I booked the cruise part only with Costco travel using their 800 number after researching available

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End of July 2012, my wife (DW) and I took our 10 year old granddaughter (DGD) to Alaska. The trip had two phases. The first was a cruise on the Island Princess, 7 days sailing from Vancouver to Whittier, with stops in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. The second phase was land based, cheap hotel las vegas traveling independently by rental car from Whittier up to Denali, then Talkeetna, then over to Matanuska Glacier area on the Glen Hiway, cheap hotel las vegas where our son, (her uncle) works as a guide with Mica Guides, Exposure Alaska. This report will cover the cruise portion, and the other will be done on the Alaska cheap hotel las vegas boards.
When DGD arrived at our house from her home in Las Vegas, we took her to REI for outfitting, as her wardrobe needed upgrading in order to travel in the places we intended to go. We bought her hiking boots and non-cotton pants and shirts in order to deal with hiking in wet conditions, which normally exist in Alaska. She already had warm clothing, and other layers.
I booked the cruise part only with Costco travel using their 800 number after researching available cruises for the short time slot we had available for this trip. There were several good looking cruises, with Princess and others, but this one fit our timing the best. I have used Costco travel before with good experience, though they don t give advice. Your have to know exactly what you want. They did a great job. You pay the same price, but your discount is manifested by the ship-board credit ($450 in our case) that posts to your account on the day after sailing. I booked the air myself, along with all the other lodging and excursion activities. We did not use any of the ship s excursion.
I have never trusted airlines to get me to a midday embarkation on time, so we flew a day early to Vancouver. We arrived early afternoon and grabbed some lunch at the airport. We saw a Princess representative standing cheap hotel las vegas around and got some embarkation information from her. She advised us to not show up at the dock until about 2 in order to miss the crowds. We ignored that.
We took a cab to our hotel in downtown cheap hotel las vegas Vancouver and after check-in, wandered their beautiful waterfront area. Looks like a lot of work has been done here. We watched the float planes come and go for a while, talked with some others we met who would be on the cruise, and found a great little ice cream store.
We checked out of the room at the mandated 11 AM, and got a cab for the short ride to the dock. Could have walked, cheap hotel las vegas but we had a lot of luggage. There was absolutely no crowd, hardly anyone, but they were ready to board us. I had all the docs from pre check in, and the process went very smooth. DGD was delighted with the id card, when I told her this would let you into everything on the ship. We were in our room by noon. She was jumping with glee. We had a veranda, Room B223, starboard side, up near the front of the boat, deck 11.
Checked out kids program, The FunZone, she will be with the Shockwaves, cheap hotel las vegas ages 8 -12. There are two other age groups; 6 to 10, and 13 to 17. Since she is 10, I gave her authority to sign herself in and out (except while in port, when adult has to sign). We got her a neck chain to hold the card; she carried it around her neck constantly.
Our first dinner in main dining room was smart casual. We had the early seating; 5:30. Two other couples. cheap hotel las vegas Luis was our waiter (from Mexico). He was hilarious and DGD loved him from the start. I didn t think she would want to go to the formal dining room often, but it became very important to her to dress up and go to dinner, especially to see Luis and Christina, cheap hotel las vegas his assistant.
After dinner, went to Fun Zone and signed her up for chef s visit ($25) on wait list, later got a call she was on the list, and would go on Monday. We left her there, cheap hotel las vegas and went to the room in case she came back early, perhaps not happy with FunZone. Not to worry. cheap hotel las vegas Turned out she was there constantly, and loved it. She came back about 930pm.
The top sheet of the fold out sofa bed was a bit dirty, so I called for a new one. Didn t get one for about an hour after a couple cheap hotel las vegas of calls. Only time Princess service came into question. In all the rest of the cruise, they were fabulous.
DGD sleeps about 10 hours, waking at about 9. Upset cause Shockwave ( FunZone ) starts at 9. Dressed quickly, and without breakfast, set out for Fun Zone on her own. After breakfast, DW went to a fruit carving exhibition, and I went to lounge area of Wheelhouse Bar to work on computer. Didn t buy wifi, $60 for 100 minutes, plus fee for emails, and $4 activation fee. Users were telling me it was slow, typical of satellite type service; not unexpected.
DW runs into DGD as her group were coming back from Chef s tour. Seems some one didn t show up so DGD got to go today, not next Monday. They had on chef s hats and aprons, which they kept. Later we learn they decorated a cake, which we can have tonight for desert if we remember to ask Luis. Finally got together for buffet lunch at about 1230.
