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[kelleigh1]

We have never been on a cruise, unless you count the harbor cruise I did about 20 years ago.

Our 10th anniversary is coming up in June 2014 and we were thinking that it might be time to take a cruise. Our TA keeps saying that we should do a Disney Cruise, so we were leaning towards that. And now, friends want us to all do the Disney Cruise to Alaska.

But I am at a complete loss. We really know nothing. So I'm turning to the experts for any and all input, advice, tips, etc.

We live in Massachusetts, so one thing we'll need to deal with is getting from here to there to catch the ship. Usually when we travel, I don't do package deals (except the MYW packages at Disney), but always book my flights separately. Are we better off booking the flights as part of the cruise package?

What kinds of clothes will we need for an Alaskan cruise in June?

What is included in the price of the cruise?

If it's a 7 day cruise, how many extras days should we add on to each end to get to and from, etc?

Are we going to need passports? (I really need to see when ours expire. It's probably very soon.)

As a caveat to that question, I do know that Alaska is part of the US, but don't we have to go through Canada to get on the ship? (I really need to look at the itinerary.)

I'm sure I'm going to have a million questions as we plan this, so I hope you'll all bear with me. And please, throw out any other things that a cruise virgin really needs to know when planning their first cruise.

[Dave Marx]

Add air travel to the package? It doesn't hurt to get a quote from the cruise line. In the case of North America-to-Europe, it's not uncommon to get a better airfare from the cruise line. For travel within North America, it's less likely, but still possible.

Apparel for Alaska? Temperatures rarely bump above the mid-70s, and can get downright chilly at times. While there are nice, sunny days, damp overcast is more likely. Bring what you'd wear for soggy autumn weather in New England - layers of fleece, rain gear that can keep you dry for an entire day, etc. Dress on board tends to be a bit more casual than on some other cruises - very L.L. Bean.

The cruise includes nearly everything that takes place on board the ship: lodging, meals, soft drinks, entertainment, kids clubs (except for the nursery). Extras: alcoholic beverages and specialty drinks, spa treatments, meals at the adults-only optional restaurant, bingo (there's no casino on DCL), gift shop merchandise, gratuities.

Off the ship (ports of call, etc.) all costs are yours - shore excursions, food, transportation, etc. (except if your cruise visits Disney's private island, Castaway Cay - most shore-side activities there, including food, are part of your fare)

The 2014 Alaska cruises will probably depart from Vancouver, BC. If not there, than it'll be Seattle. Either way, several extra days pre- or post-cruise, would be quite worthwhile - they're both great cities with great places to visit out-of-town as well. Fact is, most ports of embarkation offer at least several days worth of things to see and do. If you have the time, why not take advantage of the opportunity?

As to how much time to allow for travel? That's little different than planning for any other kind of trip. The biggest "gotcha" involves getting to the ship on time. If you miss the boat (literally), the only way to re-join the cruise is to pay your own way to the next port-of-call. Cruise ships typically board between Noon and 3:30-4:00pm. After that, you may be left standing on the pier. So, most cruisers like to arrive the day/evening prior to departure, to have a little wiggle room in case of travel delays. At cruise end, you'll normally be off the ship by 9:00 am. You could plan to fly home that afternoon (but not before Noon).

Passports for Alaska cruises? It depends on whether you're departing Seattle, or Vancouver. For Vancouver departures, you'll need a passport "book" if you fly, and a passport card/Enhanced Drivers License if you cross by land (say, flying into Seattle for the cheaper airfare, then driving/taking the bus/train to Vancouver). Even for Seattle-based cruises, the ship will stop in a Canadian port (usually Victoria, BC), so if you want to go ashore there, you'll need a passport. And, in Skagway, some of the most popular shore excursions take you into Canada - again, a passport card/EDL is a minimum requirement.

[chezp]

Dave is too modest to say it, but a lot of your questions (if not all of them) are answered in PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line book - that would be my first stop to get that, as that will help you hugely if you're thinking of cruising with Disney.

[kelleigh1]

Thank you all for the info! Very helpful. I'm just so new to it that I'm feeling a bit panicked.

