Edgewater601

Thanks you for your responses.  I did call Delta and they would not comment on a Choice Air flight--said I needed to work through Choice Air.  I thought of a credit card dispute but know that it will be like starting all over again in the time it will take, but that will definitely be my last resort.  I called Choice Air/Flights by Celebrity again today.  When they gave me the song and dance about expediting and it would be another three weeks, I asked for a manager.  I had been given that same story on three other occasions.  After relaying my sad story again to a manager with a little bit of "Not playing this game any longer, I want my refund now," they promised to have my refund to me within days.  We will see.  I am thinking the squeaky wheel is the only way to get any action.  Time will tell.  

11 hours ago, Ashland said:

You cancelled or the cruiseline cancelled ?

As indicated in my post "I cancelled the cruise and air on April 8, 2020."  I cancelled myself before final payment so I didn't have any more money tied up.  Just waiting on my refundable air ticket via Flights by Celebrity since that time.

I booked a refundable air ticket via Choice Air on Delta for a Celebrity cruise.  I cancelled the cruise and air on April 8, 2020.  It is now July 18, 2020, and I have yet to receive my air refund.  Choice Air agrees the ticket was refundable and that I am owed a refund.  Four calls later to Choice Air and I am still waiting.  I will never book through Choice Air again but only directly through the airline.  I realize this is an unprecedented situation but when I hear of others getting their refunds quickly and I am still waiting it is ridiculous.

5 hours ago, AF-1 said:

Edgewater601;  sorry I just saw this post from you.  I would contact Delta again about the loss of skymiles.  I too used Skymiles to upgrade my int'l ticket.  My flight was for May.  When I contacted Delta via Twitter; they gave me e-credit for both the cash and the skymiles I used.  There is no way you should have to forfeit the 33,000 skymiles.   Tell them to refund the skymiles as an e-credit or put them back into your account.  I just cancelled a trip to Denver this week.  I used skymiles for this trip.  When I cancelled online; my skymiles were put back in my account within a minute.  

Thanks for the reply.  One flight I had purchased with miles Delta did immediately put those back in my account when I cancelled.  But the international flight that I had upgraded seats with miles refused to give me my 33,000 miles back when I cancelled.  After your post, I called Delta again.  They said they would review it and let me know.  I am now waiting on a refund from another Delta flight and returned miles for that international flight.  We will see if I get any of it.  Thanks!!!!

On 3/22/2020 at 4:37 PM, AF-1 said:

Hello everyone.  I wanted to pass along info on cancelling your flights.  This may not work for everyone but it worked for me and it was fast and painless.  I had booked directly with Delta Airlines.  I used cash and miles.  Cash for ticket and miles for upgrade.  When my AMA river cruise officially cancelled on Friday I took to Delta's twitter feed.  I contacted Delta and asked if they could help me cancel my flight and put the money back into my account.  In less than an hour on twitter, the Delta agent cancelled my wife and my tickets, put the money back into our account as an e-credit, and since they could not put my skymiles back they gave me a dollar amount for what they were worth.  Below is what happened

1. Delta Agent cancelled two tickets

2. Issued two e-credits, one for my wife and one for me

3. E-credit includes both original ticket price; plus dollar amount for skymiles

4. E-credit is good until May 2021

 

If you would like to try this with your airline here is how it is done.  Log into your airlines account.  go to the bottom of the webpage and you should see both facebook and twitter. You can contact the airline via facebook or twitter.  Once you have an agent they will private message you to set everything up.   It may take up to 15 min for them to  contact you; they private message you to set everything up.  I had read many threads both on this site and other airline sites about the long wait time via phones.  I also heard about people logging on to airline websites to modify or cancel on their own; and when they hit send; they got an error message or an 800 number to call.  Hope some of you take advantage of this.  

I found your experience interesting because it sounded exactly like my situation only you had a different outcome.  I had cancelled an international flight  that I had paid cash for--2 tickets.  In addition, I had upgraded our seat assignments from economy to comfort plus using skymiles for that upgrade transaction.  The cost of my refundable tickets was returned but I was told that skymiles for the upgrade would be forfeited and that the miles could not be returned to my account.  Nothing was said about being able to get a credit on an e-ticket for the forfeited skymiles.  I think I lost about 33,000 skymiles on that one.  My question is if this e-ticket for a cancelled skymiles upgrade is something new or has that always been their policy and I just didn't know about it?  Thanks for any info anyone can provide.   

5 hours ago, 3red7s said:

us too!!!  we are flying in and out of Seattle at the end of May for our Alaskan Cruise on Celebrity.  It looks like the governor of Washington is considering "stronger measures"  unsure what that might mean for all of us

I ended up moving my cruise to next year.  Celebrity has the Cruise with Confidence program that allows you to cancel and rebook and applies to sailings between now and July 31.  You would qualify.  Something to think about.  Good luck with whatever you decide.

