Geeks on a boat, now with more geeks! Literally. Alaska 2013 planning starts now!

[Jennifer_W]

[*]The carseat. I am grateful that we packed it, because I just didn’t trust the Hertz model. Plus Isabelle is comfortable in hers, which increased the likelihood of car naps as we travelled from point A to points B, C, D and E. I think we might have even made it to H. But Britax carseats are not exactly famous for their compact size, nor their ease of stacking atop a rolling suitcase. Fortunately we won’t need one in Vancouver, because we’ll do what we did last year and hire a car to bring us to and from the airport. The rest is walking, and public transportation.
[/LIST]

Based on the CT trip, I plan to ROCK this packing thing in June. I’m planning to bring the same two suitcases, packed similarly, and the garment bag in place of the carseat. I tried my hand at light (and removable) layers over bulkier clothing, which worked beautifully. I also re-purposed clothing for all three of us, though it’s definitely harder to make this happen for your toddler. Luckily her clothing is small and light, so a few extra bottoms don’t add up to much. I didn’t use everything I packed, but I also did one more laundry load than I had planned for due to another unfortunate incident involving a recently potty-trained child whose name rhymes with Frisabelle. I’ll spare you the details.

Here’s what I brought. The short version. As if there were such a thing with me.

I did still bring 1-2 too many toys, and I put too much stuff in her carry-on backpack. It was such a pain to lug around, and we only used it on the plane. For Alaska I think I’ll get her an Izzy-sized backpack to limit what I can stuff into it.
.

OK, fIRST of all, I am just OVER THE MOON that you & Lionel have been blessed with your little angel. So, so, so happy for you all!!! I have been a fan of your TR's for years!

SECONDLY, Hooray for another trip report or pre-trip planning report or anything where you share your knowledge & humor with us fellow Disney cruise fanatics!

THIRDLY, may I lay on you some obsessive vacation planner Mommy wisdom? When traveling with a child who needs a car seat, get theeself to Babies R Us and buy a car seat bag for said safety device. A big honking one. It keeps your car seat clean, you carry it to the jet way and gate check it for FREE. And the best part? The BEST PART??? You can put all kinds of extra clothes in that sucker under said car seat, and the airlines don't care! Yes, it has to go through the x-ray machine, but as long as nothing sets it off you're GOLDEN. The TSA people don't care that you have extra clothes in there. The airline gate agents don't care. "Oh, car seat in a bag? OK, here's a gate check tag for you." If you don't want to bring a big car seat, buy a $10 booster seat to throw in the top of the bag, even if you don't use it. Isabelle will use a booster some day.

I plan on using this till my 52 pound 5 year old son is at least 8!

Lastly, not a bad idea to invest in a stroller bag, as well. I hated trying to keep track of bags and a squirmy toddler in the airport, and a stroller (umbrella or otherwise) was a necessity. I learned my lesson the hard way--took my new McClaren umbrella stroller out of the box, put child in it, wheeled child through the airport, put stroller in the magical drop zone for gate checked baby accoutrimand (sp?) , and the luggage handlers immediately shredded the foam handle grips. After that I used a bag. Now he is 5 and has a healthy fear of getting lost, so sticks like glue. AND he is too big for a stroller now.

 

[zweihund]

OK, fIRST of all, I am just OVER THE MOON that you & Lionel have been blessed with your little angel. So, so, so happy for you all!!! I have been a fan of your TR's for years!

Aww, thanks!

THIRDLY, may I lay on you some obsessive vacation planner Mommy wisdom? When traveling with a child who needs a car seat, get theeself to Babies R Us and buy a car seat bag for said safety device. A big honking one. It keeps your car seat clean, you carry it to the jet way and gate check it for FREE. And the best part? The BEST PART??? You can put all kinds of extra clothes in that sucker under said car seat, and the airlines don't care! Yes, it has to go through the x-ray machine, but as long as nothing sets it off you're GOLDEN. The TSA people don't care that you have extra clothes in there. The airline gate agents don't care. "Oh, car seat in a bag? OK, here's a gate check tag for you."

