yamaha dancer

I have cruised to Alaska on Holland America (HAL) and NCL. Next month will be cruising to Alaska on Cunard.

If I were cruising to Alaska with children I would most likely choose NCL. HAL, in my opinion, would be boring for kids. Princess might be okay, but they are my least favorite line in general. 

My children enjoyed the activities on board more than the ports in Alaska and we did fun stuff in ports, like kayaking. They loved hanging out with other kids on board and of course the food. 

Made it with time to spare. Arrived at FLL at at 10:55 am day of departure, picked up our checked luggage, and was on the ship before noon. Took an Uber for $13.17 to the port (tipped in cash).

Got off ship at 8 am, took another Uber, and was getting my nose swabbed at the airport at 08:40. Had over 2 hours to kill before our 11:37 am flight. Flights book by Celebrity were perfect 🙂

Understanding the chain of infection does not seem to be a common theme when it comes to Covid.

The chain requires a SUSCEPTIBLE host. Not everyone who is exposed to a pathogen will contract a disease. 

Wearing a mask can decrease your chances of contracting an airborne pathogen (portal of entry) and from spreading a pathogen (portal of exit).

Can masks help protect you and others from contracting Covid? YES. As well as other influenza viruses, the common cold, measles, chicken pox, pertussis... The list is almost endless.

Will I still wear a mask? Yes, because I want to decrease my chance of contracting or spreading an airborne pathogen. I also want to increase my chance of a negative Covid test, so I can enjoy my vacation and return home after my vacation. 

We had Celebrity book our flights into FLL for our cruise this month. They booked us to arrive the day of our cruise on a flight with a connection from Canada. Their policy states that if they book your flights they guarantee your boarding. The flight home is at 11:45 am the day we return. Again, quite tight. 

Truthfully though, I have almost always flown in the day of my cruise. I have cruised from many different ports. I almost always have a connection, since I live in a small town in Canada. Has never been a problem, so far, and has saved me a lot of money on hotels 🙂. Of course, until this cruise, it was all before Covid...

My very first cruise was to Alaska with HA. Great food, boring entertainment. I took 3 teen agers and although they had a good time there wasn't a lot for them to do on board. The line I believe is better for mature adult cruisers. I guess that is me now 🙂

I think the best time to cruise to Alaska is mid September. The weather is still nice and the kids are back in school. Cruise prices to Alaska also drop in September.

I have also cruised to Alaska on NCL. If I took another Alaska cruise I would likely choose HA over NCL. 

I learned something...My companion and I got off a cruise early a few years ago and flew home from the port stop location a few days later. Never asked permission and never heard from the cruise line or anyone else ever. Guess we were lucky in our ignorance :)-

Thank you Ferry Watcher and Northern Aurora for your quick responses. 😊

I understand that there is a charge for smoothies and juice but are the breakfast and lunch meal items and the energy bars free (complimentary) for all cruisers?

17 hours ago, frank808 said:

 

 

Is your 7 day july 2019 round trip on Holland america?

Yes 7 day on Holland America

18 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Sorry, Grand Suite. 😇

Sorry. Not my kind of cabin. Frequent traveler that spends less per trip so I can take more trips. Have been to all 50 states, all the provinces of Canada and 47 Countries. A Grand Suite is not in my budget. Have fun in your suite...

8 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I thought we were comparing GS prices 🤔

 

Our cheapest inside or OV was free 🎰

I thought GS was guaranteed stateroom? 

9 hours ago, Magnetchief said:

 

That has to be for an inside.

 

Yup. Cheapest cabin. I have had windows and balconies, never suites. But, for this price inside is fine. Only hope to get a quiet cabin, other than that it doesn't matter to me. We use the cabin only for showering, dressing and things that require the bed... I had a balcony on my first cruise, which was an Alaska cruise, and paid in the area of $4000.00 for 7 nights. We didn't use the balcony much, as we spent most of our time outside of the cabin. Looking forward to spending the $3000.00 I saved, comparing this cruise to the first one. Both on Holland America. 

1 hour ago, ReneeFLL said:

 

Was that for a GS? Was there some sort of casino or other discount?

Yes a GS. It was advertised as Canada Super Sale, no casino or other discounts. I converted what I paid in Canadian to US Dollars for the amounts I posted. This will be my 3rd Alaska cruise. I have never seen a price this low in all the years I have been cruising. Hope the cabin we end up in is better than what I paid for...

Vancouver to Alaska round trip 7 days in July 2019. $48.85 per person per day. Total price of cruise for two people with all taxes and gratuities $1150. US Dollars

I purchased a cotton canvas backpack last time I was in Hawaii that works great for the use you are describing. You can order one online. Made in Hawaii by nani island. Not heavy duty by any means but I have used mine quite a bit and it's holding up.

I will be cruising next week on NCL Getaway, my first time cruising in a studio cabin but not my first time cruising solo. Because you need to make reservations for dinner ahead of time on line in order to dine at the more popular dining times, I was advised by an NCL rep. to reserve for 4 even though I am traveling solo. She said if I don't find table mates (solo cruisers or others) for the nights I reserved I can cancel my reservations on the ship (preferably 24 hours prior to reservation time). So, since the reservation system won't let me make a reservation for one at most of the dining venues I had to book for 2 or more to secure a time and find my own table mates or join the other solo cruisers at the location and time selected by the solo organizer on the ship (or dine alone at the buffet, etc).

