ALASKA - August 30th, 2011 - Mickeys Mooseketeers & the last Alaskan Cruisade! New Th

[Politzania]

I may have an extra entertainment coupon if anyone needs one. Still haven't booked flights but if we fly out of Seattle, we found a one way carrental for $100 which is much less than 5 of us on the Shuttle.

If that coupon is still up for grabs, I'd be interested - we'll be taking QuickShuttle from Vancouver to Seattle after the cruise.

Let me know and I'll PM you our address!

Tracey

 

[PBader]

You can get an Entertainment book for Vancouver right now for $5, free shipping. It signs you up for auto ship for 2012. You can cancel that later though for a $5 fee. Here's the INFORMATION

 

[PBader]

In the Entertainment book, I also pulled out the coupons for

The Horse drawn Stanley Park Tour BIGI $29
The Dr Sun Yat Sen Garden BIGI $14

and a couple restaurants we might try

The Fish House @ Stanley Park BIGI up to $20
The Granville Room BIGI up to $15
Sophie's Cosmic Cafe BIGI up to $14
Prospect Point @ Stanley Park BIGI up to $15
Marble Slab BIGI Icecream Cone

The one for the Aquarium & the Trolley Tour aren't valid July & August.
It's a really big book compared to our's.

So with the $100 saving for RT Quick Shuttle for 2 people it was a nice deal

 

[poohj80]

Airfares are crazy, but I guess they are something we'll get used to. What gets me the most about them are the additional fees for seating in certain rows, luggage etc. We fly SWA most of the time out of Louisville as long as the times are good, just to avoid the extra fees. I want the airlines to be profitable, I just like knowing when I pay for a ticket--I have paid for everything

We're considering SWA out of Nashville, but that adds a two hour drive which will be long on the way home. Also, fare isn't much better than flying out of home airport but would save checked bag fee. They also have the latest flight out of Seattle back. I'm really concerned with getting back to Seattle in time after the cruise (another reason for renting a car over shuttle).

 

[PBader]

We're considering SWA out of Nashville, but that adds a two hour drive which will be long on the way home. Also, fare isn't much better than flying out of home airport but would save checked bag fee. They also have the latest flight out of Seattle back. I'm really concerned with getting back to Seattle in time after the cruise (another reason for renting a car over shuttle).

I'd just let school know your daughter would miss another day at school. You all are going to be worn out and don't forget about the time change coming home. Just the stress it would save you would be PRICELESS!!!!!

 

[poohj80]

I'd just let school know your daughter would miss another day at school. You all are going to be worn out and don't forget about the time change coming home. Just the stress it would save you would be PRICELESS!!!!!

Unfortunately, school pix next day plus tring to save a bit of leave for the holidays for us. We may not be too productive, but we'll be there.

 

[staffieri]

Hi Paula, Pam Mills here... (millsp1964) We are still good to go. I will chat with hubby about the meeting aboard ship on 8/30. We will not be doing the fish extenders. I wanted to give you our stateroom number #7570. We are very excited, although we are having some travel issues. I never imagined that THIS cruise would turn out to be so expensive. Anyway....can't wait! Pan

Me too. We were a little worried about the cost. And now I wan to do expensive tours. I am in trouble.

 

[PBader]

We took Adam (DS) to dinner tonight. I think we have eaten out more this week than we have in the last 3 months combined. But it seems like you are always rushing around trying to get last minute things done for vacation.

I had a hard time with the excursion budget---didn't book the helicopter or dog mushing that I really wanted to do. But that's okay---I just excited about going and seeing the beauty of Alaska through my own eyes. Hopefully we get the chance to vacation to Alaska again and I'll be able to cross a few more items off my list

I'll catch up with you all next Monday or so. Have a great week

 

[tracyvansmith]

In Skagway I have Dyea Dave booked for Carcross, Yukon and Emerald Lake

Juneau is Exclusive whale encounter & Meindenhall (it says only 30 pass)
Ketchikan is See Sea Crab Fishermaen at work

The last two I have booked with disney.

