May 24, 2014 Alaskan 9 night Wonder

[sweetlovin']

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.

I booked the non extended one as well. What time are you going?

 

[pequele]

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.

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

sweet thanks! Disregard my FB post haha I forgot I wrote this earlier. That's what happens when you stay up til 1am and have to work a few hours at 8

 

[MousseauMob]

sweet thanks! Disregard my FB post haha I forgot I wrote this earlier. That's what happens when you stay up til 1am and have to work a few hours at 8

Not on FB so wouldn't know what to disregard.

 

[pequele]

Oh. For those using gift cards for your on board account, I would recommend not loading a bunch to your room in the event you do not use it all. Sounds like several people have had issues getting refunded the unused amounts. I check my bill a few times throughout the trip and apply them as we go. Someone else said that she does apply them in bulk (if you want to call it that) to the account and on the last night checks to see if she has a credit. If she does she goes to the gift shop and buys a gc in that amount and poof instant refund

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[sweetlovin']

Oh. For those using gift cards for your on board account, I would recommend not loading a bunch to your room in the event you do not use it all. Sounds like several people have had issues getting refunded the unused amounts. I check my bill a few times throughout the trip and apply them as we go. Someone else said that she does apply them in bulk (if you want to call it that) to the account and on the last night checks to see if she has a credit. If she does she goes to the gift shop and buys a gc in that amount and poof instant refund

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Brilliant about rebuying a GC!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

So, you can buy a gift card on the ship and charge it to your on board account?

I guess I had never noticed Gift Cards for sall in the shops on the ship, but that is an excellent idea.

 

[mrp4352]

So, you can buy a gift card on the ship and charge it to your on board account?

I guess I had never noticed Gift Cards for sall in the shops on the ship, but that is an excellent idea.

Yes! Actually, they have a cool cruise line picture on them.

 

[sweetlovin']

Broke parent update


Nico is home. He got in at 2:30am this morning. YAY! He was chatting away about being invited to Manchester for 3 weeks July-Aug This was me after looking up the airfare

 

[MousseauMob]

So, you can buy a gift card on the ship and charge it to your on board account?

I guess I had never noticed Gift Cards for sall in the shops on the ship, but that is an excellent idea.

Yes! Actually, they have a cool cruise line picture on them.

I've never noticed these either, I'm going to have to look for them this cruise.

Broke parent update


Nico is home. He got in at 2:30am this morning. YAY! He was chatting away about being invited to Manchester for 3 weeks July-Aug This was me after looking up the airfare

 

[Sweetpeabass]

We did get all port activities we wanted and times/days we wanted for Palo brunch and dinner - I was thinking of snorkeling and husband said, "NO WAY! That is TOO COLD!" LOL! Zip lining instead.

Day 2 sea day - Palo Brunch at 12:30 p.m.

Sitka - Sitka Bike and Hike

Juneau - Sea Kayaking

Skagway - White Pass Train - only because every person ever on an Alaska cruise we know said we have to do this.

Ketchikan - Bear (something) Zip Line and Palo dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Plus some spa massages and body wrap for everyone throughout the trip.

Online check in is done, too! Whew.

Getting extra excited now.

 

[pequele]

Yes! Actually, they have a cool cruise line picture on them.

Even on Disney Store's website they have a bajillion to choose from like graduation, birthday, wedding, holiday as well as DCL ones, character ones, and then you can even get ones with a picture you upload! And there is the nifty Disney GC app where you enter your card info into it and it automatically tracks how much is left on the card. I live by that thing. If you order from the Disney store I think there are preset amounts up to $500. I've ordered a few but thinking I should have made them smaller denominations so I could get more designs ahaha. They are really cute.

Broke parent update Nico is home. He got in at 2:30am this morning. YAY! He was chatting away about being invited to Manchester for 3 weeks July-Aug This was me after looking up the airfare

can we use Disney gift cards for this trip too ahahaha?

