Information and Fees

Reservations Please use the reservation form included in our brochure or print a copy of the reservation form from this website and mail it to us with your $200 per person deposit.

Fee The 2008 fee for WhaleCoast Alaska’s 16-day All-Alaska Tour is $4,350.The fee covers transportation from Seattle to Fairbanks, double occupancy lodging each night as listed, all entrance tickets except options that have an added price, and an average of two meals daily. An average of one meal daily is chosen and paid for by each guest. (Sometimes there are days with all meals paid and other days with one meal paid; the average applies to the entire length of the program.) Our fees are low because we negotiate group discounts with Alaska businesses, and we pass along the savings to you. Most programs in the past have been sold out.

All-Alaska Tour option fees: In Denali Park, a whitewater rafting trip is available for $62.From Fairbanks, an optional trip to Barrow costs $430.The Barrow trip includes Alaska Airlines airfare, a tour of the town, and a stop at the Native Heritage Center.It lasts approximately 12 hours, but can be longer if there are airline delays.

Deadlines: We recommend that reservations be made before March 1. Later reservations may be accepted until May 1, 2008 if space permits. We have often sold out early. A $200 deposit per person holds a space until April 1. The remainder of the fees is due April 1, 2008.

Refunds: $100 of the deposit is non-refundable. If a person canceling can be replaced from a waiting list, all fees except the $100 non-refundable portion of the deposit will be returned. Cancellations received after May 1 will be processed after September 1. However some of our travel providers do not close their books and make refunds to us until as late as October. In that case our refunds to persons who have cancelled may be delayed. We recommend that travel insurance be considered. If any program is cancelled by WhaleCoast Alaska, the entire deposit (including the portion normally non-deductible) and all unexpended fees will be refunded.

Lodging: All lodging is pre-paid and double occupancy. We match single travelers with one another. We strive to match roommates that are most compatible. The reality is that each guest will have unique needs and habits, and flexibility is needed. Most lodging is in the private homes of Unitarian-Universalists that range in comfort and luxury. Some hotels and commercial B&B’s are used where UU homes are limited. (Some sponsoring fellowships have few members and some places where we go have no UU congregation.) The hotels in Sitka and Juneau are mid-priced hotels with private baths. In Denali we stay in higher-priced cabins ($170 per night) with private baths. In Seward, a variety of lodging is used, including UU’s, B&B’s, and hostels with shared baths.Private baths are often not available in UU homes. UU Fellowships receive $65 per person ($130 for two) for each night that a guest stays in a Fellowship member’s home with all proceeds going to the Fellowships. This is typically equal to or higher than the average cost of a B&B, double occupancy, in their community. Our UU hosts often provide some local transportation and personal attention to their guests. We recommend that our guests take their hosts to dinner if possible, to thank them for their hospitality.

Telephone Contact: We try to remain available by telephone throughout trips, but cell phone coverage may be poor some places. You can be reached in emergencies through us, or if we aren’t accessible, through the local coordinator in the city closest to our location. Those telephone numbers will be provided to you before the start of your program. The cell phone number we use in Alaska is 907-322-4966.

Meals: An average of two meals each day is pre-paid and designated in the itineraries. A third daily meal is left to the choice and payment of the guests. Most breakfasts are in the homes of UU hosts. WhaleCoast Alaska guests often order from the menu in restaurants when WhaleCoast Alaska is providing a group meal. If the restaurant has expensive items, we cap orders to the medium-range entrees by announcing our limit before people order. The price of lunches and dinners, including beverage and tip for which WhaleCoast Alaska pays, ranges from $10 to $31. If a more expensive item is desired than the announced limit permits, a guest may order it, pay the WhaleCoast Alaska leader the difference, and leave an additional tip. We pay 15-18% tips on all group meals unless a restaurant requires more. Guests pay the waitpersons separately including tips for all desserts and alcoholic beverages that they order.

Gratuities: Gratuities are included for WhaleCoast Alaska group meals in restaurants, lodging in hotels, and local group transportation. Tips for individual service by porters are not included. On occasions when service has been outstanding a tour leader will pay a generous gratuity from WhaleCoast Alaska funds and may suggest to participants that they can add tips if they so desire.

