Aug 27, 2012 Seattle to Skagway Sailing

[jadedjojo]

DH and I decided not to stay with his brother in Seattle after all, because we didn't want to be a burden (and we think we'd all just get along better if we stayed in a hotel ). So now we are arriving on 8/23 and are staying at Hampton Inn until the 27th. Our total vacation is ballooning to well beyond what we've budgeted for, but as DH pointed out, this is a trip of a lifetime and we aren't sure when we will have the opportunity again.

We rented a car, but the rental car was proving tricky... if we returned the rental car to the airport the day of the cruise, we'd then need to find shuttle or taxi service from the airport to pier 91. I have been pulling out my hair for this past week (and that isn't even mentioning the nightmare of us staying for the night when we return and that hassle of transportation), when DH found that Holiday Inn Express (SeaTac) does a transfer package to and from the airport AND the pier. So we are going to turn in the rental car, take the shuttle to the hotel, then the other shuttle to the port. On returning, we will do the same thing in reverse, and spend that night at Holiday Inn before flying back to Florida the next day. It was $149 for the total package (including the stay), which I find a bargain considering every shuttle or taxi I could find was atleast $40 (for two people) one way. I wanted to add a link if anyone was interested, but I can't get it to post correctly .

I hope everyone else's planning is going well! Since I'm in Florida, I'm now stocking up on gloves/hats/vests/thermal undies, since we won't be able to find that stuff here in another month or so. 262 Days!!!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

DH and I decided not to stay with his brother in Seattle after all, because we didn't want to be a burden (and we think we'd all just get along better if we stayed in a hotel ). So now we are arriving on 8/23 and are staying at Hampton Inn until the 27th. Our total vacation is ballooning to well beyond what we've budgeted for, but as DH pointed out, this is a trip of a lifetime and we aren't sure when we will have the opportunity again.

We rented a car, but the rental car was proving tricky... if we returned the rental car to the airport the day of the cruise, we'd then need to find shuttle or taxi service from the airport to pier 91. I have been pulling out my hair for this past week (and that isn't even mentioning the nightmare of us staying for the night when we return and that hassle of transportation), when DH found that Holiday Inn Express (SeaTac) does a transfer package to and from the airport AND the pier. So we are going to turn in the rental car, take the shuttle to the hotel, then the other shuttle to the port. On returning, we will do the same thing in reverse, and spend that night at Holiday Inn before flying back to Florida the next day. It was $149 for the total package (including the stay), which I find a bargain considering every shuttle or taxi I could find was atleast $40 (for two people) one way. I wanted to add a link if anyone was interested, but I can't get it to post correctly .

I hope everyone else's planning is going well! Since I'm in Florida, I'm now stocking up on gloves/hats/vests/thermal undies, since we won't be able to find that stuff here in another month or so. 262 Days!!!

Thanks for the tip about HI Express. I also found a nice looking hotel, the Marriott near SEA.
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/trav...esect=rd&vsretype=c&vsrebrand=MC&vsrelink=vhw
The pool looks very inviting. I know we'll want to see a lot in Seattle but in reality we'll be tired from such a long flight so we'll probably visit the Space Needle and maybe ride around a little. I think it's easiest to simply return the car at the airport the evening before we cruise and just take a cab or shuttle to port. There is a Hertz rental office onsite at the Marriott but their hours are very limited.

I found a decent price on rain pants for kids at LLBean. Adult sizes are not so cheap. Best thing is anything you buy from there is returnable any time, forever.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/45259?feat=2-SR0

 

[jadedjojo]

That Marriott is incredible! I love the pool. DH would probably strangle me at the moment if I tried to change hotels though. I think I'm driving him up the wall!

We are struggling with the rainsuits. We are cheap *ahem,* I mean frugal, and we only want to check one bag on the plane. I'm worried about the weight of the rainsuits I've examined at Walmart and how that will factor in with the shoes/sneakers/dress shoes/ suit/etc in the luggage. DH found some crazy fisherman set (with a matching hat) online that he wants to buy and ship to his brother and leave there. I'm thinking, he'd better be wearing that thing on the plane home for how much it is!

