Ready for Alaska

[Dinda]

Booked my last excursions today - ready to be Alaska bound!!!! :D:D:D:D:D Been planning for over a year and it is finally all done! (At least all the big items are done.) Guess the worst part left is getting everything in 2 suitcases!:eek:

[ellbon]

i am going for 2 checked and one carry on bag.. i just booked another tour today.

 

 

i leave in 5 months.

[NorbertsNiece]

Oh well done :D

 

The more I read the more I discover I want to do!!

The more I come here the more I change my horizons and perspective!

I so sympathise with the 2 suitcase thing....

[EnglandHolidayGirl]

I've booked all mine too! I kept reading more and more and decided I had to make some decisions or I would just go round in circles!! Now its done and I can just look forward to it.

[NHsnowpup]

This is our first Alaska, on our first cruise, so "wiggle wiggle" we're worse than puppies. Our excursions are all booked, except for a day trip around Vancouver when we get off the ship. Broke down and bought a new backpack, after considering modifying the ancient one to handle the hiking/monopod staff and some extra pouches for necessities. DH doesn't check bags, even though we fly Southwest. So, we too are packing it in--One carryon and one backpack each. Plus we will ship one box to the first place we stay with all the special bathroom stuff (allergies), the hiking staffs, and one empty backpack. I'm talking to myself on our Roll Call--so Hello to you guys!!

[sparky-elpaso]

You're all going to LOVE Alaska. Our first cruise was to Alaska in 2008.

 

For an idea of what you might see:

 

[CALMOM]

You're all going to LOVE Alaska. Our first cruise was to Alaska in 2008.

 

For an idea of what you might see:

 

 

Great Pictures, thank you. I assume you did the Cruise Tour to Denali with all the wildlife pics, especially the bear and moose.

[sparky-elpaso]

Great Pictures, thank you. I assume you did the Cruise Tour to Denali with all the wildlife pics, especially the bear and moose.

 

Thanks. Yes - 5 days. It was worth every extra penny.

[alpal1993]

I wish I was done.Our tours in Anchorage have run into some sort of snafu.Since we will be the first Major Cruise Line Porting in Anchorage there is much planning and confussion happening.All original posted tours by HAL have been removed and some now listed as intransit tours.My tour of Grand Anchorage and Portage Glacier is not listed at all.The info we are receiving from HAL is not cosistent.My HAL rep told me that my booked and paid for tour was still on while others were told the same tour was cancelled.This Tour was originally through Grayline and my source from there says my tour is still ago.

Otherwise we just have Victoria to book Butchart Gardens

[NMLady]

Our tours are all now booked and I've been tweaking the packing list.

Since our cruise is 14 days, we'll need to check at least one bag for both of us plus a carryon, but we might do one checked bag each plus a carry-on backpack each. We can put the jackets in one of the backpacks for me to carry/wear. Meds, change of clothes, etc go in the other pack.

Since we'll be coming from HOT southwest temperature (hot weather starts in May) it's easier to put jackets in a backpack rather than carry them. And my husband will have his CPAP in its own case separately.

[NHsnowpup]

Echoing the thanks for the pics link. I think I will probably be packing more camera gear than clothes. If you don't mind sharing, what camera and lens did you use? Still trying to wrap my head around the scope/distances we'll be handling. Here in NH the views and shots are gorgeous but it's definitely more hemmed in than AK.

Thanks again, Deb

[sparky-elpaso]

Echoing the thanks for the pics link. I think I will probably be packing more camera gear than clothes. If you don't mind sharing, what camera and lens did you use? Still trying to wrap my head around the scope/distances we'll be handling. Here in NH the views and shots are gorgeous but it's definitely more hemmed in than AK.

Thanks again, Deb

 

 

Nothing fancy. I have a Sony DSC-H7 - 8.1 mp with 15x zoom which is about the same as a 460 mm lens. Most of the time it's on AUTO - I don't have the patience nor usually the time to fiddle with settings although I could if I wanted to. I love it and it did a pretty good job of getting me up close and personal with wildlife in Alaska. Some of the pics at Denali I was taking through the window across the aisle on the other side of the bus and they still came out pretty good.

 

I've never been to NH but I bet you have beautiful trees in the fall. That's the one thing I miss here in Texas - DH and I grew up in Michigan. I don't miss the snow though.

[NMLady]

,,,. Broke down and bought a new backpack, after considering modifying the ancient one to handle the hiking/monopod staff and some extra pouches for necessities. DH doesn't check bags, even though we fly Southwest. So, we too are packing it in--One carryon and one backpack each....

 

On most airlines a backpack IS a carryon so I"m not sure I understand your distinction between a carryon and a backpack.

