July 8th 2013 Wonder Alaska Cruise!

[DopeyFan1966]

Excited to join and meet you all!

We are a family of 4 from L.A. California. DH, DW (me), DD (will be turning 16 in July) and DS (13).

This will be our 5th time with DCL. Very excited and starting to plan.

Looking forward to meeting you all..wishing you a wonderful holiday and New Year!

Squirrelgirl

Hi! Count us in too! It will be me, DH, DS(17), and DD(13). First time for us out in the Pacific Northwest. We are super excited. DH is already looking at SLR cameras and rain gear!

We're on this cruise. Our group is quite large:

Me (39)
DH (39)
DD (7)
DD (4)
Grampa (72)
Grandma (70)
Brother (38)
SIL (31)
Niece (4)

This is the first Disney cruise for all of us. DH and I went on a short RCL cruise 10 years ago. My parents love cruising, but have never been on DCL. My brother and his family have never cruised at all and my poor deprived niece has never been to Disney World!

I'm the planner, so I'm looking for suggestions for shore excursions with children.

Do you wish to be added to the website I created for our cruise? It has a lot of information about the ship and excursion options. I also have a roll call and a list of who would like to participate in FEs.

 

[daphneg]

We'll be there!

Mom, Daphne
Dad, Frank
Daughter, Alix

We'll be celebrating Alix's 5th birthday on board!

 

[mouselike-harrier]

Do you wish to be added to the website I created for our cruise? It has a lot of information about the ship and excursion options. I also have a roll call and a list of who would like to participate in FEs.

Please add us in to the website and roll call. Have not decided about the FEs yet, too much to do! We are counting down.....

 

[TwingleMomFl]

Hi guys! So glad I found this! We want to join in on the group. This will be our 8th DCL family cruise and our first Alaska one. I feel like a fish out of water not going to the Caribbean. So all info you guys have PLEASE share! It's me and the hubs plus our 3 kids. I have a 14 y.o son who turns 15 on the sailing and twin girls that will be 9. I'm so excited! Please let me know mor about the FE's. I've never done one but have seen them! Tanya

 

[TwingleMomFl]

I am also bringing some friends and their kids there will be 4 more adults and they 15 y.o. Boy, 14 y.o. Boy, 12 y.o. Boy, 8 y.o. Girl and 3 y.o. Girl. I try to get them to join in too.

 

[machubert]

Im sailing with TwinglemomFl. I just joined this site not sure what to do next...

 

[DopeyFan1966]

Hi guys! So glad I found this! We want to join in on the group. This will be our 8th DCL family cruise and our first Alaska one. I feel like a fish out of water not going to the Caribbean. So all info you guys have PLEASE share! It's me and the hubs plus our 3 kids. I have a 14 y.o son who turns 15 on the sailing and twin girls that will be 9. I'm so excited! Please let me know mor about the FE's. I've never done one but have seen them! Tanya

FEs are where we all make little gifts to give each other. You hand something outside your door on the Fish Light (hence Fish Extender) and we leave gifts for you. Something inexpensive and fun.

I am also bringing some friends and their kids there will be 4 more adults and they 15 y.o. Boy, 14 y.o. Boy, 12 y.o. Boy, 8 y.o. Girl and 3 y.o. Girl. I try to get them to join in too.

Do they want to be added to the Roll Call and/or FE list on the website? (I see one has already joined Disboards)

Im sailing with TwinglemomFl. I just joined this site not sure what to do next...

Do you want to be added to the website also? You could try looking at the website I created, I've tried to give as much information as I could and I add to it when I can. The website is:

http://8july2013-dclalaskacruise.weebly.com/

We'll be there!

Mom, Daphne
Dad, Frank
Daughter, Alix

We'll be celebrating Alix's 5th birthday on board!

Do you want to be added to the Roll Call and/or FE list on the website? Just let me know?

 

[DopeyFan1966]

Has anyone decided on what hotel they are staying in in Vancouver? I'm starting to look now.

We are flying into Portland because it is about $66 dollars per ticket cheaper, and the rental car is about $70 cheaper. Plus, we have family in Portland and family in Olympia, WA. So we are going to visit both.

 

[DopeyFan1966]

My 11 year old daughter would like to become friends with some of the girls if they would like also. We have done this for our other two cruises. It gives them a chance to meet first and know a little about each other. It is nice to have friends around when you go on a trip.

If anyone would like we can also link our reservations and sit at the same table. Just PM me if anyone is interested.

Cindy

 

[squirrelgirl]

Yes, please add my family to the roll call and to FE.

Family of 4
DH
DW (Squirrelgirl)
DD 15 (will be celebrating her 16th on the cruise)
DS 13

Thank you so much for organizing the site!!!

 

[daphneg]

We actually live in Portland. We're taking the train up the day before and staying at the Ramada Inn and Suites Downtown Vancouver.

