NCL's Year of Freestyle Vacation Continues

As was mentioned before, Norwegian Cruise Lines is offering a series of promotions during this "wave" season. First up was the Epic, now Alaska and Panama Canal sailings are on sale, with up to 6-category upgrade and 50% reduced deposits, along with onboard credit on select sailings!

This offer is good through January 31. If you're interested, call or email me at amber@cruiseresource.com!

Carnival to Sue Alaska Over Head Tax?

In comments today to reporters aboard the Seabourn Odyssey's maiden voyage, Carnival Corporation head Mickey Arison indicated they are anticipating a suit against the State of Alaska over the $50/person head tax which was voted on and enacted a little over 2 years ago.

Citing a recent US Supreme Court case in which a similar tax against oil tankers in Alaska was struck down, Arison indicated they've tried to work with the State, but to no avail.

I've long been an opponent of this tax. Having mostly grown up in Alaska, and worked in tourism there, I understand the importance of it to the State. However, I was not surprised by its passing, as the proponents did a good job of couching it in environmental terms (many of those provisions have been "delayed" by the Alaska Legislature as currently unenforceable due to technology issues), and also maintained that the tax wouldn't affect the visitor numbers.

While it's debatable whether or not the tax directly has had an impact on people booking, when you combine it with the economic situation and general downward pressure this past season on cruise fares, it's clear that the cruise lines cannot continue to operate in Alaska at the same levels. Several lines are pulling out ships for next season, as the actual fares for the passengers are too low to sustain operations. Fewer ships will likely increase fares and help their bottom line. Sometimes Alaska (and other locations historically) has forgotten that ships are movable assets - if the economic climate is such that they can make more in other locations, they will move the ships to where the passengers want to sail.

Passengers see the price as the total package - base fare, non-questionably fees (erroneously called Port Charges) and taxes. When taxes are too large a percentage of what the market is willing to pay to cruise in Alaska, lowering what the cruise lines themselves can make, then that's an unsustainable proposition, and the cruise lines will and have reacted.

By the way, fewer ships in Alaska was the result many of the originators of the tax bill wanted, as they had been long term, ardent anti-cruise activists, and the tax and associated regulations were one way they had to push forward that agenda. It was far less about $$$ and more about punitive measures against the industry they vehemently disliked. But they "sold" it to the voters couched in monetary terms and pro-environmental stances, many of which were outdated (the lines already had higher standards) or unreasonable (no technology exists to accommodate the requirements at this time).

It will be interesting to watch this case progress. As someone who was intimately involved in Alaska politics for many years, I know that historically Alaska has been a good partner to cruising. One US Senator's wife was a ship's godmother as I recall. I hope that relations can find an acceptable resolution, as the State of Alaska and cruising both need one another and the relationship has to be more or less in balance.

If you'd like to read the USA Today article, it can be found at CruiseLog,

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.

Royal Caribbean Europe and Alaska Dollar Off!

The next in the series of special pricing offers as part of Royal Caribbean's November First Time Cruisers Month Event is here! Book a selected Alaska or Europe cruise between November 17 and 23, and receive up to $200/cabin savings!

The full list of offers and applicable savings can be found at Royal Caribbean Alaska and Europe Cruise Dollars Off Savings. Find something you like? You know what to do!

Confused about options and itineraries in Alaska or Europe? You're not alone! Know that I've traveled extensively in Europe and actually grew up mostly in Alaska. Call or email me with all your questions. That's what I'm here for!

Disney Magic to Europe/Africa in 2010

Following up on its extremely successful European season in 2007, Disney has announced that they will be returning the Magic to Europe for the summer and fall of 2010 in a series of itineraries that take it from Russia to Northern Africa between April and September.

The Magic's schedule includes eight 10- and 11-night tours through the Mediterranean. Ports of call on the Mediterranean cruises include Rome, Florence and Nice, as well as new stops at Malta, Corsica and the Tunisian capital city Tunis.

The schedule also includes the company's first sailings to Northern Europe, with four 12-night voyages from Dover to St. Petersburg with stops in six other countries. The four sailings will be in June and July, and will also include stops in Oslo, Copenhagen, the gateway port to Berlin and either Helsinki or Tallinn, Estonia.
Disney will also offer a pair of 14-night, one-way repositioning cruises from Port Canaveral to Barcelona and back.

While the Disney Magic is overseas, the Disney Wonder will sail slightly longer voyages out of Port Canaveral. Instead of three- and four-night Caribbean sailings, the Wonder will offer four- and five-night cruises with new stops in Key West, as well as an extra stop in Castaway Cay, Disney's private island in the Bahamas.

As those of you who love Disney know, these itineraries sell out quickly for the most popular categories. If it is time for your family to experience Europe the Disney way, with all the Disney touches (including specially-designed family-friendly excursions and expanded in-port kids' club hours), then you'll want to make your bookings early!

