It is possible? Dream or nightmare?

[Cackyschmackers]

and I'm not sure our thrit store luggage can endure that many baggage handlers...

Can you borrow some luggage from anyone? Also our last three vacations I only used the camera on my phone. Do you want to go on this trip at all? It seems like you are only thinking of the negative not the positive. This really would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for your family. Maybe you are just overwhelmed by the details. How much is a taxi cab, 20 bucks? Not that much for what you're getting. I think maybe you're just not used to spending the money for traveling. As I stated before you would spend all this having to get yourselves to Disneyland.

 

[cmph]

OH, and quick way to get yourself a little extra money for either trip - http://www.bjs.com/1---disney-gift-card.product.287853. Don't have to be a member to buy those. Lots of us use discounted gift cards to pay for Disney. You can load them to your account at guest services and it'll be applied to your account to cover tips, alcoholic beverages, the fancy coffee (regular coffee is included in cruise fare), souvenirs, and excursions you book through DCL.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Do you qualify for a Disney Visa? I think there are loyalty perks for people with one. Also, are any of those Disney gift card deals still around? These won't help you off the ship, but they will help you with any extra expenses on the ship. I see your dilemma. But this is special, too. Your girls will get to see princesses on the ship.

 

[LSUfan4444]

and I'm not sure our thrit store luggage can endure that many baggage handlers...

Here are my final thoughts. Im not being rude but I want to be direct. Not out of insensitivity but out of practicality.

You can either find a way to make it happen or a reason to let it not. Nobody can motivate you like yourself. You have to be the one to do it. You have to want it. You have to figure it out. It has to be worth it to you. Like others have mentioned, have a garage sale. Sell crafts. Go get a part time job (if even for a month). Sell things on eBay. Sell things at consignment shops. Borrow luggage. Apply for a Disney Visa credit card and qualify for a $50 statement credit after your first purchase.

You have the chance of a lifetime for a $6000 vacation. People scratch and claw every day to find ways to take a DCL Cruise and youve had one given to you. To even think that it is a nightmare is starting off with the wrong outlook. You've been given a gift. A rare and special opportunity with real live pixie dust. If you want it bad enough, you'll figure it out. Im sure of it. Ive traveled on far far less.

 

[sammydent]

I think OP said her parents are no longer in a position to pay for airfare.

 

[Geomom]

Does the prize need to be used in 2017? You said the prize is up to $6000. 4 people in an oceanview room is going to cost more than that. For June/July/early August--inside rooms for 4 are over $7,000, oceanview are in the $8,000-$9,000 range. Plus gratuity for 4 people for 7 nights will be $336. Any alcoholic beverages will cost $, and specialty non-alcoholic ones like smoothies. Excursions cost $, but you can do private ones for less money, or just walk around in the towns. As you said YOU will need to pay the airfare, you'll have that added cost. If you fly into Seattle, you'll need to get to Vancouver--so that costs $ as well.

Flying--if you fly to Canada you'll need passport books. If you fly to Seattle and then go over the border by land (rental car, bus, or train) the adults can have passport cards, and kids can use birth certificates. https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/passport-travel-documentation/

Flying into Canada: taxis to the port area are $35--it is regulated to be that price. We had a family of 4 and 10 bags--7 of them carry-on size (3 wheeled ones, 4 backpacks), 3 checked bags. We fit into the Prius Taxi. Taxi from a hotel to the port was less than $10.

You should make up a spreadsheet with all the costs and figure out if you can or should do it.

The ship will have plenty of Disney for your kids. We found character interactions to be much better than at Disney World--they have more time with you.

 

[tink1970]

Okay, deep breaths! Check your gut-why did you submit for this prize if you didn't want to go? Talk to your DH-what is his take?

If you are trying to fly 4 people to Vancouver from Colorado then that might break the bank. If your parents will help, then that's another story (kind of confusing whether they can or cannot assist with that from all of the previous posts).

It's probably a once in a lifetime opportunity but if you don't want to go, feel like you can't go, or feel overwhelmed with making these financial choices (and your husband agrees), then DON'T and let the administrators of the contest know so possibly someone else can take advantage of this awesome trip.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Can you drive to Vancouver? As someone mentioned, you don't need passports to cross the border by land.

