love2driveinct

We did the sled ride with Seaveys and thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe they offer both the cart ride and the glacier one. We did the cart. They put the clothing they wear during the Iditarod on one person in our party. They explained how they care for the dogs & train the dogs and we were able to pet the dogs. The Seaveys took 1st & 2nd place in the Iditarod this year. They are located in Seward.

Thank you for so much for your input! I was pretty sure we were going to book this, but your comments just sealed the deal. :)

Funny, I woke up one morning this week and decided the sled dogs would be the number one priority for our trip. We are a family of animal lovers and former husky owners, so I know we will thoroughly enjoy the experience.

Airportlimbo, you are the best! Thank you for taking the time to take and post these photos.

We will be on the ship June 22nd... I find this all very exciting!

Silly question, sorry, but I don't fly that often... do the airlines always notify you when they make these changes? Or do you find out from checking them online?

Question -- can you order both kinds of crabs at Tracy's? We are a family of five who love crab, so my thinking is that we'd just order some of each and try them both...

Another option, if you are in the Anchorage area, there is a dog sledding operation run out of the Knik River Lodge, about 45 minutes outside of Anchorage on the Colony glacier. Check that one out also....it will be a good one...with very small tours and some personalized services.

I just checked out their website -- what a beautiful place! I wish we had the time to stay there overnight.

Unfortunately, it looks like they only offer the dog sledding tours in conjunction with the helicopter rides, which is just not in our budget for this trip. Obviously true dog sledding must be done on the snow and that's the only way to get there.

Do you know of any other local-to-Anchorage companies that offer the chance to see the sled dogs up close? I looked into Dallas Seavey's, but it doesn't look like they do any tours in the summer.

I did also come across the Seavey's place near Seward -- ididaride.com. Looks pretty cool!

Thank you for all of the great responses. Even the not-so-great responses... lol

First I'd like to say that I would not bring my kids on a trip like this if I were in any way concerned about their behavior. We are really looking forward to sharing the beauty and wonder of Alaska with them and are confident that they will enjoy it immensely and act appropriately at all times (or at least, most of the time ;) .

One of my "kids" is actually an adult and too old for the kids' clubs and too young for the 21+ activities, but thankfully she is outgoing so I think she will be fine. Besides, this trip is to celebrate her graduation and we would be happy for her to spend time with us before she goes off to college.

My experience on the RCCL cruise just left me a little bit concerned that something like that could happen again because this is a summer trip. But even my Vacation Planner said it was highly unlikely there would be any large school or sports group on a Celebrity Alaska cruise. The kids on the RCCL cruise were not actually misbehaving in any way, they just liked to stay together in big groups, so it seemed like whenever you went to the soda station, there were 30 of them waiting to fill up. Or whenever you went to the pool, there were 50 of them in there. They all seemed to be having a wonderful time and I understand they actually performed on the ship (they were a dance group), but sometimes I felt like they overwhelmed the public areas on the ship. Not to mention that my youngest didn't enjoy the kids' club because all of the girls there already knew each other and weren't interested in making new friends. So anyway, that was my experience, not a huge deal. We all had a fun vacation. When I originally posted this I knew very little about Celebrity, but thanks to this board and the terrific folks here, I know a lot more about what to expect. Let the countdown begin -- eight weeks from today! :)

We pulled ours out twice for week-long vacations. The first time they were 10, 7, and 3. Both of the school-aged kids had great teachers who were supportive of our family time and we were very glad we did it because early October turned out to be a fantastic time to go to WDW and a DCL cruise.

The second time they were 12, 9, and 5 (6th, 3rd, and pre-k) and we traveled in February. Again, everything was fine with schoolwork and teachers.

None of them were involved in extra-curricular activities that required attendance during that period of time, so it all worked out well.

We decided after that it would be too difficult, with the oldest going into middle school, so that was the last time we did it. Now that they are older (two in high school, youngest in 5th), I miss those carefree days. Not only can we not take them out of school to travel, we cannot even travel during school breaks because of sports. Family vacations are limited strictly to summer. A few summers ago my DD was playing AAU basketball, so even traveling in the summer was tough with tournaments every other weekend.

So while it is obviously a very personal decision, I do recommend considering it if there won't be any major repercussions, because once the time has passed, there is no going back.

We are back from our cruise. And I did start the probitics with my kids about a month prior to when we left (and they finished them on the cruise). Unless I have a parallel self of us I can't really tell if the probiotics helped, but thankfully we were all good and healthy with no issues. I've stopped them with our kids now but I always take probiotics myself.

So glad you all stayed healthy! Hope it was a great vacation. :)

Unlikely. School breaks have a number of kids on board, but during school, you will likely have a handful, if that.

This is probably true for Celebrity, but we have taken two Disney cruises during school and there were plenty of kids. I only mention that in case NanaChar has not made her final plans.

I am leaning towards a dog sled tour in Skagway because there are so many other things we want to do in Juneau. But Anchorage is still a possibility. So many choices! lol

I see there is another thread on the same thing... sorry for the duplication! I will go check that one.

What is the best way to see sled dogs in the summer? It looks like we have the option at a couple of our port stops, as well as in Seward and in Anchorage.

