I'm not grumpy I'm just surrounded by people who are too happy. Alaska cruise August 20th 2018

[OurLuce]

Hi All,
We've been back over a month, the kids are back at school and it's about time I wrote up my notes and thoughts about the 'trip of a lifetime' where we went to Vancouver and sailed all the way to Alaska with The Mouse.

I have written a previous trip report .. but that was for WDW https://www.disboards.com/threads/boys-can-go-to-space-too-a-may-june-2016-trip-report.3530416

So this is our first ever cruise, and there are four players in our drama . There is me, Lucy, aka OurLuce (its a long story and very old), aka Mummy. I hit 50 this year, so felt that I really need a good holiday. my Other Half (OH) aka 'grumpy bum', to whom this trip report is dedicated, who is slightly older than me. And our two children Amelia (12) and Zach (10 at the time of the trip).

OK I'm going to add some photos, so watch this space, but I need to resize them first and that app was on my old phone so i need to download it first, so there will be a photo of me and the kids here. OH doesn't like his photo on social media so no photos of him here.

We live in a small village, in the northamptonshire countryside (thats in the UK). I am currently spending my time ferrying children around the countryside and doing crochet, and not doing the housework I should be doing as I have no proper job at the moment. OH is something legal working in london (it is relevent very shortly). A is at secondary school, just finished year 7 and she is working on being a very grumpy teenager, she spends a lot of time (and our money) on playing 2 instruments (violin and oboe) and enjoys scouting. Z is in primary and just finished year 5. He also is very musical, and we force him to go to scouts as it is good for him not to have his head stuck in either a computer or reading a book.

So before I lose the thread, I'm going to save this and start on the planning,
So have you planned anything for this trip?

 

[OurLuce]

So have you planned anything for this trip?

The whole going to alaska was a bit frought. It started many moons ago (sometime in 2017) when I decided me and the kids were going to WDW, there was an offer of deposit of £250 and free dining included. We were going to stay in the beach club, in October (half term for both the kids). OH wasn't going as he hates disney. I put down the deposit. I then lost my job (which was very careless of me ... so thats july 17). But we don't have to pay the balance till Aug 18, so i just left it there. Then I found that an insurance policy was paying out way more than I expected (it was there to pay of a chunk of mortgage) so I had cash holiday back on again. Then OH talked to Zach, who really wanted to go on a cruise (he had been talking to neighbours who go lots, but out of the UK). And suddenly he was talking about going with the Mouse, but he doesn't like hot, so how about Alaska? I wasn't going to say no. He now swears blind that it wasn't his idea. But it really was.

We started researching flights and hotels in vancouver and maybe going somewhere else as well and which cruise week to take. I then spoke to my friend Alison, who happens to be a travel agent. We re-aquinted on facebook a year or so ago. We were at school together and share our birthday ( we used to have to plan parties on different days so that everyone could go to both). She has just become a granny for the 3rd time, and I have a a primary aged kid, so our lives have diverged a bit! So I gave the job to her.

She organised flights with Air Canada, flying out on the 17 August, we were to go to Vancouver for 3 nights and stay in the pinnacle hotel. Then on the boat, then flying back home on the 27th, in the evening. She had organised transfers from and to the airport in vancouver. I then phoned and added a night before in the premier inn, heathrow (the one on the bath rd) as the flight out was at 10 am, and car parking (we droped the car at the terminal short stay parking and they took it away, bringing it back when we arrived home), and a airport lounge to relax in before the flight.

Then it was planning excursions. Skegway, I read lots on the boards, and decided I wanted to go the yukon. I also looked at the price on the disney ones. So booked it with alaska shore excursions, which was lots cheaper, for 3, (me and kids) to go on the coach / train tour. This was going to be the blowout trip of the holiday .....

Then Amelia started looking and wanted to see whales, and she found the 'Alaska Whales & Science Adventure' out of Juneau, you can only do this one via your ship, so arrggg going to have to pay top mouse dollar and with the exchange rate, eek it was expensive, even for just me and the kids (OH reallty doesn't do small boats)

So Ketchican .. we can just wonder around the town I thought, save some. Nope, OH wants to walk around the temperate rainforest. So I book it (not with Disney, but this time for 4).

Somewhere in all this we have to pay the balance on the main trip bits. The day after OH loses his nice local job :-( but we've paid so we might as well go and then he finds a contract that is in London but pays more than his old job, even with the extra commuting costs (he goes on the train, takes just over an hour to get to central london from here).


