Seatle Miracle August 2014

[bobo smith]

Hey yall.

First I want to say that we love carnival cruise lines.We live in Southwest Florida and have easy access to the cruise ports coast to coast.Sometimes we book port of Tampa just for a 3 day adventure you can't beat the deals.Last year we went on 3 cruises and one in 2014.I would also like to add my opinions of some of the people who had bad carnival experiences not due to virus or weather.People listen up.If your use to luxury and being spoiled find another cruise line.If your easy going rich or poor and a person who likes to see every day folk in all shapes and form rich poor in between 99% are great cruisers.The other 1 percent of bad cruisers are mostly snobby rude can't please em no matter what and these people are the ones who can clear an area of the ship and no body wants to be around them.When that happens I report them if they are foul mouthed and drunk and annoying to other passengers.Why should they ruin others fun.And the staff does deal with these people accordingly.They usually get the cold shoulder by the rest of the cruisers for the rest of the journey which make them even more miserable which will lead to usually a negative review drama added as well as a totally exaggerated opinion that I think is just pure spite hoping that people will not use carnival.I can tell you I have been on so many cruises that I lost count.Memories is all I want and I do not keep score. All my memories have been 100% satisfied.If you are one of these miserable people just fake it and you will have fun and a very good time to the point you will not even have to fake it anymore.There are a lot of people on board you need to keep an open mind and people watching is fun especially when you see all the people just letting go of their life and having much deserved fun.We all earned it make the best of it and enjoy your cruise.

Now that I got that out on to Seattle.This is our first time on a cooler climate cruise and we have an extra 2 days before and two after the cruise to see Seattle.We will be staying in room 5142-5190 on the ship.We saw the view pics and that is plenty for the price.Suits us fine.During our previous cruises we were in the rooms with the large window and rarely do we need to look out being it is all Gulf and Ocean,how much of that do you need to see?. Balcony on the miracle is a first for us we are bargain hunters.Alaska is going to be a game changer and we are warm weather folk.We are staying at the bell town inn Seatlle.I would like to hear some feedback on the temperature and clothing recommended for Seattle and on board to Alaska.My only concern is being prepared for the weather.We are Florida folk and down here we do not wear much clothes.I even went to the local thrift store for pants.A cold day here is 58 in the dead of winter and a with little rain.People have the wrong idea of Florida who do not live here.The rain and cold is so different compared to other parts of the state.It snows in Jacksonville and where I live the temperature are in the mid 30's on the coldest of February night which happened about 20 days in the last 5 years. 2013-2104 the temps here did not go below the mid 40's on the coldest night.High 50's the low for the day.By the way we know about the faulty engine problem and that did not have an impact on our decision to keep the cruise date.Once again can you offer an opinion of what type of clothing for out doors do we need.I have a Suit for special night on board but otherwise my wife and I are casual dressers.We will be using our local thrift store for warmer clothes.The line of clothing is upscale and includes just about anything Kashmir is always on the rack.People usually ditch their warmer clothes after they relocate here from colder states.Thanks!!

Edited July 21, 2014 by bobo smith

[mommom of 7]

Don't have the answer but I was just getting ready to ask the same thing. When are you going? Don't know when is the best time to see it all. Like you this will be our first balcony.

Have done Seattle you will love it we did. So much to see & do. Pricey but the needle for lunch is a must.

Char

[elliair]

Do you own thermal underwear? We took thermal underwear with us, hooded sweat shirts, jeans, and long shirts. We left from San Francisco and we were glad we brought warmer clothes with us. Alaska should be quite mild. I wouldn't wear shorts or T-shirts. You can take off whatever if it gets too warm, but you can't put them on if you don't have them if it turns cold and rainy. We also took sweat pants and wore them on our balcony in the evening. We stayed somewhat warm but got 2 blankets to make it real cozy. I would never book an Alaskan cruise without a balcony. You can step out on to your balcony and take it all in. No fighting for a spot on the upper decks, no crowds, etc. Have a great time, I'm looking forward to booking another Alaskan cruise soon for 2015.

[elliair]

Be sure to take in the Chihuly glass garden and shop next to the space needle. The glass work is fantastic. We walked there from the market area. We drove to Seattle on one occasion, and flew in the same day of the cruise. There's plenty to see and do in Seattle.

[Arizonagirl14]

I have not done the boat, bit I have done an Alaskan cruise. When we were on board the weather ranged for warm to fairly cool; we went the first week of June.

