Is Alaska worth the 10 grand its going to cost?

[turbo46032]

The budget for the Turbos is as follows (4 people, 1 week cruise, 4 days pre-cruise Seattle)

 

- 3600 for cruise fare

- 1600 air from Indiana

- 500 hotel and car in Seattle

- 500 Seattle museums, food, etc

- 1000 alaska excursions (four people, just the train is 500)

- 1000 shipboard account (autotip, booze :cool:, shopping)

- 300 expenses back home (long term parking, luggage fees, pet boarding_

: : : :

 

so without buying anything or splurging for a balcony cabin or for more convenient airfare (we're flying UPS Airlines, both redeyes :eek:) we're at $8500. A cabin upgrade and easier air is easily $10k total.

[Alliwanttodoiscruise]

Please provide details on how you can possibly be paying 10k. Unless you are doing everything in the most expensive way, it seems hard to believe. I am doing 2 weeks in AK (1 wk on land and 1 wk on ship) for 3 people and it will be nowhere near 10k.

 

DON

 

5-6k cruise fare for 4 in a balcony on Royal, OV on Princess, 3K for flights, 4k if we do northbound as it is very expensive to fly from Anchorage to Toronto, at least 1,000 for excursions (no big expensive excursions that involve flying), pre and post hotel stays to ensure we don't miss flights or the ship. I believe I am over 10k and I haven't factored in any spending money yet...

[JanetAlice]

How old are your kids and would they appreciate the experience? We have taken many family vacations at our National Parks where I saw kids crying and complaining. If your kids are too young to appreciate it, than I would say any amount of money is too much to spend. If you decide to go, have a great trip.

[JanetAlice]

Please provide details on how you can possibly be paying 10k. Unless you are doing everything in the most expensive way, it seems hard to believe. I am doing 2 weeks in AK (1 wk on land and 1 wk on ship) for 3 people and it will be nowhere near 10k.

 

DON

 

Flights from the east coast are very expensive right now.

[psyfi]

YES, it is absolutely worth every penny! It was one of the best trips we have been on. My 2 cents-- do a one way so you get to see more glaciers (loved Glacier Bay-- only Princess and Holland go there) and book good tours, get out of the little towns and see Alaska. Have a wonderful trip.

[psyfi]

We spent 9K for 2 of us , total including everything -cruise, tours, hotel, airfare, spending etc... So the price is probably not far off.

[olemissreb]

For me it will be worth it! We have booked a Royal Suite and adjoining Concierge Class cabin on the Celebrity Millennium for June 2013 and for the cabins, port fees and gratuities only, we are looking at $14,856 :eek: - for DH and I and our 2 sons (will be 13 & 17 at cruise time). My mother will also me joining us as the 3rd person in my sons room. Yes we could've gone cheaper, but with the 5 of us we really wanted adjoining rooms and 2 bathrooms and lots of extra space (the dang Owners Suite on our last cruise really spoiled us!). Celebrity was running a special for Captains Club members so we should be getting at least $400 in OBC and I will still me watching for price drops so it may go down. Looks like we may be able to get airfare for $5/ticket (thank you frequent flier miles) - so we saved some big bucks there! In doing my research, I knew this would be the most expensive way to do an Alaskan cruise, but we wanted the room and we have a year to pay it all off. We are also doing a DIY land tour the week prior to the cruise and as soon as I can get 2013 Toursaver books, I'll be booking 2 for 1 deals and saving some money that way also - again booking as far out as I can so I can pay it off over time.

 

I am so looking forward to seeing the majesty that is Alaska! Just about any price is worth it for me.

[jpthomas27]

It doesn't seem to bad to me sicne your talking 4 people. Also, If your really mean total, when I think of total I incude.

 

Cruise - Balcony in peak season (July)

Air - Expensive right now with the oil situtation

Excursions - Easy to figure $100 per person per exc

Misc

 

So if your peak season balcony cost around $1500/person, your peak season, oil crisis air fare cost you $500/person and your excursions plus misc cost you $500/ person you can easily get to $2500/person or $10k for the trip in total.

 

Peak season will always cost you a good amount more, so you have to figure timing into the whole "is it worth it" question. You may be able to save by looking at offseason cruises. Balconies can be had in the fall for under $900/person. You may not see much saving in air and other catagories, but that alone with 4 peopel could save a chunk of cash.

 

Full disclosure; I've never actually done Alaska. I'm hanging around here right now because I'm seriousely considering the fall cruises because the prices are getting really low right now for fall 2012.

[ndabunka]

YES, it is absolutely worth every penny! It was one of the best trips we have been on. My 2 cents-- do a one way so you get to see more glaciers (loved Glacier Bay-- only Princess and Holland go there) and book good tours, get out of the little towns and see Alaska. Have a wonderful trip.

