More Alaska questions

[uncw89]

I've been on several Caribbean cruises, but this will be my first Alaska cruise.
1. How do people dress for dinner? Casual and formal/ semi formal. Do they wear the same as on the Caribbean cruises or less formal. (i.e capris, short sleeve shirts, sleeveless dresses, etc)?
2. For those that have stayed at the Fairmont airport, how early did you go down to the terminal? I have a 6:40 am flight.
3. What kind of shoes did you wear on excursions? Tennis shoes, boots, etc?
4. We are going to be in Seattle and Vancouver a few days prior, any suggestions on things to see and do, places to eat, etc?
5. What should I expect for temps? I know it will vary from cruise to cruise. We are going June 20.

Thanks for any other helpful tips as well.

 

[Keyser]

I've been on several Caribbean cruises, but this will be my first Alaska cruise.
1. How do people dress for dinner? Casual and formal/ semi formal. Do they wear the same as on the Caribbean cruises or less formal. (i.e capris, short sleeve shirts, sleeveless dresses, etc)?

I didn't pay much attention, but it was not less formal than the Caribbean cruises I've been on.

3. What kind of shoes did you wear on excursions? Tennis shoes, boots, etc?

Tennis shoes for everything we did, but we weren't doing any of the super-active excursions. The most active excursion we did was a short hike to the waterfall at the Mendenhall glacier, after doing a whale watch!

4. We are going to be in Seattle and Vancouver a few days prior, any suggestions on things to see and do, places to eat, etc?

In Vancouver, we spent most of a day at Grouse Mountain and enjoyed it. On the pier was a clone of "Soarin'", but with a Canada film - if you are a big fan of Soarin', you might like it. Otherwise, it's kind of expensive for the equivalent of one theme park ride...

For a restaurant, are you with kids, or is it adults/older kids? I had (not as part of a cruise trip) an incredibly good meal at le Crocodile. It's not really a kids' place, or a cheap place, though. You can find it online - despite the price, I would certainly eat there again, and I am not a "foodie", though I am sure foodies would appreciate it. For our cruise, our family ate at the Spaghetti Warehouse/Factory/something place in the Gaslamp district, since our hotel was in walking distance.

5. What should I expect for temps? I know it will vary from cruise to cruise. We are going June 20.

We went in August, so it might be too different, but we found it cool but not particularly cold. The Tracy Arm day was the coldest for us. We were glad to have our heavy coats, but didn't always want/need them. Ketchikan was ultra-rainy when we were there (they said it was the rainiest day of the year, in what is supposed to be the rainiest city in the US or something...). Things like swimming on deck are not as popular, obviously (in fact, the pools were closed much of the time), but there were times they were open/busy.

 

[uncw89]

Thanks for the comments. I'm going with DH and DS, 15

 

[apathetic]

Dress for dinner is same as other cruises, but most people will probably be in pants vice shorts. Probably not dressy, mostly jeans and khakis, except on formal night.

I recommend hiking boots for any excursion that is likely to go off pavement. It is a very wet area and even an innocent stop can be in mud. We took only tennis shoes and regretted it when we constantly were walking in muddy areas.

It will be cool at sea & land can be nice and warm or cold and rainy. Recommend a nice light rain type jacket at a minimum. If you are from the south, maybe a sweat shirt to wear under the jacket, though a good rain jacket should be enough. At sea, you can use blankets to help keep warm if you want to sit outside. They had blankets on the top deck when we went. You don't need some super huge winter coat or snow boots. If you are really worried, bring a knit hat and maybe some gloves. That should keep you really comfortable.

 

[jetskigrl]

I've been on several Caribbean cruises, but this will be my first Alaska cruise.
1. How do people dress for dinner? Casual and formal/ semi formal. Do they wear the same as on the Caribbean cruises or less formal. (i.e capris, short sleeve shirts, sleeveless dresses, etc)?
2. For those that have stayed at the Fairmont airport, how early did you go down to the terminal? I have a 6:40 am flight.
3. What kind of shoes did you wear on excursions? Tennis shoes, boots, etc?
4. We are going to be in Seattle and Vancouver a few days prior, any suggestions on things to see and do, places to eat, etc?
5. What should I expect for temps? I know it will vary from cruise to cruise. We are going June 20.

