Royal Caribbean 2009 Alaska Cruise Season

Royal Caribbean has announced its 2009 Alaska cruise season, this being its 20^th consecutive season in the region. There will be a choice of 10 distinct itineraries for cruises to choose from, ranging from 7 to 15 nights, on 57 sailings departing from San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Seward (Alaska) and Vancouver. Guests can even decide to extend their Alaskan adventure with a Royal Caribbean cruise tour on selected sailings, giving them the opportunity to go deeper inland.

There will be three Royal Caribbean ships deployed in the region in 2009 - Radiance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, and Rhapsody of the Seas. The Radiance class Radiance and Serenade are considered among the world’s most gracefully designed cruise ships. They feature a 10 deck level glass Centrum offering truly spectacular views of the coastal landscape. Vision class Rhapsody offers a more intimate cruise experience but still with a huge range of onboard amenities.

Cruisers on board Radiance of the Seas can extend their trip with one of 21 Royal Caribbean cruise tour options. These range from three to seven night cruise tours, combining a Royal Caribbean Alaska cruise with inclusive activities, transportation and hotel stays.

During the day, guest can opt for a rejuvenating session in the onboard Day Spa, or capture an unparalleled birds-eye view from the top of the line’s iconic rock-climbing wall. Onboard every Royal Caribbean ship, guests can enjoy complimentary 24-hour room service, award-winning Broadway-style musical revues from Royal Caribbean Productions, top-rated Adventure Ocean kids programming with teen-only spaces fleet wide, and Royal Caribbean’s Gold Service Standard of friendly and engaging service from staff and crew.

“Royal Caribbean International is the premier cruise line for active vacationers to discover Alaska,” said Alice Norsworthy, senior vice president, Marketing, Royal Caribbean International. “Royal Caribbean’s history of sailing the region has allowed us to continue offering some of the most compelling and robust vacation experiences in Alaska. Our cruise tours take our guests’ experience to the next level and make a Royal Caribbean Alaska vacation truly memorable.”

Celebrity Cruises 2009 Alaska Season

Guests on three Celebrity Cruises ships in 2009 will have the opportunity to see Hubbard Glacier, the reigning beauty spot in Alaska, where the breathtaking rugged splendor of the natural world meets the comfortable sophistication of a premium cruise. Hubbard Glacier is the only advancing glacier in Alaska and is one of the countless must see sights in the region. Celebrity’s 2009 season features much of Alaska’s coastal magnificence with unique cruise tours affording guests the opportunity to experience inland Alaska, the Canadian Rockies, Whistler and British Columbia.

Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Mercury, and Celebrity Millennium will sail Alaska in 2009, from a total of five ports. Celebrity Mercury is offering a 14 night Ultimate Alaska sailing, taking in five Alaska ports as well as Seattle, Washington and Victoria and British Columbia. Celebrity Millennium will sail the lines first 10 night round trip from Vancouver, visiting six Alaska ports and one Canadian port. Celebrity Millennium will cruise between Seward, Alaska and Vancouver, British Columbia, calling at Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway, and cruising the Inside Passage.

Combining a cruise with a multi-night, land-based journey enhances the Alaska experience. In 2009, Celebrity is increasing its cruise tour offerings.

There will be a total of 21 Alaska cruise tours available to guests sailing seven-night voyages on Celebrity Millennium out of Seward and Vancouver. In 2009, these offerings include a new seven-night post-cruise tour through Seward, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali National Park and Fairbanks, Alaska.

Three Canadian cruise tour journeys (two Canadian Rockies and one Whistler) are available to guests sailing seven-night voyages on Celebrity Mercury out of Vancouver. A five-night Canadian Rockies package featuring rail travel on Rocky Mountaineers’ RedLeaf will visit Calgary, Banff and Vancouver. A three-night Whistler package features rail travel on Rocky Mountaineers’ Whistler Mountaineer Coast Classic and visits the 2010 Winter Olympics sites of Vancouver and Whistler.

Princess Cruises announce 2009 Alaska Cruise Schedules

In 2009 Alaska will celebrate it’s 50^th Anniversary of statehood. Princess Cruises are celebrating this with a total of 130 Alaska sailings with cruise itineraries to the best the state has to offer, including the truly breathtaking Denali National Park and Glacier Bay National Park.

