CruiserBruce

Funny you mention "what you are used to". I am no expert on buckwheat pancakes, but is it possible the OP is used to a different recipe than what HAL uses? Is there only one recipe for buckwheat pancakes?

The best point in the article..."any tour you are not fit for".

When you sign up for Luggage Valet, you will have the opportunity to indicate that you are exempt from any luggage fees, and explain your exemption.

As pointed out upthread, HAL has dropped the B2B testing requirement. But in the Boston-Montreal-Boston situation this thread is about, its CANADA, NOT HAL that would require the test for the Montreal-Boston leg.

Absolutely have done this, and have recommended it here many times. Did it with Rome in Limo, a wonderful company. There is a huge thread just down the board on them.

They don't provide the tours, they are a broker. They take your money and go get a low bid contractor to provide the tour. This results in very attractive prices, but can also result in many problems with who is responsible and reachable when there is a problem. This might be a company that was known as shoreexcursions.com prior to Covid. There are many threads on brokers on the Med Ports boards. Most end with the strong recommendation to use recommended local vendors, not brokers.

Totally agree with @cruisemom42. I have yet to see more than a very, very tiny number of comments that a private vendor even made the customer sweat a little getting back to the ship. Pre-Covid tens, if not hundreds of thousands of cruisers took private tours, and I can count the number of issues on one hand with a few fingers unused. I would recommend ONLY local vendors, not the tour brokers, like Viator, for the best customer service.

First of all, we have no idea what kind of shopper (or other activities) you are, so very hard to recommend how much money you need. Purchases over 20 euros should be on your credit card, since Covid, even smaller purchases use credit cards. Now if you were going to small, non-touristy towns...that is when cash is more important. Tipping is far, far less prevalent than in the US...far less. Usually just the "rounding up" style. Relying on ATMs in country is a smart thing to do, not a bad thing.

Soon.

Food is tremendously subjective...and nobody's opinion is any more right than anyone else's. I rarely say anything about food, because what I like others may not like, and vice versa. I don't pretend to think my food tastes are the final word, or that many even care.

Did the travel agency give you an invoice? If so, it likely will be there. But as you booked through an agency, it doesn't show on the HAL site. That is normal.

If you read the HAL website, you will see the answer is yes. If you have proof that you took a scheduled test, but haven't received the results, HAL will test you for free. If you just show up with no booked test, HAL will test you for $60pp. From the website: If a guest brings proof of testing without results to the pier, Holland America Line will test them at no charge. Guests who arrive without a negative test result will experience additional fees, a delayed embarkation and risk denied boarding and subject to quarantine should a positive result be returned.

That depends on the airline, fare and reason for changes/switches.

You might want to ask on the West Coast Departures board. Uber or taxi would be easier and cheaper. Its a flat rate from the port to the airport.

I think VeriFly is optional. I think HAL and Canada wants you to complete ArriveCan 72 hours before you embark the ship. So, somewhere before you board, not on the ship.

Huh? At 9am, your bags will be getting lonely sitting there in the claims area. Bags start moving off the ship before people do. Or am I missing something here?

If HAL wishes to release the numbers, that is their choice, and their choice alone. It doesn't appear there is any requirement to report, except perhaps to the CDC. Just because OP thinks HAL should disclose numbers is no reason to start insinuating negative causes or reasons.

It has to be medically supervised, and taken within 3 days of sailing.

I had seen the " will become a reality at the end of 2022" statement before, that was why I said "end of 2022" above. Awfully vague terms by the EU!

According to this: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/etias/ the ETIAS starts in May 2023. That is what I am playing by...as we have a flight to Copenhagen in two months, and are planning one to AMS in June 2023.

Thought the new ETIAS doesn't start until Jan 2023?

Yes, your bags will go to your final destination. Most airlines will release 330 days out...Delta included.

Depends on the country you are talking about. Without specifics, hard to answer your questions.

Nope. Porters will have them at the pier. Haven't printed them in our last 8 or 10 cruises going back at least a dozen years.

When are you boarding? You know the Captain could change at the end of the current cruise?