To Alaska and beyond

[mwmom]

Love your TR! We will be sailing in 3 weeks, so I am loving the information. I laughed at your comment about your dress in Skagway as I was just thinking how cute your outfit was with the thermal shirt and North Face vest when I read your comment! I will remember to dress warmly.

If you get a chance to check the onboard store for a blanket, can you take a picture of one or describe it? I really want to have my own blanket onboard and will buy one if they have one for sale. I love bringing them home and remembering my trips every time I use it. I bought a Mickey blanket and a castle blanket at WDW when we were there 2 years in a row. I just don't know if they sell them or not.

Keep the information coming! We appreciate it!!

 

[HiddenMickeynKat]

I soooo need to book an Alaskan Cruise.
I think I will need to do that when we are on the Fantasy in November.

 

[DesertGal]

I'm so excited about the whale you saw. That is exactly the kind of thing I'm hoping we see a lot of. I'm wishing we had a verandah but at least we have a window. That is such a one of a kind experience. I'm sorry your husband missed it.

Thanks for the great report. We are packed and headed to the airport tomorrow morning to fly to Seattle. Can't wait to get to Vancouver on Sunday so it seems more real.

 

[allbets]

Thank you for the trip report! Can you tell us if Elsa and Anna have appeared yet? We go in July and hope they're on the ship

 

[DesertGal]

I'm so excited about the whale you saw. That is exactly the kind of thing I'm hoping we see a lot of. I'm wishing we had a verandah but at least we have a window. That is such a one of a kind experience. I'm sorry your husband missed it.

Thanks for the great report. We are packed and headed to the airport tomorrow morning to fly to Seattle. Can't wait to get to Vancouver on Sunday so it seems more real.

 

[Goin2CtheMouse]

I LOVE IT... Hoping to see the whales I met in Maui this winter - made a date to meet up with them the 1st week of June... Mommas and calves... breeching, flukes, flaps, blows... the whole nine yards... awesomeness...

Love your reports - thank you so much for taking time out of your vacation to keep us all informed - great reports... Thanks again !!!

 

[misseulalie]

Thanks for the report! We sail on the 16th and can't wait!

 

[missyp]

Hello all. Well this is going to be another post with just words and no photos. They are all in my photo bucket or on my laptop, but the internet here is SO slow it takes from 45seconds to 2 minutes to open a webpage. Photobucket won't even open for me. Which brings me to this point. If you're looking for wifi in Skagway the only free place is the library. And if you go to the library make sure you sit in the community room beside the stairs. I made the mistake of not seeing the sign and sitting at a table and the librarian pointed this out to me speaking loudly and slowly like I was from another country. I was like um American. And I asked her if I could buy wifi somewhere like at a coffee shop where I could pay for coffee and get wifi or pay for coffee and wifi. She looked at me like I had two heads and said no they had nothing of the sort here. Strange. I'll add pictures to everything tomorrow in Juneau cause surely Juneau has to have decent internet I'd hope... To answer a few questions. The castaway gift is the over the shoulder sling bag. I'll add a picture tomorrow. I was very glad it wasn't the tote. Dan likes this bag better. My kids are still in club/lab. D is 10 and C is 9. I'm going to take D sometime down to Edge to check it out and see what he thinks cause next time we're on the Wonder he'll be 11. They have been a little more bored with the Lab/Club this time since there are less kids on board. But they still enjoy it.

Are there more teens and tweens onboard than younger kids?

 

[The4Woods]

If you get a chance to check the onboard store for a blanket, can you take a picture of one or describe it? I really want to have my own blanket onboard and will buy one if they have one for sale. I love bringing them home and remembering my trips every time I use it. I bought a Mickey blanket and a castle blanket at WDW when we were there 2 years in a row. I just don't know if they sell them or not.

They do!! And they are adorable! I have way too many blankets at home so I decided not to get one, but I think they are totally worth it. We're in port right now so the store is closed otherwise I'd run down and take a picture right now. But I'll do it tonight when we are underway and I'll post it when I get internet again. I believe the design is the 2014 Alaska totem pole design. It's on a white background. The blanket looks super warm and fuzzy. Since you collect blankets I'd say this is a perfect addition to your collection.

If you aren't interested in buying or bringing your own blankets, the ship does provide them as someone else mentioned. Since this is an Alaska cruise the blankets are much more present. They have stacks of them on the cupboards and every lounger in the Quiet Cove area has a blanket on it. I snagged 3 or 4 and brought them down to the room to use on our balcony. Don't forget you also have the throw on the bed. This was much heavier and warmer than the deck blankets. I used a combo of all of them!

Are there more teens and tweens onboard than younger kids?

The simple answer is yes probably so. It wasn't overwhelmingly so, but it did seem like there were less younger kids. Really though, there are just a lot fewer kids in general. But you have to remember this cruise and probably the next one or two will be before school is out typically. So as the summer progresses I'd say the amount of kids will pick up. C seems to know a lot of the kids her age. She's constantly saying hi to kids in the gift shop, hall and MDR's. She's our social butterfly.

Thank you for the trip report! Can you tell us if Elsa and Anna have appeared yet? We go in July and hope they're on the ship

Sadly I wish I had a better answer. . . I don't. No sign of them yet. C is pretty disappointed. She really wanted to meet Elsa.

Keep the questions coming I really don't mind.

