (wonderful) Nature Island very soon!

  8. 1 hour ago, John99 said:

    White Pass and Yukon Railroad

    Update -- A White Pass & Yukon Railway bridge went out during the last week of July due to rockslides.  Since that time, Yukon Railroad service has conducted an abbreviated round trip excursion to Mile 14.  A new bridge replacement project is planned at Mile 15.  Without the new bridge, you cannot complete the journey to the White Pass Summit at Mile 20.4.  Plus, service to Fraser, Carcross, Bennett Lake and the Yukon Territory has been postponed until the 2022 summer season.  Hope the new bridge is completed by 2022.   Look for updates and plan accordingly.     John

     

    Thank you John! We were really hoping to do either White Pass or some sort of train segment on this cruise so based on this new information do you have any specific recommendations for us? Would you still book a RR excursion hoping that A) the bridge is repaired by May 15, 2022 (seems a bit optimistic tbh) or B) that the shortened journey is still worth the effort/time not spent elsewhere? Thank you again, you are appreciated!

     

    34 minutes ago, michigan tim said:

    If you are highly active 40 somethings I'm thinking something that is not a cruise.  Way too much down time.  Consider flying to Anchorage and renting a car and from there you can immerse yourselves in activities.  My personal preference would be the west side of the Kenai to Homer.  But you could also do the east side to Seward and do a Glacier hike and fjords cruise or a Prince William Sound cruise out of Whittier, both are spectacular. or head north to Denali, Fairbanks etc.  If you were going to focus on Denali and North a flight to Fairbanks might make more sense.  The cruise ports are fun, but very touristy and the 7 day Seattle itineraries are limited to the SE arm of Alaska.  If you have already decided the hiking above Skagway, as mentioned is spectacular and you begin a few steps from the ship! IMO it is the highlight of this trip, and if you fish, take a pack rod and catch some dollys at Lower Dewey Lake, just make sure to have a license.

     

    Thank you Tim! 75% or so of our trips are land-based "Go! Go! Go!" trips that involve little-no rest so believe it or not this is actually our idea of "mild and relaxing". With so much time at sea/little time in port (and a beautiful brand-new large-ish balcony room) we will surely do a great amount of R&R. If we were able to take a month off and had greater means though we would definitely follow a plan such as yours - I'm sure it would be stellar! 🏆

  9. Thank you VERY MUCH to everyone who took the time to reply, you are all appreciated! We have learned much from all of you and have the following thoughts:

     

    On 12/31/2021 at 6:44 PM, mskaufman said:
    • Endicott Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer (Nearly $300.00pp to do it though, is it really that much better than watching from the ship deck?)

    Almost always.  Very often the ship doesn't make it that far in.  The smaller boat gets you much closer.  Whether its worth $300 pp is your call.

     

    On 12/31/2021 at 6:45 PM, mskaufman said:

     Should we do Heli's here or in Juneau and instead do a "White Pass" train ride here? Which one???

     

    We did helis in Juneau and White Pass in Skagway and were happy with that choice.

     

    Thank you! This sounds perfect, we will definitely do the optional EA excursion. White Pass seems all but certain too. Now we just need to find the perfect Heli and glacier-walk tour. Thanks again!

     

    On 12/31/2021 at 7:57 PM, Northern Aurora said:

    Gosh -- so many questions.  I wonder if our OP has read the "2019 Resources....." thread at the top of this forum index.  All of the Alaskan port communities have Visitor Bureaus, and their various websites list private vendors in these communities.  

     

    Also please read the 2019 trip reports as well.  Those trip reports, many which will contain photos, will help you focus on what you want to do.  Once you determine your priorities it will be easier to answer your questions.

     

    In general Ketchikan is known for SE Native Peoples culture (ie, Totem Poles) and scenic flight seeing to Misty Fjords.  Favorite activities in Juneau include whale watching, Mendenhall Glacier and Mt. Roberts Tramway.  Skagway was a major entrance point for the Klondike gold rush; the National Park Service is acquiring more and more of the old historic buildings.  For train buffs Skagway also offers the White Pass and Yukon Railroad.  In Skagway there are also possibilities for taking helicopters for glacier treks.  Victoria is needed for PVSA compliance, and is extremely easy to visit on your own.

     

    Thank you for the helpful information and reading suggestions - they are now at the top of our list! Skagway will be a tough decision to make for sure, we will need to especially read up on the opportunities/different options of riding along the White Pass/Yukon Railroad as that will surely be a highlight of the trip.

