Registration for the 2019 Escape to Alaska is now closed!
We hope you will join us in 2020 when we Escape to the British Isles!
Mother Nature provides a majestic backdrop for onboard classes and casual stitching on this needlework cruise from Seattle to beautiful Alaska!
Seven Unforgettable Nights!
September 6 – 13, 2019
This is an exclusive cruise for Stitchers’ Escapes. You must book through our group in order to participate in group activities.
Cruising Itinerary
Friday, September 6: Embark in Seattle, Washington
Saturday, September 7: Cruising, Classes, and Casual Stitching
Sunday, September 8: Cruising: Inside Passage / Port of Call in Juneau, Alaska
Monday, September 9: Port of Call: Skagway, Alaska
Tuesday, September 10: Cruising: Endicott Arm & Dawes Glacier, Alaska
Wednesday, September 11: Cruising, Classes, and Casual Stitching
Thursday, September 12: Port of Call: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Friday, September 13: Disembark in Seattle, Washington
Stitching Opportunities Galore!
Take a class, bring a project of your own choosing and/or enjoy the cruise stitch-along project. Stitchers of all levels are welcome. Onboard, we will have a dedicated space for classes and casual stitching in the ship’s conference center. Located on Deck 13, the Ovation of the Seas’ conference center has a broad range of windows for panoramic views so we won’t miss a thing!
Fees & Fares
Payments, in US dollars, can be made by personal check, credit card, or debit card.
For each cabin type, we offer both a Stitcher price and a Non-stitcher price. All prices include the cruise fare, all taxes and port fees, and gratuities. Classes, travel insurance, and shore excursions during our ports of call are not included.
The Stitcher fare also includes group onboard activities, the stitch-along project, and our special stitcher goodie bag. Classes are optional and not included in your fare. The Non-stitcher price is for your traveling companion who does not want the stitch-along project or the stitcher goodie bag.
We offer your choice of stateroom configurations on a first-come, first-served basis. All include a sitting area, private bath with shower, hair dryer, TV, phone, and 110/220 electrical outlets. All cabins have two twin beds that can convert to a Royal King. We have a limited number of each type in our group inventory.
We love group travel! We can provide special benefits that are not available on an individual reservation. However, this means fare discounts offered by Royal Caribbean are not allowed under our contract. You must register through Stitchers’ Escapes. Send questions to Jean: jeanfarish@gmail.com.
Deposit Info and How to Register
Please read carefully.
Your registration will be secure with a $300 per person non-refundable deposit. After we receive your deposit, we divide your balance into equal payment amounts with specific payment dates. Final payment will be due May 15, 2019
Upon receipt of your registration application, we will confirm availability of your cabin preference and then send you an invoice which you can pay one of three ways: by check, credit card, or debit card.
If you are not paying the deposit for all occupants of your cabin, your cabin mate(s) must submit a registration form and deposit within 7 days or the organizers reserve the right to release your cabin. If you have not yet arranged to share your cabin, you may register and a cabin will be held for you at the discretion of the organizers. Until all people in a cabin pay their deposit(s), the cabin is under a tentative hold and is not taken from the group inventory.
To register, be prepared to pay your deposit and have the following information for yourself and any cabin mates for whom you are paying the deposit:
- Your name as it appears on your passport (if you have not yet received your passport, you can fill in your legal name)
- Cabin preference (we assign cabins on a first-come, first-served basis)
Cancellation Policy
In the event you have to cancel for any reason, the following refund schedule will be in effect:
Until September 30, 2018: 100% of total funds paid to date, less your $300 non-refundable deposit
Between October 1, 2018 and February 28, 2019: 75% of total funds paid to date, less your $300 non-refundable deposit
Between March 1, 2019 and June 30, 2019: 50% of total funds paid to date, less your $300 non-refundable deposit
After July 1, 2019: No refund
Roommates
We do not keep a list of people who want to come and are seeking roommates. We encourage you to use your own network and social media to find a suitable roommate. Our Stitchers’ Escapes group Facebook page is a good way to let it be known that you want to join the cruise and are looking for someone to share a cabin. https://www.facebook.com/groups/stitchersescapescruise/
Our Ship
We are sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas, a Quantum class ship and the fifth largest cruise vessel in the world. Ovation is currently sailing from ports in China and Australia and is moving to the Pacific Northwest in the spring of 2019 … just in time for us! In addition to all the usual amenities we have come to expect on a RCCL ship (pools, hot tubs, spa, and fitness centers), Ovation also boasts innovative entertainment venues like a skydiving simulator, a bar with robot bartenders, bumper cars, and an observation “deck” in a glass capsule with a mechanical arm that rises into the air for a bird’s-eye view!
Are you a first time cruiser? Here’s some general information that may be useful: meals from many onboard venues, such as the Main Dining Room and Windjammer Cafe are included in the price of your cruise. Your fare also includes some beverages such as coffee, tea, water, lemonade, and several juices. For bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffee, wine, and alcohol based drinks, you can either make purchases on a per item basis or purchase a beverage package. The night time entertainment is also included. Other optional expenses include: excursion fees, a drinks package, spa treatments, or special activities like a wine tasting.
We have booked the spectacular conference center with its’ panoramic views for our classes and casual stitch gatherings and 60 sleeping cabins in five categories for the stitchers and their non-stitching companions.
Dinner Seating
Our group will be dining during the early dinner seating. We sit together at various tables in the same section.
FAQs
Comparing Apples & Oranges
When doing your price comparisons, please note that our fares include all taxes, port fees, and gratuities.
Why cruise?
You mean besides getting away from it all? How about uninterrupted stitching? Being with friends? Sound good? We actually have some practical reasons, too. Did you know that by the time you pay for a shared hotel room, the hotel room taxes, three meals a day plus tips, and throw in even a little bit of entertainment, you have pretty much paid for a cruise? And you have paid for it all before you even leave home so you don’t need to think about anything except the stash you are going to buy! Yeah, we thought you’d see it our way.
Who can come?
Stitchers and all kinds of non-stitchers: spouses, family, friends and even friends of friends. You get the idea. There will be plenty to do!
Why cruise with other stitchers?
Need you ask? There is nothing more fun than traveling with like-minded people!
Will I need a passport?
Yes! Many sources will tell you that closed-loop cruises such as ours do not require a passport. However, many more sources will tell you it is best to be prepared. Travel regulations for US citizens can change. And even if they stay as they are at the moment of this writing, in the unlikely event of an emergency return trip home, you could need a passport to re-enter the US if you do so in any means of transport other than the ship upon which you left the states.
If you are a US citizen and you don’t have one yet, visit https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html to find out how to get started.
Travel to Canada requires that your passport be valid at time of entry. You must have one blank passport page.
If you are a citizen of another country, please consult your country’s passport requirements.
Will I need a visa?
At present, Canada does not require a visa for stays under 180 days.
Why make a reservation so far in advance?
60 cabins are on hold for our group. Once these cabins are spoken for, there is no guarantee that you’ll get the rates quoted here.
Why a Stitchers’ Escapes Cruise?
Because we want to cruise and stitch with you!
Got Questions?
Email general cruise questions to Jean: jeanfarish@gmail.com
Header Image: Sawyer Glacier – Alaska by Ian D. Keating is licensed under CC BY 2.0