Farris Family's Day Off

Day 1 - June 10 - SFO > YVR

After we arrived in Vancouver, we took the metro rail from the airport to downtown Vancouver. One thing to note about the Vancouver International Airport is that the place is huge. If feels even bigger when your plane parks at the furthest gate in the furthest terminal. But it's a nice airport.

The metro rail takes about 40 minutes from the airport to the downtown stop we needed to get off on. It's a very clean convenient way to get to Downtown Vancouver.

From the Downtown station, it was about two blocks to the Marriott hotel. The walk wasn't too bad, but we had all of our luggage and there were some small, very gradual hills, to get up. It was about 7pm by the time we got to the hotel. Aronn and Csilla, who drove up from Washington to stay the night, came up to our room to visit before we all called it a night.

Day 2 - June 11 - Checking out Vancouver

We woke up in the morning to get some breakfast and meet up with everyone else.

After breakfast, we took a short walk to the water, which was about a 5–10-minute walk, to do some site-seeing. Also, it gave us an idea of how long it would take to get to the cruise terminal from our hotel the next day.

After checking out the waterfront and the cruise terminal we jumped on a local bus to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.

If you have never been to Vancouver and specifically the Capilano Suspension Bridge, it is quite a thrill. It's an actual suspension bridge and it spans over 1,300 feet across the Capilano river and is over 200 feet above it. They also have other thrilling experiences, like walking on a metal grate pathway that hugs the cliffside and is above the trees. There's also a number of suspended pathways on the other side of the bridge that take you up into the large trees.

Next stop of the day was Grouse Mountain. It's a quick ride on the bus from Capilano Suspension Bridge further up the hill where we took a sky tram up the mountain to the peak (1,500 feet). At the summit there are walking trails, food, wildlife, and stuff for the kids to do. They also have captive Grizzly bears. In the winter the area because a ski resort.

We ended the day and headed back to our hotel for one more night on land.

Day 3 - June 12 - Boarding the Disney Wonder

Today was the day we said farewell to Aronn and Csilla. They were taking the drive back across the Canadian/US boarder back home to Washington. The rest of the group were heading to the cruise terminal to start the check in process to board the ship.

On Disney Cruise Line you get a boarding time, so we had to wait until our time was here so we could get on the ship.

Before we checked out of the hotel, Kati woke up early and captured some photos of our ship coming into port from our room! This brought back memories from when Kati and I were awake early last time we were in Vancouver going on the Disney Wonder and we watched the ship go under the Lions Gate Bridge.

Before we headed to the port and Aronn and Csilla took their journey, we had breakfast at La Petite Crepe. It's a very small breakfast/lunch place run by one man. Everything is made fresh while you wait. I really appreciated him. If you can imagine 8 adults and 3 kids all coming in at once to place an order, the place looked packed and we were the only ones who can fit in his cafe. Although our order took a long time, it was worth it. The crepes were really good. I actually found a photo of him on the internet (below). He must have been the same guy running his cafe for a long time.

After our breakfast, we headed back to the hotel (which was around the corner) to grab our luggage and take the walk to the port. Aronn and Csilla headed out.

Now it was a waiting game, keeping the kids occupied and waiting for our "arrival time". Soon enough that time came. We went into the terminal did our check in process and started our walk to the gangway on to the ship. The walk along the gangway has always been the most exciting part of that first day of boarding the ship. I get a feeling in me full of excitement and joy and I've been on a few cruise ships and the feeling never gets lesser.

After entering the ship, the crew members are standing in rows on each side of the threshold of the ship welcoming you. They ask for your family name and announce it in the atrium over a microphone. Captain Mickey is also there to greet you.

Once on the ship you can explore all the decks, get lunch at the buffet, or even get in the pools if you remembered to pack a bathing suit in your day bag (because your luggage was taken by the crew before you boarded). We also had to wait for the rooms to be open, which is usually a couple of hours after you board. This gives the crew time to finish up any last-minute room touch ups and gift delivery without having a lot of people crowding the hallways to the staterooms.

We got joining rooms with Kristi and Cristian so we could go from one room to the other without going into the hallway. It was nice and the kids definitely appreciated it. Cristian's parents had to get a room down the hall, but it worked out.

I'll just mention really quickly that there's not many people I would want to vacation with and so many times than the Daraban's. It's rare you find people that you get along with that you can share so many experiences with. We've had so many together, all around the world, and I'm grateful for friends like them. It's also great that our kids grew up together on these trips and get along.

