rrrrtt

The biggest and (at least for 2023) most-profitable part of MSC's business does not complain about anything.

LCC for Air Canada. Think MetroJet for USAir, Ted for United, Delta Song, etc.

If you've checked it, just be aware that the cruise seems to disappear from your account > 1 week before sailing.

WS appears to have converted the normal fleet to PE (product was announced about 5 years ago) and even an old (close to 20 y.o. from the reg) 737-700 last month had it (flown slightly-newer 737-800s (no Maxs) for the most part otherwise. PE is very nice if you get it but I'd be seriously annoyed if substituted. It's just the SunWing fleet that creeps in. One could always fly UA, AS or DL too though change of planes may be involved. Have avoided AC (especially Rouge) for years since no *A loyalty but I get to experience the joys of an AC CR9 in a couple of weeks (one on a UA/SkyWest CR7 years ago was pretty much what you described with AC Rouge).

Bit outdated. First paragraph, Westjet (WS) has introduced for more than a few years now a Premium Economy product which is more like domestic First on U.S. airlines. Note that it's not on all a/c and you may be subbed a ex-Sunwing a/c which has no PE cabin at all with no compensation. 2nd paragraph. WestJet is in the process of making the cheap seats more insufferable. There'll be PE (not a bad deal if you book early enough _and_ they don't sub out your booked a/c with one that has none), some E+ product for the first 3-5 rows behind PE with some enhanced catering service and extra pitch, and then reduced pitch (28.5") for everyone else. This is substantially less than AC Rouge. If you book WS, try to book through DL (codeshares offered). You may be able to cancel/reschedule if your PE flight is subbed out. Also, DL mileage flights can be very cheap (booked LAX-YVR-YYJ for ~12,000 DL miles + $5.6 in taxes).

White-themed evening, expect very few if any to be wearing that, even with a significant French contingent. I had the outfit (scored cheap) and even w/o jacket, some pax told me they thought I was a ship officer. Even picked up a jacket (from the Salvation Army - barely if ever worn) at a turnaround point to complete the look. Haven't worn any of the stuff since but will drag it out for the Explora cruise next week. And yes, formal/gala is a lot less formal (just business attire for men) than say Princess, Holland America and especially Cunard. I just reused my whites for gala/formal evenings.

All Japanese ports appear bad. Celebrity Millennium took 4+ hrs to clear in Otaru in 2017. Good thing we hadn't planned any thing off ship. Took an hour to clear ~70 pax(!) in Maizuru with 3 (or maybe 6) immigration officials. That has to be a record.

Haven't boarded a cruise in Vancouver in nearly 7 years. There was a preclearance line for NEXUS/GE last time. Does such still exist? Boarding next week with 2 behemoths (Solstice, Brilliance of the Seas) trying to get onto our smaller ship (Explora I).

Just sailed into Esquimalt from Seattle.