Kelownabccan

Hawaii cruises remain on hold too.

As we’ve mentioned previously, the state is not prepared to welcome the return of cruise ships to Hawaii ports for the time being. They could return early in 2022, although that is not certain. The Safe Travels program has never been adapted to cruise passengers, as will be required before ships can return.

But I see they are still available for booking????

So in your case upgrading from Bella to Fantastica would just mean two (for the second you usually have to fight with the photo desk 🙄) very expensive photos. Thanks Perakcruiser.....

Most of what I figured....a waste of another $200......I can take my own pics....lol.....when and where I want.....Going to leave the res as is and send in the status match stuff as we are quite high on HAL and Princess......and get some ship credit I guess..will check that stuff out

Funny how MSC lets your credits die after a year or two....makes it hard for people like us on the West coast of NA to use MSC very much.....a long 7 hr trek on a plane to Florida for a quick cruise...so easy to go to LAX in two....

All rather confusing....for a west coast cruiser...lol.......anyways....it seems there is a toss up if the free covid test is given before the ship docks and we fly home via Calgary or Vancouver to Kelowna.....plane leaves 1ish....so lots of time to the SAN airport which you can see from the ship....and if the test they give does let us back into Canada....will have to see which one the govt wants currently...and the one that HAL gives???.but that all can change....maybe....really do not think many Canadians or non USA people on these 7 day trips to Mexico...so talking about testing thousands is not really the case....still dreaming about one in November ......hope hope

Checked the Princess blog....they seem to be giving a free covid rapid test as you get off the ship for Canadians...makes it easy to fly back home.....HAL???....no testing?????.....if not I prob will look at Princess for our first "kick at the cruiser cat"

Thanks, Muffin......will do more research into this as none of our "cruiser" friends have tried anything....I am the guinea pig....lol....

Good info about Princess and the testing.....we are thinking of a cruise out of LA towards the end of Nov. and wondered how that would work as we wanted to fly back to Kelowna the same day.....leaving at about 1pm....I wonder if lots of time or there will be a qlitch in the works....???......also flying down....we usually fly down the day ahead and need a test to go into the states....I wonder if Kelowna airport does that the same day as your plane.....as you need a covid test to get on the ship in two days before.....leaves things really tight.....and a worry....any thoughts.....Ken

Sort of the question I would like to know......we are planning a cruise out of SAN late Nov and wonder how it is all going to work......we need a test to fly to the USA....I guess get in Kelowna somewhere a day or two before we leave....then fly....then prob need another hotel night in SAN before the cruise....so the 72 hr thing is very close or past......a worry......then same as you....it is hard to fly right home off the cruise the same day unless you get a test on the ship???....does HAL do that...have not read much about it.....makes things so hard to go away for a 7 day cruise.....any thoughts or tips welcome.....Ken

This COVID-19 no-cost-to-you program is available to eligible individuals for $0 out of pocket when billed to a health plan or the government”

A laugh for us Canadians.....what a joke.....no HAL cruises for us it looks like....

The covid thing is so confusing in the UK one min we can go somewhere the next we can't and our government changes its mind quicker than I can change a pair of shoes! 

Love it......starting to get the same here.....and now they are talking about a super Delta that will overcome the vacs.....this is going on and on and on.....perhaps our days of cruising with thousands of people crammed on a ship is ending.....and here we can not even cross the border into the states by car.....

Cruiseforever11.....thanks.....mostly what I thought....a nice ship without all the glitz.....more of our kind.....I am surprised that not many people have commented....but you know most of the MSC blog people are from Europe as MSC is still mostly an unknown cruise line in NA..../////really like this cruise out of Britain....or they have another one two days longer on Sept 10.....will look at both but not book yet....to see what happens with the COVID.....now BC is starting up vaccine passports to get into bars and restaurants and other venues.....not sure if I like that....a two class system....

We are just itching to go on a cruise and the Baltic is one of our remaining "bucket list" areas to visit.....Have sailed MSC before so know about the cruise line and it's idiosyncrasies......for North American cruisers........anyways....what about the Magnifica???.....it does not have a high rating....seems to be a 3.5.....on the big site that starts with a V and ends with an O.....lol......anyways any thoughts as it looks like one we could do and visit relatives in England and the same time....or does anyone think there is a better one to look at.....the price with drink package was quite good for a balcony....Princess and HAL were way higher....almost double....wow...do not want to do more than a 14 day cruise also.....

And what about the "required COVID" insurance when trying to book and get a price.....wants me on the web site to include the cost but we have COVID insurance already from our Canadian medical travel insurance policy that is included........thoughts on that also???....is there a way around the extra charge of almost $700

Still looking.....now for into the Spring .....lol......but no booking......things just seem to drift and never land anywhere.....haha.....Mexico for a land tour or stay....have thought about  but  the thought drifts also.....still on our bucket list is a Baltic cruise....so dreaming about them....

Hear hear....with you all the way.....looks like a winter of looking at  places and not being there....haha......we are supposed to go to Maui for month of Jan.....that is starting to look like a big "if" now....