So we have flights, hotels, transfers, car parking and excursions booked. fantastic. And somehow, I managed to sign us up to a FE group. I thought me and the kids would enjoy it. OH didn't understand (they are all mad, that means you have to do people, he doesn't do people very well, or queues, or boats or disney, or long flights so was very grumpy).

For the FE I decided to go for a 'english' theme, so I bought some proper teabags (with instructions of using boiling water and giving it a couple of minuites to brew, it is important). small pots of marmite (it goes on toast and you 'love or hate it'), green and blacks chocolate (english chocolate .. actually has chocolate in it), and various london key chains and pens. there were making things for kids, working on the theory that anything that keeps them occupied for 5 mins is good, and a few other small things, I also bought some gift bags that could be coloured in. I hope those who were with 'Daisy' enjoyed them. I know we liked all the things we got. I packed them in their own small case.

We have 1 bag each for hold luggage, up to 22kg each. and a carry on each. The packing list was made, lots of layers folks, that's what they say and they are right.
I organised the bags. A small one for the heathrow stay, which would be left in the car. a slightly larger hold bag for 3 nights in Vancouver for me and kids, a larger bag for me and the kids for the cruise. I was planning not opening the big case till we got on the boat and it worked!!!!! OH packed himself in his rucksack. and plus the FE bag and 4 were for the hold. All were well under weight (the biggest was 14 kg). And we planned to do washing on the first day at sea.


So from here on in I'm going to go with my notes that I wrote as I went (with edits as appropriate) so the tense may flip between the present and the past ... And i may have not written anything about the last day ... so I'll make that up at the end.

Cruise day - 4 .... Thursday 16th August - Where we travel to London.

 

[OurLuce]

Cruise day - 4 .... Thursday 16th August - Where we travel to London.
We are flying out of heathrow on Friday, at 10 am, so have made the sensible decision to drive down the night before and stay in a hotel. We have done this before, OH gets home from work, we leave home at about 7 pm, to miss the traffic, getting there 8.30 to 9pm. But then OH is working in London and I have the very amazing idea that he doesn't have to travel all the way back from london to go past it to get to heathrow. So he goes to work and ) could meet us at the hotel.

So I do the last minute packing (electronics and toothbrushes), and load up the car. We leave just after 2.45pm (so we can miss the traffic) and only 15 mins later than planned, and head down the M1 and then round the M25. We make it in just over an hour and a half, which is a really good trip, without any delays and much quicker than expected. We check in at the Holiday Premier Inn at 4.30.

We are members of the facebook group for the cruise and there is another family travelling from England, on the same flight as us. I contacted her and it turns out we are in the same hotel tonight... small world... so hopefully we will meet up.

Hotel room is basic, but OK. A double and two singles, and right by the airport. We are dfoing a meet and greet for the car in the morning.

So we wait for OH and finally meet him in the hotel lobby. Had dinner at the hotel resturant which was better than expected but not the best food ever and the service was terrible. DD and DS ate off the kids buffet, i had a steak and OH had skewers of chicken and chirizo and lamb. We saw the other passengers for a very brief hello.

Then back to our room, watched some telly and set our alarms for ridiculously early as we wanted to be in heathrow at 7 am and two of us needed to shower.

The bed was comfortable. sort of slept, listening to harry potter audio book. Amelia didn't sleep well as she listened to the book rather than slept ...
next up
- 3 to Cruise ... Friday 17th August - How many Hours in a Day?

 

[OurLuce]

Going to leave this blank .. next post below..

 

[OurLuce]

I can't edit the posts and put photos in.. probably me not working the tech properly.. so some photos for the last few posts


My wonderful children, just before the holiday


Hotel room near Heathrow. Note our cabin felt bigger....


Hopefully I'll add photos as I go.. I've now resized them.

 

[SuperPreparo]

I'm so glad I came across this! I enjoyed your last report and look forward to reading this one.

 

[OurLuce]

I'm so glad I came across this! I enjoyed your last report and look forward to reading this one.

I'm glad you enjoyed the last one, and hope you enjoy this one..cross fingers I'll get it done.

 

[OurLuce]

- 3 to Cruise ... Friday 17th August - How many Hours in a Day?

There are going to be photos from now on in .. I've realised that I don't take useful photos of rooms or food or navigators. But I've got lots of my children and the views ... So on with the story ...

