Got to go back to Alaska
Three years ago we took our first cruise, a 7 night Alaska south bound. We were hooked, not only on cruising, but on Alaska. The cruise was a tantalizing taste, which only made us want to go back. So this past August and September we took a 11 day Alaska cruise tour; basically it was a 7 night cruise with 4 days on land in Denali Park and Mt. McKinley Lodge. It was a tantalizing taste, which only made us want to go back. There is so much more of Alaska yet to see.
Sitka was the capital of Russian America until 1867, when the transfer ceremony of Alaska from Russian to American rule took place here. Sitka National Historic Park is the oldest federally designated park, and will turn 100 in March, 2010, even though the State of Alaska just turned 50 years old in 2009. Sitka is steeped in both Russian and native Tlingit culture. Nearby is a dormant volcano, Mt. Edgecombe, and the Raptor Center, where injured eagles and other birds of prey are rehabilitated.
Anchorage is Alaska's most populated city, where more than 1,000 moose are thought to be living within the city limits. It is home to the Alaska Native Heritage Center, which features cultural and educational programs, workshops, demonstrations, and the ability to learn about the 5 major native cultures of Alaska through 6 authentic, life-sized dwellings which surround Lake Tiulana. Anchorage is the official start of the l,049 mile long Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on the first Saturday in March. The race ends 9-14 days later in Nome. When we were on this last cruise, we attended a lecture by Libby Riddles, the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
Fairbanks, the heart of the interior, lies on the Chena River and at the edge of the Arctic wilderness. It started as a construction camp for the Alaska Railroad. It is the most easily accessible place to observe the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights, visible from September to April. Fairbanks is also the home of the University of Alaska at Fairbanks's Museum of the North. Here you can see musk ox, caribou and reindeer at the Large Animal Research Station. Also part of the University are the Georgeson Botanical Gardens, the largest in Alaska. Near Fairbanks is the easiest place to view the Trans Alaska Pipeline.
Talkeetna started as a supply station for miners and trappers. It was the inspiration for the town in the TV series Northern Exposure. Currently it is the home base for climbing expeditions to Mt. McKinley, and has the best McKinley exhibit, a room size scale model. Talkeetna has one stop sign, and one parking meter, which does not work.
Chicken was a mining community, a National Historic Site, and home to 2 gold dredges. Chicken got its name because the early miners could not agree on how to spell ptarmigan, the Alaska State bird. The miners thought the ptarmigan looked like a chicken, and chicken was a whole lot easier to spell.
Some fun facts about Alaska:
1. Dutch Harbor on Unalaska was bombed by the Japanese in WWII, and the Aleutian islands of Attu and Kiska were actually invaded by the Japanese, the first invasion of US soil since the War of 1812.
2. St. Lawrence Island in the Bering Sea lies 200 miles west of Nome, and only 38 miles east of Russia. On a clear day you can see the mountains of Russian, and some Asiatic birds rarely found in North America.
3. More people are killed or injured by moose each year in Alaska than by bear. Alaska is home to 35,000 grizzlies, about 95% of the brown bears in the US. A grizzly's top speed is 30 mph, compared with a human's 10 mph.
4. Alaska has the highest rate of missing persons in the world. Hikers and campers in Alaska like to include SPAM in their packs, because it never freezes. There are 2 times as many caribou as people in Alaska.
5. Mt. St. Elias Park has the tallest coastal mountains in the world. They receive over 500 inches of snow a year.
Consequently more ice forms on Hubbard Glacier than melts or calves off. Hubbard Glacier is the largest tide water glacier in the world, and still growing, at 70 miles long by 7 miles wide and 2,000 feet deep. Mt. St Elias, named by Danish explorer Vitus Bering, is the second tallest mountain in North America at 18,008 ft. Of course the tallest is Denali at 20,320 ft.
I was so enthralled with Alaska after seeing part of the interior, that when we got home, I took the course to become an Alaska Expert. I can assist with independent or escorted tours to any part of the state, lodge and hotel reservations, RV and car rentals, fishing or flight seeing expeditions, as well as advice on what to see and do. I find Alaska so fascinating, that I am reading anything on Alaska that I can get my hands on.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Back to Alaska Part 1
Back to Alaska
Like many people, we took our first cruise to Alaska, only to be consumed by the desire to return. There was so much more that we wanted to see. The first 7 day cruise just whet our appetite for the "Great Land." We did eventually go back in August on a Princess cruise tour consisting of 4 days on land and a 7 day cruise. Some of you have probably done this same trip, or something similar, since all the mainstream cruise lines offer a large choice of 3-11 day land tours combined with a 7 day cruise. For those of you who haven't, here is our story.
Out trip started very early in the morning since we had to be at the airport around 5 am for a 7 am flight to Seattle, where we grabbed an early lunch. No meals on the airplanes any more . From there we flew to Anchorage, ate an early supper, then boarded a flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks. That flight alone was worth the pre dawn start and long day changing planes 3 times. On the left side of the plane were numerous glaciers stretched along valleys, while on the right side this spectacular mountain, which I can only assume was Denali, since it's peak was higher than the plane was flying. Our plane to Fairbanks was a combination cargo/passenger plane, sectioned off into the two areas. We finally got to the first overnight stop at the quaint River's Edge Resort. The sun was shining brightly at 9 pm, but we were so exhausted that we only managed to crawl into bed. The next morning we had a wonderful buffet breakfast before boarding the Alaska Railroad for the trip to Denali. One word of warning, although we were encouraged to sleep in and eat breakfast on the train, I'm glad we did not, since it would have been late morning before the second half of the observation car was seated in the small dining area. After a 4 hour scenic train ride we arrived at Princess Denali Lodge for 2 nights. We ate a quick lunch, then had a 5 hour bus trip into the park for a natural history tour with the prospect of viewing wildlife. We saw some moose and sheep high up on the hills. But the fall colors at the end of August were absolutely breathtaking. Deep reds, golden aspen, the dark green of fir trees were in the taiga, and even the tundra was pretty. I just sat there thinking "it's so beautiful." There is the availability of a 9 hour bus trip to the end of the road in Kantishna, with an overnight stay, and a 9 hour bus trip back out of the park. I'm glad we took the shorter route. After another long day, we had a wonderful meal in the King Salmon restaurant on the lodge property. Another word of warning: the meals are not included on the land portion of a cruise tour, and it's not cheap to eat in the lodge eateries, but there is often no other choice. The following morning we went into the Park again to the visitors center and bookstore, where I could have spent the whole day. We also managed to see a dog sled demonstration by the park sled dogs; this is the preferred means of transportation for ranger patrols in the park in winter.