OK, back to the vacation...

That night we departed Vancouver and headed north towards the inner passage to Alaska.

Day 4 - June 13 - Day at Sea

Today was a travel day up to the South Sawyer Glacier, these are called sea days. During the entire day the ship is moving to its next port, or in this case a fjord. During the day we explored the ship and activities. We took pictures with the characters, and at dinner time, ate at Triton's. Themed after The Little Mermaid. It might be just me, but I've never had a bad meal on the Disney Cruises. Any ship I've been on. One thing to mention here is the customer service regardless of where you are on the ship, is top-notch. It's one of the things I hold high for Disney Cruise Line.

One thing people may not realize when you travel north towards Alaska is that during the summer months, the sun never sets fully. Thankfully, at night the curtains in the stateroom make the room dark or it might be hard to sleep.

Day 5 - June 14 - South Sawyer Glacier

Today we woke up and the weather was colder, and we were headed to the fjord toward the South Sawyer Glacier. While we cruised along the waterways, we kept our eyes out on the horizon and in the water for any kind of wildlife. We did see whales, but they were too far from the ship to see any details. I saw many spouts from them.

As we waited to get closer to the glacier, we took some photos with Minnie. While up on the top decks, we could also get hot beverages like coffee and hot chocolate to warm up.

Once we were getting close the the fjord, we headed down to deck 1 to board a smaller boat from the ship to make our way to the glacier. The ship has to communicate with authorities to find out of it is cleared to get close to the glacier depending on iceberg and wildlife in the area. The ship was not cleared to go close to the glacier because there were a lot of seal and their pups in the fjord. Smaller boats are allowed.

This was my second time going to the South Sawyer glacier and I could do it 100 times. The mountain ranges, waterfalls, wildlife, icebergs, and of course the glacier itself are breathtaking.

While on the boat, they pulled up a smaller iceberg for all of us to hold. It seems like it's just a block of ice, no big deal, but the idea that it has been ice for thousands of years, if not more, is a cool experience.

Granted the picture with the glacier does the glacier no justice as far as the size of it goes, but just imagine the front wall of that glacier is slightly taller than the cruise ship.

Fun fact

The South Sawyer Glacier in Alaska is located within the stunning Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness, a region known for its dramatic fjords, towering icebergs, and diverse wildlife. The glacier itself is a tidewater glacier, meaning it flows directly into the sea, creating spectacular calving events where large chunks of ice break off and crash into the water, producing thunderous sounds and massive waves. This dynamic and visually striking process makes South Sawyer Glacier a popular destination for tourists and wildlife enthusiasts, who often spot seals, whales, and seabirds in the surrounding waters.

After we were done with our tour of the glacier and Tracy Arm fjord, we headed back on to the ship. Later that day Mia had an appointment with Bippity Boppity Boutique where she had a Little Mermaid makeover. I will never forget the reaction Bennett had when he saw Mia all made up. He was in awe.

Later we had dinner, took a few more photos with backdrops and characters, and watched some of the entertainment they had on the ship.

Day 6 - June 15 - Skagway, Alaska

Today we woke up in Skagway, Alaska. We had a busy day of scenic railways and gold mining. The trip started by taking transportation to the train station where we took the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway through the mountains for 3 hours until we reached Fraser, British Columbia. Since we crossed the border, border patrol officers from Canada had to come through each train car and check for passports.

Fun Fact

Skagway is a small town located on the northern coast of Alaska. It was established during the gold rush of the late 1800s and today serves as a gateway to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. Visitors can take scenic train rides through the area, explore local museums and art galleries, or go hiking in nearby mountains. Skagway is also known for its annual Fourth of July parade, which features colorful floats, marching bands, and decorated bicycles.

The ride up through the White Pass was jaw dropping, with waterfalls, wildlife, and tall mountain peaks all around us. The air was crisp and clean. I mostly stood outside on the back of the car we were riding in so I can take pictures. It was cold, but worth it.

Once we arrived at the Fraser, British Columbia train station, we departed and got on a bus that headed back down the mountain back to Skagway. Along the way we crossed the border and had an opportunity to take photos at the "Welcome to Alaska" sign up in the mountains.

After we arrived back into Skagway we did a gold mine tour. Each of us was given a pan with sand, dirt, mud in it and were taught how people pan for gold in the rivers around the area.

