disneygirl10

We are also flying in a day early next month, but get in at 10:30 am. Planning to drop off luggage at hotel near airport and will take the light rail back at the airport into town. We are buying the Seattle City Pass (citypass.com) for $74 pp which gets us access to five attractions - Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass or Pacific Science Center, Argosy Cruises Harbor Tour, Seattle Aquarium, EMP Museum or Woodland Park Zoo.

 

The following morning we are going to do an early access vip tour of Pike Place through (savorseattletours.com) for $52pp. Headed back to the hotel (with a couple boquets of flowers for the trip) to grab our luggage and head to pier 91 -boarding a little later to avoid the lines. Seattle is as big of a deal for my wife as any of the other ports we will visit in Alaska so we want to get as much of it in as we can in a day and a half.

 

 

 

Enjoy your trip!

I am so glad that I read this!! The Pike Place tour sounds great! I just looked it up and there is an early access one that would be perfect for us.

Sticker shock at Seattle hotel prices during cruise season is the name of the game.

 

Look at the Mayflower Park hotel - http://www.mayflowerpark.com/ - which is perfectly located and which will cost considerably less than the Four Seasons or Inn at the Market.

We found the Mayflower Park hotel very charming and definitely boutique-y. Connected to Westlake Center Mall. Rooms are small but decorated with an old-timey "yester-year" feel. And happy hour at Oliver's Lounge is hard to beat for classic cocktails and complimentary appetizers from 4:30 to 6pm.

http://www.mayflowerpark.com/

 

Gardyloo - you type faster than I do! ;)

Thank you both! That hotel looks really nice!

I didn't even realize, or at least think about, that we will be there on 4th of July. Does that make a difference in your recommendations? I won't be renting a car, so need to make sure that it is easy to get around with my 6 year old.

Game plan is- 1 night San Juan Island, float plan arrival, ferry back to Seattle. This was originally going to be post cruise, but after realizing the whole July 4th thing, I think we may be better off doing San Juan Island pre cruise, and Seattle 3 nights after.

Thoughts, please! I have never been to Seattle, or Washington State at all.

I'm looking at Seattle hotels trying to come up with a rough budget for our June Alaska trip. We will be in Seattle for 2-3 nights pre cruise, 1 night after.

Main things I'm looking for in a hotel- convenience (walking) to tourist sites, waterfront/water views, interesting decor a plus, pool- super bonus, but doesn't look like I'll find one.

Also needs to be family friendly, just myself and young son traveling together.

I've been reading reviews on Inn at the Market.

Has anyone stayed here? Any other recommendations?

Although it's not a boutique hotel, I immediately thought of the Four Seasons, it definitely fits my criteria, then had a bit of sticker shock when looked at the price. So, that one's definitely crossed off the list.

Hi there. Looking for recommendations for hotel in Seattle to stay for a day or two before and after a cruise on the Pearl.

 

It will be next summer but I thought I would start checking to see where folks were staying?

 

I'll do some research on Seattle but is there a hotel that is both close to the pier as well as tourist sites?

 

Is there one you particularly liked or didn't like? Convenient or inconvenient?

 

Decent room in a good location is what interests us most.

 

As always, very much appreciate any advice.

Following along! We also leave out of Seattle next summer. 6/25

Has anyone stayed at Inn at the Market? It seems to have some good reviews.

The great thing about a vacation is you can spend your time how it suits you. Some, like a PP, want to completely escape the "real world" while others love enjoy a slice of the real world integrated with their vacation. Disney gets that and has found a way to accommodate each on board.

 

I wanted to point out that this is an international crowd on board the ship, which sometimes means a big futbol matchup will be on instead of your big football matchup. There is not a large venue sports bar that has the capability of showing a lot of different games at once. With college football with a fan base spread across many different teams and competing with international sports, you might want to plan for some early intervention, despite how big the game may be by the time it rolls around. By intervention I mean talking to the bartender early on and doing what you can to gather a group and stake out a claim. Be proactive and you'll have a better chance of being rewarded.

Thank you. And honestly I am looking forward to being off the grid for a week.