     

    On 12/31/2021 at 11:01 PM, LocoLoco1 said:

    I SCUBA. I hike Volcanos. I skydive. I drive Locomotives in N. Amer.; and remember, BC’s/Alaska’s weather is so-oo fickle. With all the aformentioned said I will suggest for your on-land 5 THINGS.  Skagway: The Railroad,  Juneau:Taku Lodge Fly-in with a morning flight out, then hike the Perseverance Trail once back in town.(Pack a RedBull or 3). Ketchikan: Drive your own Zodiac Boat(wet-suited up).  Seward: A Smaller tour boat up to the face of a crashing Glacier with Crablegs on Fox Island. Victoria BC:  HighTea at the  Empress Hotel and walk the Rose gardens. That’s it, THE END. SCUBA? You will need ‘DrySuit’.. skip it. Helicopter?..I guess so if you must. Aerial Tram ride?.. meh. Seattle?, OMG, so sad to see what’s happened Downtown there. Your cruise up the Inside Passage and being out on the misty, blustery Deck taking it all in with coupla good CraftBeers will be the highlight.. Pack a good Columbia raincoat. Enjoy. Email me. thsteinman@ GeeMail dot com TOM

     

    You sound like a wealth of information and we will send you an email later on today. Thank you for the generous offer, you are greatly appreciated 🤝

     

    On 1/1/2022 at 10:20 AM, SightCRR said:

    Just about every excursion will have a YouTube video on it. Skip the ad ones from the cruise line. Try to look for the newest ones.

    Seattle: While at the needle do Chihuly Garden and Glass and then if into music MoPop. Both close.

    Ketch: Crab boat tour & sea kayak.

    Glacier: take the boat tour.

    Juneau: Whale watch,  helo and tram. 

    Skag: Another helo in case first one canceled or you can never get to many helos. If only one do Skag because Juneau has lots of other things and longer time in Skag.

    Victoria: Dark at 9 pm. Taxi up hill to Government gardens and walk back down.

    Be sitting down when you see the total price. Likely close to double the cruise price p/p depending on high or lowest cabin price.  My guess would be close to $2k p/p.

    sightcrr

     

    Thank you for those helpful suggestions! Both the Juneau and Skagway days will be a hard decision to make, lots of great opportunities even with our short time in port(s). We don't mind the cost and do expect it to be high but don't expect to miss the money once we are there and/or once we are back home. We are currently booked in a "Premium Deluxe Balcony" and if prices drop heavily again we may even move up to a Mini-Suite however I think the cabin we have now (Forward Starboard) will be quite nice for views/sea days and it appears no other real perks arrive until you book a "Club Class Mini-Suite" which we don't believe we will do.

     

    Thank you again to all and please feel free to keep the itinerary/tour operator suggestions coming in!!

     

  10. Thank you VERY MUCH to everyone who took the time to reply, you are all appreciated! We have learned much from all of you and have the following thoughts:

     

    On 12/31/2021 at 5:58 PM, Rick&Jeannie said:

    I cannot comment on your main questions about trip planning...as involved as this appears to be I would think that you would be well served by a travel agent. 

    Regarding being "bummed out" about missing Glacier Bay...I've done both now. You will most certainly enjoy Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier. It is different from the GB but you will find it to be one of the most serene and peaceful spots on earth!

     

    We think you are spot on and plan to do the optional EA/DG excursion! Thank you for taking the time to help 👍

     

     

    On 1/1/2022 at 6:08 AM, Buckeye10640 said:

    I can reply to a few of your questions based on our experience. In Ketchikan we have taken a Princess excursion to Misty Fjords which included a float plane  followed by the cruise you mention. We would do the float plane again, expensive but very cool. The Wilderness Explorer cruise, not so much.  I see on our May 2022 cruise Princess no longer offers this with the float plane so you might check some independent companies that offer this if it interests you. 

    Juneau is the place for whale watching. We are booked with Juneau Whale Watch for May which also takes you to Mendenhall Glacier.  Skagaway, we have used Chilkoot Tours for White Pass Rail Excursion into Canada, van up and train back to Skagaway. If you are looking for 'active' though, this is not it!  Beautiful scenery though. 

    Finally, in Victoria we visited Butchart Gardens, which was quite nice but an expensive cab ride from port. Much depends on the time you are in port there. We asked to be dropped off downtown after leaving Butchart Gardens, had dinner at a pub, and walked back to the ship. 

