ucfalli Posted May 9, 2013 #1 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Intro: I read lots and lots of reviews in the planning of our honeymoon. I am returning the favor by writing this to help those who are planning their Alaskan adventure and for those who just like to read trip reports :D To start with a little background. I am Allison and my husband is David. We are from Orlando, Fl and were married 03/02/13 (on the freak cold Saturday in Florida, temp in the upper 40s with 15-20 mph winds). Thankfully I had the adrenaline of the wedding keeping me warm. Right after we were engaged I was immediately excited to plan our honeymoon. I started looking at European cruises and found the perfect one. So how did we end up in Alaska? We were booked on the inaugural Carnival Sunshine cruise... which was cancelled and sent me into a complete panic to re-plan our honeymoon. Europe was just not meant to be. I couldn't find another itinerary that would fit our budget and had the ports we wanted. The rates on the 1st Alaskan cruise of the season were too good to pass up. So here we are on our Alaskan adventure! So I am a planner and basically had to rebook our honeymoon in a couple of weeks due to the last min change of plans. Booked the cruise, flights, train, hotels, and excursions. We spent 2 nights pre-cruise in Seattle and 3 nights in Vancouver. We were on the 8 day Alaska Itinerary. We flew in/out of Seattle, taking the Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver for our departure on the Carnival Miracle. Cruise Itinerary: Day 1: Sail away from Vancouver Day 2: Inside passage Day 3: Sea day Day 4: Juneau Day 5: Skagway Day 6: Glacier Bay Day 7: Ketchikan Day 8: Sea day ...... Flying home from Seattle We used mainly a Canon T4i for photos. Also used a Canon Powershot SD1100, Kodak easyshare sport, and my iphone 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gapearl Posted May 9, 2013 #2 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Alaska is on my bucket list! Can't wait to read this one. :D Congrats on your new marriage, btw! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swayde Posted May 9, 2013 #3 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Congratulations on your wedding from a neighbor in Tampa! =) Looking forward to reading your review. We sail on Miracle in 3 weeks and are very excited. Love reading other people's reviews and experiences. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michellelhs Posted May 9, 2013 #4 Share Posted May 9, 2013 congrats to you and your hubby! my husband and I are on the sunshine in a few weeks but are looking at taking the same alaska cruise next april. i am very excited for your review! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucfalli Posted May 9, 2013 Author #5 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Day 1: Driving to South Florida April 23rd 2013 Our adventure actually started the day prior to our flight to Seattle on Tuesday. We flew out Fort Lauderdale International. The reason we didn't fly out of Orlando International was that my parents were cat sitting. There was no way I was just going to leave Poko (my cat) at home and have people check in on her over the 2 weeks we were to be gone. She is very social cat and normally goes crazy happy to see us after we leave her for a few days for a shorter trips. She needs people around. This was Poko's first time traveling to South Florida and I didn't know how she would be in a new place. So we left Orlando after working half a day. Had lunch and had to pack not only all of our luggage but all the kitty stuff. Made it down to South Florida in time for dinner with the parents. Unfortunetly Poko didn't adjust as well as I hoped. She compeltely shut down and spent the night huddle inside David's backpack/curled at my feet/or me pulling her out from any space she could squash herself. I was very worried about leaving her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xitappers2bx Posted May 9, 2013 #6 Share Posted May 9, 2013 your poor cat! this made me feel so guilty. we leave my cat (who just lost her "brother" two weeks ago to cancer) for 16 day on friday, and is feeling like your cat right now, she's hiding in my suitcase, and hasn't eaten since i pulled it out this morning. i'm now packing in the basement. where she doesn't go. I hope Polo managed well without you and was super happy to see you when you got home!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucfalli Posted May 9, 2013 Author #7 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Day 2: Flight to Seattle, Washington April 24th 2013 We woke up WAY too early for me for our 8am flight. When booking it, 8am didn't seem like a bad idea...until I realized the night before what time we had to get up. After getting through screening and grabbing lunch in the airport to take on our flight we found out terminal. About one min after arriving they started boarding super early (was about 20min earlier then it was suppose to be). We ended up leaving a little late and our flight ended up turning from a 6.5 hr flight into about 7hrs due to turbulence. We flew Alaska Airlines. Was very happy with the service and felt the seats were slightly more spacious/more comfortable. The flight went fast. Be aware that all you get is a trail mix packet and drinks, so pack food accordingly! We watched Prometheus on David's Ipad and played Mario Kart on our Nintendo DS (we are nerds). In no time we landed in Seattle at approx 12pm. We pre-booked a town car with Already There. We had booked them for transport from the airport to our hotel and then from the cruise ship back to airport for our return. We would highly recommend them for the Seattle area. They were great to communicate with and were very professional. Once we landed and had our luggage we simply went outside saw what number we were standing at and called the town care service with the number they provided. Our driver was there in about 5 min. In no time we arrived at our hotel in the Belltown area of Seattle, very close to the Space Needle (about 5 min walk). We stayed at the Hotel Five. Great moderate price hotel. I think we had the smallest room (guess that what happens when you book a super low rate). We were at the very end by the staircase with a street view. The decor was modern and hip. The front staff were always very friendly. In the lobby there are bikes that are free to use. The room My only complaint was that the bathroom was super dark, limited lighting (no light by the toliet) and I am not a fan of those space air conditioners/heaters. There was a Keurig in the room with K-cups for use and 2 water bottles free of charge. Internet was also free and we a good signal in the room. The shower was the best part of the bathroom. Had a rainfall shower head and Tommy Bahama shampoo/conditioner. Desk area Already drinking coffee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucfalli Posted May 9, 2013 Author #8 Share Posted May 9, 2013 your poor cat! this made me feel so guilty. we leave my cat (who just lost her "brother" two weeks ago to cancer) for 16 day on friday, and is feeling like your cat right now, she's hiding in my suitcase, and hasn't eaten since i pulled it out this morning. i'm now packing in the basement. where she doesn't go. I hope Polo managed well without you and was super happy to see you when you got home!! She turned around after a few days. I called my parents every day checking in on her cause she wasn't eating/drinking (making my very worried in Seattle). Eventually she threw in the towel and decided to make the best of it :D. When I came home she was way too comfortable and was cuddling up to my parents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwellBee Posted May 9, 2013 #9 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Subscribed! Congratualtions on your wedding! I can't wait to read all about Alaska. I keep going back and forth between Europe and Alaska. Currently Europe is winning, maybe your review will change my mind... ;):cool::D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisinJenF Posted May 9, 2013 #10 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Subscribing!! Really enjoying your review. I'm stressed about my cat in December :(. We will be gone about 17 days. Debating on driving him up to my sons house to stay. He's very social too and I think that's too long for him to be alone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCalKJ Posted May 9, 2013 #11 Share Posted May 9, 2013 I'm looking forward to the rest, also. We did Alaska (the first week in 2011)...and we're doing it AGAIN next summer in July. I'm stoked! I can't wait to read (hopefully) that your experience was as magical as ours! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetpeaOne Posted May 9, 2013 #12 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Very nice review. You have such a beautiful cat. Can't wait until their is more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenng1976 Posted May 9, 2013 #13 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Also enjoying this review! Brings back memories since we also did Alaska for our honeymoon (on HAL). Can't wait to read more! :) Jenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbhcw Posted May 9, 2013 #14 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Great review and pictures! Congrats on your wedding...and your cat is beautiful...so happy she adjusted...we have two at home..they keep each other company and I have someone come in once a day but I still hate to leave them:eek: We have cruised a lot but never done Alaska...thinking about next year:):):) Looking forward to your review!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUVMYGSDOG Posted May 9, 2013 #15 Share Posted May 9, 2013 I already know I am going to enjoy reading your review very much! We are cruising Alaska in September, 2014. It is soooo far away so I will try to contain myself by reading every Alaska review I can find! I am glad your cat adjusted. My German Shepherd (Jesse) is miserable when I leave home. We have a petsitter come in (we have 4 dogs) if neither of my sons are at home but he still stays by the front door the entire time waiting for me to return. Makes me feel so guilty. Congrations on your marriage! Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etwright Posted May 9, 2013 #16 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Subscribing to your review. We live just north of Seattle and plan to do an Alaska one day. Arriving in Seattle will make you a "Coffee Nut":D:D:D Thanks for the review! Looking forward to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poptart Posted May 9, 2013 #17 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Good start! I am looking forward to the rest of your review. We have to sneak and pack for trips so our chihuahua won't see us! When he sees a suitcase he gets all torn up. He knows what is coming. Thing is, we always have a dog sitter to stay at the house with him! We want to do an Alaskan cruise so bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted May 9, 2013 #18 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Good review so far...I am doing one from my recent cruise as well and trying to figure out how you are getting pictures included in your post. I don't like to read books without pictures, so I'm sure people don't like to read my review without pictures either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEACHKEL30 Posted May 9, 2013 #19 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Can't wait to read the rest of your reviews. My mother and I are going sailing out of Seattle on the Miracle May 28, 2013. Hope you have a wonderful time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanyell Posted May 9, 2013 #20 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Sounds like a great start! We are looking into doing this trip next year. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaniceB Posted May 9, 2013 #21 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Congratulations on your marriage! Can't wait to read the rest of your review. We did the first cruise last year on the Spirit, when I saw this one was 8 days I wished I had waited a year. What a great honeymoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misstiffany Posted May 9, 2013 #22 Share Posted May 9, 2013 One of my two cats HATE being anywhere but home, so it would honestly be "easier" on her if we just left her at home and had someone watch her when we're on vacation. However, I worry too much about the "what if", so I send them both off to the boyfriend's parents house...I'm told that she spends most of the time staring outside a window or curled up in a corner, hissing whenever someone walks by. My other cat adjusts very well to other people/pets but won't eat for almost two days if she's in new surroundings (vet assures me this is typical). Regardless, I feel like a better pet parent if they're supervised. It's tough! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travlngrl1996 Posted May 9, 2013 #23 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Congratulations on your marriage. One cruise that I would like to take is an Alaskan cruise. That and Hawaii. One of these days! :D I am enjoying your review and can't wait to read the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kybluecruiser Posted May 9, 2013 #24 Share Posted May 9, 2013 Great start on the review and congrats on the wedding. Even though honeymoon reviews make me wonder if I will ever find a wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coolcruise02 Posted May 10, 2013 #25 Share Posted May 10, 2013 Congratulations!! and can't wait for more...... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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