 

Layering is a good thing. I took the thin undershirts that you can find at Walmart. This are super thing but warm and have long sleeves( only about $5 each). They are located with the lingerie and workout area. I can't remember the name brand.

 

 

We took way too many warm clothes, but we went up to Mt Denali and other. Places as well.

 

Light weight jackets, long pants, sweatshirts etc. if you need anything, they will have it in port as well!

 

Make sure you have a camera and extra memory cards to capture all the beautiful scenery!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[bobo smith]

Oh man what a quick response,no thermals here but I think they sell em.Never looked.That stuff I would by new from local or Amazon.Yes the needle is a big deal for us.It is an icon on the tv networks in the last few years.I also like the show the killing.Sad it was cancelled.Please any more advice throw it on a thread and thank you!!!!

[Normal 1]

We did the last 2 sailings of the season last year. Weather was unusually warm and dry. That said... Glacier bay and Tracy arm fjord days were quite chilly. I tend to run warm so enjoy cooler temps.

 

Layers is the solution. Short and long sleeve t shirts with polar fleece sweatshirts and a waterproof jacket should work for most days. Remember gloves and a hat. I made my very casual husband put on dockers and a polo for dinner each night and he pointed out all the jeans and logo t shirts in the dining room each night. Attire is much more relaxed on Alaskan itineries.

 

We did the Laughton glacier hike in Skagway and early in the hike I was in jeans and short sleeve t shirt and was warm and up on the glacier I added fleece sweatshirt, jacket, hat and gloves. Once off the glacier I shed the layers again.

 

I second the suggestion for Chihuly Glass Gardens. Fabulous place. You can get a combo ticket for that and the space needle.

 

Seattle is lots of fun. enjoy your cruise.

[CruisingGirlinWI]

We went the last week of June (June 24th-July 1st) and at some times we needed no jackets or sweatshirts and sometimes we did especially when we did excursions.

Like the above poster said I definitely recommend extra memory cards for your camera.

 

In Seattle, we stayed at the Marriott Waterfront (on Alaskan Way). We went to the Pike Place Market, Space Needle (we went up to the top but didn't end up eating there), Duck Tour, 3 hour premier Seattle city tour by Tours Northwest, we did a Seattle Mariners game, Safeco Field tour, Mount Rainier tour also by Tours Northwest. We even put gum on the gum wall, sometimes we just took our map and wandered and for the most part always felt safe. We rode the monorail (its only one stop) and the light rail, the people working in the booths were extremely helpful if you had questions or needed a local map.

 

On Thursday (Tracy Arm Fjord), we did the small boat excursion

On Friday (Skagway), we did the Ultimate Yukon & White Pass Railroad Adventure

On Saturday (Juneau), we did Mendenhall Glacier via Helicopter & Guided Walk

On Monday (Victoria), we did Pub Crawl, City Highlights & Shopping

Edited July 21, 2014 by CruisingGirlinWI

[bobo smith]

The 18th of August I do believe is the date we leave Tampa on the 16th.

Haha the jeans at the diner.I been pointing it out for 15 years to my wife.The answer is your not them.But we have this agreement.My wife gets to get all dressed up on the dress night and I do the the best dress I can minus the suit and tie.I draw the line there.No need for that and I am not going to get buried in one as well.My suit is Tommy Bahama and nice pants and real shoes or a Kashmir sweater.LOL.And after the main dinner thing wich I eat little I head over to the buffet.I am not a big eater but I do prefer the mixed variety of fruit veggies and a decent meal with maybe room for a little ice cream later or my favorite the frozen yogurt.We usually eat in the buffet except the one night but we are light eaters and lean towards fiber and protein.I use to do the cruise diet years ago and go over board with the food while on board but now I want to try and get another 30 years of healthy life and CRUISING out of my self and my wife.Thanks!

Edited July 21, 2014 by bobo smith

[Crusin' & Chillin']

I agree with everyone! LAYERS! I live in a colder climate, so was thrilled to find USA made fleeces in a couple of the ports for cheap ($15 ish). I would def order some thermal underwear (Amazon) as you may need them. I personally would rather have them and not need them vs not ordering and freezing! :D Enjoy!!!!! Alaska is beautiful and the Miracle does it right! The crew was amazing (May of this year) and the ship is pretty. Though I find them all to be pretty and like you, roll with it and enjoy every minute of any time I get to spend on a ship! :D

[cruises42]

We went the last week of June (June 24th-July 1st) and at some times we needed no jackets or sweatshirts and sometimes we did especially when we did excursions.