On 3/5/2020 at 10:30 AM, dmarie1623 said:

We are scheduled (April) to fly into Seattle. Our cruise departs from Vancouver and returns to Seattle. We have plans to spend the night in Seattle before taking the train to Vancouver. Not sure now what we'll do as my dad, who's in his eighties, is sailing with us. I'm waiting to see if the cruise line offers penalty free cancellations before we make a final decision.  

Celebrity, RCL, and Azamara announced a 48 hours before sailing cancellation policy for cruises departing before July 31, 2020.  They will give you a 100% credit on a future cruise sailing departing before December 31, 2021.  Just making you aware in case it helps you make a decision for your situation.  More information is available on cruiseline websites.

Guess everyone saw the news this morning about the Grand Princess floating off the coast of San Francisco with 2,500 passengers and 1,000 crew with a small number of virus cases on board.  They are dropping test kits to the ship by helicopter but have not yet announced what action will be taken for those passengers.  After the Diamond Princess in Japan, they have to be very careful with the course of action taken for the Grand Princess.  What a mess on all fronts.  With a husband who has pulmonary issues anyway, I think I am going to try to move my cruise out a year or cancel all together.  The financial cost will be what it is.  Good luck to all!

47 minutes ago, Jnsplace1 said:

A lot has changed in a matter of weeks; two weeks ago, Seattle wasn't a hot spot.  Today it's an area of concern.  Hard to know what/where once the season starts up on May.   Too soon to tell.

So true.  Too bad final payments are due before May and insurance doesn't cover outbreak of coronavirus.  It is a difficult decision with a lot of financial risk while having very little information.  Such is life! 

On 3/2/2020 at 2:42 PM, Prost Seattle said:

Washington State is doing it’s own testing, not relying on the Federal government.  My understanding is the Federal government is only testing people who meet certain criteria, and Washington State is testing a broader spectrum of people.  I live in the densest census tract in Washington, and I’ve seen zero changes in people’s behavior., other than everyone has hand sanitizer. 

Thank you for the inside information!

1 hour ago, Dukefan said:

Edgewater601,

 

As of this morning there are 23 cases of the virus in Washington State, most of which are in one retirement home.  This could change but as of now I would see no reason not to fly through the Seattle Airport.   In fact, we are flying into Vancouver to start our Alaska Cruise in June but  through Seattle on our return.   At this point, I have seen nothing that causes me concern.

 

Dukefan

Thanks, we are scheduled for July and have a lonnnnnggggg layover in Seattle.  I appreciate your feedback and will be interested in your experiences.

Not sure how reassuring this is.  Don't really want to be quarantined on a cruise ship.  Thinking of the Diamond Princess at the moment.  I wonder how many are cancelling or moving Alaska cruises especially if they have to fly through Seattle.  This is the decision I am wrestling with as I write this.

Thank you all.  With the media coverage of the Coronavirus outbreak in Seattle, we are now considering if we should even come or cancel our trip.  What is it really like on the ground in Seattle and SEA-TAC?  Has the situation been blown out of proportion by the media?  This was going to be one part of an Alaskan cruise for us.  Now we are rethinking the whole thing.

Thank you all for your advice.  Our Delta flight arrives as 12:33 p.m. but we have decided there are too many variables to try to do a custom tour.  If we have time, perhaps we can at least take a taxi or uber to the market and back to the airport.  If not, guess we cool our heels in SEA-TAC.  Hopefully we will be back one day for a longer period.

We are a party of 4 arriving at SEA-TAC airport in Seattle on a Monday in July.  We have a 6 1/2 hour layover before our connecting flight leaves and are interested in a 3-hour tour of the city.  Is that doable and can anyone recommend a reputable company that could do that for us at a reasonable cost?  Any information would be greatly appreciated.

9 hours ago, martincath said:

Clarification on the surrounding area that CW couldn't confirm for you: drive distance is 1.25miles, barely 5 mins, to the pier (but with typical bottleneck for getting inside to the luggage drop area, that time could double easily - should still be not much over the $10 mark on the meter though even in traffic). Oh, and since there's not a single cab in the city that can handle 6 adults + luggage you will need two from YVR ($32 each fixed fare) and again to the pier - even our Minivan cabs are almost all missing a row of seats to fit wheelchairs inside so only seat 4 pax, while at least 80% of all cab fleets are Prius models which usually only handle 3+ big suitcases due to reduced trunk space with all the batteries.

