BQ question about your reply regarding last minute fares

[irisheileen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Budget Queen

This has been the trend for at least since I've been sailing- 1994. Cut rates in May on late notice is a given. Always plenty of one ways available.

 

I just picked up a cheap July sailing.

 

BQ, I planned 1 year ahead for my 2006 Alaskan Cruise. I have the research (mostly) under my belt now. After reading your post, I'm thinking that on any given summer, I could book a last minute sailing to save $, making it possible finaancially to go back to AK.

Now my question: You and I are both from the East Coast, myself in SE PA. How do you handle the airfare? Is it hard to find the connections, etc that suits you? Do you find deals?

(I've cut/paste this from another thread)

Eileen

[Budget Queen]

You are pretty safe expecting cruises mid May or earlier to be give away rates late booked. If you want to take advantage- I suggest blocking out 10 days of time and book your air when cheap- fall usually. I picked up $239 Syr/Sea. The book a cruise later. You need to be very flexable, and ready to purchase in full, immediately.

[irisheileen]

Oh.. now I understand your answer!

I should BOOK airfare Fall of 2007 for any given 10 day period in MAY of 2008 for example. THEN, wait until the last minute fares pop up closer to my May 2008 time frame...I already have the airfare as "bookends" and fill in the cruise in between?

I quess I'll have to figure out when MOST cruise lines sail (what day of the week). I'll then use the three days pre/post cruise?

I could do the same with a 14 day time span if so desired!

Right?

 

When DO most one way sailings out of Vancouver sail? Where is the best link to find this out on my own? other than looking at all cruiseline sites?

 

Thanks for the new concept!!!

Eileen

[tapia]

Copying this from the other thread over:

I have been planning over 1 year in advance too. I know some people can do everything last minute, but I wanted exactly what I wanted to happen when I wanted. Especially when planning an independant land tour, this can be hard.

 

If you're set on going, celebrity allows credits back to you if they lower your price and your TA / You call in while the price is still active. You just have to have a great TA for that (which I do). For instance, I booked my cruise more than a year ago and recently the price lowered by $600 per person. I let my TA know and she immediately credited my credit card (even after final payment).

 

If you know the dates you're going to be sailing and you know the itinerary you want to do, book with a line like celebrity that allows adjustments and find a great TA and you're fine.

[fti]

Another option if you do what I tried to do yesterday, is to use frequent flyer miles if you have them. Book the cruise (you almost always have at least 24 hours to pay, even with the rock bottom rates), then check for various options using your miles before paying for the cruise. With so many partner airlines, it is often easier than you think. I was able to get frequent flyer seats to Anchorage one day before the cruise and return from Anchorage the day of the cruise for a June departure.

 

Unfortunately after booking everything, I realized that the June dates won't work since I have a nephew visiting. But I am keeping my eyes open for something in August or early September.

[NancyIL]

When DO most one way sailings out of Vancouver sail? Where is the best link to find this out on my own? other than looking at all cruiseline sites?

 

 

I look at Expedia to see all the cruises sailing at a particular time. Based on what I've seen for 2007 - most are Friday-Monday cruises, with Carnival sailing out of Vancouver every other Wednesday. If you want to try something other than the Monday Princess ship you were on, you could book a Thursday flight to Seattle or Vancouver, with a Sunday or Monday return from either Seattle/Vancouver (for a roundtrip cruise) or Anchorage (for a one-way).

[Budget Queen]

There are always a ton of one way last minute bargains in May. And it would be NO PROBLEM booking interior Alaska in this late timeframe, in my opinion. Still low season with plenty of availablity. I would route out what you want to do farther ahead, then be ready to go with the reservations as soon as your cruise is set.

 

If I were doing interior Alaska, I would book air going into Seattle/Vancouver for a Thurs. second week of May, then LOOK for a Northbound cruise- with the air 2 weeks later returning on the weekend for a little over 2 weeks.

