DaveOKC

Exactly why I booked this year's Alaska cruise out of Seattle rather than Vancouver.

Thats what I would do on my excursions. I just checked on my account and the banner is still there for both bookings.

That was a great deal IMO! Normally we pay $200-300 for a 7 day (same upsell cabins). Of course things are slow right now, so perhaps that is why.

The details of this offer state that you must have booked your cruise prior to April 21, 2022, so I am not certain if it will apply to a new booking. Better ask when you go to book.

It depends. Varies based on the lenght of the cruise, cost of the cabins, time of the year (holidays more), which class of ship and other factors. I will tell you that I paid $800 pp to go from a Verandah to a Neptune on a Pinnacle class ship in March. Not inexpensive, but we did jump three levels of cabins (Verandah to Vista to Signature to Neptune).

We have done two, seven day cruises in Pinnacle class ships with Club Orange and never had a wait, either for breakfast or dinner.

A third is always my target for an upsell. Have paid a bit more sometimes if I really want the deal for some reason.

I wonder if I would have to pay additional insurance if I took this? Also - note that you have to have booked your cruise prior to April 21 to qualify. No booking and adding it seems. Great deal for a 10 day cruise!

I just got it for our 7 day Aug and 16 day Oct cruises.

First, if you are happy with your cabin location (it seems that you are from your comments) then be sure to have your reservation marked DO NOT UPGRADE. Otherwise, HAL can move you to a different location, normally within your general category, without your consent. Second, even if you do this you still receive upsell offers directly from HAL, to higher categories.

I would book through the cruiseline as I trust them more than some unkown quanity locally (yes some are great and others not so). Just look at last year's Ketchikan Misty Fords seaplane crash.

I have never done the hike to the glacier, but I have heard that it is a bit of a trek. Have done the helicopter landing and it was GREAT. Probably the best excursion we have ever taken and something we will never forget.

True. But some people do tip over 18% in normal life, so an extra $1 or $2 should work out to about the same,

Yes, the number is 1-888-628-8107 or 206-626-7381. HOWEVER, the problem is that you have to be very lucky to time your call within the sale period. Call too early and they will politely tell you "nothing open yet". Call too late and the cabins can be taken (especially true of Neptune upsells, less so for verandahs). As mentioned in my previous post, good Neptune offers can go in minutes, and very often within a day or two. While it can be done, if you book through a big box store you basically give up the upsell game.

Good upsells to Neptunes sometimes go fast. I have seen them last as few as 10 minutes! You have to be quick or go home hungry!

After the mess from last year, I though that taking a cruise into or out of Vancouver might not be a good idea, so we went with Seattle instead. So far it looks like a good decision. Of course we have done both several times before, so we are not missing much locally either way.

Good point - with so many people on the drink packages now, they are not giving you slips of paper receipts so you cannot add an additional tip to it. Also, the servers do seem to appreciate a $1 or $2 additional tip - as they can add up given all the people they serve.

Any thoughts?

OMG - how in the world did a HAL SHUTTLE make this kind of mistake? These piers are not even close together! I guess it shows that taking a early in the season cruise is not always the best idea.

When you book a verandah guarantee cabin you can end up in a VH or a VA, it depends on how full the ship is and how lucky you are. Personally, with my bad luck, I would get a terrible location, so I do not mind paying a bit more to know exactly where my cabin is (with the Club Orange deal you normally get to pick your cabin within the mega category (verandah in this example). Then I also mark my cabin "do not upgrade", as my idea of a better location is not always the same as HAL's! Even with this approach, you could still be offered a paid upsell to a higher category, such as a Neptune or Signature suite.

HAL has been heavily promoting the signature dining package in their Have It All promotion, and I suspect they are assigning those "free" Pinnacle meals to their slow times, such as the first evening. Thus, for now, I do not expect first evening discounts to reappear anytime soon.

Great advice IMO. Most times it is less expensive than paying for the upgrade by itself, plus you get a few other perks. One thing to add - for a Panama Canal cruise I would consider an aft (facing) cabin. The views while going through the canal are fantastic and you do not have to fight the crowds on the public decks.

Tough choice considering all the reasons already mentioned. Since you are looking at an Oceanview, it makes it even tougher IMO. It really comes down to what is important to you. Here are my thoughts: Zaandam: Montreal vs Quebec City (both great cities but Montreal has more to offer IMO. Cabins will be a bit larger (in most cases). Quieter, less crowded cruise (and you see the same other cruisers more). Great wrap around deck (important if you have an Oceanview cabin). Nieuw Statendam: Very new and modern ship in great condition (we were on her in Dec.) MANY more dining options - Tamarind, Rudi's, Dutch Cafe are favorites of ours. Club Orange option - separate dining area which is much nicer and quieter than the MDR. Music Walk area for better entertainment options. Cabins are in better condtion and have more things in them (like plugs, lighting, etc.). So, its depends on what is important to YOU.

I think $15 per day per person is a good deal on a Pinnacle class, but not on the smaller ships. Club Orange dining is very nice (and quiet) IMO. Plus you get an upgraded cabin location. However, the Pinnacle class ships are not doing the Panama Canal.

We got lucky on our Neptune guarantee in Dec - got assigned an SA near the Neptune Lounge! Surprised me and made our day.