Traveller20074

this is from the Glacier Bay National Park Facebook page

Rockin' and Rollin' in Gustavus/Glacier Bay...4 AM Earthquake!

The Glacier Bay landscape was restless early this when a 5.7 magnitude quake shook the park. Rangers up-bay reported rocks falling and extended calving at McBride Glacier. ~TV

http://www.ktoo.org/2014/06/04/quake-shakes-southeast-alaska/

http://www.ktoo.org

We saw her photo on the tram and in the area the day we went up (May 27th) I hope she's found!

You are correct. The US government allows people to leave the country and return again without a passport on closed loop cruises only. If you leave the cruise for any reason and travel back to the US by air, you will need your passport even though you didn't need it if arriving on a cruise ship. It is always better to have it with you, safely stored in your safe unless required to have it on your person by local laws. You never know when you might have to quit the cruise and fly home. Reasons are many, including becoming ill and having to go to a land based hospital for a few days while the ship goes back home, to being in an accident and missing the ship so you need to get home on your own, to having to leave the cruise early due to an emergency at home.

 

As others have said, if you miss the ship, the security staff will retrieve your passport from your safe and turn it over to the cruise line's agent at the port. This has been verified by many, many people over the years on these threads. Unfortunately, there are still a few die-hards with trust issues who refuse to believe that the cruise lines will do this, and will argue vehemently that you will be separated from your passport and stuck. Don't listen to these doubters - because they are wrong.

the first thing we said when we had the medical emergency on the Pearl last week (Canadian Coast Guard helicopter transported her to a hospital)was "I hope she had her passport!!!" She was from Louisiana, and is doing fine.

I never let my passport out of my sight. It's in my purse. That way, there's no "where's my passport?" feeling. I always know where it is. I've had a passport since 1999. it's been in my purse the whole time.

In my experience, the ONLY time I've misplaced something is when I change it's location.

my grandkids were on the Pearl with us, and they had a blast! Splash Academy is so incredible. Not sure what the Getaway has, but it's probably good :) have a great time!!!!

*bumping*

Here is a short video of the pool deck at night. I like how you can see the dark side of the moon when I zoomed in on it,

 

was that taken just a week ago? Looks very recent.

I'll be anxiously watching for NCL's corrected schedules that result from you contacting them! I am sure they will appreciate receiving your superior business ideas. They probably never thought of having someone on their payroll with experience in scheduling, so your suggestions will certainly set them straight. :rolleyes:

I'm sure it will.

:p

*like* :)

brings back memories of my family and i looking in the bridge :)

You did make the mistake in thinking that cruise lines want more children - and their parents - to take a cruise. Except in a very few rare cases (like Disney) we do not.

 

Children cannot gamble or drink alcohol.

Children rarely go on expensive excursions.

Children rarely make spa appointments.

Children do not purchase jewelry.

Their parents spent all their money on the children and school, so have very little left to spend onboard.

The parents often cannot afford to tip for the children, claiming that the children are no bother for the staff and make their jobs easier (exactly the opposite of reality).

Children often bother the passengers who do spend money on our ships, chasing them away.

Why in the world would cruiselines schedule around school holidays? That makes no sense, they're businesses, not educational facilities.

No, but they could have a few more during the middle of the summer (US) so more could sail. it appears they purposely put the cruises that my grandkids could have "sailed free" at the 'edges' of their break. So, they know when the kids can and can't sail. They're doing it on purpose. If they had the 'kids sail free' just a week later in June, and a week earlier in August, there would be no scheduling problems.

Bit of a rhetorical question really.... Looking to plan our holidays for next year. There are very few cruises which tie in with Christmas, Easter and half term holidays in the UK. Most schools follow the same patterns for holidays might be useful if someone involved in planning itineraries took these dates into consideration. People with children ought to be tied to these dates and those with or without children who work in education definitely are, yet it seems that a huge customer base is being missed here. Spent time today searching for something to fit in with dates yet a lot of cruises sail on the last day of term or return after term starts :(

 

Perhaps if someone from cruise lines reads this it might be taken into consideration for future years. Looks like my half terms are not going to be spent at sea next year!

exactly!!!!

I'll be sharing this idea with NCL. it should be easy to find a schedule, at least ONE date in the summer when the kids aren't in school, but I'm finding it's difficult.

What grade are the kid's in? Some families think that traveling is an education in itself.

