July 26, 2011 – 7 Night Alaska ~ Bears, Whales, Eagles and Ducks. Oh My!

[3princessMommy]

Thank you so much for posting this - great ideas. We are also on the late train to Seattle!

We ultimately decided to go with West Coast Sightseeing (aka Grey Line BC). They will pick us up with our luggage at Canada Place at 10am. Then we have a four hour tour that takes us to Stanley Park (including the Totem Poles and the Klahowya Village), Granville Island, the Vancouver Observation tower, as well as drive through Robson Street, Chinatown, and other areas. We can grab some lunch at Granville Island for the kids. Then they will drop us at the train station at 3:15pm.

It's not the cheapest option certainly - $74 per adult and $54 per child. But we get to see the most things and I don't have to worry about taxis or lugging suitcases around. So the piece of mind is really what sold us on this option.

Can't wait to see you all in a couple weeks!!!!!

 

[bbaltes]

Thanks for the reply, Lbgraves. That was very helpful.

I don't remember from previous cruises (and the posted Navigators weren't much help) exactly when the "background" and "lifetouch" photos are available. Is it before and after every dinner? I know there is one with the cruise ship railing at the Captain's reception, but when else? I think there are some usually when we are at a port, right? I'm trying to work with the Navigators to make the best value out of the $299 price...

Another trivia for anyone who knows or has seen. My DM (dear mother, 83) is pretty mobile, but would have a hard time getting on the floor for some of those great "life touch" pics. What do they do for those types of situations?

Ben

 

[MrsMork]

We may start doing some organizing this weekend. I think I am more excited to see some of our old friends again - especially the ones we have not seen for awhile. Alaska is just the icing on the cake.

Same here!!

Ben,

I've never gotten the CD. But what I've read on other boards is that the CD includes only the photos of those people in your cabin. So, for example:

You have two people in your cabin, but you're traveling with friends or family in another cabin (like us with five people split between two cabins). Every photo that DCL takes that includes at least on of the two people in your cabin will be on your CD even if they include other people. But they would not include photos that are taken of the rest of your party that are in the second cabin.

I'm not sure if the generic photos of characters at the various ports or scenery shots that DCL has for sale at Shutters are also included in the photo CD.

I think Brack or MrsMork has gotten this before though, so maybe they can help more....

Not us. We hardly purchase any photos anymore. We have them take the same photo with our camera and leave it at that. But....we are old!

 

[lbgraves]

Thanks for the reply, Lbgraves. That was very helpful.

I don't remember from previous cruises (and the posted Navigators weren't much help) exactly when the "background" and "lifetouch" photos are available. Is it before and after every dinner? I know there is one with the cruise ship railing at the Captain's reception, but when else? I think there are some usually when we are at a port, right? I'm trying to work with the Navigators to make the best value out of the $299 price...

Another trivia for anyone who knows or has seen. My DM (dear mother, 83) is pretty mobile, but would have a hard time getting on the floor for some of those great "life touch" pics. What do they do for those types of situations?

Ben

Ben,

The lifetouch backdrop is available every night except formal night, for whatever reason. They have multiple backdrops set up that night [formal] including the Mickey head sunset, the wrong side of the ship railing shot, a couple of nice staircase shots, and of course the setup in front of the statue in the atrium. The other nights there are pictures with the characters on both sides of the stairway, along with the lifetouch pictures. Those run 5pm - 5:50/6 pm, 7:30-8:30, then 10-10:45/50. There are character shots in the atrium and preludes during early dining/show times. You can easily excuse yourself for the picture then return to finish your meal. There aren't always picture ops during the day but you can take your own pictures when there are characters. The entertainment staff usually help with the excursions so they are simply not onboard during the day to do the meet & greets.

They do take pictures of people standing up on the lifetouch backdrop. That would probably work for your mom.

 

[bbaltes]

I saw this on the main board, and thought I would post it here. Good info for kids that are my daughter's age (8).

National Park Service in Alaska
We got just got back from our trip on the Wonder. We had an amazing time. I thought I'd share some of what was available with the National Park Service.

First, they have a Ranger on the ship that does programming in the Oceaneers Lab. They have a Junior Ranger program that the kids can participate in for the Tongass National Forest. I love the Junior Ranger program. It gives the kids a focus on what to be looking for. Our son is 8, he was very focused on it. If they fill out 5 pages, the kids can get a pencil (although unfortunately, ours got left behind - have to find out how to get a replacement) At 10 pages they get a Jr Ranger badge. At 15 pages they get a sew on patch. The 6 year old that was with us wasn't able to do it - too advanced for her. But it really made him focus on the plants and animals we were seeing and he learned a lot about the Tongass National Forest.

There was a Naturalist on board, but I thought the Rangers were much more interesting.

