overwhelmed with information overload - a little help?

[PixiTrix]

A little info

25th anniversary trip next year, June or July

Never had a honeymoon, only been on road trips and Las Vegas

Teacher on a budget and limited to typical school breaks

• Goal 1 - quiet time with husband/honeymoon type trip
  
• Goal 2 - animals and nature
  
• Goal 3 - pricing/cost up front and as much paid for prior to boarding as possible/all inclusive, etc.
  

 

Just when I think I have figured out which cruise, I find something else that might work better or something that I don't know might be a problem, and don't know what to "give up" for sake of the budget.

 

I have found some booking through CostCo that actually sounds like a good deal, but having NEVER planned a vacation other than booking a hotel room, I have no idea.

 

I would LIKE to do land and sea. I would LIKE to have a balcony room.

 

Yes, I have read lots of information, but see my title...information overload. Would like to hear from people willing to tell me their thinking from their experience.

Edited September 5, 2015 by PixiTrix

[FlCatLover]

I have friends who have used Costco Travel a lot and really think it's a good deal. They used to use a travel agent. I recently booked with Costco Travel for next July and am so far very happy with the service and perks.

[yardbird]

My wife is a teacher. Retiring at the end of this school year, but.... I know about traveling on a teacher's schedule after living with that schedule for 30 years. :)

 

We're doing the JB6 land/sea cruise tour at the beginning of August 2016.

 

Our requirements were similar.... some "us" time certainly, but also a taste of culture, history, scenic and wildlife. A connoisseur tour may get you more toward the "all inclusive" aspect you're looking for, but there will be food expenses for some of the land meals that aren't covered. It does take the guesswork out of several meals, but it isn't truly "all inclusive" and I'm not sure that there are any cruise tours out there that ARE totally all inclusive.

 

We opted to get our own meals on the land portion. Neither of us is looking for steak and lobster every night. The connoisseur may be a bit more rigidly controlled in terms of scheduling than what you want. So it's a double-edged sword. :)

 

There are some excursions included in our tour and for the most part we'll be taking them. However we have an entire day set aside to just stomp around Talkeetna for as long as we'd like.

 

We're approaching the entire trip as an adventure since neither of us has cruised before, neither of us have been to Alaska, and.... we are fully aware that things can change from "the plan" while we're there. Both on land and on the ship. So we're referring to it as our "Alaska Adventure" :)

 

You'll have to look at the available excursions at each "port" or stop to get an idea of what you WANT to do and what you can AFFORD to do. There are so many excursions... and our pockets, quite frankly, are not bottomless. :)

 

Tundra Wilderness Tour, Athabascan Indian village, dog sled kennels, bear watching, flightseeing tours around McKinley or up to the arctic circle, jet boats, river boats, scenic train rides (Skagway.... Whitepass), trips that take you into the Yukon, whale watching, glacier touching, and all of the tree hugging you can possibly stand! And that's just the tip of the iceberg.... or... glacier...

 

Balcony.... yes! I mean... why not, right?

 

Define for yourself, what's important. Go slowly and find excursions or "do nothing days" that suit you, and then go into this knowing that things can change so .... have a backup plan. :)

[chipmaster]

A cruise can be excellent value.

 

1) All inclusive, except for the fancy drinks and gratuities which are will defined as well.

2) Choose the room, inside saves a lot and gets you all the same perks as those who splurge for suites.

3) Almost all our recent cruise were booked thru that bigbox retailer with onboard credit. ( We don't drink so the only additions were the gratuities, excursions, and our add on dining upgrade ).

 

When I was younger we did inside often, loved cruising still.

 

You get three sit down meals, the standard ship activities / shows, all inclusive. If you are want to splurge the add on resturants are worth it IMHO.

 

Pick a cruise that does glacier bay and you are in for some of the most spectacular scenery, all free as the thousands of feet of free desk space to enjoy. On the lower decks lots of outside lounge chairs to snuggle and read a book or just pass the time.

