abbydancer2003

Have a wonderful trip.  I do hope it lives up to you hopes and dreams.  I love Alaska, and will probably be be back in 2026.

We were just B2B in a sky suite.  Our butler said to write B2B on the slip and you can do it.  We didn't try it.

For specialty restaurants the Eclipse has Murano (continental), Tuscan Grill (Italian/steak), Le Petit Chef (gimmick), and Sushi on 5. If we do one, it's Murano.  

We did our first Royal on Symphony in a suite last year.  We prefer Celebrity - Royal was a bit too big for us, but we had fun.  One difference is that Coastal Kitichen was open for lunch every day, Luminae, like main dining is closed on port days.

On the Eclipse, the Luminae kitchen is co located with the main dining kitchen, so you can order from the main dining menu if you want.  

I've been on the Eclipse a few times, and have her booked again next year.  My sister and I will bringing her back after the 2025 European summer.

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Well we are getting back to normal -   I had a big surprise in the Mail --- Got summoned for Jury Duty on the week of May 20th... ugh.

 

I had accidentally tossed it in the  junk mail stack, luckily Iain went through the stack and said ---you've got mail.

 

 

Could be worse.  You didn't get 5 letters from the IRS saying we owed them more money.  Apparently there's a missing 1099R from my financial company indicated that taxes had been withheld on a disbursement of my mom's IRA. They're now working on it.

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

We thought it was just us but on Solstice the Ice Cream really wasn't good at all.    Tasted like ultra cheap ice milk.   The taste on the Vanilla Ice Cream also was just off.

Wasn't just you on the Solstice.  I think I mostly had sorbet, which was fine, but Glen had vanilla ice cream a few times and thought it wasn't good at all.

30 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

Hmmm. You should be earning tier points on funds charged to your onboard account even though it's going against OBC.  You don't earn tier points on casino provided  Freeplay. You can call BCC and find out how many tier points you earned on your previous sailings. Are you tapping and/or using your room card when you play the slots?

Well, go figure.  We're doing Beyond in June and checkin opened about an hour ago (9pm in California).  I just looked at my boarding pass, and I'm Onyx.  Literally, just happened.

And other than one slot pull, I use the card.

On 5/6/2024 at 8:12 PM, kwokpot said:

https://urcomped.com/blog/details/3452347/celebritys-blue-chip-club-announces-onboard-certificate-program

Can I hijack this for a question?  I looked at the points and I've been Pearl forever.  I gambled about 2000.00 in OBC on a recent cruise, and got from Blue Chip - nada.  Is that because to advance to Onyx I'd have to spend real money?  And to get an offer it has to be real money (if so, that's OK with me, just want to know).  Note:  I've probably spent over 4K of OBC in the last two years, but it's all from OBC, except 340.00 from a slot pull.

On the "Ultimate Ship tour" on Princess a few years ago, the doctor told us that helicopter evacuations are rare, because the person has to be so sick that they can't wait to get to a port, but not so sick that they're at risk to die in the helicopter rescue.  

I've seen a couple reroutes in the past couple of years and one helicopter on Princess (only helicopter ever).  I've seen quite a few people removed at scheduled port stops for medical though.

1 hour ago, mahdnc said:

how does one go about buying an extra seat (e.g. middle seat) to keep it empty?

I don't know about Delta, or FBC, but on United there's now a checkbox for extra seat.  You then choose the reason.  Luggage or comfort.  We just did it after booking June cruises on Beyond, where the only decent flight pricewise was a red eye in coach.  It wasn't that expensive, so I booked the row to keep the middle empty.

8 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

OK. Now I’m really confused. But that’s OK. We’re going to Glacier Bay two more times on this next leg, so I’ll have listen a little closer next time. But what you’re saying is that the Grand Pacific Glacier is on the right of this picture and the Margerie Glacier is the one on the left.

 

That's correct.  Grand Pacific is the fastest receding Glacier in the world apparently.

On 5/5/2024 at 12:25 PM, Ken the cruiser said:

Our morning trek was to visit the Margerie Glacier, also known at the Great Pacific Glacier. Along the way we saw a humpback whale (no picture), some seals off in the distance, mostly swimming around, and a bunch of various gulls and a few Arctic terns! While we were having breakfast, we passed this glacier which I took a picture of.

 

 

 

 

Gorgeous pictures.  I have one small correction on the above, though.  To the right of the glacier, 90 degrees (in other words straight ahead) is the Grand Pacific Glacier.  It's receded enough that it no longer reaches the water so it just looks like a rock wall.  The glacier part might be visible if you look above the rock wall.  It was there on my first few trips starting in 2007.  (Wikipedia says fastest ever glacial retreat).  In all my trips there, I've never heard the Margerie Glacier referred to as the Great Pacific.  When you next go, take a look.

And thanks again for taking us along.  I think I'll go back in 2025 or 2026.

Hi.

We're on the Best of Japan cruise in March 2026, so I figured I should follow this.  I just read it all, and a few comments before I toodle off to bed, since we just got home from our 41 days on the Solstice.  