Done and done! On our trip from FL to CT, the only thing in that bag was the carseat. On the trip home, however, it was full of all of the giant stuffed animals our family decided to grace us with....and also one random sippy cup I found during the final sweep of the rental car. lol. I admit, I kind of scoffed at the bag when we bought it but it's actually pretty sweet. We've used it on two different trips and it's been a lifesaver.

I do not, however, have a stroller bag. I'd been considering getting one, so now I'll probably consider it more seriously. Thanks for the great advice!

As for the rest, I hope this post proves I am still alive! We had some crazy holidays, the geeks are still in recovery mode. I do have an update nearly ready for posting which I should be able to roll out this week. But in the meantime, here's the news:

1. We have lost one couple. Well, I guess it was inevitable that someone would get pregnant, thank goodness it wasn't me. One of the couples had to drop out because they are expecting, which is wonderful, but would put air and cruise travel at the end of her third trimester....while they are thrilled to be adding to their family, they are sad to have to pull out of the trip. So now it's down to us, my parents and Izzy's best friend (and their parents). I'm sure we will still manage to have fun. I'll just have to drink extra for Karissa is all
2. We are rapidly approaching the final payment deadline, and I am trying not to panic. Don't worry, we're going to make it. But JUST barely. The past several months have been wrought with one financial crisis after another for both us and our close family. Which means we are probably going to end up making our last payment ON THE DAY IT IS DUE. Gah. But you know what? I'd subject my family to nightly ramen noodles before I would cancel this cruise. Once I pay, though, I'll finally be able to relax. Well, relaxed for me. More likely, I'll just find something else to panic over.
3. I got a promotion! Ok, so it's not super relevant...I'm just excited. Believe it or not, it actually means better work hours and more free time in the evenings. Which means hopefully this trip report will not have such a lapse again....we shall see. It also means that once we make that final payment, we'll also be able to pay for our flights and hotel. You know, actually GET to the cruise. Always a plus.

More to come this week as I re-review excursions, and then review them some more.

 

[LindaBabe]

GOOD JOB on the Promotion!

 

[Mackie Mouse]

Hello there! Congrats on your upcoming trip!

I hope you don't me subscribing to your trip planning thread, since 1) we head out on the Wonder to Alaska only a few weeks after you (on July 1), and 2) I'm working on some trip planning on my Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy whale t-shirt the day after our monthly board-gaming group meetup. (Geeks of the world unite!)

Would love to here what activities you plan as you get ready to cruise...I'm planning along with you!

 

[zweihund]

GOOD JOB on the Promotion!

Thanks!
So far, so good. I like the new job a lot, and believe it or not there is LESS STRESS. Or maybe I'm just not doing it right. lol

Hello there! Congrats on your upcoming trip!

I hope you don't me subscribing to your trip planning thread, since 1) we head out on the Wonder to Alaska only a few weeks after you (on July 1), and 2) I'm working on some trip planning on my Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy whale t-shirt the day after our monthly board-gaming group meetup. (Geeks of the world unite!)

Would love to here what activities you plan as you get ready to cruise...I'm planning along with you!

Solidarity!
I say the more geeks, the merrier. Or at the very least, the more 10-sided dice, multicolored "meeples" and ironic t-shirts AMIRIGHT???

Working on an update, I pinky-swear.

 

[Linda67]

Congratulations on your promotion
We've now paid in full and it was a wonderful feeling
Just got to sell a kidney to pay for excurions now

 

[zweihund]

I would say we managed to do almost everything we wanted to do in Alaska in 2011. Problem was, I only knew *this* much of “the everything” way back then. I’ve since discovered something: there is SO MUCH more everything!

Commence panic mode.

