Alaska Backup Booking Question

[bubbapuck]

7 hours ago, trbarton said:

Bubba...A lot of good discussion. Please let us know what you decide. 
 

Tom😎

I looked over the cruise out of Vancouver for the same tune period and they currently have 10 cabins available in the location I want to be. I am going to delay deciding until either I find out the LA cruise is officially cancelled or the rooms I want start to be booked. 
 

Still pulling for the Crown or another ship to be put in the LA slot so I won’t need to fly to Vancouver. Any other time I would mind but with so much uncertainty with travel no of days, I would prefer not to fly, especially an international flight. 

[bubbapuck]

1 hour ago, Lido deck main said:

Hi Bubba

Can the PVP just move you to the Grand and transfer the deposit.  Maybe they can offer you some OBC ahead of time as Sun is sold.  Congrats on your upcoming 25th Anniversary.  

Good question. I should ask. Does anyone know the answer to this?

[Papa Yoda]

On 9/19/2020 at 9:11 PM, wallyj said:

Ferd Berle, Sapphire Princess DOES have an Alfredo's on deck 5, believe it was added a long time ago, was just on her this past February as our 21 day sailing was cut short because of port closures. 

 

12 hours ago, Coral said:

It does have Alfredos. Sapphire is a great ship!

 

Okay now I am really bummed our 4/5/22 cruise to Hawaii on Sapphire was cancelled 😞 

[Ombud]

17 hours ago, bubbapuck said:

Good question. I should ask. Does anyone know the answer to this?

Yes he can. Did I misunderstand? Didn't you want to sail from your home port?

 

Sorry @Ferd Berfle I'll be on it downunder 12/21 and believe it's staying there. Australia Market is growing! 😷 

Edited September 21, 2020 by Ombud

[disneyochem]

We are booked on the Sun out of LA in July as well.  It is a family affair celebrating a graduation—youngest daughter is graduating from a SoCal university in June.  We have a number of cabins booked so we really want to keep this cruise.  Hoping that this itinerary gets a new ship (Crown?).  We are waiting until notified by Princess.  I’m confident that they will do something positive about this situation.

 

That being said, I am looking into Plan B:  ten day Alaskan cruise out of SF.  Looks like we won’t all be able to have the same setup/room categories as on the Sun but it will work.  TA is working with Princess to minimize the deposits.  We have had four cancelled cruises this past year (tons of FCC) and currently have four more booked.  I really don’t want to give Princess any more $$!

[bubbapuck]

3 minutes ago, disneyochem said:

We are booked on the Sun out of LA in July as well.  It is a family affair celebrating a graduation—youngest daughter is graduating from a SoCal university in June.  We have a number of cabins booked so we really want to keep this cruise.  Hoping that this itinerary gets a new ship (Crown?).  We are waiting until notified by Princess.  I’m confident that they will do something positive about this situation.

 

That being said, I am looking into Plan B:  ten day Alaskan cruise out of SF.  Looks like we won’t all be able to have the same setup/room categories as on the Sun but it will work.  TA is working with Princess to minimize the deposits.  We have had four cancelled cruises this past year (tons of FCC) and currently have four more booked.  I really don’t want to give Princess any more $$!

 

I am in the same boat. I am looking at the Vancouver cruises. I think SF would be our 4th or5th option. We really want to do 14 days so we may pull an audible and go to the Caribbean or something. Really want this Alaska cruise to pull through! 

[disneyochem]

5 minutes ago, bubbapuck said:

 

I am in the same boat. I am looking at the Vancouver cruises. I think SF would be our 4th or5th option. We really want to do 14 days so we may pull an audible and go to the Caribbean or something. Really want this Alaska cruise to pull through! 

We looked at the Vancouver cruises as well but logistically it was getting a little too complicated!  Kids, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, significant others! Oh my! 😁

We all live in California (I live in the Bay Area) so it is much easier to use a local port.

 

I do like the longer cruises but hubby and I are lucky in that we have two more Alaskan cruises in 2021 as well as a land tour!  So a10-day cruise is fine.    

