Vacations To Go

Dear Mr. Sterling,

Alan Fox is cruising in Alaska on Silversea's Silver Moon and his second report is below. To skip straight to Vacations To Go's cruise discounts and deals, please scroll down.

Entering Disenchantment Bay on the first full day of our cruise, Captain Albici reduced the speed of the Silver Moon and crept forward as far as possible before coming to a complete stop. Dead ahead stood Hubbard Glacier, one of the greatest natural wonders I have ever encountered.

Hubbard Glacier has to be seen--and heard--to be fully appreciated. Towering walls of blue and white, the boom of cracking ice, and the splash as it slides into the silvery water below. Harbor seals lounge on growlers (car-sized chunks of ice) that float nearby.

The largest tidewater glacier in North America is 76 miles long, six miles wide, and hundreds of feet tall at the waterline. It is one of the few advancing (growing) glaciers in the world, while more than 90% are retreating. The ship slowly rotated to give every passenger a perfect view from wherever they were watching.

Then it was on to Juneau, Alaska's capital city, where I set out on a tour that combined whale watching and a visit to Mendenhall Glacier.

On our expedition vessel, we located eight to ten humpback whales, including groups of two or three hunting together. Humpbacks migrate from Hawaii every summer to feed in the local, krill-rich waters, before returning home to breed in the winter.

We saw lots of spouts as whales surfaced to breathe and tails as they started deep feeding dives, but we were several hundred yards away and I found myself wishing I'd taken the kayak excursion for a chance at a closer look.

Then we were off to see Mendenhall Glacier, which cascades down from the Juneau Icefield just 12 miles from downtown. It's a beautiful sight but the glacier has been retreating for at least 250 years and at the current rate of 100-150 feet per year, it will recede beyond the horizon and no longer be viewable from the existing visitor center by 2050.

Time to book a trip!

I'd be remiss without a quick shout-out to Hannah, our Juneau tour guide, who was knowledgeable and engaging and whose love of whales is infectious.

Next stop, Skagway, a staple of Inside Passage cruises for its colorful Gold Rush past.

The sleepy settlement of Skagway sprang to life in 1897, when thousands of hopeful prospectors flooded the area en route to the Klondike region of Canada's Yukon. Gold miners arrived in the deep-water port from Seattle and other West Coast cities to brave the treacherous White Pass Trail, burdened with gear and dreams of fortune.

Skagway quickly became a bustling, and often lawless, boomtown, infamous for its rough saloons, con men, and opportunists like Soapy Smith, a notorious outlaw who briefly ruled the streets. That legacy endures to this day as visitors walk the same streets, ride the historic White Pass & Yukon Route railway, and imagine the grit and determination it took to chase gold in the last great frontier.

I took an interesting and comical tour on the Skagway Streetcar in the morning and a high-octane Zodiac (motorized raft) ride through the fiord in the afternoon, stopping to photograph seals, sea lions, eagles and waterfalls. Hold onto your seats!

Sitka is perhaps my favorite Alaska port city, due to its sprawling, scenic waterfront dotted with tiny islands, plentiful wildlife and rich history.

I took another Zodiac ride through those islands, bouncing along rougher seas than we'd had in Skagway and weathering an occasional, exhilarating splash of icy water in the face.

We spotted sea otters, sea lions, bald eagles, and orange and purple starfish. Then we docked at Finn Island, peeled off our waterproof gear and feasted on King Crab legs, salmon and steak.

It was here in Sitka that "Russian America" was officially transferred to the United States, on October 18, 1867, with the Russian flag lowered and the American flag raised. The Russian past lingers in onion-domed churches and historic buildings like the Russian Bishop's House. The roots of the indigenous Tlingit clan run even deeper, with traditions woven into art and carved into totems.

There's nothing better than returning to the Silver Moon for a bit of pampering after a few hours immersed in the wilderness in Alaska. Our suite was always immaculate, and our refrigerator and private bar fully stocked.

