We’re going to Alaska again - this time on a huge floating hotel named the ENCORE, from Norwegian Cruise Lines. Things are much different this time, which I’ll briefly discuss below.
This cruise is apparently the first for Norwegian since before the pandemic. As a result, there are lots of pre-trip protocols. Even though we are not leaving the U.S., we need to provide proof of citizenship in order to board. Both our passports expired this year. Although we sent in for our renewal a couple of months ago, I only received my renewal this week, while Karen’s is still deep in the catacombs of the State Department processing bureau.
She’ll need her birth certificate. A note in the cruise literature mentions that people who find themselves in a foreign country while travelling with only a birth certificate will not be allowed to return to the U.S. In our case, this situation would only arise if the ship had to drop us off in a Canadian port (due to emergency, for example). While very unlikely, it does make things a little more exciting. However, if something like this does happen, I have my passport, and at least I’ll be able to return home to start international diplomatic procedures to ensure Karen’s eventual return…
We have to show proof of vaccination.
We also have to pass a dockside COVID-19 test in order to board the ship. Testing positive means an early return home. The pre-trip excitement continues to build for us.
Norwegian has made a lot of the cruise preparation easier through our use of their proprietary app, so we’re hoping for a relatively smooth experience on boarding day (this Saturday).
We’ll be cruising with three other couples, who are much more experienced sea cruisers than us. They’ll be introduced to the blog as our trip begins. This post is also a test to see if I can use Karen’s iPad as the tool for our daily dispatches. So far, so good. We fly from OC to Seattle tomorrow. See you in Seattle.
NEXT: Seattle, Dockside Passenger Loading Adventures, Bon Voyage (hopefully)
Bon voyage you two! John and I both laughed our heads off at the thought of Karen stranded in a foreign country. John's words: "Karen would be home before Steve. " 😅
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ReplyDeleteHow exciting! Safe travels. Karen, not a bad place to get stuck in��
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to posts and pics