Then at noon we boarded the train again for the long ride to Talkeetna, where we transferred to a bus for the hour long ride to Princess Mt. McKinley Lodge. It was raining most of that afternoon, but the scenery on the train was wonderful anyway. Mt. McKinley was shrouded in clouds. They say that only 25% of the tourists get to see the "High One". This third long day had us skipping dinner and dragging ourselves into bed. Now if you know Kelly and me, you know that for us to miss a meal, we had to have been dead tired. Not that there wasn't plenty to do at the Lodge in the evening. Our friends went to the show and promptly slept through it all.
Guess what we did after breakfast the next day? One hour bus trip back to the train, and the longest train ride yet. Thankfully our friends had a deck of cards. We did eat lunch on the train that day, but not until around 3 pm. I was just longing to get on the ship in Whittier so we could completely relax. No wonder we urge our clients to do the land portion first, then the cruise. It's more expensive that way, but at least you have time to recharge. The first day of the cruise was sailing Glacier Bay. There was some rain in the morning, but a glorious sunset made up for it. Then there were the usual one day long ports of call at Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan, and one day of scenic cruising before docking in Vancouver.
But there is so much that we still want to see and do. As much as I love cruising, the next trip to Alaska will be an independent land trip. I was so enthused about Alaska, that when I got home I completed the Alaska certified expert agent training course, which covers things to do and see across the whole state. It's humbling to realize that in 11 days we only saw a small portion. And so the sirens are calling me back to Alaska. More about our 49th state next time.
All the 2010 cruise and land tour brochures are in, and it's time to start thinking about your trip to the Great Land. Remember, we provide free advice on your many options.
Like many people, we took our first cruise to Alaska, only to be consumed by the desire to return. There was so much more that we wanted to see. The first 7 day cruise just whet our appetite for the "Great Land." We did eventually go back in August on a Princess cruise tour consisting of 4 days on land and a 7 day cruise. Some of you have probably done this same trip, or something similar, since all the mainstream cruise lines offer a large choice of 3-11 day land tours combined with a 7 day cruise. For those of you who haven't, here is our story.
Out trip started very early in the morning since we had to be at the airport around 5 am for a 7 am flight to Seattle, where we grabbed an early lunch. No meals on the airplanes any more . From there we flew to Anchorage, ate an early supper, then boarded a flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks. That flight alone was worth the pre dawn start and long day changing planes 3 times. On the left side of the plane were numerous glaciers stretched along valleys, while on the right side this spectacular mountain, which I can only assume was Denali, since it's peak was higher than the plane was flying. Our plane to Fairbanks was a combination cargo/passenger plane, sectioned off into the two areas. We finally got to the first overnight stop at the quaint River's Edge Resort. The sun was shining brightly at 9 pm, but we were so exhausted that we only managed to crawl into bed. The next morning we had a wonderful buffet breakfast before boarding the Alaska Railroad for the trip to Denali. One word of warning, although we were encouraged to sleep in and eat breakfast on the train, I'm glad we did not, since it would have been late morning before the second half of the observation car was seated in the small dining area. After a 4 hour scenic train ride we arrived at Princess Denali Lodge for 2 nights. We ate a quick lunch, then had a 5 hour bus trip into the park for a natural history tour with the prospect of viewing wildlife. We saw some moose and sheep high up on the hills. But the fall colors at the end of August were absolutely breathtaking. Deep reds, golden aspen, the dark green of fir trees were in the taiga, and even the tundra was pretty. I just sat there thinking "it's so beautiful." There is the availability of a 9 hour bus trip to the end of the road in Kantishna, with an overnight stay, and a 9 hour bus trip back out of the park. I'm glad we took the shorter route. After another long day, we had a wonderful meal in the King Salmon restaurant on the lodge property. Another word of warning: the meals are not included on the land portion of a cruise tour, and it's not cheap to eat in the lodge eateries, but there is often no other choice. The following morning we went into the Park again to the visitors center and bookstore, where I could have spent the whole day. We also managed to see a dog sled demonstration by the park sled dogs; this is the preferred means of transportation for ranger patrols in the park in winter.
Then at noon we boarded the train again for the long ride to Talkeetna, where we transferred to a bus for the hour long ride to Princess Mt. McKinley Lodge. It was raining most of that afternoon, but the scenery on the train was wonderful anyway. Mt. McKinley was shrouded in clouds. They say that only 25% of the tourists get to see the "High One". This third long day had us skipping dinner and dragging ourselves into bed. Now if you know Kelly and me, you know that for us to miss a meal, we had to have been dead tired. Not that there wasn't plenty to do at the Lodge in the evening. Our friends went to the show and promptly slept through it all.
Guess what we did after breakfast the next day? One hour bus trip back to the train, and the longest train ride yet. Thankfully our friends had a deck of cards. We did eat lunch on the train that day, but not until around 3 pm. I was just longing to get on the ship in Whittier so we could completely relax. No wonder we urge our clients to do the land portion first, then the cruise. It's more expensive that way, but at least you have time to recharge. The first day of the cruise was sailing Glacier Bay. There was some rain in the morning, but a glorious sunset made up for it. Then there were the usual one day long ports of call at Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan, and one day of scenic cruising before docking in Vancouver.
But there is so much that we still want to see and do. As much as I love cruising, the next trip to Alaska will be an independent land trip. I was so enthused about Alaska, that when I got home I completed the Alaska certified expert agent training course, which covers things to do and see across the whole state. It's humbling to realize that in 11 days we only saw a small portion. And so the sirens are calling me back to Alaska. More about our 49th state next time.
All the 2010 cruise and land tour brochures are in, and it's time to start thinking about your trip to the Great Land. Remember, we provide free advice on your many options.
