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Just the two of us. I don't include the cost of the passports that we did not require a few years ago for the same cruise. They cost us $290. We are on the Princess lines Ruby Princess which is only about 10 years old and holds some 5000 crew and passengers. I will assume that this is an upscale ship?
Ocean View (unobstructed) stateroom and round trip airfare from Phoenix to SEATAC with transportation to and from the docks provided by Princess was $4118 with taxes and port fees. This includes only the food they supply, no upscale reservations at the specialty food places on board and no alcoholic drinks either. Buying a drink package per person was $60 per day per person and that's another $840 I did not spend. We just don't drink that much. Buying drinks onboard is not cheap and they add another 15% gratuity to those if you want them.
We prepaid the gratuities in advance too at some $13 per person per day. Another $182. I am told that the mandatory gratuity is split between your cabin steward, the wait staff and such but many tip slightly more.
We booked 3 of the cheaper excursions in the Alaska ports only, which ran us a total of $790. I saw nothing I wanted to do in Victoria BC. Btu without the excursions waht are you going to do, sit on the ship?
Costs to board our dog for the week was $250. We cannot take him like we did in the RV or if traveling by car So comparing to travel by car I have to include this cost.
Parking paid in advance at a discount at airport was $90.
That alone totals some $5430 and I am certain that onshore dining and such will add up too. I shopped this trip with various carriers online for 3 weeks before I finally booked with a travel agent and got a better deal and more information.
I am sure to make that $7000 mark for a 7 day cruise.
And if I count the passports and all the stuff the wife has bought for the cruise we are over that $7000 mark already!
Driving on the other hand, motels and such just don't total that high!
We booked 3 of the cheaper excursions in the Alaska ports only, which ran us a total of $790. I saw nothing I wanted to do in Victoria BC.
Btu without the excursions waht are you going to do, sit on the ship?
Victoria is wonderful. I'm surprised your wife didn't want to do the afternoon tea (light meal) at the Empress Hotel. If she likes tea (the beverage) at all, try Murchie's on Government Street. Fantastic cakes, pastries, etc. It's a can't-miss and way more affordable than the Empress.
Victoria is a walking town. There is SO MUCH to see! I love it there. I would live there six months out of the year if I could. We just like watching the ships and the ferries. Also, checking out the floating homes at Fisherman's Wharf while getting something to eat. One of the homeowners is apparently a diver. He has retrieved dozens of cellphones from the ocean floor and nailed them to the outside of his house!
Some of your expenses are unnecessary or could easily have been cheaper. Take an uber or get a friend to drive you to the airport - no IT parking. Cruise ship transfers to/from the ship are nearly always a tip off - uber or taxi (I'm guessing that mistake cost you $100-$150). Excursions - book them yourself independently NOT through the cruise ship - the savings is usually 40-50% and nearly always a better experience. Travel during shoulder season is considerably cheaper and still pleasant weather. Book the cheapest cabin - the entire ship is your balcony. On the August 4 sailing of tyrbRuby, ocean view cabins start at $1200 - THAT switch would have saved you at least $2000 If you booked th airfare thru princess, you very probably overpaid. Daily gratuities - book during a promotion when the cruise line or travel agent pays them for you.
(I will admit that the excursions in Alaska are some of the most expensive of any itinerary.)
I'm regard to driving and hotels - you forgot to add all you can eat, multi course meals (dinners would be equivalent to a fancy non chain restaurant), constant entertainment around the ship, places to dance, a theater show each night, transportation done for you so that you can just enjoy the scenery. You would still incur the cost of the excursions. I could go on, but REALLY there's no way to compare a driving trip to a cruise. They are about as similar as a steak and an apple. And comparing to an RV trip is even more silly.
Passport is good for ten years - $14/year per person. That's pretty damn cheap imho. If you decide not to use it, that's on you
We take vacations of all types - cruise, driving, occasionally group and international independent usually staying in moderate hotels. We decide upfront if the cost is acceptable. Otherwise, we would be miserable as we watched our money float away - which is what I suspect you'll end up feeling about cruising. I hope I'm wrong and that you have a wonderful time, or at least not complain too much so that your wife enjoys the trip.
We too pretty much take all our vacations on a ship, but unlike you we do have to fly to get the ship. It is a pain and our days of cruising may be coming to an end.
Yeah I hear you. One of the reasons I like cruising so much is I'm close to the terminal... be it Seattle or Vancouver.
I like to rotate destinations... Alaska, Pacific Coast, Hawaii... those are the big 3 for me. I don't care all that much for other destinations but if I fly anywhere for a cruise it would be Europe.
$1000/day??? How many people are you bringing? Are you taking a luxury line? are you including air fare, excursions or other stuff in your calculation?
There are far less expensive cruises to Alaska with an unobstructed OV cabin. And on ships with 200-2500 people.
