Cruise-Air For Alaska ... what's your Experience with it?

[emeraldcity]

I'm starting to investigate alternatives to using the cruise-air I currently have on my booking for our August 2008 Alaska cruise-tour. Apparently, Cleveland isn't a great market for Alaska. Depending on the airline, I've seem some incredibly strange routings -- through Dallas, Los Angeles, or New Jersey. And they include some blockbuster layovers (Wow! I should rent a car and do the town before I check-in for my next flight!)

 

Being a cautious sort, I'm starting to wonder if RCCL gifts their hapless cruise-air customers with these same flights. What kind of experience have others had with the airline scheduling on cruise-air to Alaska? Naturally, I'm most interested in Cleveland departures, but I would appreciate feedback from other areas, as it will be an indication of what their mindset is.

 

I have the slight advantage of being platinum, so I can theoretically get complimentary air deviation, but when I tried to play that card on a Cleveland-to-Miami routing last year they wanted to send me out on a 6 a.m. flight to New York to catch an afternoon flight that would get me to Miami about 3:30 p.m. No thanks. I booked a direct myself, leaving Cleveland at 9 and arriving FLL before noon.

 

As for booking it myself, I'd do that in a heartbeat to control the situation if I could get decent pricing. But so far, all I have found that will beat it involves an overnight in Vancouver to get a 6 a.m. flight out next day.

 

HELP!

[GMoney]

I just got back from Alaska and have already started looking for airfare to return next year. Stop by the AK port of call boards; flights are discussed often.

 

I think part of the challenge right now is that the airlines may not have published all flights out as far as 8/08. Things may improve.

 

Where exactly are you looking to fly into? I'm guessing Anchorage but wasn't sure.

 

Try looking at farecompare.com occasionally. It's a very helpful site.

[megr1125]

eek..i would think you could do continental or northworst without much trouble....

 

where do you embark??

 

maybe you could hop SW to seattle and go from there....you could connect to vancouver or whereever in Alaska pretty easily....not that it is convenient, but when the choice is CLE to EWR to who knows where, maybe it isn't so nuts...

[emeraldcity]

We're taking the 12-day cruise tour ... starts in Fairbanks on Aug 3. We figure to fly in the day before. Most of the airlines are just posting the schedules now and the best I found was Delta. They would put us through Salt Lake City both ways and they can beat the cruise-air price by 200/ea, but it means an overnight stay in Vancouver.

[GMoney]

We're taking the 12-day cruise tour ... starts in Fairbanks on Aug 3. We figure to fly in the day before. Most of the airlines are just posting the schedules now and the best I found was Delta. They would put us through Salt Lake City both ways and they can beat the cruise-air price by 200/ea, but it means an overnight stay in Vancouver.

 

Where do you see the overnight? I can find the Delta flights for $759 (admittedly high) from CLE through SLC to FAI, but there's no need to overnight in YVR.

 

Is it possible to fly into Anchorage and then take the AKRR or drive up to Fairbanks?

 

Sorry to be nosy.

[emeraldcity]

You're not being nosy GMoney. I appreciate the time you're taking to reply.

 

Delta is showing Flight 4060 for the return at 6:00 a.m. out of Vancouver to Salt Lake City for $711, taxes included.

 

I even played with a return out of Seattle. I knock another $100+ off the airfare. Then I checked Amtrak and it could get us to Seattle for $28/ea. Possible ... but I'm starting to ask myself if I'm adding too much stress to the return trip.

[megr1125]

alaska airlines..from what i saw when i was in SEA is kinda like a 'bus' to alaska!

 

fwiw, the amtrak ride is nice, but it leaves vancouver at 6 so you have to kill the day in town...and the train station isn't excatly fun for 8-9 hours...i know, i did it! EEEEKKKKK.....

[GMoney]

You're not being nosy GMoney. I appreciate the time you're taking to reply.

 

Delta is showing Flight 4060 for the return at 6:00 a.m. out of Vancouver to Salt Lake City for $711, taxes included.

 

I even played with a return out of Seattle. I knock another $100+ off the airfare. Then I checked Amtrak and it could get us to Seattle for $28/ea. Possible ... but I'm starting to ask myself if I'm adding too much stress to the return trip.

 

My posts last night were not very helpful; I apologize. What if you change the return out of SEA, as you suggest, and fly Air Canada from YVR to SEA? There are several flights a day as cheap as $64. I did this myself and it worked out just fine.