 

Port excursions can be cheap and simple a like a stroll in the stores ( they are very touristy ), to very expensive and exotic things like flightseening. IMHO do consider one port for a splurge like helicopter or flightseening as it offers a unique experience. Whale watching out of Juneau is also worth not missing for around a hundred buck/person.

[Budget Queen]

A little info

25th anniversary trip next year, June or July

Never had a honeymoon, only been on road trips and Las Vegas

Teacher on a budget and limited to typical school breaks

• Goal 1 - quiet time with husband/honeymoon type trip
  
• Goal 2 - animals and nature
  
• Goal 3 - pricing/cost up front and as much paid for prior to boarding as possible/all inclusive, etc.
  

 

Just when I think I have figured out which cruise, I find something else that might work better or something that I don't know might be a problem, and don't know what to "give up" for sake of the budget.

 

I have found some booking through CostCo that actually sounds like a good deal, but having NEVER planned a vacation other than booking a hotel room, I have no idea.

 

I would LIKE to do land and sea. I would LIKE to have a balcony room.

 

Yes, I have read lots of information, but see my title...information overload. Would like to hear from people willing to tell me their thinking from their experience.

 

I am no fan, of the VERY restrictive "cruisetours" - which is mentioned above, by someone who has not been there? The bargain option for Alaska is independent, the wildlife jackpot is including Denali Park shuttle bus to at least Eielson, including Kenai Fjord with a boat tour- along with doing a whale watch on the inside passage. Investing a significant amount of time, from the cruise ship in viewing areas (I've written where they are) can also be very productive wildlife sightings.

 

Frankly a huge savings can sometimes occur with cabin selection. It's very restrictive being limited on funds. I never recommend the priority be cutting back on excursions or time. Go for as LONG as you can afford.

 

It seems to me, you are too early to be selecting a cruise ship and land touring? FIRST I suggest you determine- how much time you have? THEN determine WHAT touring you want to do. This will cut down on your ship "list".

 

You are mentioning "funds" as a significant concern, I would then- ONLY a suggestion- you "pay yourself", cut back on the holiday gifts, eating out, purchased coffee, movies etc. You would be surprised how much this adds up. :) Again, only a suggestion- But, Alaska is NOT the place to skimp on activities and time- my opinion only.

[Alaskanb]

I remember the feeling well --too much data to process! I'm a retired biology teacher and did our first Alaska cruise in 2012 with a DIY land tour --it was great. Our next Alaska cruise will be in June 2016 using a Princess land tour --we are older and specifically want to see Denali National Park that we did not have time or $$$ for in 2012.

Things I learned:

Alaska can be expensive but is doable on a budget.

Choose a time frame for both the cruise and land portion --length of time depends on your budget.

Make a spreadsheet of some sort to easily see costs. Initially make sure to include cruise and flight costs, then add in estimates for excursions, car rental, hotels, etc. I do mine by day and flush it out over time. I agree with Budget Queen --excursions are how you experience Alaska but you do not have to do the high cost ones.

Independent excursions have fewer people than ship excursions. We used Orca Enterprises for a whale watch in Juneau and Chilkoot Charters for a train/bus trip to the Yukon out of Skagway. Prioritize based on what is important to you

Choose a cruise that includes Glacier Bay --it is spectacular!

For a more private cruise experience select a dining table for two and if you can afford it a balcony cabin --maybe on Caribe deck. We like traditional dining as we eat around 6 each evening. We did Anytime dining on our first cruise and on subsequent cruises found the traditional dining suited us better.

Read on the history of the area --Skagway really benefits from Pierre Berton's book on the goldrush.

It's easy to rent a car and do a DIY land trip. If you choose a cruise tour make sure you read the itinerary in great detail and ensure that you have a full day in Denali national park. (We will be doing Princess DB4 in 2016 and using a park shuttle (Eielson) in Denali).

Use a good road map when planning a DIY land portion --long distances, and driving time, are involved in some areas. Alaska.org has great descriptions of scenic drives http://www.alaska.org/things-to-do/scenic-drives

Don't forget that Vancouver is a beautiful city and has lots to explore.

