First time cruising Alaska: itinerary vs ship?

Thanks - just checked and it is back up on the Celebrity website again now (about 2 am eastern time).

 

The Celebrity excursion number for it is JU94

Here is a link to it on the Celebrity website:

 

Tracy Arm Fjord & Glacier Explorer - Celebrity Solstice

 

Looks like it is displaying on the screen, but when I tried clicking the "Book Now" link, it said Server Not Found.

 

Yay, I just tried it again, and this time it continued on to the next screen.

 

So hoping it will be up and working for liquix tomorrow.

If it doesn't work the first time, go back and try again.

 

Oh well, at least liquix should be able to see the cruise description and prices and can always call to book it over the phone even if the online booking feature isn't working.

 

 

This is great, thank you!

This is great, thank you!

That was it, I was looking through our paperwork and found it but thanks to Fleckle. One other point and this is our opinion. If you do this excursion don't spend the money on the Mendenhall Glacier unless you are doing something special actually on the glacier. Its kind of a downer just looking at the glacier from a distance after you are so close to Sawyer.

I understand the cost differential between flying to and from Vancouver versus Seattle. But don't let that be your final deciding factor. You can rent a car and drive the distance - a couple hours (perhaps longer to get through the border - not sure what that is taking these days). Depending on how many people are flying, even if you spend a couple hundred dollars total on a rental car and gas, it could still save you a lot versus Vancouver airfare. We did that on our last trip, but it was pre-9/11 so security might take longer now. Be sure to factor that in if you make that choice. If you fly in pre-cruise, I would also stay in Seattle as the hotels are cheaper there as well.

...... If you do this excursion don't spend the money on the Mendenhall Glacier unless you are doing something special actually on the glacier. Its kind of a downer just looking at the glacier from a distance after you are so close to Sawyer.

But if you have some time to spend at Mendenhall, IMHO it is worth taking the walk out to the waterfall, hiking the trails with a possible chance to see the bears, attending a ranger presentation, going up to the visitor center for the exhibits, the film and the expansive views in all directions.

If any member of your party has a senior or golden age pass, your entire group of up to 4 can get into the visitor center free.

The cost to get out there on a shuttle bus is $10 pp each way, but we prefer to get a rental car and include Mendenhall Glacier along with other sights in Juneau, when we can have a full day in Juneau.

That is one reason why we prefer the cruises that give you a day in Juneau and another day for glacier viewing instead of trying to combine both on the same day.

I understand the cost differential between flying to and from Vancouver versus Seattle. But don't let that be your final deciding factor. You can rent a car and drive the distance - a couple hours (perhaps longer to get through the border - not sure what that is taking these days). Depending on how many people are flying, even if you spend a couple hundred dollars total on a rental car and gas, it could still save you a lot versus Vancouver airfare.

There are a number of reasonably priced ways to get between Seattle and Vancouver, even for those who don't want to drive.

Many passengers like to take the train ride and consider it as another scenic excursion.

Last summer we took the Quick Shuttle (Quick Coach) bus from Seattle to Vancouver for $55 per person one way.

If there had been more than just the 2 of us, we probably would have rented a car instead.

Each time we have priced a rental car for that trip, the total cost was between $100 - $170.

There was no drop charge as the major rental car companies apparently keep a fleet of cars that regularly go back and forth between Seattle and Vancouver.

Do you remember the name of this excursion? I can't seem to find it for the May 8th Solstice sailing next year.

For what it is worth, I will be surprised if you end up being able to book this for a May 8 trip. On three separate early May Alaska cruises, I have been unable to do this excursion, because it usually does not become available until end of May/early June, due to ice. Drop an email to Allen Marine to inquire about the anticipated first offering date for this; maybe things have changed since the last time (May 2013) I could not book this. If you do manage to get a booking, be sure to have a back-up plan should you get there and learn that the excursion won't be happening. Not meaning to be a downer, but just don't want you to be disappointed if this is not available for you.

