Free Parking makes the room almost free

Friday, August 30, 2013
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
The late evening news on Wednesday, August 28, was a nighttime wakeup call. Temperatures were to be in the high nineties, maybe even one hundred degrees, for the upcoming long Labor Day weekend. The past week was a personal disaster. My calendar showed no plans; nothing but alone time on the horizon. At this literal eleventh hour, not sleepy, I launched my cruise search website to see what last-minute steal might be available.

VacationsToGo showed lots of sailings but not much from the one place that delivered a call: Alaska. Temperatures running about half of those predicted for Kansas City were more than appealing. Plus, I have long had an Alaska cruise on my bucket list. The V2G site prompted me to call one of their representatives about discounts that didn't appear on their grid because the prices seemed to me to be too high. Nothing affordable.

When at first you don’t succeed, well, I decided to try Royal Caribbean direct. Persistence paid off as a very nice young lady, Sarah, just as I was about to give up, asked, "Would you by any chance qualify for a military discount?"

“Well, maybe,” I replied. “I was a reservist.”

“Let me check on something,” Sarah said. After a hold, she asked, “Do you have an original Form DD214 showing your service? (That’s a US Government official form all soldiers receive upon discharge from active duty) Or, maybe an original Form DD 256?” (That’s a US Government official form all reservists receive upon discharge from reserve duty)

“I do. I have both.”

“Do they show that you have two years of service?”

“I have only four months of active duty but, including reserve duty, I have five years, eight months and twenty-four days.”

“Bingo,” she said. “How about $1,020 for seven days? It’s an ocean view cabin with a big window, not a balcony, but a lot of people don’t care about balconies this time of year in Alaska because it’s cold out there. Normally you couldn’t touch that price as a single not sharing a cabin. But, this military discount is pretty attractive. You’d sail from Anchorage to Vancouver.”

“Will you hold on while I check airfares?” I asked.

Sarah: “Absolutely. I’ll put this cabin on hold. There are only a couple of cabins not sold. Oh, wait,” she said. Here’s a two bedroom suite that I could get you for just over $7,000. But, I guess you don’t need that, do you?” Uh; no.

I need to check Delta, American, Alaska and even Southwest. For $145 a night with all food included, an escape from triple digit temperatures and solitude sounded pretty good. But, last minute air fares can be very high. However, Delta came through. One way to Anchorage was unbelievable at $220. One way from Vancouver back home was $330.

“Book it, Sarah.” As of midnight, my plan had solidified. I leave for the airport in thirty hours. I’d best get packing. Oh, and text my kids so they’ll know where I’ll be.

I got a room at the Airport Marriott so I can park for the week and no charge. The room becomes almost free.

Photos & Videos

Comments

2025-02-16

Comment code: Ask author if the code is blank