Like the above poster said I definitely recommend extra memory cards for your camera.

 

In Seattle, we stayed at the Marriott Waterfront (on Alaskan Way). We went to the Pike Place Market, Space Needle (we went up to the top but didn't end up eating there), Duck Tour, 3 hour premier Seattle city tour by Tours Northwest, we did a Seattle Mariners game, Safeco Field tour, Mount Rainier tour also by Tours Northwest. We even put gum on the gum wall, sometimes we just took our map and wandered and for the most part always felt safe. We rode the monorail (its only one stop) and the light rail, the people working in the booths were extremely helpful if you had questions or needed a local map.

 

On Thursday (Tracy Arm Fjord), we did the small boat excursion

On Friday (Skagway), we did the Ultimate Yukon & White Pass Railroad Adventure

On Saturday (Juneau), we did Mendenhall Glacier via Helicopter & Guided Walk

On Monday (Victoria), we did Pub Crawl, City Highlights & Shopping

 

Did you like Tours Northwest? We are using them for Mt. Rainier next week. Also doing Tracy Arm, and Ultimate Yukon & White Pass Adventure.

[CruisingGirlinWI]

Yes we loved them! Well worth the money especially for Mount Rainier. They stop at a grocery store before heading there and you can buy lunch or other snacks and use the bathroom. The entire way up and pretty much all the way back our driver was also giving us information about the area we were driving through and your last "stop" is for ice cream. I got the huckleberry, it was so good. Our drivers were Loren for the local city tour and Wes for Mount Rainier.

Edited July 23, 2014 by CruisingGirlinWI

[hurricane0226]

Hello bobo Smith, we too will be on the Miracle on the Alaska cruise, will be there the same time. The ship leaves on Aug 19th, will also be flying in from Fla. We live in North Fla, Tallahassee. Also have been wondering about the clothing, guess just take warm clothing.

[ekekasyunx]

The glass work is fantastic. We walked there from the market area.

[Playa Cofi]

Hello bobo Smith, we too will be on the Miracle on the Alaska cruise, will be there the same time. The ship leaves on Aug 19th, will also be flying in from Fla. We live in North Fla, Tallahassee. Also have been wondering about the clothing, guess just take warm clothing.

 

bobo and hurricane. I will also be joining your cruise and am having the same issue about what to pack. Since I have lived in the Caribbean for the last 10 years I seem to have forgotten what a daytime high of 62 requires. Our lowest temp here was 62 in 2005 and that was at night and we just put a blanket on the bed.

 

I am in a stranger situation than most since I am leaving this rock on Aug. 6th for a family reunion in SC, then to LA for a bit, then the cruise. So I need to pack all of my cruise clothes in the next few days and mail them to Cali so they arrive prior to the 6th before my daughter flies to SC. So today is my "mock" packing day for the cruise. I am trying to do carry-on only for my flights.

 

What I am most concerned about which jackets to take. As sailors, I have our foul weather gear. In my stack I have my lightweight Gore-Tex jacket, my husband's heavier Gore-Tex, my Gore-Tex pants and a trench style lined raincoat which I can remove the lining.

 

My concern is that I am taking too many but at the same time I want to be prepared for all weather conditions.

 

Other than that I own shorts and summer dresses. I, like others will probably hit some thrift stores in LA for jeans, turtlenecks, etc. things I can donate back since I won't be needing them again.

 

Am I overthinking the jackets?

 

Someone mentioned long underwear. Do you think that is needed if wearing jeans?

[bobo smith]

Cool beans on the upcoming cruise news from the forum members on this thread.I do not get too excited about weather in the Caribbean,rather a hurricane than a snow storm any day.Rather none at all but mother nature can not be persuaded.Really looking forward to the adventure.I was at thrift store today got some sweat shirts and also some under armor brand new in the bags for 18 bucks.Kinda hard to peel the under armor off.Down here I would do it on the beach and no one would care as long as I was civil about it.Up there I do not I can peel em off in the latrine and they are so light put em in my pocket.We are planning our Seattle gig now.Check out the group on specials for Seattle that's what we are doing right now.We need Seattle recommendations for cheap.Haha we are not the tourist trap type,Bob

[nybumpkin]

