A Cruise To Be (Or Not To Be?) Eclipsed, Alaska August 15-22, 2017 Carnival vs Disney Cruise p. 7

I live near Portland, Oregon, and really enjoy visiting Seattle. I was actually born there! Last summer my dh and I bought the City Pass for a long weekend. We thoroughly enjoyed the Chihuly Museum and the tour of the Sound was fun too. The WORLD cruise ship was actually sitting off shore. That was a real treat to see! If you ever get back to Seattle I highly recommend both these attractions.

I have never been on a cruise to Alaska. Maybe one day. I've driven the route waaaaay back in 1988 and spent a lot of my young adult life there commercial fishing with my father. It's a beautiful land and I go back frequently as my parents retired and moved there a few years ago.

Thanks for sharing your trip and I'm really looking forward to your Teena Cruise Report!
 
Once he told us we had to look much higher than we expect to, we saw it!
There must have been a lot of smoke to obscure Mt. Rainer like that. The views of the Grand Canyon have gotten worse from air pollution. It really makes you realize how bad the air really is now.

The chowders were the daily special (lobster and scallop), smoked salmon chowder, a coconut and lime chowder and the oyster and crab with chorizo sausage. All of the chowders were tasty, but the best were the smoked salmon and the coconut lime. The crab roll was also fantastic.
That is a really long wait for food. I'm glad that it was worth it. The whole Marketplace area looks fascinating.

Experience the wonders of Puget Sound and our world’s one big ocean at the Seattle Aquarium.
We don't have any oceans near us and this would have been the place that I would have wanted to visit. :)

I think the museum is tailored more to preteens and younger kids, but it was probably the better choice between the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit.


Not so many years ago, Ben would have loved the dinosaur section!
We've seen random exhibits of pieces of the Chiluhy collection at various botanic gardens and other places. But I would have chosen the science academy, too, since I am a science geek. ;)

Our two oldest grandsons were really into dinosaurs when they were younger, too. I miss those days.
 


The theming for the Legend is Greek/Roman mythology, which is cool and all, but DISNEY!!! From the Minnie statue in the lobby to the movie artwork on the stairways and throughout the ship and the added bonus of the Halloween touches, the décor of the Fantasy wins ears-down!

I am not sure if the cabins on the Legend and the Fantasy were the same category of room. Both of the cabins I stayed in had balconies. The Disney cabin was larger, or at least seemed to be. The bedding we had on the Fantasy was a large bed and a sleeper couch, with a curtain that divided the spaces. On the Legend, we had a cabin with a large bed and bunk beds for the boys.

The Fantasy had two bathrooms, one with a shower but on the Legend the four of us had to share a single bathroom. The second bathroom was a huge advantage because someone could be showering while someone else was brushing teeth or whatever.

I'm not surprised that the Disney Fantasy would win in most of the categories. Disney really knows how to entertain.

I think the lobby of the Legend looks really nice. It is a lot better than I expected from an Alaska cruise ship.

It looks like the bunkbeds would work out better for the boys than the sofa bed would. In fact, it looks like only one person can fit on the sofa bed. Where did your other son sleep?
 
It looks like the bunkbeds would work out better for the boys than the sofa bed would. In fact, it looks like only one person can fit on the sofa bed. Where did your other son sleep?

At home!

I was on the Fantasy with Teena.

;)
 


Wow you really got your money’s worth with the City Pass
Beautiful pictures from the Space Needle
Yes you definitely have a keeper with Mark :love:
I really enjoyed your comparison of the two cruises
I’ve never had any interest in cruising either but after reading your thoughts and seeing your pictures of the Fantasy I may have to reconsider
 
Seattle looks like a lot of fun! I have never been on the West Coast but Seattle would be on the list if I get out there.

That Strawberry Shortcake looks fantastic. I love strawberries and cake so I think I would love that.

I loved following along as always! Interested to hear your thoughts on Carnival vs. Disney.

I loved Seattle! We had perfect weather, great meals, and lots of new sightseeing experiences. I loved the laid-back, environmentally-concerned vibe of the city (they just restricted the use of single-use straws I think- Hooray!)

The shortcake was good, but doesn't compare with the Sunshine Seasons shortcake which is my favorite anywhere.

Thanks so much for your comments during the report.

