poolwife

Thank you for the reply.

Any word on your cruise about the "mosquito" virus on St. Maarten?

Have they given you any warnings, etc.?

It has apparently been reported on from the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

People on our board (3/2/14) on page 13 are talking about it.

I talked to a Captain's Club representative today and she said they haven't been told of anything right now so perhaps it was a couple of weeks ago. Just watch out for the mosquitoes. Don't let them bite you.

Are you eating in the MDR? Please let us know how the food is in there.

Two reviews from December are not too good.

Have you eaten at the Lawn Club Grill or do you plan to? Wondering how your experience is.

Let us know what you did on St. Kitts, please.

We are sailing on March 2 and have never been to St. Kitts. Any tips would be appreciated. I am going to also look on the Caribbean boards.

Thanks. Hope you are having a great cruise.

Waterproof spray may work well on your tennis shoes but tennis shoes do not keep your feet as warm and dry as a pair of low cut Gore-Tex (waterproof) hikers. They are solid and keep your feet warm and dry if it is raining (particularly in Ketchikan where they have a lot of rain). These hikers also keep your feet warmer than tennis shoes when standing outside viewing glaciers. I paid under $100.00 for mine a few years ago on Zappos.

Just my opinion but I wouldn't go to Alaska without mine. They are definitely worth the purchase if you plan on going more than once. You certainly can't see it all in one or two trips. They are also very handy if you are taking a Kenai Fjords National park tour. You would definitely want to stand outside to view the whales and glaciers (it was cold out there especially when the boat is moving).

Thank you all for your informative and positive reviews.

I am sure wondering what the definitive "NO" was about.

The Lawn Club Grill is the only specialty restaurant that I was considering so really wanted to hear the pros and cons. My husband cooks a really good steak so I really want to be sure it is worth it. Well, I guess we never know until we try something at least once.

Hope we get some more posts regarding this. Thanks again.

Is the food really that much better than the MDR to warrant $40.00 extra per person?

We are sailing on the Silhouette on March 2. Would appreciate the tips.

Thanks.

Try renting one of those passenger vans. Having taken 4 out of 5 trips to Alaska and doing the land portion by our own vehicle (mini-van which was for 4 people plus luggage), I wouldn't do it any other way. You can stop when you want and see what you want and not be tied to a whole big group of people doing what is pre-planned for you. I especially think it would be better with teenagers along. Those cruise "tours" are great for accommodating older ones who can't handle making the plans on their own.

You will be glad you did it independently. There is so much to see that the tours do not take you to.

Planning your trip is 3/4 of the fun of it. YOu will learn a lot from our peoples trips and reading these boards.

Having been to Alaska 5 times and also live on the west coast, I totally agree with Gardyloo's last post.

Incorporate the weekends into your trip and it will be longer and Fly into Anchorage, take the train to Seward. There were alot of kids on it when we went. It was a very enjoyable ride and most kids love trains. They have a dining car on it also. Both the 26 Glacier cruise out of Prince William sound and the Kenai Fjords cruise out of Seward are great with me definitely leaning more towards the Kenai Fjords cruise with Major Marine for a length of at least 6 hours. Even your son will enjoy it. We went in June, 2012 and saw plenty of whales, puffins, sea lions and glaciers. Food was also very good on Major Marine. The cabin is warm and you can go outside for viewing also which most people did.

I personally prefer Royal Caribbean or Celebrity out of Seward. Holland America is definitely more for "older" people. Probably your son would do better more on Royal Caribbean. I believe they have good kids programs. You can check it out. Not many kids on Celebrity. We love cruising southbound.

If your son is easy to travel with, don't let him hold you back and go have a great time. It will all be a great adventure for all 3 of you.

We have been to Alaska 5 times. I am not a big hiker at all. But, with the rain which it usually does in Ketchikan or elsewhere, I have been very glad that I invested in low cut waterproof (gore-tex) hikers. Even if you are fortunate enough to not hit rain, the gore-tex keeps your feet warm when out viewing glaciers, etc.

In taking the walk to the waterfall at Mendenall glacier, it is nice to have some sturdy shoes for the trail. Low cut hikers are all that is really needed.

I always take my smartwool socks to wear in them also. The combination work great for keeping my feet warm and dry.

Besides thinking I would never go without my low cut waterproof hikers, I think a waterproof hooded parka is essential. Our last trip in June, 2012 it poured in Ketchikan but we went out and about anyway. Just pulled my hood up and off we went.

We never needed longjohns. Personally my husband and I wear a down vest underneath our parkas and we are just fine then.

I would not consider going to Alaska without those 2 items: waterproof low cut hikers and a waterproof parka.

These are just my thoughts............

Here is a picture of a glacier from the train southbound from Anchorage to Seward:

So you can see that the train ride is well worth it and very scenic. Even though we had driven the road twice, there was still a lot to see from the train. It does not follow the road the whole trip.