For what it is worth, I will be surprised if you end up being able to book this for a May 8 trip. On three separate early May Alaska cruises, I have been unable to do this excursion, because it usually does not become available until end of May/early June, due to ice. Drop an email to Allen Marine to inquire about the anticipated first offering date for this; maybe things have changed since the last time (May 2013) I could not book this. If you do manage to get a booking, be sure to have a back-up plan should you get there and learn that the excursion won't be happening. Not meaning to be a downer, but just don't want you to be disappointed if this is not available for you.

Our understanding was that both the ship and the catamaran excursion would substitute Endicott Arm if unable to get into Tracy Arm, but we were lucky and were able to do this excursion in Tracy Arm this past May.

What type of back-up plan do you have in mind for either Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm should they get there and learn that the excursion won't be happening, other than just remaining on the ship?

As an FYI - according to Jim Collins of Allen Marine, our excursion was the first Allen Marine trip into TA in 2014 on May 22nd. Ironically, our ship (HAL Amsterdam) sailed into TA the day before (May 21st) and got significantly closer to the glaciers than we did on the small boat TA tour the very next day. Ya just never know...

As an FYI - according to Jim Collins of Allen Marine, our excursion was the first Allen Marine trip into TA in 2014 on May 22nd. Ironically, our ship (HAL Amsterdam) sailed into TA the day before (May 21st) and got significantly closer to the glaciers than we did on the small boat TA tour the very next day. Ya just never know...

I say this because our Allen Marine excursion from the Celebrity Solstice in Tracy Arm this year was definitely earlier than that.

We took the one where their catamaran picks passengers up right from the cruise ship in Tracy Arm.

But I agree that the first half of May would be very iffy and chances for this excursion would be better if going at least the second half of May.

We did not know in advance for sure whether we would be visiting Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm that day.

A lot will depend on what kind of winter and spring they are going to have there.

Just want to add that several years before we took the Adventure Bound to Tracy Arm out of Juneau early in the season, and were able to make it all the way to the end of Tracy Arm (very slowly and cautiously, cruising along the shoreline) when the cruise ships could not yet get in at all.

The captain of that little boat was really skillful at maneuvering through the ice and he remarked about that boat having some type of special features for getting through ice that most other smaller boats did not have.

He traveled along close to the shoreline where the ice was not as thick, and we got a more scenic ride that way going in and out of the little coves, while the large ships mainly need to travel out in the middle of the channel. It was even better than the catamaran ride we got with Allen Marine, but a lot longer.

So Adventure Bound could be another possibility to consider for someone who really wants to go to Tracy Arm early in the season, but to take it requires being on a cruise ship that arrives in Juneau very early in the morning and leaves late.

That one is a full day excursion and really does not give you time to do anything else in Juneau.

Excellent point!

There are a number of reasonably priced ways to get between Seattle and Vancouver, even for those who don't want to drive.

 

Many passengers like to take the train ride and consider it as another scenic excursion.

 

Last summer we took the Quick Shuttle (Quick Coach) bus from Seattle to Vancouver for $55 per person one way.

If there had been more than just the 2 of us, we probably would have rented a car instead.

 

Each time we have priced a rental car for that trip, the total cost was between $100 - $170.

There was no drop charge as the major rental car companies apparently keep a fleet of cars that regularly go back and forth between Seattle and Vancouver.

 

I just checked and it's $62 for two people for the train one way to Vancouver out of King Street Station in Seattle.

:) I'd rather spend $7 more and be a tad more comfortable.

I just checked and it's $62 for two people for the train one way to Vancouver out of King Street Station in Seattle.

 

:) I'd rather spend $7 more and be a tad more comfortable.

But the reason we opted for the Quick Shuttle last time was strictly for convenience as it took us directly point-to-point at exactly the time we wanted to go. It was effortless, a no brainer. The bus picked us up right where we were, and dropped us off at our final destination.

To take the train instead, we first would have to travel to the train station with our luggage and would need to wait around until it was time for the next train to show up.

Then after getting off the train at Vancouver, we would need yet another transfer to get from the train station to our destination.

I would say just to pick the method that best suits your particular circumstances each time, be it train, bus, rental car, or flight.

Yes, once we even flew from Seattle to Vancouver on the spur of the moment.