By this stage of the cruise, we had sampled four different restaurants -- all truly excellent -- and had visited the well-equipped fitness center twice to work off some of those calories.

We ordered room-service breakfasts on days with early excursions, and our butler arrived promptly with a smile, white-table-cloth service and a recap of our day's excursions and dinner reservations, to make sure we did not forget anything.

We looked forward to the extensive lunch buffet at La Terraza restaurant (sushi, anyone?) if we happened to be onboard, though there were other, tantalizing lunch options.

Enrichment lectures on glaciers and the Gold Rush made the places we'd visited come alive.

Music filled our vessel in the afternoons and evenings. There were musicals in the theater and jazz and blues in the Silver Note restaurant, while the ship's band and a guitarist and a pianist rotated through various venues.

We couldn't go far on the ship without being greeted by a member of the staff or crew, always making us feel welcome and looked after.

As we sailed from Sitka in the late afternoon, I watched its islands fade away from the privacy of my veranda and thought about all the preparation that must be going on throughout the ship--chefs organizing their kitchens, entertainers practicing their songs, passengers dressing for dinner.

Every day at this time, the Silver Moon is a flower preparing to bloom.

Alan Fox

To see itineraries and prices for the Silver Moon, including discounts up to 65%, please click here.
To see all Silversea cruises that visit Alaska, please click here.
For more about Silversea and a list of all their ships, please click here.
For a slideshow of my photos of the Silver Moon and Alaska, please click here.
Click to watch videos of Hubbard Glacier, humpback whales and a bald eagle.
To see my first report from this cruise, please click here.

Next, I'm pleased to tell you about money-saving offers we've arranged with 11 different cruise lines. In addition to deep discounts, these offers may include free amenities or shipboard credits, which are as good as cash on the ship and can be used toward onboard purchases, like shore excursions and internet packages.

Carnival is offering our customers discounts of up to 80%. Plus, pay a 50% reduced deposit and get onboard credit of up to $150 per cabin on select sailings. Book by August 18. See dates and prices.

Royal Caribbean is offering our customers huge new discounts -- save up to 75%. Also, receive shipboard credits of up to $50 per cabin on select sailings. Children ages 12 and under pay only port fees and taxes when sharing the same cabin with two adults on select departures. Book by August 19. See dates and prices.

MSC Cruises is offering huge discounts to our customers -- save up to 72%. Also, receive free drinks, free Wi-Fi and shipboard credits of up to $300 per cabin, plus Kids Sail Free on the brand new MSC World America and on a variety of upcoming sailings booked at eligible rates. Book by August 19. See dates and prices.

Holland America is offering our customers huge discounts of up to 61% along with shipboard credits of up to $100 per cabin and pre-paid gratuities for two on select sailings. Pay only port fees and taxes for the third and fourth guests in the stateroom on certain voyages, and receive all of the following perks on cabins booked at eligible rates: 1) a signature beverage package for two, including select alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, 2) a specialty dining package that includes up to three meals at select venues, 3) a free Wi-Fi package for two guests and 4) a shore excursion credit of up to $600 per cabin. Book by August 20. See dates and prices.

Azamara is providing huge discounts to our customers -- save up to 81%. Also, receive exclusive pricing on a variety of upcoming sailings and shipboard credits of up to $1,000 per cabin. Rates include gratuities and drinks. Book by August 22. See dates and prices.

Princess is offering Vacations To Go customers big discounts -- save up to 70%. Plus, pay a reduced deposit starting at $99 per person and receive shipboard credits of up to $385 per cabin on select sailings. Also, the third and fourth guests pay only port fees and taxes when sharing the same cabin with two adults on some departures. Get drinks, Wi-Fi and pre-paid gratuities on certain voyages booked at eligible rates. Book by August 24. See dates and prices.

