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

[3princessMommy]

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.

[bbaltes]

I didn't see it on the Navigators that were posted here, but it works out great if it's Wednesday night because we have Palo reservations that night.

Another question. I noticed on the Navigators that on Friday (Skagway), there is no live show - only a "special" showing of Pirates of the Caribbean. Do you think this will be true for our cruise? Or was this a special showing for the world wide premiere of the movie? If it is a one-time thing, will they show Twice Charmed or some other live show?

I just don't think "Pirates" (PG-13) would be a good idea for our 8 year old.

Thoughts?

Ben

[3princessMommy]

On the inaugural sailing in May, Friday was a special showing of Disney's "African Cats" movie in the Theater. So it doesn't look like that's going to be a live show. They've got: "The Golden Mickeys", "Toy Story the Musical", and "Disney Dreams" already. I don't think they'd do another live show on a 7-day sailing. But you never know...

We've also got our Palo reservations that night, but have decided that we don't want to miss the show, and we want to have formal night in Triton's. If we get that seating rotation, we'll probably switch our Palo reservation to another night when we board.

[bbaltes]

We have the late seating, but our Palo reservations are at 6:30. Our thought is that we go to Palo, then the show, then just head to Triton's for dessert with the family. We've done that before with success.

i also saw where there is only one show on the night we're in Ketchikan - I think it's 7:15. I think that's because of the late port departure?

Only 16 days, guys!

We're getting packed up! Our "cruise room" - otherwise known as the guest room - is starting to get packed up.

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

Originally Posted by 3princessMommy

We've also got our Palo reservations that night, but have decided that we don't want to miss the show, and we want to have formal night in Triton's. If we get that seating rotation, we'll probably switch our Palo reservation to another night when we board.

[Jhalkias]

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.

[bbaltes]

Does anyone know if the $299 photo cd includes getting any prints they have at Shutterrs? Or are those still separate? Or do they not even put any up at Shutters for you to get if you have the $299 deal?

Ben

[3princessMommy]

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....

[3princessMommy]

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?

[bbaltes]

That was actually my question. I didn't state it that clearly. I wonder if they actually do ANY prints because you're buying the CD. I doubt that our family will buy any prints because we're buying the package.

For those of you that have purchased before, did you find yourself being more assertive than usual about commandeering the photographers to get photos? I can see ourselves taking a long time at the formal family portrait time because we will want pics with Lily alone, just us as a couple, Gramma and Lily alone, etc. Was this your experience?

Ben

Originally Posted by 3princessMommy

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?

[lbgraves]

Originally Posted by bbaltes

Hey you guys -

So, is there a formal night on the cruise? Or only semi-formal? The other DCL cruises I've been on have had a particular FORMAL night.. but not this one?

Ben

Formal night is day 2, our first at sea day. Semi Formal is Ketchikan day, at least the majority of the time. A couple of cruises reported it being moved to the last night.

Originally Posted by Jhalkias

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.

That's how we are feeling too! We don't even have much of what we are going to do in the ports decided on. The reunion is all DD is talking about too.

Originally Posted by bbaltes

Does anyone know if the $299 photo cd includes getting any prints they have at Shutterrs? Or are those still separate? Or do they not even put any up at Shutters for you to get if you have the $299 deal?

Ben

We have gotten the CD twice, last year at the old price of $399. You don't get any of the generic character photos on your CD and there are no borders. The pictures are not cropped so you could see the edges of the backdrops, but that is easy enough to fix. You do get 50% off whatever photo package you want to purchase, or individual shots.

Originally Posted by bbaltes

For those of you that have purchased before, did you find yourself being more assertive than usual about commandeering the photographers to get photos? I can see ourselves taking a long time at the formal family portrait time because we will want pics with Lily alone, just us as a couple, Gramma and Lily alone, etc. Was this your experience?

Ben

It sure makes it easy to get a family photo when you are already dressed up for dinner. You can't really take a "long time" at the photos because there is a line. It wasn't as crowded in the atrium for the lifetouch pictures after the late showlate dinner, so if you want a lot of groupings, that might be the time to go, as there is only 45-60 minutes scheduled before each dinner seating and there will be a long line...especially on semiformal night. We did get a lot of the backgrounds done last time because we were getting the CD. We got into a routine so it went pretty quickly. The four of us, DH & me, the kids together, the kids seperately. On semiformal night we got the shots of the kids after late dinning because DS had been confined to the room for pink eye early that morning. I mentiond to the photographer that we would have DS take his pictures the next night and she said they don't have the backdrops set up the last night, then told her what had happened. She said to bring him down there for the last session. There was no one else around. The photographer was great and had him angle his head so that you can't tell.

[3princessMommy]

Originally Posted by Jhalkias

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]

Originally Posted by Jhalkias

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!!

Originally Posted by 3princessMommy

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]

Originally Posted by 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

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.