Celebrity falsely advertising inside passage

Beware! Celebrity Cruises is advertising many of it's Alaska sailings as doing the Inside Passage when in fact it doesn't do any sort of Inside Passage at all. We sailed on the 9/12/14 Solstice sailing and the day we were "sailing the Inside Passage" we saw nothing but water. We were in the Pacific Ocean, nowhere near any sort of land. When I called Celebrity to inquire they gave all sorts of excuses - "the ship couldn't fit, we didn't have time, we did an alternate inside passage not the typical inside passage". I have asked to speak with a supervisor repeatedly and the people who call back are just regular customer service reps. Today's excuse really took the cake - "it was dark when you went through". This was our 5th time to Alaska, so it wasn't really a huge deal for us, but I am really upset that they are using such false advertising. Please pay attention to the map and the timing of the "inside passage" if you are booking an Alaska cruise with Celebrity.

I think that you will find most cruises that leave from Seattle spend at least one day on the outside of Vancouver Island in the Pacific Ocean. When you head into Juneau or Ketchikan you are entering the Upper Inside Passage. The term "inside passage" is used very loosely and covers any portion of the cruise that is not in open water.

BTW cruises that leave from Vancouver stay on the inside of Vancouver Island and have only a short stretch of open ocean.

Agree. The "Inside Passage" is not a small limited area, or one route. It is a fairly large area, with several possible routes.

False Advertising is a very strong accusation. Better have all your factual bases covered.

I think that you will find most cruises that leave from Seattle spend at least one day on the outside of Vancouver Island in the Pacific Ocean. When you head into Juneau or Ketchikan you are entering the Upper Inside Passage. The term "inside passage" is used very loosely and covers any portion of the cruise that is not in open water.

 

BTW cruises that leave from Vancouver stay on the inside of Vancouver Island and have only a short stretch of open ocean.

Very well said.

Keith

If your cruise went to Ketchikan, Juneau or Skagway, you had to sail some part of the Inside Passage. This phrase is used as you aren't out in open waters, but on the Inside of some of the Islands for some of the cruise.

If you look at a map of SouthEast Alaska, you will see the Inside Passage is quite extensive. I don't think any of the ships sail only the Inside Passage and some of the larger ships are indeed to large for some of the Passage ways.

Now if your ship sailed only the Pacific Ocean and indeed didn't go to any ports, then you MIGHT have a complaint, but the cruise contract usually states the ship can/does change routes/itineraries for any reason they want to.

You might be unhappy about it, but I don't think it qualifies as false advertising. The maps usually show you the route you are taking, so you should know before you book.

As already mentioned, there was no false advertising. You can NOT get to Juneau or Skagway without sailing the "inside passage". Take a look at a map.

I am surprised with you already sailing Alaska, you didn't know this? I always post, that round trip Seattle sailings are the least scenic with mostly 2 open ocean sea days.

There is some error above, as you can run into open ocean on Vancouver start or end cruises. I have personally sailed on these itineraries. Especially likely between the Queen Charlottes and Ketchikan. Also have encountered this across the Gulf.

The main point I try to make, is these routes are NOT fixed. Even the "same" itinerary has many different paths the cpt can take. An example- I always inquire about details about certain areas of my interest of the bridge. One ship I was on this year, completely bypassed what I consider, a highlight area. Where another ship did sail it.

As mentioned, the definition of "The Inside Passage" is open to interpretation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Passage

There's no "official", defined route. Which gives the cruise lines some artistic license in how they market their cruises.

I was wondering why the Solstice sailed outside Vancouver Island this past May when it departed Vancouver. I am booked for May 2015 from Vancouver and was hoping to sail east of Vancouver Island. If they don't I might just change it to a latter date out of Seattle.

Has always been this. Today they came out with "An email deal"

http://www.celebritycruises.com/specials/limited-time-offers-53?tab=lto_53&promoType=53&allowMobile=y&ecid=em_20647316&rid=146153039&mes=Celebrity%20Loyalty%20Rates%20or%20123go%20AL%20and%20EU%20Oct%202014%20EM&emsc=CCCELITE00000EM&empf=Y&emct=E&lnkid=SPECIAL_CC_LM

Check out the route that they show for the Solstice and then tell me if you do not agree that this is really close to at least fibbing if you look at the map. Of course they only mention the "inside Passage" as being Alaska on the actual itinerary.

False advertising or simply human error?

They made the same mistake on the map for the Solstice end-of-season repositioning cruise from Seattle to Vancouver, and they have corrected that one for 2015.

So maybe they will yet correct the map for the May, 2015 Vancouver to Seattle repositioning cruise as well.

In my opinion you don't even enter the "Inside Passage" until you pass Dixon Entrance going northbound. I've always considered anything south of there as just ocean.

Guess it depends on which "Inside Passage" definition one uses.

According to Merriam-Webster

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inside%20passage

Definition of INSIDE PASSAGE

protected shipping route from Puget Sound, Washington, to Skagway, Alaska, following channels between mainland & coastal islands

According to Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Passage

The Inside Passage is a coastal route for oceangoing vessels along a network of passages which weave through the islands on the Pacific coast of North America. The route extends from southeastern Alaska, in the United States, through western British Columbia, in Canada, to northwestern Washington state, in the United States. ........

The term "Inside Passage" is also often used to refer to the ocean and islands around the passage itself............

It is generally accepted that the Inside Passage starts in Puget Sound in Washington and then extends north, first along the British Columbia Coast and then the Alaska Panhandle.

The article then continues on, describing the

British Columbia portion

and

Alaska portion

In my opinion you don't even enter the "Inside Passage" until you pass Dixon Entrance going northbound. I've always considered anything south of there as just ocean.

Your parochial view of the Left Coast of North America is obviously brought about by your very restricted location.

You should try to get out more into the world around you. :D

False advertising or simply human error?

 

They made the same mistake on the map for the Solstice end-of-season repositioning cruise from Seattle to Vancouver, and they have corrected that one for 2015.

 

So maybe they will yet correct the map for the May, 2015 Vancouver to Seattle repositioning cruise as well.

MAYBE ! lol

withdrawn

withdrawn

I got the original as am subscribed. YOu should have left it. Old bear Bait doesn't get out much :rolleyes: