Questions for early Alaskan cruisers!

[smb6]

I'll help with what I can!

Thanks for the info on not being able to check your luggage with DCL and them not printing your boarding passes..... I guess I'll try to arrange for someone to check us in from home.... Definately good info to know in advance

 

[sabrecmc]

Thanks for sharing your experiences!

Was Alice on this cruise or was this a previous cruise experience? Is the character tea something that needs to be signed up for like an excursion or is it just posted in the Navigator? This will be our first 7 day Disney cruise so am not familiar with all the differences between a 3 or 4 day.



Was lobster only available on specific nights?



What time did you cruise where you saw whales?



Part of our group is considering the trolley tour so may I asked what sucked about it?

Thanks again!

Let's see...

You signed up at Guest Services for the Tea (go early, seating is limited). Alice was on the ship, but not at the tea this time. That was a prior cruise where we had a great tea with Alice and the Mad Hatter. The "tea" is apple juice, btw.

Lobster only on specific nights. I can recall one night for sure that both my parents had it. I think there was a surf and turf on another night with the lobster. Lobster pasta was in Tritons one night.

We saw humpbacks twice from the ship during the evening/late afternoon. I think it was outside of Tracy Arm that we saw some and then after Juneau. There were also orcas coming back closer to Vancouver.

My parents said the trolley tour was very short (my mom said 10 minutes, but I think she was being snarky), just took them around town, where there really wasn't much to see (and there isn't, honestly, its a lot of shopping in town) and didn't give any kind of real commentary. They just felt they could have walked around and been fine without spending the money. They were really disappointed b/c all our other tours (we were on the repo too) were great.

smb6, I hope you have a great time! We really loved that tour. Lots of photo stops! They stopped at the Welcome to Alaska sign, the Yukon sign, Bridal Veil Falls, the overlook to Bove Island, Emerald Lake, the overlook to the last visible part of the original trail, the "desert" in Carcross, and several other places. We also had lively commentary along the way with some interesting history and stories. Plus time for pit stops. Carcross is not much to see, but the dog sledding place was kind of hokey fun. They have a neat museum there with some dioramas that are pretty cool and you can walk through for free. Puppies to cuddle, great ice cream, nice restrooms and a really fun dog sled ride! Can you tell we loved it??? They will pick you up right at the dock once you exit the Wonder and drive you the 2 minutes to the train depot. Good coffee there for the ride! You'll have your own train car for your tour, so no worry about seats. Be sure to buy the White Pass hat onboard, since you can't find the same one anywhere else!

 

[cryssi]

Puppies to cuddle??? Wow, DS would love that.

 

[llkoolj40]

Regarding whale watching, we did it in Sept 2008 and this inaugural cruise in Juneau,both times with Harv and Marv. Both times were great. We saw many whales the 1st time but the weather was cold, dark and dreary. This time we only saw one and got one whale tail shot,( Only 3 were spotted that day by all the whale watching tours it seems.)but the weather was great and the views were amazing.
We did learn some things. Going on the later tours is a bit better as the whales have already been spotted and the tours know where to head. Taking a private excursion with a small group is much better as it allows for better viewing an more flexibility in the tour. For example,Harv and Marv, we were only 6 people on the boat, and our guide took us north and past Herbert glacier and then wen to find seals for us because the whale watching was not as great. What fun!

 

[sabrecmc]

Puppies to cuddle??? Wow, DS would love that.

I think my DD would still be there if she could! They were pretty newly born, too. They had chairs out for the kids to sit in and they'd bring them a puppy to hold. So freaking adorable. I had to hold one too, of course. Oh, the snuggles! I'll have to try to post a picture when I get home.

Now, this is outdoors and it is a dog place, so I don't want people to get really high expectations of what it looks like, but don't be put off by that! These are what we would call "salt of the Earth" people, but they were super-friendly and eager to talk about the dogs, which they clearly love. We were muddy messes afterwards (watch out if you sit up front in the sled), but we were happy muddy messes.

 

[poohj80]

We saw humpbacks twice from the ship during the evening/late afternoon. I think it was outside of Tracy Arm that we saw some and then after Juneau. There were also orcas coming back closer to Vancouver.

Thanks again! I meant during your whale watching excursion. I see morning and afternoon times available and wondering if one offered a better chance of viewing.

 

[sabrecmc]

Thanks again! I meant during your whale watching excursion. I see morning and afternoon times available and wondering if one offered a better chance of viewing.