Another cruiser "bites the dust"....and now madness in Canada with a Federal election now.....wow.....we still really want to go on a cruise ... but the rules keep changing and seem to have more become more restrictive...and now in Canada have to have a covid test to fly on internal flights.....

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

One thing that I’ve not heard is if they are fully vaccinated.  Clearly the passenger was, but what about the crew?  Maybe they are too but I’m not sure.  As far as it sending shivers down your spine I don’t understand that at all.  If you do the calculations of positive cases to amount of passengers and crew on the ship it’s probably a way lower percentage rate than most cities including Kelowna.  Does being in Kelowna send shivers down your spine? Just curious.

You bet....we are the hot spot for the province now....more new cases here than the rest....people have been told to not come here....lol......but who listens anymore.....covid fatigue has seemed to take over.....really just stay away from all the downtown area, bars, restaurants....just like the old covid days of last year.....talk about going back in time......

as far as cruising.....want to go....but just too many balls to get in a row to enjoy ourselves....will just wait it seems.....the cruise in the Baltic sounds nice....one of our last "bucket" trips to do

I seem to be reading between the lines that hardly any Canadians are cruising.....am I reading things wrong....

This news from CBC sends shivers up my spine....I must be spineless to want to go cruising until next year now....lol

Twenty-seven people aboard a Carnival cruise tested positive for COVID-19 just before the ship made a stop in Belize City this week, according to the Belize Tourism Board.

The positive cases were among 26 crew members and one passenger on the Carnival Vista, which is carrying over 1,400 crew and nearly 3,000 passengers, the board said in a statement. The ship arrived Wednesday in Belize City.

All 27 people were vaccinated, had mild or no symptoms, and were in isolation, according to the statement. The tourism board said 99.98 per cent of the ship's crew was vaccinated, as well as 96.5 per cent of its passengers.

This on CBC news......sends shivers up my spine.....I am spineless to go cruising...lol

Twenty-seven people aboard a Carnival cruise tested positive for COVID-19 just before the ship made a stop in Belize City this week, according to the Belize Tourism Board.

The positive cases were among 26 crew members and one passenger on the Carnival Vista, which is carrying over 1,400 crew and nearly 3,000 passengers, the board said in a statement. The ship arrived Wednesday in Belize City.

All 27 people were vaccinated, had mild or no symptoms, and were in isolation, according to the statement. The tourism board said 99.98 per cent of the ship's crew was vaccinated, as well as 96.5 per cent of its passengers.

Looks like hardly any Canadians are cruising....or am I reading things wrong.....looks like we will be waiting to next year now....I wonder when the FCC credits go away....will have to check that one out....

with the news getting worse each day I doubt that we will be going to the States or a cruise anytime soon.....my sister told me to look at the american cdc site and they color code ships....ones close to us seem to be in the "orange range".....yuk.....and to boot in Kelowna right now instead of snow falling out of the sky we have ash.....forest fires all around us......almost have to wear a mask just to go in the back yard to stop a sore throat.....wow.....no time to travel "me thinks"....lol

With all the latest news....who would want to go anywhere.....just seems to be getting worse.....here in Kelowna instead of snow falling we have ash falling from forest fires all around us.....almost need a mask just to walk in your backyard....

Just up on CBC...

For Canadians who decide to travel, using a proof of vaccination will provide foreign border officials with the vaccination history needed to assess whether a traveller meets their public health requirements and provide a trusted and verifiable credential for when they return home," says a government release.

Not sure how this will go???....but still have the pre and post COVID testing....what a hassle....

Phoned MEDOC.....if get covid in the usa or anywhere your hospital stay is covered.....only part not covered is pre travel cancellation of trip....using covid as a reason for not going....so if I have a heart attack at home I get all my money back...lol.....Ken

Many of us in the same boat.....plan this cancel that.....it just seems to go on and on......CBC just put this up

For Canadians who decide to travel, using a proof of vaccination will provide foreign border officials with the vaccination history needed to assess whether a traveller meets their public health requirements and provide a trusted and verifiable credential for when they return home," says a government release.

Not sure how this is going to go over but starting something......now get rid of all the testing to travel...hope hope

And what happens with Covid on the ships....another problem.....

We have the MEDOC plan that covers us....and leave the country for us to 35 days as many times a year as we want....should phone them to see what the COVID coverage is like....

Also....like the idea that Princess gives a free Covid test a day before you get off the ship....so if negative can go straight to the airport in the am and be home in the pm from LA.....not sure what HAL is up to with this idea......as we like to cruise also out of SAN.....a nicer place to see and get to the ship.....

Still keeping an eye on ones to the Mexican Riviera from LA or SAN........the Alaska ones are nice but too much like BC....lol......just as much of a hassle to fly to SEA as to California.....

Was reading the same blog idea that I posted on the Princess web site.....apparently the cruise line will give a free COVD test the day before you get off the ship so you can fly right home to Canada.....neat idea.....that was always a negative.....get off the ship....run around trying to get a test....stay in a hotel.....then fly home if still negative.....wow....lots of buts....and ands......this way you could get off the ship and go right to airport in LA and be home late afternoon the same day......like that idea.....does HAL do anything like that out of SAN????