When Can I Book 2009 Alaska?

[FamilyS]

Hi everyone. I have been lurking on and off for a long time. :o

 

I am starting to investigate Alaska cruises for July 2009. The only cruiseline that comes up with dates so far is Carnival. When do the other cruiselines start booking? I was thinking 18 to 24 months in advance, but it looks like I was wrong. :confused:

[jmk22574]

Unfortunately, Holland America always seems to be the last to release the following year's Alaskan itineraries. Late April might be the earliest you see 2009 Alaskan cruises with HAL, maybe even early May. I will say, however, that it's well worth the wait. We had such a wonderful cruise this past September that we're returning to Alaska this May on HAL. Good luck! :)

[#1survivorfan]

Don't know about the others but Princess is May. I'm going to book the day they release for August 2009. I am so excited to be going back to Alaska!!

[NancyIL]

Last year RCI and Celebrity opened bookings in April, and Princess was in May. Yes, HAL was dead last...sometime in late May. I have no clue about NCL, since they weren't under consideration. I am cruising with HAL in July because it has the itinerary I want on the right date. My first HAL cruise in 2004 was mediocre enough that I had no desire to give them another chance. They got one any way, but just this one!

[FamilyS]

Wow, you guys are fast! Thank you for the information.

 

I'll wait a few months then. My top two choices for itinerary are HAL and Princess. My husband wants anytime dining though, so HAL will be a hard sell :(. I may check out NCL, too.

 

(I'll actually check whatever I can and see if anyone else had added an anytime dining option by then.)

[NancyIL]

Wow, thank you guys are fast! Thank you for the information.

 

I wait a few months then. My top two choices for itinerary are HAL and Princess. My husband wants anytime dining though, so HAL will be a hard sell :(. I may check out NCL, too.

HAL now offers "As You Wish" dining. Also - if you want a balcony cabin, you won't be able to book it on HAL for a LONG while unless you also book one of their cruisetours. Balconies still aren't available to the general public on HAL Alaska ships for this summer.

[#1survivorfan]

We loved the "anytime dining" on Princess and had great luck with it. We also were happy on the Sapphire because it had so many restaurant choices. Even though the ship is huge, we never felt like we were part of a crowd being herded anywhere. We were often on decks all by ourselves.

[jmk22574]

That's not true that the general public cannot book a balcony cabin for this summer currently on HAL. I'm the general public, and I booked my balcony cabin for this May in September 2007. They DO hold back opening up all of their Alaska dates to try to fill the cruisetours first, but once they open Alaskan bookings for 2009, you'll be free to book whatever is available (thus, the reason that they are typically the last cruise line to open up their Alaskan itineraries).

 

Also, on the Noordam in September 2007, we had "As-You-Wish Dining." Please check the HAL website for the specific month in 2008 that each ship will make this dining choice available.

[NancyIL]

That's not true that the general public cannot book a balcony cabin for this summer currently on HAL. I'm the general public, and I booked my balcony cabin for this May in September 2007. They DO hold back opening up all of their Alaska dates to try to fill the cruisetours first, but once they open Alaskan bookings for 2009, you'll be free to book whatever is available (thus, the reason that they are typically the last cruise line to open up their Alaskan itineraries).

 

 

 

I will amend my statement to say that with a few exceptions, you STILL cannot book a balcony cabin on the 5 ships HAL uses for cruisetours - unless you're booking a cruisetour. I checked HAL's web site, and balconies are available on only 3 of the 8 ships HAL is taking to Alaska: the Amsterdam, the Oosterdam, and the Westerdam. Those 3 ships sail roundtrip from Seattle, and there are no cruisetours associated with them. I checked every sailing of the ship I'm on - the Veendam. Only ONE sailing has balconies available, and that's the Sept. 19th roundtrip from Vancouver - the last cruise of the season. I'm quite sure they aren't sold out of balconies on all the other sailing dates. HAL's cruisetour customers love it, I'm sure - but HAL irritates enough others who aren't booking cruisetours that they choose other cruiselines.

[FamilyS]

That is great news about HAL having as you wish dining. Now I am looking forward to comparing itineraries.

 

We definitely want a balcony cabin if our teenage children share our room. We are used to hiking and camping together, and nobody has personal space issues, but having a balcony to escape to will be welcome ;) .

[jmk22574]

FamilyS - Have a great time on whichever cruiseline you choose, and planning the trip can be a lot of fun too.

 

NancyIL - You're right about balcony cabins only being available roundtrip out of Seattle at this point. We like to book the Deluxe Verandah Suites (SA, SB, and SC), so that's all I pay attention to, and the suites with balconies are currently available on all itineraries to Alaska, but unfortunately the regular balcony rooms are not. Hopefully that will change very soon for everyone waiting to book one of those rooms for this summer! :)

[NancyIL]

FamilyS - Have a great time on whichever cruiseline you choose, and planning the trip can be a lot of fun too.

 

NancyIL - You're right about balcony cabins only being available roundtrip out of Seattle at this point. We like to book the Deluxe Verandah Suites (SA, SB, and SC), so that's all I pay attention to, and the suites with balconies are currently available on all itineraries to Alaska, but unfortunately the regular balcony rooms are not. Hopefully that will change very soon for everyone waiting to book one of those rooms for this summer! :)

 

 

I was chomping at the bit in the spring of 2006 to book our first Alaska cruise for 2007, and I was very impatient! For 2008, I wasn't sure if there would be a land trip, a cruise + land trip, or no trip. I booked our Veendam cabin in September, and I booked the least expensive inside cabin because I'm cheap! But if I wanted a balcony on that ship - I'd be pretty annoyed about HAL's policy to not release those cabins until much later.

 

By the way - I'm originally from Michigan, too - Kalamazoo. And you? I am STILL in the Midwest, but I'd rather be somewhere warmer, like Middle Tennessee! :)

[jmk22574]

NancyIL - I'd trade places with you in a heartbeat! I miss the cold, the snow, and the faster pace of life up north. I'm originally from central Michigan, went to college in Marquette, and lived in Traverse City after college. I moved just outside Nashville in 2005 when I married my husband since his job was here and I'm lucky enough to have a job that will follow me wherever I go.

 

I hope you have a great cruise to Alaska. I'm looking forward to seeing the differences in scenery this May versus last September. We were VERY lucky regarding weather in September, so I've got my fingers crossed that we'll be lucky once again. :)

 

Jill