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Hello again, from cloudy and cold Lynnwood, Washington!
Things are buzzing here at the office. Our Colonial America tour sold-out in record time, even though we were able to add 200 additional spots. There will be over 600 Travel With Alan travelers cruising the Eastern Seaboard together in June! In two days, I will be flying to Singapore to meet the 146 travelers who are returning from their Seabourn Asia cruise. We will spend two days together touring Singapore!
I previously wrote to you about our Alaska cruises and tours. We are famous for the value of our cruise/tours... Our Alaska cruise/tour members come from all across the U.S. and Canada. Not only for the price, but for all of the “extras” that are included. These “extras” are things that everyone pays for eventually… Things like tips, drinks, shore excursions, meals during the land tour, and more.
My previous emails were about our 13-night/14-day cruise/tours. We now have space for our 10-night/11-day cruise tours. A lot of people have been asking for this and we finally have it. This shorter tour is good for those that want to see the Alaskan Interior, but don’t have the time to spend a week on a land tour, in addition to a week on the cruise. Also, this tour is more “value priced”.
While this tour has always been popular, last year we made some substantial changes to this tour…which were very well received. Instead of bussing to Denali and then doubling back to Anchorage, we take the McKinley Explorer Rail Cars right from the cruise ship port in Whittier, through the Whittier Tunnel and across the Alaskan Interior to Denali National Park. This is a scenic ride, passing through countryside, tundra, and small towns. Then, after two days in Denali, we go onwards to Fairbanks, for a tour on the Riverboat Discovery, the state’s most popular private tourist attraction.
The tour through Alaska’s Interior is amazing, and we do everything to make the land tour an extension of your cruise. Your luggage will be handled for you and will be waiting for you at your room when you arrive at the McKinley Chalet Lodge in Denali. Meanwhile, you will be in your reserved, upper-level, Vista Dome seat aboard the train, passing through the Alaskan Interior. Each rail car will have a conductor, giving narration as you make your way through Alaska, passing small towns and wilderness areas as you climb up to Denali National Park. Each car will also have a bartender, should you want a coffee, soda, or something stronger! We also include a white-linen lunch in the train’s dining car during your rail voyage. Even when you’re having lunch in the diner, you will have big windows, so you won’t miss anything if we spot some wildlife along the way!
Our 10-night/11-day cruise tour will begin with a 7-day cruise from Vancouver to Whittier. You will have port visits in:
· Ketchikan
· Juneau
· Skagway
· Glacier Bay National Park (Scenic Cruising)
· College Fjord (Scenic Cruising)
· Whittier
The cruise portion of this tour features the very best 7-day Alaska cruise. Instead of being on a cruise that goes northbound on the first half of the cruise, and then turns around and goes back, this cruise goes all the way from Vancouver to Whittier. Also, this cruise features much more glacier viewing than most other Alaska tours, including a day in Glacier Bay National Park.
Your tour will begin at the pier in Vancouver. You can join our complimentary motorcoach transfer from the Seattle area to the Canada Place Pier in Vancouver or meet us at the pier. Upon your arrival at the pier, you will board your Holland America Line ship, the beautiful ms Noordam. You will then begin your seven-day cruise up the Inside Passage. You will visit three ports of call during your cruise: Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway. We include a Travel With Alan shore excursion in each of these ports of call! In Ketchikan, you will have a city tour and a visit to Potlach Park, a native totem park. In Juneau, you will tour the city and Mendenhall Glacier. The tour will include a tour of Alaska’s capitol city, the Macauley Salmon Hatchery, and a visit to Mendenhall Glacier with admission to the Visitors’ Center. In Skagway, we include a tour of the city, the Gold Rush Cemetery, and a scenic drive to the summit of White Pass. Your cruise will also include a day of scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park. On this day, you will remain on the ship and rangers from the U.S. Park Service will come aboard the ship to give commentary throughout the day. This year’s cruise will even feature scenic cruising through College Fjord the last evening of the cruise. Here each of the five tide-water glaciers is named after a famous college or university.
We include a bunch of “extras” on the cruise portion of the tour. Your standard crew appreciation daily charges (gratuities) are all pre-paid. We also include Holland America Line’s “Signature Beverage Package”. This gives you complimentary drinks from the ship’s bars and restaurants, from beer, wine, and cocktails, to smoothies and “mocktails”, or sodas and juices. Even the specialty coffees are included, so you don’t have to think twice about ordering that mocha, latte, or glass of champagne! Even the gratuities on these drinks are included! While all of the meals on the ship are included (even room service), the ship does have some “specialty restaurants” that are available for a surcharge. We include one dinner per person in one of the ship’s specialty restaurants to enjoy during the cruise. And, as I mentioned, we have included a special shore excursion in Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, so you won’t have all these charges on your bill at the end of the cruise.
As I mentioned, at the end of your seven-day cruise, you will board the McKinley Explorer Rail Cars for your train journey to Denali. Your rail journey will end in Denali National Park. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the McKinley Chalet for your two-night stay. Upon arrival at Denali, you will be given vouchers for the breakfast buffet for both days. You will also be given a dinner voucher that can use one of your evenings in any of the hotel’s restaurants, and you can order your choice from the menu.
