**Golden Princess May 14, 2011 - Vancouver To Seattle**

[bellebaby]

Hi, everyone

 

The service for my MIL is tomorrow at 10 am. Will be headed back to Houston shortly afterward. Ready to get home.

 

Not much time to think about cruising, except I can't wait for next May. If you get a chance, give your family members an extra hug tomorrow. Friends and family are all we really have in this world.

 

Talk to you this weekend. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

 

Mary

[deej696]

So I need some expert advice:)

 

I mentioned we were thinking of doing the glacier trek in Juneau. I liked this idea because the hike itself sounded cool, and then you get over an hour actually hiking on the glacier itself. Only problem is that it takes literally all day. Based on everything I've been reading, I really wanna eat at Tracy's Crab Shack, but in looking at her website it looks like she closes no later than 8, meaning we wouldn't make it...

 

Then I got to thinking about Harv and Marv. It looks like that's a four hour trip, but then we still wanna do the glacier and Tracy's.

 

I know Harv and Marv will drop us at the glacier, but then I'm afraid we wouldn't get back for crab. So then I was thinking do Harv and Marv, come back and eat at Tracy's, and then head out to the glacier...but is the park open that late?

 

Sooo...someone please point me in a direction:D

[LEtue]

So I need some expert advice:)

 

I mentioned we were thinking of doing the glacier trek in Juneau. I liked this idea because the hike itself sounded cool, and then you get over an hour actually hiking on the glacier itself. Only problem is that it takes literally all day. Based on everything I've been reading, I really wanna eat at Tracy's Crab Shack, but in looking at her website it looks like she closes no later than 8, meaning we wouldn't make it...

 

Then I got to thinking about Harv and Marv. It looks like that's a four hour trip, but then we still wanna do the glacier and Tracy's.

 

I know Harv and Marv will drop us at the glacier, but then I'm afraid we wouldn't get back for crab. So then I was thinking do Harv and Marv, come back and eat at Tracy's, and then head out to the glacier...but is the park open that late?

 

Sooo...someone please point me in a direction:D

 

DJ, here is a link to the Mendenhall Glacier. The visitor center is open until 7:30 but I am not sure when the last shuttle back to town leaves. I would guess by 7pm? http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/districts/mendenhall/

 

When I made our reservation with Harv & Marv's they commented that the Golden has always arrived at 12 noon and they meet passengers at 1pm - with the tour lasting from 1:30 - 4:30. Since we aren't arriving until 1pm - I'm guessing that our tour time will be pushed back to 2pm - 5:30pm. So, it will be a short visit to Mendenhall afterwards. But enough time to see the Glacier and hike a short trail. We may end up going back to town by taxi.

 

So, I guess you could make it back to Tracy's before 8pm but you will be rushed. I don't think you could do all three in any other order.....

[deej696]

 

So, I guess you could make it back to Tracy's before 8pm but you will be rushed. I don't think you could do all three in any other order.....

 

Yeah....I was sort of afraid of that. Sounds like we gotta sacrifice the crab...

[LEtue]

DJ, you may want to look at the whale watching trips that Captain Larry at Orca Enterprises offers. They may have a few more passengers on board but I have been on their tours twice and they are very good. It could buy you some more time at the end :confused:

 

They are book combo trips that include glacier trekking. So if you have to give up the crab you would gain what you are looking for in the way of adventure.

 

http://www.orcaenterprises.com/

[willysgrandma]

Wish we lived down your way. We finally booked our air today when we saw pricing for a little under $500 per ticket. That is down almost $300 from when we first started pricing!

 

And your air to the Caribbean is great too - and half the travel time!

 

Linda, you know I'm ALWAYS ready for whale watching in Juneau, and Harv and Marv are great. Thanks for taking care of that for us!

 

Yes, I stumbled across a fantastic $258 TOTAL fare RT Houston/Seattle for next May and I jumped on it immediately. It is usually around $400 or more from Houston, so I feel really good and it's already paid for. Woo hoo!

[LEtue]

Airfare from Tampa was pretty good too. I got a $326 fare on Continental through Houston so I will meet Margie there before continuing on to Seattle. :)

[willysgrandma]

Why the heck is it so expensive from NY? I even looked at r/t to Seattle and then taking the bus to Vancouver - it was only $30 more for us to fly into Vancouver and out of Seattle so we didn't bother.

 

When I first started looking at air it was almost $800 per ticket.

 

 

Airfare from Tampa was pretty good too. I got a $326 fare on Continental through Houston so I will meet Margie there before continuing on to Seattle. :)

[LEtue]

Why the heck is it so expensive from NY? I even looked at r/t to Seattle and then taking the bus to Vancouver - it was only $30 more for us to fly into Vancouver and out of Seattle so we didn't bother.