     No experience with helicoptor tours or landing on/walking on a glacier. 

    Enjoy your cruise and the new Discovery Princess! We are just off Enchanted which is the same class, and she was beautiful. 

     

    Thank you! We will definitely look into some private float plane tours for Ketchikan (and a "drive your own Zodiac Boat" excursion also recommended to us) and stick with Juneau for any WW. Sounds like the White Pass Rail has alot of potential too! Very cool.

     

     

    On 1/1/2022 at 12:34 PM, skynight said:

    Wow. You have lots of homework to do.

    Discovery is a nice ship and you should enjoy it. Try Gigi's (Alfredo's), open 11am through the evening. Waiter served. Search Princess dining options for more. We find service on Princess to be very good.

    Active? There will be many in your age group on an Alaska cruise. Don't underestimate the activity levels of those 20 years older. There are very active people in their 60s & 70s.

    Join or start the roll call to put together private tours.

     

    Thank you! We are semi-foodies (as much as we can be within our workout/diet regiments) and will indeed lookout for Gigi's. And thank you very much for the heads-up on the air tour cancelation policies - that's excellent information and the perfect example of "needing to know what we don't know".

     

    We also never underestimate anyone based on age - in fact we have just returned from doing 24 shore dives in 6 days in Bonaire and one of our travel companions is 57 and none of us could keep up with him! He did it all with little effort as well, extremely intelligent too. We have seen this repeated multiple times on various dive boats and we also have a near-60 year old friend who trains and competes in Triathlons and he is a monster! Never give up! 

     

     

    On 1/1/2022 at 1:14 PM, Mary loves to travel said:

    In Skagway we did the helicopter to walk on the glaciers through Princess.   I looked at booking directly with Temsco, but the price was similar either way & the Princess excursion included transportation to/from the heliport.    We did this first thing in the morning and we’re blessed with perfect weather.   (Late August).  
    We had lunch ( was it at Skagway Fish? a big red building right on the water).  

    After lunch we did Hike and Float the Chilkoot Trail; excellent!    Booked directly with Skagway Float Tours.   
     

    Juneau might be your best bet for whale watching- take a look at Harv & Marv.   
    We’ve not done whale watching but they’ve gotten great reviews including from close friends.   
     

    Ketchikan we did a nature hike with Wild Wolf Tours; she dropped us afterwards for lunch in front of Alaska Fish House where we’d made advance reservations.   
    After lunch we walked on our own along the fish ladders and around town.   You can find a map for this walk online.    
     

    Space Needle is a great thing to do in Seattle; you may spend more time on the viewing platform than you think - there’s just so much to see.   
     

    Mary. 

     

    Thank you Mary! We will check out Temsco, S. Float Tours and H&M,. How did you enjoy the Heli ride and glacier walk in Skagway? Sounds like it was probably great and exactly the thing we are hoping to do there.

     

     

    22 hours ago, kitkat343 said:

    I sailed 12 years ago, so these recommendations may be a bit out of date.

     

    We took a Temsco helicopter to Dog Sled camp in Skagway (please note that Temsco is the subcontractor for the helicopter tours for the cruise ships, and you can save 10% by booking directly through their company. Also, if you choose to visit a dog sled camp, the Temsco agent I called in Juneau recommended that you book the helicopter to dogsled excursion in Skagway, not Juneau, since the weather is a bit more stable in Skagway. Also, please try to book your helicopter tour in the morning, since helicopter tours are often cancelled due to inclement weather. If your helicopter is scheduled for the morning, you will have a better chance of it being rescheduled for the afternoon, instead of the tour being cancelled outright. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will be able to participate in this amazing activity due to the unpredictable Alaskan weather).  Temsco did an excellent job, and this excursion was amazing.

     

    We did the helicopter tour in the morning and the White Pass railroad in the afternoon.  Don't sit in the first or last car (they turn the engine around and attach it to the last car to get back to the station).  I was 3 months pregnant on this trip, and was totally fine for everything else in Alaska - including the helicopter, but this is a diesel train and the fumes were overwhelming and this was the only excursion I felt sick on.  I did think this was overpriced and not worth it, but took the domed car to denali so if you don't do both this might be fine.  Most people love this railroad though.  You can easily combine both this and the helicopter to dogsled in Skagway. 

