Alaska on July 19th, 2011 "Where a good tan is hard to find"

[1Goofy]

Thanks ... I'll figure out how to do a good count ... I'm thinking a Palo brunch on one of the at sea days...your thoughts ?

 

[Meskamooska]

Good Morning All!

I just spent several hours reading the ENTIRE Vancouver tips thread - whew! I will still need to get some advice on where to park our car for the week, nut got some good info on what to eat, see and do whilst there.

As for a Palo Brunch, perhaps the thing to do would be to start a list of interested parties and then see if the folks involved with the earliest available booking date can try to make arrangements.

I know we will be flying a bit blind since we won't be able to determine what shipboard activities might be happening when, but I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that although the itinerary is new, the cruise is not (if you know what I mean) and I bet that shipboard fun will probably be slated to occur as it normally does on a seven day with similar sea days.

Perhaps someone more seasoned than I could weigh in here with guidance on what day or time might be best to interfere with the least. Alternatively we could consider doing High Tea (if that is still offered).

In my party there are two couples who will be celebrating our anniversaries (one pre cruise and one post) so you can count us in.

Now back to my research for what to do with our car and our bodies while we are in Canada.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a "Wonder"ful day!

Tisza

 

[1Goofy]

We'll check with our Agent and see what's what...I'm guessing that a mass Palo booking might be tricky... time to ask Pete and the Podcast group .... I'll send them an email

 

[1Goofy]

Our window opens April 20; anyone got an earlier window that is game for working the Palo-bration?

 

[Schachteles]

1goofy & DW nancy together with Ds Andrew (21) and DS Patrick (9) will be there!

We're in for FE and will be checking the boards in the next 7 weeks for discussions about excursions. Too bad the dis podcasters aren't heading out till May... Might be too late to get word on excursions and get signed up. Also, would be interested in seeing if anyone would like to get assigned to same dinner table-- we arranged to get set up with fellow disers last year and was great fun!

WELCOME!

I am heading up the FE's, so if you want to PM me your names, ages, room number and if you are celebrating anything I will get you added to my list

 

[Schachteles]

Good Morning All!

I just spent several hours reading the ENTIRE Vancouver tips thread - whew! I will still need to get some advice on where to park our car for the week, nut got some good info on what to eat, see and do whilst there.

As for a Palo Brunch, perhaps the thing to do would be to start a list of interested parties and then see if the folks involved with the earliest available booking date can try to make arrangements.

I know we will be flying a bit blind since we won't be able to determine what shipboard activities might be happening when, but I am going to go out on a limb here and assume that although the itinerary is new, the cruise is not (if you know what I mean) and I bet that shipboard fun will probably be slated to occur as it normally does on a seven day with similar sea days.

Perhaps someone more seasoned than I could weigh in here with guidance on what day or time might be best to interfere with the least. Alternatively we could consider doing High Tea (if that is still offered).

In my party there are two couples who will be celebrating our anniversaries (one pre cruise and one post) so you can count us in.

Now back to my research for what to do with our car and our bodies while we are in Canada.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a "Wonder"ful day!

Tisza

When you figure out where to park for the week (and the cost) let me know. We can park at the Hilton there, I thought it was like $20 a day, but the guy on the phone made it sound like we could get parking cheaper by the port?!?

 

[Meskamooska]

When you figure out where to park for the week (and the cost) let me know. We can park at the Hilton there, I thought it was like $20 a day, but the guy on the phone made it sound like we could get parking cheaper by the port?!?

Hi!

I have Now done some checking about parking and here is what I have found so far... The Pan Pacific hotel has a long term parking garage adjacent to it that gives a discount to hotel guests. It runs $23/day but I don't know if that is before tax or inclusive of taxes. They also say that they require a minimum three night hotel stay to qualify for the discount rate. I don't know how strict they are about that but would hate to have budgeted for the lowest rate and then find out when we went to spring our wheels a higher and unbudgeted amount applied.

