Is Alaska worth the 10 grand its going to cost?

[TheCalicoCat]

We are planning a cruise to Alaska in 2013. I am not cheap and I really want to go. 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. If we are going to go we want to do it right. But a little voice in my head keeps nagging at me about how that is a lot of money to spend for 1 wk.

 

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

 

No, but we (the 3 of us) are not going to spend that much. (We booked an inside room & are not taking any flighseeing tours, etc. Just a couple more reasonable tours.)

[TheCalicoCat]

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

.

 

Good to remember those expenses - my pet boarding is +$300. ($400 is my budgeting estimate.)

[TheCalicoCat]

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...

 

Since you live in Canada - have you priced flying to Vacouver & cruising from there?

[TheCalicoCat]

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.

 

This is why we cruise - my son can be entertained in the club when he is bored of the scenery.:) (He is 3.5, but we aren't young & are travelling while we can - based on the reality of living the life you have now, not when your kids are old enough to appreciate it or when you retire.)

[TallinnGirl]

Here is our breakdown;

 

Cruise $2560 (USD) for a balcony cabin for 2

Flight (Toronto to Vancouver) $1240 for 2

Excursions approximately $1500 for 2

 

So about $5300 for 2 people for Alaska only and I do not consider this cheap in any way.

 

I am not counting hotels in Vancouver (we are staying 4 nights) since this is not part of the Alaskan cruise and the spending money needed.

[ndabunka]

YIKES! We MUST be the ones doing Alaska on the "cheap"! :eek:

 

Here's our breakdown for a family of 4 sailing on the Norwegian Jewel:

 

• $3010 - Total cruise fare (Oceanview cabin) including taxes AND tips
  
• $1050 - Airfare from Atlanta to Seattle
  
• $620 - Shore Excursions booked through the cruise line
  
• $175 - Pre-cruise hotel stay
  

 

You are saying that you got an OV cabin for around $500pp before taxes and tips? That would be a deal. I see now that it looks like you are talking about a 2013 trip whereas most here are talking about this year so those "early booking discounts may not be available for most of us.

 

And where did you get an airfare from Atlanta to Seattle a year in advance for that kind of price? I had to pay nearly $600pp (including taxes) for our flights from Charlotte, NC to Seattle so we are spending more on our flights than your spent on your cabin. I tried like anything to get a better rate but direct flights weren't cheap even 3 months out when we booked.

[travelin_nat]

You can get a little over $500pp before taxes and fees this summer if you put 4 ppl in an inside cabin on RCI Rhapsody r/t out of Seattle.

 

Much of it comes down to timing, flexibility and options. You got non-stop flights, sometimes those are more expensive. We adjusted our travel dates for best fares. An extra night in Seattle for us was less expensive than flying home the day the ship returns. We chose an airline that doesn't charge for bags since that will save us as well.

 

All that said, it's not a contest to see who can get the best rates. We digress..... :D Hope everyone has a great time no matter what you spend.

[ace1zoe2]

Agreed! Spend what you are comfortable spending & enjoy God's glorious creations.

 

One person's $10k maybe like only $1k to someone else. (different salaries/cost of living etc)

[Tapi]

You are saying that you got an OV cabin for around $500pp before taxes and tips?

 

Yes! :) We booked the cruise the same week it went on sale. The average price per person (before taxes and tips) is indeed around $500. This is for a standard oceanview stateroom with a picture window.

 

There are several factors contributing to this rate. First, we took advantage of a drastically reduced rate for our kids (traveling as the 3rd and 4th guest in our stateroom). Second, we booked through a discount TA (which we've used before satisfactorily) who reduced the total cost by an additional several hundred dollars.

 

And where did you get an airfare from Atlanta to Seattle a year in advance for that kind of price?

 

We haven't purchased airline tickets yet since the schedules haven't even been published yet, but the amount budgeted is based on historical data. We've used this method several times for our previous cruises, and so far it's been a great tool. We monitor fares and figure out what the lowest rate should be, and then we wait. For May 2010 and 2011, we saw fares from ATL to SEA as low as $220 round trip! More realistic numbers are closer to $300. Buying too far out yielded fares closer to the $400's. To help our budget, one of our family members will not need to pay for airfare...:D

 

I know that we can't fully and accurately predict what the lowest fare will be in May 2013, but we can make an educated guess based on what the airfare has been on previous years during identical time periods.

[Frank12]

We have 2 tickets from Orlando to Seattle for $1,014.00 for this June. They were purchased months ago and are even more expensive now. If you can fly out there for $300.00 bucks, you got it going on!

[Tapi]

We have 2 tickets from Orlando to Seattle for $1,014.00 for this June. They were purchased months ago and are even more expensive now. If you can fly out there for $300.00 bucks, you got it going on!

