As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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Sounds like you really enjoyed your time in Vancouver! And from the looks of your photos, the weather was nice, too? I somehow expected clouds and drizzle...
Can't wait to read more!
had unusually good weather for both Vancouver and ALaska. Too cold to swim (outdoors--ship also had a pool in solarium). Only had rain for 1/2 day...and it cleared by 1pm then.
I arrived at the cruise terminal about 10:45. My luggage was taken before entering the terminal.
The line was short (this was the line with 15 minutes to the start of processing.
Clearing immigration was interesting. The agents (mind you we are in Vancouver, BC) were from the TSA and US customs. Canadian and US Citizens cleared very fast. Our carryon’s and pocket contents were scanned just like getting on an airliner (except we did not have to take shoes or belts off )
We were then issued our Sea Passes and boarded the ship. I had lunch at the Windjammer buffet on the 9th deck.
Terminal (Canada Place) from ship
For non-US/Canadian it was a totally different story. Anyone else was herded into a separate room. Talking to them later it took from 1-2 hours more for them to get cleared. Even if they had completed the online ‘entry’ documents, they had to do it all over again, manually. Considering there were people from 46 nations on this cruise, this created quite a backlog.
All aboard was supposed to be 3:45. Our lifeboat drill was supposed to be at 4:15. The lifeboat muster finally happened at 5:15 (and we did not have to wear our life jackets to the drill ). There were still people boarding while we did the drill. They finally pulled the gangway away at 5:45. The sail away party was so-so…. They didn’t even push drinks.
Off to dinner. I had first seating. My tablemates were a couple from Alberta, Canada, a gentleman from India, and a man from Australia (who we did not see after two nights… he was a ‘buffet’ person. Our sever was RAJ from India, assisted by Umit from Turkey. For dinner I had a Vidalia Onion Tart, Prime Rib with a baked potato and vegetables, and a Blueberry and Lemon Cobbler.
After dinner it was off to the show,. Tonight’s welcome aboard show featured Ralph Achilles a comedian.
Today’s photos will be of the ship: Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas (built in 1997.)
My room from hallway
Balcony
From balcony
My Roommate on bed
Solarium (indoor pool area-needed in Alaska!)
Life boat Deck
Food labled for those needing gluten free (at buffet)
Coffee was NOT Nestles It was Seattle's Best
Windjammer Buffet
Ship
Climbing wall (on every RCL ship )
Out door pool (most I saw using it was 6 (highest outside temp on ship was 55) and Viking Crown lounge (deck 11-great at sea viewing area)
Deck 10 (running/walking track) Workout rooms at aft and Rock Wall aft
Schooner Bar (home of many after show and afternoon games)
Shall we dance lounge (dancing ) Moonlight bay (Game room during day)
Hearing about the process non US and Canadian citizens had to go through though was not so neat. I just hope we don't have to endure that with Disney next year.
Hearing about the process non US and Canadian citizens had to go through though was not so neat. I just hope we don't have to endure that with Disney next year.
That is part of why I added that, so you and others would be prepared.
At Sea –Sailing the inside passage Northbound
Though I am retired, and get to relax plenty, my philosophy about ‘at sea’ days is that other than my fixed dinner time and whatever the days’s formal show is, just go with the flow.
I awakened at my usual 5-5:30. I watched the sports results, looking to see how the San Jose Sharks and other Hockey team were doing. (My beloved Sharks just got knocked out of the playoffs as I write this After shaving etc., I dressed and slipped out on my balcony. Lots of view and nothing to see.
We seemed to be totally between Vancouver Island and the rest of the passage , and everything was was a long way off. Here is a photograph of the day… cloudy, reasonable seas and temperature was predicted to be a high of 56. NO SHORTS : this trip.
For viewing down, many of the seaside viewing seats (inside) did not have a view down near the hull, but they had put mirrors that looked back in. This is from deck 5 looking up to look down
First trip out of my room is down to deck 6 (My stateroom was on deck 7, starboard side, slightly aft) to Café Lattet-tudes for my morning double shot mocha (Notice same start every day in Vancouver). Got my caffeine, my frequent users card (buy six and get seventh free-perfect for departure day) and headed up to the Windjammer Café for breakfast. I had my usual mid of fresh-fruits (not canned-saving my limited sugars for small deserts at dinner) (pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew melon) scrambled eggs, carved ham and one mini Danish.
