The 2011 Alaskan Thread--Cruise Tips and Planning

[slg]

I've been on 4 DCL cruises and its always been called formal night. I think 3 and 4 day cruises are called dress-up nights and longer ones are formal nights.

Does anyone know for sure?

Great idea for this thread. I just got back from the baltic and was thinking of starting one myself! It'll help the time go faster until my next trip although 7 days feels too short for me now and I'm considering doing 2 alaska cruises! Call me crazy...

 

[nzdisneymom]

I know we won't have excursions information for a while, but I was checking out each of the ports on TripAdvisor and found this that might be helpful - it's a link from one of the excursion providers that will take you to other cruiseline excursions - so you can get an idea of what types of things are typically offered, and more importantly, how much they are charging.

http://www.temscoair.com/booking/form.php is where I was looking at their Helicopter tours in both Skagway and Juneau. They said before you book, check with your cruiseline to see what they offer... that's how I came across it.

 

[jilljill]

Hey MJGirl.....

Can you add the links to the first post that are being posted on here? It would be great to keep them all together rather than having to search thru all the posts looking for 'that very link you need'.
We did this for our Baltics meets thread and it made it so much easier to research the various ports and such.

Thanks,

 

[MJGirl]

I was snooping on Celebrity's websites for possible excursion ideas and prices and came across the following:

SK07 - Yukon Jeep® Adventure
Travel the route of the Trail of '98 from behind the wheel of a four-wheel drive Jeep Wrangler . Your small group will set out on an adventure from Skagway into the Yukon Territory via the famous route taken by the hardy prospectors in the late 1800s. You'll be driving into the heart of the fabled gold rush legends of Robert Service while your guide in the lead vehicle will entertain you with the lore of the gold rush era by an interactive 2-way radio system. View Pitchfork Falls, Dead Horse Gulch and Tormented Valley enroute to the historic village of Carcross, Your rugged Jeep Wrangler will take you up Montana Mountain. Stop for a snack at a panoramic overlook to view shimmering lakes and majestic mountains. See the Carcross Desert, the smallest desert in the world. Route travel may vary depending on prevailing road conditions.

Participants must be at least 5 years old. All guests planning to drive must be at least 25 years old, bring a valid driver's license, and must sign a liability/insurance waiver. There are several points along this tour where driving responsibilities may be switched. Since this excursion crosses an international border all participants must bring proper international identification,
including proof of citizenship (e.g., passport). Canadian citizens may not drive the vehicles into Canada due to current Canadian regulations.

Has anyone heard of this before and have any idea what they are talking about? I find it strange that as a Canadian, I can't cross the border driving a car? Is it because I don't own the car, but I still find this strange!

 

[LKFan]

I've been on 4 DCL cruises and its always been called formal night. I think 3 and 4 day cruises are called dress-up nights and longer ones are formal nights.

Does anyone know for sure?

The Navigator for our 5 day Double Dip said "Optional Dress Up"

 

[MJGirl]

Hey MJGirl.....

Can you add the links to the first post that are being posted on here? It would be great to keep them all together rather than having to search thru all the posts looking for 'that very link you need'.
We did this for our Baltics meets thread and it made it so much easier to research the various ports and such.

Thanks,

Taken care of ... Great suggestion ... I'll try to keep it up-to-date

 

[jilljill]

Taken care of ... Great suggestion ... I'll try to keep it up-to-date

Thanks so much, it will make things easier to find in the coming months.

 

[nzdisneymom]

When we were on the Baltic last month, I was talking to Aimee the shopping guide and she gave me some information on the Alaska ports. There is quite a bit at cruise critic but what she did was mark some of their things and add to it. I'll try to summarize her highlights here.

Ketchikan:
She said KetchiCandies is a good place to get gifts for friends and to try the chocolate covered oreos. She said Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Native Village are both worth doing on your own. She said for authentic Alaska Totem Poles to go to Julies and tell them she sent us. She agreed with Cruise Critic about Annabelle's Keg and Chowder House being the best restaurant in town. And she said be sure to see the misty fjords.

Skagway: The White Pass is a "must" and that just walking into town you will be able to see the salmon.

Juneau: She said Mendenhall Glacier is worth seeing. And dog sledding is worth "every penny." She said to try the Crab Roll at Tracy's King Crab Shack and her note says "It will change your life." And that the Zen Restaurant is worth the cab ride.

So there you go - from Aimee the shopping guide on DCL's Baltic cruise She said she's been to Alaska a few times and she put that together for me just after a casual conversation about Alaska - she saw me exchanging money and called me over to give me the info.

 

[MJGirl]

Thanks for the helpful information Cindy. I have updated the first post with most of it, as well as included the links. I can't wait to visit the candy store !!!

