Just booked my 06 cruise to Alaska. Here's why I chose Radisson Seven Seas...
This post lists the reasons behind my choice of ship, along with detailed cost.
Let me start by saying that my wife and I are pretty frugal in most aspects of our lives: We dont have cell phones or premium cable, and my wife is a fanatic for clipping coupons. But when it comes to vacations, occasionally we like to go top-shelf (everyone has their vices!). The ship weve selected promises a casual luxury travel experience.
Our Criteria
Timeframe: We narrowed our choices to June (the driest month) and July (the warmest).
Ship size: The largest ships cruising Alaska can accommodate nearly 2,700 passengers. We decided something smaller and more intimate would be preferable for this itinerary.
Type of room: We wanted a quiet room with a balcony -- somewhere around mid-ship. We also wanted a room facing mainland for better viewing.
Price: After much consideration, we decided that for this trip, price would be subordinate to the experience. After all, this is to celebrate my 50th!
Alternatives
Frommers lists two ships as best for luxury: Crystal Cruises 940-passenger Crystal Harmony, and Radissons 700-passenger Mariner.
We chose the Radisson Mariner (because it's more casual)
Based on my research, the Radisson Seven Seas Mariner offers the following:
- Casual luxury, with a no-tie required policy
- An intimate travel experience, with only 700 fellow passengers
- All cabins are oceanview suites, and all have private verandas
- All cabins come with a sitting room and queen-size beds
- A great itinerary (this not our sailing)
- Excellent cuisine, served in several upscale restaurants ("...dining by the famed Le Cordon Bleu of Paris")
- Open seating dinning
- Staff to guest ratio of 1 to 1.6
- Complimentary wine with meals
- A no tipping policy
Price for Category F *
Standard fare (per person) - - - - $5,495.00
Standard discount 30% - - - - (1,648.50)
Adjusted fare - - - - 3,846.50
Ketchikan tax - - - - 4.00
Port, handling & security - - - - 250.00
Travel insurance - - - - 190.00
Total per person - - - - $4,290.50
Total price **- - - - $8,581.00
* There were two potential discounts we did not take:
- May and September sailings run $1,000 - $1,600 less (per couple)
- Cabins one level down run a few hundred less
** Total does not include air, shore excursions or optional land packages
Remember the trip is not scheduled until mid-06, so it will be awhile before I report on the actual experience.
Please feel free to post a comment or e-mail me if you want to know more about what I found while researching the trip.
P.S. Here are links to two of excellent resources: Frommer's Alaska Cruises & Ports of Call 2005, and Cruise Critic. And if you are curious about the weather, check out this site.
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My husband and I enjoyed your article. Being first time cruisers we didn't know where to start. Your reasons for choosing the Mariner were wonderful (more casual, open seating, etc., etc., and I wondered if we had written the article ourselves! Are you using a travel agent or booking through Radisson? Why did you choose a higher cabin rather than a lower as I understand there is less of a "sway" lower down if you are prone to seasickness? Thanks for a great article.
Hi Pauline,
Q: Are you using a travel agent or booking through Radisson?
A: We are using a travel agent. So far the jury is out as to whether or not this was a good idea. [I made a number of phone calls prior to finding an experienced agent who had actually sailed on the Mariner. My logic was that getting advice for someone with first-hand experience could help us better plan for the trip. So far the agent has been a hindrance in terms of selecting the right room / date. My hope is that we will still realize a value-add as we plan for dinner reservations, shore excursions, etc.]
Q: Why did you choose a higher cabin rather than a lower as I understand there is less of a "sway" lower down if you are prone to seasickness?
A: There are several posts on cruisecritic.com where people sailed the Mariner on level 7 (the lowest level). By my recollection, they were 100% satisfied with their choice.
For us, we wanted quiet, mid-ship, and facing the mainland.
Level 7 (the lowest level for passengers), starts at category H. H rooms run $500 less per person than our category F room. We ruled out H because these rooms are very close to the dinning room (noise?). Category G rooms make up the balance of level 7. Most G rooms surround the elevator / stairs (noise?). G rooms run $200 less per person than our category F.* So, we ended up on level 8, in a category F.
As far as "sway," much of the itinerary is inland passage. Based on my reading, I anticipate the inland route to calmer than say a Caribbean itinerary.
Good luck if you decide to pursue.
* My notes here are a bit vague...so the dollar amounts may not be exact.
More thoughts...
Radisson lists travel agents on their Web site. Look for an agent with a "Virtuoso" designation. We selected a "Virtuoso sailing date," which means we will also receive a Virtuoso cocktail reception and a free shore excursion.
The travel insurance offered by the agent appeared to be a better value than the product offered through Radisson. [We ended up with TraveLite from Travelex. This offering was created specifically for Virtuoso agents. I reviewed three alternatives. TraveLight was the best value for my criteria.]
I can't believe it, my co-worker just bought a car for $81635. Isn't that crazy!
