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kzengineer

By kzengineer,
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kzengineer

kzengineer

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Hi everyone!

My husband and I would like to go on a cruise this summer. We have about $3000 for the room and travel. I really don't care where we go. I just want to go somewhere where someone brings me drinks and there aren't kids crawling all over me. lol My ideal would be Alaska, but I really don't care. How do I go about getting the best deal? Our travel can be anywhere between mid-June to mid-August. Am I better off waiting a bit to get a good deal? I cruised about 7 years ago on NCL to the Mexican Riveria, but my mom organized and payed for it. Any suggestions are more than welcome! Thanks!

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Clarea

Clarea

Posted
Posted (edited)
Hi everyone!

My husband and I would like to go on a cruise this summer. We have about $3000 for the room and travel. I really don't care where we go. I just want to go somewhere where someone brings me drinks and there aren't kids crawling all over me. lol My ideal would be Alaska, but I really don't care. How do I go about getting the best deal? Our travel can be anywhere between mid-June to mid-August. Am I better off waiting a bit to get a good deal? I cruised about 7 years ago on NCL to the Mexican Riveria, but my mom organized and payed for it. Any suggestions are more than welcome! Thanks!

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

If you are set on Alaska, I suggest you consider Princess and Holland. Probably fewer kids than Royal Caribbean.

 

I would engage a good travel agent who knows the ins and outs of cruising. They can help you find the most cost effective accomodations. Unfortunatlely, we are not allowed to recommend specific travel agents, so we cannot help there. I would talk to friends for referrals.

Edited by clarea
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Piccolopower

Piccolopower

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Hi kzengineer:

 

You have come to the right place for advice - there are literally thousands of helpful Cruise Critics here.

 

I have planned all the cruises that you see in my signature. Only one was with a local travel agent who happened to have "group space" for Alaska. My advice for you is to take this process in steps. Step one is to truly choose where you want to go. There are numerous online travel agents who have easy "search" engines that will help you initially. Do a search for each area you are interested in. Then select, usually in the upper right corner, sort by price. Some engines allow you to sort by price per day (my favorite). Your engine will show you the name of the ship, the dates of sailing, and the number of days. Remember that some engines will not show the total with tax - a number which can be very high. Keep clicking through as if you are reserving - (until you put a deposit down, you won't be buying anything). In addition, remember to account for any Visas if you decide to go overseas. If you need to keep costs down, be sure and do some sample air travel itineraries - I am always amazed how summer air costs are so much more expensive than off-season.

 

After you establish your top three choices, hop over to Cruise Critic and read the ship review AND the recent cruiser reviews. Go to the websites of your short list and view the ships - some have beautiful 360 degree virtual tours.

 

Another thing you will want to consider is the type of room. Personally I like inside cabins - we find that the inside of the ship gets to port at the same time as the suites. We are never in our room. However, we also are fussy about which room we are in. (Quiet is good) The companies will sell the rooms two ways: select a specific room, or take a category guarantee. People who are not fussy about their rooms can save some money with a category guarantee, but upgrades on a cruise may or may not be "nicer". I personally select my room and tell the cruise line "no upgrades please". There are websites available that will advise you about favored cruise cabins as well. Google the Category/Cabin number and cruise line that you like, and they will pop right up with recommendations.

 

Addressing your question about whether to wait to book: Since you are in the United States, you can put a fully refundable deposit on the cruise of your choice, and continue to look for specials and deals. This way if you see a particular room that speaks to you, grab it! If the price goes down (they do fluctuate) simply call your travel agent for an adjustment. It isn't like booking airline travel - you can monitor the prices and get these adjustments until the final payment date. Sometimes I even get adjustments after final payment - usually in the form of courtesy on-board credit. Just pay close attention in the fine print of the date that the deposit becomes nonrefundable - each line is different.

 

Unless your travel agent has group space, the prices will typically be the same everywhere. The thing that differs are the "goodies" that the travel agents offer. I've seen promos with 10% of the cruise price in OBC, free meals, free wine, free wifi, all sorts of things. Just remember, some online travel agents charge a booking fee!! (watch for that) Typically the cruise lines themselves do not have as many goodies, but they offer peace of mind and a direct line for information. I personally shop for the goodies - in fact, we own Carnival Corp stock to get a stockholders benefit OBC for every cruise.