Cruise park ( the link is on the Vancouver FAQ thread) runs about $124C for the week. They do have a shuttle that takes you from the lot to the terminal and another that will take you from the terminals back to the lot at the end of your trip. You have to make reservations ahead and I believe you have to prepay when you do. I am leaning toward using them, the whole "get it paid and then stop worrying about that" aspect truly appeals to me.

We have also pretty much decided that we are going to forego staying in Vancouver the night before the cruise in favor of spending a bit more time with my DH's son and soon to be new wife (the wedding is March 26) and the grand kids and then driving to the border the night before and finding an inexpensive hotel (Motel 6 or the like) on the USA side and staying there in preparation for doing the border crossing early the morning of the departure.

At this point it looks like staying in a hotel close to the cruise port and paying a premium for it doesn't really buy us anything, especially if we are going to have to drive our car to the parking lot and then take a shuttle to the cruise pier anyway. We really liked the idea of staying in the Pan Pacific and just having to take the elevator down to board the ship but once I realized that we wouldn't actually be able to do that spending the additional close to $300 for a room for one night really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

It is of course killing me that I can't just go ahead and book these things but I am awaiting the close of an escrow so I can get paid and then get everything else paid. On the other hand, were it not for the delay owing to the wait I might have already booked that non-refundable hotel stay and would now be gnashing my teeth about the wasted money so things do always work out for the best.

Now to start doing some research to see what the closest Motel 6 is to the border.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a "Wonder" ful day!

Tisza

 

[Schachteles]

Hi!

I have Now done some checking about parking and here is what I have found so far... The Pan Pacific hotel has a long term parking garage adjacent to it that gives a discount to hotel guests. It runs $23/day but I don't know if that is before tax or inclusive of taxes. They also say that they require a minimum three night hotel stay to qualify for the discount rate. I don't know how strict they are about that but would hate to have budgeted for the lowest rate and then find out when we went to spring our wheels a higher and unbudgeted amount applied.

Cruise park ( the link is on the Vancouver FAQ thread) runs about $124C for the week. They do have a shuttle that takes you from the lot to the terminal and another that will take you from the terminals back to the lot at the end of your trip. You have to make reservations ahead and I believe you have to prepay when you do. I am leaning toward using them, the whole "get it paid and then stop worrying about that" aspect truly appeals to me.

We have also pretty much decided that we are going to forego staying in Vancouver the night before the cruise in favor of spending a bit more time with my DH's son and soon to be new wife (the wedding is March 26) and the grand kids and then driving to the border the night before and finding an inexpensive hotel (Motel 6 or the like) on the USA side and staying there in preparation for doing the border crossing early the morning of the departure.

At this point it looks like staying in a hotel close to the cruise port and paying a premium for it doesn't really buy us anything, especially if we are going to have to drive our car to the parking lot and then take a shuttle to the cruise pier anyway. We really liked the idea of staying in the Pan Pacific and just having to take the elevator down to board the ship but once I realized that we wouldn't actually be able to do that spending the additional close to $300 for a room for one night really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

It is of course killing me that I can't just go ahead and book these things but I am awaiting the close of an escrow so I can get paid and then get everything else paid. On the other hand, were it not for the delay owing to the wait I might have already booked that non-refundable hotel stay and would now be gnashing my teeth about the wasted money so things do always work out for the best.

Now to start doing some research to see what the closest Motel 6 is to the border.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a "Wonder" ful day!

Tisza

WOW you are so on top of things!! Thanks for the information. I guess I need to check again to confirm how much it was to park at the Hilton.

 

[richmo]

We're flying into and out of SEA and, so far, it looks like its more economical to keep the car during the cruise rather than dropping it at YVR and renting another to go back to SEA, even with paying for parking in Vancouver.

As of now, we're staying the night before in the Days Inn near the airport. They don't have a "stay and park" option, but they recommended that instead of using parking near the cruise, that I park at YVR, then take the Skytrain back to Canada Place (to save a few bucks, I could even drop the family off at Canada Place, then drive myself to YVR and Skytrain it back). Anyway, the folks at the Days Inn advised me that I should keep an eye on the official YVR website, because they often run long term parking promotions. (For example at www.yvr.ca, there is a coupon posted now thru 7/31/11 for $10.96/day $66.96/week parking). Specifically, this coupon is at:
http://www.yvr.ca/Libraries/PGT_documents/YVR_Parking_coupon_exp_July_31_2011.sflb.ashx

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Happy Friday!!!

