BUDGET QUEEN (and others) PLEEAASSEE HELP

[uscunc]

I've been reading the message boards on cruise critic (even posted a couple messages) for about a month and I'm kinda overwhelmed by the choices for an Alaska cruise. I read most of your posts and would greatly appreciate any help you can give me.I'm looking to go in august 2007. I won't be able to afford any extra days on land. I narrowed my choices to three itineraries.

Which of the 3 would you recommend?

1) I've read this was the best: HAL: Vancouver; At Sea; Tracy Arm; Juneau; Skagway; Glacier Bay Scenic Cruising ; Ketchikan; At Sea; Vancouver

 

2) I like the price on this one:Carnival Spirit: Vancouver; Cruise Inside Passage; Juneau; Cruise Glacier Bay; Skagway; Ketchikan; Cruise Inside Passage; Vancouver,

 

3) I really like this one because of the ports/port times and price:Carnival Spirit: Anchorage (Whittier), AK; Cruise Prince William Sound; Cruise College Fjord; Sitka, AK; Juneau, AK; Skagway, AK; Cruise Lynn Canal; Ketchikan, AK; Cruise Inside Passage; Vancouver, BC, Canada

[airfare might be too expensive since it’s not roundtrip; transportation from Whittier to Anchorage]

 

I use a wheelchair so as far as shore excursions I'm not looking for anything real adventurous. Could you provide me with some links to find some low key things to do? I have learned from message board to book these myself, not thru cruise line.

 

I'll use a TA here in town(columbia, sc) unless you know of a agency online that specializes in Alaska.

 

Thanks for your help!!!

[SusieS]

My vote, hands down, is Princess!

[sea_u_onboard]

Out of the ones that you have listed I would go with #3 - and did. That's the trip I booked for next July.

 

Let me say I picked it for price (military discount), ports, time in ports, and because I love Carrnival - go here to see why http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=6725128#post6725128.

 

As far as airfare - I've been looking at this for months. It is my own personal opinion that a one way allows you to see more then a roundtrip. When checking prices check multi-trip tickets (same airline) but also check out the airlines that service Anchorage (ANC), Vancouver(YVR) and your local airport. Price one way tickets on each airline that services between - so first check all airlines that service between your local and ANC - find the one that is the cheapest. Then check YVR to your local and find the one that is the cheapest that way. You might be as surprised as I was when I found it was cheaper for me to take one airline up and another back. Check all ways - same airline the entire time and seperate. Some say they save money by goin out of Seattle. To me it would cost more for me to get 4 people to Seattle after the cruise then what the savings would be - but that might be an option for you.

 

Good luck and happy hunting.

 

PS - if you book through your TA be sure they honor price drops.

[fti]

Flying to Anchorage and returning from Vancouver is very common and can be doing with most airlines. It is called an "open jaw" - meaning flying to one city and returning from another. The total cost would be 1/2 the round trip fare to Anchorage and 1/2 the round trip fare to Vancouver from your home city. The main time this would not work is if you are flying from some cities on the west coast. The reason is that there are some mileage restrictions that are too complicated to explain on this board.

[tapia]

The HAL one has Glacier Bay & Tracy Arm, which looks great and in August you can probably go further--BQ can probably identify more here. I see you put 2 round trips and 1 one way. For #3, you have to fly into Anchorage and then take transportation to Whittier to board the cruise. The ports look like the best selection on #3. Sitka is a favorite of many. I would do that one or #1. But, it's really your preference on what you want to see and do. Some ships also tender in Ketchikan and Sitka. I would take a look at what your ships actually do, as I know some people in wheelchairs don't like to tender.

 

I would use on-line agencies (I can't post which ones or the thread would be pulled) to see what kind of price they can get you. That is usually much better than a local TA (though, not ALL the time).

 

I would narrow down what ports you are going to and which cruise before you start looking at excurions :-)

 

Hope I was a little helpful! Have fun planning!

[CStorm]

My vote, hands down, is Princess!

 

:confused: :confused: :confused: The OP didn't give Princess as an option, she gave Carnival and HAL:confused: :confused:

[DEL67]

I can not recomend one ship choice over another. We have sailed all the lines and enjoy them all. In fact, the Spirit is our favorite Carnival ship.

 

As to itinerary, you see more on a North or South Bound Alaska cruise then you do on a round trip one and you have the chance to go to Denali park. However it does add to the expense and the length of the plane flight. In addition, it is my understanding that it takes several hours to get from seward to Anckorage. Also, Sitka is a tender port which can be difficult for passengers who use wheelchairs (my husband choose not to get off.)

 

In terms of excursions, you might be better off reposting this on the Disabled board. We went did an Inner Passage cruise from Vancouver a few years ago and used taxis at each port since my husband can transfer to a car or van. In addition to city tours we saw totem poles being made in Ketchikan and visited the Medenhall Glacier in Juneau.

 

We are going again, this time round trip from Seattle, in July so I should be able to provide more information about accessibility when we return.

[NancyIL]

My vote, hands down, is Princess!

 

Princess doesn't have any roundtrip cruises from Vancouver.

[Budget Queen]

My opinion only. HAL round trip Vancouver is one of the best itineraries sailing Alaska in my opinion. If you don't want an interior land tour, again my opinion only, I wouldn't do a one way.

 

Factor out air however if you do want to consider a one way. Can be significantly more costly- it always has been for me. At least 25% more and sometimes double. Only you can decide. But all your choices are good, just go with what works the best for you.

[Mr_Cruise]

I work for a big online agency that specializes in Alaska cruises... use a search engine and you'll find us as well as several main competitors that also specialize in cruises to Alaska.

 

As per Cruise Critic, I can't tell you who I work for (for the purpose of securing your business) or recommend any one agency in particular.

 

My purpose of this post is to inform you that YES there are online agencies that specialize in Alaskan cruises.

 

 

Good luck!

[mrmac]

I counter Mr. Cruise's reply by advising to book with an independent or local TA who actually cruises a lot. It's been my experience that very few big online agencies have people who have actually cruised at all, let alone many times. They are just reservation agents who read and quote from their computer screens. Independent, producing agents get lots of opportunities to cruise and have a wealth of information and experience to share with their clients. As we all know, there's a lot more to taking a cruise than just booking it for the lowest price. Plus, you then have an actual person to back you up should any problems arise.

 

I would also advise you to do a roundtrip cruise from Vancouver that goes to Glacier Bay. If you can't spend at least a couple of days between Seward & Denali, there's no sense spending 2-3 times the price for airfare on a 1 way cruise. We are doing a Seward-Vancouver cruise this summer and the airfaire is $582 from San Francisco! We could have done a roundtrip to Vancouver for $200. Roundtrips from Seattle have a lot of open ocean time while the inside passage beauty is found in water near land. When we did the Carnival Spirit RT Vancouver itinerary to Glacier Bay, we never even got a chance to open our books to read because the scenery of the inside passage was so beautiful and so close. Good luck!