 

Feel free to send me a personal message if you want more specifics - our hands are a bit tied here - we cannot mention specific companies in the forum.

 

Sheila

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Keith1010 "Live from...." Rare

Keith1010

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I would not wait because Alaska continues to be very popular and in the end pricing comes down to supply and demand. Also if you wait the lower price rooms tend to go fast so they will likely not have any of the category you desire.

 

I would look at doing a seven day Alaska Cruise and this would be a R/T cruise either out of Seattle or Vancouver.

 

The Alaska Ports Of Call Board can be very useful for information on what to do in each port.

 

I would look at Celebrity, Princess, HAL and NCL. There are others but this can get overwhelming.

 

Go to each of their web sites and start to look at their pricing.

 

Try to narrow it down to a couple of choices.

 

See if you have a friend who has a Travel Agent that they recommend and then speak with them. Often they can get you some additional amenities such as on board credit that you can't get from the cruise line.

 

Keith

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Host Jazzbeau Great Review Rare

Host Jazzbeau

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You said you're not fussy about the cruise, but if you go to Alaska you should go for the best itinerary and ship if you can afford it. IMHO that means Coral Princess Voyage of the Glaciers Southbound from Anchorage (Whittier) to Vancouver. Coral Princess is an excellent ship for Alaska because it has many public viewing areas on multiple decks (there are no aft balconies -- they are all public spaces), and this itinerary includes both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier so you get the best of what makes Alaska unique. Prices are very soft right now -- e.g. you can get any Inside cabin on the July 30 sailing for $1,149 per person.

Edited by Host Jazzbeau
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runawaysoul

runawaysoul

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Google up American Society of Travel Agents. Find the one the top 3 agents that have the best reviews. There, a way to recommend a travel agent without actually recommending a travel agent. ;) If you want to go on Carnival to Alaska, August looks to be your best bet for prices. What PiccoloPower mentioned above is pretty much how I do it!

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jpcello

jpcello

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Posted
Hi everyone!

My husband and I would like to go on a cruise this summer. We have about $3000 for the room and travel. I really don't care where we go. I just want to go somewhere where someone brings me drinks and there aren't kids crawling all over me. lol My ideal would be Alaska, but I really don't care. How do I go about getting the best deal? Our travel can be anywhere between mid-June to mid-August. Am I better off waiting a bit to get a good deal? I cruised about 7 years ago on NCL to the Mexican Riveria, but my mom organized and payed for it. Any suggestions are more than welcome! Thanks!

 

I see you're in WV. Going from WV to the NW for an Alaska cruise for $3000 for 2 is going to be really tight. Don't get me wrong - Alaska is awesome, but have you considered some cruises from the East Coast that you can drive to (New York, Baltimore, Boston). I believe most of the lines (NCL, Royal, Celebrity, Carnival, Holland) cruise from those cities. My sister and I did Bermuda on NCL from NY last summer. You would get more bang for your buck if you don't have to get on a plane.

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SetU2

SetU2

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Pricing is best when cruises are first released and again near the end. This can off course be modified with low demand but not often in Alaska. If you do not want kids, you have picked a tough time as they are out of school. Best time to avoid them is just after Labor Day. Parent will take kids out for a vacation but not as much one they have just started back up. For Alaska that is the shoulder season, or near the end and these are typically discounted. Drawback is it is one of the rainier months and can begin to get cold. Not that Alaska isn't fairly unpredictable anytime.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

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OCruisers

OCruisers

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Thank you all for your advice! I really appreciate it! I am really excited to research it all! I will look into a travel agent that I can sit down with. I hope to talk to you all more as we start the planning process through after the cruise!

 

So glad you're going to find a travel agent. A good travel agent who specializes in cruising will be of such a great help to you! :)

 

For an Alaskan cruise, I strongly recommend either Princess or Holland America. Both of those lines have been doing Alaska for a very long time and enjoy an excellent reputation of providing great Alaskan cruises.

 

LuLu

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Host Walt

Host Walt

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Feel free to send me a personal message if you want more specifics - our hands are a bit tied here - we cannot mention specific companies in the forum.

 

Do you mind if I send a PM? I have questions about TAs...

 

Also, not sure HOW to send a PM on here! :confused: :)

Reminder. Our guidelines regarding Travel Agents:

 

"...This means you should not ask about someone's travel agent, nor should you respond in kind. Offering to email someone your travel agent's name or info is also not allowed, nor is asking members to email you for the information."

