Disney Wonder September 3, 2012. Seattle to Vancouver 7 night Alaska Cruise!

[Mickey's n Me]

Hello all!

This will be our first ever cruse (heck, our first ever real vacation)! We are so excited!!

I am Erin. I will be traveling with my DH and our DS 3. We are celebrating our 10 year anniversary, our recent adoption of our DS, and our first year of an actual tax refund!

We live in the Seattle area, so we are so excited about not having to travel for the cruise! We planned to take the Amtrak back down to Seattle after the cruise, but it turns out my in-laws will be in BC with their RV, so they are going to drive us back down!

Now....if only these 7 months would go a little faster!

Hi Erin,
Congratulations on Celebrating your 10th and the adoption of your DS. We adopted our first DD about 20 years ago (June 1992) and then I gave birth to our second DD 8 months later. We surprised them with our first cruise when they were 11 & 12... they/we had a fabulous time and so will you. We, DH and I... girls are in college, are currently living in PA but will be moving to Tacoma this summer. Looking forward to exploring the Northwest!
Stacy

 

[NHdisneylover]

Hi everybody.

I am just dropping by to tell you that we have dropped this cruise. The costs just added up to be too high for us when we had to factor in airfare, excursions of some sort (we wanted to see Alaska while there because it is likely to be a one time only trip) and airfare both across the Atlantic and then again across the country.

We have booked a cruise on the Fantasy the same week for substantially lower cost (and less in airfare)but more boring ports (but we can do them on our own for essentially no cost and be happy).

I hope you all have a lovely time--it will be an amazing cruise I am sure

 

[DizDays]

Hi all,

I haven't had time to read this whole thread (but I will!), but am dropping by to let you know that my Husband, Alex, and I (Christine) will be on the September 3rd Alaska cruise on the Wonder. We can't wait! We just did the DVC member cruise this past September on the Disney Dream and loved it! This will be our 2nd Disney cruise and we are looking forward to lots of photography in Alaska.

Has anyone cruised Alaska yet? If so, are there any port excursions you recommend. I'm overwhelmed looking at all the choices.

Can't wait to meet you all!
Christine

 

[mellers]

Hi all,

I haven't had time to read this whole thread (but I will!), but am dropping by to let you know that my Husband, Alex, and I (Christine) will be on the September 3rd Alaska cruise on the Wonder. We can't wait! We just did the DVC member cruise this past September on the Disney Dream and loved it! This will be our 2nd Disney cruise and we are looking forward to lots of photography in Alaska.

Has anyone cruises Alaska yet? If so, are there any port excursions you recommend. I'm overwhelmed looking at all the choices.

Can't wait to meet you all!
Christine

Hello and welcome! This will be my second cruise to Alaska on Disney, and we had a wonderful time last time.

My one recommendation on port excursions is to look at local providers before you book through Disney, and if you plan to take the White Pass Railroad, this goes double. We took the train last year, and on our party of 5 we saved $50 by booking it on our own, through the White Pass.

They gravely warned us that we would not be able to board at the dock. What does this mean? You have to walk (or roll, in my case) to the front of the train, which is at the station, and check in at the station. Big deal.

Also, my recommendation goes double if you have a wheelie with you. I am in a wheelchair, and I found out that Disney had booked all of the wheelchair passengers on the later train. I booked my family on the later train, in case there was a delay, but if you book through the White Pass, you can change your tickets to an earlier train for free, if there is room.

Originally, I was supposed to be separated from my family, with only one other family member staying with me in the wheelchair car, to take on all of the wheelchairs. However, because I could change to the earlier train, there were no wheelchair passengers at all on that train, other than me, and my family and I got the car entirely to ourselves! It was wonderful.

 

[TorontoGirl]

Hi Everybody! Unfortunately my DH and I have decided to drop this cruise and re-book for 2013 on the Fantasy...we are still doing the Vancouver to LA transfer but just can't get the time off work if we want to go to DL too :-(

Please remove us off the FE list too!

