Alaskan cruise - do Gold Castaway Club benefits make a difference?

[Louise97]

I've got a milestone birthday coming up in August 2026 and I want to spend my birthday on an Alaskan DCL cruise. We're Silver Castaway Club members, having done two cruises before (3 nights on the Magic, 7 nights on the Dream). We've got our third cruise booked on the Treasure in April 2025. Then when DCL announced the Fantasy was coming to the UK, I couldn't resist booking our fourth cruise in August 2025 so we can add her to the collection!

The 2026 Alaskan sailing would be cruise #5, our last as Silver, unless I can squeeze in one more. We're in the UK and DH can't make any other sailings due to work. The only one I could manage is a 3 night on the Dream out of Southampton in August 2024 but I'd need to go solo.

Summer 2026 sailings would go on sale before our April 2025 Treasure cruise, so doing the 3 night this year would give me a placeholder to use on opening day. Trying to predict sailing dates, if the Wonder continues Mon-Mon sailings then we'd be looking at 17 Aug 2026 sailing, and the Dream sailing is 16-19 Aug 2024 - cutting it close but booking the placeholder on the last day would do it! That said, the UK cruises are pricey so I'd still be spending quite a bit more than the saving.

On top of the placeholder, it'd give me Gold CC status by the time activity bookings open. Would the early booking for port adventures, etc make enough difference to justify doing another cruise?

 

[Calantha]

On top of the placeholder, it'd give me Gold CC status by the time activity bookings open. Would the early booking for port adventures, etc make enough difference to justify doing another cruise?

I think the one that makes the biggest difference is the mini-boat on glacier day where you go up to the glacier. We were unable to get that as silver in 2022. I don't know if they were limiting reservations due to covid, but when we watched the boat pull away, it looked pretty full.

We still got Palo, and we didn't try for tastings, so I can't comment on that.

I wouldn't squeeze in another cruise, unless I just wanted another cruise!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Our experience with early August was that the only two things it would have mattered for were the boat that went closer to the glacier and Palo Brunch on glacier day.

We found that Alaska offers so many options for excursions outside of the DCL options for much better value. We did a bus tour with Chilkoot Charters which was fantastic. https://chilkootcharters.com/yukon-bus/

And in Juneau we did whale watching on a tiny boat with a fantastic guide. https://www.jayleensalaska.com/

Both much smaller groups than what DCL offers but much cheaper.

I noticed that availability for the glacier day actually popped up now and then. It is a very expensive excursion and I think people do cancel closer to the trip, so there is a chance you could pick it up if you missed out. However, I did not feel that we missed anything. Yes, the little boat does get closer. But in August you will have much less ice, so the Wonder should get very close. I also thought the great thing about glacier day was hanging out on deck and enjoying all the views of sailing down the fjord. When you go on the excursion you will spend quite a bit of time lining up to check in for your excursion, getting loaded on the boat etc.

We had Palo brunch on the last sea day and that was beautiful as we were sailing through the inside passage and saw whales.

All in all we felt that there were not a lot of platinum and gold CC members on board (looking at lanyards) and so many people we talked to were on their first or second Alaska cruise.

 

[Flossbolna]

This is from top deck at glacier turn point.

 

[spankswife]

Ditto above. We are silver and did not get glacier small boat (although after the fact it was still amazing, we had a clear day). We were able to snag a Palo resi while on board. But that’s luck of the draw. Either way, Alaska is just amazing!

 

[spankswife]

This was the small boat at Hubbard Glacier…

 

[Cfabar1]

Wow!

In general I question the value of Gold CC I suppose you are able to get some discounts silver doesn't include, and there at least used to be a special reception on cruises 8 or more nights. Not sure if that has resumed post-covid.

 

[Flossbolna]

Oh, one more thing: about the value of the placeholder. One thing I noticed last year was that our Alaska cruise prices didn’t start going up until January. Assuming similar release dates in 2025 for the 2026 cruises getting the placeholder in April, prices should really not have gone up much. You could always look at this year’s prices and see how much they go up between now and April.

 

[KAS_73]

I've just booked my third Alaskan cruise, and completely agree with what others have said. The only thing that's likely to be 'sold out' is the Glacier Explorer. Excursion prices for Alaska are quite steep, so you might want to save your $$ for those instead of trying to squeeze in another cruise. Being gold also gives you a shop discount (10% maybe?) and there is some nice Alaska specific merchandise for sale

 

[Louise97]

Thank you all so much for the info. Those photos look amazing!

It sounds like it might not be worth a solo cruise just to get the status, but I'm still tempted if DH's work changes their mind... especially if it gets me a discount in the shop, since that was my biggest expense on the cruises we've done so far