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

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Nope! We had previously completed our online check in information a week or two ago. With the old software, there was no option for going on another cruise. Accordingly, we were instructed to select PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION, and input the Vancouver Port address as our destination (in the space provided).

When the software was upgraded, it overwrote the information we previously entered. Accordingly, we had to reenter the information ... this time, selecting PRE / POST CRUISE link. When we selected DISNEY CRUISE, it would not process the selection, and bounced us backwards (one step). We had to speak with DCL Tech Support, who had us use the previous walkaround. DCL was unaware the new software overwrote previos data ... and was also unaware the PRE / POST CRUISE link was not fully functional. Hence, the whole idea behind the previous post, was to point out the hiccup (glitch), and provide a walk around for others.

Having a background in computer programming, there is a major faux paux implementing a software upgrade which overwrites data that was previously entered into the system. This upgrade clearly was not thought through properly, despite DCL having worked on the upgrade for the past six months. To make matters worse, a preexistng glitch survived the upgrade, and was unknown to DCL after the upgrade. So, if anyone has issues with the PRE/POST CRUISE link ... the walk around is posted above.

To clarify ... no, we never typed anything into a drop down box. The system did not accept our entry in the new software. In the old software, we had to select OTHER TRANSPORTATION ... then type the physical data in the space provided.

Steven (of Steven & Donna)

Sounds like there was an issue!
I know that I did ours the "regular way" (before new software/system showed up- printed out and everything) and then the first reservation when I clicked disney cruise- wonder showed up in drop down box automatically and I couldn't type there to change it if I wanted to- but then it did an error message and made me change it. It was odd. So I changed it, but then the other reservation it did the same thing and worked. So i went back to the previous reservation and change it again back to disney cruise, again wonder showed up in box, and no error message. I think we caught them as they were working out kinks. Why they didn't work those out before they put the system out there- who knows. LOL

This will be the first cruise I have taken where I knew the alternatives, and I almost feel ripped off because of the excursion markups! I think the wax museum is the only shore excursion not painfully marked up!

$99 for a tour of Alkatraz and Sausalito through Disney. You can buy a ticket for Alkatraz for only $26. Want to visit Sausalito as well? You won't ride across the Golden Gate Bridge, but you will have beautiful views from a ferry for $16.50 round trip. That's less than half!
The night Alkatraz tour is $33, an additional $8. Or an additional $20 through the cruise line.

Other tours I looked at were not marked up quite as much, but still made a lot of profit for Disney. I don't know if I'll ever book another tour through a cruise line again.

I agree with you.
I agree with most of the points sdlong329 makes also.
But in this case it really feels ridiculous. I mean I usually book DCL excursions unless I can't get the ones I want or they don't have available what we want- like we've booked some things thru shoretrips before but booking with DCL is usually what I prefer to do, for the reasons sdlong329 listed.

But this time... some of it is really ridiculous. I mean we can booked WDFM for $76 where with Disney it's like hundreds. That's crazy. and the transportation and return to ship without risk of being left behind is not there in some cases (like things at SF on day one- when the ship doesn't leave till the next day. We could walk across the entire city overnight and the next day if we HAD to. LOL)
then on some of the Alaska excursions.. I booked some with DCL but some of them were just not exactly what we wanted or twice as much as shoretrips charges and with them I don't have the "risk of ship leaving you" issue either. I've used them before, they've never had an excursion where their guests missed a ship in like 18yrs I think it is. I trust them- and I book with PLENTY of time (hours and hours) afterwards to have time to make it to the ship. so again, I chose some DCL excursions and some not.

You really have to weigh everything... pros and cons... risks and price... decide for yourself which to go with. I'm usually pro-DCL excursions, but sometimes it's just not the right thing for us.

 

[Scott H]

Wave Phone are nicely stored in a drawer, I am on vacation I do not want an electronic leash, just me.

DCL on line booking system change musta been what I was experiencing as the interface was totally different for the Alaska cruise compared to the LA-Vancouver leg. Oh well it is fini.

Also Lynn has had good luck using her Cove Cafe frequent drinker card on all ships, she keeps it with her passport to use on future cruises.

 

[Lynn G]

Steven, I attempted apples to apples comparisons - which is why I included the museum in my comment. And, by the way, the Disney description of the wax museum at leisure tour includes the phrase "Walk from the pier to the San Francisco Wax Museum..." Walking sounds free to me.