 

CW is correct that this hotel dining is only breakfast. You have a sea of mostly-mediocre restos available on Granville and Burrard Streets, from 4-10mins walk away, but IMO the only ones good enough to be worth recommending are:

• Banana Leaf on Davie (~300 yards, Malaysian);
• Takis' Taverna the next block up Davie (~400 yards, Greek, very old school and vastly superior to Stepho's just a couple of doors further along);
• Alpha Sushi (the only decent sushi on Granville since Shuraku closed last year, <400 yards; but if you want better sushi though less other stuff, Kaide on Richards is <700 yards and still the best-value sushi in downtown IMO);
• Twisted Fork (mostly known for excellent brekkies, closes after lunch so no good for dinner, <400 yards, in case you don't like the brekkie options at the hotel);

 

If you want to try Poutine, you are perfectly located - the two most well-known local ones, Fritz and La Belle Patate are <700 yards away on Davie (Fritz is just one block east; LBP is west)

 

Looking for somewhat fancier food? Head into Yaletown, not much further at barely half a mile/10mins walk, for a big upgrade in average resto quality including probably the single finest seafood resto in the city, Blue Water Cafe, as well as some much better quality but not much pricier than many Granville options PNW bistros like the Flying Pig (one  of the best value Happy Hours around), Brix & Mortar (their Prix Fixe is a bargain); your nearest Keg is also in Yaletown (v. popular Canadian steakhouse), as is IMO the best Greek in downtown (The Greek by Anatoli), one of the v popular local Nuba chain (Lebanese) and one of our oldest brewpubs, Yaletown Brewing.

 

If you have any specific dining loves/hates and the list above doesn't cut the mustard, give me more details (ballpark $ budget - NB: CAD means ~25% discount! - plus any allergy/special dietary issues etc. Since you're from Kansas City please don't ask for good local BBQ though - your crappiest local is probably better than our best BBQ joint unless you want Chinese style!!!)

Thank you so much for all this information.  You have been so helpful!  We can find a dinner place in this broad array of choices.  Plus you made me laugh!  Yes, I think I will stick with our own Kansas City BBQ--will be choosing something else in Canada!  Again, thank you!

27 minutes ago, Canadianweaselette said:

I am honestly not sure how long the cab ride would be but since Google was saying it was a 21 minute walk I can't see a cab ride being any longer than 10 minutes.

 

There wasn't much right along our street but we walked less than 10 minutes to a really delicious restaurant called Burgoo (https://burgoo.ca/). It was on Burrard St. and I would highly recommend it. I am not 100% sure if the hotel had a restaurant or not. They have the breakfast area upstairs but I don't think it was a restaurant at other times.

Again, thank you!  I appreciate all your assistance.

On 9/29/2019 at 8:16 PM, Canadianweaselette said:

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. We stayed here for 1 night pre-cruise earlier this month. The room we had was huge. The included breakfast was varied and pretty decent.

 

The only issue we had was at check in. We had booked online and paid extra for an additional adult in the room. When we arrived they didn't want to rent it to 4 adults but we insisted that we paid the price online and eventually they gave in. They say their rooms are for max 2 adults and 2 children.

 

Location was good. We were going to walk to the port but needed to find a pharmacy first so we ended up walking the 10 minutes to the SkyTrain at Yale-Roundhouse and we were at the port in no time at all.

Thanks for the info.  We only have 2 to a room so we should be fine.  We also had planned to take a cab to the port.  Does that take about 10 to 15 minutes as your best guess?  Were there restaurants close by for dinner or did you eat dinner in the hotel as well?  Thanks so much for taking the time to respond.

Thank you so much to each of you staying there soon.  I would so appreciate the feedback!

15 hours ago, prish said:

Thanks for getting back with your experiences Edgewater601, appreciate the feedback. May I ask for a price idea, how much would a tour like this cost, did you taste any Grand Crus? Thanks again 😊

The price, of course, depends on how many are on the tour and how long it is.  I will list my itinerary for our party of 4 on the Bordeaux Wine Travel Tour of the Medoc Region with Henri.  There are many wineries available but we were there on a Sunday which limits some of your choices--we still had a fabulous tour, wonderful tastings, and a terrific lunch.  Our pickup was at 8:30 a.m.  At 10:00 a.m. we were at Chateau Lafon-Rochet in the St. Estephe's Vineyard.  At 11:30 a.m. we visited Chateau Hourtin-Ducasse in the Haut-Medoc's Vineyard.  At 1:15 p.m. we had lunch at Le Saint Julian Restaurant--wonderful French quisine in a quaint outdoor setting!  At 3:30 p.m. we were at Chateau Pichon Baron in the Pauillac Vineyard, and at 5:30 p.m. we were returned to the ship.  Our cost for 4 was 380 Euros plus tasting fees which I think came in at about 132 Euros for the 4 of us, plus lunch, and tip.

