midwest 852

I disagree with your #3. While it was quite a bit ago and at the old pier, when I returned to Seattle after an Alaska Cruise I called the limo and he arrived within a minute or two. We had arranged a time, and I was pretty close to the time arranged. The driver told me he had a place to wait nearby.

Yes that has changed. pier 91 is very busy on weekends usually 2 ships HAL & Princess & princess starts to disembark first.

Some things to think about.

1. You Flight is to early for luggage direct so you could carry off your own luggage proubly not a option with elderly parents.

2. If your in a suite you'll get your choose of departure times. But will then have to collect your luggage.

3. A town car or limo service will be slower because you have to call them when your off the ship. Depending on traffic it could keep you waiting. The taxis are lined up and waiting.

Not sure what day your traving but weekends at Sea/TAC TSA is a zoo!

I would check into a later flight.

Just a side note: last year we were at the airport gate 9:30am using luggage direct & taxis.

To use Luggage direct in Seattle your flight cannot be before 11:30 am.

But yes a taxi is the fastest way to the airport.

Mine aren't the nice, heavy duty, rolling sort. They are more like oversized gym bags, do not match, show their advanced age, and at least one has been repaired a time or two with duct tape. Hopefully, none of those facts will present a problem either.

 

Sorry but you may have a problem. Carriers can refuse to take damaged/ripped

bags because of insurance claims. So I guess it could be a question of how badly your bag is damaged.

We were standing in the HAL embarkation line at Pier 91 in Seatle last week, and right next to us were all the Princess passengers standing in line. Both ships were sailing similar 7-day Alaskan itineraries on the same days.

 

I was able to easily discern two differences:

 

1. There were many more Princess passengers (Crown versus Westerdam).

 

2. The Princess passengers were noticeably younger as a statistical group. No question about it. By younger I mean more middle-aged passengers as opposed to retired passengers.

 

My observation occurred in late May while many schools were still in session, and so there were very few families with children in either population.

 

igraf

I have observed the same. Even the porters try to direct younger passengers to the Princess entry doors.

Oh, it's the odor, not a health issue. So, now we're back to perfumes and colognes; they really stink. Soap & water works for me but , for some people,they have to soak in artificial "enhancers" and apparently, there is no special place or section for them in a restaurant, lounge.:) Why not? Perhaps, all cruise lines should prohibit perfumes and colognes in restaurants. Who wants to have a good steak with the smell of Chanel #5, Old English and other unnatural scents wafting around. In the future people should be sure to take a small bottle of PooPourri to the "public" bathroom while aboard ship. :D It is curious how people feel smokers "pollute" the air. Have any of those same people EVER noticed the smoke pouring out of the cruise ship exhaust stacks/towers on all their multiple cruises? :confused:[

 

 

Hi Cantorindahouse & welcome just a little FYI the smoking topic is a hot one. There're a few posters who stand on their soap box & post over & over. They think their opinion is the only one the matters.

The good news it that they both claim that their next cruise is on another cruise line. I hope they have wonderful cruise and change to a different line!

Do you mean free hotel & transfers for booking a suite?

If so the free is only for the frist 2 in a cabin. You can pay HAL but I've found is more $$$. Than if you just book your own

Just a note on the wait times for a bus. The same could happen with tenders. Just sayn'.

yes that could happen. But HAL in Sitka runs 4/6 tenders at a time. Sitka can't just call 4 more buses. I understand why they are docking because when you have high seas they cancel the port.

Where are some of you getting it's a 1 hour bus ride into town? :confused: No way is that true. Not even close. The dock is ony a few miles away from downtown. The bus ride is maybe 15 minutes.

 

That said, having been to Sitka, I'd still rather tender. The tender dock is right there downtown and it's a very short tender ride.

 

Edit...I found this website for the marina. It says 5.5 miles, 12 minute shuttle ride:

 

http://www.halibutpointmarine.com/page2/

The drive time about 15 mins but you may have to wait for a bus to arrive then to fill I would allow at least 30 mins to get to town.

