You’ll never get me on a cruise. Unless it’s to ALASKA! Recap and New PTR Link! 2/1

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by englishrose47

What no food porn ??? Your pix were great, my good shots are even more blurry

Nope, no food porn, sorry about that. But it was really yummy and Trolls may well be our new go to spot on the way up in the future.

[Poolrat]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Oh very cool Pat, I didn't know that. Are you looking at DCL or other lines as well?

My friends A and B from my NYE trip are cruising because a friendof theirs is doing a cruise for her 50th and 50 states for 50 years and Alaska is her last state to visit.

They mentioned and invited me to tag along so I have no other details. Next time I see them I need to bring it up again since it probably is time to book.
I would assume it is not DCL but it would be funny if it was.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by Poolrat

My friends A and B from my NYE trip are cruising because a friendof theirs is doing a cruise for her 50th and 50 states for 50 years and Alaska is her last state to visit.

They mentioned and invited me to tag along so I have no other details. Next time I see them I need to bring it up again since it probably is time to book.
I would assume it is not DCL but it would be funny if it was.

A&B! How fun you're doing another trip with them, you guys will have a blast on a cruise I'm sure. Hey if you do Alaska, out of Seattle, we could have a meet!

[Poolrat]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

A&B! How fun you're doing another trip with them, you guys will have a blast on a cruise I'm sure. Hey if you do Alaska, out of Seattle, we could have a meet!

B actually moved closer to me so we see each other all the time now. I will going to beach with them in a couple of weeks if everything here at home is settled and I can get away from work.

[Shanny145]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

What time of day? Downtown is only 20 minutes but traffic will depend on the time of day so could be quite a bit longer. You can take the light rail in but it can actually be slower due to the fact it makes a bazillion stops.

The Museum of Flight, if you like that kind of stuff, is quite close, probably 10 minutes by cab. Other than that there isn't much other than a mall, without heading downtown. With 5 hours though, unless it's late at night, you'd have time to hit Pike Place Market and maybe the waterfront to just walk around and soak it up. My guess is once you clear customs and recheck in you'd probably have 2-3 hours to play with, which might well make it worth heading downtown.

For eating, tons of stuff at the market to choose from and I can definitely recommend some places but there is also a very good selection of local places at the airport, in the main terminal (shockingly enough).

Well we will be getting into the airport around 2:00ish and our flight doesn't leave till around 9:30ish at night. So I think we will try and head down to the Pike Place Market.....dining recommendations are appreciated....nothing too fancy as we will be in traveling attire..lol The museum of flight sounds cool too....hubby's a pilot so I am sure that is right up the boys alley! So you would recommend a cab rather than the light rail?

Thanks for all the info!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by Poolrat

B actually moved closer to me so we see each other all the time now. I will going to beach with them in a couple of weeks if everything here at home is settled and I can get away from work.

how fun!!!

Originally Posted by Shanny145

Well we will be getting into the airport around 2:00ish and our flight doesn't leave till around 9:30ish at night. So I think we will try and head down to the Pike Place Market.....dining recommendations are appreciated....nothing too fancy as we will be in traveling attire..lol The museum of flight sounds cool too....hubby's a pilot so I am sure that is right up the boys alley! So you would recommend a cab rather than the light rail?

Thanks for all the info!

LOL. This is Seattle, no one gets fancy (which is a bit sad at times). Ok, not no one but most don't. We've seen people in jeans at the symphony! Not us mind you.

Here's a variety of things.

One of my all time favorite places is Etta's

http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=ettas

It's right in the market. There is a lot right there, or nearby, some good and some not so good.

Some we like are

The Alibi Room (does have more of an "adult" vibe but the food is good and it's casual.
http://www.seattlealibi.com/welcome.htm

Kell's. Irish restaurant and pub, kids can go in on the restaurant side. Fun and you can hear the music next door.
http://www.kellsirish.com/seattle/index.php

Steelhead Diner
http://www.steelheaddiner.com/

I've never eaten dinner at the Virginia Inn but it's also quite popular
http://virginiainnseattle.com/menu/dinner

Some of the other places are amazing, but either pretty pricey or dressier (The Pink Door, Cafe Campagne, Il Bistro)

The Hard Rock is up a block and it's pretty fun, and casual, albeit overpriced.

If you have time to go down to the waterfront (you can take steps from the Market, all the way down) and want a Seattle Classic, there is always Ivar's.

http://www.ivars.com/index.php?page=...acres-of-clams

This will be south of where you come out on the steps. If you look to the left you can probably see the ferries, you'd be walking that way. The fish bar is great if you don't want to do sit down, their chowder is still one that things are measured by out here. While I like the fish, I really enjoy the fried clam strips as well.

Another good seafood location that has a quick service location as well as a fish bar, but a bit further north (so more of a walk) is Anthony's.

http://www.anthonys.com/restaurants/info/pier66.html

Of these, ones my kids have been to are Ivar's, Anthony's, Kell's and the Hard Rock.

If you do decide to head into the shopping area (east of the market) you'll have options like PF Changs, Gordon Biersh and others that can be quite kid friendly.

As for MOF they are only open until 5pm. We are actually members and I'm sure we have guest passes floating around I could give you but by the time you got there, it might be a little tight to see a whole lot (and there is a lot to see!) and you'd have to call for a cab to take you back as there is nothing that runs to and from easily (that I know of).

http://www.museumofflight.org/visit

They have a cafe but I wouldn't recommend it. However there is both an Anthony's (sit down and walk up) and an Ivar's at the airport (walk up) as well as a Waji's (sushi/japanese) though it's out in terminal C among other things. We often get meals from Dish D'lish, great sandwiches and eat them on our flights.

