Alaska Savings on Holland America

A number of factors have contributed to 2009 being the "Perfect Storm" for amazing prices in Alaska: lots of ships, lowered demand, high taxes and a market which has experienced a large number of new cruisers the past few years, making it a "mature" (rather than growing) destination. There have been many exceptional fares on all lines, and it's actually getting quite difficult to find inventory (especially balconies) for late summer sailings.

But cruises out of Vancouver are the exception. Most people sailing round-trip have been specifying Seattle to me, because of the lowered air costs. Because of this, it's very difficult to find inventory on Seattle round-trip sailings right now (though some does exist if you're not picky as to date or type of accommodation). But many sailings from Vancouver have much better availability, and fares to match.

The latest round of promotions comes from Holland America, for their Vancouver Round Trip sailings along with much less often discounted cruise tours! Up to 50% off selected sailings! Insides start at just $599, and balconies at $1,099, and cruisetours from $999 for a 14-night package!

Holland America Up to 50% off Alaska Cruises and Cruise Tours

Holland America, along with Princess, has been sailing in Alaska longer than any other of the large lines, and they do a great job at it. You'll find the average age on HAL ships in Alaska to be lower than it is in the Caribbean (surprise), mostly because of all the multi-generational families which come onboard. They have excellent naturalists, and good port times and itineraries. I highly recommend these sailings. I spent much of my youth growing up in Alaska, so am happy to help you navigate the options to find the right cruise for you.

Next year, there will be significantly fewer ships sailing the Alaska waters. I guarantee you will never see prices like this again with so many options. If you've been thinking about Alaska, STOP THINKING AND BOOK NOW!

Making Alaska Cruise Tours Easier

When speaking with clients about Alaska Cruisetours (cruise plus land portion in Alaska), most people do want to do the combination, but what stops a lot of people from considering it is not the time frame and duration, but rather the concerns over the cost of flying into Alaska and returning from Vancouver or the reverse (called open-jaw air).

Princess must be getting the same resistance, as they've created the first round-trip Cruisetour from Seattle! While you still sail one-way between Vancouver and Alaska, Princess had created a package so that they'll transport you round-trip from Seattle. Smart move!

The itinerary is:

• Motorcoach trip Seattle to Vancouver
• 7 day Voyage of the Glaciers cruise
• Direct to the Wilderness rail service
• 2 nights Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge
• Natural History Tour into Denali National Park
• 2 Nights Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge
• Air flight Anchorage to Seattle
• 1 night Seattle

This is a 12-day Cruisetour with prices starting at $1,499/person for an Inside cabin and $2,049/person for a Balcony (May 16 departure for these prices). This is an excellent value to have the convenience and savings of a round-trip Seattle airfare, with the benefit of being able to experience more of Alaska, by land and sea, on a Cruisetour.

Tis the Season for Giving

Cruise lines are usually very quiet in their philanthropic pursuits and donations, rarely issuing press releases about their corporate giving. However, Princess announced a recent donation to the Alaska Natural History Association. Perhaps because they have a business relationship with this company, and the program to which they donated will benefit their land product, this isn't truly a charitable contribution, and therefore makes sense to highlight their contribution (which I do agree is a good thing).

Here's the information on their donation:

Princess Cruises and Tours donated $10,000 to the Alaska Natural History Association to help the organization continue to develop educational programs for national parks and other public lands. The association, which soon will be known as "Alaska Geographic," is recognized for creating hands-on educational programs in Denali National Park and statewide, plus producing tour booklets that interweave images and stories of the wild. The association has worked with Princess to co-develop a tour of the Denali area for passengers and is working with the line to establish a training program for Princess driver/guides. Princess Cruises will offer an extensive Alaska program in 2008, with eight ships sailing through the waters of the "Great Land."

(By the way, Princess does have excellent Alaska cruisetour options, and a long history of working to make Alaska accessible to cruise visitors. They also have given generously to various port towns and efforts to help Alaska.)

Oh, by the way, have you looked at Alaska for next year?