We are really, REALLY lucky. We really considered Alaska 2011 the trip of a lifetime. Yes, we talked about going back but I never really thought we’d DO it. After all, I have a few more trips of a lifetime to plan. Like cruising through the Panama Canal. And a transatlantic cruise. Ok, maybe I just have a lot more cruises to plan….regardless, while I know many folks who do in fact repeat these dream vacation itineraries, they are the minority. We live comfortably, but we are not exactly rolling in it. And 2011 was REALLY EXPENSIVE. In general, any trip to Alaska it. Totally worth it in every way, but the bottom line is you can only afford to do it so many times. For us, that number tends to be ONE.

And yet, the stars aligned and made this possible. I’d also like to thank Uncle Sam, who held way too much of our money over the course of 2012 and kindly offered to return it to us right before the final payment is due***. Because, of course, something else broke. Welcome to life as a Jacques.

The moral of the story is this: how many times do you get to repeat the trip of a lifetime? It really makes you consider your excursions even more. I’ve spent the past several months scouring trip reports for excursion reviews, local eateries, etc. After much research, I’ve pretty much got it narrowed down. At least for now. Here’s the plan, port by port. I’ve also included a description of what we did last year.

(***as a disclaimer, about three of our friends have already subjected us to the lecture about how a tax refund is not a bonus or a savings account, so no need to remind me of this. I do actually know that and most years we break pretty even….but last time around we ended up owing quite a bit due to extra freelance work and too few withholdings at another side job I was doing. Seems I overcompensated after that fiasco so it’s back to the drawing board! /end financial jargon)

Skagway: White Pass and Yukon Route.

Big shocker, this is pretty much the main excursion option with a few variations. We have opted for the train, ride plus suspension bridge. We really wanted to do this last year, but Izzy was 20 months old at the time and we thought she’d be more interested in walking up and down the train aisles than allowing us to take in the scenery. Lately, however, she is very interested in trains, and we’ll have a much better adult-to-child ratio on this trip (to be honest, grandparents count as like 1.5 adult each. I don’t know how they do it). My parents will join us, and possibly the other family. Though to be fair, they are not as far along in the over-planning stage as we are.

*ahem*
As I am.

We considered the steam train because how many times do you get to ride a steam train? Problem is, there’s really nothing else to the excursion apart from the train. Scenery is lovely and all, but I have to get out and stretch my legs at some point. Plus, when you have a toddler it’s best not to be confined in a box on wheels for too long.

I have to admit, while everyone seems to have loved it I just have zero interest in the dog sledding thing. I don’t know why. We love dogs, and I do think it would be fascinating to see how they train. And yet, it does not appeal to me in the least. It’s a mystery. Maybe if we get a third shot at this trip of a lifetime, I might change my mind. I don’t see it happening though.

A few pics from last time:

Typical Skagway street

Checking out the trains

Last year we just walked around the town, watched the salmon and did some general sightseeing and shopping. We’ll probably do that again too either before or after the excursion, because not only did we enjoy the stroll last time by somehow we missed the Red Onion Saloon (???). How we managed that I will never know. Call it the toddler effect. Plus, I have to go back to a few of the stores we hit last year. There was a great kids’ clothing spot (Izzy loves her “I moose be dreaming” PJ’s) and a fantastic chocolatier. We brought some chocolates back for our servers last year, and a few for ourselves. I don’t remember the names of the shops, but Skagway isn’t that big so I’m fairly certain I could find them again. Plus, I’m sure someone who knows will tell me before then.

Juneau : Whale Watching and Mendenhall Glacier tour.

We did the whale watching tour last year, minus the glacier (the bus went by and we saw it for about 15 seconds, does that count?), and it was great. The crew were awesome, and we saw tons of humpbacks and orcas (and sea lions too! Thankfully well away from the orcas…I can only handle so much Wild Kingdom). The boat was big enough for toddler roaming, with TWO sets of stairs to the upper deck – handy when your child wants to go up and down, up and down, up and down. My parents are joining us because they really want to see the whales, and we are happy to do it again. I regretted not seeing the glacier in person last year, hence the addition. Not sure yet whether the other family will be with us or not.