     

    In Juneau, Harv and Marv have small, comfortable boats and are highly qualified whale watching guides.  You are correct that Mendenhall Glacier  is not the best glacier, but it is a nice place to visit after whale watching so if you can't find anything else you'd love to do after whale watching its nice for a brief visit/walk around as long as you don't have high expectations for the glacier itself.   (11 years ago Harv and Marv dropped us off there to walk around after the whale watching tour)

     

    In Ketchikan, the Bering Sea crab fisherman's tour was really interesting, and is a 3 hour tour.  You can book directly with them at http://alaskacrabtour.com/About_The_Tour.aspx .  I'd give some thought as to combining this with something more athletic you are considering during your port stay.    

     

     

     

    Sounds like H&M and Temsco really are the best! We love the sound of combining a Heli and train ride on the same day (if we read that correctly) too. This trip is shaping up nicely and we appreciate all of your very helpful information!

     

     

    19 hours ago, XBGuy said:

    CDs, we have cruised Alaska six times, and I can guarantee that you will have a great time.  I am the one person who does not agree that an Alaska cruise must include Glacier Bay.  If I were to rank our AK cruises, there would be a six-way tie for first place.

     

    I think a nice dinner in Seattle would be a great way to start your cruise.  Seattle has a terrific restaurant scene, but it has been too many years since I have been there.   Sadly, Dahlia Lounge closed a few years ago.  Perhaps when you arrive at your hotel somebody there can provide an informed opinion.  If you are staying at a Kimpton hotel, the concierge will be very helpful.  As you have already indicated the 2:30 arrival of your plane arrives will severely restrict your ability to enjoy Seattle.  Depending on the location of hotel. taking the monorail over to the Seattle Center (Space Needle) might be convenient and fun.

     

    On our very first AK cruise in 1992 we took the helicopter excursion to Mendenhall Glacier, and I thought that was very cool.

     

    On that first cruise I learned of the signficance that the de Havilland Beaver had on the history and the economic development of Alaska.  When I decided that I wanted to take a float plane excursion, it had to be on a de Havalind Beaver.  In 2018 we booked a flight-seeing excursion on a Beaver in Ketchikan, but on the day we arrived fog and rain cancelled all float plane excursions.  Ketchikan is in a rainforest.  Not to be thwarted we booked again in 2019.  My coffee shop buddy who is a VERY BIG cruiser gave me a ration of something asking, "Are you really going to fly in an airplane that was designed and built based on technology from the 1940s?"  Well, the joke was on him.  It turned out that the plane we flew had 21st Century upgrades.

     

    DSCF2087wArrow.thumb.jpg.d461302ce0e16af1ac587f0ab53c6b9b.jpg

     

    Since you want to be active, I can advise that there are some enjoyable hiking trails in AK.  In Juneau you can take the Mt. Roberts tram up the mountain and hike down.  I've never done that one, but there have been correspondents here on Cruise Critic that have reported that it is great.  In Skagway, there are several trails,  (Google Skagway Hiking Trails.)  I've done a couple of them.  If you take that half-day train excursion, you can take a short hike the other half of the day.  If you take the Upper/Lower Dewey Lakes trail, you will get a nice panoramic view of your ship below.  

     

    DSCF2221.thumb.JPG.c531c1ba9beea0b2c168a5da3f966766.JPG

     

    The Lower Dewey Lake Trail is rated as "Moderate," but, let me tell you, this septuagenarian was huffing and puffing pretty hard.  🥴  The other very cool thing about Skagway hikes is the cost--zero.

     

    I can pretty much guarantee that you will see whales.  Seeing them from the ship is sometimes a matter of luck, but we have seen whales from the ship on every one of our cruises.

     

    Bon Voyage.  You will have a terrific time.

     

     

    Thank you for all of that helpful information! We carry the same attitude as you and think that this trip will be stellar and now even more so thanks to you and the other fine CC'ers who took the time to help us. The Beaver flight sounds like it was totally worth the wait - we feel the same way about historic trains, so much fun. We enjoy hiking tool and will fit some in in this trip if possible but that will be a secondary item as we will be focused on planes, trains and helicopters (and maybe zodiacs too) first ha!

     

    Thank you again to all and please feel free to keep the itinerary/tour operator suggestions coming in!!

