Cruise Critic in Alaska

[Cruise Critic Chris]

Hi all. I'm just back from an early April sailing on Alaskan Dream Cruises, one of a handful of small ship cruise lines in Alaska that will be running sailings in 2021. Here's my Live From, and more coverage to come. Happy to answer questions about it, or other small ship cruises; this was my third small ship cruise in Alaska in the past decade. 

[Italy52]

4 hours ago, Cruise Critic Chris said:

Hi all. I'm just back from an early April sailing on Alaskan Dream Cruises, one of a handful of small ship cruise lines in Alaska that will be running sailings in 2021. Here's my Live From, and more coverage to come. Happy to answer questions about it, or other small ship cruises; this was my third small ship cruise in Alaska in the past decade. 

Thank you for sharing your wonderful report on Alaska, your trip was amazing.  Since many of our Alaska cruise ship reservations were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 we have decided to fly into Juneau and spend a few days doing some of our favorite things.  

 

You had mentioned:  "Alaska doesn't require proof of a negative swab to enter, but it's highly encouraged through an online portal. Forms were checked at the Juneau airport when I entered the state."    Can you expand on the information that you had to fill out in the online portal?  If there is an entry that asks about taking a Covid test and we haven't, will we be stopped?  We are fully vaccinated.  Thank you.

[donaldsc]

You say that they do not require vaccinations.  I would be very unhappy w that.

 

DON

[Cruise Critic Chris]

11 hours ago, donaldsc said:

You say that they do not require vaccinations.  I would be very unhappy w that.

 

DON

Hi Don. Alaskan Dream Cruises will require vaccinations for both crew and passengers when their full season begins in late May. This was a special April sailing and they did allow the unvaxxed couple from Albuquerque to sail, with the dual COVID test requirement (for what it's worth, the couple were intending to get the vaccine when they got home so it wasn't a political stance; they had simply not become eligible yet).

The rest of us passengers were fully vaxxed, as were most of the crew. There was one crew member who was not, and he was leaving the ship after this sailing.

All of us, regardless of vax status, took a rapid antigen test before boarding and the three of us from out of town had taken a PCR test before travel. 

Was there a slight risk on this one sailing? Perhaps. But very slim. 

For the bulk of the season, everyone onboard will be vaxxed. 

Edited April 13, 2021 by Cruise Critic Chris
more info

[Cruise Critic Chris]

On 4/12/2021 at 6:02 PM, Italy52 said:

You had mentioned:  "Alaska doesn't require proof of a negative swab to enter, but it's highly encouraged through an online portal. Forms were checked at the Juneau airport when I entered the state."    Can you expand on the information that you had to fill out in the online portal?  If there is an entry that asks about taking a Covid test and we haven't, will we be stopped?  We are fully vaccinated.  Thank you.

 

So things are changing all the time -- I took your question specifically back to Travel Alaska. Juneau was also operating under stricter guidelines in March than other places in the state. 

 

Alaska does want travelers to fill out the portal. It basically asks when you are arriving and where you are staying in case you have to quarantine. They "recommend" a PCR test but it's no longer required. The form didn't ask me if I was vaccinated (I was). They stop you at the booth and go over things, but they aren't forcing you to take a test. 

Of course, by the time you go this summer, things might change again, for the better, given increased vaccination rates. It's great that you are going -- Juneau businesses need tourists! 

 

[Italy52]

46 minutes ago, Cruise Critic Chris said:

 

So things are changing all the time -- I took your question specifically back to Travel Alaska. Juneau was also operating under stricter guidelines in March than other places in the state. 

 

Alaska does want travelers to fill out the portal. It basically asks when you are arriving and where you are staying in case you have to quarantine. They "recommend" a PCR test but it's no longer required. The form didn't ask me if I was vaccinated (I was). They stop you at the booth and go over things, but they aren't forcing you to take a test. 

Of course, by the time you go this summer, things might change again, for the better, given increased vaccination rates. It's great that you are going -- Juneau businesses need tourists! 

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, I appreciate it.  I am continuing to monitor everything that concerns our Juneau visit but the lack of consistency in website posts can be confusing.  Your comments have helped very much.