2015 DVC Alaska Member Cruise 5/25-5/31/15

[nrexxma44]

I am getting soon excited!!!!! 36 days to go

 

[NJMermaid]

excited here, too. I completed my online doc and have a PAT of 12:30. Check out of hotel at 12 noon, then meander over to the port (we are at Pan Pacific).
Anyone else at Panny or nearby up for a crab dinner, in Chinatown, we are three people, dinner for 6-8 is recommended for this shindig.

 

[NJMermaid]

Foodies like Karaeric96 might appreciate a Chinatown crab dinner.

 

[xlxo]

We have a very late flight home on June1st, too. There is an option for a Disney sponsored excursion meant for folks in our situation, and it can only be booked onboard. I think I read about it in a trip report. Also, another trip report mentioned an option to check your bags at the port, and go out on your own for the day. One thing we are considering is checking our bags, and visiting the local casino! One other report mentioned getting a day room at the Fairmont Airport hotel. We probably will decide while we are on the cruise.

Some thoughts...Options include....

• Disney post cruise tour w/ luggage
• I notice LandSea Tours offers post-cruise tours... I wonder if DCL uses them.
  http://vancouvertours.com/tour/pre-cruise-vancouver-city-tour/
• cruise terminal offers luggage handling, but I think you need to retrieve your luggage by 4pm. I think they offer a transfer service to the airport for you. Can someone verify? Otherwise you can ask them when depart from the cruise terminal.

 

[xlxo]

excited here, too. I completed my online doc and have a PAT of 12:30. Check out of hotel at 12 noon, then meander over to the port (we are at Pan Pacific).
Anyone else at Panny or nearby up for a crab dinner, in Chinatown, we are three people, dinner for 6-8 is recommended for this shindig.

I recommend lunch/Dim Sum in Chinatown. Have the crab dinner elsewhere...

• Kirin (2 Vancouver locations, one in downtown)
• Dynasty http://www.followmefoodie.com/2014/04/dynasty-seafood-restaurant-alaskan-king-crab-dinner-vancouver/
• Sun Sui Wah
• Richmond venues like Sea Harbour (convenient subway access to Airport.)

Reserve the crab when your reserve your table to avoid sellouts.

 

[WaylaLady]

Sooo excited!

I did the online check-in too, got a PAT of noon. I've no actual idea what our schedule will be the evening before or morning of embarkation, so I can't make solid plans. I've just done my research so I'm ready for whatever.

I've got all my lists ready! All I need now is for the days to tick by!

 

[poison ivy]

Ok I'm going to check out all the suggestions here and try to map out a plan for Sunday.
So far the main tourist areas seem to be: Grouse Park; Stanley Park; Capilano Suspension Bridge or just a walking tour.

Karaeric96 - will definitely look into those restaurants. thanks.
really appreciate you sharing your research. And I love the idea of a walking tour. It will depend on what the group decides. My SIL isn't as mobile as the rest of us, so that may not be a viable option.

I am not sure what to do about tipping either. We did research all our credit cards to see what the foreign transaction fees were and found Capital One to be the best at ZERO among what we carry.
But this won't help with tipping.

there are Canadian 1 and 2 dollar coins. Maybe we should get these.

 

[xlxo]

there are Canadian 1 and 2 dollar coins. Maybe we should get these.

Unless you want to tip with $5's... Easiest way to get Loonies and Twoonies is a bank. Give them $25/$50 and ask for a roll. When you leave, you can spend it all at a pop machine. Or parking downtown.

 

[xlxo]

Anyone else at Panny or nearby up for a crab dinner, in Chinatown, we are three people, dinner for 6-8 is recommended for this shindig.

Just a price warning from a friend who recently had a King crab dinner.

• supermarket price for crab was $33/lb. Cheaper in March harvest season, higher in others.
• restaurant charged $53/lb. Their idea for a "market price"?
• delivered crab was 10/lbs for photo's
• surcharge for multi-course can vary
• Canadian currency collapse may have forced prices up for locals, but there is a discount American currency exchange.
• don't forget the 15% or 20% tip.
• are you just having crab? Other food will force the price higher.
• budget $100 to $125 per person

 

[xlxo]

Ok I'm going to check out all the suggestions here and try to map out a plan for Sunday.
So far the main tourist areas seem to be: Grouse Park; Stanley Park; Capilano Suspension Bridge or just a walking tour.

Karaeric96 - will definitely look into those restaurants. thanks.
really appreciate you sharing your research. And I love the idea of a walking tour. It will depend on what the group decides. My SIL isn't as mobile as the rest of us, so that may not be a viable option.

