As a lifelong Ketchikanite, I definitely would look at alternative excursions for our town. There's even a city bus that goes to both totem parks (Saxman and Totem Bight) for less than $5 for the very independent traveler. I probably wouldn't spend a lot of money on food in our town, unfortunately, since everything is super expensive and there's only a few places that do really fresh fish or home cooking.
Not sure how prices went up but back in 2013. We went to Ketchikan for the unlimited Alaska crab feast and the small forest section (there was a fish hatchery on the other side). And it wasnt that expensive. Expensive compared to normal everyday places.. yes.. for tours? It wasnt. I assume it is above 200 USD now I guess.
I love that Koda is on the ship!! Brother Bear came out shortly after I moved as a child from Alaska to Arizona. It was like having a little piece of home again 💙🐻
We did the DCL Alaska in Sept 2022 and again this year in Sept and your tips are spot on! We watched your vlog series from 2022 prior to sailing and it helped so much. The one excursion is Glacier day worth every penny! ours did the twin glaciers and sawyer glacier and even the ship got to the ice field right at the glacier! You also want a good camera for all the photos of the scenery YOU will take. We took hundreds of photos - one day we took in excess of 500 photos this was train day in Skagway. But also the second night we had a huge pod of whales just off the ship we stood on our balcony and watched for over 30mins before dinner
We did DCL Alaska in 2022. We had early Palo brunch reservations on glacier day. It was great. We had a table by the window and the ice was just starting to show up in the water as we finished. A delightful meal and day.
Great information about Alaska cruise.. after three years of planning (pandemic) the family and I are finally doing the Alaska cruise in July 2023.. unfortunately it is not a Disney cruise.. we may not have a prince with us but we certainly will have a Princess..
I did Alaska with Disney back in August and I had a fantastic time. The only thing I wish I had known was that the summer dog camp experience in Skagway felt rushed because we had the last available time. It was still a great experience, but we were quickly rushed through the puppy experience and gift shop after the run. If I could have done it again, I would have done the train after the dogs :)
A lot of people ask if a balcony is worth it or required for Alaska. The one time I really thought it was nice was taking pictures on glacier day with a nicer camera. Having your own spot at the rail is very nice, and i could keep multiple lenses on hand. If you're using a phone or point and shoot, I don't think the balcony is necessary.
I’m a recent subscriber and saw this video in my suggestions…this video is so helpful and informative. I love this style of video! Please keep up the great work
Thanks for the video, my wife and recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary. We plan on going to Alaska for our 5th wedding anniversary! Keep uploading these amazing videos, as they are super helpful for anyone else looking to explore what Disney has to offer :)
I definitely agree with your statement that Disney ships aren't really designed for Alaska. We sailed to Alaska aboard NCL Encore, which has a huge, enclosed observation deck. This was excellent for Glacier bay.
Great tips! Do you fly into vancouver the day before? We live in orlando so we just drive over to our port when going on a cruise. We aren’t used to traveling out of state, let alone Canada.
Enjoyed your video. One of these days I may do a Disney Cruise. But, the price is keeping me away. I booked a 10 night Alaskan Cruise solo in a Deluxe Balcony Aft Cabin in mid May for $1,700 including $200 of onboard credit for excursions with Princess Cruises.
Uno de los mejores canales de traveling en TH-cam sin lugar a dudas! Gracias por todo el esfuerzo que pones en darnos este gran contenido amigo, saludos!
The only large viewing on the Wonder that is closed. I think its the front-looking GYM. Also 100% true on the merchandise. I loved the stuff you could get on the Wonder for Alaska specifically. You can't even find these in the Emporium of Disney World.
For big families, it may be worth it to look into private tours offered at the ports! My family and I are sailing this summer and we booked a private tour for our family in Skagway and it ended up being cheaper for our group of 8!
Great video. My only comment is that if you do go on an Alaskan cruise in the low season, be prepared for your excursion to be cancelled due to weather. I went on a Royal Carribean cruise to Alaska at the end of July and it was perfect. We had no issues with the weather for any day. My sister went on a Norwegian cruise to Alaska in mid-June and over half their excursions were canceled due to weather issues.
