Kansas City to Vancouver

The morning came faster than I expected, and our Alaska cruise travel day was underway.

With a 6 AM flight, we had to catch the hotel shuttle at 4 AM. Excitement for the trip was still there, but exhaustion had already set in. Neither child slept well the night before, and I knew it was going to be a short night followed by a long day. What I didn’t realize at the time was that Dawn never slept at all.

The silence of our room was broken by the alarms on our phones, and just like that, we were moving.

Luggage, Flights, and First Hurdles

Getting our mountain of luggage down the elevator and into the shuttle was no easy task. Between my wife, parents, children, and me, we had five large suitcases, three carry-ons, my camera backpack, a baby-care backpack, a car seat and booster in a gate-check bag, a sit-and-stand stroller, and several smaller bags. Listing it all out makes me feel like I’m reciting the “12 Days of Christmas.” To anyone watching, it probably looked like we were moving for good on our Alaska cruise travel day.

Things eased slightly when we learned the flight was completely full and the airline allowed us to check all our luggage at no extra cost. We gladly handed everything over, except my camera backpack, the baby-care bag, and the stroller. We walked through the Kansas City Airport until we reached our gate.

Benson grew restless and convinced himself the plane would leave without us. Reassurance didn’t work until he was finally buckled into his seat.

Tension filled the cabin even before departure. A flight attendant checked on a passenger a few rows ahead who seemed to be having a medical issue. At first, he was cleared to fly, and the plane pushed back from the gate. As we taxied for takeoff, his condition worsened. The crew made the right call to return. For those of us with tight connections in Denver, the delay was a heavy blow.

A Mad Dash in Denver

De-boarding turned into a stampede. My father, who had back surgery just two months earlier, needed wheelchair assistance. As soon as we stepped off the plane, he was whisked away while we strapped the kids into the stroller. From there, we ran nearly 15 gates to make our connection. To the airport staff, it was just another family scrambling to catch a flight. Other travelers probably thought we looked like we were fleeing a smash-and-grab.

We actually made it to the plane, and to our surprise, we weren’t even the last ones on board. Relief washed over us as we sank into our seats and finally caught our breath.

Arriving in Vancouver

Landing in Vancouver, BC, felt like the true start of our Alaska cruise travel day. It was our first time back in Canada since our first cruise. That earlier trip included a short stop in Victoria, which had felt more like a required port than a destination. Vancouver, however, was different.

Collecting our luggage was another test of patience. Somehow it looked like we had more than when we left that morning. Finding a taxi large enough for both us and our bags wasn’t easy. Watching the driver stack everything in was like watching a game of Tetris mixed with Jenga. I half expected him to strap a suitcase to the roof, but he fit it all in, and we tipped him well for the effort.

Our hotel was just a short walk from Morton Park. Dawn, completely exhausted after a sleepless night and long travel day, took a nap with the kids while I went out to explore.

I walked to Morton Park and snapped photos with the playful A-maze-ing Laughter sculptures. Then I picked up essentials such as soda, drink flavorings, and snacks we could take aboard the ship.

Evening Stroll and Dinner

When Dawn and the kids woke from their nap, we strolled down to English Bay Beach. The evening was perfect for a walk. Ships dotted the calm water as the sun dipped toward the horizon. We followed the shoreline all the way to Sunset Beach Park, enjoying the views.

Along the way, Dawn stopped at a few shops and picked up two bottles of wine to bring on the cruise.

That evening, Dawn and the kids called it an early night while my parents and I went to Hook Restaurant. They ordered fish and chips, and I tried the fish tacos. The food wasn’t bad, and it felt good to sit down, share a meal, and relax after such a long Alaska cruise travel day.

Stay tuned as we share more from our adventure at sea! To read about our Alaska adventure, visit 2025 Second Alaska Cruise or explore Day 2: Boarding Radiance of the Seas. Also explore our previous cruise at 2022 Family Cruise to Alaska.