 

 

Agree about Glacier bay but Princess and Holland are NOT the only ones that go there. NCL's Pearl goes there as well. I should know, that is the ship we are booked on specifically because of that fact for the 6/10/12 cruise. Check it out, prices are very competitive right now

[trooper 1]

....(Edited.) However, it is going to cost 10,000 for my husband and I and our two kids unless we go on some cheap cruise line and that just isn't us.... is it worth the expense>"

 

Is it worth the expense? To the cruise line? Sure. Big bucks. (Or 10,000 pounds worth of Loonies?) To you? No. It is not necessary to go first class in everything you see and do. Do the research. Those people in first class get "there" about 30 seconds before you do, and they paid 3-4-5-? times the money. One of your biggest expense cutters is to get an inside cabin(s) and do not take the horribly expense helicopter jaunts, and skip the cruise lines land and sea pre-cruise and post cruise tours. There. You have just knocked off one half the price and will still see the wonderful sights.

[CT New-Cruiser]

After reading the OP's post and all of the replies, I wonder if the OP actually got the answer they were seeking?:confused:

 

I believe the OP was asking if it was worth it to spend $10k for a week long trip to Alaska. It is a lot of money and I think they wanted to know if the experience was worth the expense.

 

Clearly based upon the replies, it is possible to spend less than $10k for a week, but others have shown how you could easily spend more than $10k....the difference is due to cabin choice, airfare, excursions, etc.

 

Anyone who plans a trip to Alaska (or anywhere for that matter), makes choices about cabin, excursions, etc based on what is important to them and how much they want to spend.

 

So, back to the OP's original question (and not whether $10K is the right price for a trip to Alaska) - they asked:

"Do other people that have been to Alaska feel it was worth the expense?"

 

....(I am not looking to offend anyone, am actually curious about what people who have been there think. We will be taking our first trip to Alaska this summer....will be making final payment on the cruise this week! I have no intention of changing my mind, but it would be nice to have confirmation that our hard-earned $ is being well spent.;))

[psyfi]

Absolutely, yes, worth every penny we spent (including the ridiculously expensive helicopter excursion!)

[travelin_nat]

So maybe a better question for those who have been would be: What was it about your cruise to Alaska that made it a wonderful experience for you? I'd also love to hear what your favorite activities were, and if there are any excursions you wish you had skipped....

[Assateague Island Princes]

Absolutely worth every cent! Have been four times, and am planning my fifth trip (land only, DIY) for June 2013. I'd be going again this year if $$$ weren't a factor. So yes, Alaska is worth the money and then some. :D

[turbo46032]

if the OP is a big fan of nature, well, yea, it should be worth it. If he/she is a bit more, let's say, cosmopolitan, the type that prefers a world class museum to a world class scenic mountain, then it's time to start rethinking.

 

The biggest redeeming value of places like Alaska, in my view, for the non-nature loving type of people (my idea of the great outdoors is the landscape area at Lowe's) is to show them and their kids what nature is all about. To show them that (and pardon the feeble political rhetoric) that we really don't want to mess up such places.

 

I felt the exact same way visiting the rain forest in El Yunque (Puerto Rico) or taking the ridiculously expensive but well worth it Atlantis (?) submarine voyage.

[ace1zoe2]

We went in 2008 (just husband/wife, kids are grown) for a 7 day cruise in Alaska. It was our first trip to Alaska (we're from Texas - hot Texas) and we were blown away at the visual sights you see and the sounds you hear in Alaska. It is simply beautiful!

 

We stayed in an outside cabin (had never been in a balcony at that time) & did 2 nights pre-cruise in Seattle & 1 night post cruise in Seattle. I got an incredibly good deal on airfare that I lucked in to ($209 round trip including taxes & fees non stop from Texas) and we used Marriott points for our note 1 night & paid for the other 2. I think the cruise portion was around $3200 & we spent another $700-$1000 for excursions including a boat ride/zip line tour in Juneau, a lighthouse & whale watching excursion in Prince Rupert, BC and a tour into Canada where we saw Emerald Lake which was unbelievably beautiful, stopped at a couple small towns on the way with a return trip to Skagway on Whitepass & Yukon railway where we saw the Trial of '98 the settlers took, an outpost of the Northwestern Mounted Police, waterfalls, gorges, 10 foot snowdrifts - we felt like all our excursions were worth the price we paid. All of our excursions for this trip were booked thru the ship (we hadn't discovered private tours back then).

