Disney Wonder to Alaska – May 27th – June 3rd 2013 (More pics added 6/14)

[travelvr]

Thanks for posting the entire price list. I noticed they didn't have it listed on their website.

Thanks!

I hope this helps! You're in for a fantastic trip . In fact, I'm almost jealous!

Didn't you just get off the ship??

Would you say the train ride is a must-do? I'm trying to decide if going up by van is just as good..

So I finally did check in and got a later time than I hoped for. (I didn't know the earlier you check in online, the earlier time slot you will get! ). If I wanted to arrive right at 11 but don't have that time slot, will they make me wait?

 

[chiburple]

Thanks for posting the entire price list. I noticed they didn't have it listed on their website.

Didn't you just get off the ship??

Oh dear, I guess I forgot to prepare you for a very serious problem that develops after a Disney cruise. Namely the condition known as 'cruise withdrawal'. Symptoms include thinking about your cruise on a daily basis, dreaming your back on board, and even repeated episodes of checking Disney's cruise website to see what you can do to get back on the ship . More serious symptoms can even include plotting underhanded ways to sneak back on.

You have been warned

On a related note, it can help to book a dummy cruise while you're on board. You receive a 10% discount and an on-board credit for doing so. I booked a 3-night Bahama's in a CAT 11 room for 2014. I'm probably going to change this to a 2015 Caribbean though and when I do, I'll still keep the discount and the obc. It's worth looking into IMO.

Would you say the train ride is a must-do? I'm trying to decide if going up by van is just as good..

The nice thing about taking the train one way and the van/bus the other way is that the scenery is different each way. Otherwise, the drive would probably be a little boring on the way back. I did personally feel like the train added a lot to our experience - the views are almost as nice from the bus but the key word is almost. Also, we enjoyed hearing some of the history. However, I read reviews from people that just took a bus or van and it seems they had a wonderful time too.

So I finally did check in and got a later time than I hoped for. (I didn't know the earlier you check in online, the earlier time slot you will get! ). If I wanted to arrive right at 11 but don't have that time slot, will they make me wait?

I'm sorry you didn't get the check in time you were hoping for. Unfortunately yes, if you show up right at 11 you will probably have to wait. You can still get yourself all checked in though which did take a while for us (admittedly we had foreign passports and visa issues to contend with).

 

[chiburple]

I got these pics from my family. Post cruise one of the places they visited in Vancouver was the aquarium. I wasn't nearly this jealous of them before I saw these pics:

 

[chiburple]

 

[chiburple]

Find Nimo:

 

[becca1976]

Yay - an Alaska trip report for this year! I can't wait to get some time and sit and read through all of this!

 

[travelvr]

Symptoms include thinking about your cruise on a daily basis, dreaming your back on board, and even repeated episodes of checking Disney's cruise website to see what you can do to get back on the ship . More serious symptoms can even include plotting underhanded ways to sneak back on.

You have been warned

I'm doomed! I'm ALREADY doing #1 and modified #2 (dreaming what it's like to be on board)!!



Question: If you have main seating for dining (is it 5:45?), does that mean you have to get back from the excursions early to make it to dinner (on days when the ship leaves late)? Can you go to main dining room for lunch? Is it too cold to swim in the pools? Do we need to arrive early to see the shows?

 

[chiburple]

I'm doomed! I'm ALREADY doing #1 and modified #2 (dreaming what it's like to be on board)!!

Good luck! You'll have a support group back here waiting for you on your return

Question: If you have main seating for dining (is it 5:45?), does that mean you have to get back from the excursions early to make it to dinner (on days when the ship leaves late)? Can you go to main dining room for lunch? Is it too cold to swim in the pools? Do we need to arrive early to see the shows?

You don't Have to have dinner in the MDRs. Beach Blanket as well as the pizza, hotdog, burger area are still open. Also room service is available 24 hours although not great. However if you want to make it to the MDR, then yes, you would have to return early. I highly recommend making it to Animators Pallet when it's serving it's regular rotation menu. I also love the Grand Marnier Soufflé at Tritons. Yes, the MDRs are sometimes open for lunch. Your navigator will tell you which ones are available on each day - however, you won't always get your dining team for lunch.