The weather can affect excursions at any time not just shoulder season. Certain excursions like helicopter ones have a higher chance of getting canceled later in the season due to more rain/fog, but otherwise I don’t think it matters. Mid-June I would say is not really shoulder season anymore, it’s when it starts to peak.
We went to Alaska in 2019 on the Wonder. We loved the mendenhall Glacier and whale watching and salmon bake excursion. This combo trip was expensive but worth it. We also loved the Skagway train but did not enjoy the Liars camp. The crab boat and all you can eat crab was good with the crab being the best we have ever had. In all, I paid for three people for 3 excursions at a cost of $1,800. I don’t regret it, but it was expensive. Definitely a veranda room is important. We saw tons of whales from our navigators veranda. The scenery is unbelievable.
IMO the very end of August to begininng of September is prime Alaska time. The weather is nice, wildlife is active, and prices aren't too high. Early August is more expensive, and later can get colder and wetter.
We will be on an Alaskan cruise the same time as you! Unfortunately, it won’t be with Disney. We had two previous Alaskan cruises canceled and decided to go with a cheaper cruiseline. It’s going to be very different for me! I am excited to FINALLY see Alaska though!
Why was Oaken saying," Yoo hoo big summer blow out!" in my head when you said that a lot of the Alaskan shops were going to be trying to sell off their merch? LOL
Took the Alaskan cruise last September during the low time I can add a few things. One is third party excursions, we use the specifically and we were able to save a bundle one thing to add as people said, and so did you, but you have to watch out for the time returning on the ship will for every single excursion 50% or more were official Disney cruisers on their official a Disney excursion in our group the murder in other groups that were Disney only and nobody else but for all the third-party ones it seems like we tagged onto Disney excursions or the third-party offered both. Crabbing going on a big crab Ship it holds like about 54 people and 50 of them were from the Disney wonder and two couples mean another couple four of us were also from the Disney wonder if we went through a third-party the only difference between Disney officially and Us was a special meal at the end, a crab and Star and Syl because we were from the wonder and we were only four of us they were like there’s gonna be tons of food left over so you guys can join in as well but for the other ones we went gold, panning, and another one we did a tour and dogsledding and for both of these 50% of the people were official Disney excursion hours, but higher price higher price. Other cruise adventures in the Caribbean and stuff but for the excursions in Alaska you’re more than likely if you use a third-party you will get flash be with everybody else that’s on the Disney so you do not have to worry about getting back in time because everybody in your group have to get back in time.
I recommend going on a small ship cruise like Alaskan Dream Cruises. It has 49 max passengers. Less amenities but able to get much closer to glaciers than big ships so that you don't have to spend extra on day cruise excursions. You're lower to the water to easily see whales. It's an Alaskan owned company and the cruise is wholly within the state so no passport required. We had three glacier days on a 9-day cruise. Lastly, we learned about Alaska Native culture which is something I never see discussed on any cruise video.
Does the app tell you what characters will be in what location early on in the day? That way it can be planned ahead? Do recommend a camera? Thanks for those tips!
I think the biggest selling point for DCL to Alaska is being in the Disney bubble. People are willing to pay more for the quality and service you expect with DCL. There may be other lines that offer a better Alaska experience overall but those ships don’t have Mickey and a lot of people pay extra for icebergs with a side of Mickey
Going on my first ever cruise this July aboard the Disney Wonder! So excited. I watched your entire Alaska vlog multiple times in preparation! As a Canadian, I like to think that I'll be able to handle the cold a bit better but I'm sure I'll be proven wrong. haha. It certainly won't be anything like my last Walt Disney World trip in October (but just as Magical!) I'm also low-key kinda excited about officially being a Castaway Club member after this cruise lmao.
I don’t know where you live in Canada, but as a fellow Canadian I don’t handle the cold any better than anyone else Lol. We went to Disney world last Christmas (and many many times to Florida during the winter) and I felt the cold there when the temps were below 65. The cold in Orlando feels 🥶 because of the humidity. Being Canadian did not help me at all. Where we live though it’s just like NYC for example. Just “normal” not arctic cold. Lol .We are going to Alaska next week on the Disney wonder and I’m just bringing layers. Right now the temps look to be in the range of low 50 high 68. Except Vancouver in the 70s. In July you’ll have warmer weather still so i think you’ll be fine :)
Were the characters out in their Alaska-exclusive costumes on just the glacier day or did they appear other times in them? Also, how late were they out on the glacier day? Thank you!
