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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper SallyS's Avatar
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    2023 Rally @ Sea - North to Alaska!

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    If you missed this year's Rally @ Sea, here's your chance for 2023!

    Join us for another Rally @ Sea as we head north to Alaska! This is a 7-day round trip cruise from Seattle, WA.

    More information including the link to register is here >> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/grand-d...n-254699692637

    We also have a separate FB group just for the Rally @ Sea if you are on Facebook.
    Sally & George
    Twisp, WA
    2017 Solitude 369RL (delivery Oct 2016)
    2017 Ford F-450 King Ranch Edition
    2006 Ford F-550
    2021 Rugged Mountain Polar 12SE
    Not all those who wander are lost - J.R.R. Tolkien

  2. #2
    Seasoned Camper SallyS's Avatar
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    If you've been on the fence about joining us for the 2023 Rally at Sea, Princess has a fantastic promotion allowing you to reserve your room for $1 per person deposit, instead of the normal $250 per person. A great way to lock in a spot! (Unfortunately, this is not something that can be applied to existing bookings.)
    Sally & George
    Twisp, WA
    2017 Solitude 369RL (delivery Oct 2016)
    2017 Ford F-450 King Ranch Edition
    2006 Ford F-550
    2021 Rugged Mountain Polar 12SE
    Not all those who wander are lost - J.R.R. Tolkien

  3. #3
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    A cruise to Alaska out of Seattle. We did this. Never again.

    We spent way too much time at sea, and too little time seeing too little of Alaska. Beware of spending too much time on a boat that is too big. You will spend too much time getting on and off the ship only to spend less than half the scheduled time in port.

    Before you book a cruise to Alaska ask some real questions of the cruise line, and DO NOT believe the scheduled in port hours in the brochure, because that time includes boarding, de-boarding, standing in line both ways, and time in the tender going to and from the dock.

    How many days at sea? Ask if the stop at Victoria is really a day at sea. The stop at Victoria is required by international law because the ship goes thru Canadian water. We found it to be a complete waste.

    Ask how close can this ship really get to the glacier(s)? (Most +1500 passenger ships can't get within 3 miles, which is not even close). The picture makes it look like the ship is close... The picture is deceiving. It was taken with a long lens. Will you have to spend another $100+ on a small boat excursion to actually see the glacier up close?

    How many hours will we actually spend on the ground (off ship/ off tender) in each port? Don't be surprised if it's only half the official scheduled time claimed.

    Will we be docking or will we have to take a tender at each port? Plan on spending at least an hour (each way) standing in line, more if getting on and off the ship and tendering to shore.

    Bottom line here: Don't expect to see much of Alaska on a typical one week coastal cruise of southeastern Alaska, especially one out of Seattle, especially if it rains and is foggy.

    Keep your expectations low. You are getting a small taste of coastal Alaska. Nothing more.

    We decided that we are going to pull our Imagine there ourselves next year.
    Last edited by Dadeo6472; 10-02-2022 at 02:32 PM.
    Doug, Patti and our puppy Leo are from upstate NY.
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  4. #4
    Seasoned Camper SallyS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dadeo6472 View Post
    A cruise to Alaska out of Seattle. Never again for me and my wife.

    We spent way too much time at sea, and too little time seeing too little of Alaska itself. Beware of spending too much time on a boat that is too big. You will spend too much time getting on and off the ship only to spend half a day, or as little as a couple of hours, in port.

    Before you book a cruise to Alaska ask some real questions of the cruise line:
    How many days at sea?
    How close can the ship get to the glacier(s)? (Most +1500 passenger ships can't get even close).
    Will we have to spend another $200 on a smaller boat excursion to actually see the glacier up close?
    How many hours will we get to spend in each port? Only half a day in Juneau is not adequate to see much.
    Will we be docking or will we have to take a tender at each port.

    Don't expect to see much on your typical one week coastal cruise of southeastern Alaska, especially one out of Seattle. We decided that we are going to pull our Imagine there ourselves next year.
    Not sure who you sailed with but I have done 3 cruises to Alaska on Princess, as well as spent an entire summer RV'ing in AK. The nice thing about a cruise is that you get to see SE Alaska without having to take a ferry or fly in. Only Skagway is accessible by road. While I haven't done the Dawes Glacier, I have done Glacier Bay and we got pretty darn close to the glacier to watch and listen to it calve. It was beautiful and exciting.

