ozziebound

I’ll be on the bliss right after you! 
eager to hear what you think of the shows…

also will you check out the thermal suite? Trying to decide if $299 for the week is worth it! (Maybe since the cruise will be quite full with tons of kids (including ours!) it’ll be a good place to get away…

Hi there 

anyone know if the cruise ports in San Pedro and Long Beach are being affected by the storms? 
Adam 

1 hour ago, complawyer said:

what could you possibly be thinking, wanting  to leave an 8 and 10 year old unsupervised when you go off the ship.

 

Sorry, but are you both INSANE.

 

this is a risk no normal parent should even be thinking about.

 

why not do the kids a favor. they're on the cruise also, so why not take them along for the shore excursions?  Safer all around and i'm sure the kids would enjoy the sights

 

bad idea, really, really bad idea!

I'm new to ncl and was just asking a few questions... Of course I would never leave my kids unsupervised on the ship while I went ashore - but many cruise lines, including ncl, (usually) allow parents to check their kids into the kids' programming for the day before going ashore - parents are contactable, allergies noted, forms signed... We did it on rcl may 2019 when our older one had just turned six and it was totally fine- ncl  notes  it on their FAQ- "Splash Academy is offered on port days for children 3-12 years old. Currently not being offered. " (Doesn't say why it's currently not offered)

In another part of the FAQ it goes further and says "Note to parents:

If parents go ashore, it is recommended to use the Splash Academy services for children under 12 year old."

And here is another quote from ncl website (my friend who will be travelling with us sent me a screenshot of this): 

Port Play

Want some alone time? Then drop off the little ones at Port Play for free. Only a small fee applies for the supervision of your child(ren) during breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours.

Meal times are based on ship and itinerary.

Temporarily Not Available

As for when we are all on the ship, I was just asking what the rules are - and the culture of NCL- given the possible clash between the harsh warnings that can be found on ncl.com (and here in this thread) and the rule that allows 10-12 year olds to check themselves out. That rule seems to give some freedom to 10-12 year olds that is less than teens but more than younger kids. 

Again - I was just curious and looking for some advice. Last time we cruised with kids was almost five years ago so our kids were much younger and last time I was on ncl was 1995 and my cousins and I were the kids and teens! (I was 16.)

Please don't call me insane. We've never met. It didn't feel very nice and I usually think I'm quite a loving and caring and sane parent.

Adam 

Hi all! 

My wife and I and our two boys (8&10) will be on bliss soon (2/18) with friends who also have boys of similar ages...

Do walkie  talkies work well on ncl ships? 

Also, my friend found a sternly worded paragraph on the ncl website about leaving kids unsupervised - it seems like it was specifically addressing leaving kids on ship on a port day (when parents go on shore)...

But maybe it was more broadly about leaving kids unsupervised? What's common and allowed on ncl ships? I know 10-12 year olds are allowed to check themselves out of splash academy...

Also on a couple of places on the website it says that checking kids into spladh academy on a port day (while parents go ashore) is temporarily unavailable (sad!) - is this correct in your recent experience?

Thanks! 

Adam 

Anyone with a cavern club report from the bliss recently?

Thanks so much!

Oh I get it… so curbside pickup (which requires Uber black?) is basically twice as much? 
 

better to do NCL shuttle or grab an Uber m/Lyft/taxi as soon as we exit lax (carry on of course no checked bags!)?

advice? 
 

thanks! 
 

adam 

We're arriving at lax at 10:51am on a flight from Vancouver. There are four of us. 

It's February so I can't actually book the Uber since it's more than  90 days out but I chose a Sunday in November and the same westjet flight and it showed $148! Seems like a lot. We can book the ncl shuttle for 25 dollars each... Is that better?

I'm embarking Wednesday so...

1. Any favourite crew? 

2. Favourite bars/bartenders/drinks?

3. To what extent are masks being worn/encouraged/required? Just curious! 

Thanks!

Adam

8 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I have only asked for shoes to be polished once.  It was not what I had expected.  Think the bottle with the sponge applicator.  No buffing/shine.  Only had one color (don't remember if it was black or brown).  

 

No, they don't clean sneakers.

 

Yes, if in by 9 AM, you will get it back sometime around turn down service.  I wouldn't chance it the night before disembarkation when you have to pack it and get your luggage out the door.  

Hmmm I was hoping they would do a nice job on my black dress shoes that really need cleaning! You think it won't be worth it? Like they'll do a bad job? 

Anyone else with princess shoe polishing experiences?

So I'm thinking about bringing my nice black shoes, which are really in need of polishing, and giving them to our room steward soon after we board... are they still doing free shoe shining for suite guests? And do you think they'll do it again the next day for a different pair of shoes? 😉 

We board on a Wednesday, and it's just a four night cruise, but I think that, based on a comment earlier in this thread, that we can give our steward a bag of clothes Friday morning before 9am (with our dirty clothes from Wednesday and Thursday), and it'll be back to us Friday night... good idea? 

Then we'll have more clean clothes for Saturday and Sunday and won't have to pack as many. But we're still packing lots of shoes and jackets for alaska and seattle! 😉 

adam 

Yes hope quarantine isn't too difficult for you! 

Anyone know what the US rules are for quarantine? We're on a sailing for just four night next week (wednesday to sunday) - starts in Vancouver and ends in Seattle. For people who test positive during the cruise, will princess put them up in a hotel in seattle? And for how long? Canada gov website says this: 

Canadians: To avoid being fined $5,000 per traveller (plus surcharges), wait to enter Canada at least 10 calendar days after your positive molecular test result. If travelling by air, you’ll be denied boarding. Counting starts the day following the day of testing.

