I'm not sure why people think 01 November is a magic date. The app only says "in November" - there is no specific date in November when we can apply. The actual date will be whenever the board extends stockholder perk.
Only if the flight operated as scheduled. If your flight is indeed canceled, you will get a full refund.
Non-stop options are limited to AC, UA, and WS.
And if you're flying from outside the US, you will need to claim your bags, go through US immigration and customs, and re-check your bags at SEA, then claim your bags and go through Canadian immigration and customs at YVR.
On the return, you will go through US preclearance at YVR.
We were on the Diamond this year in June/July. The biggest problem with the ship is that the air conditioning system simply could not handle the heat and humidity of a Japanese summer. Our cabin was unreasonably warm for the entire cruise even though they sent maintenance three or four times. The areas around the mid-ship stairs felt like a steam room because the doors to the deck do not close automatically. Hopefully it will be better in other seasons.