LOL, sorry! We did the 7:30 excursion. The 9:30 excursion didn't see any.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Some of these have been answered in other threads such as the Navigators and movies on board. Are you just lookig for them to be posted here as well? Is there a list of the questions which have been answered posted somewhere as well?

Thanks!

Here's the post with the ORIGINAL list of questions and some answers.

But, I'm confused now because the list Lollipop'sMom just posted is a different (somewhat) list. Some questions and numbering are the same, but many are different. Very confusing for me, but maybe it's just me. There are two (somewhat overlapping list) out there now. Nick has also done a great job updating the first post with lots of collective information.

- Dreams

 

[smb6]

Regarding whale watching, we did it in Sept 2008 and this inaugural cruise in Juneau,both times with Harv and Marv. Both times were great. We saw many whales the 1st time but the weather was cold, dark and dreary. This time we only saw one and got one whale tail shot,( Only 3 were spotted that day by all the whale watching tours it seems.)but the weather was great and the views were amazing.
We did learn some things. Going on the later tours is a bit better as the whales have already been spotted and the tours know where to head. Taking a private excursion with a small group is much better as it allows for better viewing an more flexibility in the tour. For example,Harv and Marv, we were only 6 people on the boat, and our guide took us north and past Herbert glacier and then wen to find seals for us because the whale watching was not as great. What fun!

Glad to hear you enjoyed this excursion; we are booked with Harv and Marv in our own private boat for Juneau also. I believe our excursion time is 8:30am. I sure hope we see plenty of whales.... hearing that one posters report about one of the tours not seeing any and yours about only seeing one concerns me....

 

[PeterPanFanWDW]

I am on the 9 am shuttle to Seattle which will get me to the airport almost 2 hr. early. I have been told that we can request early departure tags for our luggage. I had a friend that did this in LA and they had no problem getting off in about 30 mins. If they can't do this then I will just keep my bags with me and leave with the first group. The ship looked like it got in the port early in the morning on the first cruise so I am not worried at this point.

I hope it improves by your sailing. The ship did dock at 6AM - early disembarking (those with flights prior to 12:30 or if you take you on luggage off) were the first group. We had to meet in WDT promptly at 7:30AM but DCL didn't show until closer to 8 as the ship hadn't been cleared - we began disembarking around 830AM, cleared customs, waited to board bus to YVR, bus ride was about 45 minutes. I think we were at the airport shortly after 10AM.

HTH PPF

 

[DVC Greg]

The first cruise had to certify so that one took a different path

 

[Tigger1221]

LOL, sorry! We did the 7:30 excursion. The 9:30 excursion didn't see any.

We did the 9:30 Whales and Mendenhall Glacier and we did see a whale. We saw a whale, eagles, and sea lions.

 

[ibouncetoo]

Regarding whale watching, we did it in Sept 2008 and this inaugural cruise in Juneau,both times with Harv and Marv. Both times were great. We saw many whales the 1st time but the weather was cold, dark and dreary. This time we only saw one and got one whale tail shot,( Only 3 were spotted that day by all the whale watching tours it seems.)but the weather was great and the views were amazing.
We did learn some things. Going on the later tours is a bit better as the whales have already been spotted and the tours know where to head. Taking a private excursion with a small group is much better as it allows for better viewing an more flexibility in the tour. For example,Harv and Marv, we were only 6 people on the boat, and our guide took us north and past Herbert glacier and then wen to find seals for us because the whale watching was not as great. What fun!

Our gang did a private tour with Harv & Marv also (2 boats of 12 people) and everyone I talked to really enjoyed it.

.

 

[flexsmom]

I think my DD would still be there if she could! They were pretty newly born, too. They had chairs out for the kids to sit in and they'd bring them a puppy to hold. So freaking adorable. I had to hold one too, of course. Oh, the snuggles! I'll have to try to post a picture when I get home.

Now, this is outdoors and it is a dog place, so I don't want people to get really high expectations of what it looks like, but don't be put off by that! These are what we would call "salt of the Earth" people, but they were super-friendly and eager to talk about the dogs, which they clearly love. We were muddy messes afterwards (watch out if you sit up front in the sled), but we were happy muddy messes.

OK - you sold me! We had the up & back train booked, but even though this looks like a long day, your description just sounds fun! How was the lunch that was provided?

