Saving on airfare for cruises to Alaska
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While a balcony is not a requirement on an Alaska cruise, there’s no denying a balcony cabin is nicer than an interior cabin on such a scenic itinerary. If you booked an interior or oceanview cabin for your 2024 Alaska cruise, consider upgrading to a balcony before your sail date. Because you will arrive in your embarkation city the night before your cruise, remember to book your hotel stay sooner rather than later. When booking a hotel in Seattle or Vancouver (or Anchorage/Seward for one-way itineraries), you will want to book a hotel in a convenient location. Therefore, booking a flight too early in the day could cause you to miss the flight if you encounter delays. Stressing over making it to the airport in time is not worth it; instead, the general rule of thumb is to avoid booking flights before noon.
Shore Excursions
What we'll likely do as a hedge is book one-way car rentals to and from Seattle and Vancouver. Hopefully, with the train coming back online and the relevant child and other discounts, our ground transportation prices will get a little lower, but at least we know it shouldn't get worse than that. With that in mind, we recently booked a big, expensive, two-cabin cruise to Alaska for the summer of 2023. The trip will include not only my kids, who will somehow already be 13 and 8 next summer, but also my parents. This includes my dad, who at 74 years young by next summer has never sailed — and likely won't other than on this one, big trip.
Readers recommend booking your own flights when cruising - Roanoke Times
Readers recommend booking your own flights when cruising.
Posted: Tue, 22 Aug 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Reserve entertainment ahead of time, and stick to shows early in the week
The best way for nature lovers in search of rustic elegance to experience Denali and the heart of Alaska's wilderness. We have sent thousands of travel enthusiasts to ALASKA on cruise and cruise-tour vacations... You’ll need your rest between adventures, which is why Royal Caribbean® overnights in the best accommodations in the heart of every destination. Transportation by deluxe motor coach and in the luxury glass-domed railcars of the Wilderness Express is also included, so you can travel in comfort on your way to each new experience.
Ponant Includes Airfare on Select 2024 Alaska Itineraries - Cruise Industry News
Ponant Includes Airfare on Select 2024 Alaska Itineraries.
Posted: Tue, 09 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Explore Alaska
Not only do both of these cities offer breathtaking natural scenery, but they boast an impressive amount of things to do within the city, too. Regardless of where your cruise starts and ends, it’s always better to plan transportation logistics ahead of time to avoid any surprises and confusion upon arrival. If your cruise ends in Seward, you’ll want to schedule even more time to catch your flight, as it takes several hours to get to Anchorage from Seward.
This is Last Frontier pioneering with the cruise line voted Best Overall by Travel Weekly readers for 20 years running. The Koningsdam boasts 912 balconied accommodations, which means 69% of the ship has rooms with a private veranda view. You’ll also find massage showerheads, magnifying mirrors, terry bathrobes, Egyptian cotton towels, Elemis luxury bath products, and fresh fruit (upon request) in your stateroom.
Explore Denali National Park on an Alaska land and sea package
The package includes the cost of your hotel stay, transportation, luggage handling and the services of the representative. Lindblad Expeditions has long been a pioneer in Alaska small ship cruising and with its National Geographic credentials, it's a favorite of those who enjoy having access to world-class photographers onboard. All shore excursions and sightseeing entrance prices are included in your fare, as are all the onboard activities and presentations. The line gives passengers free Wi-Fi; beer, wine and soft drinks at lunch and dinner; specialty coffees and bottled water; and a complimentary shore excursion in every port.
Ports of Call in Alaska/Canada
To ensure you don’t miss out, consider booking a later dinner time, or simply eat dinner elsewhere on the nights the sailaway overlaps with your dining time. The Windjammer buffet can be an excellent place to enjoy dinner in Alaska, as the buffet has floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the venue, in addition to outdoor seating on select ships. Search for shore excursions on websites like GetYourGuide.com and ShoreExcursionsGroup.com, and compare them to what you see on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner. If prices are lower, or if there’s availability on a tour that’s sold out on the Cruise Planner, there’s no harm in booking through a third party. Extend your Alaska cruise vacation, and simplify your travel plans with a hotel stay at the beginning or end of your cruise. With a Cruise Plus Hotel Package, a Princess representative meets you at the airport and pier, transporting you to and from your hotel.
