June 7, 2011 Alaska

[Andrea_loves_Disney]

Hello all!
I am not positive yet we are going on this cruise but I just wanted to check in..I put a hold on a reservation this morning when I saw the Kids Sail Free deal....and before we confirm I wondered what you guys thought about the weather and what the ship acitivities will be like since there probably is no swimming?? Actually that's what my DD15 is worried about..what no shorts? No swimming? This will be our 3rd cruise but our last two were both Caribbean/Bahamas. I know what the ship activities are..and we love the movies, kids clubs, etc....but it does seem like it would be a little different to not lay by the pool..?? Just wanted your thoughts...
Hey Kellie (chernabogfamily) ...we were on your cruise last year...I met you when we were in line for pictures one night... my DS11 is a musical theater kid and we talked about your son being into that stuff too...do you remember me?
Anyway, hello all and I HOPE we will be on this cruise!! Just have to talk DH into it!!!

 

[chernabogfamily]

Hey Kellie (chernabogfamily) ...we were on your cruise last year...I met you when we were in line for pictures one night... my DS11 is a musical theater kid and we talked about your son being into that stuff too...do you remember me?
Anyway, hello all and I HOPE we will be on this cruise!! Just have to talk DH into it!!!

I remember you! I just mentioned meeting you to my son and he remembered when we were standing in line together (he remembers meeting your son in the kids club as well). That would be fun to be on another cruise together. Tell your husband it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you just can't pass up!!! That's how we are looking at it.
I'm totally a beach and warm weather lover (especially after these next 2 days and the 18 inches of snow + sleet that we are supposed to get here in Missouri), so an Alaskan cruise is the complete opposite direction of where I would pick. I had been pushing for Hawaii incidentally. But...the Kids Sail Free deal came up, we love DCL, and Alaska is stunningly beautiful. When else do you get all three of those?
As far as what our kids will do on board: the usual activities like the kids clubs but probably minus the pool, although does anyone know if it is heated? We are hoping to actually do some of the family-oriented activities that they always have on board (like the game show, karaoke, play games in the Promenade lounge, etc) and enjoy family-time together. The kids rehearsal and performance schedule doesn't leave us a lot of family time during these spring months, so we're hoping to get some old-fashioned down time on board. Then when the kids are sick of us and vice versa: we can enjoy some OR ALL of the tastings and such on board. Andrea- join us, I'm sure we can find plenty to do. Maybe we can get our boys together and then they wouldn't feel quite so alone.

 

[Andrea_loves_Disney]

Hello again!!

Kellie - I am so glad you remember us!! My son (Evan) remembers your son too!!! That would be so cool for them to know someone ahead of time!! We are still in the "deciding" mode...if you can believe it, my DH is in Florida (for work!) and I am stuck here in the Chicago blizzard!!! So we have to make a decision on this via phone!!! We have to put the deposit down by Thursday and pay in full by next Monday! (why is the pay in full date so early? Anyone know? I thought it used to be 90 days in advance)

I think I have my kids really excited about going on a different type cruise ...the excursions look so awesome (not sure how many of them we can afford!!) but I am sure even if we don't go on tons of excursions there are plenty of things you can do in the ports without spending tons of money. I have a lot of research to do!!!

Have a great day everyone!! I might be hanging out on the Dis boards tomorrow since I will be snowed in at home with the kids! Yay!!

So cross your fingers for us!!!!

 

[chernabogfamily]

Totally understand the whole "getting stuck in a blizzard at home". I'm in Missouri and we are getting clobbered right now with near white-out conditions and snow, snow, snow!!! My husband is enjoying the warm weather right now too- he's in San Diego. What's up with the guys missing out on all this shoveling fun we're having!

I don't know why the full payment date is so soon either, but I thought I read somewhere it's because the cruise leaves from an international port as opposed to a U.S. port (so the date is 120 days out instead of 75). I could be totally wrong on that though.

Andrea that would be such fun if Evan and Hunter knew each other and had someone to talk or hang out with while on board. Your daughter is older isn't she? My daughter loves to make friends to hang out with when we travel. Let's hope there are some families with 7-9 yr old girls on board or on this thread possibly.

