JUST OFF REGATTA LA TO VANCOUVER

[harbormaster]

Just disembarked smoothly in Vancouver after 12 days on Regatta doing the West Coast including Alaska.  Food was wonderful, service was topnotch and cabins were comfortable and well serviced. Peter, the cruise director was fantastic.  Unfortunately, we had to skip Sitka, which was a highlight for many of us. A storm came up the outside passage and the Captain decided that, due to wave height and winds, he would reposition to go up the Inside Passage instead. Since Sitka was a tender port, it would have been dangerous to attempt it.  A good decision, although unfortunate. We spoke with some Carnival passengers in Hoonah who had taken the open ocean route and they said the waves were 30 feet and many of the ship’s passengers were sick. That ship ran out of Dramamine.  We, instead experienced a smooth sailing and one extra sea day. Yesterday we took the COVID test in order to fly back to the US.  It was run smoothly and efficiently and we tested negative.  However, we saw at  least 8 people pulled aside for positive tests. One, who we knew, was told 10 days in quarantine in a Vancouver hotel.  Her husband was negative and was allowed back in the room with her and told he did not have to quarantine.  However, if he decides to stay in the same hotel with her he will have to pay for a different room.  We wish them well. Our only complaint is that Oceania now is docking 7 miles outside of Ketchikan, rather than at the town docks. It is an NCL built docking facility and frankly, is second rate and extremely inconvenient to anyone with walking difficulties. It is a long uphill walk from the ship to a building where the tour busses and shuttles into town depart from. There were no golf carts to assist people with walking difficulties and it was raining.  The shuttles only run every half hour and are vans which cram people tightly together.  Not COVID safe.  The dropping off place in Ketchikan is berth 4 which is a 7 minute walk to downtown. We took a cab and it was $14 roundtrip to get to the downtown from where the shuttle dropped us off. There was no one there to meet the first shuttle so folks were left to try to figure out where to go.  The shuttle people at the departure point had the wrong information and were telling passengers that the last shuttle was 4:30 when the ship was leaving at 4.  Very disorganized and a corporate decision that does not consider the passengers and forces them to cut time in town to take the shuttle a total of an hour roundtrip.  The crew also suffers as they did not have enough time to get to the WalMart for their shopping that they were anticipating. We hope Oceania reconsiders this poor decision but have been told that NCL, Regant and Oceania will all use this far away dock. Ketchikan shop owners also are unhappy about the decision. But, All in all a lovely cruise to beautiful Alaska. 

[PSR]

Thanks for this information. I did know about the new dock, but not about the difficulties. Do you know if you have to go to the downtown to go on ship-booked excursions, or do they leave from the new pier? Oops! I just noticed you mentioned "tour buses" were at the building after your walk from the ship...

Edited May 25, 2022 by PSR

[pinotlover]

I suggest the OP Google the NCL docks at Ward Cove. Seems to be a fairly amazing new project that is yet to reach its final stages. For future cruises, a lot seems to be planned for that facility.
 

FWIW, it seems the residents of Ketchikan were pushing to get the large cruise ships out of the main port downtown. 
 

Tge definition of a “ long” walk is highly subjective.

[LNielsen]

1 hour ago, pinotlover said:

I suggest the OP Google the NCL docks at Ward Cove. Seems to be a fairly amazing new project that is yet to reach its final stages. For future cruises, a lot seems to be planned for that facility.
 

FWIW, it seems the residents of Ketchikan were pushing to get the large cruise ships out of the main port downtown. 
 

Tge definition of a “ long” walk is highly subjective.

We were there last August on NCL.   Ward Cove absolutely showed potential at that time. The building is large and already had a few vendors in place and live music being played.   Also, I don’t recall the walk as being of much concern, I would normally take mental note of that. As you said, it’s highly subjective. 

[harbormaster]

It may be something in the future, but it is far from that now. It looks like a decaying manufacturing zone turning into a tourist zone.  The building was 1/4 utilized with mostly tshirts. If you like Icy Strait Point,eventually this will be similar. But is definitely is not now.  The shuttle vans were COVID risks. The transportation was not coordinated. I am happy for you if you do not have walking problems. But many people do, and there were MANY unhappy people.  It took an hour out of our time in Ketchikan. The townspeople and shop owners and artists who we know quite personally did not want this. NCL wanted it. 

Edited May 26, 2022 by harbormaster

[CruiseLibra]

We also just got off this cruise and it was wonderful in every way. Initially there was some grousing about missing Sitka but after the news of the misery on the ill- fated Celebrity mixmaster we considered ourselves fortunate. The Ketchikan port was inconvenient and very industrial. However there were golf cart shuttles on the dock to transport mobility challenged people to the bus/town shuttle area. The distance was no longer than some of the long docks that we experienced in the Mediterranean.

