August 26, 2013 - Mickey Mouse, Midnight Sun & Whales!

[son3disfan]

We have booked yesterday this cruise, so we can get starting planning our flight, hotels and things to see.

Welcome!!
Enjoy the planning!

 

[son3disfan]

Here is a link to the lumberjack show times for our sail date.


http://www.lumberjacksports.com/?q=calendar_show&month=2013-08

Just in case the link doesn't open...
It's
11:00
1:15
3:15.

Seeing as we arrive at 11:45, there are only two possible shows.
$35.00. Adult
$17.50 children 12 and under if purchased through them or at the door.
( Disney is 9 and under)

 

[Donna3271]

Any time there is an oppurtunity to save money.....I'm in. I would say go with the independent tour.
Also for the lumberjack show you can buy tickets there...as long as it is not sold out. So you can wait to see if you have enough time for both.
Also...we are paying that much for whale watching....
I think all excursions in Alaska are pricey!!!!

Thanks!!! I see one site selling the "Disney Exclusive Lumber Jack" show for $35 for adults, $17.50 for kids (my son is 11, and their child price is up to 12, unlike Disney). I see the Blue Glacier Bus (Juneau) takes you to the Mendenhall Glacier from the pier for $16 (Disney, I think is $42 for the unguided tour). The Liarsville show is $55, and for kids $38 (pick up at the pier as well).

This is our 5th Disney cruise, and quite frankly, only at Disney is a 10 year old an adult.

If anyone can share any excursion tips, that would be great!!! I just booked our airfare, so getting excited!!

 

[Donna3271]

Here is a link to the lumberjack show times for our sail date.


http://www.lumberjacksports.com/?q=calendar_show&month=2013-08

Just in case the link doesn't open...
It's
11:00
1:15
3:15.

Seeing as we arrive at 11:45, there are only two possible shows.
$35.00. Adult
$17.50 children 12 and under if purchased through them or at the door.
( Disney is 9 and under)

Thanks for sharing!!! "The Disney Exclusive Show" is the 3:15 one.
I am going to buy in advance in case.

 

[lsutigger2]

Hey gang - good to hear from everyone! For some reason I am not getting the notifications that there has been a new post on this thread. Will check my settings when I am done posting. Don't want to miss anything.

someone asked about the totem poles in Ketchikan. This is the information i read in a Fodor's guide book. The Totem Bight State Historical Park is about 10 miles north (?) of town. Can't find where I read it, but there is a bus system that will take you out there for about $2 each way. I'm sure a google search will give you all the information you need. There is a Totem Heritage Cultural Center. There is a free bus that takes you there. We did this on our other Alaskan cruise. the center is interesting and is really about totem poles with some to see but not as many as I had wanted to see.

We have made our air reservations. We were able to use frequent flyer miles and actually got some good flights. Was even able to get first class seats for the return flight. Will arrive on Saturday before the cruise and leave on Tuesday after cruise. We will stay in Vancouver. I also made hotel reservations with Disney for the extra days.

Paying for cruise and packing are next tasks!!!

I think there are only 189 days until setting sail!!

 

[son3disfan]

Hey gang - good to hear from everyone! For some reason I am not getting the notifications that there has been a new post on this thread. Will check my settings when I am done posting. Don't want to miss anything.

someone asked about the totem poles in Ketchikan. This is the information i read in a Fodor's guide book. The Totem Bight State Historical Park is about 10 miles north (?) of town. Can't find where I read it, but there is a bus system that will take you out there for about $2 each way. I'm sure a google search will give you all the information you need. There is a Totem Heritage Cultural Center. There is a free bus that takes you there. We did this on our other Alaskan cruise. the center is interesting and is really about totem poles with some to see but not as many as I had wanted to see.

We have made our air reservations. We were able to use frequent flyer miles and actually got some good flights. Was even able to get first class seats for the return flight. Will arrive on Saturday before the cruise and leave on Tuesday after cruise. We will stay in Vancouver. I also made hotel reservations with Disney for the extra days.

Paying for cruise and packing are next tasks!!!

I think there are only 189 days until setting sail!!

Weird....I'm not getting notices either.

We just made our hotel reservations in Vancouver as well!
2 nights at the Pan Pacific before the cruise .....( ouch!)
Vancouver is very expensive.

We also just put deposits on our excursions in all three ports!!!
So excited!

