GinnyHoppa811

Would on the same deck as the kids club be too noisy?

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No one really has a clue.... its not finished yet. Just pick something between two decks of cabins and avoid white blank spaces, you should be fine. If you get close to the kids club area that would be a bonus.

I didn’t know about the blank white spaces so that’s good to know. Anyone is guessing but guess from people who’ve actually been on ships are likely to be better informed than mine. It’s making me a little nuts to be making plans on something that not even in existence yet.

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We’re booking an inside family room on the Bliss for our first cruise and I hate to just guess wildly at what a good spot would be. We have two five year olds so near stairs would probably be good. It looks like most of the available ones are are deck 12. Any advice?

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We have for travel and while I do try to time carefully because my son is in a special education preschool and needs that time more than average, I have no problem with continuing to do it. The teachers have been very supportive. It’s technically voluntary anyway but all three have been totally fine with him missing for family trips or his sisters field trips.

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I have a few questions I haven’t been able to find the answers to.

Has the children’s menu changed in the last couple years? Will it vary by ship (particularly the first sailing of the Bliss)? Is it the same across the ship? I have one extremely particular eater and our dining choices may span the possibilities. Is there a gluten free kids menu? The standard kids fare is all he will eat, especially under in new or exciting places, and they tend to be the opposite of gluten free.

Regarding allergy needs, who should I be talking to on the first day? We’ll be on the first Bliss sailing and I’m nervous about not having previous experiences to base plans on.

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How sensitive/particular is she? The soy sauce and probably other sauces almost certainly wheat. I've done it with lower standards but I wouldn't as a proper celiac.

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We use Ziplock Space Bags, which can be squished to get all of the air out. Each person gets their own bags, one for each type of clothing. It saves a ton of space in our luggage and makes unpacking a breeze. We designate drawers/shelves for each person and each type of clothing (under garments, shirts, shorts, swim stuff, etc) and the bags make sorting things out super easy.

 

We also bring mesh laundry bags -- when things are dirty and won't be worn again, they go into the laundry bag so that they are out of the way. Bags either sit on the floor of the closet or may get hung up if we need the floor space for shoes and such.

 

We also bring lots of magnetic hooks. They stick to the walls and doors and make it easy for hats, lanyards, backpacks, jackets, etc. to go up out of the way. Some shoes can also be hung up, if you put the hooks close enough to the floor. We also use magnetic clips to keep important papers up on the wall, so they don't get lost in the shuffle.

 

For toiletries, each person gets a ziplock bag and all of the bags are stored out of the way in the bathroom, often in a drawer or on an upper/lower shelf. This helps keep things off the counter and keeps small things from getting misplaced.

 

For 4 year olds, I would bring a couple of pop-up fabric boxes (they store flat in the suitcases), which can also hold toys or small items on a shelf or even under the desk area. Give each kid their own, so that they have a place that is theirs.

The pop up bins are a great idea. We have some that pop up and some of the zip flat IKEA ones.

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Age of kids?

 

 

 

When mine were younger I paired t-shirts with shorts for the day time, and then took 4 polos, 2 dress shirt tie and 2 pairs of kakhi's for evening....obviously I have boys!:rolleyes: Threw in 2 bathing suits, belt, slip on loafers, socks, underwear (PJs when little too), water shoes and flip flops. They wore jeans, and a sweatshirt and tennis shoes for boarding. At 13 and 19 they are long ago packing for themselves...but this is still the basics for any Caribbean traveling male!

 

 

 

When we boarded, the 4 polos, kakhis and dress shirts got hung; the every day outfits stacked in a drawer. This was all great in theory but they are in their own room and my oldest is PigPen...he drives his little brother nuts with his mess! So, our family rules of cruising require that showers happen before dinner and that everyone eats dinner together. Before we head out, I have started to do a room check and at least make them pile their dirties and shut the drawers. Beyond that, not much hope.:eek:

 

 

 

For their personal stuff, they each had a backpack. The oldest crams in books and video games, the youngest, a kindle for movies and basketball....see where I am going here? My sons are nothing a like but the rule is still "If you pack it, you carry it." When younger it was coloring supplies, small balls, matchbox cars, stuffed animal etc.

