Airfare to Fairbanks

[coltsgal1]

Does anyone have any thoughts on arranging our own airfare to Fairbanks vs going thru HAL--seems we can get similar itineraries and price. Was wondering if having the cruise protection plan is good enough in case of delayed flights etc to get to the start of our land then cruise tour.

[kenish]

Do a search on recent threads and the sticky at the top of this forum. Cruiseline arranged air has many drawbacks. As far as "protection" plans, read the several threads where cruiselines did zero / zip / nada to get passengers to the ship.

 

In the interest of "fair and balanced", sometimes cruiseline air provides a discount that is worth the risk for many people. And, there are instances where the cruiseline has assisted passengers where travel goes awry (but it better be in the USA, and during business hours).

 

I don't recall that any of the good or bad experiences involved HAL specifically, but they are all basically the same.

 

In this case you found similar pricing- why pay the same for an inferior product? Also, the "protection" plans are a lot like extended warranties...there is a lot they do not protect against. You will get far better coverage buying your own trip insurance and can buy a policy that fits your specific needs. For example, I don't have a pre-existing medical condition and don't need to worry about urgently coming home early as caregiver of a relative. But, sometimes there's a chance I may need to cancel an entire trip for business reasons. Your personal situation may be totally different...just like any other insurance, "one size fits all" will fall short if you have a claim.