Very expensive to extend your post cruise stay through RCCL

[CruizinTigers]

My family of four has a cruisetour to Alaska booked for August of 2010. We are looking into possibly extending our trip by spending a few extra days in Vancouver when the cruise ends. Our initial thought was to book this extension through RCCL, figuring if nothing else, they would include the transportation from ship to hotel, and hotel to airport. Looking in the 2010 RCCL Alaska brochure (as well as checking their website online) and it shows the cheapest hotel they offer is the Hyatt Regency at about $200 per night, PER PERSON! :eek: That's an $800 bill for our family for just one night! They also have a package (3 days, 2 nights) which includes a stay in the Ramada plus some coupons and a trip to Whistler for about $500 PER PERSON! :eek: This would be an additional $2000 for our famly!!

 

These prices, by themselves are not bad. But PER PERSON... that is insane! I figured this can't be true, but everything I've read indicates this. Our travel agent even confirmed this. Does anyone know anything about this? Are these rates really PER PERSON? Do they count children the same as adults or is the rate less for them? We'll have a 7 and 14 year old with us.

 

Can anyone explain this insanity to me?

 

Thanks!

[cb at sea]

Just book your own post-cruise stay----you'll get everything cheaper, and can do it on your own terms!

[Sue L]

Vancouver is a very nice city and very doable on your own. Look up on the Vancouver boards for hotel suggestions and book your own. It will be WAY cheaper then what they offer.

[Tucker in Texas]

Yep, those prices are true. I don't know what idiot would pay them but someone must of they wouldn't have them.

 

We've done Vancouver on our own and it is easy. They have wonderful public transportation. I love their little "pocket parks." Apparently, when a commercial building is erected, they have a choice of having a 24 hour public access area or paying a surcharge based on the cost of the project. So, most of them have little "pocket parks."

 

One thing we did with our family was book a two night Grey Line Bus Tour that took us to Victoria Included in it was a city tour of Vancouver. The first day we did Buchart Gardens after we got there and then spent the next day in Victoria. They have a wonderful museum there, government buildings. The price of the tour was based on the accommodations. We took the "lowest" one which was a very nice hotel right in the middle of town so we could walk everywhere. It had several reasonably priced restaurants in it. The highest was the Empress Hotel (a cat can look at a queen, be sure and walk through it) and the middle one was the Marriott but it was not as convenient. If I remember correctly, the tour to Vancouver Island was only one night but they were very accommodating and said we could stay two nights if we wanted.

 

Tucker in Texas

[CVU]

We have a new Canada Line now, rapid transit, from the airport to downtown Vancouver!:)

[debandbill]

I booked precruise three days in Vancouver thru Priceline and got the Hyatt for a very reasonable price(2003..something like $89 a night.) Great location...rapid transit nearby and yes, we took one of those Greyline tours that was really nice and got a great snapshot of the local attractions. We were able to walk to Canada Place and points further we took the bus or train or seabus...very easy and not daunting at all.

 

Do your homework regarding bidding for hotels, etc. at biddingfortravel.com...a little time spent there will save you tons of money.

 

I really loved Vancouver and so wished for more time there. We will go back someday!

 

Deb

[tiyana4]

I agree with the previous poster, just make your own hotel/travel arrangements.

 

We recently stayed at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver in August and the going rate was right around $300 CAD/nt (2 pp). It is a prime location downtown and located next to the Sky Train station. Booking this far out, you should be able to get good rates. I just did a quick check and the rate for 4 pp next Aug. was $289 CAD.

 

Transportation in Vancouver is very inexpensive compared to other cities. A taxi from Canada Place to the Hyatt will run you roughly $6 CAD and if you're adventurous(depending on amt of luggage), the Sky Train will take you directly to the YVR Airport for around $3.75 pp.

[UTCJCB]

Every time I consider letting RCCL do everything, i quickly change my mind...I can save 350.00 per person just on air alone. i'll leave the cruising to them and leave the pre and post cruise to myself.:D

[temple1]

I'm not defending RCCL on this - because I have no idea what is included in the rate you were quoted.

 

One of my friends always uses a travel agent whenever she travels. Being the family travel arranger it seemed terribly expensive to me - but for her money she was always booked for tours, cars, hotels, transfers, some meals and other items that I would not normally book or think to book for us. She pays a surcharge for all of this - but it adds value to her vacation.

 

With all that - I'm guessing the $500 per person includes a little more than a hotel. Not saying it is a reasonable fee - but there is usually a little more included.

[luckyprincess]

WOW! I can't believe those prices!:eek: You will be able to do this for so much less on your own. Plus, you get more control of the planning. Good luck!:)

[xpcdoojk]

Unless you are incapable of independant travel, the cruiselines (all of them) are an expensive option for pre and post stays. In South America a few years ago, I booked the Macchu Pichu excursion staying at the same hotels, and even flying on the same flights independantly and saved well over 1/2 of the at the time $1895 per person price that HAL was offering.