[emeraldcity]

Well, Air Canada does seem like a better option than Amtrak ... although more costly. I guess I could also check into renting a car to Seattle. But I'm still bummed that my options all seem to involve a 6 a.m. flight on Monday. Why aren't there some reasonably priced flights I could take mid-day Sunday?

 

I talked to a friend today who used Delta to Alaska earlier this year and they routed her back on a red-eye out of Anchorage ... I can't even flnd that flight offered in current searches. And I'd certainly choose a red-eye over the challenge of making it to an airport early enough for a 6 a.m. flight.

[Happy ks]

You're not being nosy GMoney. I appreciate the time you're taking to reply.

 

Delta is showing Flight 4060 for the return at 6:00 a.m. out of Vancouver to Salt Lake City for $711, taxes included.

 

I even played with a return out of Seattle. I knock another $100+ off the airfare. Then I checked Amtrak and it could get us to Seattle for $28/ea. Possible ... but I'm starting to ask myself if I'm adding too much stress to the return trip.

 

I see it posted all the time to fly to Seattle and shuttle up to Vancouver. It's not something I would care to do, the drive alone is another 3-4 hours, then add on time to get to a train or bus or van, conceivably you could add another hour or two for that. Flying into Vancouver, you have a half hour drive to or from the downtown area, the cruise port is right downtown.

 

I'm just not crazy for travelling to a destination, I just want to get there and get that part of the vacation over with as simple as possible. While there is some scenery to see on the drive between, most of it is just freeway. I'd have to save at least $200 per person before I thought it to be worthwhile to fly in and out of Seattle for a Vancouver cruise.

 

Vancouver is a lovely city and very much worth the visit, even if it costs a little more. An overnight either way would give you the opportunity to see a bit of the city, have a great meal, relax rather than stress over additional travel arrangements.

[Sharkb8]

We booked last year for this past July ... cruisetour out of Fairbanks and down to Seward. I was concerned about posted comments regarding multiple flights and cost. The cost never decreased and we ended up flying UA out of Washington Dulles at 10 AM to Seattle and catching our connection (Alaska Air) to Fairbanks. It was smooth and uneventful (except for the single piece of luggage that didn't make the transition. RCT was excellent and we loved our tour directors. I used to fly Alaska air frequently so wasn't worried about being in a "shuttle".

 

The flight back was non-stop from Vancouver and wonderful as well.

 

You might want to check the Alaska boards as well (maybe you have, I haven't been over there yet tonight myself).

[My2Kitties]

I talked to a friend today who used Delta to Alaska earlier this year and they routed her back on a red-eye out of Anchorage ... I can't even flnd that flight offered in current searches. And I'd certainly choose a red-eye over the challenge of making it to an airport early enough for a 6 a.m. flight.

 

We did northbound cruise only and flew into Vancouver via Air Canada thru Toronto and were on time...was sweating it since we traveled same day!

Coming back out of Anchorage was a red eye...spent the day in Anchorage...that was really too long traveling...but since you are doing a tour and want to get to Fairbanks...

Whatever you do, book the train from Anchorage to Seward (or whatever port) it is longer but spectacular! Feel free to check out my pics...

[My2Kitties]

ps: the train toward the end of the pics...we did the White Pass Yukon RR also...both were worth it. IMO

[emeraldcity]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I'm still researching options. I can get a RT non-stop CLE to Seattle for $454. And the beauty of that deal is that it's a red-eye on the return trip, which would get us back in the early morning on Monday, rather than late afternoon. Since RCCL wants $919 for cruise-air, I have a lot of room to work with to try and better the deal. The trick is to try to get a decent schedule and price for the outbound leg of the trip from Seattle to Fairbanks. Looks like there's plenty of good options to get from Vancouver to Seattle in time for that late Sunday flight.

 

There's always plenty of discussion on the Alaska boards about air arrangments. I just have never found them to have anything that addresses the subject from the perspective of a Cleveland point-of-origin.

[GMoney]

Good luck with your continued search; hope it all works out...

[mitaxi]

A little more information FYI: I took RCCL cruise air package for the first time just last month -as I had booked this cruise late - anyway - used the custom air - flew from Detroit to Anchorage w/ one stop - no plane change on UA and then non stop back from Vancouver on NWA - great times/flights etc....but again higher priced I'm sure than you can find.