2025 Alaska and South America itineraries due out the end of July. 🤞

[danny8826]

I looked at the prices for the Sapphire Princess this December (Dec 19th sailing) to South America and Antarctica and it looks very reasonable starting out at $1598.  I wonder how high they will raise the prices for the Dec 2024 sailing during Christmas and New Year.  

[Steelers36]

33 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

Our TA is all ready for the 8:00 am release on the 26th!

It's not like the race for the Sanctuary, is it?  LOL.

[LACruiser88]

6 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

It's not like the race for the Sanctuary, is it?  LOL.

No, not at all.  😄   But, we like to get our preferred cabin booked before it is gone. 

[danny8826]

6 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

It's not like the race for the Sanctuary, is it?  LOL.

 

I am not going on a race.  I will just wait and see how the price is.  If It's reasonable enough, I will book it. NCL also does South America and Antarctica as well.

[BabsinTX]

Thanks for sharing this.  I don't understand how the lowest Reserve Collection cabin is cheaper on the Majestic's 51-day South America Grand Adventure  than the Sapphire's 35-day Antarctica

and Brazilian Grand Adventure ($10,099 versus $10, 349).  What am I missing?  

[Vic The Parrot]

Thanks Coral!

You're the best! 😘

[Vic The Parrot]

24 Oct 2024 ...

 

I'm guessing this 10 day Carib is the one offered on Sapphire Princess?

[kiwimum]

2 hours ago, BabsinTX said:

Thanks for sharing this.  I don't understand how the lowest Reserve Collection cabin is cheaper on the Majestic's 51-day South America Grand Adventure  than the Sapphire's 35-day Antarctica

and Brazilian Grand Adventure ($10,099 versus $10, 349).  What am I missing?  

Antarctica is the answer.   

[BabsinTX]

What does "NCF", the last heading on the fares sheet, stand for?  Maybe something about commission for travel agents? Asking for a friend.  Really.

[Steelers36]

27 minutes ago, BabsinTX said:

What does "NCF", the last heading on the fares sheet, stand for?  Maybe something about commission for travel agents? Asking for a friend.  Really.

Non-Commission Fare (portion).  Every voyage cruise fare has a fixed rate per day amount that is designated as non-commissionable to agents.  On regular length voyages, the current rate is $27/day and for longer voyages it can be $24/day. 

 

If you have a TA that discounts, subtract out the NCF amount from the Princess fare quote and the net difference is what your discount is calculated on. 

[Coral]

1 minute ago, Steelers36 said:

Non-Commission Fare (portion).  Every voyage cruise fare has a fixed rate per day amount that is designated as non-commissionable to agents.  On regular length voyages, the current rate is $27/day and for longer voyages it can be $24/day. 

 

If you have a TA that discounts, subtract out the NCF amount from the Princess fare quote and the net difference is what your discount is calculated on. 

On a weird off topic - I recently learned that NCL pays Travel Agents commission on NCFs.

[Steelers36]

6 minutes ago, Coral said:

On a weird off topic - I recently learned that NCL pays Travel Agents commission on NCFs.

Yes, seems weird.  Putting it another way, it reads like NCL does not have NCF's.

[danny8826]

 

We are interested in doing the Majestic on Dec 19th.  We have been on this ship before for Alaska and we love the ship.  This looks like a great itinerary.  

Once, we end in Buenos Aires, we have look at going to Iguazu Falls on before so that shouldn't be a problem.  

 

 

[kiwimum]

On 7/15/2023 at 11:31 AM, danny8826 said:

I looked at the prices for the Sapphire Princess this December (Dec 19th sailing) to South America and Antarctica and it looks very reasonable starting out at $1598.  I wonder how high they will raise the prices for the Dec 2024 sailing during Christmas and New Year.  

We were on the 2022 sailing, booked for 2023.   The Santiago to Buenos Aires leg was fully booked.   Many large South American extended family groups.   This was a memorable voyage.   Very well done for Christmas and New Year festivities.  On the down side weather was not the best, snow, seas very  rough, ports missed.   Captain McBain, HAL certified captain and Ice Pilots from Chile and Argentina kept us safe at all times.   The worst seas were leaving Antarctic waters heading for Montevideo.  No chance of stopping in the Falklands.  
if you have the chance to sail this voyage, do it!

