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

[Lollipop's Mom]

There is johnny rockets on ncl? I thought that was just RCCL?? The food on ncl was way better than dcl. As for service, it was dinner dining room that was bad, everything else was outstanding on the cruise. We loved our dcl cruise and can't wait to go back, but just saying that NCL food was far better in our opinion, and of course it varies ship by ship - but the pearl buffet put the magic buffet to shame! I also liked that their buffet was always open, and it is very small hours on the magic. But we are not cruising for the food!

 

[PBader]

I don't cruise for the food either. For the most part I have always been happy with DCL food and service. I've done 4 of the 14 or 15 night cruises and after about 10 days it all just gets to be too much. They had some soft pretzels at the pizza place on deck 9 on the Panama Canal cruise in January~~cinnamon ones were yummy. I hope they have those again I prefer to eat like a do at home so I usually skip breakfast, have a little snack for lunch and a nice dinner. The Cove Cafe usually has some tasty tidbits in there to have with my liquored up coffee of the day. I love the Cove

 

[tracyvansmith]

Wow, sounds like you are in the 2% who do not list DCL as outstanding. We too have cruised NCL and the food on our ship was so bad we quit eating in dining room and just got snacks and hamburgers at Johnny Rocket. I have heard Disney is trying to improve on their food (although we have never had a bad meal) and the new ships will have premium menues. We generally go to the breakfast seating restaurant instead of the morning buffet, the menu is typical but we have found it good.

In all 5 of our previous DCL cruises we have found the service to be better than outstanding, can not say our NCL, Carnival, Crystal or Louis cruises had service that was even 1/2 of what we had with DCL. I guess just maybe we have been real lucky and hope our luck holds out through September.

I would list DCL as Outstanding but I would also put Carnivals service there too. I was just saying I have read bad reviews about the food on Disney. We have not been on Disney since 2005 and I am taking some new cruisers on this cruise and I am hoping Disney is everything I remember it to be. I know DCL show win hands down over Carnivals and from what I hear most other cruise lines. Most other Cruise lines do the vegas type show and they are OK but I love DCL's Broadway show.

I think every cruise line has good points and bad and if we took the good from every cruise line and put it into one, WOW I would not cruise any other line then.

 

[tracyvansmith]

I think I have decided to stick with this cruise..
1. I know DCL is amazing and it will be money well spent
2. No airports, no shuttles, no taxis, no travel stress - just get dropped off at Canada Place!
3. If I do another cruise line, I want to do one of those new big mega ships like the Oasis, but thats not in the budget right now - we are on a strict $2000 budget for this one, and I have worked hard for that money, so I want to be sure we get our moneys worth, and DCL ensures that for me!

If it helps. Alaska inside passage is Bill's and my favorite cruise. We rank it #1 and the Panama Canal #2 and Hawaii #3.

After doing our frist cruise in 2005 on the Disney wonder we then did an Alaska cruise on Carnvial the same year. I had said then if Disney ever did Alaska I would be on it. So here I am. And now that the 2012 intin. have come out I am glad I am doing this year to sail out of Canada Place. Those that wait and do it next year are going to miss a great departure.
This is another reason I wont be doing Alaska on Carnival because like Disney they too moved from Vancouver to Seattle.

 

[MPS516]

I think for a new cruiser there is no better start than DCL, of course that may also spoil them - DCL and Alaska, does it get any better ?

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I watched a bunch of youtube videos of DCL and am totally back 'into' it again now. LOL. I plan to book on board for an 8 night NYC for Aug 2012
We can totally commando 4 parks in one day
I think the only thing that could get me to cancel this cruise would be free dining at the end of aug in WDW lol

 

[tracyvansmith]

I watched a bunch of youtube videos of DCL and am totally back 'into' it again now. LOL. I plan to book on board for an 8 night NYC for Aug 2012
We can totally commando 4 parks in one day
I think the only thing that could get me to cancel this cruise would be free dining at the end of aug in WDW lol

ssssssshhhhhhhhh. Don't say that. They might just do that.

We were booked to do Disney World the end of Aug with free dining but canceled and then booked this.

I now have friends who are going to Disney World the end of Aug and I told them that if Disney does bring in free dining to stay on property to get the free dining.

 

[staffieri]

TRACY,

I notice on your info about your trip you have listed a cruise USA to Australia on the Carnival. Can you tell me about this. I have always wanted to go to Australia . Is this a cruise heading there? INfo...

Thanks,
Kimberly

 

[tracyvansmith]

TRACY,

I notice on your info about your trip you have listed a cruise USA to Australia on the Carnival. Can you tell me about this. I have always wanted to go to Australia . Is this a cruise heading there? INfo...

