deerhuntingal

Does anyone know if there are any tours to Tracy Arm from Juneau on September 7th?

Depends how long you are in port while docked in Juneau. We will be docked 12 hours give or take so I had the time and booked directly with Adventure Bound. You need at least 10 hours in port as it is a long tour if you are leaving from Juneau preferably longer so you don't miss the ship!

I just realized that our reservation doesn't have our anniversary listed. We have select dining so we can choose each day when we want to eat instead of being on a schedule. I know last year when we made the reservation there was a place to add special occasions. Is there nowhere to add it now that we've already booked? We booked directly from Celebrity so I do not have a TA to call and ask.

Log in and click on "Manage Reservation".

Scroll down to where it says dining preferences. There should be

an "edit" in light blue. Click on it.

Scroll down to the special occasions section and add your celebration.

That is it!:D

I was ignored in a specialty restaurant this last cruise so I got up and left. They tracked me down and tried to make up for it but I was not going back in there. Chocolate covered strawberries arrived the next day in my room from the restaurant manager....

I think the biggest thing for me in not knowing if that $$ actually goes to the employee's.... You can read it and hear it from those that are supposedly in the know about it but do we ever really know? Tipping was designed to reward someone for doing a good job. It was the consumer handing money to this person and really making their day. You take away that one on one feeling by paying a lump sum to the cruise line. Yes, you can get that feeling by tipping extra in person to someone but you would feel more inclined to give more that way if you had not already forked over the $180 to the cruise line.

Yes, they say it goes to all the behind the scene folks as well but those positions you would not tip normally in the real world. Laundry attendants, dish washers, etc. and yes, they work long hours but they get to see exotic places, meet all kinds of people, get their rent free and food provided to them and have benefits unlike any they would have ever had back home. They would not do it if they did not want to.

I hate the wage argument to justify tipping. That is not why it was created. It was created to reward those who go out of their way to do a good job for you. Period. It encourages exemplary behavior and in turn makes the consumer want to return and enjoy that experience again. If these tips are paid up front, what incentive is there? There isn't any. The fear of losing their job then becomes the only incentive to do well and that works in a lot of the cases but not all. I tip, and sometimes handsomely but it is my choice so I hope it always remains optional. Those that believe tipping up front is mandatory on a cruise can believe that if they want to but I would never tip a cabbie before I reached my destination or tip an excursion operator before a trip on his boat. At the end of a job well done it when you tip but I imagine a lot don't see it that way on a cruise. Kind of a shame as the service and attitudes drop without the incentive there.

I went in early to mid May this year and we had wonderful weather. I was told by the locals that May is typically the best weather (for the least amount of rain) and it usually is in the 50's. It was warm this May and 60's was the norm

or so it seemed. They had a warmer than norm winter there as well which was

surprising to the locals so next year is anyone's guess.

Layers is the thing as you can always remove them!

Sounds like my ideal room steward, at least yours didn't loose your clothing and remove a power strip (which had a note saying it was allowed taped to it).

Yikes! Makes a person run away to another cruise line, doesn't it? My steward put a stained bedspread on my bed plus the ice was left over from the last people who were in that room (it was melted but a bucket of water someone used was not appealing!)

I guess they just don't have to care since they are pre-tipped! :eek:

I'm not happy with the pre-paid gratuities and I'm glad we can remove them at our discretion. On my last cruise (Not celebrity) the staff on board did not go above and beyond to make my cruise memorable. Quite the opposite. Mind you I was comparing it to the early 1990's RC cruise where tipping was still done with cash but back then, the service was astounding and we still remember the crew that long ago. This last cruise I was ignored, left in a restaurant at a table with the wrong drink and they never came back, my room steward said maybe 10 words to me total in 9 days, and since I was a single cruiser at that time, I was stared at by the staff in the dining areas as well as the bar/lounges. Made me feel really out of place. I was ignored in the Jewelry section of the on board store. Weird experience overall and yes, I removed the tips on that cruise. These were things I could not fix by telling the staff. It was up to them to act appropriately but they did not.

I concluded that since the tips were already paid and not a factor, they did not have to go above and beyond but simply do the minimum it took to get the job done. There is no incentive to do better in other words. Kind of a shame since the staff is part of the cruise experience.

I'm trying Celebrity next and from what I can tell, I hear it is better but I will reserve my opinions until the last few days of the cruise. and yes, I will pay the gratuity if the service is outstanding. That last cruise made me wary

about pre-paying, so in conclusion, I like the fact we can pay or not up front

as an option but I don't like it because it has made the staff lazy on certain ships and I just have to find the ship where that has not happened yet! :D

I liked some aspects of the May cruise I took this year and some not so much. I did not like the touristy souvenir shops in Juneau and Ketchikan and to a lesser degree Skagway. I expected some but the sheer number of them was

a surprise. Icy Strait was a bit boring unless you do an excursion. It was a quick trip to Hoonah to see Alaska as the locals live it. Not touristy at all but not to much going on.