Any reason why I might want to choose a particular location?

How did you search or what sites did you search. I typed "alaskacruisetransfer.com reviews" into Google and immediately got a whole bunch of useful hits including one to TripAdvisor which has 261 reviews of the company. The most recent one was in October 2015. Since Alaska shuts down for most travelers in the winter and it is not yet touring season for 2016, I do not think that you can expect more recent reviews than that. BTW - the whole search took only a few minutes at most. My quick Google search also found a bunch of reviews on Yelp. It was all very easy and quick.

 

DON

I meant that my search here on the boards did not turn up anything useful/recent. I was hoping to hear from people here that I could ask questions of if needed.

There are a lot of reviews online, you're right. I have looked at some of those, will continue to go through them while I wait to see if anyone here has any comments. Thanks, though. :-)

That's great that some airlines will do this. Looks like it doesn't apply to retired military. :(

With Air Canada it does apply to retired military, which is very nice. Every airline is different. Definitely worth checking next time you take a trip.

Has anyone taken the All Day Tour option that some of the bus companies offer? It seems that they offer an "express" option (narrated, no stops), an option with the wildlife center added on, and an all-day tour option with a bunch of extra things. I was wondering if anyone has done this last one and if they enjoyed it?

Obviously it's a bit more expensive, but I don't mind if we will get to see a lot of things that we wouldn't otherwise. I am a bit worried about us being tired from the cruise and not thoroughly enjoying it, but I suppose that could happen with whatever we plan for that period of time.

Would love to hear anyone's experiences with the bus tours, as well as specific companies they used. The one that keeps coming up in my searches is alaskacruisetransfer.com, which seems to be the same company as sewardalaskabus.com.

When I searched for this topic, I didn't come up with anything recent and/or that addresses my specific question. If I missed a recent discussion, please feel free to post the link. Thanks!

I called the Captain's Club today as suggested by love2driveinct and they were very happy to register me. They said they would email the ship and take care of my registration.

I will continue to register online but they were accommodating.

I have tried on desktops, laptops, iPads, in different locations and on other people's computers and always got an error message. In fact, the site said invalid sail date in red before any information was entered.

I am thankful that the suggestion to call was made. My emails were unanswered.

Susan

So glad that you called and it worked out! I am happy to hear that. :)

One thing I appreciate so much about Celebrity is that they assign you a Vacation Planner, while many other cruise lines put you through to whoever answers each time you call. My VP did not hesitate to suggest calling the Captain's Club when I explained the issue I was having. This is my first Celebrity cruise, but so far I am happy with the service.

We have been to Atlantis twice on cruises and both times we went on our own and saved quite a bit of money. The cruise excursion usually includes transportation and lunch, but the taxi is not too bad to do on your own (you'll be in a van with other people), and you can eat light while you're there.

The first time we got a room directly at Atlantis and that was a great deal. We have three kids, but one was under 4 so she didn't count towards the capacity limit of 4. The five of us got a whole day at Atlantis for what I think at the time was around $400 (not including taxi & lunch) versus the $750 the cruise line was charging.

The second time we got rooms at Comfort Inn since we were traveling with another family of five and all of the kids were over 4. We saved about $100 per family doing it this way and although we all agreed it was a huge splurge, it was well worth it. We all had a great time exploring the aquarium and of course having fun on the water slides and in the pools. This time we ended our day with some time at the beach in what I think is the warmest ocean water I've ever been in. Beautiful beach. Not sure if you can access it without some sort of pass -- I wouldn't go through all of that (getting rooms at Comfort Inn) just for the Atlantis beach, but if you would like to take advantage of the resort's other amenities, then it might be worth it.

Only you know what is worth the money to you, but like another poster said, there is certainly no shame in doing the research to save some money so you can either 1) spend it somewhere else, or 2) afford to do it at all.

Thank you so much for your lovely review, brekat1. Your closing comments actually got me all teared up! The first time I went to Alaska was almost 23 years ago, but I've never forgotten how it made me feel. It is a truly awesome place.

I'm so happy that you made such wonderful memories with your family. My kids have come to love cruising with us for a lot of those same reasons. Each time we cruise they are a bit older and the experience is different. We have also cruised without them and that is fun, too. Enjoy your upcoming vacation!

(Oh, and one more thing, cruising with other couples/families makes it even MORE fun! Especially in the Caribbean!!)

I remember my husband and I discussing all of the things that would be harder if we had a third kid... of course we love that we went for it, but the number one hardest thing is traveling. I'm glad to see I'm not alone with these challenges! :)

Lots of great tips and ideas here. I might be semi-redundant here, but I will add...

- Bringing your own soda, water, etc. You can pour it in your room and bring it with you anywhere on the ship (no glass by the pool). I highly recommend bringing your favorite Tervis tumbler or similar refillable. On our last cruise, we got the beverage package for the kids and it came up with a special insulated tumbler for each of them. They carried it with them everywhere. I was wishing I had brought one for myself, even just to use for water or tea (or wine from my stateroom). Even if you don't get a soda package, having your own cup is a good reminder to stay hydrated.

