Kitty Ellas Mom

When I posted the topic you couldn't board a plane to the US without a negative test or proof of recovery but that changed right before the cruise.

Thanks everyone! At the moment I'm thinking of this as a solo trip. And probably still my 1st cruise although it's an awfully long time to wait.

I was supposed to go on Royal and then Majestic, both to Alaska, and in June, but all that got canceled. 1st cruise. Now I have a chance to go with the same people on Caribbean to see Canada in fall 2023. I've started looking at Caribbean and am feeling a little underwhelmed. Things I liked like the waterfall into the pool in Enclave are missing. I take it that this is an older less fancy ship? Please tell me some pros and cons and opinions about this ship in Canada and New England in mid Sept.

I posted this in Alaska but didn't get many responses so I thought maybe Princess was the place for it: So, I missed my thrice rescheduled Princess cruise with a group, but now I'm wondering if I should book a similar thing for 2023 b/c I still really want to do this itinerary. I still really love the Princess, Glacier Bay, Vancouver to Whittier route, with Skagway, Juneau and Ketchican. I've seen some posts here talking about Skagway being dropped and that would be a deal breaker for me b/c I really want to do the train there (even if it's only in Alaska next season). I'm finding myself unsure of when and what Princess ship to book. I didn't have a choice of ships before b/c the group leader chose, and it was Majestic. I liked Majestic ok but preferred the overall look of the ship I was booked on first, which was Royal (sorry to be confusing: this cruise was on Royal when booked in 2020 and 21, then was moved to Majestic for 22). However, there was a big to do about whether Royal was being allowed into the Inside Passage, and I definitely wouldn't want to miss that. I know there are other ships too but I never researched them, such as the Grand. I"m also thinking about another time in summer besides early June b/c my DS15 might have a school trip then I might go on. So I was thinking about late July. Is that the peak of the peak season? Thanks for any info. I feel like I'm already late to be booking something, but I'm completely at sea about what to book. I want something midship and it seems like cabins are already selling out.

So, I missed my thrice rescheduled Princess cruise with a group, but now I'm wondering if I should book a similar thing for 2023 b/c I still really want to do this itinerary. I still really love the Princess, Glacier Bay, Vancouver to Whittier route, with Skagway, Juneau and Ketchican. I've seen some posts here talking about Skagway being dropped and that would be a deal breaker for me b/c I really want to do the train there (even if it's only in Alaska next season). I'm finding myself unsure of when and what Princess ship to book. I didn't have a choice of ships before b/c the group leader chose, and it was Majestic. I liked Majestic ok but preferred the overall look of the ship I was booked on first, which was Royal (sorry to be confusing: this cruise was on Royal when booked in 2020 and 21, then was moved to Majestic for 22). However, there was a big to do about whether Royal was being allowed into the Inside Passage, and I definitely wouldn't want to miss that. I know there are other ships too but I never researched them, such as the Grand. I"m also thinking about another time in summer besides early June b/c my DS15 might have a school trip then I might go on. So I was thinking about late July. Is that the peak of the peak season? Thanks for any info. I feel like I'm already late to be booking something, but I'm completely at sea about what to book. I want something midship and it seems like cabins are already selling out.

What's a cruise card? Is it like a student id?

I'm assuming that they let you keep your Princess medallions after the cruises. Am I right? I was supposed to embark on my 1st ever cruise after booking it first in 2019 but something happened in my family and I had to cancel. I had just received my medallion that day. Since they aren't asking for it back I'm assuming I get to keep it, but if you are on the ship do you have to turn it it? I want mine even though I didn't get to go.

That's exactly what I've been thinking. I think the cruise lines have wishful thinking that Canada will suddenly change its mind.

RickDu, it says travel must be completed by that date, in late April. It was the date when I bought the tickets. It seems really unfair b/c I bought in April for June, and I would gladly travel in June again, but I'm constrained by the school schedule a lot of the time. I'm just hoping DH can manage the 3 kids while I'm gone in winter or spring. It's a time I would never have planned a solo trip with kids still school age.

Princess had a similar excursion still listed long after Canada said they wouldn't allow it. Princess only changed that excursion a week or 2 before the cruise sailed. It changed to the train that stays in Alaska plus a bus tour of Skagway, so it no longer included the Canada part at all. I had canceled my bus up / train down excursion in April shortly after the announcement that there would be no 2022 combo tours.

strickerj, that is exactly what happened. I agree with you---I think Chase holds the credit. I'm going to call them and ask about it. They usually pick up right away. Gardyloo, I love your idea! Unfortunately it looks like the sailings don't line up with my flight credit dates. But, this is something I'd love to do someday.....

Yes, I meant something other than Alaska for Jan to Mar. I've also realized that this summer is no longer a time when I can go on a long trip. It's too bad because I'd love to immediately rebook another Alaska cruise. I'm seriously thinking about booking Alaska again for 2023 but that summer is already looking crowded. Oh dear. A weird thing: Chase card, where I booked with points, says my airline credit must be used by end of Apr, but United says that I have until Dec 2023. Which is right? I know I need to call United but expect to be on hold.....I'm thinking a lot about various land vacations I could take with the flight credit because it would just be easier to plan....

Actually it's not too late b/c I had to cancel my cruise; we had a death in the family. Now I have plenty of time to plan for a camera for whenever I get to go to Alaska, unfortunately. This is definitely an area where I will do a lot of research b/c I found trying to choose one at the last minute to be difficult. When I still thought I was going we went to Best Buy and looked things over and almost bought a Nikon Coolpix with a 60x zoom, b/c zoom was mostly what I was lacking with my camera phone. However, we weren't able to order one b/c it was sold out pretty much everywhere. We settled on my taking an older Nikon Coolpix we already had which has a 40x zoom. Now that I have more time I will consider a higher grade camera and spending more time getting to know it.

