May 24, 2014 Alaskan 9 night Wonder

[ImprovGal]

Sweet. Thanks guys. When I did look at the actual DCL site nothing looked different. I only had the email on my phone this morning.

They don't charge the port adventures to your room though until like 3 days prior right? I am obviously using a cc on my check in but I want to pay room charges (even excursions)with gift cards. They don't charge the cc before you board do they?

My previous experience has been that they don't charge the cc before boarding. I've had to wait until we set sail to be able to have guest services apply my gift cards or disney rewards card to my account and it offset my excursions before anything was actually charged to my card.

 

[MousseauMob]

I just hope we have time to get a little time to look around town most importantly to get a picture under the Ketchikan sign hehehe.

And get to Ketchi-Candies if you can! Yum!

My previous experience has been that they don't charge the cc before boarding. I've had to wait until we set sail to be able to have guest services apply my gift cards or disney rewards card to my account and it offset my excursions before anything was actually charged to my card.

Good to know! I've never used a Disney rewards card on a cruise before, but I have one I'm going to apply this time.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Well, I finished checking in. I got the excursion I wanted in Ketchikan, but was surprised to see Palo brunch sold out for Monday. Oh well.

Hope you all had good luck. Good night!

 

[TinkLoverSam]

Just checked in and got everything we wanted... There were even plenty of choices for brunch times on Tracy Arm day I picked 11 so we should be finishing just as we enter the fjord.

 

[MousseauMob]

Done! Everything booked, DD registered and check-in complete! I also saw Palo brunch sold out for Monday, was surprised since there were quite a few other times.

Our PAT is 11:00am and below is what we have reserved:

Day 4 Sitka Gallant Adventures (not DCL)

Day 5 Tracy Arm, Palo Brunch

Day 6 Skagway Musher's Camp & Sled Dog Experience

Day 7 Palo Dinner and Juneau on our own

Day 8 Ketchikan Wilderness Exploration and Crab Feast

 

[pequele]

Sorry to hear about Palo. To be honest, I haven't a clue which day is Monday! I have only gone so far as Day 1,2,3 etc!

I got a PAT of 11

On Day 3 well, really evening I booked a massage. I've been going back and forth on that. I didn't really care for the times available most days I looked, but it could very well be because a sea day.

Sitka we will do the Sea Otter and Wildlife Quest 11:30

Skagway we are doing Liarsville at 8:45 and then will do a Chillkoot trip (booked with them) in the bus up the hill and the train backdown which starts at 12:45

In Juneau we will do the Alaska's Whales and Glaciers Photo Safari at 7:30. I think someone else is at that time? I was originally going to do the 8:15 but I also wanted to do the Mount Roberts Tramway in the afternoon and going at 7:30 gives us just a little more time to do that without rushing any more than we have to. We will probably still be rushed I am sure!

In Ketchikan we are going to do the Alaskan Fish Camp and Wilderness Dinner instead of Annette Island with the drum making.

whew I am so happy to have this done, get what we want, gratuities done, flights done, hotels paid for, but now we have to wait 90 more days

Can we call ahead and have gift cards put onto our stateroom before we get there? I'm sure they will just love us tying up GS to apply GC in the first moments on the ship!

 

[MousseauMob]

whew I am so happy to have this done, get what we want, gratuities done

I've never seen where to do gratuities on the site? Where is that?

 

[sweetlovin']

Can we call ahead and have gift cards put onto our stateroom before we get there? I'm sure they will just love us tying up GS to apply GC in the first moments on the ship!

I already have $800 and it was split up into 7 GC I'm going to try to add another $700 if I can. Not having the dog sled through Disney will help, but I ended up with an excursion everyday.

Ketchikan - Misty Fjord float plane and boat ride to see whales
Stika - snorkeling (I bet I am the only sucker out there doing that)
Skagway - Safari Wilderness thing. I think it's a canoe ride through the glaciers.
Juneau - I booked dog sled glaciers, but I have to call a different company and book through them. It will be a little less expensive that way.

Other than that, I have Palo at 11am on the last sea day brunch, Palo for dinner the 2nd night.

I think it will be fun. Except for the snorkeling..my legs are going to go as numb as they did sledging.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Just got everything done. I was a little bummed. Got right in at 11:01 and went straight to Juneau day because the top priority was the extended helicopter/dog sled excursion and it was sold out. Scrambled trying to decide between the other 2 offered before moving on to Ketchikan and the Bering Sea and dinner with the crew. Thankfully that was open! Next Palo brunch on Monday. Booked! Did get a PAT of 11:30.

Ended up doing a little more searching and realized that Era Flightseeing has the same extended dog sled/helicopter excursion available for the same price and they had availability so I went ahead and booked through them. I would feel a lot better going through Disney but this is the one excursion that the whole family was looking forward to the most. Now I know there is a high likelihood it could be canceled due to weather, but I didn't want to be out of the running before we even left Nebraska so I'm going to risk it!

So here's what we ended with:

Sunday: Palo Brunch

Sitka: Gallant Adventures excursion (not DCL)

Skagway: Klondike Gold Dredge and White Pass Railway

Juneau: The Extended Adventure - Glacier Dog Sledding (through ERA instead of DCL)

Ketchikan: Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour and Dinner with the Crew

I'm waiting for the confirmation from ERA and then I will cancel the Dog Sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter that I booked with DCL for Juneau so it will be open for someone else.

So now I guess I just need to pray for good weather!

 

[pequele]

I've never seen where to do gratuities on the site? Where is that?

Oh sorry. I did not do that online. I did that the other day by calling them (well my TA but when I've booked directly I called DCL). It is nice to have that out of the way. It doesn't mean you can't tip more later, it just gets the $12 a night/pp out of the way and one less thing on the final bill.

