silversneakers

16 hours ago, bucfan2 said:

Sure hope not...planning on the cruise industry surviving.

I'm confident the industry will survive as people love cruising. I believe it will be impossible to control  the spread of the virus on ships (or even on planes)  as you can have absolutely NO symptoms and be positive. So, unless they are testing on the ship often (daily?), there is no way to prevent this virus spread and I don't believe masks really help anyway. Fortunately. for most, the symptoms are flu-like or cold-like and nothing like the beginning of this virus. I think we just have to learn to "live with it" for a while. I know I will continue cruising as I have cruised 4 times since last August with no issues.  

On 5/4/2022 at 11:46 AM, sunonfire said:

If they had that many cases onboard, the next sailing at the least would have been delayed. The Spirit does have the orange designation.  If they had as many as quoted they would have been designated as red. Time will tell.

If you look at the color code dashboard you will see that "many" of the Carnival ships are in the orange zone.  Mask mandates coming again soon???

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, staying on the ship when most are getting off!  I feel like it is mine!

2 hours ago, hazeleyes46 said:

To go back to work? I thought you could still test positive for 3 months so they don't want you to test again so soon? I know a coworker who tested positive in December was not allowed to test again until March. They were allowed to come back to work but we were working from home at that time so they didn't lose any time in the office.

Yes, you can possibly test positive again for up to 90 days. Most companies will give you the 90 day test exemption as if you continued to test positive it would just be a revolving door in/out of work.

17 hours ago, hazeleyes46 said:

More than 5 days they were out? I don't know anyone anymore that misses work for more than 5 days which is the amount of time they suggest you take.

5 day quarantine is the updated CDC guideline and returning to work is day 6 if they don't have a fever or escalated symptos.

ArriveCan was relatively easy to use but you have to submit the info 72 hours prior to arrival in Canada.  I recently used it but due to intermittent wifi, I had to wait until I was in a port to submit it.  Once submitted you get a QR code.  No one ever asked to see it when we were in Canada.

On 4/13/2022 at 1:32 PM, OlsSalt said:

How many days, what is your itinerary? Can port internet connection make up for what you may not get onboard?  

 

But I think you answered your own question, internet connections are important and so far the Bill and Maryann reports (ongoing thread here) from the NS have had issues with internet - might want to read their reports and how they had to work around them.

 

I always choose the smallest ship myself when there is a choice, but internet connections are not critical for me.

I always think it is interesting how HAL can have internet issues but Princess is great. They are owned by the same Corporation.  I understood from a former HAL Q&A on a recent cruise that the brands are overlapping with their departments/regulation, compliance, so you would think the technology used on Princess would be the same as HAL???

FREE???? Nothing is free. I think I read they put a yoga mat in your cabin so you are "free" to practice yoga???  Maybe that was another cruise line, not sure.

11 hours ago, kangforpres said:

Man oh Man I've never been on a "free Cruise" I have gotten a complimentary cabin, paid the taxes and fees and then paid for shore excursions, specialty dinners and drinks. I hope the moderator ends this Thread. You have issues about people living and enjoying their lives differently then you do.

Remember....nothng is "free"

4 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Is there anyone that doesn't like a bargain?  I've yet to hear anyone say I want to pay as much as possible for my cruise.  I pay a pretty penny for my cruises.  I'm still in the workforce so I am limited to when I can be gone so I do have to plan ahead.  I get annoyed to see people pay $50 for something I am paying thousands for and then start multiple threads about it.

Today I encountered a friend that only does Regent cruises.  Although I'd love to be able to sail on them it's not in my budget. However,  I console myself thinking I go to the same places they do so I see basically the same thing (although maybe without as much "hands on" guidance.

On 4/23/2022 at 4:15 PM, KmomChicago said:

I made it onboard. I had to bribe the authorities but desperate times, right? 

"Bribe" is not a good term no a good thing to publish!!

We base cabin type by itinerary. If we are doing Caribbean or any warm weather cruise we try to book a balcony.  However if it's Alaska, Canada, etc. on any time for a cold weather cruise  we really don't think a balcony is needed as it can be cold in the cabin from the outside temp.  Bottom line, if you like to hang out away from the crowds then you would like a balcony but don't expect a large, spacious area....only if booking very top tier cabins are they considered spacious/comfortable.

Are these necessarily "free" rooms or are they just the "casino discount rate"....???

19 hours ago, 1kaper said:

👍

 

and ArriveCAN is required. 

ArriveCan can only be submitted 72 hours prior to arrival in a Canadian port based on my recent use.  I just used it and it is very easy, download your passports/vaccination cards.  The only problem I had was with the internet on the ship as I was not able to submit it while on the ship,  I had to wait till I got into a Port to submit. Once submitted, you receive a QR code that I never had to show nor did anyone ask.

