June 28, 2011 Disney Wonder 7-day Alaska

[pmoments]

Made are reservations do with Disney the 4x4 in Skagway & gold panning In Juneau. Booked on our own whale watching (Harv&Marv) in Juneau, halibut fishing in Ketchikan. Can't wait!!

 

[cozit]

DS will be doing the Bear Creek zipline while DW and I take the Lighthouse,Totem and Eagle tour in Ketchikan.

Time to start packing Yet?????

Bear Creek's the one I'm taking my kids on, afternoon in Ketchikan. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed... fear of falling will make it "interesting" for me. Thankfully, it's not a true fear of heights, or the kids would have to skip it. Bear Creek's the only zipline that my daughter is tall enough to do (she's a peanut, for all that she'll be turning 13 on the trip

-Liz

 

[hsinglanjin]

I was able to log on at 12:15amPT. Was able to get Musher's Camp in Skagway and Medenhall Glacier & City Tour in Juneau. Would have preferred a bit later time for my excursion in Juneau (they had 7:45am), but I guess I can check later to see if anything else opened up.

Wasn't able to get brunch at Palo's as there was no times available on any of the dates.

 

[buddywesley]

Hi There. This is my first time posting on here but Ive been reading all your great posts. I thought I'd add a little bit of info as when I called today I asked when the Formal nights are etc for this sailing and was told (barring any weather changes) that formal night will be the first night at Sea. Pirate Night will be when we're in Juneau and Semi-Formal when we're in Ketchikan. Hope that helps anyone for travel plans. I wasn't able to book any brunch or high teas either as they were all gone when I logged on last night at 12:06amPT. Look forward to meeting everyone June 28th.

 

[parrothead365]

online check in completed all we need to do now is show up

 

[daisy112878]

When did they start asking what time you'd be at the terminal? We have a shuttle taking us from Seattle to the cruise terminal so not quite sure what time we'll get there. We marked 1230pm on the online check-in but what happens if we're before or after that time.

 

[thej]

Last night we booked our excursions and Palo. I know we should have done them as soon as it opened for us on the 30th, but life got in the way. We can't do the checkin yet as we are still waiting on mother's passport.

We were amazed at how much was already gone at Palo. We did get a "date" dinner for DW & I at 7pm on day 4/Skagway which should be fine since we will be back aboard fairly early. But the few remaining were mostly a problem for us.

We've spent time in Skagway before, but never got to do the WhitePass railway. So we grabbed the later trip of that (12:30) and will just wander on our own beforehand. In Juneau we are doing the Mendenhall & Whale quest, which is our big excursion for the trip. We are looking forward to whale watching. We hadn't planned on doing anything in Ketchikan, just wandering around a bit. After we read the description of the lumberjack show, we were laughing so hard it became a must-do. So that's booked too.

DW & mother wanted massages, but all the decent times were booked. Everything left seems to conflict with dinner or some other event. I guess we can keep an eye out for openings. Us lowly silver castaway members

Also signed up DS for the kids program... I'm still amazed they will let kids as young as 8 check themselves out with parental approval. I guess maybe we are a bit overprotective since DS has some special needs, but I'd be a bit concerned about letting an 8yo round the ship on their own.

 

[ILuvJimny]

Okay, I admit it was mean. I texted the other 5 that are going with us on the cruise and told them I just got an email that there was a fire in a galley on the Wonder. There is smoke and water damage on most of the lower decks and the ship will be in drydock for at least 6 months for repairs.

Then I texted them that DCL will get back to us on what our options are for refund or rebooking and they could see more about it on www.aprilfools.com.

My actual reason for this post is to ask if there is somewhere to get information about the different ways to get from SeaTac to the dock in Vancouver. I have tried to find an answer on the boards but haven't found anything yet. We are still trying to decide how we will get there. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[booger73]

A couple other threads on here have talked about it:

Your options are 1) rent a car, 2) take the train, or 3) take the charter bus

Train: Amtrak Cascades: http://www.amtrakcascades.com/schedule.htm

Bus: Quickcoach: http://www.quickcoach.com/
or Greyhound: http://www.greyhound.com


We plan on renting car and driving

 

[daisy112878]

My actual reason for this post is to ask if there is somewhere to get information about the different ways to get from SeaTac to the dock in Vancouver. I have tried to find an answer on the boards but haven't found anything yet. We are still trying to decide how we will get there. Any help would be appreciated!