Today my wife mentioned a victorian house tour. Getting to the tour would involve two public buses, or one bus and a four block walk. The cable car costs $5 per ride, and buses are $2 per ride. But they sell a three day visitor passport for $20. Take one trip on each cable car route then two bus round trips and you've saved money on regular fares. The buses, cable cars, and F line can conveniently take us anywhere in town we want to go. And, since the ship will be in San Francisco for 32 hours, I won't be concerned about getting back on time - even if I went to Sausalito or Oakland on Friday.

The time argument didn't hold for me. Buying my Alkatraz tickets took less time than booking dinner at Palo.

You do make a valid point about getting back on time. If I were on Tortola and wanted to visit Virgin Gorda or Jost Van ****, or if I were on Cozumel and wanted to visit Tulum, the guarantee of getting back to the ship on time would make it worth the price to me. Knowing San Francisco, if I wanted to visit Napa or Carmel I would likely take the cruise tour. But the stuff in San Francisco or Victoria? I'll do it on my own.

We do the same, go on our own if there is enough time and we just want to walk around the city - use Disney tours if time is short or distance is long. When we are on our own, we plan to get back to ship several hours before departure - to cover any unforeseen circumstances.

 

[padalyn]

We do the same, go on our own if there is enough time and we just want to walk around the city - use Disney tours if time is short or distance is long. When we are on our own, we plan to get back to ship several hours before departure - to cover any unforeseen circumstances.

I will usually take a DCL overview type excursion for the morning, to get the lay of the land as it were (this also gives me a feel for how well English is spoken)...then if there is time, I just walk from the ship to nearby areas. I use my phone as an alarm clock and watch how far I walk. If I have 2 hours I will walk 45 min away at a slow pace then walk faster on the return. I have done this in many ports without an issue. Plus I wander through the shopping right at the ship for last minute small items. If I have time on the way away from the ship, I will grab a small snack to get the taste of the local food stuff...in the Baltic my roomie Michael only did DCL excursions in Russia (only way to get off the ship actually) he never had an issue and was always back on time. We both used our phones as alarms tho....one hr warning, 45 min warning...30 min get your watusie in gear and MOVE IT warning...

 

[sandiedvc]

So is anybody else excited about the new Outlook Cafe on the Wonder? It was built for the Alaska cruises. The pictures look beautiful and I understand there is a spiral staircase from the Cove Cafe. I can see myself curled up in one of those comfy chairs with a vanilla latte and my Kindle

Check it out: http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/wonder/nightclubs-lounges/outlook-cafe/

Thanks for posting this link! I wouldn't have looked at it on my own.

I tried buying a coffee mug on the 2010 WBTA and they said that they didn't have them. I hope that they stock up for the Alaska cruises. I am really looking forward to getting an uni-tasker souvenir. I always buy a coffee cup anyway... they make me smile in the morning.

 

[onekindman]

I plan on doing that the next day - is anyone else headed to Seattle on day after the cruise arrives in Vancouver?


Hi There, the guys and I are taking the 5(oh God too early)AM bus from Vancouver to Seattle the day after we dock the 2nd time (after Alaska!). From there it is the Coast Starlight back to LA!

 

[padalyn]

I am...as on now planning on taking the evening train on the 11th. Haven't made any reservations yet...how were you thinking of traveling?

 

[onekindman]

I am...as on now planning on taking the evening train on the 11th. Haven't made any reservations yet...how were you thinking of traveling?

We will overnight in Vancouver (thinking about the Best Western near the train station) and catch the 5am Amtrak Bus to Seattle and then right onto the 9am Coast Starlight. We have two rooms in the sleeper.

 

[njprincess]

Thanks for posting this link! I wouldn't have looked at it on my own.

I tried buying a coffee mug on the 2010 WBTA and they said that they didn't have them. I hope that they stock up for the Alaska cruises. I am really looking forward to getting an uni-tasker souvenir. I always buy a coffee cup anyway... they make me smile in the morning.

Bought this in the Cove Cafe in 2004:

 

[Lynn G]

Thanks for posting this link! I wouldn't have looked at it on my own.

I tried buying a coffee mug on the 2010 WBTA and they said that they didn't have them. I hope that they stock up for the Alaska cruises. I am really looking forward to getting an uni-tasker souvenir. I always buy a coffee cup anyway... they make me smile in the morning.

I have a Cove Cafe coffee mug (all silver with "Cove Cafe" on one side and DCL emblem on the other) that I bought years ago, I have not seen them for sale lately, was surprised about the post about the coffee mug, will see if it is the same as mine (which I now consider a collectors item as I have not seen it for sale lately) or a new one. I bring mine on all my cruises, lately has caused some comment in Cove Cafe as the crew had not seen one.