We have not booked air yet.
Right now it's at $2600-$3000 for the 5 of us.... ( we could go on a 7 night cruise for that price!!!!). So we will wait.
Flying in Canada is so ridiculous. It's making me nervous, because we have always booked flights at least 7-8 months ahead of time. I will really start to worry once we have paid in full ( end of April ) if we still don't have flights booked.

 

[son3disfan]

Also, I wanted to add that both Island Wings ( Ketchikan) and Harv and Marv ( whale watching in Juneau) both said they have taken quite a few bookings for Aug. If you were thinking of these tours....don't wait too long!

And for Green Jeep tours....

Posters on cruise critic have stated that some of them have been trying to book, and there has been no response to their emails.
I just spoke with the owner on the phone, and they are under new ownership, and were moving to their new office. Alaska has a 4 hour time difference for those of us on the east coast....so 2-4 o'clock was a good time to contact them.
They were taking bookings for Aug as well, and they only have a few 4 door jeeps ( jeeps that seat 5)

 

[Donna3271]

Hi All,

Hopefully fuel will drop, but now it is rising!!! TG I booked our flight. I think I just made it! I got $555 from NYC metro area into Vancouver, which I am happy with. I also began booking excursions not through Disney. It is so much cheaper.

Cheers!!! Getting excited!

 

[son3disfan]

Hi All,

Hopefully fuel will drop, but now it is rising!!! TG I booked our flight. I think I just made it! I got $555 from NYC metro area into Vancouver, which I am happy with. I also began booking excursions not through Disney. It is so much cheaper.

Cheers!!! Getting excited!

Donna3271,
That's a good price for flights.

We live near Toronto , Canada, and for us to fly domestically, from YYZ. ( Toronto) to YVR ( Vancouver ) is about $650 a person. I am hoping for a seat sale or something to bring the price down....but the waiting is killing me!

I have been looking at flights from both Detroit Michigan ( 3 hr drive from here) or Buffalo NY, ( 45 mins from here). It is the cheapest to fly INTERNATIONALY!!!!! from Detroit to Vancouver. Can you believe that!!
But, if I book a flight out of Vancouver back to Detroit on the Monday after the cruise is over, it is a " next day" flight..... can't do it.
I have to be at work on the Tuesday following our cruise!!! The 3rd! Kids have to be back to school as well. So we HAVE TO FLY OUT on the Monday.
Hoping to see something around $500.

 

[Keurigirl]

Let's talk Ketchikan excursions:

My husband did the Bering Fisherman's tour in Ketchikan last August, is that the boat from Deadliest Catch? He said it was very fun and interesting. He liked it so much he'd like to do another fishing excursion this time around.

Totem Bight park is eh. I mean, it's a totem pole. What is there really to see? I guess if you really love totem poles... There is a totem pole in a park walking distance from the pier, that is on the way to Creek Street (a must see for historic Ketchikan, it's pretty cool) so you can easily see a totem pole closer to town if that's all you are looking to see.

In Juneau, We went to Mendenhall on the blue bus, that is a very easy and cheap excursion, AND the bus driver is definitely like your own personal tour guide! You can pick that up at the pier and it runs all day.

I heard many folks on the last sailing say liarsville was dumb and cheesy, but we did not do that one so I cannot speak from experience.

 

[Donna3271]

Donna3271,
That's a good price for flights.

We live near Toronto , Canada, and for us to fly domestically, from YYZ. ( Toronto) to YVR ( Vancouver ) is about $650 a person. I am hoping for a seat sale or something to bring the price down....but the waiting is killing me!

I have been looking at flights from both Detroit Michigan ( 3 hr drive from here) or Buffalo NY, ( 45 mins from here). It is the cheapest to fly INTERNATIONALY!!!!! from Detroit to Vancouver. Can you believe that!!
But, if I book a flight out of Vancouver back to Detroit on the Monday after the cruise is over, it is a " next day" flight..... can't do it.
I have to be at work on the Tuesday following our cruise!!! The 3rd! Kids have to be back to school as well. So we HAVE TO FLY OUT on the Monday.
Hoping to see something around $500.

son3disfan,
It was strange!! I booked our airfare about 2 weeks ago. There are 5 of us. I was monitoring Air Canada and United. On a Sunday, both prices were the same. I woke up Monday morning, and the Air Canada priced SPIKED!! I went on the United site, and they still had the flight for $555!!! I booked it! I checked the United site a couple of hours later, and the flight spiked to the same price as Air Canada (it is the same flight). I literally made it by a couple of hours.

