Am I understanding this correctly.....

[southernshug]

I have booked my first Hal cruise to Alaska, leaving from Seattle mid May 2021. "If" ships sail by then, are we only allowed to take ship excursions? Also.....will we be allowed to walk or shop in the towns? I'm just a bit confused by this and hoping someone else has better insight! TIA 😊

[CruiserBruce]

4 minutes ago, southernshug said:

I have booked my first Hal cruise to Alaska, leaving from Seattle mid May 2021. "If" ships sail by then, are we only allowed to take ship excursions? Also.....will we be allowed to walk or shop in the towns? I'm just a bit confused by this and hoping someone else has better insight! TIA 😊

We don't know...policies have not been finalized and announced. But it's a good probability. 

[HappyInVan]

Sorry.

 

Your Dr. Fauci says ...

 

"Dr. Fauci says U.S. could return to normal by mid-fall if most people get Covid vaccine"

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/16/dr-fauci-says-us-could-return-to-normal-by-mid-fall-if-most-people-get-covid-vaccine.html

 

Over here, vax is going slowly...

 

"All Canadians who want a shot will be vaccinated by September 2021, public health agency says"

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canadian-vaccines-september-2021-1.5844314

 

So, not sure if border will be open in May?

 

 

 

[trbarton]

2 hours ago, southernshug said:

I have booked my first Hal cruise to Alaska, leaving from Seattle mid May 2021. "If" ships sail by then, are we only allowed to take ship excursions? Also.....will we be allowed to walk or shop in the towns? I'm just a bit confused by this and hoping someone else has better insight! TIA 😊

I’ve been following a number of YouTube sites about cruising. From what’s been happening now on other cruises, in order to leave the ship,  you had to go on the ships tours & stay with the tour group. No going off the ship by yourself. On one cruise in Italy, one family of 5 wondered away from the tour group, & when they returned to the ship they were denied boarding & were removed from the ship. 
 

Right now Canada is closed to all foreign travelers & if they open to tourists I wouldn’t expect to be able to go off by yourself. 
 

I have cruises next year on Carnival & Princess & figured these restrictions would probably be in place before I booked. Something to consider when booking a cruise given the current Pandemic. 
 

Tom😎

[KirkNC]

More then likely you will be restricted to ship excursions IF the sailing even occurs.  Not sure there will be an Alaska season in 2021.

[Roz]

The short answer is, no one knows.

[Lady Arwen]

Sorry, but it’s unlikely Canada will open the border to cruises in May.  I doubt if this cruise will sail.  Our April cruise with Celebrity was cancelled.  Wait and see, but I would recommend that you do not make final payment until things are more clear.

[southernshug]

Thank u all for ur thoughts!

[drowelf]

4 hours ago, Roz said:

The short answer is, no one knows.

So true, nobody, including the various authorities who will determine this, have really come to a final decision. Borders and Ports opening are critical decisions that probably need to be made months in advance of any cruise actually sailing. Closed or Open Shore Excursions, who knows. Health and Safety precautions on board to be fully determined. Will vaccinations be required (sure hope so)?

 

Because of the all this uncertainty we are not even planning any cruising until 2022. Just too many unknowns at this point to do any planning or take a chance. Right now, if things improve and vaccination distribution reaches sufficient numbers we are looking at a late 3rd Quarter/early 4th DIY land trip to Europe for a couple of weeks. 

 

We have 2 cruises booked for 2022 by which time the situation should be much clearer and hopefully stable. 

[LouChamp]

Reality is no one knows. I'm going to wait till 2022 

[kazu]

8 hours ago, drowelf said:

Because of the all this uncertainty we are not even planning any cruising until 2022. Just too many unknowns at this point to do any planning or take a chance. Right now, if things improve and vaccination distribution reaches sufficient numbers we are looking at a late 3rd Quarter/early 4th DIY land trip to Europe for a couple of weeks. 

 

We have 2 cruises booked for 2022 by which time the situation should be much clearer and hopefully stable. 