 

In 2012 we did a northbound cruise from Vancouver on Princess. It ended in Whittier, Alaska, where we took the Princess shuttle to the airport and picked up the rental car which we had booked many many months ahead of time. We then spent 4 days (3 nights) exploring the geographical area between Palmer / Matanuska Glacier, Turnagain Arm/ Girdwood, and Seward. We specifically made a decision not to visit Denali national park. At the end of our adventure we returned the car to the airport and flew home from Anchorage.

During the cruise and land trip we saw brown bears, black bears, moose, bald eagles, humpback whale, fed puffins at the Seward sea life center, and saw lots of other sea and land creatures. It was fabulous!

Edited September 6, 2015 by Alaskanb

[cruisin0218]

I am a school nurse and have the same schedule as the teachers. We have been to Alaska several times. The advantage to the teacher schedule is that we have a longer period of time that we are off from work, therefore can spend more time in Alaska than those that are limited to 1-2 weeks of vacation at a time. The challenge is being able to afford the cost to stay longer but it can be done. Because one of the most expensive things is airfare and there is that cost no matter how long I stay, I like to stay as long as I can to get more bang for my buck from the airfare and also to experience Alaska more fully and perhaps at a more leisurely pace with more flexability. For that reason I am a fan of a DIY land tour. I could never afford the cost of a cruise line tour that would be long enough to take advantage of the extended time I am able to stay.

 

Depending upon the style of travel you prefer you can rent a car (driving in Alaska is very easy it would be very difficult to get lost because there are not that many roads), or you can rent an RV or you can make your own arrangements for bus and/or train transport. For maximum flexability I would recommend either car or RV.

 

We traveled with a group of friends last summer and I was able to research the total cost ahead of time. We prepaid the tours that we knew we wanted to take and of course the cruise was paid in full before the start of the trip. We then each set aside enough money to pay for the expenses that I had calculated. We were right on target.

 

In our case we made a personal choice for the RV style of travel and had enough people who were comfortable with driving that this was not an issue. Several of us were 62 or older so we went to a national park near our and purchased Golden age passes. These allow you and some guests to qualify for 1/2 price on National or State Park activities including campground fees, free entrance into Denali and 1/2 price on the shuttles/tours, etc within the park. As BQ said the shuttle to Eilson is a significant savings over TWT. The other savings we experienced was the ability to buy groceries before we left Anchorage/Wasilla and we could prepare our own food and only eat out as desired. You could have this same food option with a cooler in your car and using a B&B or rooms with a kitchenette. I don't think we saved money if only comparing lodging cost + gas cost between the 2 options because the RV does take more gas, however based on these 2 things alone I think we broke even and had more flexability with the RV. The only campground reservation we made was at Riley Creek Campground at Denali because it is often full and we wanted to assure a space there so we reserved 3 nights there. The first night in our RV was spent with no campground fee because we stayed in the Walmart parking lot in Wasilla which is also where we bought our groceries. We did the same thing our last night before returning the RV and spent the night in the Fred Myer parking lot and restocked on snacks, drinks, etc to carry on our cruise ship (my husband likes soft drinks and we did not want to pay the per drink charge on ship and we wanted some prepacked snack crackers/cookies/bottled water to take off the ship for a quick cheap lunch).

 

As far as which cruise to choose, I agree that I would read about each port and the excursions available at each port. I would the prioritize whether there are planned excursions that I just really want to do or maybe there are just certain ports that I really want to see which would then lead to which ports to visit. This then narrows it down to which ships might allow that itinerary. Then look at whether one ship or the other allows multiple days to see a glacier (the more chances the better). As BQ said a focus on perhaps a whale watching excursion is more expensive than some excursions but is not one of the most expensive excursions and gives a great bang for the buck. Another tour that gives a great bang for the buck and is not extremely expensive is the Whitepass Railroad in Skagway. There is also a free walking tour of Skagway that is lead by rangers from The National Park Service.

