Rumors of Alaska Pricing and Ship Changes

[alwalaska]

Like many people on these boards, I am anxiously awaiting the 2006 pricing from Princess for Alaska cruises. Someone posted (either here on the Alaska board) that they heard rumors of Princess reassigning ships for Alaska 2006?

 

Does anyone have an idea on if this is true? Any more in depth rumor info even if it is not verified to be the absolute truth?

 

We are currently booked on Carnival (first to come out with pricing for 2006 Alaska) but would really like to move to Princess if the pricing and timing is right. We need a handicapped balcony room and a 4 person interior room preferably close to each other, so we want to book as soon as pricing comes out. We have an idea of what we want on the Coral or Island, but if it is going to be different ships, I would like to look at those as well.

 

Thanks.

[mii]

So far I have not seen any pricing yet for Princess to Alaska. The only thing I saw and that is now on page 2 of this board is that the Diamond and Sapphire are switching from r/t out of Seattle to one way Vancouver to Anchorage and vis-versa. That is the only thing that I have seen.

 

marilyn

[fllcruiser]

I got an e-mail from Princess that says bookings for Alaska 2006 will open April 29 2005.

[mr green]

:( I put out a warning months ago, Alaska is trying among other things to pass a new bill to charge all cruise ships with more than 288 cabins, $50.00 per person. I do not know if this is to include crew personel or not. john

[alwalaska]

mii - thanks for the info. I am going to look for that other thread, but if I can't find it, did it say if they were being added to the 4 ships already there, or replacing two if the ships currently on that route. If so, which ones?

 

fllcruiser - thank you so much. The people at the 800 number don't seem to know this. I guess the fewer people who know - the better for us.

 

I wonder if the continuing push back of Alaska 2006 prices has anything to do with all the specials they are running on the May 2005 ships that are not yet full. Maybe they think they can convince people to go this year.

[jhannah]

:( I put out a warning months ago, Alaska is trying among other things to pass a new bill to charge all cruise ships with more than 288 cabins, $50.00 per person.

Ouch! I can somewhat understand their concern over the number of ships/passengers that are plying their waters and ports. Things are likely to become worse due to all the repositioning of additional ships. Even Holland America is moving their built-for-the-Caribbean Zuiderdam over to Alaska for the 2006 season. I can see ports becoming over-run. Some day Alaska may well do what Bermuda has done and limit the number on any given day.

[spongerob]

That's pretty common. You will pay some kind of extra charge just about everywhere you go, including within the US. Take a look at the additional charges on any hotel bill. It's easier to raise taxes on non-constituents. IMO, it's a form of legalized robbery, or taxation without representation, or even governmental nickle-and-diming.