Just Back from Solstice - Alaska 5/23-3/30

We loved the Cafe Bacio! They opened at 6:30am on Tracy Arm Fjord day. I also forgot to mention that room service was great. We had coffee within 15 minutes of ordering! Also, they have fancy coffee drinks on the sky deck that morning. I think they also had hot coffee and tea in the sky lounge

They often have hot chocolate (free) going around on the upper decks as well.:D

My husband and I were too on this sailing and I hope that the OP will not mind if I add a few more comments on here. :)

We enjoyed our Aqua class cabin on the aft. First time in Aqua and first time on the aft. I must say that this probably was the best location for an Alaskan cruise, especially cruising through Tracy Arm Fjord. We constantly had views on both sides and if it was too cold to be on the balcony, we sat on our bed and watched the scenery from there.

We also visited the Persian Gardens daily as well as the Relaxation Lounge. We spent some time sitting on our balcony as we sailed back from Tracy Arm Fjord and then moved to the Relaxation Lounge to have the front view and we even saw several whales. The Persian Gardens and Relaxation Lounge were always so relaxing and quiet and a great way to escape from the crowd.

BLU dinners did not impress us too much, but we only ate there three evenings and so maybe we did not experienced it all. Breakfast there was enjoyable, however.

We also drove to Emerald Lake (rented a car) and agree with the OP that we were not too impressed with the destination/drive/scenery either. It was all very nice, but we've seen better elsewhere. We experienced a little bit of traffic at the border going up and then again at a construction site. There were a few miles of dirt roads too.

In Juneau, we booked the extended trek on the glacier, which we HIGHLY recommend. We spent 3 hours walking and climbing on the glacier, plus about 30 minutes in a helicopter. It was so worth the investment. The tour guides were amazing and the company seems very well organized and customer service was excellent.

I will also agree that the service on the ship was amazing and every area was so clean! We spent several evenings at the Molecular Bar where we enjoyed getting to know the waiters and chatting with other fellow cruisers. We booked the 3-dinner dining package on embarkation day. It was $85 p/p for Aqua class guests (regular price was $99) and we enjoyed each speciality dining room experience. We did not leave the ship in Victoria and instead, enjoyed the quiet ship and early dinner in Silk Harvest. We tried Bistro on Five for the first time (after sailing with X four times) at the end of our sailing and fell in love. We ate there one more time after that. I enjoyed the chicken soup and chicken panini and certainly did not mind paying the $7 cover charge for this meal.

Compared to our New Years cruise on the Reflection this past December which seemed to cater toward the younger guests, this cruise was the complete opposite (which we love and we are in our late 20s/early 30s) - older age group, not too many children (maybe because it was still not summer time), great house band/singers, and plenty of activities offered, yet we still had the ability to enjoy down and quiet time somewhere on the ship too.

We visited the hot tub several times and were not the only ones. The pool was not the warmest, but my husband jumped in a couple of times. It was certainly a different type of an atmosphere than a Caribbean sailing, but the pool bar was open and on the second sea day, the weather was so nice that several people were even laying by the pool without their shirts on. We never used the solarium as it seemed too warm. We did pass through and it was never very crowded, except for the hot tubs.

We enjoyed this cruise so much. From the embarkation at the port (which was a breeze at 11am) to the last day on the ship, we couldn't be more happier with choosing Celebrity again for our vacation.

Thank you for your review.

Keith

Thanks for posting the review Boxerlover2.:D

Thanks for the report!

We loved the Cafe Bacio! They opened at 6:30am on Tracy Arm Fjord day. I also forgot to mention that room service was great. We had coffee within 15 minutes of ordering! Also, they have fancy coffee drinks on the sky deck that morning. I think they also had hot coffee and tea in the sky lounge

Thank you for your reply. Sounds great! :)

The Cafe' al Baccio opens around 7am normally but just check the daily schedule.:D

Thanks for your reply MicCanberra. :)

This sounds like a wonderful itinerary, thanks for the review.

We're hoping that in 2016 this itinerary will be the first cruise after the Honolulu to Vancouver cruise that finishes Solsitice's 2015/16 Australia/South Pacific season, as we're looking at flying from Australia to Honolulu to do the cruise to Vancouver, followed by the first Alaskan cruise, Alaska before heading by train across Canada to Toronto & Niagra Falls and down to New York.

