On 10/29/2011 12:38 PM, Earl_Colby_Pottinger wrote:

First, we are based in Toronto Canada. Vancouver/Seattle would not be
a problem.

Second, can we do a cruise-tour within our budget? Including air-
fare?

If I am missing a package please reply. I have a good travel agent,
but 90% plus of his business is in the warmer climates. So I am
looking for second opinions.

You can do an 11 night Cruisetour for $1500 or less if you look for
deals (we paid $1200 last year for the 11 night on HAL with the long
Denali tour and 2 nights there). With airfare I assume it would be $2000
(or less). Longer tours obviously cost more. You will be flying into or
out of Alaska with a Cruisetour, so that will make it more expensive,
but we paid $600 or so for NY-SEA-FAI-NY last year. You will need to
factor in excursions, which tend to be expensive in Alaska, especially
if you want to do something like a helicopter tour.

My impression is Holland is for older folks (mind you we are both in
our fifties), and considering how un-adventurous our older friends are
we don't want to find ourselves stuck on a boat (that`s ship to the
captain) full of old fuggies.

HAL is not that bad in Alaska in terms of age. They've been marketing to
families to do multi-generation trips so you get a reasonable mix of
people. There were not as many walkers as you'd expect to see on HAL.

Bill