04/27/11 DCL's WONDERful LA-VANCOUVER REPO ON THE WAY TO ALAKSA

[DL1957]

Oooh Birthdays, birthdays. My son is turning 8 on april 29

I booked Muir Woods for the 2nd SF day, and a Garden tour for Victoria, but may change that.

I want to do alcatraz on the first SF day, we'll probably are going to do that on our own.

If you are doing alcatraz on your own get tickets now and do not wait until you get to SF or you will be disappointed especially since this is the week after Easter and there are a lot of CA schools out on vacation. You will enjoy it and great education experience for the kids. Sue

 

[denise]

Can anyone tell me if the Butchart & Butterfly Gardens tour is still available?

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I'm sorry your past experience was bad. Is there a reason you can't get to the port early? Is San Pedro in Long Beach? I thought it was in LA.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you.



Shoot! I was hoping those Mickey jammies would bring you luck!
Maybe you'll be able to get onboard early and book one. It seems like they should let other than Gold and platinum members get brunch ressies.

haha
well it's okay.... it's not a huge deal to us. We've done Palo dinner several times but never brunch or tea. maybe it's just not meant to be. One time on a cruise a long time ago- I think it was our first cruise- we booked brunch and then FORGOT! Completely forgot until like 2hrs afterwards. haha It's obviously not a huge thing to us (but now in hindsight I feel bad we took someone's spot that might have really really wanted to go. We did get charged though- as if we'd gone. So same difference I guess- just less food eaten at that brunch than if we'd gone.

On my last cruise, main dining was 5:45. I don't know of any reason to change it for west coast cruises.

Formal night is night 2
Pirate night is night 4
And semi-formal is night 5

Cool- thanks!

Main Dining is 6 and 6:15, I think. On the Magic, it was also 5:45. We have Main dining, too.

Show time is 9pm, I think. We had main before and always went to the show after dinner.

We did Rasul on the morning of our CC day before. Not sure when we want it this time, so I'm waiting on that one.

Formal night is Day 2 and Day 5. Per info to someone's TA - I forgot who the OP was.

I decided to book rasul on the 2nd sea day. I figured that'd work best for us. And then I'll just go straight from there to our stateroom and fix my hair for dinner.

I expect to stay at a hotel near the port so I hope I can get there when the port opens. But that's what I did last time, hoping to be in group 2 or 3 for boarding. But...

Although I got there just before they officially opened, we were not allowed in before the first couple buses got there.
As soon as we got rid of our luggage we got in line to have our IDs checked, by somebody with a very weak understanding of English. At least five buses had arrived by the time I got into the line for security.
But only one security line was running - we were in a line that wrapped around to where people from the buses were entering the building.
Those people didn't like us 'cutting' and that made for a very unpleasant experience. But it got worse when I saw they had opened the second security line behind us so people who had arrived later than me were getting inside and getting boarding numbers before me.

Getting there before the port opened, I was rewarded with a number 9. I wanted to get there early because I wanted to have lunch in Parrot Cay - I had been told that the restaurant can fill quickly then they will direct people to Topsiders. Fortunately some people were just finishing as we arrived - although my wife constantly wanted to eat breakfast and lunch in Topsiders, I never enjoyed the experience.

ugh!
That stinks. I don't want to get there early and end up with 9! It's not that I want to be first on the ship- it's that I don't want to sit around waiting forever to get on it. It's boring in the terminal. LOL That would stink to get there early and then end up with a ton of people before you. I remember our TA cruise we were concierge and the concierge line was long and moving slowly- and they had a ton of lines for everyone else and were zipping people thru it like mad. (and this was in Barcelona- no concierge waiting area.. waiting all together once thru the line AND nowhere to go outside to smoke and the security line sooo long to get back in. That wasn't fun LOL)

Just the way my day is going. First the weather man is called for 1-2 inches of snow and we get over 1 foot. Now the normal Disney cruise website issues.

First my second saying the second room it was not paid for. Then i made the reservation and the cruise plans are blank. Then i log back in and it says.

Sorry, bookings cannot be viewed once the sail date has passed.

Boy that cruise was fast.

now I stuck on

Sorry, we are unable to retrieve your reservation. Either there has been a system issue or another Guest in your stateroom or another stateroom linked to yours is currently arranging activities in My Cruise Plans. Please try again later.