After lunch, decided cheap hotel las vegas she didn t want to go back to fun zone, so we went to 3 Stooges movie. Funny. DW joined us later in the movie, and even she was laughing. DGD is amazed that we don t have to pay for things. Just walk into the buffet, restaurants and movie.
Formal night at dinner tonight. I wear tie, DW and DGD dress in basic black. Had a great dinner, then Luis brought out her cake. It was large, 3 tiered, decorated personally by DGD under the supervision of the pastry chef, with chocolate chips and white chocolate chips, and strawberries. It was beautiful, and we share with the others at the table, and left the rest for Luis.
Returned from dinner about 8, still very light outside, cheap hotel las vegas saw a large number of Orca blowing and slapping cheap hotel las vegas tails off our side of the boat. Boat made a huge circle cheap hotel las vegas to starboard. Most were far away, but a few were surprisingly close. We were all very excited. When one slapped his tail repeatedly, there were lots of oh s and ah s coming from our side of the ship. Lots of us were watching from our balconies.
About 8:30, DGD wants to go back to fun zone for dance which starts at 9. Got her formal stuff back on and off she went on her own. Promised to be back by 10. I m a little nervous, I mean a dance? cheap hotel las vegas What would her parents say? Not to worry. It was a conga line.
While sometimes we have some issues to deal with, she is very excited and loves to be on her own. Seems very comfortable on this ship, and says the bed is the most comfortable she has slept in. Seems traveling with Grandparents isn t so bad. Tonight will set clocks back 1 hour. Tomorrow up early for Ketchikan.
In port 0630 to 1300. Arose early, then up in the buffet, cheap hotel las vegas she was a real little jewel. So pleasant. I have a cough, so stayed on the ship. DGD and DW went to Totem Bight State Park. They took the public bus which stops very near the dock. It was cold and rainy. They headed back to town only after an hour, and walked around cute little Ketchikan. That girl loves shopping, and hit most of the stores. After lunch she headed off to Fun Zone for a game of Liar Liar, whatever that was. She bombed into the room about 4:30, grabbed her bathing suit and was off to see some friends. What fun.
Tonight we decided to eat at Sabbatinni s, the Italian restaurant. Cost an extra $20 pp ($10 for DGD), and the service was slow, and the food about average. Considered it a mistake to eat there, and DGD ended up a little peeved cause she missed Luis and the dining room. After dinner, she went directly to the FunZone.
At breakfast, one of the waiters thanked her for the cake from the other night that he had shared with Luis. (Word gets around.) We left the ship early, and waited for our driver by shopping cheap hotel las vegas in the really nice shops there by the dock. She saw some stuff we said we d get when we returned.
I had booked Alaska Galore for a whale watching trip. They picked us up at the dock, along with the rest of their load for the day, a total of 9 persons. We drove about 20 minutes to Auke Bay, where the whale watchers leave from. Their little boat was very comfortable, with nice inside seats, and good outside viewing room both fore and aft.
Boat ride really good, saw some whales and sealions. Sun shining about mid 50 s, very calm sea. Beautiful day, and scenery was really cheap hotel las vegas good. Got some good pictures of tails and humpbacks cheap hotel las vegas blowing. cheap hotel las vegas Tour company dropped us at Mendenhall for a slight fee. We are glad we stopped here.
On a catwalk into the forest, we saw a mama bear and two cubs climbing a tree about 20 yards from us. Also a porcupine sleeping in a different tree. Below, a river was full of sockeye salmon cheap hotel las vegas swimming upstream. In the Visitor Center, listened to a ranger talk, and tasted from a chunk of ice 400 years old.
We took the shuttle bus back to the center of town, and did some shopping cheap hotel las vegas and got a snack from a street vendor. Then walked back to the dock, and bought those few little things at the large dockside giftshop. A night shirt says Bearly Awake, and a pair of huge slippers the shape of bear feet.
At dinner, found another couple had joined our table the night before. They got on the ship in Ketchikan. Seems their flight connections got all fouled up, and they missed the debarkation. Got a charter flight to Ketchikan, where they spent the night, then boarded when the ship came in. (That s why I don t fly in to port the day of debarkation.) After dinner, off she went to funzone about 7:30 (we had to sign her in, being still in port).
No activities scheduled today, in Skagway, and it is cold, cloudy and raining off and on. Couldn t find any that we thought would hold her, including the train ride up the mountain. Woke after 8. A an I went up to buffet, she came up a little later with boots on and ready for shore. After breakfast she went off