Traveller20074

I suppose you're right. I was just thinking that from the dock to the ship, which isn't very far, what could happen? It's not going under an airplane, but it still might get damaged.

thanks for the feedback everyone!

I would take a balcony in May over an inside at any time.

 

Alaska is where I definitely want a balcony because there is almost always something interesting to be seen right outside your cabin from the moment you open your eyes each morning.

 

It is not like a Caribbean cruise where most of the time while cruising around between ports all you see is water.

 

The balcony and the excursions are not mutually exclusive.

Both are important to us.

If we need to economize, we economize somewhere else, like keeping the old car longer and using the money we would have spent on a new car to pay for more cruises.

 

But everyone has different priorities at different stages of their lives when it comes to how you choose to spend your money.

 

LOL! That is exactly what we said before our first trip to Alaska.

We just keep on going back, again and again. :)

this, this a 1,000 times this lol (and, I'm about to take the same Alaska itinerary again. The 4th time. :o On the Pearl. I think I love that ship. I could be in a rut though lol

I'll have a passport, but the rest of our crew will be marching on the ship with certified, original birth certificates with the stamp on them. the adults will have a driver's license as well.

IF something happens in Victoria....we'll deal with it then. The rest of the ports, we can simply fly home as we are US citizens flying in the US (Alaska closed loop cruise sailing from Seattle)

Do you "check" it in your bags before you board the ship? I have been dragging a small suitcase with it to lunch, and looking around before you can get into the cabin. Sure would be nice not to have to lug that thing around lol

...oops lol

Most ships will provide them before you arrive, in balcony categories and above. However, no matter what category you are in, simply asking your room steward will get you a bathrobe. If they claim it can't be done, they are simply being lazy. A brief phone call to the executive housekeeper will get you a robe faster than you can dye the gray out of your hair.

cool.

that made sense, as I die my hair lol

I had always "poo-pood" seasickness. till I got it on my 1st cruise. The Bahamas Celebration ship. It's a smaller one, and it was rockin' They put bags along the sides lol So, my 1st night sleeping. I wake up at 4 am with the most horrible feeling. "is THIS seasickness?" whoa. Nothing like I'd ever felt. Took a bonine and was great from then on. If I'm NOT seasick, the bonine puts me out though.

just read this....might do my best to remember it lol

Try to take your mind off how bad you feel and focus on something else. Remember, the first step to controlling seasickness is to realize what is wrong with you and deal with that, not concentrate on how sick you are.

Transderm patch that you wear behind your ear. Onceyou start noticing, you'll see lotsof people onboard with them.

do they make you drowsy? I can't even take Non-Drowsy Bonine or Drammamine. I took a non-drowsy drammamine once, and slept all afternoon lol

thinking of asking my doctor this next appointment to see if I can try the patch at home to see what it does to me.

DH and I have never been to Alaska and are wanting to go next year... It's on the bucket list and this will probably be our only trip to AK. We love cruising and Alaska is perfect for it so, why not... but AK cruises are VERY high compared to our cheap Caribbean cruises. I'm not sure if we can afford to go at the best time (July) and get a balcony. So, my question is this... what would be better, getting a balcony room in May or getting an inside room in July?If we have to suffer with an inside room (though who is really suffering on a cruise), how crowded do the top decks get? Will we be able to sit down with a view?

 

Primarily we are nature people - would love to see glaciers and wildlife (whales & bears of course). Our favorite Caribbean places have all been where we hiked to waterfalls and got off the beaten path.

if you do an inside, and have to be on the decks say during Glacier Bay, it is fairly crowded. I went back to my balcony and watched the Margerie Glacier calve...and, I could hear it hit the water. From the decks, where everyone is talking and trying to get pictures, I couldn't hear a thing lol

I've had a balcony in May in Alaska. It was fine. As far as I can tell, May is a very dry month.

we had sun on the 3 cruises I've been on....Skagway was a bit rainy the last time we were there, but it didn't last long...

found this about July in Juneau..

Clouds

The median cloud cover is 100% (overcast) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month.

