etoilefj

Dear all,

 

I've looked through 7 pages of search results for Skagway + heights, and I've seen descriptions that the highway (which is the bike part of the ride down) is most scary due to traffic, but also that there are some drop-offs. A link for highway photos from almost 10 years ago doesn't work.

 

In any case, are there skinny and long bridges? Specific big drop-offs? What would someone with heights fears fear?

 

Would love some more precise insights. May call the X fairy, and I don't mean Celebrity - but would prefer not.

I'm pretty sure you're riding southbound with the traffic so you'd be along the mountain side rather than the drop off side. Friends of ours did it years ago (we took the bus) and didn't really enjoy it simply because they couldn't bike at their own pace.

My theory is that kids will always swim if they can and bathing suits don't take much space so you might as well bring them. We're going at the end of May and my kid is planning to swim daily. Of course I'm lucky enough to have a swimmer big enough that I can supervise from the hot tub so you may have to take my bias into consideration ;)

Wonderful information about Victora! Thank you!

At the end of May, we'll be staying two nights pre-cruise before taking the ferry to Seattle.....would you recommend the Grand Pacific or The Empress??

I've stayed at the grand and it was nice, always wanted to stay at the Empress for the sake of history although I believe the rooms are fairly small. Both hotels are under renovation right now so take that into consideration. There is a hotel called the Oswego that's a couple blocks away from the Grand, not quite on Belleville. They have suites and it's quite modern in case you don't mind a little extra walking and might be a bit cheaper, although maybe not.

Hi all. First time poster here.

 

We are planning a trip to Alaska with our 2 kids, 6 & 3. We have concerns about the stress of traveling with young kids and how they will find the activities on the boat and in the kids camp. Does anyone have experience, both positive or negative, about traveling with young kids and how they adapted to the time change? We just don't want miserable kids who ruin the trip and experience for us. Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated.

Hi

We've done an Alaska cruise with our daughter who was five at the time and who will be seven this year going to Alaska again. Our last cruise was with Princess so no specific Celebrity/Millennium details.

She LOVED the kids club. She went as soon as she could in the morning, ate get lunch really fast and wanted to go straight back even though it wasn't time. They opened 9-12, then 1-4 , then a bit in the evening, which we didn't do as much. Celebrity offers more time in the evening but the gaps are longer during the day breaks. They had tons of activities, crafts, games, movies etc. Our cruise then went into Glacier Bay and they had a ranger come aboard just for the kids.

You could pay a bit extra for later time and could arrange for them to stay in the ports. We only did that in the afternoon in Ketchikan because it was quite rainy and we weren't doing anything special. The ports overall are neat to see. Skagway had a Jr ranger program that was great.

I can't speak to time difference as we're only an hour different from Alaska. I think your kids will have fun. Bring bathing suits in your carry on just in case and be prepared, kids will swim in any weather (lol).

We went on the Crown Princess in 2014 at the end of June/beginning of July and had great weather. My (then) 5 year old loved the pools and like most kids doesn't really care if it's too cold for adults to swim (I watched from the sidelines a few times). This year we're sailing on Celebrity and she's already told us she wants to swim everyday...we'll be going in May :o so I will watch from the hot tub!

Ok.. which would be best..to go into Glacier Bay? It would be mentioned as what on the cruise site.. Glacier Bay , or Inside Passage? Sorry I may be missing something.. I am so confused! :confused:

I see budget queen gave better location details (I glanced at a map a couple months ago and that was a much as my brain processed at the time)

Glacier Bay was pretty phenomenal. Princess got the ship in very close to the Hubbard Glacier and into the Margerie Glacier. They had naturalists from the parks service on board giving presentations. We saw seals and sea lions.

Check the itineraries you were interested in; if Glacier Bay is included it should be listed as a port but with (scenic cruising) next to it. Took a quick look at Princess and they have both the "Voyage of the Glaciers" and an "Inside Passage with Glacier Bay"

When you all say Glacier Bay .. do you mean inside passage ..or is that different?

It's a separate stop on some itineraries. We did Princess' voyage of the glaciers southbound and it spent a day going into Glacier Bay. Our upcoming cruise with Celebrity has a stop at Icy Point Straight, which is at the entrance to Glacier Bay, but doesn't actually go in. On our round trip cruise we just had a day in Tracey arm fjord.

We are staying overnight in Victoria in June during our pre cruise trip. What street is Haultain's in please?