The kids didn't seem to think it was too cold to swim though I certainly did. I also saw a couple adults in the adult pool but not many. I did however very much enjoy the hot tub .

You don't need to arrive too early to see the shows. We had a bigger group so we tried to be about 15 min early just so we could get good seats all together, but really that wasn't super necessary.

 

[Chilly]

Thanks for sharing. Its great to relive my Alaskan adventure from last year.

 

[Ware Bears]

Enjoyed reading this, especially about the aquarium as we are planning on going there.

 

[ProudMommyof2]

Awesome report! Planning a 2015 cruise- the wait is going to kill me!

 

[Angrypenguin]

How funny! We may have passed each other during check-in at customs. We were on the Princess cruise that was boarding at the same time. Fun to see how the Disney Cruise was!

Thanks for sharing.

 

[chiburple]

How funny! We may have passed each other during check-in at customs. We were on the Princess cruise that was boarding at the same time. Fun to see how the Disney Cruise was!

Thanks for sharing.

We were the confused people causing delays at passport control.

Actually, I'm just as curious about the Princess cruise. Having only ever cruised Disney (only 2 cruises) I've been wondering what the other cruise ships are like. Is there gambling on the Princess?

 

[chiburple]

Awesome report! Planning a 2015 cruise- the wait is going to kill me!

I wholeheartedly empathize. We're thinking about a 2015 Caribbean and having just gotten off the ship there's nothing I want more than to just skip next year entirely.

 

[Crown_princess]

We were the confused people causing delays at passport control.

Actually, I'm just as curious about the Princess cruise. Having only ever cruised Disney (only 2 cruises) I've been wondering what the other cruise ships are like. Is there gambling on the Princess?

Funny, you should ask, as I have my own little write up here! http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3125459

There is gambling on Princess, although we don't gamble. Didn't stop us from pretending though:


IMG_0399 by kevinkyen, on Flickr

Here's a view of the Wonder while we were in port...we were very tempted to make a left turn instead of right and sneak onboard!


IMG_0199 by kevinkyen, on Flickr

We usually do everything Disney, and were planning on going on your cruise, but I think what pushed us over the edge (besides the price) was that Princess goes to Glacier Bay. We decided that this one time, since Alaska was the destination and not the ship/cruise itself, we would break and save the money (just this time!) for excursions. We were a little disappointed in Princess, but NOT disappointed in the fact that the difference in price allowed us to take a float plane in Misty Fjord in Ketchikan and some other things.

Misty Fjord:

IMG_0538 by kevinkyen, on Flickr


IMG_0553 by kevinkyen, on Flickr


Glacier Bay:



IMG_1785 by kevinkyen, on Flickr


calving by kevinkyen, on Flickr

I'm definitely looking forward to going back. Maybe next time we'll do the Disney one and you can do the Princess, and we'll compare notes!

 

[Angrypenguin]

Oops! I just realized I was logged in under my wife's name! Don't worry, she was on the cruise too

 

[chiburple]

Funny, you should ask, as I have my own little write up here! http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3125459

There is gambling on Princess, although we don't gamble. Didn't stop us from pretending though:

Here's a view of the Wonder while we were in port...we were very tempted to make a left turn instead of right and sneak onboard!

We usually do everything Disney, and were planning on going on your cruise, but I think what pushed us over the edge (besides the price) was that Princess goes to Glacier Bay. We decided that this one time, since Alaska was the destination and not the ship/cruise itself, we would break and save the money (just this time!) for excursions. We were a little disappointed in Princess, but NOT disappointed in the fact that the difference in price allowed us to take a float plane in Misty Fjord in Ketchikan and some other things.

I'm definitely looking forward to going back. Maybe next time we'll do the Disney one and you can do the Princess, and we'll compare notes!

OMG! Your pictures are amazing!! Especially Glacier Bay - I totally see how that visit would have made it worth taking the Princess.
Oh, that was your trip report . I actually read it and now remember being jealous of your pictures. I couldn't help wonder if it was the same Alaska that we went to!

 

[SacCruiser]

Thanks for all the great pictures!

 

[MickeyRocksInPA]

WOW.
Those are some great pics.

Thanks for sharing.