Explora Journeys has provided Vacations To Go with newly reduced rates and exclusive discounts with savings of up to 74% off. Plus, get onboard credits of up to $300 per cabin on select sailings. Prices include gratuities, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, select specialty restaurant dining options, and unlimited internet. Book by August 26. See dates and prices.

Oceania is offering Vacations To Go customers discounts of up to 77%, plus newly reduced rates, pre-paid gratuities, shipboard credits of up to $1,100 per cabin, a free House Select beverage package, free specialty dining and unlimited internet access on select sailings. Book by August 27. See dates and prices.

Windstar is offering our customers discounts of up to 82% on select cruises, with exclusive rates on a variety of itineraries and a $100 per cabin onboard credit. See dates and prices.

Virgin Voyages is an adults-only line providing fantastic discounts of up to 85% to Vacations To Go customers. In addition, receive exclusive pricing on select sailings departing from Miami and San Juan, and get onboard credits of up to $450 per cabin on select departures. Prices include gratuities, select non-alcoholic beverages and unlimited internet. See dates and prices.

Regent is providing exclusive discounts to Vacations To Go customers -- save up to 78%. In addition, receive shipboard credits of up to $400 per cabin on eligible sailings and for a limited time, children ages 17 and under sail free on select itineraries. See dates and prices.

As always, all offers in this newsletter are for new bookings only and subject to availability. Restrictions may apply, and some free amenities and shipboard credits may apply only to eligible rates. Past guests of some cruise lines may see better rates on select sailings.

Here are today's Top 10 Cruises, brand-new specials from the world's best cruise lines. Click the FastDeal # for details.

1) Pacific U.S. & Canada, 7 nights on Princess, departs Vancouver Sep 27, starting at $641, save 58%, FastDeal # 16549

2) Caribbean, 7 nights on Celebrity, departs Miami Sep 28, starting at $700, save 58%, FastDeal # 41851

3) Mexico, 7 nights on Norwegian, departs San Diego Nov 8, starting at $529, save 86%, FastDeal # 20450

4) Caribbean, 7 nights on Holland America, departs Miami Nov 8, starting at $699, save 47%, FastDeal # 12739

5) Eastern Canada & New England, 8 nights on Virgin Voyages, departs New York (Manhattan) Sep 15, starting at $1,191, save 82%, FastDeal # 12675

6) Caribbean, 7 nights on Disney, departs Port Canaveral Sep 27, starting at $2,148, FastDeal # 20123 (Disney does not provide brochure rates for this cruise, so we are unable to show a savings percentage.)

7) Northern Europe, 10 nights on Azamara, departs Portsmouth Sep 6, starting at $2,409, save 81%, FastDeal # 15363

8) Caribbean, 7 nights on Explora Journeys, departs San Juan Nov 20, suite starting at $3,915, save 66%, FastDeal # 39190

9) Mediterranean, 7 nights on Ponant, departs Dubrovnik Aug 29, oceanview starting at $4,850, save 47%, FastDeal # 13903

10) South America, 11 nights on Scenic Cruises, departs Rio de Janeiro Oct 11, suite starting at $7,938, save 61%, FastDeal # 13898

For the best last-minute cruise specials in the next 90 days, please visit our world-famous 90-Day Ticker.
To search for discounts of up to 85% on cruises departing more than 90 days, use our Find a Bargain tool.

To save up to 40% with escorted tours, click here.
For river cruises up to 50% off, click here.
For discounts of up to 50% at hotels and all-inclusive resorts, click here.
For the lowest rates on Africa safaris from budget to luxury in quality, click here.

Once you've found a FASTDEAL, call us at 800-338-4962 (US and Canada) and a cruise counselor will attend to your needs. International customers, please email or call us at +1-713-974-2121.

Please email me your comments, suggestions and questions at alanfox@vacationstogo.com and I will respond the same day.

If you enjoy our newsletter, please forward this email to family and friends.

Sincerely,

Alan Fox
Executive Chairman
Vacations To Go
5851 San Felipe Street, Suite 500
Houston, TX 77057

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