21-Day Ultimate Alaska & Pacific Northwest Adventurer

[VacationCharlene]

Hi All!  We have enjoyed the 14 day Alaska Explorer with Hal a few times.  Saw the 21-Day Ultimate Alaska & Pacific Northwest Adventurer and VERY interested BUT saw that it is ONLY available this May and June 2019.  It is roundtrip from San Francisco.  Does anybody know WHY it is not being offered for 2020??  THANKS...this is the place peeps will know

[dchip]

After the June 18th cruise, the Maasdam is heading back to Alaska on the way to Japan. That may be why there are only 3 cruises offered. We are thrilled to be on the June 18th cruise which is our 53rd wedding anniversary. 💖

 

Cheers, Denise

[oaktreerb]

I’ve been watching these cruises for a year.  The prices have come down so that they are actually cheaper than the 14 day on the Amsterdam.  The Maasdam is an EXC cruise which is a new concept with HAL.  21 days is a long cruise for Alaska so maybe that’s why it seems to not be selling well.  HAL seems to be looking at the EXC concept for the 14 day next year and sailing from Vancouver..

 

HAL also has a weird way of marketing this year.  There is the website which is not user friendly and they are selling guarantees at a very favorable price as compared to choosing your cabin.  I finally booked the May 28 on a Vista Suite guarantee.   I wouldn't book a guarantee in any lower category.  Because of the guarantees it’s hard to judge how many cabins are sold.

Edited April 15, 2019 by oaktreerb

[kwb101]

Given that prices (at least on the first one) have dropped considerably, I suspect that they're not very popular. It may will be the length or the time of year. I'll be in the first one,  and, when I called about another price drop, got a cabin upgrade, OBC, and future cruise credit...all at no charge, very generous.

Other possible problems are HAL's fiddling with the itinerary (removing two ports, and only having two of three big ports (Anchorage, Vancouver, or Victoria) on any itinerary, and, being an EXC voyage, cutting stage productions in favor of talks and other educational content (yay!). Hope this makes sense. 

[VacationCharlene]

THANKS for the replies.  I am still not convinced it would not sell well.  There are a lot of people who enjoy the longer cruises and also love Alaska.  We are a pair of those people who love going to different ports in Alaska.  This one looked great.  Any other people have any ideas why it is not being offered in 2020.  THANKS

[oaktreerb]

New itineraries take a while to be accepted.  The first year the 14 day rt cruise from Seattle that actually went up the inside passage to Anchorage was not a hot seller.  I was on it.  There were a lot of cabins that were offered by a TA after final payment for a very nice rate in order to fill the ship.  We met many of those travelers at dinner!

 

Once people started raving about the 14 day cruise, sales improved, and it sells really well.  HAL did not have the patience to wait for this new 21 day itinerary to catch on.

 

I also wonder if your typical HAL cruiser is interested in an EXC cruise.   We’ll see as the trip reports come in!

[dchip]

21 hours ago, kwb101 said:

I'll be in the first one,  and, when I called about another price drop, got a cabin upgrade, OBC, and future cruise credit...all at no charge, very generous

 

Lucky you! 🤗 We got sorry, too bad, too sad. You win some and you lose some. This price drop is a hard one to swallow but we are excited about the cruise. This type of cruising really appeals to us. It will be cruise #5 to Alaska. 

 

Cheers, Denise 

[oaktreerb]

6 hours ago, VacationingCharlene said:

THANKS for the replies.  I am still not convinced it would not sell well.  There are a lot of people who enjoy the longer cruises and also love Alaska.  We are a pair of those people who love going to different ports in Alaska.  This one looked great.  Any other people have any ideas why it is not being offered in 2020.  THANKS

Can you go this year?  They aren’t sold out...prices are very competitive!  Each itinerary is unique.  Should be fun!

[luv2cruisenz]

On 4/15/2019 at 10:44 AM, VacationingCharlene said:

Hi All!  We have enjoyed the 14 day Alaska Explorer with Hal a few times.  Saw the 21-Day Ultimate Alaska & Pacific Northwest Adventurer and VERY interested BUT saw that it is ONLY available this May and June 2019.  It is roundtrip from San Francisco.  Does anybody know WHY it is not being offered for 2020??  THANKS...this is the place peeps will know

I am also disappointed they are not offering this in 2020 as I've wanted to go back to Alaska but with new & different stops. I am also keen to try the EXC experience as prefer the exploration speakers to the port talks. We want to book the 14 day Alaska on the Maasdam instead for next year on  May 4. We actually want to join it in San Diego on 27 April on the Pacific Coastal then carry on to Alaska but it is not offered as a Collectors voyage so will have to buy as 2 separate cruises .so I guess that will cost more!

Edited April 15, 2019 by luv2cruisenz

[dchip]

On 4/14/2019 at 5:16 PM, kwb101 said:

Got a cabin upgrade, OBC, and future cruise credit...all at no charge, very generous.

 

THANKS KWB101, 

 

Yesterday our TA was told too bad, so sad. She called back today and we also got a cabin upgrade, OBC and FCC. What a difference a day makes. 🤗

 

Cheers, Denise 

[kwb101]

1 hour ago, dchip said:

 

THANKS KWB101, 

 

Yesterday our TA was told too bad, so sad. She called back today and we also got a cabin upgrade, OBC and FCC. What a difference a day makes. 🤗

 

Cheers, Denise 

:) Glad it worked out! I called about three weeks ago, and spent over 90 minutes with a very nice TA from our big-box warehouse (tial time was about two hours, including hold time). She was on the line with someone from HAL most of the time, and, while not quick, was certainly painless, and with a happy ending.

One thing I did learn: HAL central doesn't open until 0700 Pacific time, so don't call too early if you think they'll have to be involved in your dealings with your TA.

See you onboard! 

[oaktreerb]

On 4/15/2019 at 4:24 PM, oaktreerb said:

Can you go this year?  They aren’t sold out...prices are very competitive!  Each itinerary is unique.  Should be fun!

Vista suites guarantees had another price reduction yesterday for the May 28th sailing.