[Budget Queen]

Copying this from the other thread over:

I have been planning over 1 year in advance too. I know some people can do everything last minute, but I wanted exactly what I wanted to happen when I wanted. Especially when planning an independant land tour, this can be hard.

 

If you're set on going, celebrity allows credits back to you if they lower your price and your TA / You call in while the price is still active. You just have to have a great TA for that (which I do). For instance, I booked my cruise more than a year ago and recently the price lowered by $600 per person. I let my TA know and she immediately credited my credit card (even after final payment).

 

If you know the dates you're going to be sailing and you know the itinerary you want to do, book with a line like celebrity that allows adjustments and find a great TA and you're fine.

 

 

You've gotten refunds after final payment and at these lowest rates??? Most times they are for new bookings only and many times, no refunds after final payment.

[tapia]

You've gotten refunds after final payment and at these lowest rates??? Most times they are for new bookings only and many times, no refunds after final payment.

 

 

Yes, I have. But, only through celebrity and only w/a great TA. I know princess doesn't allow it. The only thing I can't get credit down to are the special first time booking specials, but any price lowered & published after final payment I can get credit toward (and, in fact, I just did 2 days ago). [makes me VERY happy]

[irisheileen]

There are always a ton of one way last minute bargains in May. And it would be NO PROBLEM booking interior Alaska in this late timeframe, in my opinion. Still low season with plenty of availablity. I would route out what you want to do farther ahead, then be ready to go with the reservations as soon as your cruise is set.

 

If I were doing interior Alaska, I would book air going into Seattle/Vancouver for a Thurs. second week of May, then LOOK for a Northbound cruise- with the air 2 weeks later returning on the weekend for a little over 2 weeks.

 

Next time we go we, want to cruise Kenai and PWS and cruise SB to Vancouver, instead of the NB that we did in 2006.

HAL SB usually leaves Seward what day of the week? Who else embarks out of Seward? We did Princess into Whittier last year and want to switch it up.

Eileen

[NancyIL]

Next time we go we, want to cruise Kenai and PWS and cruise SB to Vancouver, instead of the NB that we did in 2006.

HAL SB usually leaves Seward what day of the week? Who else embarks out of Seward? We did Princess into Whittier last year and want to switch it up.

Eileen

 

In 2007, the Volendam SB leaves on Friday and goes to Hubbard Glacier, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. The Ryndam/Statendam leave on Sundays and go to Glacier Bay, College Fjord, Haines (instead of Skagway on the SB), Juneau, and Ketchikan. Celebrity and RCI depart from Seward on Fridays in 2008, going to Hubbard Glacier and Icy Strait Point (in addition to Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway).

[irisheileen]

In 2007, the Volendam SB leaves on Friday and goes to Hubbard Glacier, Icy Strait Point, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. The Ryndam/Statendam leave on Sundays and go to Glacier Bay, College Fjord, Haines (instead of Skagway on the SB), Juneau, and Ketchikan. Celebrity and RCI depart from Seward on Fridays in 2008, going to Hubbard Glacier and Icy Strait Point (in addition to Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway).

 

If it's the same for 2008, the Volendam sounds like a good itinerary for us. Last year, we cruised Glacier Bay so Hubbard would be nice and ISP has caught my eye on other threads. However, the Ryndam/Statendam on sunday would give us ALL week before to tour on land! Much to do in Haines?

[NancyIL]

If it's the same for 2008, the Volendam sounds like a good itinerary for us. Last year, we cruised Glacier Bay so Hubbard would be nice and ISP has caught my eye on other threads. However, the Ryndam/Statendam on sunday would give us ALL week before to tour on land! Much to do in Haines?

 

I like the Volendam's NB itinerary even better, because it goes to Sitka instead of Skagway - but who knows what the itinerary will be in 2008. HAL has a habit of changing their ships around a lot, so my bet is that another ship will do the Volendam's itinerary next year.