Alaska Wow

[cruisemom42]

First off let me say that I love when folks post interesting itineraries that they come across.  Sometimes it's easy to miss or overlook these kinds of offerings when one starts by doing searches for only specific times or areas....   I'd love to see more postings like this for all areas where HAL cruises!  💕

 

That said....

 

With regard to this cruise -- I appreciate the uniqueness and length of it, but as someone who's not overly enthused about Alaska, what would be the high points?  I've done three Alaska cruises over my entire cruising life (starting with a wonderful 14-day R/T from San Francisco when I was 14....) and while I've enjoyed them, I am just not an outdoorsy person, nor am I the type who can watch scenery glide by for hours on end. Bears, whales, eagles -- nice but not exactly in my wheelhouse.  

 

However, I also like unique experiences. 

 

So sell me a little bit:  what would I miss by not booking this cruise?  There are a lot of Alaska experts and afficionados out there. Will 28-days just end up being twice as long as 14-days?  Or does this cruise truly include some bits of Alaska that are really interesting and unique?

[VMax1700]

14 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

First off let me say that I love when folks post interesting itineraries that they come across.  Sometimes it's easy to miss or overlook these kinds of offerings when one starts by doing searches for only specific times or areas....   I'd love to see more postings like this for all areas where HAL cruises!  💕

 

That said....

 

With regard to this cruise -- I appreciate the uniqueness and length of it, but as someone who's not overly enthused about Alaska, what would be the high points?  I've done three Alaska cruises over my entire cruising life (starting with a wonderful 14-day R/T from San Francisco when I was 14....) and while I've enjoyed them, I am just not an outdoorsy person, nor am I the type who can watch scenery glide by for hours on end. Bears, whales, eagles -- nice but not exactly in my wheelhouse.  

 

However, I also like unique experiences. 

 

So sell me a little bit:  what would I miss by not booking this cruise?  There are a lot of Alaska experts and afficionados out there. Will 28-days just end up being twice as long as 14-days?  Or does this cruise truly include some bits of Alaska that are really interesting and unique?

@cruisemom42  What a great question!

[Mary229]

@cruisemom42 I can’t speak to your interests, I do museums and history also but am just as comfortable spending 4 weeks hiking.  
 

I would love to see HAL and other lines have a sort feature “newest first”.  It would not require a technical break through as that is a very common feature on shopping sites.  Cruise lines have never really figured out that they are retail websites.  

Edited December 10, 2022 by Mary229

[oaktreerb]

3 hours ago, mfanderso said:

How do you get the Military Credit added?  My husband has been verified but it doesn't look like it was added.  Is there something special that my TA needs to do?

In the past we had gone on the HAL website and filled out the form for the credit after we had booked a cruise.  Recently I noticed that HAL now has a third party checking eligibility and we needed to prove eligibility.  So we filled out the online form and had to attach paperwork showing proof of service.  After some consideration we pulled out the DD214 and sent it as an attachment.  We got officially verified for the credit.  When I booked this 28 day cruise the HAL PCC indicated that the military credit was added. Evidently it is now attached to his Mariner # .   

 

The website says we need to verify BEFORE we book the cruise.  The form has changed and the rules seem to have changed.  I need to call our PCC to see if we can have the Military credit added to our February cruise that we booked before the rules and the form changed.

 

Ask your TA if it was added, if not you may need to reapply.  I always question everything on my booking, especially how much OBC and where it comes from!

[mfanderso]

54 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

In the past we had gone on the HAL website and filled out the form for the credit after we had booked a cruise.  Recently I noticed that HAL now has a third party checking eligibility and we needed to prove eligibility.  So we filled out the online form and had to attach paperwork showing proof of service.  After some consideration we pulled out the DD214 and sent it as an attachment.  We got officially verified for the credit.  When I booked this 28 day cruise the HAL PCC indicated that the military credit was added. Evidently it is now attached to his Mariner # .   

 

The website says we need to verify BEFORE we book the cruise.  The form has changed and the rules seem to have changed.  I need to call our PCC to see if we can have the Military credit added to our February cruise that we booked before the rules and the form changed.

 

Ask your TA if it was added, if not you may need to reapply.  I always question everything on my booking, especially how much OBC and where it comes from!

