Any interest in an CC Alaskan Cruise in 09?

[MyImagination]

While Im not in a position to be a group leader, I was wondering if anyone would be willing to take on that assignment. I dont believe CC has ever had a group cruise to Alaska.

 

Just checking to see if there is interest.

[LRene]

I'm in the process of trying to put together an Alaskan group for 2009 now with various cruise friends and family we've traveled with before (most are people met on CC). I've been a group leader on a CC group in the Med and would be glad to try to put it all together if there is enough interest.

 

I've been looking at other cruise lines as well but so far, the itinerary that Carnival offers and the pricing may be the best thing going.

 

If you're interested in the summer 2009, please post. If there are enough, I'll ask Laura to get us some pricing.

[Luckysll]

I'd be interested, but unfortunately only if it's for the Sept. 2/09 cruise. I'm already booked (4 cabins), but the round trip out of Vancouver is better for us than the one way cruises since we don't have the added air fare.

[lovedeals]

Five couples of us has already booked for May 20, 09 southbound from Anchorage. Anyone interested in that one. Now is the time to book prices were great.

[OhioJeff]

I'd be interested, but unfortunately only if it's for the Sept. 2/09 cruise. I'm already booked (4 cabins), but the round trip out of Vancouver is better for us than the one way cruises since we don't have the added air fare.

Yes, the Vancouver round trip also caught my eye. I would love to do that cruise and use Amtrak. I almost booked it 2 years ago, but plans fell through. If there was a CC group with a low initial deposit, I would be all over it.

[lovedeals]

We were going to go directly thru Carnival, but the initial deposit thru them was 350 and thru my travel agent is was 25 with the 350 due in November. We are trying to put together at least a group of 8 for the good rate.

[nklpikl]

I might be interested. I am actually looking for a 2010, but If price and itenery is good, we might be ble to figure out a year early.

[LRene]

I know on the Mediterranean itinerary's the deposit for our CC group was higher than the $25 deposit that is the norm. Good to know the lower deposits might apply for Alaska. Our group is flexible on dates at this point and we would probably have quite a few cabins to book right in the beginning.

 

Lovedeals - you're right about the rates on your dates...they're good! You can't try to put together a group on these boards though unless it's a CC group so be careful or our thread might disappear! :eek: You could, however, switch your booking to a CC group once it's put together and get in on the perks for the group and the group pricing.

 

I also did some preliminary searching on air using FF miles and not using miles and there's not much difference if you fly into/out of Anchorage and then Seattle because they're both domestic.

 

For those interested, please email me at lezleerene at hotmail dot com with the date(s) that you are most interested in, even if it you've only narrowed it down to the month you would like. If we can find a common interest in a certain cruise, I can request pricing. Sometimes that takes a little while to get.

[lovedeals]

We are already getting group pricing. We have booked but several more that are planning to. What did you mean about setting up a CC group. I am new to the boards and thought as long as didnt mention travel agents by name or company it was alright. I asked the name of an agency before and got hollered at, so now I am trying to be careful. Not careful enough maybe.

[lovedeals]

I just so that someone else listed their email is that okay, because if so I would put mine in.

[deborahjo]

We have been trying to do an ALaskan Cruise for 4 years now. If the pricing and time is right we would be interested. May be 2 cabins.

[Luckysll]

Lovedeals - you can't mention travel agencies if you are just talking about your own cruise. But, as you can see from the list of threads, there are "official" Cruisecritic group cruises (I'm booked on the Cupids II - Romancing the Riviera - Mexican Riviera cruise in Feb. 2010). These are cruises that people who belong to Cruisecritic can get in on. If there is enough interest for a group cruise, then once you have Cruisecritic approval, they (CC) have a travel agency they use to book these groups.

 

If you look at the top of the page, you'll see "Member Cruises" and it tells you about group cruises.

[LRene]

We are already getting group pricing. We have booked but several more that are planning to. What did you mean about setting up a CC group. I am new to the boards and thought as long as didnt mention travel agents by name or company it was alright. I asked the name of an agency before and got hollered at, so now I am trying to be careful. Not careful enough maybe.

 

Sorry...it is kind of confusing isn't it? :) They're very strict about it on these boards and sometimes posts just disappear if they look like a solicitation.

 

What we're talking about in this thread would be an official Cruise Critic Group handled by a CC travel agent. I've emailed Laura to see what else would be needed other than a date. I'm not sure how many I have in our "unofficial" group of previous cruisers but I think I would have close to 8 cabins initially. On the advice of past Alaskan cruisers, it looks like we'll be looking at a Northbound route so that we can see more of the Alaskan territory with the scenery going from 0-10 as the cruise progresses.

 

According to the average weather info for the region, there is twice and up to three times more rain in August and particularly September. We are all willing to pay a little more for possible better weather so will most likely be looking at late June or July 2009.

[AllenF]

Hi Lezlee,

 

Good luck with your group we leave with friends and family for this very cruise May 21st 2008

[Pegs222]

While Im not in a position to be a group leader, I was wondering if anyone would be willing to take on that assignment. I dont believe CC has ever had a group cruise to Alaska.

 

Just checking to see if there is interest.

 

Any chance of making that 2010? That is when we have made plans to go Alaska.

[LRene]

Hi Lezlee,

 

Good luck with your group we leave with friends and family for this very cruise May 21st 2008

 

Hi Allen - you'll love the Spirit. We just got off of her last Sunday and both agreed it was our favorite Carnival ship so far.