Thanks!

We're taking a private shuttle to the cruise terminal from the seattle marriott but we have 10 people including my 2 little ones plus all our stuff. So for us it was cheaper just to get our own ride. Just reading other threads I've seen renting a car and greyhound being the most popular ways to get there.

By the way love the april fools joke. How did they take it?

 

[IndyStarGazer]

Hi all,

Sorry that it has been so long since I last posted. It's been an exciting winter and spring, to say the least. I just accepted an offer for a new job -- one of the main sticking points was making sure I would have enough vacation time for this cruise and Scout camp!

As I mentioned before, we are interested in doing Fish Extenders. We (myself, Kim, sons Andrew (14) and Nick (11) will be in cabin 6560. We just booked ziplines in Skagway (and then Palo that night) and a helicopter trip to Mendenhall Glacier through Disney. We're thinking about going with a non-Disney fishing charter in Ketchikan.

FYI, I talked to the DCL folks about dining. So far they think that Formal Night will be the second night and Semi-Formal will be the 6th night - though of course that is all subject to change. The bad news - no fireworks, even though we'll be sailing on the 4th!

ILuvJimny asked about going from SeaTac to Vancouver. We're thinking about doing the Amtrak Cascades trip that booger73 mentioned. It seems like a really convenient and costs about $275 for all four of us round trip. The only downside is that we may have to do the bus rather than the train on the trip back. One train leaves before 7AM, the other leaves after 5PM. That would make for a long night of flying assuming I could get something out of Seattle that late!

Ah well, it's still better than the prices for flying in and out of Vancouver from Indianapolis - Seattle is less than half the price of Vancouver!

 

[buddywesley]

Hi all,

FYI, I talked to the DCL folks about dining. So far they think that Formal Night will be the second night and Semi-Formal will be the 6th night - though of course that is all subject to change. The bad news - no fireworks, even though we'll be sailing on the 4th!

yes! this is what I had posted earlier too. Pirate night will be when we're in Juneau too. Another fun fact...sunsets will be really late. When we're in Skagway (when we're doing Palo) it doesn't set till 10pm! Very excited to have the view while we dine this time

 

[cozit]

yes! this is what I had posted earlier too. Pirate night will be when we're in Juneau too. Another fun fact...sunsets will be really late. When we're in Skagway (when we're doing Palo) it doesn't set till 10pm! Very excited to have the view while we dine this time

Didn't even think about the view part. LOL it'll be better than the last time I had a view at Palo's... for brunch, and they don't block off that part of the ship except evening - let's just say that one individual was wearing something he really shouldn't in public, and it's a bit disconcerting to have people stopping to stare in the windows at you while you're eating. (dinner doesn't have that problem, at least not the two times we went before)

Sigh... so wish that second evening (the 29th) wasn't going to be the Formal Evening. Not doing Formal (heck, even my only formal dress is about 12 years old, and I have no interest in wearing it unless my arm is twisted), only dressing up ... though I guess I'll actually stick a nice dress in for that night, rather than just my "teacher wear" that I usually use for dining.

Getting closer, but not close enough. Our school district just started our 4th quarter, and we fly out literally 2 days after the last day (I've been threatening the snow gods that there had better be no more snow days... I can't deal with the idea of packing on the last day of work to fly the following day). I'm going to be more than ready for the cruise when it gets here

-Liz

 

[disdel]

Hi all,

Sorry that it has been so long since I last posted. It's been an exciting winter and spring, to say the least. I just accepted an offer for a new job -- one of the main sticking points was making sure I would have enough vacation time for this cruise and Scout camp!
!

Hi, Kim - congratulations on the new job, and glad you made time for Scout camp!

