Alaska cruise pricing (Radiance vs Explorer)

[slyster]

So, I'm actually looking to book Alaska for 2017 but I was browsing the 2016 sailings and I find it interesting that Explorer of the Seas cruise from Seattle to British Columbia is much cheaper (at least for balcony cabins) than the Radiance. Is it because it docks and either leaves or ends in Seward Alaska? Is it Radiance versus Explorer?

 

I'm just trying to figure out why the Radiance itinerary it's so much more expensive? Thanks in advance...

[LEtue]

The one way itinerary on the Radiance is so much better. It includes Ketchikan and Hubbard Glacier and sails inside Vancouver Island (to and from Vancouver) which is more scenic.

 

You can still utilize Seattle for air if that works better for you since transfers are easy and relatively inexpensive. Choose carefully ;)

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Before you select a cruise based on ship or price you should spend time researching on the Alaska port of call message boards. There is so much to Alaska cruises you need to think about.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

 

You need to ask yourself several questions--For example:

1. How long do you have for your cruise? If you only have one week you need to do a RT from either Seattle or Vancouver. That is it. If you have more than a week [the more the better] do a one-way and get into the state of Alaska. It is not possible to see it all, but even a few days allow you to visit Anchorage and/or the Kenai penninsula and/or Denali.

 

2. Do you want to do a DIY land tour [before or after the cruise] or take a cruise/tour. It is easy to DIY and I wish I had. It is cheaper and better. You can take the train if you do not want to drive. However, driving is easy. there are very few roads. I am sure it is possible to get lost--but, seems pretty unlikely unless you decide to go off-roading.

 

3. Do you want to pick a northbound or southbound. There is a difference. Look at port times. For example our NB cruise got to the Hubbard Glacier around dawn. We left around 11am. It was an early morning after several full days of sightseeing. The SB arrives in the Afternoon and leaves around dinner time.

 

4. The pace of an Alaska cruise is different than a beachy cruise. When we got to Denali we Took the Tundra Wilderness tour. [8 hrs] It left our hotel at 5:20 am. We got back at dark. :D

 

This is another good site to check out.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Edited February 21, 2016 by DragonOfTheSeas

[Clarea]

I would also recommend spending time reading and asking questions on the the Alaska forum. There are several choices of cruise lines that do Alaska, and it's good to get an overall view.

[island lady]

There is too much "out to sea" time" on the Seattle round trips for us, IMHO. And the northwest Pacific is not a tame lady most of the time. :eek:

 

If your vacation time is limited, as mentioned earlier, then the round trip Seattle is nice since you leave and come back to the same port, being able to do it in a week. But if you have more time to really explore, the north or south bound Radiance is the way to go. More to view, more relaxing.

 

We added on a "puddle jumper" one way flight from Vancouver to Anchorage the last time we sailed Radiance, then post cruise connecting with the round trip flight out of Vancouver. That gave us time to go up early and enjoy some land touring pre-cruise on our own.

 

This time, we are doing a B2B. Round trip flight out of Anchorage on Radiance. :)

 

Pricing difference? Could be that the one way Radiance is that much more popular (supply and demand), or that it goes to more ports of call, which is more expensive.

 

Mostly depends on what time you have available to vacation up there. Either way, you are in for a treat. Alaska is beautiful! :D

Edited February 21, 2016 by island lady

[slyster]

ahhhh now i see the difference in that 8 ports are a part of the radiance itinerary and 6 ports on the explorer. I saw them as 7 night cruises and didn't look hard at the itineraries. Well, that makes sense then.

 

As much as I want a longer cruise, unfortunately we can only do one week because my wife only gets two weeks of leave for the entire year and that includes her sick leave. So we leave one week for vacation and one week for her being sick. It's not ideal. Thankfully we are both still sort of young and we could always plan something later when we retire.

 

I'm going to check out the other cruise lines. One thing we have to consider is that with my wife being deaf, RC will provide interpreters for her on the cruise AND on their tours. I know Carnival and I believe NCL only provide interpreters on the ship, not tours too. So that has to be high on our priority list too.

 

I'll check out the other board and see all the Alaska forum has to offer. Thanks everyone :-)

Edited February 21, 2016 by slyster

[island lady]

ahhhh now i see the difference in that 8 ports are a part of the radiance itinerary and 6 ports on the explorer. I saw them as 7 night cruises and didn't look hard at the itineraries. Well, that makes sense then.

 

As much as I want a longer cruise, unfortunately we can only do one week because my wife only gets two weeks of leave for the entire year and that includes her sick leave. So we leave one week for vacation and one week for her being sick. It's not ideal. Thankfully we are both still sort of young and we could always plan something later when we retire.

 

I'm going to check out the other cruise lines. One thing we have to consider is that with my wife being deaf, RC will provide interpreters for her on the cruise AND on their tours. I know Carnival and I believe NCL only provide interpreters on the ship, not tours too. So that has to be high on our priority list too.

 

I'll check out the other board and see all the Alaska forum has to offer. Thanks everyone :-)

 

You are most welcome! Before I retired, my slave driver boss would only give me exactly 7 days in a one week vacation. Would not even let me go the night before. :( So the round trip Seattle was my only option at the time. Looked like a zombie when we got from Florida to Seattle that morning after the very early flight! :eek:

 

You will love it, no matter how much time you have. We looked at it as an "appetizer" for future longer trips when we could get more time. Can't wait to go again this August! :)

[slyster]

That's awesome for you :). I will look at the round trip. From what I can tell on the Alaska forums, glacier bay is big :)