tallnthensome Posted February 17, 2022 #1 Share Posted February 17, 2022 I already have a 10 day Alaskan cruise on the Miracle booked with deposit for August. Family of four extended balcony $500 OBC. Total $4671. Just got a Players Club offer (I don't even gamble) for the Spirit 8 day to Alaska same week, same exact extended balcony, $200 OBC. Total $2793. Two days shorter but almost $$ two thousand cheaper with the players club. Is the Miracle for two days longer out of SFO worth almost two grand more or go with the cost savings and use for tours and Cheers? All opinions welcome. Never sailed either ship. My daughters are 12 and 14. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwcruiselover Posted February 17, 2022 #2 Share Posted February 17, 2022 It’s not a no-brainer, but I would take the Player’s Club offer on the Spirit. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evandbob Posted February 18, 2022 #3 Share Posted February 18, 2022 (edited) For me, the difference in itinerary/port stops could be the major factor. What ports does the Miracle visit that the Spirit does not? Consider that I'm not going to Alaska that often, so I would want maximum exposure and experience. Being that the cruise begins in SFO, there's not going to be much "Alaskan" flavor on an 8 day sailing. The 2 extra days can amount to a whole lot better experience. While I'm partial to longer than a week's cruise, but $2K is a significant amount, so it comes down to how it suits the OP's tastes and not mine. Edited February 18, 2022 by evandbob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted February 18, 2022 #4 Share Posted February 18, 2022 21 minutes ago, tallnthensome said: I already have a 10 day Alaskan cruise on the Miracle booked with deposit for August. Family of four extended balcony $500 OBC. Total $4671. Just got a Players Club offer (I don't even gamble) for the Spirit 8 day to Alaska same week, same exact extended balcony, $200 OBC. Total $2793. Two days shorter but almost $$ two thousand cheaper with the players club. Is the Miracle for two days longer out of SFO worth almost two grand more or go with the cost savings and use for tours and Cheers? All opinions welcome. Never sailed either ship. My daughters are 12 and 14. I did miracle to alaska and was happy. Both are the same class so not much preference from me. One has a few changes like to the french window cabins... nothing I know of that would matter to kids. I'd save the 2k. Do a b2b. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine5715 Posted February 18, 2022 #5 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Your flight, hotel and transportation costs in SF are much higher than Seattle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antmaril Posted February 18, 2022 #6 Share Posted February 18, 2022 I would save the $2000. It’s a no brainer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjhootch Posted February 18, 2022 #7 Share Posted February 18, 2022 The ports are probably exactly the same. Take the 8 day Miracle (did it in September and it was wonderful) and use the $2000 savings for excursions. Excursions on Alaskan cruises are much more $$ than Caribbean destinations. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdr69 Posted February 18, 2022 #8 Share Posted February 18, 2022 I will say the two days heading north into the Alaskan current from SFO will be a lot more shall we say "Wavier" lol than heading out of Seattle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virga Posted February 18, 2022 #9 Share Posted February 18, 2022 I'm personally looking forward to kicking off our Alaska cruise with sea days - but I can't imagine that I'll enjoy them enough to pay $2000 for them. Enjoy whatever you choose! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lazydayz Posted February 18, 2022 #10 Share Posted February 18, 2022 No contest for me. I would switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BlerkOne Posted February 18, 2022 #11 Share Posted February 18, 2022 What is the cost of the Spirit cruise without the casino offer? What if next week you get a casino offer for Miracle? You really aren"t comparing apples to 🍎. Southwest flies into SFO and Oakland, and also Seattle. Personally I think you can find lodging cheaper in SFO near the port compared to Seattle. For that matter is driving an option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Illbcruzn4life Posted February 18, 2022 #12 Share Posted February 18, 2022 34 minutes ago, BlerkOne said: What is the cost of the Spirit cruise without the casino offer? What if next week you get a casino offer for Miracle? You really aren"t comparing apples to 🍎. Southwest flies into SFO and Oakland, and also Seattle. Personally I think you can find lodging cheaper in SFO near the port compared to Seattle. For that matter is driving an option? 2400 miles is a long way to drive. Yikes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BlerkOne Posted February 18, 2022 #13 Share Posted February 18, 2022 4 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said: 2400 miles is a long way to drive. Yikes! See America. But I didn't know if they were already in the left coast. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markmom18 Posted February 18, 2022 #14 Share Posted February 18, 2022 My opinion, since ya asked. Do the less expensive cruise. Because of the obvious … $2,000 can go towards another cruise ! 😄😄 We’ve only gone on 1 Alaskan cruise, Serenade of the Seas/ RCI. We flew from LAX, spent a couple days in Vancouver B.C., took this wonderful train to Whistler for 2 days, then came back on the same train for our 7 day cruise. One of the BEST family vacations! All it was incredibly beautiful. 