Saint Greg's Splendor - Seattle to Alaska - Live - May 24-31

[Saint Greg]

I saw someone posted that all-state is out of e-gift cards. I thought ahead and loaded my Apple wallet with singles right when they became available to cover any additional onboard expenses these next couple cruises.

 

 

[blarko]

29 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

 

I saw someone posted that all-state is out of e-gift cards

 

AARP seems to always have both the $500 and $100 e-gift cards available. You do have to be a member of AARP to purchase them but a membership is really cheap, especially when they have a sale. I think I paid $8/yr the last time I renewed. I’ve gotten my money’s worth a hundred times over with the gift cards I purchase through them plus the discounts I’ve received from being a member. 

[Saint Greg]

1 hour ago, blarko said:

AARP seems to always have both the $500 and $100 e-gift cards available. You do have to be a member of AARP to purchase them but a membership is really cheap, especially when they have a sale. I think I paid $8/yr the last time I renewed. I’ve gotten my money’s worth a hundred times over with the gift cards I purchase through them plus the discounts I’ve received from being a member. 

oh wow. I thought you had to be 50 to join. According to their website there is no minimum age to sign up. Good to know. I’m definitely a fan of the e-cards after my ups scare.

 

 

[Saint Greg]

I’ve been working on my schedule. I lost a couple hours in the flight change but at least I didn’t lose the entire day. If I were to eliminate something from the schedule it would be the aquarium which is part of the city pass deal. And I don’t know if I would use the second space needle pass.
 

I decided I do want to do 1st space needle, chihuly, mopop, and the harbor cruise. When I added all that up it came to like $118-120. The pass is $115 so I decided just buy it and the aquarium and second space needle are freebies if I want to use them.

 

They also have a C3 pass where you can just pick three options on the right for $83. The museum of flight and zoo are not near downtown so I wouldn’t even consider those. I’m going to do sky view but it’s only like $25.

 

 

 

It was a total of $117.

 

 

 

 

They give you a QR code you can scan at the places. I saw on the harbor cruise website you could redeem your city pass for an online reservation. I think for that you would type in the number below the QR code. You have one year to start using the pass. Once you start it you have nine days to use all of your tickets.

 

 

 

 

You can add it to your Apple wallet.

 

 

 

 

[icft]

8 minutes ago, Saint Greg said:

I’ve been working on my schedule. I lost a couple hours in the flight change but at least I didn’t lose the entire day. If I were to eliminate something from the schedule it would be the aquarium which is part of the city pass deal. And I don’t know if I would use the second space needle pass.
 

I decided I do want to do 1st space needle, chihuly, mopop, and the harbor cruise. When I added all that up it came to like $118-120. The pass is $115 so I decided just buy it and the aquarium and second space needle are freebies if I want to use them.

 

They also have a C3 pass where you can just pick three options on the right for $83. The museum of flight and zoo are not near downtown so I wouldn’t even consider those. I’m going to do sky view but it’s only like $25.

 

 

 

It was a total of $117.

 

 

 

 

They give you a QR code you can scan at the places. I saw on the harbor cruise website you could redeem your city pass for an online reservation. I think for that you would type in the number below the QR code. You have one year to start using the pass. Once you start it you have nine days to use all of your tickets.

 

 

 

 

You can add it to your Apple wallet.

 

 

 

 

I am amazed at all the detailed planning you do. I tried to do that a couple of times in the past and it just drove me nuts. I have decided I don't want to be like you, just marry someone like you.

[cruises42]

I don’t think we have ever gotten a discount for using Carnival Mastercard for excursions. How/where do they post it?

[RazorPokesHoney]

On 5/14/2022 at 10:51 PM, b8nkr said:

We will be on the spirit 5/18. Can you tell me if carnival is for sure offering port valet this year? 

We were on the 5/2 Splendor and they are not offering it yet. I had previously ask JH and he had said no so I cancelled my reservation. 

[RazorPokesHoney]

I look forward to your journey. Being on the first sailing out, there was some bumps but overall we had a wonderful time. That first day at sea was a little rocky so some Dramamine on hand might not be a bad idea. Tracy Arm was the first thing we bought. It did sell out and they added another boat, it's well worth the money. We did the train in Skagway, whale watching in Icy Straight, and bought tickets to Mendenhall on the dock so we'd have enough time to explore. 

Bought my gift card through AARP since I'm hoovering around that 50 mark and saved 10%. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by RazorPokesHoney

[Saint Greg]

43 minutes ago, cruises42 said:

I don’t think we have ever gotten a discount for using Carnival Mastercard for excursions. How/where do they post it?

It’s an automatic statement credit a day or two after the booking.

[maryann2]

I am also following as I am booked for July 5th.

This will be my third time to Alaska. The first HAL in September, second Royal in May and now in July.

I am taking the quick shuttle from Vancouver Waterfront straight to Pier 91. My previous sailings were out of Vancouver.