Then up to deck 10 for a morning Walk-a-Mile (got to burn off some of that sugar) and then back down to overlook the Centrum as one of the pastry chefs did a demonstration of making Apple Strudel. Dropped by the shops onboard.. not much selection. A bit of explanation. This was the last week of a several week repositioning. The ship spent our winter doing Australia-New Zealand-Tazmania cruises (a whole variety of lenghs from 3-11 days) . Then several weeks prior sailed from Austrailia to Hawaii (with several Pacific island stops) did a week sailing in and around Hawaii then on to Vancouver –the Vancouver stop at the end of the Hawaii cruise (because a foreign flag cannot start and return to a US port without a stop in a foreign country. The Rhapsody does several Vancouver-Hawaii Trips in Sept. . Our cruise was to position the ship for summer inside passage cruises (The rest of the summer it is Seattle- inside passage-Seattle with a stop in Victoria to meet the foreign country part.) The reason for the lack of goods in the general type store was that everything there was left over from the Australia/Transpacific season. They would not receive Alaska cruise related goods until Jeneau (and we would not start to see them until the following day.)
Went to my room and watched from the balcony a while and about 11:45 headed towards the theater for the ‘shopping’ show. For those that have been on Caribbean cruises…it is exactly the same dog and pony show—same company—offering free bracelets, etc. It is one big long sales pitch. 90% of the same stores they pushed there (they added a whole 2 local-(i.e. thirty second mention) stores), and then pitched their super discount kit (only $30). The catch is that it was a ‘leatherlike’ travelers folder-full of coupons, and to get anything free.. you had to go to each merchant to get their free trinket. Overflowing with BS from the show, I headed to Windjammer and had salad, more fresh fruit and Pastrami Wrap and Pepperoni Panini (each two bite size). Then off to the casino to ‘invest’ my maximum daily $10. The machines ate it up. Back to the room for a nap, because I would have to clean up for to formal night.
Suitably dressed in a black coat, and slacks, gray shirt and my wildest black Donald Duck tie I headed towards dinner. I skipped the chance to wait in a long line to get my photo taken with the Captain (this photo company was not to friendly about taking a picture with your camera, and a photo with the Capt isn’t worth $20 to me.
Dining room (lower level)
Here is the only photo of my dinner companions (sorry about the sun glare
For dinner I had my first escargot Beef tenderloin with asparagus (my waiters immediately notice my love of asparagus—and brought our table more every night after that—whether it fit the meal or not.) Desert was a chocolate soufflé (Palos is MUCH better on Disney) with an Espresso sauce.
Tonight’s show in the theater was a “Tribute to the Temptation”.
Theater
They did have audience rockin!
Exiting the show, we headed to bed after putting our clocks back and hour as Sunday we would be on Alaska time and starting our shore excursions in Juneau.
Tonight's towel animal was:
Some of the shipboard art (more to follow on last sea day)
Great first two days on the ship! Strange rules about a foreign ship having to stop in a foreign port, etc... I hope that they get some good Alaska merchandise on board for you. I've been on one cruise, and it was on Royal Caribbean. The one t-shirt that I really liked the style of in the shops actually had a MISSPELLING of our ship's name. I couldn't believe it!
Welcome to Alaska Time. The extra hour of sleep after backing up our clocks last night was appreciated.
Today will be short on narrative and long on pictures. I awakened to un-Alaska weather. Sunny and clear! (I would see only ½ day of rain the whole trip). After my normal morning Mocha I headed up to breakfast at Windjammer. Fully fueled (I did not plan on eating again until dinner), I roamed the decks and the Crown Lounge taking pictures as we were treated with the inside passage views we all dream of as we sail to Alaska.
Apparently the found a little Alaska cruise merchandise. They had t-shirt/sweatshirt combos for sale on the 9th deck... in the wind.. in 50 degree weather (poor store personel manning the tables
. There were two styles available and with the brisk cold wind they sold briskly () and yes I bought one and put it on before going ashore.
