June 16, 2007 MedHead Cruisers

[taysmom]

Please let me know if your going to come out. We'd love to see you or show you around the sf bay area. Let me know if you need any help or suggestions.

We looked at the seward one and between my sister, who's a planner, and her TA they both said to do it right you would need to do those add on..cruise tours? anyways, it was just too much $$. I can't remember the animal situation, it's on my email at work, but there was something that happened up until june.Maybe it was the whales...I can't remember.

For anyone else interested...I've decided to do a cruise for my 40th. Most likely the mexican riviera, but possibly caribbean. Unfortunately, my bday is at thanksgiving. So for any of you wanting to do a holiday cruise in Nov 08...keep that in mind. No disney cruise for this birthday...mommy needs an adult line to celebrate my decline....hahahaha

Stephanie

 

[silver7]

Just to let you all know, Lisa and I are taking our MEDHEAD door magnets to honor the medheads on the transatlantic cruise!

YOU ALL will be there in spirit

Teresa

 

[pillow]

We looked at the seward one and between my sister, who's a planner, and her TA they both said to do it right you would need to do those add on..cruise tours? anyways, it was just too much $$.Stephanie

Ahhh, but you DON'T have to do a pre-planned cruise tour. Its easy to plan yourself, and it costs less. I had said I would post our itinerary, so here goes. Keep in mind that I tend to go all out. It would be easy to cut back some of this stuff to get the price down a bit. Also, when booking flights I found that it is much cheaper to fly home from Anchorage instead of Fairbanks which is why the itinerary doesn’t continue to Fairbanks after visiting Denali. I also found that in terms of cruise pricing, the earlier in June the better/cheaper.

Day 1 - Fly into Vancouver and spend a night OR drive to Whistler and spend a night or 2 pre-cruise.

Day 2 - Depart on Royal Caribbean Northbound Cruise (Radiance ship).
Day 3 - Inside Passage cruising
Day 4 - Juneau, AK
Day 5 - Skagway
Day 6 - Icy Strait Point
Day 7 - Hubbard Glacier cruising
Day 8 - Seward, AK - Disembark in morning and tour the Sealife Center . . .

http://www.alaskasealife.org/

At noon, board the boat for the Fox Island Overnight excursion . . .

http://www.kenaifjordslodge.com/473.cfm

Day 9 - Complete tour at 6:30pm, and spend night at the Seward Windsong Lodge . . .

http://www.sewardwindsong.com/

Day 10 - Spend morning hiking/touring Exit Glacier - http://www.nps.gov/kefj/planyourvisit/exit-glacier.htm - and free time. At 6:45pm depart on motorcoach for Anchorage. Arrive Anchorage at 9:30pm. Overnight at the Comfort Inn Ship Creek (got good reviews and is close to train station).

Day 11 - Depart for Denali on Gold Star Train at 8:15 - arrive 3:45 - dinner theatre at 5:30 - Spend 3 nights at the Princess Lodge

http://www.akrr.com/arrc33.html

http://www.alaskavisitorscenter.com/images/cabinnight.html

http://www.princesslodges.com/denali_lodge.cfm


Day 12 - Kantishna Wilderness tour - all day (this is a great trip - takes you into the heart of Denali)

http://www.alaskatravel.com/denali-park/kantishna-bus-tour.html

Day 13 - Free day for rafting, husky dog experience, hiking, etc.

Day 14 - Depart Denali via motor coach at 7:20am. Arrive in Talkeetna at 10:30am. Overnight at the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge . . .

http://www.talkeetnalodge.com/

Note: This is the best place to do a flight tour of Mt McKinley if you have time.

Day 15 - Depart Talkeetna via motor coach at 11:00am - arrive Anchorage at 1:30. Fly home.

The TOTAL PRICE without food and activities is $13,126 for a family of 4 and $9,030 for 2 people. That includes a balcony stateroom (D1 category) on the Royal Caribbean cruise (the price on the cruise only was $5,000 for 4 and $3,600 for 2 - this includes a 5% discount when booking with Discover card). When we planned this, we decided to NOT do ship excursions since they tend to be very expensive, but to do the activities while on the land portion to cut down on our costs. Please note that the activities can be very expensive and can increase your cost dramatically. The Frommers Alaska book is great and has lots of suggestions for things in port that you can do on your own.

