Only port-side cabins left for Alaska cruise?

[Nizzie]

Is there something special about the starboard side cabins on Celebrity's Alaska cruises? I have looked at both Millennium and Infinity for this summer, and a cursory look in our preferred type (veranda) on the dates we desire shows that only odd-numbered (port-side) cabins are available.

 

Am I missing something? Should I be on the hunt for a starboard-side cabin?

[Putterdude]

The starboard side tends to be the side that you will see the most land and scenery but if there is not a cabin available you won't miss a ton by taking the port side...what you don't see going north you will see on the way south.:D.

[wolfshadow]

We were on the Millie last year in June in Alaska. We boarded in Seward after a 5 nt landtour. We had an aft CC cabin but in all honesty I don't think there's a bad side for Alaska. Leaving Seward both sides were beautiful, when you go to Hubbard Glacier the Captain turns the ship so both sides get a long view and while coming in and while leaving Hubbard both sides are beautiful, too. In Juneau the starboard side was docked toward land but the port side had a water and land across view. In Skagway the starboard side was docked toward land and the port side had the water and land view again. While anchored in Icy Straight Point the port side got the Hoonah view and the starboard side saw the water and some land. In Ketchican, the ship is docked right across from a bunch of shops on the port side with the aft looking back at town and the starboard looking across the channel towards an island. I spent all afternoon reading, drinking a glass of wine and watching float planes take off and land, it was great! And, nice and warm sitting there, too! Then going down the Inside Passage, there is beautiful sights the whole way down on both sides. Hope this helps! :D

[hondorner]

We're on Mercury for Alaska, round trip out of Vancouver. I looked at the itinerary and the little map that illustrates it to determine which side to book. In the case of our cruise, the ship travels "outside" all the way up to Sitka and then Hubbard Glacier, then spends the rest of the week coming back down through the inland passage. This puts the open sea on the Port side going north, but puts the mainland on the Port side going back south. It spends more time going south (I guess they barrel up the coast pretty fast going north).

 

I decided I would rather see the mainland side from my balcony, so I picked the Port side. Some ships reverse the itinerary from time to time, so if they go the other way, I will still see the islands forming the inland passage on the way up.

 

We recently returned from a cruise through the Chilean fjords, going from East to West, and I deliberately picked the Starboard side in that case. It turned out well, as Cape Horn and all of the glaciers were on the Starboard side as we cruised past. I hope I picked as well for the Alaska cruise.

[ghstudio]

If the ship sailed 10 miles from the coast, you would want to carefully pick your side. Few ships do....most travel so far out that, at best, you see mountains or land in the distance. On the alaska cruises, while folks are sitting watching those tiny mountains in the distance, you can be sitting on your veranda watching the whales and other wildlife frolicing away (actually they are eating, but it looks like they are putting on a show for you).

 

I wouldn't worry too much about the side. Although we always have a balcony, I find that when we're coming in or leaving ports, I'm on deck or in a bar anyway.

 

I can almost guarantee that no matter where your cabin is...you will hear about something wonderful that the folks on the other side of the ship saw....it's just luck of the draw.