MOST of the characters could be found in their Alaska outfits on other days of the sailing. However glacier day is the only day they meet outside on the top deck for those scenic photos. Also Koda bear ONLY met on glacier day
They had sets. They would come out for a while then go on break then come back. All characters ended their meets once we started moving away from the glacier
The last thing I want to do is go to Alaska and have to do it with Mickey & Mini Mouse and all the screaming kids aboard . Disney & Alaska don't mix... NCL Encore was our trip thankfully
That bear is really creepy. Why not use those singing bears. Sounds like I wouldn't want to do this cruise on this ship. Even if they are doing frozen. My great grandma did Alaska and liked it. I don't think I would like it. Yet you keep coming back must be an Eskimo.
The BEST tip is to NOT go on overpriced DCL and do almost ANY other line for 3 to 5X less money! After doing a DCL cruise , I'll NEVER set foot on another. Wasn't worth the money, lame food (except for Remy and Palo), poor service, ship broke down, shows ALL had problems. Princess and RCL do more cruises and have better itineraries. They also don't charge as much for most excursions as DCL does.
As a lifelong Ketchikanite, I definitely would look at alternative excursions for our town. There's even a city bus that goes to both totem parks (Saxman and Totem Bight) for less than $5 for the very independent traveler. I probably wouldn't spend a lot of money on food in our town, unfortunately, since everything is super expensive and there's only a few places that do really fresh fish or home cooking.
Thanks for the info!
We were hoping to eat at the Fish House…(I think that’s what it’s called)
Ayy I used to live in Ketchikan! Nice ❤️
Not sure how prices went up but back in 2013. We went to Ketchikan for the unlimited Alaska crab feast and the small forest section (there was a fish hatchery on the other side). And it wasnt that expensive. Expensive compared to normal everyday places.. yes.. for tours? It wasnt. I assume it is above 200 USD now I guess.
We have taken a couple of awesome sunny cruises with Disney, looking forward to booking Alaska this summer 👍🏻
You're going to love it!
When in the summer? I was looking at going as well on NCL.
I love that Koda is on the ship!! Brother Bear came out shortly after I moved as a child from Alaska to Arizona. It was like having a little piece of home again 💙🐻
I live in Alaska and I really recommend doing the White Pass and Yukon Railroad in Skagway.
Yes. We did the same in 2019 getting down to deck 4. Quiet. No crowds. Same great view of glacier. :)
We did the DCL Alaska in Sept 2022 and again this year in Sept and your tips are spot on! We watched your vlog series from 2022 prior to sailing and it helped so much. The one excursion is Glacier day worth every penny! ours did the twin glaciers and sawyer glacier and even the ship got to the ice field right at the glacier! You also want a good camera for all the photos of the scenery YOU will take. We took hundreds of photos - one day we took in excess of 500 photos this was train day in Skagway. But also the second night we had a huge pod of whales just off the ship we stood on our balcony and watched for over 30mins before dinner
8 day or 7 day in Sept? Were doing the 8 day!
@@epicgameztv we are doing the 8 day this time
@@lumbyfamilyadventures5670 Well i guess will see you on there :)
I have no Alaskan cruise booked but found this information super helpful as someone who hoped to do an Alaska cruise! Glad I clicked
We did DCL Alaska in 2022. We had early Palo brunch reservations on glacier day. It was great. We had a table by the window and the ice was just starting to show up in the water as we finished. A delightful meal and day.
Great information about Alaska cruise.. after three years of planning (pandemic) the family and I are finally doing the Alaska cruise in July 2023.. unfortunately it is not a Disney cruise.. we may not have a prince with us but we certainly will have a Princess..
Very cool pro tip, thanks!