Ways to get the cost down -

1. Don’t do the Fox overnight and just do a day trip.

2. When taking the train to Denali, don’t do Gold Star service. You can downgrade and save.

3. There is a book that you can purchase that has tons of Alaska discount coupons on hotels and activities. When I researched it, it seemed to be worth purchasing. I seem to remember a discount on the Denali Princess hotel in there among some other stuff.

Have fun planning!

Jodie

 

[auntsue1]

Please let me know if your going to come out. We'd love to see you or show you around the sf bay area. Let me know if you need any help or suggestions.

We looked at the seward one and between my sister, who's a planner, and her TA they both said to do it right you would need to do those add on..cruise tours? anyways, it was just too much $$. I can't remember the animal situation, it's on my email at work, but there was something that happened up until june.Maybe it was the whales...I can't remember.

For anyone else interested...I've decided to do a cruise for my 40th. Most likely the mexican riviera, but possibly caribbean. Unfortunately, my bday is at thanksgiving. So for any of you wanting to do a holiday cruise in Nov 08...keep that in mind. No disney cruise for this birthday...mommy needs an adult line to celebrate my decline....hahahaha

Stephanie

Steph, Thanks for all your HARD work in getting this all together! I'm really interested in going. so here's the info you wanted:

Susan Sonnenberg
sue@sonnenberg-family.com
2 cabins: First choice 8172, 8672
Second choice (1st & 2nd choices are pretty equal) 7176, 7676
Third choice: 9260, 9660
Fourth choice: 1104, 1604

Of course the price will have an influence on my room choices (too bad!)

Just to let you all know, Lisa and I are taking our MEDHEAD door magnets to honor the medheads on the transatlantic cruise!

YOU ALL will be there in spirit

Teresa

Silver, ENJOY yourself which I know you will!

Steph,

I can't remember but with this cruise can you still take the train to Denali?

Sue

 

[PURTYPAT1]

Hay Steph,

Count Jenna & I in. The later part of June would be better for us. June 20th.
Our schools in the east let out later.

Nov 8th we will be in Disney. Happy early 40th.

Silver you lucky thing!!!!! Have a great time. Please email us live from the cruise.

Steph, did anyone give you directions, on how to rebook for the 10% as of yet? If not, I will direct you.

 

[taysmom]

Patricia
I figured out how to transfer, I just need to change the ressie thru disney first.

Look and see what type of room you want on their website and email me your name and toom type.

Hope all is well...

Theresa...soooooooooooo jealous...have a great time!

Steph

 

[Worktoplay]

Steph,

Definitely let us know where you are cruising over Thanksgiving. I usually go to Disney, but I thought I might stay home this Thanksgiving since my husband thinks I've been traveling too much....but its real hard since I just got the school schedule and Jeff only has 1 1/2 days of school that week so what am I supposed to do, go to work and leave my son home alone!!! Might as well go somewhere! lol We'll see. My college boy has off just for the 4 days, if I thought for a minute he would want to hang around the campfire with the family I would definitely stay home....however....I'm sure he will be all about catching up with his high school friends.

Marie

 

[taysmom]

I won't be 40 until next thanksgiving...2008...and I was thinking about either mexican riviera or caribbean. Is the caribbean nice or is that hurricane season?
Although, taylor has to get braces this year..ugh! So my dreams of travelling might be dashed. I can only afford 1 cruise a year with braces. Unless I find a deal!
We'll be at WDW next may (taylors 1st time) before we do the panama cruise, thats our next vacation. Now I just want school to start so it can be over! HA!

have a great night all...
Steph

 

[Worktoplay]

Steph,

I think the carribbean is nice in November, Hurricane season froms from June - November and is usually very light in the beginning and the end.

With regards to Alaska....I would need the June 20th date. Jeff doesn't finish school until late June - pitb! I mentioned the Alaska cruise to my oldest son and he can't wait. That was one ofhis favorite destinations.

Marie

 

[Worktoplay]

Jeez,

I keep getting messages sent to me from one of the pin boards...here someone has my screen name but spells it work2play...not lol I'm not sure I like that, it could be very confusing to people.

Marie

 

[taysmom]

Marie- Thats too bad on the double name and the 20th seems to be the good one.

Theresa....so jealous, I can't believe you're going back in 7 days! have fun and let us know how it was afterwards!

Steph

 

[JsMom2]

As I sit here in Tenerife, everytime I look out to sea I think about the fact that the Magic will be stopping here in a few weeks. It would´ve been so neat to see her here. But then of course I would´ve probably caused some sort of incident when I tried to sneak onboard.