Thanks for any other helpful tips as well.

1) we found a lot of people wore jeans to dinner (rather than shorts or lightweight pants). But other then that, it was pretty much the same.
3) we brought waterproof hiking boots and they turned out to be the best decision for us. They were great when it was raining because our feet stayed nice and dry. In Juneau, we did the hike to Mendenhall glacier and it was raining so hard that some parts of the trail were completely under water. But we were able to keep going thanks to the boots
4) we did Grouse Mountain the day before the cruise and really enjoyed it.
5) we went the second week in August and experienced both extremes. It was super hot on top of Grouse mountain and pleasantly warm in Vancouver, on our two sea days and in Ketchikan. We had rain on Tracy Arm day, Skagway and Juneau days. The only time we were really cold was on Tracy Arm day when we were near the glacier.

Our best recommendation is a long rain shell as opposed to a heavy rain coat, preferably one that packs up into a little pouch and you can just toss it in your backpack. Bring layers (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, etc. so that you can add and remove as needed.

 

[xlxo]

4. We are going to be in Seattle and Vancouver a few days prior, any suggestions on things to see and do, places to eat, etc?
5. What should I expect for temps? I know it will vary from cruise to cruise. We are going June 20.

Here's the tentative forecast for June 2016.... http://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v5y/june-weather/53286

Things to do....

• Day 1: Grouse & Capilano
• Day 2: Hop On services with an emphasis on Stanley Park, Granville Island, and Gastown
• Day 3: side trip to Whistler to ride the gondolas
• Day 4: side trip to Victoria and Butchart
• Day 5: board Wonder for Alaska.

I guess there won't be time for Seattle.... $50 airport express shuttle to Vancouver. 6 to 7 trips a day to fit your schedule.
http://www.quickcoach.com/schedule.htm

 

[xlxo]

Vancouver a few days prior... places to eat, etc?

Hmm... unique Vancouver experiences....

• Breakfast with the Bears? Please don't feed the spouse to the bears..... naughty kids are OK.
  https://www.grousemountain.com/products/breakfast-with-the-bears
• Japadog.... it was a 2 hour wait for the miso mayo magic during the Olympics.
• Dim Sum.... it's an Asian form of high tea. Served as breakfast and/or lunch.
• Chinese food.... some say it's the better than China.
• Seafood? Joe Forte has a shellfish tower!
• White Spot for the "pirate packs"
• Bella's near the cruise terminal offers award winning gelato.
  http://www.news1130.com/2012/07/08/international-recognition-for-local-gelato-maker/
• La Casa offers 218 flavours of gelato.... you need a cab and a few visits to satisfy your taste buds
  http://www.marthastewart.com/909325/visiting-la-casa-gelato-and-tasting-flavors#909325
• Mink has an awesome Mermaid's Blend chocolate bar
  http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/09/vancouvers-mink-chocolates-wins-best-chocolate-bar-world-award/
• Chocolate snorting? http://globalnews.ca/news/1763382/snorting-chocolate-comes-to-canada-at-vancouver-candy-shop/

 

[Snowwhyt]

Here's the tentative forecast for June 2016.... http://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v5y/june-weather/53286

Things to do...

This is amazing information! Thank you.
Do you own part of the city or are you the Mayor? Lol

 

[xlxo]

Check the forecast link weekly and then daily as you start packing for your the trip.

No interest in politics.

 

[saxmangeoff]

If you like baseball and the Mariners are in town, Safeco Field in Seattle is a wonderful ballpark. The Seattle Aquarium is nice. Pike Place is a "must see", even if only briefly.

 

[xlxo]

Here's Vancouver's sport and concert calendar if you are planning a cruise combo.... perhaps travel with your home team when they compete at Vancouver's arenas.

