2012 Cruise to Alaska-in jeopardy from Hurricane Irene

[JerseyGirl1959]

Hi All! So have been plotting a cruise for 3 to AK for July/August 2012 to celebrate the end of tuition payments. As of this morning, due to Hurricane Irene, seems we need a new roof....I would hate to disappoint my daughter, as well as myself and husband. So my questions are:

 

Is there a less expensive way to do Alaska, and if anyone has taken it, is it worth it or should I just save again for another year and do in 2013?

 

Does it matter if you're on Carnival, rather than Princess, etc.? They seem to have less expensive cabins.

 

So bummed. Just bought my first Alaska tour book last week and read it in a day. BUT we really want to get the full feel; so if scrimping is going to be a big impact, I guess we'll just wait the year.

 

Thanks SO much for your input.

[lutheralum]

I went to AK back in 1975 before cruise ships were common. My friend and I used the AK ferry system and booked our own hotels at the various ports. Some of the times for boarding were not convenient- I recall we got back on the ferry at 1a.m. to go from Juneau to Skagway. We didn't buy a stateroom on the ferry, but I think they do have some. You would miss the luxury of a cruise (which we did this summer on Princess and thoroughly enjoyed!!!!) and you wouldn't have the fancy food, but it IS possible. Going in May or September is also cheaper on cruise ships. Good luck! :) Sorry about the Irene damage.:mad:

lutheralum

[Sally Forth]

Hi All! So have been plotting a cruise for 3 to AK for July/August 2012 to celebrate the end of tuition payments. As of this morning, due to Hurricane Irene, seems we need a new roof....I would hate to disappoint my daughter, as well as myself and husband. So my questions are:

 

Is there a less expensive way to do Alaska, and if anyone has taken it, is it worth it or should I just save again for another year and do in 2013?

 

Does it matter if you're on Carnival, rather than Princess, etc.? They seem to have less expensive cabins.

 

So bummed. Just bought my first Alaska tour book last week and read it in a day. BUT we really want to get the full feel; so if scrimping is going to be a big impact, I guess we'll just wait the year.

 

Thanks SO much for your input.

 

Drive both ways. We've easily done it in four nights from Toronto but take your time. Take BC Ferries from the north end of Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert (they are slightly more luxurious) and then Alaska State Ferries from there.

 

Viv

[BCHappyGal]

Be aware the ferry cost to take your car on board with you is quite high...and the cost of food and lodging also ....

 

I find that a cruise is always my cheapest holiday .... however I am a good shopper and always find my cruises on sale...

 

Surf the web to find a good deal on your alaskan cruise and fly in and out of Seattle to save money.... Check out the bargains here on Cruise Critic as well as other sites....

Take the cheapest cabin you can get ... you are still on the ship and the cheapest cruise ship cabin will be a million times better than the ferry system (believe me I have used it) :):)

 

Sorry about your Irene stealing your roof.

[Wayfairers]

Surf the web to find a good deal on your alaskan cruise and fly in and out of Seattle to save money.... Check out the bargains here on Cruise Critic as well as other sites....

Take the cheapest cabin you can get ... you are still on the ship and the cheapest cruise ship cabin will be a million times better than the ferry system (believe me I have used it) :):)

 

I agree - keep an eye on prices at several websites and when you are ready to buy call several of the online TAs and see if anyone can add perks or knock a little more off the price. And, inside cabins are nice and dark for sleeping and we never spend time in the cabin anyway so we always book inside. The ferry system is ok for getting between two points (we have used BC ferry system) but I would recommend a cruise instead.

[KandCsailing]

Does it matter if you're on Carnival, rather than Princess, etc.? They seem to have less expensive cabins.

Just did Carnival to Alaska from Seattle and loved it. We'll most likely do it again in a few years. We had a 7A cabin with the obstructed view balcony and the only place you couldn't see was straight down. Don't have any experience on Princess, etc...to Alaska to compare for you.

[mapleleaves]

The ferry to Juneau or Skagway isn't as cheap as it once was. I beleive it's up to $375 one-way for passenger fare, plus a cabin. The cheapest way to travel by ferry is to sleep on the deck in a sleeping bag in the solarium or pitch a tent on the deck. Bring a small cooler with food. We did it; it was great fun. But it's not for everyone.