[cruisin0218]

Also I meant to add that there is significant savings on the cruise based upon whether you choose a balcony, outside or inside room and where they are located on the ship. I have traveled in each type of room. If my funds were limited personally I would not hesitate to choose an inside or outside room especially if it is located on the promenade deck or in any other location that is near an access to outside viewing. Very little of our time on an Alaska cruise is spent in our room and I would rather put the difference in cost toward excursions or extending the length of time for the land portion. Did I enjoy the balcony? Yes, on one cruise I enjoyed Hubbard Glacier from my balcony, but I also enjoyed glacier Bay on the Promenade Deck with friends. The same goes for specialty restaurants for me. I am perfectly happy with the dining room and buffet and don't need that extra, but if I wanted to do it and had extra money, it is nice to have available. We had a great time on each of our trips and I hope you will as well.

[PixiTrix]

I will take all that everyone has said into consideration. I think I have it in my head that this is a one time thing and looking at it that way. That isn't necessarily true...can always rebook in the future!

 

This is because my husband inherited a little money and we set it aside for this specifically. This is also why I want to figure this out in the next two months, even if early, because I need to be able to plan financially. We don't use or even own credit cards, so this is a big factor. We have to have the money available in the bank when we go, and I want to go ahead and pay the bulk of the cost ahead of time.

 

Of all the things mentioned, the whale watching sounds the most spot-on for what I want to do as an excursion.

 

Now, having said all of that, there are other destinations I would consider as well. I have a husband that just goes with the flow and doesn't help me much on his opinion. I had to DRAG it out of him that this would be his top choice in destination from a few I mentioned. :confused: It is one of my top destinations too, don't get me wrong, but I knew it might be more expensive than some other options.

[CowPrincess]

Since you have budget concerns, I'd say start a spreadsheet with ALL the costs associated with your "I WANT TO DO THIS" trip. See if you are over, under or on budget. If you are over budget, start removing/changing items.

 

And I see you say you have no credit cards. IMHO you need to get one, for things like deposits on hotel(s), rental car(s), private excursions, the "hold" that the cruise ship will place when you board. You don't ever have to use it again if you don't want, but it WILL make arranging your trip a lot easier.

[PixiTrix]

What I mean is that I have a debt card that can be run as credit...but it still comes out of my bank account.

[CowPrincess]

What I mean is that I have a debt card that can be run as credit...but it still comes out of my bank account.

 

I don't know how those work, DH has us loaded up with "points" and "cash back" credit cards, so we use CCs most of the time

 

So, if you use your card to "charge" something, the money comes out of the bank right away? So for example, if you booked a hotel and put a $200 deposit on it using your card, the money would be removed from your bank account right away?

 

(and I apologize for going mostly off-topic here....)

Edited September 6, 2015 by CowPrincess

[PixiTrix]

Well, hotel bookings are a little different. Most hotels just use the card to hold the hotel and don't charge it until after. Some hotels charge you a base rate, but adjust the charge after you have checked out. Most do not charge the hotel right away.

 

Long story very very short - bad refinance on mortgage during economic downturn left us with bad credit. All of the financial situation has been resolved, and credit is building, but still in recovery. Might be able to get a card at this point, but I am sure the limit would not be high.

[CowPrincess]

Ugh! Sorry that happened to you. Happened to a number of people we know, too.

 

Back to "Alaska information overload". This forum is full of great info on how to do a do-it-yourself land portion. If you haven't seen it yet, there is a "Search" box in the upper right hand screen with "advanced" below that. Click the "advanced" bit and do a search on terms that are on interest, e.g., "do it yourself Alaska land" and choose (further down the page) "in the last year and newer". That'll give you current info for what some people have done.

 

Everything is more expensive in Alaska. Know that going in.

 

On my first cruise to Alaska, I was overwhelmed with the shore excursion choices, so I made a "short list" of each one that appealed in each port. Then left if alone for a while and went back, and ranked them.... that might help with choosing cruise line, itinerary, etc.....

[cruiser2015]

Well, hotel bookings are a little different. Most hotels just use the card to hold the hotel and don't charge it until after. Some hotels charge you a base rate, but adjust the charge after you have checked out. Most do not charge the hotel right away.