After numerous glitches with that "lovely to look at, pain to use" DCL website, ended up with all we planned - even though it had "lost" my PALO requests when it booted me of, when I was finally able to log back in, I was still able to get our dinner and brunch times (brunch inTracy Arm, yay!) but tea was no longer available.
Best of Skagway, Whale encounter/Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, and City Highlights followed by a non-Dis flightseeing of Misty Fjords in Ketchikan round things out.

Did I mention how EXCITED WE'RE GETTING
We'll be seeing y'all real soon!

 

[disdel]

Didn't even think about the view part. LOL it'll be better than the last time I had a view at Palo's... for brunch, and they don't block off that part of the ship except evening - let's just say that one individual was wearing something he really shouldn't in public, and it's a bit disconcerting to have people stopping to stare in the windows at you while you're eating. (dinner doesn't have that problem, at least not the two times we went before)

-Liz

Hi, Liz - We had a similar brunch experience disconcerting was just the start of it
So, this time, it will be light out for PALO dinner, but hopefully that area should still be blocked off. If not, well, we'll compare notes if there's any show - and I don't mean the Northern Lights

 

[IndyStarGazer]

Hi, Kim - congratulations on the new job, and glad you made time for Scout camp!

Thank you! Sorry, I should have been clearer though...I'm Doug, my wife is Kim.

Scouting is important to us both, and fortunately the new employer is being very understanding. It is definitely a "Northern Exposure" summer for us...the Alaskan cruise at the end of June, and then the boys and I will be off to northern Wisconsin for Scout camp at the end of July.

Something tells me I'm going to be missing my bed on the Wonder about two days into Scout camp....not to mention the stewards, wait staff, etc, etc....

I was still able to get our dinner and brunch times (brunch inTracy Arm, yay!) but tea was no longer available.

I really wanted to do Palo dinner at Tracy Arm, but by the time I remembered to do that, the only time left was the last seating. Way too late for a big dinner for me!

 

[j&jsmama]

Hi all,
We are getting close to being able to book our excursions and my sil saw a potential problem...
For the White Pass Railway trip w/ youth activity... it says it's geared towards 5 to 9 year olds. We both have 4 and 1/2 year olds as well as older children. Do you think they will let them go to the youth activity??? If not, we're thinking we should go non-Disney for the same trip. Any advice?????

 

[disdel]

Thank you! Sorry, I should have been clearer though...I'm Doug, my wife is Kim.

Scouting is important to us both, and fortunately the new employer is being very understanding. It is definitely a "Northern Exposure" summer for us...the Alaskan cruise at the end of June, and then the boys and I will be off to northern Wisconsin for Scout camp at the end of July.

Something tells me I'm going to be missing my bed on the Wonder about two days into Scout camp....not to mention the stewards, wait staff, etc, etc....



I really wanted to do Palo dinner at Tracy Arm, but by the time I remembered to do that, the only time left was the last seating. Way too late for a big dinner for me!

LOL! Sorry, ok, Doug - congrats on YOUR new job!

I'm still a Scouter myself, but less camping these days. Did spend over 3 weeks as Staff at last year's National Jamboree, though! Slept in Army barracks, so it would have been nice to board the MAGIC or WONDER afterwards! I think you have your timing backwards for this summer

As far as PALO, keep trying online, and go for it as soon as we board, hopefully you'll get something earlier. Maybe even book that last seating, and then try and get them to change it when you board, I think you can still cancel it that first day w/o penalty.

 

[booger73]

82 days and counting......

Oh as an update.. It's Ian, Shannon, DS10, 7 for the list on the first page.. in 7046.. Going to skip the FE sorry..

Did sign up for a helicopter ride (new).. hope it's not a lot of air/motion/sea-sickness.. never been in one before, nor on a glacier.. so figured, why not give it a go

Speaking of reservations - just checking tonight but: FYI

Palo dinner: Lots of Day 1,6 and 7 still left
Brunch is only Day 2 @ 11am left

Excursions:
All open except "Disney Dog Musher", "Dog Sledding on Mendenhall w/Helicopter" and "Whale Watching w/Salmon Bake" and the '3-port packages'

Wonder if people are just booking on their own

 

[Pocahantas]

We booked all of our excursions on our own back in early February.