July 26, 2011 – 7 Night Alaska ~ Bears, Whales, Eagles and Ducks. Oh My!

[2littlestitches]

Thanks for the link. We wanted to do two excursions in Ketchikan - Disney Exclusive: Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour and Dinner with the Crew and The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show; however, they overlap each other. Guess we'll have to make a choice between the two.

We would love to do the dog sledding, but it's SO expensive.

This board is VERY quiet. I hope it's not a sign of how the cruise will be. We went to Alaska on Princess in 2009 and it was a very quiet ship.

I know...the Lumberjack show vs Bering Sea Crab tour was a tough choice for us. I read reviews on tripadvisor.com and saw so many positive comments about the Bering Sea Crab tour that we couldn't help but book it. We are hoping to see the Lumberjack show at Grouse Mountain in Vancouver to hopefully make up for missing the one in Ketchikan.

 

["Got Disney"]

I know...the Lumberjack show vs Bering Sea Crab tour was a tough choice for us. I read reviews on tripadvisor.com and saw so many positive comments about the Bering Sea Crab tour that we couldn't help but book it. We are hoping to see the Lumberjack show at Grouse Mountain in Vancouver to hopefully make up for missing the one in Ketchikan.

Can you please tell me something about the Lumber Jack show in Vancouver...wanted to see that also but did not work out also for us in Alaska with the other stuff we wanted to do.

We will be in Vancouver for 3 days and 4 days in Whistler.

 

[2littlestitches]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";40724718]Can you please tell me something about the Lumber Jack show in Vancouver...wanted to see that also but did not work out also for us in Alaska with the other stuff we wanted to do.

We will be in Vancouver for 3 days and 4 days in Whistler. [/QUOTE]

I don't know "that" much about it, but it is offered at Grouse Mountain. We are looking into booking a bus tour that will take us to Grouse Mountain and the suspension bridge for the day while we are staying in Vancouver. I'm hoping to catch at least part of the Lumberjack show there since we can't see the one in Ketchikan. My tour in Ketchikan gets back at 4:15, but it's too close to book the Disney Lumberjack Show. I'm wondering if there is any way we could buy a ticket on our own when we return from our excursion. Not sure if it's possible to do that or if all tickets must be bought through DCL.

Do an online search of Grouse Mountain and you can check out a little bit about the show and other attractions there.

 

["Got Disney"]

I don't know "that" much about it, but it is offered at Grouse Mountain. We are looking into booking a bus tour that will take us to Grouse Mountain and the suspension bridge for the day while we are staying in Vancouver. I'm hoping to catch at least part of the Lumberjack show there since we can't see the one in Ketchikan. My tour in Ketchikan gets back at 4:15, but it's too close to book the Disney Lumberjack Show. I'm wondering if there is any way we could buy a ticket on our own when we return from our excursion. Not sure if it's possible to do that or if all tickets must be bought through DCL.

Do an online search of Grouse Mountain and you can check out a little bit about the show and other attractions there.

Thanks..I will let you know what i find out

 

["Got Disney"]

I don't know "that" much about it, but it is offered at Grouse Mountain. We are looking into booking a bus tour that will take us to Grouse Mountain and the suspension bridge for the day while we are staying in Vancouver. I'm hoping to catch at least part of the Lumberjack show there since we can't see the one in Ketchikan. My tour in Ketchikan gets back at 4:15, but it's too close to book the Disney Lumberjack Show. I'm wondering if there is any way we could buy a ticket on our own when we return from our excursion. Not sure if it's possible to do that or if all tickets must be bought through DCL.

Do an online search of Grouse Mountain and you can check out a little bit about the show and other attractions there.

[QUOTE="Got Disney";40728940]Thanks..I will let you know what i find out [/QUOTE]

so I found some info that may be helpful for you. It is about a 10 minute drive to the bridge. You can take a taxi or catch a free shuttle that meets in certain places(see link)....to get to Grouse Mountain there is a bus across the street from the bridge entrance that will take you down the street to the skyride that will take you right up to the mountain. Very easy. You pay one price for all the activities up the mountain...including the Lumber Jack show.

they say you ant to plan at least 1.5 hrs for bridge and at least 4 hrs for the mountain...lots of shows and such of there.

They also have totem polls.

The schedule on the link shows times for the winter for the free shuttle but says will have extended hrs added come April 15th.

they also have links to tour companies on their site if you still want to go that way. DCL also has a tour but it is really expensive

when you go to the link click on "Explore" on top.....

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...mMz6DA&usg=AFQjCNE-hN92Fj9v9lJ7YZfcZl88IGfNBA

Here is Grouse Mountain link....

