cruising cockroach

Only if there's a public holiday declared for the funeral (for places outside the U..K.).  If there is one for Canada, government and banks will be closed but everything else open, and private-sector employers royally (colloquial word for annoyed).because they'll have to pay extra time for employees to work in a tight labour market.

I like the small ships, enough Zodiacs to lift most pax, food (very French), inclusive drinks (though wine is pretty plonky except for special dinners) internet, lack of casino.  Ship small enough to get almost everywhere.  Oddly, the MDR can sit everyone in one sitting but you need reservations for the buffet.  t has French idiosyncracies as far as customer service goes.  Very popular with Australians.

Book 2 cruises before yo even sail once and you'll be at the base elite level (free laundry, cruise credits, etc.).  

Newer machines will dispense in at least $50, $20, $10 and maybe even $5 (I rarely take out/use cash these days so not 100% certain re: $5).  There are limits however.

Not local cuisine by any stretch but I've passed by this place several times (but have not tried it as I very, very rarely eat out these days).

LOCATION | labellepatateesq (westcoastpoutine.wixsite.com)

Rarer, winds prevent the ship from docking.

On 7/6/2022 at 7:43 PM, GTJ said:

a curse that apparently applies equally to the Washington State Ferries in its inability to resume service between Anacortes and Sidney this summer!--

 

Only one SOLAS-equipped ferry left so it's unlikely this service will ever resume (back up ship Elwha as retired a few years ago).  No one in the state who doesn't need to use the ferry systems wants to put a red cent towards new ship.

Is this ship too big to fit through the Inside Passage?  I see it is currently sailing south through the Haro Strait to sail to Ketchican via the Pacific ocean.

Saw a HAL ship come in to port (Victoria) along the Discovery Princess or Norwegian Encore but noticed it proceeded to sail around the anchorage area and was wondering what was up.

13 minutes ago, adoris said:

Very windy in Victoria.  Ship would not have been able to dock.

There was wind but nothing significant (at least out on the west shore) and certainly no high wind/small craft warnings..  Maybe it's the height and size of the ship.  These big ships may end up with a lot of misses.

Did the Encore abort its Victoria stop today?  Saw this huge ship come in this morning (house has a view of the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca), then seems to have circled around the harbour and then went back out to Pacific 

Any change in fares?  The show I've been watching is The Polar Sea narrated by Gordon Pinsent.  Features lots of renditions of Stan Roger's iconic song.

I see Ovation of the Seas is moored off Victoria.  Came in from the west with Radiance OTS this morning (which proceeded to dock).  Looks like there in a Princess and HL ship docked as well.  No space perhaps until one of those 3 ships leaves? 

22 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Since you'll be part of a Tauck group, you don't have to worry about the couture of the French guests [which is never as good as the fashion week pictures...] – follow what the Tauck website and docs say.

Spent many months in France and if you are not in Paris, you'll notice that dress is very casual, and those provincials may well be coutured by Decathlon | Best Gear, Clothing and Footwear For All Sports | Decathlon.  I call it basse couture for the common man (which I count myself among). I've seen (nice) jeans worn at lunch times in Michelin macarooned restaurants.  Just get one nice outfir for everything.

Done ~16 nts on a container ship.  2 tops but no getting off (2nd as very short).  Last was a 12 (or 11) nt.  Left, arrived, no stops.  So this one will be 9 days longer than the container.  Fresh food is going to be sparse....  As t least internet is free and it's open bar.....

FYI, Amtrak service to VAC is currently operated by Cantrail.  No stops in the U.S, just one in Canada (Richmond) before VAC.

4x daily service

Home | Cantrail - Takes you awayCantrail – Takes you away | Cantrail-Takes you away

Doubletree had (and may still have) shuttles every 15 mins 24/7.  Call to check.  Popular spot for flight crew on layovers as a result (or because of this).

I am inclined to go Canadian (the OTAs are of course pushing US policies).  The cruiseco in this case offers travel credits in case of a +ve test for COVID within 30 days of the cruise (which is also final payment) and cancellation/rebooking outside final payment.

Just in case anyone wants to know, here are some calculations of a Ponant sistership (Le Soleal, Le Boreal, Le Lyrial and L'Austral).  Might be important if time is critical at the end of a non-stop repo cruise.

Le Soleal

Approximate distance travelled on aproximate route taken (Honolulu - Maizuru): 7,144 km , 3,858 NM.

Time elapsed: 11 x 24 hrs + 9 hrs 1st day + 16 hrs last - 19 hrs time change = 280 hrs

Average speed = 25 Km/h or 13.8 knots

Le Lyrial

Great circle distance between airports (LIS-USH - GCroute is entirely overwater except Lisbon and Ushuaia): 11,800 km,  6,372 NM

Time scheduled: 25 x 24 hrs + 12 hrs 1st day + 12 hrs last day + 3 hours time change = 627 hrs

Average scheduled speed:  18.8 Km/h or 10.2 knots

Might not seem important but the 1st calculation was on an actual voyage I travelled on.  Ship was scheduled to leave Honolulu at noon but departed 3 hrs later or whatever reason (the change was scheduled a day or to ahead).  Due to bad weather between the western end of the Hawaiian island chain (French Frigate shoals) and the Strait of Hokkaido, the ship had to go on a more westerly course for several days and I actually thought it would be getting to Maizuru via the southern end of Honshu.  Around day 7 or 8, the ship changed course for the Strait of Hokkaido.  No information from the crew until 3-4 days prior to scheduled arrival (so that people could rearrange onward transport).  Thankfully internet usage is unlimited and free for all, and reasonably fast for 70 pax + ~130-140 crew.  Arrived into the port at 1600 instead of the scheduled 0800.  I actually had calculated arrival time given the ship's speed and course since Honolulu (had a GPS connected to my computer and was recording the voyage in parts).  Several passengers missed their connecting flights from Osaka and we actually had to pony up for cruise-arranged transportation to Kyoto (not cheap, given it was ~20 pax in a 50-60 pax bus) as we weren't sure about getting the last train to Kyoto.  The captain even missed his flight home, and the Maizuru (and its "cruise terminal") isn't exactly a great place to hang around waiting for your ship to arrive.

Second voyage, which is assuming a more-leisurely pace, is one I am thinking of booking,  Passes through the Canary and Cape Verde chains so hoping for scenic cruising or maybe even impromptu landings.

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

One caveat:  if you are in a deck 4 Prestige Suite on one of the sister ships – you have a solid wall and a small couch.  Upgrade to deck 5 and there is a connecting door and only a chair.  We didn't have any noise through that door, but you could.

Thank you.  Won't likely be a consideration as we're looking at lowest cabin category.  I imagine we'd get a Deck 3 (on the old ships) balcony cabin at best.

One of the cruises actually involves a no single supplement promo (due to over 3 week of consecutive sea days) so we were contemplating a couple of cabins, one to use as a living room, but we'd have to pony up to deck 5 to be assured of a connecting cabin.

Looking at a cruise this October.  Lisbon to Ushuaia.  26 days/25 nts, 24 of which are sea days no scheduled stops).  Must be among the longest non-stop passenger cruises!

Ponant has a few that fits your bill, but not cheap. Rejkavik to Toronto and even Milkaukee if you wish

Thanks.  Will look into that.  The offered insurance is supposed to available to Canadians but I'm just wary about making actual claims.

Thanks.  So expect a 1-category U/G at best, and only if the sailing isn't too full?

Just wondering what the experience with cabin upgrades is with the Ponant Advantage programme.   Applies to Admiral level which comes into play on one books (not sails) a 4th cruise?