I give up and hopefully it is booked and i'm going to bed.

oh man. Is it working for you today? That happened to me on one cruise- very frustrating. I think I generally had problems because we had two rooms and I had to keep going back and forth on the reservations to book all 5 of us for each excursion- it was a mess. Now they have them linked and it's way easier. I don't know why it's doing that to you!

THis won't make you feel any better but there were little to no brunch ressies for the gold members either. I logged on at 12:03 am on our date and all the brunch and tea ressies were gone.

That's interesting. Where are all the brunch ressies? Maybe they are holding back more for booking ON the ship because many people complained about not being able to book it and not knowing about booking early online or something??

If you are doing alcatraz on your own get tickets now and do not wait until you get to SF or you will be disappointed especially since this is the week after Easter and there are a lot of CA schools out on vacation. You will enjoy it and great education experience for the kids. Sue

Ah, thanks for the tip! I probably wouldn't have thought about that!

 

[trimix]

Can anyone tell me if the Butchart & Butterfly Gardens tour is still available?

I just took a look for you, and every Butchart Garden excursion is currently available. Currently the Grand City Tour & Empress Tea for adults only is the only completely booked excursion.

If the excursion you want fills before you can book, getting to Butchart Gardens is very easy. Without kids, or with a relative who will walk the kids around, afternoon tea at the gardens is a very relaxing experience.

 

[denise]

I just took a look for you, and every Butchart Garden excursion is currently available. Currently the Grand City Tour & Empress Tea for adults only is the only completely booked excursion.

If the excursion you want fills before you can book, getting to Butchart Gardens is very easy. Without kids, or with a relative who will walk the kids around, afternoon tea at the gardens is a very relaxing experience.

Thanks for the info! We are 3 adults, me, DH and DD who will be 21 and celebrating on the cruise.
Can you recommend a car service that will pick up 3 adults w/luggage at the pier and drive us to our hotel in Richmond? We are staying at the Marriott there and will pick up a car rental there. Or would a taxi be cheaper?

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Oh and I forgot to say- I think I'm gonna cancel that horse drawn carriage excursion and instead book something with shoretrips. I may book some things in Alaska with shoretrips too. I didn't even think about them doing excursions in Canada and Alaska! We've used them a lot in the past and the prices are cheaper. haha so yeah.... we'll probably go with them on some things.

so exactly what day can we book for the May 3rd cruise, for those of us doing b2b, silver members?
Technically we'll be gold on may 3rd cruise- but not until after we cruise 4/27! It kinda stinks how that worked out.. can't get the prebooking benefits of being gold on our first gold member cruise.

 

[trimix]

Thanks for the info! We are 3 adults, me, DH and DD who will be 21 and celebrating on the cruise.
Can you recommend a car service that will pick up 3 adults w/luggage at the pier and drive us to our hotel in Richmond? We are staying at the Marriott there and will pick up a car rental there. Or would a taxi be cheaper?

I am glad to help, but this is beyond my experience - I live south of the border.

Another option, if you don't have excessive luggage, would be to take the Skytrain to the airport then get a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. But this would involve about a three block walk from the cruise terminal, so one of the Vancouver area residents needs to weigh in and let us know how realistic this plan is.

 

[nacho1337]

oh man. Is it working for you today? That happened to me on one cruise- very frustrating. I think I generally had problems because we had two rooms and I had to keep going back and forth on the reservations to book all 5 of us for each excursion- it was a mess. Now they have them linked and it's way easier. I don't know why it's doing that to you!

I got it to work last about 12:40 and printing out the confirmation just in case. log in this morning and no reservation were saved. I was able to get all of them i want this morning. Just very annoying.



Then I had to go to work after 14 in of snow

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I got it to work last about 12:40 and printing out the confirmation just in case. log in this morning and no reservation were saved. I was able to get all of them i want this morning. Just very annoying.



Then I had to go to work after 14 in of snow

What? none were saved?
OmG I better go check that mine were saved!

 

[Fellowship9798]

Hmmm. Looking at the excursions, I can't see anything in SF or Victoria that I'm interested enough to Disney $ for. I think maybe my family will work on a do-it-yourself plan.

Also for us, Victoria is someplace we went to last October and and we'll likely be back there again later this year (we live in Vancouver so it's a short ferry ride away). Depending on what's going on and the weather, I may even consider staying on board and enjoying the ship facilities for the day.