That sounds wonderful but with my kids' activities April and May are packed, and 2023 in particular is full of grad activities for my oldest. That's why I was thinking of Jan to Mar, because of the lull between the holidays and spring. That and DH should be able to walk and drive again.

My long awaited group cruise to Alaska (solo in cabin, but with people) got canceled at the last minute when a close family. member passed away. Of course, I'm much more upset about the family member than the cruise, but this is a frustrating cancellation for me b/c it's now been planned and canceled 3 times (June 2020, 21, 22). I thought at first just to reschedule ASAP, completely solo, b/c I've purchased all the Alaska stuff I need (like many layers of coats) but I'm finding undesirable cabins and most likely the excursions I wanted are gone. It's also just not a great time to be away from my family. I would want to stick with Princess b/c of Glacier Bay and I just want to try their line, plus I want the Whittier to Vancouver or opposite, not Seattle or LA. I'm just so frustrated b/c the Alaska season is so short and DH needs to have a surgery in August so July is all I could do. Most likely this must be rescheduled to next summer or later, as this all seems like too much. I had travel insurance and expect to recoup my losses but I used points to buy my flights so I am locked into a credit with United that must be used for only me, all at once, and travel completed by the end of next April---before the Alaska cruise season starts. Ugh. I still want to try cruising. I had no plans to book anything after that surgery b/c it will render DH unable to walk for several months. I would welcome any suggestions. I started looking at possible cruises for Jan and Feb but honestly that's not great timing. And I'm finding myself uninterested in the Caribbean and other warm weather cruises after doing all these plans for Alaska. I'd love Hawaii but those seem to mostly be longer than week and I wanted to try one week. I'd welcome any suggestions for cruises other than Alaska that could be done maybe Jan - Mar 2023. I might book something and then not buy flights or finalize things until we know that DH is ok (we have other family who live in the house). Another idea is to just go somewhere in Europe I want to without a cruise. I just have to use that flight credit. It is a huge relief that they are not going to test for covid any longer to get. back on a plane to the US. That was a big reason why I didn't want to travel internationally. My Alaska cruise embarked today so if I'd made it I would have not had to test to fly home from Vancouver. Any suggestions of any kind are welcome. Thank you.

Disclaimer is that I just had to cancel my trip, but I did book a service recommended by the concierge at the Alyeska resort. He also recommended another service. There aren't that many. I recommend asking your hotel, if you have one.

Rj59, I just realized maybe you didn't understand. I canceled my cruise because a close family member died, not because of fear of catching covid. I just wanted to update people because several said they wanted to hear how my trip went.

My bottom line is that I felt uncomfortable with 1) the quarantine rules onboard and 2) with having to test to get back on a plane to the US. I wasn't sure if DH would be ok with the kids if I were quarantined and gone10 extra days. Until those 2 things change I will choose another type of vacation since I've already missed the group I was supposed to be with.

I wanted to update everyone who responded to this thread. Unfortunately I won't be taking the cruise but it's not because of fear of covid. I just lost a close family member and couldn't be away from my family at this time. Until a few days ago I was still going on the cruise. She was ill but expecting to recover. I was scared of my trip but determined to have a good time while also taking precautions and planning ahead in case of quarantine. Given the current state of covid I will be postponing any future cruising for at least a year. But I definitely want to cruise to Alaska at some point. I just shopped for many layers of coats and jackets when it was in the 90s here so I have to use them sometime. 🙃 I'm so glad I bought travel insurance because I didn't have to worry about the money while making decisions about what to do in this bad situation. It remains to be seen if I'll actually get my money back but from the fine print it appears likely. I will admit to being pretty sad about canceling for what is the 3rd time for this cruise (2020, 21, 22). I just canceled the same excursions again. I received my Princess medallion the day we had to rush to the hospital a day's drive away.

I think I received something saying that they were no longer offering any onboard tests just prior to departure. I'm on a June Alaska sailing that ends in Vancouver, and I'm from the US. But, I can't find it in my emails. I just remember getting it.

I know there were some threads recently about laundry but I can't find them. I will need to do laundry once in the middle of my 7 day cruise on Majestic to Alaska in June. I'm unsure if I want to chance sending it out or if I should do it myself. I need to have only unscented soaps used. Is that something you can get if you send it out? If I bring my own detergent, are the machines HE or normal? I'm worried that the soap they sell will have scent. I'm thinking to hand wash things like the socks and send out the big items, I think some others talked about doing that. Thanks for any info. It will be my 1st cruise.

Thanks all for the responses. Since I've not experienced motion sickness before on things such as the Amtrak sleeper train, I decided not to ask my dr for the patch. I am bringing OTC bonine, dramamine, sea bands (which I know work for me), and ginger candies, if I can find them.

Suitetraveler, I have read many times that Seattle cruises encounter rough seas but it's unlikely with Vancouver ones. But, you had a Vancouver one like that? I'm starting at Whittier and ending at Vancouver.

I was just thinking about getting to Mendenhall by myself and didn't realize I might be dropped off so far away. I'm interested in mostly the walking trail to Nugget Falls. Is the bus dropping off near that?

From what I've read it was because of the volume of passengers they thought they wouldn't be able to screen everyone in a timely manner, with the new covid measures in place. I was booked on a Princess bus up / train down, into Canada, excursion for a long time but I canceled it as soon as I saw this news. Princess only just recently removed that excursion from the list.