I didn't know if there was a place with multiple TVs when I first posted. Worst case scenario- I'll have to buy a wifi package and just get updates online. I love your suggestion of rallying a group! When the time does get announced, and if it is an early game, I'll definitely do that. Hopefully enough on our fb page will be interested. If it's a late game, I'm out of luck either way.

Someone posted a photo of an NFL game, Cincinnati vs Denver on funnel vision. That would be amazing, but I know it won't happen with a regular season NCAA game.

Wow! I've learned a lot from this thread. I didn't know anything happened off the ship when I was cruising��

You either must not be a football fan, or choose to cruise when there isn't a big game. We stayed in our room while at WDW last year to watch an OSU game. Ordered room service, cheered on our team, then watched the Electrical Water Pageant and Wishes from our balcony. It was actually one of the best nights of the trip! :)

What is shown on the TV is up to those in the venue at the time. If you go in and your family is the only one there' date=' you can have any station that the ship can receive. If there is already a game in progress and people are watching it, it won't get changed till the game is over or the people leave.[/quote']

So I just have to hope there are enough OSU or Michigan fans on the ship.lol. I posted this question in our cruise fb group, and it seems there are a few. Either way, unless something drastic happens over the next few weeks, it's going to be one of the biggest games of the season. So now I just need the game to be scheduled early!

I was cruising during the World Series and my METS were playing. I went to the Pub to catch the end of the Sat night game and the Texas football people would not let the bartender change the channel. Its the World Series, so what, we want football.

I went to the outdoor movies at the pool, but later caught the final innings in my stateroom.

Like moki said, you can get overruled in the Pub...if there are multiple sports available in the Pub ...

 

Oh that stinks! Glad you were able to catch the end of it!

Which ship are you on?

 

No matter which, typically there is a venue on board that has a lot of TVs showing various sporting events. However there is no way to know if the game you are interested in will be available. Its very dependent on where the ship is located and the network that the game is carried on.

The Fantasy. Heading to the Western Caribbean.

Network and time is TBD at this point. My son and I are huge Ohio State Fans..I would think that it being so late in the football season, that a lot of people would want to see those games.

The OSU vs Michigan game is on the first night of our cruise. Has anyone watched a game while on the ship? Is there a place where a family can watch together, not just adult only areas?

We are cruising for the first time in March and will stop in Cozumel, Grand Caymans and Jamaica. I'm trying to find the best excursions for us and our 6 year old son (very adventurous). I would love to hear any recommendations!! Thanks.

We are doing this same itinerary on DCL in November. My son is 6 as well.

Here is a list of our excursions-

Cozumel- Dune Buggy Eco Tour

Grand Cayman- Private Charter Stingray City, Starfish Point, Barrier Reef Snorkel

Falmouth Jamaica- Dunn's River Falls and Bobsled Jamaica

You know your child, my kid is very adventurous and I know that he will love all of these. All of the snorkel trips provide life jackets, so even if you do not have a strong swimmer he will be fine. Good luck deciding!

No. They are not soda. The soda package is for soda. Milk and lemonade are available for no charge to everyone on the ship. It has nothing to do with a package of any sort.

Is there anywhere that you can fill a drink and take it with you (outside of just meal times)? Similar to a Disney ship?

The only free bottled water is if you have a casino drink card (not to be confused with the UBP).

I have a casino drink card and the UBP. I am second guessing the UBP and may switch for the dining instead.

The second passenger in my stateroom is 6 years old, so he has the soda package. Can anyone tell me exactly what is included in that? We probably will not go to any buffets, so at specialty restaurants and other dining will he be able to order anything besides soda, i.e. milk?

So at the MDR or Specialty Dining milk and lemonade are included with the soda package or no?

I've done all the different train/bus & rental car options. Best bang for the buck is the rental car, if you do the train do the train/bus combo for the longest tour you can.

 

If you consider these too expensive you will probably rule out flightseeing, but one of my best tours was a flight over Glacier Bay with Paul from Mountain Flying Service. He is based down in Haines but offers Skagway options also. Again longer is better.

Thanks!!!!

