Alaska 2011

[Buddy604]

I am looking forward to my Amsterdam cruise next year, and I think it's a very nice-sized ship for Alaska.

I agree, I'd like to try it someday. I love quite a few things about HAL (bathtubs!) but my wallet is more Princess sized. :o

 

I had a chance to do a short cruise on the Pacific Princess, twin to the Royal, and found it quite elegant and lovely. I'm booked on a 16-day transatlantic on her in December, but am thinking about swapping it for one of the last 14-day Alaska runs on the Royal.

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

We are looking for Princess Alaska May 2011 sailing dates. If you don't mind sharing, I would appreciate your feedback. What is your sailing date and what is your itinerary? Thank you in advance for your kindness.

 

Sorry to answer you so late, have been on a cruise.:D

 

We are booked on the Diamond Princess leaving Beijing 6th May for 23 days. It is the relocation cruise and there are some fantastic prices out there for it. Some of the people on the roll call are only doing the Alaska leg so you can book only for that. It arrives in Whittier on 21 May and does Yakutat Bay, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and arrives in Vancouver on 28th May.

[NancyIL]

I agree, I'd like to try it someday. I love quite a few things about HAL (bathtubs!) but my wallet is more Princess sized. :o

 

I had a chance to do a short cruise on the Pacific Princess, twin to the Royal, and found it quite elegant and lovely. I'm booked on a 16-day transatlantic on her in December, but am thinking about swapping it for one of the last 14-day Alaska runs on the Royal.

 

I haven't priced the Princess 14-night cruise for 2010, but HAL's 14-night has come down in price.

 

While the 2011 14-night Alaska cruises on the Amsterdam aren't cheap, our Aug. 5 cruise costs less than a b2b on Radiance of the Seas in an OV cabin. The Amsterdam's cabins are also larger, and as you mentioned, most OV cabins and higher have bathtubs.

[kath00]

Still waiting for 2011. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH. Come on Princess!!

 

Put us out of our miseries.

 

Katherine

[shipfriend_max]

I think the capacity in 2011 will be reduced...

Royal Princess is leaving the fleet, Star Princess visits the Mediterranean (May to December) and Sea Princess visits Australia in Summer 2011. I think these following ships will visit Alaska:

Diamond Princess

Sapphire Princess

Island Princess

Coral Princess

Golden Princess

[kath00]

Sadly I think you are right. Everyone pulled out of Alaska when the taxes got hiked through the roof. Now they are lowering the rates but I think it's a little too little too late. Cruise companies are hurting due to the sluggish economy and Alaska is no longer a money maker for them.

 

Looks like RCCL will only have Radiance and Rhapsody and Norwegian only has the Pearl now as Star is relocating to Tampa. HAL has a few ships but they are older and smaller. I think X still has 3 (Millie, Infinity and the older Century). Sigh.

 

I was hoping to see the Mariner of the Seas head up North in the summer instead of doing MX year round but I guess that's not happening either. And did you see the prices on Crystal's new Alaska itiniary??? :eek:

 

I was priced $30,000 a couple for a smaller suite! Good grief. And good luck filling that ship.

 

Katherine

[c-cruise]

You can probably add the Sea Princess to that list. She ends up in San Francisco in May 2011 after a Panama Canal cruise and doesn't start in Australia until Oct 2011.

 

NCL Star will still be in Alaska in 2011 - she doesn't move to Tampa until after the Alaska season.

 

RCCL and X both have the same number of ships in 2011 as this season.

 

HAL has one less ship in 2011 than this season, but 3 will be some of their larger Vista class ships.

 

Carnival has the same one ship deployment as this season.

 

2011 should have roughly the same number of ships in Alaska as 2010. One less each for HAL and Princess (probably), but adding the Crystal Symphony and Disney Wonder.

[kath00]

Good point about the Disney Wonder. Totally forgot about that ship since it's new to the West Coast. Prices are also completely insane and out of synch (like Crystal's) but I guess you can consider both ships "specialty products" of sorts that will attract a loyal (and totally wealthy) crowd. :)

 

Katherine

[frebrowser]

The San Francisco port schedule for 2011 is showing the Sea Princess coming and going at 10 day intervals from May 10 through October 17, 2011.

 

http://www.sfport.com/site/port_page.asp?id=91557

 

No itinerary information is showing, but it has to be a combination of Inside Passage and Mexican Riviera.

[c-cruise]

Good point about the Disney Wonder. Totally forgot about that ship since it's new to the West Coast. Prices are also completely insane and out of synch (like Crystal's) but I guess you can consider both ships "specialty products" of sorts that will attract a loyal (and totally wealthy) crowd. :)

 

Katherine

 

2011 prices for Alaska seem to be up for all brands. Crystal and Disney are lines that can certainly charge a premium so I am not really surprised by the prices. The Crystal itinerary is 12 days I believe so that makes up for some of the price difference as well. Alaska is a novelty market for both of these lines; I doubt either will have any trouble filling their Alaska sailings.

