In the past, it was easy enough to book a low cost Alaska cruise. Now, these types of bargains are getting increasingly difficult to find, with demand for Alaska cruises growing every year.
So can you really still save a bundle of money on your cruise? Is it still even a possibility to vacation in Alaska while sticking to a budget? The answer is a loud YES! You definitely can find great Alaska cruise deals these days -- if you know when and where to look.
Many people assume that the best way to find discount Alaska cruises is to wait until the last minute. But while this method used to work reasonably well (and still works very well for Caribbean cruises, due to the larger number of ships in that region), it is no longer a very effective strategy for Alaskan cruises.
Alaskan ships often sell out far in advance for the months of July and August. Despite their higher cost, balcony rooms tend to be the first to sell out, especially on Holland America cruises. If you really must take your cruise in August or July, then you'll be wise to book far in advance of your sale date to make sure you get the best fares. (Alaska cruises can be booked up to 18 months ahead of their sale date.)
As logic would dictate, if you are a fair deal more flexible with your sail date and/or your cabin class, you increase your likelihood of snagging some true Alaskan cruising deals.
The best months for specials are September and May, the start and conclusion of the cruise season in the Alaskan Inside Passage. The lowest priced Alaska cruise fares of all can be found in the very first week of the month of May, at the very start of the Alaska cruise season, when fares can be half the price of mid-summer fares.
Of course you can also save by booking a lower priced room category. Cabins located on the interior of the ship are as much as 50% to 70% less than those located on the outside of the ship. Inside rooms have no windows and can be a little smaller than ocean view rooms, but they can be a wonderful bargain, especially since many people spend so little times in their rooms anyway.
However, if you are at all claustrophobic, an inside room might not be for you. Nonetheless, you can still find a great Alaskan cruise deal on an outside room. On many cruise ships, you will find some rooms have views that are obstructed by poles or lifeboats or the like.
These rooms with obstructed views are frequently far less than regular ocean view cabins. In reality, obstructed view rooms can be nearly as cheap as inside rooms, but they have windows that let in the sun.
So there are still a number of ways to find discount Alaska cruises. Remember, even with rising prices, cruises still represent an incredible bargain. For less than the price of a nice hotel, they include food, entertainment, transportation, and, in Alaska, glacier viewing too.
So can you really still save a bundle of money on your cruise? Is it still even a possibility to vacation in Alaska while sticking to a budget? The answer is a loud YES! You definitely can find great Alaska cruise deals these days -- if you know when and where to look.
Many people assume that the best way to find discount Alaska cruises is to wait until the last minute. But while this method used to work reasonably well (and still works very well for Caribbean cruises, due to the larger number of ships in that region), it is no longer a very effective strategy for Alaskan cruises.
Alaskan ships often sell out far in advance for the months of July and August. Despite their higher cost, balcony rooms tend to be the first to sell out, especially on Holland America cruises. If you really must take your cruise in August or July, then you'll be wise to book far in advance of your sale date to make sure you get the best fares. (Alaska cruises can be booked up to 18 months ahead of their sale date.)
As logic would dictate, if you are a fair deal more flexible with your sail date and/or your cabin class, you increase your likelihood of snagging some true Alaskan cruising deals.
The best months for specials are September and May, the start and conclusion of the cruise season in the Alaskan Inside Passage. The lowest priced Alaska cruise fares of all can be found in the very first week of the month of May, at the very start of the Alaska cruise season, when fares can be half the price of mid-summer fares.
Of course you can also save by booking a lower priced room category. Cabins located on the interior of the ship are as much as 50% to 70% less than those located on the outside of the ship. Inside rooms have no windows and can be a little smaller than ocean view rooms, but they can be a wonderful bargain, especially since many people spend so little times in their rooms anyway.
However, if you are at all claustrophobic, an inside room might not be for you. Nonetheless, you can still find a great Alaskan cruise deal on an outside room. On many cruise ships, you will find some rooms have views that are obstructed by poles or lifeboats or the like.
These rooms with obstructed views are frequently far less than regular ocean view cabins. In reality, obstructed view rooms can be nearly as cheap as inside rooms, but they have windows that let in the sun.
So there are still a number of ways to find discount Alaska cruises. Remember, even with rising prices, cruises still represent an incredible bargain. For less than the price of a nice hotel, they include food, entertainment, transportation, and, in Alaska, glacier viewing too.
About the Author:
For far more information on traveling to The Inside Passage of Alaska, including the ports of Juneau and Sitka, along with listings of shore excursions and a rating of the best Alaska cruise and Tracy Arm Fjord, stop by the Alaska Cruise Advisor website.
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