He had been verified through the new system back in October 2022.  We booked a cruise for January 2024 but the Military Credit didn't show up.  I researched and at that time it looked like it didn't apply to 2024.  We cancelled the January 2024 cruise to book this Alaska cruise and we have exactly the same OBC for each of us so I don't think he got it for this cruise either.  When I look at his account on-line it says he has $100 OBC available to sail by January 1, 2024 and I assume that is the Military OBC.    I tried the verification process again just now and it said it had already been verified.

 

I am the same on our bookings and keep a spreadsheet of how much we pay, when the deposit was made and final payment date as well as OBC and the source of it all.  I had already asked my TA if she could tell me exactly what the OBC was for but haven't heard back.

[ShipWalker]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

So sell me a little bit:  what would I miss by not booking this cruise?...

 

Crossing about 150 feet over where the trail of human history began for the Americas. That's good enough reason for me.

[cruisemom42]

20 minutes ago, ShipWalker said:

 

Crossing about 150 feet over where the trail of human history began for the Americas. That's good enough reason for me.

 

Well, it's....something.

 

Although I guess I've gone out of my way in the past to visit the sites of the Battle of Zama and the Battle of Cannae (second Punic war), where there's really nothing to see on site other than the geography of it. So I suppose it's comparable. That said, Roman history moves me much more than human history in the Americas, a failing on my part I'm sure...🤣

 

I do like your signature line though. The cruise line of subdued excitement indeed.

[Mary229]

10 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Roman history moves me much more than human history in the Americas, a failing on my part I'm sure...

Yes, you are right, a failing🤣. There are some remarkable discoveries still being made here regarding early human culture.  Almost yearly we push back the date of human entry onto the North American continent.  So many lost civilizations, so little knowledge.  Like your beloved Italy it is also an active volcanic region 

[ShipWalker]

19 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

Roman history moves me much more

 

But..but these peoples were roamin', too...

Edited December 10, 2022 by ShipWalker

[mfanderso]

51 minutes ago, mfanderso said:

He had been verified through the new system back in October 2022.  We booked a cruise for January 2024 but the Military Credit didn't show up.  I researched and at that time it looked like it didn't apply to 2024.  We cancelled the January 2024 cruise to book this Alaska cruise and we have exactly the same OBC for each of us so I don't think he got it for this cruise either.  When I look at his account on-line it says he has $100 OBC available to sail by January 1, 2024 and I assume that is the Military OBC.    I tried the verification process again just now and it said it had already been verified.

 

I am the same on our bookings and keep a spreadsheet of how much we pay, when the deposit was made and final payment date as well as OBC and the source of it all.  I had already asked my TA if she could tell me exactly what the OBC was for but haven't heard back.

Update.  I did on-line chat with HAL.  They found his approval email and added the Military OBC onto our booking.

[oaktreerb]

6 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

 

However, I also like unique experiences. 

 

So sell me a little bit:  what would I miss by not booking this cruise?  There are a lot of Alaska experts and afficionados out there. Will 28-days just end up being twice as long as 14-days?  Or does this cruise truly include some bits of Alaska that are really interesting and unique?

For me, living in urban, sunny Southern California, a visit to Alaska is a refreshing change of environment.  Rain, cold, and snow in the mountains or a summer sleet downpour are part of the fun!  I also enjoy nature and gravitate toward outdoor activities rather than museums.  I enjoy the small communities, the local people, and the enterprising people who travel to Alaska to work during the summer,   I enjoy learning about the history and culture of the native Alaskans and am amazed by the toughness of the early settlers.  

 

In Alaska I have traveled land and sea, trains and buses, and even a floatplane.  It’s a constantly changing landscape and each experience is unique.  The 14 day itinerary was great, the 21 day itinerary was even better, and I expect the 28 day to be another interesting experience.  Seven day cruises no longer interest me and I don’t want to fly to Florida, Europe, or Hawaii.  

 

You probably won’t miss anything if you don’t take this cruise.  People who are drawn to Alaska seem to feel the value of the experience on their first visit and want to go back to see and experience more of the Pacific Northwest.

[wearesiamese]

I find the pricing too high for me as a solo traveler.I am not pying over $8000 for just an inside cabin! The oceanwview at $11k.At those prices, i will tjust wait and take a Crystal cruise when they are back  in mid  2023