Wondering what Disney will be doing with their new ships? I'll give you a clue - expect to see one of them summering in Alaska starting in 2011, and sailing to Glacier Bay. They've already made application to the National Park Service for Glacier Bay permits. The main question remaining is not necessarily whether or not they will get some, but whether they'll be sailing one-way sailings with cruisetour packages or round-trips out of Vancouver or Seattle. More details to follow when they're announced.

Celebrity Mercury & Millennium - Out with Australia, in with Baltimore and Charleston in 2009/2010!

Celebrity Cruise is discontinuing its Australia and New Zealand cruises scheduled for late 2009 and 2010 on Celebrity Millennium, and adding new itineraries for the ship and Celebrity Mercury from Baltimore and Charleston!

The Celebrity Millennium will take over and enhance theend-of-seasion 2009 Alaska sailings previously scheduled for the Mercury, including a 12-night wine themed cruise from Vancouver and a 16-night Panama Canal cruise on October 10, 2009, from San Diego to San Juan, where Millennium will offer a series of 10- and 11-night Southern Caribbean cruises roundtrip beginning October 26, 2009

Celebrity Mercury, from November 2009 to February 2010, will sail a series of 12-night Eastern Caribbean cruises from Baltimore. After, it will offer 10- and 11-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries from Charleston through April 2010. The new Celebrity Mercury itineraries replace the Southern Caribbean cruises from San Juan previously slated from November 2009 to April 2010.

This is absolutely fantastic news for those living near Baltimore and Charleston. While I regret the fact that Celebrity won't be in Australia/New Zealand in 2009/2010, this brings some terrific opportunities closer home. I'm also sure they will return at a later point in the future.

And if you were thinking of Australia/New Zealand for that season, consider moving that up and sailing this year - there are some remarkable values for the 2008/2009 season just about to get underway!

Revisiting Memories

I don't know about the rest of you, but sometimes when you're revisiting somewhere you've been before, do you feel a bit blase? The sense of excitement you get about someplace new isn't there?

I fully understand! I hate to admit it, but for this current cruise I'm on, the Celebrity Mercury to Alaska, I had a hard time getting pumped up in anticipation. I grew up in Alaska, had been to these ports many times many over the years, and I had a "been there, done that" jaded disinterest. Big mistake!

I discovered something interesting this cruise. I found a new excitement once I arrived in port, BECAUSE I was going back to my history. And that excitement ended up to be contagious. Let me explain.

Since I'd been to these ports before, I decided to take excursions I'd recommended, but never taken personally. In Ketchikan, that meant the Duck Tour (which, by the way, was a lot of fun). Afterwards, while waiting for a favorite local restaurant to open to get some fresh halibut fish & chips, I visited a locally-owned store. I wandered the store aimlessly, just seeing what was there. Suddenly, there was a pin in front of me which changed the focus of my time ashore. I saw a beaded "ice worm" pin. That triggered a wonderful childhood memory of the "ice worm" toy I had as a child. A simple piece of fur, with eyes and a tongue,
which when you petted down the pelt, it arched its back and "inched" along. Very basic, but one of those things from childhood which just make you smile.

So I asked if they had any. Immediately, the clerk's eyes lit up, she made a motion with her hand of petting the worm, and said "I remember those from a long time ago!" While they didn't have any, she sent me down the street to a fur shop. Same thing happened there. The long-time Alaskans who ran the store got excited,
remembered what they were, made the same "petting" hand movement, but didn't have any, and couldn't think of anyplace in Ketchikan with them. No problem, I had Juneau next.

In Juneau after the excursion, I started my quest. Going into Alaskan-owned stores and fur shops, I again and again encountered local shop keepers who smiled and lit up, remembering their own ice worms from the past. But no one had any (and many wondered why). Finally, in a smaller fur shop, the owner said he didn't have
any, but he was sure his uncle had some in his store and directed me to another area of town. On the way, I asked a hotelier for further directions, and when he found out my quest, he got excited and involved, and requested I return if I was successful.

Finally, I found the small shop which crafted fur items. Lo and behold, they had one on the register (obviously their own, well-loved worm). I asked if they had others, and the owner said he'd be happy to make me some. So, while I waited just a few minutes, he crafted brand new ice worms. We talked about them, the lore (there are actually worms in glaciers, though not furred, and many stories about them from Robert Service poems to other fiction and lore), and how popular they once were. I walked out with 3 of them.

Stopped back by the hotel and showed the owner the worms. He said that as soon as he was relieved later in the day, he was heading up to the shop to have some made for his children. When I left, he thanked me for making his day happy.

Why this long story? It may give you an idea of your own when visiting a familiar port. Do try new things, but if there's something about the location which gives you true joy, go in search of it, and share that search with others. Seek out stores which may have items from your childhood or younger years which you can bring
back into your life. Bring adventure and treasured memories into your travel while you're making new memories at the same time. We so often focus on the new side of travel - what will I see that's new,
what new experiences will I have, what new destination can I visit? Don't be afraid to also revisit favorite locations or go in search of fond remembrances to bring back that sense of joy and discoveries you had the first time you visited or at another point in your life. It can bring an entirely new dimension to your travel.

