Boston to Alaska July 2012

[capital6]

I've booked a RCCL Alaska cruise for July 2012. I'm now looking into flights and am horrified at how expensive they are. I need to fly into Vancouver and out of Fairbanks. Does anyone have any tips for doing this economically? Right now the cheapest fare I've found is over $700 with taxes. Do the fares typically go down over the winter?

[FlyerTalker]

I've booked a RCCL Alaska cruise for July 2012. I'm now looking into flights and am horrified at how expensive they are.

So, you booked the cruise and then looked at the price to get there?? And just what did you expect to now have you "horrified"?

I need to fly into Vancouver and out of Fairbanks. Does anyone have any tips for doing this economically? Right now the cheapest fare I've found is over $700 with taxes.

Could be quite appropriate. You will be traveling at the same time as other cruisers. Think how a couple thousand people will skew pricing. Supply and demand. Also, do you have a sense of just how distant Fairbanks is? London is closer to you. Plus, it is not a city with huge lift from many airlines. AS has a near monopoly, with only Delta and Frontier providing seasonal service (and DL is a code-share partner of AS). You will not get bargain pricing in/out of FAI. Facts of life.

Do the fares typically go down over the winter?

For travel in January -- quite possibly. For travel in the summer -- nope. Remember that it's when you TRAVEL that has the greatest impact on ticket pricing, not when you purchase.

 

As a point of reference, for my last trip to FAI, the r/t pricing from SEA was over $550. So your $700 is not out of line.

[Keith1010]

I've booked a RCCL Alaska cruise for July 2012. I'm now looking into flights and am horrified at how expensive they are. I need to fly into Vancouver and out of Fairbanks. Does anyone have any tips for doing this economically? Right now the cheapest fare I've found is over $700 with taxes. Do the fares typically go down over the winter?

 

This is a peak time of the year so it is not surprising that the price is $700.00. Also flying to Vancouver tends to be more than say Seattle.

 

I am not sure whether or not you change planes but if you don't you could look at this as an option to reduce price.

 

Whatever you do be sure to arrive to Vancouver at least one day before the cruise. If you fly in the day of the cruise you really run the risk of missing the ship if your flight is cancelled or delayed.

 

Keith

[Budget Queen]

Anchorage offers far more flighting options. Why do you have to use Fairbanks??

 

Looking at your prior posts, you are going with kids, AND a cruisetour??

 

Hopefully you have well thought this through as it is usually a very poor, and very costly choice to consider cruisetours with kids. The fixed point to point travel is so so at best, seeing the least. Kids under 8-10 don't usually do well in Denali either. It is not a zoo. Seward can be a far better option and most cruisetours, miss it completely.

 

Anyway, Anchorage can offer more reasonable flight costs, along with Seattle. Seattle would need an added day- and if a family trip, a one way rental car, is a good additional touring option transit Seattle/Vancouver.

 

I am assuming you are using the multi city booking option rather than two one way flights as well.

[kenish]

Agree with others- $700 doesn't seem out of line. Have you checked Alaska Airlines and Era?

 

When we went to Alaska my son was 16. We took a Vancouver-Seward cruise, shuttled up to ANC, then rented a car for a week. It felt like 2 totally different vacations. Anyway, on the land portion we saw and crossed paths with cruisetours. Take my word for it- they are not suited for anyone under 50 or 60. This isn't a stab at seniors (I'm north of 50 myself), simply that seniors are the main cruisetour demographic. The cruisetour buses were speeding from A to B...the people may have "seen" Alaska but had little or no "experience" of Alaska. Maybe it's just me, but personally I'd just watch a DVD on Alaska at home instead.

 

I recommend dropping the land portion and renting a car or even a RV for the land portion. Highways are beautifully maintained and since there aren't many paved byways it's almost impossible to get lost. If you end up in ANC, fares will be somewhat less pricey.

 

Again, I can't over-emphasize that a cruisetour will not end up being a good experience for your family....maybe "memorable", in the wrong way. I recommend also checking the Alaska board too, if you aren't looking there already.

 

Let us know how this plays out....your family will enjoy Alaska but it has to be done right.

[Gardyloo]

It might be worth noting that London is closer to Boston than Anchorage. $700 for a round trip to London in mid-summer would be grounds for dancing in the street.

