Ferry_Watcher

I think they are dealing with staff shortages like everyone else. Just like restaurants at home, no sense in seating diners if they can not be served promptly - so no surprise to see empty table when you were seated. Happy to hear that your waiter took care of you, I hope you tipped him well. As a D+ passenger, you really should be more relaxed and understanding realizing what these crew members are dealing with - especially on your preferred cruise line.

Balcony door only, or also stateroom connecting doors?

@gatec1008, I just haven't seen anything about private tours offered at ISP. It's rather isolated, and that's why I always say that as Alaska port-of-calls go, it feels like 'real' Alaska. Folks cancel cruises, and thus their excursions all the time, so I would encourage you to keep watching for excursion openings both on your cruise line's excursion page, and once on board at the excursion desk. FYI, we were in ISP last September and due to a Covid outbreak in the community, neither the zipline or the gondola were operating. The road to the village of Hoonah had a barrier across it requesting cruise passengers not to walk into town. The woman at the information desk at ISP explained that the closures were to protect the community elders. The whale watching boats were running though.

Yes, as to the ArriveCan info. I am not sure what happens outside the SF Pier (27?). I do know Seattle's Pier 91 quite well. I just wanted to differentiate between folks on the US closed loop cruises (Seattle & SF) and those doing the Vancouver, Whitter, etc cruises. Since I am in Seattle and most of the Alaska cruises sail from here, I just highlighted Seattle. Thanks for mentioning San Francisco. ; )

@CruiseMGM, as @dbrucern mentioned, you can enter information such as scanning your passport, and entering which ship you sailing, stateroom number and where you will enter Canada (Ogden Point A&B (Victoria) for those doing the closed loop cruise from Seattle). If you do enter this info in advance, just remember to finish it up within 72 hours of walking on to your ship. : )

Folks, just an update. Carnival is still requiring that passengers have proof of completion of ArriveCan before you are allowed into the Pier 91 terminal building. Passengers must show the QR code. The QR code can be on the phone, or a printed out paper version. A family or friend group traveling together can be all included on a single ArriveCan account. The staff member checking at the door can see if the QR code is for 1 person or up to 8 travelers. All passengers must be together when showing the ArriveCan QR code to enter the building. Reminder: the 72 hours requirement refers to the day you sail (embark), not when you arrive in Victoria (for those sailing from Seattle) ProTip: if your ArriveCan is showing a red trash can next to everyone's name on your phone, it means that the ArriveCan is NOT complete. You will be asked to step aside to finish your ArriveCan registration. While there is a couple of staff members that can help you, it is always advisable to come to Pier 91 with it completed. Please have your ArriveCan out and ready to show, as well as the boarding passes for everyone in your travel group. The line will go that much faster with everyone prepared.

Try to get yourselves on a whale watching tour, or even put your names on a ship excursion waitlist for whale watching. ISP is amazing for whale watching. ISP is such a pretty place - just being out and about, soaking in the scenery is great.

Did not know this. Thanks!

I think Seattle is just so much easier to get to than Vancouver, BC for Americans.

Worst show I ever saw was on a HAL Coastal from Vancouver, BC to San Diego, where it was to start a many week cruise to South America. I am guessing that the singer boarded the ship in one of the OR or CA port-of-calls along the way. Thankfully, she only had the one show. The show consisted of the singer who had a Media slide show, video clips of herself preforming from about the age of five (5), through her teens and adulthood. It was so bad we eventually walked out (after I pleaded with my husband to 'wait a bit longer' in hopes that the show would improve and we wouldn't appear rude. Sadly, the show didn't get any better.

Appreciate the very matter-of-fact assessment.

Passenger counts in Seattle are quite robust.

ArriveCan is just for entry into Canada. If you are flying back to California then you don't need to do it again.

What the heck?

One person can have up to 8 people on their ArriveCan account. You all must be present when showing it.

Lunch on a sea day at Sushi-on-5.

Maybe the ship was experiencing a Covid outbreak among the staff and they were doing the best they could with limited staffing.

You are not going to get very far as a self-identifying "worldtraveller' if you resist the travel rules of other countries.

I agree - I would be more worried about being denied at the airport in the UK. I had a family (US) member denied boarding at a US airport who was flying to the UK for a vacation because their passport was expiring in less than 6 months.

Be sure to look into what is needed to be done for a child to get a first passport, i.e., both parents may have to be present when the application is submitted. (this helps prevent international parental abductions)

Great news, thanks!

While I personally don't recommend walking, here is a Youtube video that someone filmed walking from the sculpture park to Pier 91.

And if those friends and family members decided to not get on board and stay with their friend/family member who was trying to use a hospital BC or a Baptismal certificate, then they too would be out the money they paid for the cruise. It is a tough choice to have to make that decision about staying with a family/friend who is denied boarding due to a document issue, and if deciding to forgo the trip - forfeiting the money you spent on the cruise. Or deciding to go ahead and cruise, and leaving the denied individual potentially on their own in an unfamiliar city late in the day. How does this impact relationships? Sadly, no easy answers here.

It's light rail, and it would get you from the Northgate station to the Westlake station in DT Seattle, where it would be a 2+ mile distance on a very busy mostly industrial road to Pier 91. If you were leaving on NCL at Pier 66, you could walk if you wanted to from the Westlake station. Pier 91 is just too far to walk. If you took an Uber from your hotel, chances are they would take the back way to Pier 91 (up 105th to Holman Rd, to 15th and across the Ballard Bridge for my fellow Puget Sound friends).

Thanks for the update. I really enjoyed their many talks.