Alaska Cruise from Vancouver return

[Andie 49]

HI there. I am trying to find a cruise for next  year from June to  September for 7 days from Vancouver to Alaska return. Of course I am looking for the best price and am willing to wait to get it as we are both able to go whenever. We are seniors and have only been on one cruise for 5 days on  Princess and loved it. 

I am wondering if I am being naive to think I can get a cruise for under 900 Dollars Canadian for the two of us including taxes. As I said I am willing to wait but just wanted advice on if it is best to wait or to book soonish.? I would love to go on the Princess or Celebrity lines if possible. Anyone have and advice on booking?

[mom says]

I think that's asking a lot. Even for an inside cabin. You might get lucky with a last minute cruise sale, if they dont all book up before final payment. It's a crap shoot there, as Alaska sailings are so popular. Go to the Celebrity and Princess websites and look at what's currently available.

[Shmoo here]

26 minutes ago, Andy49 said:

HI there. I am trying to find a cruise for next  year from June to  September for 7 days from Vancouver to Alaska return. Of course I am looking for the best price and am willing to wait to get it as we are both able to go whenever. We are seniors and have only been on one cruise for 5 days on  Princess and loved it. 

I am wondering if I am being naive to think I can get a cruise for under 900 Dollars Canadian for the two of us including taxes. As I said I am willing to wait but just wanted advice on if it is best to wait or to book soonish.? I would love to go on the Princess or Celebrity lines if possible. Anyone have and advice on booking?

Just as a head's up - if you're looking to do Glacier Bay, Princess has permits to go there, Celebrity doesn't.

[1025cruise]

For Alaska, even for late season you will need to up your budget.

[Andie 49]

ok..thank  you..

I tried to edit it as to say 900 dollars each but not sure if you would have understood it how it was written bu the edit did not go through. is 900  each still too low of a goal?

Edited July 30, 2019 by Andy49
miss printed

[mom says]

Yes. You can check prices on the cruise line websites. You MIGHT get lucky with a whopping big sale at the last minute, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Current price in Sept/20 for an inside is a tad over $1350 CAD pp on Celebrity.

Edited July 31, 2019 by mom says

[Nic6318]

42 minutes ago, Andy49 said:

HI there. I am trying to find a cruise for next  year from June to  September for 7 days from Vancouver to Alaska return. Of course I am looking for the best price and am willing to wait to get it as we are both able to go whenever. We are seniors and have only been on one cruise for 5 days on  Princess and loved it. 

I am wondering if I am being naive to think I can get a cruise for under 900 Dollars Canadian for the two of us including taxes. As I said I am willing to wait but just wanted advice on if it is best to wait or to book soonish.? I would love to go on the Princess or Celebrity lines if possible. Anyone have and advice on booking?

 

Hi Andy

 

I saw your edit. $900 CAD at current rates is less than $700 US (including taxes). I would say not impossible but pretty close to it for that time period. Maybe with $100 US more per person, and then gratuities on top of that, for different dates. 

 

If you find something like that at all, it would likely be a Carnival cruise. Possibly the first sailing in spring. Just checked, Apr. 20, 2020 would likely be the cheapest sailing you will find. That cruise while starting in Vancouver finishes in Seattle. That's not too bad. Easy to get home from there. 

 

That being said, it would be an inside cabin. Not the end of the world, but a larger consideration is the fact that when you go to Alaska you will want to do things that you only can do in Alaska. Those things are often very expensive. Many people will spend more on their excursions than on the cruise itself. It's not to say that you can't find things to do that will suit most budgets, but you wouldn't want to do that for all of your stops. It would take away from what for many is a once in a lifetime experience. 

[Andie 49]

ok thank you.. I will work hard to get a good deal. I am going to try to be more realistic then. .I do not mind going on line for hours to get what I want..

[zqvol]

IMO you are going to have a tough time finding a round trip Vancouver cruise. If OP could do roundtrip Seattle they  might have better luck, especially on cost.

[geoherb]

I booked last-minute cruises as a solo passenger on a Princess ship for not much more than your budget for each cruise. They had a bargain on the single supplement at the time, so two people may have managed to squeak in under your budget. But that was before my onboard expenses and the things I did on my own in the ports. The deal I got included $100 in onboard credit, which almost covered the $14.50 a day gratuities that are charged to your account automatically. I own stock, so I got an additional $100 in onboard credit per cruise, plus $25 each cruise in loyalty credit, and $25 each cruise for booking with a future cruise deposit. 

