May 24, 2014 Alaskan 9 night Wonder

[sambycat]

Thanks, I have been doing that and that is why I am overwhelmed and don't want to make any decisions.

Me too! I've also been reading about getting there for a year and now it's basically $900pp to get to Vancouver direct or $600pp and spend an additional 6 hours or so waiting and traveling and hope nothing goes wonky with the one amtrak we can reasonably make which would be several
Hours after our flight to Seattle. It's making me crazy.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I bit the bullet and purchased airfare directly to Vancouver. As my father the economist would say, it is an opportunity cost. It just wasn't worth the extra time to save a couple of hundred dollars (and my sanity) to fly into Seattle and make our way in from there. Now, we have a little over 3 hour direct flight and we are there with time to enjoy Vancouver before the cruise. I am much happier now!

 

[sambycat]

Once I just do it and try and forget the airfare on the same continent is nearly the price of our cruise I shall recover. I think.

 

[mrp4352]

Hi MoonDaughter! We changed our stateroom number. Can you please move us to 2008? We had such a good time in the forward part of the ship last week, we decided to move forward on this cruise, too!

 

[Arizona Rita]

Hey Everyone,
I want to try to be on here a couple of times a week to try to get to know my sailing mates.

Disneyfaninaz~ so you live in Chandler? I live in Peoria and attend SCC.
Maybe we should meet up sometime for lunch.

We booked the hotel, I think its the Pan. I think it may be the use DCL is using?
We will be coming in a day early and renting a car and going to see where "Supernatural" and "Once Upon A Time" are filmed.
We are thinking of doing the Vancouver tour on day of departure since our flight leaves late.

We have always booked our shore excursions through DCL. We trust them and havnt had a bad excursion yet. DH tends to be on the causious side.

Is there an update that I may have missed about the FE's? Just wondering about numbers. Is there a cutoff date?
Talk to all soon!
Rita

 

[hamm1207]

We're still thinking about excursions. Our problem is trying to decide if we want to do them or just wait (as we live here). The prices are generally the same, whether it is through disney or on our own. If we do them we'll probably go through disney--it's nice not to have to worry about anything.

As far as airfare, don't think, just buy! The longer you wait, the more the price will increase. Generally, if we can find airfare for $600 per person, that's cheap for us.

Has there been any discussion of a meet on embarkation day? We could meet in promenade lounge around 3:00...

 

[pequele]

Hello Everyone: I sent an email to DCL asking what the daily themes will be each day of the cruise (Casual, Formal, etc). I just received their reply and no decision has been made as yet. Once I know I will post the schedule. Ray

Cool. I never thought about this other than when we get our documents (not sure if they post it online during the check in stuff). I sure hope they have the Pixar party earlier than they had last year. 10 pm is pretty late for kids in my opinion.

I bit the bullet and purchased airfare directly to Vancouver. As my father the economist would say, it is an opportunity cost. It just wasn't worth the extra time to save a couple of hundred dollars (and my sanity) to fly into Seattle and make our way in from there. Now, we have a little over 3 hour direct flight and we are there with time to enjoy Vancouver before the cruise. I am much happier now!

That was my feeling as well. I looked at doing that. Then I got an alert that there were tickets from Boston for $350ish and I was on it! Seriously people if you are still waiting on your airfare, sign up for alerts through airfarewatchdog. Com. It's costing me for 2 people what 1 person had been looking like for the longest time!

Hi MoonDaughter! We changed our stateroom number. Can you please move us to 2008? We had such a good time in the forward part of the ship last week, we decided to move forward on this cruise, too!

I'm not looking at a map right now but we may be near each other. We are in 2017. I'll try to update you on the 1st post as well when I update the list. Hit me over the head if I forget ok.

Hey Everyone, I want to try to be on here a couple of times a week to try to get to know my sailing mates. Disneyfaninaz~ so you live in Chandler? I live in Peoria and attend SCC. Maybe we should meet up sometime for lunch. We booked the hotel, I think its the Pan. I think it may be the use DCL is using? We will be coming in a day early and renting a car and going to see where "Supernatural" and "Once Upon A Time" are filmed. We are thinking of doing the Vancouver tour on day of departure since our flight leaves late. We have always booked our shore excursions through DCL. We trust them and havnt had a bad excursion yet. DH tends to be on the causious side. Is there an update that I may have missed about the FE's? Just wondering about numbers. Is there a cutoff date? Talk to all soon! Rita

I don't think we've discussed a cutoff. If we did I missed it too. I've been slacking on here. I admit I'm on Facebook more than DIS!