We did get all port activities we wanted and times/days we wanted for Palo brunch and dinner - I was thinking of snorkeling and husband said, "NO WAY! That is TOO COLD!" LOL! Zip lining instead. Day 2 sea day - Palo Brunch at 12:30 p.m. Sitka - Sitka Bike and Hike Juneau - Sea Kayaking Skagway - White Pass Train - only because every person ever on an Alaska cruise we know said we have to do this. Ketchikan - Bear (something) Zip Line and Palo dinner at 6:30 p.m. Plus some spa massages and body wrap for everyone throughout the trip. Online check in is done, too! Whew. Getting extra excited now.

Which massages and body wraps did you do? I've been tempted. Signed up for a Swedish massage on the eve of day 3. I just know how rotten my muscles are and how great it will feel until that ungodly owie feeling when you knot all back up again haha. I know still not the same thing but because I'm such a ball of stress my muscles are confused Heck as it is tonight I was using the tennis ball on my shoulder and rib cage and I am just a mess there. Do you think I should I book one every day hahaha (just kidding). The body wrap is just the cellulite one correct? I have plenty of that to loose, I should book one of those everyday perhaps? What to do, what to do??

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[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Crying again. ERA called DH earlier this evening (he forgot to tell me until just now ) They said there was a glitch in their system Saturday night and the extended helicopter/dog sled excursion that I booked with them that was the same as the DCL has that was sold out is not available after all. We're all so bummed. That was the thing we really, really had our hearts set on.

She told him something about moving us to some other excursion but he's not sure what? I see that my credit card has been charged the full amount for the one we wanted so I have an email in to find out what all is going on. It did sound like all they had were morning times so I think we will just cancel with them all together.

I do have the helicopter/dog sled excursion booked through DCL for a 12:30 time so I think we will just do that. Would have been cool to get that behind the scenes time with the dogs. The 6th grade does a huge Iditarod project so it would have been really cool for my kids to do that. ODS is in 8th so he's already learned about the Iditarod and DD will be in 6th grade next year.

 

[MousseauMob]

That was the thing we really, really had our hearts set on.

I'm really sorry! Don't give up hope yet, keep checking the DCL site. On the Hawaii cruise we did there was a limited excursion we really wanted to do, but it was sold out before we could book it. I kept checking availability and about a month before the cruise times opened up, so I switched from my backup excursion. I never did find out if someone cancelled or if they added another tour, but it worked out. Sending you good thoughts and pixie dust the same happens to you.

 

[sweetlovin']

She'sgoingtoDisney - that was the one I really wanted as well. However, I spoke on the phone for a little while with Costal Helicopters and all about their dog sledding excursion. You might want to call. It isn't extended, but because so few people book with them, usually you get more time with the puppies (I know they are dogs but ever since I have owned dogs they are my puppies, just like my 13,11, and 9yo are my babies )

If not, RweThereyet - said they are really comfortable with the non extended ERA booking as well.

I am sorry you didn't get the one you wanted. I truly wanted that one too. I kept telling everyone I really should book Alaska concierge so I can get the excursions I want. Now that I know about ERA, if I ever book again, I will just call them months in advance and book before the rest of the people.

pequele - Could you imagine if Disney started branching out into the airline industry??!! I wish I could use Disney GC. I hate using miles (unless it's Delta because I hate Delta) On American Airlines, I have two roundtrip tickets to Africa or Australia. (Really Africa because I have been to Australia twice in less than 2 years) and 2 roundtrip tickets to Asia on United (remember United gives a free stopover in Germany or wherever your route flies) My kids want to go to Shanghai Disney 2016, so I am really trying to save those miles.

^^^ this is me thinking in my head and typing as I go..feel free to ignore^^^

MousseauMob - That is how I feel It's going to be expensive to house him there too. I called my mom to complain that my 2014 is going crazy and she said "Life just throws you curveballs" I said, "most curveballs do not cost 6-7k caused by 13yos!" She just laughed at me. I think she believes it's payback for the ballet.

 

[pequele]

Quick post to bring over info from the Facebook page. The topic of laundry came up. I remember seeing this awhile back and wanted to post it again (remember it is a year old so prices may have risen). Info on do it yourself and sendout laundry/dry cleaning:

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/2013/01/onboard-self-and-full-service-laundry-and-dry-cleaning/

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Help from anyone in the know!