[danny8826]

23 minutes ago, kiwimum said:

We were on the 2022 sailing, booked for 2023.   The Santiago to Buenos Aires leg was fully booked.   Many large South American extended family groups.   This was a memorable voyage.   Very well done for Christmas and New Year festivities.  On the down side weather was not the best, snow, seas very  rough, ports missed.   Captain McBain, HAL certified captain and Ice Pilots from Chile and Argentina kept us safe at all times.   The worst seas were leaving Antarctic waters heading for Montevideo.  No chance of stopping in the Falklands.  
if you have the chance to sail this voyage, do it!

 

Thank you for the info.  

If you look at post #41, it looks like Princess is sending 2 ships now and they have 2 different itineraries.  They both do a few similar ports, but Antarctica might need to be the next trip. On post #41, if you look at the attachment title "South America - Standard FaresItin",  and if the price stays as is, we  would consider booking the Christmas and New Year Cruise that departs on Dec 19, 2024 on the Majestic.  It looks like a great itinerary.  

 

[tert333]

22 hours ago, kiwimum said:

We were on the 2022 sailing, booked for 2023.   The Santiago to Buenos Aires leg was fully booked.   Many large South American extended family groups.   This was a memorable voyage.   Very well done for Christmas and New Year festivities.  On the down side weather was not the best, snow, seas very  rough, ports missed.   Captain McBain, HAL certified captain and Ice Pilots from Chile and Argentina kept us safe at all times.   The worst seas were leaving Antarctic waters heading for Montevideo.  No chance of stopping in the Falklands.  
if you have the chance to sail this voyage, do it!

We are thinking about doing the cruise from Santiago to Buenos Aires and saving Antarctic until another time.   You mention the worse was Antarctic.  For those not taking the extra 4 days in Antarctic, would you say the seas were still rough as well?  My wife tends to get seasick and not sure she would want to do this cruise if the seas were rough most of the time.  A day or two would be probably ok.

[kiwimum]

3 minutes ago, tert333 said:

We are thinking about doing the cruise from Santiago to Buenos Aires and saving Antarctic until another time.   You mention the worse was Antarctic.  For those not taking the extra 4 days in Antarctic, would you say the seas were still rough as well?  My wife tends to get seasick and not sure she would want to do this cruise if the seas were rough most of the time.  A day or two would be probably ok.

The seas were rough crossing the Drake Passage.  Captain made a run from Ushuaia to Antarctica when he saw the seas were moderate.   Not bad, rough, but not as rough in my mind as the South Atlantic.  The time cruising around in the bays were relatively calm.   We went out into a channel at night to avoid possible sea ice issues and it did get lumpy.   Captain was very honest in his daily updates, giving weather predictions and suggesting those prone to seasickness to start taking meds.  
Picture is to tempt you to go ahead and book.   Snow was from overnight December 27.   Serenity picture the same evening around 8:00pm, leaving a bay.  Drink on our balcony heading to Ushuaia in lumpy seas.  

[danny8826]

29 minutes ago, kiwimum said:

The seas were rough crossing the Drake Passage.  Captain made a run from Ushuaia to Antarctica when he saw the seas were moderate.   Not bad, rough, but not as rough in my mind as the South Atlantic.  The time cruising around in the bays were relatively calm.   We went out into a channel at night to avoid possible sea ice issues and it did get lumpy.   Captain was very honest in his daily updates, giving weather predictions and suggesting those prone to seasickness to start taking meds.  
Picture is to tempt you to go ahead and book.   Snow was from overnight December 27.   Serenity picture the same evening around 8:00pm, leaving a bay.  Drink on our balcony heading to Ushuaia in lumpy seas.  

 

Thank you.  

 

43 minutes ago, tert333 said:

We are thinking about doing the cruise from Santiago to Buenos Aires and saving Antarctic until another time.   You mention the worse was Antarctic.  For those not taking the extra 4 days in Antarctic, would you say the seas were still rough as well?  My wife tends to get seasick and not sure she would want to do this cruise if the seas were rough most of the time.  A day or two would be probably ok.