 

My recommendation would be to wait until early May to start looking since you're flexible with dates. I booked May 26, and my first cruise was June 19.

Edited July 31, 2019 by geoherb

[Essiesmom]

Yes, you can do it on Princess if you are willing to wait until 5-6 weeks out, or shorter.  Sign up for their email specials.  I have been getting emails for cruises in that ballpark for inside cabins.  Both of my cruises to Alaska were on Princess booked about 5 weeks or less out.  EM

[crystalspin]

Holland America has one R/T Vancouver itinerary (sailed by three ships in September of 2020).

7-day Alaskan Inside Passage: incl. Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Skagway.

The current per person rates for lowest-priced insides on those HAL cruises as follows:

 

Volendam smaller ship with cabins incl insides on the Lower Promenade, steps from biggest balcony on the ship

9/2-9/9/20 US$849+US255+HSC
9/9-9/16/20 US$799+US260+HSC
9/16-9/23/20 US$749+US255+HSC
9/23-9/30/20 US$749+US255+HSC

 

Koningsdam HAL's largest more modern feeling ship but still smaller than some other lines' big ones! 

9/5-9/12/20 US$849+US205+HSC
9/12-9/19/20 US$849+US200+HSC
9/19-9/26/20 US$849+US200+HSC

 

Noordam bigger than Volendam, smaller than Koningdam, still very traditional feel

9/13-9/20/20 US$849+US235+HSC
9/20-9/27/20 US$849+US235+HSC
 

Hotel Service Charge would be US$101.50 per person for a 7-day cruise.

 

I can personally recommend this itinerary; we took six members of my family along on the Volendam in 2016. All loved it! We did do two moderate-priced shore excursions: whale-watching in Juneau and the railroad at Skagway.

 

ETA: I realize after conversion, these fares are above your target. However, if you keep an eye on them, any sailings that are not filling up stand to be discounted after "final payment" dates. And HAL has a very very good Alaska product!

Edited July 31, 2019 by crystalspin

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, Andy49 said:

HI there. I am trying to find a cruise for next  year from June to  September for 7 days from Vancouver to Alaska return. Of course I am looking for the best price and am willing to wait to get it as we are both able to go whenever. We are seniors and have only been on one cruise for 5 days on  Princess and loved it. 

I am wondering if I am being naive to think I can get a cruise for under 900 Dollars Canadian for the two of us including taxes. As I said I am willing to wait but just wanted advice on if it is best to wait or to book soonish.? I would love to go on the Princess or Celebrity lines if possible. Anyone have and advice on booking?

Most Princess cruises from Vancouver to Alaska are 1-way to/from Whittier. Most R/T are from Seattle, although they have occasional R/T from Vancouver early/late season. 

 

You will find 1-way out of Vancouver in Sept for < CAN$ 900 pp, but not a R/T.

[sfaaa]

The cheapest Alaska RT cruise I saw this May on HA was $1,300 US for two all in. Last minute deal 3 weeks before sailing.

[crystalspin]

7 hours ago, Andy49 said:

ok thank you.. I will work hard to get a good deal. I am going to try to be more realistic then. .I do not mind going on line for hours to get what I want..

Andy, sfaaa's post made me think of something you can do with your hours and hours: Watch THIS September's fares, particularly Princess and Holland America, and see what happens after "final Payment" which is 90 days pre-cruise (at least it is for Princess in 2020). So you can be watching September 2019 already!

[Andie 49]

Thank you . I agree.. I think there is a chance for us to get close at least..do want the return trip if possible .

 

[Andie 49]

16 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Holland America has one R/T Vancouver itinerary (sailed by three ships in September of 2020).

7-day Alaskan Inside Passage: incl. Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Skagway.

The current per person rates for lowest-priced insides on those HAL cruises as follows:

 

Volendam smaller ship with cabins incl insides on the Lower Promenade, steps from biggest balcony on the ship

9/2-9/9/20 US$849+US255+HSC
9/9-9/16/20 US$799+US260+HSC
9/16-9/23/20 US$749+US255+HSC
9/23-9/30/20 US$749+US255+HSC

 

Koningsdam HAL's largest more modern feeling ship but still smaller than some other lines' big ones! 

9/5-9/12/20 US$849+US205+HSC
9/12-9/19/20 US$849+US200+HSC
9/19-9/26/20 US$849+US200+HSC

 

Noordam bigger than Volendam, smaller than Koningdam, still very traditional feel

9/13-9/20/20 US$849+US235+HSC
9/20-9/27/20 US$849+US235+HSC
 

Hotel Service Charge would be US$101.50 per person for a 7-day cruise.

