Been There, Planning That

We do all this online and depending upon the amount exchanged the rate varies slightly.

We travel with both Cdn and a USD visa cards. When cruising we only take ashore the one we want to use.  We use the Cdn, one for anything but items priced in US currency.

I appreciated this reminder having been 'grounded' for a couple of years.

Ruth

1 minute ago, Fouremco said:

There was an interesting thread a few years ago ---

Do you EVERY forget anything related to cruising?

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/coronavirus-covid-19-local-news/dr-bonnie-henry-warns-businesses-should-anticipate-having-a-third-of-their-workforce-absent-4921431

Dr. Bonnie Henry predicts one third of work force to be absent at any one period of time.  It would seem this prediction might be holding true for NCL.

Ruth

Is it not sad that this particular thread is so active?

I'm sorry for the many of you who've had to make relatively last minute cancellations.  

Ruth

16 minutes ago, Airbalancer said:

Our non refundable deposit is only $25 pp, cruise was book during the Black Friday sale in 2019 😁

A small price to pay for peace of mind and safety.

We've done it three times - once on Oriana  of P&O in the late 60s enroute to Australia and again more recently both on the old HAL Ryndam and in '20 on Princess, our last cruise before COVID hit.

The first time was when it was less expensive to sail than to fly!  We now rank as geriatric cruisers.

It's worthy of a high spot on anyone's bucket list.

Ruth

As relatively 'ancient' mariners we've just cancelled our mid May b2b Princess Alaskan cruise.  

We are still hoping to safely sail on a 24 day HAL from Boston New England and Iceland cruise.

We do try to balance pessimism and optimism, so we're replacing the Princess Alaskan cruise  with a HAL 14 day cruise in May 2023 which had been cancelled for us in '21.  It's actually our preferred itinerary as it has several 'new to us' ports with no repeats in the 14 days.

Ruth

1 hour ago, Fouremco said:

Thanks @kellk. DW and I live in Orleans. One of the grandkids goes to Louis Riel in Blackburn.

It is a small world as we lived for years in Blackburn but retired to Kanata.

And Fouremco, I join the chorus of those thankful for all your well informed advice on this thread.

Ruth

We met a very elderly couple on their honeymoon on a South Pacific Cruise.  They'd married after their individual spouses of 60 years of happy marriages each died.  Imagine bringing over a combined century of experience to a new marriage.

May the many joys and blessings of Christmas, bring rejoicing to our weary world.

36 minutes ago, waiting2retire said:

What I have figured out is that to cruise or not to cruise is a very personal decision each individual must make in accordance with their own situation and level of risk tolerance. 

I sure concur with this point of view and unfortunately our level of risk tolerance seems to change with each news update.

Can't beat a five year old's birthday celebration for over the top joy and excitement.

Ruth

It's wonderful to travel but we've united in learning all the complications of a safe departure and return home.

We should all burst forth with a rousing rendition of:

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all of us command,

Car ton bras sait porter l'épée,
Il sait porter la croix!

I seldom ever checked the Canadian Cruisers thread because so few posted on a regular basis.  I'd solely focus on the thread for the line we'd booked.

Since COVID, border changing challenges and and now the more contagious version of COVID, Omicron, posts have dramatically increased.  This is often the only thread I check on a regular basis.

Hopefully once this nightmare fades,  we'll remain regular posters bringing an often unique Canadian point of view to cruising.

Ruth

20 minutes ago, Magicat said:

We will cancel our Alaska cruises that leave and arrive in Vancouver. 

We have a late May 14 day cruise from Vancouver but will wait until final payment to decide whether or not to sail, but I doubt the gov't would decide in February to cancel east and west coast ports for the season.  

We'd be really disappointed to have to cancel a 28 day cruise from Boston which stops at many small Canadian ports we've not yet visited.  At least we have until June to decide.

Ruth

3 hours ago, Fouremco said:

 I'm in my mid-70's. It's so nice to be considered a young 'un! 😇  

We've enjoyed more than a bonus 'two score' of our allotted three score and ten so most of our enjoyment of winter is from indoors.

8 minutes ago, Atlantic Girl said:

Snow shoeing  is the best!!  Even if you just go out and walk around your own yard, the exercise and fresh air will get you through the winter. 

AH, the joys of you young 'uns.  

I agree, there's great winter beauty to be admired,.

Ruth

In September of 2020 I splurged on this Moose Knuckles 'Arctic' coat in anticipation of our first winter without a break in many decades.  It was a relatively mild winter so I seldom wore it, choosing instead to stay in the comfort of our condo on those few bitterly cold days.  It's again ready for this winter safely at home.

I join fellow Canadians in giving thanks for our vaccinations and the measure of protection they provide, the joy of family, even if we'll be resorting to shared zoom meals again, and  happy memories of decades of independent journeys and more recently, cruise holidays.

Ruth

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-couple-vaccinated-border-order-1.6281050

Our first post cancellations isn't until mid May, so I'm not sure why I keep reading such stories, especially given the rules are bound to have changed many times by then.

This is an example of how the 'best laid plans' can fail without a creative solution.

Ruth

Just now, hancogran said:

. but my DH was "shopped out" so we crossed around 1:30 p.m.  

My husband sure could relate to this, unless he found a large bookstore in the shopping centre!!

RUth

https://globalnews.ca/news/8429508/arrivecan-app-border/

Maybe there'll be a bit of leeway in enforcement after several horror stories travellers unable to access or download the app.

I find this encouraging,

Ruth

2 hours ago, Briguy071 said:

We were scheduled to cruise March 28 but with new variant and too many unknowns we decided to cancel. 
I’ll be glad when things get back to “normal” again. 

We're heading towards the same decision but will wait closer to final payment early January.

Ruth

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/omicron-variant-canada-travellers-1.6265927

Here's the link for the Ottawa case.

7 hours ago, Host Kat said:

Ta daaa!  Thread title has been edited.

 

I thought the thread would evolve as a literary discussion of Miriam Toews new novel, Fight Night.  Good Canadian content on this Canadian thread.

😏

And of course you pay in American currency.