twangster

Back when Canada required a COVID app be filled out for every entry this type of itinerary required filling out the app twice as each entry to Canada was unique. When a ship stops in Victoria before ending in Seattle the immigration process is performed automatically, at least for US citizens. Like any cruise ship arriving to a port of call, the ship announces that the ship has been cleared. At that point everyone is free to leave the ship without being processed or seeing CBSA on land. Citizens beyond WHTI countries may be handled differently.

Royal's train departs later in the day from a station near the airport in Anchorage and it ends right at the cruise terminal in Seward. It leaves later so that fly in guests landing in the morning can make the train but this means it arrives in Seward late afternoon or early evening. This is a charter train with only Royal guests on board. The Alaskan Railroad direct train operates from the downtown Anchorage station and ends at the public train station in Seward. This is a ten minute walk or a complimentary coach ride to the cruise terminal. The direct train leaves early in the morning and arrives in Seward mid-day. Anyone can book the direct train including tourists who are not taking a cruise. Goldstar isn't always offered on the Royal charter train. It depends. I'd call and ask. If it is the on-board experience will be the same as the direct Goldstar booked train. In both cases once you handoff your luggage in Anchorage you won't see it again until it is outside your cabin door on the ship. Personally I like arriving earlier to the ship so I tend to book direct.

Looks like they make good money.

In order to sail from Vancouver to LA the ship has to get to Vancouver. That means the last Seattle departure would have to return to Vancouver. For those guests it becomes a PITA to get home from Vancouver when compared to returning to Seattle and flying home domestically from Seattle. That scares off a lot of US guests who desire a Seattle round trip cruise for simplicity and lower airfare costs. For Hawaii they have no choice but to use Vancouver to satisfy the PVSA so they do. Ending a Seattle based cruise in Vancouver is another matter. In the past they sometimes offered a one or two night repo cruise between Seattle and Vancouver but those were lightly booked and often very cheap, to the point it's not worth it. A short Vancouver to LA cruise might appeal to a few, but not masses. Vancouver, like all Canadian cities has high airport fees so flying to Vancouver costs more money. For a short cruise like a proposed Vancouver to LA repo you can easily spend more money on airfare compared to cruise fare. It appeals to some, but not many. When many aren't going to book it, it's more cost effective to run without any guests.

Ensenada is a foreign port but it is not a distant foreign port as defined in the PVSA. Ensenada obviously works fine as a foreign port for closed loop San Pedro cruises. It doesn't meet the requirements for a open jaw or one way cruise between two different US cities.

He can share his vouchers but since he has the drink package they may initially react as though he is trying to share drink package drinks. He'll need to be very clear, "I'd like to use one of my Diamond drinks for my wife and a drink for me using the drink package". Just be very clear he is trying to order you a drink using his Diamond vouchers, not the drink package and you should be fine.

The key is the verbiage "* up to" the amounts shown above. I've done some NC bookings with $0 OBC, or $17.50, or $37 or some other weird amount. It will be what they tell you it is at the time of your visit.

The move to short FL cruises allows them to charge more per night and it allows them to put more bodies on CocoCay which is a money printing machine right now.

Call CAS at ‭(800) 526-9723‬ and request your new spouse be added in a relationship with you.

They can't sail with passengers between two US cities without having to deal with the PVSA (Passenger Vessel Services Act - Federal Law). Seattle to San Pedro would require sailing to an allowed "distant" foreign country such as South America or Asia along the itinerary to satisfy the PVSA. For the purposes of the PVSA, Canada is not a "distant" foreign port so it can't be used to satisfy the PVSA for open jaw cruises between different US cities. Consequently they have a choice. End the last Alaska cruise in Vancouver and sail from Vancouver to San Pedro with passengers or sail without passengers from Seattle to San Pedro. Ending the last Seattle based cruise to Alaska in Vancouver is massively disruptive to all the folks on board who would now have to deal with flying home from Vancouver in another country. It appears they chose the second option, an empty "deadhead" repo cruise from Seattle to San Pedro.

Call Royal. Just explain it's a what if scenario, unsure if it will happen. The other family will need to do the changes to their cabins so maybe a conference call with them, or get together around the kitchen table. The only complication is removing guests from your cabin so you are solo. You'll have a cabin capable of 3 people so you may be repriced when dropping to solo, and maybe forced to move cabins at prevailing rates. Maybe have some fake names to join you in your cabin so that doesn't happen.

Royal has been trying to kill MTD for a few years now. They made MTD chaotic trying to make MTD unappealing. This appears to be the final nail.

The suite lounge has those perks for Sky and Star class suites but keep in kind you have to go to the deck 17 suite lounge for them. If you are lounging on the suite sun deck that bar does not offer the same perks. No matter where you are on the ship you need to go to the suite lounge to get a complimentary 11-11 beer, wine or bottle of water.

For one they need to blitz PDCC as much as possible. Spend there stays with Royal. For a second reason, the Bimini pier was built by a competitor. Going there puts money in someone else's pocket. Virgin has little choice. They need somewhere to go. They don't have their own port or private island so anywhere they go is putting money in someone else's pocket. Other cruise lines, not so much.

The question they are asking is... If Voom was included would more people book a suite on these older ships? Probably not. So they don't offer it. There is little reason to offer something that will reduce revenue while not motivating people to step up to a suite. The demographic that books suites on the older ships is going to book suites on the older ships with or without Voom included.

I would have a conversation with the deck supervisor. Ask for them specifically, that is who the cabin attendant reports to. Explain how you marked the glasses and they were not replaced despite your request. Let them manage their crew member and coach them to do better. BTW - there is a national noro outbreak going on. It's in the news but largely being ignored because the media hasn't yet tagged cruise ship to the noro headlines. https://www.today.com/video/cdc-issues-warning-of-norovirus-outbreak-throughout-us-205002309648 Feb. 27, 2024 A norovirus outbreak is impacting communities nationwide and the CDC says its crucial that everyone take precautions from the highly contagious stomach bug. NBC’s Dr. Tara Narula breaks down the symptoms and ways to stay safe on TODAY.

Royal suite class doesn't exist on this class. It's only on Oasis, Quantum and Icon class. It's one of my beefs with the suite product across the fleet, very inconsistent. On this class in a full suite you'll get access to the Suite/Concierge Lounge, breakfast in Chops and a nicer cabin.

Despite that Royal insists they can't include Voom on the older ship full suites because they are so much cheaper.

I don't mind the short Florida cruises for an occasional getaway but at premium rates it's a hard pass for me. I have many bucket list destinations on my list. When a short Florida cruise represents a sizeable chunk of a bucket list cruise I tend to save my money to apply towards my list.

I have to mention the Queen Mary as a candidate hotel. From Long Beach it's a 10-15 minute Uber ride away from the port and I'm a big fan of the QM. Such amazing history.

Be aware it doesn't look like all CAS discounts are loaded right now. This is common at this point.

In summary: Jewel doesn't go to Europe, joins the short Florida market from Port Everglades doing 3/4 for the late spring and summer of 2025. Wonder hangs around Port Canaveral doing 7 nights until the end of August then moves to Miami to start 3/4. Freedom continues doing short Florida but with some 3/4/5/6 from Miami. Utopia stays in Port Canaveral doing 3/4. Liberty stays in Port Everglades doing short Florida 3/4. Quantum joins Navigator in LA.

They are available in the TA portal, so if you have a good TA and they know what you are looking for, you should be set.

Ovation stands out as needing a home for the summer of 2025. The northern hemisphere summer that is.

Summer of 2025... Tokyo anyone?