1996 Mercury Marquis Water pump hose

Yes I was wondering if there is another way to get to the water pump hose underneath the intake. I feel as though there are other ways, and they couldn't even tell me the name of the hose. All they could do was point out the hose and say that it will cost me $1100 to replace. I would have did it myself today, but I wanted to make sure that if I take the alternator off to get to the hose. That's mainly what's blocking them or me, and I think that they are just trying to make money off of me because, I am a female.