 

[padalyn]

We will overnight in Vancouver (thinking about the Best Western near the train station) and catch the 5am Amtrak Bus to Seattle and then right onto the 9am Coast Starlight. We have two rooms in the sleeper.

aahh - I will be staying with my traveling companion Michael in Vancouver the one night. Figured I would bum around town until the 5pm train. But, I have been thinking I might take the bus since they leave all through the day. The travel time is almost the same. But they only have the two trains out. I am staying in Seattle for 4 days since I have never been there. Vancouver is a lot of fun...I have been there a couple of times, and I highly reccommend the "hop on/ hop off" bus. It makes a couple of loops (one ticket for all the loops the last time I was there), it also goes to Vancouver Island - a must see! If you plan on heading out for nightlife, I had a blast at Granville Island, there were a bunch of nightclubs and the ferry/water taxis run well after the clubs closed.

I felt very safe walking around an all odd hours of the night when I was there last (in 2004). The hotel people were stunned that I walked to the Sun Yat Sen church and didn't have any trouble...(I guess NYC has made me immune to inner city life). There are a lot of neat things to see and do - please make a point of seeing the Steam Clock chime the time. All can be done with that bus route I was talking about.

 

[DisneyPinDiva]

Hi Cruisers!
Anyone have any suggestions/recommendations for an overnight hotel at SEA-TAC? We are staying in Vancouver after the Alaska leg and taking the train down to Seattle on the 12th, flying out early on the 13th. Just need a place to crash and shuttle to the airport. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Scott H]

Hi Cruisers!
Anyone have any suggestions/recommendations for an overnight hotel at SEA-TAC? We are staying in Vancouver after the Alaska leg and taking the train down to Seattle on the 12th, flying out early on the 13th. Just need a place to crash and shuttle to the airport. Any help would be appreciated.

We are at the Holiday Inn in Vancouver

 

[DisneyPinDiva]

We are at the Holiday Inn in Vancouver

How long are you staying? We are at the Club Intrawest (DVC points) until the 12th.

 

[MouseFaninQueue]

aahh - I will be staying with my traveling companion Michael in Vancouver the one night. Figured I would bum around town until the 5pm train. But, I have been thinking I might take the bus since they leave all through the day. The travel time is almost the same. But they only have the two trains out. I am staying in Seattle for 4 days since I have never been there. Vancouver is a lot of fun...I have been there a couple of times, and I highly reccommend the "hop on/ hop off" bus. It makes a couple of loops (one ticket for all the loops the last time I was there), it also goes to Vancouver Island - a must see! If you plan on heading out for nightlife, I had a blast at Granville Island, there were a bunch of nightclubs and the ferry/water taxis run well after the clubs closed.

I felt very safe walking around an all odd hours of the night when I was there last (in 2004). The hotel people were stunned that I walked to the Sun Yat Sen church and didn't have any trouble...(I guess NYC has made me immune to inner city life). There are a lot of neat things to see and do - please make a point of seeing the Steam Clock chime the time. All can be done with that bus route I was talking about.

Just a minor correction from someone who goes to Vancouver several times a year.

The tour bus you are talking about DOES NOT go to Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island is where the cities of Victoria, Nanaimo, Tofino, Campbell River, etc are located. You need to take a Ferry to get to Vancouver Island. We will be stopping in Victoria on Vancouver Island with the Wonder on the way to Vancouver on this cruise. I'm pretty sure you didn't mean Vancouver Island, probably Stanley Park, but I am not 100% sure.

Granville Island is really cool and full of artisan shops. I go there at least once per year or more if I can. But it will be at the other end of the city from the Port. Another option is to hop a water taxi and visit the Lonsdale quay which is directly across the water from the port and is similar to Granville Island.

The Steam clock is within walking distance (think Main street to Toontown - maybe less) from the port. Just walk out of the port and when facing the city, turn left towards the train station and walk down the sidewalk until you walk right into the steam clock. Most Vancouverites practically ignore it now. And it is just a steam powered clock on the sidewalk - not much taller than a light standard. It is cool to see but I don't want people thinking it is something like the clock on It's a Small World in DL.

 

[Scott H]

How long are you staying? We are at the Club Intrawest (DVC points) until the 12th.

