Good Deal on Alaskan Cruise?

[IWannaGetAway]

Had some time to kill while staying in today and thought I'd check out prices for a dream cruise for late summer, assuming all will be more "normal " then.  Found a 9 day cruise to Alaska on the Sun, obstructed porthole deck 6, with all free at sea perks and reduced airfare for 2 for $4640 total.  Its not always easy to read the cancellation policies, but it appears the 48 hour policy applies to this sailing.  I haven't priced these sailings much before, but it sounds pretty good to me. Anyone have any thoughts/advice?  Greatly appreciate your input.

[OceanBlueWaters]

Read your cancellation policy carefully AS IT PERTAINS TO YOUR BOOKING.  It seems to be changing by the day.  I booked a cruise for 9/2021 and if I cancel before final payment, I will incur a 25% fee.  That is soooo different from the 100% refund previously offered.  I booked on 3/7/20 (before the sky fell) and this stipulation was in place.

 

Read before you sign...

 

I got a good deal (all the perks and OBC) for a solo traveler. That never happens...

 

September 2021 is a ways off.  I do hope my CN Certs in my account are still available and have not dissolved.  LOL!

 

JMO 🙂

[southerngoose]

I went to Alaska on one of the first cruises of the season (so it was a lower priced cruise).   With airfare, one person in a balcony was approx $3500 for 14(?) days.   So I wouldn't consider a late season cruise in a porthole at that price a bargain.   The balcony was great to enjoy the whales and dolphins.

 

Frankly, I'm not booking any travel at this point.   I had prebooked a cruise to the Panama Canal for late Jan 2021 because I wanted a certain class of cabin and history was showing that if I waited until now to book, the cabins in the class I wanted would be booked.    After having to cancel my trip to Switzerland for this year, I will be heartbroken to cancel another.  This is getting expensive...    I'm hoping that a "covered reason" will allow me to lose the least amt on my trip to Switzerland.   I can cancel for any reason for the Panama trip, but that insurance was $550 - I'd rather go and pay the money than lose the insurance and the 25%!    This year is staycation year.

[Love my butler]

This doesn't seem to be a good time to book any NCL cruise right now.  Bad cancellation policies, inflated pricing, uncertainty of the company's survival.  I would advise waiting to book any cruise right now, especially with NCL.

[elwood_98034]

I don't know about Vancouver BC, but I have a funny feeling that the Port of Seattle is going to be closed to cruise ships for an extended period of time. In the current situation I would be surprised if there are many departures at all this year. Maybe the odd late one if things recover, but otherwise I don't think there will be much of anything. JMHO.

[em-sk]

9 minutes ago, elwood_98034 said:

I don't know about Vancouver BC, but I have a funny feeling that the Port of Seattle is going to be closed to cruise ships for an extended period of time. In the current situation I would be surprised if there are many departures at all this year. Maybe the odd late one if things recover, but otherwise I don't think there will be much of anything. JMHO.

 

The Canadian government has banned all cruises with more than 500 people from operating out a Canadian port until at least July 1st.    That would apply to both Vancouver and Victoria.  

 

Hopefully things stabilize before July 1st but no guarantees at this point.  

[elwood_98034]

1 minute ago, em-sk said:

 

The Canadian government has banned all cruises with more than 500 people from operating out a Canadian port until at least July 1st.    That would apply to both Vancouver and Victoria.  

 

Hopefully things stabilize before July 1st but no guarantees at this point.  

Wow. I didn't hear that. It sounds like they are spooked. I'm calling it for Alaska 2020. How about you? Drop the mic, we out?

[Barcode78]

 

 

Inside room on the bliss with the drink package as only perk.  2300 less.  You be the judge of value.

 

Edited to say - cruise is on the Bliss.  Also will probably be cancelled.

 

If cancelled will apply FCC to 13 day Breakaway including air and all perks.

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by Barcode78
incomplete information

[em-sk]

11 minutes ago, elwood_98034 said:

Wow. I didn't hear that. It sounds like they are spooked. I'm calling it for Alaska 2020. How about you? Drop the mic, we out?

 

Here is the press release.....

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2020/03/government-of-canada-announces-intention-to-defer-the-start-of-cruise-ship-season-in-canada-as-covid-19-response-measure.html

 

Canada has now flown hundreds of Canadians off two Prince ships (on in Japan and one in California) and quarantined the passengers on Canada Air forces bases.  I think it is more pragmatic than spooked.  Various Canadian health authorities have been recommending not cruising from the past  week or two.  

 

They have also banned all cruises this season through the arctic (Northwest Passage) cruises that go from the Pacific to the Atlantic.  Those cruises were also very limited and required special cost guard support anyway.  

 

If things stabilize over the next 60 days I think the restriction will be lifted.  If not it will be extended.  Hard to say just now.   

 

Edited March 15, 2020 by em-sk

[elwood_98034]

3 minutes ago, em-sk said:

 

Here is the press release.....

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2020/03/government-of-canada-announces-intention-to-defer-the-start-of-cruise-ship-season-in-canada-as-covid-19-response-measure.html

 

Canada has now flown hundreds of Canadians off two Prince ships (on in Japan and one in California) and quarantined the passengers on Canada Air forces bases.  I think it is more pragmatic than spooked.  Various Canadian health authorities have been recommending not cruising from the past  week or two.  

 

If things stabilize over the next 60 days I think the restriction will be lifted.  If not it will be extended.  Hard to say just now.   

 

This won't just stop dead on any particular date. So, get a bad cough on the cruise. The ship boots you off in say, Juneau. If the hospital is triaging, and won't let you in, and Alaskan Airlines won't let you on board, what are you going to do? 

[ColeThornton]

8 minutes ago, elwood_98034 said:

This won't just stop dead on any particular date. So, get a bad cough on the cruise. The ship boots you off in say, Juneau. If the hospital is triaging, and won't let you in, and Alaskan Airlines won't let you on board, what are you going to do? 

 

Pan for gold?

[elwood_98034]

3 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

 

Pan for gold?

There are some pretty fun little pubs there, and the fudge place is the bomb, but I don't know if they would be accepting guests. Especially if you have a bit of a cough and a sore throat.

[IWannaGetAway]

Thanks everyone for your responses!  I am so glad I decided to sleep on this for awhile.  Things seem to get worse by the day and it sounds a little too risky to me.  While I have friends in both Alaska and B.C. that could likely help us out if necessary, I wouldn't dream of putting them at risk, too. I think I'll just hang in there a little bit longer.