[Papa Yoda]

 

So how low on this Totem Pole can I go?  We had the 14 day Golden to Alaska out of LA 8/8/2020 - with kids and grandkids - we had the Grand Suite and a nearby balcony and an inside.  Totally a family event of a lifetime, but Nooooo!  The Sun was the "replacement".

 

Were I bubbapuck, I'd figure a way to get to Vancouver - stay a night at the Pan Pacific and just make it work!  We only pass this way once!  If it works out that the LA Round Trip stays, then nothing lost. 

 

So this is my recommended plan B

[wallyj]

Have just seen another thread where they just received email from Princess about 2 hours ago, Sun has been sold and thier cruise has been cancel, so sounds like no replacement ship, 

[Photofinish4]

9 hours ago, wallyj said:

Have just seen another thread where they just received email from Princess about 2 hours ago, Sun has been sold and thier cruise has been cancel, so sounds like no replacement ship, 

just got off  the phone with Princess they are working on a replacement

 

[mikaula]

I’d love a 14 day cruise from Vancouver. I’d also want a balcony so i can understand why you don’t want to wait until less rooms are left. You’ll love Alaska whatever cruise you decide on. 

[bubbapuck]

Thank you all for your help. I just got off the phone with my PVP and have booked the 7/24/21 14-day cruise out of Vancouver.I have some worries about international travel during COVID but hopefully things will start to get better. Though I am sad to not be going out of LA, at lrast I get to see Glacier Bay twice. 

 

If an LA itinerary pops up, I will switch but I dont think it is happening.

[jeeper2]

2 hours ago, Photofinish4 said:

just got off  the phone with Princess they are working on a replacement

 

Oh, how I hope that is true...and that one will be found!

[Papa Yoda]

11 hours ago, bubbapuck said:

Thank you all for your help. I just got off the phone with my PVP and have booked the 7/24/21 14-day cruise out of Vancouver. I have some worries about international travel during COVID but hopefully things will start to get better. Though I am sad to not be going out of LA, at least I get to see Glacier Bay twice. 

 

If an LA itinerary pops up, I will switch but I don't think it is happening.

 

It's a valid worry, but... if International travel next summer is an issue then lots of Alaska cruises will likely get cancelled, even those of Canadian origin, they visit US ports.  And an LA Alaska cruise would have similar issues with having to visit a "foreign" (i.e. Canadian) port.

 

We are keeping fingers and toes crossed in hopes we all get our cruises next year!

[joepeka]

9 hours ago, Ferd Berfle said:

 

It's a valid worry, but... if International travel next summer is an issue then lots of Alaska cruises will likely get cancelled, even those of Canadian origin, they visit US ports.  And an LA Alaska cruise would have similar issues with having to visit a "foreign" (i.e. Canadian) port.

 

We are keeping fingers and toes crossed in hopes we all get our cruises next year!

This point has been on our mind as well - we're booked on the Royal repo in early May and if Canada still has the quarantine requirement for travelers coming into the country at that time, then our cruise will either have to be cancelled or some port switcheroos will have to occur. ☹️

[Ombud]

On 9/22/2020 at 9:40 AM, Photofinish4 said:

just got off  the phone with Princess they are working on a replacement

👍LA market is too big to ignore

[Photofinish4]

On 9/22/2020 at 11:41 AM, jeeper2 said:

Oh, how I hope that is true...and that one will be found!

They are going to name the ship Oct 6 and open the bookings for elites and then to others on oct 7. Sounds like it will be the Crown

 

[Schonert]

On 9/19/2020 at 3:11 PM, bubbapuck said:

I am very new to cruising and COVID has put me into a strange position. I am hoping some of you more experienced cruisers can give me some advice.

 

I am currently booked for the July 17th 14 day cruise from LA to Alaska on the Sun. It is my wife and I's 25th wedding anniversary and we have always dreamed about going to Alaska.

 

As we know, the Sun has been sold and my booking may be in jeopardy. I prefer to stay in my home port of LA so I am hoping that they assign another ship and I wont have anything to worry about. If it is outright canclled, I want to be prepared. I spoke with my PVP about this. He denied the sale and dont believe anything until I hear from Princess. I may be born again but I wasnt born yesterday.