 

We loved our trip so much we said we wanted to go back & visit the interior. We've done several Caribbean, Hawaiian, etc. trip since then & just booked our trip for 2013 to do 1 week pre cruise land tour (thru RCI) and 1 week cruise Southbound from Seward to Vancouver. Paying around $6k for 2 weeks for a balcony cabin 6/1-6/14/2013. This is before airfare & excursions... this is our first land tour thru the cruise line but includes all hotels, travel 3 different days on the Wilderness Express Train line wit the huge glass windows & windrow wrapped ceilings, Denali, a 3 hour fjord cruise, a guided tour in Denali, etc. We are super-excited and feel it will be worth every penny. Port excursions I will probably research & book on my own to save $. And you can be sure I will diligently watch our cruise prices for any price drops and get my balance credited. I always book as far out as possible so that I can pay it out over many months & hopefully take advantage of a price drop and plenty of time to research.

 

But as everyone has said, WORTH it is up to you and what you feel is worth it. We had a great time in an outside cabin the first time. Bt we've discovered balconies since then & enjoy our private time on our balcony... so the cost of that is WORTH it to me. You may be super social & enjoy spending your time with lots of other people & be just as happy in an inside or ocean view for less money & enjoy more tours or drinks for the same amount of money spent.

 

Only you can decide what's best for your family. Whatever you decided I hope you have a great time!

[jetsfan]

There are 6 of us heading to Alaska this summer. As for the cruise line, unless it is a very upscale one, most mass market ones are the same to us. My DH and I have been on 14 cruises covering 3 lines and they all provide us the vacation we are looking for, with a budget that works.

 

From what I have read and researched Alaska will be like nothing we have seen before. I am awed by the pictures that are posted on CC.

 

We have 3 cabins, a balcony, and 2 insides. Our flights are from JFK to Seattle with 2 days pre-cruise. I have booked all our excursions and prepaid all of them. We are at 11,000 and I do not say that number easily. I know that with the economy and the way things are, it is a crazy amount.

 

I guess for me it is the fact that I am able to get all 4 of my kids to go and we will have a "family vacation". They are all busy with jobs and college so we are spending less time together.

 

I am trying to put away a little bit each pay period for on board expenses. We are not doing the land tour and I am sure there will be things we will miss. However, my DH and I, God willing, will go again. As for my kids it will give them a small taste of the beauty of Alaska, and leave them with great memories of us when we are gone.

 

I guess the answer is a very personal one, but from the reviews on these boards, I think it will be one of the most wonderful things we have ever done.

[3DSNVA]

Here's the way I look at it....if you are already considering paying this amount for a trip to Alaska with your 2 kids, you can afford to do it and it will be a wonderful experience. We are going back to Alaska this July (1 week on land on own and 1 week SB cruise) and this time we will have our then 11 year old with us. We know what we saw before, and what we are determined to do again with our daughter, plus adding some extra experiences. We are at around 15K for our 2 weeks and we know it will be worth every last dime for "us". Every vacation is more about what you make of it instead of how much you spend..you will determine whether the trip is worth 10K!

[Colexis Mom]

We did Alaska in June/July 2011 with two kids, who were 12 and 9. A week land tour DIY before the Radiance southbound (balcony cabin - about $5500), followed up by 4 days Vancouver/Seattle. We did spend over $10,000 (not too much over though), but it was an 18 day vacation. Airfare was $1650 for the 4 of us (BDL-ANC then SEA-BDL). And it was booked 5 months out, so had I booked sooner, I probably could have saved even more money. I felt it was worth every penny! Our best vacation yet! And we are looking forward to going back (just doing a land tour DIY the next time)!

[Budget Queen]

After reading the OP's post and all of the replies, I wonder if the OP actually got the answer they were seeking?:confused:

 

I believe the OP was asking if it was worth it to spend $10k for a week long trip to Alaska. It is a lot of money and I think they wanted to know if the experience was worth the expense.

 

Clearly based upon the replies, it is possible to spend less than $10k for a week, but others have shown how you could easily spend more than $10k....the difference is due to cabin choice, airfare, excursions, etc.

 

Anyone who plans a trip to Alaska (or anywhere for that matter), makes choices about cabin, excursions, etc based on what is important to them and how much they want to spend.

 

So, back to the OP's original question (and not whether $10K is the right price for a trip to Alaska) - they asked:

"Do other people that have been to Alaska feel it was worth the expense?"

 

....(I am not looking to offend anyone, am actually curious about what people who have been there think. We will be taking our first trip to Alaska this summer....will be making final payment on the cruise this week! I have no intention of changing my mind, but it would be nice to have confirmation that our hard-earned $ is being well spent.;))

 

Lots of options with the replys. :) For $10,000 "worth the expense" for they have listed- for me- never. I didn't spend that for the month I was there last year. :)

 

But I certainly have spent way more than anyone else on this board , total, touring Alaska- so, definately well worth all the costs to me. :)

[account4fun]

We spent more then 10K on our two weeks and it was absolutely worth every penny!