Monday, October 5, 2009
What I've Learned Part 2
What I've learned about cruising (and the travel business) Part II
Last month I talked about how you can find discounted prices for cruises, the advantages of groups, and the pros and cons of buying air and shore excursions through the cruise line. I need to mention trip insurance. "Don't leave home without it." Or rather, don't book any travel, even air tickets, without it. And don't book insurance with the cruise or tour provider. If they should go out of business in this tough economy, as we have seen many smaller tour providers do, who are you going to contact? Chances are you will have no recourse. Buy insurance through an independent insurance company. We represent Travel Guard, and we have customers who have had to submit claims because of accidents that prevented them from going on their trip. Usually they have their full refund within 4 - 6 weeks. Don't buy insurance through the cruise line. If you can't go because of a medical reason, in most cases you will get a future cruise credit, not your money back. That's fine if you are physically able to cruise sometime in the future. We had a client who unexpectedly went on Hospice services several months after booking a cruise. He was able to cancel his cruise and get a full refund on his deposit. But what about the money he laid out for trip insurance? Travel Guard said he had up to 3 years to apply those funds to another trip, OR the funds could be transferred to any third party and used for future travel. Quite a difference from most "nontransferable" policies.
What if something happens when you are on a trip? Accidents happen. When on a cruise, you are considered to be in the foreign country that the cruise ship is registered to. What's that mean? Your Medicare and private insurance will not cover you! Think of trip insurance the same way you think of auto insurance. Hopefully you never have to use it, but if you do, you will be grateful to have it. All major cruise lines have sick bays when you can get stitches or medications . But it's not cheap. What about air tickets? If you have purchased tickets, you know they are not refundable, and it can cost you up to $150 to change them, plus any increase in fares. (Southwest is an exception.) Trip insurance would cost you between $20 and $40, and if you have to cancel because of a covered reason, your full fare is refunded.
Why should you use a "travel agent"? Just what do we do that sets us apart from internet sellers of travel? We put the customer first. We assist clients to make decisions about their travel. Often the cheapest cruise is not the one that will give the customer the best value. We assist customers with air, shore excursions, questions about dining, gratuities, required documents, and more. Do you know that most cruise lines require that your passport does not expire within 6 months after the cruise ends. Do you think "Prettygoodcruises.com" is going to enquire about your passport? They want your credit card number, and that's about all. They will not advise you about the cost of gratuities, or even mention taxes and fees. A good travel agent is also your advocate, should you have a dispute with a cruise line. The relationship is similar to realtor and home buyer. We've got your back.
So what does it cost to use the services of a travel agent? Usually nothing. We are paid by the cruise lines or tour providers. We can help you plan a seamless vacation, unique and distinctive travel. You can buy a cruise to Alaska almost anywhere. But what if you want to fly into Fairbanks a week before the cruise, do some tours there, perhaps visit Barrow above the Arctic Circle? Independent travel? Not a problem. I recently did a trip with hotels, air, and train tickets for London and Paris. A recent study by Forrester Research found "Many consumers are fed up with the complicated process of planning and booking travel." The do-it-yourself ego booster falls flat when you find your cabin is over the kitchen. Did you know they start preparing breakfast at 3:30 am?
Last month I talked about how you can find discounted prices for cruises, the advantages of groups, and the pros and cons of buying air and shore excursions through the cruise line. I need to mention trip insurance. "Don't leave home without it." Or rather, don't book any travel, even air tickets, without it. And don't book insurance with the cruise or tour provider. If they should go out of business in this tough economy, as we have seen many smaller tour providers do, who are you going to contact? Chances are you will have no recourse. Buy insurance through an independent insurance company. We represent Travel Guard, and we have customers who have had to submit claims because of accidents that prevented them from going on their trip. Usually they have their full refund within 4 - 6 weeks. Don't buy insurance through the cruise line. If you can't go because of a medical reason, in most cases you will get a future cruise credit, not your money back. That's fine if you are physically able to cruise sometime in the future. We had a client who unexpectedly went on Hospice services several months after booking a cruise. He was able to cancel his cruise and get a full refund on his deposit. But what about the money he laid out for trip insurance? Travel Guard said he had up to 3 years to apply those funds to another trip, OR the funds could be transferred to any third party and used for future travel. Quite a difference from most "nontransferable" policies.
What if something happens when you are on a trip? Accidents happen. When on a cruise, you are considered to be in the foreign country that the cruise ship is registered to. What's that mean? Your Medicare and private insurance will not cover you! Think of trip insurance the same way you think of auto insurance. Hopefully you never have to use it, but if you do, you will be grateful to have it. All major cruise lines have sick bays when you can get stitches or medications . But it's not cheap. What about air tickets? If you have purchased tickets, you know they are not refundable, and it can cost you up to $150 to change them, plus any increase in fares. (Southwest is an exception.) Trip insurance would cost you between $20 and $40, and if you have to cancel because of a covered reason, your full fare is refunded.
Why should you use a "travel agent"? Just what do we do that sets us apart from internet sellers of travel? We put the customer first. We assist clients to make decisions about their travel. Often the cheapest cruise is not the one that will give the customer the best value. We assist customers with air, shore excursions, questions about dining, gratuities, required documents, and more. Do you know that most cruise lines require that your passport does not expire within 6 months after the cruise ends. Do you think "Prettygoodcruises.com" is going to enquire about your passport? They want your credit card number, and that's about all. They will not advise you about the cost of gratuities, or even mention taxes and fees. A good travel agent is also your advocate, should you have a dispute with a cruise line. The relationship is similar to realtor and home buyer. We've got your back.
So what does it cost to use the services of a travel agent? Usually nothing. We are paid by the cruise lines or tour providers. We can help you plan a seamless vacation, unique and distinctive travel. You can buy a cruise to Alaska almost anywhere. But what if you want to fly into Fairbanks a week before the cruise, do some tours there, perhaps visit Barrow above the Arctic Circle? Independent travel? Not a problem. I recently did a trip with hotels, air, and train tickets for London and Paris. A recent study by Forrester Research found "Many consumers are fed up with the complicated process of planning and booking travel." The do-it-yourself ego booster falls flat when you find your cabin is over the kitchen. Did you know they start preparing breakfast at 3:30 am?