 

He did advise me I could book a backup cruise just in case. I found the Grand Princess out of Vancouver for 14 days and it seems like a good alternative. I dont want to wait for Princess to decide to tell us about SUn being sold and find out the Vancouver cruise is sold out or they only have crumby cabins left. I would like to book a backup booking now and cancel if need be.

 

Does this sound like an good alternative? My problem is the $800 deposit on a cruise I may not take. Ya, it is refundable but we all know about how fast cruise lines have been on refunds. If it was $200, I would be fine, but $800 is a while different game. 

 

Does anyone have any other ideas that can make sure my wife and I's 25th anniverary cruise happens? Is there an annual sale coming up I should wait for? 

 

Please no "COVD19, not gonna happen" responses. We all know the situation of that and I know it may not happen because of that. I am looking for advice on how to handle this siutation.

 

Thanks... Bubba

Just to note, not all cabins are available on the 14 day “version” of the cruise out of Vancouver, there are lots available for the separate 7 day north/south bound.  I called and they can put a “request” to have the cabins made available but it is two different  Departments and no promise they will do it.  You would think they would prefer people booking 14 days instead of only a 7 day, less cleaning (especially now with COVID).  
Also note that the ports repeat but I look at it as giving me more time to explore the area.  We have booked the 14 day in early Sep on the Grand.

[bubbapuck]

Thanks for the info. Turns out if I had waited 72 hours I wouldn’t have had to worry. They have opened up a new cruise from LA to Alaska. I will probably book that when it is available. I have some time to think it over but not flying during COVID time is a plus for me!

 

thanks for the info. Didn’t know about the cabin situation. 

[caribill]

15 hours ago, Schonert said:

Just to note, not all cabins are available on the 14 day “version” of the cruise out of Vancouver, there are lots available for the separate 7 day north/south bound.  I called and they can put a “request” to have the cabins made available but it is two different  Departments and no promise they will do it. 

 

Anytime a cruise can be booked multiple lengths cabins in every category are allocated for each way it could be booked. If you look at one itinerary (example the 14 day), the cabins allocated for both 7-day voyages will appear sold even if many are still available.

 

I was on one cruise that segments could be booked at least five ways:

a) Houston to Southampton

b) Houston to Southampton + circle UK

c) Fort Lauderdale to Southampton

d) Fort Lauderdale to Southampton + circle UK

e) circle UK

 

So cabins were allocated so that some would only be available on each of the five ways.

[Papa Yoda]

Exactly...  When we did the 14 day "up and back" 3 years ago, it wasn't offered as a 14 day cruise on our dates - so it was some back and forth to find the same cabin for both legs as a b2b.  And as 2 x 7 days you lose a bit on FCD OBC (200 vs 250).  But it was one of our best AK cruises.

[phabric]

I am booked with a refundable deposit on the Discovery Dec 2021 cruise with 2 connecting mini suites with 5 balconies in a row.

 

I don’t think the Discovery will be ready for sailing by Dec with the dockyard being delayed 4 months.  With so many cabins, if the Discovery is cancelled I may not be able to get the cabins like I have on a different ship.

 

I booked with a refundable deposit on the Enchanted for Dec 2021 encase the Discovery is cancelled.  My agent is with the agency that had the 3 day sale, got a lower deposit + $200 OBC/pp.

 

I will decide later closer to final payment which cruise to take.
 

 

[phabric]

I am telling my story so you watch out when they switch ships.

 

I was booked on the Grand August 2021 treated like a B2B but 2 separate booking numbers in the same cabin with my sister in the next cabin.  I booked a Premium Oceanview 03.

 

The Grand was switched to the Regal.  We were told the cabins were to be assigned in 2 weeks.  A day before that date, I noticed on my Personalize, I was given a BE balcony since the Regal does not have any Oceanview.  They had given myself and my sister each cruise was in a different cabins on different decks in the front of the ship for each cruise.  I called my agent right away, she had not be notified yet.  I wanted her to work on getting us into the same cabin for both cruises plus beside each other before Princess gets full with all the switching of cabins.

 

She was able to that as Princess was still working on the switching.

Edited September 28, 2020 by phabric