 

[PFlamingo]

Happy New Year!!

We can all now say that we're cruising this year!!

Instead of doing something productive with my day off - like cleaning the house - I'm surfing the DCL excursions to see what we might do. Personally, I'm attracted to a sled dog experience and horseback riding. Don't know if I can talk DH into either. DCL excursions are a bit pricey.

The airport Marriott looks nice, but I think I'd rather stay in-town to sight-see.

Guess I'll need to think about airfare soon. August will be here before we know it!

 

[RVD90277]

hot dog! i am booked on this cruise. i will be traveling with my wife and 6 year old son. this is our 3rd disney cruise (2nd on the wonder). we have traveled on the wonder to the mexican riviera. this will be our first trip to alaska so we are all very excited!

we will likely bring my mother in law along. this will be an early celebration of her 60th birthday (in december but we'd rather go to alaska than MR).

on my last cruises, i didn't know about this board but i'm glad i found it this time. i actually found the board about a day or so before our last cruise and was so sad to have missed out on all of the talk before the cruise.

anyway, glad to meet you all and hope to see y'all on board!

 

[mickeylove81]

My family is booked on this cruise as well. Me-Julie, my husband Michael who will turn 40, the day we depart, and my youngest son Chris who will turn 9, on this cruise as well. My whole family are Disney nuts. This is our first Disney cruise, but our second cruise to Alaska. We live an hour by car or ferry from Seattle, so if you have any questions or want opinions feel free to ask, I don't mind.

Julie

 

[maggie blossom]

We are also on this cruise. It is our second cruise, we booked this while onboard the Magic Western in April last year.
We are traveling with DD (will be 12) and FIL.

Last year from the cruise thread DD started writing as a "penpal" to two other girls her age. it worked out wonderfully as they bonded right away when we set off and they knew someone to do things with and in the Edge. (She still keeps contact with one of the girls).

Anyone have a DD near age 12 who would be interested in writing with my DD? If so PM me.

We are excited although it still seems a long way off...

 

[lulubella1609]

We are booked on this cruise We may switch to July because of DHs reserve job but for now we are on this one and can't wait!

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

So now we are definitely doing this cruise!

Our flights are all set and found a great hotel very close to the airport, within walking distance, that actually offers 2 king beds. It's the Hilton Seattle Airport if anyone is interested. Our boys will be 15 & 12 at cruise time so they will be so happy to have a little room to spread out & hopefully no bickering.
We tossed around the idea of staying downtown but they are so expensive & we'd like to do some big excursions on the cruise so we need to save $ and just drive to see the sights.

I've been looking at excursions and noticed some offer a discount if you book early, booking direct, that is. We'll be booking our helicopter glacier trek by the end of the month.

Yikes! Only 1 month to pay in full if we want to take advantage of platinum perks.

Time is flying!

Stilll, my family has never been so excited to go on a cruise!

 

[DisFamilyRobinson]

Hey all!

I've never done this before... so hopefully things go right. We're joining ya'll on this cruise! Its been an eight-year hiatus from cruising for us. We decided to take a break when the economy broke and reshuffled our priorities (sadly, the cruise we had on the books 5 years ago needed to be cancelled). We've been on two other DCL trips before, both on the Magic (Eastern/Western Caribbean). We've got a family of six (kids 14/12/8/6) and I can't tell you if the adults are more excited about this one or the kids!

Now that we've got the thing booked, its time to turn the attention towards shore excursions. WOW! I can't believe the number of options. Perhaps I just put it out of my head, but I seem to remember something like 10 options per port before. Now there is a HUGE list. We're also considering 3rd party excursion suppliers. Has anyone done this before? Any thing to look out for? I'm hoping to put together a spreadsheet of the available choices. If others would find this useful, I could post it. Should be a few more days before I have it together (If someone has already done this, please let me know and save me the effort!)

