What's the deal with the Alaska prices???

[spacemouseneer]

Hey all,

My family LOVES everything Disney and we were so excited when Disney was announcing that it was coming to our hometown, Vancouver, to cruise to Alaska. But when I logged on this morning to check out the prices I was a little taken aback. I could book a 7 night Mexican cruise, fly to LA, and probably spend a couple days in Disneyland for what it costs for a 7 night Alaskan cruise. What is up with that????? Maybe the port charges in Vancouver are horrendous. A lot of cruise line have been leaving Vancouver for Seattle. Not that anyone has the answer, but it sure was a little disappointing to see how expensive the Alaska cruises were in compared to the Mexican ones.


Spacemouseneer

 

[RCDisneyFan]

Alaska cruises are more expensive (by quite a bit) than Caribbean cruises. I compared DCL prices to another cruise company, and DCL came out a little over $1000 more for two people. Personally, I'd pay that premium to cruise with Disney.. Also, the DCL site is adding in the trip insurance and hotel/airport transfers in your price too, but I think that was only about $300 total..

 

[BrendaD1123]

I agree. When DH and I first heard that Disney was going to Alaska we were so excited as we loved our Disney cruise last year.

Not after we saw the prices. We ended up booking a 14-night Alaska cruise (that includes Victoria, B.C. and 2 days in San Francisco) with Royal Caribbean for only $530.00 CDN more than a 7-night Disney cruise to Alaska would have cost us!!

We love Disney but not that much!

 

[Renysmom]

DH promised me Alaska on DCL for my 50th.. After seeing the prices being quoted here today I have told DH I still want Alaska but will look at other cruise lines.. I just can't justify those prices, especially when they aren't doing the glaciers and that is what I really want to see anyway.

 

[loveGoofy]

My bet is that since it is considered a "special cruise," and the first time to Alaska... Disney is charging more. We did the MR cruise in 2008 and actually spent $700 more than what we are paying for the Alaskan cruise this time around (same category room).

 

[Piecey]

Yeah. I was really, really excited this morning but I think we're going to do something else instead.

The more I look at the prices the more it turns my stomache. I'll cruise Alaska when my boy is old enough to appreciate where he is and on someone a bit cheaper.

 

[tlynk]

I was excited to go on an Alaskan Cruise with Disney, but what changed my mind was the $1200 deposit for 2 people. Just can justify paying that right now. I plan to book an Alaskan cruise with a different cruise line. I have several friends who have taken Alaskan cruises using non-Disney cruise lines and they rant and rave about how wonderful they were. I'm just really bummed- I love the DCL.

 

[riggins]

We waited years for DCL to go to Alaska and finally gave up and went this past June on NCL out of Vancouver. The itinerary was nearly identical to what DCL is sailing. After checking out the prices today, I am sooooooo glad we didn't wait. We sailed in a mini-suite that was bigger than a DCL Cat 4 for $1000 less than what DCL is charging for a Cat 11! A similar cabin would have cost us about $6000 more. Yikes! There were some DCL things we missed and some things we liked better about NCL, but there is absolutely nothing about DCL that we missed enough to have spent that much more money!

 

[northyvr]

We live in Vancouver and were thrilled to hear Disney was sailing round trip from here. Putting down a $2400 deposit for a trip still 2 years away pretty much decided it for us. I can't believe they're asking for such a large percentage up front! They must be happy with the interest they'll be collecting on these deposits.

 

[MousseauMob]

I just compared Alaska to Mexican Riveria and I was suprised to see that Mexico was more expensive. I don't get it? I expected Alaska to be more expensive since it's in the summer and it's a new route. Does anyone know why this would be?

 

[mousemom11]

I just compared Alaska to Mexican Riveria and I was suprised to see that Mexico was more expensive. I don't get it? I expected Alaska to be more expensive since it's in the summer and it's a new route. Does anyone know why this would be?

I was the one who collected the MR prices this morning and I'm not sure which Alaska cruise you're comparing to, or which category. My family is booked on the 6/21 Alaska and it is more expensive than any of the MR cruises except for Thanksgiving week.

 

[tinkmom2]

We put our Alaska cruise on hold. I almost fainted when I saw we needed to make a $2400.00 deposit for a inside cabin. I am taking it out with my DH. I looked at RCI and they have the same route or a Glacier route. Without the mouse I know but we could have a porthole at least to look out of. We have our bounceback cruise in November and see if we can work out a better deal.