Does anyone know about Plutos pajama party? Someone mentioned it on a thread on a DCL page on fb but I've never heard of it before. My son really wants to do the club (we didn't when we did a 3 day and he was sad). I'm pretty sure he will have time this time. I'm guessing there will only be so much scenery the kid will take.

 

[pequele]

We're still thinking about excursions. Our problem is trying to decide if we want to do them or just wait (as we live here). The prices are generally the same, whether it is through disney or on our own. If we do them we'll probably go through disney--it's nice not to have to worry about anything. As far as airfare, don't think, just buy! The longer you wait, the more the price will increase. Generally, if we can find airfare for $600 per person, that's cheap for us. Has there been any discussion of a meet on embarkation day? We could meet in promenade lounge around 3:00...

Oops I think I was writing (in between work) at the same time as you were. I think we talked a little about a meet but never officially came up with something. I know we also talked about watching her sail in in the morning from the Pan I think, but nothing official there either. I admit if she comes in at 5 am I just may have to look at some people's pictures of the event ahahaha.

Rita was it you (sorry I'm on my phone) that asked if the Pan was Disney's hotel? It is not. The Fairmont is (according to my TA). More pricey than the Pan though.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Yes, those of us staying at the Pan (and even anybody else that wants to join) were thinking of walking out to the pier and watching the Wonder come in. From what I can tell it usually arrives between 6 and 7 AM. However, it will be arriving from the repositioning, so I'm not sure if it would arrive earlier or not.

A DIS meet at the Promenade Lounge at 3:00 PM on embarkation day sounds doable to me. In fact, 2 of my previous cruises did just that.

 

[mrp4352]

Yes, those of us staying at the Pan (and even anybody else that wants to join) were thinking of walking out to the pier and watching the Wonder come in. From what I can tell it usually arrives between 6 and 7 AM. However, it will be arriving from the repositioning, so I'm not sure if it would arrive earlier or not.

This would be fun!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Yes, those of us staying at the Pan (and even anybody else that wants to join) were thinking of walking out to the pier and watching the Wonder come in. From what I can tell it usually arrives between 6 and 7 AM. However, it will be arriving from the repositioning, so I'm not sure if it would arrive earlier or not.

A DIS meet at the Promenade Lounge at 3:00 PM on embarkation day sounds doable to me. In fact, 2 of my previous cruises did just that.

If I am up at that time, I will wave to you from the ship.

 

[mrobin023]

Do any of you have any experience with vacation rentals in Vancouver? We are looking for a condo or apartment we can rent for 3 nights for 5 adults prior to our cruise. We will have a car so location is not that important. We thought that this might be a better option rather than two hotel rooms. Any ideas?

 

[pequele]

Do any of you have any experience with vacation rentals in Vancouver? We are looking for a condo or apartment we can rent for 3 nights for 5 adults prior to our cruise. We will have a car so location is not that important. We thought that this might be a better option rather than two hotel rooms. Any ideas?

I just found the thread that rented one. http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2991753

 

[hamm1207]

Any word on dining rotations or cruise director & captain? I forgot to have Clint ask when he called.

Do I have all of the B2B folks that are on the Repo and this cruise? Please check to make sure your name is on my list. Thanks!

RweTHEREyet
Frodo UK
Thnlk
VowRenewal 13
Scottrob
Himmin
Atheneze
RayofRedondo
tink1963

 

[bksaffle]

We are so excited about taking this cruise. My daughter is especially excited about participating in the FE adventure. This is our first time being apart of a FE group, so I apologize for not knowing the process. We signed up with this group, but we haven't received any confirmation that we were accepted...Do we assume that we are automatically added to this group or will we receive confirmation? I just didn't want to "miss" the opportunity.

Thanks for all responses.

 

[pequele]

We are so excited about taking this cruise. My daughter is especially excited about participating in the FE adventure. This is our first time being apart of a FE group, so I apologize for not knowing the process. We signed up with this group, but we haven't received any confirmation that we were accepted...Do we assume that we are automatically added to this group or will we receive confirmation? I just didn't want to "miss" the opportunity. Thanks for all responses.

Nope you are good as long as you put your name on the FE list. I just from time to time update the 1st page with cruisers names etc. no confirmation needed! All are welcome . I am at work so can't fill you in on the FE stuff easily. Welcome!

 

[Arizona Rita]

Hi Stephanie,
Do you have any more details on the FE exchange?
Please, please, please dont think I am rushing you. Just very curious to know numbers for gifting reasons.
Thank you!

 

[pequele]

Rita that is Nakoma (Moondaughter) working on that. I'm along for the ride. I haven't looked at the list myself. I'm still trying to figure out what exactly I am doing!

 

[pequele]

For those of you not in the facebook group I just wanted to share some info that a friend of a friend (Vancouver native) passed along when I asked about how the heck to get from the airport to the hotel.

First what I found:

My son and I are staying at the Pan Pacific. Their website says they use Legacy Limos. Well, I got a quote for going to and from the airport/hotel (we are coming in the day before and leaving the day after). $125.50 CA which includes taxes, fees, tip...JUST for the ride from the airport!. The return trip is only $94 because they don't have to park and wait for you and come in with a sign

The airport apparently has a car service (Aerocar) that you can reserve prior to arrival (for an extra $50) or pick up curbside like a taxi and it looks to be about $55 to the area of Pan Pacific. I am not sure how the return will figure out pricewise because I think I would have to call them.

The hotel website says that regular taxi should cost $40-45.

I can't remember if my friend's friend said this or I read it but all taxis take US and CA $ as well as credit cards. The friend DID say that taxis are Priuses! Airport website says there are vans and wheelchair accessible vehicles as well.

The other option the friend mentioned is Skytrain's Canada Line. She says it is about $6 but I see on the airport website there is a $5 upcharge outbound unless you have some sort of pass. Does anyone see/know of an exact price to the Pan Pacific area? I think you get off about a block from the hotel from what I read on the hotel site (all stations according to the friend have elevators). The hotel's site says this: Take the Canada Line to Waterfront Station. The hotel is at Canada Place, one block from the station towards the harbour.

Honestly I think that is the option for us unless I can figure out that the extra $10 fee from the airport for the 2 of us will put us over the $40-55 mark hahaha

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

For those of you not in the facebook group I just wanted to share some info that a friend of a friend (Vancouver native) passed along when I asked about how the heck to get from the airport to the hotel.

First what I found:

My son and I are staying at the Pan Pacific. Their website says they use Legacy Limos. Well, I got a quote for going to and from the airport/hotel (we are coming in the day before and leaving the day after). $125.50 CA which includes taxes, fees, tip...JUST for the ride from the airport!. The return trip is only $94 because they don't have to park and wait for you and come in with a sign

The airport apparently has a car service (Aerocar) that you can reserve prior to arrival (for an extra $50) or pick up curbside like a taxi and it looks to be about $55 to the area of Pan Pacific. I am not sure how the return will figure out pricewise because I think I would have to call them.

The hotel website says that regular taxi should cost $40-45.

I can't remember if my friend's friend said this or I read it but all taxis take US and CA $ as well as credit cards. The friend DID say that taxis are Priuses! Airport website says there are vans and wheelchair accessible vehicles as well.

The other option the friend mentioned is Skytrain's Canada Line. She says it is about $6 but I see on the airport website there is a $5 upcharge outbound unless you have some sort of pass. Does anyone see/know of an exact price to the Pan Pacific area? I think you get off about a block from the hotel from what I read on the hotel site (all stations according to the friend have elevators). The hotel's site says this: Take the Canada Line to Waterfront Station. The hotel is at Canada Place, one block from the station towards the harbour.

Honestly I think that is the option for us unless I can figure out that the extra $10 fee from the airport for the 2 of us will put us over the $40-55 mark hahaha

Thanks for posting this. We are coming in the day before and staying at the Pan Pacific as well. I have been looking at the Skytrain as an option and your information was helpful. There are 5 of us so there's no way a Prius would cut it for us as far as a taxi! The kids are all old enough to pull their own bag and if there are elevators I think it would be totally doable. I haven't explored the site yet but I did find this:

http://www.translink.ca/