 

57 minutes ago, LouChamp said:

Reality is no one knows. I'm going to wait till 2022 

 

The announcement has been made in Canada that anyone who wants a vaccine should receive it by September 2021.  That makes me fairly confident in my decision to sail in November 2021.  

We should have a good indication of how things are going well before final payment 😉 

[mcrcruiser]

17 hours ago, Lady Arwen said:

Sorry, but it’s unlikely Canada will open the border to cruises in May.  I doubt if this cruise will sail.  Our April cruise with Celebrity was cancelled.  Wait and see, but I would recommend that you do not make final payment until things are more clear.

Alaska cruises can sail from Seattle Washington  .They do not need to sail from Vancouver BC .Thus ,they can still sail in May  2021

[Copper10-8]

1 hour ago, mcrcruiser said:

Alaska cruises can sail from Seattle Washington  .They do not need to sail from Vancouver BC .Thus ,they can still sail in May  2021

 

This - the not having to depart from the home of the Canucks hockey team, still looking to win Lord Stanley's illustrious cup - is true however, the good ol' Passenger Vessel Service Act (PSVA) of 1235, or thereabouts, requires foreign-flagged ships, which depart from and return to, the same U.S. port to stop in between at a foreign port. That means that an Alaska cruise out of Seattle is allowed to call at Alaskan ports provided a stop is made in Vancouver or another Canadian west coast port before returning to Seattle.

 

Even though some folks claim to be able to see Russia from the commune of Wasilla in our 49th state, a "PVSA" stop in Vladivostok on an Alaskan cruise is a do not pass go, do not collect $200 greenbacks logistically so essentially, foreign flagged ships will thus call on always beautiful and picturesque Victoria, BC, the home of a Dutch Carilion, usually during the last night of the cruise, departing around midnight, for the short hop to, and oh dark thirty arrival at, the emerald city (there have been variations of this which allow more time in Victoria then just an evening for dinner, desert at "Oh Gelato," Oh Yummy in your tummy, and her other fine sights)

 

Soooooooooo, if our good, fine and just plain nice neighbors to the north, sorry, a thousand apologies; good, fine and just plain nice "neighbours" with a "u" added, to the north, their government in Ottawa, Ont. that is, keep them, thair borders locked up, "Oh Heavens to Murgatroyd!," with hardworking and dapper CBSA agents turning "Over there, over there" Yanks away by telling them to go back to mothers, there will not, just like 2020, be a 2021 Alaska season unless of course,  Joe and Co. (I almost said something that would, no doubt, get me in trouble, something having to do with insomnolence, but my senses came to me, and I to them) waive that ancient and totally unnecessary act 

 

OK, crawling back under my rock  

Edited December 18, 2020 by Copper10-8

[Lady Arwen]

7 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

Alaska cruises can sail from Seattle Washington  .They do not need to sail from Vancouver BC .Thus ,they can still sail in May  2021

Yes, but they have to stop in a “foreign port” as per the Passengers act.  Usually, Victoria, BC for Alaska cruises.  Check your itinerary.

[kevingastreich]

9 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

This - the not having to depart from the home of the Canucks hockey team, still looking to win Lord Stanley's illustrious cup - is true however, the good ol' Passenger Vessel Service Act (PSVA) of 1235, or thereabouts, requires foreign-flagged ships, which depart from and return to, the same U.S. port to stop in between at a foreign port. That means that an Alaska cruise out of Seattle is allowed to call at Alaskan ports provided a stop is made in Vancouver or another Canadian west coast port before returning to Seattle.

