Thinking of switching from Eurodam to Oosterdam for our Alaska cruise in August.

The Oosterdam leaves Seattle a day later, but is basically the same cruise. We'd even be able to keep a Neptune suite. We'd save about $700, plus I'd have to use one less vacation day. Is there any big reason I shouldn't move the dates? I booked the original cruise in September of last year, so I don't know if I'd be losing any extra benefits.

None that I can think of.

Have you made final payment?

Are the times in port the same?

One thing I would miss -- Eurodam has the Tamarind Restaurant which we love.

Your reservation should show if you have any perks when you booked the cruise.

If I'm remembering the itineraries correctly, Eurodam goes to Glacier Bay and Oosterdam goes to Hubbard Glacier. It's a matter of which one you'd like to see more and if it's worth that large of a price difference.

If you've been to Glacier Bay, choose the O-dam to see Hubbard, and vice versa. If you've seen neither, choose E-dam to see GB first.

The Eurodam is a much better ship, IMO, but $700 is a significant amount. For me it would pay my airfare, pre-cruise hotel, and some shorex. Only you can determine how much it's worth.

Roz

Well, we went ahead and switched! We did lose a few perks, but we gained some, too. We had originally booked when they were offering "free" included drink packages, paid gratuities, dinner in one of the specialty restaurants, etc. We lost the drink packages (not an issue, since none of us are big drinkers) and the dinner, but we still got paid gratuities, $300 onboard credit and $100 internet credit. So, we're happy, especially since we will be saving $700 on the cruise itself. That will almost pay for my parents' flight to Seattle in itself. None of us have ever been to Alaska before, so I think we'll be happy with the Hubbard Glacier instead of Glacier Bay. Neither one was my preferred route, but the dates fit with what everyone could do. I figure, I can always go back later and do the north-bound Vancouver to Anchorage route. I'm probably spoiling myself with getting a suite, though!