Thanks, Nancy.
You're right. Our trips are very similar except you are leaving a couple of weeks earlier than I. I responded to a thread that you started elsewhere on this forum. I figured that you may have gone the conventional routine of letting the TA book your flights.
We will be traveling with two other couples, and they did let a local TA do the entire booking. There is some convenience in that approach, and there is less risk since I think the TA accepts some responsibility for getting you to the ship if you give them full reign. However, their total RT fare was around $800 PP. As I mentioned, I was aware that I could do the RDU-SEA portion for around $200 RT PP since I’ve been watching that fare for close to a year now. So even if I need to pay the $378 or whatever full fare then I’ll still be ahead of the game.
The other factor that entered into the equation is that my wife has never been to the Pacific Northwest and we’ve decided to spend a couple of days in Seattle either before or after the AK portion of our trip. It will depend on the flight arrangements that I arrange, but afterwards preferably. My ideal itinerary would be to fly RDU-SEA, then SEA-Fairbanks a day or so ahead of the beginning of the CruiseTour. This will allow us to look around Fairbanks a little and to have plenty of buffer in case of delayed flights or other unexpected contingencies. Then, following the cruise, we would likely take the bus from Vancouver to SEA, but we may rent a car in Vancouver, depending on the difference in cost and other factors (one or more of the other couples may join us in that portion of the trip). Renting the car in Vancouver of course gives us an opportunity to have a brief visit there.
The primary reason for not doing RT RDU-Vancouver is as you surmised – the cost. We have a competitive market RDU-SEA but not to Vancouver, so I can absorb the car rental, motel, and some other expenses with the difference in cost.
My final itinerary will depend largely on the flights that I actually arrange. I’ve purposely left some flexibility since I may need to travel midweek or whatever to get the best airline fares. I’ll arrange the rest of the trip around the bookends of my RT RDU-SEA.
I’ll try to remember to let this thread know what I finally decide. I’m starting to think, though, that I may need to purchase my SEA-Fairbanks ticket full price. I’ve tried all my tricks and haven’t seen the fares budge in the 3-4 months that I’ve been seriously shopping. I was hoping that maybe one of the seasoned AK travelers on this forum may have some tips.