🏔🛳💙 🛳🛳 Bobbi 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Illbcruzn4life Posted February 18, 2022 #15 Share Posted February 18, 2022 53 minutes ago, BlerkOne said: See America. But I didn't know if they were already in the left coast. just click on the OP's name and their location pops right up. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggo11 Posted February 18, 2022 #16 Share Posted February 18, 2022 We got the same offer and I already had an Alaska cruise on Freedom (now Spendor) booked the week before. So now I am doing back to back Alaska cruises with one day between them. 😍😍. I would take it. Because if you don’t gamble, you may not get such an offer again😍😍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BlerkOne Posted February 18, 2022 #17 Share Posted February 18, 2022 41 minutes ago, Illbcruzn4life said: just click on the OP's name and their location pops right up. 🙂 I leave details like that for my lackeys to deal with. 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keels81 Posted February 18, 2022 #18 Share Posted February 18, 2022 I would also go with the shorter cruise and then flip that $2k into a real elite/VIP excursion -- a small whale watching charter or tidepool snorkeling or something really cool like that. I guess the other consideration would be the itinerary - while the schedule is essentially the same, the times for important ports can be vastly different. Take Juneau for instance (primo whale watching port stop) -- on Spirit, she's in port from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., but on the Miracle she's in port from 2 p.m. until 11 p.m. Harv & Marv (probably the BEST whale watching experience you can book in Juneau) does their last run at 3 p.m. Y'all will just have reached port an hour prior to this whale watching ship leaving and you still have to tender into Juneau. Whale Watching is generally a 4:15-4:30 hour excursion, so best case that puts you back in Juneau at 7:30. Restaurants like Tracy's King Crab Shack, etc., start closing at 8 or 8:30 and there's little else for under 21s to do in port after that. On the Spirit, you'd be able to whale watch, explore Juneau and take the tram up to the top of Mount Roberts and back and then eat at Tracy's all before the late afternoon. It's just really how you want to experience Alaska. I never get off the ship in Victoria, so the 8p.m. to Midnight port time on Spirit wouldn't bother me one bit, but that's another consideration as the Miracle is in port from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanger727 Posted February 18, 2022 #19 Share Posted February 18, 2022 I would definitely switch. All you gain on the miracle are a couple sea days. Def not worth $2,000. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallnthensome Posted February 18, 2022 Author #20 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Thanks everyone now I have to see if they will let me switch deposits without a penalty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusin4funtimes Posted February 18, 2022 #21 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Good luck, hopefully you can just switch and have no penalty! I also live in Michigan, enjoy this beautiful sunny snow day we have today! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Cruzer Posted February 18, 2022 #22 Share Posted February 18, 2022 With my math, it's about $1600 less with considering the OBC you lose with the new offer. Still a good chunk of money and about 1 or 2 excursions worth of money for the AK prices for a family of 4. As long as your flight, lodging, transport costs are the same, I think I would take the Spirit offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Cruzer Posted February 18, 2022 #23 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Definitely get the crab at Tracy's crab shack in Juneau if you like it even a little bit back home! The best king crab we have ever had and right next to the ship! It was pricey, around $100 for 2 people back in 2014 but well worth it and we still talk about it! The meat that came out of those crabs was huge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallnthensome Posted February 18, 2022 Author #24 Share Posted February 18, 2022 3 hours ago, Colorado Cruzer said: With my math, it's about $1600 less with considering the OBC you lose with the new offer. Still a good chunk of money and about 1 or 2 excursions worth of money for the AK prices for a family of 4. As long as your flight, lodging, transport costs are the same, I think I would take the Spirit offer. I did just that. I was able to cancel and move my deposit with no penalty . That money will cover Cheers and an excursion now. The cruise is $4700 without the Players Club offer , $2700ish with . The offer I got yesterday in an email for booking doesn’t even work today. Maybe they realized I don’t belong in the Players Club. Too late , haha! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keels81 Posted February 18, 2022 #25 Share Posted February 18, 2022 Just now, Colorado Cruzer said: Definitely get the crab at Tracy's crab shack in Juneau if you like it even a little bit back home! The best king crab we have ever had and right next to the ship! It was pricey, around $100 for 2 people back in 2014 but well worth it and we still talk about it! The meat that came out of those crabs was huge! Tracy's is DEFINITELY worth it! We get the bucket deal and usually go twice when we're in Juneau because it's just SO GOOD. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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