 

It is a natural progression as your travel skills increase so do the oppurtunities to save a lot of money, and to have a better travel experience. The downside is that you have to do the planning work. The advantage of booking with the cruiseline is that you don't have to plan, just show up and participate. For some people the cost is outweighed by the convenience. It is all a matter of personal choice.

 

jc

[juniorsmom]

We stayed at the Hyatt this past summer and it is a very nice hotel. We paid $179.00 per night for a family of four.

[Happy ks]

I'm not defending RCCL on this - because I have no idea what is included in the rate you were quoted.

 

One of my friends always uses a travel agent whenever she travels. Being the family travel arranger it seemed terribly expensive to me - but for her money she was always booked for tours, cars, hotels, transfers, some meals and other items that I would not normally book or think to book for us. She pays a surcharge for all of this - but it adds value to her vacation.

 

With all that - I'm guessing the $500 per person includes a little more than a hotel. Not saying it is a reasonable fee - but there is usually a little more included.

 

 

I'm sure her TA and cruise line love her! Value does have a different meaning to all of us. I know last year while I was reading all about public transportation in Italy the bus and train system were well recommended. However, none of that worked well for us and we learned an important lesson...sometimes spending a bit extra adds value to a vacation.

 

But, I hardly think that $500 per person you mention will get you any more than a ride to the hotel and the room.

 

Sometimes the value for people is that they don't have to do any leg work or homework and they are willing to pay absurd amounts of cash for the ease and peace of mind. I could probably get that same hotel room and a limosine to pick us up and take us there for 30% of what your friend pays, but I love the search!

[temple1]

I'm sure her TA and cruise line love her! Value does have a different meaning to all of us. I know last year while I was reading all about public transportation in Italy the bus and train system were well recommended. However, none of that worked well for us and we learned an important lesson...sometimes spending a bit extra adds value to a vacation.

 

But, I hardly think that $500 per person you mention will get you any more than a ride to the hotel and the room.

 

Sometimes the value for people is that they don't have to do any leg work or homework and they are willing to pay absurd amounts of cash for the ease and peace of mind. I could probably get that same hotel room and a limosine to pick us up and take us there for 30% of what your friend pays, but I love the search!

 

The price does sound excessive, but we all have a bad tendency to compare apples and oranges on here. One of the posters mentioned a very nice hotel and they only paid $179. But they paid more than that. They also paid taxes and fees if it was a resort hotel. It may or may not have included breakfast, and you still needed to make the ground transportation arrangements. So the $179 hotel was actually over that amount. Put the flame throwers away, I'm not saying it all added up to $200 each person - it's just that it wasn't really $179. Without knowing the details we can't really compare the costs.

 

I recently stayed at the Gallery One in Fort Lauderdale. Our quoted rate for 3 in a room was $179 ($20 more than 2 in the room :mad:) but when we paid the bill it was actually $199 per night. That did not include breakfast or ground transportation. (Breakfast at that hotel would have been another $20+ per person.)

 

I am actually thinking about using a travel agent when we do our Alaska cruise because we will have the problem of flying into and out of different cities and before or post cruise tours, etc. More than I think I want to handle without a lot more info.

[TBSCruiser]

My suggestion is to go to a good local brick and mortar travel agent and go and sit and talk to them. Use their extensive resources to plan everything. Most will not charge fees to do so, but good idea to ask if there are any including, change or cancellation fees.

[Happy ks]

The price does sound excessive, but we all have a bad tendency to compare apples and oranges on here. One of the posters mentioned a very nice hotel and they only paid $179. But they paid more than that. They also paid taxes and fees if it was a resort hotel. It may or may not have included breakfast, and you still needed to make the ground transportation arrangements. So the $179 hotel was actually over that amount. Put the flame throwers away, I'm not saying it all added up to $200 each person - it's just that it wasn't really $179. Without knowing the details we can't really compare the costs.

 

I recently stayed at the Gallery One in Fort Lauderdale. Our quoted rate for 3 in a room was $179 ($20 more than 2 in the room :mad:) but when we paid the bill it was actually $199 per night. That did not include breakfast or ground transportation. (Breakfast at that hotel would have been another $20+ per person.)

 

I am actually thinking about using a travel agent when we do our Alaska cruise because we will have the problem of flying into and out of different cities and before or post cruise tours, etc. More than I think I want to handle without a lot more info.

 

 

I never flame anyone here on CC, merely state my point of view :) I suppose people can read the wrong tone in a post.

 

Experience is the best teacher. I've had a TA handle all the extras for us...once...and never again. We paid far more for the same thing we could have easily arranged ourselves. On subsequent trips we've saved hundreds of $$ over what the travel agents/cruise lines, I have no idea what would be so different or special about their reservations vs my own.