  11.  Hello, Happy New Year's and Thank You In Advance for your help! We love CC and have been helped greatly here before by some outstanding people that we would have never met in our daily lives otherwise. I've also posted this in the Alaska subforum but thought it would be ok to post it here too. May all of your cruises actually set sail and go by slowly!  🌟🚢🌟

     

    Background: We are an extremely active and physically fit 40 year old couple with no children. We have taken 6 previous cruises on RCL, HAL and X and have preferred them in that order. We enjoy activities (and excursions) geared more towards our age group and fitness level; we also much prefer small groups (6 or 8 or less) vs. 30-40+ people when applicable. We are "doing it now" because we are hyper-aware of tick tock tick tock and the limitations age will bring. We have both been vaccinated but not boosted but will do so if it becomes a hard-requirement for travel.

     

    Almost every vacation or trip we have taken in the past 5 years has been for scuba diving. We have been to and dove in 13 different countries and islands and all but 2 of them more than once/one trip. This cruise is our first non-diving trip since 2014-15 as well as our first time to Alaska. We will very likely not return to Alaska for another 10 years minimum after this trip, probably closer to 15 years (next is Europe and of course back to more diving!) so we are looking to squeeze all of the "strenuous activity" fun that we can now from our itinerary because the option may never be available to us again.

     

    The Facts (and other things to note): We are booked on the Princess Discovery RT from Seattle departing on May 15, 2022. We booked this particular cruise mainly because it lined up with our very hard to come by and non-negotiable/non-flexible time off from work. We are flying in the day before and staying in downtown Seattle and will probably go to the Space Needle (or something better?) and maybe a nice dinner before our cruise begins. We wouldn't be opposed to doing more in Seattle as well but we are scheduled to land at 2:30 pm (on the 14th) so that may not be realistic. Also, as a sidenote, we love us some souvenir shopping! We have pretty much seen it all though by now so only the finest of junque will suffice ha!

     

    We have always wanted to try PCL, always wanted to be on a brand new ship and always wanted to go to Alaska. This along with lining up with our time off is why we chose this particular cruise. We are far from wealthy but know that money must be spent for quality and that that also includes quality excursions. We are also well aware that Glacier Bay National Park is not on our itinerary and we are already heavily bummed out about that. Canceling and rebooking another cruise is not an option though so we are hoping that the optional excursion for "Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier" (or another helpful tip from you fine people!) will help make up for this.

     

    The Itinerary: 

     
    Day Ports of Call Arrival Departure
    day1 Seattle, Washington ---Not Applicable 4:00 PM
    day2 At Sea ---Not Applicable ---Not Applicable
    day3 Ketchikan, Alaska 6:30 AM 3:00 PM
    day4 Cruise Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier 5:00 AM 9:00 AM
    day4 Juneau, Alaska 12:30 PM 9:00 PM
    day5 Skagway, Alaska 6:00 AM 5:00 PM
    day6 At Sea ---Not Applicable ---Not Applicable
    day7 Victoria, British Columbia 7:00 PM 11:59 PM
    day8 Seattle, Washington 7:00 AM ---

     

     

    Current Excursion Thoughts: We *ALWAYS* book our own excursions ourselves/not with the cruise ship even in the most worrisome/dangerous/etc countries and ports so we are not opposed to doing it in Alaska too. We are however ignorant of many of the options available so here is what we like of we have seen so far and please, no fishing or Halibut hunting suggestions as we much prefer to swim with them vs. fishing for them.

     

     

    In Ketchikan we like:

     

    • The Misty Fjords & Wilderness Explorer Cruise (but the few reviews are low...)
    • Backcountry Jeep & Canoe Safari 
    • Wildlife Safari Cruise & Beach Bonfire (Seems like this may be geared towards/be more enjoyable for younger audiences than us...)
    • Backcountry Zodiac Expedition
    • Snorkel Alaska (We would much prefer to dive, not snorkel, but we are not dry suit divers, any way around needing a dry suit?) Tripadvisor | Snorkel Alaska provided by Snorkel Alaska | Ketchikan

     

     

    Then there is the (Day 4) Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier Scenic Cruising excursion which we hoped would make up for/be a solid substitute for missing Glacier Bay N.P.:

     

    • Endicott Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer (Nearly $300.00pp to do it though, is it really that much better than watching from the ship deck?)

     

     

    With a whopping 51 choices 😱 Juneau seems to be the best whale watching opportunity port on our itinerary as well as the best place for us to take a helicopter tour and walk on a glacier... The in-port time is less than desirable though, 12:30PM-9:00PM, will that be a factor? On this trip we REAALLYYY want to fly in helicopters and/or floatplanes, walk/climb on glaciers and see whales. There are too many options to list them all here, this post is already too long and the only real info we've been able to gather is that maybe Mendenhall Glacier is not the best glacier opportunity on our itinerary? Please help!!

