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Hotels adjacent to Canada Place (the cruise port) are expensive - move a few blocks away and the prices change - stay at or near the airport for better bargains BUT then the transportation issue comes up getting to the cruise terminal. Use the search function for: Vancouver Downtown Hotels near Canada Place Taxi/Cab fare is inexpensive - factor that with a modest hotel against a hotel in walking distance from the cruise terminal - convenience over cost ? Hotels High Cruise Season are expensive I stayed at a hotel on Pender St a few walking blocks from Canada Place Hotel has changed hands is now the Ramada prices were in the high $100s It is not the Pan Pacific but it is functional and works.

Just for clarification Whittier is one of the ports of Anchorage (the other Seward). Looking at a Google Map LINK: Google Maps The cruise ships do not sail the long way around (Cook Inlet) to arrive in Anchorage. Alaska RR has scheduled service to both of these ports and then there are the cruise line chartered trains. The cruise line chartered trains may bypass the Anchorage Depot and go directly to the port. There is also an Anchorage Airport stop - not familiar or sure how Princess works this out. Princess has a great deal of influence in the movement of its guests to/from ports and points of excursion land tours by Alaska RR.

Take a Go-Pro camera or other camera with a threaded mount and secure it to somewhere about your person - a helmet/hat with chin strap - body chest strap etc. Best that the camera device be in video mode so that you don't have to let go of a secure place to click the shutter - just turn the video on and let it run. Anything loose is apt to be lost with the nature of the wild ride down the seemingly mild rapids. You are going to get wet at some point and your gear too. The tour operators don't want to risk trying to fetch unsecured items launched overboard Limited liability !

Early - real early April and late real late October OK factor in less crowds - 1) Meaning less opportunities for shore excursions because the tour operators need volume to make it profitable. 2) Fewer shops open if any at all 3) Seasonal help issues to keep those shops and excursions operating 4) A BIGGIE lack of transportation between points - a huge one with Alaska RR going into or returning from its off season schedule - WPYRR Skagway offering very limited options + covid restrictions from Canada airline flights beginning/ending more frequent flights limited cruise ships usually relocating to/from the Caribbean - But that leads to some interesting ship positioning cruises +++ With all this one has to be real creative in setting up a cruise package ! Yet there will be no northwest passage getting locked into an ice field - global warming exception Just the small ships of National Geographic Lindblad Explorer and the Alaska Maritime Ferry. AND then there is the ever changing weather and oh my gosh the diminishing sun light ! A blast if you can have most all of this for your near solo venture - of course you will have to take lots of selfies - no one around to hold the camera and take your picture ! LOL !

Consider using any laundry cleaning services while on the tour or on board the ship. Basically a 14 day trip - plan on 7 days of clothing wash and repeat - Leave the non-essentials (kitchen sink etc.) home pack only what you really need. Easy to say that - but there are shops on the ship as well as port calls to supplement any last minute weather changes - also consider if traveling by air the baggage fees - keep the weight down as well as the number of checked bags.

IMO Just a hint - take the land excursion portion before the cruise - You will be more relaxed and enjoy the pace a great deal more. The land cruise you are packing up and moving your hotel lodgings almost with every leg of movement (nightly) - of course the portage of your luggage is included - Some meals are included others on your own dime (this most of the time) With the cruise being last - you and your hotel lodgings stay put - your 3 or more daily meals are included some drinks too - no commitments to board a bus train or other dog cart transportation on someone else's schedule - only tough part is leaving the ship and all those inclusives . On another note - if the tour/fare package is less expensive doing the cruise first and land tours last - decision time - also consider at the end of the cruise or tour the travel transportation homeward - is that too rushed or relaxed ?

The Alaska RR train will make a brief stop at Talkeetna enroute from Denali to Anchorage. That same train however does not go on to Whittier in the same say UNLESS it is a Princess chartered train ? Often the cruise land tours will start end train travel at Talkeetna with a continuation by motor coach aka THE BUS to another tour point. Check with the land tour operator for exactly what you would expect to get !