I'm suspicious you've been given some very poor advice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by keninaz
Just the two of us. I don't include the cost of the passports that we did not require a few years ago for the same cruise. They cost us $290. We are on the Princess lines Ruby Princess which is only about 10 years old and holds some 5000 crew and passengers. I will assume that this is an upscale ship?
Ocean View (unobstructed) stateroom and round trip airfare from Phoenix to SEATAC with transportation to and from the docks provided by Princess was $4118 with taxes and port fees. This includes only the food they supply, no upscale reservations at the specialty food places on board and no alcoholic drinks either. Buying a drink package per person was $60 per day per person and that's another $840 I did not spend. We just don't drink that much. Buying drinks onboard is not cheap and they add another 15% gratuity to those if you want them.
We prepaid the gratuities in advance too at some $13 per person per day. Another $182. I am told that the mandatory gratuity is split between your cabin steward, the wait staff and such but many tip slightly more.
We booked 3 of the cheaper excursions in the Alaska ports only, which ran us a total of $790. I saw nothing I wanted to do in Victoria BC. Btu without the excursions waht are you going to do, sit on the ship?
Costs to board our dog for the week was $250. We cannot take him like we did in the RV or if traveling by car So comparing to travel by car I have to include this cost.
Parking paid in advance at a discount at airport was $90.
That alone totals some $5430 and I am certain that onshore dining and such will add up too. I shopped this trip with various carriers online for 3 weeks before I finally booked with a travel agent and got a better deal and more information.
I am sure to make that $7000 mark for a 7 day cruise.
And if I count the passports and all the stuff the wife has bought for the cruise we are over that $7000 mark already!
Driving on the other hand, motels and such just don't total that high!
Wow. Pricey. For comparison I cruised to Alaska 7 nights from Seattle last August and paid $3200 including tips and $500 in onboard credit for 2 interior staterooms (4 guests) with a virtual balcony. We cruised the inside passage with stops in Juneau, Skagway, Tracy Arm Fjord and Victoria, BC. This was on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas.
I've got a Pacific Coast cruise booked in September... 7 nights on the same ship with stops in Astoria, OR followed by 2 days in SF and then Victoria, BC. I paid $2900 including tips for an oceanview balcony (3 guests) and $300 in onboard credit.
Not having to pay airfare definitely makes cruising a lot more affordable. I'm not sure where RC stands on the list of cruise lines but I'm satisfied with the prices I paid and the service and overall quality has been superb.
I booked entirely online myself and have never cruised with anyone else.
Just the two of us. I don't include the cost of the passports that we did not require a few years ago for the same cruise. They cost us $290. We are on the Princess lines Ruby Princess which is only about 10 years old and holds some 5000 crew and passengers. I will assume that this is an upscale ship?
Ocean View (unobstructed) stateroom and round trip airfare from Phoenix to SEATAC with transportation to and from the docks provided by Princess was $4118 with taxes and port fees. This includes only the food they supply, no upscale reservations at the specialty food places on board and no alcoholic drinks either. Buying a drink package per person was $60 per day per person and that's another $840 I did not spend. We just don't drink that much. Buying drinks onboard is not cheap and they add another 15% gratuity to those if you want them.
We prepaid the gratuities in advance too at some $13 per person per day. Another $182. I am told that the mandatory gratuity is split between your cabin steward, the wait staff and such but many tip slightly more.
We booked 3 of the cheaper excursions in the Alaska ports only, which ran us a total of $790. I saw nothing I wanted to do in Victoria BC. Btu without the excursions waht are you going to do, sit on the ship?
Costs to board our dog for the week was $250. We cannot take him like we did in the RV or if traveling by car So comparing to travel by car I have to include this cost.
Parking paid in advance at a discount at airport was $90.
That alone totals some $5430 and I am certain that onshore dining and such will add up too. I shopped this trip with various carriers online for 3 weeks before I finally booked with a travel agent and got a better deal and more information.
I am sure to make that $7000 mark for a 7 day cruise.
And if I count the passports and all the stuff the wife has bought for the cruise we are over that $7000 mark already!
Driving on the other hand, motels and such just don't total that high!
sounds like you have done your homework and know what the total will be, but I will also add, there is no reason for it to be costing you quite that much. $5000 I can understand but I think you are figuring too much. You shouldn't have any surprises. As for the ship, she is nice, we have cruised her, but not upscale by any means. Yes, she is a mega ship (not as large as many) but she is still just a ship. We took her from Canada to Ft Lauderdale about 5 years ago. Our daughter just took the same cruise you are taking but they added the land portion as well. Her comments: not as impressed with Princess as she thought she would be, had a great cruise though and said, if any line knows how to do Alaska, it is Princess. They have been doing it for so many years.
I am not trying to dismiss Princess by any means. You are going to have a great time. I just wanted, to clarify the ship isn't really upscale. I will also add, I think Alaska is the most expensive itinerary there is and we have cruised about 40 times.
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