I´m counting down to our next cruise on Dec 8th. I was able to upgrade to a cat 3!! Plus I talked my brother and sister to join us along with their families. My sister moved in to my Secret Verandah room when I moved to the suite. We are so looking forward to it

We´ve also decided to take a 2 week trip to Korea to visit Jasmine´s Dad next April. He´ll be stationed there for a year, and we´ll go visit him at the halfway point. (For now she´s still with her Dad in South Carolina, and will come back to Belgium in October.)

So by the time I make the final payment on my Russia cruise for next June I will be totally broke! But oh well what else can I do? It´s not as if not traveling is an option.

Steph,
If you can find an airfare deal in November, you could get a great deal on a Greek cruise at that time of year, since it´s the end of the season. Jasmine and I took a week cruise on Costa over last Thanksgiving for 998 Euro for both of us!

Take care everyone!
Wendy

 

[taysmom]

Marie...So jealous...if only I was made of money. That would be awesome!
I have a feeling that I'll be going greek in 3 years. Thats my plan anyways. We'll see how it works out. For now, it's panama next year, alaska the following and if my money holds out a quick mexican riviera for my 40th, then we'll see. I'd love to do the mediterranean again, but go to turkey, greece, venice and croatia. I'll be looking into that after the panama. I like to plan everything well in advance if you can't tell!
I'm glad you got everything worked out so well for your december trip. Sounds like a fun time.
Steph

 

[vtiffany]

Is there a difference between the deluxe cabin with a navigators verandah and the secret verandah room? I am in the midst of planning a family cruise in Dec. '08 and am just wondering about the secret verandah rooms. Anyone have info on that?

Vicki

 

[silver7]

Secret verandahs are like regular verandahs but with a smidge of the top wall going over the view. Look at some of the websites with pictures and you can see what i mean.

Teresa

 

[Skallywag]

Would love to be included and have already ordered a brochure from the UK RCCL as cannot seem to pull up the details on my computer for some reason it just keeps pointing me back to ask for a brochure. We would want balcony and one with a bath as am not keen on showers.

Many thanks Steph for your hard work.

Bren

 

[PURTYPAT1]

Secret verandahs are like regular verandahs but with a smidge of the top wall going over the view. Look at some of the websites with pictures and you can see what i mean.

Teresa

Hay Teresa,

I would love to hear you details. Please share.

When are you leaving? Are you going right to Barcelona. Are you going alone or with your family. Where are you staying?

Did you get a great deal with Disney? Where there lot's of room left? Is the ship filled.

Nothing like picking your brain, lol Just would love to hear all the fine details.

Have a great time.

Patricia

 

[silver7]

Hey Pat

Lisatx and I are going--girls trip!

We are leaving Thursday night connecting in Paris then on to Barcelona, staying at Casa Camper again.

Onto the port early the next morn, will try to do the hop on hop off bus after check in, then have a segway tour booked for that afternoon. That night we are eating on the ship then running with a group to see the Magic Fountains.

On Sunday we are taking the half day tour to Montserrat. Sailaway is at 4:30.

Sea day, then Gibralter, Seville, Sea day, Canary Islands, lots of sea days, Castaway Cay then Florida on 9/1.

We booked a cat 12 GTY and got upgraded to a cat 11.

Don't know how full the ship is but there seems to be rooms left on the website, most only GTY.

Are you thinking of a last minute trip???

 

[taysmom]

have fun! We went to monserrat, it is beautiful. Again, so jealous...I want to go on another cruise!

Cya
Steph

 

[auntsue1]

Hey Pat

Lisatx and I are going--girls trip!

We are leaving Thursday night connecting in Paris then on to Barcelona, staying at Casa Camper again.

Onto the port early the next morn, will try to do the hop on hop off bus after check in, then have a segway tour booked for that afternoon. That night we are eating on the ship then running with a group to see the Magic Fountains.

On Sunday we are taking the half day tour to Montserrat. Sailaway is at 4:30.

Sea day, then Gibralter, Seville, Sea day, Canary Islands, lots of sea days, Castaway Cay then Florida on 9/1.

We booked a cat 12 GTY and got upgraded to a cat 11.

Don't know how full the ship is but there seems to be rooms left on the website, most only GTY.

Are you thinking of a last minute trip???

Disney Lover Linda & I were just talking that your trip must be coming up soon. We would have loved to be able to do this too, but alas we can't. I see you are down in the parts of the ship where we usually are. Sounds like you got a great deal! Have Fun!

Bon Voyage!

Sue