Why I hate the idea if docking in Sitka

1. Long pier walk to get to buses.

2. School buses to get to town (60 people).

3 very few taxis in Sitka

You can transport a folding wheel chair on a tender impossible to get up school bus steps.

The school schedule must be worked around.

This will not effect me I have family in Sitka but I think this will force more people to stay aboard and miss beautiful place.

If you scroll down on this page (http://johnhealdsblog.com/2010/05/10/fantasissi/), John responds to the acceptance of the $2 bill. John responded that the crew enjoys getting them. John also confirmed with the accounting department that the $2 bill can be used while on the ship and the crew can easily go to the pay office and convert the $2 bill to singles.

Thanks for the link Your much faster than I am. I know he posted a lot about it.

Skipper's Mom.. Your Friend is not doing the crew any favors..:eek: You might want to pull up the URL in my post above & explain this to your Friend..The Carnival CD in his blog even says to only give $1 , $5 & $10 bills...He says not $20 bills as "$20.00 have a very high counterfeit rate so they are harder to exchange." Now I can't swear that all of this is still true since his blog is almost 10 years old, but IMO why take a chance & make it hard on the crew..

 

Have a nice Day..

 

P.S. Stuart Maclean's blog is still on the Internet & his take on tipping is toward the bottom of the page..

Carnival Senior Cruise Director is John Heald they will accept any $. Also he has lots of post on his blog about the $2.00 bill mith!

The only private seating area I saw at pier 91 was for handicap. But they do have suite check-in desks.

This topic has probably been covered here dozens of times before, but since times and prices change I'm re-opening it. MY DW, DD, DSiL, 2 Granddaughters and I will be staying at a hotel (not affiliated with HAL and thus not eligible for the Hotel-to-Ship transfers) in the Pike Place Market area of Seattle for a few days prior to our next cruise. What is the best and most economical way for us (and all of our luggage) to get to Pier 91 on embarkation morning? Thanks in advance for all of your advice.

 

Smooth sailing,

 

Rod

Aug. 2014

We travel with a group of 7 the cheapest way we have found:

A lot of the downtown hotels offer shuttle transportation (van) to the pier for a fee. Call your hotel & check with them you will need to reserve in advance. If your hotel doesn't offer a shuttle we have used ACE transport (van for 8).

To get from pier 91 to the airport is Go Shuttle Express its right outside of cruise terminal you can book in advance or walk up and pay.

Fyi: I don't know if this will apply to you but we travel with 2 children under 5 so if you use a taxi or town car you need to arrange for car seats. Shuttles you don't need to.

I Made a big mistake booked a room under the beauty parlor on the Amsterdam.

The noise was really bad! I will not book under the lido deck

Of course. This is the OP's idea of humour. I doubt very much that anyone that is quite heavy would post a picture like this as an avatar.[/

I'm the lucky one that gets behind the little lady who is digging in her pocket book looking for her card holding up the entire line of people because her walker is blocking both lines and she can't find it. Then she goes through all her pockets! Nope not there and insisted she left it in her room! :rolleyes:

I wish she had a lanyard

Nope won't work!

Use 3M like Desdemona01 suggested.

I avoid the 8th floor because I don't like being under the lido deck.

I love these formal threads just like the smoking threads. The Host should start a thread for "everything formal" all under one roof. I personally don't care if you are for or against formal wear. You can wear your "birthday suit" to the MDR and about the ship. Yes, HAL has a policy but do they enforce it? The term "formal wear" has a different meaning to different folks in different cultures. It can vary from a tux to just a plain jacket an tie and for the ladies a long gown to a fancy cocktail dress and everything between. All good. No complaint here. But what if HAL decided on just one particular style of dress and rigidly enforce it? I once had a college professor tell me "follow the money" to find the answer. I would guess that 75% of men are wearing a suite or jacket & tie on formal nights. But if they were told that a tuxedo was only permitted what do you think would happen? Or for the ladies long gowns.In these times where "smart casual" is the norm do you think these cruise passengers are going to book with HAL? Lost revenue, there going to book some other cruise line. Some reading this may say "fine" let them leave. Hal has a policy and that's that. I look at this and say well if a majority of that 75% leave just how long do you thing Hal will be operating with the 25%? Formal nights to me comes down to choice. Participate or not. I have never missed a meal (or desert) on a HAL cruise. I am not going to have a formal night ruin my cruise. If I decide for whatever reason not to bring a jacket and tie then you will find me enjoying my dinner on the Lido or on my balcony.