    You do not tender in at Ketchikan & Juneau. Skagway is up in the air because of the rock slides that have been occuring at the Princess dock. Hopefully that will have been repaired by next May since the Princess dock is closed. If you look at the itinerary, you will see how many days at sea plus the hours spent at each port. And you can always ask questions of your wagonmaster (me). I'll be more than happy to answer questions.
    Last edited by SallyS; 10-02-2022 at 05:53 PM.
    Sally & George
    Twisp, WA
    2017 Solitude 369RL (delivery Oct 2016)
    2017 Ford F-450 King Ranch Edition
    2006 Ford F-550
    2021 Rugged Mountain Polar 12SE
    Not all those who wander are lost - J.R.R. Tolkien

  5. #5
    Site Sponsor CX500T's Avatar
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    I did a Norwegian Alaska cruise out of SEA three years ago.

    Totally worth it.

    And I HATE boats after 24 years in the Navy.
    2019 GD Momentum 397TH
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by SallyS View Post
    Not sure who you sailed with but I have done 3 cruises to Alaska on Princess, as well as spent an entire summer RV'ing in AK. The nice thing about a cruise is that you can get see SE Alaska without having to take a ferry or fly in. Only Skagway is accessible by road. While I haven't done the Dawes Glacier, I have done Glacier Bay and we got pretty darn close to the glacier to watch and listen to it calve. It was beautiful and exciting.

    You do not tender in at Ketchikan & Juneau. Skagway is up in the air because of the rock slides that have been occuring at the Princess dock. Hopefully that will have that repaired by next May since the Princess dock is closed. If you look at the itinerary, you will see how many days at sea plus the hours spent at each port. And you can always ask questions of your wagonmaster (me). I'll be more than happy to answer questions.

    I am glad you enjoyed your trip.

    With the exception of one day, we did not. Our trip had the same original itinerary, but instead we docked in Skagway and tendered to both Juneau and Ketch. The stops were not nearly as long as advertised. We were able to spend only 3 hours in Juneau and 2 in Ketch. But we had 6 hours in Skagway, long enough to take the train and hike right up to the glacier. NOW, THAT was spectacular. The rest of the trip was a disappointment.

    The day spent in Endicott Arm was nothing but a 2nd day at sea. The weather was fog and rain so we could not see anything from the ship itself. So we spent another $150 per person to get off the ship onto a smallish boat. This got us within half a mile of the glacier. The excursion was not worth it. Anyway the big ship didn't get within 3 miles of the glacier.

    The day you travel to Victoria will be a third day at sea. You will be lucky if you get enough time in Victoria to eat dinner. While the ship docs at 6pm you will probably not be off the ship until close to 7pm and you have to be back on board by 11, when the ship leaves. Expect to spend an hour on line each way.

    You should expect at least three days (out of 7) when it rains and is foggy. Get used to hearing the ship's fog horn. The itinerary/brochure's claimed hours on shore are optimistic, at best.

    This trip should be billed as an Alaska appetizer, or "taste" of Alaska. It's not the main course. Consider it like going to Yosemite for an afternoon and never getting out of your car.
    Doug, Patti and our puppy Leo are from upstate NY.
    Imagine 2019 XLS 18RBE
    2021 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel

  7. #7
    Site Sponsor livinthelife's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dadeo6472 View Post
    I am glad you enjoyed your trip.

    With the exception of one day, we did not. Our trip had the same original itinerary, but instead we docked in Skagway and tendered to both Juneau and Ketch. The stops were not nearly as long as advertised. We were able to spend only 3 hours in Juneau and 2 in Ketch. But we had 6 hours in Skagway, long enough to take the train and hike right up to the glacier. NOW, THAT was spectacular. The rest of the trip was a disappointment.

    The day spent in Endicott Arm was nothing but a 2nd day at sea. The weather was fog and rain so we could not see anything from the ship itself. So we spent another $150 per person to get off the ship onto a smallish boat. This got us within half a mile of the glacier. The excursion was not worth it. Anyway the big ship didn't get within 3 miles of the glacier.

    The day you travel to Victoria will be a third day at sea. You will be lucky if you get enough time in Victoria to eat dinner. While the ship docs at 6pm you will probably not be off the ship until close to 7pm and you have to be back on board by 11, when the ship leaves. Expect to spend an hour on line each way.

    You should expect at least three days (out of 7) when it rains and is foggy. Get used to hearing the ship's fog horn. The itinerary/brochure's claimed hours on shore are optimistic, at best.

    This trip should be billed as an Alaska appetizer, or "taste" of Alaska. It's not the main course. Consider it like going to Yosemite for an afternoon and never getting out of your car.
    I'm sorry your trip to Alaska wasn't what you were hoping for. We've taken 3 Alaskan cruises, and, while there were some rainy/foggy days, it didn't dampen (no pun intended) our enthusiasm for the place. We were able to get quite close to the glacier in Glacier Bay, I don't know how far away, but certainly not 3 miles away.

    Regarding the Victoria stop, while it's often a short stop, that's not always the case. On our cruise that stopped there we had plenty of time to take a ships excursion (city tour with stop at Butchart Gardens).

