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

[jenf22]

Finally got my GTY assignment!! I did a 7a navigators verandah GTY, and ended up with a 5a deluxe verandah on deck 7!! Yay!! HollywoodGlitter, I will email you with my assignment for the FE!

On a side note... Should I expect to keep this room now that I've gotten it? Or would they keep moving me?

Jen, I wonder if I got the room you switched from? Hahaha

Eta: nope, we are in 7044. But it looks like several of us are on deck 7!

Woo hoo! Congrats! To think we just paid to upgrade to a 5A (the room we switched from was a 5B). Oh well. You'll love deck 7! You can pretty much take the stairs everywhere (there's always a line for the elevators). We loved deck 7 aft since you can take those aft stairs up to deck 9 and it pops you out at the buffet. There is also a "secret" deck on 7 aft. I'm hoping it's still mostly a secret and will be a good place to check out the scenery.

 

[Momma2Jax]

GTY came through for us also, not quite as exciting from 11C up to 10 still on deck 2, but we won't complain.

Strangely the day before our GTY came through wayyyy in advance for our med cruise to Greece in June, and that one went from 11C to... 11C. Looking like quite a full ship for that one.

Wow that must be a full ship! That is way early for a GTY! Congrats on getting your's too! They must have done a bunch last night! When we got GTY, I would have been happy as a clam in the category I booked, but of course won't turn down an upgrade, either!

Woo hoo! Congrats! To think we just paid to upgrade to a 5A (the room we switched from was a 5B). Oh well. You'll love deck 7! You can pretty much take the stairs everywhere (there's always a line for the elevators). We loved deck 7 aft since you can take those aft stairs up to deck 9 and it pops you out at the buffet. There is also a "secret" deck on 7 aft. I'm hoping it's still mostly a secret and will be a good place to check out the scenery.

:-/ sorry i know when we originally paid to be upgraded from an assigned porthole room to the 7a GTY, I was a little leery about not being able to pick my room location. It looks like deck 7 is great! We are right next to the mid-ship elevators, which im sure will be crowded! May have to use the others, or stairs!

I noticed they are still selling 7a GTY, too, which is strange since I've already been assigned out of them!

Just FYI, when I got my room number I clicked on "modify" to see if it gave options, or how it worked. It actually gave me an option to pick 7044 or 6134, which is a secret verandah room! I thought about it since it is more aft, but I think I will stick with 7044!

(edited for autocorrect errors)

 

[jenf22]

:-/ sorry i know when we originally paid to be upgraded from an assigned porthole room to the 7a GTY, I was a little leery about not being able to pick my room location. It looks like deck 7 is great! We are right next to the mid-ship elevators, which im sure will be crowded! May have to use the others, or stairs!

I noticed they are still selling 7a GTY, too, which is strange since I've already been assigned out of them!

Just FYI, when I got my room number I clicked on "modify" to see if it gave options, or how it worked. It actually gave me an option to pick 7044 or 6134, which is a secret verandah room! I thought about it since it is more aft, but I think I will stick with 7044!

(edited for autocorrect errors)

Actually, I noticed there are now 5B aft rooms available on deck 7. So I called DCL and they said it was no problem to downgrade back and give us the difference Unfortunately, my TA has to do it and I have yet to hear back from her. Grrr... I don't have the patience.

I would agree - stick with 7044!

 

[Momma2Jax]

Actually, I noticed there are now 5B aft rooms available on deck 7. So I called DCL and they said it was no problem to downgrade back and give us the difference Unfortunately, my TA has to do it and I have yet to hear back from her. Grrr... I don't have the patience.

Awesome!!

 

[jenf22]

Awesome!!

Woo hoo for me too! I just heard back and should have a credit within 7-10 days! So now we're in room 7604. I feel bad for my poor TA - I must drive her crazy I gave her a heads up I'd probably still be looking. Ideally I want to be aft of the aft elevators. My theory is the only people who go that way are the few people with room down there. So I'm guessing it's quieter. Either way, I'm thrilled!

