croozin4life

HAL and Princess have been in the biz the longest so they get first dibs on ports of call and timing for their itineraries. Glacier Bay is the best for viewing multiple glaciers and ice formations but is not on everyone's itineraries. Itineraries that don't have it either do Tracy Arm or Hubbard Glacier. Tracy Arm is beautiful but it's not as great as Glacier Bay. Hubbard is a gorgeous, massive glacier very much worth seeing but it's a bit harder for ships to get to certain months so there is always a chance they can't make it in and ppl are disappointed.

So my choice would be a round trip Vancouver with inside passage both ways that has Glacier Bay (some also do Tracy Arm on same itinerary). HAL has the most amount of these itineraries.

Or better yet, if you can swing it, do a one way 7 days but add on a land tour to Denali so you really get to experience Alaska. Otherwise you're basically just seeing the Alaskan panhandle

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Just wondering, as I see many people referring to TA's, what are the advantages of using a TA?

 

Obviously they can do the research, but I do my own reasearch online and prefer to book myself, choosing own cabin etc.

 

Not sure what a TA would add, can they get better deals for you? Just to double check, I asked a TA for a price on a cruise I was researching online, and they offered the exact same price.

 

What am I missing?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

A good TA can add extra value in that they have access to group space which can add extra amenities and/or lower pricing. They're company may also have promotions on top of whatever the cruise line has.

Also if you run into any issues, they handle it for you so you don't have to sit on hold on a 1-800 number.

They also have relationships with the suppliers so can go to bat for you if you have issues or special requests.

If the one you met didn't impress you, you probably just need to find one that does.

Many other reasons, those are just a few 😊

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Thank you everyone!

Just booked Celebrity. I hope we will like it.

Ps: sorry for my English , it is not my first or even second language:).

Congrats! I'm sure you'll love it. My teenage boys love Celebrity.

Your English is better than a lot of people who have it as their first language 😉 No need to apologize lol

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People who put their towels and their stuff on pool chairs to hold them while they go for lunch, go to the spa, etc.

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OP asked for answers on this board - and received a number of well-considered ones. Think about it: what conceivable (hopefully satisfying) position could a person with such a handicap fill on a cruise ship that would offer him more satisfaction or compensation than what might be available to him ashore?

 

There are times when "Give it up" is the best, and KNDEST, advice.

[emoji58]

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Actually chengkp75 is an expert since he has spent 42 years working in commercial shipping and he provided a very informative link to what the hearing requirements are for mariners. He also addressed US flagged ships in a follow on post pointing out that there are other laws that apply to mariners that nullify the ADA. I am not one that is into giving someone false hope.

Oh my goodness. I gave suggestions for her to contact those HR departments to get some clear answers from them. Move on. Enjoy your day. Seriously!!

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Where a cruise line has their corporate office has no impact on the flag being flown on the ship- I believe that both NCL and CCL have their offices in Miami. NCL has the Pride of America that is US flagged but as chengkp75 points out other regulations supersede the application of the ADA to crew members. I certainly wish OP's son well but agree with others that he should focus his career choice working ashore.

That wasn't my point. I'm fully aware where everyone's offices are. Since I work in the business myself, I recommended talking to those ones as they are easy to talk to their HR and I know their hiring process is different. Since none of us are experts on the subject, I think giving her some options to explore is better than telling her there is no hope for her son. I'm sure she's heard that enough. There's still more research she can do.

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I was wondering if you go with someone it cost buy one get second one for 50%. If I go as a single it cost double. Could I just give a fake name and they not show up?

 

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Book outside of the special and ask for "F.I.T" fares. Better yet find a good travel agent who can find group pricing.

A fake name is still going to be the same total price. You're going to pay full, the fake person is 50% off. Same as 150% except you'll wind up having to pay taxes and port charges on a fake person which you wouldn't have to otherwise.

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My son is huge cruise enthusiast. He is only 15 years old but has been on quite a few cruises and DREAMS to someday work on a ship. He is deaf and I cannot find anything that says if any cruise lines employ the deaf. I do see that they must meet ADA standards - but mostly that seems for passengers. Any one know??