Thanks,
Kimberly

Carnival is Repoing the Carnival Spirit to Australia. We are still waiting for the info on this which should be out any time now. The Carnival Spirit is due in Australia in Oct. 2012. There are many of us who have booked what we hope to be the first part of this Repo Vancouver-Hawaii Sep. 18-30. We are waiting to see if it will then go from Hawaii-Australia which should be Sep. 30-Oct 17 or 18th. The cruise critic group for this is http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1336210
There are also some who are looking at doing the first cruise out of Australia too. For me if the price is right and I can save enough by 2012 I am hoping to do Vancouver-Hawaii, Hawaii-Australia, then First cruise out of Australia.

But like I said we are all waiting for Carnival to relase the sailing date of the Spirit after the Van-Hawaii cruise. I will let you know as soon as I know.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

I think I am bailing on you guys.... We can go on May 17th for $550 less on that IGT special. Being local, its easy for us to 'hop the ship' in a month - my cruise is paid for, that $550 is spending money and tips - my brain is really going right now -I can get the week off work easy (I work for myself), it lands on our long weekend so Meg only misses 4 days of school - think Im gonna do it!

 

[poohj80]

I think I am bailing on you guys.... We can go on May 17th for $550 less on that IGT special. Being local, its easy for us to 'hop the ship' in a month - my cruise is paid for, that $550 is spending money and tips - my brain is really going right now -I can get the week off work easy (I work for myself), it lands on our long weekend so Meg only misses 4 days of school - think Im gonna do it!

What's the IGT special?

 

[tracyvansmith]

I think I am bailing on you guys.... We can go on May 17th for $550 less on that IGT special. Being local, its easy for us to 'hop the ship' in a month - my cruise is paid for, that $550 is spending money and tips - my brain is really going right now -I can get the week off work easy (I work for myself), it lands on our long weekend so Meg only misses 4 days of school - think Im gonna do it!

Hate to see you go, but if you do looking forward to any tips you can give us. Just remember it will be colder going in May than going in late Aug.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Not too worried about the weather - its not a 'beach' vacation and I realize that. I am just looking around and trying to make a final decision - I just dont know if I want to be on gty status because I am so anal about wanting to be aft, although it looks as though most rooms are assigned - maybe we could bonus and get a balcony or oceanview? lol

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

So I did it -we are sailing in 32 days instead! I will come back with a BIG and FULL trip report for everyone!!!! Make sure you take me off the FE list so that room 7121 doesn't get knocks on the door asking where their FE is! LOL.

The IGT special is if I book - its completely non-cancelable, non-refundable, etc... because its last minute. It is saving me about $550 in total. I can't resist!

 

[tracyvansmith]

So I did it -we are sailing in 32 days instead! I will come back with a BIG and FULL trip report for everyone!!!! Make sure you take me off the FE list so that room 7121 doesn't get knocks on the door asking where their FE is! LOL.

The IGT special is if I book - its completely non-cancelable, non-refundable, etc... because its last minute. It is saving me about $550 in total. I can't resist!

Cant wait to hear all about your trip. Please keep chatting with us. I am sure we might have lost of questions for you either before or after your cruise.

 

[Lollipop's Mom]

Sure I will check in from time to time. I realized that I am on the sailing that gets the midnight preview of Pirates 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG I started flipping out! lol.
Still waiting on my room number...think pixie dust for me!

 

[tracyvansmith]

I realized that I am on the sailing that gets the midnight preview of Pirates 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG I started flipping out! lol.

Nice Score.

 

[BetsyRNBSN]

Hey there everybody, well, we are officially changing our cruise to a pacific coast one in October of 2012. THe time of year and location are better suited to DH, and I am hoping I can squeeze some time in DL at the same time, so I think it will work out...
I do have some FE stuff that already has the date and cruise name on it, if someone can PM me w/ an address that I can send it to, so that someone gets some use out of them, I would greatly appreciate it!
Again, sorry to bail, but with the ankle thing, a trip to WDW in June, this is probably a good thing...
Have fun!
Betsy

 

[tracyvansmith]

Hey there everybody, well, we are officially changing our cruise to a pacific coast one in October of 2012. THe time of year and location are better suited to DH, and I am hoping I can squeeze some time in DL at the same time, so I think it will work out...
I do have some FE stuff that already has the date and cruise name on it, if someone can PM me w/ an address that I can send it to, so that someone gets some use out of them, I would greatly appreciate it!
Again, sorry to bail, but with the ankle thing, a trip to WDW in June, this is probably a good thing...
Have fun!
Betsy

Sorry to see you go. Have fun.
I PM you.

 

[PBader]

Sorry to hear that Liz and Betsy, but I understand. I've switched around my share of cruises over the years. I'll remove you both from the listing. And Liz, can't wait to hear about your cruise~~~