This sounds like a wonderful itinerary, thanks for the review.

 

We're hoping that in 2016 this itinerary will be the first cruise after the Honolulu to Vancouver cruise that finishes Solsitice's 2015/16 Australia/South Pacific season, as we're looking at flying from Australia to Honolulu to do the cruise to Vancouver, followed by the first Alaskan cruise, Alaska before heading by train across Canada to Toronto & Niagra Falls and down to New York.

FUN!!! I want to go too!

This sounds like a wonderful itinerary, thanks for the review.

 

We're hoping that in 2016 this itinerary will be the first cruise after the Honolulu to Vancouver cruise that finishes Solsitice's 2015/16 Australia/South Pacific season, as we're looking at flying from Australia to Honolulu to do the cruise to Vancouver, followed by the first Alaskan cruise, Alaska before heading by train across Canada to Toronto & Niagra Falls and down to New York.

Sorry, you cannot do this itinerary. Check out the rules for PVSA.

One way trips between US and Canadian ports are outside the PVSA except when, as here, you join up two trips on the same ship and end up with a trip from one US port to another one, as yours would be from Honolulu to Seattle, without visiting a distant port. You could get around this by choosing a different ship sailing to Alaska from Vancouver. I hope I haven't ruined your day but best to know this in advance.

By the way, we loved Brisbane.:)

Thank you for posting your reviews, I'm even more excited for our Alaskan adventure in September :)

Sorry, you cannot do this itinerary. Check out the rules for PVSA.

One way trips between US and Canadian ports are outside the PVSA except when, as here, you join up two trips on the same ship and end up with a trip from one US port to another one, as yours would be from Honolulu to Seattle, without visiting a distant port. You could get around this by choosing a different ship sailing to Alaska from Vancouver. I hope I haven't ruined your day but best to know this in advance.

 

By the way, we loved Brisbane.:)

One way around that is to sail from Australia to Seattle via Hawaii and Alaska.:D

One way around that is to sail from Australia to Seattle via Hawaii and Alaska.:D

Now you have a solution! Think of the cruise withdrawal when you disembark in Seattle though!

Now you have a solution! Think of the cruise withdrawal when you disembark in Seattle though!

True, it is only another 18 days on the ship going to ports like Bora Bora but hey, it saves a flight and gets around the PVSA. :D

Sorry, you cannot do this itinerary. Check out the rules for PVSA.

One way trips between US and Canadian ports are outside the PVSA except when, as here, you join up two trips on the same ship and end up with a trip from one US port to another one, as yours would be from Honolulu to Seattle, without visiting a distant port. You could get around this by choosing a different ship sailing to Alaska from Vancouver. I hope I haven't ruined your day but best to know this in advance.

 

By the way, we loved Brisbane.:)

Even though it would be two separate bookings, so technically we'd be disembarking in Vancouver at the end of the first cruise and re-boarding the second cruise on a separate booking???

Choosing another ship isn't really an option as timing is an issue.

Strange rules, we'll need to look into it.

One way around that is to sail from Australia to Seattle via Hawaii and Alaska.:D

Hmm, yes, we'd like to but unfortunately it would make for too long a trip.

Even though it would be two separate bookings, so technically we'd be disembarking in Vancouver at the end of the first cruise and re-boarding the second cruise on a separate booking???

 

Choosing another ship isn't really an option as timing is an issue.

 

Strange rules, we'll need to look into it.

 

Hmm, yes, we'd like to but unfortunately it would make for too long a trip.

Unfortunately, we were stuck by the PVSA a few years back where we couldn't do the two cruises in a row. We ended up having to do something totally different.:D

Sorry, you cannot do this itinerary. Check out the rules for PVSA.

One way trips between US and Canadian ports are outside the PVSA except when, as here, you join up two trips on the same ship and end up with a trip from one US port to another one, as yours would be from Honolulu to Seattle, without visiting a distant port. You could get around this by choosing a different ship sailing to Alaska from Vancouver. I hope I haven't ruined your day but best to know this in advance.

