Budget for Alaska Trip - More than I expected!!

[shannieb77]

Let see...

 

I spent $1344 on the cruise (inside cabin single price on HAL).

About $600 on airfare (LAX to YVR, ANC to Sea, SEA to LGB... I booked LAX to YVR and SEA to LGB together and bought a one way ticket for SEA to LGB).

About $250 in hotel (one night in Vancouver and one night in Seattle).

About $300 on excursions (Skagway and Ketchikan).

About $300 for car rentals in Seward (very expensive for one way to Anchorage) and Juneau.

 

That is about $2800 total. Is that too much for one person? I figure I will probaly spend another $200-$300 for souvenirs and tips and everything.

 

Oops I meant I booked ANC to SEA as a one way ticket and bought LAX to YVR / SEA to LGB as a multi destination ticket. Saved about $400 by doing that (even with one nite in Seattle).

[wolfshadow]

LOL.... I also worked up a spreadsheet for our itinerary and mapped out our preferred excursions and alternates. Since things are noted by day/hour it let me figure out how to 'backfill' time between organized excursions with some things to do on our own. It also lets me keep track of planned expenses and other sheets in the file let me figure out packing & shopping lists as well as to-do lists prior to the trip.

 

Cheers

Chris in VA

Sounds a lot like mine! Yup, you're a geek, too. Maybe we should start a club...........lol!!! :o

[cruisernh]

Sounds a lot like mine! Yup, you're a geek, too. Maybe we should start a club...........lol!!! :o

 

You are all in good company. I keep a running spreadsheet and ahve created a calendar of everything we are doing. DH really likes it the little scissors on it mean a coupon :)

[neverenoughtravel]

I'm not a spread sheet aficionado, but here's our breakdown for our family of 5 on our cruise plus independent land tour:

 

$1823 Flights (from Orange County, CA open jaws Vancouver/Anchorage)

$5296 Cruise (quad cabin plus fare for one in another cabin includes ins)

$695 Rental Car (6 days from Seward to Anchorage in SUV)

$1028 Shore excursions (excursions booked for two ports of call)

$1533 Hotel Pre/Post Cruise (7 nights total)

$285 Post-cruise activities (known activites only, used 2 for 1 coupons)

 

These figures don't include any activities we may decide to join once there, food, gas or shopping, but the above totals to $10,660. I'm just glad we've been booking and paying for these things over the course of many months!

[renebfl]

I have added up $12,000 4 person,for 1 balcony,1 inside,Princess Diamond.4 people,Florida to Anchorage using 2 FF tickets, 2 purchased tickets. One night Anchorage, 3 night Seward(2rooms),rental car for 5 days,9 hr Kenai fiord tour using 2 for 1 coupon, return 2 nights Anchorage 1 large siute room,kitchen. Rail Anch-Whittier,boat cruise 4 hrs. coupon buy1 get 1 ,cruise,flightplane, car rental in Skagway,private whale watch ,2 night Vancouver 1 large suite that fits 4 with kitchen. I think I shopped well for lodging. Really spent time looking at all options. Could omit floatplane and Vancouver and saved a big chunk but want to have a great family vacation with our adult children.

[BaileyandBella]

Wow....I have been stressed about spending $6,000 total. :eek: :D

 

Family of 4 staying in a Mini-Suite on 7 night cruise.

 

Flying from Los Angeles to Seattle, staying one night in Seattle.

[tekdiva]

Did you look at the cost difference to fly into Seattle instead of Vancouver? It will probably be a lot cheaper and you may be more likely to get a direct flight there.

 

Also think about this - your younger child will want an even more extravagant trip when he/she goes off to college. Will you be able to afford that? Despite the fact that you are celebrating two events, a kid isn't going to look at it that way.

[yuckylucky]

We are four ppl. staying in a suite on the Spirit. We are renting an RV for five days when we debark in Whittier/Anchorage. We used frequent flyer miles for two tickets and paid for two tickets from Newark, NJ to Vancouver, BC. So far, I'm guesstimating we will spend $10k on this vacation. I will not be surprised if that figure goes up, up, and away!!! :p

[CruzinFamilyof5]

We were at $2200 each for a 1 week cruise and 1 week Seattle (7 people). Thanks to budgetqueen and her suggestion for the Tracy Arm Excursion, we're still at $2200 each, because we moved some things around. For example, we discovered that renting a SUV from non-airport Enterprise location cut the cost by $300, staying in a suite was less than booking 2 rooms at most hotels, etc.

 

$7400 Cruise, Deck 9, Inside and Balcony cabins

$1400 Southwest Air for 7 people

$2240 Excursions in 4 ports including car rental

$1500 food off the cruise ship ($150 per day x 10 days)

$1200 7 night accommodations in Seattle area.

$340 1 week SUV rental near Cruise Terminals

$300 Ferries

$250 Gasoline for SUV approx. 900 miles

$400 Extras, souvenirs, snacks, unknown, etc.

$15,030 Total

 

Ketchikan Highlights $45 with www.aksourdoughtours.com

 

Juneau, city & glacier $25 http://www.juneautours.org/ and Tracy Arm Excursion $183/$159 kids through NCL.

 

Skagway, renting 2 vehicles at Avis $230 and using Murray's Guide. Liarsville Salmon Bake & Gold Panning $39/$26 kids through www.bestofalaskatravel.com

 

Prince Ruport: No plans yet!

 

 

 

...

[vbmom87]

We were at $2200 each for a 1 week cruise and 1 week Seattle (7 people). Thanks to budgetqueen and her suggestion for the Tracy Arm Excursion, we're still at $2200 each, because we moved some things around. For example, we discovered that renting a SUV from non-airport Enterprise location cut the cost by $300, staying in a suite was less than booking 2 rooms at most hotels, etc.

 

$7400 Cruise, Deck 9, Inside and Balcony cabins

$1400 Southwest Air for 7 people

$2240 Excursions in 4 ports including car rental

$1500 food off the cruise ship ($150 per day x 10 days)

$1200 7 night accommodations in Seattle area.

$340 1 week SUV rental near Cruise Terminals

$300 Ferries

$250 Gasoline for SUV approx. 900 miles

$400 Extras, souvenirs, snacks, unknown, etc.

$15,030 Total

 

Ketchikan Highlights $45 with www.aksourdoughtours.com

 

Juneau, city & glacier $25 http://www.juneautours.org/ and Tracy Arm Excursion $183/$159 kids through NCL.

 

Skagway, renting 2 vehicles at Avis $230 and using Murray's Guide. Liarsville Salmon Bake & Gold Panning $39/$26 kids through www.bestofalaskatravel.com

 

Prince Ruport: No plans yet!

 

 

 

...

 

Did you see the thread with the discount code for Avis in Skagway:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=746503