👏 👏 Adrian, this was awesome!!! I love the voiceover! I learned so much. I know these videos are not easy to do, but you nailed it!!!! 😊xo Theresa
I did Alaska with Disney back in August and I had a fantastic time. The only thing I wish I had known was that the summer dog camp experience in Skagway felt rushed because we had the last available time. It was still a great experience, but we were quickly rushed through the puppy experience and gift shop after the run. If I could have done it again, I would have done the train after the dogs :)
A lot of people ask if a balcony is worth it or required for Alaska. The one time I really thought it was nice was taking pictures on glacier day with a nicer camera. Having your own spot at the rail is very nice, and i could keep multiple lenses on hand. If you're using a phone or point and shoot, I don't think the balcony is necessary.
Loved this video. So many helpful tips. Especially liked all your tips on Alaska specific food, characters and merch. I now have my glacier day plan!
I’m a recent subscriber and saw this video in my suggestions…this video is so helpful and informative. I love this style of video! Please keep up the great work
Great job! This was a really cool new style of video to see from you! ❤
I’m thankful I got to go by your vlogs 😊🫶🏼
This is GREAT stuff cause I'm taking my first Disney Alaskan Cruise June 19th, 2023, so its coming up soon! Thanks bro!
Me and my daughter will be on the wonder with you!
Thanks for the video, my wife and recently celebrated our first wedding anniversary. We plan on going to Alaska for our 5th wedding anniversary! Keep uploading these amazing videos, as they are super helpful for anyone else looking to explore what Disney has to offer :)
Great video Adrian! I really enjoyed all of your cruise vlogs, terrific content!
I definitely agree with your statement that Disney ships aren't really designed for Alaska. We sailed to Alaska aboard NCL Encore, which has a huge, enclosed observation deck. This was excellent for Glacier bay.
Try one of the smaller ships on ncl or royal caribbean, you can get closer to the glaciers on them
Very helpfull
Thanks for the recommendation about Deck 4!
great information. Im planning a Disney Alaska cruise for next September. Great knowledge. thank you for all you do.
These have been such great tips. Thank you so much 😊
Thansk for the tips! We're going on our first Alaskan cruise on the June 5th sailing. Hope to meet you on board!
So excited for your June series!
Great tips! Do you fly into vancouver the day before? We live in orlando so we just drive over to our port when going on a cruise. We aren’t used to traveling out of state, let alone Canada.
It’s cheaper in September because it is the rainy season. I grew up there. Sometimes it snowed on my birthday September 8th!
Thank you for this!
Is it never not rainy season though? I live in Vancouver. Plus wouldn’t the mosquitoes be gone by September?
Thanks so much! Very helpful!
doing the online check in for our Disney Alaskan cruise tonight...loved the video!!!
Great video! Thank you. We are planning an Alaska cruise. This was very helpful.
Awesome video
Thanks for the great review, we are going on the Wonder in Sept 2023
Thanks for the video! I'm planning on going next year and it's really helpful :D
Enjoyed your video. One of these days I may do a Disney Cruise. But, the price is keeping me away. I booked a 10 night Alaskan Cruise solo in a Deluxe Balcony Aft Cabin in mid May for $1,700 including $200 of onboard credit for excursions with Princess Cruises.
You also get what you pay for.
Agreed. The Wonder doesn't even go to Glacier Bay for that price.
I will admit for my price I'm going to Hubbard Glacier instead of Glacier Bay. The big advantage fore was a small single supplement.
Uno de los mejores canales de traveling en TH-cam sin lugar a dudas! Gracias por todo el esfuerzo que pones en darnos este gran contenido amigo, saludos!
Thank you so much for sharing about Alaska!!! This is definitely on my bucket list! 😃
The only large viewing on the Wonder that is closed. I think its the front-looking GYM.
Also 100% true on the merchandise. I loved the stuff you could get on the Wonder for Alaska specifically. You can't even find these in the Emporium of Disney World.
Very helpful video. Thanks. We plan on going in a couple of years.
Thanks so much! Your Alaska playlist inspired me to book my own trip. We will be sailing May, 2024!
Thanks for the info! This is on my bucket list.
Thanks for the Pro tips!!! Some day I'll take this cruise
GREATLY APPRECIATE THE INFO THANK YOU
This made me cry. 🥹❤
Great video very helpful !
