mgmcpa
Disneyland Lover
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2008
- Messages
- 142
Just got back from Alaska. I hope to add more details later, but here are a few key things:
#1 - Tracy Arm day
Despite having a sold out ship and the first sunny day on Tracy Arm all season, there was no issue at all getting a spot on the rail on Deck 4 at 3pm (as we pulled up to the glacier). We have a 6 year-old and had made the decision that we couldn't camp out all day for this and would just hope for a glimpse ... nope, we walked out on Deck 4 and got a great spot immediately. Took photos with Minnie & Donald, enjoyed the sights, went in for awhile to go a princess tea, then returned at 4:30pm and got the good rail spot again.
I'm so happy we didn't spend an extra $2k for a veranda for this day, there were tons of free, great spots on Deck 4!
#2 - Clear Plastic Shoe Holder
That really was awesome. I thought I'd be a bit overboard with this, but honest, the bathrooms are so tiny that you don't want to have all the medicines, brushes, make-up, etc everywhere. With this shoe holder hanging on the door (we hung it into the hallway outside the bathroom), everything was easy to find and there was very little chaos in getting ready.
#3 - Clock was horrible
We had a digital clock with an iPad docking station that came with our room. What a hunk of junk. Couldn't get the time to change (and I'm not bad at this sort of thing) on the 2 time change days and had to call maintenance. Didn't glow at night. If you need a clock, bring your own.
#4 - See the Salmon Run
If you are lucky enough to visit in July/Aug when the salmon are running, visit the hatchery in Juneau. It's a $12 cab ride from the port, admission is $4 a person. INCREDIBLE and CHEAP (in fact, you can see the main ladder out front for free)
#5 - Palo - skip dinner, go to the brunch
Brunch is incredible! Dinner is like going to any fancy restaurant back home ... go to brunch! We went at 11am and at 1pm when we were ready to leave they kept insisting we stay and relax longer, watching humpback whales out the window.
WEATHER WAS INCREDIBLE THIS WEEK
Everyone on the crew kept commenting that this was the first week of sun. It only rained on Tuesday (day at sea) and for about an hour in Juneau. It didn't even rain in Ketchikan. We had layers on, but ended up in jeans and t-shirts or light sweatshirts most days.
The excurisions we did were all privately coordinated:
Skagway - Chilkoot Charters Bus & Rail tour ... took the White Pass train up, then Chilkoot tour picked us up with about 20 people for a bus ride into the Yukon. We went Caribou Crossing and did a sled dog ride ... highly recommend this tour!
Juneau - Weather was clear in the morning, so we went up the tram. It's a bit expensive, but if it's clear it's cool. Daughter loved the bald eagle they have there, we saw many others in the wild around town in Juneau.
Next in Juneau - the salmon hatchery as mentioned above ... if they are running, you MUST SEE THIS.
Ketchikan - Lumberjack show. Get up for the 8:30am show if you can ... place was only 30% full, which meant most of the kids who wanted to be in the show were able to. If your kid is in the show, they'll give you a free wooden ax, so don't buy one until after the show (we ended up with 2).
Victoria - we didn't get off the boat, we we spent some final hours enjoying the ship.
Other Fun Things
All the evening shows are not to be missed ... they are all great and each one gets better than the one before.
Pin trading is limited, but every night between evening shows you can trade outside the gift shop. The same woman is there and is super friendly and will help you little one find the pins she's looking for.
Vista Spa is nice, but under the basketball court, so a bit louder than I expected. That said, the private couple's choice treatment on Tracy Arm day was incredible ... watching iceburgs float by as we relaxed in a private hot tub on the enclosed balcony.
Go with your kids to some Open House events in the Oceanears Lab ... we had the most fun competing with her in the Piston Cup!
Hope this info is helpful. Let me know your questions!
#1 - Tracy Arm day
Despite having a sold out ship and the first sunny day on Tracy Arm all season, there was no issue at all getting a spot on the rail on Deck 4 at 3pm (as we pulled up to the glacier). We have a 6 year-old and had made the decision that we couldn't camp out all day for this and would just hope for a glimpse ... nope, we walked out on Deck 4 and got a great spot immediately. Took photos with Minnie & Donald, enjoyed the sights, went in for awhile to go a princess tea, then returned at 4:30pm and got the good rail spot again.
I'm so happy we didn't spend an extra $2k for a veranda for this day, there were tons of free, great spots on Deck 4!
#2 - Clear Plastic Shoe Holder
That really was awesome. I thought I'd be a bit overboard with this, but honest, the bathrooms are so tiny that you don't want to have all the medicines, brushes, make-up, etc everywhere. With this shoe holder hanging on the door (we hung it into the hallway outside the bathroom), everything was easy to find and there was very little chaos in getting ready.
#3 - Clock was horrible
We had a digital clock with an iPad docking station that came with our room. What a hunk of junk. Couldn't get the time to change (and I'm not bad at this sort of thing) on the 2 time change days and had to call maintenance. Didn't glow at night. If you need a clock, bring your own.
#4 - See the Salmon Run
If you are lucky enough to visit in July/Aug when the salmon are running, visit the hatchery in Juneau. It's a $12 cab ride from the port, admission is $4 a person. INCREDIBLE and CHEAP (in fact, you can see the main ladder out front for free)
#5 - Palo - skip dinner, go to the brunch
Brunch is incredible! Dinner is like going to any fancy restaurant back home ... go to brunch! We went at 11am and at 1pm when we were ready to leave they kept insisting we stay and relax longer, watching humpback whales out the window.
WEATHER WAS INCREDIBLE THIS WEEK
Everyone on the crew kept commenting that this was the first week of sun. It only rained on Tuesday (day at sea) and for about an hour in Juneau. It didn't even rain in Ketchikan. We had layers on, but ended up in jeans and t-shirts or light sweatshirts most days.
The excurisions we did were all privately coordinated:
Skagway - Chilkoot Charters Bus & Rail tour ... took the White Pass train up, then Chilkoot tour picked us up with about 20 people for a bus ride into the Yukon. We went Caribou Crossing and did a sled dog ride ... highly recommend this tour!
Juneau - Weather was clear in the morning, so we went up the tram. It's a bit expensive, but if it's clear it's cool. Daughter loved the bald eagle they have there, we saw many others in the wild around town in Juneau.
Next in Juneau - the salmon hatchery as mentioned above ... if they are running, you MUST SEE THIS.
Ketchikan - Lumberjack show. Get up for the 8:30am show if you can ... place was only 30% full, which meant most of the kids who wanted to be in the show were able to. If your kid is in the show, they'll give you a free wooden ax, so don't buy one until after the show (we ended up with 2).
Victoria - we didn't get off the boat, we we spent some final hours enjoying the ship.
Other Fun Things
All the evening shows are not to be missed ... they are all great and each one gets better than the one before.
Pin trading is limited, but every night between evening shows you can trade outside the gift shop. The same woman is there and is super friendly and will help you little one find the pins she's looking for.
Vista Spa is nice, but under the basketball court, so a bit louder than I expected. That said, the private couple's choice treatment on Tracy Arm day was incredible ... watching iceburgs float by as we relaxed in a private hot tub on the enclosed balcony.
Go with your kids to some Open House events in the Oceanears Lab ... we had the most fun competing with her in the Piston Cup!
Hope this info is helpful. Let me know your questions!
