Friday, January 29, 2010

Alaska Part 2

The easiest way for most US passengers to cruise to Alaska's Inside Passage is from the Port of Seattle, mainly since airfare is usually cheaper to Seattle than Vancouver. You can also sail roundtrip from  the Port of Vancouver, or go the full Anchorage-Vancouver route. Because of the very low tides around Anchorage, however, most cruise ships actually sail from the ports of either Whittier or Seward. Frankly, unless you can spend the extra time and money to add a land tour to your cruise package, you don't gain much by cruising the full Vancouver-Anchorage route. Some cruise lines do add Prince William Sound and College Fjord to the full route (a plus), but others depart Seward or Whittier and head straight for the Inside Passage ports--also available on a roundtrip itinerary.

Conversely, the only way to add a tour is via the full "glacier route"--and that IS the best way to make the most of your vacation time and dollar AND add to the memories of your Alaska experience.

Whether cruising just the Inside Passage or the full route, however, you'll usually call on three ports from a short list of possibilities. Juneau is the only US state capital city totally surrounded by water and accessible only by boat or airplane. One cannot drive to Juneau!

A favorite of mine is Ketchikan, salmon capital of the world. It can be a wet stop for you, though, since Ketchikan can receive about 300 inches of rain annually. The majority of the so-called Alaska panhandle is part of the Tongass National Forest, the United States' largest national forest. The Tongass contains 14 percent of the world's total acreage of temperate rain forest, creating a nice environment for coffee growing; hence, my affection for the Raven's Brew brand. Nearby is the entrance to the Misty Fjords, a great area for a seaplane excursion.

Stories of Gold Rush days abound in Skagway, gateway to the Klondike. It's here that you can board a narrow gauge railroad for a historic ride up to White Pass Summit. At the top of the mountain, you'll flip your seats over for the return trip back down. (Hint: for a different view down the mountain, choose the excursion that's half train/half motorcoach with a visit to Liarsville thrown in.)

Sitka is that quaint Alaskan city with a combined heritage of Tlingit culture and Russian history. Ships usually tender passengers to port here.

Located near the entrance to Glacier Bay, Icy Straight hosts a multitude of eagles (lured by an abundance of salmon) who no doubt watch with interest as screaming humans rip through their airspace on the longest zipline in the world. Another key wildlife area is around the small town of Haines on the shores of the upper Lynn Canal, the longest, deepest fjord in North America. Cruise ship visits to this are very restricted, however, to protect this home of humpback whales, orca, Dall's porpoises, seals, sea otters, brown (grizzly) bear, halibut, and all five species of Pacific salmon.

All ships visit at least one glacier area during a seven-night cruise, sometimes more: Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier, or Sawyer Glacier located in Tracy Arm Fjord. The most accessible of them all (if not the most dramatic) is Mendenhall Glacier, which is a short bus ride from Juneau. Glacier Bay is sometimes considered the premier pick of the glacial lot because of the number of active glaciers in the area. However, Hubbard Glacier is the largest tidewater glacier on the North American continent whose size can blow you away. She's quite impressive. The twin Sawyer Glaciers come at the end of the narrow, 26-mile Tracy Arm Fjord lined with vertical rock cliffs and lush waterfalls, making for a pretty dramatic approach.

The best of the full Anchorage-Vancouver "glacier route" itineraries add Prince William Sound, Columbia Glacier (near Valdez) and College Fjord, home to several glaciers with such notable names as Princeton, Yale, and Vassar. The entrance to Prince William Sound is very close to the Port of Whittier. Also nearby is Portage Glacier, sometimes partially visible from the road and railway en route to the port, or via a cool up-close-and-personal excursion.

The Alaska cruise booking wave is well underway. Is this your year to finally get there? Check out more of our photographic memories from our most recent Alaska cruisetour!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Alaska Part 1

Alaska remains among the most desired of all cruise destinations. Majestic mountains, icy blue glaciers, coveted wildlife sightings, and incredible beauty at every turn. Ben and I love the area so much that we've already visited four times, either on a cruise, land tour, or both.

For 2010, most cruise lines pulled at least one ship from Alaska. Factors were complicated and a bit controversial. In 2006 Alaska voted in a $50 per person head tax for every visitor arriving by cruise ship. Cruise lines, of course, passed the fees on to passengers, interpreted by some as "Thank you for visiting us and spending money here. Now pay us more!"

Most of the money ($46) was supposed to help spiff up port facilities and other infrastructure impacted by the thousands of summer visitors, with the remainder going toward environmental control. In response last September, the Alaska Cruise Association filed a complaint in the US District Court in Alaska seeking a $46 relief for passengers who were already contributing to the economy there. We don't yet know the outcome.

Then, of course, came the economic downturn. Whether the slower-than-usual 2009 Alaska season was due to the extra $50 tax or to the economy in general is anyone's guess. Regardless, the end result was the ship pullout, fewer available berths, and somewhat higher rates for the 2010 season. All is not lost, however, if you book early for the best rates, best cabin choices, and your preferred dining time. Remember, when ships fill up, prices usually head up, too.