 

I can personally recommend this itinerary; we took six members of my family along on the Volendam in 2016. All loved it! We did do two moderate-priced shore excursions: whale-watching in Juneau and the railroad at Skagway.

 

ETA: I realize after conversion, these fares are above your target. However, if you keep an eye on them, any sailings that are not filling up stand to be discounted after "final payment" dates. And HAL has a very very good Alaska product!

 

[Andie 49]

I totally appreciate this information and yes I agree I can keep looking and do last minute. I am retired and my guy has to work til he drops.. lol But it is his birthday (70)th next year.. mine was this year for a 5 day cruise from LA to Vancouver on  Princess. We loved Princess but would consider other lines of course. I could go a bit higher I just had heard of others who have done better than 1000 each so I thought I could try.. Thank you again for all your information.

[Andie 49]

15 hours ago, sfaaa said:

The cheapest Alaska RT cruise I saw this May on HA was $1,300 US for two all in. Last minute deal 3 weeks before sailing.

Thanks SFAA. I am wondering if this was for two or each?  Also How do you compare HA to Princess or Celebrity .? Or Royal Caribbean? I was only on Princess and loved it so have nothing to compare it with .

[sfaaa]

9 hours ago, Andy49 said:

Thanks SFAA. I am wondering if this was for two or each?  Also How do you compare HA to Princess or Celebrity .? Or Royal Caribbean? I was only on Princess and loved it so have nothing to compare it with .

Price was for both. My co worker went, had a great time and saved a bunch of money. HA is fine and pretty much on par with its sister company Princess. If you can go this September instead of 2020, HA currently has one Alaska 7 day RT Vancouver cruise on Westerdam leaving Sept 22, 2019 for $1,448 US (tax included) + $203 gratuities. Good deal. Go to HA website if you are interested.

[Andie 49]

We don't have to fly .. we live near Nanaimo .We just took a cruise for under 2000 for 5 days. I am hoping to not have to pay much more than this but if we have to we will have to save for this. I am not sure why you are judging me as this is just a place for information.

 

[Michalina]

17 minutes ago, Andy49 said:

We don't have to fly .. we live near Nanaimo .We just took a cruise for under 2000 for 5 days. I am hoping to not have to pay much more than this but if we have to we will have to save for this. I am not sure why you are judging me as this is just a place for information.

 

How was your cruise?

[Andie 49]

It  was amazing. that is why we want to go on another one. I am looking at some new sales on Cruise Critic and see alot of sales around our price.. so I am surely not giving up.

 

[Andie 49]

On 7/30/2019 at 9:59 PM, crystalspin said:

Holland America has one R/T Vancouver itinerary (sailed by three ships in September of 2020).

7-day Alaskan Inside Passage: incl. Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Skagway.

The current per person rates for lowest-priced insides on those HAL cruises as follows:

 

Volendam smaller ship with cabins incl insides on the Lower Promenade, steps from biggest balcony on the ship

9/2-9/9/20 US$849+US255+HSC
9/9-9/16/20 US$799+US260+HSC
9/16-9/23/20 US$749+US255+HSC
9/23-9/30/20 US$749+US255+HSC

 

Koningsdam HAL's largest more modern feeling ship but still smaller than some other lines' big ones! 

9/5-9/12/20 US$849+US205+HSC
9/12-9/19/20 US$849+US200+HSC
9/19-9/26/20 US$849+US200+HSC

 

Noordam bigger than Volendam, smaller than Koningdam, still very traditional feel

9/13-9/20/20 US$849+US235+HSC
9/20-9/27/20 US$849+US235+HSC
 

Hotel Service Charge would be US$101.50 per person for a 7-day cruise.

 

I can personally recommend this itinerary; we took six members of my family along on the Volendam in 2016. All loved it! We did do two moderate-priced shore excursions: whale-watching in Juneau and the railroad at Skagway.

 

ETA: I realize after conversion, these fares are above your target. However, if you keep an eye on them, any sailings that are not filling up stand to be discounted after "final payment" dates. And HAL has a very very good Alaska product!

 

[Andie 49]

Yes and I have a year to save more so if we have to do more for extras so be it. Our last cruise was only 5 days but well under 2000 for both of us. of course this is longer but now i am seeing quite a few sales. I just did not want to spend more than we could help but still have the integrity of the Princess sale we had.. Celebrity and Holland America have a few sales on this site that I am thinking of booking soon . Thank you so much for your information.I totally appreciate it.