 

You and I are thinking of the same cruise. That's why I mentioned that in my previous post that we are considering the Dec 19, 2024 date.  

 

[kiwimum]

B

19 minutes ago, danny8826 said:

 

Thank you.  

 

 

You and I are thinking of the same cruise. That's why I mentioned that in my previous post that we are considering the Dec 19, 2024 date.  

 

Before you make a decision on what cruise to book, take a look at the airfares.   We do not fly coach, usually Business, did fly premium economy once and never again.  On researching flights, found it as less expensive to cruise from LA to Santiago than flying BC.   I took into account all our OBC. 
Do your homework, look at all your options.  Flying out of BA on your return, look at flights the day after or so.   Far less than expensive for us BA-DFW-SAN. 

[danny8826]

45 minutes ago, kiwimum said:

B

Before you make a decision on what cruise to book, take a look at the airfares.   We do not fly coach, usually Business, did fly premium economy once and never again.  On researching flights, found it as less expensive to cruise from LA to Santiago than flying BC.   I took into account all our OBC. 
Do your homework, look at all your options.  Flying out of BA on your return, look at flights the day after or so.   Far less than expensive for us BA-DFW-SAN. 

 

Thank you.  I live in San Francisco so my plans if I book this cruise is

 

SFO to Santiago a few days before the cruise starts to get the airline a bit lower than so close to Christmas.  

BA to SFO a few days after the cruise end to get the fare a bit lower so it won't be so close to New Year Day and also because we are thinking of going to Iguazu Falls.  

If I book, I might consider using Princess EZ Air.  

In the past when I cruise with Royal, they have their Air2Sea program which works out pretty well.  You don't pay anything in advance as soon as the air comes out and I am hoping that EZAir works the same, but I haven't inquire much into it.

[PacnGoNow]

7 hours ago, danny8826 said:

 

Thank you.  I live in San Francisco so my plans if I book this cruise is

 

SFO to Santiago a few days before the cruise starts to get the airline a bit lower than so close to Christmas.  

BA to SFO a few days after the cruise end to get the fare a bit lower so it won't be so close to New Year Day and also because we are thinking of going to Iguazu Falls.  

If I book, I might consider using Princess EZ Air.  

In the past when I cruise with Royal, they have their Air2Sea program which works out pretty well.  You don't pay anything in advance as soon as the air comes out and I am hoping that EZAir works the same, but I haven't inquire much into it.

We did this San Antonio, Chile to Buenos Aires in early March and the Drake passage was very smooth.  You never know.  I’m always prepared, just in case. If your DW gets seasick go low and middle ship.  I use wrist sea bands and don’t usually need meds.  Helps a little.

 

Much rougher from Spain up to Northern Europe for us in the past.

 

Anyway, we did EZ Air for our long haul return to the US.  
 

 

[Kamloops50]

Looking for Alaska 2025

 

[danny8826]

On 7/12/2023 at 10:41 PM, cruisingrob21 said:

We sail HAL and Princess pretty much every year to/from Seattle for Alaska.  Last year we went on HAL and I was a bit shocked - they had 2 nights of comedians, game shows (that were a bit rowdy even) and more evening activities than I remember HAL having in the past.  It's not where Princess is today, but its getting close to where Princess was maybe 10 years ago in terms of activities, game shows, entertainers.

 

 

Thank you.  Yes, I heard the Drake Passage is one of those that you will know until your ship set sail the day of.

 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

@CoralThank you so much for the SA/Antarctica itineraries.  I found the new 2025 Alaska itineraries on facebook (there are some exceptional ones on there!) but no pricing or release date for elites.  By any chance do you have pricing or the release date for elites for the 2025 Alaska sailings?  Thank you for all the times you have given us the tools to plan our future sailings.  

[HaveDogWillTravel]

On 7/18/2023 at 7:10 AM, Kamloops50 said:

Looking for Alaska 2025

 

Hopefully that pdf works

Alaska 2025.pdf