Calling all travel agents! About This Page:

[marianne e cornett]

Here's a question I thought you all might be able to answer before we make a decision. We are planning to go on an Alaskan cruise and tour with Princess in 2009, with 2 other couples. We are all experienced cruisers. Have cruised Alaska before on Princess with a tour of the Canadian Rockies (with all the old railroad hotels included . . . Jasper Park Lodge . . . Banff Springs Hotel . . . Chateau Lake Louise). It was to die for. Used a travel agent. That was 4 years ago. We want to book very early because we want balconies and certain cabins. How soon can we book this? What is their usual opening date for reservations? It seems bargains start popping up on some of the newsletters I subscribe to earlier and earlier. Would we get a better deal earlier or later? It seems that there were some fearsome rates that came out over the summer for 2007 cruises that were still available. But I don't know if that is the same for cruises with tours. We thought we had a fabulous rate last time but we booked way ahead as is our usual rule. That last trip was first class deluxe all the way and we want the same experience this time. Plus do you all know anything about the Princess lodges? We want to stay at at least three of them. Are some better than others? Are they comparable to the hotels that we stayed at in Canada? (We also stayed at the Pan Pacific in Vancouver, a bed and breakfast on a horse ranch and a lovely hotel on an Indian reservation.) Do they still let you order anything off the menu at the hotel restaurants for the meals that are included? Or have they cut that back? Finally, do the travel agents get first shot at the best deals or do you guys have to hunt them down the same as the do-it-yourselfer? I have become quite proficient at booking trips for us and for a lot of other people. But I wouldn't mind using a travel agent if there was still some benefit to it for us. Persuade me! Bigred

[TourWithAnne]

Hi Marianne!
I must say I am a bit envious of you taking an Alaksan Cruisetour! Especially on Princess. Fabulous!
Anyway, I would guess that they 2009 information and availablity will come out in late April early May. Agents connected to the line would get a bit of heads up before the general public. One advantage of an agent is the ability to do a group plan which can ultimatley lower the cost. Also, having someone watch for discounts and possible upgrades is very beneficial. Good agents can also assist in straightening out any problems or concerns.
I would book as soon as possible, especially since there are specific stateroom types you would like. As far as the meals are concerned, it will greatly depend on the itinerary you choose. I believe there usually are some that are more inclusive than others. Also, I know there are some cruisetours that stay at three different princess lodges.
I hope that helps. And let me know if you have any other questions.

Anne

[dmpyron]

Dates & rates for 2008 opened in early May. We have a Princess specialist who has the direct ear to our district sales manager. He announced the release date about 4 days before it came out. So find a good Princess agent and get queued up.

Princess has a sale on right now for early and late 2008 cruisetours. Pretty attractive pricing. But the rooms are limited in selection. If you want a specific category and room, you may need to tell your agent to get it ready and just book for you the day they open. You'll have a couple of days to decide if you want to do it.

As far as the menus are concerned, I think they've cut back on that to some extent. I'll have to ask Mike about the specifics.

The lodges are all very nice from what I've seen. Unfortunately, Princess loves to do FAMs for the Caribbean and Mexican Riviera, but not the Med or Alaska. Sigh.

Yes, the best prices come first day. Although you can get some great rates if you wait, you may not get the category that you want and will almost likely not get the room. Agents usually hear about the rates at least a few days before the general public. I have some great rates for Carnival, for instance, that will go public tomorrow. But my clients have already heard about them.

Some people can really get a good deal together on their own, others find that even though they are experienced cruisers, they like to have an agent do it for them.

[joyful1nh]

Sounds like you must have done a Rocky Mountain Rail tour before? - I've been eyeing those myself! I'm a huge fan of rail travel.

My family sailed on Diamond Princess this summer. First we did an independent land tour starting in Seattle, then to Vancouver BC. Then after our 7 night Princess cruise we travelled to Talkeetna before flying back home from Anchorage. It was our 2nd trip to Alaska so we wanted to do something a bit different.

As far as booking the cruise goes: If you are looking for full suites - those sell out almost immediately. Mini-suites and other balcony rooms sell a bit slower, but if you want on the land side of the ship and mid-ship, book early. Princess ships have a few design quirks that a good TA can point out for you.

You don't say when you are sailing. If you are planning to go in shoulder season (May-Jun or Sep-Oct) you might get a good deal at the last minute, although not in the most desirable cabin location. If you are going in peak season Jul-Aug -- you will almost certainly get the best deal by booking early. Some travel agents monitor your reservation and will apply any discounts applicable to your reservation automatically if a better deal comes up after you book. Our ability to do this depends on the individual cruise line rules - Princess is typically pretty good about allowing us to apply discounts.

Meals are not typically included in the land portion of the Princess tours. I haven't visited the lodges myself. I did visit the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge (not Princess owned) and I would stay there myself without hesitation - it was incredible. Especially since, in general, room accommodations in Alaska aren't nearly as luxurious as in the lower 48 and Canada.

I think using a good travel agent is the way to go, of course, I'm a bit biased! My recommendation: find someone you are comfortable communicating with, who relates well to you, and has expertise in what you are looking for. Make sure you understand what they will and won't do for you. Very few agents charge a fee for booking a cruise or a cruise package, so you won't pay any more for having someone else do the work - and time is money!