Just booked our southbound Cruise!!

[SuzieQK]

I have been eating and sleeping planning this cruise for the few months! And now I have definite dates-whooo!!!

My family and I will be cruising on the Carnival Spirit southbound on July 20,2005. I have made arrangements for our pre-cruise adventure to Denali-just wish I could spend more time before the cruise-but my mother-in-law will be taking care of our 3 pups and dont want to overburden her.

We will be staying a few days in Talkeetna, and Healy.

Budget Queen- Barb says hi from "The Touch of Wilderness", just got off the phone with her for our reservations. She thinks you have this little ol' chatroom where you have friends who talk about Alaska-isn't that a hoot!

I straightened her out to say you are our "GURU" and that you have a few thousand so-called friends!!

My thanks to Budget Queen and everyone else for all the great info- this will be one FABULOUS trip!!

[mandrews2u]

Hi Suzieqk,

 

We are the spirit for the 20th, I'm still preparing and budget queen is most helpful, I am still deciding on discursions, have you decided on those yet? We only have 1 1/2 days in anchorage area prior to sailing then we will spend 2 full days in Vancouver at the end, as we ahve never been there either.

[SuzieQK]

Hi Mandrews2u,

Who do you all have in your party? The only thing we have booked for the cruise itself so far is Northstars Glacier Trek. That is going to cost mucho bucks!! So that will be our big excursion. Otherwise we will do little things like the mining thing, bussing it to Mendenhall, and maybe the train ride. We like exploring on our own, so we will play most of the cruise by ear.

Are you as excited as I am? This board just is so addicting!! And everyone has been sooo great about giving information.

[Budget Queen]

Happy Alaska Travels Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!! :) Actually, I don't think Barb knows who I am when I stay there and only knows me by the screen name from my recomendations? I have never disclosed anything to her.

[SuzieQK]

Budget Queen,

You are way to modest!! Most of us will owe you for helping us make a vacation of our dreams!!

Thank you for all of your invaluable information!

I will be thinking of you when we check in to the Wilderness.

[mandrews2u]

Hi Susie QK ,

 

 

My husband and I are cruising with my 15 year old and her best friend. I am soooo excited, we haven't booked any excursions yet, which port is the Northstar Glacier trek?You are doing a land tour first right? We only have a couple days before and again in vancouver, but we hope to make the most out of them. The advice on the boards is extrememly helpful , ecah time we cruise I spend 6 months ahead reading the boards, asking questions it makes making easier, Did I ask you if you had booked a hotel in Anchorage yet? I have tried priceline, no great deal yet, I'll keep trying, plenty of time, I think, ha,ha

[SuzieQK]

Mandrews2u-Northstar is out of Juneau, we also only have 4 days before the cruise and they are all going to be up in the Denali area. We are driving straight up there once we land and will drive back from Talkeetna to the Anchorage airport to meet the Carnival rep for tranfers to the ship on Wednesday. Tons of driving but hubby doesnt mind.

[mandrews2u]

I was actually considering asking my husband if he minded driving straight to seward after we land in anchorage at 9:30pm and pick up the rental, then we could get that real early start for the Kenai Fjords tour the next am,instead of the later one, I love driving so for me it would be no problem, and wouldn;t it be light out to drive anyhow? What time of day are you arriving in anchorage? Are you renting a vehicle for dropoff in whittier? That's what we decided to do then we do not have to bother with the transportation from anchorage to whittier, plus there are 4 of us, it would cost $200 for the transfers I was told, and the total van rnetal for the 2 days is only $400 so I think it makes more sense, ha,ha, Is it just your hubby and you traveling? In hindsight I wish we hadn't decided to bring my daughter as she doesn't want to get on a helipcopter or flatplane so we are going to have to trust her and her best friend to meet us at a specific time before meeting the ships departure at each port, I will be a nervous wreck, there good girls, really silly acting but very trustworthy...oh well They really want to to see bears so I have to find something for them to do.

[Budget Queen]

I was actually considering asking my husband if he minded driving straight to seward after we land in anchorage at 9:30pm and pick up the rental, then we could get that real early start for the Kenai Fjords tour the next am,instead of the later one, I love driving so for me it would be no problem, and wouldn;t it be light out to drive anyhow? What time of day are you arriving in anchorage? Are you renting a vehicle for dropoff in whittier? That's what we decided to do then we do not have to bother with the transportation from anchorage to whittier, plus there are 4 of us, it would cost $200 for the transfers I was told, and the total van rnetal for the 2 days is only $400 so I think it makes more sense, ha,ha, Is it just your hubby and you traveling? In hindsight I wish we hadn't decided to bring my daughter as she doesn't want to get on a helipcopter or flatplane so we are going to have to trust her and her best friend to meet us at a specific time before meeting the ships departure at each port, I will be a nervous wreck, there good girls, really silly acting but very trustworthy...oh well They really want to to see bears so I have to find something for them to do.

 

 

I do not recommend you consider driving to Seward starting at 10 at night. You would be lucky to be on the road by 11pm after walking the terminal, claiming bags, picking up car, grabbing something to eat? (nothing on the way - 125 miles). And you are underestimating the time difference. It will be 1:30AM your Florida time with your 9:30am landing. So - other than adding a couple more days, enjoy the drive the next day- it is worth a LONG look and the leisure drive.

[mandrews2u]

ok, thanks, I did forget all baout the time difference, and I had also read somewhere that the drive down to seward was real nice, we will just stick to doing the late morning tour for the Kenai Fjords, do they have a website, I need to go book it now that I ahev made that decision

[Budget Queen]

Kenai fjords, or Major Marine are the companies. There is no need to book them this early, will be able to wait until a month before if needed?

[mandrews2u]

thankswhat did you have any advice on where to stay in seward, I checked the Windsong Lodge" it's like $229 a night, I went on priceline however hey wanted me to chose a city close to seward as they didn't have that city. thanks again for all the hlepful advice,mary-ellen have a Happy thanksgiving

[JohnQ]

We stayed at The Farm BnB and at the Stoney Creek BnB. Neither was fancy, both were adequate and relatively cheap. Go to Alaska BnB associations, look under Seward.

[Budget Queen]

For a bargain Morning Calm B&B is excellent, the one bad B&B experince I have had in Alaska was in Seward so I do not recommend Ocean Front. http://www.sewardak.org/business1.htm#bed

Here are the B&B listings.

[SuzieQK]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

In Talkeetna we are staying at the Talkeetna Hostel,$28 a night per person-that includes bed linens and towels. We have our own room with 4 bunks.Should be interesting! Heather who runs the Hostel is really nice.