Well, Alaska just might be pushed to 2011 or 2012. Possibly 2012 - though there would be gothic cruises every year until then.
The reason is the sheer cost of Alaska. the average Alaska package would run about 3200.00 per person. Now, this would include: Roundtrip Airfare from most major cities, 1 night precruise in Vancouver, transfers to the ship, the cruise, rail transfers and bus transfers to the hotels, 4 night land tour through the heart of Alaska to Fairbanks, and flights home. The package would also include a few tours on the land tour - but not all of them.
Here is a sample of a Princess Alaska Cruise Tour itinerary: http://www.princess.com/pb/itineraryDetails.do?voyageCode=M828&tourCode=T8A02N&resType=T
Here is an example of a Royal Caribbean Alaska Cruise Tour Itinerary: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/cruiseDetails/itineraryAndPricing.do;jsessionid=0000zmeQuA8milIGGLlpKbUOpA3:12hdhubrs?packageCode=RD11A910&sailDate=1090828&date=20093&selectedCurrencyCode=&promoType=&hasSenior=&hasMilitary=&state=FL
Costs to consider: though meals are included on the ship just like a normal cruise, meals on the land tour are not. The average meal runs about 30.00 per person per meal. (Breakfast slightly lower, but not much). Optional side trips on the land tour run about 120.00 per person, while the average shore excursion on the ship will run about 150.00 per person for the good ones, and about 85.00 per person for the economicaly shorter ones. Alcohol wont be included, and neither would soft drinks or bottled water.
The Alaska trip wouldnt be on Carnival. Carnival is about 3 times more expensive then most cruise lines. It would be on Princess or Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean is more expensive, but would be better equipped for some of our events. There would not be no where near as many events as on our other gothic cruises. There also would be no band on the Alaska gothic cruise, but there would be a DJ as we'd still have a few private parties. about 2.
Princess though less expensive, will give us a couple of private cocktail parties, but NONE of them late night. Princess is much more "restrained and conservative".
Now, my bank is able to give me an "Agency Tour Escrow Account". Basicaly, you make payments however you want and the monies are deposited to the escrow account. Once the cruise line releases the dates and one is picked, the bank will corrolate with the cruise line and transfer the funds for me. Once a date is chosen, you have 30 days to decide if you can take the cruisetour or not. If not, you'd get a full refund provided you canceled in that 30 day period.
Because of the sheer cost involved, I will most likely plan it for late August Early or September of 2012.
This way. everyone has ample time to make payments, and not starve themselves to death to go.. and no one will be broke by the time the cruise date gets here.
If this is something you want to do, my advice would be to open a prepaid debit card or savings account, and save your funds for the meal and shore excursion purchases you will incur further down the road.
In anticipation of a few questions:
You do not have to take the full 11 night cruise tour. You can just take the 7 night northbound cruise portion. But you can not take the 4 night land tour without the 7 night cruise.
Why not a roundtrip Seattle or roundtrip Vancouver cruise for less expensive airfare? Because you then miss 80% of Alaska and have seriously wasted your time and money. Heres why, if you take a map of Alaska, and put your thumb over the sailing route of the ship - well, everything you missed. On the cruise you will see glaciers, whales, etc. but you will not see the interior of Alaska or Alaskan wildlife. You will miss the culture and the beauty that is truly Alaska. You will also miss Mount Mikinley, which is the tallest mountain in the USA, Canada, and South America. And in the end, after you get home and here about everything everyone else saw - you will regret it.
Can we get the cost down? Not really now. Alaska is seasonal. Cruises only go there from about Early Jun through Mid September. They sell out about a year in advance. There simply isnt enough cruise berths for the destination. Cruising, is the only way you can get close to the glaceris. Many of the famous glaciers are set in national parks, and they only allow 3 or 4 ships a week to enter the harbors of these massive glaciers in order to help preserve them and the wildlife. Taxes and food service are extremely high for Alaska because of its remote location. So really, you just cant get a sale price really for Alaska. However, with princess or royal caribbean - I can get us shipboard credits and a couple of open bar parties.
Is the cruise line the best way to go on the airfare? yes. though a little more expensive - you have less of a worry for lost luggage. Its also more streamlined for Alaska. Once you get to vancouver, you never have to lug your bags again until you are ready to fly home when you take the cruise lines airfare. Because of the time change, you will have horrid jet lag. Believe me, you do not want to heft around your own bags, and hail taxies or cabs. its not worth it.
Is it best to do the land tour after the cruise? Absolutely. And if another travel agent tells you different, they've never gone. Because of all the flying and jet lag, if you do the land tour first.. you will sleep on the buses through the parks from exhaustion. You will miss everything you paid all that money for. I have massive video footage of people on busses through Denali park - who fell asleep because of all the traveling it took to get there. By doing the land tour after the 1 night pre cruise hotel and the 7 night cruise.. you will already be adjusted to the time changes as you were on the cruise first.
Feel free to post a question if you have one. If the interest is still there, I'll put something together next month.
Zaida