If you are seated in a high traffic area near moving doors entry exit to the dining area there may be drafty air moments - suggest taking that wrap as a precaution. The same for a theatre venue - bars - and other areas where folks stir up the air currents. The interior of the ship while at a habitable temperature going between areas of cooling/heating could be an issue - how long ? Be prepared for it bring that wrap/cover.

SEWARD Your ship arrives before 7 am and there maybe a Cruise Line chartered Alaska Railroad train to the Anchorage Airport - - - -OR- Take a local Seward excursion and wait for the scheduled Alaska RR Coastal Classic train leaving Seward 6pm and arriving at the Anchorage Depot around 10pm - - - Red Eye flight home - stay a day or two in Anchorage - - - Extend your railroad adventure take the Alaska RR Denali train to Fairbanks (a 12 hour daylight trip) - Red Eye flight home from there or hotel stay and fly the next day or take the train back to Anchorage. HINT if you can afford it get reservations in the full length GOLD STAR class dome car for best viewing with meals and complimentary beverages. Alaska RR website: Alaska Railroad | Alaskan Tours & Vacations | Train Packages As Northern Aurora posted - the only other railroad excursion is at Skagway the White Pass and Yukon - cruise line excursions or DIY ticketing WPYRR website: Book Alaska Shore Excursions with White Pass & Yukon Route Railway (wpyr.com)

Even if the ship ties the lines up to the dock briefly and then releases them the PVSA must be satisfied. Can't just do a cruise by - waving at the port. That Pacific storm must be something to reckon with causing this delay unless it is something slow boat mechanical. Marine traffic shows the SUN: MarineTraffic: Global Ship Tracking Intelligence | AIS Marine Traffic ETA Victoria 0600 hours

You would not need either Premium or P Plus beverage packages if drinking only wine - may not find or get that bottle of - Sauvignon Blanc from NZ - but something comparable - The Premium package has less of a selection of wines and note may be by the glass whereas the P Plus plan/program may include the whole bottle at each and every dining - - - Drinking in moderation the programs are of questionable value - consider the number of drinks & cost against the total plan/program divided by the number of days of the cruise - do you win draw or lose ?

For comparison - - - - - Vancouver weather - LINK: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 10-Day Weather Forecast - The Weather Channel | Weather.com Juneau weather - LINK: Juneau, AK 10-Day Weather Forecast - The Weather Channel | Weather.com

Was that - aerialists show ? Flyadage by Gilles & Laure ? Have a signed DVD from their act - Really Outstanding presentation

When you go to this LINK: Norwegian Star Deck Plans, Layouts, Pictures, Videos (cruisedeckplans.com) On the left side of the web page - - - Do you see the classes of cabin types and generic images of that cabin description of its features - - - Note in upper right - - - click on the deck you are searching and look for your cabin - - - have a photo icon or YouTube video - click on it to see more. These features maybe blocked in the UK or other parts of the world - ??? To see the details of other NCL ships LINK: Norwegian Cruise Line Cruise Ship Fleet (cruisedeckplans.com) Click on the ship you are researching and browse away browse away There are images of cabin type - generic images dimensions (remember some cabins are mirror images of what you look at) Banner bar at top click on WIKI PICS for more information There is a feature for those folks who have a cruisedeckplan membership to use the DRAG DECK to move one deck over another to highlight the pros & cons of cabin location. And then there is good ole Cruise Critic to fill in the missing VOID ? ? ? The STAR is the sister ship to the DAWN and pretty much the same deck plan layout a few tweaks here and there - - -

And then there may be the GLASS TRASH recycling issue both for beer and wine bottles ?

Track and bridge fixed - train does the full trip to the Summit and return.

Truely a Cause célèbre when your soft serve faux ice cream machine is down for whatever reason - I suspect that when the guests are not looking the crew has a wild time making concoctions like they do for your birthday food-stuff. I have told NCL they need the industrial type machine that DQ (Dairy Queen) uses to make their treats and the ice cream cakes - as is the maintenance requirements seem to be on-going all the time. Rare that both machines would be down - I sympathize with your dilemma - my favorite is the mix of vanilla and chocolate - sadly missing are all the soda fountain garnishes nuts and that sort of stuff - pass on the kiddie sprinkles of candy. Thoroughly enjoying your narrative of the voyage - The voyage of the bathroom flood on deck 11 (11130) What cabin were you moved to ? You are making reference to the Haven Must be one of the 2BR suites on deck 14 - very nice - very very nice !