Back in a small hotel room near Heathrow, the alarm went off very early, 5.45 UK time. I was first through the shower. It's easier that way. Then oh abluted whilst I conjolled two children into clothes and put the things we had used in relevent bags. Checked we had tickets and passports again and checked room. Phoned the car people to confirm the car for drop off. We left the hotel and were in the car by 6.45. so all on time. Much to my amazement oh let me drive. We found terminal 2 and the drop off place really easily by following the directions. Car was handed over and I got instructions for pick coming it up again. Put them in the folder so I wouldn't lose them and we headed into the terminal.

Check in was the other end ... As always.. it was self service check in. Oh grumped as I hadn't done pre check. We scanned each passport then got our luggage lavles. We then joined the queue to drop of the bags. Only 2 people doing the luggage thing. More grumpiness. But it only took about 10 mins. Bags dropped life is always slightly easier.

Then it is through security. Yawn. We haven't had coffee and no breakfast yet. No wonder none of us are at our nicest.

We took empty water bottles through so we could fill them the other side. There was even a water fountain on the other side but it went so slowly we gave up.

Then we found the pre paid lounge and four comfy seats. We got coffee and breakfast and juice. All much happier.

It was now about 7.30. so a couple of hours to kill. Connected to WiFi. Small one is happy. I take some diet coke and other cans for the flight. Oh and Amelia go on a walk and find sushi and a ham sandwich so we have some savory snacks for the plane. We have lots of sweets as I went shopping with the kids a few days earlier.

Then it's time to board. A long walk. Down an escalator more walking up an escalator more walking. And we get to the plane.



A nine hour flight is ahead..

To be continued...

 

[OurLuce]

And a nine hour flight goes slowly. We are to the back of the plane. Back in cattle classic is a 3 3 3 seat configuration so Zach has the window, me in the middle, then Amelia. Rob is the other side of the aisle. Who puts money on me getting both kids on the overnight on the way home?

Both options on the dinner have pine nuts. Oh is allergic to pine nuts. Lucky we bought that sushi.

2 movies, lots of big bang theory, and playing word games with the kids. I am exhausted. Oh slept.

I'm pretty sure it takes as long to cross Canada as it did the Atlantic.

We made it. We have been up14 hours and it is now 11 am.

 

[OurLuce]

So I've now read stories to 2 children so can continue...

Another long walk through an airport. To join a queue to do the immigration thing. It was long but moving. We got to the machine and it scanned our passports. It matched us with the etsa things I had done online a couple of months before. We had to answer some questions and it printed out a slip of paper. We joined another queue, for non Americans and keep walking. At the end of the line there is a man who looks at our piece of paper. Ticks it and waves us through to baggage reclaim. Our luggage is already there so we pick it up. It was easily spotted as ameliA had put washi tape on the handles.

We walked out and our driver was waiting for us. We got in the large car and were driven across bridges and through streets and lots of traffic lights to the hotel.

We checked in at the pinnacle and went to our room.

our view.

The room was big. There were two double beds which weren't the biggest.
It was a nice hotel but felt a bit tired and a little dated.

We decided that it would be a good idea to go out. Sleep was not an option if we were to ever get our internal clocks to Canadian time.

Stanley park says oh. It's only a few blocks away. We walked and walked and almost an hour later, or so it felt, we got there. Headed for 2nd beach. Where Zach swam. Amelia paddled and I dipped my toes in the Pacific for the first time.
.

There was an argument over Zach getting dry. I might have been grumpy due to tiredness. So we went to the nearby cafe and had a drink and some fruit. We walked back to the hotel and had a little sleep before going out to urban fare and getting bread and cheese which we took back to our hotel room and ate. We were fast asleep by 8.30. We had got up 23 hours before in England.. and were a little tired.

Next up
-2 to cruise. Saturday 18th August. The one were we walked..

 

[OurLuce]

-2 to cruise. Saturday 18th August. The one were we walked.

We wake up in UK time. I know I was awake at 5, amelia says she was awake earlier. All showered and dressed by 7an when we headed out for breakfast.

I had made an executive decision to try a Tim Hortons. So we walked to find one. After eating one I don't think anyone was happy with the call.

We decided to get a day pass for public transport, oh managed to work the ticket machine eventually with help from the 12 year old.

So we got the SkyTrain over to the Olympic village. We were there by 8. Our first visit of the day was to science world which didn't open till 10. So we went for a walk.



Then found a nice place to have a second breakfast (we are part hobbit). More walking and we entered at opening.



Had an amazing time, well worth the money. Loads of hands on stuff to do and learn.


It was now getting towards lunchtime so we decided to visit granville market.
Oh looked at the boat. So he and Amelia walked whilst Zach and I took a boat trip.