My ice worm will have a prominent location in my office (most likely draped over one of my awards from this Conference) to remind me never to become too jaded, and to know there is adventure everywhere.

North to Alaska...

Just wanted to give everyone a head's up that I'm soon to be heading up to Alaska onboard Celebrity Mercury for my parent company's annual National Conference. Hopefully I'll be gone but not forgotten!

If you need assistance while I'm gone, feel free to email me. I'll be checking email periodically. In addition, my auto-responders will direct you to my covering agent who can assist you with new bookings or to my customer service department who can help my existing clients with their current bookings.

While I am gone, I likely won't be able to post the Happy Hour specials from Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, though I will try.

One thing to look forward to in my absence: my long-promised Galapagos blogs are finally completed, and the series of 10 installments will be posted upon my return!

See you all again soon!

Holland America Opens 2009 Alaska Bookings

Many of you have been anxiously awaiting this, and Holland America has finally opened their 2009 Alaska season. Technically, if you call HAL, they'll tell you the cruisetours aren't yet open, but I do have it available to book right now.

The Veendam, Ryndam and Statendam will be doing their cruisetour departures between Vancouver and Seward featuring Glacier Bay and the College Fjords on most departures, while the Westerdam and Zaandam will do 7-night Seattle roundtrips featuring Glacier Bay and the Amsterdam will also sail roundtrip from Seattle visiting Hubbard Glacier. From Vancouver, the Volendam and Zuiderdam will sail roundtrip with Glacier Bay visits.

The cruisetour itineraries remain the same as this year's, which will facilitate selection of your preferred itinerary.

If you've been waiting for Alaska to open up, now's the time to book!

Princess Releases 2009 Alaska Details

On April 9, Princess Cruises will release their 2009 Gulf of Alaska and Cruisetour itineraries for sale! The cruise itineraries include:

• Voyage of the Glaciers - Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess will sail on the line's famed Gulf of Alaska route between Vancouver and Whittier on 36 week-long voyages departing on Saturdays -- featuring calls at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway with daylight cruising of Glacier Bay and the 16 glaciers of College Fjord. In addition, Coral Princess and Island Princess will offer 36 Monday departures of the same itinerary.
• Alaska Connoisseur Voyages - Princess' small ship cruising experience returns to Alaska for the second year as the intimate 670-passenger Pacific Princess takes over this extended 14-day voyage which now departs from Seattle, featuring the less visited ports of Kodiak, Valdez, Icy Strait Point and Seward. In addition the ship will also visit Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, B.C., with daylight cruising of Glacier Bay. Pacific Princess will sail on nine voyages departing Seattle on Thursdays.
• Golden Princess and Star Princess From Seattle - Golden Princess and Star Princess both return to sail on seven-day roundtrip itineraries from Seattle with ports of call in Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria, plus treat passengers to dramatic glacier viewing in Tracy Arm and its twin Sawyer Glaciers. Golden Princess sails on 19 voyages departing on Saturdays while Star Princess offers 19 Sunday departures.
• Sea Princess from San Francisco - Sea Princess takes over the line's San Francisco departures, offering 11 sailings from "The City by the Bay" for her passengers. The 10-day roundtrip cruises sail on varying itineraries that include calls at Victoria, Juneau, Ketchikan, and either Skagway, Haines or Icy Strait Point, plus the premiere glacier viewing of Tracy Arm.

2009 marks the 50th Anniversary of Alaskan Statehood in 1959, and I can tell you from personally participating and performing in the 25th Anniversary celebration many years ago growing up in Alaska, there will be a number of special events throughout the year commemorating this event. Princess has been a part of Alaska's tour growth for many years, and I expect them to also note this special event.

Princess Captain's Circle members booking prior to September 30, 2008 will be eligible for special savings! Give me a call for details on any of these sailings.

Psst - Heads up on NCL Sale

As I mentioned in my newsletter this week (click the Subscribe to Newsletter link on the right if you're not getting this regularly direct from me), Norwegian Cruise Lines is going to have 6 weeks of specials in their Freestyle Resolution Sales Event (formerly known as the Sale of all Sails), with a different destination featured each week. The first two weeks are announced, though not publicly, and you're getting advanced notice!

Starting TODAY, January 1 through January 13, all European sailings are featured and offer onboard credit!

The second featured destination, on sale between January 14-20 will be ALASKA! Offers include onboard credit AND a 10% Suite discount. NCL has the best suites in the business, so if you've wanted to try one and are planning on Alaska next year, this is your chance!

Watch here and the newsletter for announcement of the other offers for later in January and into February. They will be featuring Caribbean, Hawaii, Mex Riv, Alaska, Bermuda, Europe, Canada/New England, and South American sailing one week at a time.

Call or email me for more information!