ChrisK2793

They’ll be quarantined for that one day and then disembarked last after all other passengers other than your family have gotten off the ship.

Only UNVACCINATED children 2 and older are tested and it’s done the morning before the cruise is over…. So on a 6 night cruise, it’s the morning of day 6 for you where you get off the ship on day 7.  This is a current US government requirement that they have to be tested 24 hours before returning.
 

The utter ridiculousness of governments in their handling of Covid (nearly 2 years in) makes me think of that funny (but profane) movie Idiocracy. It was hysterical….and yet, with bureaucratic nonsense like this, I have to wonder just how long it will take society to reach Idiocracy.  It doesn’t seem like such a big stretch any more. 😕

‘The freestyle drink cup is only to get self serve soda drinks from the freestyle Coke machines ……. You can order soda from any bar and they give you it in a can or a glass.
Also, right now because of “Covid” they aren’t even leaving the freestyle cups in your room.  If you have the DBP and want them, you have to go to a bar and ask for the cups.

Coming from the ultimate suite snob, I probably would NOT pay $7K more for a suite over a balcony.

‘The craziness of Canada is why we decided to do our June Alaska cruise round trip from Seattle rather than one way to or from Vancouver!   
 
 

‘The craziness of Canada is why we decided to do our June Alaska cruise round trip from Seattle rather than one way to or from Vancouver!   
 
 

Canada sure is trying really hard to avoid something entering the country that's already there.

I like both and you will already have elite status on celebrity if you are diamond or diamond plus on RCL.  I like some of the perks on celebrity like the always included drink package.  For kids and teens, Ovation probably has more things to do.   Save the northbound or southbound trip for when you can go to Denali national park and Anchorage before or after the cruise.  There are so many great wildlife things there!! 
Millennium is a small ship, but nice for Alaska views!  

Ok …… so we decided we’re doing the round trip from Seattle …… bigger/newer ship and we don’t have to worry about Canada closing down cruises to or from Vancouver.
 

I hope not!!  We’re also on the March 25 sailing!!!

@rjac ….. on the Western portion of your B2B ……  if it stops at Costa Maya, I HIGHLY recommend the Chachoben Mayan Ruins ….. the cruise planner makes it sound like it may be nothing …….. but it was AMAZING ……. They have about a dozen fully intact Mayan pyramids …… you can touch and climb on them to an extent.  We loved it and our 8yo at the time (now 10) son loved it.  We almost didn’t book it because the cruise planner made it sound like it could be crap ……. But it was GREAT ……. It’s right at an hour from the port and you spend 90 minutes there with your same guide from the bus ride showing your around.
 

You didn’t say how old your grandkids are ……. If they’re younger, here’s a kid’s play area that they can also use for free ….. 
 

This is an aerial view of the pool you can use for free …..
 

This will be just "Perfect!"

Awesome!  I figured there was one but I just wanted to make sure. 

They are teenagers (13 & 16).

This is an aerial view of the pool you can use for free …..
 

You didn’t say how old your grandkids are ……. If they’re younger, here’s a kid’s play area that they can also use for free ….. 
 

YES ……. Outside in the free area of Cococay, there is a HUGE pool with a swim up bar.  I think it’s supposed to be the biggest pool in the Caribbean.  Also, when you go underwater in this pool, you can hear bassy music playing.
 

One of the advantages of being in Florida is being able to book these short cruises.

‘if you can possibly squeeze in a 2 or 3 night cheap cruise just before your next cruise ….. when you get on your next already schedules long cruise, even though those 2 or 3 points won’t be officially showing yet …..because you already completed and got off the cruise you earned them on …..  if you go to the Crown and Anchor desk on the next cruise ….. they can get you bumped up to Diamond for that cruise.
That’s about the only way to get there by your planned long cruise.
 

Mason Jar? So they're putting a Cracker Barrel on board?

That would be awesome !  I love Cracker Barrel

Just wanted to share our experience for other Canadians needing PCR test after cruise for return to Canada. As I posted in other threads when our Symphony cruise was cancelled 24 hours prior to sailing my wife was able to get us onto Norwegian Joy. Although Royal had discontinued providing PCR tests on board Norwegian was still doing it, until new policy that came into effect Jan.8. (The date of our sailing) We has planed to use Nomi health at Miami airport for our return test anyways so no big deal. However, we received a letter to our stateroom that NCL had partnered with a company called Inspire Diagnostics to provide PCR tests at the terminal for international travellers at a cost of $120USD per person. We were impressed with their pre boarding testing setup (did not know it was a different company) so we decided it would be easy and convenient (results were guaranteed within 45 minutes). We made appointments (had to prepay) and enjoyed the rest of the cruise. When we got off the ship no one could tell us where we were supposed to go. We finally found it on our own, it was literally a folding table set up in the parking lot. At that point we would have walked away if we hadn’t already prepaid. They then had us swab ourselves. We questioned if that was even a PCR test and they ensured us it was and they would email us the results. My wife asked for a phone number to contact in case there was a problem or we didn’t get results. They could not provide us with a phone number. We left for the airport and awaited our results. As an hour passed and we still didn’t have our results we really started to get worried. Finally after 2.5 hours we received emails saying both my wife’s test and my own were inconclusive! With just 2 hours before our flight boards now we ran to Nomi health in Miami Airport. We were able to register and get tested immediately. We paid $358USD for 2 rapid PCR tests. We explained our predicament and they promised our results in 30 minutes. My wife set a timer and 17 minutes later we received our negative results. This is not a tale of woe, this is to just inform you that you are better off paying the extra and getting tested at the airport. The setups at the terminal are hokey at best.