5/26/2012 & 6/2/2012 C@ Voyage of the Glaciers Alaska B2B Group Cruise

[Karry]

This is something I am going to REALLY RESEARCH. I woke up the other morning with the "I have to cruise to Alaska" bug...have looked up a few on Carnival. I am NOT at ALL confident we'll be able to do it, but I can always dream! Does anyone have any advice about flying IN to one port and flying OUT of ANOTHER? Seems it would be (more) expensive. Also, E, you said this is based on "past passenger rates." We don't have a FCC on Princess, obviously, but we have cruised with that line twice. Are we considered past passengers? TIA.

[Beryl]

Karry...yes, if you have cruised with Princess in the past you are considered past passengers. Even if you don't have a FCC from Princess at the moment you will still be able to book with the $100.00 per person deposit rate if you call Skyscraper tours April 1st! E didn't say but I suspect that the $100.00 deposit special will last for about a week....E, any info on that? I strongly recommend booking if you are at all interested. That low deposit is not always available and should you have to cancel you can do so before final payment and get the deposit returned to you!!

As for flying into one destination and returning from another...it is called an Open Jaw and is done all the time. Best thing to do is keep checking for low pricing...still too early for that time frame for 2012. Do you have any kind of a miles program that you could use to purchase your airline tickets?? Use sites like expedia or orbitz to check pricing...you can see which airline is offering the cheapest rates for the dates you need!

[Karry]

Thanks for the info, Beryl. No, we don't have any type of miles program because we live right near the port in Manhattan and have cruised out of here the past few years. I think the last time we flew was to San Diego 4 years ago! Nice to not have that expense, but it's a shocker when you first start looking at it. I "booked us" on a flight to Vancouver for next month just to see the prices and it was about $900/pp!!

[Beryl]

Karry...I just checked Orbitz doing an open Jaw for June...JFK to Ancorage and return from Vancouver. Total with taxes was $625 pp....same rate in and out of Newark ... cheaper than doing the back to back even in an inside cabin. It's possible that rates may drop before you actually cruise...remember now is when everyone is looking for air tickets into or out of Ancorage as they book those one way cruises ! ...and remember too...it's a dream and dreams are what you make happen !

[Karry]

Thanks Beryl. We would be flying out of Newark. I think I was looking at non stop flights! Will have DH look into it!

[Donna - dsw]

You all have fun - I would love to cruise with everyone - but we don't want to do Alaska again!

[J.E. M.]

Sounds great, but we are already booked on the Amsterdam for a 14 day AK Explorer cruise sailing July 13, 2012.

[Einstein]

Karry ... Beryl has given U excellent advise. As for the flight prices I think its hard to compare right now but from what I have been comparing over the last 6 months from the East Coast to Vancouver a RT can be had for about $600 pp when booked in advance of 6 months. Would love to get U & DH onboard for your return to Alaska.

[Karry]

Thanks, E, but it wouldn't be RT because we would most likely only be able to do ONE of the cruises. Have NEVER been to AK. We had a B2B booked for late August/early September, 2009 which we had to cancel and I always said if there is ONE place we SHOULD go is Alaska. Would love to do Italy too, but that is for my next life time!

[Beryl]

Karry...so you see...E says he has seen round trip to Vancouver for around $600...so $625 for the open jaw type of flights is not unreasonable. You would want to check a little bit though because I have a gut feeling that the open jaw fare will be more expensive if you decide to board in Whittier and fly home from Vancouver! Canadian taxes are killers!! Just a thought ... so keep your eye open for that!