Whenever you have stuff to move and deadlines are involved, you’ll do anything to finish the move. Any truck is a means of transportation. You’ll pile stuff high and lash it down. And any box is a container to carry more stuff. Just remember that. Always.
If you’ve looked at Disney discussion boards like Disboards.com to prepare for a Disney cruise, you might have seen forum posts about decorating the magnetic stateroom doors. While I can vouch that it is possible, my tip is to use strong magnets, really strong magnets.
The stateroom doors on the Disney Wonder are thick and barely magnetic. Large surface area magnets like a flat sheet work well, but smaller “button” magnets are easily dislodged. When your door slams, the average magnet will fall off, littering the hallway. Strong Like Bull magnets would definitely stick, but at their value, I wouldn’t leave these unattended.
Bring along extra magnets if possible and also tape to attach them to your door decorations. Even though we tested our decorations on a refrigerator, they didn’t stick to the Disney doors without extra magnets added on.
Here’s our door that was remade several times after our decorations fell off.
Oh, don’t forget Disney’s policy that you can’t use any type of adhesives (like tape) on the door themselves.
To help plan for trips and vacations, I’ve been using TripAdvisor more and more. This service provides great user-contributed reviews and suggests local activities. After a great experience fishing with Captain Jerry of AAA Sportfishing Co in Ketchikan, Alaska, I had to provide a review.
Here’s my very first TripAdvisor review – “Changed my view of fishing!”
Build a life, find your opportunities, and always be sexy.
Much respect, Chris, much respect.
Fifteen minutes of spare time is what you need to watch some Magic, Magic Johnson that is. 6-9 point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. The Great Western Forum. Prime Ticket television. Chick Hearn and Stu Lantz. Showtime.
How many of these magical moments did you see unfold?
After playing in the busy swimming pool onboard the Disney Wonder, parents may want to give their kids a good cleaning. So back in your stateroom, you’ll use extra everything – extra soap, extra shampoo, and extra conditioner. Then you’ll hear your kids scream out, “My eyes! My eyes!”
Ooops, sorry. The provided H20-branded shampoo is not tear free. Although Disney cruises cater to kids, the shampoo is for the whole family. So yeah, the Sea Marine Revitalizing shampoo stings if it hits your eyes. Just a tip to not overdo the shampoo and watch the eyes.
Contributing a short Yelp review for the non-Starbucks in Skagway, Alaska. So while this non-Starbucks cafe serves Starbucks, touring Skagway with a hot cup of coffee is just more fun. 🙂
Read my Yelp review for the non-Starbucks in Skagway, AK.
More coffee experiences captured in Coffee While Cruising – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
Here are some of the foodie pics taken when vacationing in Fresno, Vancouver, Alaska, and on-board the Disney Wonder. Sorry, I didn’t add any descriptions of the pics. I’ll let the food speak for themselves. Do I need to say that I didn’t go hungry with this vacation diet?
The best food while at sea was at Palo (not surprising). Go for the dishes your server says isn’t available elsewhere on ship. You also need to try Palo both for dinner and for brunch. These are two different experiences with very different menus and styles.
Zefferelli’s in Vancouver was a completely lucky find. Late in the day while on Robson Street, our group couldn’t decide what to eat. Adults wanted Thai or Asian while the kids wanted spaghetti. The kids won out so we headed to the closest Italian place which happened to be the second-floor Zefferelli’s. Wow. Here’s my abbreviated Yelp review I drafted on my iPhone. In general though, Vancouver is a great place to sample different cuisines. There’s so much to pick from, all within walking distance. Biggest challenge for a large group is the small size of many restaurants.
I was not disappointed with the sit down meals we had on the Wonder. The menu featured a large variety, but some dishes really sang. The soups were surprisingly good and always save space for dessert. Our server would always exclaim “calorie time!” when he came to take our dessert orders. I’m not sure why, but asparagus had no effect on me during the cruise, and trust me, I tried by ordering several dishes with asparagus.
In Juneau, seek out Tracy’s King Crab Shack and soak it all in. Located right on the docks, this literal shack serves the biggest, freshest crab product you’ll probably ever find (I think I’ll post pics in a separate post).
Now, I’m getting hungry…
Starbucks has gotten smarter with its promotions and who’s eligible for these promotions. Previously, it was a free for all. Once a promo was known, pretty much anyone could use it. Not so anymore. Case in point. Were you informed of the recent Star Dash? It just completed where you get $10 back after 12 stars (and $5 for 6 stars).
Even if you knew about this dash, you couldn’t join unless your specific account was offered this deal. Before, someone could forward you the Star Dash link, and you could sign up. Try that now, and you won’t see the promotion for your account.
