Skywatcher1206
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2008
- Messages
- 280
Hi All!
Welcome to my first trip report on this board! Going on this trip is me and my DH of 15 years. We are leaving our 2 boys (12 & 9) behind with grandparents, although I do want to take them to Alaska eventually. This is just a special trip to celebrate our anniversary (a few months late as the anniversary was in Feb)
Pic of us on our last solo Disney Cruise in 2018.
We were initially going to go to Alaska on Royal Caribbean in 2020, but of course like so many of you, our hopes got dashed that we would be making it at that time. As it is a special year, due to the milestone anniversary, we decided to go a little bit bigger and decided to book on DCL for this trip. I had read so many of your trip reports for DCL Alaska on this board, and am so excited to experience it myself!
We had initially booked the cruise in June 2021 in an oceanview stateroom on Deck 2 Forward, then upgraded in January 2022 into an oceanview stateroom on Deck 5 forward, and then finally upgraded for a third time in February of 2022 into VGT, as it was basically the same price as the Oceanview stateroom on Deck 5. I'm sure our TA was cursing us out silently over all of these changes. I was pleasantly surprised when we were assigned a plexiglass verandah stateroom on Deck 7 midship. I was hoping to be on the other side of the ship, but not getting to choose your room location was part of the deal, and I think we lucked out. We are currently late dining, but am hoping to change that to early dining when we get on board. We are boarding group 3 (thanks to staying up until midnight a few weeks ago to check in, so hopefully we have a chance).
On to our itinerary...
Friday, May 20th - Last day of work before trip (thank God), and the kiddos get picked up by my FIL that evening.
Saturday, May 21 - Early morning flight from RDU to Seattle. We had decided to fly to Seattle instead of Vancouver when the US was still requiring tests to enter by air, but not by land. We didn't want to chance not being able to get back home. We land in Seattle, and then explore Seattle for a little bit (hoping to store our luggage somewhere, maybe the train station?), and then depart on the Amtrak bus a few hours later. I was really hoping that the train would be running, but it does not appear that it will be yet. We will arrive at our hotel (Pan Pacific Vancouver) and will decide where to eat and what to do (possibly FlyOver Canada as something to do if we are not too tired).
Sunday, May 22 - My initial plan was to do Capilano & Grouse Mtn today, but then decided to only do Capilano and then check out Stanley Park. We have booked an early morning entry time due to tips on this board. We are planning on taking the free shuttle there and back as it picks up right outside our hotel. Not really sure what we will do in Stanley Park yet, but it looks beautiful.
Monday, May 23 - Board the ship!
I will also go straight to the dining desk to try to get early dining as well as make sure that Tiana's is on any night rather than night 2.
Tuesday, May 24 - At Sea. Our only plan is a Palo Dinner. I am hoping that our rotation has us in Triton's this night as it is my least favorite menu, besides the Apple Tartin.
Wednesday, May 25 - Dawes Glacier. Our only plan is the Glacier Explorer. We are booked on the 3PM excursion. I had heard after we booked that the 12 Noon is the better time, but of course, they are all sold out now. I'm sure the 3PM will be wonderful too.
Thursday, May 26 - We have an excursion booked with Chilkoot Charters. I was disappointed when we got an email saying that the train portion was cancelled for 2022, but am still really looking forward to the excursion.
Friday, May 27 - Our plan for this day is a private whale watching tour in the morning, and then hoping to see Mendenhall Glacier after that. Hoping our whale watching excursion will drop us off there, and then we can get a cab back to port.
Saturday, May 28 - We have booked the Lumberjack show direct since we will not be seeing the Lumberjack show at Grouse Mountain. I had a choice of the regular show or the Disney enhanced show. We chose the regular show.
Sunday, May 29 - At sea. Only plan is Palo Brunch. It will be our first time, so I am pretty excited.
Monday, May 30 - Arrive back in Vancouver and we are booked on the Amtrak bus back to Seattle. We will check into our Seattle hotel and explore Seattle some more.
Tuesday, May 31 - Early morning trip back to RDU, and trip is over.
I will try to post a detailed trip report with how everything turned out shortly after we get back.
Thanks for reading.
