Our first Alaskan cruise 9/3-9/10

mulder2u

Mikebo

Joined

Dec 7, 2007

• Jul 21, 2018

• #1

We are flying to Vancouver for our 9/2 to 9/13for our Alaskan cruise. I would like to know about transportation to and from the airport. Should we make prearrangements or wait till we get to there. Also any recommendations on who to use. We are staying the first night at the Pan Pacific and the last 3 nights after the cruise at Pinnacle Hotel. We thank you for any suggestions to this and another things we should do while in Vancouver.
We were wondering about the weather at this time of year and does anyone use the pools this time of year.

 

cruiser21

DIS Veteran

Joined

Dec 19, 2016

• Jul 21, 2018

• #2

You can take the sky train from the airport to your hotel or just jump in a cab. Just curious why you would need to prearrange transportation? I've been there twice on Labor Day weekend and weather was in the 69s the first time and high 80's the second. People were using the pools at the hotel both times. It's really hard to tell someone what kind of weather there going to have. Everything in Vancouver is walkable or easy to get to by bus.

 

Cruising Engineer

DIS Veteran

Joined

Apr 18, 2018

• Jul 21, 2018

• #3

We're on this year's cruise 9/3 thru 9/10 and at the Pan Pacific.
We take the SkyTrain from the airport to the hotel: https://www.translink.ca/Schedules-and-Maps/SkyTrain.aspx.
Are you on the Cruise Meet page for this cruise: https://www.disboards.com/threads/september-3-2018-alaskan-cruise-aboard-the-wonder.3595736/ . Lots of information on transportation, things to do before and after.

 

jdb in AZ

It could end up curdled

Joined

Feb 11, 2011

• Jul 21, 2018

• #4

The only downside of public transportation would be wrestling with luggage. We just took cabs. They're readily available -- no advance arrangements needed. As for things to do, we enjoyed the Capilano suspension bridge and Stanley Park.

 

Cruising Engineer

DIS Veteran

Joined

Apr 18, 2018

• Jul 21, 2018

• #5

This is another site for Vancouver/Alaska info: https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...-and-post-cruise.3693762/page-2#post-59483076

 

B

BruinEd03

DIS Veteran

Joined

Jun 23, 2013

• Jul 21, 2018

• #6

We just grabbed a taxi at the airport. There were plenty. When you get off the ship, you might want to see if the hotel provides a shuttle, or make pre-arrangements. The taxi line was ridiculous. We ended up calling our hotel to send a shuttle. Otherwise the line looked like it might be an hour plus for taxis.

 

Rambler5678

l

Joined

Jul 30, 2004

• Jul 21, 2018

• #7

If you have 4 or more people with a lot of luggage you will need to get a van cab. The majority of cabs are very small. We used Aerocar and it was $65/can to the Pan Pacific hotel. We were driven there in a large SUV. Very clean and roomy. We also had small kids. You don't have to book upfront they are located outside close to taxi stand. When we departed from the terminal after our cruise, we had to wait twice as long for a taxi again due to needing a large taxi. There are like 4 to one small taxis to bigger ones.

 

D

Dakota731

DIS Veteran

Joined

Apr 8, 2014

• Jul 22, 2018

• #8

WEve never been to Alaska so would a cruise be enough to give the state justice in terms of sights to see. Also what if we have car seats?

 

Dug720

See the line where the sky meets the sea?

Joined

Feb 16, 2012

• Jul 22, 2018

• #9

Car seats must be stored in your stateroom. Not on the balcony (if you have one).

 

Van Houten

Mouseketeer

Joined

Aug 15, 2012

• Jul 22, 2018

• #10

Dakota731 said:

WEve never been to Alaska so would a cruise be enough to give the state justice in terms of sights to see. Also what if we have car seats?

Click to expand...

DCL only covers a small portion of Alaska in order to make it a manageable 7-day roundtrip (plus a couple of 5 and 9 day itineraries). From that perspective, it's a good preview of Alaska for families with kids.

Where do you plan to use car seats?

 

Geomom

DIS Veteran

Joined

May 17, 2010

• Jul 22, 2018

• #11

Dakota731 said:

WEve never been to Alaska so would a cruise be enough to give the state justice in terms of sights to see. Also what if we have car seats?

Click to expand...

We enjoyed our Disney Alaskan cruise. Alaska is a very big state--Disney visits Southeastern Alaska...that sliver next to Canada. For the parts we saw, I think it was enough for our family, especially when you consider that most of the ports they visit can either only be reached by boat or small plane (Juneau and Ketchikan). Skagway "can" be reached by car...but you have to go through a lot of Canada to get to it. One of my 'musts' in seeing Alaska was seeing glaciers--so seeing Dawes Glacier at Endicott Arm (Tracy Arm day) and going to Mendenhall Glacier on Juneau day was perfect for me! DD18's 'must' was sled dogs/puppies--we did that from Skagway. We went through Chilkhoot Charters--did the Yukon Rail/bus with dogcart ride! Loved the whole excursion!

No idea on the car seats, my kids were 12 and 16 on the cruise. Usually bus excursions don't require them, and we relied on public transit and taxis in Vancouver.

 

Cruising Engineer

DIS Veteran

Joined

Apr 18, 2018

• Jul 22, 2018

• #12

Dakota731 said:

WEve never been to Alaska so would a cruise be enough to give the state justice in terms of sights to see. Also what if we have car seats?

Click to expand...

Like the others have stated it is a big state and the cruise gives you a glimpse of the terrain and people living there.

It's like asking if cruising the coastline of Texas gives the state justice in terms of sights to see. No, but come back again and again and venture deeper in to the state and you will see more of TX. Alaska is twice the size of TX.

 

Claireywalsh

Mouseketeer

Joined

Oct 29, 2014

• Jul 23, 2018

• #13

You will love Vancouver it’s so vibrant. We visited grouse mountain before which was good. You take the gondola up the mountain and then there’s plenty of trails, a bear reserve and lumberjack show at the top.
We also rented bikes for a few hours and cycled the sea wall- there’s loads of bike rentals along the front so dead easy to organise.
Capilano is also meant to be fab but we didn’t have enough time so that’s on the list for next time!