 

[The4Woods]

It felt like 6 would never come! I was so excited for the Pixar Party. I had made D a Russell costume. I was going to make him a sash covered in Wilderness Explorer pins, but the print out of the pins I was going to cut out and laminate ended up staying in Vancouver. Oops. Regardless, D and C looked ADORABLE! But they are my kids and I am biased. The kids were told to be in the room at 6pm. And they were. D and I had a couple errands to run before getting C and D all dolled up for the party and pictures. First thing to the future cruises desk! Yay! We booked the Jan 31, 2015 SUPERBOWL cruise. Disclaimer: Superbowl cruise is the name I gave it, not Disney. Disney isn’t to my knowledge doing anything different or extraordinary for this superbowl. To my knowledge there won’t be any NFL players on this cruise. End of disclaimer I am the biggest Seahawks fan and I can’t wait to see them take the superbowl two years in a row. Woot woot! Whew where was I? I totally got off track. So after future cruises we went to guest services to get a print out of our charges. We had to see how much we were in the hole so we could spend more MONEY! Turned out not being too bad! The $325 in room credits we had did help out.

Now for the fun stuff. We went back to the room. I curled C’s hair. Got D all dressed up and then we went to wait in what we thought would be the longest line EVER sine the Pixar characters were only making one appearance tonight. Wrong. We got to the atrium port side like the navigator said and it was deserted. Hum well nothing like starting the line half hour early. Ever since the movie up came out I’ve always thought D looked just like Russell. I mean just. Well D was first to meet him and Russell though he looked just like him too! My dream of having their picture together was fulfilled and perfect!

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We had time to kill so we went over to the Remy and Emile line. By the time we were done with that there wasn’t enough time to go back to the room but too much time to go to dinner. We stopped by Shutters to look at the pictures we had in there so far. Some cute, some just ok. We might buy one or two. Then we just sat in the window seats by Animators. Soon enough they opened the doors for dinner.

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This menu was a little strange. Dan got French fries on a kids plate for his appetizer. Picky. I got the flatbread. Amazing. And something else. And pasta. . . Jack made me try the lobster which was SUPERB! I was trying to save room though. See what I had my eye on was um every dessert on the menu. Which I ordered. Throw the diet out the window!! Everything was so yummy! The cheesecake and the sundae were my favorites. After dinner, we had just enough time to jet back to the room, check out our towel er I mean blanket animal and then head to the Pixar party!!!!

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This was the perfect end to the perfect day! We got down to the atrium and staked our claim in the front. We wiggled and danced to the music. Then at 10:15, larger than life we met the Incredibles, Remy and Emile, Jessie and Woody, Russell and Dug, Flik, and MIKE AND SULLEY! I’m 30 and I was pretty excited. I can only imagine how excited D and C were! We danced and waved, confetti, and beach balls. The kids thought it was amazing and I can’t lie, I did too!

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[EarsMcKee]

Love your trip report! Thanks so much for taking the time to share all this great information. Can you tell me more about the Disney Friends Tea Party -- is it just "princess" friends or other characters? When is it? Is it something I can sign up for before we go or only when I get on board? What happens at the party? Thanks so much!

 

[She Taz]

Great trip report. Thanks so much for taking the time to post. We leave in 4 weeks. Can't wait.

 

[shanhop]

Love your trip report! Thanks so much for taking the time to share all this great information. Can you tell me more about the Disney Friends Tea Party -- is it just "princess" friends or other characters? When is it? Is it something I can sign up for before we go or only when I get on board? What happens at the party? Thanks so much!

Can't book ahead of time.
Doesn't cost anything, but is a ticketed event (space is limited).
Get tickets at Guest Services as soon as your board.
Ours was Alice and the Mad Hatter last March.
Ours was on Day 2, which was a sea day.
It's in one of the clubs/bars, tables are set with "tea" (apple juice) and cookies.
Characters come in, little show, little talking, manners, people are chosen to go up to the front, pictures, etc. etc.

 

[shanhop]

Any need for bug spray? I'm thinking it might be cool yet.

 

[The4Woods]

Any need for bug spray? I'm thinking it might be cool yet.

We did see quite a few mosquitos at the Mendenhall Glacier, but they didn't "bug" us too much. Haha. Pun intended.

I would imaging if you were doing any type of nature excursions or out in the woods, you may want to consider bringing some spray.

Personally we didn't find any bugs annoying really... But some people may.

One thing to touch on though, the Disney Friends Tea Party last year was amazing. We had Snow White and Belle last year, and quite simply it was indeed amazing.

It is an event that you would need tickets to, so I would suggest as soon as you board the ship, before lunch, stop by Guest Services and ask about the availability of tickets. Boys and girls can both go. I believe the event is held in Studio Sea on Deck 4, and our tea party is tomorrow!

DCL does not promise who will host the Tea Party, or who will arrive, but as soon as we get internet back after the Tea Party I will post all about it.

 

[twindaddy]

Ever since I realized there was no pirate night, where I usually dress up as Smee, I have been sad. Now I will dress up at Russell!!!! Thanks for the great photos!

Now I need to work on my wilderness explorer costume...

 

[HiddenMickeynKat]

Can't book ahead of time.
Doesn't cost anything, but is a ticketed event (space is limited).
Get tickets at Guest Services as soon as your board.
Ours was Alice and the Mad Hatter last March.
Ours was on Day 2, which was a sea day.
It's in one of the clubs/bars, tables are set with "tea" (apple juice) and cookies.
Characters come in, little show, little talking, manners, people are chosen to go up to the front, pictures, etc. etc.

Are the "Disney Friends Tea Party" and the Pixar Party only on the Alaskan voyages?

 

[She Taz]

The Pixar Parties are only on the Alaska itineraries. I believe the Tea Parties are on the Wonder and Magic 7 nights and longer cruises.

 

[dbarker]

Can you let us know who the Cruise Director is.

Thanks for all of the great trip report.

 

[shanhop]

Can you let us know who the Cruise Director is.

Thanks for all of the great trip report.

First set of Navigators indicates it is Jimmy.