Thanks again, Howie. You’re becoming my prime consultant on this trip. I just responded to you on another thread on this forum. I’ll try to stay here on my Alaska-specific questions.
Interesting. I was lead to believe that the closer to departure the lower the price. The rationale is that ships are trying to fill empty berths and will do whatever is needed to fill them. Booking sooner rather than later would satisfy my “mental†needs. I’d rather not worry about this thing from now until June or whatever.
I also heard that some travel agencies offer what is not really a "low price guarantee." but will lower your price if the cruise company lowers theirs. Any truth to that? That may offer an incentive to booking through an agency. Mu current plans are to book the trip myself with the help of seasoned cruisers like yourself.
I especially appreciate the advice on timing of the trip. A few years ago, my wife and I went to SFO and saw some marvelous scenery at Yosemite. It was June and a little cool. I asked a cab driver about weather there, and he said October is pleasant. We invited some close friends to return with us a couple of years later and traveled in October. They were impressed by the pictures of beautiful waterfalls in Yosemite (from the June trip). It was warmer all right, but the falls were dry in October. As you said, it pays to do a little research and to ask the right questions.
The dilemma that I now have is whether I want to go in June, which appears to be the best month weather-wise, or Aug-Sept when prices may be better and the ships less crowded (esp. With kids. We love them, but ours are raised and gone so we don’t have the school year to deal with).
