How often do you think this happens cruising to Alaska?

[cruiseagona]

I was watching a video of a guy cruising on The Sun to Alaska in August 7, 2023. He said that the ship was only a little more than half full. That seems really strange for an Alaskan cruise. Aren't all of the ships usually full? I know the Sun lacks some "amenities" that some can't live without but I also know that there are plenty of people who like that kind of ship, me included. What do you think gives?

[Laszlo]

13 minutes ago, cruiseagona said:

I was watching a video of a guy cruising on The Sun to Alaska in August 7, 2023. He said that the ship was only a little more than half full. That seems really strange for an Alaskan cruise. Aren't all of the ships usually full? I know the Sun lacks some "amenities" that some can't live without but I also know that there are plenty of people who like that kind of ship, me included. What do you think gives?

Thats strange, the Sun is older but still a nice ship. Alaska cruises seem to book 100% months out

[cruiseny4life]

I think last year may have been an anomaly. For quite some time, NCL was offering a 50% off coupon to folks. It wasn't their normal 50% off, but a real 50% the price of a cruise. It seemed like there were just a glut of ships up there. I'm thinking for 2024, NCL has a better handle on the number of ships necessary for Alaska and/or demand is higher. 

[www3traveler]

9 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I think last year may have been an anomaly. For quite some time, NCL was offering a 50% off coupon to folks. It wasn't their normal 50% off, but a real 50% the price of a cruise. It seemed like there were just a glut of ships up there. I'm thinking for 2024, NCL has a better handle on the number of ships necessary for Alaska and/or demand is higher. 

According to all the news reports reports from a number of Bloggers at the moment, NCL has more ships sailing in 2024 to either Alaska or the Caribbean because re-deployments away from Baltic cruises and staying out of harms way in the Middle East.  They are having all kinds of sales trying to fill the various ships.

[cruiseny4life]

12 minutes ago, www3traveler said:

According to all the news reports reports from a number of Bloggers at the moment, NCL has more ships sailing in 2024 to either Alaska or the Caribbean because re-deployments away from Baltic cruises and staying out of harms way in the Middle East.  They are having all kinds of sales trying to fill the various ships.

Well heck! I guess my thinking was wrong. I haven't seen the sails...well, I should say, I haven't seen a price I'm comfortable booking. Last year I coulda, shoulda, woulda booked! 

[julig22]

Are you sure it was 2023? Prices were good (no solo supplement for my cruise in late August on the Jewel) but I don't think the ships were only half-full. Most were in GTY status long before even final payment - which usually indicates low inventory.

I was on the Sun in May of 2023, I didn't pay that much attention to how full it was. It's the perfect ship for me, I found an ideal cabin for my purposes. I will be on the Sun in October (same cabin LOL) when she moves out of Alaska, to Hawaii and beyond.

[zqvol]

1 hour ago, cruiseagona said:

I was watching a video of a guy cruising on The Sun to Alaska in August 7, 2023. He said that the ship was only a little more than half full. That seems really strange for an Alaskan cruise. Aren't all of the ships usually full? I know the Sun lacks some "amenities" that some can't live without but I also know that there are plenty of people who like that kind of ship, me included. What do you think gives?

Just because “he said” doesn’t make it so. Take it with a grain of salt. 

[njkate]

1 hour ago, cruiseagona said:

I was watching a video of a guy cruising on The Sun to Alaska in August 7, 2023. He said that the ship was only a little more than half full. That seems really strange for an Alaskan cruise. Aren't all of the ships usually full? I know the Sun lacks some "amenities" that some can't live without but I also know that there are plenty of people who like that kind of ship, me included. What do you think gives?

If I remember correctly the Sun Alaskan sailings were longer, at least 9 days, many can’t get off work that long so that may of played into it! 
Many also had a 50% off coupon for the Jewel and probably booked that, I know I did 

[The Traveling Man]

37 minutes ago, njkate said:

If I remember correctly the Sun Alaskan sailings were longer, at least 9 days, many can’t get off work that long so that may of played into it! 
Many also had a 50% off coupon for the Jewel and probably booked that, I know I did 

We have been looking at the Sun for this August or September.  There seem to be a large number of available staterooms on several different cruises.  The prices have dropped a bit since these cruises are now past their final payment deadlines.  It looks like some of them, maybe most of them, will be sailing at less than full capacity.  Maybe it's because the Sun is an older ship, or perhaps it's because the nine or ten day cruise lengths mean that the departures are on unusual days of the week.  In either event, if you want to see Alaska, have the time available, and want to save a bit of money on a less crowded cruise, it's a good deal.

[Distinctive-Destinations]

I went on the Sun to Alaska exactly a year before (early August 2022) and it was full.

[Langham1865]

2 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

I think last year may have been an anomaly. For quite some time, NCL was offering a 50% off coupon to folks. It wasn't their normal 50% off, but a real 50% the price of a cruise. It seemed like there were just a glut of ships up there. I'm thinking for 2024, NCL has a better handle on the number of ships necessary for Alaska and/or demand is higher. 

I am going to agree with anomaly.  I work in a luxury hotel in a major city and domestic travel for summer vacations last summer was low.   Last Summer was the first summer after the pandemic where international travel wasn't restricted by COVID testing.  Domestic travel across the board last summer was artificially low.

[The Traveling Man]

2 hours ago, Langham1865 said:

I am going to agree with anomaly.  I work in a luxury hotel in a major city and domestic travel for summer vacations last summer was low.   Last Summer was the first summer after the pandemic where international travel wasn't restricted by COVID testing.  Domestic travel across the board last summer was artificially low.

How is it looking for this late summer / early fall?  There still are lots of staterooms available on several sailings of the Sun in Alaska from July through the end of the season.

[fredflint]

Could have been any number of reasons the later season cruises I think are the best deals as the weather is nicer and there should not be any issues with ice like other before peak cruises.

Could also be based on the Salmon season.

https://norrik.com/alaska-salmon-run-dates-and-charts-by-species/#:~:text=Alaska salmon runs extend from,remains strong through late August.

 

Maybe due to some weather some flights were missed?

[spotfish]

We’re on the Sun for a 9 day cruise end of June and the ship has been sold out for 2 weeks now, I will say the people that waited until 30 days after final payment saved a good sum of money.

 

My first 3 cruises were on the jewel and last 3 have been on bliss/encore looking forward getting back on a smaller ship.