My kids are having a hard time adjusting to the idea that we are going to GET OFF THE SHIP this time. Before the hoards attack, no, we are not letting them dictate the itinerary, but I have asked them a few times about their interests. I finally figured out that their interests are "Lab" and "Edge", so from here on out, I'm calling the shots. We are usually "get on board and enjoy the ship" kind of people, but I'm not going all the way to Alaska to look at it only from the railings. I decided we'd go hardcore for Skagway, do a Juneau helicopter trip, and then maybe just get off and wander around Ketchikan because nothing is grabbing me as a "must do" for all of us there that we need to pre-plan.

 

[engle]

I hope it improves by your sailing. The ship did dock at 6AM - early disembarking (those with flights prior to 12:30 or if you take you on luggage off) were the first group. We had to meet in WDT promptly at 7:30AM but DCL didn't show until closer to 8 as the ship hadn't been cleared - we began disembarking around 830AM, cleared customs, waited to board bus to YVR, bus ride was about 45 minutes. I think we were at the airport shortly after 10AM.

HTH PPF

It was SUPPOSED to dock at 6am...we were still out in open water at 6:30am when I awoke...we didn't pull into the dock until 7:10am....

 

[cruzings]

Anyone fly into Seattle then cross the border via rental car?If so, I'm wondering how difficult this is? Did it take long? What is the process?

Thanks for any information

We have done this many times, but mostly during spring break (March), when we go to Whistler to ski. We rent a vehicle at SEATAC and drive north to Surrey BC where my sister-in-law and family live (literally 8 miles from the border). The drive from SEATAC to her house takes about 2.0 hours.

Advantage: Flights significantly cheaper into Seattle than into Vancouver. Same goes for car rentals.

The border crossing can be a little tricky depending on the time of day or day of the week. Many Canadians go into the US to shop during weekends. If you get caught in the rush, it could be a long wait at the border.

Be careful driving through Seattle north on I-5. It is a speedtrap! We got a ticket the first time around and we were only going 5 mph above the speed limit.

Hope this helps!

 

[matsterrocks]

If you carry your own bags off do you still have to go to the theater if your not tsking a bus transfer?

For the Crab appy on the Alaska menu did it comew with hot butter for dipping?

 

[couturegirl]

Questions Needing Answers

01. Navigators - pretty,pretty please with cherry on top?

I'll work on it! Still unpacking and need to find them all!

02. Timing/Open- Since the sun comes up so ding-dang early, do the fitness center and cove cafe open any earlier than normal?

Not sure, but that info will be on the navigators.

03. On Deck - Are there blankets, hot cocoa, etc. on deck?

There are comfy (although smallish and thin) blankets draped over every other chair in Quiet Cove. There is also hot cocoa packets available at the drink stand near the pools.

04. Dinner menus - anything different, what night was what?

Nothing really new since our last cruise in January. However, they do cater to your specific requests if you ask early enough in the cruise. DH wanted Beef Wellington and they made it for him...foie gras, the pastry shell, the works!)

05. Excursion and port reviews?

We did the package for Young Families...something to do in every port. We loved it all! ALTHOUGH the excursions went a little too long in Juneau and Ketchikan. In Skagway we did the White Pass Railway which was awesome! I have two boys 4 and 6 and they loved it! They had bottled water free if you wanted it too. When we got back we did some shopping in the port and I was glad I did it there! In Juneau and Ketchikan we spent ALL THE PORT TIME on the excursions, so we had NO TIME to explore on our own! However, the excursions were good.

In Juneau we did the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Watching Tour package. Saw about 4 humpbacks, seals (one HUGE bull seal) and a couple bald eagles.

In Ketchikan we boarded a bus with Tic-Tac (her name!) at the wheel. She gave a very friendly and downhome guided tour, took us to the Saxman Native Village where we watched them dance and sing for us, then got back on the bus to the Lumberjack Show. OMG, that was the BEST! So much rowdy fun, my boys loved it and my 6 year old participated in a contest there and also got to dance with the natives too. Just wish we could have explored the city more...I really liked the people there. I have to say if I ever move to Alaska it better be Ketchikan...my kind of town!

06. Boarding and Vancouver Cruise Terminal - wait times, boarding numbers, set up at terminal?

WAY more efficient than the terminal in the Port of Los Angeles! Wait time was minimal, however, we got someone who was learning as he went on and was a little annoying. But chances are he'll get better with every cruise!

07. New - Anything at all new/different than normal for Alaska?

Never been to Alaska before so I am not sure. We had UNUSUALLY GOOD WEATHER I hear. It barely rained (only one night I believe) and clear skies the rest of the time. I hope everyone gets the same weather, it was perfect!

08. Weather - What was the weather like? (both on ship and in ports)

See #7.