My kids aren't all that psyched about a colder cruise either (especially with the temps outside right now), but the excursions won them over. They are both freaks about whales! So much so, that even though we live in MO we are season pass holders for Sea World. They love Shedd Aquarium and the Belugas as well. Here is our list of desirable excursions. Please everyone, give me your opinions on if they are good or not:
1. Whale watching cruise
2. Lumberjack show (the kids love their Wii Lumberjack game)
3. Visiting Gold Miners camp and panning for gold
4. tram up Mt Roberts
5. White Pass Railroad

We considered the Yukon suspension bridge, but a 45 minute bus ride each way for a 30 minute stop doesn't sound very appealing. Dog Sledding sounds awesome, but $400-500 per person puts it far out of our price range. Shoot, I'd be happy just wandering through the downtown shops in each city...or seeing the capital bldg in Juneau. We have to be choosy on which we do, in regards to finances...so I welcome all suggestions.
What is everyone else planning?

 

[disneypoor]

Hi, everyone! We were originally booked for an Alaskan cruise the end of July, but when I got word about the Kids Sail Free promotion, I checked it out and found that we could upgrade to a Cat. 9A AND save over a thousand dollars, so we're in!

My name is Susan, my husband is Brian, and we'll be traveling with our two children: Brianna (16) and Brandon (13). This will be our 7th DCL cruise, and we're pretty excited about seeing Alaska. We are getting ready to leave in two weeks for Florida and then to sail on the Dream. So, I've been very focused on that cruise but as soon as we get back, I'll be focusing solely on Alaska.

We've looked at the excursions and have found several we'd love but also realized we'd need to take on extra jobs to pay for them. We need to have a night where we all just sit around the computer and figure out what we're doing. When we went to Hawaii, I swear the excursions cost us more than the trip did. We hate to not do something because of cost cause we never know if we'll go again (atleast that's what I tell DH).

I look forward to hearing from all of you and am really excited to visit Alaska. It's one of those trips that my husband has dreamed about for a long time and once I heard Disney was going, it sealed the deal for the kids and me. Take care!

Susan

 

[chernabogfamily]

Hi, everyone! We were originally booked for an Alaskan cruise the end of July, but when I got word about the Kids Sail Free promotion, I checked it out and found that we could upgrade to a Cat. 9A AND save over a thousand dollars, so we're in!

My name is Susan, my husband is Brian, and we'll be traveling with our two children: Brianna (16) and Brandon (13). This will be our 7th DCL cruise, and we're pretty excited about seeing Alaska. We are getting ready to leave in two weeks for Florida and then to sail on the Dream. So, I've been very focused on that cruise but as soon as we get back, I'll be focusing solely on Alaska.

We've looked at the excursions and have found several we'd love but also realized we'd need to take on extra jobs to pay for them. We need to have a night where we all just sit around the computer and figure out what we're doing. When we went to Hawaii, I swear the excursions cost us more than the trip did. We hate to not do something because of cost cause we never know if we'll go again (atleast that's what I tell DH).

I look forward to hearing from all of you and am really excited to visit Alaska. It's one of those trips that my husband has dreamed about for a long time and once I heard Disney was going, it sealed the deal for the kids and me. Take care!

Susan

Glad to have you onboard!!!

 

[pixie3]

Well...well...well! This got chatty really quick! Who knew I would miss so much here! YIKES! I need to catch up! I think I have added everyone successfully to the front page! If I am missing information, please let me know! Also, let me know if you are interested in Fish Extender!

I'm just back from The Maiden Voyage of the Dream! The ship is wonderful and it is HUGE! They are going to have to work out some kinks!

DCL just announced later this afternoon a Kids Sail Free promotion for certain Alaska dates depending upon the room booked.

Thank you so much for the info! I heard it from you first! I was so excited to see this, but then realized that we have a 2 bedroom suite! YAY and BOO! We've never done it before and we decided to because it wasn't much more than the two rooms we needed. (Not exactly the case anymore) We are stuck in it now, BUT are excited about it anyway!

Hello Everyone! We just booked this cruise.

YAY! Welcome!

I wondered what you guys thought about the weather and what the ship acitivities will be like since there probably is no swimming??

As far as what our kids will do on board: the usual activities like the kids clubs but probably minus the pool, although does anyone know if it is heated? We are hoping to actually do some of the family-oriented activities that they always have on board (like the game show, karaoke, play games in the Promenade lounge, etc) and enjoy family-time together.

They will pack it with stuff to do! We did the first transatlantic crossing during the month of May and that was cold! They had tons of family things to do on the ship!

We were recently on the Wonder and they told us that they were going to heat the pools and possibly put a bubble over them! I don't know about that, but we will see! They also built a new bar/coffee house on the ship and completely enclosed it in glass. The cruise director also said that they will be providing blankets all around the top decks!

so we're in!

Welcome!!!!!

I haven't been able to focus on this cruise either, because we just got off of the Dream! I have no idea what we are planning yet, but I better get on it soon!!!!