As for emergencies, you're never that far from the U.S. and Canadian healthcare (despite what people think) is very good. Just make sure you're covered if there's an emergency outside of the U.S.

 

[MaleficentRN]

Passports $500. Hotel $250, Food $100, Transport $100, Camera $100, luggage $200. Where are you spending $2500?

I think OP said her parents are no longer in a position to pay for airfare.

Plus $1200 airfare. . I'm not the best at balancing a budget so I am really confused. I am seriously wondering why this is a nightmare.

 

[undertheradar]

If you aren't sure that you will use it, pass. There will be taxes due for the full value of the prize.

 

[MUN]

I really could use some help from you guys. Last week my family won a contest, the prize is a Disney Cruise to Alaska!!!

Unfortunately it's not as great as it seems, nothing is included except the cruise itself (up to 4 people in a single porthole room) and the taxes/tips (up to $6000).

The thing is, my family lives in a small community in Colorado, my DH (that's dear husband right?) is the only counselor at the local high school, and it doesn't pay very good. We decided that while our kids are small (DS 4 and DD 6) we would rather I stay home, and so we live very cheaply, and don't have much money for extras. It's something we understand and is usually not a problem.

Anyway, we had saved $2500 for a short trip to Disneyland while the kids are still young (my daughter loves princesses and everything Frozen). We could use the money to go to the cruise, but the outside costs are staggering, can it be done????

Please help, any budget ideas would be amazing! I need to figure this all out in the next month or so because DH cannot go after the middle of August because school will be in again.

I didn't bother reading all of the other posts, so perhaps my suggestion was already mentioned: drive to Vancouver. It's cheaper than flying and Colorado is only 2 states away from British Columbia.

MUN

 

[Lisa F]

I think OP said her parents are no longer in a position to pay for airfare.

her post may be a bit confusing but I read it as her parents are planning to pay for airfare but aren't in a position to help any more than that, as in they can't pay for passports or luggage or a camera etc.

everyone else, I would just say maybe try to be a little gentle with the OP. It is clear she is not a traveler and she is overwhelmed by the thought of the cruise and trying to get a handle on the whole thing. I don't travel that much anymore since becoming a single mother but I at least have luggage from my former life and it's just the two of us, which makes expenses more manageable on my one income than if I were supporting 4 people. Yes it is a big dose of pixie dust but it is also overwhelming for someone who hasn't done it before and hadn't been planning on doing it. There is a big difference between entering a contest and thinking "oh it might be nice to do that" and making it happen. I sometimes buy a powerball ticket but I am sure I would be overwhelmed finding a lawyer and financial planner and figuring out how to deal with all of it if I actually won... and when I'm daydreaming it is not about how to protect myself from the public and find someone to trust to guide me with that huge sum of money but about travel and a nice house and paying off my family's mortgages etc... Even though if I won it would be a wonderful thing, it is scary and overwhelming dealing with the reality of it. Hoping the OP can get a handle on it and enjoy the trip of a lifetime

 

[Neptune's Fork]

The passports, hotel, we don't even own a camera better than the one on my phone, so I'd really like to get a decent cheap one and that's about $100 so we can have pictures to remember (that was part of our expected Disneyland budget), Food costs (outside of the cruise) and transportation everywhere; can a regular taxi even fit 4-7 pieces of luggage and 4 people, (with 2 car seats?) and how much would that taxi even cost? in Denver a taxi around town would cost at least $20 for just a couple people. We couldn't possibly take this many people/stuff on public transportation... It's so overwhelming and it's so soon!

Not sure what kind of phone you have, but most now have a very good megapixel so that buying a cheap camera would be useless. You can forego that one.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Or, for that matter: Borrow a camera, too. I'm sure you know people who have cameras they might lend.

 

[Geomom]

Or, for that matter: Borrow a camera, too. I'm sure you know people who have cameras they might lend.

I like that idea! I'm sure there are many people that have multiple cameras and can let you borrow an old one. DH has bought multiple cameras over the years, but we still have the old ones that still work (the kids have used them for school projects, or I may take 1 on a girl scout camping trip.) As far as needing a camera vs. your phone--I get that! My 3 yr old LG phone takes horrible pictures, but that's fine as the only thing I 'need' my phone for is to stay in contact with my kids...by texting.