 

 

 

I think the key to less clutter is simply to take less. So many people over pack...

They are 4 year old twins. They share no clothes and few toys and are not the calm types(though in very different ways) so it all adds up pretty quick.

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How do you pack and organize kid stuff for your cruise? Is it different from how you pack for other kinds of trips? Every trip we take with the kids ends in huge mess by the end and I really want to avoid that for our first cruise. We have a year but I want to keep an eye out for sales on new luggage for us and them and there will be other trips between now and then as well.

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If your teens are anything like mine, please be aware the soft serve ice cream isn't GF. There are hard pack GF options available.

Is this because of the ingredients or contamination ?

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I carry a large-ish purse simply for the fact I enjoy knitting on a cruise. lol

I don't know how I'm ever going to decide on what to knit.

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Since you've contacted the Access Desk you'll be well taken care of. When you get to your cabin, there should be a short letter advising you whom to meet (it may be the maitre d' or assistant, but the letter will specify) and where to go to meet them. I met with the assistant maitre d' at Guest Services. They'll talk with you about what you need to do. I was GF on a cruise where I had the UDP, which means I ate in a specialty restaurant every night. I never had to pre-order my meals and the waiters were very knowledgeable about what I could and couldn't eat. There was always GF bread on the table for me. :) I've read that if you eat in the MDR, your girls will pre-order their meals the evening before, but I don't have experience with that so can't give you details. They have a separate area in the kitchens where their food will be prepared to prevent cross-contamination. I spent a wonderful week on the Jade without a single mishap. It was great!

Is the embankment day lunch before or after you get to your cabin?

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Use SEARCH THIS FORUM with the words 'pack' or 'packing' and you will find many past answers to this question.

 

And look closely at the photos in past trip reports. In the background you'll see people standing around in jeans and sweatshirts, jackets, with a small backpack.

 

 

 

What to pack is pretty much the same throughout the Alaska cruise season. The key is LAYERS.

 

 

 

The layer next to your skin is changed daily so I pack several short/long sleeve Tshirts/tops. I wear cotton because it's comfortable. I wear cotton at home in Seattle and it works for me in Alaska.

 

 

 

The next layer is for warmth and can be re-worn a few times so 3 hoodys or fleece pullovers.

 

 

 

The outer layer should be a waterproof jacket, preferably hooded.

 

 

 

For pants a couple of prs of jeans and khakis. Add a pr of shorts in case it gets warm enough, and a bathing suit if you think you might swim.

 

 

 

Shoes are a pr of sneakers and a pr of walking shoes. Several pr of smart wool socks because I don't want to be bothered doing little bits of wash every night.

 

 

 

And a daypack so you have somewhere to store your layers; if the day warms up you have a place to store your jacket , or the day turns sour you can pull a hoody out of your daypack. The pack is also a great place to store your wallet, camera, sunglasses, binoculars, gloves, hat, snacks, etc. (Don't bring an umbrella - they're dangerous on crowded sidewalks and block people's views.)

 

 

 

Hope this helps.

How often is it warm enough to swim in June?

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I haven't gone on a cruise yet but I just did all this exact research. We ended up deciding on the Bliss. I also really liked the Norwegian pearl because it was a good mix of kid and adult activities and itinerary. I have..high energy kids so I looked up pictures and reviews of all the ships going to Alaska. Princess does have the naturalist but the ships going to Alaska seemed less kid friendly than the other options.

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Thanks for the clarification. I have misplaced my passport, but have an enhanced drivers license. I think I may expedite a renewal though, because all of this CAN be confusing... and a passport just takes all that away.

 

 

 

I should add something, in regards to their recommendation you have a passport in case if an emergency in a foreign port (that you would need to fly home)

 

 

 

In the itinerary mentioned, Victoria is the only Canadian port. You could easily get to the US by boat, with probably very little time lost. The Victoria Clipper lands in Seattle, and you could then go to Sea Tac. The Black Ball ferry also leaves right from the Inner Harbor, and goes to Port Angeles, WA That is a bit of a distance to Seattle, but it is American soil.

