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

[mom3sonstt]

I love the picture of you and Minnie in your signature! That mouse has quite the wardrobe!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by mom3sonstt

I love the picture of you and Minnie in your signature! That mouse has quite the wardrobe!

She does doesn't she! Not the best picture of me, it was WINDY but I had to stop her and get a snap when she happened to walk by. And she looks fabulous I think! Glad I did as I didn't see her again in her Alaska get up.

[MAGICFOR2]

Welcome Home Cynthia! I just got back from our vacation yesterday, so trying to catch up here. I can't wait to read your adventure, and I didn't even recognize Minnie in your siggie until I saw the post above! She does have a good image consultant, I think!

ETA: Love the boarding pic - looks like you are ready to have fun! ITA about the lack of info on boarding. The boards are such a good source prior to sailing the first time. I still had trouble reading our dinner tickets this time - Jim figured it out and he's not even on the DIS!

[FauntleroyFAN07]

Originally Posted by eandesmom

Ninja beer skills.

So the rules about bringing stuff on board are..bring whatever you want and however much you want. BUT it has to be in your carry on luggage. You can't check it thru.

Rules for crossing the border are 2 bottles of wine OR 1.25L of alcohol OR some equivalent volume in beer. No mix and match approach.

wonder if my 72 can igloo 5 day cooler would count as a carry on?

[MEK]

I have to admit that I am a little impatient for you to get on with this cruise TR. I am dying to see your pictures!!!!!! I'll try to be patient!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by MAGICFOR2

Welcome Home Cynthia! I just got back from our vacation yesterday, so trying to catch up here. I can't wait to read your adventure, and I didn't even recognize Minnie in your siggie until I saw the post above! She does have a good image consultant, I think!

You didn't recognize Minnie? She looked rather fab I must say.

Originally Posted by MAGICFOR2

ETA: Love the boarding pic - looks like you are ready to have fun! ITA about the lack of info on boarding. The boards are such a good source prior to sailing the first time. I still had trouble reading our dinner tickets this time - Jim figured it out and he's not even on the DIS!

The funny thing is that I read our dinner tickets right...for the first few nights. One day however we made an incorrect assumption as to our location and the funny part of it is that our table mates did the same thing, we ALL went to the wrong place!

Originally Posted by FauntleroyFAN07

wonder if my 72 can igloo 5 day cooler would count as a carry on?

Supposedly you aren't allowed to bring a cooler. Not sure if they count a cooler bag. We had an insulated tote that was full and no one blinked an eye.

Originally Posted by MEK

I have to admit that I am a little impatient for you to get on with this cruise TR. I am dying to see your pictures!!!!!! I'll try to be patient!

Soon! Maybe tonight. I had a busy weekend. Eric turned 11 yesterday and my weekend was spent painting his room (SO sad to paint over the cute car mural it seemed like I painted yesterday), enjoying some amazing weather (finally) at the lake and then a birthday breakfast and dinner. I have at least sorted through the first 3 days of pictures and uploaded all of day 1 so I have enough for an update. I spent FAR too much time sat morning looking at my Tracy Arm pictures, seeing which ones zoomed in best on the seals.

[Flossbolna]

Happy Birthday to Eric!!

And spending time with your vacation pictures is always time well spent! That's why you take them, to relieve your memories!! And I will be very grateful for a good selection of seal pictures, I love seals.

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by Flossbolna

Happy Birthday to Eric!!

And spending time with your vacation pictures is always time well spent! That's why you take them, to relieve your memories!! And I will be very grateful for a good selection of seal pictures, I love seals.

Thanks! I think he had a good one, or at least he sure said so! Best birthday ever according to him, not sure why as we didn't do anything super special but he loved his day and that's all that matters.

The seals are so cute! Though in truth better seen by my zoomed in pictures than they were by the naked eye. I had an update almost done yesterday and my computer shut down and I hadn't saved it so...hope to get it up today. I broke down and bought a cooling pad for the laptop, hopefully that will avoid future shut downs like it's been doing.

Seals are a bit off though but I promise LOTS of seal pics!

[englishrose47]

Just checking in !!!

[eandesmom]

Originally Posted by englishrose47

Just checking in !!!

Hi Rosie!