For those looking at Victoria excursions, things like carriage rides, trolley tours, etc are all easily accessible and walkable from where the cruise ship should be docking. I guess the only issue could be the number of people that could potentially be trying to access these at one time.

 

[LuvBaloo]

Sounds like everybody is getting their trip organized.
We are going to get our hotel for Disneyland before the cruise booked this weekend. Our oldest DD will be 9 this trip, so it'll be her last trip to DL at the children's rate.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

BTW my reservations were still showing there on DCL website. Yay!

Hmmm. Looking at the excursions, I can't see anything in SF or Victoria that I'm interested enough to Disney $ for. I think maybe my family will work on a do-it-yourself plan.

Also for us, Victoria is someplace we went to last October and and we'll likely be back there again later this year (we live in Vancouver so it's a short ferry ride away). Depending on what's going on and the weather, I may even consider staying on board and enjoying the ship facilities for the day.

For those looking at Victoria excursions, things like carriage rides, trolley tours, etc are all easily accessible and walkable from where the cruise ship should be docking. I guess the only issue could be the number of people that could potentially be trying to access these at one time.

check shoretrips and see.
Depends on size of family. I'm considering some of their excursions like the private car one or the zodiac whale watching one- which are considerably cheaper for our family. We can do the private car tour one for $221 up to 6 ppl (we are five) And it goes to more places/further away than the horse drawn carriage. Decisions decisions. LOL

Sounds like everybody is getting their trip organized.
We are going to get our hotel for Disneyland before the cruise booked this weekend. Our oldest DD will be 9 this trip, so it'll be her last trip to DL at the children's rate.

aww
I know the feeling.
Youngest DD is 10 now.... I'm past the child age for everything! for admission, meals, and on the cruise for the child price for excursions! wahhhhhhhhhhhh It gets mighty costly when all 3 kids are adult prices... I'm just now realizing HOW costly. LOL

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Here's a link to a 5-day Navigator for Wonder from May 2010. Maybe it will give us a little taste of what might be in store for us! I'm sure there will be some things just for the West Coast. I think they will need more "indoor" activities - this is going to be a chilly one. http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/cr-stateroom-navigator.htm

 

[trimix]

I need a rental car in the LA area.

Unfortunately every search I have done so far has given either painfully high prices, or claimed I cannot drop the car in or near San Pedro. Has anybody found a decent car rental option?

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Here is a link from Cruise Critic. I knew I had seen it when I was trying to book a car. I think Budget is close to the port, too, but I can't find it now.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=326785

 

[fitnessmouse]

Can't decide on our SF excursions. i know what we want to do, just doesn't fit in the 1 1/2 day haha
I'll check the shore trips, thanks

 

[Robin"D"]

Can't decide on our SF excursions. i know what we want to do, just doesn't fit in the 1 1/2 day haha
I'll check the shore trips, thanks

we are right there on the piers, lots to do on your own, very fun!

But Miur Woods is a must....The Red Woods o are something to see in person

Good Luck

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[fitnessmouse]

Ok, some of you locals will probably know;

DH wants to see the street with the weird curves. Does any of these tours visit there:
SF city tour with Dim Sum lunch or
Views of SF
I can't make it out from the description

Or is it close to where we are docked?
Thank you,

 

[Robin"D"]

Ok, some of you locals will probably know;

DH wants to see the street with the weird curves. Does any of these tours visit there:
SF city tour with Dim Sum lunch or
Views of SF
I can't make it out from the description

Or is it close to where we are docked?
Thank you,

it is called Lombard Street, you can take a cable car there, and then walk down, it is a great thing to see.

http://www.google.com/search?source...W_enUS359US359&q=lombard+street+san+francisco

you can go here.

Hope this helps, see ya in less than 90 days!!!!

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[DL1957]

it is called Lombard Street, you can take a cable car there, and then walk down, it is a great thing to see.

http://www.google.com/search?source...W_enUS359US359&q=lombard+street+san+francisco

you can go here.

Hope this helps, see ya in less than 90 days!!!!

Robin & Angel "D"

Lombard is amazing and for any us middle age folks from the Bay Area can share tales of driving down this street in our youth at an excessive rate of speed. Sometimes it is close to car traffic other times not. I agree with Robin Muir Woods is a must if you do not live on the West Coast you will never see trees like this except on the west coast and it is about an hour north of SF.