Throughout the May to September Season Diamond Princess, Sapphire Princess, Coral Princess and Island Princess will be travelling on Princess Cruises signature Gulf of Alaska sailings. Golden Princess, Star Princess and Sea Princess will be sailing the Inside Passage routes from Seattle and San Francisco, while Pacific Princess takes the lines small ship experience on a 14 day Connoisseur voyage to some of the state’s less visited ports.

Princess Cruises own wilderness lodges will be featured, with Direct to the Wilderness rail travel combined with sailings through the state’s dramatic glacier rimmed Gulf Coast. All cruises will include at least two nights stay in the Denali area. Denali National Park encompasses six million acres and is home to Mt. McKinley, North America’s highest peak soaring an unbelievable 20,320 feet into the sky. The park hosts an array of wildlife - from moose, caribou, Dall sheep and grizzly bears to gray wolves and red foxes. Located only one mile from the Park's entrance, Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge is the premium riverside accommodation in the area.

Princess will also be taking more passengers then any other line to the wonders of Glacier Bay. The marine wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve includes tidewater glaciers, snow-capped mountain ranges, ocean coastlines, deep fjords, and freshwater rivers and lakes. This diverse land and seascape hosts a mosaic of plant communities and a variety of marine and terrestrial wildlife and presents many opportunities for adventuring and learning about this unique and powerful place.

SILVERSEA CRUISES ROLLS OUT 2009 CRUISE SCHEDULE

Silversea Cruises has announced its 2009 worldwide voyage schedule and is now accepting reservations.

Silversea's four all-suite ships are set to visit over 320 different ports in 108 countries on a diverse schedule of over 140 itineraries ranging from seven to 92 days. Complete day-by-day itineraries can be found at www.silversea.com.

Silversea will add its first-ever Grand Pacific Voyage, a 92-day extended odyssey that explores the azure waters and pristine beaches of the Pacific Ocean. Following a diverse route from Los Angeles to Papeete, Sydney, and the Far East, with final stops in Alaska and Vancouver, Silver Shadow will visit 45 ports, 15 countries and two hemispheres.


Other highlights include return visits to Alaska plus 10 new destinations: Szczecin (pronounced Stettin, as it was once known), Poland; Malmo, Sweden; Skagen, Denmark; Gozo Island, Malta; Symi, Greece; Koper, Slovenia; Olhahali Island, Maldives; Nemuro, Japan; Visakhapatnam and New Mangalore, India.

NCL WINTER WAVE CAMPAIGN

NCL (Norwegian Cruise Lines) have just announced their Winter sales campaign which has resulted in some great cruise itineraries at giveaway prices. The campaign runs from 1st December until 29th February featuring their summer departures from April through to November in 2008. Their brochure prices have been discounted by £100 per person. On certain special packages available through Jetline Cruise (such as Alaska) up to $125 per cabin on board credit is available. These offers are capacity controlled and can be withdrawn at any time once capacity has been reached and so the advice is to book early.

Norwegian Cruise Lines (or NCL as it is better known) is American owned and operates one of the most modern fleets of cruise ships afloat. These ships are big and impressive floating resorts with lots of facilities, on the face of it they have nothing to do with Norway! NCL are known for their Freestyle approach to cruising where you can do what you want - when you want. When it comes to dining they have thrown the rule book away - there are no set dining times and set tables to sit at. All ships in the NCL fleet have a multitude of restaurants on board. Some are buffet style and the rest are full waiter service restaurants where you make reservations to dine in - as you would at home. For some of these restaurants there is a service charge - well worth it when you are dining in Gourmet French Bistros and fascinating Asian Fusion venues such as Teppenyaki - sheer entertainment in itself.

