There's no place like "Homer"... If you like getting overcharged

[alpal1993]

If you all only knew how much we have sacrificed to do this trip!I am so proud of myself and DH for being able to save for this trip.It started out as saving to go to Europe,but we just couldn't pull it off.When one day I was lurking on the Alaksa Board and this itinerary came up.I checked the airfare and Delta had fare of 291 pp R/T and the rest is history.This is the first time we haven't used one credit card.The hardest part was saving for the on board ship charge.Heres hoping we can get most of it back ,as we have prepaid most of our tours and drinks.We are so excited to be visiting Kodiak and Homer as well as porting in Anchorage and getting a second chance to see this City we enjoyed visiting for such a short period on our last cruise.

I will write a review when I get back.So far wehaven't heard a word from any of the May 31 Amsterdam cruisers

[CherylsCaribbeanTravel]

You are so totally wrong about everything you posted. I am a part time Homer resident-in fact, I am in Homer now working in our fish shipping business.

 

The Chamber of Commerce had NOTHING to do with the shuttles other than maybe some guidance and co-ordination with the City of Homer. They are actually being run by the local travel agent, Homer Tours. Shelly had to rent the buses from the school district, provide BIG TIME liability insurance (something like $5,000,000 per passenger), pay all the drivers, maintenance and fuel. Just the insurance alone was something like $20,000 for the few days the buses were going to be used. I am in the international logistics business. We own a lot of semi trucks. Even our $1,000,000 worth of liability insurance costs us over $6,000 per year PER TRUCK and we are NOT carrying passengers, which is much more expensive. And we have an entire year to recoup the costs, not just a few days.

 

You could have called the Homer taxi OR rented a car for the day-Adventure Alaska Car Rentals had rental cars for $45 per day and up. Or I guess you could have walked.

 

Any other complaints about the shuttle should be taken up with HAL. Why blame a very small town when you have NO IDEA what you are talking about???

 

Greatam has brought up the point that I believe to be at the root of the real problem here. Despite some of the very polarized opinions shared in this thread, I would hope that we can all agree that if it is anyone, it is the insurance companies who are extorting visitors to Homer.

 

Perhaps pointing displeasure toward insurance companies, rather than each other, might actually be a better use of time.

 

I'm looking forward to Homer :)

 

Cheryl :)

[PennyAgain]

The further away to the north you go in Alaska the higher the gas prices are. One guy posted that he didn't like the gas prices in the area of Denali so didn't buy and almost ran out of gas before he found another chance to buy gas.

 

You pay what you have to pay for gas or walk.

[greatam]

Greatam has brought up the point that I believe to be at the root of the real problem here. Despite some of the very polarized opinions shared in this thread, I would hope that we can all agree that if it is anyone, it is the insurance companies who are extorting visitors to Homer.

 

Perhaps pointing displeasure toward insurance companies, rather than each other, might actually be a better use of time.

 

I'm looking forward to Homer :)

 

Cheryl :)

 

Please tell my insurance company that each one of my 35 semis SHOULD NOT have to pay $6000 per year for liability insurance alone. That's over 2 MILLION a year I pay for insurance JUST for public liability.

 

The astronomical costs have NOTHING to do with the insurance companies. I don't want to get into a political discussion as I am enjoying my BBQ out my back door on the beach BUT-next time you vote for a liberal candidate who has full backing from the Tort Attorneys/Litigation attorneys, think about your post. Think about how many times tort reform has been voted down.

 

The large insurance policy was requested in Homer BECAUSE the school district owns the buses and IF there was an accident, the school district and THE HOMER TAXPAYERS would have been on the hook to pay if the insurance didn't cover the costs of a lawsuit. THAT'S not fair to those who live here full time or part time.

 

Sue AND WIN $4,000,000 because your leg got burned with Mickey D's coffee, even though it was marked HOT!!! Sue for $20,000,000 when you get seriously injured in a shore excursion. Speak to the tort attorneys BEFORE you blame the insurance companies. The attorneys get rich and the rest of us are left to suffer,

 

PS-I am a non practicing transportation attorney.

[greatam]

Please tell my insurance company that each one of my 35 semis SHOULD NOT have to pay $6000 per year for liability insurance alone. That's over 2 MILLION a year I pay for insurance JUST for public liability.

 

The astronomical costs have NOTHING to do with the insurance companies. I don't want to get into a political discussion as I am enjoying my BBQ out my back door on the beach BUT-next time you vote for a liberal candidate who has full backing from the Tort Attorneys/Litigation attorneys, think about your post. Think about how many times tort reform has been voted down.

 

The large insurance policy was requested in Homer BECAUSE the school district owns the buses and IF there was an accident, the school district and THE HOMER TAXPAYERS would have been on the hook to pay if the insurance didn't cover the costs of a lawsuit. THAT'S not fair to those who live here full time or part time.

 

Sue AND WIN $4,000,000 because your leg got burned with Mickey D's coffee, even though it was marked HOT!!! Sue for $20,000,000 when you get seriously injured in a shore excursion. Speak to the tort attorneys BEFORE you blame the insurance companies. The attorneys get rich and the rest of us are left to suffer,

 

PS-I am a non practicing transportation attorney.

 

Sorry about the figures-didn't mean to mislead. Actual public liability costs are a little over $300,000 per year and with general liability, collision, reefer breakdown, cargo coverage, work comp, real estate coverage for our 3 warehouses-the total cost for ALL insurance is right at 2 MIL.

[Adri204]

That's is high from what we are paying. $2.83

 

Maria

 

 

Your right it is high. But its worth it for me to live in my beatiful state and pay these prices,

 

Adri :)

[geocruiser]

Adri204,

 

Your state is very beautiful. I did take a cruise there once. I would love to come back again. I am still reading books about the gold rush days.

 

Maria

[Adri204]

Adri204,

 

Your state is very beautiful. I did take a cruise there once. I would love to come back again. I am still reading books about the gold rush days.

 

Maria

 

 

Hi Maria thank you very much. I love love it here and the gold rush days was an interesting time in our history. My mother is from Nome so she grew up hearing all about that and I love all the stories and things ive heard. That was a very interesting time in our state,

 

Adri :)

[ddmo]

I like the idea of renting bikes to bike out to the Spit? Who do you rent from? What do you plan to do in Kodiak?

[geocruiser]

Adri204,

 

I also did some reading about the role of women during the Gold Rush. It made Creek Street come alive while I was there. Was it in Nome where the gold dust was in the beach sand?

 

Maria

[Assateague Island Princes]

We rented electric bikes from a shop that was located about 3 doors down from where HAL's shuttle to the Spit dropped us off (at the Salty Dawg). The cost was so reasonable - $10.00 per hour or (I think) $25.00 for the whole day - for the electric bikes. The cost for regular bikes was $5.00 per hour. We had a blast on those electric bikes - they go up to 19 mph, and have baskets on the back and front to carry back packs or your purchases. Really easy to get up and down the Spit, and even into town if you want to. Recommend it highly!

[Adri204]

Adri204,

 

I also did some reading about the role of women during the Gold Rush. It made Creek Street come alive while I was there. Was it in Nome where the gold dust was in the beach sand?

 

Maria

 

Maria, Thier was a bit of gold dust on the beach and my mom remembers even when she was growing up in Nome. She and her friends would go and look for little gold flecks that would wash up on the beach. It was one of her best memories growing up thier.

 

Adri :)

[geocruiser]

Panning for gold in Nome. I wish I could try it. It is nice that your mon has these memories

 

http://www.visitnomealaska.com/nome-gold-dredging.html

 

Maria