A few pics from 2011:

Humback family, lovely and peaceful

Orcas! These suckers are FAST!

The pictures really don’t do it justice. There is nothing like being that close to a whale in the wild. This, from a girl who used to sell squeaky puppets in Shamu Stadium. It’s true.

Part of me also really wants to go up the tramway, but I think we may skip it. We didn’t get the chance to shop any in Juneau last year, and this is a longer excursion (I’m breaking my four hour rule, JUST THIS ONCE). I may change my mind if the weather is nice and hop on either before or after our excursion. But, I do want to have some strolling time if at all possible. Of course, I think there is some shopping to be done at the top of the tramway. Decisions, decisions.

Ketchikan

(wait for it……)

NADA.

Yep, nada. I can’t find anything I am desperate to do, and I don’t want to pick a random excursion just for the sake of going on an excursion. This is the second time I’ve considered and then nixed the Misty Fjords boat tour. The reviews have been very hit or miss, and for the price I’d rather not take a gamble. My parents are doing one of the MF plane tours, which are hugely popular. My dad loves to fly (his hobby….he’s a teacher by day) so he is treating himself to a plane tour. More power to him. I’ve been in small planes, but they aren’t my favorite mode of transportation and the thought of jumping in one with a squirmy 3 year old kind of freaks me out. Plus, you’ll never catch Lionel alive in one of those things, so even if I were a brave soul it would not happen.

I like the idea of going to the totem park, but we saw the water side of the park on last year’s excursion so I’m ok if we miss out on that. And I have absolutely no interest in lumberjacks. Firemen, on the other hand, would be a totally different story – ladies? AMIRIGHT?

Last year we did the Eagles, Lighthouses and Totems tour which I recommend to anyone. It was family-run, and the captain even let Izzy drive the boat. Which may be a testament to some poor judgment on his part, but hey – we all survived. The excursion lived up to its name, Isabelle got a complimentary stuffed wolf (which she promptly named “wolf”) and we even saw seals.

Totems in the background, crazy hair up front

I TOTALLY know how to use these...

We spent a little time exploring Ketchikan last year, but mostly stuck to the touristy area near the boat. We were wiped out from the boat tour and the rain was getting more continuous, so we didn’t linger. We never made it to Creek Street, which I regretted. I also wanted to see more of the around-town totems. Like this guy.

Our 2013 Ketchikan goals: see Creek Street, take a picture at the Ketchikan sign (how did we miss it?), find that stone carving shop that we happened upon last year (coolest stone bears ever!) and take the funicular up to the lodge with all of the totems. There may be more on the agenda, that’s just all I’ve got so far. I’m still considering taking a taxi to the totem park, but considering how many totems we’ll be seeing around the city (and in Stanley Park), I’m not sure it will be worthwhile.

Thoughts?

We are meeting up with the other couple sometime this week to seriously discuss our vacation plans, so this could all change completely. But for now this is my story, and I’m sticking to it.

Next up: Vancouver pre-planning. Or maybe Seattle. We don’t know!

 

[LemonPie]

We are also on the 9/2/13 Alaskan cruise I have planned our shore excursions, then replanned them and then changed my mind entirely. I asked DD did she want to see bears or whales. She voted for bears so we are (probably) taking the Taku Lodge float plane and salmon bake tour. Most everyone says that they have seen bears there. It is a cruise for DH and my 25th anniversary and we are taking the kids. DS 24, DS 22 and DD 11. I will be watching your trip report closely for more tips for our cruise. One thing we have done before is take pirate outfits for pireate night. Well since it is not such a big deal on the Alaskan cruise I got pirate t-shirts from 6dollarshirts.com. They are cute and will do the trick. I also always pack a good boxed wine, yes there is a good boxed wine. I hope I will have luggage room to do the same this time. It makes good space to bring things home that I buy on the trip since the wine will be gone.

 

[Linda67]

Your excursion choices look great

Lovely family photos - you little girl is a cutie

I must admit the one thing I haven't really looked into is where to eat and more importantly where to get a good cup of coffee, so any suggestions you have would be great!