Unlike many cruise lines where lead in prices are based on far off October and November 2008 dates we have found some great prices from May through to August. This is the most sought after period for early bookings. Here is just a sample of what is on offer:

• NCL Gem (Brand New Ship) 7 nights Med Fly cruise from only £599pp on 4th May. This is one of the best 7 nights cruise itineraries we have found. It sails from Barcelona visiting Malta, Naples for Pompeii, Rome, Livorno, Villefranche. This price is based on a Gatwick departure, for Customers living in Belfast we you can fly direct the day before the cruise and stay in a hotel with breakfast before your cruise with prices starting from £649pp. On the 1st of December we will have a special promotion for departures from Liverpool where prices start from just £499pp.

• NCL Sun 10 Night Caribbean fly cruise package January - March from only £699pp. Perfect to beat the Post Christmas blues - plus there is a free upgrade to ocean view cabins on selected dates. The price includes return flights from London, 2 nights hotel stay in Miami South beach and a 7 night West Caribbean cruise.

• NCL Sun 11 Night Alaska Fly cruise package from only £899 pp. This package includes direct return flights from London to Vancouver, 3 nights Vancouver hotel stay and 7 nights cruising the scenic wonders and wildlife of the Alaskan coastline. Plus there is up to $125 per cabin on board credit depending on the grade of cabin booked.

• NCL Jewel 12 Night Scandinavia and Russia cruise from Dover - prices start from just £849pp based on 5th and 17th May departures. Ideal for people who do not want to fly.

• NCL Jade 13 Night Southampton to Barcelona Fly cruise package 23rd Aug from only £969pp. An incredible low price during the school holidays and also an ideal cruise to take advantage of August Bank Holiday Monday. Child prices start from just £299pp.

• NCL Jade 14 nights Mediterranean No Flying cruise special from Southampton. Prices start from just £949pp based on 30th may and an incredible low price on 9th Aug of just £1199pp. Child prices start from £479pp.

RIDICULOUS PRICES ON CELEBRITY MERCURY

We feel this is worthy of a mention as Jetline Cruises have come up with some incredible low prices on a selection of Celebrity Mercury cruise next Spring…

The Celebrity Mercury is a five star ship which has been a firm favourite in the UK market for the last 10 years. At just under 78,000 tonnes the Mercury was last of the trio of Century class ships launched in November 1997 taking advantage of enhancements to the original two ships in the class Century and Galaxy. Even though this is a large mid range ship it only carries 1870 passengers, its smallest cabins at 1`70 square feet are larger than all of those in the Royal Caribbean fleet – the sister company to Celebrity.

This ship has 4 swimming pools (with a sliding glass roof above one of them), 10 bars, theatre, casino, nightclub, Aqua Spa, library, cinema, internet café, kids clubs, separate kids pool and 5 restaurants, amongst its impressive list of facilities.

The first of the offers is an unusual 7 nights cruise from San Francisco to Vancouver and back from only £399pp including port taxes. This truly takes advantage of what a cruise is all about – the chance to take several holidays in one. Visit San Francisco, Vancouver, Seattle, Astoria (Oregon) and Victoria. At such a low price it makes an ideal 2^nd holiday of the year.

The current price on line is now £696. Jetline Cruises held an allocation of cabins at the promotional price of £368pp and these are still available until the end of the month. We are offering this cruise only as part of 10 night fly cruise package including flights and 2 night’s accommodation in San Francisco from only £799pp.

The next offer is the repositioning cruise from San Francisco to its Summer port of Vancouver combining the above cruise with an extended Alaskan cruise itinerary. This is a 14 night Alaska cruise available from only £298pp plus tax of £266pp. This cruise departs San Francisco and visits Monterrey (California), Astoria (Oregon) , Victoria, Inside passage, Prince Rupert, Ketchikan, Juneau, Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, Icy strait Point, Sitka, Inside Passage and Vancouver. Jetline cruises are offering this cruise as part of a 16 night fly cruise package including direct return flights on BA, overnight hotel in San Francisco and all tax from only £1099pp. Ordinarily a standard 9 night Alaskan package starts from £1200pp – so this represents a bargain. Plus there is also $50 bonus on board credit to help with your drinks bill on board.

SENSATIONAL NEW ALASKA DEAL WITH NCL

We have just started to promote an 11 night package to Vancouver which includes 3 nights hotel stay in Vancouver and a 7 night Alaska cruise from only £899pp in May 2008. The cruise is on board the NCL Sun.