 

[cdnsluvdisney]

We just got off the Wonder on Sunday from the MR cruise, and I couldn't wait to get home to book another cruise!!! I always said I never had any desire to do an Alaskan cruise (I like warm weather too), unless it was with Disney...and lo and behold they announced they will be doing Alaska this year....While on the Wonder, we talked to some staff members about being from Vancouver and they said we should go to Alaska with them, but our response was "it's really expensive, but if they had a Kids Sail Free promotion, we'd think about it"....so much to my surprise when I got home on Sunday night, there was the deal on the cruise website!!!! I can't help but think it was fate and our trip is meant to be!!! Sooo excited!!! My husband's office building is right next to the Vancouver cruiseship terminal and I know he would be really depressed watching it dock every week knowing he wouldn't be able to board it, but now he can be excited and be proud to be part of this wonderful adventure!!!

There will be me (42), my dh (40) and sons (5 & 3). Hope to meet some or all of you onboard

 

[chernabogfamily]

We just got off the Wonder on Sunday from the MR cruise, and I couldn't wait to get home to book another cruise!!! I always said I never had any desire to do an Alaskan cruise (I like warm weather too), unless it was with Disney...and lo and behold they announced they will be doing Alaska this year....While on the Wonder, we talked to some staff members about being from Vancouver and they said we should go to Alaska with them, but our response was "it's really expensive, but if they had a Kids Sail Free promotion, we'd think about it"....so much to my surprise when I got home on Sunday night, there was the deal on the cruise website!!!! I can't help but think it was fate and our trip is meant to be!!! Sooo excited!!! My husband's office building is right next to the Vancouver cruiseship terminal and I know he would be really depressed watching it dock every week knowing he wouldn't be able to board it, but now he can be excited and be proud to be part of this wonderful adventure!!!

There will be me (42), my dh (40) and sons (5 & 3). Hope to meet some or all of you onboard

Welcome aboard!!

How was the MR cruise?

 

[Andrea_loves_Disney]

Soooo bummed... with 3 snow days this week we cannot take this cruise! Our kids won't get out of school till June 9th at the earliest..and DD15 has finals right up till the end so we can't take them out early. We are really disappointed. Thank goodness we had not put a deposit down or paid anything. The later Alaska cruises are SO much more money...not sure we can swing the Med cruise either...but I haven't given up hope. The upside for us is we can wait till the last minute if there are any deals..I work for an airline so we don't book anything ahead of time..
Hope you all have a great time! I will look for trip reports afterwards!
Kellie - Evan is sad he won't get to hang out with Hunter! Maybe next summer...another cruise? Take care!

 

[chernabogfamily]

Soooo bummed... with 3 snow days this week we cannot take this cruise! Our kids won't get out of school till June 9th at the earliest..and DD15 has finals right up till the end so we can't take them out early. We are really disappointed.

Kellie - Evan is sad he won't get to hang out with Hunter! Maybe next summer...another cruise? Take care!

Bummer! It would have been great to cruise together again. We're on our 4th snow day this week, and if there are anymore then the last day will be Jun 7th. We still have a few years before finals will start affecting it all, but you just made me realize that will be an issue in the future. So sorry you won't be there. Do you have a late summer Med Cruise (that you booked on board last year) that you're going on this summer?

Hunter is bummed as well. Of course we'll be cruising again!!!! We have a preliminary plan for Spring Break next March. Someplace WARM this time (like the caribbean).

 

[cdnsluvdisney]

Welcome aboard!!

How was the MR cruise?

Thanks MR cruise was great At least our family thought so and we LOVED the Oceaneers Club (not sure if our kids loved it more than us lol). It was so hard to come home to reality! I wonder if they will be showing the same movies on the Alaska run as they did on the Mexico one....hmmm I did read they don't do the Pirate Party and fireworks, which is a bummer. It's one of my faves. Guess we will have to go on another cruise next year....

 

[ldconley]

We just moved from the June 28th cruise to this one to take advantage of the kids sail free offer. It will be me (Lorie), DH (Mike), and DD (Breanna, 15). One of the good things about moving to this cruise is that I be on board for my birthday which is June 9th.

This is our third Disney cruise. We did the Mexican Rivera in 2008 and the Baltic in 2010. Both were a lot of fun and I am sure this one will be too.

I am looking forward to getting to meet everyone.

 

[chernabogfamily]

We just moved from the June 28th cruise to this one to take advantage of the kids sail free offer. It will be me (Lorie), DH (Mike), and DD (Breanna, 15). One of the good things about moving to this cruise is that I be on board for my birthday which is June 9th.

This is our third Disney cruise. We did the Mexican Rivera in 2008 and the Baltic in 2010. Both were a lot of fun and I am sure this one will be too.