Great if doing the visit solo or with family - but the Park entrance (visitors center) is included with the cruise line excursion tours. Still yet if visiting any US National Park - bring it with you - It may suprise you what benefits the pass may have

Get all the priority you can muster - with no complications - you should make it with limited stress - the big hold up is the TSA and Customs pre-clearance lines. Once pass that gauntlet you have a walk-off home run. Fortunately you are not without timely options - getting to your Scottsdale Phoenix location you have connection flights to UGG Los Angeles and oddly Salt Lake City and other not so convenient routings. Good Luck !

My experience has been the northern portion (Johnstone Strait) is done in pretty much in daylight the narrow portion south of Campbell River arriving at Vancouver is at dusk/dark of night. The same for the northbound cruises - twilight to dusk dark of night in the Strait of Georgia and morning daylight well after Campbell River. YMMV with cruise line and schedule. Google Map for reference: Google Maps Zoooom for more/less detail

United is no doubt relinquishing the Seattle market to Alaska and Delta the two main players. So it appears that schedules and equipment are being adjusted in that market If your affinity loyalty is with United check for routing thru San Francisco or Denver where United has a dominate presence - also don't forget about Chicago and yes I feel that you want a non-stop flight but you may have to rethink about that.

Yes there are shuttles from Canada Place to the Seattle Airport - A quick one that comes to mind is Quickshuttle link: Home - Quick Shuttle (quickcoach.com) More info link: Vancouver airport to Seattle Shuttle Bus - Pick Up, Cost, Schedule (vancouver-travel-tips.com) The shuttles do a customs check at the border - most likely a half hour could be longer depending on staffing and traffic volume. Trip takes just about 4 hours normally The Seattle Airport has a great deal more options of travel within the US and a bonus they are less expensive SEA-TAC flights after 1pm PDT nonstop flights to the east coast (about 5-6 hours) arrive at midnight EDT

The Tracy Arm Sawyer (South) glacier is the best of all the small glaciers with a bonus time permitting of a visit to a mini North glacier - lots and lots of scenic activity like being in a Norwegian fjord - tour boat may fetch an ice chunk to sample the intense blue glow in the ice. Wild life - land and sea with the multi hour trip from Juneau to Tracy and back. YES a l-o-n-g trip well worth it - time and weather cooperating.

If doing a B2B on the same ship you are usually seeing the same ports and excursion offerings on the 2nd leg that were on the first i.e. Vancouver Whittier/Seward Vancouver. Doing a B2B same ship sailing out of Seattle is like doing an instant replay - - - Consider taking a 7 day cruise on one ship (cruise line) and then taking a second 7 day cruise on a different ship (itinerary being different) cruise line. The convenience of taking a B2B on same ship both legs is you can perhaps remain in the same cabin and not go thru any disembark-embark procedure. There are may be various ways to mix and match B2B cruises with perks booking offers to do just that. B2B cruises don't necessarily have to be a round trip returning to the starting origin port. Consider taking a pre seasonal cruise i.e. Southern California ship positioning cruise to Alaska and an Alaskan cruise - or a post seasonal cruise leaving Alaska for Mexico Panama Caribbean.

Suites have breakfast and lunch in Moderno with overflow into Cagney's The Moderno has an open salad breakfast buffet in the middle next to the Sugar Cane Mohito Bar Just off the entry is commonly where the Concierge has his/her desk office. The host/ess desk near the elevator foyer is used for both dining rooms. Beware of the air door to deck 13 when the weather is foul - it is closed in that event and access is as usual the central atrium elevators. Ah remember some good ole times on this ship. The STAR (sister ship to the DAWN) does not have a Haven. The deck above Cagney's & Moderno are the two Garden Villa suites (elevator access by key card) unique to these two ships. On the JEWEL class ships the Haven is above Cagney's and Moderno Regarding a private dining room - there is a possiblity to rope (curtain) off a section in the back of Moderno for such an event - Moderno and Cagney's share the same galley - there is a service passageway on the port side of these two - check with the Concierge about arrangements.