ALASKA CRUISE
SAVE MONEY ON ALASKA CRUISES
DON'T EVER PAY BROCHURE PRICE FOR AN ALASKA CRUISE
All cruise lines post a brochure price, but it's very rare that
anyone actually pays this price, so don't. Many cruise websites
offer anywhere from 30-70% off brochure rates. Great discounts
can be found if you take the time to look.
TRY A LATE MAY OR EARLY SEPTEMBER ALASKA CRUISE
The best deals are offered for May and September. Currently,
there are several websites offering ocean view rooms for May
cruises on premium cruise lines such as Princess and Holland
America for $599 per week. This is a steal!
COMPARISON SHOP FOR ALASKA CRUISES ONLINE
Once you decide on an Alaska cruise and date, shop around on
the internet for the best price. While investigating a recent
cruise, I found a range of prices for the same cruise, same
cabin. Be sure to type in your zip code if the website asks so they
can automatically check for state resident discounts. Also, check
the box for senior discounts if anyone in your cabin is 55 or
older. These two discounts can make quite a difference in the
price.
BOOK AN INSIDE CABIN FOR THE BIGGEST SAVINGS
Balcony cabins are wonderful, but only if you plan to spend a lot
of time sitting there. If you plan to hang around the pool or spend
most of the day enjoying other onboard activities then there's
really no reason to pay for the extra expense of a balcony cabin.
Balcony cabins can run anywhere from $100 to several hundred
dollars higher than an outside or inside cabin. Balconies are
much windier than most people expect so you might not be able
to enjoy it at all.
LOWER DECKS ARE CHEAPER ON ALASKA CRUISES
Cabin prices rise as you go up the decks. Of course, most
people don't enjoy being on the very bottom passenger deck, but
after about Deck 6 there's not much difference in the view. Ask
yourself if it's really worth a $200 difference per week to be up
one floor. Another thought to consider is motion sickness. The
motion is greater than higher up you are on the ship.
DON'T BE BULLIED INTO AN INFERIOR CABIN
Many cruise websites allow you to see the specific cabins still
available for a certain price. Before you book a cabin, go onto the
cruise line's website and check out the ship's floor plan to make
sure the cabin is not directly under the disco or directly above the
anchor. Don't depend on your travel agent to give you this
information. Do your own homework. If given the choice between
a cabin on a upper or lower deck for the same price, take the
upper deck.
IF YOU HAVE TEENAGERS BUY A SODA CARD
If you or your teenager can guzzle several cans of cola a day, it
will save you big money to buy an unlimited soda card at the
beginning of the cruise.
BOOK INDEPENDENT SHORE EXCURSIONS
The biggest money maker for cruise lines on Alaska cruises are
the shore excursions. A typical Alaskan shore excursion can run
anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars for helicopter and
dog sledding tours. You can save big money by booking shore
excursions through independent tour companies. And don't
worry about them getting you back to the ship on time...cruise
passengers are their business so they'll get you back.
CHECK PRICES FOR AIRFARE BEFORE YOU BOOK
Many Alaska cruises begin in one port (such as Seattle) and end
in another (like Seward Alaska) which can make airfare very
expensive...sometimes more than the cost of the cruise. And
don't count on using frequent flyer miles into Seattle and
Vancouver unless you book several months in advance.
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