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

[DVCTigger]

Hey! I didn't get a call. I wonder if we got missed. Guess I'll find out when we're on board IN SIX DAYS!!! I have to keep saying that. We've waited for soooo long, it doesn't feel real.

In the 10 cruises I have been on, all since becoming DVC member, we have never received a call pre-cruise. We just got the call too! So, I guess yours is coming!

 

[DizDragonfly]

In the 10 cruises I have been on, all since becoming DVC member, we have never received a call pre-cruise. We just got the call too!

Yes, this is the first I've ever heard of them calling pre-cruise. It's a nice touch, even if it's motivated by the fact that they want to sell me more points.

 

[lesabrowning]

Yes, this is the first I've ever heard of them calling pre-cruise. It's a nice touch, even if it's motivated by the fact that they want to sell me more points.

Oh, I hope we get a call!!!

 

[MrHappy]

Wow... has anyone looked at the 10 day yet? Looks bad. Really bad. 60% rain most of the time.

Oh well. At least the movies are indoors.

 

[jenf22]

Wow... has anyone looked at the 10 day yet? Looks bad. Really bad. 60% rain most of the time.

Oh well. At least the movies are indoors.

Yep, I've been checking daily. I'm still hoping they're wrong!

 

[DVCTigger]

It will change, too far out still. But if you want to feel a little better, go to the underground site. It is showing only 20% chance on our Skagway day. Partly cloudy and high of 54. I'll take that any day!!

 

[mellers]

Is anyone in Seattle yet (other than us locals?)

Also, on a totally unrelated note--had to brag--due to a clerical error, my daughter wasn't able to take her planned-on college course, so she decided to take 3 credits (a full semester) of high school courses this summer. She just finished, Sunday night, with straight As. When we get back, she'll be taking a college English class which will allow her to graduate high school, and she's only 16. So proud!

 

[DizDragonfly]

Is anyone in Seattle yet (other than us locals?)

Also, on a totally unrelated note--had to brag--due to a clerical error, my daughter wasn't able to take her planned-on college course, so she decided to take 3 credits (a full semester) of high school courses this summer. She just finished, Sunday night, with straight As. When we get back, she'll be taking a college English class which will allow her to graduate high school, and she's only 16. So proud!

That's great! Do you homeschool or is she in an accelerated program?

My mom and I are coming up to Seattle on Sunday and staying overnight near the airport. We really won't have time to see Seattle before the cruise, but I'm considering hitting Pike Place before we drive home on 9/10.

 

[Momma2Jax]

Wow... has anyone looked at the 10 day yet? Looks bad. Really bad. 60% rain most of the time.

Oh well. At least the movies are indoors.

It can still change. Also, keep in mind that at least in the nw, rain doesn't always mean staying indoors most of the rain we get in Seattle is a drizzle, and you can be out in it easily with a jacket! So don't give up hope yet! Just pack an umbrella!

Is anyone in Seattle yet (other than us locals?)

Also, on a totally unrelated note--had to brag--due to a clerical error, my daughter wasn't able to take her planned-on college course, so she decided to take 3 credits (a full semester) of high school courses this summer. She just finished, Sunday night, with straight As. When we get back, she'll be taking a college English class which will allow her to graduate high school, and she's only 16. So proud!

congrats!! Great news!

 

[mellers]

That's great! Do you homeschool or is she in an accelerated program?

It's a bit complicated. She has been attending a public high school for the past two years, and she took high school classes in Chinese and Algebra during 6th-8th grades in a public middle school, but she has also taken online courses in Biology and Algebra 2 to prepare her for higher math and science courses in the high school, as well as some online courses in computers and PE, because she has some medical PE restrictions, and it allowed her to do her physical therapy as PE.

With all of the extra courses in middle school and online through high school, she had 20 high school credits by the end of her sophomore year, and she added 3 this summer. The final credit will be a University English course that she is taking online, and that will complete her graduation requirements at the online high school.

She's also qualified for Running Start, the early college program for Washington State, and she'll be taking Anatomy & Physiology this fall in preparation for a radiologic tech program.

My mom and I are coming up to Seattle on Sunday and staying overnight near the airport. We really won't have time to see Seattle before the cruise, but I'm considering hitting Pike Place before we drive home on 9/10.