• for example, if your positive COVID-19 molecular test was taken on January 1, then January 11 would be the first day you could use it
• January 11 would be the earliest scheduled departure date of your flight to Canada, or the first day you could use it to enter Canada by land or water

Still(!) confused about the (possible) requirement to fill out arrivecan before boarding a vessel in canada (vancouver). I live here so I'm not entering canda, I'm just getting on a cruise ship here, but the transport canada website seems to suggest arrivecan is required. 

I'm looking at the first few pages of the app, and... 

Primary reason for entering canada? I can choose discretionary/optional travel, but again, i'm not entering candad

How are you entering? I can choose entry by marine, but actually it's exit by marine! 

then country of original departure will be canda and date of embarkation is cruise start date, but then port of entry doesn't make sense 'cause this 4 night cruise goes to ketchikan and then ends in seattle! 

silly? not necessary? anyone really know? 

adam 

i just booked sabatinis in the app and it showed "dining credit" of $50.00 so it was free! well, i tried but then it gave me an error so i'm trying again...it worked! (got credit for being in suite even though we're on a short cruise.)

adam

It is weird... the title on that web page is: "Entering or leaving Canada by cruise ship during COVID-19." so it seems like one maybe does need to fill out arrivecan before getting on a ship in canada. 

adam 

On 4/13/2022 at 5:02 PM, ozziebound said:

Hi there! We're  on this ship for four nights in early may... 

Can you tell me about the enclave? My wife really wants to go but wondering if it's worth it and also if it seems safe covid wise?

Hey sorry to come back to this but anyone o  or recently on the discovery have any thoughts on the enclave? Is it nice? Worth the money? Worth paying for four days before the sailing starts?

Thanks!

11 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

It's A Plus Travel Tests and it's $85CDN per test. Ouch.

https://aplustraveltests.ca/

12 hours ago, Munsterguy said:

Hi all,

Anybody ever hear of Plus Travel Tests in Vancouver ? Seen mixed reviews , pricing seems ok for Vancouver , just want to be sure they are what they say they are before I book . Thanks 🙏 

My wife and I used them in December and had a good experience. She booked then again for herself next week before going to Chicago.

Hi all! 

What is the"Exclusive disembarkation lounge" for suite guests? 

Do we get to hang out in that lounge with food and drink and debark whenever we like? Thanks!

Hi there! We're  on this ship for four nights in early may... 

Can you tell me about the enclave? My wife really wants to go but wondering if it's worth it and also if it seems safe covid wise?

14 minutes ago, broberts said:

 

I would think ArriveCan would only be needed if the itinerary included a stop in Canada on the way back from Alaska. 

 

 

Ours doesn't! It's Vancouver ketchikan Seattle 

But it seems like arrivecan is required for cruises leaving from Vancouver 

On 4/9/2022 at 1:22 PM, gnome12 said:

Set up your profile now, and save it. (I actually have 2 profiles, one with my passport and one with my Nexus card.) This can be done at any time before. Your profile includes your document information as well as your vaccination information. You would then only need to fill out the trip details.

 

I think that you will actually need to fill out ArriveCAN twice, once before boarding your cruise, and again before you fly back from LA, but someone more knowledgeable will correct me if I am wrong.

I'm in Vancouver too

It's a little weird that we have to fill out arrivecan before getting on a ship in Canada... The seems more setup for arriving in Canada , hence the name! 

Here's a a screenshot of my app as I was thinking about how I'd fill it out. 

Starting in Canada 

Embarking may 4 (discovery princess Alaska sampler) - port of entry Vancouver?

Date of arrival? The day I fly back from Seattle to Vancouver four days after embarking? 

So weird - ideas?

On 4/9/2022 at 11:39 AM, cattman said:

Problem(with our May 4 cruise) is that we planned to travel to Vancouver on the 2nd. Our options are limited - If we get a PCR test on the 1st, would that count as 3 days before embarkation? What about the Canadian "72-hour" rule?

 

When we sailed the HAL Koningsdam in January HAL clearly stated that "days before" did not include the day of embarkation.. but this is Canada, not San Diego.

 

We could take some Quest proctored Antigen tests with us and take at hotel.. with the chance of a positive result(after travelling through airports, public transport, etc.) and being quarantined. Lot of risk for a 4-day cruise..

 

Guess we could change our plans, get PCR test on the 2nd and fly into YVR the day before.. we never fly into embarkation ports on the day of the cruise.

 

Unfortunately, there is no IDNOW testing anywhere near us.

Hi there. I'm on this cruise with you. I imagine if you do a PCR less than 72 hours from when you think you will board you should be ok. Or you could book an antigen somewhere here in Vancouver for sometime on the third. That's what  my wife and I will do soon I  think... It's day before boarding for antigen right?

Adam 

On 4/7/2022 at 11:38 PM, Cbtours said:

 

I will definitely be checking, as you say print out relevant details. Our PVP already said to speak to the suite service desk when we board about swapping items in the mini bar set up.

 

 

Good idea. I just took screenshots. Here they are in case anyone else wants to use them! 

16 hours ago, dog said:

Hey,

 

I am joining you!!

 

did you book dining or is it automatically assigned for suite guests?

Hi there! I think it’s automatically club class for suite guests 

Uh oh… I just noticed this on the suite benefits pdf on the princess site…

It has a little footnote symbol ^ next to the description of the complimentary mini bar setup … 

and ^ means only on voyages of six nights or more! 
Our upcoming sailing is 4 nights! 
many one been in a suite on a short sailing and had a minibar, or not had a minibar? 
 

thanks! 

Adam