I agree with the previous poster about renting a car. Much cheaper to rent in Anchorage. You would have to take the train back from Anchorage to Seward to catch the second cruise though if renting a car in Anchorage. Planning the trip is no easy task. After our land portion, we returned our rental car (that we had gotten from the airport) and the hotel shuttle brought my husband back to the hotel. Then the shuttle took us to the train station in the morning. The train from Anchorage to Seward leaves at 6:45 am. They recommend you getting there no later than 5:30. It is very busy at the station but I thought getting there at 6:00 am would have been fine. We did not take the Celebrity car but took The Alaska Railroad Goldstar package and it was wonderful to sit in the fully domed car our whole ride. The view was great. Here are a couple of pictures from our train ride from Anchorage to Seward:

I accidentally looked at Northern Aurora's post thinking the OP was from Alaska after I had written my long above post. I had written thinking that the OP was not from Alaska and now I realize the OP is not. I could not see a way to delete this post. sorry.

I hope my information is helpful.

That sounds like such a good idea. I have always wanted to do that too. Seems like 7 nights is not long enough. Too bad you don't have a better choice though than the Statendam as it is an older ship although it was apparently refurbished in 2010.

Don't venture off too far in your 2 days of rental car. There is only Hertz to rent from in Seward. They are expensive but since you will be returning it to Seward that should make it better.

There is a lot to see just on the Kenai Peninsula. Do not pass up doing a Kenai Fjords Cruise through Major Marine tours. You could do it the day you get off the ship even. I think there is a cruise at 11:30 (book ahead) that is

a 6 hour cruise. Do not take a cruise shorter than 6 hours or you won't get out far enough. They take you to a glacier and you will see whales, puffins and sea lions. Major Marine has a great optional buffet for lunch on the boat. They served salmon and chicken and other sides. It was an additional $19.00 but well worth it. Take your warm coat and hat on the boat as you will want to stand outside some of the time and it gets cold out there. It was by far a highlight of our trip in June, 2012.

We first spent the first week of our trip just touring the Kenai Peninsula. We had a great time. There is so much to see. Do not try to drive to Denali in that short period of time. The drive from Seward towards Anchorage is gorgeous.

Actually with just 2 nights just drive as far as Girdwood and go up the Mt. Alyeska tramway. The view from up there is awe inspiringly beautiful. Perhaps, drive through the Wildlife Conservation Center which is near the cutoff to Whittier.

Also, a great spot to stop at is Summit Lake. It also is on the road back towards Anchorage. It is just a few minutes past the cut off to go to Soldotna/Homer. Summit Lake is just beautiful. Their lodge has very good food or even stop for an ice cream. Sit on the bench at the lake and soak in the beauty of the mountain and lake. (Oh, wish I could go back this next year)

Summit Lake is one of my favorite stops.

I included this one picture of Summit Lake on a beautiful sunny day.

If you are going to drive clear to Homer only do it if the weather is clear. Kachemack Bay and the mountains behind it are gorgeous but you won't see anything if the area is fogged in or has bad weather. We have been 3 times and have hit great weather every time fortunately. It is a good 4 - 5 hour drive to Homer from Seward.

Here is a picture of the Homer Spit:

Whatever you choose to do, you will have a great time and will probably want to do like me and come back several more times.

Obviously, I don't know how much time you can take off, but if you have the availability to take more than those 2 nights between cruises, there are others going southbound that would give you more time on land between the two cruises.

Well, my goodness, I sure did misread. In pushing the button that says "Learn More" under the 123GO promotion, it says each additional guest in the stateroom gets a nonalcoholic drink package for free. Of course, I was not reading it correctly. I was originally thinking that it meant the "additional guest" over the first one but, of course, it means after the first "two" guests pay the total fee of $88.00 per day.

So, now that I have read it correctly, there is no way that the package would benefit us. We don't drink $88.00 worth of booze in a day. I wish my husband could buy the classic package and I could buy the soda package. That is probably the closest thing to what would work for us.

So, does anyone have a suggestion - I don't drink much at all (alcoholic) unless the fufu drink of the day catches my attention. I may like an occasional coke. I cannot get the Celebrity website information regarding the drink packages to work. An error message keeps coming up saying they can't find the page. It seems to me that if one person buys the classic package then the other person in the room gets the soda package for free. Is that right? Does the soda package include bottle water? Was I reading correctly that the classic package is $14.00 a day? That seems good considering the price of drinks. My husband may have an occasional glass of wine with dinner or a gin and tonic.

I can't quite decide if these packages are worth it for us or whether we should buy drinks on a "as needed" basis by the glass.

Our cruise is on the "Silhouette" on March 2.

After reading most of this thread (all of Mel's comments though), I wanted it moved back to the top hoping she won't forget to get back to us. I certainly hope her luggage still gets found.

I think what is really sad is that the luggage didn't make it down to the warehouse from her floor. Definitely makes me always want to take my own luggage down now. Sure sounds like an employee situation to me or why wouldn't it have been in the warehouse!

Let's hope Mel has a good outcome to this.

So happy for you that it all turned out correct for you.

I do think it would have been nice if Celebrity would have compensated you something (like onboard credit or a specialty dining experience or something) for all that stress and anxiety that the "system error" put you through.

Seems like the least they could have done for you. Would have been a nice little perk and would have shown that they really do care about their clients.