:goodvibes



I live near Portland, Oregon, and really enjoy visiting Seattle. I was actually born there! Last summer my dh and I bought the City Pass for a long weekend. We thoroughly enjoyed the Chihuly Museum and the tour of the Sound was fun too. The WORLD cruise ship was actually sitting off shore. That was a real treat to see! If you ever get back to Seattle I highly recommend both these attractions.

I have never been on a cruise to Alaska. Maybe one day. I've driven the route waaaaay back in 1988 and spent a lot of my young adult life there commercial fishing with my father. It's a beautiful land and I go back frequently as my parents retired and moved there a few years ago.

Thanks for sharing your trip and I'm really looking forward to your Teena Cruise Report!

I thought the Seattle City Pass was a great deal for all that we did. It was nice paying up front and then doing everything "for free!" I wish we had done the Harbor, but I literally just couldn't! I have seen Chihuly's amazing work on visits to Atlantis and on cruise ships. I'm sure the museum is impressive and equally sure the boys would have rolled eyes through the whole visit.

We loved our visit to Alaska.

:thumbsup2
 
There must have been a lot of smoke to obscure Mt. Rainer like that. The views of the Grand Canyon have gotten worse from air pollution. It really makes you realize how bad the air really is now.

I think you have a pretty good idea about how I feel about the assaults to the worlds' environment

:headache:


That is a really long wait for food. I'm glad that it was worth it. The whole Marketplace area looks fascinating.

I'm glad we waited. It was a very Seattlean meal. (is that a word?)


We don't have any oceans near us and this would have been the place that I would have wanted to visit. :)

That makes me sad that you are not near an ocean. The beach is my happy place. Always.


We've seen random exhibits of pieces of the Chiluhy collection at various botanic gardens and other places. But I would have chosen the science academy, too, since I am a science geek. ;)

Our two oldest grandsons were really into dinosaurs when they were younger, too. I miss those days.

I have been impressed with the Chihuly pieces we have seen on our travels. Incredible talent.

Ben was SO into dinosaurs. You have probably seen the favorite quote from my father "Ben has more dinosaur (toys) than existed at the time of the dinosaurs.


:rotfl2:



Wow you really got your money’s worth with the City Pass
Beautiful pictures from the Space Needle

Seattle was great! I loved our trips to the top of the Space Needle.

:goodvibes


Yes you definitely have a keeper with Mark :love:

I do!

:love2:
 
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I added a could of paragraphs to my cruise analysis, including this wrap up:

Overall Atmosphere/Would I book with Carnival or Disney again?
That's a good question. My answer is yes, depending on the opportunity. For me, cruising is about experiencing a variety of amazing ports.

Carnival has the reputation of being "The Fun Ship" To me, this means a younger, partying crowd. This is not our vibe, and fortunately, we didn't experience this on our Alaska cruise. The guests consisted of multi-generational families, couples, friends. I don't know if the atmosphere is different on sailings to other itineraries, but that would be a consideration for me to book with Carnival again. For the price, depending on where the cruise was sailing, I would consider Carnival.

The passengers on the Fantasy, not-surprisingly, were made up of a lot of multi-generational families. Because we were sailing during the school year, the kids on the cruise were skewed to preschool ages. I saw a lot of poorly-supervised kids- I suspected an attitude of "we paid a lot of for this vacation, so my kids (or grandkids) can do whatever they want." The characters and all of the Disney fun was awesome, but for my family with two teen boys, these Disney extras are not important features. In later years, if we are blessed with grandchildren, a Disney cruise may be on the horizon. I would love to share the experience with Mark, but as a couple, this is not the vacation we would choose together without other factors- the opportunity to sail with friends, at a decent price.


Ooh- can't wait until you compare the cruise lines! Please let us know when you post!

Done!
 
Great overview! I know we have always wanted to do a Disney cruise but the pricing is just a lot for a family of 5.

Are there suites that accommodate 5? Or do you have to get 2 rooms? I have no idea.

:scratchin


Do you happen to know what kind of accommodations they have for families of four on the Fantasy?

I don't! I'll ask Teena if I think of it.

::yes::

I'm not surprised that the Disney Fantasy would win in most of the categories. Disney really knows how to entertain.

I think the lobby of the Legend looks really nice. It is a lot better than I expected from an Alaska cruise ship.