The Victoria clipper apparently now requires passports. I didn't think that it's itinerary needed them but the site says required. I think I'm going to get a passport just to be sure that at least one adult can go wherever/however is needed without trouble. It took me long enough to confirm that the kids were ok to fly without them, I do not want to do that under stress.

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I just did the White Pass/Yukon railroad excursion last week from Skagway and I can confirm that you do need a passport to do the excursion. A Canadian border patrol person comes right on the train at the Canadian border stop and checks everyone's passport.

Is this the one with three different variations? I was looking at those since the kids love trains.

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I need to get a new one but I always carry rechargeable battery and the needed cords when we travel. The ones I got for our road trip to Disney were just cheap $5 ones but they weren't great and aren't heavy to carry around all day.

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Has anyone gotten gluten free crepes?

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I'll definitely have my sneakers too and maybe my fuzzy ugg boots for warmth but the vibrams are pretty comfy. I don't like the five finger but the new furoshiki style is very tempting.

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What kind of shoes do people wear on the ship during the day? I was thinking of getting a pair of vibram's new wrap shoes and working on our vacation would be extra justification for them. We'll be going in June

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You do not need a passport to enter Canada by land or sea AT ALL as a US citizen (or PR) - we did not change our rules about that when the new WHTI rules kicked in. Straight from the horses mouth info is here. For your convenience the relevant paragraph covers docs required to enter Canada copied & pasted:

 

 

 

"If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you must carry proof of citizenship such as a passport, birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship or naturalization, a U.S. Permanent Resident Card, or a Certificate of Indian Status along with photo identification." (personally I feel a couple of grammatical tweaks would clarify that you need photo ID along with everything listed except the passport)

 

 

Since you've already clarified it's a closed loop with Victoria as the PVSA-compliance stop, you're good with a driving license/birth cert combo as your minimum required docs.

 

 

 

If you decided to take a one-way cruise from Anchorage to Vancouver, we'd even let you in - but you'd have to have a good story as to how you planned to get back to the USA, since even US citizens now require a passport or other WHTI compliant doc to reenter the USA after leaving. The Closed Loop exemption to the WHTI docs requirement is because of this issue - it was lobbied for to enable the cruise industry to keep selling product to those folks who aren't willing to acquire a passport (still the overwhelming majority of US citizens).

 

 

 

If, for example, you found that you'd left your passport at home when you got to the cruise port in Seward, you could cruise anyway, enter Canada, when asked about how you intend to get back to the USA inform CBSA that your family have mailed your passport ahead of you to your Vancouver hotel.

Thank you , this is exactly what I couldn't find.

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https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/canada.html

This states that adults need a passbook book' date=' card or nexus. It doesn't differentiate between cruise passengers on a multiport rt and others though (at least that I could find).

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Checking once is enough. The NCL rep read you their written policy because that's their policy. Which certainly trumps what "a couple people told (you)".

 

 

 

https://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/cruise-travel-documents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though they do add this disclaimer, it is only a recommendation, not mandatory:

Yes, I know it's their policy. Reading it to me after I've read it 15 times already as well as the us and Canadian customs sites and am looking for clarification of the stated policy is not helpful. I do get that it's for liability reasons but I'm just trying to clarify that Canada is not one of the places mentioned on the site that may require a passport as I couldn't verify that anywhere else.

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The last times I left the country the new rules hadn't been fully implemented so I'm a tad confused on what I need. We'll be taking a round trip to Alaska with a stop in Victoria (probably Norwegian). It's pretty clear that a passport isn't needed on the us side but verifying that we won't need it to enter Victoria is harder. I called ncl this morning who said the only thing they could say was to literally read the website to me. That seems fairly clear to me on its own but a couple people have told they needed one because their trip entered Victoria. I'm the check everything a billion time type so I want to make extra sure what the requirements actually are.

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We are interested in maybe going on the Bliss during its first Alaska trips. Is there information on what ship it's closest too or what shows it'll likely have? The video is nice looking but tells me nothing about what kid focused features it will have, especially in comparison to the Pearl.

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