We got there about 10 mins before them.

Lunch was from the market, pizza and pasta for kids. I had a veggie Vietnamese bowl of noodles, I can't remember what oh ate.

Then a look round but it was very busy as it was a Saturday. It was like borough market in London but on steroids. Spoiler alert we came back..

I also bought a beautiful necklace for by bff it was her 50th whilst we were away.

Then we forced oh onto a boat just to hop across false creek. Then we walked to another station...and went to oakridge and 41st. We had a mission.

Amelia has a thing about Lego. When we went to the London store she got a flat brick which says so she wanted one from Vancouver. It turns out they don't have one.

So we got the train back. This time to pick up a very expensive cable to connect the lap top to a telly. It was twice the price of buying it in the UK. We then walked back to the hotel and collapsed.

Dinner was a walk to robson Street. Oh was aiming for a Korean joint with rave reviews. But they had a huge queue and we were hangry. So we went to the Vietnamese next door and had a very nice meal there


We were back at the hotel by 8.30. we tried to keep awake. I remember trying to tell Amelia to sit up as her eyes closed and she was fast asleep.

Next up..
-1 to cruise Sunday 19th August. The one were we found breakfast.

 

[OurLuce]

-1 to cruise Sunday 19th August. The one were we found breakfast

We woke up a bit later, well 7 rather than 6... slowly, slowly we get our bodies to canadCan time. Somehow during the night Zach and OH had swapped sleeping places.

Then showers were had by all and discussions and internet searches looking for breakfast. So we headed up to gastown and the urban bricoche. It was fantastic.


French toast for Zach. A had smoked salmon and scrambled eggs on croissant uh had bacon and eggs and I managed eggs Benedict which is one of my favourites. It was so good we decided to come back the next day.

It was now about 9.30 so we walked through gastown and headed up to China town. The plan was to find a dim sum place for lunch. But it wasn't a nice walk, lots of homeless people and we didn't feel safe. We walked a bit round China town. It wasn't like in London were there are restaurants everywhere. So I held onto both children and we walked rapidly back to gastown.

There we hit the Hudson company tourist shop and got tshirt-s for kids. Then back to the hotel.

About 1ish we headed back out to find lunch. Oh was thinking pizza. But we ended up .. at steamWorks brewery. Again had a lovely meal. A had pizza.. gorgonzola and bacon. Oh had poutine and I had fish tacos. Oh and I might have managed a beer or two ..

Didn't feed Zach as he had eaten a very large breakfast. So he pinched some chips and was fine. Then we had ice cream from down the road. We walked home via their shop and oh bought some beer cans for the cruise.

Got back to hotel and kids and I went to the hotel pool. Oh went out and got bread so we had picnic in our room for dinner.

Slightly quieter day. We were all feeling battered from the walking the day before. Well to be fair me and oh were. Amelia was just tired as she hadn't slept properly and z was still bouncing.

Next up we get to go on the wonder ...

 

[scottishclover]

Can’t wait to read more of this and get a Brit’s Impression of the cruise. We are booked to go next July and have 5 nights in Vancouver beforehand. Also plan on going to the Yukon and whale watching. Loving it so far!

 

[tanya0369]

I can't wait to hear the full report! Thank you for writing. Going to Alaska as well.

 

[lilsonicfan]

Enjoying your trip report so far!! I'm from Vancouver. So sorry you didn't enjoy Tim Hortons, to be honest it's one of my least fave donut places (but for anyone wondering about donuts in Vancouver - Cartems is delicious, as is Lucky's)

 

[OurLuce]

Can’t wait to read more of this and get a Brit’s Impression of the cruise. We are booked to go next July and have 5 nights in Vancouver beforehand. Also plan on going to the Yukon and whale watching. Loving it so far!

Thanks for joining in. It was basically brilliant. We could have done more in Vancouver but we were v. Jet lagged and don't like heights so didn't do suspension bridges.

I can't wait to hear the full report! Thank you for writing. Going to Alaska as well.

welcome. I'm jealous btw.

Enjoying your trip report so far!! I'm from Vancouver. So sorry you didn't enjoy Tim Hortons, to be honest it's one of my least fave donut places (but for anyone wondering about donuts in Vancouver - Cartems is delicious, as is Lucky's)

Welcome. Spoiler alert.. we found amazing donuts on our last day. On the whole we loved the city and the food.

 

[OurLuce]

Day 0. Monday 20 August. The one where we have a grumpy bum.