Forgive my ignorance, but you are saying to rent a car and also do the train?

I'm not sure that I understand.

I have considered doing a sea plane tour..just wasn't sure if that would be redundant after doing the helicopter in Juneau. I definitely want to do very unique experiences while we're there! It will be myself and a 6 year old, he will have just turned 7 at the time...I've also looked at a few kayaking or raft trips, how are those?

I am trying to get a general idea of budget for this trip. I'm thinking as far as port days go, I should count on around $400 per person per port? It seems like the excursions range from $200pp-$600pp, and then figuring food and tips..there will be souvenirs too, so maybe I'm low balling?

My Skagway recommendation would be bus up that stops for lunch at Caribou Crossing and petting sled dogs followed by a train ride back. Your son will be thrilled.

 

 

 

You will have time for a trip up to Mt Roberts for an amazing view of Juneau and a chance to see Lady Baltimore (injured eagle) from just a few feet away:

 

Thank you so much!! Gorgeous photos!

I'm so happy to hear you liked this. We are going to do this next year. This will be our fifth cruise to Alaska, so if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask :)

I do!!!!

I just booked a R/T Seattle for myself and my son (age 6) sailing next June. What are the best excursions that you recommend in Skagway? He loves trains, so I think a train ride is a must do, but which one, or how long, take motor coach back or not..these are all things that I have no clue about. Actually, I don't have much of a clue about Alaska period.lol

In Juneau we will be doing a helicopter to Mendenhall Glacier and dog sledding there. Will we have time for anything else while in port?

I do not recall ANYONE saying kids could not laugh and play and be loud on the waterslides?? This conversation is about the Haven area and being respectful of one another. A kid laughing and swimming in the pool is great. A kid singing at the top of his lungs with no regard for other people who paid to enjoy the same "small" space is just ridiculous. I am a parent and I would NEVER sit back and let my kid annoy and disrespect everyone around them. It amazes me how some parents think their children have the right to do anything they damn well please?

 

The people who just don't like kids and think they should be silent are ridiculous AS ARE the parents who think their loud, running, throwing, disrespectful kids are adorable. Both are way too extreme.

 

Kids in the Haven are fine, just keep a look out for your kid (just as you should anywhere) and correct them when they are being too loud, running, throwing stuff, dumping orange juice in the hot tub, etc... Parenting is work. It is much easier to be lazy and let them be disrespectful little brats. But our job is to try our best to raise these little ones into caring, respectful adults. It is work for sure.

I guess what I'm wondering is, for the people who say they will not cruise in the Haven because of these stories, Would you go on a cruise period if you heard of a kid pouring his orange juice into the hot tub? Or running around yelling? ....Or maybe realize that sometimes obnoxious kids/obnoxious parents could be anywhere, but it probably isn't the norm?

... I had read somewhere that the Pearl dry dock was supposed to be late '17 so if it's 2/17 it's good news for me! I'm booked on the 3/2-3/10/17 cruise!

 

 

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I will be on the Pearl in June 2017. This is good news!

I don't see anything in 49 CFR 39 mentioning these two situations. I only see the clause that pcakes122 quoted above: "You may release unsold accessible cabins to persons without disabilities for their own use when all other cabins in the same class of service and price for a voyage have been reserved." Depending on the sailing, this can happen long before final payment, or it might never happen.

 

Cabins can still be reserved after final payment. In fact many customers deliberately wait to book during this period in order to benefit from last minute pricing. Disabled people should also have access to this benefit without having their cabins released to all takers at final payment date.

Maybe that's why NCL recommended a HC cabin to me and didn't mention that it was in fact an HC. It was the only cabin left in that specific category. Aft mini suite.

who you get your information from. Some people who slam certain cruiselines have a high loyalty status on a competitor (read perks). I went on two NCL cruises to Alaska and my last was on HAL. I was expecting to be wowed on HAL but it wasn't that way at all. The food was just a tad better but the service in the MDR was horrible, although I think it was our particular team that was the problem. I had a balcony on HAL and an outside cabin on the Pearl. The Westerdam was on par to the Pearl in many respects but the Pearl's clientele was more "lively", in a good way.