Is this something we're going to book pretty much as soon as the itinerary is released or can we wait a bit? We were also hoping to go back to WDW in Nov 2013 and thought we'd book that in January, so I'm not too keen on booking both around the same time.

Originally Posted by chezp

Dave is too modest to say it, but a lot of your questions (if not all of them) are answered in PassPorter's Disney Cruise Line book - that would be my first stop to get that, as that will help you hugely if you're thinking of cruising with Disney.

Oh yes...this is definitely on my list of things to pick up!

[Dave Marx]

Originally Posted by kelleigh1

Is this something we're going to book pretty much as soon as the itinerary is released or can we wait a bit?

The rule of thumb with Disney cruises is that they'll only get more expensive after the date the itinerary is released. So yes, book it as soon as you can. You'll have to put down a 20% deposit - the balance of the fare is not due until 75 days prior to the cruise for regular staterooms - 90 days prior for suites/concierge. (Deposit is refundable in full up to 75 days prior for regular staterooms/reservations, but non-refundable for suites/concierge and for some special fares.)

[iloverags2]

I will try and answer a few of your questions!

We live in Massachusetts, so one thing we'll need to deal with is getting from here to there to catch the ship. Usually when we travel, I don't do package deals (except the MYW packages at Disney), but always book my flights separately. Are we better off booking the flights as part of the cruise package?
Do not book flights as part of your cruise package! If you do, you are at the mercy of DCL to make your flights...whatever times they want. Booking them yourself means you decide what airline, when you arrive, etc. Plus you can do any normal sleuthing for the best deals on flights!

What kinds of clothes will we need for an Alaskan cruise in June?
This is a toughie. While the weather can be balmy and a bit warm for Alaska, it can also be cool especially at night. My poor mom overpacked because she wanted to take both warm and cool clothes. For me, I would stick with pants, maybe a pair of shorts, and then layers for the top. A few t-shirts, lightweight shirts, and a sweatshirt. Layering is what it is all about!

What is included in the price of the cruise?
The cruise rate includes stateroom, meals onboard, room service (a few items are additional charge, plus you should plan on tipping $1-$2 when ordering), soft drinks and coffee (from the drink station or dining room), most onboard entertainment (things like bingo or drink tastings are additional), and food from the quick service counters or various snack displays set up. What's not included would be gratuities, beverages from the bar or roaming servers, along with things I previously mentioned.

If it's a 7 day cruise, how many extras days should we add on to each end to get to and from, etc?
At minimum add a day at the beginning. You will want to arrive near the port at least one day early to give yourself wiggle room of any unforseen events (cancelled flights, etc.). After that, it depends on if you want to explore the port city you will be sailing from and returning to. Since the ship arrives back in port early, you really do not need to spend that night and can head back home; again up to you if you really want to do some sightseeing!

Are we going to need passports? (I really need to see when ours expire. It's probably very soon.)
You don't need passports, but it's always a good idea to have them if you will be in a foreign country. On an Alaskan cruise, that will be in Canada only and that will be up to you if you get off there (although the ships may originate and return to Canada...we won't know that until Disney releases the 2014 itineraries). In all honesty, this would be the cruise you really would not need to worry about passports.

As a caveat to that question, I do know that Alaska is part of the US, but don't we have to go through Canada to get on the ship? (I really need to look at the itinerary.)
That will depend on what DCL decides to do...use Seattle or Vancouver. If they sail from Seattle, then there will be a port call on Canada before returning.

Hope this helps!!!

[Hidden Minnie]

Clothing: It depends on when in June you are sailing. We went the first week of June 2011, and wore long pants and fleece jackets the entire time. Temps were in the upper 50's/low 60's all week during the day and colder at night. The coldest day was Tracy Arm....it was really windy and if you went to the front of the ship to watch the glacier, you needed a down jacket, hat and gloves. When the ship was in port it wasn't bad at all, but when you were sailing it was the wind chill that really got you. I have heard, though, that later in June it gets more comfortable.

Travel time: We came into Vancouver two days before sailing and stayed one day after. There is a ton to see and do, and if you are crossing several time zones, it helps you adjust.