Kati, Mia, and I combined our gold. They weigh it at the end of our time with them and give you a certificate with the value of gold you have. Ours was worth $40.

Fun fact

The large two-story drilling machines used in Skagway during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897 were known as "dredges." These machines, which were powered by steam engines, could excavate sand and rocks from the riverbeds to search for gold. They were also equipped with sluices that separated the gold from other materials, making it easier for prospectors to find valuable ore.

After our adventure, we headed to the bus that took us back to the downtown area of Skagway. We made our way back to the ship and got ready for dinner at Animator's Palette.

Animator's Palette is a dining experience where during the dinner the room slowly changes from a black and white themed room to a full color room with painting of characters on the wall also changing from black and white to color. The restaurant staff also follow this by changing their vests from black and white to color. The process from back and white to full color takes the entire mealtime.

Day 7 - June 16 - Juneau, Alaska

Today the excursion we had planned to go on got cancelled due to weather. We were planning to take a helicopter ride to a glacier, then ride in a sled with sled dogs pulling us along. Since our plans changed, we decided to take the bus to Mendenhall Glacier. Once you arrive, you have to walk a trail for about 3 miles to get to the glacier. Along the way, you might see birds, like arctic terns, porcupines, even black bears. At the glacier site it opens up into a lake rather than a dense forest where the trail starts. Across the lake is the glacier. On the same side as the trail is a massive waterfall. We hung out taking pictures and enjoying the natural beauty of it all for about 20 minutes before we had to rush back to make the bus so we wouldn't be late to get back on the ship. The ship waits for no one and the only way out of Juneau is by plane or boat. Both don't run every day. Needless to say, we were faster paced than usual.

Thankfully, we made the bus, and we made it back on the ship in time before all aboard time was reached!

That night we ate at the restaurant, Tiana's Place, themed after the Princess and the Frog movie. The food is also, of course, themed after where the movie took place, New Orleans.

After dinner we took photos with characters around the ship.

Day 8 - June 17 - Ketchikan, Alaska

Today we arrived in Ketchikan. It was our last port before one last day at sea and then back to Vancouver. We took a quick bus ride over to a boat to do some wildlife viewing from the water. While we were on the boat we did see bald eagles, seals, and some other birds. I was hoping for whales, but we missed a pod of orcas while we were on the bus. We saw them from the window, but between trees and the movement, we weren't able to get a picture.

After our excursion we headed back into town and did some shopping in Ketchikan before heading back on to the ship.

Once we got back on the ship, since this was the last night the Bingo was played, Kati, Mia, and I decided to try our luck at the grand finale jackpot bingo. Kati and I tend to play bingo on the cruises we go on at least once a cruise just to see what would happen. We hit a small jackpot on a different cruise before totally I think $200. We were thrilled. Well this time we hit a big jackpot, like 4 digit dollar jackpot. I couldn't believe it. I also never seen that many hundred-dollar bills before. Let's just say it paid for most of the cruise. Now we had to carry it around with us for the next few days because we didn't want to lose it!!! It was also nerve-racking to have the much cash on us.

After our Bingo win and collecting our winnings, we headed back to the room where everyone else was getting ready to head to dinner. We celebrated together briefly and headed to dinner.

That was a great ending to the day.

Day 9 - June 18 - Day at Sea

Today was a day at sea, so we planned to have a Palo brunch with the adults. We sent the kids to the kids club for a couple of hours while we enjoyed a nice meal. Palo is the fancy restaurant on board. They require a certain dress code in order to enter. The food is great and I never have a bad experience there. The wait staff is top-notch and very professional. Our waitress was a lot of fun.

After brunch we picked up the kids from the kids club and participated in activities across the ship. We had dinner at Animator's Palette that night, packed up our luggage and went to bed.

Day 10 - June 19 - Back in Vancouver

After our adventures in Alaska, we had one more day in Vancouver before we took our flight back home. It was kind of a rainy day, so we decided to find something to do indoors. We went to the aquarium in Vancouver, which is located in Stanley Park. Stanley Park is a huge, forested park with lots of trails and stuff to do like the aquarium.

After the aquarium we headed to the bus back to our hotel. We had some food, checked out the city a little, and watched the next group of people getting excited to board the Disney Wonder. Our hotel was at the port, which was nice.

Day 11 - June 20 - Heading home

If you made it this far, Congratulations! Here is the photo gallery. Alaska Cruise and Vancouver, BC - June 2023 Photo Gallery

Until next time!