 

I just made a mock booking for the same exact week (mid may) that we are traveling on in 2013 but for this year and the fare is $380.

 

One of the things that helps keep fares low out of Atlanta is that it's a major hub for both Delta and Air Tran (soon to be Southwest). Having such a strong presence from a low cost carrier helps keep prices in check.

 

Not only are prices low, but there are several nonstops on a daily basis. It really doesn't get much better than this. :)

[Headhoncho]

We are planning a cruise to Alaska in 2013. I am not cheap and I really want to go. 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. If we are going to go we want to do it right. But a little voice in my head keeps nagging at me about how that is a lot of money to spend for 1 wk.

 

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

 

There have been many responses to the original question above. Some have been very helpful and others not so much. Many even questioned the OP's research stating that they have never spent close to $10,000 on their many trips to Alaska. That may be so, but it doesn't help the OP.

The OP stated that their family of 4 is flying out of Toronto. Assuming they fly TO Vancouver and then on TO Anchorage and then fly home FROM Vancouver to Toronto, it will cost a family at least $3000 (likely more).

Again assuming a middle of the road PRINCESS cruise with a balcony and 4 in a cabin plus tax will cost over $5000. Tips, transportation, food pre-cruise and post-cruise and the least expensive excursions will be another $2000. And then there are the unforseen expenses! Sure, there may be price reductions, but you can't count on them. Often price reductions for Alaska occur after final payments.

I agree, a middle of the road cruise to Alaska will cost over $10,000. Will it be worth it?

Absolutely - if you go with the attitude that you're GOING to have a good time (and forget about the cost) the family memories of this trip will last a lifetime!!!

[icequeen813]

YIKES! We MUST be the ones doing Alaska on the "cheap"! :eek:

 

Here's our breakdown for a family of 4 sailing on the Norwegian Jewel:

 

• $3010 - Total cruise fare (Oceanview cabin) including taxes AND tips
  
• $1050 - Airfare from Atlanta to Seattle
  
• $620 - Shore Excursions booked through the cruise line
  
• $175 - Pre-cruise hotel stay
  

_______

 

TOTAL: $4855

 

(Also figuring out an additional $1000 spending money)

 

I DO see how it can end up costing $10,000 to go to Alaska though. I'm fully aware that we ARE doing this trip economically. If we did this trip the way that I REALLY would like to do it (upgraded cabin to a balcony or suite, one way iitinerary instead of a Seattle roundtrip, more expensive excursions like Helicopter rides, and a pre or post land tour), this cruise could EASILY reach (and EXCEED) $10,000

How did you get such cheap airfares esp. from Atl? I thought I did great when I booked $333pp Tpa- ANC, Then $462pp from VYR- TPa for 2012 June 29,2012 southbound Alaska.$3270 for OV cabin Radiance of the Seas.Approx &1500 on excursions I booked without going through cruise line. This amt for myself &DH .

[ndabunka]

How did you get such cheap airfares esp. from Atl? I thought I did great when I booked $333pp Tpa- ANC, Then $462pp from VYR- TPa for 2012 June 29,2012 southbound Alaska.$3270 for OV cabin Radiance of the Seas.Approx &1500 on excursions I booked without going through cruise line. This amt for myself &DH .

 

As with most of these types of claims...they didn't. They are actually simply speculating that they can get the rates they reported based on a number of factors (historical, etc). Additionally, it appears that one of the family works for an airline so they are also "planning" on getting that flight for free (What if the rest of the families economical flights are on an airline that isn't associated with that person's frequently flyer or employers airline), etc.

 

However, relying on historical costs may bite TAPI in the butt as costs have risen significantly recently. I too have been able to get "cheap" 1-stop connecting flights to the west coast for as little as $198pp in the past. However, it is simply not (currently) possible anymore. Using TAPI's logic, I could have claimed $1,200 in flight cost for a family of 5 (because I have been able to do that in the PAST) but the reality is that our flights for a family of 5 TODAY cost us $3,024 for a direct flight (we could have spent $2,400 for a 1-stop/overnight flight but fee that the extra $600 is worth it to not have to wait 12 hours between flights and burn an extra day of vacation).

[turbo46032]

I've done many trips for business and personal to the same area in Europe since the 80's, and 'historic' costs were in the under $800-900 range. So when I checked for Europe flights this summer it was more like $1600 for the same destination that I used to fly for $800. History ain't your friend.

 

But putting it into perspective, in 2007 we paid around $360/pp IND to SJU for airfare, and in June $400/pp IND to SEA. Distance is identical so I would not look at air as being excessive even with oil prices much higher now than in 2007.

 

What is a lot more expensive, tho, is excursions... In 2005 it was $100/pp for an Atlantis submarine ride out in St Thomas, in 2012 it's $100/pp for a donkey ride in Juneau :eek:...