[JandKsVistas]

We are traveling in September. Thank you for alerting us about the “out of town” Ketchikan dock. Are there taxis available?  We planned an outside tour thinking we would be docked, as before, in Ketchikan. Wish Oceania/Regent/NCL would note the new dock position during the booking process. 

[garyc20]

We really enjoyed the trip over all:

• food good and great service
• good call by the Captain to skip Sitka; a beautiful day on the inside passage was a great unexpected joy
• attentive room stewards
• Jeep ride at Hoonah was enjoyable
• Since we had been to Ketchikan before, we didn’t miss the downtown area (crowded on what started as a rainy day) when docked at Ward Cove. We had the BEST excursion at George Inlet with a boat ride and crab feast. It was a little more of a bus ride, but TOTALLY worth it!

 

Only negative was the late arrival due to Oceania planned air ( and luckily plane was on time). We did not get to the dock till 5PM, missed lunch/snacks after a long day of travel. Thankful for no traffic catastrophes in LA on way to port, and for no flight delays, or it would have been disastrous!

 

 

[Doubt It]

I note the statement about the 10 day quarantine - that is VERY significant.

That itself is enough to cancel any cruise booking. 

Are you all on this particular item?

I see nothing from any posters on this.

Not booking.

[iowananny]

12 hours ago, Doubt It said:

I note the statement about the 10 day quarantine - that is VERY significant.

That itself is enough to cancel any cruise booking. 

Are you all on this particular item?

I see nothing from any posters on this.

Not booking.

It is very significant and it can happen to anyone even though you've been careful, wore a mask, had all the boosters you can take.  We just got off an Istanbul to Barcelona cruise.  We tested negative three times to get on the ship but in Israel we tested positive.  We were both quarantined for six days and tested negative.  Three days later we had to take a test for flight back to US and we tested positive.  Two hours later the ship tested us and we were negative and thank God we made it home.

 

This can happen to anyone.  I think most people are like us and think it can't happen to me.  We had covid a couple of months before we boarded the ship and that is probably why we tested positive.  Not all tests are the same.  We never had a fever or any symptoms.

 

We just want to warn people to be careful.  Your very expensive vacation could easily be ruined and there is nothing you can do about it.  Having covid is a walk in the park, testing positive for it, not so much.

[Freckles49]

We were UK passengers on this cruise and wore our masks ALL the time and used the hand sanitizers constantly. The staff were also masked up but most passengers were not.

In the safety briefing there was no mention of mask  wearing.

My husband developed a slight cough 3 days before we left the ship. We thought nothing of it.

We disembarked in Vancouver and didnt need to be tested but as we had our own testing kits we decided to take them. My husband tested positive. I tested negative.

As you would imagine this caused us extreme stress at the end of our holiday rebooking accommodation and waiting until he was no longer positive. Making and changing flights in order to get us home.

 

[mrstanley]

Freckles49:

 

Were you required to be tested onboard before disembarking in Vancouver?

I thought a Negative test is required to enter Canada???

 

 

[d9704011]

5 minutes ago, mrstanley said:

Freckles49:

 

Were you required to be tested onboard before disembarking in Vancouver?

I thought a Negative test is required to enter Canada???

 

 

The test needs to be done before embarkation for cruises coming to Canada.

[1985rz1]

1 hour ago, mrstanley said:

Freckles49:

 

Were you required to be tested onboard before disembarking in Vancouver?

I thought a Negative test is required to enter Canada???

 

 

Covid tests are no longer required for fully vaccinated travelers to enter Canada.  I don't have the goverment website address handy, but you can Google for entry requirements to enter Canada. 

[d9704011]

37 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

Covid tests are no longer required for fully vaccinated travelers to enter Canada.  I don't have the goverment website address handy, but you can Google for entry requirements to enter Canada. 

Start googling....

 

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, mrstanley said:

Freckles49:

 

Were you required to be tested onboard before disembarking in Vancouver?

I thought a Negative test is required to enter Canada???

 

 

Our Government does not care if you bring covid  in 🤔

[LHT28]

5 hours ago, Freckles49 said:

We disembarked in Vancouver and didnt need to be tested but as we had our own testing kits we decided to take them. My husband tested positive. I tested negative.

As you would imagine this caused us extreme stress at the end of our holiday rebooking accommodation and waiting until he was no longer positive. Making and changing flights in order to get us home.

 

Is Oceania not testing before disembarkation for that have to fly home??

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

Is Oceania not testing before disembarkation for that have to fly home??

I believe they only test passengers flying home to countries that require the testing and I don't think the UK requires it.

[osandomir]

15 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

Our Government does not care if you bring covid  in 🤔

Or maybe your Government use more common sense than some can expect from them.