Tag: travel tips

Closed Loop or One Way Alaska Cruises

Seward has some amazing views, but they aren’t available on most Seattle based cruises

The Alaska Cruising season is in full swing, and here at Adventures With Anthony we are celebrating Alaska Week. Come back everyday this week for a new article about Alaska Cruises, and find out why Alaska is not only our personal favorite cruise destination, but also the most popular cruise destination for our clients.

Today’s post is all about the differences between round-trip and one way Alaska cruises. Read on to learn which cruise is right for you.

Why the different types of cruises?

Simply put, cruise lines have to abide by the Passenger Vessel Service Act, sometimes erroneously called the Jones Act. We touched briefly on the PVSA in our post on Hawaii cruises, but essentially the PVSA means that cruise lines have to visit a “distant foreign port” if doing a closed loop cruise. Closed loop is just a fancy term for a round trip cruise; the cruise starts and ends at the same port making a full loop.

Seattle is much closer to Canada than Anchorage is, so ships can easily leave Seattle, visit a port in Canada (often Victoria, British Columbia), and return to Seattle on a 7 night cruise. Cruises departing from Seward (or Whittier) Alaska, on the other hand, cannot. Therefore, these cruises have to either be 14 nights, or a one way cruise that does not start and end in a US port.

What are the differences?

The main difference right off the bat is of course the departure and arrival ports. One way Alaska cruises also often visit more ports than their closed loop counterparts, in part because they don’t have to budget time for the return trip. The two cruises also share many ports of call, but also have a few different stops, and the prices can be quite different on the two cruises as well.

Common Ports
Whale watching is very popular in Hoonah, but Seattle based cruises often miss this port

Both closed loop and one way Alaska cruises often stop at Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway and include a “glacier experience”. Cruises from Seattle often visit Glacier Bay, although some will visit Tracy Arm Fjord, Sawyer Glacier, or Hubbard Glacier. Seattle cruises also typically visit Victoria, British Columbia, often for a very short stop. This stop is pretty much just to meet the PVSA requirements, and it isn’t unheard of for a ship to only be in Victoria for a couple hours.

One way Alaska cruises can often visit Icy Strait Point, also called Hoonah. This native village has arguably the best whale watching of the typical Alaska ports, but is rarely visited by Seattle based cruises. The departure/arrival towns of Seward or Whittier are also not often visited by Seattle cruises.

Different Ships

Like we mentioned yesterday, both Norwegian and Royal Caribbean have big ships coming to Alaska. Both of these new ships will be sailing round trip from Seattle. Seattle is just able to handle much larger ships, so this will likely be a trend we see continuing. This is not necessarily a good or a bad thing. We absolutely love sailing Alaska on the Radiance of the Seas, a much smaller ship with a lot of viewing space.

Cruise Tours

We will discuss cruise tours in more detail on Friday, but only the one way Alaska cruises offer a land portion option. These cruise tours add a few extra days onto the Alaska end of your cruise for a guided land tour. The exact tours vary, but often they take time to visit Denali National Park and a few other areas around Alaska that can’t be reached by ship.

Cost

This is always a concern of cruisers, but is the hardest to really pin down. The one way cruises are often quite a bit cheaper than their closed loop cousins, but at the same time airfare is often cheaper for a round trip flight to Seattle. On the one way Alaska cruises, you have to purchase two one way plane tickets since your cruise does not start and end at the same place. Flights to Anchorage are often more expensive than flights to Seattle, and since the port is not actually in Anchorage, you also have to pay for transportation between Anchorage and Seward or Whittier. Our personal favorite method of transportation to the port is the Alaska Railroad, and in my opinion that is well worth any additional cost.

Mirror Lake is one of the highlights of the train ride between Anchorage and Seward

The exact costs of cruise and airfare can vary widely from cruise to cruise, so make sure you reach out to us to figure out what your best bet would be.

Tips for Traveling Solo

Don’t let traveling solo slow you down

For those with an adventurous spirit, just the thought of traveling is exhilarating. Imagining what activities you will do, the foods you will eat, the sights you will see, and so on. However, when traveling with others, adjustments need to be made to those plans, and the result? Compromise. With this in mind, adjusting your perfectly imagined trip to suit the needs and desires of fellow travelers can literally take the wind out of your sails.