I would check with cruise companies that have smaller, more personalised service and don't have those mass hiring policies. Check with Uncruise Adventures. They operate out of Seattle and do Alaska and Hawaii. Also check the river cruise lines. Viking has their head office in California. American Cruise Lines is another possibility. I believe they are required to only hire Americans as they operate only within the country (re: Jones Act). Do some checking with those 3 and you'll likely get some more solid answers. Good luck to your son. 😊

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Our next cruise is in April '18. We are empty nesters, but not retired. We want to cruise again somewhere betweeen the dates of Oct18-Feb19. We are torn between New England, the Caribbean, Bermuda, etc.

Everyone here seems so knowledgeable...Give me some input on your favorite cruise itinerary, ship... what did you like about it? Why this ship? Etc.

 

I am daily reading reviews, but I really need someone to sway (sell) me!

Early October New England cruises are amazing. The leaves are turning and it's beautiful. Choose an itinerary that has Quebec City. That's the #1 fan favorite for that area. Since you are empty nesters I'm thinking Celebrity and Princess would be really good options. Holland America is great too but definitely an older crowd.

If you choose the Caribbean, Celebrity Equinox is my fave ship for there. A southern itinerary is also my fave.

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Hello,

I'm picking first cruise and have hard time choosing between RC (Oasis), Celebrity(Equinox) and Carnival(Magic). I plan to go on last week of June. All of them 7 days and spend about same amount of time in ports. We will have our teen child with us. On negative: RC sims to be overcrowded, Carnival cost about 1k less and looks like Home2 branch, and Celebrity attracts older people. On positive: RC has a lot to do, Carnival chip, Celebrity has 2:1 passenger/crew ratio and I like their food option (at least on paper ) I'm leaning forward Celebrity, but I afraid to be too out of place there. I would appreciate any advice.

 

Thanks

Sailed them all and with teens. Equinox is one of my favorite ships. Excellent service and food. My teenagers much preferred it to other ships as there was still tons to do, but they were treated like adults instead of little kids.

Oasis is great too if you want the ship to be the destination. Lots of fun but not that much of a relaxing vacation.

Not a fan of Carnival. The price is good but that's where it stops for me.

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Even if the weather is the pits and you can't sit outside, it still gives a lot of extra light and makes the room feel larger

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Hi, I'm booked for a cruise out of Saint Martin on Dec 16. I'm ok with different ports but I need a hotel for two night before. Will there be hotel rooms?

I would check with Wind Star about that

The airport was severely damaged too so perhaps they may start from another port even??

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We are booked for 2 B2B cruises in November. All our ports were affected by Irma except for Grand Cayman islands.

We will be a bit disappointed if we can't stop in Key West but honestly, I've been to almost every port in The Caribbean so whatever they replace it with, we will be happy.

Like someone before mentioned too, they really need our tourism dollars so they will rebuild as fast as they can and things may not look perfect but that's no big deal. I'm not going there for the architecture. I'd go to Europe if we were looking for that. We are going for the rest, relaxation, Caribbean vibes, the amazing Caribbean people and the sunshine. Of those things, there will be plenty 😊

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About Us:

We are both 43 years old, with a dream to visit Alaska. It has been suggested taking a cruise would be a good way to visit for the first time. This will be my second cruise (Carnival cruise to Western Caribbean in 2015.) Husband has never cruised and isn't entirely convinced cruising will be his type of vacation (but he just hasn't done it yet!) We can travel anytime in June or July of 2018 (max of two weeks.)

 

Budget:

Budget is a concern. For this trip, I think we can only afford the airfares (from Denver), cruise (interior room) and excursions. Our ideal vacation would include a land package but we will have to return for another trip to explore Denali (at least this is what I believe.)

 

Interests:

Wildlife, nature, scenery, 'experiencing' different excursions, being active, Glacier Bay, train ride, possibly renting a car as hubby likes to drive.

 

Questions:

 

Seattle vs Vancouver. Seattle appears to be cheaper and are all return trips. We have already visited Seattle before and Victoria, B.C. It would be nice to see different sights. If we left out of Vancouver, we would also be able to enjoy a one-way cruise. Are cruises out of Vancouver more expensive or is it just the airfare (for Vancouver, Anchorage etc.) that costs more?

 

I will have more questions to follow, but for now am just trying to decide which cruise would be a good fit for us.

 

Thank you in advance!

It's more expensive to sail out of Vancouver but for the but extra cost it's very worth it. Much smoother sailing as you do the inside passage both ways and it leaves for a little longer time in the Alaskan ports.

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I use a company called Florida's Luxurious shuttle. Really good rates and reliable. Check out their website

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