09. Mickey Bars - Can we get mickey bars from room service in Alaska?

Not sure, never asked. But my boys did get them with their dinner every night.

10. Repellant - Is repellent is really a necessity for this cruise?

Repellant? For bugs? Didn't see one bug.

11. Upgrades- Did anyone upgrade at port or look into upgrading, and how were the prices?

Nope.

12. Lobster - was there lobster available at the BBB table service?

I don't think so. Not in BBB. But it was on the regular menu for dinner. Delish! And HUGE!

13. Movies - What movies are playing?

African Cats, Tangled, Gnomeo and Juliet are the ones I can remember.

14. Temp - Is the temperature in the indoor areas comfortable?

Yes, although we found it a little warm in our stateroom at night until we settled in.

15. Cell - How was cell phone service in the Alaska ports?

We have Sprint and it didn't work very well for DATA at all. I also tried to geocache in Skagway which did NOT want to work. Didn't try to make a call though, so not sure about that.

18. Tracy Arm - What's the best spot for viewing during the day when you are sailing by Tracy Arm?

All over gives great views! Most people crowded up on Deck 10 Forward to get the FIRST glimpse of a whale or eagle or whatever. But you can see those things from anywhere. We also saw white mountain goats, baby seals and humpbacks.

19 . Activities - what kind of Alaska-related activities where offered on board?

The day we went through Tracy Arm, Oceaneers Club and Lab moved up to Deck 10 Sports to give the kids a chance to be outside and able to see their surroundings (for once) while they played. They played ball sports outside, they had a place to sit and get read to by a counselor if they wanted and you could pick up/drop your kid off up there. Nothing else caught my eye that was different. Oh, Art of Entertaining featured salmon one day, but that's about it. Maybe someone else spotted something else Alaska-related.

20. Packing - Is there any thing that you didn't bring that you wished you had (i.e. warmers, etc.)?

An extension cord and power strip (I always forget those), extra space for all the stuff I brought home! Oh and chapstick.

21. Tea - are they doing the Tea with Characters?

We did the Disney Tea Party. Only Princess Ariel and Princess Tiana were there for the kids. (FYI, we only had 400 kids on our cruise so there was no fighting for space anywhere which was nice!)

22. Shows - What times are the shows for the Alaska cruise?

Same time as other cruises. Nothing different.

23. Age Group - What does the age of the crowd appear to be?

Lots more blue hairs on here than normal. Since I was on the inaugural cruise there were a lot of Disney die hards who were there for the LE stuff and for bragging rights. It seemed like the presence of children just annoyed them but whatever. We had a good time! If you want anything that says "Alaska" on it from Treasure Ketch or Mickey's Mates, don't be discouraged if you go the first night and they tell you everything's been snatched up. Apparently, some collecting people just grabbed and bought everything as soon as they got onboard. Don't worry. They open new boxes as the week goes on so don't sweat it. We got what we wanted a different day, and by the end of the cruise there were things sitting on shelves that said Alaska on them.

24. What dining rotation did you have?

5:45. Early. We almost missed our dinner time in Ketchikan because we got back so late.

 

[Mimi1975]

Questions Needing Answers

01. Navigators - pretty,pretty please with cherry on top?

I'll work on it! Still unpacking and need to find them all!

02. Timing/Open- Since the sun comes up so ding-dang early, do the fitness center and cove cafe open any earlier than normal?

Not sure, but that info will be on the navigators.

03. On Deck - Are there blankets, hot cocoa, etc. on deck?

There are comfy (although smallish and thin) blankets draped over every other chair in Quiet Cove. There is also hot cocoa packets available at the drink stand near the pools.

04. Dinner menus - anything different, what night was what?

Nothing really new since our last cruise in January. However, they do cater to your specific requests if you ask early enough in the cruise. DH wanted Beef Wellington and they made it for him...foie gras, the pastry shell, the works!)

05. Excursion and port reviews?

We did the package for Young Families...something to do in every port. We loved it all! ALTHOUGH the excursions went a little too long in Juneau and Ketchikan. In Skagway we did the White Pass Railway which was awesome! I have two boys 4 and 6 and they loved it! They had bottled water free if you wanted it too. When we got back we did some shopping in the port and I was glad I did it there! In Juneau and Ketchikan we spent ALL THE PORT TIME on the excursions, so we had NO TIME to explore on our own! However, the excursions were good.

In Juneau we did the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Watching Tour package. Saw about 4 humpbacks, seals (one HUGE bull seal) and a couple bald eagles.