[ndabunka]

I tired to delete my last post above but appear to be past that time deadline. After re-reading, it comes across accusatory which was not my intent. I also re-read TAPI's post and while she/he is speculating, they also apparently used live information for the current prices. Taking advantage of the employeer relationship may or may not work but the point I was trying to make is that TAPI built those original #'s based off a "best case" scenario and most of us have found that we either don't have relationships with airlines that would allow us to save $'s or that we have had to spend SIGNIFICANTLY more $'s than TAPI is claiming in order to get from "here to there" but even using a higher flight projection, her cost is still under $7K so TAPI still has a valid point. You "can" travel (relatively) cheaply if the stars align.

 

PS - I can echo the overseas flights. For a while in '09 I use to fly back and forth to Germany for under $700/flight made more than 2 weeks in advance and now that same EXACT flight is $1,500 (minimum).

[Tapi]

How did you get such cheap airfares esp. from Atl? I thought I did great when I booked $333pp Tpa- ANC, Then $462pp from VYR- TPa for 2012 June 29,2012 southbound Alaska.

 

That's one reason why there's such a disparity in our prices. You are doing a one way cruise. I'm taking a roundtrip to Seattle, which is considerable more affordable.

 

Also, airfare from Atlanta may be more economically priced since it's a hub for both a major airline and a low cost carrier, both who compete head on in the ATL-SEA market. In addition, Alaska Airlines also serves the market, so we have 3 airlines offering nonstop service to SEA. That translates into cheaper fares.

 

As previously mentioned, I haven't purchased the tickets, I am budgeting based on what I've seen in the past. It will be another month or two before schedules are released. At that time, I'll adjust the budget accordingly... :)

[Tapi]

They are actually simply speculating that they can get the rates they reported based on a number of factors (historical, etc).

 

Additionally, it appears that one of the family works for an airline so they are also "planning" on getting that flight for free

 

However, relying on historical costs may bite TAPI in the butt as costs have risen significantly recently.

 

• Yes, I do work for the airlines (I'm a Captain).
  
• I don't plan on "non revving" to meet the ship. Some of my friends do that, but I don't like gambling with my vacations to save a few hundred dollars and risk not making it.
  
• The reason why one of my kids will not be paying for airfare is because she'll be just shy of 2 years of age when we sail.
  
• I do not get a discount or special pricing if I want to book a confirmed ticket on other airlines, so when I'm on vacation, I buy tickets on the most affordable airline, regardless of whether it's my airline or not.
  
• While I do agree that using historical data is highly speculative, it can definitely be useful tool. I've been doing this for many years (this is not a "I traveled to Seattle once in 2007 and I paid $199 so that's what I'm expecting to pay again).
  
• One benefit of working for the airlines is that I can monitor trends a bit more closely and I have the benefit of checking trends, passenger loads, several times a day right from a work computer.The speculation will end soon as schedules for May 2013 will start being released in another 6-7 weeks.
  

 

I know that a lot of people have to deal with higher airfare traveling from their cities, but as I mentioned above. I'm in a fortunate position to live in a city that is a hub for a major airline as well as a low cost airline, both who serve the ATL-SEA market. Additionally, Alaska Airlines also served this route. So we have 3 airlines flying nonstops several times a day to SEA. Between the 3, I have 8 daily nonstops to choose from, not to forget the other possibilities connecting through other cities. It's not uncommon to see killer deals between city pairs.

[Tapi]

After re-reading, it comes across accusatory which was not my intent.

 

I wouldn't call it "accusatory". I would call it "speculative", but thanks for clarifying. :)

 

It's perfectly fine. If someone posted that they are getting a great deal on a vacation, I too would like to know how they are doing it. That's why I took a moment to reply above.

 

TAPI built those original #'s based off a "best case" scenario and most of us have found that we either don't have relationships with airlines that would allow us to save $'s or that we have had to spend SIGNIFICANTLY more $'s than TAPI is claiming in order to get from "here to there"

 

I budgeted $350 (X 3) for airfare. That's actually not on the low side. That's somewhere in between the high and the low. Hopefully it will be less than that, but even if it's more (let's say $420 which is where prices hovered most of last year for May 2012, although they dipped into the $200's a few times), we are taking about an additional $70 per person. Truly not an amount that would make me decide to cancel my cruise plans.

 

While it's true that as an airline employee I do get several travel industry discounts, the ironic thing is that the budgeted price for our cruise to Alaska doesn't take into account a single discount that I may be able to take advantage of. The budget is strictly based on what anybody else would pay.

 

One thing that airline pilots are good at is figuring out the cheapest way to take a vacation. It doesn't matter if you are a brand new regional first officer making $24,000 a year or a 30+ year major airline captain making $275,000 a year. All pilots have one thing in common: They love figuring out how to do things cheaply. :)

 

That's a big reason why I chose the selected date, itinerary, cruise line, departure point, and type of cabin. They are all factors that contributed to the reduced budget.