On 4/20/2022 at 12:23 PM, JT1962 said:

I am in discussions with my Carnival PVP currently. No one at Carnival seems to know the actual rules (or about ArriveCAN which is a whole different issue). They seem unprepared for the Alaska cruises.
 

Canadian rules say 2 days for Antigen (any time that day, not just 48 hours), but they say 72 actual hours for Molecular Test (NAAT / PCR). I board on Monday 11:00 - 11:30 AM Pacific time,  so I had planned a NAAT test after 2:00 PM Central time (where I live) on Friday to be covered. Now Carnival is saying 2 days for an Antigen test, but does not mention anything about NAAT / PCR tests. I fly to Seattle early Saturday morning and want to have my negative test before leaving so I don’t have to test in Seattle and find out I an positive and be stuck quarantining there. It’s very frustrating to still have these differing requirements 12 days before boarding. 
 

https://travel.gc.ca/travel-covid/travel-restrictions/cruise
 

 

If you are not a big drinker, then I think having the package encourages you to drink more to get your money's worth. I, personally, don't think it is worth the price (at least for me).

50 minutes ago, ron57nie said:

I booked through a agency and when I tried that on HAL website it came back and said I had to pay through the the agency.

A 45 day cruise so very expensive and sooooo many $25 cards...like 64 of them. I feel like I will owe her something when she's done

Yep, when you book through an Agency they have to do the work.  So are all the $25 gift cards bonus cards or did you buy them individually?

7 hours ago, ron57nie said:

Thank you to the OP, i have been waiting for this and 10% is a real bonus. the only thing I don't like is $25 gift cards will be a nightmare to cash in.

I used my bonus gift cards as part of my cruise payment and it was easy: just select gift card, put in the number and pin number and apply!!

On 4/19/2022 at 10:45 PM, Ready2go11 said:

Ugh… on a larger purchase, it is not ideal for them to give them all to you in $25 increments. 

 

I opened a few of my $25 cards and it says to show the web page on your mobile device or click on the button to display on your mobile device (both would require Internet access to open the e- card from your email. The third option is to print them out and show them. 
 

From these three options I presume the person you are presenting it to would then have to key in the card number that displays and the PIN included. 
 

Since Internet is not always reliable on board (if you apply to these a shipboard account while on a cruise) i would take a screenshot or photo of the display of the card including the account number and PIN and save to my photos to show the person I am presenting it to. 
 

I guess you would have to read off the card number and PIN to someone on the phone to make a payment pre cruise. 

 

I applied my "bonus" card to my payment online.  You have the option of gift card or credit card. Very easy!

5 hours ago, Pellaz said:

 

I generally tip $1 per bag, or $5 for 3 bags.  

However, back in the glory days of Faster to the Fun, I'd surreptitiously watch the porter and if he noticed the FTTF "Priority" logo on the luggage tags and wrapped an orange Priority tag on the bag without prompting, I'd point to that and tip an additional $5.  

 

 

Same here, pretty much.  I've worked for tips and have done quite well with them ("within 30 minutes or it's $3 off!" -- pizza delivery hustling for the win).   I tip for most service-oriented tasks, and bump it up for extra effort or an extra pleasant attitude.  (I'm a softie; I have a low bar for both of those. 🙂 )  

Agree when you "work for tips" it is an important issue but these porters are union longshoremen and make very large salaries so much that you would really be shocked......some in the six figure bracket!

4 hours ago, scubadawg said:

Just saw the Mothers Day gift card bonus promo starts April 19 thru May 8th. I bought these last year when they did a promo and used to pay off cruises. Bonus cards expire June 30 2023.  fyi

Thank you.  Just did this.  I assume they will also have Father's Day promo so not to be sexist!!!!

On 4/12/2022 at 12:17 PM, hmorrow said:

Thanks-

Is it still the 15 drinks, including water, etc?

The water is "canned" water only.  I was disappointed that I could not get bottled water and had to pay for Pellegrino.  I didn't have the Elite package so maybe it come within that package.  I probably wouldn't do the Have It All Again as I like one or two glasses of "good" wine and the wine offered in the standard package wasn't to my liking.

I think the Casinos are all operated by the same company so it seems the offers are crossing Carnival Corp's brands.  Correct me if I'm wrong....

On 4/10/2022 at 10:24 PM, Laplayaperson said:

Again!  Laughing...

JUST FYI - the production shows on the Mardi Gras are fantastic!

8 minutes ago, woodworker&knitter said:

I doubt it. It’s almost a 3 hour trip (270km)

Thank you. I know they offer transportation from Vancouver to Seattle which is approximately 3-4 hours that's why I asked the question.