Our wish list looks like this at the moment

Skagway - White Pass Railway & Trail Camp
Juneau - Dog Sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier
Ketchikan - Rainforest Hike & Totem Park (booked this independently with Tracy at Wild Wolf Tours)

We are trying to keep the excursion lengths pretty short so we have time for a wander around the ports (max length is around 3 hours)

We've been back and forth over these so many times but I'm happy with our choices now and think they give a nice mix

Do you think the excursions will sell out quickly? I have second choices if I can't grab these on my booking date

 

[zweihund]

We are also on the 9/2/13 Alaskan cruise I have planned our shore excursions, then replanned them and then changed my mind entirely. I asked DD did she want to see bears or whales. She voted for bears so we are (probably) taking the Taku Lodge float plane and salmon bake tour. Most everyone says that they have seen bears there. It is a cruise for DH and my 25th anniversary and we are taking the kids. DS 24, DS 22 and DD 11. I will be watching your trip report closely for more tips for our cruise. One thing we have done before is take pirate outfits for pireate night. Well since it is not such a big deal on the Alaskan cruise I got pirate t-shirts from 6dollarshirts.com. They are cute and will do the trick. I also always pack a good boxed wine, yes there is a good boxed wine. I hope I will have luggage room to do the same this time. It makes good space to bring things home that I buy on the trip since the wine will be gone.

I do not scoff at the boxed wine! Good thinking with the pirate outfits. We did opt out of the fish extender exchange on our 2011 Alaska trip simply because we didn't want to try to lug all of that stuff back home PLUS whatever we bought. Last year with only ONE kid we ended up with:

• A Belle dress
• A giant stuffed Minnie Mouse
• A stuffed seal from the whale tour
• "Wolf" from the Eagles and Totems tour
• Assorted shirts/hats for us
• A solid stone bear carving
• An orca puzzle
• A few coffee mugs....

I know there was more than that, but I've lost track at this point. I'd save all the room possible for bring-backs....we had no intention of getting that much stuff - it just kind of happened. Slowly. Thank you, packing gods, for inventing Space Bags. Sucked the air out of whatever I could and crammed it into the small suitcase. Which I'm pretty sure weighed as much as the large one for the flight back!

Your excursion choices look great

Lovely family photos - you little girl is a cutie

I must admit the one thing I haven't really looked into is where to eat and more importantly where to get a good cup of coffee, so any suggestions you have would be great!

Our wish list looks like this at the moment

Skagway - White Pass Railway & Trail Camp
Juneau - Dog Sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier
Ketchikan - Rainforest Hike & Totem Park (booked this independently with Tracy at Wild Wolf Tours)

We are trying to keep the excursion lengths pretty short so we have time for a wander around the ports (max length is around 3 hours)

We've been back and forth over these so many times but I'm happy with our choices now and think they give a nice mix

Do you think the excursions will sell out quickly? I have second choices if I can't grab these on my booking date

Thanks!
Last year I booked in the 90 day window and we got everything we wanted. In fact, we originally booked the Misty Fjords boat tour and changed our minds at the 75 day mark. We were able to change to the Eagle tour without any problems. Granted, I don't think we chose the most "popular" excursions, but from what I read and heard from others there was plenty to go around.

I am starting to get excited now. But then I priced Vancouver flights and started to panic again.

 

[zweihund]

Guess who just paid the cruise balance???

THIS GIRL.

 

[CatDenver]

A word about me: like many on the DIS, I am a crazy over-planner. At the same time, however, I am not a person who books up the entire vacation or follows a strict “fun schedule.” I describe it like this: if I’m spending money on the vacation of a lifetime, I want to do so with no regrets. Therefore, I will research every potential excursion, complete recon on all of the ports and leave no stone unturned when it comes to making the most of our time in Vancouver and Alaska. I try not to go too crazy when plans change at the last minute. Which, let’s face it, ALWAYS seems to happen.