Any how, that is it for now. Can't wait... can't wait... can't wait!

-David for the Robinson clan

 

[DisFamilyRobinson]

JadedJoJo, IrishCowboy, anyone else who's done a large number of DCL cruises:

I've wondered this for a long time and ya'll are in the best position to answer.

How do things change when you've been on the exact same cruise multiple times? At that point, I assume you've seen what you wanted to see in the various ports and you've seen all the shows. Do you just sit back and enjoy the cruise experience? Do your wander the ports on your own or enjoy having an empty ship to yourselves? Do you continue to go to the evening shows? I would expect each identical cruise to have diminishing returns from an experience/entertainment value. What do you do to keep things fresh? I've thought of re-booking itineraries that I've already experienced (especially if I can find a can't pass up deal!), but these thoughts hold me back. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
David

 

[RVD90277]

aw sorry everyone. we had to cancel and rebook on the 8/20 cruise instead. my son's school started in september (day after labor day) last year so we just figured it would start the day after labor day this year too. but instead they moved it up 1 week so we had to reschedule accordingly.

enjoy!

 

[DisFamilyRobinson]

Bummer! Well, on the bright side you don't have to patiently wait another week for vacation to start like the rest of us

 

[Keurigirl]

Hey guys!! I'm joining you - we just booked this cruise and I'm hoping we'll be able to keep the date! My husband is still not quite sure he'll be able to swing the time off, but we're hopeful!

We're from Seattle so it will be so nice just to be able to walk on the boat! No flights will be awesome. I'll miss Castaway Cay, though.

Do you guys have an FE exchange yet?

 

[maggie blossom]

HI Keurigirl
Welcome
We do not have a FE yet. Hopefully we can get one started.
This board has been real quiet. I'm hoping it will pick up as we get closer

 

[DisFamilyRobinson]

Hi Keurigirl! Welcome!!

No, we don't have an official FE in place yet. However Pflamingo on page 2 of this thread (Sorry, I don't have enough posts to give a direct link) posted that they've organized one in the past and could do it again

Pflamingo, is your offer still good?

Re: "it will be so nice just to be able to walk on the boat"
YES! This is exactly why we chose this particular date. We're from Portland, OR and with a family of six, it saves a good chunk of change to not have to fly across the country. I'm glad they put an itenerary on the schedule that both leaves AND returns to Seattle

Regards,
David for the Robinsons

 

[Keurigirl]

Hey guys! Thanks for the welcome. I'm excited! I am really crossing my fingers for that time off! (Apparently there is a potential project coming down the line, and he may have to be there if the timing doesn't go as planned).

Anyway, I created a google doc to put our info in, that way we can have it so we can get to know each other, and also for the FE exchange. I've also included a sheet for excursions, so we know if we'll be on an excursion together.

Also, I've had a facebook group for our last cruise - would you guys be up for one for this one as well? It worked out well for keeping in touch.

Here's the spreadsheet link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Au6ZjSAKNCdBdGNIa0hpRmFPQVpwaEttZF9xUWsyc1E

Go add your info!

David - yes, it will save tons of airfare for us, and especially you since you've got two more people! Airfare to Orlando is not cheap these days....

 

[Skylarr29]

Hi! We will be sailing too. My name is Melissa and my DH is Robert. We are taking this trip as an early anniversary trip and the kids are staying with Grandma!

 

[Keurigirl]

Hi and welcome!!

Hey guys I think I had the wrong link to the spreadsheet... here is the new link so you can add yourself to the list

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Au6ZjSAKNCdBdGNIa0hpRmFPQVpwaEttZF9xUWsyc1E

 

[nicole.antonelli]

Thanks for posting the spreadsheet, Keurigirl! I've added my info.

We're also lucky with our air fare as well since we're from San Francisco. We were able to convert our American Express points to Virgin America miles and ended up only paying $35 in taxes/fees for two round trip tickets to Seattle. It beats the outrageous prices we've always paid to travel to Orlando.