Did you know about the Star Dash that starts today? Seems like this dash is for the “pros,” the caffeine addicts, the gold level members, the hardcore Starbuckers. Instead of the lower goal of 12 stars for $10, this Dash demands 20 stars for $10 or 10 stars to earn $5.
You got a little less than two weeks to complete the dash so drink up (or eat up or charge up)!
No, I didn’t go to Tam’s Shoe Repair Shop in Kaimuki to get shoes repaired. Instead I needed work done on a suitcase handle that broke while packing for our Disney cruise to Alaska. Checking around it seems Tam’s Shoe Repair Shop is the place. This little local shop is the only authorized Samsonite luggage repair location on Oahu (and I think recommended for shoe repairs by Nordstrom). How did this small place get these lucrative endorsements I’m not sure, but the repair shop is full of leather goods in need of mending.
So anyways on Yelp, there’s a mix of good and bad reviews for Tam’s Shoe Repair Shop. Overall, I had a good (no great) experience so I gave my review. I’d recommend using Tam’s Shoe Repair Shop for luggage repairs but your mileage may vary. And yes, I can live with a blue handle on my black suitcase.
Setting the stage for Part 3 of Coffee While Cruising is easy – chilly Alaskan weather, event-filled days, and the lax diet of vacation. Perfect conditions for an absolute coffee fest!
Did I mention that brewed coffee onboard the Disney Wonder is free and always available. Let’s repeat that, free and always available. Whoa.
This espresso bar is happening. From the outside, it appears deceptively simple. Step inside and let the luxury enfold you.
The baristas can make all kinds of drinks, but again, for a price. Be prepared to wait since some days are slammed with caffeine addicts. There’s plush outdoor seating or you can go upstairs to the posh Outlook Cafe. I opted for outside whale watching while drinking my mocha.
So staying caffeinated at sea is easy to do, but what about in Alaska. Now that’s a different story. First port of Skagway, Alaska with a population of 800 locals. Four cruise ships in dock, each transporting at least 2000 passengers and 900 crew members. So roughly 12,000 visitors crushing into this “city.” Could the coffee keep up? If you’re a business entrepreneur like the Excelsior Coffee Cafe, you see a definite opportunity.
Located inside of a jewelry store (and what is with all the jewelry spots in Alaska?!?), this cafe serves Starbucks but is NOT a Starbucks. But really, when you see that green mermaid logo in the window, do you really care? The menu is, not surprisingly, more expensive, and due to the constant flow of visitors, they ran out of cup sleeves, but it’s all good when the coffee enters your bloodstream. Walking around the blocks of Skagway and checking out the shopping spots is just a little more fun holding a cup of coffee.
Our cruise’s second port was the capital of Alaska, Juneau. Of course I’d find coffee places in the capital, right? Yup, but with our activities and limited transportation, squeezing in a coffee pit stop was too tough. But after visiting the sights of the Mendenhall Glacier, we had enough time to check out the area around the dock. That’s when we came across Tracy’s Crab Shack. Featured in a Top Chef Quick Fire Challenge, this place is really a shack, a very, very crowded shack that serves the hugest crab legs you’ll ever see.
But wait, we’re talking coffee, not crabs. Luckily for me, a few shacks down from Tracy’s is the Crepe Escape. Where there’s crepes, there’s coffee, and sure enough, their full menu offered coffee options.
Did I have a mocha? I forget already, but that is my “safe” drink. If you screw up a mocha, you don’t belong in the espresso game. A mocha with king crab, crab cakes, and crab bisque? Sure, why not?
A private fishing tour with Captain Jerry for four hours will make you thirsty as well. Or maybe it was from reeling in 40 salmon? Maybe it was just the salt of the Pacific Ocean, but after some great fishing, I needed a pick me up. At 3:45pm, that shouldn’t be a problem right? Hold up there, visitor of Ketchikan. Things work differently here. The Yelp app helpfully listed many coffee spots. I headed to the closest one – open but no longer brewing for the day. Headed to another location. Closed. Did more shopping and came across another closed cafe. What’s with that?
The Disney Wonder was in port for several more hours and other cruise ships were also docked so people were aplenty. But why all the early closures? I guess that’s the way Ketchikan rolls?? Did more shopping and spied this garage-looking space with people in it. And they were drinking coffee! I hurried on over and yes, the Good Coffee Company was open, even after their posted closing time. The workers said they go with the flow so if there’s business, they stay open. I had another “safe” mocha but should’ve gotten a larger size since it was so good.
So coffee addicts, there you have it, my coffee tales in Fresno, Vancouver, and lastly, Alaska. After writing three installments, I’m tired. I think I need some coffee. 😉
Don’t forget about Part 1 and Part 2 of Coffee While Cruising.