We just disembarked Miracle yesterday. Pre-cruise we spent three days in Seattle. We spent a day touring the downtown sights - Space Needle, Pike Place, and the aquarium, followed by dinner at a friend's home. Next day we took the ferry to Bremerton; mostly we wanted to ride the ferry, but we're also Navy buffs (oldest son is an Ensign) and the USS Turner Joy is docked in Bremerton as a museum ship. It's a nice place to visit. The last day we took the Tours Northwest tour to Mt. Rainier and it was wonderful. They picked us up right at our hotel, stopped at a Safeway to pick up lunch, then drove up to the park. We stopped at Longmire, Christine Falls, and Reflection Lake for our first views of the mountain, then drove up to Paradise for a 1 1/2 hour visit. We had lunch and then hiked the trail to Myrtle Falls - it's an easy hike from the visitor center and the falls are really nice. We did have some snow patches to navigate. After Paradise, we went back to Longmire and walked out to the Nisqually Suspension Bridge. We too stopped for huckleberry ice cream on the way back and they again dropped us off right at our hotel. It was a great day. As for what we wore - Seattle was unusually warm during our visit, so I wore a tee and knit slacks with walking shoes. My sweatshirt stayed on the bus the entire time when we went to Mt. Rainier.

 

On to Alaska. On the Tracy Arm leg we took the small boat, which was well worth it. You get a lot closer to the glaciers than the ship could ever reach. We needed jackets or sweatshirts here, and I would recommend a hat and gloves as well. Skagway - We took the steam train and while I had my sweatshirt I really didn't need it. Juneau - We did the Mendenhall Glacier Float trip. We needed warmer clothes by the glacier but not so much when we floated down the river.

 

Overall I would recommend bringing a little of everything. I didn't bring anything warmer than a sweatshirt and didn't need anything warmer. I brought shorts and did use them, both on the ship and in Seattle. Never saw the need for long underwear or foul weather jackets. However, we were very lucky with the weather - Seattle was unusually warm. We brought rain ponchos and plastic guards for our cameras and didn't need them.

 

Hope this helps, and I hope you enjoy your cruises!

[krev]

We too got off the Miracle yesterday, we live in Victoria and know the weather very well. No long under wear! We had our goretex jackets and a fleece for layering, almost melted in Skagway! Tracy Arm was chilly in the morning, had my gloves on and drank coffee concoctions from the Eagles Nest bar! We had great weather in the fjord and saw lots of whales and a couple of bears. In Skagway we took the heli tour of the glacier, they landed and we walked around for a little while, coolest thing I've ever done, highly recommend this. We went zip lining in the afternoon and had a great time. In Juneau we did the bus trip to Mendenhall and also went up the tram. Our highlight of Juneau was Tracy's King Crab Shack, it was delish!

We booked this cruise three weeks before departure and got a great deal through an airline employee interline site, it was an inside cabin which I vowed would never have, it was actually just fine! We have never cruised Carnival before and were quite happy with it. Some of the service could have been better but it certainly did not ruin the cruise. We ate it the steakhouse 4 of our 7 nights, it was quieter than the "grape infested dining room!" I won't get into detail with what people were wearing, we prefer to dress up a little for dinners and that worked for us. Hope you enjoy the cruise, we spent a lot of time on the serenity deck, it was very nice. If you need any advice for Victoria let me know.

 

 

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[misshfitz]

August is the warmest month of the year for Seattle. That being said, it could be anywhere from 60 to 95 degrees. Today it is 60 and raining and last week we were at 97.

 

I would pack at least some lighter pants/shorts if you are planning to be in Seattle pre/post cruise. Rain is always a possibility so pack some type of light hooded jacket and shoes other than sandals. Packing a mix of heavier and lighter pieces will ensure you won't be freezing or miserably hot the entire time.

[elliair]

Seattle is like San Francisco weatherwise. You can go through the Caldecott tunnel where it's 90+ degrees and over the bay bridge where it's foggy and a cool 59 degrees. You never know what you're going to get in Alaska. It could turn cold and rainy or it could be excellent weather. We went in May and glad we packed the sweats and thermals.

[mayfair0325]

Bobo, I wish you were on our cruise, Aug 5, Miracle to Alaska. You sound like our kind of people! Enjoy your cruise and your balcony!

 

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[cruises42]

Yes we loved them! Well worth the money especially for Mount Rainier. They stop at a grocery store before heading there and you can buy lunch or other snacks and use the bathroom. The entire way up and pretty much all the way back our driver was also giving us information about the area we were driving through and your last "stop" is for ice cream. I got the huckleberry, it was so good. Our drivers were Loren for the local city tour and Wes for Mount Rainier.

