Dan's review

Carnival Legend Cruise Review to Alaska - Inside Passage

dansueheld

Contributor Level: Purser

Cruises: 7+ cruises

Review: 1

Helpful Votes: 13

Overall rating:

4 out of 5

Verified Review

7 Night Alaska With Glacier Bay (Seattle Roundtrip)

Sail date: May 24, 2016

Ship: Carnival Legend

Cabin type: Balcony

Cabin number: 8133

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 8 years ago

Review summary

Carnival did its usual fine job , but we were not 100% satisfied with two things:

1. There was no explicit warnings on-line or in email correspondence that in capital letters: NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO BOARD THE SHIP IN SEATTLE WITHOUT VALID PASSPORT OR EQUIVALENT BIRTH CERTIFICATE. We had to pay $700 on date of sailing to expedite two passport cards within a time frame of 5 hours costing us boarding of SeaTac shuttle as pre-paid for, etc. Sailing date was one of the worst of our entire lives and we very nearly missed ship boarding altogether.

2. The Nouveau Steakhouse, while nice, served what we regard as very average quality food even though nicely presented. For an Alaskan Cruise we'd expected far more fresh Alaskan seafood on board and found NONE even at the Nouveau.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Onboard Activities

3 out of 5

Entertainment

5 out of 5

Children's Programs

3 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

3 out of 5

theater sight lines upstairs leave MUCH to be desired

Cabin / Stateroom

3 out of 5

needs a flatscreen TV and a music system of some kind

Ship tip

Take your passport with you even if you're not disembarking at Victoria!!!!

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Seattle, Washington

5 out of 5

Juneau, Alaska

5 out of 5

Skagway, Alaska

5 out of 5

Cruise Glacier Bay

5 out of 5

Ketchikan, Alaska

1 out of 5

Victoria, British Columbia

3 out of 5

22 Comments

lmorrill57 8 years ago

We were booking our hotel reservations at AAA and one of the sales ladies called Carnival two different times and they told her we Had to have a passport since we were getting off the boat in VanCouver. So we got them. We are riding the Amtrak back to Seattle so not even flying! The post office told us our passport cards would work and we didn't need the books but we didn't want to take any chance

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bouncytime 8 years ago

you don't need a passport for canada either, just your sail & sign card and photo ID.

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DFromATX 8 years ago

I think you would need a passport for any excursions in Canada, but otherwise, no. The OP does say passport "OR" BC. I wonder what she tried to get on with if she didn't have one of those items? Just curious.

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Christine1051 8 years ago

And music was on one of the channels on the TV. Our TV was a flatscreen, hmm. Balconies get them only???? I agree it would have been nice to have fresh fish from the local areas there, but what they did have on the dining room menu was delicious! Even the fish served at the Lido buffet at lunches was great. Ketchikan, we were definitely not there long enough. The rain stopped just before we sailed, too.

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Christine1051 8 years ago

I have to agree with everyone who say it is on their website. So sorry you never saw it. Our travel agent (we book through Carnival, our agent there and she transfers it to our AAA Travel Agent), gets our passport numbers for the final paperwork, but we still bring the actual passports. You would not have been able to get back into Seattle without such identification showing you were a US Citizen.

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lwenglar 8 years ago

I'm sailing out tomorrow, is the pool enclosed and heated one you get to Alaska?

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Katievp 8 years ago

Ok good. ☺

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KiylieCrisp 8 years ago

@katievp, I know, thank you, I was proving to to @akb3470 that their website clearly states you DONT have to have a passport. You can have whichever one you choose.

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KiylieCrisp 8 years ago

Also from their site: For cruises that begin and/or end in a U.S port, the following WHTI-Compliant Documents are acceptable for cruise travel. These standard forms of documentation will enable the Department of Homeland Security to quickly and reliably identify a traveler. U.S. Passport | Passport Card | State Enhanced Driver's License | Certificate of U.S. Naturalization | Native American Ind

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Katievp 8 years ago

Kiylieraven, I was agreeing with you. It's akb3470 that is giving out incorrect info.

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KiylieCrisp 8 years ago

From their website: Also acceptable for cruise travel, U.S. citizens can show proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate issued by a government agency, accompanied by a government-issued photo I.D.

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Katievp 8 years ago

The website plainly states that passports are not required for closed loop sailings out of the US.

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KiylieCrisp 8 years ago

Yes actually I have did my research on excursions and for carnival to board and called them to make sure. You do NOT have to have a passport, you can use your birth certificate & state issued ID OR a passport. So yes your information is incorrect. You do NOT have to have a passport!

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akb3470 8 years ago

Kiylieraven it IS absolutely on the website, ALL over your boarding papers AND excursion info, if you have bought any! No incorrect information here!

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Katievp 8 years ago

AKB3470,You absolutely DO NOT. Look at the website,do your research before you start spitting out incorrect information.

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KiylieCrisp 8 years ago

You don't HAVE to have a passport

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akb3470 8 years ago

There IS notification everywhere that you MUST have a PASSPORT! Look at the details

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Katievp 8 years ago

Documentation requirements were the first thing I looked up online after booking. It's spelled out on the website as clear as can be.

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trmn8tr 8 years ago

Plain and simple. You didn't do your research. As others have stated, it is most certainly on Carnivals Website about suitable identification to have in order to board ANY of their ships. No matter what port you are cruising from.

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KiylieCrisp 8 years ago

It is very clear on their website you need either a passport or an ID & birth certificate

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bouncytime 8 years ago

It is very clear on the requirements to be able to board. passport or certified original copy of birth certificate.

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gmce11 8 years ago

I'm pretty sure that all of the identification requirements are on their website. It even lists what is and is not acceptable form of communication.

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