 

[jenf22]

Question for Mellers or previous Alaska cruisers:

Do you know what the story is with "Tea with Alice"? Is it with Alice and the Mad Hatter? Is it a "character tea"? Do you know if they do it more than once? I've read some reports where people said it was on Tracy Arm day and they missed the glacier... and there was only one character. I want to go, but I'm looking for more info. Thanks!

 

[tobyjasper1970]

Well I am furious, once I get the email I will post and share

We are now just off the phone with San Birch, who has been very helpful, of DCL and we have been removed from the repo cruise Vancouver to LA, San has confirmed all customers who are doing the B2B will be contacted regarding the removal of one of the cruises from the B2B.

The issue has arisen because the LA Port Authority are enforcing the Jones Act unlike the Port Authority in Seattle, who were far more accommodating.

If any one would like San's email address to discuss their own situation, please send me a private message as email is the best way to get a response and confirm your own requirements.
Take care & maybe see the repo cruisers sometime in the future but not this time.

 

[jenf22]

We are now just off the phone with San Birch, who has been very helpful, of DCL and we have been removed from the repo cruise Vancouver to LA, San has confirmed all customers who are doing the B2B will be contacted regarding the removal of one of the cruises from the B2B.

The issue has arisen because the LA Port Authority are enforcing the Jones Act unlike the Port Authority in Seattle, who were far more accommodating.

If any one would like San's email address to discuss their own situation, please send me a private message as email is the best way to get a response and confirm your own requirements.
Take care & maybe see the repo cruisers sometime in the future but not this time.

So are you guys staying with us??? We're going to have a great time!

 

[tobyjasper1970]

So are you guys staying with us??? We're going to have a great time!

Yes we are then we will spend a few days in Vancouver before flying to San Fran where we will see the shipped dock before heading down the PCH to catch our plane home from Lax. We look forward to meeting you all take date ttx

 

[UKVeggie]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys

Greetings ukveggie., so glad your joining us....are you going to join our fe as well? My cat is helping me type .....help....we will talk to you all tonite.

I'm not too sure if I'm going to join the FE yet. Hopefully I will though

Welcome to the cruise. I am from Anaheim (near Disneyland). I will be traveling with my husband. We want to stay in Vancouver for a few days but have no idea what area to stay and what to do. Any suggestion?

You are best of staying in Downtown Vancouver as most of the tourist sights are located there and being Downtown will make it easier for you to get around. A great hotel that I stayed in when I first got here is the St Regis. I really liked it there and they also provide a free breakfast!
There is quite a lot to see, especially if you like the outdoors (and also want to burn off some cruise calories!). I would definitely recommend a city tour on the Vancouver Trolley, Stanley Park and the Aquarium, a walk on the Seawall, Granville Island, the Lookout Tower, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Grouse Mountain and if you do have time you could always go to Whistler for the day as it's only a couple of hours away.

If anyone needs any help planning for Vancouver or has any questions I’m more than happy to help. I've lived here for almost a year and know the place inside out

 

[DizDays]

Woo hoo for me too! I just heard back and should have a credit within 7-10 days! So now we're in room 7604. I feel bad for my poor TA - I must drive her crazy I gave her a heads up I'd probably still be looking. Ideally I want to be aft of the aft elevators. My theory is the only people who go that way are the few people with room down there. So I'm guessing it's quieter. Either way, I'm thrilled!

Jenf22, that's why we chose our room. 6152. Looove the location.

 

[DizDays]

We are now just off the phone with San Birch, who has been very helpful, of DCL and we have been removed from the repo cruise Vancouver to LA, San has confirmed all customers who are doing the B2B will be contacted regarding the removal of one of the cruises from the B2B.

The issue has arisen because the LA Port Authority are enforcing the Jones Act unlike the Port Authority in Seattle, who were far more accommodating.

If any one would like San's email address to discuss their own situation, please send me a private message as email is the best way to get a response and confirm your own requirements.
Take care & maybe see the repo cruisers sometime in the future but not this time.