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4x4bob

4x4bob

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I would like to suggest that you look at East Coast departures for you cruise with your budget set at $3,000.00. Because, flying out to the West coast and back is going to eat up a large part of your budget.

 

Just for an example. If you spend 50% on air fare you really don't have 50% left to spend on the cruise.

 

You will have other expenses that you have to deduct from the remainder. Such as cab rides to from airport. Possible Hotel bill if you fly in a day early, meals, tours in port, bar bill, ship board activities, etc.

 

Our last cruise we flew from West Coast to New York and back. The flight cost more than the cabin we selected.

 

As other suggested and you seem to agree, researching is your best friend when it comes to going on a cruise.

 

Bob

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kzengineer

kzengineer

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I liked that idea of the NYC to Bermuda cruise. I am going to keep researching this option as well as a one way Alaska cruise. My budget would be a lot tighter for Alaska, I think if I can stretch it a bit, and we are ok with an inside cabin we may be able to pull it off, I want to get the cabin and air fare to the cruise for $3000-3500, that way we have a bit left for the cruise itself.

 

All of the information is very helpful and I am looking forward to experiencing this community more. Thanks Again!!!

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Cruisin' Chick

Cruisin' Chick

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Thank you all for your advice! I really appreciate it! I am really excited to research it all! I will look into a travel agent that I can sit down with. I hope to talk to you all more as we start the planning process through after the cruise!

 

I think it's a good idea to sit down with a brick and mortar TA, rather than an online company, as it's your first cruise and online companies are more for those who don't need hand holding (which applies to not only newbies, but many experienced cruisers who have found TAs they find helpful).

 

The TA won't charge for his/her services.

 

And I agree with the suggestion of booking your own flights (the TA can also do this for you) but not through the cruise line as that can be problematic. Always make sure to book your arrival at least a day before your cruise. This is incredibly important for any northern bound Alaskan cruise that starts in Vancouver (if you don't get on the ship on the first day, you won't be allowed to board in a future port).

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kimlovesfl

kimlovesfl

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You said you're not fussy about the cruise, but if you go to Alaska you should go for the best itinerary and ship if you can afford it. IMHO that means Coral Princess Voyage of the Glaciers Southbound from Anchorage (Whittier) to Vancouver. Coral Princess is an excellent ship for Alaska because it has many public viewing areas on multiple decks (there are no aft balconies -- they are all public spaces), and this itinerary includes both Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier so you get the best of what makes Alaska unique. Prices are very soft right now -- e.g. you can get any Inside cabin on the July 30 sailing for $1,149 per person.

 

Don't you think that with Alaska being a cruise for scenery, at least an oceanview would be preferable? I and the DH are claustrophobic, so we would never do an inside, and I understand that they suit others just fine. But Alaska is so beautiful (or so I've heard), that it would seem a shame to not be able to see it every chance you get.

 

Thanks for the info on why you recommend that particular cruise and ship. I am thinking of Alaska in 2018, would definitely use Princess, but beyond that, have no idea which ship or itinerary would be best.

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Clarea

Clarea

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Don't you think that with Alaska being a cruise for scenery, at least an oceanview would be preferable? I and the DH are claustrophobic, so we would never do an inside, and I understand that they suit others just fine. But Alaska is so beautiful (or so I've heard), that it would seem a shame to not be able to see it every chance you get.

 

Thanks for the info on why you recommend that particular cruise and ship. I am thinking of Alaska in 2018, would definitely use Princess, but beyond that, have no idea which ship or itinerary would be best.

If the difference in cost between an inside and an oceanview is minimal to you, then I'd do the oceanview. However, even with a balcony, we found ourselves wanting to see more, so were out on deck or in public lounges with 360 degree views. The visuals on this cruise are all around and stunning.

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champagne123

champagne123

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Thanks again all! We are about to pull the trigger on the Celebrity Summit to Bermuda on July 31. Alaska will have to wait until next time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Yipeeeee. You took my suggestion!!!! You are going to LOVE Bermuda and you are going to LOVE the Summit. Any tips or questions, feel free to ask. We have been to Bermuda many times. Best Island ever.:):):) PS> Alaska is on our bucket list also...but not until after retirement. This way we can spend extra time on the West Coast..on top of the cruise. :)

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