 

When I first started looking at air it was almost $800 per ticket.

 

Where are you located in NY? Do you have a choice of airports? I always see great fares from there so I can't imagine why it is so much to fly to SEA. We did book RT with a one way Amtrak ride to YVR on the day of the cruise. We enjoyed the train the last time we rode it :D

[bellebaby]

Hi, Everyone

 

Back in Sugar Land. Trying to regroup for work next week. Booking a business trip and ran across...

 

Pan Pacific Seattle... AAA rate ... May 12 - 14... $143 per night - $172 per night depending on the view. Rate also available post cruise on May 21st. Saw the rates on AAA.com. Don't know much about the exact location, but the hotel gets good reviews on tripadvisor. Expedia says the hotel is .7 miles from Pike's Market and .6 miles from the Space Needle. In fact, it's #1 on TripAdvisor for Seattle.

 

Will catch-up with everyone later... hopefully tomorrow.

 

Mary

[kath00]

Oooh, that's a great rate. Too bad we are going to be driving home right after the cruise. I wish we could find time to stay in the city one night...

 

Katherine

[LEtue]

Hi, Everyone

 

Back in Sugar Land. Trying to regroup for work next week. Booking a business trip and ran across...

 

Pan Pacific Seattle... AAA rate ... May 12 - 14... $143 per night - $172 per night depending on the view. Rate also available post cruise on May 21st. Saw the rates on AAA.com. Don't know much about the exact location, but the hotel gets good reviews on tripadvisor. Expedia says the hotel is .7 miles from Pike's Market and .6 miles from the Space Needle. In fact, it's #1 on TripAdvisor for Seattle.

 

Will catch-up with everyone later... hopefully tomorrow.

 

Mary

 

Mary, I have been debating about this one since it is further away from the downtown core. I didn't see where they had a shuttle to area attractions either. Since we probably won't be in the hotel very much I was hoping to get closer to the Market so we can go back and forth quicker. But this is an awesome hotel!

 

I think the hotels are finally entering 2011 AAA rates so I'm paying close attention now. Thanks for keeping an eye out for us :D

[bellebaby]

Mary, I have been debating about this one since it is further away from the downtown core. I didn't see where they had a shuttle to area attractions either. Since we probably won't be in the hotel very much I was hoping to get closer to the Market so we can go back and forth quicker. But this is an awesome hotel!

 

I think the hotels are finally entering 2011 AAA rates so I'm paying close attention now. Thanks for keeping an eye out for us :D

 

Hey, Linda

 

Yes, I think there's plenty of time to get a good rate for a hotel that meets all of your needs. I've never really researched Seattle hotels because the one time we stayed pre-cruise, a room at the Fairmont was part of the cruise fare.

 

This is from an August 2010 review on TripAdvisor:

 

I don't know why there were complaints of having the hotel out of nowhere when its just about a 15 minute walk to Pikes one way and the Space Needle the other way. A big plus is having the Whole Foods store next to us and not have to worry about where to go to eat when its really late already. Also, Starbucks is right next door. You can always use their free transit system and they have a trolley system for $2.50 and you can track online when the next trolley comes.

 

If anyone is not a AAA member, the rates are available on Travelocity without the AAA membership requirement.

 

For some reason, this cruise now seems very real to me. I guess we have football season and the holidays first....

 

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

 

Mary

[LEtue]

Hmmm, the 15 minute walk is definitely not accurate. I stayed at the Warwick once (4th and Lenore) and it was almost a 15 minute walk from there to the Market - with a very steep hill coming back. Going downhill was also hard to navigate. The Pan Pacific is at least twice as far so I can't imagine that that walk is only 15 minutes for anyone :confused: One of the locals in Seattle said it was fairly close to a trolley line but there are not a lot of dining options around.

 

Margie and I stayed at the Crowne Plaza in 2006 and we could not find a place open to eat in area in the evening - even with help from the front desk. So we ended up in the hotel bar which was okay but we would definitely like more choices.

[LEtue]

Here is what a local that posts on CC had to say.....

Pan Pacific - new hotel located in the up-and-coming northern fringe of the downtown core (euphemistically called "South Lake Union" but not at all close to Lake Union.) It's on the streetcar line but outside the free bus zone; not as many restaurants etc. as the others, but some decent places nearby, including one of the better pizza places in town (Tutta Bella) and a Whole Paycheck supermarket for your organic needs (and massive wine selection.) Bit of a schlep from the market, waterfront, etc., but a very sleek and by all reports first-rate hotel.

[bellebaby]

With a limited amount of time pre-cruise in Seattle, I can understand wanting to limit walking time.