Norwegian cruise Lines are ideal for people who do not want set dining times and tables to sit at for dining on board. NCL promote a freestyle approach to cruising where each ship has several smaller restaurants on board for greater choice, freedom and flexibility for dining. In turn this allows you to enjoy your cruise in your own time frame and at your own pace with out having to fit everything around set dining times. Some restaurants are buffet style, the rest are waiter service where you make reservations as you would in a restaurant at home.

Onboard the NCL Sun choose from:

• Le Bistro - French Restaurant.
• Il Adagio - Italian restaurant
• Ginza - Asian Fusion
• East Meets West - with its Sushi bar and Teppanyaki area - cooked at your table!
• Pacific Heights
• Garden café
• Las Ramblas - Tapas Bar
• Four seasons restaurant
• Seven Seas restaurant.
  

Also look out for our fabulous late booking Caribbean offers onboard the NCL Sun in November this year. 11 nights from only £699pp.

ALASKA - THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION

Being a veteran of nearly 40 cruise holidays my husband talked me into going to Alaska for a cruise. Being in our mid 30's with a couple of kids the idea of being on a ship looking at scenery for a week did not appeal. After much badgering from my husband I relented and went on the Mercury in mid May.

All I can now say is WOW.

After a little searching around my husband came up with a deal from http://www.adorecruises.co.uk/ For 2 nights in Vancouver and the cruise including flights came up at an amazing £799pp. In all my years of cruising I have never seen a deal as cheap as this. Personal experience is the cheapest I have seen is £999 with NCL so to get such a good ship was a bonus.

Now to the holiday. As mentioned above looking at scenery was not/is not for me but after my little one got me up at 5am on the first morning I was in the captains club looking for whales. There was an intense buzz of the other people in there as the fantastic naturist Brent Dixon ( The US equivalent of Steve Irwin) was chatting from the bridge looking out for whales and other wildlife.

The site of the first whale created a huge buzz, everyone run to one side on the first sighting. Seeing a spout of water into the air and then the huge arc of a tail come over was truly magnificent. This was the first sighting of many but each and everyone was special in its own way.

Things to do at the places you visit.
Ports of Call and Excursions

The three main ports that you will be stopping at are Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. At each of them Celebrity will offer you an abundance of tours ranging in price from $30 to $500 per person. You can book Whale Watching, Helicopter Tours and Float Planes departing from all ports. There are also tours and places of interest specific to each destination.



Juneau

Juneau is the capital of Alaska and is completely land-locked. The main attraction is the Meldenhall Glacier. Celebrity charge around $50-60 pp. for a small tour and trip to the glacier, but this can be done more cheaply independently. You should make your way to pier D (opposite the Alaska T shirt company) where you will find an abundance of Tour sellers. You can organise your own excursions and typically a 45 minute tour of Juneau and a trip to the Glacier is $25 pp. If you don’t want the tour but only a trip to the glacier this is only $12 pp.


Skagway

Skagway is an historic Gold mining town and is the furthest north of the ports. The town has tried to maintain its roots and the atmosphere is of the old Wild West. The main attraction in Skagway is the White Pass railway. This is a train ride and replicates the route used for transportation during the gold rush. This tour, even if booked independently, is the same price as Celebrity at $112pp for the 3½ hour tour. There is an alternative road trip called “To the Summit” which costs only $38 pp. This follows the same route as the train, with stops so you can take photos, and is considerably cheaper. There is always good feed-back about the train trip as being well worth the money, but if you are looking for an alternative we can highly endorse the coach trip.


Ketchikan

Normally the last port of call is Ketchikan. This is the smallest port and is the gateway to the Misty Fjords. Whilst on the cruise and you plan to take one large tour during your cruise i.e. Whale Watching, Float Plane, Helicopter ride rather than a number of smaller ones, this is the place we would recommend. The town is quite small, and you can cover it in around an hour. We can recommend the Lumberjack show for an hour of fun and entertainment. We have also received good feed-back on the float plane to the Misty fjords which is reported to be spectacular.