For big families, it may be worth it to look into private tours offered at the ports! My family and I are sailing this summer and we booked a private tour for our family in Skagway and it ended up being cheaper for our group of 8!
That’s a fantastic idea!
I second this! There are plenty of private boat, helicopter, and tour options in all the Disney ports.
I've never done a cruise but this one seems like something we would enjoy. Thanks for the content
We will be on the same June 5th sailing! Thanks for the tips!
This helps a lot. Sailing on June 12
Great video. My only comment is that if you do go on an Alaskan cruise in the low season, be prepared for your excursion to be cancelled due to weather. I went on a Royal Carribean cruise to Alaska at the end of July and it was perfect. We had no issues with the weather for any day. My sister went on a Norwegian cruise to Alaska in mid-June and over half their excursions were canceled due to weather issues.
The weather can affect excursions at any time not just shoulder season. Certain excursions like helicopter ones have a higher chance of getting canceled later in the season due to more rain/fog, but otherwise I don’t think it matters.
Mid-June I would say is not really shoulder season anymore, it’s when it starts to peak.
Going in early June but not with DCL- your tips are helpful , especially the glacier day tips
We went to Alaska in 2019 on the Wonder. We loved the mendenhall Glacier and whale watching and salmon bake excursion. This combo trip was expensive but worth it. We also loved the Skagway train but did not enjoy the Liars camp. The crab boat and all you can eat crab was good with the crab being the best we have ever had.
In all, I paid for three people for 3 excursions at a cost of $1,800. I don’t regret it, but it was expensive. Definitely a veranda room is important. We saw tons of whales from our navigators veranda. The scenery is unbelievable.
We are going August 2024. Looking at the Liars Gold & Salmon Bake. Thoughts? Tips? Feedback?
I’m sailing to Alaska on June 5th too!😁
Do you plan on getting beignets with every meal?
Hi which month did you go on first cruise? Your blogs helpful
IMO the very end of August to begininng of September is prime Alaska time. The weather is nice, wildlife is active, and prices aren't too high. Early August is more expensive, and later can get colder and wetter.
We will be on an Alaskan cruise the same time as you! Unfortunately, it won’t be with Disney. We had two previous Alaskan cruises canceled and decided to go with a cheaper cruiseline. It’s going to be very different for me! I am excited to FINALLY see Alaska though!
i would not book the glacier excursion the wonder just about goes as far as the boat to the glaciers to me it was a huge waist of money
Why was Oaken saying," Yoo hoo big summer blow out!" in my head when you said that a lot of the Alaskan shops were going to be trying to sell off their merch? LOL
Lol. I love Disney but those prices are insane. I got a full week on Royal Quantum, balcony room for 3k for 2 of us - End of June.
I’m saving up for Panama Canal trip (Florida to California) and I don’t see a lot of people making videos on it.
I’d love to take a trip like that! However it’s difficult to get that kind of time off work otherwise I would have gone already! One day soon tho!
Say hello to my daughter-in-law Ashley ... Princess Ana!
Is she still on the Wonder?? My kids and I LOVED the shows! We were on there May 9-13
How is the weather tho in September?
Took the Alaskan cruise last September during the low time I can add a few things. One is third party excursions, we use the specifically and we were able to save a bundle one thing to add as people said, and so did you, but you have to watch out for the time returning on the ship will for every single excursion 50% or more were official Disney cruisers on their official a Disney excursion in our group the murder in other groups that were Disney only and nobody else but for all the third-party ones it seems like we tagged onto Disney excursions or the third-party offered both. Crabbing going on a big crab Ship it holds like about 54 people and 50 of them were from the Disney wonder and two couples mean another couple four of us were also from the Disney wonder if we went through a third-party the only difference between Disney officially and Us was a special meal at the end, a crab and Star and Syl because we were from the wonder and we were only four of us they were like there’s gonna be tons of food left over so you guys can join in as well but for the other ones we went gold, panning, and another one we did a tour and dogsledding and for both of these 50% of the people were official Disney excursion hours, but higher price higher price. Other cruise adventures in the Caribbean and stuff but for the excursions in Alaska you’re more than likely if you use a third-party you will get flash be with everybody else that’s on the Disney so you do not have to worry about getting back in time because everybody in your group have to get back in time.