 

We're thinking about spending one night post-cruise in Seattle. My husband has always wanted to tour Boeing. Will have to look into that tour.

 

Mary

[LEtue]

With a limited amount of time pre-cruise in Seattle, I can understand wanting to limit walking time.

 

We're thinking about spending one night post-cruise in Seattle. My husband has always wanted to tour Boeing. Will have to look into that tour.

 

Mary

 

Well, it is really all about where you want to be. Our intent is to ferry over to Bainbridge Island and spend time at Pike's Market so we want to be as close to the waterfront area as possible as well as near restaurants for dinner. There is also a festival on the waterfront while we are there so we want to be close by.

 

There are so many nice 4 star hotels that there is no reason to stay that far from the things we want to do....

[bellebaby]

I talked to my husband and we've decided to stay one night post-cruise and fly home on Sunday. Don't know when we'll be in Seattle again. There's a non-stop available with miles at 5:55 pm. on Continental. We will leave the ship at our leisure on Saturday and go directly to the Grand Hyatt. Spend the day in Seattle then take the Boeing tour early Sunday. The tour transport will return to the hotel area around 12:30. We can pick-up our luggage, check-out and head to the airport. Sunday will be a long day, but we can relax on Saturday....

 

Sounds like a plan....:D

 

Mary

[LEtue]

I talked to my husband and we've decided to stay one night post-cruise and fly home on Sunday. Don't know when we'll be in Seattle again. There's a non-stop available with miles at 5:55 pm. on Continental. We will leave the ship at our leisure on Saturday and go directly to the Grand Hyatt. Spend the day in Seattle then take the Boeing tour early Sunday. The tour transport will return to the hotel area around 12:30. We can pick-up our luggage, check-out and head to the airport. Sunday will be a long day, but we can relax on Saturday....

 

Sounds like a plan....:D

 

Mary

 

The Grand Hyatt? Interesting choice ;)

[kath00]

I think we stayed at the Grand Hyatt in 2002 and thought it was gorgeous. We walked down to the Market and it was a really steep hill from what I can recall but the hotel itself is really close to a lot of good eateries and nightlife.

 

Katherine

[jbeb]

I think we stayed at the Grand Hyatt in 2002 and thought it was gorgeous. We walked down to the Market and it was a really steep hill from what I can recall but the hotel itself is really close to a lot of good eateries and nightlife.

 

Katherine

Katherine, as a former San Francisco gal you should know in SF and Seattle as well...you are always a steep little hill away from everything... Both going and returning.

LOL! We have to work off the cruise food sooner or later? My Ed always chooses later!

Jan

[bellebaby]

The Grand Hyatt? Interesting choice ;)

 

Oh, not so interesting... we have points... Free is the best rate going. At our level we get early check-in and late check-out. This is payback for all those nights on the road for both of us.

 

Looked at the other Hyatt offering... Hyatt at Olive 8, but opted for the Grand Hyatt.

 

If we were paying for the room, I would choose the least expensive refundable room I found acceptable for a fall-back booking. Then I would bid on Priceline for a 4 Star room in Downtown - Pike Place in early March of next year. Would take the luck of the draw! Some of the hotels wouldn't be my first choice, but if I could get a low enough rate, they'd be just fine. Or I might try Hotwire as it's a little easier to guess which hotel will be booked.

 

Mary

[deej696]

Hope everyone had a great weekend. We were up in Sandusky, Ohio for a friend's wedding. My parents as well as my brother and his wife were there also, so it was a good time. We rented a 3 room B&B all for ourselves. Interesting experience, as I had never stayed in a B&B, oddly enough.

 

I saw that Pan Pacific rate in Seattle a few days ago, sorry I didn't post it here for everyone. We're considering that one, simply because of its Trip Advisor rating, plus I know the Pan Pacific hotels are usually pretty nice. I am also a bit concerned about it being too far away from the city. I'm thinking of paying the extra dough and staying at Inn on the Market. Certainly can't beat it as far as location...

[bellebaby]

Katherine, as a former San Francisco gal you should know in SF and Seattle as well...you are always a steep little hill away from everything... Both going and returning.

LOL! We have to work off the cruise food sooner or later? My Ed always chooses later!

Jan

 

I agree with that.... many "steep hills" around the Fairmont!

 

I always try to take the stairs onboard the ship. In my state of cruise denial I think it helps work-off all that cruise food!

 

Mary

[LEtue]

I agree with that.... many "steep hills" around the Fairmont!

 

I always try to take the stairs onboard the ship. In my state of cruise denial I think it helps work-off all that cruise food!

 

Mary

 

Yes, to the stairs to work off the extra food!

 

The Grand Hyatt looks really nice and when you can get it for free - what's not to like??????