 

[mgibson301]

Me too. We were a little worried about the cost. And now I wan to do expensive tours. I am in trouble.

I know! I feel the same. Honestly I booked the cruise and flight, then started looking at the price of excursions. Geesh! I'm still debating but have something reserved for each day. Booking directly with the Dog mushing in Juneau directly did save $100 each though.

 

[staffieri]

Love the feedback on the tours I have booked. Now not sure if I should be doing a whale tour and worried if I'm going to be sad we didn't do the dog sled on the snow. People going is Me, My mom, DS 13 and DD almost 5. Sometimes I drive myself crazy with worry. I just really want things to be nice and planned well. So any feedback is welcomed.

Tuesday: We are getting to boat late 3:00. Its our only day in Vancouver.
Taking rental car to Grouse Mountain. Leaving at 8:45 to spend day there and leaving the at 2pm. The ride back is 35 minutes. Rental is returned to Port.

Tracy Arm: 6:30 Palo for Mom and Me.

Skagway: Book both trough Disney. 8:30 -11:45 Disney Liasville with Lunch. 1:45 -5:15pm Musher camp Dog sled. This is not snow, but pulled by wheel carts

Juneau: My mom and DS 10:00 -2:30 go with North Star Trek. Helicopter and Glacier Hike. ON glacier for 2 hours. Me an DD with take bus on our own to Glacier.Maybe 3-4 see town when they come back.

Ketchikan: 4- 6:30 All of us book on a float plane to Misty Fjods. With water landing and walking around.


Thoughts. Ideas. Love to hear.

 

[mgibson301]

Love the feedback on the tours I have booked. Now not sure if I should be doing a whale tour and worried if I'm going to be sad we didn't do the dog sled on the snow. People going is Me, My mom, DS 13 and DD almost 5. Sometimes I drive myself crazy with worry. I just really want things to be nice and planned well. So any feedback is welcomed.

Tuesday: We are getting to boat late 3:00. Its our only day in Vancouver.
Taking rental car to Grouse Mountain. Leaving at 8:45 to spend day there and leaving the at 2pm. The ride back is 35 minutes. Rental is returned to Port.

Tracy Arm: 6:30 Palo for Mom and Me.

Skagway: Book both trough Disney. 8:30 -11:45 Disney Liasville with Lunch. 1:45 -5:15pm Musher camp Dog sled. This is not snow, but pulled by wheel carts

Juneau: My mom and DS 10:00 -2:30 go with North Star Trek. Helicopter and Glacier Hike. ON glacier for 2 hours. Me an DD with take bus on our own to Glacier.Maybe 3-4 see town when they come back.

Ketchikan: 4- 6:30 All of us book on a float plane to Misty Fjods. With water landing and walking around.


Thoughts. Ideas. Love to hear.

We are in Palo's about the same time! Our ressie is at 7pm though. I have heard tons of good things about the Misty Fjords float plane tour...are you doing it through Disney or Island Wings? On your Juneau day, I don't think you can go wrong with anything glacier related!

Here's a quick recap of our plans so I can get your feedback too!
Land Monday: Staying at Hilton Vancouver Metrotown free with DH's points

Tracy Arm Day: Palo's 7pm

Skagway: Laughton Glacier Wilderness Hike and Rail Adventure (no kiddos for us this time)-booked thru Disney

Juneau: Dog Sledding on Glacier with Helicopter-booked thru Coastal Helicopters...bit concerned we aren't doing a whale tour here

Ketchikan-Not 100% on this one...splurging so much as it is on the other tours but have Bear Country and Wildlife Expedition for now (thru Disney)...bit of a compromise really as I would love to do the float plane over Misty Fjords instead. DH says we should just hang out here in town or something.