I am looking forward to getting to meet everyone.

Welcome!

 

[disneypoor]

Well...well...well! This got chatty really quick! Who knew I would miss so much here! YIKES! I need to catch up! I think I have added everyone successfully to the front page! If I am missing information, please let me know! Also, let me know if you are interested in Fish Extender!

I'm just back from The Maiden Voyage of the Dream! The ship is wonderful and it is HUGE! They are going to have to work out some kinks!



Thank you so much for the info! I heard it from you first! I was so excited to see this, but then realized that we have a 2 bedroom suite! YAY and BOO! We've never done it before and we decided to because it wasn't much more than the two rooms we needed. (Not exactly the case anymore) We are stuck in it now, BUT are excited about it anyway!



YAY! Welcome!





They will pack it with stuff to do! We did the first transatlantic crossing during the month of May and that was cold! They had tons of family things to do on the ship!

We were recently on the Wonder and they told us that they were going to heat the pools and possibly put a bubble over them! I don't know about that, but we will see! They also built a new bar/coffee house on the ship and completely enclosed it in glass. The cruise director also said that they will be providing blankets all around the top decks!



Welcome!!!!!

I haven't been able to focus on this cruise either, because we just got off of the Dream! I have no idea what we are planning yet, but I better get on it soon!!!!

How was the Dream? We are so excited and can't wait for the next week and a half to fly by! Only bad news is that we just found out that our daughter will be having surgery the day after we get back from our trip. She tore her ACL and miniscus at volleyball, so it will be a little slice of heaven and then surgery. Ugh!

I forgot to tell you that we are in room 2512. Thank you for adding us on the first page to the list of people on our sailing. Looking forward to Alaska!

Susan

 

[jarudinski]

Hi everyone,

I just moved our cruise from Jun 21 to June 7 to take advantage of the Kids Sail Free Offer .. I am so excited about the trip and the money I just saved ( I think I may have already spent it on the excursions though .. they look like fun)

Sailing with me will by my Dad (Jim), my husband (Chris), My daughters (Samantha 12 & Allison 7) as well as My mother in law (Trish), her sister (Ada) and my mother in laws mother in law (Deya) .. =) hope you can follow that it got a little hairy there.

Well I am going to go start planning some more ...

Julie

 

[ldconley]

Hi everyone,

I just moved our cruise from Jun 21 to June 7 to take advantage of the Kids Sail Free Offer .. I am so excited about the trip and the money I just saved ( I think I may have already spent it on the excursions though .. they look like fun)

Sailing with me will by my Dad (Jim), my husband (Chris), My daughters (Samantha 12 & Allison 7) as well as My mother in law (Trish), her sister (Ada) and my mother in laws mother in law (Deya) .. =) hope you can follow that it got a little hairy there.

Well I am going to go start planning some more ...

Julie

Welcome. We just moved our cruise to take advantage of the kids free offer too. I was thinking that savings would help with excursions too, but you are right about it going quick. It might be enough to get us through one port.

 

[chernabogfamily]

Hi everyone,

I just moved our cruise from Jun 21 to June 7 to take advantage of the Kids Sail Free Offer .. I am so excited about the trip and the money I just saved ( I think I may have already spent it on the excursions though .. they look like fun)

Sailing with me will by my Dad (Jim), my husband (Chris), My daughters (Samantha 12 & Allison 7) as well as My mother in law (Trish), her sister (Ada) and my mother in laws mother in law (Deya) .. =) hope you can follow that it got a little hairy there.

Well I am going to go start planning some more ...

Julie

Welcome aboard! I have a 7 yr old daughter as well (Piper). I have a feeling they just might meet in the kids club. My daughter loves to make friends on our vacations.

I noticed you are from Texas. Anywhere near DFW area? I have MANY relatives in those parts.

 

[cdnsluvdisney]

What excursions did you book?

 

[jarudinski]

Welcome aboard! I have a 7 yr old daughter as well (Piper). I have a feeling they just might meet in the kids club. My daughter loves to make friends on our vacations.

I noticed you are from Texas. Anywhere near DFW area? I have MANY relatives in those parts.

We will definitely have to get them together, my little one Allie, loves to meet new friends. Our last cruise she felt a little left out because my older one was always hanging out with her new friends. She loves the kids club, I had to drag her out of the clubs to eat dinner with us and to see the shows. We were on a city tour in Talinn and the tour guide asked Allie if she were enjoying the tour. Well being a typical kid she was brutally honest, Allie told the tour guide she was board and just wanted to go to kids club. I was so embarrassed