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I returned to the topic I started a couple of weeks ago to update it, but it got closed by a moderator...not a good omen for what I'm about to reveal...
I claimed back then, in my now dead thread, that I may never fly again, and reported my wife had a bad experience with TSA.
Fast forward to today...we just booked a 14 day Alaska cruise in July 2020, so it looks like I'll be flying again afterall. Florida to Vancouver (where the cruise departs) is just too far to drive, or take a train, or a bus. I looked into chartering a plane, but its more than I care to spend.
I'll have to do that pre-pass thingy with my wife, and hope we don't get molested or ripped off by the TSA agents. I'll ship our suitcases, laptops, camera, * binoculars via UPS to the B&B in Seattle so nothing gets stolen. I can insure it all, and confirm it arrived at the B&B before we depart from FLA. No carry ons at all, no valuables, so the TSA crooks will be very disappointed.
I'm not going to shower for a week leading upto the flight so I'll smell like a street dweller. That should expedite the TSA process.
We found a nonstop flight from Tampa to Seattle, then I'll rent a car and drive up to Vancouver. We'll fly 1st class so some fat sweaty guy wont be hanging over into our space.
We've never been on a cruise before, but the Alaskan one had some really good pictures on the brochure. They were compelling enough for me to risk the crappy commercial flying experience, so I'm sucking it up..taking one for the team.
We're doing some luxe cruise line I've never heard of that claims to be "6 stars".....Seabourn. What are they gonna do to earn that 6th star anyways? I hope its nice because I'll be on & off that tin can for 14 days, and crammed in there with another 450 Sardines. I'm told it's a small "intimate" sized cruise boat, but being in close quarters with 450 other people will make me want to be intimate with a 12 year old bottle of scotch.
I'm hoping I can just drink & sleep the whole time...and get room service, so I won't have to "mingle" with a bunch of 80 year olds who want to tell me all of their health problems. I'm going to wear some big bulky looking noise cancelling headphones and dark shades every time I leave the ships cabin so they won't even try.
I have until March to bail, & get my $ back. Bon Voyage my a%$ If I go through with this, maybe I'll get killed by a Grizzly Bear, Whale, or a Moose, so I won't have to take the return flight home. Does trip insurance cover that
I do know a guy who rode his motorcycle from Kansas City to Alaska. Do you have a motorcycle?
Seriously- I've never taken Seabourne but they have a good reputation so try and keep an open mind. And Alaska really is a good place to travel by ship- it's beautiful from the water and there are lots if interesting critters.
OP, do you mind if I ask what happened to your wife, that turned you (and her) off to flying?
The cruise companies to be avoided are the huge cattle-car ones, like Princess. They're known to have disease breakouts resulting in half or more of the passengers being quarantined. Seabourne has smaller ships, so -- less crowding. Hopefully, they'll be able to maintain sanitary conditions. And your meals undoubtedly will be better than on the bigger cruise ships. The only people who were impressed with the food on the Princess cruise I took to Alaska were the Third World passengers (the company was beginning to advertise heavily in Latin America and Hong Kong).
450 passengers, you say? That's pretty good. Here's what I found about Princess:
Quote:
Princess has everything from large ships carrying over 3,500 passengers [ ] to smaller, more intimate vessels accommodating just 680.
Their definition of "intimate" is 230 people more than your cruise will have.
Alaska's beautiful. Enjoy your trip! I hope everything goes smoothly for you and your luggage! Please share your impressions afterwards.
Most people wouldn’t rent a car in Seattle and drop it in Vancouver. You will get crushed with fees. There are so many Vancouver people using SEATAC that there is good shuttle service.
Personally, I’d rather drive to Orlando and take the nonstop to Vancouver.
I'm not going to shower for a week leading upto the flight so I'll smell like a street dweller. That should expedite the TSA process.
If you smell like a street dweller you will be denied boarding by the airline. Can't have very smelly people in a pressurized capsule.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beach43ofus
I'm hoping I can just drink & sleep the whole time...and get room service, so I won't have to "mingle" with a bunch of 80 year olds who want to tell me all of their health problems. I'm going to wear some big bulky looking noise cancelling headphones and dark shades every time I leave the ships cabin so they won't even try.
I have until March to bail, & get my $ back. Bon Voyage my a%$ If I go through with this, maybe I'll get killed by a Grizzly Bear, Whale, or a Moose, so I won't have to take the return flight home. Does trip insurance cover that
Do your wife a favor and tell you you can't go. What is all the grouchiness about?
Why are you dwelling on all the negative?
I am not finding you believable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beach43ofus
I returned to the topic I started a couple of weeks ago to update it, but it got closed by a moderator...not a good omen for what I'm about to reveal...
I enjoy flying, travel and exploring, so I don't understand what's OP complaining about and all his rant here.
There are always options, at least two: he could travel and enjoy the experience or stay at home and get friendly with the bottle.
Twenty plus years of being a frequent flyer, and never had a single thing stolen. I have absolutely no clue what the OP is yammering on about.
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Florida to Vancouver (where the cruise departs) is just too far to drive, or take a train, or a bus. I looked into chartering a plane, but its more than I care to spend. 
I'm going to wear some big bulky looking noise cancelling headphones and dark shades every time I leave the ships cabin so they won't even try. 
] to smaller, more intimate vessels accommodating just 680.