 

[arctickitty]

On 5/14/2022 at 9:44 AM, IntrepidFromDC said:

Saint Greg!  So excited for you!  We've done 20 cruises, all Carnival and have done Alaska three times.  For my daughter and me, nothing in the Caribbean comes close to the beauty of Alaska!  BTW, on Alaska cruises, the CD takes a back seat to a scientist/naturalist who will board as you approach the inner passage and they will wow you with amazing history and facts about glaciers, etc.  They also stay on the bridge with binoculars and will announce wildlife ahead in time for you to get to the side of the ship to view them.  Also, the entire trip is beautiful, even when you're cruising from port to port - no endless seas view.  Speaking of ports, they're real Alaskan working towns!  No Carnival shopping crap to wade through!  I can't wait to follow you on soon-to-be your favorite cruise ever!  If you have binoculars be sure to bring them, otherwise Carnival will sell some "eh" binoculars to you.

there was not a naturalist on board my May 2 Splendor sailing.  Andy the CD started to read a script but later said that due to environmental regulations they were to limit announcements.

[mopedmom1]

@Saint GregI wholeheartedly agree with your City Pass choices. We went to the Aquarium and it was a disappointment.  However, if you have the time I would recommend both trips up the Space Needle, one in the daylight and one at dusk to watch the city come to light. 

[KmomChicago]

5 hours ago, arctickitty said:

there was not a naturalist on board my May 2 Splendor sailing.  Andy the CD started to read a script but later said that due to environmental regulations they were to limit announcements.

Noise pollution? 😝🎙🙊🗣

[jimbo5544]

Looking forward to another Saint Greg review!  Bring it on

[ninjacat123]

13 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

I saw someone posted that all-state is out of e-gift cards. I thought ahead and loaded my Apple wallet with singles right when they became available to cover any additional onboard expenses these next couple cruises.

 

 

You seeing Wicked?  Great show!!

[Saint Greg]

7 minutes ago, ninjacat123 said:

You seeing Wicked?  Great show!!

Yeah that’s for the next review.

[TravelGirlinDallas]

Are you doing the Underground Tour? I've done it twice and it was pretty interesting/entertaining.

[arctickitty]

2 hours ago, KmomChicago said:

Noise pollution? 😝🎙🙊🗣

He said the captain said so.

 

My ex parents in laws did a Princess Alaska cruise and had a naturalist.  I did Norwegian and didn’t have one.  I assumed Carnival was in the same price bracket as NCL and just didn’t haven’t them.  Curious if anyone has one this summer.  The Alaska State Ferry used to have one and I enjoyed him a lot.  I’m sure Saint Greg will tell us!

 

As for the announcements, it was merciful that the captain banned Andy from making many because he couldn’t pronounce half the words on the script and English is his first language.

 

As for noise pollution, I was skeptical but actually see the point.  Our entire hike in Ketchikan we kept hearing the ding doo doo doo ding and mwah mwah mwah of another ship that was docked.  If I lived in one of these ports, I think I’d get behind a local noise ordinance that limited the onboard announcements.  The sound carries far up into the mountains.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2837263-arctickitty-tackles-alaska-carnival-splendor-02-10-may-2022-trip-planning-trip-report-mehhhhbe-some-live/page/12/#comment-63215109

[arctickitty]

Saint Greg,

 

regarding your Victoria plans, YMMV, but we heard lots of complaints from people who took the bus tour about it being shortened due to delays in disembarkation and not being able to see anything at night from the bus windows.  If you don’t want to walk around, there were a gazillion pedicabs and rickshaws at the dock offering tours and that seemed like a better vantage point for seeing than a bus.  As we were walking around, we kept coming across one of them and it was an actual tour with commentary, not just a ride.  Seeing as how my trip report is still in Juneau, I haven’t covered Victoria yet, but many sights were beautifully lit.
 

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by arctickitty

[Saint Greg]

15 minutes ago, TravelGirlinDallas said:

Are you doing the Underground Tour? I've done it twice and it was pretty interesting/entertaining.

yeah that’s in the plans.

[cruises42]

10 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

It’s an automatic statement credit a day or two after the booking.

Thanks, I’ll have to check our statement when we get home (on the Mardi Gras now).

[retiring soon]

Hi all!

 

SaInt Greg ~ sounds like some great plans for Seattle! We went to the Chihuly Gardens which were beautiful & the restaurant there was interesting too, the food good.

 

The underground tour sounds very interesting so I look forward to your report on that.

We went to see the fish tossing at the Pike Market Place as both of us had seen it in a motivational video at our workplaces.

 

We passed on the Space Needle as coming from Toronto it looked to be missing something to us!😉

 

Have a great week & stay safe.

 

~ Jo ~ 😊

[TrqoisWtrs]

16 hours ago, Saint Greg said:

I decided I do want to do 1st space needle, chihuly, mopop

The glass place was cool and so is the pop museum.  You can take a pic on Prince's motorcycle from Purple Rain.😊  All of these don't take that long to walk through, are close together, and so works great for seeing a lot in a day.

[Saint Greg]

3 hours ago, cruisin*tigger said:

You can take a pic on Prince's motorcycle from Purple Rain.

Well I’ll definitely be doing that!

[Angua]

On 5/14/2022 at 8:20 AM, Saint Greg said:

 

I have heard some people say the NAAT test I’ve been taking through Walgreens is actually a PCR test. Until I hear that directly from Carnival, I’m not taking my chances.

Greg, NAAT stands for Nucleic Acid Amplification test, which is a PCR.  I am an R&D scientist that designs infectious disease tests for a national medical testing lab, so I hope that clears that up.