Tobyjasper, I'm so sorry to hear it turned out like this. Truly, I am. That really stinks. I'm glad you will still be on the cruise with us. I look forward to meeting you. Did Disney work with accommodating you or was it "Oops, oh well, sorry"?
I truly hope the new plans you'll make to replace the B2B turn out to be a blessing in disguise. The PCH is a gorgeous drive.

 

[NJMF]

Booked and uber excited for September 3rd to Alaska! Flying solo and hoping to have a good time and some new experiences! And maybe meet some new friends along the way too...who knows!

Staying in Vancouver for only one night after the cruise docks. With that limited amount of time, any feedback from anyone from the Vancouver area as far as what to do? What's the one thing you'd recommend seeing if you had only one day/night?

The countdown begins!

Mike

 

[DizDays]

Welcome, Mike! A great group of DisBoarders are assembled here for the September 3 cruise. I'll bet you come away with a lot of new friends.

 

[Boridiva Belle]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys





I'm not too sure if I'm going to join the FE yet. Hopefully I will though





You are best of staying in Downtown Vancouver as most of the tourist sights are located there and being Downtown will make it easier for you to get around. A great hotel that I stayed in when I first got here is the St Regis. I really liked it there and they also provide a free breakfast!
There is quite a lot to see, especially if you like the outdoors (and also want to burn off some cruise calories!). I would definitely recommend a city tour on the Vancouver Trolley, Stanley Park and the Aquarium, a walk on the Seawall, Granville Island, the Lookout Tower, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Grouse Mountain and if you do have time you could always go to Whistler for the day as it's only a couple of hours away.

If anyone needs any help planning for Vancouver or has any questions I’m more than happy to help. I've lived here for almost a year and know the place inside out

Thanks for the recomendations. I am considering the Hop On/Hop Off city tour, a day in Victoria, and St. Regis hotel. Great reviews, great location, and free breakfast.

 

[mellers]

Question for Mellers or previous Alaska cruisers:

Do you know what the story is with "Tea with Alice"? Is it with Alice and the Mad Hatter? Is it a "character tea"? Do you know if they do it more than once? I've read some reports where people said it was on Tracy Arm day and they missed the glacier... and there was only one character. I want to go, but I'm looking for more info. Thanks!

Last year, it was a Princess Tea--there were 4-5 princesses and you could get pictures. No Alice. Tiana and Cinderella were two of them--don't remember which others. We didn't do it on Tracy Arm Day--we did it on the last day of the cruise. There were two days to pick from, and we got there early enough to get the one we wanted. They served apple juice (not tea) and chocolate chip cookies. It is very much for the little ones.

If you plan to go, you want to make a beeline for guest services as soon as you get on the ship.

 

[mellers]

This is for the disappointed B2B cruisers. It won't help everyone, but I've got some possible suggestions. Unfortunately, there is only one cruise option that could help the honeymooners, and it is tough--that is the Carnival Miracle.

If you take the Carnival Miracle, it leaves on September 3 from Seattle, and ends up in Victoria, BC, on the 10th. If you take this option, you can try the Crosswater, but that may be cutting it really close.

My suggestion, should you decide to do this one, would be to book a Floatplane (This is only one company--you might want to shop around), and take it from Victoria to Vancouver. That should get you to the cruise with time to spare.

Whatever happens, I'm sorry for the bummer of not getting your B2B!

The Norwegian Sun - Glacier Bay Southbound leaves September 2 from Whittier (Anchorage) and arrives on the 9th in Vancouver--you could take this cruise for Alaska, spend the night, then take Disney back to LA.

The Norwegian Pearl - Alaska & Glacier Bay Leaves Seattle on the 1st and ends on the 8th in Victoria. Spend a day in Victoria, then take the Crosswater over to Vancouver and spend the night before the cruise there.

The Golden Princes - Inside Passage & Tracy Arm Fjord also leaves Seattle on the 1st and ends on the 8th in Victoria.