 

For your difficult flights, all you have to do is select "multiple cites" when booking flights, easy peasy.

[temple1]

For your difficult flights, all you have to do is select "multiple cites" when booking flights, easy peasy.

 

I have done multiple flights in the past - never a problem back then. However- we normally use frequent flier miles and the rules have changed; not so easy peasy now or cheap.

 

One of our best land vacations ever was our first trip to California. This was before everything was on the internet. We flew into San Francisco drove up the coast a ways and drove the Pacific Coast Highway south to San Diego over 10 days. DH loved the trip, he liked that all he had to do was get in the car and I told him where to go each day. :eek:

[negc]

The price does sound excessive, but we all have a bad tendency to compare apples and oranges on here. One of the posters mentioned a very nice hotel and they only paid $179. But they paid more than that. They also paid taxes and fees if it was a resort hotel. It may or may not have included breakfast, and you still needed to make the ground transportation arrangements. So the $179 hotel was actually over that amount. Put the flame throwers away, I'm not saying it all added up to $200 each person - it's just that it wasn't really $179. Without knowing the details we can't really compare the costs.

 

 

Unfortunately that per person charge by the cruiseline (and RCI is not alone in charging those per person rates - most, if not all cruiselines do), probably doesn't include any breakfast or incidental expenses either, but regardless, it is still usually less expensive to arrange hotels etc. independently of the cruise line.

The use of a TA, however, doesn't raise your travel expenses and can, in fact, often result in significant savings on hotels, transfers and excursions. A good professional TA can add significantly to the value of your trip by not only handling all of the myriad details involved but also by providing personal insights and advice related to the locations you are visiting.

[COMBOY]

Pre and Post cruise packages are a profit center for the cruise lines with a huge market up on the hotel. In most cases you do get transfer to/from the ship on the day embarkation with the cruises representative available with assistance should you need it. People book these package out of convenience. Probably a good idea if you have mobility issues or the elderly who don't want the hassles of transfers/hotels bookings before and/or after their cruise. Clearly there are cheaper options if you book it on your own.

[CruizinTigers]

Everyone, thank you for your great feedback and suggestions. I love these boards... they are full of wonderful people sharing their useful knowledge. I knew I'd get some honest, down to earth information and I did.

 

Ok, for the record, I want to clarify... the package for $500 per night (per person) includes more than just two nights in a hotel (btw, it's not even a great one) and transportation, but also a one day trip to Victoria including some kind of gondola ride I think, a coupon book, and I think also a ticket on one of those tour buses that you can hop on and hop off that shuttle you around the city. I don't think any meals are included. Still, for a family of four, this is insane amount to pay especially after dropping a large amount on an 11 night cruisetour. The cheapest hotel only option was $200 per night (per person). Who in their right mind would pay $800 for basically a ride from port to the hotel, one night stay, and a ride to the airport. Perhaps Donald Trump if the hotel was upscale enough (which this one isn't).

 

I understand the concept of convenience. I too will very often pay a view dollars more for a convenience when making our travel plans especially considering we will be traveling with two kids and plenty of luggage in tow. But I just couldn't believe these prices. In my view, they are so out there, I figured I must have this all wrong. Thank you for validating this and for offering all the great suggestions and tips.

 

We will DEFINITELY be making these arrangements on our own!

[Desert Cruizers]

When we finally decide to do an Alaska Cruise, one of our previous Roll Call members lives in Vancouver and we will ask him regarding Hotels. That evening pre cruise we may even visit with he and his wife. We will certainly go on our own including air, as we can get direct flights with a change in Seattle. if we go with the Cruise lines & not ask for Custom Air they will have us drive 2 hrs to Los Angeles.

[negc]

When we finally decide to do an Alaska Cruise, one of our previous Roll Call members lives in Vancouver and we will ask him regarding Hotels. That evening pre cruise we may even visit with he and his wife. We will certainly go on our own including air, as we can get direct flights with a change in Seattle. if we go with the Cruise lines & not ask for Custom Air they will have us drive 2 hrs to Los Angeles.

 

But why would you go with the Cruise line and not ask for Custom Air, especially if you are Platinum or higher and the custom air fee is waived? I hope you will check out both the cruiseline air and their new Choice Air option before making your final decision. We always check out all our options before deciding how to book our air. Since we will be on an open jaw itinerary (flying into Fairbanks but home from Vancouver) it is sometimes less expensive to use the cruiseline's air program, but we only opt for that after we have examined all our options.:)

[FCSTeacher]

I don't know much about RCCL right now, but my husband and I have extended our stay in both Vancouver and then again on another cruise over in Victoria. We found in both cases that booking our own room and dealing with our own transportation post cruise was MUCH LESS EXPENSIVE. It takes some time but is well worth it in my opinion.

Nancy (FCS Teacher)