Ducks taking flight a few feet from the ship
Whale spouts in the distance
Fisherman out among the islands
Approaching Junea
Hotel (red/white ) flag=pilot on board Quebec (yellow) flag indicates ship clear of diseases
Mount Roberts Tramway (right next to where ship docked)
Ship at dock
We started leaving the ship at 11:00 Disembarking at uneau, our excursion buses were waiting on the pier. Here a word of warning for future cruisers. The excursion desk opened early, at 8:00 am for those waiting until the last second to book an excursion. When the ship starts allowing passengers off, and the time for booking excursions closes. There were MANY people on the pier trying to book a last second excursion, only to discover almost none were being offered on the pier. A couple of drivers had more space, but most were loading and ready to leave. The only non-cruise line excursion I saw there (maybe it was too early in the season) was to walk a couple hundred feet to take the Mt. Roberts tramway ($27 for an adult). The few other non-cruise booked excursions had been prebooked.
I booked the Mendenhall Glacier & Glacier Gardens Rainforest tour ($68 -10%early booking discount).
All of the tours on my trip were on Alaska Coach Tours. The large number of people getting off the Rhapsody and Celebrities Mercury made them fly in drivers from Skagway to drive all of the buses. Our driver had been flown down the night before. We travelled through the streets of Juneau and off to Mendenhall glacier. He provided a nature talk on the way, and on arrival presented us with wrist bands to get in the visitors center. (First time I have been to a USFS location with an admission charge.) The glacier itself is about a mile away, but as you can see from the pictures, you get the impact.
Mendenhall Glacier and Mendenhall Lake
Lake, Glacier and Waterfall in context
Leaving the glacier we travelled to the Glacier gardens, featuring upside down trees turned into planters, as well as a wonderful view up the hillside.
Skunk Cabbage... the Bear's Natural Laxative
Mendenhall Valley, Chilkat Mountain and Gastineau Channel (from hilltop)
Completing the tour, we were returned to Juneau where we could either be dropped off in town or at the ship.
(There was a shuttle bus back to the ship $2 if you did not want to walk). I did not see anything I wanted on the trip thought town, so I returned to the ship (we had left at 12:30 and it was now 4:30).
I showered and put on clean clothes (all the port days were casual dress) and went to dinner on time. Tonight I had a shrimp and crab salad, parmesan crusted turkey, and chocolate mousse. The show tonight was the first of three musical presentations. A cast of four singers (two male two female) and 8 dancers (four of each gender) presented “Piano Man” A song and dance tribute to Billy Joel, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles and Barry Manilow. The show finished at 10:00 and I headed to bed as we would arrive in Skagway at 7:00 with My tour starting at 8:15. Tonight's towel animal was
Wow! The pics around Junea are amazing! I'm hoping to go to the Mendenhall Glacier and Mt. Roberts Tram next year...... Sounds like you had a wonderful time! Looking forward to more.....
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Moonlight bay (Game room during day)
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. I watched the sports results, looking to see how the San Jose Sharks and other Hockey team were doing. (My beloved Sharks just got knocked out of the playoffs as I write this 
: this trip.
(Notice same start every day in Vancouver). Got my caffeine
, my frequent users card (buy six and get seventh free-perfect for departure day) and headed up to the Windjammer Café for breakfast. I had my usual mid of fresh-fruits (not canned-saving my limited sugars for small deserts at dinner) (pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew melon) scrambled eggs, carved ham and one mini Danish. 
Dropped by the shops onboard.. not much selection. A bit of explanation. This was the last week of a several week repositioning. The ship spent our winter doing Australia-New Zealand-Tazmania cruises (a whole variety of lenghs from 3-11 days) . Then several weeks prior sailed from Austrailia to Hawaii (with several Pacific island stops) did a week sailing in and around Hawaii then on to Vancouver –the Vancouver stop at the end of the Hawaii cruise (because a foreign flag cannot start and return to a US port without a stop in a foreign country. The Rhapsody does several Vancouver-Hawaii Trips in Sept. . Our cruise was to position the ship for summer inside passage cruises (The rest of the summer it is Seattle- inside passage-Seattle with a stop in Victoria to meet the foreign country part.) The reason for the lack of goods in the general type store was that everything there was left over from the Australia/Transpacific season. They would not receive Alaska cruise related goods until Jeneau (and we would not start to see them until the following day.)
, I headed to Windjammer and had salad, more fresh fruit and Pastrami Wrap and Pepperoni Panini (each two bite size). Then off to the casino to ‘invest’ my maximum daily $10. The machines ate it up
. Back to the room for a nap, because I would have to clean up for to formal night.
Beef tenderloin with asparagus (my waiters immediately notice my love of asparagus—and brought our table more every night after that—whether it fit the meal or not.) Desert was a chocolate soufflé (Palos is MUCH better on Disney) with an Espresso sauce. 
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