Tuesday, March 26, 2019

What a Monday!

I am sitting in Seattle with time to spare between flights and gathering my thoughts about this crazy day!

Catherine, Rich, Sam and Jack were flying today on air miles from YVR to LAX direct on the 8:30 AM Air Canada flight to join us on the Emerald Princess tomorrow.   They booked their flight ages ago.  Catherine has been in Canada for years and has landed status but still flies on a UK passport.  ESTA is an electronic Visa the US requires for anyone flying in or cruising out of the US.  If you carry a Canadian passport, you don't need it.  Catherine has ESTA, but her ESTA expired.  It's only valid for two years and she didn't realize it had expired. 

They got to the airport and Catherine was denied boarding!  ESTA applications are done online and takes 72 hours to process.  She managed to get it faster, probably because it was a renewal but missed her flight.  Rich and Jack took the Air Canada flight and Catherine and Sam rebooked another flight through Seattle.  You don't need ESTA to drive across the US/Canada border, but you do need ESTA to board a cruise ship. It was a hectic few hours and thankfully it turned out well.  Glad they left a day early!

The replacement flight Catherine booked and paid dearly for was so late she would miss her connection in Seattle.  Because of the 737 Max problem, all direct flights were full.  Delta found her another flight through Seattle and will get into LA at 8 PM.  When you get up at 4 AM, that's a long day.  She texted and said Sammy was really being good. 

Just before we left for the airport, I got a phone call from Princess.  They offered me a "Move Down Offer"!  She didn't need to explain it to me as I already knew what it was.  If we gave up our Caribe 9 X 9 balcony and moved to an inside cabin, Princess will refund my entire cruise!!!!  I couldn't say yes fast enough.  She gave us an cabin six doors down from Richard, Jack, Sam and Catherine on Caribe deck.  I do like a balcony but for a full refund, I'll manage for three days. 

I don't like early morning flights and booked a 737 at 3 PM to Seattle and a nonstop Seattle to Los Angeles first class, using my Alaska air miles!  I took the flight with the least air miles and we have four hours in Seattle.  Not a problem, I love the first class lounge! 

We are staying at the Embassy Suites close to LAX and I used my Avion air miles!  They serve an awesome breakfast.  I knew the boys would love to swim in the pool.  Super Shuttle is picking us up.  My treat as a travel agent for everyone and besides Cec and I were booked on the Princess transfers and it was more for two on the Princess transfers than the direct shuttle for six!

When we arrive back on Friday at Canada Place, we will take Skytrain to King George and then the 345 bus that takes us right home.  We left by taking the 375 to 152 & King George, transferred to the 351 to Bridgeport station and then Skytrain right to the airport terminal.  I think it's funny, we go to the airport by bus and then to the first class lounge.

Cost of this trip:  Air taxes $120.66, Skytrain/bus to airport and from Canada Place home for both of us: $15.60
I have a $50.00 US on board credit with Princess that will cover my tips, so this trip is probably the cheapest I've ever done!   I don't count Super Shuttle as it's a travel agent perk for clients.  I always give everyone who books with me something.  It's usually $50 or dinner on board, but this is a short, cheap cruise so I gave them the shuttle as a gift.

Life is good.  My beer is empty, time to get another one and enough time to book another cruise!

From the Alaska Airlines lounge at 5:20 PM PDT!

Megalomaniac - ???

I love learning new words.  I'd never heard this one so I looked it up: What is a megalomaniac person? A megalomaniac is a pathological ...