Passport: If you fly from the US into Canada, you will need a passport. If you drive, you will need a passport card. If the ship sails from Seattle, you will have to stay onboard at any Canadian port if you don't have at least a passport card. As others have mentioned, there are some excursions in Skagway that take you back across the Canadian border, the White Pass train being one of them. They actually bring the train to a stop at the border and a border guard walks through each car and checks passports before the train can continue.

Some other little bits and piece about the Alaska cruise:
- Tracy Arm is spectacular. It is considered a sea day, so if you can get Palo brunch reservations that day, go for it. It was amazing to sit in Palo and watch the scenery go by. They also did a barbecue on deck that day (which we didn't go to), but I heard it was delicious
- Due to environmental regulations, there are not only no fireworks off the ship, but we only heard the horn sound when leaving Vancouver during sailaway
- You can't believe how close to land you are at times!
- In early June, the sun sets around 11 and starts coming up around 3am. I will never forget tiptoeing out on our verandah around 3:30 am and seeing a beautiful sunrise.
- The characters are dressed in Alaskan gear, which makes for some unique photo ops

[Dave Marx]

The subject of passports requires constant clarification, as the specifics depend on ports of embarkation/debarkation and the destinations visited. Often when addressing this question, we focus on the U.S. requirements for re-entry into the country at cruise end, and forget about requirements in the foreign ports visited.

Thanks to the Caribbean Basin Initiative and other treaties, the Caribbean and Bahamian ports typically visited by the cruise lines do not require immigration inspections - the cruise line inspects passengers' ID at the start of the cruise, and it "certifies" the passenger and crew manifests to the authorities in the ports visited. Therefore, U.S. citizens only need to be concerned about U.S. requirements for re-entry.

Canada, on the other hand, always expects a passport (passport card for land/sea border crossings, passport book for air travel).

If you're not a U.S. citizen, you will always need a passport when arriving in the U.S.

For European cruises (and Disney does offer those from time to time), Americans definitely need passport books.

I gave the low-down for Disney's Alaska cruises, but I should add that, on Seattle itineraries there is still a U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection upon return to Seattle (regardless of whether you personally visited Canada), as the ship visited a foreign port.

Cindy's answer ("no") is appropriate only for a specific type of cruise itinerary - a "closed loop" that begins and ends in the same U.S. port, such as DCL's Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries, or Seattle-based Alaska cruises. Even then, proof of U.S. citizenship is still required - for adults, that's government-issued photo ID plus birth certificate, for example. For kids, just a birth certificate will do.

When the ship makes a one-way journey, even though it begins and ends in U.S. ports (such as next spring's Galveston to Los Angeles repositioning), a passport is required, regardless of your age or nationality.

[kelleigh1]

Thanks Dave!

And it looks like either way, I'm just going to be on the safe side and look at renewing our Passports now and making sure we bring them with us.

[HollyH]

We took the AK cruise on the Wonder last summer. It was our first cruise and we fell in love -with AK and Disney cruising!

Definately spend a few days in Vancouver (if that's the port of embarkation). It is an absolutely amazing city! We flew in the Sat before our cruise which left on Tues.

A tip on the flights....we booked thru Air Canada more than a year out and did pretty well on flight prices. We would not have saved much money flying to Seattle and driving or taking the train to Vancouver. Definately price out both options and see what option is cheaper for you. Don't assume that flying to Seattle will always be cheaper. Also, check multiple airports. My sister and brother-in-law traveled with us (they live close to you -N. Attleboro). We priced flights from NYC, Hartford and Boston and believe it or not, Hartford was the least expensive option. DSis originally booked Logan as it was just more convenient for them, but that flight ended up being cancelled and they switched to our flight out of BDL.

[kelleigh1]

I got all excited this morning when I read on FB that they had released 2014 itineraries...and then I saw that it was only for the Florida cruises and for early 2014.

I guess this is a good thing because if I can hold off putting down a deposit until after Christmas, that will be better financially for us, especially since I had to put new tires on my car recently too and used the Disney Visa for that, so I need to get that charge paid off too.