     

     

    Skagway is almost as perplexing! 44 options from the ship exist here but we think this is our best chance to either see and walk on a glacier by helicopter or to ride a train. We love historic and luxury trains and if we were wealthy we would absolutely do an AK dome train segment but alas... Should we do Heli's here or in Juneau and instead do a "White Pass" train ride here? Which one??? So many options!

     

     

    Finally, there is Victoria, CA. We almost didn't book this trip because of the extremely short port-time (normally a deal-breaker for us) but didn't. We've also never been to Canada before so 🤷‍♂️. There is one more excursion available here for Orca watching (Ocean Wildlife & Orca Exploration Cruise) but hope that that checkmark has already been made earlier in the week and that we could do something different by time we reach Victoria. We can obviously walk around town/port by ourselves so a walking tour/etc. doesn't seem to be the right answer but maybe it is? Maybe high tea at the Pendray Mansion instead? Something else altogether?

     

    What excursions/how exactly would you plan this trip if you and your S.O. were 40, active/in peak shape, wanted to see whales, fly in heli's/floatplanes, walk on and see the best glaciers possible, ride in scenic trains and were married to this ship and itinerary with plans to basically never return to Alaska?

     

      🎉 🥂 THANK YOU!!! 🥂 🎉

     

  12. Hello, Happy New Year's and Thank You In Advance for your help! We love CC and have been helped greatly here before by some outstanding people that we would have never met in our daily lives otherwise. May all of your cruises actually set sail and go by slowly!  🌟🚢🌟

     

    Background: We are an extremely active and physically fit 40 year old couple with no children. We have taken 6 previous cruises on RCL, HAL and X and have preferred them in that order. We enjoy activities (and excursions) geared more towards our age group and fitness level; we also much prefer small groups (6 or 8 or less) vs. 30-40+ people when applicable. We are "doing it now" because we are hyper-aware of tick tock tick tock and the limitations age will bring. We have both been vaccinated but not boosted but will do so if it becomes a hard-requirement for travel.

     

    Almost every vacation or trip we have taken in the past 5 years has been for scuba diving. We have been to and dove in 13 different countries and islands and all but 2 of them more than once/one trip. This cruise is our first non-diving trip since 2014-15 as well as our first time to Alaska. We will very likely not return to Alaska for another 10 years minimum after this trip, probably closer to 15 years (next is Europe and of course back to more diving!) so we are looking to squeeze all of the "strenuous activity" fun that we can now from our itinerary because the option may never be available to us again.

     

    The Facts (and other things to note): We are booked on the Princess Discovery RT from Seattle departing on May 15, 2022. We booked this particular cruise mainly because it lined up with our very hard to come by and non-negotiable/non-flexible time off from work. We are flying in the day before and staying in downtown Seattle and will probably go to the Space Needle (or something better?) and maybe a nice dinner before our cruise begins. We wouldn't be opposed to doing more in Seattle as well but we are scheduled to land at 2:30 pm (on the 14th) so that may not be realistic. Also, as a sidenote, we love us some souvenir shopping! We have pretty much seen it all though by now so only the finest of junque will suffice ha!

     

    We have always wanted to try PCL, always wanted to be on a brand new ship and always wanted to go to Alaska. This along with lining up with our time off is why we chose this particular cruise. We are far from wealthy but know that money must be spent for quality and that that also includes quality excursions. We are also well aware that Glacier Bay National Park is not on our itinerary and we are already heavily bummed out about that. Canceling and rebooking another cruise is not an option though so we are hoping that the optional excursion for "Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier" (or another helpful tip from you fine people!) will help make up for this.

     

    The Itinerary: 

     
    Day Ports of Call Arrival Departure
    day1 Seattle, Washington ---Not Applicable 4:00 PM
    day2 At Sea ---Not Applicable ---Not Applicable
    day3 Ketchikan, Alaska 6:30 AM 3:00 PM
    day4 Cruise Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier 5:00 AM 9:00 AM
    day4 Juneau, Alaska 12:30 PM 9:00 PM
    day5 Skagway, Alaska 6:00 AM 5:00 PM
    day6 At Sea ---Not Applicable ---Not Applicable
    day7 Victoria, British Columbia 7:00 PM 11:59 PM
    day8 Seattle, Washington 7:00 AM ---

     

     

    Current Excursion Thoughts: We *ALWAYS* book our own excursions ourselves/not with the cruise ship even in the most worrisome/dangerous/etc countries and ports so we are not opposed to doing it in Alaska too. We are however ignorant of many of the options available so here is what we like of we have seen so far and please, no fishing or Halibut hunting suggestions as we much prefer to swim with them vs. fishing for them.