 

Long story very very short - bad refinance on mortgage during economic downturn left us with bad credit. All of the financial situation has been resolved, and credit is building, but still in recovery. Might be able to get a card at this point, but I am sure the limit would not be high.

 

CowPrincess is so correct on the card issue.

You're right about "some hotels" - but others will charge you for one night upfront, even if refundable up to a certain date. Without a card, you will have to mail them a check in advance. More importantly will be car rentals if you do a DIY land trip or day trip during the cruise. The agencies may expect a large deposit in addition to the rental fee in advance. If you use your debit card, all of that cash will immediately come out of your account - even though they will return the excess deposit post rental. If you can get a new card before the trip, please do so.

[PixiTrix]

Just to clarify, my card works just like a credit card. There are no restrictions on the card at all, and there have never been any issues. There is no differentiation to the vendor. The only difference is that it comes out of my bank account instead of held in credit to make payments on. No problems renting cars, making reservations, etc.

 

If I do get a card, I would use it for the incidentals - beverages, etc.

[Alaskanb]

Don't forget to include trip insurance when you create your budget -- you can get quotes on-line from sites like Squaremouth. Also plan on arriving a day prior to the cruise if you are cruising first.

This is helpful to predict how much more food items cost in Alaska http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/cities/economics/quarter-pounder-index-most-least-expensive-cities/

I do my budget predictions by day so it looks a little like this:

Day 0: Flights + Cruise + Insurance + house sitting/dog care +car to/from airport

Day 1: Travel to airport, meals, hotel

Day 2: Meals, travel to cruise terminal, any day excursion costs

Day 3: At sea, on-board alcoholic drinks

Day 4: Port A Excursion, snacks on land, on-board alcoholic drinks

Day 5: Port B Excursion, snacks on land, on-board alcoholic drinks

Day 6: Port C Excursion, snacks on land, on-board alcoholic drinks

Day 7: At sea, on-board alcoholic drinks

Day 8: Cruise ends. Car rental, Meals, Hotel etc

and so on

Day XXXX Travel to airport, meals, travel to home

[CowPrincess]

That's a good way to do it, Alaskanb. We start with "what can we afford to spend?" and then "what do we NEED to spend on? (e.g. flights, hotel, pet care...)" then "what do we WANT to do? (e.g., kayak, whale watch....)" then whatever is left over is allocated to discretionary stuff like cabin category, onboard alcohol, shoreside snacks, pre cruise meals....

[Alaskanb]

That's a good way to do it, Alaskanb. We start with "what can we afford to spend?" and then "what do we NEED to spend on? (e.g. flights, hotel, pet care...)" then "what do we WANT to do? (e.g., kayak, whale watch....)" then whatever is left over is allocated to discretionary stuff like cabin category, onboard alcohol, shoreside snacks, pre cruise meals....

We know how much we can save over a year so never have a pot of money to begin with. I like to book a year in advance and pay the deposit then. I also book flights soon after they are available.

I just estimate the discretionary items --they add up quickly! DH will only sail in a mini-suite so that's not discretionary for us. I know that we will probably have two bottles of wine over the week and maybe another drink at a show so our drinks budget is quite low. We always get a coffee card.

One thing we have learned to do is to eat on board when possible or have a meal included in an excursion. I love having coffee and a pastry in a local bakery so research that before we go.

Edited September 6, 2015 by Alaskanb

[bearette]

While you can run your debit card like credit what happens is they put a hold that can take days or weeks to come off. This is true at gas stations, hotels and car rentals. They hold a deposit so if the car rental holds $500, the cruise $500 and your hotel $500, you now no longer have that $1500 to spend. If you book it on a card, the credit card will hold the deposit and then you can pay with your debit card when you check out. This way you never have your money held. Just credit on the card that won't be charged to you unless you decide to pay with the credit card.

 

I recommend the budget per day to give you an idea what you are looking at. You can cut costs at hotels,restaurant and transport easiest. Make sure you include gas for car rentals,food,drinks and shopping in your budget. It is no fun not to be able to buy the hat or t-shirt you want.