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

[mouseclick1]

While I am currently booked at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, I will switch to Vancouver Club Intrawest on DVC points if I can get a reservation there. Airfare from Detroit is right around $850 - $900. Ugh.

 

[MrsG]

Airfare is part of the reason we're considering Seattle, plus the fact we've never been there and would love to see it. Right now it appears to be a lot cheaper to fly from NY to Seattle than to Vancouver. We're also hoping to use of FF miles for the tickets. We'll see soon enough.

 

[mouseclick1]

I go back and forth all the time about flying into Vancouver or Seattle. I know it is about half the cost to fly to Seattle from Detroit. I wouldn't mind doing that for the trip out there, but I kind of dread the thought of coming home that route. The only flight out of Seattle that I think we would be able to catch leaves Seattle at 11:15 pm and arrives at 6:30 am. That would make for a very long day of getting home!

We could always spend an additional night in Seattle and then fly home in the morning. Even with the addition of another hotel room, we would still save a few $$ over flying to Vancouver. Decisions, decisions!

 

[Schachteles]

Airfare is part of the reason we're considering Seattle, plus the fact we've never been there and would love to see it. Right now it appears to be a lot cheaper to fly from NY to Seattle than to Vancouver. We're also hoping to use of FF miles for the tickets. We'll see soon enough.

For us, tickets from MSP to Seattle are half the price, so we are thinking that we will do that. I am just concerned for some reason about taking a rental car over the boarder?~?

 

["Got Disney"]

For me going back and forth is a headache....the more I do it the more I want to be done with it. The train the plane the taxis the rent a cars the hotels...heck haven't even got to the excursions yet on the ship

Sometimes it's worth just paying the extra cash and take the easy way out. Not only am i trying to figure that out, i am also trying to figure out how many days in Whistler...what hotel and do we want to go there right from the airport or do a night first in Vancouver than go for 2 or 3 nights than back to Vancouver again.....or just go the first 3 nights in Whistler than come back for the 2 nights in Vancouver....and the worst part is that no matter how we figure it out the price once in Canada for the transportation 2 and from and the hotels are all much the same price when it comes to driving and sleeping 5.

If only 4 of us that would be so much easier in so many ways but we are bringing one of the boys friends with us....and he will be 18 and is like 6'2 and a big football player....he takes up a lot of room so a car would have to be bigger and the hotel to sleep 5.

I think all I am going to have to do is push the buttons and get on with it and the sooner I make the choices the better off I will be......I am driving DH crazy cause every day I come up with another way to get there and days we will be staying

I have noticed that many of the hotels in Whistler are not booking yet for July so will have to wait for awhile. Just for 3 days in Whistler for the hotel will cost us around $1,000 bucks...than the excursions like White water rafting and such will run us around $1,000 and that is just the 4 of us....the guest will be paying some and we will pick up the rest.

So anyone want to give me some $$$$$$ Once I have all booked my ranting will stop....I promise

 

[mouseclick1]

Last night I had DH convert some of his Marriott Rewards points into Delta Skymiles so we now both have enough FF miles to fly cover our flights to Vancouver. Paying only for our 2 DS's tickets is a lot less painful than paying for all 4 of us! So I THINK we are just going to fly r/t to Vancouver, and probably add another night to our reservation at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. (Which, in reality, I probably WON'T switch to Vancouver Club Intrawest on points because I really do have my heart set on staying there)

 

["Got Disney"]

Last night I had DH convert some of his Marriott Rewards points into Delta Skymiles so we now both have enough FF miles to fly cover our flights to Vancouver. Paying only for our 2 DS's tickets is a lot less painful than paying for all 4 of us! So I THINK we are just going to fly r/t to Vancouver, and probably add another night to our reservation at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. (Which, in reality, I probably WON'T switch to Vancouver Club Intrawest on points because I really do have my heart set on staying there)

to your decision .......we decided to use our DVC points for the cruise.....something we never do....but with all that has been going on with my one son starting Football and short school summer for him due to one school a charter (different schedule than the middle School) we did not use our points. So we will have enough for the cabin with Veranda for 2 and with the deposit we have put down for the cabin we are going to switch over for points it is all paid for.

I have some AA frequent fly-er points....I should look and see what the black out dates are for them...maybe we can work around that

 

[wdhinn89]

Airfare is part of the reason we're considering Seattle, plus the fact we've never been there and would love to see it. Right now it appears to be a lot cheaper to fly from NY to Seattle than to Vancouver. We're also hoping to use of FF miles for the tickets. We'll see soon enough.

Have you checked out Cathay Pacific Airlines? I am seeing non-stop fares to Vancouver for $525 out of JFK. I have heard they are a good, reliable airline.

Our two major vacations planned for this summer are now over and I need to get my act together planning for Alaska. We definitely want to spend a few days in Vancouver. Not sure if it will be before or after the cruise. All the information on this thread is very helpful. Thank you everyone

 

[scoutsmom99]

Airfare from Detroit is right around $850 - $900. Ugh.

OMG I don't want to think what it will be from MSP. Is that on Delta?

 

[OKWMEMBER]

ES (Elizabeth Swan)Update!!! Parley!!!

manascarfan got the 1099th post and therefore earns an ES!!!

Every 99th post = 1 ES
Every 499th post = 2 ESes
Every 999th post = 3 ESes

The current score is:

jlawall--------------- 6 ESes 299th,499th, 999th
ImTooExcitedToSleep -- 2 ESes 199th,399th
twinmom108------------ 2 ESes 699th,799th
MrsG------------------ 1 ES 99th
mouseclick1----------- 1 ES 599th
Meskamooska----------- 1 ES 899th
manascarfan----------- 1 ES 1099th

The next milestone is at the 1199th post and is worth 1 (One,Uno) ES!!!