What I've Larned About The Cruise business
What I've Learned about the Cruise Business
I've learned a lot so I'd like to share that knowledge with you. First and foremost people want to know how they can get the "best deal" on a cruise. You may have heard that by waiting until a few weeks before a scheduled sailing, you can get a smoking deal because the ship doesn't want to sail with empty cabins. And that is true, to an extent. But it only works if you can drive to the pier. Because if you need to fly, the cost of a last minute plane ticket cancels any cruise savings. Also, you will likely end up with a guaranty cabin. That means you are guaranteed a cabin in the category you book ( ocean view or interior), but you have no choice of where that cabin will be. Think about it for a minute. Which cabins sell first? The cabins that are mid ship are booked first. So if you want until the last minute to book, your cabin will either be in the very bow or very stern of the ship, or worse. Sometimes if there are no more cabins left in the category you have booked as a guaranty, you might be lucky enough to get a better class of cabin at no increase in price. But again, the location will probably be less desirable.
Why are mid ship cabins the first to go? Think about a see-saw. The very ends have all the motion, no motion in the middle. So if you are fearing motion sickness, the best place to be is mid ship on the lowest deck. Again, think of a tall building in high winds. More motion on the top floor than on ground, or in this case, sea level.
How else can you get a good deal? Usually the early booking discounts (booking more than 6 months from sailing) will give you a nice discount. If you decide later than you can not take the cruise on the date you booked, you can get a complete refund of your deposit up until final payment date, which is approximately 75 days prior to sailing. Carnival is the only cruise line that has non-refundable deposits for early booking discounts. If you have served at least 2 years active duty or are in the US military reserves, the military discount is the best in the business. You will need proof, either your discharge papers or an ID card.
Booking into an existing group also gives either a discounted price or a cash amenity, or sometimes both. So where do you find a group? You can start one of your own, if you can get your relatives and friends to agree on one date and destination, or you can check with your local travel agent to see what groups they have on the books. Currently we have a group on a Hawaii 15 night cruise round trip from San Diego in March 2010 on Holland America.. And a 10 night Panama Canal round trip from Ft. Lauderdale in April, also with Holland . (I chose the 10 night round trip over the 14 night trans canal trip, because I would rather see the ports of call in the Caribbean than all those coming up Mexico's west coast.) Besides, when you do the complete transit of the canal one set of docks will always be at 5 am or earlier, so chances are you won't see it anyway.
One of the reasons we affiliated with the host agency America's Vacation Center is because of their sheer size ( over 500 independent agents) and the great number of groups that they have in place. AVC often has negotiated a discount price with the cruise lines, again because of their size, they carry a lot of clout. Or they have amenities like $100 on board credit for people booking into their group.
How can you save money on air fare, shore excursions, and insurance? All the cruise lines sell airline tickets, excursions, and insurance. It's another way for them to make money. And generally you can get a better price if you book your own air, or have your travel agent do it, and catch a shore excursion once you are on shore from the many local tour guides that hang around any port of call. It all depends on how much of a gambler you are. The catch is that if you do not go through the cruise line, and you are delayed getting to the ship for embarkation or after a tour, you will be waving as the ship sails away without you. This happened on out last cruise to Hawaii over last Christmas. You might remember that there was some nasty weather in the Seattle area just before Christmas. Our captain waited as long as he could, some 5 hours, before he sailed for the Big Island without 14 passengers who never made it down to LA from the Northwest. A lot of people did make it to the ship in those 5 hours. But the ones who didn't make it and who HAD booked their airfare through the cruise line were flown to Hilo, put up in a hotel for 4 days at no charge, while the ship sailed across the Pacific towards Hilo. Now that's tough to take. They also could have collected on their trip insurance for missed connection.
We were on a shore excursion, again booked through the cruise line, to the Grand Canyon of the Pacific on Kauai. It's a long ride from the dock, and after we boarded the busses to return to the ship, guess what. One of them wouldn't start. The driver called Roberts of Hawaii, the tour company that the cruise lines contracts with, and they sent another bus. But by the time they got there and back to the pier, it was after the scheduled sailing time. Because the tour was booked through the cruise line, the ship waited for all the late travelers. If they had booked with an independent tour company in order to save a few dollars, they would have missed the ship. Getting to the next port of call to rejoin the ship is then on your dollar.
There's so much more to tell you. I will have to wait until next month to talk more about the ins and outs of cruising.
I've learned a lot so I'd like to share that knowledge with you. First and foremost people want to know how they can get the "best deal" on a cruise. You may have heard that by waiting until a few weeks before a scheduled sailing, you can get a smoking deal because the ship doesn't want to sail with empty cabins. And that is true, to an extent. But it only works if you can drive to the pier. Because if you need to fly, the cost of a last minute plane ticket cancels any cruise savings. Also, you will likely end up with a guaranty cabin. That means you are guaranteed a cabin in the category you book ( ocean view or interior), but you have no choice of where that cabin will be. Think about it for a minute. Which cabins sell first? The cabins that are mid ship are booked first. So if you want until the last minute to book, your cabin will either be in the very bow or very stern of the ship, or worse. Sometimes if there are no more cabins left in the category you have booked as a guaranty, you might be lucky enough to get a better class of cabin at no increase in price. But again, the location will probably be less desirable.
Why are mid ship cabins the first to go? Think about a see-saw. The very ends have all the motion, no motion in the middle. So if you are fearing motion sickness, the best place to be is mid ship on the lowest deck. Again, think of a tall building in high winds. More motion on the top floor than on ground, or in this case, sea level.
How else can you get a good deal? Usually the early booking discounts (booking more than 6 months from sailing) will give you a nice discount. If you decide later than you can not take the cruise on the date you booked, you can get a complete refund of your deposit up until final payment date, which is approximately 75 days prior to sailing. Carnival is the only cruise line that has non-refundable deposits for early booking discounts. If you have served at least 2 years active duty or are in the US military reserves, the military discount is the best in the business. You will need proof, either your discharge papers or an ID card.