We'll see you on the cruise!

 

[DizDragonfly]

It's a bit complicated. She has been attending a public high school for the past two years, and she took high school classes in Chinese and Algebra during 6th-8th grades in a public middle school, but she has also taken online courses in Biology and Algebra 2 to prepare her for higher math and science courses in the high school, as well as some online courses in computers and PE, because she has some medical PE restrictions, and it allowed her to do her physical therapy as PE.

With all of the extra courses in middle school and online through high school, she had 20 high school credits by the end of her sophomore year, and she added 3 this summer. The final credit will be a University English course that she is taking online, and that will complete her graduation requirements at the online high school.

She's also qualified for Running Start, the early college program for Washington State, and she'll be taking Anatomy & Physiology this fall in preparation for a radiologic tech program.

That's great that she's taken advantage of all the options available to her! My 17 year old is very bright, but has zero motivation to do anything other than the bare minimum of what we require him to do. It's unfortunate, but we learned early on, how far we could push him, before he started pushing back. This is his senior year and he'll have enough credits to graduate in February (or sooner if he puts it in gear!). Our plan is to then have him take at least a few classes at our local community college. I suspect he'll qualify for their scholars program, which will pay for two years there. But, we won't know that for sure until he takes their tests.

 

[LuvsTheSun]

My DH Terry and I (Lynne) will be on the Sept. 3rd Alaska cruise and I just wanted to say hello. Even though we cruise in a few days, I'm sure some of us will run into each other onboard, so hello a little early This is our fourth Disney cruise and our first time to Alaska, so there's so much to look forward to! We will be spending a few days in Seattle pre-cruise and then heading down to Southern California after. How is everyone doing with their packing? Time is getting close and still much to do for us...Alaska is more of a challenge to pack for! Hope to see everyone onboard!

Lynne

 

[mellers]

That's great that she's taken advantage of all the options available to her! My 17 year old is very bright, but has zero motivation to do anything other than the bare minimum of what we require him to do. It's unfortunate, but we learned early on, how far we could push him, before he started pushing back. This is his senior year and he'll have enough credits to graduate in February (or sooner if he puts it in gear!). Our plan is to then have him take at least a few classes at our local community college. I suspect he'll qualify for their scholars program, which will pay for two years there. But, we won't know that for sure until he takes their tests.

Every kid is different, and I think they all have their own internal schedules. My daughter is actually a lot like me--my parents never pushed me to do so, but I dropped out of school at 16 by taking the CHSPE (California's GED) and started college (the only option for early college at that time), and got a degree in math at 21 (spent a year with a serious illness). My husband, however, didn't head off to college until he was 19, and he's now an engineer at Microsoft, so you never know. Your son may just be a late bloomer.

 

[mellers]

My DH Terry and I (Lynne) will be on the Sept. 3rd Alaska cruise and I just wanted to say hello. Even though we cruise in a few days, I'm sure some of us will run into each other onboard, so hello a little early This is our fourth Disney cruise and our first time to Alaska, so there's so much to look forward to! We will be spending a few days in Seattle pre-cruise and then heading down to Southern California after. How is everyone doing with their packing? Time is getting close and still much to do for us...Alaska is more of a challenge to pack for! Hope to see everyone onboard!

Lynne

Given that we're local (and have adopted the sartorially challenged Seattle lifestyle with delicious abandon ;-) ), we are packing as follows:

1 nice dress or pantsuit for my daughter and myself, with appropriate shoes and hosiery, that we wear for both semi-formal and formal night
Husband is renting a tux and shoes, which he will wear for both nights
1 polar fleece turtleneck or sweater
3-4 polo shirts (depending upon how often you're willing to do laundry)
3-4 pairs slacks (ditto)
3-4 sets of age and gender-appropriate underwear
5 pairs socks
Swimsuit
1 pair flannel or thermal pajamas
1 pair warm weather pajamas
hat and gloves
3-in-1 parka (light, waterproof outer jacket; warm, insulated inner jacket, zips together to form winter coat)
If you are going on any particularly strenuous excursions (we did not), you might want to add jeans, t-shirt, sweatshirt and hiking boots.