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...hbn6DA&usg=AFQjCNGVjiuiwtsHwCYHU75Zsi6_W1r-EQ

 

[MrsMork]

well they wont be because the boat gets back at 7:30 and the extra 15 minutes is for walking back. DCL can make that time up in a heart beat.[/COLOR]
I will get you the link if anyone is interested. This way you can concentrate on everything else that you want to book...Oh and also...you have up to 7 days prior excursion to cancel...with only a $25 fee per party...not per person...per party.

here is the link to the company to call toll free...if you leave a message they are prompt at calling you back...and her name is "Meg" she is very nice....and also this is only the one that is not with the dinner(Disney exclusive)...just the regular one....hope this was helpful.

http://56degreesnorth.com/

I would never, ever book an excursion on my own that states it gets back 15 min after all aboard. The ship WILL NOT wait for you, making up time is not the issue. Getting out of the port on time so that they don't pay extra port charges (and they are HUGE) is the issue. The DCL excursion that I see for this on our sail date gets back at 4:15 (without the dinner). Unless I am reading it wrong or looking at a different excursion. Just, saying that I personally would CAREFULLY check this out before booking this late of an excursion on your own. We have witnessed people running to the ship as we pull away and Disney DOES NOT wait or stop to pick them up.

 

["Got Disney"]

I would never, ever book an excursion on my own that states it gets back 15 min after all aboard. The ship WILL NOT wait for you, making up time is not the issue. Getting out of the port on time so that they don't pay extra port charges (and they are HUGE) is the issue. The DCL excursion that I see for this on our sail date gets back at 4:15 (without the dinner). Unless I am reading it wrong or looking at a different excursion. Just, saying that I personally would CAREFULLY check this out before booking this late of an excursion on your own. We have witnessed people running to the ship as we pull away and Disney DOES NOT wait or stop to pick them up.

I think you misunderstood...Your times are different than our times....so yes you will need to check what time DCL goes out and that is the time you would choose. There is one Sea Bering boat only for excursions and the company holds back 30 seats for those coming in that want to book on their own and they put you on the same cruise.

Your cruise is from 12:30-4:00....walking time is 12:15-4:15....you are in port a lot earlier. Through the Bering web site they sail at 12:30-4.

For us....the only time they have prior our 4:00 is at 11:45....and we are not even in port yet...so DCL could only offer us any earlier than the 4 O'clock time.

DCL when were in port is different than yours. DCL excursion for this excursion is from 3:45-7:45...that is DCL times listed. The Sea Bering excursion sets out at 4-7:30...the extra 15 minutes each way is walking time. DCL booked this tour with those times not me. They have the ship leaving at 7:30...but they wont be because they will have about 100 people not getting off that excursion till 7:30.....it is a ships walk away so no driving....its right next to the DCL ship. The only reason that excursion for us is so late is because we dont dock till 1:40 in Ketchican and the next scheduled cruise for the Sea Bering tour is not till 4:00....

so normally I would agree with you most definitely...but in this instance there is one boat and what ever time they go out is the time booking by yourself you go out.

Also the only thing that is a disney exclusive part of that excursion is the dinner....on our cruise we dont have the dinner because that is offered only every other week.

So we will be walking over with DCL(if we are not there earlier)...and most definitely walking back with DCL....

I am on the same excursion with 5 other familys from my thread that have already booked this through DCL....the only difference is I booked on our own.

 

[MrsMork]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";40731813]I think you misunderstood...Your times are different than our times....so yes you will need to check what time DCL goes out and that is the time you would choose. There is one Sea Bering boat only for excursions and the company holds back 30 seats for those coming in that want to book on their own and they put you on the same cruise.

DCL when were in port is different than yours. DCL excursion for this excursion is from 3:45-7:45...that is DCL times listed. The Sea Bering excursion sets out at 4-7:30...the extra 15 minutes each way is walking time. DCL booked this tour with those times not me. They have the ship leaving at 7:30...but they wont be because they will have about 100 people not getting off that excursion till 7:30.....it is a ships walk away so no driving....its right next to the DCL ship. The only reason that excursion for us is so late is because we dont dock till 1:40 in Ketchican and the next scheduled cruise for the Sea Bering tour is not till 4:00....

so normally I would agree with you most definitely...but in this instance there is one boat and what ever time they go out is the time booking by yourself you go out.

Also the only thing that is a disney exclusive part of that excursion is the dinner....on our cruise we dont have the dinner because that is offered only every other week.

So we will be walking over with DCL(if we are not there earlier)...and most definitely walking back with DCL....

I am on the same excursion with 5 other familys from my thread that have already booked this through DCL....the only difference is I booked on our own. [/QUOTE]

I see. Perhaps they offer dinner on our cruise because the excursion time is earlier...or vise versa, offer dinner because of an earlier excursion time. I am just paranoid about missing the ship. I don't want to be that family we saw on the dock as we pulled away!!