     

     

    In Ketchikan we like:

     

    • The Misty Fjords & Wilderness Explorer Cruise (but the few reviews are low...)
    • Backcountry Jeep & Canoe Safari 
    • Wildlife Safari Cruise & Beach Bonfire (Seems like this may be geared towards/be more enjoyable for younger audiences than us...)
    • Backcountry Zodiac Expedition
    • Snorkel Alaska (We would much prefer to dive, not snorkel, but we are not dry suit divers, any way around needing a dry suit?) Tripadvisor | Snorkel Alaska provided by Snorkel Alaska | Ketchikan

     

     

    Then there is the (Day 4) Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier Scenic Cruising excursion which we hoped would make up for/be a solid substitute for missing Glacier Bay N.P.:

     

    • Endicott Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer (Nearly $300.00pp to do it though, is it really that much better than watching from the ship deck?)

     

     

    With a whopping 51 choices 😱 Juneau seems to be the best whale watching opportunity port on our itinerary as well as the best place for us to take a helicopter tour and walk on a glacier... The in-port time is less than desirable though, 12:30PM-9:00PM, will that be a factor? On this trip we REAALLYYY want to fly in helicopters and/or floatplanes, walk/climb on glaciers and see whales. There are too many options to list them all here, this post is already too long and the only real info we've been able to gather is that maybe Mendenhall Glacier is not the best glacier opportunity on our itinerary? Please help!!

     

     

    Skagway is almost as perplexing! 44 options from the ship exist here but we think this is our best chance to either see and walk on a glacier by helicopter or to ride a train. We love historic and luxury trains and if we were wealthy we would absolutely do an AK dome train segment but alas... Should we do Heli's here or in Juneau and instead do a "White Pass" train ride here? Which one??? So many options!

     

     

    Finally, there is Victoria, CA. We almost didn't book this trip because of the extremely short port-time (normally a deal-breaker for us) but didn't. We've also never been to Canada before so 🤷‍♂️. There is one more excursion available here for Orca watching (Ocean Wildlife & Orca Exploration Cruise) but hope that that checkmark has already been made earlier in the week and that we could do something different by time we reach Victoria. We can obviously walk around town/port by ourselves so a walking tour/etc. doesn't seem to be the right answer but maybe it is? Maybe high tea at the Pendray Mansion instead? Something else altogether?

     

    What excursions/how exactly would you plan this trip if you and your S.O. were 40, active/in peak shape, wanted to see whales, fly in heli's/floatplanes, walk on and see the best glaciers possible, ride in scenic trains and were married to this ship and itinerary with plans to basically never return to Alaska?

     

      🎉 🥂 THANK YOU!!! 🥂 🎉

     

     

     

     

     

  13. 14 hours ago, HskrCrsr said:

    I found this link and it does not seem to pre-load any personal info. This is from the email newsletter, so it should be fair game to all Captain's Club members. They say

    "We celebrated World Tourism Day with our partners at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) with an exclusive webinar on sustainable tourism. In case you missed it, here’s a chance to watch it and learn how you can do your part to protect our planet. Plus, you’ll earn 30 Power Up Points just for doing so if you watch the entire presentation by October 14."

     

    https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4654326596894568463?allowMobile=y&ecid=em_23553203&rid=282401546&mes=Celebrity Loyalty Enewsletter SEP 2021 EM&emsc=CCC_SEL_OUR_NAN_H_USA_CA_3_CVP&empf=Y&emct=S&lnkid=TILE5_CTA

    Thank you VERY much! About to watch it now and will screenshot at the end just in case - thanks again!

    • Like 1
  14. 13 minutes ago, HskrCrsr said:

    Do you get the monthly Captain's Club Newsletter email? It's that, not the email specific to the webinar, that has the link for later viewing. I've been getting those for years but I have no idea if I signed up for them or if they are automatic.

    I do get them but I must have deleted it as I do not see it in my email now.

