Alaskan cruise pricing for 2010

[messymarie]

Has anyone seen the cruise pricing for alaskan cruises for 2010. They are over 50% higher than this year.

[larsenbiz]

OMG! When I first went to the HAL site to book the cabins I wanted (a VA and an SB) I almost croaked! But, I was able to find much lower rates by shopping around online. It's still a lot of $$$. I am hopeful that prices will fall over the next year, but if not, I'm still willing to pay for the cabins I want. Happy Shopping!

[rkacruiser]

The cruise lines--all of them--are really unhappy with the Head Tax and the taxes applied to casino gross earnings that the good people of Alaska approved by ballot. According to Mr. Arison during the First Quarter Conference Call to analysts by the Carnival Corporation, all of the lines(not just CCL owned companies, but ALL of them) are planning to reduce sailings to Alaska for 2010. The Alaskan politicians have been unwilling/unable to understand the concerns of the cruise companies. Thus, there is going to be a reduction of their providing tourists to the Great Land in 2010. This is going to cause some unemployment problems for Alaskans and undoubtedly going to raise cruise fares because of the reduced number of sailings.

 

IMO, if you want a good cruise fare to Alaksa, do it NOW. 2010 will probably be much more expensive.

[CC Help Michell]

The cruise lines--all of them--are really unhappy with the Head Tax and the taxes applied to casino gross earnings that the good people of Alaska approved by ballot. According to Mr. Arison during the First Quarter Conference Call to analysts by the Carnival Corporation, all of the lines(not just CCL owned companies, but ALL of them) are planning to reduce sailings to Alaska for 2010. The Alaskan politicians have been unwilling/unable to understand the concerns of the cruise companies. Thus, there is going to be a reduction of their providing tourists to the Great Land. This is going to cause some unemployment problems for Alaskans and undoubtedly going to raise cruise fares because of the reduced number of sailings.

 

IMO, if you want a good cruise fare to Alaksa, do it NOW. 2010 will probably be much more expensive.

 

If so, it's a chance I'm going to have to take. There are still a lot of unknowns with this economy, and the currently offered fares aren't all that "good." The new 14 day itinerary the Amsterdam is sailing is interesting, but it doesn't visit Glacier Bay or College Fjord, so it's not something we are going to do for next summer.

 

We actually want to book a 14 day roundtrip on the Ryndam or Statendam, as our first choice, and I've had discussions with our PCC about it. However, we will be a party of 3 for this trip and so far HAL's website has conniptions trying to figure out which cabins will hold how many people after the dry docks for both ships next winter, especially as the dry dock dates are in flux.

 

All I want to do is book is a decent oceanview to hold 3 folks, while waitlisting a balcony -- and so far HAL's search engine can't manage that. :rolleyes: We'd also consider a Cruisetour, so I'm hoping that once those are released we might find what we really want to do.

[Susie51]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Putterdude]

I fear this is the last year for bargin prices for Alaska. For about the last 4 years there has been far to much inventory on the intinerary and the cruise lines have said enough ii enough and have diverted several ships next year to more profitable itineraries. The net effect has been to push up prices in 2010 to levels closer to what they should have been. We have all been spoiled...darn!;)

[snorkelingsearchers]

I think the economy will also play a big role. I have been reading about the taxes and the dates and they do not account for the difference between lines right now. I too was very surprised at HAL's prices.

 

Before the 2010 Alaska rates were published, my TA sold me on HAL and said it would be cheaper than RCI and a better value, as it stands, for the same week HAL is $200/pp more than Celebrity and $300/pp more than RCI. For now we are going with HAL, but if the prices don't drop it will be a hard sell for our group, especially since everyone tells me it is mostly about the itinerary in Alaska.

 

Just my two cents.

[Kyana]

Can anyone answer me this. If you book a specific cabin now and the price drops considerably next year can you get a price adjustment not losing the cabin you have put the down payment on? I understand once the 75 day comes you are locked in at that price:)

[Aunty Pat]

If you see lower prices call your travel agent and have it reduced. HAL will let you keep the same cabin. Also ask your agent to check the price before they make final payment.

You can’t expect an agent to take it upon themselves to shop prices for you. Would you take on extra work for less money?

Once you make final payment you are locked in at the final payment price, but you stand a good chance of getting an upgrade if your booking is marked open to upgrade.

Aunty Pat

 

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, Westerdam ’09 & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

[AlanAllyn]

I think the economy will also play a big role. I have been reading about the taxes and the dates and they do not account for the difference between lines right now. I too was very surprised at HAL's prices.

 

Before the 2010 Alaska rates were published, my TA sold me on HAL and said it would be cheaper than RCI and a better value, as it stands, for the same week HAL is $200/pp more than Celebrity and $300/pp more than RCI. For now we are going with HAL, but if the prices don't drop it will be a hard sell for our group, especially since everyone tells me it is mostly about the itinerary in Alaska.

 

Just my two cents.

 

Remember that your TA cannot discount Celebrity or Royal Carib. I have seen some very good discounts on the web for Hal. We are looking at the 14-night Amsterdam for June 2010.

 

Alan

[snorkelingsearchers]

My TA has given me HAL's exact rates from their website for Oosterdam. Should I be worried? Do I need to shop around more? HAL is her preferred line and she really sold me on them. She is an MCC and has been a cruise specialist TA for awhile.

 

Should I be getting a better rate that what is published on HAL's site?