Early the next morning, you will be treated to the park’s “Tundra Wilderness Tour”. This tour takes you deep into the park, showing you the beautiful terrain of the park. We often have wildlife sightings including bears, moose, wolves, and more. After the tour, you will have some free time to relax, take a walk by the river, go to the visitors’ center, attend a “ranger talk”, or do an optional tour.
The next day, after your breakfast buffet, you will board your Holland America motor coach for Fairbanks. In Fairbanks you will go directly to the Riverboat Discover Landing, where you will be treated to a “Miner’s Lunch”. Afterward, you will board the Riverboat Discovery, for a 3 ½ hour interactive paddlewheel boat adventure. This tour won awards for the top tourist attraction in North America. After this full-day journey, you will check-in at the Westmark Hotel to enjoy your last night in Alaska. The next day, you just have a transfer included to Fairbanks International Airport for your flight home.
This tour is VERY inclusive. Most people have very little out-of-pocket expenses. Everything that I mentioned in this letter is INCLUDED!
We have space on two “peak season” departures:
June 23 to July 3, 2024 (ms Noordam)
August 4 to August 14, 2023 (ms Noordam)
As usual, the best part about this tour is the price…. just $2699 per person, based on double occupancy. Government taxes, fees, and port expenses of $359 per person are additional. This price includes the transfer from Seattle to Vancouver, the 7-night cruise aboard your Holland America ship, a shore excursion in each port of call, the three-night land program with first-class hotels, and all the mentioned meals and tours. On these Alaska cruise/tours, usually there is no air included. However, for our tours, we have included air at the end of the tour from Fairbanks to Seattle. Or better yet, we can fly you back to your home city for a surcharge for a seamless trip home. This will be arranged at the time of booking, whether you book over the phone or online. Flights from Fairbanks depart at all hours of the day and night. Because of the distance and time-zone changes, most flights to east of the Rockies will include an overnight flight or depart in the very early morning hours. The good news is that we have some low add-ons to fly you to cities across the U.S. and Canada. Please confirm your choice at the time of booking. Please remember that air to Seattle or Vancouver, at the beginning of the tour, is not included. If you fly into Seattle, you must book a flight that arrives the day before the tour begins. You can also fly directly into Vancouver, on the day of departure, and make your own way to the pier. If you do this, we advise that you choose a flight that arrives by 12:00 PM (Noon).
For those driving or flying into Seattle before the tour, we are negotiating a special rate at a hotel near Sea-Tac Airport that has a shuttle to pick you up upon arrival. Our Travel With Alan buses will pick you up at that hotel the next morning and take you directly to the pier in Vancouver. About 75 days before your tour, you will receive a questionnaire, which will give you options for bus pick-ups. This questionnaire will give you the option to reserve a room and options for bus pick-ups. We are also negotiating for special parking rates if you wish to park your car for the duration of the tour.
We also have a great deal on upgrades. You can upgrade to an Obstructed Oceanview Stateroom for $280 per person, to an Unobstructed Oceanview Stateroom, with large picture window for $425 per person, or to a Verandah (Balcony) Stateroom for $650 per person. We also have some excellent upgrades to Signature Suites for $1250 per person, or all the way to a Neptune Suite for $1650 per person. This is an outstanding price for this cruise/tour but with all of the extra meals and tours, the price is unbelievable! Also, if you book a Verandah Stateroom or one of the suites, you will also receive complimentary internet service during the cruise!
Many of you have been calling for a shorter cruise/tour that is less expensive…here it is! This tour is an excellent value, especially considering all that is included. We have also had calls asking for a 7-day cruise to Alaska. While I’m sure we’ll have some of these, closer in, you may want to think about this one instead. You see SO much more, including many more glaciers. At the end of the day, when you add up all of the features that are included, the cost is about the same as taking just a 7-day cruise. Again, all of your tips, your shore excursions, drinks and more…all included!
We are already having a record-breaking year in Alaska. If you have not already reserved a cruise to Alaska for this summer, this is your chance. Give us a call to reserve your spot. You can reach us at:
1-855-885-9252
OR
For faster service, you may now click on one of the following sign-up links below to use our online
Travel With Alan Booking Form:
ms Noordam (6/23/2024 - 7/03/2024)
ms Noordam (8/04/2024 - 8/14/2024)
Either of the above sailing dates are clickable links in which you can sign-up for the tour without waiting on hold.
If you prefer to call our office, please have the following information available for EACH guest:
· Full legal name, (first, middle and last), exactly as it appears on your passport.
· Home mailing address (address where you receive your credit card statement).
· Two phone numbers, per suite booked.
· Your e-mail address (where you would like to receive correspondence for this tour)
· Date of birth
· Credit card number, expiration date, and security code
We are open today until 5:00 PM Pacific Time. We will then open tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM Pacific Time and will continue to take reservations until we are sold-out. If you are traveling with a group or family, and one person is making all of the reservations, please be sure that you have the FULL LEGAL NAME of each traveler (first, middle, and last), their date of birth, phone number, email address, and complete credit card information, so that we can complete the reservation to reserve your space. I hope to see you this coming summer…it will be here before you know it!
Bon Voyage,
Alan
Alan Schiller, Travel With Alan
phone: 855.885.9252 | phone: 425.775.1595
5611 196th Street SW | Lynnwood, WA 98036
Visit us: www.dt.com
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