Ahoy Lisa!
Let me be the first to say "Congratulations" to the golden anniversary couple, and here's to MINNIE more! What a festive sailing it will be with family onboard. I can’t imagine a better place to have your parents’ 50th wedding anniversary celebration than on a Disney cruise with Captain Mickey.
Better yet, you’ll be sailing on my favorite ship, the
Disney Wonder to Alaska. So far, our
Alaskan itinerary has been our number one cruise destination as a family. Then again, it’s hard to beat whales and glaciers just outside your stateroom window!
As far as best times for flights on Debarkation Day, the Disney Wonder will be ready for Guests to disembark starting at approximately 8:00 A.M.
This link will show the Ground Transportation options and have helpful information on when to book your departing flight. Simply select the “Sailing from Vancouver to Alaska or the Pacific Coast” tab. This information has not been recently updated, so I anticipate this will change as your cruise gets closer. But the general rule is that Guests should not book flights any earlier than 12:00 P.M. to give adequate time to get from Canada Place Cruise Terminal to the Vancouver International Airport and to clear customs. I would recommend an early to late afternoon flight to give enough time to eat prior to your flight. This is also preferable so you don't have to spend the entire day at the airport waiting for a late evening flight.
So much will depend on the airlines servicing your area and the flight options available for your Debarkation Day. Since Vancouver has an international airport with hundreds of flights leaving every day, I’ll bet you have no difficulty making your return flight arrangements. Or you could spend the night in Vancouver and fly out the day after you get off the ship.
Vancouver is so worth the extra time if you can work it into your schedule. We had a glorious day touring Stanley Park, visiting the Vancouver Aquarium, and walking around the waterfront the day before our Disney Wonder departure. I highly recommend adding days to explore this fabulous city if you are able.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to planning all the details surrounding an Alaskan voyage; I could talk for days about
Port Adventures, special events, and naturalist presentations. So cruise back to planDisney if you have any additional questions. Wishing you and your family the most WONDERful experience at sea together!
Happy Sailing!
Sherry