I heard back from the lady at ERA about the helicopter/dog sled excursion and they are offering a 10% discount on the regular excursion due to the error in booking us for the extended one that we wanted that they had to cancel.

Problem is the latest we can book with them is 10:15. I have the Mendenhall excursion booked through DCL right now for 12:30. I really like the later time as I know there is such a high chance for cancellation due to fog and am hoping the later time ups my chances a bit.

What would you all do? It is a $550 savings but I don't care about that if the 10:15 got cancelled and we'd be able to fly at 12:30! I'd be heartbroken and SO mad at myself!

The other concern with booking outside of DCL is we will not have any cell service at all in Alaska. We have Virgin Mobile and they do not service Alaska at all. So once we leave the the lower 48 there will be no way to communicate with us if ERA needed to cancel or anything.

What do we do? Dh is useless in trying to help me make this decision. AHHHH!

 

[pequele]

Is there a differnt time for mendenhal through DCL like in the AM?

Do your phones roam? Or are you out of luck when not in the carrier's area?

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[sweetlovin']

Help from anyone in the know!

I heard back from the lady at ERA about the helicopter/dog sled excursion and they are offering a 10% discount on the regular excursion due to the error in booking us for the extended one that we wanted that they had to cancel.

Problem is the latest we can book with them is 10:15. I have the Mendenhall excursion booked through DCL right now for 12:30. I really like the later time as I know there is such a high chance for cancellation due to fog and am hoping the later time ups my chances a bit.

What would you all do? It is a $550 savings but I don't care about that if the 10:15 got cancelled and we'd be able to fly at 12:30! I'd be heartbroken and SO mad at myself!

The other concern with booking outside of DCL is we will not have any cell service at all in Alaska. We have Virgin Mobile and they do not service Alaska at all. So once we leave the the lower 48 there will be no way to communicate with us if ERA needed to cancel or anything.

What do we do? Dh is useless in trying to help me make this decision. AHHHH!

To me, it sounds like you are more comfortable booking DCL. It's not the money, it's the experience. I completely understand that mentality. So it sounds like you answered your own question.

That being said, I did do a little bit of research and reading up on cancelled dog-sledding excursions. My understanding is there is more than one glacier and more than one helicopter/dog sled company. If one is cancelled in the morning, chances are there is another one in the afternoon.

A third (I know not helping by giving more options) choice would be to see if there is a DCL excursion still available in Skagway. We go there first and having two, you have a better option of definitely getting one. If the Skagway one goes, call ERA and cancel your booking. (I don't think you can cancel DCL once on the ship) If Skagway gets cancelled, you have a back up plan.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

Is there a differnt time for mendenhal through DCL like in the AM?

Do your phones roam? Or are you out of luck when not in the carrier's area?

Sent from Stephie's iPhone using DISBoards

No roaming, just dead service on the cell.

I don't want to go in the AM on DCL. I actually like DCL's 12:30 time the best, I just like ERA's price better! Problem with ERA is 10:15 is the latest they have.

 

[ShelsGoingToDisney]

To me, it sounds like you are more comfortable booking DCL. It's not the money, it's the experience. I completely understand that mentality. So it sounds like you answered your own question.

That being said, I did do a little bit of research and reading up on cancelled dog-sledding excursions. My understanding is there is more than one glacier and more than one helicopter/dog sled company. If one is cancelled in the morning, chances are there is another one in the afternoon.

A third (I know not helping by giving more options) choice would be to see if there is a DCL excursion still available in Skagway. We go there first and having two, you have a better option of definitely getting one. If the Skagway one goes, call ERA and cancel your booking. (I don't think you can cancel DCL once on the ship) If Skagway gets cancelled, you have a back up plan.

Interesting thought about Skagway. I looked and there is a helicopter/dog sled that we could fit into our day before our White Pass excursion. Problem is you have to cancel the DCL excursions 3 days before departure in order to not have to pay and the excursion we have booked through ERA direct must be canceled 48 hours before for a refund. Skagway is the day before Juneau so neither would give me the cancellation option if the Skagway one went off. Now as much as I know we'll love the excursion I don't think Dh, or even me, is willing to pay for 2 in 48 hours! And you know if we booked both of them we'd have sunny blue skies for both days!