Anyone sailing on Wonder to Alaska this week?

[Nike4000]

Thoughts...

1. look at what's available on the "Best of .... " port excursions to get ideas on activities
2. new this year is a Tracy Arm excursion that gets you closer to the glacier
3. think about photo packages... savings if purchased early.

.......

Thanks for this great info. Fortunately we've already booked our Alaska cruise for mid-July! I was looking for more onboard specific hints. Stuff like, what do you wish you packed that you didn't? Or, make sure you don't miss __________ orientation/presentation about the wildlife in __________?

 

[cruisehopeful]

Has anyone done the Tracy Arm excursion yet? I'd love to hear a review of that. I booked it for our August 15 cruise, but I'm not 100% sure if I'm keeping it or not.

The first DCL cruise of the season wasn't able to go to Tracy Arm because of too much ice. You'll find out more about that in this thread on the last couple pages. http://www.disboards.com/threads/tracey-arm-fjord-and-glacier-adventure.3507884/

Tracy Arm is beautiful and I'd love to see up close on a smaller boat. I think the excursion will be worth it when the ship can safely sail into Tracy Arm. There are other reports about similar excursions on other lines on another cruise board.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

I'm on it right now, in Skagway. What are your questions? We were unable to go to Tracey arm but went to endicot arm instead. Still gorgeous. Got to see a moose today in Skagway! We were on the eagle preserve excursion that went to Haines.

And our stitching is the same on the backpack for silver.

Same thing happened to us concerning Tracy Arm in June, 2014. There was a huge ice floe blocking the entrance to Tracy Arm. But I thought Endicott Arm looked exactly like the YouTube videos of Tracy Arm I had watched prior to the cruise, with lots of ice floes, seals and eagles all the way up. But the whole thing was delayed by an hour+ if I remember right to get to Endicott Arm.

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

Following: I am on Jun 27th cruise and I would love ANY updated info from this season! Menus..navigators etc..

 

[tnshsms]

What tips do you have for us first time Alaska cruisers? We've done the Caribbean a bunch, but this is our first trip to Alaska. Also, what are the 5 things you MUST do? What are the most important items to pack? Which excursions have you gone on? Is it raining a bunch? Sorry, I'm filled with questions![/QUOTE]

I'll have to come back with must dos since I'm half way thru.
Layers! Lots of layers and binoculars! We were able to see lots of wildlife with binoculars. Waterproof your tennis shoes. It's been gorgeous weather here but it's a little wet in places and it's been nice I sprayed them down before I left. Yesterday we went on the eagle preserve river tour in Skagway and we had a great time. It went to Haines and we saw a moose and bald eagles and today we saw whales in Juneau. We did the science tour in Juneau and it was great but I wouldn't recommend it for those under 5.

 

[tnshsms]

If it is raining in port, are they handing out ponchos when you get off the ship?
What movies are playing?

It hasn't rain on us which is amazing. The locals tell us we are lucky. Alice, jungle book, captain America, zootopia

 

[tnshsms]

Has anyone done the Tracy Arm excursion yet? I'd love to hear a review of that. I booked it for our August 15 cruise, but I'm not 100% sure if I'm keeping it or not.

I didn't do this but my table mates did and said it was horrible waste of money. The boat didn't get any closer than the ship did and it was boring and long. They were going to nicely complain to port adventures. Lots of people didn't like it.

 

[tnshsms]

Same thing happened to us concerning Tracy Arm in June, 2014. There was a huge ice floe blocking the entrance to Tracy Arm. But I thought Endicott Arm looked exactly like the YouTube videos of Tracy Arm I had watched prior to the cruise, with lots of ice floes, seals and eagles all the way up. But the whole thing was delayed by an hour+ if I remember right to get to Endicott Arm.

Agreed

 

[tnshsms]

Following: I am on Jun 27th cruise and I would love ANY updated info from this season! Menus..navigators etc..

I will post navigators when I get back.

 

[tnshsms]

I'll write a trip report when I get back.