 

Here's a whole thread from the Family board weighing the pros and cons.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1901880&highlight=district

thank you for that :)

the oldest is going into 4th grade in September. The middle, Kindergarten, and the youngest, he can go anywhere, any time lol

Usually the "kids sail free" specials seem to fall while most kids are in school.Our last three cruises have been the holiday sailing RT to Hawaii from the west coast ('05/06' date=' '10/11, and '12/13) and we get insides or OV obstructed cabins[/b']. Plus we always been able to get the third passenger rate for our daughter. Over those three cruises, the rates have been pretty steady too, while I'm sure if we just got into our car and drove a long distance and stayed in a hotel, we would be paying a lot more for the third time over the first time.For us, the Hawaiian cruise also meant no flights or hotels. We don't have to pay out anymore for food above the fare, except for a few glasses of wine for hubby and a soda or two for our girl (we bring a supply of soda with us) and whatever we eat in the ports. Our souvenirs usually run into a tee shirt or two, maybe a hair ornament, a few aloha shirts. We may or not do any excursions (the second one we didn't do any excursions, just sightseeing on our own).So it just depends on what you spend your money on. Of course between those cruises, we usually didn't go anywhere (some life things were happening).

? we would have to fly from home to Honolulu, if we take the cruise I'm looking at...?

Are you saying the cruise you took sailed FROM a city on the west coast to Hawaii? I wish ncl had a cruise like that...

High season will always be more expensive, more people can travel during summer and spring/winter breaks. You can make arrangements with teachers to send along assignments or know that quality time with grandma and grandpa is an education itself.

I am going to push this idea with my daughter. I think we might just have to do that :)

July, or early August if possible, and to hawaii (this would be a couple years out, I'm sure..we just got back) lol :D

The caribbean...isn't mid summer hurricane season?

will start looking again. We have a deposit for a cruise on NCL...so that's the line we'd be cruising with, and there'd be 4 adults and 3 kids. e.x.p.e.n.s.i.v.e. lol waiting also for "Kids sail free" again

Not sure if this is answered somewhere but which one would you prefer for 2 adults, 2 seniors and one 10 year old in the party?

 

and why?

I sailed both. LOVED both. It would be a hard decision. Celebrity was a bit more formal, NCL was Freestyle, which I really like.

Oh, you have a 10 year old!!

Two words: Splash academy. Their program for kids is GREAT! They have activities for kids from 6 mo-3 years (The Guppies) and kids to teens. My grandkids LOVED it.

Before I go to the self-serve buffet, I pick up a few paper napkins.

I use those napkins to hold the tongs and serving pieces. I will not touch 'communal' utensils.

 

wish I would have thought of that!!!!

gooood idea!!

wow. I looked at our possible next cruise with grandkids.

Yeah. That's affordable. $1700/person in July.

we see the cheaper prices are when they are still in school in June, and August is RIGHT BEFORE school starts, or after school starts.

How is that fair?

Looks like we can't do this cruise.

OR the Caribbean. Same thing. The affordable cruise is during school times.

:mad:

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake rocked southeastern Alaska, about 73km from Haines, near Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

The earthquake hit on Wednesday at 11:58 GMT southwest of Haines, which has a population of over 2,500 people. The epicenter was 10km deep, according to United States Geological Survey.

The quake was first reported at a magnitude of 5.8, however it was subseqently downgraded to 5.7.

There have been no reports of casualties.

The circum-Pacific seismic belt, the earth's most active seismic feature, brushes Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, resulting in frequent earthquakes. More than 80 percent of the planet's tremors occur in the circum-Pacific belt, according to USGS data.

is it possible to call and get a copy?

or, are they destroyed? :(

PEARL!!!!! Love those Jewel class ships. Epic is the 2nd worst ship that I have been on. The first worse was freedom of the seas - so we do like a little smaller of a ship - and I LOVE stuff to do. Good luck.

why? (curious) I know you said smaller, but is there a crowded feeling on the Epic?

Epic if you like to be busy & do a lot. Pearl if you want to relax.

*confused*

we had so many choices of things to do on the Pearl, I was wiped out trying to do it all lol

I would take the Pearl as it's smaller than the Epic. I am not sure I would like a larger ship, but eventually, I'll probably try it...just to see if I do like it.

We actually did the Bahamas Celebration cruise. 3 day 2 night. It was ok. We only paid taxes I believe. It was very reasonably priced. It was a fun cruise, but the 1st time I got seasick. The ship was reaaaallllly rocking and everyone was weaving as they walked.

We didn't pay for desserts. We had an outlet *shrug*

it's a skit they do at the end of all the crew talents shows....it's been on the Pearl, anyway. don't want to give too much away, but the name says a lot :D

daughter got sick, am watching the grandkids, will be a bit before I can update more on my trip.

I hope she didn't get this on the cruise :(