• http://rogersarena.com/events/list/
• http://www.bcplace.com/events

 

[lilmissfoodie]

I have a question too. My DD (age 11) loves salmon. Now IMO DCL food (at least in Carribean) is just standard banquet food (nothing special). I'm wondering if the salmon served in Alaska is fresher? My first instinct is to get it off board. Any comments? For a point of reference, she loved the Salmon at Carthay Circle the best

 

[sharksfinatic17]

I've been on several Caribbean cruises, but this will be my first Alaska cruise.
1. How do people dress for dinner? Casual and formal/ semi formal. Do they wear the same as on the Caribbean cruises or less formal. (i.e capris, short sleeve shirts, sleeveless dresses, etc)?
2. For those that have stayed at the Fairmont airport, how early did you go down to the terminal? I have a 6:40 am flight.
3. What kind of shoes did you wear on excursions? Tennis shoes, boots, etc?
4. We are going to be in Seattle and Vancouver a few days prior, any suggestions on things to see and do, places to eat, etc?
5. What should I expect for temps? I know it will vary from cruise to cruise. We are going June 20.

Thanks for any other helpful tips as well.

1. Dress for dinner was waaaay less dressy than the Caribbean cruises. My DD 17 and 19 dressed up because they wanted to, but other than Formal night, we dressed down when compared to how we dressed for the Caribbean cruises. We weren't the only ones either.
3. We wore tennis shoes.
4. This is what we did:
Seattle -
Wednesday -
Lunch - at the Pike’s Place Market
Pike’s Place Market (Crafts/farmers close at 4; Merchants close at 6)
Gum Wall
Dinner - Serious Pie (pizza) or whatever
Pioneer Square (if desire or time)

Thursday
Breakfast - Dahlia Bakery
Use Monorail from Westlake Center to Seattle Center ($2.50 each way per person)
Space Needle
Chihuly Garden and Glass (11-8)
Lunch
Duck Tour 2:30 PM (90 minute tour)
Olympic Sculpture Garden (Geocache) - if time
Dinner

Some other ideas:

Activities
Geocaching - Olympic Sculpture Park Walk - 17 clues - sounds fun
http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/...alk?guid=d4888f04-2ceb-49e3-8617-8ad49f6aa8fb
Ferris wheel - http://seattlegreatwheel.com

Food
http://www.redmillburgers.com/ - man v food - yummy onion rings
Dahlia Bakery - breakfast - 11 minute walk from condo - http://tomdouglas.com/index.php?page=dahlia-bakery
Pike Place Chowder - http://www.pikeplacechowder.com/
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese - http://www.beechershandmadecheese.com/Locations/Seattle.aspx
Piroshky Piroshky - http://www.piroshkybakery.com/
Serious Pie and Biscuit - possible for dinner good for families - http://seriouspiewestlake.com/index.php?page=location

Friday
Train to Vancouver

Vancouver
Granville Island (9 AM - 7 PM) - visit and dinner
BC Place Stadium - Women’s World Cup Walk Around

Saturday
Breakfast - De Dutch Pannekoek House
Stanley Park with the Vancouver Trolley Company 11:00 - 6:45
Lunch - In park
Tip: To get a taxi, end the day by a restaurant or the Visitor’s Center
Robson Street (dinner)
Purchase alcohol
Alberni & Bute
768 Bute Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 4H6
(604)660-4572

Sunday

Breakfast - Tim Horton’s (underneath the Fairmont Waterfront)
Free shuttle bus from Canada Place 9:00 AM
Grouse Mountain (9:00 AM - 10 PM) Alpine Experience/Zip Line - lunch - get tickets day of in case of bad weather
Capilano Suspension (8:30 AM - 8:00 PM) - get tickets day of in case of bad weather
Dinner - The Flying Pig - Yaletown or Gastown

Monday
Get on the Wonder

Some other ideas:
Queen Elizabeth Park
Gastown - walk around/eat - maybe not
Steam Clock
Flyover Canada - like Soarin’ - can be booked ahead. Saves time/line
http://www.flyovercanada.com/
Gas Town – the location where Vancouver originated. The name is derived from a very colorful character named Gassy Jack who was one of the first settlers in the area and a salon keeper – while in Gas Town don’t miss your photo op with the statue of Gassy Jack and by the Steam Clock.