 

[Mrs Green]

I'll have to come back with must dos since I'm half way thru.
Layers! Lots of layers and binoculars! We were able to see lots of wildlife with binoculars. Waterproof your tennis shoes. It's been gorgeous weather here but it's a little wet in places and it's been nice I sprayed them down before I left. Yesterday we went on the eagle preserve river tour in Skagway and we had a great time. It went to Haines and we saw a moose and bald eagles and today we saw whales in Juneau. We did the science tour in Juneau and it was great but I wouldn't recommend it for those under 5.

Why don't you recommend the whale watching/science excursion for those under 5? We are booked for that one with our 8 and 3 year old. I know my 8 year old will be fascinated and figured my 3 year old would enjoy getting to touch some stuff.

 

[tnshsms]

Why don't you recommend the whale watching/science excursion for those under 5? We are booked for that one with our 8 and 3 year old. I know my 8 year old will be fascinated and figured my 3 year old would enjoy getting to touch some stuff.

Mainly because it's a lot for the littles. It was an awesome excursion but there is an hour hike along a gravel dirt trail and lots of places for a small child to run. We had 2 small kids 3-4ish who were runners and we had to constantly keep track of where they were. Bears can be along that route and the kids were nothing but distracting to the guide who was trying to watch for them. Then on the whale boat they HAD to sit down for safety and they were having a problem with that as well. It was more of a distraction to the guide which was frustrating for the rest of us who wanted to get the most of out if he tour. And there were only 2 spots of touching. One stop of bugs and one that had hermit crabs and a fish.

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

Is there a character breakfast on the Wonder this week? Thanks!

 

[Pooh2]

Is there a character breakfast on the Wonder this week? Thanks!

we had character brk at animators wed.mickey Minnie and goofy came through quickly. It was the only lousy food we had this week but no upchsrge do

 

[Pooh2]

Having hard time phone. Weather here in Juneau I'd sunny and warm !! Weather had been near perfect this week!

 

[Pooh2]

Tonighs show is toy story the musical. Alice is playing tonight as well.

 

[Pooh2]

We saw s baby bear on the roadside in skagway yesterday. Will post photos when we get home

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

What tips do you have for us first time Alaska cruisers? We've done the Caribbean a bunch, but this is our first trip to Alaska. Also, what are the 5 things you MUST do? What are the most important items to pack? Which excursions have you gone on? Is it raining a bunch? Sorry, I'm filled with questions!

I'll have to come back with must dos since I'm half way thru.
Layers! Lots of layers and binoculars! We were able to see lots of wildlife with binoculars. Waterproof your tennis shoes. It's been gorgeous weather here but it's a little wet in places and it's been nice I sprayed them down before I left. Yesterday we went on the eagle preserve river tour in Skagway and we had a great time. It went to Haines and we saw a moose and bald eagles and today we saw whales in Juneau. We did the science tour in Juneau and it was great but I wouldn't recommend it for those under 5.[/QUOTE]


any chance (you read this again) and you remember what you used to waterproof the shoes? or where you got it?

 

[Mrs Green]

Mainly because it's a lot for the littles. It was an awesome excursion but there is an hour hike along a gravel dirt trail and lots of places for a small child to run. We had 2 small kids 3-4ish who were runners and we had to constantly keep track of where they were. Bears can be along that route and the kids were nothing but distracting to the guide who was trying to watch for them. Then on the whale boat they HAD to sit down for safety and they were having a problem with that as well. It was more of a distraction to the guide which was frustrating for the rest of us who wanted to get the most of out if he tour. And there were only 2 spots of touching. One stop of bugs and one that had hermit crabs and a fish.

Ok. Hopefully the people on my tour will be less frustrated.

 

[tnshsms]

I'll have to come back with must dos since I'm half way thru.
Layers! Lots of layers and binoculars! We were able to see lots of wildlife with binoculars. Waterproof your tennis shoes. It's been gorgeous weather here but it's a little wet in places and it's been nice I sprayed them down before I left. Yesterday we went on the eagle preserve river tour in Skagway and we had a great time. It went to Haines and we saw a moose and bald eagles and today we saw whales in Juneau. We did the science tour in Juneau and it was great but I wouldn't recommend it for those under 5.

any chance (you read this again) and you remember what you used to waterproof the shoes? or where you got it?[/QUOTE]


It was a spray of some sort. I got it at academy sports store. I think dicks would have one too.