The things I loved were the excursion to Davidson Glacier (breathtaking!), The salmon fishing in Ketchikan (our guide was very nice and the scenery was beautiful), The people were all nice and helpful in the ports and the weather was beautiful. I also loved Glacier Bay and the calving of it while we were there.

We are going back in 2 weeks to see Hubbard Glacier and Sawyer Glacier

as my DH did not get to go the last trip so I booked this one to see the other sites. If your on the fence about it, do a shorter cruise in an inside (cheaper) cabin. You will get the cruise experience of Alaska without spending a ton of $$ and if you love it, you can always go back for a longer one in a balcony or suite!

Yep and these mid class ships tend to have less stuff on board to do in the times where there is nothing to look at! I read a whole book on the Seattle cruise during the cruise days! :eek:

We are booked on the Aug 2nd out of Vancouver on the Infinity. I too had the same decision as you but I have also been to Alaska (Glacier Bay on Norwegian) so I knew that I wanted the inside passage out of Vancouver for more scenery.

The Seattle to Seattle trip was OK but there were times where it was rougher on the water and nothing much to look at on some days.

I will see Sawyer Glacier on this trip as we are in Juneau 12 hours so I booked the day long excursion with ADVENTURE BOUND ALASKA for a lot less $$. We will see Hubbard as well so I'm happy with our trip.

Skagway is a great port that is not on our itinerary but I was there so missing it was no biggie since Hubbard is a great alternative. It really comes down to cost(if that is a factor) , Itinerary and your preferences.

Our passport cards showed up exactly 4 weeks from the day we had our meeting with the postmaster to get them.

Our birth certificates showed up 2 days later.

This was in June/July 2015

I'm on Celebrity for a 7 day Alaska cruise on Aug 2nd and only 6 were on the roll call with 2 of us actively talking on it. Had over 100 on the Norwegian cruise to AK so it really varies.

I just have to ask...these boats have bathrooms correct? I know my 10 year old...and myself...may need to use one before transferring back to the ship.

 

Go here for the info. http://www.allenmarinetours.com/sightseeing/juneau/tours/glacier-fjord/

 

 

Is there enough time to do an excursion in the morning as well? I am looking at Whale watching when we arrive and this one. I really want to do both, but may have to choose.

If you are booking through the ship....It usually not let you book if you don't have the time but it may be best to call the cruise line excursion dept to verify.

If you do a back to back (2 7day cruises) you may have more fees to pay so check on the total cost of a 14 day versus a B2B. If you book B2b on the same ship, you will probably return on the same route in reverse and see the same ports again but maybe not. The 14 day itinerary usually changes things up so you see different ports and glaciers the whole cruse.

I really like the idea of getting off one cruise line and hopping on another one just for the change up in scenery but you would have to do your homework to find the one that starts the day yours ends or get a hotel for a day while waiting for it to show up in port.

Perfect time for sightseeing in port but you would have to offload luggage and such so that may not be appealing.

Get some Bonine at any stores drug section. It is better and non-drowsy so your hubby can take it everyday to eliminate any sickness that may happen. (At least it worked for me!) They are relatively cheap and I took 2 pills a day starting a day before my cruise and I had a couple of small boat excursions

one on some pretty rough water and no queasyness was ever noticed for me.

Better safe that sorry so get a pack and have them on hand!

I'm doing the Juneau round trip Sawyer Glacier tour in August as our ship will be in port all day long so we have the time and I booked independently which saved over $100 for the two of us. If you can get off the ship (mid-ocean transfer) do it! You don't want to regret it later on!

I did the Alaska Canopy Adventures zip line in Juneau in May. Great bunch of younger guides and professionally done. I never zipped before so was expecting a thrill ride but this one left me wanting more than what they had to offer. Pretty much just a run through the pine trees with an old building or two, a deep gorge (sort of) and huddling close together on tree stands.

You take a jet boat ride to get there and a big truck (Unimog) with seating that drives you up to the first zip (10 minutes). There are 3 suspension bridges and the longest zip is 600 ft (only 1 that long) The rest are shorter.

You will pay $140 to $200 per person on any zip in these ports and this one was just not thrilling enough to warrant the $$ but others may see it differently.....

I watched the Icy Strait zip while in port and it was fun looking but I could not fork over the $139 for 90 seconds but those that did looked like they had fun.

It is pretty jarring at the end when you come in that fast so folks with back or neck issues could not do it.

Nope, totally not worth it. Save the $200 and spend it onboard at a few specialty restaurants!

That is probably the right way to do it! lol! Thanks for the tip!

We were upgraded from a 2b to a C2 on our Infinity cruise last month. Our C2 was on deck 8 and I don't believe that this cabin was any bigger than our 2b would have been. The only perk from having the C2 that we used was the extended cabin service breakfast menu. We did not receive the extra Captains Club points because it was a free upgrade.

 

Marc

How did you get a free upgrade? Did the price drop below what you had paid for a lower class Veranda on the C2 room? That is what I'm hoping will happen so it is is free as well!