    I will point out that this particular cruise (the GD rally) isn't really being touted as a "see Alaska" cruise. It's a Grand Design rally. During a rally, the focus is typically seminars, and other events that involve being a Grand Design owner.

    2017 Reflection 26RL "Mili"
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  8. #8
    Site Sponsor Rolling7's Avatar
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    For all those Full-timers out there, has anyone parked their RV at the Seattle port (or any other port) while cruising?
    Full-timing since 2019
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  9. #9
    Site Sponsor Rolling7's Avatar
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    We had every intention of joining y'all but we just found out that a new grandbaby is due during the cruise.

    If you're like us and dream of cruising the inner passage but the "Rally @ Sea" dates just don't work for you, join us on a Celebrity cruise in September 2023! We're a small group of GD owners who got together and secured a great deal for others in our same boat (pardon the pun).

    Here are the details:
    Alaska Dawes Glacier Cruise - 7 NIGHTS ONBOARD CELEBRITY SOLSTICE

    Special Pricing through December 1, 2022, for this cruise.

    For a limited time, you can get 75% off your second guest’s cruise fare, plus up to $800 savings per stateroom and up to $800 onboard credit per stateroom.*

    Included in your cabin price:

    · All port charges and fees

    · All onboard tips and gratuities

    · Celebrity’s Unlimited Basic Wi-Fi

    · Classic Drink Package (beer, wine, cocktails, specialty coffees, bottled water, and all soft drinks)

    · Extra Shipboard Credit

    Verandah Cabins starting at $2801.12 plus a shipboard credit of $320.00**

    Ocean View Cabins starting at $2721.12 plus a shipboard credit of $200.00**

    Inside Cabins starting at 2183.12 plus a shipboard credit of $200.00**

    Special pricing is also available on higher categories including Suites, Concierge Class Verandahs, and Celebrity’s renowned Aqua Class Cabins.

    Lower cruise-only pricing with no perks is also available in all cabin categories.

    A booking deposit of $500 is required to confirm your cabin, and the balance is due on June 17, 2023

    * Cruise must be booked by December 1, 2022,

    **Ship Board Credit can be used for on-ship purchases like Shore Excursions, Spa treatments, Specialty Dining, and Onboard Boutiques.

    To book your cruise or get more info, contact our stellar travel consultant,
    David Peters
    [email protected]
    323.252.1161

    Of course, we would much rather be joining in on all the fun of the rally but, it's all part of the journey.


    Bon Voyage, y'all!
    Laura (and Jeff)
    Last edited by Rolling7; 11-12-2022 at 07:40 PM. Reason: grammar - remove last name

  10. #10
    Site Team traveldawg's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dadeo6472 View Post
    I am glad you enjoyed your trip.

    With the exception of one day, we did not. Our trip had the same original itinerary, but instead we docked in Skagway and tendered to both Juneau and Ketch. The stops were not nearly as long as advertised. We were able to spend only 3 hours in Juneau and 2 in Ketch. But we had 6 hours in Skagway, long enough to take the train and hike right up to the glacier. NOW, THAT was spectacular. The rest of the trip was a disappointment.

    The day spent in Endicott Arm was nothing but a 2nd day at sea. The weather was fog and rain so we could not see anything from the ship itself. So we spent another $150 per person to get off the ship onto a smallish boat. This got us within half a mile of the glacier. The excursion was not worth it. Anyway the big ship didn't get within 3 miles of the glacier.

    The day you travel to Victoria will be a third day at sea. You will be lucky if you get enough time in Victoria to eat dinner. While the ship docs at 6pm you will probably not be off the ship until close to 7pm and you have to be back on board by 11, when the ship leaves. Expect to spend an hour on line each way.

    You should expect at least three days (out of 7) when it rains and is foggy. Get used to hearing the ship's fog horn. The itinerary/brochure's claimed hours on shore are optimistic, at best.

    This trip should be billed as an Alaska appetizer, or "taste" of Alaska. It's not the main course. Consider it like going to Yosemite for an afternoon and never getting out of your car.
    geez.... and I thought I was against cruises..... You dislike them even more than me!

    We only ever took one cruise - from Whittier Alaska (Princess cruise station) to Ft Lauderdale, FL - 3 weeks. We had a good time. But we decided we're not cruisers. Simply put - not enough time in one place. We like to explore, not just take a 4 hour tour. And having to line up to leave a boat - yuk!

    I'm sure a bunch of like minded folks will have a good time on a cruise. I'm sure they will have a good time. Just don't start any campfires!
    Larry KE4DMG
    2022 F-350 KRU SRW LB - Airlift 5000+, ForScan, 37 RDS Aux Tank,
    2019 310GK-R - Sailuns; MorRyde IS; Disc Brakes; 20K Reese Goosebox
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