Question on pricing on Princess Alaskan cruise tour

[wwinfl91]

Hi,

 

I'm looking at Alaskan cruise tours on the Island Princess for next summer and I found a strange, at least to me, pricing difference that I am trying to rationalize. I will call my TA on Monday but I thought maybe someone on the board might know the answer.

 

There are several examples so I will use the June 13th 15 day cruise tour to ask the question. If you go to Seattle on June 13, stay in an airport hotel and then fly out the next day, which I assume is included in the price of the cruise tour to Fairbanks, you then spend June 14 thru June 21 in Alaska (Fairbanks, Denali, Mt. McKinley and Kenai) meeting the ship in Whittier. Then you do a 7 day cruise back to Vancouver where they then bus you back to Seattle. For this cruise, prices begin at $2429 for inside or outside, $2819 for balcony and $3069 for mini-suite.

 

Now if you do the June 13 cruise tour beginning in Fairbanks you have to pay yourself to fly to Fairbanks and then spend from June 13 until June 21 in Alaska (Fairbanks, Denali, Copper River and Kenai) meeting the ship in Whittier. Then you do a 7 day cruise back to Vancouver, where you have to find your own way home. For this cruise, prices begin at $3549 for inside, $3849 for outside, $3979 for balcony and $4599 for mini-suite.

 

Now I understand the second option gives you an extra day in Alaska and an extra location, Copper River, but I can't understand the enormous difference in price for the two options.

 

There seems to be a similar option for most of the Island Princess's cruises with similar price differences. This is especially if the flight from Seattle to Fairbanks and the transportation by bus from Vancouver to Seattle is included in the prices.

 

Has anyone done one of these cruise tours with Princess leaving from Seattle and returning to Seattle? What was your experience? Does anyone has an opinion on whether it is worth paying the higher prices and extra transportation costs to do the second option? Is one extra day in Alaska worth that much?

 

I'm trying to plan a trip for my wife, sister, brother-in-law, two friends and myself and trying to find the best deal for all of us.

 

Thanks for any assistance you can give me and have a great next cruise.

[PennyAgain]

There is more demand for southbound cruises than the northbound ones.

[frugaltravel]

There is more demand for southbound cruises than the northbound ones.

 

They are both southbound cruises :D

 

The Seattle cruisetour is new this year from Princess. My guess is they are discounting it, trying to get people to try it. I believe the flight from Seattle to Fairbanks is indeed included.

[Budget Queen]

There are other differences which you may not be mentioning??? How many days in the locations, Denali tour the same?? Inclusions in Fairbanks? With the Seattle option, you are essentially loosing a day touring perhaps?? Cooper River itineraries are many times more costly, so you would be best to compare tours of the same places and days.

 

If you aren't real familiar, I strongly suggest you understand FULLY what you are looking at, you probably aren't, and it is a common problem with the vague descriptions of cruisetours. Do this WAY before you get into any booking. And be certain it is the itinerary you think it is and want for an Alaska visit. Factor in all transit times, inclusions, time avaiable for priority touring. THEN pick a cruisetour.

[wwinfl91]

Here is the itineraryfor the cheaper one, with all services provided/coordinated by Princess:

 

• 1 night Seattle

• Air flight from Seattle to Fairbanks included in your fare

• 2 nights in Fairbanks with Riverboat cruise

• 1 night at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge

• Natural History Tour into Denali National Park

• 2 nights at Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge

• 2 nights at Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge

• 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise featuring Glacier Bay National Park

• Scenic motorcoach journey form Vancouver, B.C., Canada to Seattle

 

And if you're interested, here is a link to the pamphlet, that Princess makes available to travel agents:

 

https://book.princess.com/pdf/onesource/pc/15NightCruisetourIB8.pdf

 

I'm not sure the link will work unless you copy and paste it into your browser. I got it from someone on the Princess board.

 

I do understand this itinerary probably gives up a day in Alaska, a day at Denali and does the cheaper and shorter tour there and we will miss out on Copper River.

 

I just need to present some ideas to the people who are also interested and see what they think. I have sent away for additional info from Princess and will be talking to my TA probably tomorrow. We had a doctor's appointment today for my wife that took up most of the day.

 

Have a great next cruise.

__________________

[frugaltravel]

• 1 night at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge

• Natural History Tour into Denali National Park

 

You can change the NHT to a longer tour, but your problem is that with one night in the park, you don't have time to do that. It would be a shame to go all the way to Denali and only get 15% of the way into the park. Most of the wildlife and all of the spectacular scenery is well past the point where the NHT turns around.

 

I would find a cruisetour that spends 2 nights at Denali Princess and only one night at McKinley Princess (which, though scenic, is basically in the middle of nowhere).