 

["Got Disney"]

I see. Perhaps they offer dinner on our cruise because the excursion time is earlier...or vise versa, offer dinner because of an earlier excursion time. I am just paranoid about missing the ship. I don't want to be that family we saw on the dock as we pulled away!!

Most likely..also just checked and boarding time is at 7:30...ship sails at 8:00

Sure wish we got in earlier....do you set sail earlier than 8pm? sinse you get there earlier?

 

[MrsMork]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";40732448]Most likely..also just checked and boarding time is at 7:30...ship sails at 8:00

Sure wish we got in earlier....do you set sail earlier than 8pm? sinse you get there earlier?[/QUOTE]

Don't know. As of now all aboard is 7:30. We will be on board by 6.

 

[plutojudy]

I already know I will not be spending much time reading or sleeping on this cruise. I expect I will be on our verandah or out on deck with a smile on my face and taking a few hundred pictures. (Okay, my friends who know me...could be close to 1000, maybe more. ) I bought a "back-up" camera just in case my first one has problems.

 

[3princessMommy]

For those of you Gold members - can you see if the "Evening Wildlife Expedition" in Skagway is available for our cruise and if so, what the times are? It says on the website that it's seasonal and only in the latter part of the summer.

Other than that I think we've got the excursions worked out. We really wanted to go up on a glacier - but with 5 of us, the cost is just prohibitive. As much as I want to do it, I simply can't justify spending almost $1000 per hour!!!

So I think we will try the following:

Juneau:
Exclusive Whale Encounter & Mendenhall Glacier
Historic Gold Panning Adventure and Gold Creek Salmon Bake

Ketchikan:
Wilderness Exploration and Crab Feast

Skagway:
Musher's Camp & Sled Dog Experience
Evening Wildlife Expedition (if it's available for our cruise)

Since Grace is just 4 - we can't do the Bering Sea tour. Actually, she wouldn't go on the last one either, but her sisters really want to see a bear.

Now, we wait to see if these are all available for us when Silvers can register... I have back-ups, but they don't work as nicely as this combo.

This way we get almost everything we hoped:

Bears
Whales
Salmon
Crabs
Glaciers
Dog Sleds and
Gold!

 

[3princessMommy]

I already know I will not be spending much time reading or sleeping on this cruise. I expect I will be on our verandah or out on deck with a smile on my face and taking a few hundred pictures. (Okay, my friends who know me...could be close to 1000, maybe more. ) I bought a "back-up" camera just in case my first one has problems.

Judy - you and my DH should get together! He takes 500 photos every day at WDW!!! And we've been there 4 times!

 

[plutojudy]

 

[MrsMork]

For those of you Gold members - can you see if the "Evening Wildlife Expedition" in Skagway is available for our cruise and if so, what the times are? It says on the website that it's seasonal and only in the latter part of the summer.

Other than that I think we've got the excursions worked out. We really wanted to go up on a glacier - but with 5 of us, the cost is just prohibitive. As much as I want to do it, I simply can't justify spending almost $1000 per hour!!!

So I think we will try the following:

Juneau:
Exclusive Whale Encounter & Mendenhall Glacier
Historic Gold Panning Adventure and Gold Creek Salmon Bake

Ketchikan:
Wilderness Exploration and Crab Feast

Skagway:
Musher's Camp & Sled Dog Experience
Evening Wildlife Expedition (if it's available for our cruise)

Since Grace is just 4 - we can't do the Bering Sea tour. Actually, she wouldn't go on the last one either, but her sisters really want to see a bear.

Now, we wait to see if these are all available for us when Silvers can register... I have back-ups, but they don't work as nicely as this combo.

This way we get almost everything we hoped:

Bears
Whales
Salmon
Crabs
Glaciers
Dog Sleds and
Gold!

You don't have to spend much to go up on the glacier. There are city buses that go from Juneau to Mendenhall Glacier per the tourist site for Juneau. It is just a few minutes drive.

 

[MrsMork]

I don't see an excursion called Evening Wildlife listed anywhere.

 

[MrsMork]

I don't see an excursion called Evening Wildlife listed anywhere.

There is a Bear Country one out of Ketchikan that is seasonal, but no ressies available on that one.

 

[3princessMommy]

Here's the link to the description - it says it starts in August, but was hoping that July 29 was close enough - guess not.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...s/skagway-alaska/evening-wildlife-expedition/

 

[MrsMork]

Here's the link to the description - it says it starts in August, but was hoping that July 29 was close enough - guess not.

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/c...s/skagway-alaska/evening-wildlife-expedition/

I think by the time we get there it will be August, but I do not see that as an option for me to book, which would give me the times.

 

[plutojudy]

We are down to double digits! 97 more days!