Me thinks a couple o nights fly home the 13

 

[trimix]

Hi Cruisers!
Anyone have any suggestions/recommendations for an overnight hotel at SEA-TAC? We are staying in Vancouver after the Alaska leg and taking the train down to Seattle on the 12th, flying out early on the 13th. Just need a place to crash and shuttle to the airport. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Leslie,
If you do a Google Map search for Seattle airport hotel, you'll find a lot of hotels along International Boulevard right next to the airport. There is a really cheap, hole-in-the-wall type place called Jet Motel that you should AVOID EVEN IF YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT! Other than that outlier, I have not heard anything bad about the other nearby hotels. I have stayed at the Days Inn, Doubletree, and La Quinta and have had satisfactory experiences at all. The Hilton and Marriott are the expensive hotels by the airport. Anything north of the Jet Motel will be across the street from a cemetery. It didn't matter to me, but my wife doesn't like seeing that kind of long-term residence out her short-term residence window.

There is not a hotel in the terminal, but I don't know of any hotel in this area that doesn't provide a shuttle to the airport.

 

[sdlong329]

Steven, ... Walking sounds free to me.

...

The time argument didn't hold for me. Buying my Alkatraz tickets took less time than booking dinner at Palo.

You do make a valid point about getting back on time. If I were on Tortola and wanted to visit Virgin Gorda or Jost Van ****, or if I were on Cozumel and wanted to visit Tulum, the guarantee of getting back to the ship on time would make it worth the price to me. Knowing San Francisco, if I wanted to visit Napa or Carmel I would likely take the cruise tour. But the stuff in San Francisco or Victoria? I'll do it on my own.

You referenced WDFM ... which is not walking distance. I am not making excuses for anyone ... but, like I said, everything takes time, and time is money. If you are familiar with SF, there is likely no need for you to take an excursion ... much less ... one that is arranged by a third party. For those of us who don't know which bus line to take (or don't want the hassle of seeking transportation, or taking public transportation) ... excursions are indeed a viable alternative.

For guests, we can say it took no time to book tickets ... but a cruise line must still go through a process to book the ticket, pay for the tickets, run the payment through A/P, print tickets, deliver tickets, arrange for Tour Excursion staff to answer questions, provide tour excursion staff to meet guests on the ship, herd them to the transportation, and escort them as required. Oooops, forgot about providing phone and computer service to thousands of guests (per cruise) ... all of which costs money. Then there is the accounting for the costs, as well as expense of processing through A/R, etc. THEN, there is liability! Though I did not refer to this directly in my previous post, it is yet another cost. After accounting for all expenses, you then must consider debt expense, versus turning a profit. Obviously, there is a huge difference between doing something yourself, versus having someone else do it for you.

I too, considered buyng Alzatraz tickets on my own, but would have to research transportation, and would be subject to debarkation times, which would be secondary to DCL excursions. I would not have thought to look into Sausalito ... and likely would not do so on my own. No matter, I am fine with this being included as part of the excursion ... same with the bridge.

Cruise lines charge $x for an alcoholic beverage ... and I know I can drive to a store to buy for much less (ooops, have to take automobile costs into consideration). At the end of the day, it's a matter of not being in your own environment, and paying for the services of others. When you look at the DCL price for the Tram in Alaska (it's an ON YOUR OWN event), you will realize they are not gouging. Of course, this could vary, depending on the excursion.

Paying $75 for a day in WDW may seem excessive ... it includes a LOT of time, energy and effort to put everything together ... hence the cost.

 

[DL1957]

I too, considered buyng Alzatraz tickets on my own, but would have to research transportation, and would be subject to debarkation times, which would be secondary to DCL excursions. I would not have thought to look into Sausalito ... and likely would not do so on my own. No matter, I am fine with this being included as part of the excursion ... same with the bridge.

In case you are interested the terminal to Alcatraz is walking distance from where the ship will be docked. I noticed on SF Port info we are docking at Pier 35 not 33 which is even closer. FYI the even piers go away from Fisherman's wharf and the odds go towards it. Sue

 

[sdlong329]

I mean we can booked WDFM for $76 where with Disney it's like hundreds. That's crazy. and the transportation and return to ship without risk of being left behind is not there in some cases ...

You really have to weigh everything... pros and cons... risks and price... decide for yourself which to go with. I'm usually pro-DCL excursions, but sometimes it's just not the right thing for us.

We booked WDFM for day #2. Based upon the time we have in port, it is essential that we get back to the ship on time, or as part of a DCL excursion ... else ... risk the possibility of missing the ship.

How far away is WDFM from the port? I did not think t was too close?

The only other thought I had, was that if *ANYONE* has the ability to make a trip to WDFM special ... it would be DCL. I mean, is there a *chance* there could be special (undisclosed) perks? Anything is possible. We're not expecting anything ... but it WOULD be nice!

Steven (of Steven & Dnna)