Sent from Stephie's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[sweetlovin']

Just got everything done. I was a little bummed. Got right in at 11:01 and went straight to Juneau day because the top priority was the extended helicopter/dog sled excursion and it was sold out.

I was bummed about that too. They only take 10 people I think. I have the one that you have booked as well as a back up through DCL. I was going to book a different company not ERA. I'll have to look and see, maybe I will join you.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I've never seen where to do gratuities on the site? Where is that?

Gratuities are automatically charged to your onboard account. But you can call DCL and have money added to your OBC before you get onboard. Personally, I'd just rather wait and do it in person. We have rewards dollars and a couple of DD's gift cards to add.

Does anybody know if they swipe gift cards in the stores on board now?

 

[MousseauMob]

Oh sorry. I did not do that online. I did that the other day by calling them (well my TA but when I've booked directly I called DCL). It is nice to have that out of the way. It doesn't mean you can't tip more later, it just gets the $12 a night/pp out of the way and one less thing on the final bill.

Sent from Stephie's iPhone using DISBoards

Ah, that's why I've never seen it. I've always just had it come out of the onboard account and then added additional cash as needed. But I had seen others talk about pre-paying and had no idea where they were doing that. Thanks! I know how to now, if I ever want to do this!

Gratuities are automatically charged to our onboard account. But you can call DCL and have money added to your OBC before you get onboard. Personally, I'd just rather wait and do it in person. We have rewards dollars and a couple of DD's gift cards to add.

 

[MousseauMob]

Except for the snorkeling..my legs are going to go as numb as they did sledging.

You have to let me know how this goes! I was tempted when I saw first saw this, but even with as much as I love snorkeling I cringed when I thought of the water temperature. I'll bet the visibility will be spectacular!

 

[sweetlovin']

You have to let me know how this goes! I was tempted when I saw first saw this, but even with as much as I love snorkeling I cringed when I thought of the water temperature. I'll bet the visibility will be spectacular!

I hope so!! The Great Barrier Reef and Fiji were amazing! I am hoping to see different species. I will definitely bring my Go Pro. Hopefully, it won't be a video of me being rescued.

 

[pequele]

Gratuities are automatically charged to your onboard account. But you can call DCL and have money added to your OBC before you get onboard. Personally, I'd just rather wait and do it in person. We have rewards dollars and a couple of DD's gift cards to add. Does anybody know if they swipe gift cards in the stores on board now?

I think it is just your room key. More recent cruisers can say but that was on the dream in May, I had to go to GS every so often and run my gc. They never put then on as credit either, they just applied them to what balance was there.

I hope so!! The Great Barrier Reef and Fiji were amazing! I am hoping to see different species. I will definitely bring my Go Pro. Hopefully, it won't be a video of me being rescued.

Sorry got a chuckle at that vision but I'm sure you will be fine. I can't imagine they can offer this sort of thing if many passengers needed amputations after frostbite in the water

Does anyone know if the kids club wrist bands are still those gawd awful bulky plastic things or did they switch all ships to the new magic band like ones?

Sent from Stephie's iPhone using DISBoards

 

[MousseauMob]

I hope so!! The Great Barrier Reef and Fiji were amazing! I am hoping to see different species. I will definitely bring my Go Pro. Hopefully, it won't be a video of me being rescued.

No, no, definitely no rescue videos!

Does anyone know if the kids club wrist bands are still those gawd awful bulky plastic things or did they switch all ships to the new magic band like ones?

I read in some other thread that the Wonder would have the new kids club bands would be available by our cruise. DD was quite excited! I'll go see if I can find that post.

 

[MousseauMob]

Here's the thread where I read about the Oceaneer band upgrade on the Wonder. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3216010

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Just got everything done. I was a little bummed. Got right in at 11:01 and went straight to Juneau day because the top priority was the extended helicopter/dog sled excursion and it was sold out. Scrambled trying to decide between the other 2 offered before moving on to Ketchikan and the Bering Sea and dinner with the crew. Thankfully that was open! Next Palo brunch on Monday. Booked! Did get a PAT of 11:30.

Ended up doing a little more searching and realized that Era Flightseeing has the same extended dog sled/helicopter excursion available for the same price and they had availability so I went ahead and booked through them. I would feel a lot better going through Disney but this is the one excursion that the whole family was looking forward to the most. Now I know there is a high likelihood it could be canceled due to weather, but I didn't want to be out of the running before we even left Nebraska so I'm going to risk it!

So here's what we ended with:

Sunday: Palo Brunch

Sitka: Gallant Adventures excursion (not DCL)

Skagway: Klondike Gold Dredge and White Pass Railway

Juneau: The Extended Adventure - Glacier Dog Sledding (through ERA instead of DCL)

Ketchikan: Bering Sea Crab Fishermen's Tour and Dinner with the Crew

I'm waiting for the confirmation from ERA and then I will cancel the Dog Sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier by Helicopter that I booked with DCL for Juneau so it will be open for someone else.

So now I guess I just need to pray for good weather!

We booked directly with ERA a couple of weeks ago, and I am totally comfortable with that, especially after several e-mails back and forth with the owner. If you haven't watched their YouTube, you need to search it out, that is what sold us that it was totally worth the money. We are not doing the extended version.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Gratuities are automatically charged to your onboard account. But you can call DCL and have money added to your OBC before you get onboard. Personally, I'd just rather wait and do it in person. We have rewards dollars and a couple of DD's gift cards to add.

Does anybody know if they swipe gift cards in the stores on board now?

I have read several trip reports where people have stated that they had used gift cards in the gift shops on the ship, but I haven't actually done it myself.