Thanks and have fun!
Tarin

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Hi everyone, We have transferred across to this cruise instead of the one out of NY. We were going to do the B2B but have decided to spend a few extra days in LA on the way home instead.

We are looking at catching the Amtrak back form Vancouver.

There are 6 of us including DH, DS17, DS15, DD13 DS11

 

[WoodysMIL]

Hi everyone,

Hubby and I are planning on booking this cruise this month and are very excited.

However, I do have a heads up for those of you who have booked the B2B cruise on the 10th...I got excited and thought to myself what a great idea! So I started looking into it and also posted on another board about my plans. Well...it wasn't too long before I had quite a few people posting that that particular B2B schedule is not possible due to violations of the PVSA Laws (Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (sometimes abbreviated to PVSA, Passenger Services Act, or PSA) it says:
No foreign vessels shall transport passengers between ports or places in the United States, either directly or by way of a foreign port, under a penalty of $200 (now $300) for each passenger so transported and landed.

So I decided to check with a good friend of mine who happens to be the former chief counsel for the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD). She did in fact confirm that doing the B2B Sept. 2 and Sept. 10 would be a direct violation of the US Laws. She confirmed that if you go ahead and keep your booking and plan on the B2B that the chances are very good that you will get booted off in Vancouver and then you will loose out on your 2nd leg of your cruise. She personally knows people who this has happend to.

If you booked the B2B with a TA it is very possible that he/she is not completely aware of the PVSA laws and that is why nothing was said. Same if you booked the cruise yourself directly with DCL.

At any rate...I think we're going to stay on the safe side and do just the Seattle/Alaska/Vancouver route.

By all means I'm not trying to cause an uproar...just passing on the information that I found out.

I would highly suggest however, that if you do have this B2B booked that you contact DCL directly and discuss this issue with them.

-----------------------

Other than that we are looking forward to our first Alaska Cruise. We will be joining our DD and SIL.

 

[mellers]

Hi everyone,

Hubby and I are planning on booking this cruise this month and are very excited.

That's great! Welcome aboard!

With regards to another technicality--you may not want to purchase DCL travel insurance. My husband and I both have medical problems, as does our daughter, and DCL insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions. I think this gives way too much wiggle room in the event of a medical issue.

Also, DCL insurance does not cover hotel, ground transportation, shore excursions and air travel that you book on your own.

You can usually get better, cheaper travel insurance from other providers. If you're a veteran, or active or reserve duty military, http://www.usaa.com is probably your best bet. Both their Worldwide Trip Protector (TravelInsured) and Worldwide Trip Protector Gold policies cover pre-existing condtions, and deployments, if that's an issue. I avoid the Worldwide Trip Protector Lite since it doesn't cover pre-existing conditions.

You can also check out http://www.tripinsurancestore.com/ for a great comparison of various travel policies, and figure out what would be the best for your trip.

An earlier poster on another topic mentioned that she had great service from TravelInsured when she posted a medical claim, so I've usually gone with them. They have a particular advantage when it comes to kids--although you need to make sure you insure adults for the full adult cost--they insure kids under 18 free.

 

[WoodysMIL]

Yes, thank you...we always purchase trip insurance. You just never know what is going to happen.

 

[ThePhantomsGirl]

However, I do have a heads up for those of you who have booked the B2B cruise on the 10th... I had quite a few people posting that that particular B2B schedule is not possible due to violations of the PVSA Laws (Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 (sometimes abbreviated to PVSA, Passenger Services Act, or PSA) it says:
[

I happened to call DCL today and while on the phone asked them about this. (I am not booked on this B2B, but I hate to see what could be misinformation posted)

The agent immediately contacted the Legal Department and they will look into this issue - IF it is even an issue. So, don't go canceling anything yet until it is verified if this is even a problem!

 

[WAMUMOF4]

I happened to call DCL today and while on the phone asked them about this. (I am not booked on this B2B, but I hate to see what could be misinformation posted)

The agent immediately contacted the Legal Department and they will look into this issue - IF it is even an issue. So, don't go canceling anything yet until it is verified if this is even a problem!