[Italy52]

Sorry to answer you so late' date=' have been on a cruise.:D

 

We are booked on the Diamond Princess leaving Beijing 6th May for 23 days. It is the relocation cruise and there are some fantastic prices out there for it. Some of the people on the roll call are only doing the Alaska leg so you can book only for that. It arrives in Whittier on 21 May and does Yakutat Bay, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and arrives in Vancouver on 28th May.[/quote']

 

Hope you had a fabulous cruise!

 

Thank you for your response, I appreciate it.

[cruisin36]

According to Lawrence D Klausener, alleged cruise specialist, author of Son of Sam, founder of VCTG, Hotels.com, a large but unnamed travel agency amongst other achievements there will be no ships going to Alaska anymore.

 

He was the "enrichment lecturer" on the Ruby Mar 20, 2010 sailing.

[Italy52]

According to Lawrence D Klausener, alleged cruise specialist, author of Son of Sam, founder of VCTG, Hotels.com, a large but unnamed travel agency amongst other achievements there will be no ships going to Alaska anymore.

 

He was the "enrichment lecturer" on the Ruby Mar 20, 2010 sailing.

 

Find it hard to believe --- sorry.

[cruisin36]

Find it hard to believe --- sorry.

 

We had the misfortune of sitting through an entire lunch with him. He dominated the entire lunch conversation and we could not belieive a word he said. His statements contradicted themself from sentence to sentence.

[BaileyandBella]

2011 prices for Alaska seem to be up for all brands.

 

Not Princess......the regular one week summer cruises.

 

I have been checking every day.

[c-cruise]

[quote name='BaileyandBella']Not Princess......the regular one week summer cruises.

I have been checking every day.[/QUOTE]

Sorry, should have been more clear. Was referring to the prices on 2011 Alaska cruises being "up" in general.

[kath00]

Still am not seeing Alaska 2011. Is it just me or are the itiniaries taking FOREVER to come out this season for 11-12 year...???

Katherine the impatient.

[jeffstew]

[quote name='kath00']Still am not seeing Alaska 2011. Is it just me or are the itiniaries taking FOREVER to come out this season for 11-12 year...???

Katherine the impatient.[/quote]

Last year, Princess announced the Alaska itineraries on April 20th. So it's only one day late if you use that as a guide!

[sydneycruiser]

We're also eagerly awaiting the release of the dates for next year and are hoping for July on the Diamond. Do they book out quickly?

Thanks

[Kylie]

Our PCC called this evening and is still telling me May before the Alaska prices come out. I told her Princess was the only one that doesn't have 2011 prices out yet. She said it is because they do such a good job in Alaska that it takes longer!?

[Tapi]

[quote name='Kylie'] I told her Princess was the only one that doesn't have 2011 prices out yet. She said it is because they do such a good job in Alaska that it takes longer!?[/QUOTE]

I hope that what Princess is offering in Alaska for 2011 is absolutely amazing. Even though I had my mind set on sailing to Alaska on Princess next year, I've secured a spot on Celebrity since their schedules are out and the price was too good to pass up. Once Princess schedules do come out, I'll think about switching if what they have to offer is better than what I've currently booked.

I'm wondering if Princess is loosing valuable Alaska bookings to other cruise lines by waiting to release their schedules. I probably would've never booked on another cruise line if the Princess schedules had been out by now...:rolleyes:

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

[quote name='sydneycruiser']We're also eagerly awaiting the release of the dates for next year and are hoping for July on the Diamond. Do they book out quickly?

Thanks[/quote]

Come with us on the Diamond in May :D

[sydneycruiser]

[quote=Billy and Charlie's Mum;24122318]Come with us on the Diamond in May :D[/quote]

Wish I could! But due to work best time for hols is June-July

[Italy52]

[quote name='Tapi']I hope that what Princess is offering in Alaska for 2011 is absolutely amazing. Even though I had my mind set on sailing to Alaska on Princess next year, I've secured a spot on Celebrity since their schedules are out and the price was too good to pass up. Once Princess schedules do come out, I'll think about switching if what they have to offer is better than what I've currently booked.

I'm wondering if Princess is loosing valuable Alaska bookings to other cruise lines by waiting to release their schedules. I probably would've never booked on another cruise line if the Princess schedules had been out by now...:rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

We also got tired of waiting so we booked with RCI as they had the cabin, itinerary and pricing that we liked. Still looking forward to seeing what Princess has to offer and will switch if it's more attractive.

[Italy52]

[quote name='Kylie']Our PCC called this evening and is still telling me May before the Alaska prices come out. I told her Princess was the only one that doesn't have 2011 prices out yet. She said it is because they do such a good job in Alaska that it takes longer!?[/QUOTE]

I have done 2 Princess cruises and 2 RCI cruises to Alaska (soon to be 4) and to be honest (just my opinion here), there are a couple of differences but not that much to make me a "die-hard" Princess fan in Alaska. We cruise to Alaska based on itinerary, price and then line. We would like to cruise with Princess in 2011 -- have a reservation with RCI now but might switch if the Princess 2011 itineraries "wow" us.