 

[mouseclick1]

Hope everyone is having a great Saturday! I am bouncing back and forth from power-reading a text book I would like to have done this weekend, and searching for info on Alaska!

I found the following info regarding our port time in Ketchikan. While we unfortunately have the later arrival time, it looks like the town will pretty much clear out around 4:00, giving us more room to roam in the early evening. I would definitely not want to be on the Carnival Spirit with those hours!

I still think we are going to leave Ketchikan open and not book any excursions that day. The town looks like it has so much charm and I am really looking forward to visiting it!

24-Jul Amsterdam 7:00 AM 5:00 PM 1,380 HAL 780
24-Jul Infinity 7:00 AM 4:00 PM 1,950 Celebrity 965
24-Jul Radiance of the Seas 7:00 AM 5:00 PM 2,501 Royal Carribbean 962
24-Jul Spirit 7:00 AM 1:00 PM 2,667 Carnival 963
24-Jul Disney Wonder 1:30 PM 8:00 PM 2,500 Disney 964

 

["Got Disney"]

Hi everyone....man my brain is on such over load I finally made all my hotel ressies.....we will fly in on the 13th...take the skytrain or what ever it is or the taxt to the Pan Pacific for the night.....we get in at 5:30 but n problem with still touring some when we get in because it says light out till around 9:30 ish in the summer....cool

Next morning we will take the train up to Whistler where we will also stay at the Pan Pacific Centre and leaving much of our luggage behind at the Pan Pacific in Vancouver, since after a 3 day stay in whistler we will return back to the Pan Pacific in Vancouver by bus....sound confusing

For the 3 days in Whistler we will be going white water rafting and stuff like that....

Not sure what what we are going to do yet in Vancouver. But it will be sight seeing stuff and renting bikes to ride around Stanley park....my kids love hanging in hotel rooms so hopefully I can drag them out.


And to top it off everything so stupid expensive....UGH!!!!!

The excursions for Alaska can break your bank for sure. So we wont be doing anything crazy there....as much as we would like to anyway. But with a family of 4 one cant really get by without at least spending $500 per excursion....

DH wants to pan for gold...he thinks he's going to find a huge nugget and retire so we will be doing that...that is cheep like $70 a person...my kids will want to do that also. Me well....I'm up for a little more excitement than that There are soooooo many choices it just makes my head spin....

Anyway....so far thats our game plan....Who else is staying at the Pan Pacific????

 

[twinmom108]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";39931772]Anyway....so far thats our game plan....Who else is staying at the Pan Pacific????[/QUOTE]

Allen & I will be at the Pan Pacific the night before the cruise.

 

[1Goofy]

Question for the day: are the pools on Wonder heated?

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

Question for the day: are the pools on Wonder heated?

Yep.

 

[CBEB]

Yep.

Oh good! My daughter was just asking yesterday if the pools were heated!

 

[Schachteles]

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE! Hope that you have a great weekend!

 

[CBEB]

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE! Hope that you have a great weekend!

Happy Friday!

We did some shopping this week for ear muffs and jackets. Thought we should be shopping while there was a reasonable selection. Can't imagine finding much in July!

 

[Schachteles]

Happy Friday!

We did some shopping this week for ear muffs and jackets. Thought we should be shopping while there was a reasonable selection. Can't imagine finding much in July!

Good idea!! I am wondering if we need to bring our winter coats?!? I sure don't want to have to since they will take up a lot of space.

 

[CBEB]

Good idea!! I am wondering if we need to bring our winter coats?!? I sure don't want to have to since they will take up a lot of space.

All of the advice I've found emphasizes layers layers layers. Also that we should be prepared for rain. So we have reasonabily light-weight jackets (easy to pack) that are water repellant and have zip-out linings and hoods. Then we plan to layer long-sleeved t-shirts and sweatshirts under that. I think this will probably work and will be much easier to pack than a heavy winter coat.