In Ketchikan we boarded a bus with Tic-Tac (her name!) at the wheel. She gave a very friendly and downhome guided tour, took us to the Saxman Native Village where we watched them dance and sing for us, then got back on the bus to the Lumberjack Show. OMG, that was the BEST! So much rowdy fun, my boys loved it and my 6 year old participated in a contest there and also got to dance with the natives too. Just wish we could have explored the city more...I really liked the people there. I have to say if I ever move to Alaska it better be Ketchikan...my kind of town!

06. Boarding and Vancouver Cruise Terminal - wait times, boarding numbers, set up at terminal?

WAY more efficient than the terminal in the Port of Los Angeles! Wait time was minimal, however, we got someone who was learning as he went on and was a little annoying. But chances are he'll get better with every cruise!

07. New - Anything at all new/different than normal for Alaska?

Never been to Alaska before so I am not sure. We had UNUSUALLY GOOD WEATHER I hear. It barely rained (only one night I believe) and clear skies the rest of the time. I hope everyone gets the same weather, it was perfect!

08. Weather - What was the weather like? (both on ship and in ports)

See #7.

09. Mickey Bars - Can we get mickey bars from room service in Alaska?

Not sure, never asked. But my boys did get them with their dinner every night.

10. Repellant - Is repellent is really a necessity for this cruise?

Repellant? For bugs? Didn't see one bug.

11. Upgrades- Did anyone upgrade at port or look into upgrading, and how were the prices?

Nope.

12. Lobster - was there lobster available at the BBB table service?

I don't think so. Not in BBB. But it was on the regular menu for dinner. Delish! And HUGE!

13. Movies - What movies are playing?

African Cats, Tangled, Gnomeo and Juliet are the ones I can remember.

14. Temp - Is the temperature in the indoor areas comfortable?

Yes, although we found it a little warm in our stateroom at night until we settled in.

15. Cell - How was cell phone service in the Alaska ports?

We have Sprint and it didn't work very well for DATA at all. I also tried to geocache in Skagway which did NOT want to work. Didn't try to make a call though, so not sure about that.

18. Tracy Arm - What's the best spot for viewing during the day when you are sailing by Tracy Arm?

All over gives great views! Most people crowded up on Deck 10 Forward to get the FIRST glimpse of a whale or eagle or whatever. But you can see those things from anywhere. We also saw white mountain goats, baby seals and humpbacks.

19 . Activities - what kind of Alaska-related activities where offered on board?

The day we went through Tracy Arm, Oceaneers Club and Lab moved up to Deck 10 Sports to give the kids a chance to be outside and able to see their surroundings (for once) while they played. They played ball sports outside, they had a place to sit and get read to by a counselor if they wanted and you could pick up/drop your kid off up there. Nothing else caught my eye that was different. Oh, Art of Entertaining featured salmon one day, but that's about it. Maybe someone else spotted something else Alaska-related.

20. Packing - Is there any thing that you didn't bring that you wished you had (i.e. warmers, etc.)?

An extension cord and power strip (I always forget those), extra space for all the stuff I brought home! Oh and chapstick.

21. Tea - are they doing the Tea with Characters?

We did the Disney Tea Party. Only Princess Ariel and Princess Tiana were there for the kids. (FYI, we only had 400 kids on our cruise so there was no fighting for space anywhere which was nice!)

22. Shows - What times are the shows for the Alaska cruise?

Same time as other cruises. Nothing different.

23. Age Group - What does the age of the crowd appear to be?

Lots more blue hairs on here than normal. Since I was on the inaugural cruise there were a lot of Disney die hards who were there for the LE stuff and for bragging rights. It seemed like the presence of children just annoyed them but whatever. We had a good time! If you want anything that says "Alaska" on it from Treasure Ketch or Mickey's Mates, don't be discouraged if you go the first night and they tell you everything's been snatched up. Apparently, some collecting people just grabbed and bought everything as soon as they got onboard. Don't worry. They open new boxes as the week goes on so don't sweat it. We got what we wanted a different day, and by the end of the cruise there were things sitting on shelves that said Alaska on them.

24. What dining rotation did you have?

5:45. Early. We almost missed our dinner time in Ketchikan because we got back so late.

Thank you for all the answers
How to book the tea party with princesses? Ariel is my DD(4)'s favorite.

 

[go time hawaii]

Thank you Diane for all the wonderful information! This is our first time to alaska, first with disney and first cruise (virgins i say), this is wonderful to know as i wouldn't even know what to ask, i may have the rest of the family fooled as they'll think i'm seasoned, LOL... welcome back!