 

Sorry but I don't understand your post or what the PVSA is. I plan to book a cruise on the Millennium next April from Shanghai to Vancouver and then either stay on board for a 10 day Alaskan itinerary that returns to Vancouver or stay 10 days touring Canada from Vancouver and then reboard Millennium for B2B Nth and Sth bound Alaskan cruises from Vancouver and return.

Will there be a problem with this? Mick if you could also kindly help with your experienced advice it would be appreciated.

Unfortunately, we were stuck by the PVSA a few years back where we couldn't do the two cruises in a row. We ended up having to do something totally different.:D

Yeah, I've just been looking into it and I think we'll have to come up with a Plan B..... Possibly drop the Honolulu -> Vancouver cruise and do a longer Alaskan cruise, or do the Honolulu one, then the trip across Canada down to New York, and then come back to the west coast and do the Alaskan cruise.

Sorry but I don't understand your post or what the PVSA is. I plan to book a cruise on the Millennium next April from Shanghai to Vancouver and then either stay on board for a 10 day Alaskan itinerary that returns to Vancouver or stay 10 days touring Canada from Vancouver and then reboard Millennium for B2B Nth and Sth bound Alaskan cruises from Vancouver and return.

Will there be a problem with this? Mick if you could also kindly help with your experienced advice it would be appreciated.

From what I've read, PVSA only applies if you board & disembark from US ports. If I read your proposal correctly you'd be boarding in Shanghai & disembarking in Vancouver, or boarding & disembarking in Vancouver, so you wouldn't face the same problem as we are. Our problem is that we'd be boarding & disembarking in US Ports (Honolulu and Seattle).

From what I've read, PVSA only applies if you board & disembark from US ports. If I read your proposal correctly you'd be boarding in Shanghai & disembarking in Vancouver, or boarding & disembarking in Vancouver, so you wouldn't face the same problem as we are. Our problem is that we'd be boarding & disembarking in US Ports (Honolulu and Seattle).

This is correct China to Canada is fine and has no issues with the PVSA. Hawaii to Seattle does have those issues, your TA should be able to clarify.:D

Yeah, I've just been looking into it and I think we'll have to come up with a Plan B..... Possibly drop the Honolulu -> Vancouver cruise and do a longer Alaskan cruise, or do the Honolulu one, then the trip across Canada down to New York, and then come back to the west coast and do the Alaskan cruise.

You can do the Honolulu cruise disembark and trip across the US and Canada and then do your Alaskan cruise and have no issues with the PVSA. Alternatively as already mentioned, cruise from hawaii and then board a different ship to cruise Alaska. There are normally lots of cruises (X, princess, hal, etc) that leave every other day. :D

You can do the Honolulu cruise disembark and trip across the US and Canada and then do your Alaskan cruise and have no issues with the PVSA. Alternatively as already mentioned, cruise from hawaii and then board a different ship to cruise Alaska. There are normally lots of cruises (X, princess, hal, etc) that leave every other day. :D

Yeah, lots of options, just not our preferred one on our preferred ship!! Oh well, more research needs to be done.

Yeah, lots of options, just not our preferred one on our preferred ship!! Oh well, more research needs to be done.

Yeah, if you have status with X , at least you have reciprocity status on RCI:D

Yeah, lots of options, just not our preferred one on our preferred ship!! Oh well, more research needs to be done.

Sorry the PVSA has messed up your plans. Would you be interested in the Rocky Mountaineer? This train could take you to see Jasper and Banff and the Rocky Mountains. The scenery is wonderful. It is a bit expensive but hotels are included in the stops. There is a 9 day return to Vancouver and then you could take another ship to Alaska.

http://www.rockymountaineer.com/en_CA_BC/

Solstice only sails out of Vancouver to Alaska after the Honolulu trip and that sailing ends in Seattle from where she sails for the remainder of the season. A lot of people who took the sailing from Vancouver this year were very disappointed that Solstice did not sail the Inside Passage from Vancouver which is awesome scenery. Instead, it sailed south of Vancouver Island and up the west coast of the island in open sea (nothing much to see).

Yeah, lots of options, just not our preferred one on our preferred ship!! Oh well, more research needs to be done.

You can still do Solstice if you board in Sydney instead of Honolulu

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