I hope you have a wonderful cruise.

I guess getting all that food that Cruise a holic mentioned then it is definitely worth the $40.00 pp. Not sure I could eat that much, though, in fact, I know I couldn't. Sounds yummy though.

I noticed that it was originally $30.00 pp and they have raised it now. What a bummer. Glad to know you all think it is worth it.

Not sure what time sunset will be but that sounds like a good time to pick.

Thanks so much. That sounds yummy. Sounds similar to The Park café (I think that is the name of it) on deck 8 on the Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.

I love Bistro on 5 also when we were on the Millenium sailing Alaska. They even made our favorite crepe custom done being nutella with bananas (which is on their menu) but we added strawberries. Yum, yum. Can't wait to try it again.

What deck is The Porch on?

Thanks so much for the tips. This is our first time on the Solstice class ship and I am really looking forward to it. Wish we were going in January. That is when we usually cruise to the Caribbean. I will have to be patient and wait until March.

So, I am gathering that it is worth it if you are dining there for dinner.

We are going on the March 2 cruise, what time do you recommend? Wonder what time sunset is on that cruise.

Thank you for your replies.

So then I gather you all think it is worth the $40.00 upcharge per person even when ordering just pizza? Sounds high for pizza per persons.

Sounds good for dinner for the rib eye, lamb, etc..

Any more thoughts?

Read a lot of good reviews about the Lawn Club Grill. We are going on our first "S" class cruise on the Silhouette March 2. I don't usually tend to try specialty restaurants but this one is getting such rave reviews. Can anyone tell me the great advantages it has vs. the main dining room.

My husband and I and the other couple we were traveling with tried Qsine on the Millenium and none of us cared for it and certainly did not think it was worth the up charge. I know a lot of people enjoy it, but it was just not our thing at all at least not for that price.

The food I have heard about so far in the Lawn Club Grill sounds more my speed.

Can someone please educate me about it? Thank you.

Oh, I so much wish the OP would have finished her review. I was enjoying it so much.

Does anyone know more about the Lawn Club Grill? It is $40.00 extra?

What kind of food is on the menu?

Was it worth it or just stick with the Main Dining Room?

We are sailing on the Silhouette on 3/2/14 Eastern Caribbean.

Thanks for the help

Loved reading your review and seeing your pictures. Always wondered what it looked like that early in the season. I really hope you both get to go back again at a later time. The third week in June has worked out really well for us.

Go up the Klondike highway out of Skagway again and really see Emerald Lake. It is a gorgeous jewel. Wow! All that snow on the highway. You would see a difference but I guess you enjoyed seeing all that snow being you are from Florida. I have never seen Skagway with that few people on the streets. Looked weird and a bit eerie.

Hopefully, next time you go to Ketchikan you can go to Misty Fjords also. So beautiful.

Well, thanks for sharing. Also, the next time consider flying to Anchorage and do some land touring before getting on the ship and sail southbound. We took a week just touring around slowly the Kenai Peninsula. So much to see and enjoy and take a Kenai Fjords tour of at least 6 hours. You will see glaciers, seal, otters, puffins and lots of whales. Also, stop at the Alaska Wildlife Refuge.

We enjoy renting a car in Anchorage and driving around doing what we want when we want and on our last trip we returned our rental car and then took the train from Anchorage to Seward on the morning of embarkation. Been to Seward several times but have never taken the train. Truly one of the most scenic train rides you could have go on. The train does not follow the road so you do see different scenery.

Well, so happy you had such a good time and hopefully it wet your appetite to return to Alaska. I wish I could go every year to just look at that gorgeous scenery.

Oh, one thing I forgot - if you do rent a car and drive to Homer or Seward, be sure and make a stop at Summit Lake. The restaurant there has good food and the scenery of Summit Lake is just gorgeous.

Great Review! Did I miss something? On page one you said you had some pictures of your cabin coming up and only saw the only of a towel animal on the bed and the balcony. Maybe they are still coming.

LJ: Numerous pages back you asked for a link to my review. Here it is:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1665827

It does not even compare to yours. We just had point and shoot cameras and are not as good a photographer as yourself.

Your pictures are are so special. Besides your bear pictures, I loved all of your detailed pictures of Homer, Kachemak Bay and Fat Olives. We also ate there and liked it. As you will read in my review, we didn't like the other place we ate at for dinner in Homer.

Our trip was much more laid back. Although, we did get into Kenai Fjords National Park. I am so sorry that you didn't. It was a highlight of our trip. The whales really put on a show for us. We also went with Major Marine. Good thing I didn't plan on doing a review and took a picture of the very nice salmon/prime rib buffet they put on, it would have made your mouth water. Was very nice for a boat trip like that. There was also a naturalist on board that was very educational and answered any question that you had.

I have not finished my review. I have been out of town a lot and going again tomorrow until Sunday. Perhaps I can work on and finish it in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for asking for the link. Love your review and all of your pictures. Attaching pictures to the posts here on cruise critic was new to me so I had a difficult time of it but through reading other posts on how to do it and the test forum I finally figured it out.

I look forward to you finishing your review.