  15. 23 minutes ago, HskrCrsr said:

    I looked back at the September Captain's Club Newsletter email that came in on 9/30 and there is a link there that allows you to enter your CC number for PUPs. When I do it, my info gets entered automatically. Whether from cookies or the link info, I am hesitant to post the link.

     

    I do NOT find away to get PUPs looking at the link to the video on the CC website, just in the email newsletter.

    Hmmm... My email is from 9/20, it is the registration email for the webinar and when I click it now it (of course) says “this webinar has ended”. I don’t have an email from 9/30 for some reason. 
     

  16. 9 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

    Excellent question. The original invitation included the following statement, but I've seen nothing indicating how you earn the points. Maybe the details are included in the video.

     

    If you are unable to attend the session, don’t worry! We will be sharing a recording of the webinar after it has ended and, of course, there will be an opportunity to earn Power Up Points for watching.

    Yes this is exactly what I was referring to - thank you for your reply!

     

    The search continues I suppose.

    • Like 1
  17. Does anyone have a link to watch the last webinar (Sep. 27th I believe)? I was out of state attending to a family member after surgery and have not received the link to watch it... I have received (and completed) the latest survey so that one is not needed.


    Thank you so much in advance!

  18. Thank you to everyone who replied! Here is what we ended up doing:

     

    We took a taxi from the cruise port to Orient beach ($23 for two of us).  It was mostly deserted (minus an old, OLD guy in a thong 🤮)  so we walked down to Bikini Beach which was AMAZING! We went parasailing with the on-site company which while a bit pricey provided amazing and safe service, a fun jetski ride to/from the boat and a nice optional picture package that we thoroughly enjoyed. They also let us keep our things at their hut while we went out into the water which was greatly appreciated. We did not rent any chairs/umbrella or buy any alcoholic drinks but all of that was in plentiful supply.  

     

    We then got a taxi back to downtown for $8 per person to do some shopping there (where on the boardwalk I bought the best rum I’ve ever had and that I may have to ask other CC’ers to buy and ship to me in Dallas because unfortunately I only bought one bottle -  has anyone ever done this/can anyone help me with this???) and we then paid $3 per person afterwards to go from downtown back to the cruise terminal.

     

    Overall it was an amazing day with an excellent beach/water that we would happily recommend/repeat. Thank you again everyone for your help!!!

     

     

    7CC59D9E-91E8-40E4-8FC7-6104842E7653.jpeg

    17A40DF9-BEBC-4A40-B616-8CBAB3D3B290.jpeg

    05E228DA-7041-447E-BE5D-635599A99E09.jpeg

    20DCEE7B-04ED-417A-BA30-EC16A9EFAEAA.jpeg

  19. 3 hours ago, Newbie2006 said:

     

    I think the cruise is booked solid. Doesn't show on celebrity website (1st after drydock). Oh well, I want to do aqua class next time . . . preferably with an itinerary with more sea days.

     

    We are on the second Summit sailing after dry dock and we just upgraded to Aqua this past week! Very excited as this will be our first Aqua cabin. All of the deck 11 cabins were already gone but there were 5 to choose from on deck 9 and 1 on deck 10 (new cabins). Like someone else said you never know if someone is going to cancel or upgrade so keep checking – good luck!

  20. 4 hours ago, Muushka said:

    We thought that the smoking interfered with our nostrils about as much as it does on X.  We could usually avoid cutting through the casino but if we did, we just walked quickly and it really was not that bad.  There was also smoking on the pool deck aft just on one side.  Again, not that bad.  And we detest the smell of cigarette smoke.  I did not see any more smokers on HAL than I do on X.  But then again this was a big holiday cruise so the pax mix may have been a bit skewed.

    It sounds like you are pretty much against even trying HAL, your prerogative.  But as I said above, I found the smoke no worse than X. 

     

    We had the exact same experiences as well. In fact it probably bothered us more on X than it did on HAL (which was minimal-no at all) because the top-side smoking area on our X cruise was at the seating at a bar we would sometimes frequent and have to wait at for 5-10 minutes to be served at. Basically on X we were “standing in the smoke” vs on HAL where we “walked past the smoke”.

     

    Regardless, on both lines it was minimal at most and both lines provided us an amazing experience that we’d be thrilled to repeat. We’ve been looking for another X cruise to take after our next cruise (which departs in 55+/- days from now) but haven’t found anything so I think we’ll look into one of the two new HAL ships! I also really like the thought of a reduced single supplement fee on HAL to possibly take my DM on her first trip... Thank you!

     

     

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