China Town - is only about 6 blocks over from Gas Town and is the largest China Town north of San Francisco. While in China Town enjoy a visit to the Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Gardens www.vancouverchinesegarden.com and also make sure you visit the world’s thinnest building it is only 6’ wide!

Restaurants
Cafe Crepe
Japadaog - permanent store
Tap & Barrel
La Casa International Gelato
Elephant and Castle Pub
Mink Chocolate Shop
Steamworks - poutine
White Spot
Cardero’s
The Teahouse (Stanley Park) - good for brunch
Bellagio - breakfast - yummy French toast by the port
Dunn’s Famous (Robson)
5. We left June 22. It rained for us in Juneau and was light coats the rest of the time. Except Tracy Arm - we layered - it was windy.

 

[saxmangeoff]

I have a question too. My DD (age 11) loves salmon. Now IMO DCL food (at least in Carribean) is just standard banquet food (nothing special). I'm wondering if the salmon served in Alaska is fresher? My first instinct is to get it off board. Any comments? For a point of reference, she loved the Salmon at Carthay Circle the best

The salmon (and everything else) that I had at the "barbecue" on Tracy Arm day was dry (had been in the chafing dish for a while, comes with the territory). That night our server asked if we had enjoyed the barbecue. We said no, it was all pretty dry and not that good. He went and got the chef to explain to us the difficulty with doing bulk food, keeping it warm, etc. It was actually kind of awkward. We understand the difficulty, and we weren't complaining. We were just noting that it wasn't all that great.

I think I had something other than salmon on "Taste of Alaska" night, but that evening dinner was better.

In general, your assessment of the food holds true for Alaska as well. Nothing that's going to wow you (except for Palo). I'm sure you'll find better salmon in port, but I don't have any experience with any restaurants there. The "Salmon Bake" in Juneau (we had it as part of a tour, it's featured in several of the excursions) was good, though (fresh fire-grilled salmon).

 

[GeorgeY]

For Question 2: For those that have stayed at the Fairmont airport, how early did you go down to the terminal? I have a 6:40 am flight.
We had an 8am fight and went down at 630, and we just made it to the plane. However it may not be as busy that early. Remember you do have to go through US Customs in Vancouver before you get to your plane.

**Also I would recommend purchasing the guaranteed 9am arrival if you are going to the Airport Fairmont right after the cruise. We did and were able to go right to the room, there were alot of people hanging around the lobby waiting until rooms were ready later in the day.

George

 

[anricat]

We have that same 6:40 flight as well through Minneapolis and we're staying at the Fairmont at the airport as well. I read another trip report from last year where someone had that flight and they said that they left their room at 4:30 and it was the right amount of time. (Yuck.)

 

[xlxo]

I'm wondering if the salmon served in Alaska is fresher? My first instinct is to get it off board. Any comments? For a point of reference, she loved the Salmon at Carthay Circle the best

Thoughts....

• you might want to ask them when it was canned. I read somewhere some AK restaurants were serving canned salmon in their meals.
• in Vancouver.... you might want to ask when it was farmed.
• I prefer sushi to taste the natural juices of the flesh. Some restaurants will be "wild", some restaurants will be "farmed". Call ahead and ask them which type they serve. Taste wise... one will be leaner and the other will be fattier. https://www.google.ca/search?q=wild+farmed+salmon&tbm=isch
• Sushi is available at the Vancouver airport pre and post-security areas.

 

[uncw89]

We have that same 6:40 flight as well through Minneapolis and we're staying at the Fairmont at the airport as well. I read another trip report from last year where someone had that flight and they said that they left their room at 4:30 and it was the right amount of time. (Yuck.)[/QUOTe

UGH!! 4:30!!! Good thing we don't have to add in travel time since we will already be at the airport!!! I guess we will have to try to get to bed early that night!! I bet there will be a few of us on that flight!!

 

[uncw89]

Does anyone know how far the train station is from the Pan? We are coming from Seattle on the train.

 

[sharksfinatic17]

Does anyone know how far the train station is from the Pan? We are coming from Seattle on the train.

You will want to take a cab. We stayed in the same area, and it is way too far to walk.