Some thoughts...

• Order should be Grouse, Capilano, Stanley Park. Returning Grouse shuttle can drop you off at Capilano. Capilano shuttle can drop you off at Stanley Park.
• SIL might want to skip Capilano if she's in a wheelchair. Half the park is bridges and stairs.

 

[NJMermaid]

Just a price warning from a friend who recently had a King crab dinner.

• supermarket price for crab was $33/lb. Cheaper in March harvest season, higher in others.
• restaurant charged $53/lb. Their idea for a "market price"?
• delivered crab was 10/lbs for photo's
• surcharge for multi-course can vary
• Canadian currency collapse may have forced prices up for locals, but there is a discount American currency exchange.
• don't forget the 15% or 20% tip.
• are you just having crab? Other food will force the price higher.
• budget $100 to $125 per person

 

[NJMermaid]

Oh my, maybe the crab legs on Wonder will be ok for us, I was thinking $60.00 or so per person, thanks.

 

[karaeric96]

Foodies like Karaeric96 might appreciate a Chinatown crab dinner.

Aw...thanks for thinking of us! Funny, crab is one that we don't seek out, not really our thing, but I love a good Dim Sum place, we might be talked into that one! Keep is in mind!

 

[poison ivy]

Oh my, maybe the crab legs on Wonder will be ok for us, I was thinking $60.00 or so per person, thanks.

After a morning of whale watching, we're planning to lunch at Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau. you are more than welcome to join us!

 

[poison ivy]

Some thoughts...

• Order should be Grouse, Capilano, Stanley Park. Returning Grouse shuttle can drop you off at Capilano. Capilano shuttle can drop you off at Stanley Park.
• SIL might want to skip Capilano if she's in a wheelchair. Half the park is bridges and stairs.

She's not wheelchair bound so to speak. But she does use a cane. We figure we'll only have about half a day to sightsee. Grouse Mountain seems to be the farthest away and not the most practical. I don't know if Capilano is something the whole group will want to do, but I personally would love to visit there.
There is a free bus right outside the Pan - I wonder how long a quick trip to Capilano will take?

That only leaves Stanley Park which I'll have to do a little more research on. Such as: is there a Hop on Hop off bus that goes around the park?
How do we get there and back? is there a decent place to grab a quick lunch?

Also, where is the best place to pick up a roll of loonies and toonies on a Sunday? I'm assuming the banks are closed Sundays which happens to be our arrival day.

 

[NJMermaid]

After a morning of whale watching, we're planning to lunch at Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau. you are more than welcome to join us!

I want to say yes. Not sure on any excursions yet, thanks for the offer

 

[WaylaLady]

... we're planning to lunch at Tracy's Crab Shack in Juneau. ...

Oh my goodness that looks good! I'm getting into so much trouble reading all the suggestions on this board. My poor husband is definitely not going to break even on this cruise! Lol.

 

[karaeric96]

AAAAAaaaa!! So EXCITED!! We finally broke the 30 day mark (we leave for Vancouver on Fri before the cruise)! Woo hoo!!

Has anyone received their cruise docs yet? I'm practicing my doc dance, but nothing for us yet!

 

[xlxo]

She's not wheelchair bound so to speak. But she does use a cane. We figure we'll only have about half a day to sightsee. Grouse Mountain seems to be the farthest away and not the most practical. I don't know if Capilano is something the whole group will want to do, but I personally would love to visit there.
There is a free bus right outside the Pan - I wonder how long a quick trip to Capilano will take?

Some thoughts...

• I'm not sure someone with a cane wants to be on a wobbly bridge with a crowd people. Is there another activity this person can do (eg Ride the subways), while you enjoy the bridge?
• Grouse is 5 minutes North of the suspension bridge, but you should budget a few hours to enjoy the mountain. The ride to the mountain is like 30 minutes.
• the free shuttles are great, but can be busy during the peak afternoon (3 or 4 waits). Plan to get the earlier morning shuttles when the mountain activities start to ramp up

 

[xlxo]

Oh my, maybe the crab legs on Wonder will be ok for us, I was thinking $60.00 or so per person, thanks.

I chatted with another friend who had a crab dinner for $200.

• $200 crab dinner uses a smaller 5lb crab, while others will serve a 10lb crab.
• $200 crab dinner places may have customers struggling with non-English speaking staff
• Here's a place that had crab for $188 this week...
  http://www.yelp.ca/biz/east-river-seafood-restaurant-vancouver