Hi,
My family and I (3 teenagers, 2 adults) plus my parents (2 more adults) are just starting to plan for an Alaskan cruise in June or July of this coming summer.
We have cruised once in the past - on a Norwegian ship out of Miami - and found it to be a really great experience.
That said - we're open to any options at this point.
Big keys for us:
kid friendly
good choice of food options
most likely doing a round trip, not one-way cruise
Are there recommended places to book the cruise through? Are there any ways to get additional deals or be aware of special offers?
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What is your budget like? If you are taking a round trip from Seattle, I would make sure that your itinerary includes Glacier Bay which would limit your choices however. As far as where to book, there are a few cruise TAs here that would be happy to help.
I am not familiar with Alaska Cruises, but for bookings you should always check out Cruise Compete first. Go over there and request quotations to have a better idea about the deals being offered.
What is your budget like? If you are taking a round trip from Seattle, I would make sure that your itinerary includes Glacier Bay which would limit your choices however. As far as where to book, there are a few cruise TAs here that would be happy to help.
I'd like to be around $5000 for the cruise itself (not including any excursions, etc). I know that probably limits me.
Thanks for the info on Glacier Bay - I'll check that out further.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LanceInWI
I'd like to be around $5000 for the cruise itself (not including any excursions, etc). I know that probably limits me.
Thanks for the info on Glacier Bay - I'll check that out further.
You can probably pay under $5000 for 7 of you if your departure date is in early June, but if you wait until most schools let out I would expect $1000 per person or so - less for a 3rd person in a cabin.
Check out Vacationstogo dot com; they have a good search engine for cruises. I just looked and found some bargains on Holland America throughout June (but I'm not sure how kid-friendly HA is). Once you have gotten a sense of which particular cruises interest you most you can either contact a travel agent directly (including online TAs) or have TA's bid on your trip at Cruise Compete as mentioned up-thread.
In general round-trip Alaska cruises are cheaper out of Vancouver but flights to YVR are more expensive that they are to SEA, so that tends to be a wash if you have to fly out there.
You can probably pay under $5000 for 7 of you if your departure date is in early June, but if you wait until most schools let out I would expect $1000 per person or so - less for a 3rd person in a cabin.
Check out Vacationstogo dot com; they have a good search engine for cruises. I just looked and found some bargains on Holland America throughout June (but I'm not sure how kid-friendly HA is). Once you have gotten a sense of which particular cruises interest you most you can either contact a travel agent directly (including online TAs) or have TA's bid on your trip at Cruise Compete as mentioned up-thread.
In general round-trip Alaska cruises are cheaper out of Vancouver but flights to YVR are more expensive that they are to SEA, so that tends to be a wash if you have to fly out there.
I hope this helps!
I just checked out some of the cruises on VacationsToGo - and did see a couple of really good possibilities on HA! Thanks!!!
It all depends on what your kids enjoy, what you consider to be 'fine' dinning, your standard of accommodation etc. You get what you pay for. Personally, I'd be looking at Celebrity Solstice departing from Seattle. Beautiful ship, great dinning options, staterooms etc.
Regarding "looking for a good deal..."
The cruise supplier sets the price, not travel agents. If you have teenage boys, you'll most likely recall the days of reading ads in USA Today promising 50% off airline prices. The airline industry quickly figured agents were able to work for nothing and stopped paying commission. Guess what some of those agents do now? You got it, selling cruises. 'Hey... book with me and I'll give you a great price.' If cruise suppliers were giving www.abcdcruise.com special pricing, what would companies like Carlson, Mertz AAA, Amex etc. have to say? If you're looking to spend $5,000, a travel agency will make in the neighborhood of $480 (cruise lines don't pay commission on port service fees and tax.) This is assuming the agency owner is booking you. Bottom line, any agency offering you "a special deal or better price" is simply a prostitute.
Bottom line, check the cruise companies public web site. In the above case www.celebritycruises.com. If you're looking for advice, consult a professional Travel Agent. On a $5,000 investment, get the advise of an expert.