Booking into an existing group also gives either a discounted price or a cash amenity, or sometimes both. So where do you find a group? You can start one of your own, if you can get your relatives and friends to agree on one date and destination, or you can check with your local travel agent to see what groups they have on the books. Currently we have a group on a Hawaii 15 night cruise round trip from San Diego in March 2010 on Holland America.. And a 10 night Panama Canal round trip from Ft. Lauderdale in April, also with Holland . (I chose the 10 night round trip over the 14 night trans canal trip, because I would rather see the ports of call in the Caribbean than all those coming up Mexico's west coast.) Besides, when you do the complete transit of the canal one set of docks will always be at 5 am or earlier, so chances are you won't see it anyway.
One of the reasons we affiliated with the host agency America's Vacation Center is because of their sheer size ( over 500 independent agents) and the great number of groups that they have in place. AVC often has negotiated a discount price with the cruise lines, again because of their size, they carry a lot of clout. Or they have amenities like $100 on board credit for people booking into their group.
How can you save money on air fare, shore excursions, and insurance? All the cruise lines sell airline tickets, excursions, and insurance. It's another way for them to make money. And generally you can get a better price if you book your own air, or have your travel agent do it, and catch a shore excursion once you are on shore from the many local tour guides that hang around any port of call. It all depends on how much of a gambler you are. The catch is that if you do not go through the cruise line, and you are delayed getting to the ship for embarkation or after a tour, you will be waving as the ship sails away without you. This happened on out last cruise to Hawaii over last Christmas. You might remember that there was some nasty weather in the Seattle area just before Christmas. Our captain waited as long as he could, some 5 hours, before he sailed for the Big Island without 14 passengers who never made it down to LA from the Northwest. A lot of people did make it to the ship in those 5 hours. But the ones who didn't make it and who HAD booked their airfare through the cruise line were flown to Hilo, put up in a hotel for 4 days at no charge, while the ship sailed across the Pacific towards Hilo. Now that's tough to take. They also could have collected on their trip insurance for missed connection.
We were on a shore excursion, again booked through the cruise line, to the Grand Canyon of the Pacific on Kauai. It's a long ride from the dock, and after we boarded the busses to return to the ship, guess what. One of them wouldn't start. The driver called Roberts of Hawaii, the tour company that the cruise lines contracts with, and they sent another bus. But by the time they got there and back to the pier, it was after the scheduled sailing time. Because the tour was booked through the cruise line, the ship waited for all the late travelers. If they had booked with an independent tour company in order to save a few dollars, they would have missed the ship. Getting to the next port of call to rejoin the ship is then on your dollar.
There's so much more to tell you. I will have to wait until next month to talk more about the ins and outs of cruising.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
What a ship! Mariner Of The Seas
Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas West Coast Debut
Feb. 20-22, 2009 saw the re-inaugural sailing of the Mariner of the Seas, the largest and most beautiful ship to sail from a west coast port. Mariner will be sailing from Los Angeles (San Pedro) on a 7 night Mexican Riviera itinerary, including ports of call at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.
Mariner, one of the Voyager class ships from RCI, features an ice skating rink, a miniature golf course, an in-line skate track, basketball court, and the signature rock climbing wall. This showpiece of technology is 1,020 feet long, weighs 138,000 toms, and has a guest capacity of 3,114. Yet it doesn’t seem crowded, due to having one of the highest space-per-guest ratios on the cruise market. The 3 story dining room is absolutely elegant, complete with chandelier.
Kelly and Carol Watts of Cruise Port Travel had the privilege of sailing on the Mariner’s west coast debut, and were completely awed by the ship’s Royal Promenade, a 5 story open area complete with specialty and gift shops, a wine bar and pub, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream parlor, and Seattle’s Best Coffee shop. The promenade is also used for parades and special gatherings. The buffet area, Windjammer Café, is huge, and does not have the congested traffic of other buffets at sea. Royal Caribbean really does deliver the WOW with this new to the west coast ship.
Feb. 20-22, 2009 saw the re-inaugural sailing of the Mariner of the Seas, the largest and most beautiful ship to sail from a west coast port. Mariner will be sailing from Los Angeles (San Pedro) on a 7 night Mexican Riviera itinerary, including ports of call at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta.
Mariner, one of the Voyager class ships from RCI, features an ice skating rink, a miniature golf course, an in-line skate track, basketball court, and the signature rock climbing wall. This showpiece of technology is 1,020 feet long, weighs 138,000 toms, and has a guest capacity of 3,114. Yet it doesn’t seem crowded, due to having one of the highest space-per-guest ratios on the cruise market. The 3 story dining room is absolutely elegant, complete with chandelier.
Kelly and Carol Watts of Cruise Port Travel had the privilege of sailing on the Mariner’s west coast debut, and were completely awed by the ship’s Royal Promenade, a 5 story open area complete with specialty and gift shops, a wine bar and pub, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream parlor, and Seattle’s Best Coffee shop. The promenade is also used for parades and special gatherings. The buffet area, Windjammer Café, is huge, and does not have the congested traffic of other buffets at sea. Royal Caribbean really does deliver the WOW with this new to the west coast ship.
Small Ships, not for everyone
Small Ships: Advantages and Disadvantages
Many times we get requests from people who are tired of the lines, crowds, and formality of the larger cruise lines, namely those holding more than 2,000 passengers. While we normally choose these lines because it is the mass market that we sell to, I do admit to sometimes feeling like cattle herded into the chute. Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, set to debut in December 2009, will have the capacity of over 5,400 passengers, and that does not count the crew! While the ship is huge, there are some people who would consider that number of passengers as just “too many fellow travelers”.
For this article let’s look at ships with a guest capacity of 500 or less. (Princess does have 3 ships that they call small, holding from 670 - 710 passengers.)
Small ships come in many classifications, such as expedition cruising, coastal and river cruising, sailing ships, soft-adventure cruises, freighter, and barge cruises. Because of their smaller size, these ships and get into smaller ports that are often gems as far as experiencing the native culture. One example that comes to mind is Petersburg, Alaska. It is a small fishing port that retains much of the Norwegian heritage of its founders. It is located in the Wrangle Narrows of Alaska’s Inside Passage, and the main stream larger cruise lines just don’t fit.