 

Even though some folks claim to be able to see Russia from the commune of Wasilla in our 49th state, a "PVSA" stop in Vladivostok on an Alaskan cruise is a do not pass go, do not collect $200 greenbacks logistically so essentially, foreign flagged ships will thus call on always beautiful and picturesque Victoria, BC, the home of a Dutch Carilion, usually during the last night of the cruise, departing around midnight, for the short hop to, and oh dark thirty arrival at, the emerald city (there have been variations of this which allow more time in Victoria then just an evening for dinner, desert at "Oh Gelato," Oh Yummy in your tummy, and her other fine sights)

 

Soooooooooo, if our good, fine and just plain nice neighbors to the north, sorry, a thousand apologies; good, fine and just plain nice "neighbours" with a "u" added, to the north, their government in Ottawa, Ont. that is, keep them, thair borders locked up, "Oh Heavens to Murgatroyd!," with hardworking and dapper CBSA agents turning "Over there, over there" Yanks away by telling them to go back to mothers, there will not, just like 2020, be a 2021 Alaska season unless of course,  Joe and Co. (I almost said something that would, no doubt, get me in trouble, something having to do with insomnolence, but my senses came to me, and I to them) waive that ancient and totally unnecessary act 

 

OK, crawling back under my rock  

I wonder if it's that easy. The US President can just waive the act? That would certainly open up the Alaska cruising season for sure!

[Lady Arwen]

7 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

I wonder if it's that easy. The US President can just waive the act? That would certainly open up the Alaska cruising season for sure!

I asked this question before and was told that the chances were zero percent favourable.  I can tell you that the chance of Canada opening the border and allowing in cruise ships is roughly the same.  I spoke to a travel agent who books loads of Alaska cruises and she said that they are prepared for no cruising to Alaska in 2021.  Very sad situation.

[zelker]

9 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

... unless of course,  Joe and Co. (I almost said something that would, no doubt, get me in trouble, something having to do with insomnolence ...

 

Political opinions not welcome here.  Was that really necessary to say?  I think not.  😒

 

Edited December 18, 2020 by zelker

[kevingastreich]

15 minutes ago, Lady Arwen said:

I asked this question before and was told that the chances were zero percent favourable.

Who did you ask? That sounds like a Magic 8 Ball answer. HeHe.

Edited December 18, 2020 by kevingastreich

[Lady Arwen]

5 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

Who did you ask? That sounds like a Magic 8 Ball answer. HeHe.

A long time, very respected poster here on c.c.   Of course, no one knows for sure, unless they are the President.  It was mentioned that there are many, many  more important issues to be addressed before this would reach the table.

[CruiserBruce]

36 minutes ago, kevingastreich said:

I wonder if it's that easy. The US President can just waive the act? That would certainly open up the Alaska cruising season for sure!

"Would certainly...for sure"? It might, but don't know how you could be so certain....Canada's status is not the only restriction.

[kevingastreich]

24 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

"Would certainly...for sure"? It might, but don't know how you could be so certain....Canada's status is not the only restriction.

It would go a long way to opening up the Alaska cruise season. The cruise lines want it and Alaska wants it. Let's do it!

[Horizon chaser 1957]

The whole situation is very ironic given our governments controversial ‘Alaska loophole’ in the border restrictions. No, a cruise ship cannot land at a Canadian port at the moment. If however, it was possible to drive the ship up the I-5, they could simply roll up to the border crossing, produce the paperwork proving they’re heading to Alaska, and continue on.

A few minor logistical problems maybe, but the political ones would be covered.😂

[southernshug]

Regarding the Canada stop.......I have spoken with a well informed TA who said there was a small contingent trying to bypass Canada all together. 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

3 minutes ago, southernshug said:

Regarding the Canada stop.......I have spoken with a well informed TA who said there was a small contingent trying to bypass Canada all together. 

Does anyone know if this would be allowed if the whole trip was scenic cruising only, and returned to Seattle without stopping in Canada OR Alaska? At this point, I bet a lot of people would sign up just to be cruising again.

[rafinmd]

1 minute ago, Horizon chaser 1957 said:

Does anyone know if this would be allowed if the whole trip was scenic cruising only, and returned to Seattle without stopping in Canada OR Alaska? At this point, I bet a lot of people would sign up just to be cruising again.

That has a lot more chance of happening as an Executive Order.  At the moment cruises to nowhere are prohibited by INS or Labor Department regulations while PVSA is actual law.  A cruise like that would have ample opportunities for scenic cruising,

 

Roy