- Disney allows you to bring your own alcohol, or at least they did a few years ago. We flew to FL and the night before embarkation we made a trip to the local liquor store to stock up. We had brought an empty folding rolling duffel bag just for this purpose. We also bought a case of bottled water. As long as your cabin number is on these, you can give them to the cruise line with your luggage when you check in. Don't overstock, though, because you won't be able to take any back with you off the ship. I'm sure our cabin stewards were happy with what we left behind for them.

- Many other cruise lines allow you to bring two 750ml bottles of wine. If you like wine, there is no reason not to do this. Bring it from home, or buy it local before you board, but it must be packed in your suitcase. (I recommend some Glad Press'n'Seal and bubble wrap.)

- As others have said, definitely check prices on two connecting cabins versus one family-sized cabin. We have traveled both ways and all work well. If you have older kids, I recommend a family cabin that has TWO bathrooms. We always pick two cabins over one family cabin if there is only one bathroom. Many ships have only a handful of the family cabins, so booking early is key. That being said, if you have the deposit money to spare, you could double-book both a family and side-by-side and watch the rates on the side-by-sides to see if they go down below the family cabin rate. I imagine the family cabin price will not go down because they are always in demand.

- Get creative with your port visits. This board is a great resource for planning. There are many options besides the SE's offered by the cruise lines. We have done port days both ways and have been happy with our choices. If you do go to the Bahamas and want to go to Atlantis Paradise Island you can save $100-200 a piece by going on your own. I highly recommend this -- we have been there twice and my kids are still talking about how amazing it is (and how we could never spend the money to fly and stay there, so getting to spend the day there is a wonderful treat). I'm sure there are many posts here dedicated to how to do it cheaper. For a family of four, the savings are even more, but alas, we are stuck.

- Check the ages on the different activities in port. The cruise lines will have their own age group cut-offs, but going on your own you might find that your 4-year-old is free, etc.

We have cruised three times with our kids. The first was a 3-night Disney Wonder cruise -- a good way to find out whether our kids even liked cruising. I don't remember how much we paid, but we got two adjoining OV rooms, used a bungee cord to hold the door open, and it worked great. Kids in one room, us in the other, two bathrooms, plenty of storage space. Our kids were 10, 7, and 3 and we went in October (they missed school).

The second was a 7-night Disney Magic cruise. We weren't even planning on cruising again so soon, but I got a promotional flyer in the mail and the deal was good, so we took it. For two adjoining OV cabins it was $4800 for the week for the five of us. (We ended up upgrading to a suite at the port, but that's another story.) The kids were 12, 9, and 5 and we went in February (they missed school).

The third was a 5-night RCCL cruise. I think the price was somewhere around $2500 for the week for a Family OV cabin that sleeps six. The price for two adjoining OV was a little bit more and we liked the layout of the family cabin. We were vacationing with another family and we also liked the flexibility so the kids could have "sleepovers" with each other. That particular family cabin had a queen bed in its own alcove with a privacy curtain, two sets of bunk beds, and a pull-out sofa. Lots of storage, and two bathrooms.

Hope some of the information helps you with your planning. Not knowing the ages of your kids, it's hard to say specifically which options might be better for you, but if you do have a little one you might want to check on the pool rules for the ships/lines you're looking at. (Most will not allow swim diapers -- potty-trained wee ones only.)

If you can drive to a port and take a shorter cruise, that might be a great way to try cruising with the kids without blowing the vacation budget completely. If they're anything like mine, though, they'll be begging for another one as soon as you get off the ship! LOL

have you considered the consequences of having your children in the cabin next door vs. the interior across the hall vis-a-vis noise and such? Not sure how thin the walls are or are not.

I read this a totally different way... :D:eek:

You can bring your own tea bags. You'll find hot water dispensers at the buffet.

 

Stevia is not among the choices of sweeteners offered. Bring your own if that is your preference.

 

There are no flavored creamers. If you want coffee with a shot of flavor, you can order an Americano at Cafe al Bacio where there are many liquid flavors which can be added.

Thanks! :)

em-sk, thank you. We are actually using Air Canada to get there and United to get back. We are flying into and out of different airports. Pretty complicated, but for us it's the best the way to do it.

With AC we will be checking our bags at Logan in Boston, so I imagine there will be kiosks.

All the ships we have been on have black out curtains, however instead of a mask just bring along a couple of clothes pins to make sure the curtains stay closed tight.

^Great tip! I usually pack those for any travel, just in case, but I'll make absolutely sure to bring them this time.

Do the cruise ships really not have blackout curtains? I keep seeing mention of inside cabins if you want to be able to sleep since it stays light out so late in the summer in Alaska. This surprises me because most hotels we stay in have curtains that will block out even the brightest sun.

I'm a light sleeper and need it quiet and dark. Should I bring an eye mask?

Glad to see that the coffee quality has improved since this thread began.

I see I am not the only one who enjoys my morning cup of coffee. :)

A couple of questions:

1) Is bringing your own tea bag and ordering hot water appropriate anywhere on the ship?

2) Is Stevia/Truvia available as a sweetener?

3) Are flavored creamers available or it just the standard choices of milk and half & half?