Small ships can also get closer to shore for wildlife viewing. You’re not going to see a bear when your large ship is several miles off shore. Many small ships are equipped with inflatable zodiacs, which can get you ‘”up close and personal” with whales, sea otters, and seals. Indeed the emphasis on small ships is more toward outdoor activities, nature and wilderness exploration. There is often a naturalist on board, and your evening “entertainment” is his lecture and slide show. No Broadway production shows or poker tournaments of these ships. The food is usually very good, often specializing in local cuisine, always fresh, and there is no assigned seating. There is also only one seating, and no room service. Also no grill by the pool, no pizza or ice cream parlors, and no place to buy your espresso mocha-chino latte. Most of the small ships are not suitable for families. There are no quad cabins nor children’s programs. Often there is no TV in your room, much less wi fi service.
Then there’s the “ride”. There are no stabilizers on these small ships, and when they get in the open seas, like the gulf of Alaska, they do bob around a little. Most do not have a doctor or nurse on board should you get sea sick or worse, but since they sail close to land they can put you off for any medical treatment needed. Cabins are simple, and there usually is not a large choice of cabin style, so if you’re the penthouse type, you won’t find any on the small ships. Very few small ships are equipped with elevators, or have handicap cabins, and are decidedly wheelchair unfriendly. Also, there are not a lot of activities to fill your day, since the emphasis is on the world beyond the ship.
The biggest advantage to small ship cruising: the personalized treatment you receive from the staff, who will know your name and preferences within a few days. The atmosphere is casual and intimate. Think bed and breakfast versus mega resort.
The biggest disadvantage: the price. Why are small ship cruises so expensive? Despite their size, large ships are often more fuel efficient. It costs almost as much to push a large ship through the water as a small ship. The fees that the ship pays for docking in a port of call are the same, regardless of the size. But on a small ship you have fewer people to divide that cost into. And if you have ever cruised before, you know the pitfalls to your pocketbook that exist on large ships: the casino, the spa treatments, the photographs, the bingo games, the art auctions, and the shore excursions. Remember that on many small ships, like Cruise West, the shore excursions are included in the cruise price.
So whether you want a barefoot windjammer cruise, where you actually become part of the crew, or more of an expedition experience, a coastal, river barge, or Great Lakes cruise, or even a freighter cruise (now that’s really roughing it), we can find the cruise and destination to fulfill your expectations.
Many times we get requests from people who are tired of the lines, crowds, and formality of the larger cruise lines, namely those holding more than 2,000 passengers. While we normally choose these lines because it is the mass market that we sell to, I do admit to sometimes feeling like cattle herded into the chute. Royal Caribbean’s newest ship, set to debut in December 2009, will have the capacity of over 5,400 passengers, and that does not count the crew! While the ship is huge, there are some people who would consider that number of passengers as just “too many fellow travelers”.
For this article let’s look at ships with a guest capacity of 500 or less. (Princess does have 3 ships that they call small, holding from 670 - 710 passengers.)
Small ships come in many classifications, such as expedition cruising, coastal and river cruising, sailing ships, soft-adventure cruises, freighter, and barge cruises. Because of their smaller size, these ships and get into smaller ports that are often gems as far as experiencing the native culture. One example that comes to mind is Petersburg, Alaska. It is a small fishing port that retains much of the Norwegian heritage of its founders. It is located in the Wrangle Narrows of Alaska’s Inside Passage, and the main stream larger cruise lines just don’t fit.
Small ships can also get closer to shore for wildlife viewing. You’re not going to see a bear when your large ship is several miles off shore. Many small ships are equipped with inflatable zodiacs, which can get you ‘”up close and personal” with whales, sea otters, and seals. Indeed the emphasis on small ships is more toward outdoor activities, nature and wilderness exploration. There is often a naturalist on board, and your evening “entertainment” is his lecture and slide show. No Broadway production shows or poker tournaments of these ships. The food is usually very good, often specializing in local cuisine, always fresh, and there is no assigned seating. There is also only one seating, and no room service. Also no grill by the pool, no pizza or ice cream parlors, and no place to buy your espresso mocha-chino latte. Most of the small ships are not suitable for families. There are no quad cabins nor children’s programs. Often there is no TV in your room, much less wi fi service.
Then there’s the “ride”. There are no stabilizers on these small ships, and when they get in the open seas, like the gulf of Alaska, they do bob around a little. Most do not have a doctor or nurse on board should you get sea sick or worse, but since they sail close to land they can put you off for any medical treatment needed. Cabins are simple, and there usually is not a large choice of cabin style, so if you’re the penthouse type, you won’t find any on the small ships. Very few small ships are equipped with elevators, or have handicap cabins, and are decidedly wheelchair unfriendly. Also, there are not a lot of activities to fill your day, since the emphasis is on the world beyond the ship.
The biggest advantage to small ship cruising: the personalized treatment you receive from the staff, who will know your name and preferences within a few days. The atmosphere is casual and intimate. Think bed and breakfast versus mega resort.
The biggest disadvantage: the price. Why are small ship cruises so expensive? Despite their size, large ships are often more fuel efficient. It costs almost as much to push a large ship through the water as a small ship. The fees that the ship pays for docking in a port of call are the same, regardless of the size. But on a small ship you have fewer people to divide that cost into. And if you have ever cruised before, you know the pitfalls to your pocketbook that exist on large ships: the casino, the spa treatments, the photographs, the bingo games, the art auctions, and the shore excursions. Remember that on many small ships, like Cruise West, the shore excursions are included in the cruise price.
So whether you want a barefoot windjammer cruise, where you actually become part of the crew, or more of an expedition experience, a coastal, river barge, or Great Lakes cruise, or even a freighter cruise (now that’s really roughing it), we can find the cruise and destination to fulfill your expectations.
Groups Groups, we love Groups
Groups: a win-win proposition
What constitutes a Group? What are the benefits of group travel? These are all questions that come to mind when talking about group space, whether it's on a cruise or a land tour.
A general definition of "a group" is people traveling together who have something in common. Actually, a group can be almost any combination of people that cruise or tour together. It could be a family reunion, bridge club, church group, country music lovers, Harley riders, scrap-bookers, the list is endless. It may be as simple as people who want to travel to Alaska, or any other destination.