 

Thanks, I'm excited!

[cruises42]

We just disembarked Miracle yesterday. Pre-cruise we spent three days in Seattle. We spent a day touring the downtown sights - Space Needle, Pike Place, and the aquarium, followed by dinner at a friend's home. Next day we took the ferry to Bremerton; mostly we wanted to ride the ferry, but we're also Navy buffs (oldest son is an Ensign) and the USS Turner Joy is docked in Bremerton as a museum ship. It's a nice place to visit. The last day we took the Tours Northwest tour to Mt. Rainier and it was wonderful. They picked us up right at our hotel, stopped at a Safeway to pick up lunch, then drove up to the park. We stopped at Longmire, Christine Falls, and Reflection Lake for our first views of the mountain, then drove up to Paradise for a 1 1/2 hour visit. We had lunch and then hiked the trail to Myrtle Falls - it's an easy hike from the visitor center and the falls are really nice. We did have some snow patches to navigate. After Paradise, we went back to Longmire and walked out to the Nisqually Suspension Bridge. We too stopped for huckleberry ice cream on the way back and they again dropped us off right at our hotel. It was a great day. As for what we wore - Seattle was unusually warm during our visit, so I wore a tee and knit slacks with walking shoes. My sweatshirt stayed on the bus the entire time when we went to Mt. Rainier.

 

On to Alaska. On the Tracy Arm leg we took the small boat, which was well worth it. You get a lot closer to the glaciers than the ship could ever reach. We needed jackets or sweatshirts here, and I would recommend a hat and gloves as well. Skagway - We took the steam train and while I had my sweatshirt I really didn't need it. Juneau - We did the Mendenhall Glacier Float trip. We needed warmer clothes by the glacier but not so much when we floated down the river.

 

Overall I would recommend bringing a little of everything. I didn't bring anything warmer than a sweatshirt and didn't need anything warmer. I brought shorts and did use them, both on the ship and in Seattle. Never saw the need for long underwear or foul weather jackets. However, we were very lucky with the weather - Seattle was unusually warm. We brought rain ponchos and plastic guards for our cameras and didn't need them.

 

Hope this helps, and I hope you enjoy your cruises!

 

Thanks for all the information, your trip sounded great.

[byrdbrain55]

I live in the Seattle area. You can spend a day wandering through Pike Place (visit the gun wall, gross) Market and/or the waterfront. If you enjoy seafood, you might enjoy the Crab Pot on the water or Ivar's. The Aquarium is fun (a little pricy). Other fun things to do that have been mentioned are the Space Needle and Chihuly Glass exhibit next door. The Great Wheel near the Aquarium is fun. Ride the Ducks or the Underground Tour in Pioneer Square are fun tours that give a little history of the city. Riding a ferry is fun too if you've never done it.

 

The best thing for Seattle and Alaska are layers. It totally depends on the weather if you will be comfortable or freezing. The layers help keep you comfortable for any possible situation. A lightweight rain jacket is important, because you will be visiting Seattle :) Ketchikan is notoriously rainy as well. If you get cold, they sell hats and sweatshirts and such in every port.

 

Let me know if you want more ideas.

[Playa Cofi]

Bob,

 

I emailed my husbands cousin who lives north of Seattle about hotels. He got back to me and told me about a place, Suites 6 which many people use prior to getting aboard because of its proximity and he also invited me to stay with he and his daughter if I wanted to. I choose to stay with them. He is in Mountlake Terrace about 11 miles north of Terminal 91.

 

I just checked Hotels.com and Suites 6 is sold out for the night of the 18th. So I checked the surrounding area and a mile or two south is a Days Inn-Seattle North and they have rooms for $76.

 

Since I arrive at about 4pm I asked Jeff not to pick me up at the airport since it is south of Seattle (rush hour), even though he offered. I am opting to take the light train that leaves the airport every 7 minutes for a whopping $2.75. That will get me downtown where I will transfer to another train (I am presuming it will be another light rail). I need to look into it further but Seattle does have a great transit system.

 

There also is a company called Shuttle Express that for $52 pp will pick you up at the airport, take you to your hotel, then pick you up and take you to the pier and on your return take you back to the airport.

 

That being said, if you do choose to stay north of the pier, depending on the number in your party, I could ask Jeff to swing by and pick you up on our way to the pier.

 

I lived in Florida for years, where are you located?