[eandesmom]

After a quick bag drop and verandah scope out, and the mandatory hanging of the FE, we headed to the Promenade lounge for our DIS meet. We were a bit late. It started at 3 and I think we got there at 3:15-3:20. Though not naturally shy by nature, I was a bit with my entire family in tow and seeing the folks had already really hooked up into groups and were chatting away. We did chat with one family, interestingly enough one I’d chatted with more than most on our cruise FB private group page…that lives not too far from us! Super nice family, sadly their adorable daughter was younger than the E’s so no “click” there with the kids but we enjoyed chatting with the parents. I’d been hoping the boys could meet some boys there age but the few I saw were pretty deep in conversation with their families and I didn’t want to intrude. I actually felt a lot better upon our return seeing on the FB page that most on our cruise thread and FB group seemed to be in the same boat, not really meeting very many other DISers “live”. With antsy boys and men, who wanted to check out the ship we headed up to try and catch a glimpse or two before muster time.

Apparently, the rest of the world was otherwise occupied. Perhaps unpacking before the drill and the sail away? Not a clue but it felt like we were the only ones onboard!







I think this was trying to tell us something



So, satisfied with our quick peek of a seemingly empty boat we headed to our muster station. Which was E, on deck 4. Our very lively lifeboat group leader (she had some official name for whatever they call it but I’ve no idea) would loudly say our location “E” and we’d repeat “Eeeeee!”.

And then Jeff would go “OAR”.

As in E.Oar.

Eeyore.



It became a recurring joke throughout the trip between the two of us. It was short, painless and jacket free so with our official job done it was time for the sail away party!

Although we were going to Alaska, that didn’t stop them from offering the Drink of the Day.



It was more than we wanted to spend so we all filled up at the drink station, cokes for the kids and cokes that Jeff then took down to the stateroom to “doctor”.

We weren’t exactly positioned well to see much. Except look, here were all the people! And the glare of the 4:30 sun, I definitely did not have my camera on the best setting for this and didn't realize it at the time. Oh well.





Eric didn’t care, he got into it. I mean really into it! My pictures didn't capture it all that well given the angle I was at but he was bouncing up and down like Tigger. Evan on the other hand was a bit too cool for his own britches and not all that interested.







Amazing what a zoom lens can do







Party complete we moved to find a good viewing spot to sail away under Lion’s Gate Bridge and took a view pictures from our berth









Jeff arrived just in time



And tried to steal my drink!



Our destination?

Past that bridge. And beyond!



But first, a few pics from our berth.

Stanley Park



A seaplane for Jeff



North (or west) Vancouver I think, can’t tell from this shot





Continued in next post

[eandesmom]

And….we’re moving!





Bye bye Canada Place, see you in a week!



Although we’d had lunch, and a late one at that, people were still hungry and dinner was a fair bit away as we had second seating. What to do? French
Fries of course! Gotta love fries on demand.



More Stanley Park. I really wish we’d had time to do a ride there, I love that place and it’s been too long.





Getting closer



One fry wasn’t enough, they went back for more. I may, or may not, have had some.



Getting closer still







Very fun to see people waving at you as you go under. There were people on our cruise that went on our disembarkation day and watched the Wonder sail away for it's last Alaska cruise after we got off the boat (staying the day in Vancouver)











As we went under, something happened. Something that for some reason I didn’t know about. How could this be? I read the DIS. I’ve read a fair amount of cruise TR’s though I’m not a regular on this part of the boards.

And yet, I didn’t know.

The horn plays “When you wish upon a star” ! Who knew? Not me obviously.
I admit. I got choked up. The kids, and Jeff thought that was the coolest thing ever and I could tell were secretly thrilled I was as surprised as they were. We’ve since then learned that the Dream’s horns play 6 songs but hey, we were beyond thrilled with our one. I downloaded it to my phone and now it's Evan's ringtone!

Bye bye Vancouver!



With that, it was time for me to sprint to my spa appointment. I was cutting it close and while I’d heard at the DIS meet there was a decent raffle that I could have entered if I got there at 5:15…at 5:15 we were going under the bridge. I do have my priorities and the bridge definitely won. So I wasn’t early but at least I’d be on time. Which, for me, is good.

Up next, a visit to the Vista Spa, boys being boys and our first dinner on board.

[eandesmom]

You know you're not on top of things when you go to update your signature (Eric turned 11 on Monday) and you realize that 3 of the kids ages have changed since you last edited that part of it!

[MAGICFOR2]

Glad Eric had a great birthday!

Your sail away looks great - on time and lots of fun! I'm surprised you didn't know about the horn How cool that you were surprised. It is amazing the first time you hear it!

[natebenma]

AWESOME start!!! How cool that you could just drive to the port instead of having to fly to get to the ship. Loved your border crossing/parking problems/beer run & lunch details. Sounds like typical fun with your family.

It is great how well the boarding went- I agree that the photo was purchase-worthy.

Amazing pictures from the sailaway. What a beautiful city!!! I love the way you captureed the bridge upon approach and from below.

And first, but not least- E.Oar!!! Too funny!