 

[trimix]

Regarding the price, port fees per passenger are much higher in Alaska than anywhere else in North America. Plus I understand the fee charged to the cruise line to dock at Alaska ports is muc higher than elsewhere.

RCDisneyFan said the Disney cruises were only $1,000 more than other lines; this is much cheaper than the Disney premium for Caribbean cruises, so if anything I think we should appreciate that Disney didn't charge more.

However, the $600 per person deposit was more than enough for me to decide to do the Vancouver repo instead of Alaska.

 

[laura001]

I was excited to go on an Alaskan Cruise with Disney, but what changed my mind was the $1200 deposit for 2 people. Just can justify paying that right now. I plan to book an Alaskan cruise with a different cruise line. I have several friends who have taken Alaskan cruises using non-Disney cruise lines and they rant and rave about how wonderful they were. I'm just really bummed- I love the DCL.

Ditto me here!!!! I always told DH the only way I would do Alaska was if Disney took me there....well, was ready to book....BUT there is NO possible way I am spending 1200.00 to hold our place on the ship for almost 2 years! Totally not happening....we will have to take our chances and book last minute or choose to do something else.

 

[Anal Annie]

All I can say is that we just booked the Med today and I'm tickled with what we got for that. AK is too for me. Anyway, we snagged 10 nights in an SPH cabin for less than $6K (3 people). Actually, we had a rebooking discount so it worked out to about $5,500 for us. We honestly spent just about the same for a Cat 8 GTY on a 7 night 2005 Mexican Riviera. Go figure.

 

[smeecanada]

We booked a CAT9A with a transferred OB booking. We did RCI, on a nearly identical itinerary this past August. Comparing the two we are only paying about $145CDN more for the 2011 cruise than our original quote from Royal Caribbean for the AUG08 cruise.

I'm thrilled with the price - being that's Disney, we are also two years away from the cruise and the kids are two years older. Also, with a much better cabin configuration.

 

[karibritt01]

I just received my quote from my TA (even she admits that they are high) and Alaska in July is:

Cat 5C (formerly Cat 6) 2A, 2K

$8,228.52 total without airfare
$11,215.32 with airfare



and Panama Canal on Jan 6, 2011

Category 5C

$11,772.72 without airfare
$14,217.52 with airfare

Add to that the $2400 deposit, and we will not be sailing DCL for either of these cruises. We will either look into other cruise lines, or stick with the Caribbean.

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

We were interested until today when the rest of us in steerage were allowed to book or at least see the prices. Thank you but no thank you.

 

[SanDeeKath]

We were interested until today when the rest of us in steerage were allowed to book or at least see the prices. Thank you but no thank you.

Same here. We reserved a 12 night Crystal cruise round trip from San Francisco for $100 per person for 2011!! Prices quoted for a larger suite on DCL (500sf ish so not even the largest rooms) were higher than some of the luxury cruises in larger rooms! And those are 10-12 days! And they DO go to Glacier Bay unlike DCL. And they deport from cities that have cheaper flights (or are driving distance to us, like SF). No way are we paying the DCL prices. They must be dreaming if in this economy they think they can fill the ships with those rates and those deposits....

NCL's Pearl for example has the 2000sf Garden Suite for the same price for 2010 as DCLs Cat 4 rooms! And NCL (as well as Princess) have GREAT children's activities including an ice rink, bowling alley, lifesize WII playing area... It just doesn't justify the difference in cost.

Katherine

 

[Pinkgurlshubby]

Same here. We reserved a 12 night Crystal cruise round trip from San Francisco for $100 per person for 2011!! Prices quoted for a larger suite on DCL (500sf ish so not even the largest rooms) were higher than some of the luxury cruises in larger rooms! And those are 10-12 days! And they DO go to Glacier Bay unlike DCL. And they deport from cities that have cheaper flights (or are driving distance to us, like SF). No way are we paying the DCL prices. They must be dreaming if in this economy they think they can fill the ships with those rates and those deposits....

NCL's Pearl for example has the 2000sf Garden Suite for the same price for 2010 as DCLs Cat 4 rooms! And NCL (as well as Princess) have GREAT children's activities including an ice rink, bowling alley, lifesize WII playing area... It just doesn't justify the difference in cost.

Katherine

I just checked September 2010, 7 day NCL Pearl Seattle depart with Vancouver arrive, family of 4 in a verandah room. $3748 and the deposit is 1000.