If it is unseasonably warm:

Wear the polo shirts and slacks, go swimming

This will keep you comfortable to about 80 degrees, or higher if you're swimming

If it is unseasonably cold:

Double the socks
Wear the thermal or flannel pajamas under your slacks and sweater (make sure they won't show)
Zip together the 3-in-1 and wear it as a coat
Wear the hat and gloves

This will keep you warm down to about 10-20 degrees

If it is as it normally is

Wear the polo and slacks with a jacket--if you get cold, or the sun goes down, add the sweater or the inner liner

This will keep you comfortable to about 45-55 degrees, which is what you should mostly expect. We packed this way on our last cruise (and never went swimming), and we did just fine.

 

[DizDragonfly]

My DH Terry and I (Lynne) will be on the Sept. 3rd Alaska cruise and I just wanted to say hello.

Hiya Lynne!

Your son may just be a late bloomer.

He needs to find his internal motivation. Because external motivation has little effect on him.

we are packing as follows:

Great list!

 

[lesabrowning]

Mellers - you offer some great packing advice and normally I would embrace such a list. Sadly, this trip is not normal.

I am embarrassed at the amount of luggage sitting in my bedroom! Aside from the fact that I just have too much crap packed, I have a two days in Seattle where we have some family events planned where I need specific attire. Then after the cruise we are returning to California for a month for the adoption of a baby so I have to schlep a bunch of electronics and even some paperwork that I would not normally need on a cruise. (even my 10 year old has to bring her computer and a notebook... she is homeschooled and we need it in California and I am not shipping her Macbook) So all this together with 21 pounds of FE gifts... well I look like I am cruising around the world instead of just a week in Alaska.

Does anyone else have two bags plus a carry on? Per person? Yikes!
(at least they are soft sided bags that collapse flat)

 

[LuvsTheSun]

Mellers- thanks for the packing list...you have some good ideas. I thought I was mostly packed, but see I should probably add a few things. My big fear is not having warm enough clothes! Lesa, I only have one bag plus a carryon (small rolling suitcase actually) but if I keep adding, I'll be right with you with 2 bags

Lynne

 

[jenf22]

My DH Terry and I (Lynne) will be on the Sept. 3rd Alaska cruise and I just wanted to say hello. Even though we cruise in a few days, I'm sure some of us will run into each other onboard, so hello a little early This is our fourth Disney cruise and our first time to Alaska, so there's so much to look forward to! We will be spending a few days in Seattle pre-cruise and then heading down to Southern California after. How is everyone doing with their packing? Time is getting close and still much to do for us...Alaska is more of a challenge to pack for! Hope to see everyone onboard!

Lynne

Welcome Lynne! I haven't actually packed anything yet, but our walk-in closet looks like it exploded! I've got stuff hanging everywhere and big piles on the floor. I'm big on anti-wrinkle and hate ironing, so I wait to pack clothes until the night before. I figure we'll end up with 5 suitcases (plus 2 carry-ons) between the 3 of us. It's amazing how much more space warm clothes take up than summer clothes!

Congrats Mellers on your daughter! And Lesa on the baby! That is just so exciting!

Where is everyone staying in Seattle? We're at the Best Western Airport Executel and we get to Seattle Saturday morning.

Happy packing to all!

Oh, has anyone played around on the DCL website? It still looks like there are a lot of open cabins. Let's hope for an empty ship!

 

[Cinderelley]

Where is everyone staying in Seattle? We're at the Best Western Airport Executel and we get to Seattle Saturday morning.

Happy packing to all!

Oh, has anyone played around on the DCL website? It still looks like there are a lot of open cabins. Let's hope for an empty ship!

We are getting into Seattle on Sunday in the afternoon, I believe. We're staying overnight at the airport so if you see any of the following:
Stop by and say hi!

 

[Sedgha]

--snip--
If it is unseasonably warm:

Wear the polo shirts and slacks, go swimming

This will keep you comfortable to about 80 degrees, or higher if you're swimming
--snip--

I can't see how swimming in a polo shirt and slacks can be comfortable.


So is your daughter looking at one of the advanced tech paths? or just looking at X-Ray for now? I know that in Canada, the first course is for X-Ray, then you do the specialties afterwards.