Precipitation

The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 67%, with little variation over the course of the month.

this is May

Clouds

The median cloud cover is 99% (overcast) and does not vary substantially over the course of the month.

Precipitation

The average probability that some form of precipitation will be observed in a given day is 65%, with little variation over the course of the month.

We have long advocated (and even posted) as simple philosophy. One should view a valid Passport as something similar to $10,000 in cash. So when you carry that document you should treat it the same way you would treat carrying $10,000 cash. We are not aware of anyone who routinely carries that much cash as most people would say that is just crazy. Well, there you go :)

 

Hank

and, that's a good reason to keep my passport on.my.person. on my cruise :)

I never leave my passport anywhere except in my small purse. I never have gone anywhere without it. my husband puts in in our safe. he doesn't carry a purse, so that makes sense to me. I can see putting it in the safe in the cabin for him. Me? It will be in my very small purse.

:(

I wonder if I request one....

sigh probably not :(

if you're in an inside cabin, wondering if they have these. I've never noticed before. it's not like I'm a newbie at this, not sure why I can't remember :o

not sure I want to take up so much room in my suitcase

There are plenty of decent hotels, and a couple of very nice ones, close to the airport. You're not going to have gang bangers or hookers bothering you in the Hilton, and really, unless you're out hitchhiking at 3 in the morning, the airport area is not especially sinister. If you stay at the W, it's fine; a bit caught up in '80s boogie nights decor, but totally acceptable. Its location is excellent.

^^^this^^^

We thought about that but a coworker that is from Seattle says that's a huge no-go. She says that it's not the nicest area so if need be, we'll suck it up and pay more to not feel unsafe or unclean.

I stayed at the Sleep Inn south of Sea-Tac a ways, and it was fine. I am from that area, and generally, the hotels are ok, especially near the airport.

have sailed this route a few times. :o

the 1st 3 times, the ship motion was a little bumpy, no side to side motion at all.

The last time? as we headed out past the tip of Washington, where it enters open seas just a bit, we were going side to side a bit, and we both got a little wooooozy. My husband laid down (NOT supposed to do that) but I went out and walked around which made me feel better. The inside passage was pretty smooth.

one time before I sailed, I took a non-drowsy Bonine.

I spent the afternoon snoozing on a bench. never.again. lol

I am looking into the scop patch, but I think even THAT might make me drowsy, don't know....

thank you :)

IM NOT ALONE!!!!!!! I've dreamt of going on a cruise since I swooned over Gopher on the Love Boat!!! Then life got in the way and it was something I would do when I retired, then Co workers talked about their cruises and Victoria BC became a cruise ship port and the first time I saw one I was at a wedding nearby when I saw this "new building" in the distance at night. After I realized it was a ship I was constantly going to see the ships. In 2011, the deal of a lifetime came along and I've been obsessed even more! I'm going on my 3rd this August but am counting the days til the Zaandam kicks off the Alaska season next month. Then the Pearl comes in- my 2 ships I call them. Now see what you started!!!!!! Drives my non cruising hubby nuts!

 

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I'll wave to you from the dock!!

back to looking up excursions now lol

I just booked our 30th anniversary cruise for a September Panama Canal cruise. Our first 14 day cruise so that's exciting. I'm a little worried about the 8 sea days, though.

 

Kim

I would love 8 sea days. they are my favorite...relaxing at the spa. No running off the ship and running back on. I need to book a longer cruise some day, definitely.

have fun with that LOL

I can't get away from my computer.

the NCL website.

googling whale excursions.

looking at the Pearl webcam.

it's FUN! but addicting, so addicting.

I think this is more fun actually than the cruise itself lol

is there a program for children under 3? I looked at the website, but they don't say if it's on every ship.

Will we see anything compared to the port side in Glacier Bay?

IIRC, he turned the ship around so each side could see Margerie Glacier if they were on the balcony....I just don't remember how long he was on the starboard side. Also, going through the inside passage, I suppose each side gets to see different things.

wow, you're lucky. We were on the Pearl and just were in the bridge viewing room.

is there an age limit?