Options: Two options are described on our website and brochure including additional costs. Options must be confirmed and paid in full within three weeks after making your initial reservation. Because the tour ends in Fairbanks, it is possible to arrange to stay longer and explore Alaska further on your own, at your own expense. The UU Fellowship of Fairbanks can accommodate a limited number of post-tour explorers in their B&B homes for $130, double occupancy, arranged through WhaleCoast Alaska. Hotels and commercial B&B’s can be found via internet.

Replacement of Program Segments: All programs are subject to revision. If a program segment is cancelled we will replace it with a suitable equivalent experience. No refunds are made to WhaleCoast Alaska participants for changes in the program once the program has started.

Tax Deductible? The IRS does not permit charitable deductions to be taken for any portion of WhaleCoast Alaska fees.

Guest and Host Questionnaires: Questionnaires for travelers and hosts help us match individual travelers and plan compatible home stays between travelers and hosts. These are particularly useful in avoiding placement of people with allergies or with difficulty walking or with stairs.

Children and Youth: Our trip is planned primarily for adults and most groups are composed entirely of adults. We have had good experiences with children over the age of 9 on WhaleCoast Alaska trips. Children and youth will be accepted on the same basis as adults provided that a responsible adult accompanies them. If you wish to bring a child or youth please phone us. We will inform you of any other children or youth who might be participating. We will attempt to house people with children in homes that have children of similar ages.

Seniors: No senior discounts are available.

Single Travelers: We pair single travelers with other single travelers, and sometimes rotate single travelers in their shared accommodations unless two single travelers request that they always be housed together. We try to accommodate roommate requests that arise during the course of the tour, but flexibility is also needed. Due to the limited number of UU homes with available single beds, we may have to house some single WhaleCoast Alaska guests in commercial B&B’s and hotels. Sometimes we house singles in rooms with more than two beds in order to provide a single bed for each person and to fully utilize the accommodations that are available. Again, flexibility is important.

Health: All clients must have their own medical insurance. If you are at serious risk for a health problem you must have a doctor’s written approval. We use guest and host questionnaires to avoid housing placements where guests’ allergies or disabilities would be problems. Most housing is in private homes ranging from modest to commodious, some with steep entry walks and interior stairs. We try to house people with problems walking where there are few or no steps. Our walking tours usually are easy and require low to moderate exertion. If you are uncertain if you could handle the walking, please phone us to discuss your concern. Sometimes taxis are available or local hosts can provide limited transportation when needed. Our groups go into wilderness and use public carriers away from medical care. We don’t provide individual luggage handling. You must be able to carry luggage into homes and to stow it in luggage compartments in cars or public carriers.

Walking: Our group walking tours are generally easy and require low to moderate exertion. They are usually on level or gently sloping ground. There will be opportunities for hikes in small groups requiring greater exertion for persons desiring such activity. If you are not sure whether or not you could handle the physical activity, please telephone us to discuss your concerns.

Luggage, Laundry: We do not handle luggage for our participants. You or your companion must be able to carry your bags into the homes and hotels where you will be staying and onto any trains, boats or buses and to stow it in luggage compartments. Porter service will not usually be available. We ask guests to limit luggage to one bag and one day-pack per person. Please do not bring oversize bags. You may be able to do laundry during the trip in some of your UU hosts’ homes so that your clothing requirements may be reduced.

Travel Insurance: You may wish to purchase travel insurance in the event you must cancel your trip or you have a medical or baggage loss problem. Information on Travelex group trip policies is sent in our trip packet or you may contact any travel agent for information on policies.

Travel Arrangements: We encourage you to make travel arrangements as early as possible, but not until we have notified you that the minimum number (12) for your program has been reached. We have usually sold out all our programs, often in February. Guests must arrange their own transportation from their home to Seattle, and return transportation from Fairbanks back to their home. Most airlines will sell “open jaw” tickets that will fit your transportation needs. After we have confirmed your program, please let us know your travel plans as early as possible. We will provide a questionnaire about this for your convenience.

Program Cancellations: WhaleCoast Alaska’s programs in 2008 are designed to operate with a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 30 participants. If there are fewer than 12 reservations as of April 1, we will notify participants at that time that the undersubscribed WhaleCoast Alaska program may have to be cancelled. We will continue to recruit participants until May 1 and will guarantee the program after at least 12 paid deposits, notifying participants immediately when their program reaches that number. If WhaleCoast Alaska has to cancel a program, 100% of the deposits will be refunded, including the portion otherwise non-refundable.

Additional Information You will receive our packet with useful trip information soon after reserving space.