We had landed at Seatac airport, glanced up at the monitor and noticed that a commuter flight was about to leave for Vancouver shortly, so decided to check it out.

We got a great last minute walk-up standby price for the flight, so we bought tickets and got right on. The flight was more than half empty.

That was the fastest way we ever did it, and the most scenic way to get from Seattle to Vancouver of all, but it was probably a fluke as we never saw a great price like that again since.

Don't really know though as it is not something we do often. ;)

Do you remember the name of this excursion? I can't seem to find it for the May 8th Solstice sailing next year.

This is just an FYI ....it shows this excursion is not available

in early May. I am on the same sailing and was checking on excursions

as well.

If you click on the link for it, the bottom area states the following

information:

Important Notes:

•This tour is not available in early May as the Tracy Arm Fjord is typically releasing all the frozen pack ice & winter icebergs collected near the glaciers face, due to spring thaw, making it very unlikely that tour vessels can get to within viewing distance of the glaciers.

It just depends on whether your own priority is the itinerary or the ship.

 

The Solstice is a beautiful ship, but it has the worst itinerary of the 3 Celebrity ships that do Alaska cruises.

 

2 days of the Solstice's 7 day cruise are spent cruising out in the Pacific Ocean.

Celebrity's other 2 ships spend that time cruising through the scenic Inside Passage instead.

 

 

Also as mentioned, the Solstice often tenders at Juneau instead of docking there. But even when the Solstice docks at Juneau, it gets the worst berth position there while the Millennium gets one of the best berths, right near the tram.

 

The Solstice's time in Victoria is also poor, arriving late in the day and spending only a few hours there on the last night of the cruise.

 

But if you want an S-class Celebrity ship for Alaska, it has to be the Solstice because Celebrity's other 2 ships that do Alaska cruises will both be M-class.

 

You say that you know absolutely nothing about Alaska, so I would suggest doing some research first to figure out where you want to spend your time and what you want to do in each port and which glacier area you want to see on your cruise before deciding on the ship.

If you can spare the time, you may want to consider taking a one-way cruise that would also give you the opportunity to visit Denali Park or other parts of the Alaska interior.

 

 

If you just want the experience of enjoying an S-class ship, you can do that for a lot less money on a Caribbean cruise than on an Alaska cruise.

 

 

I've just book an Alaska via Solstice, and after reading this thread about the IT and Juneau tendering, I would have cancelled it had this is not my 3rd sailing in Alaska. Did Alaska in 2012 with HAL's Volendam, then 2014 with NCL Sun.

Anyone have an idea why Solstice opt to sail in open water more than inside passage, and why it had the worst berth in Juneau? Is it because it is a big ship?

The best IT I had with Alaska is last year, a 14 night back to back via Norwegian Sun, I was really captivated by the scenery while cruising as Norwegian Sun always sailed the "inside of the inside" passage whenever the weather is good, which we did northbound... and we almost sailed Bela Bela of the inside passage southbound but the weather is bad so we went to open water instead.

I felt bad I booked an inside then... and one more thing. Sun goes to Glacier Bay northbound as well, then Tracy Arm and Hubbard south bound. And we always have favorable docking position in Juneau near Mt Roberts Tramway.

One thing I don't like about Sun is it is an old ship already, so my cabin shower smelled of gas.. and being a medium sized ship, it lacks a lot of amenities compared to Solstice... but the route it sails.. Oh my!!!!

Now I booked Solstice, splurged on a high balcony category after being captivated by the scenery from my last Norwegian Sun sailing, only to find out that Solstice sails open water more than the inside passage?

Oh well, being my 3rd time in Alaska, I might as well balance it out with the cool ship, at least the ship makes up for the IT's lack.

The Caribbean is too far for me just to go there just to try a Solstice class, and I already did Allure there 2 years ago... while Australia New Zealand IT of Solstice is long and more expensive.. and I just did that with Radiance just this year....

So I guess Alaska still the most idea way for me to try the Solstice class.. even if the IT is less than ideal. Just to have a different Alaska experience with Solstice this time around.