ScottsSweetie

Haven't they already been doing this to a degree? Can't cruise if you're not vaccinated. Can't cruise if you're on oxygen. For several months you couldn't cruise without an exemption if you needed one. I'm a shareholder, and a cruiser - and I do not want a diminished product when I'm on the ship. I want adequate staffing in proportion to passenger capacity.

That's all fine and well. None of us can make the government move any faster, including Carnival. But they could lessen the impact on the cruising customer by lowering capacity until staffing becomes a non-issue.

This is the part I would worry about. A lot of stadiums / arenas have gone to a "clear bag only" policy - otherwise, no purses, no backpacks, no nothing! If you are on Carnival, who is apparently not participating in Port Valet, there is a luggage storage facility at SeaTac, but then you would be adding another paid trip. https://www.portseattle.org/services-amenities/bag-storage

It appears that CVS has stopped doing tests here in Phoenix through the Covid appointment system, and have moved to performing tests through the Minute Clinics. I wonder if they will begin charging now for travel tests with this move.

DH travels with his free government test that we got in the mail. He actually had to use one recently after a possible exposure and it was most convenient. Of course, the way things go it could be confiscated next time, but it hasn't been yet, and it's been in his carry on for several months.

I had posed the Port Valet question on the West Coast departures board a few weeks ago - here is a response received by @geneparmesan: My Carnival Spirit cruise ended yesterday (May 18th). I did not receive any Port Valet information or luggage tags on my last night (even though I received the reminder email two days before), so I assume that means Carnival is still not participating. We ended up carrying our luggage off ourselves. So, looks like still no Carnival participation in Port Valet.

Thanks SO MUCH for your response, @geneparmesan! Now I can finish my planning.

THIS ^^!! As far as Cucina goes, I have not enjoyed it for lunch, and the only time I've visited for dinner was comped by Carnival (for a leaky toilet situation). But we can all realize that if it is offered, and then not available, then Carnival has indeed reduced the value of their product, whether I personally use it or not. BUT - many of us here on CC are repeat cruisers who are sailing at greatly reduced or even free prices, so we are willing to put up with a slightly diminished product. I'll be stepping onto an Alaska cruise next week with a free balcony room (not a casino offer), and I'm sure I'll be able to overlook some deterioration because of that. But when prices return to normal, we'll see just how much people are willing to put up with when there are other choices to be had out there in the big wide world of cruising.

I've cruised 3 times since the restart - they haven't had a single platinum event yet. Can't suspend it if they already aren't doing it.

I have found several videos on you tube with packing tips. Simply search "Alaska cruise" and take your pick of videos!

We are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn/Airport on the night we arrive, as our arrival is 12:55am. Their website reflects that the shuttle is available 24 hours.

That's a great route!

I had several great offers from the east coast as well. Carnival may well be confused because I just relocated to Phoenix at the very beginning of the pandemic, so all of my previous cruises have been from the east coast (have cruised this side since the restart, though). I also rec'd great offers on the Australia and Europe cruises as well. And our best offers were under my husbands number - sometimes mine were the same but most of the time they were not as good as his offers. Try as we might I don't think there is any way to figure out the algorithm being used - though I can't help thinking that if you have 7 cruises booked they really have no incentive to offer you anything special at all. I had 0 cruises booked when I received these offers.

My free room was not a casino offer. Never set foot inside the casino, and we've had several free or severely reduced offers.

I understand, by looking through several threads here, that Carnival was not participating in the Port Valet service at SeaTac in August of last year. If any of you early (May) cruisers have first hand knowledge of this service for the 2022 cruise season please swing by and let us know what your experience is. Thanks in advance!