 

The Haven is WAY out of our league. We have been in the Haven as a guest and it is a different world but not one that I can afford!

 

The day at Glacier Bay on the Pearl and the HAL Westerdam was almost identical except HAL gives you warm pea soup on deck... The ranger presentation was the same.

 

Don't let people tell you that HAL or Princess does Alaska better because they have been there longer. The only benefit is that are given seniority to be one of the two ships in Glacier Bay. NCL also has some of the precious permits. Hopefully, that silly rule will change when it expires in a few years.

 

So, don't let cheerleaders from other cruiselines worry you. I am thrilled to be on ANY cruiseship and have cruised enough to not let the naysayers influence my decisions.

Thank you so much for your post! I read, almost daily, DCL loyalists saying that "you get what you pay for" and Disney is the "only way to go". I take that with a grain of salt..I think I said earlier in the thread that I chose MSC, In a suite, for several thousand less than the cost of a midship balcony on DCL for UK/Iceland. I've postponed that trip to do Alaska next summer due to this available discount with NCL. I do think we would have been fine on MSC though. Don't get me wrong, im looking forward to our DCL Fantasy Christmas cruise this year, but I've started to get just as excited about this Alaska trip with NCL. I was worried for a moment, but realized that everyone just has different opinions, and I've been reading several trip reports on the NCL board that are extremely encouraging :).

We sail next Sat (Sept 3) on the Gem

 

That is way more than I would pay to go from a minisuite to a penthouse. We waited til the last minute to get it cheap and I went from an oceanview for $300pp

Nice! Yeah, I want the aft balcony, but like I said, I don't know if it's worth that much. I need to just stop questioning my decisions, I've already switched from balcony to mini suite at a rate that I think was too high.

As for your original question, I posted the same one last week. I got some great answers! The thread is named "Penthouse suite with large balcony" if you want to read them.

Have a wonderful cruise!

Alaska is a more expensive cruise. However, for non Alaskan cruises, I have an SF booked, 7 day, for $1400 pp on the Pearl and a 9 day for $1750 pp on the Pearl. That also includes all four promotional packages.

 

For Tiffany, no, the mini bar items are not included. Room service is free and of course you butler will bring you whatever you might ask for.

Wow!!! It's listed online at over $9k on my week!

When do you sail and what ship? I'm curious because I have gone back and forth about this, I'm booked in a midship minisuite now, deck 11, on the Pearl for Alaska 6/25/17 ..(aft are sold out) so debated doing an SF to get an aft balcony, only deck 9 is available that week, 10 is sold out. It's an additional 1900 per person which seems high, and I'm having trouble justifying it. Is that the normal upgrade charge, or does it sound high?

My 2 cents -- Alaska!!

Bermuda is okay -- did it a couple of times.

We have done quite a few Alaskan cruises and loved everyone of them. Did them on HAL, Princess and NCL.

I decided to keep the current reservation, still back and forth about if I will be changing the category.lol,,but I'll deal with that later.

Thanks all for the input!!!

Because that's they way it is. Just the name "Haven" suggests peace. How would sales be if instead of the Haven they called it the Rumpus room?

Children are not allowed in the disco or night clubs after 10 or so on different lines, as well as the gym. The same apply s to topless decks (not too many anymore) as well as several activities. You won't find a child at the Martini tasting.

But I still can't believe the parents who take their kids to the adult comedy show.

As far as getting more from the fare, do kids pay full price?

My kid is charged adult prices nearly everywhere we go- if it is based on double occupancy. I can promise you that a young child,now 6, is not using all of the same amenities, eating as much food, etc as an adult. But, if I want an all inclusive resort or a cruise then that's what we have to do, and I don't complain. We aren't hanging out at bars, and there's plenty of places that my child can not go- spas, adult only pools/sun decks etc.

Either way, even if it's a family of 4, they should be able to vacation as a family..why make one more thing as "adult only"? If people have a problem with children, or just don't want to see them on vacation (which is understandable) there are plenty of options for adult only vacations- where you will be guaranteed not to see any kids at all.