The alternative? Traveling alone. Envision, for a moment, what it would be like to have complete control over your trip. To be able to set your own schedule; sleep in if you choose to, eat when you want, control your own budget, and be as flexible with your time as you wish. This may seem to be selfish at first, and also a bit frightening if you’ve never considered solo travel, but spending time alone can actually be very healthy. It allows you time for self-reflection, discovering who you are and what goals want to fulfill. Also, by relying on yourself, you can discover your strengths and weaknesses, face your fears, and test your limits. You can choose to spend time alone, engage with others, or even make lifelong friends.

All decisions are yours to make when traveling alone. But that doesn’t mean you have to do all the planning on your own.

Our job as your personal travel agency is to alleviate concerns, answer questions, and help you plan the perfect getaway. While there are many ways to travel, three of our most popular travel options are cruises, all-inclusive resorts, and group vacations. Each of these trips can be customized for those who want to travel by themselves. We will work with you to ensure your preferences are accommodated.

Cruises

Cruise ships are filled with great activities – whether you want to relax alone or socialize

Cruises offer nearly endless options for single travelers, from simply enjoying a good book by the pool to joining in activities with fellow travelers. Most cruise lines assign dining room seating but, depending on your personal preference, we can request a specific table size. You can choose to sit at a larger table with many fellow travelers, or a smaller table with just a few people. If you prefer, you can even forego the main dining room; opting instead for specialty restaurants, room service, or the buffet.

On most sites the cost of cabins is advertised as “per person”, but unfortunately that doesn’t mean the price for a person traveling alone. Cruise companies charge a “single supplement”, which means that a person traveling alone pays the same room price as those traveling with two people. For example, a cruise that is advertised as $999 per person plus $125 per person in taxes would be $2,248 for 2 people. $1,124 per person, multiplied by two people. With the single supplement, that same cruise would still be be $2,123. $1,124 for the first person, plus a $999 single supplement fee.

However, there is one way to avoid this fee. Newer ships have studio cabins available for single travelers, which are smaller than a traditional room and can only sleep one person. These rooms do not charge the single supplement rate, but there are a limited number of them available. It may, in fact, actually be cheaper to book a two-person cabin. Regardless of room size, single travelers will never pay double for taxes, fees, or gratuities. We will research the difference in price and ensure you stay in the perfect cabin.

All-Inclusive Resorts

Make new friends on the Royalton Bavaro Lazy River

There are countless all-inclusive resorts you can select from worldwide. Just like with a cruise, you can choose between spending quality time alone, getting to know new people at the resort, or even a little of both. With your personal trip goals in mind, we will assist you in choosing the perfect resort at the location you want to visit. Our prices include airfare, which is charged per person, and never has a single supplement fee attached. The resorts themselves do charge a single supplement rate, just like the cruise lines. Unlike the cruise rates, however, it is more often less than double.

Group Travel

Join up with a group and take a guided tour of picturesque Iceland

One of the most popular options for single travelers are group led tours. While these tours are available worldwide, some of the most popular are; Australia/New Zealand, China/Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe, and recently, Iceland. The amount of people on these tours can range from quite small (less than ten people) to very large. When planning a tour for you we will always share the typical group size to ensure that you are happy with your choice.

Some of these tours do charge a single supplement, while others do not. The tours include lodging, and most of the tour companies will assign single travelers a roommate. However, we can help you book a single, private room for an additional fee if you would prefer. With all the above variables in play, we can research all of the options available to assist you in booking the perfect tour.

Cruises, all-inclusive resorts, and group tours all have much to offer those who wish to travel alone. Along with the perks of the trip itself, you may very well gain increased confidence in yourself and learn how to become more independent, all without the fear of being judged by a traveling companion. Also, opening yourself up to new experiences and people, expanding your thinking and views about other cultures and places, all at your own pace, are additional benefits that come from traveling alone. Just because you don’t have a travel partner doesn’t mean you can’t explore the world. Reach out today, and let us help you plan the perfect solo vacation today.