Alaska is more affordable and accessible than people think. We’re seeing seven-night Alaska cruises for as little as $399. You can’t even check into a hotel for a week for that little, let alone eat. Between the last-minute travel deals and the fact that 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of statehood, there has never been a better year to come to Alaska.
Alaska is planning to celebrate its 50th anniversary all year long, and local businesses are offering specials to attract visitors this summer. “A lot of Americans are tightening their belts this year, but our research shows most are still planning some leisure travel,” said Ron Peck, president and chief operating officer of the Alaska Travel Industry Association. “Alaska is a great value because it offers a rich cultural experience along with amazing scenery. … Now is definitely the time to visit.”
It’s wave season, the time of year when travelers typically book the most cruises. And there’s good news for cruise-loving consumers: Discounts abound, more than a dozen new ships are being introduced this year, and booking windows are shrinking, which means you don’t have to plan quite so far ahead.
As a result, some companies are seeing a surge in cruise bookings. Princess Cruises reported its biggest booking day ever Jan. 12, with volume up 17 percent over the best previous day.
Part of the increase in the number of cruisers is driven by increased supply. More ships enter the market each year and more berths get filled. Among the new vessels getting attention this year is Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, which is scheduled to arrive in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in December.
“It’s not a cruise ship, it’s a feat of engineering and creativity,” said Spencer Brown. “It’s an amazing, creative, fabulous ship that will get the lion’s share of attention in the next year.”
Spencer Brown said she toured the ship recently in Finland, where it was under construction in drydock.
“I forgot I was on a ship,” she said. “It’s that different.”
We all keep reading and hearing about how bad the economy is and that people will not be traveling in 2009. However, I just read that on January 12 Princess Cruise Lines had the best day they have ever had with volume up 17 percent over their previous best day. The Balcony Bonanza that Princess advertised to provide a free upgrade to a balcony stateroom for the price of a standard oceanview represented a savings of up to $1,200 per stateroom. The new Alaska Wilderness Sale for cruisetours in 2009 was spectacular. Want to know more - give me a call @ 503-650-6117 (Rosemary)
Princess Cruises is introducing a special new lineup of cruisetours that offer passengers the extra convenience of roundtrip travel from Seattle at unprecedented low fares. These new options make planning an Alaska land/sea vacation easier than ever by including all travel once the passenger gets to Seattle, including airfare between Seattle and Anchorage. This sale runs through February 28, 2009, and features four new Seattle-based cruisetour options. The northbound and southbound travel, feature a seven-night cruise plus “Direct to the Wilderness” tail transportation and stays at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge and Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge. Air travel between Seattle & Anchorage, as well as motorcoach transfers between Seattle and Vancouver are included in the package. Fares start at only $1399/pp for a balcony on an 11-night land/sea vacation. Want more info - call American Dream Cruises @ 800-588-6117
After several years of relocating to Europe and other international destinations, North American cruise ships are being pushed back home by the pressure of escalating airfares and a weakened global economy. As a result, cruise lines are embracing domestic homeport options at a rate not seen since the wake of 9/11. Royal Caribbean has canceled the Radiance of the Seas’ scheduled 2009 and 2010 South America season and will instead keep the ship in San Diego on Mexican Riviera itineraries. In addition, Celebrity Cruises is canceling their ship “Millennium’s” 2009 & 2010 Australia and New Zealand season and instead will sail out of San Juan. Also, the Celebrity Mercury will sail out of Baltimore and Charleston, S.C., instead of San Juan. The cost of airfare in particular is what many cruise executives say they have been losing sleep over. Given the current instability of world markets, it appears that cruise lines are taking their chances that their home turf is where they have the most control. American Dream Cruises has been seeing some of the lowest cruise prices in years, especially if booked by the end of 2008.