Does this mean you should delay YOUR dream cruise to Alaska? Absolutely not! Who's to know what the morrow will bring, as they say, so now is the time to lock in those rates.

What are our favorite things about Alaska? Where to begin? Heading into Glacier Bay National Park or to the Hubbard Glacier area and listening as chunks of ice calve off into the sea; eating salmon cooked over an open alder wood flame; boarding a whale watching excursion to follow a humpback's trail; soaring in a flight plane through the Misty Fjords (on a sunny day with no mist in sight); and walking up Creek Street in Ketchikan to browse the shops and buy another bag of Raven's Brew Wicked Wolf coffee.

And in the interior of Alaska? How about watching out the window of our train as Denali Park's glorious Mt. McKinley comes into view around the corner or boarding the River Boat Discovery for a lazy cruise down the Chena and Tanana Rivers to learn more about the Athabaskan Indians and those famed Alaskan Huskies.

Next week I'll write more about the cities and glaciers along the way.

Check out more of Ben's photos here!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Wave Season Promotions

Wave season is here, and cruise line deals abound. Promotions can be linked to specific sailing dates, to a simple booking window, or to a certain type itinerary or cabin category. Here is just a sampling of current specials:

• Book a Royal Caribbean or Celebrity Alaska cruisetour by Jan. 31 and receive $200 in onboard credit (select sailings, but the list is long)
• Book a cabin on the NCL Epic for one of her Eastern or Western Caribbean itineraries this summer (her inaugural season) by January 17 and get up to a 6-category upgrade and a 50% reduced deposit. Remember, our agency’s national conference will be held on this amazing ship in October. Beat us onboard one these Eastern or Western itineraries, and we’ll throw in $100 in onboard credit!
• Book a Royal Caribbean or Celebrity cruise by Jan. 28 from a long list of select itineraries and receive up to $300 in onboard credit, plus a reduced deposit.

We know how discouraging it can be to call about an advertised promotion, only to learn your preferred sailing date doesn't apply. The most common reality check? Learning that that advertised "from $399" cruise rate applies to a date in the fall, when rates are always lower, and not to summer or holidays, when you'll pay premium prices. Or, as a client recently learned, these numerous current promotions apply to 2010 sailings and not 2011. In the latter case, however, clients should not worry! Most cruise lines honor lowered rates for already booked passengers before final payment. For instance, we have clients who sail on Royal Caribbean each year and always book a future cruise while onboard to take advantage of onboard credit offers. Before they actually sail, a past passenger or senior promo pops up (or both!), or rates are generally reduced, and they end up getting a lower rate while keeping the onboard credit. You really cannot lose!

So, we always advise our clients to book early. Don't think that by waiting for a potential "better deal," you'll save money. You're more likely to get your preferred cabin type and location, not to mention your favorite dining time choice, by securing that reservation now, and not later. Don’t gamble on last minute pricing! And if you must fly to your embarkation port, add another reason to book early. Fewer flights mean fewer seats and maybe more complicated connections!

Now, it's true that sometimes cruise lines offer certain types of promotions at the last minute (within the final 90 days) that apply to new bookings only. In this case, they may not reduce the price of previously booked cabins. However, the airfare to get you to the port usually negates any savings you may have reaped. For instance, Holland America's "Flash Specials" through January 17 feature Australia/South Pacific and South America sailings departing March 14 at reduced rates. Great deals if your schedule is flexible, and we can secure flights/seats this late. On the flip side, there are also some great rates for 7 to 9 day Mexican Riviera and Caribbean itineraries sailing in March, which might prove an easier addition to the calendar.

You'll notice that Carnival Cruise Line is not included in the promotions list. That's mainly because of CCL's new Early Saver Program that offers sailings at enticingly lower rates when booked at least 120 days from the sailing date. Buyer beware, however! With the ESP, deposits are non-refundable and non-transferrable, and name changes are not allowed. If you cancel the booking, CCL will hold your deposit in-house for up to a year, but you will be charged a $50 per person service fee. Bottom line, it's a great deal as long as you are SURE the people you are booking into a cabin will actually sail. Of course, if you purchase travel protection insurance and cancel for a health related reason, the insurance company will refund your money. Please, please--when booking under the ESP rate, buy the insurance!

Do all of these in's and out's make you realize how complicated booking a cruise can be? Book through an experienced cruise agent and let a professional take good care of you. Translation: call or email us any time!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Happy New Year!

I hope all of you had an enjoyable holiday season! Down time can be a good thing for all of us, especially when coupled with the opportunity to visit with family and friends. Today's post will be brief, with just a heads-up about the upcoming "wave season"--that traditional heavy booking period when many cruise lines offer discounts and/or onboard credit on select itineraries to rev up cabin sales. The key word, of course, is "select." If you can manage some flexibility in your travel dates, you will likely have access to a broader range of offers. Most of these offers through Cruises Inc. don't begin until January 7, however, so start thinking where you might want to sail in 2010 and prepare to book while the best cabins are still available. I'll be discussing some of these offers in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, Ben has posted his photos from our two-night inaugural on the Oasis of the Seas: http://picasaweb.google.com/bcatcruise/OasisOfTheSeasPreInaugural2224Nov2009#. Enjoy!