Group travel has many benefits: socialization with friends, meeting new people with common interests, and a feeling of safety and security that comes with traveling with people you know.
There are also monetary benefits. Almost everyone has heard about a group leader traveling for "free". The technical term is tour conductor, and that particular person may do all the work of organizing the group, or may do very little, just acting as a "figurehead". The most common example that comes to mind is a clergyman who travels with people from his church, and who receives a "discounted" rate. (If there is no designated tour conductor, the TC credit can be divided among the group.) Some tour conductor ratios are as low as 1 free for 9 full fare bookings, but most common is 1 free for 15 full fare.
But what about the other members of the group? Some cruise lines offer discounted rates for groups. Additionally, there are Group Amenity Points that vary from sailing to sailing. They can be enjoyed by everyone in the group, and might include a bottle of wine, a fruit basket, an on-board credit (money that can be used for any onboard purchases), cocktail parties, activities that are limited to the group, such as private concerts, and "meet and greet" with the performers; even special shore excursions can be organized for groups.
So it's more fun, safer, and beneficial to travel in a group. It may even be less expensive. It's enjoying free little extras and a feeling of camaraderie. The nice thing is, you can be as "together" or apart as you want. Nothing says you have to spend every waking hour with your group.
You may be thinking, o.k., where do I find a group? You can get a group of people together yourself, OR, you can join one of our "ready made" groups.
How about the "3rd Annual Remembering the King" 7 night Mexican Riviera cruise leaving August 30, 2009 from LA? That happens to be the 32nd anniversary of Elvis's passing. Mahwey Productions provides cruisers with a full Elvis experience, with several tribute performances from the many decades of Elvis's career. Additionally there will be Sing Like a King Talent Night, Elvis trivia contests, and Elvis "sightings" around the ship.
Is Country music more to your taste? Then join us for the first annual Riders on the High Seas, featuring the legendary Doo Wah Riders, a country group with a Cajun flair that has been performing in California, Arizona, and Texas for 30 years. This is a 5 day Mexican Riviera cruise from San Diego on Nov. 16, 2009. You can hear their music at www.thedoowahriders.com.
There's a Whodunit Mystery Cruise from San Diego on Oct. 29, 2009. This 4 night Mexican Riviera cruise to Cabo San Lucas. Clues will be revealed at dinner until the guilty party is identified.
For crafters, we have a Quilters Cruise scheduled for Oct. 19, 2009, which is also a 4 night cruise from San Diego to Cabo. Classes and kits will be available for purchase.
Veteran cruisers know that the bargains are on "repositioning" cruises, that is in the Fall when a ship leaves Europe and moves to the Caribbean for the winter months. And yes, we have group space booked on the Nov 29, 2009 sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Galveston, TX on Royal Caribbean.
Finally, there's the trip of a lifetime: Imperial Jewels of China, a combination Yangtze River cruise with side trips by air to Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai, starting Sept. 28, 2009.
For information on any of the above scheduled groups, or to create your own, call 472-7878, or stop in at Cruise Port Travel, 408 S. Beeline Highway, Payson. Please see our web site at www.travelpayson.com.
What constitutes a Group? What are the benefits of group travel? These are all questions that come to mind when talking about group space, whether it's on a cruise or a land tour.
A general definition of "a group" is people traveling together who have something in common. Actually, a group can be almost any combination of people that cruise or tour together. It could be a family reunion, bridge club, church group, country music lovers, Harley riders, scrap-bookers, the list is endless. It may be as simple as people who want to travel to Alaska, or any other destination.
Group travel has many benefits: socialization with friends, meeting new people with common interests, and a feeling of safety and security that comes with traveling with people you know.
There are also monetary benefits. Almost everyone has heard about a group leader traveling for "free". The technical term is tour conductor, and that particular person may do all the work of organizing the group, or may do very little, just acting as a "figurehead". The most common example that comes to mind is a clergyman who travels with people from his church, and who receives a "discounted" rate. (If there is no designated tour conductor, the TC credit can be divided among the group.) Some tour conductor ratios are as low as 1 free for 9 full fare bookings, but most common is 1 free for 15 full fare.
But what about the other members of the group? Some cruise lines offer discounted rates for groups. Additionally, there are Group Amenity Points that vary from sailing to sailing. They can be enjoyed by everyone in the group, and might include a bottle of wine, a fruit basket, an on-board credit (money that can be used for any onboard purchases), cocktail parties, activities that are limited to the group, such as private concerts, and "meet and greet" with the performers; even special shore excursions can be organized for groups.
So it's more fun, safer, and beneficial to travel in a group. It may even be less expensive. It's enjoying free little extras and a feeling of camaraderie. The nice thing is, you can be as "together" or apart as you want. Nothing says you have to spend every waking hour with your group.
You may be thinking, o.k., where do I find a group? You can get a group of people together yourself, OR, you can join one of our "ready made" groups.
How about the "3rd Annual Remembering the King" 7 night Mexican Riviera cruise leaving August 30, 2009 from LA? That happens to be the 32nd anniversary of Elvis's passing. Mahwey Productions provides cruisers with a full Elvis experience, with several tribute performances from the many decades of Elvis's career. Additionally there will be Sing Like a King Talent Night, Elvis trivia contests, and Elvis "sightings" around the ship.
Is Country music more to your taste? Then join us for the first annual Riders on the High Seas, featuring the legendary Doo Wah Riders, a country group with a Cajun flair that has been performing in California, Arizona, and Texas for 30 years. This is a 5 day Mexican Riviera cruise from San Diego on Nov. 16, 2009. You can hear their music at www.thedoowahriders.com.
There's a Whodunit Mystery Cruise from San Diego on Oct. 29, 2009. This 4 night Mexican Riviera cruise to Cabo San Lucas. Clues will be revealed at dinner until the guilty party is identified.
For crafters, we have a Quilters Cruise scheduled for Oct. 19, 2009, which is also a 4 night cruise from San Diego to Cabo. Classes and kits will be available for purchase.