The Holland America Oosterdam - Alaska Explorer also runs between Seattle and Victoria on the 1st

The Holland America Statendam runs from Seward Alaska to Vancouver, BC on the 1st.

At any rate, I hope this helps some of our disappointed B2B friends.

 

[mellers]

Booked and uber excited for September 3rd to Alaska! Flying solo and hoping to have a good time and some new experiences! And maybe meet some new friends along the way too...who knows!

Staying in Vancouver for only one night after the cruise docks. With that limited amount of time, any feedback from anyone from the Vancouver area as far as what to do? What's the one thing you'd recommend seeing if you had only one day/night?

The countdown begins!

Mike

The one thing I would see is the Vancouver Aquarium and Stanley Park. The totem poles are spectacular; the Aquarium is amazing.

 

[mellers]

Welcome to the cruise. I am from Anaheim (near Disneyland). I will be traveling with my husband. We want to stay in Vancouver for a few days but have no idea what area to stay and what to do. Any suggestion?

Where to stay: If you can get a good deal, the Pan Pacific is the best place to stay pre-cruise, because they take your luggage directly to the ship, and you just go to the basement of the hotel to get on.

If you need to stay someplace inexpensive, try the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport or the La Quinta Vancouver Airport. If you have Starwood Points, do the Four Points Sheraton Vancouver Airport or the Westin Bayshore Vancouver for cash and points. The Westin Bayshore is a short cab ride from the port, and is a good touring location. The Four Points Sheraton is in Richmond, and takes very few points for a free night. Richmond is kind of neat because it is basically Little Hong Kong. It is where many of the Hong Kong residents (including many of my relatives) fled just before Hong Kong went to the Chinese--it's interesting in and of itself, and the International Buddhist Temple Gardens are an unknown gem of Vancouver.

It's a good location because it is across the street from a mall with a Zellers (think Target), an inexpensive food court (although the Chinese food is amazing in the area, and worth at least one meal--Dim Sum is not to be missed!), and, for those who can and wish to partake, a provincial liquor store. The mall also has a stop on the Canada Line SkyTrain, so it's quite easy to get into Vancouver proper without a car, and the hotel has a free shuttle from the airport. It's about a block away from a laundromat as well. Wheelchair accessibility is pretty decent as well (I am in a wheelchair). You will need to book a car to the port, however. It is a ways away.

If you live in Anaheim, figure the distance between Vancouver and Richmond is about like Anaheim and Buena Park.

Another thing to consider is whether you are staying before or after the cruise, and from where you are flying out. If you are flying into or out of Sea-Tac, you should consider staying at one of the hotels serviced by the QuickShuttle. It will take you from Sea-Tac and drop you off directly at several of them, including the Westin Bayshore and the Pan Pacific. It will not drop you off at the FourPoints or La Quinta, but it will drop you off at the Vancouver Airport where you can catch a shuttle.

A lot of people recommend Amtrak for the scenery and the ride. I'm sure it is beautiful, but I strongly recommend against taking it if someone in your party is in a wheelchair. Amtrak is technically wheelchair accessible, but the emphasis is on the technically. They tend to make wheelchair travel unpleasant. The QuickShuttle is better for wheelchairs. Also, when you consider the cost, remember that the QuickShuttle may pick you up at your hotel, saving you a cab ride to the station, and it will drop you off at a couple of hotels near the Space Needle and some near the airport, as well as at Sea-Tac, which may avoid a taxi ride at the other end as well. It depends on what you want to do.

Great stuff in Vancouver (not, by any means a full list)

The Vancouver Aquarium
Stanley Park
The Van Dusen Botanical Gardens
The International Buddhist Temple Gardens (Richmond)
The Night Market (Richmond)
Grouse Mountain
Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge (like Capilano, but free)
The SeaBus

On a totally unrelated note, as someone who lives in Anaheim, if you know someone who has 2012 graduation ears for sale, could you DM me?

 

[mellers]

My daughter went to her first day as a hospital volunteer at a Children's Hospital annex outside Seattle last Wednesday, and it turns out the security guard is also on our cruise! His son is in one of the shows.