trivia addict

Check out either Bainbridge or Vashon Island. Both accessible by a short ferry ride.

Most passes have been sold before boarding for several years now, not just recently. However a few were usually held back or were from recent cancellations that have been sold first come, first serve inside the Teppanyaki restaurant upon embarkation. Therefore, a lucky few were always able to snag a few passes onboard. I haven't heard that this policy has changed.

Can you elaborate? Changed in what way? What are your sources?

Like Graphic guy, I’d be so ticked off. I would have immediately said thanks for the drinks but I gotta go now. I really would have felt used. It seems tho that this sort of selling technique is not unusual on ships. Years ago my young adult daughter and I spent a few days in Florida before our cruise. On our first day it became apparent that she had been badly bitten by those pesky no see ums, and had a very bad reaction. We looked for Benadryl on the ship but the shops had nothing. ( of course now I wonder why we didn’t go to the infirmary!) Anyway, a woman we met by actually doing a favor for her young daughter, said that she had a cream in her cabin that would help. She took us to her cabin where she had a full case of skin creams that she was taking orders for. She gave us a sample, and darn if it didn’t give immediate relief!

If you have any interest in aviation, the Museum of Flight located between downtown Seattle and Seatac, is highly rated by all who visit it. You could spend a few hours there, find a nearby restaurant or bar for late lunch and then get to the airport in plenty of time for your flight without having to stress.

Thanks to both. Actually, it wouldn’t matter if it were sunset or sunrise, I just thought that it would be smarter to start out for RTH early and end up at HNP later. Agree that RTH can take the whole day done in totality so I thought that maybe I could only do a partial on day 1 and continue on to HNP for the end of the day. We have more than one driver and are used to long days of sightseeing. I probably will not do HNP on day 2 because I am a nervous Nellie that alway has to be back on board hours before sailaway! Will have to make my choice! Meanwhile, best beach suggestion for day 2?!

Ok my knowledgeable Hawaii friends, which should I choose? I’ve been to Maui before but not to either of these two. I know the answer is whichever most appeals to me but can you give me your thoughts. On the POA for two days. Arrives first day at 8am. Leaves the next at 6pm. Planning on car rental for two days and I think that I only have the first day to comfortably go to one of those. i did read a suggestion to drive the RTH partway, turn around at Waianapanapa State Park and continue to HNP for the sunset. Doable? Crazy?

We took the Basel to Amsterdam Viking Cruise last July. We were very happy with the entire week. Three things stand out. First the day long cruise down the Rhine, with narration from the onboard cruise director. Second, the bus trip to Strasburg, which was an included excursion. Highlight of that was the astronomical clock at the Cathedral. Hard to fathom how ancient people could mathematically be so exact. Third was the Viking excursion that took us to a dairy farm and then the windmills. The windmills can be seen on your own since the ship docks next to them, but do take the excursion, you will learn so much about this World Heritage site and the mechanics of environmental water control. Finally if you are a wine drinker or a cocktail maven, do take the silver package. I had wines that I could only dream about here in the States and my husband had scotches and cocktails that kept him happy all week!

Thank you Princeton 123211. I will use this information also!

Good advice to get on the waitlist as soon as you board. There could be a chance to grab a spot. I know that we have cancelled a few excursions in the past once on board That being said, almost all excursions we have taken have been private ones either booked ourselves or joined ones from a roll call. These work so much better.

Sorry, but to liken a hallowed resting place to a ride in Disney World is still disrespectful

I find this incredibly insensitive and disrespectful to anyone who has ever served or given their lives to their country. To equate their sacrifice to a waste of your time is hard for me to understand

Last May we took the cruise from Honolulu to Vancouver. We live near Seattle so decided to spend the day in Vancouver and take the 5 pm Amtrak back to Seattle. It was a VERY long day. After having lunch we got to the station a bit early. The train ride was lovely but the Amtrak station while clean and safe is in the middle of nowhere and has almost no real food or drink options. If you are dealing with mobility issues, those many hours wandering with your luggage is going to be difficult. there are shuttle buses right next to the cruise terminal. We once took one of them. It is a quick, easy ride to Seattle. I would look into those and then spend a night in Seattle or by Seatac.

Thanks but the problem is that the transfer is included in the price I paid. was hoping that someone would just reassure me that they had a good experience with them. i will not book them for my trip back from ship to airport. Would you advise an Uber or the ship shuttle at the end of the cruise?

Just booked a pre cruise hotel from a big box store that includes transportation from the airport. Apparently they use Aloha VIP Tours. Reviews of it online are not good. Anyone have experience with a transfer with this company?

Just to be clear, the Puget Sound is a natural habitat!

Two important questions to be answered. it seems that all responses were assuming the OP was leaving from Brooklyn. OP only used the term New York. Perhaps it could have been the Manhattan port?

You do not need to do anything special to get into the Vibe once you board. Just find it and enjoy The door to the Vibe requires your key or wristband to enter. But once you are in, the bartenders will absolutely remember you almost from your first visit

Two suggestions. First, always fly in at least a day early. Second, always get insurance. DD once missed a cruise from Florida because although she had plane reservations to fly in a day early, horrific storms up and down the East Coast backed up flight for 2 days.

For those of us who love and use the Vibe, can we just stop telling everyone how great it is? Better for us, I think, that we tell others who ask, that it is a terrible waste of money😉

To each his own and I’m sure that many agree with you. But I think it is fair to warn others who may prefer more active activities that taking the bus to St George or Hamilton will take up much of their time in port.

Be aware that the local bus is just that, a local bus. It makes many stops on the route from St George to Hamilton and from Hamilton to the Dockyard. So if you are in any kind of a hurry, or going a great distance, I would not suggest it. We once did it from St George back to the ship ( transfer in Hamilton) and I would not do it again.

We took out of town friends on this cruise in July of 2022. It was great. They try very hard to give you a good experience and find whales. We saw a pod of orca whales that stay in the area through the summer and then as we went further north ( to our own Whidbey Island!), we saw a humpback and her calf. Through the marine radio the boat kept getting reports from other boats as to where the whales were, and we would then take off to that spot. On board there is a very knowledgeable naturalist who explains what you are looking at and gives facts on the area and the whales. The boat is comfortable and clean. The marina is next to a large local seafood restaurant where you could have lunch or dinner. It’s walkable into the town of Edmonds which is filled with shops, restaurants and bars. And if you are lucky you might run into Rick Steves, a local who is frequently seen walking through town! It’s a bit expensive but we found it worth it.

I did not realize that Spice had coffee so early in the morning. That sounds really nice and I am going to try it. Also did not know about the coffee on the waterfront. Thank you for the information. Makes me like the Joy even more!