Veteran cruisers know that the bargains are on "repositioning" cruises, that is in the Fall when a ship leaves Europe and moves to the Caribbean for the winter months. And yes, we have group space booked on the Nov 29, 2009 sailing from Barcelona, Spain to Galveston, TX on Royal Caribbean.
Finally, there's the trip of a lifetime: Imperial Jewels of China, a combination Yangtze River cruise with side trips by air to Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai, starting Sept. 28, 2009.
For information on any of the above scheduled groups, or to create your own, call 472-7878, or stop in at Cruise Port Travel, 408 S. Beeline Highway, Payson. Please see our web site at www.travelpayson.com.
Monday, January 12, 2009
What a Travel Agency is and isn’t
Before I get to the "meat" of this offering let me Thank you for your support in this past year; we look forward to serving your travel needs in the coming year.
There is a popular TV show called “Myth Busters” that explores myths and urban legends, so this time I decided that I would correct some of the ones associated with travel agencies.
Cost to use; No matter how many different times and ways we deliver the message, the common mis-conception still exists that it costs you to use our services. 99.9% of the time we DO NOT CHARGE you for our services. We are paid commission by the travel companies, hotel chains, car rental agencies, etc. The only time we are not paid commission is for booking air travel. In that case we charge a modest booking fee to cover our time. In most instances that is included in the price we quote you for your ticket, however, if your travel happens to be on an airline that we so not book through our consolidator, we will charge you an additional fee above the ticket price. That includes air travel booked as part of a cruise.
What happens if I cancel? In the case of land based travel or cruises there may be penalties imposed by these travel partners depending on how far in advance you cancel. In the case of airline tickets, they do not refund your ticket cost, but in most cases will issue a credit for a future flight. Of course then the airlines will charge you a “re-booking” fee for their time. In the event of cancellation any booking fee we charge is not refundable. With cruise lines and most land tour operators any cancellation within their penalty period means you will lose part of your money, we do not receive any compensation in that case.
The price, what you see is NOT what you pay: Cruise lines are notorious for this little bit of deception. They will advertise a “lowball” price for a cruise, and then when the customer comes in we have to give them the bad news. Prices advertised DO NOT include such things as taxes, port charges, fuel surcharges, transfers, airfare and are based on double occupancy in a stateroom. There are exceptions, but they are rare.
Shore excursions: These add to the quality of any trip, and often we are asked by our customers to either recommend shore excursions or book them for the customer. However, we are not paid commission by the travel companies or cruise lines. We do have other travel partners that market shore excursions and pay us for our effort, but should you be delayed in returning to the ship when not on a cruise line shore excursion, you are on your own. Since booking shore excursions involves quite a bit of time on our part, we will be charging a modest fee for our time involved.
Airport Transportation: Everyday we receive calls asking us about shuttle service to Sky Harbor or Mesa-Williams Airports. There are several different companies that operate a variety of transportation from vans to limousines. We do not recommend or book with any particular company or service however we will give you their numbers and you make your own transportation arrangements. The exception to this rule is if you have a group of 8 or more we can arrange special transportation to an from Payson to either airport.
Certifications: Occasionally we see other travel agents appearing on the scene. What concerns us is the quality of service you may receive from them and the prices and advice they may dispense. We spend a lot of time an effort to keep current on all the latest offers, rules and regulations, itineraries, etc. Do we make mistakes, yes, after all we are only human, BUT we always try to be up front with our customers. To be certain, any business has people who are not satisfied with the service they receive. However there usually is far more to the story than you hear from the dis-satisfied person.
There is a popular TV show called “Myth Busters” that explores myths and urban legends, so this time I decided that I would correct some of the ones associated with travel agencies.
Cost to use; No matter how many different times and ways we deliver the message, the common mis-conception still exists that it costs you to use our services. 99.9% of the time we DO NOT CHARGE you for our services. We are paid commission by the travel companies, hotel chains, car rental agencies, etc. The only time we are not paid commission is for booking air travel. In that case we charge a modest booking fee to cover our time. In most instances that is included in the price we quote you for your ticket, however, if your travel happens to be on an airline that we so not book through our consolidator, we will charge you an additional fee above the ticket price. That includes air travel booked as part of a cruise.
What happens if I cancel? In the case of land based travel or cruises there may be penalties imposed by these travel partners depending on how far in advance you cancel. In the case of airline tickets, they do not refund your ticket cost, but in most cases will issue a credit for a future flight. Of course then the airlines will charge you a “re-booking” fee for their time. In the event of cancellation any booking fee we charge is not refundable. With cruise lines and most land tour operators any cancellation within their penalty period means you will lose part of your money, we do not receive any compensation in that case.
The price, what you see is NOT what you pay: Cruise lines are notorious for this little bit of deception. They will advertise a “lowball” price for a cruise, and then when the customer comes in we have to give them the bad news. Prices advertised DO NOT include such things as taxes, port charges, fuel surcharges, transfers, airfare and are based on double occupancy in a stateroom. There are exceptions, but they are rare.
Shore excursions: These add to the quality of any trip, and often we are asked by our customers to either recommend shore excursions or book them for the customer. However, we are not paid commission by the travel companies or cruise lines. We do have other travel partners that market shore excursions and pay us for our effort, but should you be delayed in returning to the ship when not on a cruise line shore excursion, you are on your own. Since booking shore excursions involves quite a bit of time on our part, we will be charging a modest fee for our time involved.
Airport Transportation: Everyday we receive calls asking us about shuttle service to Sky Harbor or Mesa-Williams Airports. There are several different companies that operate a variety of transportation from vans to limousines. We do not recommend or book with any particular company or service however we will give you their numbers and you make your own transportation arrangements. The exception to this rule is if you have a group of 8 or more we can arrange special transportation to an from Payson to either airport.
Certifications: Occasionally we see other travel agents appearing on the scene. What concerns us is the quality of service you may receive from them and the prices and advice they may dispense. We spend a lot of time an effort to keep current on all the latest offers, rules and regulations, itineraries, etc. Do we make mistakes, yes, after all we are only human, BUT we always try to be up front with our customers. To be certain, any business has people who are not satisfied with the service they receive. However there usually is far more to the story than you hear from the dis-satisfied person.
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