Has anyone decided on what hotel they are staying in in Vancouver? I'm starting to look now.

We are flying into Portland because it is about $66 dollars per ticket cheaper, and the rental car is about $70 cheaper. Plus, we have family in Portland and family in Olympia, WA. So we are going to visit both.

 

[DopeyFan1966]

We actually live in Portland. We're taking the train up the day before and staying at the Ramada Inn and Suites Downtown Vancouver.

OOOooohhhhh, the train. Didn't think about that one. I'm going to have to look into that one. Thanks for the idea.

Cindy

 

[daphneg]

OOOooohhhhh, the train. Didn't think about that one. I'm going to have to look into that one. Thanks for the idea.

Cindy

It's remarkably cheap. And fun. And you can relax with a beverage while someone else does the driving.

 

[TwingleMomFl]

How much is the train from Portland? And how long does it take? Also can someone please tell me what's a roll call? And although I have seen the FE on the ships I really don't know what is involved with them. How does it work? Thanks!

 

[DopeyFan1966]

Thinking about hiring a private driver in Juneau. This would be the places we would stop and see:

Mendenhall Glacier $3 entrance fee to visitors center
Gold Panning
Old Mine Entrance (no entrance fee)
Waterfalls, nature viewing, etc
Historic Downtown tour
Shrine of St. Therese (no charge donations excepted at shrine)
Salmon Bake one is $45/person other is about $20/ person
Alaskan Brewery (no entrance fee)

After our tour we could be dropped off at the City Museum and walk to these final destinations and back to the pier. It is only about 1 mile of walking and the Mt Roberts Tram is right at the docks.

City Museum very minimal entrance fee ($5ish)
Alaska State Museum $7 entrance fee
Gold Mining History Museum $5 entrance fee
Mt Roberts Tram $27 per adult/ $13.50 children 7-12/ free 6 and under

We wouldn't have to do them in this order, I'm not sure which order we would do this in. We would end our tour at the City Museum around 1200 - 100pm and then have 3 - 4 hours to check out the museums and take the tram up the mountain on our own. You don't have to visit any museum if you don't want to. We arrive in Juneau early and could have our driver pick us up around 800.

The cost would be:

4 hours with the driver (800 - 1200) for 10 people would cost $52.00 each. Then the additional money for the entrance fees and lunch. I don't know the difference between the two lunches. I can get the information later, after I get an idea of what is offered and if anyone is interested.

With this tour, we would get a little of everything with a small group. There are 3 of us, leaving 7 seats available.

OR

for 14 people it could cost $40.00 each, plus entrance fees and lunch.

The price would increase per person if we didn't fill all the seats.


If anyone is interested please let me know.

Cindy

 

[DopeyFan1966]

How much is the train from Portland? And how long does it take? Also can someone please tell me what's a roll call? And although I have seen the FE on the ships I really don't know what is involved with them. How does it work? Thanks!

TwingleMomFl,

Roll Call is what I called the list of us that are here on Disboards that will be going on the cruise and want to be listed on the website I created.

FEs are where everyone that wants to volunteer hang FEs outside their doors and we all leave little gifts for each other. It's a lot of fun, the gifts can be anything. I've received stickers, sun screen samples, note pads with DCL pictures on them, home made memory books, all kinds of things. Look here on Disboards for FEs and you can find a lot of information on them. It's a lot of FUN.

The cost of the train depends on when you take it and whether you want business class or not.

Cindy

 

[TwingleMomFl]

Wow Cindy, you know your stuff! I will consider it. I have to first figure out plane tickets, and what we are going to choose first to do with our group there is 14 of us but I will keep this in mind. What are you planning to do I. The other ports?

Tanya

 

[goingsouth]

Hello Everyone~

We just changed our med cruise to this sailing! This will be our second visit to alaska but the first time there with Disney. Our first visit was 10 years ago and with Celebrity. The kids were so young then, I'm sure this will be a completely different experience. We thought Alaska was beautiful. I'm so happy to be going back.

Looking forward to getting to know you..

Lots of planning to do!

joanne

 

[DopeyFan1966]

Welcome to our forum. Sorry you had to change your Med cruise to this one. The Med cruise is incredible. We did it twice while living in Europe.

Please feel free to ask questions of us here. I've created a website that offers a lot of information. Please check it out if you would like.

http://8july2013-dclalaskacruise.weebly.com/

Cindy

 

[goingsouth]

Thanks, Cindy.

The Med would have been nice this year but it just wasn't working out. We moved to Florida recently and a shorter, less complicated itinerary was necessary.
I'll definitely check out the website.

I've spent the last couple of days reading pages and pages of trip reports and excursion reviews and am trying to come up with a list of options that the whole family will enjoy. Always a challenge!

I've never planned a trip with so little lead time.

We are wrestling between Denali/Anchorage or Calgary and canadian rockies pre-cruise.

joanne