Coral Heading for Alaska

[drdaddy]

Just watched the Coral depart Canada place for what I guess is the first trip of the 2005 Alaska season for her. Only 85 minutes late and last out of the gate! Is that typical? But a beautiful sight nonetheless and we can't wait until it is our turn.

[donna5]

Probably had people stuck in line for customs arriving in Vancouver. We were on standby for a flight and didn't get on. There was no other way out of the airport except to go around to arrival area and back through customs. There must have been over 2 thousand people in line. Maybe even more. This was around 1:30 to 2:30 PM and even when we got through at 2:30 (it took an hour and a half) There was just as many people behind us as when we got in line.

[drdaddy]

Makes me very happy that we are going two days early!

[chasetf]

Trying to think if we are going to Alaska, how would I want to do it.

 

I would want to B2B on the Island or Coral (which we have not done) but see them in Vancouver with two other ships arriving / departing. Seems to me crowded terminal / crowed customs / crowded airport. So maybe Dawn or Sun (which we have done) is a better choice because they are by themselves in Vancouver. B2B out of Whitter would seem to be less congested, but then there is the 3 hr bus ride in and out. Plus the added airfare to Anchorage. But maybe it would be worth it.

 

Then there is the Diamond or Saphire out of Seattle. Same problem with other ships in jamming up the terminal and airport. Good reason to arrive day before and leave day after.

 

I would also be curious to hear people's impression of Juneau, Skagway, Sitka or Ketchican with five other ships in. Especially with the mega ships - that's 15 thousand people arriving at once.

 

On our only trip some years ago the most we had in port were two other ships with a max of probably 6 thousand folks total. Wonder if the ports have geared up with the additional planes / helicopters / buses / etc....

[derf5585]

If you want to check her progress go to her webcam

at

http://www.princess.com/ships/co/index.html

[dvz]

I'm amazed that it wasn't later--we got off the Coral on the 14th, and, with three ships unloading/loading at the same time at Canada Place, it took us 1 1/2 hours in line (after going quickly through customs, and working our way around bunches of people just standing there) to get the rental car we had reserved from Hertz! It was a zoo--you couldn't move in there! If the incoming bunch were as confused as the outgoing, especially, it seemed, from the HAL, which had been in port for a while before us, but just off-loaded when we did, only in front of us, so they just kind of pushed their way into lines of Princess passengers. It seemed like the 3 ships just dumped their human cargo all at once in that one big room! There were innumerable people standing around with NCL signs, as well. Complete chaos.

 

Dotti