I'm using my mom's you know but I'm going there next year😁
What stateroom is the porthole one and how much money is it?
I recommend going on a small ship cruise like Alaskan Dream Cruises. It has 49 max passengers.
Less amenities but able to get much closer to glaciers than big ships so that you don't have to spend extra on day cruise excursions. You're lower to the water to easily see whales.
It's an Alaskan owned company and the cruise is wholly within the state so no passport required.
We had three glacier days on a 9-day cruise.
Lastly, we learned about Alaska Native culture which is something I never see discussed on any cruise video.
Does the app tell you what characters will be in what location early on in the day? That way it can be planned ahead? Do recommend a camera? Thanks for those tips!
Thanks for the tips. Great video! My big question is, is it worth the extra money to sail DCL to Alaska vs another cruise line
I think the biggest selling point for DCL to Alaska is being in the Disney bubble. People are willing to pay more for the quality and service you expect with DCL. There may be other lines that offer a better Alaska experience overall but those ships don’t have Mickey and a lot of people pay extra for icebergs with a side of Mickey
Going on my first ever cruise this July aboard the Disney Wonder! So excited. I watched your entire Alaska vlog multiple times in preparation! As a Canadian, I like to think that I'll be able to handle the cold a bit better but I'm sure I'll be proven wrong. haha. It certainly won't be anything like my last Walt Disney World trip in October (but just as Magical!)
I'm also low-key kinda excited about officially being a Castaway Club member after this cruise lmao.
So glad to hear you’re gonna be crusing for the first time w Disney. You’re gonna love it. I’m going to Alaska on the wonder in June as well
I don’t know where you live in Canada, but as a fellow Canadian I don’t handle the cold any better than anyone else Lol.
We went to Disney world last Christmas (and many many times to Florida during the winter) and I felt the cold there when the temps were below 65. The cold in Orlando feels 🥶 because of the humidity. Being Canadian did not help me at all. Where we live though it’s just like NYC for example. Just “normal” not arctic cold. Lol .We are going to Alaska next week on the Disney wonder and I’m just bringing layers. Right now the temps look to be in the range of low 50 high 68. Except Vancouver in the 70s.
In July you’ll have warmer weather still so i think you’ll be fine :)
Were the characters out in their Alaska-exclusive costumes on just the glacier day or did they appear other times in them? Also, how late were they out on the glacier day? Thank you!
MOST of the characters could be found in their Alaska outfits on other days of the sailing. However glacier day is the only day they meet outside on the top deck for those scenic photos. Also Koda bear ONLY met on glacier day
And if it was just during the glacier day, did they appear a few times throughout the day or just once?
They had sets. They would come out for a while then go on break then come back. All characters ended their meets once we started moving away from the glacier
What excursions are recommended for ages 4 and 6?
i am going to Alaskan Disney Cruise
I’m wondering how I know the excursions are available to book
You will be given a date based on how many Disney cruises you've been on.
Do you always book through Disney or have looked for deals elsewhere?
As far as the cruise itself, I always book through Disney. Excursions I’m booking third party this year
minnies jacket i want
Did you guys see the northern lights. We plan to go in 2024 and want to make sure we see them.
❤
I know it’s Because of weather conditions
The last thing I want to do is go to Alaska and have to do it with Mickey & Mini Mouse and all the screaming kids aboard . Disney & Alaska don't mix... NCL Encore was our trip thankfully
Holy macaroni disney is expensive!!!
That bear is really creepy. Why not use those singing bears. Sounds like I wouldn't want to do this cruise on this ship. Even if they are doing frozen. My great grandma did Alaska and liked it. I don't think I would like it. Yet you keep coming back must be an Eskimo.
Biggest mistake taking A Disney ship to one of the most beautiful playin the world. Did NCL two weeks ago. Disney is over priced!!!!
The BEST tip is to NOT go on overpriced DCL and do almost ANY other line for 3 to 5X less money! After doing a DCL cruise , I'll NEVER set foot on another. Wasn't worth the money, lame food (except for Remy and Palo), poor service, ship broke down, shows ALL had problems. Princess and RCL do more cruises and have better itineraries. They also don't charge as much for most excursions as DCL does.