 

[saxmangeoff]

Can you drive to Vancouver? As someone mentioned, you don't need passports to cross the border by land.

You need at least a passport card for the border, and for the cruise.

 

[saxmangeoff]

it may be necessary to get a hotel for the night before or after (or both) and they aren't that cheap in Vancouver, plus getting from the plane to the port(or hotel) and food for 4 along the way.

Hotels in Richmond (near the airport) are reasonable, as is the light rail to downtown.

 

[aggiedog]

Yes, deep breath. First, congratulations! You can certainly do this for what you've saved, and probably less, if you want, providing the whole cost of the cruise is covered. As was mentioned, $6k may actually not cover the cost of the cruise in what the cost is today. Assuming the cruise is covered, and your parents will take care of airline tickets...

You can spend next to nothing once on the cruise. The nice thing about DCL is once onboard, everything you need is already included. You do not have to do any DCL port excursions. You can DIY pretty much everything in port, just walking and enjoying the towns. If you decide there is a paid activity you'd like to do, it's usually very easy to arrange it yourself for significantly less cost and more flexibility than DCL excursion. Ask for help how to do that here. You could literally eat every meal on the ship, and pay nothing for extra food for the entire duration of the cruise. Activities on the cruise are "free." You can find a list of what costs extra here - it's not actually very many things (alcohol, popcorn at the movies (?? never understood that, since the movie is free), the spa, shopping in the store on board, pictures that the ship photographer takes, etc), all of which are not necessary for a good vacation. Tips are usually given to certain people at the end of the trip - cabin steward and servers. That may not be included in your prize.

You'll find good tips here on getting to and from the cruise. I definitely recommend flying in a day early, to decrease risk of missing the ship due to unforeseen circumstances. There are minivan taxis available everywhere I've ever been that would fit your family and luggage just fine. You can find plenty of reasonably priced hotels. You can even use hotwire.com and sites like that to find good deals.

You could probably borrow luggage from friends. It's one of those items that mostly just sits around in someone's closet anyways. You've already got the right clothes for Alaska, coming from Colorado.

Phone cameras can take some pretty good pics, but if yours doesn't, borrow one.

The passports are a necessary cost, but will be good for 10 years for the adults, and 5 for your kids. Who knows, maybe you'll use them again?

So, definitely not a nightmare. Just surprising and overwhelming when you weren't planning for it! Who ever expects to actually win something like that??

 

[Shanti]

I really could use some help from you guys. Last week my family won a contest, the prize is a Disney Cruise to Alaska!!!

Unfortunately it's not as great as it seems, nothing is included except the cruise itself (up to 4 people in a single porthole room) and the taxes/tips (up to $6000).

The thing is, my family lives in a small community in Colorado, my DH (that's dear husband right?) is the only counselor at the local high school, and it doesn't pay very good. We decided that while our kids are small (DS 4 and DD 6) we would rather I stay home, and so we live very cheaply, and don't have much money for extras. It's something we understand and is usually not a problem.

Anyway, we had saved $2500 for a short trip to Disneyland while the kids are still young (my daughter loves princesses and everything Frozen). We could use the money to go to the cruise, but the outside costs are staggering, can it be done????

Please help, any budget ideas would be amazing! I need to figure this all out in the next month or so because DH cannot go after the middle of August because school will be in again.

This is a golden opportunity that will likely be a more magical experience than overcrowded Disneyland. A free Disney cruise to Alaska and free flights? Do you realize what a windfall that is? Don't pass it up.

Spending $100 on a camera is a waste. Use your phone for the pics. I can afford a fancy camera but I don't bother buying one, as my phone takes great pics- most phone cameras are just fine.

Really, passports, one night in a simple hotel, a couple of taxi rides and a few cheap meals before & after the cruise aren't going to deplete your Disneyland budget.

I'd probably skip travel insurance as the cruise cost is already covered by someone else and the active portion of your trip will take place in the USA, where your regular medical insurance will still apply.

Forget about excursions. Just walk off the ship and explore the ports. Read up about them a bit in advance & learn what is easily available to see. Excursions can be stressful, anyway- they're not necessary for a great cruise.

 

[diznymom]

Are there any hotels that will pick you up from the airport? And maybe deliver you to the cruise?