[capital6]

Oh, now I'm more confused than ever. I've never been to Alaska but had selected the cruisetour as it seemed like the best way to see much of Alaska without worrying about transportation etc... Everyone I speak to says you have to take the domed rail and spend at least 2 days in Denali. This cruisetour sounded perfect. But, now I'm second guessing. It's not too late to drop the land tour but I should do it soon.

Is there a spot on this site that reviews the "tour" part of cruisetours? I found lots of info on the cruises but must admit not much on the land portions.

[Keith1010]

Oh, now I'm more confused than ever. I've never been to Alaska but had selected the cruisetour as it seemed like the best way to see much of Alaska without worrying about transportation etc... Everyone I speak to says you have to take the domed rail and spend at least 2 days in Denali. This cruisetour sounded perfect. But, now I'm second guessing. It's not too late to drop the land tour but I should do it soon.

Is there a spot on this site that reviews the "tour" part of cruisetours? I found lots of info on the cruises but must admit not much on the land portions.

 

If you are looking for information on land tours you should be posting on the Alaska Port of Call Board.

 

This link will take you to that board.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=-1&f=55

 

Keith

[epixx]

Oh, now I'm more confused than ever. I've never been to Alaska but had selected the cruisetour as it seemed like the best way to see much of Alaska without worrying about transportation etc... Everyone I speak to says you have to take the domed rail and spend at least 2 days in Denali. This cruisetour sounded perfect. But, now I'm second guessing. It's not too late to drop the land tour but I should do it soon.

Is there a spot on this site that reviews the "tour" part of cruisetours? I found lots of info on the cruises but must admit not much on the land portions.

 

I think that the difference between what "everyone" is telling you and what Budget Queen and kenish recommend is the kid factor. The cruisetours are usually not ideal for children. As Keith1010 recommended, ask this question and seek additional information on the Alaska board. Budget Queen is a veteran Alaska traveler who will give you very good advice about the land portion.

[Bramcruiser]

I think $700 sounds pretty good for what you are seeking. Alaska from the east coast is usually more expensive than flights to Europe.

 

Fairbanks (FAI) is not cheap to fly into. As has been mentioned earlier Alaska Airlines is really the only year round option. Anchorage tends to be the main gateway into Alaska and usually the cheaper one at that.

 

We recently booked one way airfare for two from Toronto to Fairbanks for June 2012 and its costing us about $1500 using two airlines and only one connection in Seattle. We could have flown a few hundred cheaper but the avoidance of a third flight and a routing through Anchorage made the more expensive fare all the worthwhile for us.

 

I don't expect the fares to go down much for Fairbanks so I would say that, if you have to go to Fairbanks, take the $700 and go.

[Budget Queen]

Oh, now I'm more confused than ever. I've never been to Alaska but had selected the cruisetour as it seemed like the best way to see much of Alaska without worrying about transportation etc... Everyone I speak to says you have to take the domed rail and spend at least 2 days in Denali. This cruisetour sounded perfect. But, now I'm second guessing. It's not too late to drop the land tour but I should do it soon.

Is there a spot on this site that reviews the "tour" part of cruisetours? I found lots of info on the cruises but must admit not much on the land portions.

 

In my opinion, you are well, to second guess this cruisetour choice. It is NOT a good choice with a family. It is far from "perfect" and clearly not what you may think it is.

 

I suggest you look further into what the cruisetour involves and what you have purchased. Most people, have assumptions that are not factual. Problem areas are underestimating times in transit, destinations, and Denali Park.

 

Your reference being "horrified" at the expense and the ability to travel more economically. A cruisetour is not it. This is high cost, for seeing/experiencing the least.

[thinfool]

doing this economically?

Ummm....nothing about Alaska in high tourist season is economical.

Right now the cheapest fare I've found is over $700 with taxes.

 

Grab it quick if that is your itinerary...likely it won't go down.

 

We paid $560.00 to Vancouver, return from Anchorage in August 2007....fares have only gone up since then.

 

As for the trip...take the cruise (too bad you will miss Glacier Bay), then rent a minivan for you and the kids to tour inland Alaska (or the train, but a van rental will give you more freedom, and imo, the train sucks). Far more bang for your buck than a cruisetour.

 

Lots of ideas about what to do, where to go, on the Alaska Forum. :):D

[ocngypz]

Since the NW/Delta merger the Boston market has lost flights. $700 is quite reasonable.

 

There are often children - typically 10 years old+ on Alaska cruisetours. I've often seen multi-generational families on AK cruisetours.