My wake up time was 5 but I managed to turn over and snooze a bit more. So I guess we got up about 7. We than did morning stuff. We packed our bags and left them in the room for the morning. Check out wasn't till 12 and out boarding time was 12. Today was the day we were finally going to cruise.

It was back to gastown to breakfast. This time I had a Danish thay was delicious. Both kids had French toast. Oh had bacon and eggs again.

So we have a morning to kill. We decided to go over to longsdale quay.. we hopped on the aquabus. It's a lovely little market. Oh and Zach played chess and a had a go at taking photos.

I tried to take pictures of the wonder from over the water but you couldn't see her. When we were there the views were affected by the smoke from forest fires. This was the worst day from when we were there so you just couldn't make her out.

The quay was a lovely way to spend an hour or so. But we needed to head back to the hotel. So back on the aquabus.

We left hotel room at 11.30, after a quick check of the room. I *think* we got everything.... We put on the Disney luggage lavles and headed down to check out. We are cheap skates. So we walked, with luggage, the couple of blocks to the port terminal.

We got there just before 12. Our pat was 12 to 12.30. all on time.


I think this photo was from the last day as it is so clear. But it is the right boat.

We are here. Oh starts to grumble. Why don't I know where to go. I work we on the theory there would be signs. We went into the big building that was marked and asked. Kids and I headed down in the lift while oh took stairs but we were dragging cases whilst oh had a sack on his back.

We dump the luggage. Next time we see it will be outside our cabin. The up some stairs to do the Disney bit. Oh moans about them taking photos and handing over details.. but at least there wasn't a queue. Then we walked down to do security. Our beer got through, just, we had 8 X 16 Oz cans. They are supposed to be 12 Oz cans. We got told off but allowed. Oh moaned more..
Then to immigration control. As we aren't amerAmer we had to see a person. This is the only queue we encountered in getting on the boat.more moaning. Why are there only 2 people on the desks.. it did increase when we were waiting. Photos and fingerprints done. We are now in America.

So we proceed to loading. Our boarding no 10 has already been called so we walked straight on. Our family was announced and 3 of us went to Cabanas. Oh stormed off in a huff as it was so disney. so I said to meet us in the room at 1.30. which was cabin 5005 .

So 3 of us found food. Then we found deck 9 and the edge. A got signed in. I had to fill in a waiver form for Zach as he was only 10. Then we went to the oceaners club. They thought it was a bit young for them ... And wouldn't visit it again.


To be continued.

 

[OurLuce]

Then it was 1.30, so headed down to deck 5 and found our room. Oh was there complaining about no luggage. It will arrive I said. We will have to tip he moaned no we don't I say. It will arrive by magic. And so it did.

Z put on his swimming trunks and 3 of us went to the pool.

Z watched the sail away whilst Amelia and I went for a walk around
We found so where were going to eat that night.

Some when we did the muster drill. I know oh complained about the hanging around.

In the end a joined z in the edge.

Oh and I decided to go see buckets and boards in the theatre. So messaged a to meet us at 6 for a 6.15 show. They turned up eventually and we went to see a very enjoyable show. Kids decided to do the workshop later in the week.

We were late dinning, something else Ourhe wasnt happy about, starting at animators palate. Z had salmon, a had beef (overdone) both from the kids menu. I had smoked salmon tartar (nice) and tuna (bit dry). Pudding... I had cookies and cream sundae, z had cheesecake and a had something off the adult menu but I didn't write it down and can't remember.

Oh managed to walk into the restaurant with us after moaning about having 2 families in front of us. He saw we were sharing a table and walked off in a huff.

So my apologies to the lovely Australians we shared a table with. They were lovely and made me feel much better about oh being so rude. Zach talked at them the whole meal and they survived him. In the end we had a lovely meal without grumpy bum. We all loved the animation show.

Headed back to room. A was almost asleep on her feet.

Got to room. And we can't find amelias PJs. Small melt down. I head out to find some Disney ones. T shirt dully acquired .( How much!!!) A in bed and fast asleep 5 mins later. Z watched a course of movies I think, but I was asleep pretty quickly too.

The bed is really comfortable and doesn't move at all when oh moves and it's bigger than the hotel one in Vancouver.

Next up
Day 1. Tuesday 21st August. The one were we do floors and floors at sea.

 

[lilsonicfan]

should have a drink for every time OH moans.... hehe

 

[OurLuce]

should have a drink for every time OH moans.... hehe

Only problem would be that I'd be an alcoholic.

Next time we do Disney he isn't coming.