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

[PBader]

Carol, I really haven't given a thought to Canadian $$ yet. All of the credit card fees we have had on past trips came to less than $15--so by the time I go to the bank & order the $ go back and pick it up--it's worth $15 to me just to not to have to fool with it. I've already paid for the hotel & HOHO Bus for Vancouver--so we'll just have meals for a couple days,any souveniers & tips. I think I was reading on a thread that if you are AAA member you can purchase $100 packs of Canadian $$ in small bills. Maybe I could do that--I drive past the office a couple times a week. I wonder if there if left over CAD $$ if we could apply it to our stateroom account?

That's a great idea about the back pack--it will be nice if we can shed some layers I think I just might use the CClub bag that will be in the room for that. I usually never carry a bag to an excursion unless we are going to the beach but maybe Alaska will be different.

Great reminder about the camera case--mine's waterproof so no worries. I have had 2 cameras ruined--once by water and the other with humidity so I always make sure when I buy a new one that it's waterproof.

I have also gotten some extra batteries for my camera--seems like my battery just doesn't last for very long. Also some extra memory cards since I am not bringing the laptop to clear them off.

 

[HiMagicFan]

Flying from the US into Canada is not international. He is Air Canada's bag fee you have to go down to travel between US and Canada. With Air Canada you are alowed one bag. http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/airport/baggage/checked.html

Thanks Tracy! Funny they don't consider it international when you need a passport to travel, must be because it is still N.America.

 

[HiMagicFan]

According to United's website it is a $25 charge for one checked bag flying between the US and Canada. they do not charge for the first bag if you are flying to Mexico, Europe or Asia but they do for Canada. They do have a lot of variations depending on when you purchased your ticket, so check their site

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6867,52482,00.html

Thanks for this information too! My mom doesn't think we are gonna have to pay but I keep telling her we should be prepared cuz I don't want that to be some of my spending money going to an airline!

Thanks for the link (both you and Tracy) will be sharing this with my Mom!

 

[HiMagicFan]

Personally I think the airlines try to make things as confusing as they can for people. I put Adam (son) on my Delta Am Ex card and they overnighted him a card so that he wouldn't have to pay for his checked bag when he went to WDW in March. He still had to pay since the card is tied to my frequent flyer number not his.

That is good to know because I was gonna do the same for my sister since I have the Delta. Will let her know that it probably won't work. She's going to San Diego so it is back to flying Hawaiian.

I have had the strangest phone calls this morning. My cell ringing at 8 am so I answer it and the lady tells me she is from CPS and that she was returning my call from a couple minutes ago. It was an area code 281 and mine is 502. I told her it couldn't have been my phone as I was asleep and the only person in the house. 5 minutes later she calls back and said that I called her again and didn't say anything. And proceeds to lecture me about misusing the phone..........................

The nerve of that lady lecturing you when she called you! How weird tho like you say. Fortunately I don't get too many wrong phone calls.

 

[HiMagicFan]

Hi fellow cruisers!

I feel like such a slacker compared to all of you who are already preparing your packing lists. I think mine consist of about 4 items. I plan to do laundry to prevent overpacking. I am bringing 2 pairs of sneakers, 1 pair of dress shoes and 1 pair of flip flops for walking around the cabin. The contact at Harv & Marv's said that sneakers were perfectly fine on the boat and at Mendenhall Glacier.
Hmm..okay - good to know that they said sneakers were okay at Mendenhall. I do plan to hike to the waterfall but not too much off the trails other than that since it will only be me.

We got our cruise booklet from the TA 2 days ago. We are flying Air Canada on a code share through Continental. Inside the booklet AC's checked bag policy is printed, not Continental's. I'm sticking to the first bag free theory.
Still waiting for ours so I guess my answer will be answered when we get ours. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is the free policy - then I have an extra $25 to spend on the ship!

We just purchased new backpacks to use as our carry-on bags and to use for our excursions in case we have to remove/add layers of clothes. We still need rain jackets. I am not getting a rain jacket but am using my DisneyWorld raincoat ~ hoping that will cover for my purposes.

Has anyone purchased a waterproof camera case?Glad you thought of something I didn't! I will need to get this for my Rebel. Thanks

Great info!

 

[HiMagicFan]

That's a great idea about the back pack--it will be nice if we can shed some layers I think I just might use the CClub bag that will be in the room for that. I usually never carry a bag to an excursion unless we are going to the beach but maybe Alaska will be different.

Great reminder about the camera case--mine's waterproof so no worries. I have had 2 cameras ruined--once by water and the other with humidity so I always make sure when I buy a new one that it's waterproof.