 

bobi

You said it all. Thank You

Often DW and I will join a line together, and if the line is moving very slowly she will need to go sit down for a while. Everyone nearby understands this, and it is not rude.

 

Just because you want to justify your DW needs to leave the line and rejoin you later it does not make it ok.

Belive me I understand problems that occur when traveling with a handicap or elderly person. So if it's ok for your wife to join you how can you fault me i have 2 elderly parents, a handicap DH & a young child is ok for the four of them to join me? No of course not!

Do what you need to do for your loved ones & have a great cruise.

Manners have no gray areas.

It is rude. Even if it is just for a spouse.

I agree it's rude! Not ok even if it's a spouse.

We're going back to the Vista class ships I just like the feel of them.

One thing I disliked about the Amsterdam is the door bells I could hear the bell four cabins away.

GoodMorning all!

We so enjoy HAL!!

Returned on our B2B Eastern/Western Carribean Cruise on March 29th!

I believe along time ago I to posted on this thread about smoking. We are non smokers and yes, I grew up with my mom who was a smoker and died at 59 of lung cancer. So I have grown up with 2nd hand smoke. I never have smoked.

In the past on all our cruises we have been blessed with I believe great experiences. Here are the facts of our last cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

1) at bunkering in ports on both sides of our suites neither one of our cruise mates cared and enjoyed smoking and were saying " so what, I paid for my smoking verandah! I will do as I please"!

At the time were enjoying our breakfast outside and the only reason they commented loudly was my husband who was kind just asked did they understand what bunkering ment, and when he explained they just said we do not care! Now we were recording with our camera on while in port prior to announcement when our breakfast came! We enjoy taking videos while we are in port from our Verandahs.

Now most of the time they were nice enough when we would come out like dinner time if we had room service they were polite and would finish early and we did enjoy our verandah for dinner w/0 smoke!

2) our other suite mates also smoked at bunkering, but on our 2nd 1/2 of cruise

While in FLL, the stewards who were opening up our Verandahs to wash and clean the railings and glass did there jobs, and closed the dividers. We came back from breakfast and were waiting for customs, and went on the verandah and what was our cruise mate doing? Smoking, throwing cig over board, and I guess when he went in he had an ashtray that spilled and ashes, cigs all over the verandah floor and in our verandah! It was wndy that day! Well we took photos!

That is it!!!

We wrote a letter to upper upper management, who had our photos, and we got a big responds that said measures are being taken, and thanked us!

Now do not ask me what measures, we have no Idea!

But at least we feel better that at least we said something?

Will we still cruise, absolutely! I do hope policies change but, remember smokers can also be courteous.not all are like these people!

Remember respect goes both ways.

Sorry for the long email! Please do not respond with bashing! That is not my point! I finally was able to relate an experience?

Denise

Sailing EURODAM 12 day Mediteranian Romance Oct9-21st. Begining in Paris August-ending in Barcelona after cruise.

I do hope they respond to your photos of the spilled ash tray! That steward was not doing his job as the ashtrays should be dumped twice a day when cleaning the room. Also the ashtrays used are spill proof so I would suspect that someone tampered with it to make such a mess. Now while I have never been bothered by smokers on any of my cruise's I would not like such a mess. Just a side note I did once have drinkers in the next cabin who spliiled beer that ran under the divider now that was a STINKING, Sticky mess

I have no doubt you may have read that but I can tell you after dozens and dozens of times in Suites with concierge service on HAL, I have never seen a concierge print a boarding pass for a guest.

 

I won't say it didn't happen but it is likely I might have actually seen a concierge do it if that were the case. Perhaps there is that one out of thousands exception. :)

The concierge does print boarding passes for luggage direct users.

Thank goodness that concierge keep's prying eyes from seeing my private travel information.