[oldmama]

I took a Princess cruisetour including Denali & Kenai last Sept. The fall colors were magnificent. I took thousands of pictures with a Nikon D40 & a 70-300 VR lens, leaving it on auto & burst, not to miss any shots. Took the Tundra tour into Denali, glacier landing flight out of Healy, river float in Cooper Landing, Sound Eco tour to Esther Passage, White Pass train with Chilkoot, whale watching with Orca Enterprises, & Misty Fiords flight with Island Wings. Alaska is so amazing, so I am returning again in May, excursions already reserved. Do not over think about packing as Alaska is very casual. A pair of black pants with mix & match tops for evening on the ship will be enough. Most evenings I was too tired after a full day on excursions to worry about dressing up too much. Just get out and see as much as you can, but like me & countless others, the once in a lifetime trip will be just the beginning.

[NHsnowpup]

On most airlines a backpack IS a carryon so I"m not sure I understand your distinction between a carryon and a backpack.

They(Southwest) allow a carry on and one personal, ie backpack/purse/computer bag that fits under the seat in front of you. So we each take a rolly 21-22" as our carry on, and a daypack as our personal.

[NHsnowpup]

Nothing fancy. I have a Sony DSC-H7 - 8.1 mp with 15x zoom . . . Some of the pics at Denali I was taking through the window across the aisle on the other side of the bus and they still came out pretty good.

 

I've never been to NH but I bet you have beautiful trees in the fall. That's the one thing I miss here in Texas - DH and I grew up in Michigan. I don't miss the snow though.

 

Thanks Sparky, I had the older 5.1 mp brother to your Sony (which was bequeathed to the son when I got my Nikon D80). Still miss it!! Those little Sony's with the good optical zoom do take quality shots; make you look good!

 

Yes, our trees are gorgeous in the fall, but I like the wide range of greens in the spring, too. Winter shots are more challenging and we LOVE the snow. Moved from Ohio ages ago and haven't regretted it.

Can't wait to get my lens on Alaska!!

[Budget Queen]

Oh boy, I'm at the other end. :) I have nothing booked, but a RV and a couple lodging nights for a 3 week trip, end of May. I have two other trips prior, that I am also still working on. :)

[FurryPetMom]

I am also ready to go. Now if the days would just go by faster!!:D

 

We have all of our excursions booked except nothing in Homer, Kodiak, or Victoria. We have short port time in Homer and Kodiak so we'll probably just wing it.

 

I recently got the Zenray Vista binoculars that everyone gives high recommendations for and they are very nice. I've been practicing at the park with them.

 

This is our first cruise and first time to Alaska so we really can't wait!

[chachi]

It feels so good when everything is all finished with the planning. Enjoy your trip!

[plenox]

It feels so good when everything is all finished with the planning. Enjoy your trip!

 

waiting is fun too.

[NMLady]

Booked my last excursions today - ready to be Alaska bound!!!! :D:D:D:D:D Been planning for over a year and it is finally all done! (At least all the big items are done.) Guess the worst part left is getting everything in 2 suitcases!:eek:

 

 

Final payment was done weeks ago. Excursions are all booked. E-docs are printed out. Packing will start in a couple weeks, 2 checked bags and 2 carryons for the two of us. My lists have been made for weeks and tweaked many times. The guidebooks are all bookmarked, the CC notes are all printed out.

 

I just have to spray the waterproofing on our denim jackets, shoes, and backpack. (We got 3 kinds of spray from Cabelas.com)

 

It's our first trip to Alaska and I'm psyched!!

[alpal1993]

How exciting NMLady soon you will be sailing.We haven't gotten our docs yet I think T/A said they should be arriving around April 26 for us.We are pretty much set on excursions.A few more onboard goodies to be purchased.Waiting for vouchers from Denali Alaska Tours for our hard fought for tour in Anchorage.Still waiting to hear from Bonnie of Fridays Taxi for our Kodiak tour.I still have a shopping list a mile long that I have to purchase.I have to remember to look for the Waterproofing spray.

[NHsnowpup]

We're set, mostly. Of all things, (seven days land and cruise with excursions, flights, etc) I am having the hardest time getting my shuttle from Seward to Whittier nailed down. My choices range from over 6 hours of Seward to Anchorage to Whittier twice over a very pretty stretch that we did just two days before, that cancels our AM Exit Glacier. An expensive, because it's only 2 of us, private taxi/shuttle that meets our timeline. Or an early morning direct bus that will make us cancel Exit Glacier and be in Whittier wicked early with no tour planned to keep us busy. At least we're not forced to hitchhike. Love a challenge! Anybody want to ride with us on July 24th? Our roll call is a very quiet bunch.

 

Any good space saving packing tips??