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We have had it for about 15 years although we have not yet needed to make a claim. However, my SIL has needed it. Her DH had some heart “issues” while on a vacation in Florida a few years ago - they thought it was a heart attack (but it wasn’t). Aside from a short hospital stay (completely covered) the Medical system there wanted to do all sorts of expensive tests and sell him various expensive devices, etc. MEDOC flew him (and his wife) back to Ottawa by Medevac. They had to leave their car there to be driven back by other family members a couple of weeks later. They didn’t realize that MEDOC would have flown their son down to pick their car up. You have to be a member of the federal retirees association in order to apply for this insurance. One good thing (as I recall) is their COVID-related coverage, although I don’t remember the specifics at the moment - I just recall that it is good.

Well this is not good. We’ve cruised with Celebrity 4 times before and always had Anytime Dining. I don’t remember my first cruise but we likely did not have reservations and just showed up at the MDR when we were hungry. I do know that we ate in the buffet a couple of times as this was when they still had “formal” nights and I had not brought the required clothes. But on my next 3 cruises we did make reservations for 7 (or as close to 7 as was available) and sometimes were seated within minutes other times had to wait 10-15 minutes. I have a Feb 8 cruise coming up on Equinox and made reservations online for 7 p.m. every night last March as soon as I had booked the cruise. I guess we’ll see how this goes once we board. If they do not honour our reservations I will definitely be letting them know what I think (but I will not harass the hostess as such changes. are not her decisions). This is our first cruise since the pandemic hit and we’ve been looking forward to it.

I think they are potatoes grown in the Finger Lakes region of NY State.

Interesting tidbit - when you order a “Maine lobster” onboard or in a US restaurant, it could have been caught in Canadian waters by Canadian fishermen. Same species as found off New England and Canada exports huge quantities of live lobster from Atlantic Canada to the US. The lobster all end up in the same tank as American-caught ones and there is no way to tell the difference. And I agree, the northwest Atlantic lobster (Homarus americanus) is much tastier than the warm water varieties. But then, food taste is awfully subjective!

The Rodeway Inn & Suites has a free airport and port shuttles.

We’ve done Uber a couple of times after a Celebrity cruise pre-COVID. Don’t remember exactly where we met the driver but it was super easy.

Ottawa (YOW) still has US pre-clearance. Like you, we will be driving to YUL for our Feb cruise out of Fort Lauderdale as well, although I have not yet booked our flights. The only direct non-stop YOW flight is Air Canada Rouge - done them, don’t want to again. I haven’t booked flights yet as once airlines started flying again Air Canada filled their schedules with far too many flights that were not likely to fly. I think they scheduled a bunch just to see which flight times most people would like, then cancel the others. Since I started keeping an eye out on flights on this route they have already deleted some flights. So far the flights I’m preferring are still there so I’d better book them soon before the prices go up.

You will need to clear Customs in Toronto - it is your “port of entry” into Canada.

Celebrity no longer has “formal nights”!

We have stayed at the Rodeway Inn & Suites a few times. They have free airport and cruise shuttle. Nothing fancy but perfectly okay.

Thanks for this. We’ll hopefully be able to do the same in February.

We have used Uber to both get to the port and to get picked up after the cruise.

For our last 3 or so cruises we have reserved a table for 7 p.m. (or as close to as possible) shortly after making our reservations. While we haven’t always got the same table, we have always been in the same section each cruise with the same staff which is good as they very quickly learn what you like, etc and we’ve often had the asst. waiter come fill up our wine glass without asking. The odd time we’ve had to take one of those buzzers and wait awhile as the earlier diners were lingering over their meal. But that has been infrequent so hasn’t bothered us really.

We’ve stayed a couple of times at the Rodeway Inn & Suites Airport & Cruise Terminal and plan to stay there again in February. Rooms were clean and comfortable, breakfast was included and it had an attached restaurant for other meals. Also has a free shuttle to/from both the airport and cruise port.

I would disagree with this. In tourist areas where American tourists are common, many places would likely accept $US. But aside from such areas I would not say that “most establishments” in Canada would accept US currency.

I did a mock booking on my Feb 2023 Caribbean cruise and got around a CDN$200 reduction so I called Celebrity. The agent was able to get me a CDN$363 reduction (with all perks in place) - final payment isn’t until November so I’ll keep looking for future sales. This is my 2nd or 3rd reduction since I booked.

You may want to ask this question in the Canadian Cruisers forum where you’ll get lots of info from people about what’s needed for flying into both a Canadian airport as well as anything specific to Vancouver.