The Best Time To Cruise Alaska And Save Money On Everything From Your Cabin, To Airfare, Cheaper Shore Excursions And Hotel Stays.

Are you a savvy traveler? If not, you will be, after you read this article.

An Alaska Cruise Vacation is not cheap. Be prepared to pay up to 20% more than a Caribbean trip. So, to save big money on an Alaska cruise be smart by taking advantage of the deals and discounts cruise lines have on offer.

1. One way to save money on your next cruise is to make your reservations early. Check out the early booking discounts and with a small deposit, book that cruise. As your sailing date gets closer, prices will go up. The sooner you book, the better the choice of accommodations, as well as the best location of your cabin on the ship. Some say you can wait until the last minute to book your cruise. Booking late may get you an even better discount than you'd get by buying early. However, for Alaska, booking late will limit your choices. The best ocean-view cabins and balcony cabins sell out early. You don't want to left with the only choice is to book an inside ( no window ) cabin.

2. Know when your chosen cruise line tends to offer discounts on Alaska cruises. Alaska's peak season is June, July and August. Off-peak travel dates May & September are the best times to save. However, during the off-season, the weather will be cooler, wildlife viewing may be limited, and in early May not all tourist-related facilities have opened for business. You'll also find bargains during the cruise industries Wave Season (January through March) and Plan a Cruise Month (October), and finally, check with your cruise line about specific deals and promotions. If you book during Wave Season you can take advantage of various extra perks @ sea, such as onboard spending credits, cabin upgrades, free wifi, free shore excursions, free drink packages, free gratuities, free or reduced rates for kids and free or reduced airfare. You may get a better rate, and a reduced deposit when booking. Monitor prices even after you have placed your deposit with the cruise line. Prices change often. If your rate goes down, call your travel advisor or the cruise line and you may get a price reduction.

3. To avoid paying too much, choose the least expensive flights to Alaska. Prices vary depending upon where you fly to and from; Seattle, Vancouver, Fairbanks or Anchorage ( for cruisetours ). Seattle airfares will be lower priced than Vancouver or Anchorage. Compare prices from several low-cost airlines and book early, as prices will go up as you get closer to your sailing date. Book your own airfare and shore excursions instead of purchasing these services with your cruise line. Sometimes, the airfare may be less, but the flight itinerary is less than ideal. Multiple connections and less popular flight times means your trip starts off on the wrong foot.

4. Shore excursions in Alaska are higher priced than those you might find elsewhere. Booking your own shore excursions and tours will save you hundreds of dollars on many, but not all types of tours. Visit an independent shore excursion seller, such as Shore Excursions Group or ShoreTours. Review what's available in each port and decide what's best for you. You may save money by booking on your own, and you have full control to design your Alaska vacation your way, tailored to your preferences.

5. Consider booking a hotel at your embarkation or disembarkation port, pre or post-cruise, as weather, fight delays or cancellations can upset your entire itinerary, Book that hotel on your own. Your likely to save more than $100 per night on hotel rates offered by the cruise line.

6. And last, but not least, book an Alaska cruise with an agent that specializes in Alaska. Certified Alaska Travel Experts are those in the know with years of experience and expertise in Alaska travel. Certified Alaska Travel Experts can point you in the right direction with lots of money-saving "been there, done that"� advice. They also know how take advantage of unpublished or under-promoted discounts. Certified Alaska Travel Experts with preferred status with cruise lines such as Princess Cruises can often book your trip, with bonus extras, perks @ sea, and know where to find deals for less than others.

Today's Best Alaska Cruise Deals
Compare top-rated Alaska Cruises & Alaskan Cruisetours [ land + sea vacations ]. Sort by departure port, month and rating to find the right sailing & land tour for you. Reserve for Free: No obligation courtesy hold available on eligible voyages*

About Us
Connect with like-minded Alaska cruise travelers that are actually experienced, having been there, and done that! They are eager to share their own stories about visiting Alaska, both from the sea and on the land. If you need help, have questions or want more information, talk to them. They are advocates who love Alaska,, it's people, wildlife, wonders and wilderness.

Our efforts focus on working hard to build great lasting relationships by invested in getting to know our client's personal passions and finding experiences that are tailored to what they wish to discover. By developing our knowledge of your interests, preferences, and style, we are better able to anticipate your desires and needs. Our Certified Alaska Cruise Experts take that extra step that shows commitment and dedication to creating memorable experiences on an individual personal basis. They also stand by you, every step of the way.

The person you speak to on your first contact with us, is the same person you deal with throughout the planning, pre-and post cruise experience. There's no call center here. Our Certified Alaska Cruise Experts want to get to know not just your travel preferences, but also your personal passions. That way, we will be able to suggest to you the right itinerary that connects to an emotional response, which is critical to creating a defining experience and lasting memory for you. Now, building those successful, genuine, long-term relationships with our clients, as well as the cruise lines we work with, is something that occurs over time. So, since 1999 we have been hard at work, getting better at it everyday.