Disney sure has all the bells and whistles.

The Legend is small, but not THAT small. It sails in Alaska during the summer, but it also has itineraries to Hawaii and maybe Australia in the cooler months.

:sunny:



I really enjoyed your comparison of the two cruises
I’ve never had any interest in cruising either but after reading your thoughts and seeing your pictures of the Fantasy I may have to reconsider

Thank you!

Cruising isn't for everyone. I have enjoyed the cruises I have taken as part of a couple, as a family (including sailing with 40 family members) and with my dear friend. But there are other vacations I prefer more.

:beach:
 
Wow you’ve been extremely busy with all the updates and I have been a bad subscriber and missing for quite a while! Seattle looks great. Enjoyed all the cruise comparisons though I’m not sure it’s for me but I do agree it’s a great way to see a lot of places on one trip. I’ve really enjoyed all your photos but I have to say the one of Ben scowling at the strawberry shortcake made me laugh out loud :)
He looked like he was wondering how the heck it dared to sit there on the table in front of him :0
 
Wow you’ve been extremely busy with all the updates and I have been a bad subscriber and missing for quite a while! Seattle looks great. Enjoyed all the cruise comparisons though I’m not sure it’s for me but I do agree it’s a great way to see a lot of places on one trip. I’ve really enjoyed all your photos but I have to say the one of Ben scowling at the strawberry shortcake made me laugh out loud :)
He looked like he was wondering how the heck it dared to sit there on the table in front of him :0

:wave2:

Well, I haven't been over here in awhile. UGH!!! I need to get started on the Fantasy cruise report.

In his defense, I don't think Ben is scowling at the dessert. I think he is squinting because the sun is in his eyes.

:sunny:
 
Dee,
I wanted to give you a huge THANK YOU for your trip report and guidance on Alaska cruises. I cruised with my Dad on Holland America's Westerdam last month, and it was truly amazing. You had emailed me information about your excursions and ideas, and I am so thankful! We really mirrored your excursions as best as we could (we were much earlier in the season), and it was fantastic. In Juneau, we had a great day with Juneau Whale Watch both whale watching and at the glacier. We did the van tour in Skagway up to Carcross (although we did catch the train in Fraser back to Skagway), and we did a floatplane tour in Ketchikan.
Truly just out of this world memories. And for what it's worth, without kids, I really liked the Holland America vibe. Very relaxed, lots of emphasis on the experience of where you are. Not lots of hoopla or "entertainment" if that is the goal. I would cruise with them again in a heartbeat given the right itinerary, and they do seem to have some unique itineraries because their ships are mid-sized.
I haven't been around the boards much because we don't have much Disney planned soon, but you really played a part in my excitement for this cruise, and ultimately the success!
 
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Dee,
I wanted to give you a huge THANK YOU for your trip report and guidance on Alaska cruises. I cruised with my Dad on Holland America's Westerdam last month, and it was truly amazing. You had emailed me information about your excursions and ideas, and I am so thankful! We really mirrored your excursions as best as we could (we were much earlier in the season), and it was fantastic. In Juneau, we had a great day with Juneau Whale Watch both whale watching and at the glacier. We did the van tour in Skagway up to Carcross (although we did catch the train in Fraser back to Skagway), and we did a floatplane tour in Ketchikan.
Truly just out of this world memories. And for what it's worth, without kids, I really liked the Holland America vibe. Very relaxed, lots of emphasis on the experience of where you are. Not lots of hoopla or "entertainment" if that is the goal. I would cruise with them again in a heartbeat given the right itinerary, and they do seem to have some unique itineraries because their ships are mid-sized.
I haven't been around the boards much because we don't have much Disney planned soon, but you really played a part in my excitement for this cruise, and ultimately the success!


Awww! Thank you so much for the kind words. I was thinking of you the other day- I couldn't remember exactly when your cruise was scheduled, but I knew it was coming up!

I am so pleased to hear you had a fantastic time and enjoyed the things you did. Good to know that you liked the Holland America experience.

The train was not right for us, but for a lot of people it is an important thing to do in Skagway- the tour/train is a great combo trip.

If you have any pictures that you would like to share with me, either by posting here or email, I would love to see them. Or if you have posted on Facebook, I could try to take a peek there.

Thanks again for your feedback!

:dogdance:
 

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