If you’ve made it this far, be warned: you are about to embark upon 10 months of crazy. During this time, I will post color-coded spreadsheets, bargain bin finds, packing lists (and possibly diagrams – more on that later) and probably a few “crises” which will be in no way TRUE crises, and more like decisions over formalwear and possibly my daughter outgrowing “the perfect shoes.” We cruise June 17, 2013.

Woo hoo! So glad I stumbled on this pre-trip report! I love planning but like you no strict schedule on vacation! Just know your options when things change. I'm looking forward to following your thread!

 

[Linda67]

Guess who just paid the cruise balance???

THIS GIRL.

Whoop Whoop

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I am signing on for the ride. Our sailing is not until May 2014, but I am starting now in the planning and researching. I am sure I can learn a lot from your planning tips.

This will be our first trip to Alaska, so it is truly exciting to hear that you enjoyed it so much that you are going back again so soon.

 

[zweihund]

I just realized today, I have not started a packing list.



What the heck is wrong with me? I need to get on that. In the meantime, a little about Vancouver.....

Last year we spent a few days in Vancouver before the cruise, and it was great. What a cool city. We were within walking distance of the bottom corner of Stanley Park AND the sea wall. We hit the aquarium, Granville Island and did some general mosey-ing around the city. Lionel found a great little local café and I have fond memories of a daily morning latte upon waking. I also have memories of the strangest portable air-conditioning unit I’ve ever seen, though I wouldn’t necessarily call them fond. Mostly the thing just freaked me out. It looked kind of like that robot from Lost in Space, one arm dangling out the window. It made this horrible noise when it was on, and when you pushed the “off” button, well, nothing changed. Creepy.

I digress.

We stayed at a place called the Rosellen Suites. What? Never heard of it? Well, it was nothing fancy-schmancy, no chocolates on your pillows or television broadcast to your bathroom mirror. Basically, it was like renting an apartment. A clean, average-sized two bedroom apartment. Sarah and Ian stayed in one room, and Lionel and I stayed in the other with Isabelle. It had a furnished kitchen, dining room, living room and bathroom. And free wi-fi for up to two devices, for all of you geeks out there.

And you know who you are.

While the digs themselves didn’t blow me away, it ended up being the perfect way to spend time with our friends AND our kid. If you have kids, you know how hard it can be to wrangle them in the morning and get everyone out for breakfast, and you dread evening restaurant trips for the inevitable “I’m not tired” meltdown. It was great having the option to bring takeout home and eat it AT AN ACTUAL TABLE, and to put leftovers in the fridge.

There MAY also have been a cupcake or two in there from the local bakery. I can neither confirm nor deny this, so I’m just leaving it out there.

It was nice to be able to shut the bedroom door while Izzy napped, instead of tiptoeing around a single hotel room. And the dining room table was the perfect size for board games after baby bedtime. I would definitely stay there again. I think it would be a great choice for us and the grandparents, but I would spring for the suite with two bathrooms this time. Now that Isabelle is potty trained, a single bathroom for four adults and a squirmy toddler is just not a risk I want to take.

I definitely want to go back to the aquarium, because it was awesome. But I’d also like to see more of Stanley Park. In particular, the totems and more of the sea wall. I’d also like the chance to see other parts of the city, like Gas Town and some of the cathedrals. Maybe even the gardens. How many days do we have again?

The current TENTATIVE plan (because we haven't booked airfare yet) is to fly in and out of Vancouver, possibly with my parents. They aren't 100% solid on their pre- and post- cruise plans yet, so we may end up flying on our own and meeting them there. The other family is trying to decide whether to fly through Seattle and "train it up" or whether to just fly up and meet us in Vancouver. They'll be staying on their own, we're just not sure where yet.

Off to make my packing list. It's the little things that bring me joy.

 

[zweihund]

Meeting with Mom next week to finalize plans for flight, hotel and excursions - it's getting real!