 

We decided where we wanted to put our money to use though:

 

Balcony - a must in Alaska (IMO) with all the scenic cruising

Excursions - We did a lot of flightseeing / helicopter excursions so it was very pricey but that was the most important to us.

 

Other things that we didn't care about we allocated less.

 

Only you can decide if it's worth it to you and how much you can afford! IMO Alaska rates 2nd only to my 3 week honeymoon in Tahiti/ Bora Bora and that's saying something!!!

[vbmom87]

Whether the cost would be worth it, does depend on what you expect to get out of your cruise. As mentioned above, if nature is your thing, you will likely not be disappointed. However, if your family likes an action packed vacation of Disney type activities, you may find you wasted your money. Since you have doubts, I would probably pass for now. Wait until you have researched more and then perhaps you can make a good decision if this is a trip your family would truly enjoy. I chose my two Alaska cruises strictly on itinerary, not giving the ship a second thought. We cut our expenses by booking insides both times, but with price drops we were able to secure a OV for less than we originally booked the insides on both of our cruises. One cruise we combined with a independent land tour, the other was the 14 day HAL roundtrip. Not once did it cross my mind that the money spent was not worth it. In fact, Alaska keeps calling me back. I would go every year if I could, but that is not in the cards. However, my priority with vacations is scenic places. Big cities, amusement parks, Disney, etc. are not our interests. Only you can decide if you think it will be worth it. I will say you can cut your costs if that is a concern. HAL often offers great deals for 3rd and 4th passengers in the same cabin. Good luck whatever you decide. If you do go, I hope you are blown away like most on this forum have been. Not everyone loves Alaska as much as the regulars on this forum. There are those who went once and have no desire to go back. I can't predict where you will fall in the spectrum. I can only say I did not feel I wasted a penny on either of my two trips.

[agabbymama]

My first cruise "only" to Alaska cost us $499 pp on HAL in 1999 (including airfare from LAX to Anchorage and return from Vancouver to LAX). I booked a guarantee outside. We did not do one excursion, just walked around the various ports and took a hop on/hop off shuttle in Sitka.

 

For our second trip, I booked a cruisetour with HAL in 2007, at $2770 pp for airfare and balcony cabin cruisetour. Then we spent an additional $1000. So for just two of us, it was $7500 for 11 days.

 

Now compare that to my trip to Europe 1 day pre-cruise Paris, 3 days pre-cruise Rome, 3 days post-cruise Venice and another 2 days post-cruise in Paris, that cost me $6000 pp total expenses. Per person, per day of $285 versus $340, so yes, Alaska is a little more expensive than other exotic destinations.

 

Then I took my daughter and granddaughter to Hawaii for a week for $5000 for three of us. That's approx. $238 per day, so again Alaska is more expensive.

 

Could we have done it cheaper? Probably, but I'm somewhat like the OP, that I don't want to sleep in budget accommodation, inside cabins, etc. I don't stay at the Ritz, but I want a clean, modern hotel.

 

Only the OP can know if it is worth the cost. I don't spend that kind of money lightly, if it's not a trip I really want to do, then I wouldn't spend the money. If you are satisfied with a $1000 trip to the Caribbean, then maybe Alaska isn't for you. Everything has to be shipped in, the season for most tourists (BQ has gone in the Winter) is short, therefore the costs are higher. Even food is at least 50% more than we pay in the lower 48.

 

If you are interested in the history of Alaska, the wildlife of Alaska, the awesomeness of glaciers, the Last Frontier of the US in all it's Majesty, then YES, IT IS WORTH WHATEVER YOU WANT TO SPEND!

[Alaskanb]

There are lots of "hidden costs" in this kind of trip so if you want a good estimate of cost create a spreadsheet of some sort and add it all up for a xx day trip-- cruise, flights, insurance, transfers, car rentals, pre/post accommodations on land, excursions, tips, any special clothing/shoes, etc. Most of the cost has been spread out over a year.

Only you know how you like to travel and the value of this type of trip.

[gymjudge55]

My husband has been asking that question since we booked, but I am confident it will be worth every penny.

$7,000 for two 13 day cruisetour with $200 OBC - Celebrity Aqua Class Balcony

$1,600 plane fares paid for with Capital One points

$1,000 for 3 excursions booked, 6 hour fishing/whale watch in Juneau, rental car in Skagway, flight seeing in Ketchikan

$391 for alcohol package for me

So we are at 10,000 with food on the land portion and one night hotel in Vancouver (Marriott points) and sightseeing there still to go.