Look at cruises in late May. Often better weather. And black bears are sometimes munching on dandelions roadside. I've seen HAL offer 3rd person in a room for free or under $100. Maybe other lines do the same.

You can also enjoy a cruise to Alaska without all the expensive excursions. If possible treat yourself to one, like whale watching in Juneau or Icy Strait. At the other ports you can take a $16 shuttle to Mendenhall Glacier, rent a car for $80 in Skagway to drive to the Yukon, take a walking tour of Ketchikan and the city bus to Totem Bight park. And choose an itinerary that visits Glacier Bay ( no extra charge for spectacular viewing!).

[PennyAgain]

When I cruise to Alaska I look for the cheapest room on the cheapest cruise on any cruise line that meets my dates. I get the same meals and the same scenery as everyone else.

 

So sorry about your roof. Insurance not willing to pay?

[dcnj1125]

Sorry about the roof.... I went to AK on Princess in 2006. I am going back on Carnival.

First I found the balcony on Princess small... No room in the room..... I know that Carnival is CHEAPER and I believe more FUN for kids.... Taking my 6yr old grandaughter next August ... I checked them ALL out and Carnival had the best price....Hope this helps

[dcnj1125]

Hi KanC Sailing : Sorry to bother you, but could you tell me how was the weather, and when did u go. Thank you

[Northender]

JerseyGirl, I hope you have contacted your insurance company. There should be some coverage there for you. Maybe you can still book that cruise:):)

[kkorman]

When I cruise to Alaska I look for the cheapest room on the cheapest cruise on any cruise line that meets my dates. I get the same meals and the same scenery as everyone else.

 

So sorry about your roof. Insurance not willing to pay?

 

I think itinerary is important. Glacier Bay and Hubbard are far superior to Tracy Arm. Carnival now goes to Endicot Arm which is the least desirable. I also do not like the itineraries out of Seattle.

 

If it were me I would wait to do the cruise I want to do. Excursions (and everything else) are pricy and I don't think you should skimp in this area.

[xmasteach]

Air: I cashed in points on my Visa got Fort Myers to Achorage, Seattle to Fort Myers for $100 for 2. Fly in or out of Seattle instead of Vancouver, shuttle about 60 per person. Last time I visited, I used bump compensation (2 tickets), and FF points (2 tickets). I would not get off plane until they told me my bump would get me to Alaska. Delta

Ship: May and September are the cheapest months. Get an inside cabin. There are lots of public areas to view anything you want. I would also highly suggest the Glacier Cruises (one way, North or South) Book your excusions privately. Have a no charge policy on the boat. This summer, got off Oasis and charged nothing. Not a penny.

Land: If you do decide to spend a few days on your own after or before the crusie, DO NOT rent a car from the airport. I got an Enterprise rental for $99/wk. Trip Advisor web site has great suggestions on doing land trips on your own. (reasonable) Alaska does have grocery stores, so we did not eat out a lot, brought a small cooler.

I feel your pain. Living in Florida and experiencing Charlie, and other storms that were just a blur. I always breath a sigh of relief at the end of Hurricane season. We dodged the bullet so far this year.

If there is anyway I could swing it ..I'd try. I did the same thing the year my youngest graduated. That was the year I got 4 tickets almost free!!

Hope to see you in Alaska in 2012. We are going the end of May...:cool:

[vbmom87]

I priced out the Marine Highway and it was going to cost more than taking the cruise. Also driving and hotels, foods, gas, etc. would have cost us more than the airfare. We think a cruise in a cheap cabin is a great deal.

 

That said, I would not go with Carnival unless you were going on their early or late cruise that will go to Glacier Bay day. Next year Carnival is going to Endicott Arm. If you can swing Princess and go southbound and see both Glacier Bay and Hubbard that would be the jackpot. The HAL roundtrip out of Vancouver that goes to Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay would be a great choice for a round trip. Also the Vancouver sailings will more scenic. If this is going to be a one time trip, I would wait until I can do it right. JMHO.

[Trailblazer99]

Drive both ways. We've easily done it in four nights from Toronto but take your time.