 

[OKWMEMBER]

Pirate Update!!! Aaaarggghhh!!!

manascarfan got the 1100th post and therefore earns a another Pirate!!!

Every 100th post = 1 Pirate
Every 500th post = 2 Pirates
Every 1000th post = 3 Pirates

The current score is:

jlawall----------------- 4 Pirates 300th,1000th
"Got Disney"------------ 2 Pirates 500th
ImTooExcitedToSleep----- 2 Pirates 400th,600th
twinmom108-------------- 2 Pirates 700th,800th
manascarfan ------------ 2 Pirates 200th,1100th
MrsG-------------------- 1 Pirate 100th
Meskamooska------------- 1 Pirate 900th

The next milestone is at the 1200th post and is worth 1 (One,Uno) Pirate!!!

 

[mouseclick1]

OMG I don't want to think what it will be from MSP. Is that on Delta?

Yes, that's on Delta. It is a direct flight to Vancouver on Saturday, and a return fllight with 1 stop on the Tuesday the ship returns. Since we can't actually price our own dates yet, the dates I used were for the end of June. I think the exact price for this particular flight was $869 or 40,000 airline miles.

 

[MrsG]

Have you checked out Cathay Pacific Airlines? I am seeing non-stop fares to Vancouver for $525 out of JFK. I have heard they are a good, reliable airline.

Our two major vacations planned for this summer are now over and I need to get my act together planning for Alaska. We definitely want to spend a few days in Vancouver. Not sure if it will be before or after the cruise. All the information on this thread is very helpful. Thank you everyone

Thanks. You are correct with the price out of JFK. We were waiting until we could use FF miles on Delta, but just may do this instead. We did want to see Seattle while we were out west, but may not and will just do Vancouver and surrounding area instead.

 

[Schachteles]

I looked at MSP to Vancouver and it was going to be like $700ish per ticket for direct flights (or 40,000 points). I think we are just going to suck it up and go to Seattle since it is like $250 for direct or 20,000 points.

BTW...does anyone access the DisBoards on their BlackBerry?? I can't get mine to let me post

 

[scoutsmom99]

Yes, that's on Delta. It is a direct flight to Vancouver on Saturday, and a return fllight with 1 stop on the Tuesday the ship returns. Since we can't actually price our own dates yet, the dates I used were for the end of June. I think the exact price for this particular flight was $869 or 40,000 airline miles.

That is what we are looking at doing as well, fly in on Saturday and then fly out the day the cruise leaves.

I looked at MSP to Vancouver and it was going to be like $700ish per ticket for direct flights (or 40,000 points). I think we are just going to suck it up and go to Seattle since it is like $250 for direct or 20,000 points.

I'm trying to decide if the money will be worth it to loose part of the day on Saturday not to mention the fact my sister will be coming from CO.


What time does our cruise get into port on Tuesday? And what flight times are people looking at?

 

["Got Disney"]

That is what we are looking at doing as well, fly in on Saturday and then fly out the day the cruise leaves.

I'm trying to decide if the money will be worth it to loose part of the day on Saturday not to mention the fact my sister will be coming from CO.


What time does our cruise get into port on Tuesday? And what flight times are people looking at?

We are set to depart the ship at 8am....as for flights that all depends on if you are flying out of Vancouver or Seattle.....and taking the train is hard due to the trains schedule. Unless one stays over night to save money but at that point the extra night or 2 and the transportation to and from Seattle ends up to cost close to the money you are trying to save.

Me thinks DCL should have sailed out of Seattle......and maybe made a stop over for half a day in Vancouver.....this Vancouver stuff is giving many all over the boards a big headache with all this travel stuff and expense.

If is was just me and DH it would be so much easier but with the 2 of us and 3 kids...well......

 

[scoutsmom99]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";37716178]We are set to depart the ship at 8am....as for flights that all depends on if you are flying out of Vancouver or Seattle.....and taking the train is hard due to the trains schedule. Unless one stays over night to save money but at that point the extra night or 2 and the transportation to and from Seattle ends up to cost close to the money you are trying to save.
[/QUOTE]
Thanks, I was kinda thinking the same thing, I'm sure we will just pay the $700 and be done with it because we want to head into Vancouver on Sat and then spend Sunday over in Victoria at the Butchart Gardens and do some sight-seeing in Vancouver on Monday.

For those staying in Vancouver before the cruise where are you staying?
I'm considering the following:
The Fairmont Pacific Rim
The Four Seasons
L'Hermitage Hotel
Fairmont Vancouver

 

[MrsG]

We just booked Cathay Pacific out of JFK to Vancouver for $525 each nonstop. We decided against going to Seattle first. The flights are red-eyes but we should be ok with that. We're flying in the Fri night before the cruise and back the Fri night after the cruise. That should give us plenty of time to really see Vancouver.

 

[wdhinn89]

We just booked Cathay Pacific out of JFK to Vancouver for $525 each nonstop. We decided against going to Seattle first. The flights are red-eyes but we should be ok with that. We're flying in the Fri night before the cruise and back the Fri night after the cruise. That should give us plenty of time to really see Vancouver.

We may be booking soon too. We are thinking of arriving the Monday before the cruise and leaving the Saturday morning after. I just feel it is soooo early to book the flights though but I don't want to regret taking advantage of a great fare either. Too many decisions

 

[Schachteles]

How is everyone already booking flights? Delta is only taking ressies that are thru July 10th, 2011. Guess we will have to wait a little bit longer. We are looking to fly out Saturday the 16th and fly home on the 30th.