Since you're past final payment time, it's not possible to transfer your booking to a Travel Agent.

 

I normally don't care for CC cabins on M-class ships on deck 9 due to the large, extended overhang above the balconies. Many people like the overhang and many don't. Boils down to personal preferences. But since you're already assigned deck 9 it's a moot point in your particular situation.

 

I'd be more apt to jump on a low-cost upgrade to Aqua Class than CC as one other poster mentioned. More perks to Aqua IMO over Concierge.

 

Good luck with your decision!

Thanks! I may wait and see if Aqua drops but it is high right now and not affordable.

It can only be transferred to a TA within 60 days of MAKING the reservation.

I made the reservation 3-4 weeks ago and paid at the same time.

The extra perks are not worth it to me. The larger room, especially in a good location, would be worth it to me.

 

For 200 total, I would probably do it.

Since it is a guarantee cabin, I would have no idea where I could end up at but I'm sure Concierge is not to bad anywhere on the Infinity. Just would not want an obstructed view.

It's pretty much a personal financial decision...the 20 extra sq feet do matter to us, so we'd probably pay for the upgrade. Actually I'd try to upgrade to aqua class which would definitely be worth $2-300 total to us to eat breakfast and dinner in Blu.

 

I would be booking through an online cruise agency that gave me free gratuities and/or an OBC in addition to Celebrity's offer....or perhaps even a group rate on the cabin.

I would love to book through an agency but so many out there are hit and miss as to whether they are good to go with from some of the reviews I have read.

I'm less than 50 days out and final payment has been made as well. I suppose it could be transferred since it has only been 3-4 weeks since I paid in full but I do not know who to go to in order to get more OBC, etc. PM me if you have a suggestion. Thanks!

Would you pay the extra $200(total for 2 people) for an upgrade from a Veranda to Concierge class on Infinity? I realize the extra perks are a bigger room and some other small things but is the $200 worth it? I have no perks as I booked under the Exciting Deals promo which gives no OBC and this would be the same sale. This is an Alaska cruise so I'm now booked in a forward Veranda on deck 9 (9012 Sky deck) unobstructed view with 8:30 MDR (6:00 was not avail) and I'm not to worried about the movement of the ship being that far forward as we sail the inside passage but I was wondering what your opinions would be.

I can keep watching for the prices to drop even further as they are up and down a lot

Thanks!

Those are some great choices! Some things to consider are the excursions you plan on doing this early in the season.

I went on Norwegian this past may on a 9 day and some things then were not available including the Sawyer glacier tour. I did see glacier bay and it is beautiful so I would suggest it as a first time cruise to Alaska. Fishing is not to great in May either as I tried the salmon fishing in Ketchikan which turned out fun for the scenery but no fish.

On the plus side, all the days were beautiful and the rain only occurred at night. May is great for that in Alaska according to the locals.

Not sure I would choose any Princess cruise from the reviews but it is more about the scenery then the ship. A balcony is a must on a first time Alaska cruise so I would go with one if you can. It really does make a huge difference if you can get up early in your pajamas and look out at all the splendor!

Choose the cruise with the longest port times. If you do the Sawyer tour, you will need at least 9 hours or more if you leave from Juneau. If the ship stops to let you off on the small tour boat, that is even better but you may not know until May if that tour is available. If your heart is set on seeing Sawyer, choose the late May cruise.

I will be back in Alaska on Celebrity this August to see Hubbard glacier as well as doing the Sawyer tour with Adventure Bound(cheaper than the cruise ship one). It is a 7 day and the balcony was down to $1,099 each so I jumped on it but you have to buy at a late date to get those prices with Celebrity from what I can tell. They are the only round trip to Hubbard on a cheaper cruise line I could find but I have been to Glacier Bay so wanted something different.

I would be inclined for option 3 in your choices. Skagway is a beautiful little town and a long port time there is a great option. The Sawyer tour may still happen at that time and if not, they may take you to another area on that tour boat as I think I read somewhere that if they could not get to Sawyer, they would detour somewhere else. That was on the cruises that have Sawyer listed as the excursion only stop for a 1/2 hour.

Any choice you make will still be a good one! Enjoy!

Ha ha! Sometimes we just have to do what our spouses want to keep the peace! Like you, my better half is not the most enthusiastic about our 7 day cruise to Hubbard glacier in August but I let him get involved in picking a shore excursion so that helped. He is mostly going to relax and sit back on the balcony but we have a boat ride and day long tour to Sawyer glacier and salmon fishing planned as well but our itinerary is not port intensive since we have to go further north. More time on board to just relax. The key here is to pick the ship and itinerary that suits you. I sailed Norwegian and the food was so so. Not much to do on board either. Cruise ships in Alaska tend to be smaller but some have more on board things going on then others so choose well. Make sure yours is all you are wanting as it sounds like you will be spending more time on board than off. Just relax and have a vacation any way you see fit as in the end, it is the time we spend with our loved ones that really matters......you can look back and say that is why it was so special.........