 

Email me and let me know how your Alaskan cruise goes and what you did that was memorable. Be sure to post a review - you're better at that than I am! :)

 

Hope you and Shelly enjoy the Spirit as much as we did.

[AllenF]

Glad you guys had a good cruise on the Spirit....we sailed on her on our Hawiian cruise. This is my favorite class of Carnival ship by far. For all of you thinking of doing this cruise you are in great shape cause Lezlee plans a great cruise. We have about 12 couples going with us Friends, neighbors and family. This is my gift for my parents 50th wedding anniversary I cant wait. I have heard so much about Alaska. Of course we have some private tours booked i will let you know how they go. :)

[lovedeals]

This cruise in 09 will be my fourth trip to Alaska. My husband and I flew there two years in a row and just rented a car and drove for ten days. Two years ago we went back with another couple on a cruise. They had never been so we took a couple of days and took them to Denali. This year we are going to fly in on May 13 and do a week on land before the cruise. My husband wants to go down to Seward and do a halibut fishing trip. He went out of Seward on one a few years ago on one of our land trips. Our friends that cruised with us the first time are going back with us again. The other three couples have never been to Alaska. It is very addictive. We have traveled over alot of the US but seem to keep going back to Alaska. We have a fifth wheel toy hauler and a Harley and four wheelers, so in the summer we travel with that. This will be my fourth Carnival Cruise and I couldnt be happier with them.

[LRene]

Thanks, Allen. You know I'll be interested in hearing about the private tours you put together and that goes. :) What a nice thing to do for your parents anniversary! It will be a special trip and I envy you.

 

Lovedeals - it's funny but Alaska is the only cruise destination that I never hear anyone complain about. Everyone seems to love everything about it and every excursion they took. I often hear people speak of how many times they have been or the fact that they want to go back.

 

Being from the deep South, it's taken me a while to convince my dh that he won't freeze to death up there. Now he's ready to go and can't seem to get there fast enough but he's going to have to wait a year. :rolleyes:

 

Pegs222 and DeborahJo - we've been trying to get there for years too and had thought about 2010 but that's just so far away! I'll keep everyone posted as soon as I hear from Laura.

[ladycaveat]

I'd be interested in a cruise to Alaska (my last one was in 1994, I think) . . . but only if it stops in Kodiak. Actually, I don't think any cruises stop there but if anyone knows of one that does . . . I'll be the first to book! :p

[LRene]

The only major cruise line I know of that does Kodiak is Princess on their 14 day itineraries. They do several RT Seattle and RT Vancouver that get that far north if you have that much time. There are one or two a year with Regent, Cruise West and Crystal that stop there also (for a price!)

 

The Carnival itinerary is good for the price. NB itinerary is:

 

Day 1 Vancouver (embarkation)

Day 2 Cruise Inside Passage

Day 3 Ketchikan

Day 4 Juneau

Day 5 Cruise Lynn Canal

Day 6 Sitka

Day 7 Cruise Prince William Sound and College Fjord

Day 8 Anchorage (debarkation)

[ladycaveat]

The only major cruise line I know of that does Kodiak is Princess on their 14 day itineraries. They do several RT Seattle and RT Vancouver that get that far north if you have that much time. There are one or two a year with Regent, Cruise West and Crystal that stop there also (for a price!)

 

The Carnival itinerary is good for the price. NB itinerary is:

 

Day 1 Vancouver (embarkation)

Day 2 Cruise Inside Passage

Day 3 Ketchikan

Day 4 Juneau

Day 5 Cruise Lynn Canal

Day 6 Sitka

Day 7 Cruise Prince William Sound and College Fjord

Day 8 Anchorage (debarkation)

 

Thanks bunches . . . I'll check it out. My son is a Coast Guard helicopter pilot in Kodiak and I'd love to surprise him with a stop in Kodiak on one of my cruises.

[LRene]

Thanks bunches . . . I'll check it out. My son is a Coast Guard helicopter pilot in Kodiak and I'd love to surprise him with a stop in Kodiak on one of my cruises.

 

Oh yeah....that would be really nice! I was wondering why you wanted to go to Kodiak. The only think I could think of was the wilderness tours I've seen on TV (which you couldn't pay me to do!).

 

What an interesting job he must have up there. If you can't surprise him, he could surely fly to Anchorage to meet you or vice versa. :)

[DiN2cruzagain]

We are already booked on the July 29, 2009 Southbound on the Spirit. I can't wait!

 

 

 

 

 

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[ladycaveat]

Oh yeah....that would be really nice! I was wondering why you wanted to go to Kodiak. The only think I could think of was the wilderness tours I've seen on TV (which you couldn't pay me to do!).

 

What an interesting job he must have up there. If you can't surprise him, he could surely fly to Anchorage to meet you or vice versa. :)

 

Tee Hee! Yes, he has a very "interesting" job and when he's on TDY to the Bearing Sea . . . well, let's just say . . . my hair gets a little grayer. He was stationed in Miami for four years and . . . I think he watched "The Guardian" one too many times . . . thus the reason he is now in Alaska. I would soooo love to surprise him with a stop in Kodiak. Gonna check out that cruise with Princess. As a funny aside . . . I took him on a crusie to Alaska when he was 15. We landed on a glacier (via helicopter) and as all of us went ohhhhh and ahhhh over nature's wonder . . . my son was more interested in talking to the pilot of the helicopter. Hummmmm . . . fifteen years later . . . he's flying helicopters in Alaska. :p