I am excited to have another guest trip report to share with you! Deann recently sailed on the July 9, 2018 9 night Alaska itinerary and was kind enough to share her adventures with us.
To get started, here are some thoughts from Deann regarding why she chose this sailing, her stateroom, and what she packed.
From Deann:
Sailing again with Mickey – Alaska times 3!
“The first time I sailed to Alaska was in 2014 with my twin sister on a 7 night cruise. Being in our 60’s, walking the parks is beginning to be tiring so we decided to try a cruise. That Alaska cruise was our first Disney cruise and we loved it! We were hooked, and have since been to the Bahamas on the Dream and Magic and also returned to Alaska with my husband in 2017. It was his first cruise ever, and again Disney magic happened. He liked it so much that we booked a Christmas cruise on the Dream that same year to Nassau and Castaway Cay. Wouldn’t you know it, pixie dust struck again! We liked it so much that we booked this trio trip: my twin sis, me and my hubby on the 9 night sailing on the Wonder to Alaska.
Stateroom Choice:
We chose an interior room knowing there would be 18-20 hours of daylight. Although I like an ocean view room for sunlight, and have sailed in one on the Dream, the whole point of going on a cruise to Alaska is to see and feel firsthand the weather and nature, and share it with others, not to view it through a glass window or door. Anyway, we were only in the room to clean up and sleep. I feel that being out on the decks is the way to go in Alaska to “take it all in”, and share the discovery with others. For our stateroom, we like deck 7 for stability and quietness. It also has a laundry room on the same floor. For the first time, we chose an interior room with a split bath. With three adults it worked out well. Located in the forward section of the ship, we had easy access to forward elevators and adult exclusive areas. This was especially convenient on embarkation day, when everyone who is new to the ship stops at the mid-ship elevators. If you want to get anywhere fast on the first day, remember the forward and aft elevators. I am a person who does research and plans for trips. I checked weather reports up to the day before we left to adjust what we packed. I read blogs like this one, stateroom reviews, Cruise Critic reviews and information about ports and trip reports. I checked websites of ports of call, and I also checked National Park websites for things to do at ports. I also read all I could about Icy Strait Point, a new stop for us and the main reason for taking this cruise. It helped us to plan what to take. I got a portable hanging rack and hung out our clothes grouped by day, based on what we would be doing, then adjusted as the trip got nearer and I checked weather reports.
Packing:
For planning what to pack for Alaska, the secret is to think like Shrek – i.e., like an onion. Temperatures can be in the high 70s in Vancouver and even Ketchikan and in the 40s in Skagway or at the glaciers. And, of course, you have to plan for rain and wind – after all it’s Alaska and you’re in a temperate rain forest. If you are prone to getting cold, what is most important are your “silks”- long sleeved and long legged silk underwear and socks to wear under all of your other layers. They keep you very warm although they are light weight, and I wouldn’t travel to cold climates without them.
Socks: a pair of silks then a cotton or wool sock.
Tops: silks then a short sleeved t-shirt with a long sleeved cotton or fleece shirt. This makes three layers on your torso before your hoodie or coat, giving you plenty of options on how to take off layers as it gets warmer. Where ever we went, I carried a light weight day pack, then when it warmed up, my extra layers had a place to be carried.
Pants: my sister has a pair of pants from LL Bean that have a zipper at the knee to change into shorts. These are great for hiking treks. Of course blue jeans, one pair light and one pair heavy (with the silks underneath giving you two layers). Also consider a lightweight rain pants or suit (Eddie Bauer, Frog Togs or LL Bean) not only for rain, but to cut the wind when on the open deck or a port adventure. Mine roll up in a bag that fits in my coat pocket, easy to use at anytime for a layer #3. I like the kind that have a zipper at the ankle to pull over shoes or boots.
Jackets/coats: fleece hoodie, as well as a hooded rain resistant coat. You can take an umbrella but it’s not functional in the wind. Consider a hat – wide brim all the way around to keep sun off your neck and face as well as rain and a stocking cap for cooler days, as well as gloves. It would be good to have a cord on the hat to keep from loosing it in the wind. Some people take a mosquito net to put on over their hat but only needed it you plan to go deep forest hiking or sometimes river fishing.
Shoes: I brought sneakers, one light, one leather (for rain), and wore hiking boots only when I had a port adventure planned. (Hint: wear hiking boots on the plane = less weight in the baggage)
For formal night, I packed a pair of black slacks, and wore them for both formal and semi-formal with a different top. My formal top was a glittered jacket and shell, semi was a rhinestone t-shirt top. I would suggest taking a skirt for eating in Palo (you can read about the dining dress codes here). I brought a swim suit and water shoes for the hot tub and pool, as the pools are heated. Most people on cruise casual days show up to dinner in what they wore all day, but you can also change. I usually put on a long sleeved t-shirt or shirt (Disney themed of course) since the theatre can get chilly at night. Yes, all of this for a 9 night cruise (plus two days in Vancouver before the cruise) fit into one suitcase and a carry on. Remember to roll, not fold, to fit more in the bags, and that they have laundry rooms on the ship (you can read about the laundry options here).”
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