It's on Haultain, off Cook St between Bay St and Hillside ave. Easiest to access heading north on Cook - take a right on Haultain, drive another maybe 100m (past a few houses) and it's on the right in a small building next to Askim's Beer & Wine (U-brew). Might have to go there soon ;)

The local place for coffee and tea is Murchies on Government Street. It's a bit of a landmark in BC. I have paid many visits to their shops in Vancouver and Victoria. Next door to Murchies is Munro's Books, a traditional old-fashioned bookstore. Munro's is great for browsing and gifts.

 

A choice for a day trip would be to rent a car and drive west from Victoria to Sooke, then north on the outside (west coast) of Vancouver Island to a provincial park. This area is spectacular in its beauty. Consider stopping at a deli for a picnic lunch.

(Just adding to the already interesting list!)

Mmmm...Murchie's...best scones and creme brulee.

The gardens are really beautiful and the scope I'd kind of amazing compared to Epcot. The real crux of the issue is that everyone leaves at pretty much the same time from the furthest part of the garden itself, though the garden then from a large parking lot out a narrow one lane road onto another one lane road until you get onto the bigger part of Keating to the highway. And it is a few hundred people at least.

Echoing the other posters - don't take cabs, just do the ship's tour; it's too far out of town for the risk of missing the ship leaving. I haven't been to see the fireworks in years but I'm actually surprised they even start at 8:45 - it's not really dark enough then...just checked the website and may have missed your visit date - Sept 3 is the only date where the fireworks are listed that early so it makes sense then.

For the basic cruise; we've done Alaska twice, once round trip from Vancouver and once Southbound from Whittier to Vancouver. In May we'll be doing Northbound Vancouver to Seward. The flights are relatively cheap for us (flight are why we don't get to the Caribbean as often as we would like).

I think the one way itineraries are better than round trip as you spend more time in each place. Our southbound was with Princess and it spent an entire day in Glacier Bay National Park, which was amazing and far more scenic than just the Tracy Arm Fjord we had seen previously (don't get me wrong, still beautiful). This time going north we stop at Icy Point, not quite going up into Glacier Bay so that will be interesting in comparison.

Good luck :)

So...I assume the pubs, etc., take American money?

 

Speaking of which, I can never get exchange rates correct. Does using American money go further in Canada...or vice versa?

Most places will take American cash (your change will be in Canadian dollars though). The exchange rate is currently very much in your favor. Businesses do set their own, generally about the same, at the moment around 30% (so your $1US dollar is $1.30 Canadian).

To get the best and most current exchange rate you're better off using a credit card, provided your card doesn't do an exchange surcharge.

There are a few currency exchanges, one in the Bay Centre mall, just up on Government Street.

Our stop is short also. I think we arrive at 7:30 pm and leave at midnight. I'm thinking we will just do the walk from the cruise port along fisherman's wharf to downtown. We'll want to eat somewhere, preferably with a view and not outrageously expensive. Any suggestions ? :)

Milestone's is right on the inner harbour, right across from the Empress Hotel; it's a chain, good food, $25 entree range. Fisherman's wharf has a few fast food spots and is the most scenic since you're right on the pier. Barb's Place has the best fish and chips. Other view restaurants; the Blue Crab in the Coast Harbourside hotel is pricier but great view. The best view is Vista 18, at the top of the Chateau Victoria hotel. Think the entrees are in the $30+ range, maybe check out their menu online first. The restaurant has views around at almost 360° on the top floor. It's very neat and the food is great.

For other good food, neat ambiance but not scenery, Il Terrazzo is very good.

Having lived an hour south of Nanaimo, I would say Seattle but putterdude gives you some great advice/guidelines. If you do go to Nanaimo there are a few things to do but if you're up for a hike (not too strenuous) then look at taking the Harbour Ferry from Maffeo-Sutton Park over to Newcastle Island, which is a Provincial Park. There is a neat old pavilion, historical information about the mining there, plus you can walk around the island in about 2 hours.

Now you are speaking my language.

 

Any chance of finding any gruit, like Fraoch Heather Ale out of Scotland? Or Perry? (I've heard that there are places for hard cider, but 99% of the time that is apple based...)

 

Nope, I don't drink any pedestrian "beers." Life is too short. I'll only choose unfiltered out of the "normal" range of choices.