I think Air Canada will have some specials. Hold tight! Check Kayak.com every day. It is not an international flight for you! I can't believe it is so expensive!

Donna

 

[Donna3271]

Let's talk Ketchikan excursions:

My husband did the Bering Fisherman's tour in Ketchikan last August, is that the boat from Deadliest Catch? He said it was very fun and interesting. He liked it so much he'd like to do another fishing excursion this time around.

Totem Bight park is eh. I mean, it's a totem pole. What is there really to see? I guess if you really love totem poles... There is a totem pole in a park walking distance from the pier, that is on the way to Creek Street (a must see for historic Ketchikan, it's pretty cool) so you can easily see a totem pole closer to town if that's all you are looking to see.

In Juneau, We went to Mendenhall on the blue bus, that is a very easy and cheap excursion, AND the bus driver is definitely like your own personal tour guide! You can pick that up at the pier and it runs all day.

I heard many folks on the last sailing say liarsville was dumb and cheesy, but we did not do that one so I cannot speak from experience.

Keurigirl,

I had a feeling about the Liarsville, but my children want to do it. I got tickets independent of Disney, so I paid less. In Ketchikan We are doing the Bering Sea tour (bought tickets on my own), we will do the walking tour of the town, which my parents say you see a lot of Totem Poles (and there is even a little museum on the tour), and we got the Lumberjack tickets independent as well. I need to sit down and figure how much I saved buying on my own.

 

[son3disfan]

 

[son3disfan]

Thought I would post a pic....
Feel free to use it for magnets .....

EDITED: looks like it was removed : (

 

[lsutigger2]

Just checking in to see how everyone is doing - so, how are you????

hope things are good with you and yours!!

did you know it is only 166 days until we sail??? I'm really excited about that. i keep thinking how hot it will be in Baton Rouge when we leave and cool it will be in Canada & Alaska. No matter how 'warm' it may be there it will be much cooler than it will be here - guaranteed.

Also heard a local commerical for our airport and it got to be thinking how nice it will be to drive about 20 minutes to get to the airport for our flights instead of 1 hour +. Yes, i'm a little nutsy!!

I did get some of the ebags packing cubes for the trip. They look like they will be handy to have. Will check them out when we head to Hilton Head at the beginning of may.

Any of you have other vacation plans before the cruise? We are going to Hilton head for a week with nieces + niece husbands + one great niece visiting for some of the week. Really looking forward to that trip also.

Take care.

 

[son3disfan]

Hi to you , and everyone else too!

You will love the packing cubes! I bought the HEYS ones for our last trip and they were great! Just pull them out of the suitcase and into the drawers! All sorted! And without having to touch the inside of the drawers!!

I am so tired of all this snow!
This is the first March break we have not travelled somewhere warm. A little depressing!!
Saving for a very expensive Alaska dream trip means not a lot of spending elsewhere. I really miss Disney.

But soooo looking forward to Aug!
Cruise is paid in full, just waiting to book airfare ( and getting very nervous!)
We have never been paid in full without our airfare!!!!
I hope we can find something soon.....

 

[son3disfan]

Hi again...
( quiet board!!!)
I didn't see too many Canadians booked in our roll call, but just in case.......

There is a new 25% off booking for Canadians on the Alaska sailings in May and June.

May and June sailings are already past the 120 day paid in full mark, so I guess Disney is trying to fill the ships!

Fingers crossed they add August to that!

 

[lsutigger2]

Good evening all -
just wanted to let everyone know that Disney Cruise Line is having an "Alaska Week" on their Facebook page. Today there was a little video of the Top 5 things to do in Skagway in the post. Kind of cute. It sure got all excited about our trip. Not that I needed anything else.

So if you haven't liked Disney Cruise Line on Facebook, you might want to to see what they have to say about Alaska.

Hope everyone is doing well.

 

[son3disfan]

Good evening all -
just wanted to let everyone know that Disney Cruise Line is having an "Alaska Week" on their Facebook page. Today there was a little video of the Top 5 things to do in Skagway in the post. Kind of cute. It sure got all excited about our trip. Not that I needed anything else.

So if you haven't liked Disney Cruise Line on Facebook, you might want to to see what they have to say about Alaska.

Hope everyone is doing well.

 

[son3disfan]

Happy Easter everyone!
Enjoy the nice long weekend!