Mary Jane

 

[nzdisneymom]

Mary Jane - thanks for linking the locations - and keeping it together is sure helpful! I'm so excited about planning this trip!

 

[nemofans]

This thread is wonderful! We don't plan on taking the Alaskan cruise for a few years yet, but I'm always in planning mode.

 

[trekkie518]

Anybody else curious what shows and dinners we are going to have on the cruise. I keep checking to see if there is any more info.

 

[MJGirl]

Anybody else curious what shows and dinners we are going to have on the cruise. I keep checking to see if there is any more info.

I believe we will have the Villians show, but not a hundred percent sure! Probably have a special Alaskan meal with Salmon, but don't quote me

On another note, found an interesting Zip Line adventure in Ketchikan... The link is here. I've posted it on the first page as well!

 

[DL1957]

DH and I are B2B April/May cruises. I called DCL to get an idea on airfare and I was pleasantly surprised that their fare was lower than I have been able to find. Of course we have two one ways! Going into Lax and out of Vancouver from Richmond VA ended up at $706 per person including transfers. We can not leave for the cruise unil debarcation day due to DH's work schedule so felt we better book with DCL so we have the guarantee to the ship.
Almost done with our Baltic scrapebook and suffering a sever case of bronchitus but actually beginning to get excited about next year!
Sue

 

[SanDeeKath]

Does anyone know if the kayaking excursions are too strenuous for a 6 year old. I see that the minimum age is 6 but I wonder if my 6yo girl will be even able to lift a paddle, let alone use it to kayak.

Thanks! Katherine

 

[SoCalDCLfan]

Does anyone know if the kayaking excursions are too strenuous for a 6 year old. I see that the minimum age is 6 but I wonder if my 6yo girl will be even able to lift a paddle, let alone use it to kayak.

Thanks! Katherine

I was looking at the Southeast Sea Kayaks link under Ketchikan Sea Kayaks on the first post. They say they have 3 person kayaks where the younger ones can sit in the center seat. I don't think your daughter would need to paddle if she's in the center seat with 2 adults paddling in the other seats. I copied this from their FAQ page:

Can we bring the kids ? People of all ages enjoy our trips! Children must be aged six or over and parents should be aware that they will do the bulk of the paddling with kids under the age of ten. We have triple kayaks for families and generally children aged six or seven will be able to ride in the center of a triple.

Hope that helps

 

[LKFan]

We did the kayaking trip last year (when we cruised with NCL) with my daughter who was 10 and my son who had just turned 7. We had one solo rider with our family so they put the solo rider, my husband and son in one kayak. My son used the paddle for 10-15 minutes then gave up so the two adults did the work. It wasn't difficult as my husband is an experienced kayaker. Me, on the other hand, I have very little upper body strength. I was with my 10 year old daughter who paddled but really didn't have a lot of strength. We had a hard time steering, turning around, stopping, etc. My husband and son loved the excursion whereas my daughter and I were miserable. We should have probably put me with the solo rider and our non paddling son and my husband with my daughter.

 

[trekkie518]

For anybody interested I contacted DCL about whether Cruiselineformal would be servicing the Wonder for the Alaskan Cruises, below is the reply.

8/17/10

Dear Angie,

Thank you for your patience while we researched your request.

Please be assured, tuxedo rentals will be available through Cruiseline
Formalwear for the 7-Night Alaska Cruises. However, since the cruise is
not until May, 2011, it is still a bit early to arrange for the rental.
Please check back at the website for Cruiseline Formalwear closer to
time to sail.

I hope this information has been helpful. Should you require further
assistance in planning your visit, please contact your travel agent.

We look forward to sailing with you again!

Have a Magical Day!

Wilma
Reservations Department
Disney Cruise Line

Makes things much easier for DH and I, as we will be driving to Vancouver from MI and the less we have to transport the better.

 

[Pocahantas]

Has anyone already bought airfare for their cruise?? We are sailing on June 28 so I have been watching the prices on flights into Vancouver and they are not as bad as I was expecting. Not sure if I should wait longer or book now?? We normally fly Southwest but will be doing Continental this trip and I am so not used to having schedules out and bookable more than 6 months in advance.

 

[MJGirl]

My daughter and I are doing the Back to back Repo/Alaskan, so i have to fly to Los Angeles first then fly home from Vancouver. Being Canadian, it is so much cheaper to fly from Buffalo, so I am going to fly from Buffalo to LA, then take the bus/train from Vancouver to Seattle, spend a couple of days, then fly to Buffalo. I'll be using Southwest, so I have some time to wait. Buffalo is a two hour drive for me. The money I will save will be so worth it, and I get to see Seattle as well To save money, I'm going to ship home a lot of my souvenirs from Vancouver via Canada Post. I'm going to bring the shipping supplies with me. I emailed the port and they tell me there is a post office near the ship.