GLACIERS WILL MOVE YOU
Cheap cruises are never a guarantee, but one trend we have noticed in the past few years is that Alaska cruises in the shoulder season are often heavily discounted at the last minute. One of our favorite “tricks” when planning an Alaska cruise on Royal Caribbean is to take advantage of cheap last-minute sailings. One of my favorite aspects of cruising to Alaska is the pre-cruise stay in Seattle or Vancouver.
Alaska Private Touring
The Harriman Expedition discovered College Fjord in 1899 and named the towering glaciers after the great East Coast universities of the United States, like the Harvard Glacier. With the largest collection of tidewater glaciers in the world, your scenic Alaska cruise through the fjord will make a lasting memory. On our family Alaska cruise, we created lifetime memories by sharing glacier spotting, dog sledding, flightseeing and other adventures with our teens.
The Discovery Princess had her naming ceremony in April of 2022, so she’s a brand-new addition to the line’s fleet. There’s plenty to do on board, too, including making use of the two swimming pools, five whirlpools, and Dr. Andrew Weil's spa and wellness program. Not to mention a card room, casino, library, observation bar, and beauty salon. You’ll never feel nickeled and dimed on American Queen Voyages because everything you want—from guided tours to drinks—is already included in the price. Between the gentle rocking of the ship and the Ultra Tranquility Bed, you’re sure to sleep like a baby.
Cross Alaska’s massive ice shelves, crystal fjords, and fascinating marine wildlife off your bucket list with itineraries that conveniently depart from Seattle and Vancouver. Enjoy perks such as privileged access to Glacier Bay National Park and prime docking locations that give you a head start on sightseeing. We've done that roughly three-hour drive before to go skiing in Whistler, British Columbia, and it wasn't too bad, even with the border crossing. But, with a weeklong cruise, you do need to get creative so that you aren't paying for a rental and parking for days that you are at sea and aren't using it. You need to also factor in the cost, time and hassle of getting from Seattle to the port in Vancouver when making your decision. But quickly cutting airfare costs for five people by up to half by flying to Seattle instead of Vancouver frees up some room and tolerance for those factors.
The big city also boasts Alaska’s biggest and most diverse dining scene, from great burger joints and craft breweries to classic steakhouses and cosmopolitan cuisine. Sink into refreshed suites and a new lounge, plus dining and entertainment venues. Take in Alaska’s evergreen fjords and thunderous glaciers on this Vista-class Alaska cruise ship.
Our most picturesque tour of Denali and the Alaska wilderness featuring rarely seen vistas, spectacular mountain passes and glaciers galore. This tour offers abundant marine wildlife viewing opportunities during the day boat cruise across Prince William Sound. From North America's tallest peak, Denali, to the stunning coastal route of the Inside Passage, Alaska is one of the most breathtaking natural landscapes on Earth.
Several cruise lines in Alaska are considered "premium," meaning that they have some amenities included in their fare but not all. Luxury cruise lines tend to have the most inclusions in their fares -- and those fares can be steep. It's worth taking a look at exactly what you're getting and doing some comparison shopping to make sure you're spending for the things you really want.
All passengers regardless of their home country, citizenship or country of residency are responsible for obtaining the proper documentation for travel. This includes passports and visas for any country they may visit during their trip. Go back in time to the Klondike Gold Rush on cruises to Skagway, Alaska, once the primary gateway to the goldfields. Examples of some cruise lines that depart from Vancouver include Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Silversea, Holland America and our chosen line, Disney. Because of complex laws and regulations, cruises that sail from Seattle still have to make a stop in Canada, but that's a tale for a different story. But even if you don’t get one (they are more expensive), you will have plenty of opportunity to see the scenery.
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