[turbo46032]

When shopping for airfares make sure you consider 'normal' cruise flight times... The airlines have gotten VERY good at providing teaser rates until you notice the flight leaves at 5:00 AM and flies IND-SEA with 1 stop in EWR :eek:

[Budget Queen]

• Yes, I do work for the airlines (I'm a Captain).
  
• I don't plan on "non revving" to meet the ship. Some of my friends do that, but I don't like gambling with my vacations to save a few hundred dollars and risk not making it.
  
• The reason why one of my kids will not be paying for airfare is because she'll be just shy of 2 years of age when we sail.
  
• I do not get a discount or special pricing if I want to book a confirmed ticket on other airlines, so when I'm on vacation, I buy tickets on the most affordable airline, regardless of whether it's my airline or not.
  
• While I do agree that using historical data is highly speculative, it can definitely be useful tool. I've been doing this for many years (this is not a "I traveled to Seattle once in 2007 and I paid $199 so that's what I'm expecting to pay again).
  
• One benefit of working for the airlines is that I can monitor trends a bit more closely and I have the benefit of checking trends, passenger loads, several times a day right from a work computer.The speculation will end soon as schedules for May 2013 will start being released in another 6-7 weeks.
  

 

I know that a lot of people have to deal with higher airfare traveling from their cities, but as I mentioned above. I'm in a fortunate position to live in a city that is a hub for a major airline as well as a low cost airline, both who serve the ATL-SEA market. Additionally, Alaska Airlines also served this route. So we have 3 airlines flying nonstops several times a day to SEA. Between the 3, I have 8 daily nonstops to choose from, not to forget the other possibilities connecting through other cities. It's not uncommon to see killer deals between city pairs.

 

I do non rev, multiple times per year, world wide, and you certainly DO have to budget several extra days into any vacation. There also can be very nice interline cruise discounts, I added a Princess cruise in August going with my HAL,earlier booked.

[Tapi]

I do non rev, multiple times per year, world wide, and you certainly DO have to budget several extra days into any vacation.

 

I agree 100%. When we don't HAVE to be somewhere (or back) on a specific date, we non-rev. Otherwise, we "bite the bullet" and buy confirmed tickets.

 

We've only flown non-rev for ONE cruise (in 2008) and it was the LAST time we do that. We flew to Miami on a Thursday (for a Saturday departure) with minimal hassle. However, flying back on the day our cruise returned turned out to be a nightmare. Thank goodness it was only the wife and I that time.

 

There also can be very nice interline cruise discounts.

 

Yes! That's a big reason why we've done several Carnival cruises in the last few years. They seem to have one of the most generous interline programs, and we can secure the rate up to a year in advance.

 

We chose NCL for our upcoming Alaska cruise though. Even though they weren't offering any interline discounts at the time of booking, it's still cheaper than the Carnival Spirit for a similar date. :)

[Budget Queen]

I agree 100%. When we don't HAVE to be somewhere (or back) on a specific date, we non-rev. Otherwise, we "bite the bullet" and buy confirmed tickets.

 

We've only flown non-rev for ONE cruise (in 2008) and it was the LAST time we do that. We flew to Miami on a Thursday (for a Saturday departure) with minimal hassle. However, flying back on the day our cruise returned turned out to be a nightmare. Thank goodness it was only the wife and I that time.

 

 

 

QUOTE]

 

 

Have you looked into flying out of FLL or West Palm Beach? Both are connected via TriRail with Miami. I'm in New Orleans next week, bring my husband to SYR, and fly back out to Miami. Don't know who you work for, but, so far, I've always gotten out the day I want.

[Tapi]

 

Have you looked into flying out of FLL or West Palm Beach?

 

Yes. That time we flew into Miami and flew back from Ft. Lauderdale. Miami had negative availabilty on every flight with a looooong list of standbys. West Palm Beach was worse. We opted for Ft. Lauderdale because some flights had a handful of seats, but the standby list was insane.

 

Eventually, we got out (roughly 36 hours after we started), but my wife still talks about "that dreadful saturday"...:o

[Budget Queen]

Yes. That time we flew into Miami and flew back from Ft. Lauderdale. Miami had negative availabilty on every flight with a looooong list of standbys. West Palm Beach was worse. We opted for Ft. Lauderdale because some flights had a handful of seats, but the standby list was insane.

 

Eventually, we got out (roughly 36 hours after we started), but my wife still talks about "that dreadful saturday"...:o

 

36 hours, and you were way down the list?? As a Cpt. why didn't you have more priority? Was it your own airline? I have always gotten out the same day. Was it a holiday? I have never heard of this with 28 years of nonrev travel.