In Skagway, the NPS has taken over a bunch of buildings. If you go to their office at 2nd and Broadway, they have free walking tours almost hourly. We ran into someone dressed into period costumes giving a walking tour - and I turned to my husband and said "That's for people who pay for their walking tours" (My husband replied that we do pay through our taxes!). Anyway, it was fabulous. Not sure the kids would have been as interested in that part - we left them behind. There were a few kids on the tour who were working on a different Junior Ranger Badge. (below)

Also in Skagway, at 4th and Broadway, they have a separate Jr Ranger program for the Klondike Gold Rush. It probably took a half hour, and discussed a lot about how the gold rushers lived. It was well done. (We had done Liarsville earlier, so a lot of it was a repeat.)

Then, if there is a third thing you can work for. If you do a Ranger program (Tongass, not Klondike one) plus visit three other NPS sites in Alaska (Klondike, Mendenhall Glacier and the center in Ketchikan) you can get another badge/bag. We couldn't make it to the Glacier, so we didn't try for that one. It was too bad, because our son was enthusiastic about it.

Anyway, I thought these were really amazing resources to get the most out of learning while in Alaska.

 

[brackjr]

After further thoughts and discussions, I think we're going to splurge and get the $299 photo CD package. If that includes ALL the photos - the formal ones, princess, tables, Tracy Arm, etc., that could be quite the bonus. Plus, we get to make all the copies and edits that we want to. Anyone have any reason why we shouldn't? (Besides that $299 smackers is a lot of moo-lah.)

Ben

We have already decided to do this as well. It is a lot of money but we plan to put it to good use like we do at WDW. Going to keep the photographers busy!

Besides, we do have room credit to use up.

 

[brackjr]

I think I am more excited to see some of our old friends again - especially the ones we have not seen for awhile. Alaska is just the icing on the cake.

Me too!

 

[brackjr]

Oh, and I think you get a discount on the prints at Shutters if you want them, but you don't actually get the prints just because you bought the CD.

Is that right guys?

We have looked at this in the past but have never bought it because it was even more expensive than this.

Prints do not come with the CD but I think (don't hold me to it) you do get a discount. There really is no need to have Shutters print them for you though because you can print them when you get home. The only exception is if they do not include any embellishments that they would print out. (an example would be a photo taken in Tritons might have the Little Mermaid).

It is a good question to ask when you get onboard.

 

[brackjr]

There is a formal night - I believe it's the second sea day. Aaron has rented his tux so there will be at least one guy dressed up.

Leaving the tux home for this trip and bringing a suit for the two dinners.

 

[brackjr]

Stretching out today in preparations for my S.D.D. (Single Digit Dance!)

 

[brackjr]

Lisa: I could not find where you asked me about our dining time but I looked on our reservations and it says "Main".

 

[lbgraves]

Lisa: I could not find where you asked me about our dining time but I looked on our reservations and it says "Main".

YEAH!!! It was on FB. Now that means that the 25 of us will be together in the same area. Much easier than the last time the Geeks organized seating. LOL!

 

[MrsMork]

Leaving the tux home for this trip and bringing a suit for the two dinners.

suits for our gentlemen also.

YEAH!!! It was on FB. Now that means that the 25 of us will be together in the same area. Much easier than the last time the Geeks organized seating. LOL!

 

[lbgraves]

The boys will both be in their suits, though renting a tux for DH would help with the issue of lugage weight. I am realizing the two suitcases is not realistic and may have to come to terms with three. Wish we could just drive down to FL for this one like we usually do!

 

[MrsMork]

The boys will both be in their suits, though renting a tux for DH would help with the issue of lugage weight. I am realizing the two suitcases is not realistic and may have to come to terms with three. Wish we could just drive down to FL for this one like we usually do!

Lisa, you do realize that you will not be getting any sympathy from us west coast folks who have to fly all the time!!! Our turn to just drive over this time.

 

[brackjr]

YEAH!!! It was on FB. Now that means that the 25 of us will be together in the same area. Much easier than the last time the Geeks organized seating. LOL!

 

[brackjr]

The boys will both be in their suits, though renting a tux for DH would help with the issue of lugage weight. I am realizing the two suitcases is not realistic and may have to come to terms with three. Wish we could just drive down to FL for this one like we usually do!

Lisa, you do realize that you will not be getting any sympathy from us west coast folks who have to fly all the time!!! Our turn to just drive over this time.

I know it equals out but I still wish we could just drive.

 

[kju128]

Just wanted to say hi - my little family will also be joining the cruise from SK- so soon, can't wait!
Cory DH (37)
Kara (36)
Liam (3)

 

[3princessMommy]

Just wanted to say hi - my little family will also be joining the cruise from SK- so soon, can't wait!
Cory DH (37)
Kara (36)
Liam (3)

 

[brackjr]

Just wanted to say hi - my little family will also be joining the cruise from SK- so soon, can't wait!
Cory DH (37)
Kara (36)
Liam (3)

Welcome!

This is a fun bunch of people, many of us have sailed together before. You will love cruising with Disney ..... and us!