 

LOL - from Toronto just to Fairbanks is 4,000 miles! (Mapquest says 3997.85 miles). Tough 4 days!

[bearbait]

Drive both ways. We've easily done it in four nights from Toronto but take your time. Take BC Ferries from the north end of Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert (they are slightly more luxurious) and then Alaska State Ferries from there.

 

Viv

 

 

It would be cheaper to take a cruise. You really need to check the prices on taking your vehicle on an Alaska Ferry. It's not cheap.

[PennyAgain]

I think itinerary is important. Glacier Bay and Hubbard are far superior to Tracy Arm. Carnival now goes to Endicot Arm which is the least desirable. I also do not like the itineraries out of Seattle.

 

If it were me I would wait to do the cruise I want to do. Excursions (and everything else) are pricy and I don't think you should skimp in this area.

 

Your theory is good if a person is making only one trip to Alaska in a lifetime. I have family there and use cheap northbound cruises to get home. Works for me and I get scenery along the way.

 

I also do not buy the ridiculously expensive tours and excursions as I prefer to go off on my own or with family members.

 

We don't all have the same needs and desires.

[KandCsailing]

Hi KanC Sailing : Sorry to bother you, but could you tell me how was the weather, and when did u go. Thank you

No trouble.

We went June 28 - July 5th out of Seattle.

Ports were Tracy Arm Fjord, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan and Victoria, B.C

 

Seattle - beautiful day, short sleeves warm

Sea Day - nice but a bit windy

Tracy Arm - cool and drizzley rain. I still spent 75% of our time in the fjord up on deck in my raincoat with a pair of light gloves on.

Skagway - beautiful day, started out cool but got quite warm in the afternoon.

Juneau - light rain once or twice but not for long

Ketchikan - pretty heavy rain all day.

Victoria - nice walking temp during our nighttime stop.

Seattle - beautiful warm day.

 

I ended up wearing long pants everyday and in the mornings I would start with a thin polar fleece sweater with a t-shirt under so I could peel off. Good waterproof jackets were necessary and made walking in Ketchikan fine too. DH and I wore either walking shoes or our leather running shoes in the ports.

[KandCsailing]

Glacier Bay and Hubbard are far superior to Tracy Arm

I heard that before we booked and I prepared myself to be disappointed and it was unnecessary.

Cruising through Tracey Arm Fjord was jaw dropping stunning for me. I hope to see Glacier Bay and Hubbard one day too though.

[vbmom87]

I heard that before we booked and I prepared myself to be disappointed and it was unnecessary.

Cruising through Tracey Arm Fjord was jaw dropping stunning for me. I hope to see Glacier Bay and Hubbard one day too though.

 

Tracy Arm is beautiful fjord in an almost surreal setting. It is just that if someone has glaciers as a priority for their cruise, and Tracy Arm is the only scenic day they have, they could be disappointed. If just beautiful scenery is the priority, then Tracy Arm will definitely fit the bill!!! We saw it once from a small boat and once from the cruise ship. Enjoyed it immensely each time.

[JerseyGirl1959]

OMG --thank you all so much. New roof 1/3 on as of today. Rest going on tomorrow. So I am NOT letting this deter me and have been checking online for prices and excursions, etc. for Alaska. I need to do this before my knees totally give out!

 

If anyone has any "budget" sites for Alaska cruises, I'd appreciate it.

 

Thanks

[JerseyGirl1959]

This is the trip I want the GOOD cabin for....scenery, etc.

[vbmom87]

OMG --thank you all so much. New roof 1/3 on as of today. Rest going on tomorrow. So I am NOT letting this deter me and have been checking online for prices and excursions, etc. for Alaska. I need to do this before my knees totally give out!

 

If anyone has any "budget" sites for Alaska cruises, I'd appreciate it.

 

Thanks

 

Maybe you can find this old thread helpful:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1016318&highlight=new+roof

[JerseyGirl1959]

Wow, what a great thread. Thanks for passing it on.

[vbmom87]

Wow, what a great thread. Thanks for passing it on.

 

You are very welcome. I am glad I had it bookmarked. The search function has not been helpful lately. It keeps coming up blank.

 

I am sure with some great planning, you will be able to have a great cruise within your budget.