I have also gotten some extra batteries for my camera--seems like my battery just doesn't last for very long. Also some extra memory cards since I am not bringing the laptop to clear them off.

Ah! once again Paula you come with a great idea - the CClub bag! Yeah! one less thing to pack. Lovin' it - you all keep cutting my packing list so I should be good when I return with all my souvenirs cuz the bag should be relatively "disposable" on the way

I need to get the camera case since my Rebel doesn't have one. I am taking extra memory cards ~ about 4 of different sizes since I take a huge (1K+/day) amount of pictures on a regular trip, I am guessing I will go nuts crazy on this one. I am taking my netbook to download and check email. So I know electronically I should be set - 2 sets of batteries, extra memory cards and a surge protector to plug in the extra stuff on the desk.

Thanks!

 

[alohabob]

That's a great idea about the back pack--it will be nice if we can shed some layers I think I just might use the CClub bag that will be in the room for that. I usually never carry a bag to an excursion unless we are going to the beach but maybe Alaska will be different.

Will the CClub gift be a bag on this trip like past trips? I like the idea of the bag for excursions, the last one we received was of good size.

 

[PBader]

Bob, they have been the same for awhile-- navy & red and it's a nice size

 

[PBader]

31 more sleeps!!!!!!

​

 

[poohj80]

Ok, I have a question that I don't remember seeing mentioned in other therads...

We are staying at Pan Pacific the night before the cruise. I know we just go downstairs and we are at the cruise terminal. Will we be inside or outside? Where do we check our bags - inside or outside?

Thanks!

 

[PBader]

PJ, bell services will take our bags for us where they need to go---just have to put your luggage tag on them. I also think that we just take the elevator down directly into the terminal.

 

[poohj80]

PJ, bell services will take our bags for us where they need to go---just have to put your luggage tag on them. I also think that we just take the elevator down directly into the terminal.

Thanks Paula! So it's like staying at the MCO Hyatt before a FL cruise...perfect!

 

[PBader]

Thanks Paula! So it's like staying at the MCO Hyatt before a FL cruise...perfect!

Without the 30 minute bus ride

That was a great deal with Hotwire!!!!!

 

[disneyrick]

Paula,
Did you end up getting Cedar Brook lodge?

 

[PBader]

Paula,
Did you end up getting Cedar Brook lodge?

Not yet, it still shows up for the week before. Hopefully this week

 

[disneyrick]

Paula,
Add stateroom 6634 and 6650 to the FE list. Rick and Sheri are in 6634. Steve and Diana are in 6650. Thanks

 

[PBader]

Paula,
Add stateroom 6634 and 6650 to the FE list. Rick and Sheri are in 6634. Steve and Diana are in 6650. Thanks

 

[PBader]

Just passing on some information from my friend lisa, who is on the Wonder right now.

Just to let you know, most of the Alaska merchandise is sold out on the ship. I am sending DCL an email to complain about their poor planning. They allow you to purchase 2 of each pin per person per day. That is 14 of the same pin going to Ebay per person. The port pins are sold out along with the Alaska stuffed animals, other than Pluto. The hoodies are $56!!!! The prices for the few shirts they have are rediculous compared to what we paid on the PC repo.

I asked her about totems on board....
They have the vinylmation ones. They do have the Alaska ones but they are already marked down from $12 to $5 & $6 on clearance.

I also found out yesterday they didn't go through Tracy Arm because of visibility.

We did not go to Tracy Arm. It was another glacier because of visibility less than a mile at Tracy Arm. The glacier was amazing. I did not know that ice could be blue and green. The waterfalls were stunning! I didn't look up pictures of Tracy Arm, so don't know what we missed, but it was a glacier and they said that the captain was able to get very close to it.

 

[seaulater]

Glad I bought my Alaska Scrapbook on the Inaugural voyage then and didn't wait until this sailing. Just had to pay extra baggage fees to get all that stuff home....

The Mickey Alaskan Totem Pole I bought on the ship was like $25. Don't remember one for $12.....

I wouldn't be surprised since they still have a month left that they wouldn't get restocked on the shirts and stuff, because when they ran out on the Inaugural Cruise they shipped more from shoreside and had a whole pallet of merchandise delivered to Ketchikan and the stores were restocked that next day.

Keep your fingers crossed! Disney usually fixes things when the are not right.....

 

[PBader]

Linda, I was trying to figure out what totem she was talking about. I got an Alaskan one for a DCL houseparty I did and was wondering if it was similar to that. But she did mention an additional one with the characters--I know it wasn't marked down. They still have quite a few sailings, so I would think they would restock