On Monday, we toured the St. Emilion/Pomerol Region of Bordeaux with Jeremy from Bordeaux with Elodie Tours and had another fantastic day.  We had a party of 6 on that day.  Pickup was at 9:30 a.m.  At 10:30 a.m. we were at Chateau Franc Mayne for a lovely tour and wine tasting.  At 12:00 noon we had lunch at La Terrassee Rouge then a drive through other top wineries and a tour of Saint Emilion.  At 2:15 p.m. we had wine tasting and wine tips at Le Cellier de Saint Emilion.  At 3:30 p.m. we visited Chateau Tour Saint Christophe for tour/wine tasting with a cheese platter.  At 5:30 p.m. we were returned to the ship.  Our cost for our party of 6 was 770 Euros which included our wine tasting fees.  Lunch and tips were extra.  You are certainly able to pick whatever wineries you are interested in depending upon their availability on your tour day.  And your tasting fees will vary with the winery.  Both days were terrific and a highlight of our trip.  The guides were wonderful, knowledgeable, and Henri was an educated and certified sommelier.  Jeremy had worked with the vines all his life and provided various information on the grapes and the processes in the vineyards.  Both days were so worth the money we paid.  If you have an opportunity to tour using either of these companies, please don't pass up the opportunity!

I hope this helps!  Enjoy fabulous Bordeaux!  

On 7/28/2019 at 9:41 AM, Msgolferfhcc said:

Great to hear! We have Henri lined up for a day in October. Hope the wineries he picked are wonderful. 

You will be very pleased I am sure--enjoy!

I thought I would get back with everyone.  We were in Bordeaux for two days in June.  One day we toured with Henri with Bordeaux Wine Travel and the second day with Bordeaux with Elodie.  Both tours were fabulous and we had wine shipped home.  You can’t go wrong with either of these two companies—enjoy!!

5 hours ago, martincath said:

Can't speak to interior room comfort/front desk service, as never stayed, but in terms of location it's fine & dandy. You're close to Davie - which has plenty of shops & restos - but just far enough that the party scene there shouldn't annoy you (Granville, even worse for late night revels, parallels you two blocks away but since Hornby is one way the wrong way for night buses at that point drunk bridge & tunnelers won't be hanging out on your street at 3am). The other side of the street is a construction site right now, but by next July that phase will be long complete (Google 'Burrard Place' and 'Burrard Gateway' - it's basically another giant multi-tower condo & office development taking up an entire city block).

 

A minor concern is that the last building on that block, which will go where 7-Eleven and other low-rises on the Davie end are right now, has now had plans released so it *might* start being built soon after they finish the current buildings - but it's the required 'all rental' building which means low priority and even if they did plan construction to start next summer they have to evict several different businesses with varying lengths of lease. Plus, the typical Vancouver pattern is to wait as long as possible before starting on 'all rentals' in case there's a regime change or something else that allows the developers to weasel out of their commitments and make extra profits with a larger mixed-use building or even another condo tower with rental units built somewhere further away (and cheaper!) instead...

 

I will point out though that you could be in the even-cheaper and slightly-better-located-for-walking YWCA hotel instead (even though they've finally moved to a dynamic pricing model you should still find regular 'double/twin with en suite' hotel rooms for ~$200 at the Y).

 

Personal safety really isn't a concern anywhere in downtown Vancouver - even the skeeviest parts may look icky but it's only property theft that is of comparable concern to large US metro areas up here (cars, and especially shiny things visible inside cars, go missing plenty up here) while any kind of 'crimes against persons' are very low in comparison to US cities.

Thank you so much for the info.  I will continue to check around since our rooms can be cancelled up to 48 hours prior to arrival--I am just glad I have something booked for now.  If I find another option, I will certainly compare; but it sounds like this is something that is doable.  I will also be interested if anyone has stayed at the Residence Inn and their opinion.

Thanks much!

Three couples are arriving at YVR on 7/2/20 for a one night precruise stay.  Got a refundable rate less than 350 Canadian which includes all taxes/fees/breakfast, which in comparison to other downtown hotels didn’t seem bad.  I have looked at reviews on trip advisor and other sites and am not seeing anything bad.  I know we will have a cab ride from the airport to the hotel and another cab ride from the hotel to the pier.  Is there anything I should be concerned about, construction or late night bar noise,  unsafe area, poor service, cleanliness, etc.?  Has anyone stayed there before who can provide information?  Thank you!

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

Indeed, any type of OBC can be used for all onboard expenses, including gratuities, but for not casino.

Thank you all for the information.