Aquahound

I've worked in federal government for 30 years and have held the highest clearances.  C'mon.  The whole "can't talk about it" is such a movie line.  There are obviously things that can't be discussed due to classification, but I've never had a problem talking about my career when asked.  Guess I'm just proud of what I do. 🤷‍♂️

Encore doesn't sail the Canadian Inside Passage out of Seattle.  It cruises outside Vancouver Island, just like RCI Ovation.  That is very deceiving if NCL is advertising Encore as IP.  

I can already tell you that HAL Nieuw Amsterdam out of Vancouver has the best itinerary.  The downside to that option is on board entertainment if that's something you value.  HAL Koningsdam also sails out of Vancouver and is a good option.  

11 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

B-b-b-but they really like me so I gave them fridge magnet with little fluffy's picture to remember us by. 😀

 

LOL! I actually saw that happen once.  Poor guy.  He was a champ, but I know that stupid magnet went straight to the garbage or deep-sixed off the balcony.  😁

Another recommendation for Holland America.  In my experience, their ships are much better designed for outward viewing than Princess ships.  

23 minutes ago, Jgs3820 said:

Thank you everyone for your advice. I hadn’t thought to look at r/f from Vancouver, and lo and behold, I found an option on HAL (on the Koningsdam) that works with our schedule, so we booked it! This way we get to see Glacier Bay NP, and it seems to be a ship that is better suited to Alaska than the Discovery Princess. Plus it was less expensive. Looking forward to our adventure!

Great decision.  Koningsdam is a beautiful ship.  You'll love the showers.  And yes, she is waaay better than those new Princess ships for outward viewing.  Enjoy your cruise! 🙂

Need to?  Of course not.  Essiesmom nailed it.  If you want to gift, give extra cash.  Don't try to be cute by giving $2 bills, rubber ducks, fruit cakes, or whatever other crazy ideas people come up with.  

On 2/2/2024 at 8:07 PM, Denbon1985 said:

My wife and I are debating whether to do a cruise to Alaska or fall Canada New England cruise. We did a Alaskan cruise a couple of years ago. I did not enjoy it because about 4 weeks before we left I cracked my hip. I want to go back to Alaska but I also want to do the fall Canada New England cruise. It’s for our 40th anniversary. Which do you think we would enjoy doing? We can’t afford both it’s one or the other.

Frankly, I recommend Alaska.  I love what post #4 said.  

Regarding crowded ports....sure....I guess they can get crowded if walking the immediate port area and shopping Diamonds International and Cariloha is your thing.  But get out and see the area, and those crowds quickly disappear.  

1 hour ago, DarrenM said:

Is it possible  to have a respectful conversation with someone admitting they are going to vote for a sociopath?

Probably not.  Then again, some people just can't admit that Southpark, season 8, episode 8, hit the nail right on the head.  

I'm wondering if RCI is just using Haines as a technical excursion stop to pick up folks like what the poster above said.  Sorta like how ships used to stop in Playa Del Carmen for excursions that started in Cozumel.  

Ship = Definitely Edge

Itinerary = Definitely Glacier Bay over Endicott Arm.  

You read correctly that Discovery is not built with scenic cruising in mind, but since itinerary generally comes first in AK, she's still your better option, IMO. 

9 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

I think it would be easier to list the things you can talk about as that would probably be a smaller list😂. 

True statement of the day.  You just won this thread.  Everyone else gets participation awards in order to not offend them. 😁

I've done the Dewey Lakes a few times, and all the way to the punch bowl once.  Once you get past Upper Dewey Lake, it gets pretty strenuous.  Pretty doable if you are in good physical condition.  Maybe do a few stair climbers pre cruise to condition your body to inclines.  

I have never seen bears on this trail.  

Plan on it being an all-day hike.  I want to say we did it in 8 hours, but that was with spending some time at the punch bowl, and checking things out along the way.  

Enjoy!  It's a beautiful hike.  

If you're gonna go, go now before the cruise lines ruin it.  

This one isn't even close.  Dawes Glacier, while magnificent, is VERY rarely seen up close on cruise ships.  It's a narrow passage and there is always sea ice.  Even if you are lucky, your view will still be from a distance, and you don't spend much time there.  Cruising Endicott Arm is nice though, and I always get a kick out of Sumdum Glacier near the entrance of the arm.

Glacier Bay is FAR better than Dawes.  

Oof.  Longer cruise and Half Moon Cay certainly are appealing but I gotta be honest, after my last HAL cruise, which happened to be on Eurodam, I swore off anything older than Koningsdam.  Entertainment was nearly non-existent and main-stage evening entertainment was often a movie or a port lecture.  I'm not often bored on a cruise, but I was on Eurodam.  

I recommend Symphony.  I've cruised that ship class 4 times and I was blown away each time.  There is so much to do and the entertainment is phenomenal.  

Based on the little bit of info you gave in your couple posts, I would recommend Celebrity Beyond or Apex.

15 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

Unfortunately we are inundated with US news and politics.  Some people are fascinated by what happens south of us. I know  people who spend more time watching your politicians than ours. 

My hope is that the reporting up there is much more factual and much less opinionated and satirical than it is down here.  However, based on the few conversations I've had with my northern friends, it is not. 🥺

10 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

Usually I have found that it is Canadians and Europeans who bring up those questions about American politics. They are curious but some think we all carry guns or etc. etc. 

Thank you!  In my experience, it's been Canadians.  No offense to our northern neighbors but gosh, when we meet them on board, it's almost always certain they will bring up politics....and not their politics but US politics.  Good heavens.  

On 1/28/2024 at 6:44 PM, Kristelle said:

And nothing about people is any of our business - but wouldn't be much conversation if we never asked people about themselves or shared about ourselves.

No matter what is said in this thread, I still will not understand how discussing occupations in a setting where people are getting to know one another is so bad but then again, we live in a time when people are offended by pronouns, so I guess I'm just not meant to understand.  Oh well.  🤷‍♂️

Like what some of the others said, Royal Caribbean is the first line that comes to my mind for accommodating such a large and age diverse group.  

Just now, Kristelle said:

 

is what do you/did you do for a living a bad question??

 

When meeting people on vacation or day trips or anywhere this seems a common  ice breaker question to me - have been asked that many times and never thought it or found it problematic for anyone.

Honestly, that one baffles me too.

I'm with the others though.  I've only seen outdoor decks closed but have never experienced ship-wide room confinement.  

When I read the thread title, I thought it was for disciplinary measures.  😁

I live in a city that crossed the lunacy boundary a long time ago, so politics is a discussion I would much prefer not be discussed while on vacation.

23 hours ago, wolfie11 said:

Do you have a fly-fishing excursion in Haines? June 10 is a bit early for salmon, so I assume you're going for trout or dollys. But the 3pm would get you back in time.  All aboard would be 4:30pm.

You don't think the kings will be running in mid-June?