Salt Spring Island Ales makes a very nice Gruit. It is listed as one of their seasonals and is sold in 750mL bottles. Swan's, should you go there, does have a bottle shop and may carry some. The Strathcona Hotel has a great liquor store and I know they carry the Salt Spring Beers, whether the Gruit will be in stock I can't say.

For Perry - I think some of the locals have dabbled - we have Sea Cider which is brewing on the peninsula, again bottle shops will have theirs. Just checked the website, they did a limited release Perry.

To sample some local craft beers, Swans and Spinnakers are good although I don't love their beers but you can take a kid into both. The Drake is a craft focused place, on the Pandora Ave side of Market Square, faces Swan's. They have craft pop (soda) for kids, who are welcome. Food is small plates so don't go super hungry.

Also pushing votes on the Royal BC Museum - it's fantastic and my kid (6) loves it. The Aviation Museum is really too far out. Beacon Hill Park isn't much past the museum and has a Children's Farm (mostly baby goats) with a $2 donation request (rest of the park is free) and there are two playgrounds (one is right in the park, the other is a bit trickier to find/farther along Cook Street but is better suited for a 8.5 y.o.)

You're welcome :) if you have any other/specific feel free to shoot me a message (I'm a local).

Hello. We are cruising in early June and will be arriving in Victoria on the return part around 6PM. The cruise line doesn't offer many excursions. One is a 2 hour stroll that we were sort of interested in because of the good reviews it recd. Apparently a tour guide named IAN gets very high marks.

Another is an evening in Butchart Gardens.

 

Can anyone offer suggestions as what to do in Victoria? I'd like to hear your thoughts and opinions. Thanks!

What types of things do you enjoy? Active? Not very active? Food? Drink? Shopping? I can try and think of a few other suggestions. So far...

It's a pretty nice stroll on your own from the cruise ship terminal into the inner harbour/downtown area. There's a walkway that runs all along the water after Fisherman's Wharf which allows you to watch the seaplanes come and go, plus it's the prettiest.

Once in the harbour area, the Royal BC Museum may start the late hours in June, I'm not totally sure when those begin but I love that museum so always recommend it.

Someone else mentioned breweries/brewpubs - we have lots! Swans is a pretty location and one of the originals, Spinnakers is a little further a field but the original micro brewery in Victoria. My personal favourite is Moon Under Water, which is less scenic and would need a cab ride to reach but their beers are better. The Churchill & Garricks Head are on Government Street have great tap selection (55+ each), some local, some not as does The Drake (on Pandora, across the road from Swans actually).

If they're running, the Ghostly Walks are really cool - get your history lesson and ghost stories all in one. They meet at the Tourist info at the North end of the inner harbour and are a walking tour around downtown.

Beacon Hill Park is pretty easy to access and it's a beautiful park too.

Has anyone used the Seward Alaska bus http://www.sewardalaskabus.com/ to go from Seward to Anchorage (booked independently)? I'm wondering about using them rather than booking through our TA as there's a $50+pp difference between their price and the one the TA quoted.

Budget for three doesn't allow for the train ride.

Thanks

I honestly don't know when it started, thought it had been a couple years now, definitely saw them in September. Never used it as I'm a local not a cruise ship passenger.

On mobile so can't link properly but see victoriacruise.ca/page/shuttle. That said this one isn't free.

Maybe I'm wrong about the free part then. I thought that's what I'd heard but I can't find anything to back it up at the moment. Sorry.

Awesome, this is our plan too, car's already booked and we're planning to hit Alaskan Brewing too. I'm going to make a note of your pizza place though!

Victoria shops downtown stay open quite a bit later when there's a cruise stop in port in the summer so you should be good. Some shops will be closed but the more touristy ones won't. Lots of Starbucks but no Hard Rock Cafe. Closest Starbucks is at the corner of Government and Yates streets (Government is the main downtown street)

Depending on how much of a walker you are, it's totally possible to walk but even if you walk quickly you're looking at about half an hour minimum. It's about 2 km (a mile). You can cut through the streets a bit rather than following the David Foster Walkway (which if you have time, is gorgeous).

That all said, they run a free cruise ship shuttle bus from Ogden Point (where the ships dock) into downtown so that option might be better.

Thanks for the info. I don't really plan to not take the kid into port, just like to know my options.

Hi. We'll be taking our first Celebrity cruise to Alaska in May. I'm wondering if any other parents can give me some tips for the Fun Factory, both in general and if you can register kids to stay all day during a port day? Thanks.