Anthony's has better fish taco's, Ivars better chowder and fish (in my humble opinion). The airport anthony's is pretty darn nice with a cool view of the tarmac (for an airport restaurant anyway).

Light rail will be a ton cheaper and spits you out about 5 blocks from the market but probably a little slower with the need for more buffer time. Cabs in Seattle are a funny thing. They are rather hard to find actually. Very easy to grab one from the airport to anywhere, much less so from anywhere else, including downtown. If it were me I might cab down and light rail back, or if I was cabbing back, plan on doing it from your restaurant if doing sit down dining or walk to a nearby hotel to find a cab as otherwise it can be hard to grab one.

Places to grab one on the waterfront would be by the ferries, the Marriott or the Edgewater hotel (outstanding restaurant but a bit pricy...great outside deck though!). Those are both a bit north of where the steps pop out so while it is walkable, the walk will eat up some time.

Inn at the Market could likely hail you one as well. Other than that it can be a little bit of a crapshoot in that area unless you head east from the market into the main shopping/business area where there are several hotels to grab one from. Probably closest to the market is the Westin, but it's not that close.

[MEK]

Wow - that scenery is gorgeous. simply breathtaking. That is a part of the country I would really love to see. Well - I know Vancouver is in Canada and all that - but you know what I mean. That is a geographical area I would really like to see. How's that?

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by MEK

Wow - that scenery is gorgeous. simply breathtaking. That is a part of the country I would really love to see. Well - I know Vancouver is in Canada and all that - but you know what I mean. That is a geographical area I would really like to see. How's that?

that works

[KatMark]

We've never been to the Pacific Northwest.

Whistler looks beautiful -- thanks for sharing the photos.

[Shanny145]

OMG....Thank you so so so much for all this info! We decided we are doing the market and water front...cab down, light rail back. You have lifted a huge weight off this portion of our adventure. Off to look at menus! Thanks a bunch!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by KatMark

We've never been to the Pacific Northwest.

Whistler looks beautiful -- thanks for sharing the photos.

It is incredible, more pictures to come!

You should come out the Wonder will be leaving from here next year lol!

Originally Posted by Shanny145

OMG....Thank you so so so much for all this info! We decided we are doing the market and water front...cab down, light rail back. You have lifted a huge weight off this portion of our adventure. Off to look at menus! Thanks a bunch!

Oh gosh, my pleasure! Don't hesitate to ask any questions at all. If you do have the time and end up walking down towards the Edgewater/Anthony's, if you just go a little further you'll find the outdoor sculpture park. Which is pretty cool. I think there is a trolley (not sure if it's free or not but it might be) that runs along Alaskan Way which would save some time (and feet!).

If the weather is nice, you will want to move here. We call it Seattle sucker weather. There is no prettier place in the world on a nice summer day.

You'll go by the Aquarium too. Not to knock it mind you but there are better ones out there so given the time you have, I wouldn't try to fit it in. It's good mind you, don't get me wrong but I'd just soak up the market, watch them throw fish, walk along the waterfront, have fish, chips and chowder, etc.

If it were me.

You can do the whole space needle thing or Aqua Ducks but honestly nothing is more Seattle than the Market, and the waterfront.

The original Starbucks is there so if you like coffee, that's kind of fun to go in (it's TINY).

[mom3sonstt]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Oh how cool is that! Solo time is rather lovely, I forget, have you done it before?

I have - but it's been a few years. I went in 2001 for a conference and tacked a couple days on to the beginning for Disney. Since we had a family trip later that year I bought my first annual pass. So the next year when my pass was about to expire I explained to my husband that I really should go back and use it again before it ran out and he agreed I made it in the "hot seat" for Who want's to Be a Millionaire that trip, and had nobody there to "brag" about it to.

I am really looking forward to the solo time this trip!

[LuvIt]

My 11 year-old DS will be with hubby and I when we cruise on the Wonder this October. I've read that for kids in the tween age group the club area on the Wonder is a reconfigured conference room and not a nicer space like on the Magic. Also read that the counselors plan activities based on what the kids on the cruise want . . . so there is lots of video/computer time, if several kids don't want to go play on the sports court they won't plan an activity for there, etc. I hope my son will like it but not sure what to expect.

So, I'll be really interested in reading your trip report to see what you and your boys thought of the Kid's Club and the activities provided there (isn't it called The Edge for 11 year olds?) Thanks, in advance

Have a great cruise!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by mom3sonstt

I have - but it's been a few years. I went in 2001 for a conference and tacked a couple days on to the beginning for Disney. Since we had a family trip later that year I bought my first annual pass. So the next year when my pass was about to expire I explained to my husband that I really should go back and use it again before it ran out and he agreed I made it in the "hot seat" for Who want's to Be a Millionaire that trip, and had nobody there to "brag" about it to.

I am really looking forward to the solo time this trip!

Oh how fun, you will love it! Bummer about the who wants to be a Millionaire, I remember seeing that in )4, it was fun. How far did you go?

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by LuvIt

My 11 year-old DS will be with hubby and I when we cruise on the Wonder this October. I've read that for kids in the tween age group the club area on the Wonder is a reconfigured conference room and not a nicer space like on the Magic. Also read that the counselors plan activities based on what the kids on the cruise want . . . so there is lots of video/computer time, if several kids don't want to go play on the sports court they won't plan an activity for there, etc. I hope my son will like it but not sure what to expect.

So, I'll be really interested in reading your trip report to see what you and your boys thought of the Kid's Club and the activities provided there (isn't it called The Edge for 11 year olds?) Thanks, in advance

Have a great cruise!

Hi and

Yes, it is called Edge. Not sure what to expect either and will not be happy if it's video all the time upon request. Though my 12 year old will want to get out if that is the case, it's best my 10 year old not go in as he'd sit in front of a screen all day if you let him.