At Sea: Palo's Brunch 11:30

I need to research our Vancouver day a bit more. We get in crazy early like 7am, so we have most of Monday after finding the hotel and dropping off our luggage. Not sure about how we are getting to the hotel or the port. The Hilton is not super close like some of the other options to the port area. Taxi I guess to the port and maybe transfers from the airport to the hotel? Also and I know this sounds crazy but I want to figure out how to bring some wine on board for our room. So at some point I need to find a wine shop in Vancouver or bring it with me in those wine diaper bags? Got to plan ahead for the veranda!

 

[Chirple]

I am hoping that this works. This is a photo of the cups I made through Cafe Press.

 

[HiMagicFan]

I am hoping that this works. This is a photo of the cups I made through Cafe Press.

Nice!

 

[tracyvansmith]

I am hoping that this works. This is a photo of the cups I made through Cafe Press.

I like the cup.

 

[Politzania]

Very cute cup! Still debating on whether to do shirts or something for the cruise or not ....

 

[seaulater]

I took Quick Shuttle from Vancouver to Seattle after the May 3rd Alaska Cruise. Left Vancouver at 9:15 a.m. and arrived at Sea-Tac for my flight at 2:10 p.m.

It worked great. I highly recommend for those having flights out of Seattle. We didn't even have to take our luggage off when going through the border. Since we were all cruise passengers, we only had to get off and walk through border protection and show our passports and tell them we were in Alaska, got off ship in Vancouver and headed straight to airport.

The bus pickup is right in the terminal and there are FREE luggage carts to put your luggage on and haul right to the bus.

Can't believe we are getting closer to the cruise. My parents got their very first passports last week in the mail, so one more thing "to do" has been checked off the list!

 

[poohj80]

I took Quick Shuttle from Vancouver to Seattle after the May 3rd Alaska Cruise. Left Vancouver at 9:15 a.m. and arrived at Sea-Tac for my flight at 2:10 p.m.

It worked great.

What time was your flight? We are concerned with having enough time to get to our plane as the latest flight we can find departing Seattle is 3:11 pm.

 

[poohj80]

Our ship is in port just waiting for us to arrive...

http://www.northvancouver.com/webcams/cruisecam/

 

[staffieri]

We are in Palo's about the same time! Our ressie is at 7pm though. I have heard tons of good things about the Misty Fjords float plane tour...are you doing it through Disney or Island Wings? On your Juneau day, I don't think you can go wrong with anything glacier related!

Here's a quick recap of our plans so I can get your feedback too!
Land Monday: Staying at Hilton Vancouver Metrotown free with DH's points

Tracy Arm Day: Palo's 7pm

Skagway: Laughton Glacier Wilderness Hike and Rail Adventure (no kiddos for us this time)-booked thru Disney

Juneau: Dog Sledding on Glacier with Helicopter-booked thru Coastal Helicopters...bit concerned we aren't doing a whale tour here

Ketchikan-Not 100% on this one...splurging so much as it is on the other tours but have Bear Country and Wildlife Expedition for now (thru Disney)...bit of a compromise really as I would love to do the float plane over Misty Fjords instead. DH says we should just hang out here in town or something.

At Sea: Palo's Brunch 11:30

I need to research our Vancouver day a bit more. We get in crazy early like 7am, so we have most of Monday after finding the hotel and dropping off our luggage. Not sure about how we are getting to the hotel or the port. The Hilton is not super close like some of the other options to the port area. Taxi I guess to the port and maybe transfers from the airport to the hotel? Also and I know this sounds crazy but I want to figure out how to bring some wine on board for our room. So at some point I need to find a wine shop in Vancouver or bring it with me in those wine diaper bags? Got to plan ahead for the veranda!

Your plans look great!!! I have heard amazing things about the dog sled. I too, can't decided about a whale tour. I think I would want to see more then just tails. So, I'm not sure I want to risk it. It would only me me and my daughter.

For Vancouver, we are going to Grouse Mountain. Its 30 minutes out of town. Beautiful view and at the top they have bears, bird and lumber jack show thats included. So don't know who is all in your party if that sounds fun. Look forward to hearing about your tours after your experience.

I am hoping that this works. This is a photo of the cups I made through Cafe Press.

Super Cute!!