Welcome to my first trip report on this board! Going on this trip is me and my DH of 15 years. We are leaving our 2 boys (12 & 9) behind with grandparents, although I do want to take them to Alaska eventually. This is just a special trip to celebrate our anniversary (a few months late as the anniversary was in Feb)
Pic of us on our last solo Disney Cruise in 2018.
We were initially going to go to Alaska on Royal Caribbean in 2020, but of course like so many of you, our hopes got dashed that we would be making it at that time. As it is a special year, due to the milestone anniversary, we decided to go a little bit bigger and decided to book on DCL for this trip. I had read so many of your trip reports for DCL Alaska on this board, and am so excited to experience it myself!
We had initially booked the cruise in June 2021 in an oceanview stateroom on Deck 2 Forward, then upgraded in January 2022 into an oceanview stateroom on Deck 5 forward, and then finally upgraded for a third time in February of 2022 into VGT, as it was basically the same price as the Oceanview stateroom on Deck 5. I'm sure our TA was cursing us out silently over all of these changes. I was pleasantly surprised when we were assigned a plexiglass verandah stateroom on Deck 7 midship. I was hoping to be on the other side of the ship, but not getting to choose your room location was part of the deal, and I think we lucked out. We are currently late dining, but am hoping to change that to early dining when we get on board. We are boarding group 3 (thanks to staying up until midnight a few weeks ago to check in, so hopefully we have a chance).
On to our itinerary...
Friday, May 20th - Last day of work before trip (thank God), and the kiddos get picked up by my FIL that evening.
Saturday, May 21 - Early morning flight from RDU to Seattle. We had decided to fly to Seattle instead of Vancouver when the US was still requiring tests to enter by air, but not by land. We didn't want to chance not being able to get back home. We land in Seattle, and then explore Seattle for a little bit (hoping to store our luggage somewhere, maybe the train station?), and then depart on the Amtrak bus a few hours later. I was really hoping that the train would be running, but it does not appear that it will be yet. We will arrive at our hotel (Pan Pacific Vancouver) and will decide where to eat and what to do (possibly FlyOver Canada as something to do if we are not too tired).
Sunday, May 22 - My initial plan was to do Capilano & Grouse Mtn today, but then decided to only do Capilano and then check out Stanley Park. We have booked an early morning entry time due to tips on this board. We are planning on taking the free shuttle there and back as it picks up right outside our hotel. Not really sure what we will do in Stanley Park yet, but it looks beautiful.
Monday, May 23 - Board the ship!
I will also go straight to the dining desk to try to get early dining as well as make sure that Tiana's is on any night rather than night 2.Tuesday, May 24 - At Sea. Our only plan is a Palo Dinner. I am hoping that our rotation has us in Triton's this night as it is my least favorite menu, besides the Apple Tartin.
Wednesday, May 25 - Dawes Glacier. Our only plan is the Glacier Explorer. We are booked on the 3PM excursion. I had heard after we booked that the 12 Noon is the better time, but of course, they are all sold out now. I'm sure the 3PM will be wonderful too.
Thursday, May 26 - We have an excursion booked with Chilkoot Charters. I was disappointed when we got an email saying that the train portion was cancelled for 2022, but am still really looking forward to the excursion.
Friday, May 27 - Our plan for this day is a private whale watching tour in the morning, and then hoping to see Mendenhall Glacier after that. Hoping our whale watching excursion will drop us off there, and then we can get a cab back to port.
Saturday, May 28 - We have booked the Lumberjack show direct since we will not be seeing the Lumberjack show at Grouse Mountain. I had a choice of the regular show or the Disney enhanced show. We chose the regular show.
Sunday, May 29 - At sea. Only plan is Palo Brunch. It will be our first time, so I am pretty excited.
Monday, May 30 - Arrive back in Vancouver and we are booked on the Amtrak bus back to Seattle. We will check into our Seattle hotel and explore Seattle some more.
Tuesday, May 31 - Early morning trip back to RDU, and trip is over.
I will try to post a detailed trip report with how everything turned out shortly after we get back.
Thanks for reading.
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…see u soon! 
️
that come in handy if u stop to go into aquarium 
for a few hours.
…it will be amazing
…then u should definitely go visit “The Butchart Gardens”