Are DCL getting back to you about this am very interested to know as we cant decide whether to do the B2B or fly back to LA for extra days at DL.

Glad to see some action on this thread i thought everyone must of changed ships.

 

[lyn9856]

Hope the BTB will be ok, because I am so looking forward to it! Surely as it starts in Canada and finishes in US it is ok? There were some people that did it last year, because I have seen trip reports. If anyone got booted off we would have heard about it and Disney would surely have put something in place to avoid a repeat. Disney is fully aware of the laws, and take them into account when planning itineraries...so I am hoping for the best. We have air fare etc all booked.....so it will be awful to re shape our plans
Lyn

 

[WAMUMOF4]

Hope the BTB will be ok, because I am so looking forward to it! Surely as it starts in Canada and finishes in US it is ok? There were some people that did it last year, because I have seen trip reports. If anyone got booted off we would have heard about it and Disney would surely have put something in place to avoid a repeat. Disney is fully aware of the laws, and take them into account when planning itineraries...so I am hoping for the best. We have air fare etc all booked.....so it will be awful to re shape our plans
Lyn

I called DCL today and they went and double checked and they have assured me it s not a problem so i am going to trust them and book the 2nd cruise. Otherwise i would of had to do the Alaska cruise with a different cruise line

 

[WoodysMIL]

Hope the BTB will be ok, because I am so looking forward to it! Surely as it starts in Canada and finishes in US it is ok? There were some people that did it last year, because I have seen trip reports. If anyone got booted off we would have heard about it and Disney would surely have put something in place to avoid a repeat. Disney is fully aware of the laws, and take them into account when planning itineraries...so I am hoping for the best. We have air fare etc all booked.....so it will be awful to re shape our plans
Lyn

I might suggest that since you already have this cruise booked as a B2B that you call DCL and check for yourself. It would be nice if someone could get an answer from DCL so that people can rest at ease or make adjustments in their travel plans if necessary.

Like I've stated in previous posts...I'm just passing on information that I received and then confirmed with a good friend who is a lawyer and has worked many years in the Maritime Law field.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hope the BTB will be ok, because I am so looking forward to it! Surely as it starts in Canada and finishes in US it is ok? There were some people that did it last year, because I have seen trip reports. If anyone got booted off we would have heard about it and Disney would surely have put something in place to avoid a repeat. Disney is fully aware of the laws, and take them into account when planning itineraries...so I am hoping for the best. We have air fare etc all booked.....so it will be awful to re shape our plans
Lyn

What cruises are you doing B2B? If it's the Seattle to Vancouver and then Vancouver to LA B2B, then it's not OK.

If it's Vancouver to LA with whatever cruise follows it, that's OK.

If it's Vancouver/Vancouver with Vancouver/LA, that's OK.

This only applies to cruises that start and end in different US cities. And while the Seattle/Vancouver - Vancouver/LA cruises are separate cruises, the PVSA views them as one cruise, hence Seattle/LA, and isn't allowed.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

I just changed our booking form the SPH to a verandah DH wanted a verandah so SPH rooms 5522 5020 should be showing up sometime soon if anyones interested

 

[Chris931]

Does anyone know how many people are on the FE list so far?

This is the first cruise that I'm doing it. Would love to have a big group!!

Christine

 

[lesabrowning]

Hi everyone,

We will be traveling with out daughter Macy who will 10 at cruise time. She is really hoping to connect with other kids before the cruise. Anyone have kids in this age range that would like a pen pal? LOL

Lesa

 

[jenf22]

Does anyone know how many people are on the FE list so far?

This is the first cruise that I'm doing it. Would love to have a big group!!

Christine

I sent an email about joining the FE a while ago and never heard back. Does anyone know about the FE for this cruise?

 

[mellers]

I sent an email about joining the FE a while ago and never heard back. Does anyone know about the FE for this cruise?

I put my family on the list, but I know it's someone else who's running the FE.