 

[Linda67]

Nice to hear so many good things about Vancouver

We are spending a few days there pre and post cruise, and we are really looking forward to it

We are planning to visit Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge as well as taking a day trip over to Victoria

The rest of the time we just want to spend walking around the city and hopefully seeing Granville Island, Stanley Park and Gas Town, oh and we definitely want to check out the aquarium

As usual I am probably trying to pack too much in but we will have 6 full days to play with

 

[calliope]

Guess who just paid the cruise balance???

THIS GIRL.

Woot! Woot!

I'm following this thread closely, since I only wish I could be as good at obsessive pre-planning as you. Also, I've really enjoyed your other trip reports.

We're sailing on the Wonder to Alaska in early August. We loved our MR trip last spring (and are very sad that the only sailing from L.A. this year is the repo).

So, I'll be over here, taking notes.

 

[tink too]

I've just found your PTR and I'm in! Must say your DD is a real cutie.

We're sailing on the 15th July Alaskan cruise - first time to Alaska & first time on the Wonder. We're now PIF too - yay!!!

I'm not stressing too much about what to pack - being from Scotland we'll just pick some stuff out of our wardrobes - but I am concerned about luggage weight restrictions!

I did find your comment about 80 degrees not being hot especially amusing - to us, that's a heat wave! Yes, we are the folks who visit WDW in Winter and wear shorts & tees!

 

[zweihund]

Nice to hear so many good things about Vancouver

We are spending a few days there pre and post cruise, and we are really looking forward to it

We are planning to visit Grouse Mountain and Capilano Suspension Bridge as well as taking a day trip over to Victoria

The rest of the time we just want to spend walking around the city and hopefully seeing Granville Island, Stanley Park and Gas Town, oh and we definitely want to check out the aquarium

As usual I am probably trying to pack too much in but we will have 6 full days to play with

I think when dealing with so many potential weather changes it is hard NOT to overpack. So no judgement from me!
A funny story: I was talking to my mom and my friend about my packing plan, and they both looked at each other and then back at me and said in near unison "can you send us your list?"

Granville Island is very cool, lost of neat little shops and eateries. The aquarium was AWESOME - mind you, I used to work at Sea World and I go to The Living Seas at Epcot all the time so I was not expecting to be impressed. Well, I was. We missed Gas Town last time so I definitely want to hit it on this trip, as well as more of Stanley Park. Great minds think alike

Woot! Woot!

I'm following this thread closely, since I only wish I could be as good at obsessive pre-planning as you. Also, I've really enjoyed your other trip reports.

We're sailing on the Wonder to Alaska in early August. We loved our MR trip last spring (and are very sad that the only sailing from L.A. this year is the repo).

So, I'll be over here, taking notes.

Woohoo, take all the notes you want! And then, document them on a color-coded excel spreadsheet.
Whut.
You will love it, love it LOVE IT. Hopefully I'll get a lot of the post TR banged out before then. I might have to send you the cliff notes before you go! lol

I've just found your PTR and I'm in! Must say your DD is a real cutie.

We're sailing on the 15th July Alaskan cruise - first time to Alaska & first time on the Wonder. We're now PIF too - yay!!!

I'm not stressing too much about what to pack - being from Scotland we'll just pick some stuff out of our wardrobes - but I am concerned about luggage weight restrictions!

I did find your comment about 80 degrees not being hot especially amusing - to us, that's a heat wave! Yes, we are the folks who visit WDW in Winter and wear shorts & tees!

I lived in Scotland for three years!!! I went to Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, but I also spent a lot of time near Elgin. That's where I learned to say things like "hi hi, fit like?"
And yes, I do recall being the only person in jeans and long sleeves during the "summers" there lol

I highly recommend jumping on the laundry bandwagon....but I think you are right - your normal clothes will be just fine! The Alaska weather was pretty similar to what I remembered - slightly drizzly, damp 50's to 60's most of the time. Layers, layers layers. And raingear!
Welcome "aboard" - I look forward to hearing the reports from those travelling after us as well!