Experience, Education and Expertise
Our Certified Alaska Vacation Planners go above and beyond, providing that "been there, done that" experience, education and expertise, cruise line call centers and others don't. Our staff handles and/or gives advice for every aspect of your trip from ground transportation to shore excursions, and more! Working with a Certified Alaska Vacation Planner makes your trip experience that much better. When it's  time to start thinking about an Alaska vacation, we can help you decide on the best destinations, ports of call and share ideas based on your interests, and what is affordable. Our Certified Alaska Vacation Planners are real " Insiders", and will review the cruises, land tours, wilderness lodges, rail, and more. They can help you pick the cruise line, land tours and itinerary that best suits your interests. Our Certified Alaska Vacation Planners have traveled the Inside Passage, cruised the Gulf of Alaska and explored interior Alaska, including Denali National Park many times - so you will be working with a Certified Alaska Vacation Planner who has experienced Alaska first hand!

The Value of Knowledge And Know-How, from Alaska Certified Experts.
We have Certified Alaskan Cruise Experts who are eager to help you sort through all your options, answer all questions, give you their best advice and book your cruise or cruise tour. Certified Alaskan Cruise Experts have years of hands-on destination experience and expertise in travel to Alaska. And, we're a Top Selling Agent in North America...so our buying power and connections go a long way to getting you a great deal! Plus, we offer some amazing shore excursions. Choose salmon fishing, taking a helicopter and flight see over and land on glaciers, kayaking, trekking, panning for god or feel the exhilaration of riding a dogsled, Alaska shore excursions are all adventure!

Need Help? Have Questions? Want More Information.
Sometimes it pays to put yourself in the hands of the experts. Discover extraordinary fun, must-do experiences and savings with a well-planned Alaska cruise vacation. Planning a trip can become like a second job. So many decisions. So many websites. Enough information to fill a book, actually, hundreds of them. That's where we can help. We've organized all the must-see, destinations, sights and must-do adventures into a single Alaska cruise vacation site, Alaska Cruises Direct. You'll get expert guides, find great advice and service, and learn how to maximum the amount of time in each port to enjoy your vacation. We save you the precious time it takes to organize your Alaska cruise vacation and preview the ultimate shore side experiences during your cruise vacation. And, on top of that, show you where to find value priced cruises to save you money. All you have to do now, is relax and enjoy your Alaska cruise vacation.

You can make a checklist of what to pack. You may even consult those friends that made a similar journey. If you are meticulous, you will read that robust guide book from cover to cover. Yet no amount of research and extensive travel planning will prepare you for the sheer wonder of Alaska.

So, now is a great time to get started. Let us introduce our dedicated Team of Certified Alaska Travel Experts that with just one phone call, [ 800.365.1445 ] review local culture and history with customized guidance for each Alaska destination.

No Initial Deposit Required - Book Now, Take Your Time To Decide. Pay Later
Call us at 800.365.1445 to reserve your cruise with no initial deposit necessary! Right now, when you book an Alaska sailing or Alaskan Cruisetour at least 120 days prior to cruise departure, we will waive your initial booking deposit and place your reservation on a "Courtesy Hold". Giving you up to 3-7 days to decide if the sailing date, rate and accommodations meet your wants and needs. If you choose not to book it, the courtesy hold automatically expires with no effort, nor obligation on your part. Others may charge you up to 10% of your total costs just to hold your reservation. Your original deposit must be paid before the courtesy hold expires and final payment ( your balance due after placing a deposit) will be due around 75 days prior to sailing. Not valid on bookings requiring non-refundable deposits.

Real Helpful People, Not Call Center Operators!
When you work with a Certified Alaska Vacation Planner, you're speaking with an experienced professional, who is assigned to you through out the process. Unlike the cruise line call center, when you never get the same person twice. And, the cruise line operator only has the cruise line interests in mind, not yours. Working with a Certified Alaska Vacation Planner can help make your travel plans better. Better than you ever could on your own.

Ask all your questions, take all the time you need.
If you do decide to travel with us, that's great. But, if not, it's still ok. We enjoy sharing our life's travel experiences with you and like-minded travelers, none the less.

Your Personal Cruise Concierge
Booking a cruise should be a simple and straight forward experience, and for the most part it is. However, we all know about the many details to take care of. Details, that at times can seem overwhelming. Imagine having someone available to assist you with all of your destination, onboard and ashore needs. Our Certified Cruise Travel Experts act as your personal cruise concierge. Creating a curated trip designed to meet your budget, wants and needs. Their advice is free and so is the phone call to reach them. So, call 800.365.1445 to get started.