If you don’t want to book your excursions on the ship, there is a large building outside on the pier where you can purchase all your excursions from local operators. They are normally slightly cheaper but availability cannot be guaranteed.

Other must do's
In the package we booked we extended our stay in Vancouver and was offered a Rocky Rail tour to Whistler. If you think Alaska was good this is just as amazing and ranks for me as good as the cruise experience. Whatever you do if you can afford it book the Glacier Dome (Gold Leaf)). This is, in effect, a first class service all the way through. The main differences being considerably larger windows (nearly double the size of the standard Coast Classic); bigger seats; more leg room; better food and complimentary bar service. The cost to upgrade is in the region of £50-60pp.
The Whistler experience begins when you are picked up in Vancouver. Do not worry if you have not booked a Rocky Mountaineer pick-up hotel as the city is very condensed and one of the pick up points would generally be within a 5 minute walk.

When you arrive at Whistler village you will have free time of just over 2 hours. You do have enough time to go up in the Gondola and have some breath taking sights of the Village.
Whistler

Whistler is the premier ski resort in the whole of North America and is hosting the 2010 winter Olympics. During the summer it hosts numerous mountain activity events. If you are adventurous and sports minded and want to stay somewhere other than Vancouver, then this is the place. Activities range from summer skiing/boarding on the glacier; mountain biking; river rafting; zip lining; trekking and bear hunting.
Vancouver

There are many highlights but I would like to give you my own recommendations to enhance your holiday experience.

Take one of the bus tours i.e. Gray Line or the Big Bus. The cost is approximately $35pp which is valid for two consecutive days. If you ask they will allow you to split them up if you have a rocky mountaineer trip in the middle. These buses follow a loop and are hop-on hop-off. They also provide a full narration of all the places of interest. They cover all the major tourist areas of Stanley Park, Gas Town, Robson Street and China Town. For you own safety I recommend that you do not get off in China Town as it only one block away from Hastings which is the least desirable area of Vancouver. Also Chinatown is not like those in London, New York or San Francisco and is very disappointing.

Other major highlights in Vancouver are the Capillano suspension bridge and Grouse Mountain. These are located in North Vancouver, reached by taxi, or the Sea Bus which is located right next to the cruise pier and a much cheaper option. You then need to take a number 8 bus which is included in your Sea Bus ticket (purchase all Zones). This goes up to Grouse Mountain via the Capillano suspension bridge and returns via there as well so iIt is up to you in what order you do them both.

Grouse Mountain offers views over Vancouver and you get a cable car to the top. At the top there are two cinema shows, a bird of flight live show and also a Lumberjack show including in the cost. If you have not already seen any bears during your trip, they do have a bear enclosure where they keep their two residents.

I can also endorse the restaurant at the top of the mountain for good food. If it is a hot day we advise you to request a table outside as it will be cooler than eating inside. If you get a chance say hi to the manager, Starr.


Capillano Suspension Bridge

The Capillano suspension bridge spans a gorge with a 250 drop either side. It is a little rickety and I would advise anyone with walking difficulties not to attempt the crossing. (If you are registered disabled, do take your badges they will let you in free-of-charge).

Once you have crossed the bridge you find numerous activities where the highlight is a treetop canopy where you actually walk in the trees.

What is the weather going to be like?

All my friends who have now booked to go on this cruise keep askign the question.

Packing for this holiday is one of the hardest parts especially if you are staying in Vancouver before or after your cruise. Vancouver weather during the summer can be very similar to the U.K.. One day raining the next day 80 degrees. You will need layers, and a waterproof.

Alaska weather can be wet; if you are cruising with Celebrity they do provide umbrellas in the stateroom. Even though misty and damp it is not very cold from May onwards but if you are going up on the Glaciers, warmer layers will be required. If you have forgotten anything, Celebrity has a wide range of clothes which you can buy on-board.

Whistler is generally 5 degrees warmer than Vancouver. If so it is hot and sunny in Vancouver it will most probably be even hotter in Whistler.
Summary
If you are in two minds of doing this cruise just do it. It will be not like you expect but will surpass all of your expectations. Dont worry about it being boring, as you never know what is round the next corner