I do not have a preference whether I dine with other solo cruisers, couples or families. I am also more use to assigned dining times and the same table in the dining room every night. Luckily I am quite outgoing and don't think it will be too much of a problem approching others to find dining companions, but it is odd, in my opinion, that this is what I was advised to do. Why can't I make a reservation for One if I am cruising solo in a studio cabin for One? This cruise will help me decide if NCL free style dining is for me or not.

I do plan to attend the scheduled solo gathering at least the first couple days on board. I'm guessing I will meet others who did not book dining reservations ahead on the my NCL page, so I think finding dining companions there might be a good start. Will check back here after my cruise and let others know how it went. :)

Just returned from my cruise on NCL Getaway in a studio cabin. Long story short, I did not need to book reservations ahead of time. There was plenty of opportunity to dine with other solo travelers on a day to day basis. So, I cancelled 3 of my 4 pre booked dinner reservations on the second day.

Really enjoyed The Tropicana Room with 9 other solo travelers the first night. O'Sheehan's was a great place for dinner and cocktails, and soo much quicker than all the other sit down full service restaurants. The food at Savor and Taste was good but not great and the service was very slow.

I must say after this cruise I actually prefer assigned dining time. Returning to the same table most nights for dinner with the same people is more enjoyable than NCL free style dining for me. The cruise overall was very fun but I prefer Carnival and RCCL all things considered.

I will be cruising next week on NCL Getaway, my first time cruising in a studio cabin but not my first time cruising solo. Because you need to make reservations for dinner ahead of time on line in order to dine at the more popular dining times, I was advised by an NCL rep. to reserve for 4 even though I am traveling solo. She said if I don't find table mates (solo cruisers or others) for the nights I reserved I can cancel my reservations on the ship (preferably 24 hours prior to reservation time). So, since the reservation system won't let me make a reservation for one at most of the dining venues I had to book for 2 or more to secure a time and find my own table mates or join the other solo cruisers at the location and time selected by the solo organizer on the ship (or dine alone at the buffet, etc).

I do not have a preference whether I dine with other solo cruisers, couples or families. I am also more use to assigned dining times and the same table in the dining room every night. Luckily I am quite outgoing and don't think it will be too much of a problem approching others to find dining companions, but it is odd, in my opinion, that this is what I was advised to do. Why can't I make a reservation for One if I am cruising solo in a studio cabin for One? This cruise will help me decide if NCL free style dining is for me or not.

I do plan to attend the scheduled solo gathering at least the first couple days on board. I'm guessing I will meet others who did not book dining reservations ahead on the my NCL page, so I think finding dining companions there might be a good start. Will check back here after my cruise and let others know how it went. :)

What is the largest carry-on you can bring?

For most cruises the bag you choose to carry on can be larger than most airlines allow; as long as you can carry or roll it around until your cabin is ready. I have found the airline carry on limitations have gotten smaller over the past few years. I had to buy a new carry on suitcase because on WestJet the limit has been lowered to 21"; most airlines are 22".

On our last cruise there was a Past Beauty Pageant Winners group (ages ranged from 20's to 80's). An older woman from this group had a dog on a leash or in a shoulder bag every time I saw her (she was usually wearing a jeweled crown as well). I was told it was a "therapy dog" by a cruise staff member.

Coincedentally, there was also a large singles group on this Halloween cruise and my sister and our 2 daughter's costumes were the Queen's of Cards. Our cheap rhinestone crowns were quite dewarfed on Halloween by those warn by past pageant winners. But, just imagine how all those single women in the organized singles group felt having all those past pageant winners on board!

... I too just purchased new carry on luggage to avoid checked baggage fees and save time I waste waiting for the luggage carousel!

Two of the airlines I fly on have changed their carry on size allowance so now my rolling bag can only be 21 inches, use to be 22. So I bought a new set that includes a matching backpack (which meets the size criteria for under the seat) and 21 inch rolling bag. My upcoming cruise on Getaway for a week I will only use these 2 bags for the whole cruise and 1 day and night at each end in hotels. This is a first for me, my previous 12 cruises I always had a checked size bag. What I save in checked bag fees on this one trip will more than cover the cost of my new luggage.

I also started cruising in a balcony cabin. Since then I have done windows, inside and partially blocked ocean view. When traveling with one or two in a cabin inside is now my preference. With 4 in a cabin I like to have a window or a balcony as those cabins are usually bigger.

Hello Linda from Alberta. I am a bit farther west in BC.

Have been on 12 cruises. Number 13 will be a solo cruise on NCL. Getaway on January 31 from Miami. Will be nice to get out of the snow and cold for 9 days.

If it wasn't so expensive to travel to port cities I would cruise even more often. The choices for destinations from Vancouver and Seattle are limited or I would cruise from those closer ports more often. Maybe we could share a cabin some day to save on single supplement charges and travel together to a port city?

...was no problem. Driving in New Jersey,however, could be a problem for the meek. I have visited all 50 states, all the provinces of Canada and 26 Countries. Thus, I have driven in a lot of places. When driving in New Jersey I found that you either drive aggressively, like everybody else, or you spend a lot of time being honked at or cut off.:eek: But, I do it again if it meant another great cruise out of NJ like my last one.

I have cruised Carnival, NCL, RCCL, Celebrity and HAL.

HAL had the best food and the least entertainment and an older crowd. My HAL cruise was to Alaska in late August.

I agree with the other posters that the 7 day would probably have a younger crowd than the 10 day, but we can only guess.

Check the roll call for the cruises you are considering and if there is not one you could start one.

Good luck and Happy cruising...

56 days

Cruising solo January 31 on NCL Getaway. Would love to read previous solo's opinion on studio cabins on this ship.

John from Canada, Looks like a great cruise you will be on for 2 weeks in January!