The last day or two the lemon tarts had the meringue.  I didn't care, since I was way over snacks there by then.  

I noticed on your picture of the Polaris dinner, that it appears United is still putting everything on the tray at once.  I wonder if I can request the entree be served after the appetizers, so it doesn't get cold.  What a concept - eating the appetizers before the main.

We're in one of the two aft Aqua Sky suites.  Not sure which side.  On the Summit last year the big complaint from DH was lack of storage.  We were in a regular sky suite. Apparently, Kelly Hoppin doesn't believe in storage space.

It's very clear to me now, that we're doing this cruise, and I know nothing about the ports, what we should do etc.  Lots of homework before this one ....

Looking forward hearing about another trip.  

1 hour ago, msolok said:

 

This is just how things tend to go with cruising. Itineraries, schedules and everything are very susceptible to changes. While they do try and make everything happen, sometimes things don't work out and things need to change. I don't think I have ever been on a cruise line that has offered $ for the "hassle" of a changed itinerary.

Princess in 2023 gave us a nice FCC for missing 3 of 7 ports.  On the Solstice we got some OBC for missing our first 2 ports (nothing for Maui earlier).

I think the certificate credit goes to the TA who booked the cruise you bought it on automatically.  You should tell them if you want to change it.

On another note - it's been 7 days since our turnover, and the points aren't showing up in my totals.  I do see the cruise that ended on the 25th, and the points that will eventually be awarded are for a 16 night. We repeated April 18th.  The Club person onboard sent an email to engagement.

On 4/29/2024 at 1:37 PM, mahasamatman said:

 

I can see them offering 5 power-up points (not 5 CC points).

7 minutes ago, mahasamatman said:

 

They round up, so it would be 1 CC point.

I don't see that.  Why would they want that headache?  Since it rounds to 1 point, it's easier to keep it one point. 

On 4/29/2024 at 4:17 PM, HaveDogWillTravel said:

The train turns around at the top.  No need to change seats as the folks on the right side are on the outside rail going down. Also some people don’t like to sit on the outside (left going up and right going down) as there’s some really steep drop offs. If you are not a fan of heights don’t sit next to the window on the scenic side.  
 

I’ve taken the train 5 times and everyone has always been super polite and accommodating.  People share the spaces well in my experiences.  
 

Safe travels and Bon voyage. 

And by turn around, it makes a big loop around at the top, so the sides are switched once the loop is completed.  We did the round trip with my mom in 2022.  Last time was around 2007, when they moved the engine (after telling everyone not to leave the train, due to the switch being in Canada).  They did ask everyone to switch sides.  

12 minutes ago, Alaska05 said:

After reading your experience from the airport, we are seriously considering taking the Skytrain from YVR when we arrive about 6:00 pm on a Thursday evening.  We are staying at the Marriott Pinnacle on W. Hastings. 

Good plan, but the Waterfront station is a few blocks away from the Marriott. It's a bit of a walk with luggage.   The cab fares are regulated, I think.  

12 minutes ago, kwokpot said:

I really, really wish they would change the name of that entree. 

Yeah.  Tomorrow night they have the Sirloin, also pieces of a roast.  Last cruise Glen ordered it and it was done right, previous two, outside was well done inside was raw.  Both of those the Maitre'd brought the chefs out.  Tonight, we had the kids menu grilled cheese, and crudites.  (I had the tomato soup as well).

A couple of notes from yesterday and today.

Jim, we may have seen you driving up to the falls yesterday as we were driving out after our visit.  Both days we were very lucky, as we had friends as guides.

Today, a former coworker of mine picked us up and took us to the Refuge National Park and a couple of scenic spots.  We saw baby goats.  We tried to go to Coffee Shack, but there was a long wait, so we went to a place called Foster's in town and had a very good lunch.  My friend is also driving us to the airport to pick up our rental car for the day tomorrow.  We're driving to Waimea tomorrow to meet the people who ship us coffee every other month. 

On 4/28/2024 at 11:43 PM, kwokpot said:

Was it a REAL NY Strip steak or was it a slice of beef from a whole roast?

I think a couple of slices.

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Last night was our least favorite Luminae. 
 

Menu 3

 

 

we ended ordering from MDR - it was a French Mushroom Pot Pie.  It was actually quite nice.   
 

For desert I had the new Orange desert on Luminae.  
 

 

 

Agree on this menu.  And who thought Pig's Feet carpaccio is a good idea?  I ended up, on our new fab waiter's recommendation getting the pork schnitzel.  It was quite yummy as was the orange dessert.

Glen had the Luminae steak, and they overcooked it the first time.  Second time was fine.  (At least on this ship he didn't have to give the chefs a lesson on cooking steaks).

We're on the Beyond next.  Luminae meals are going to be a challenge.  On Apex last year, I had a small filet with bernaise most nights.

8 hours ago, Von & John said:

 

You never know...

2 more days to go - they could pull it out in the final 2 days 🙂 

It's been a while since they've awarded and done a new one in the same month.  Maybe May?

1. We're in 7356 on the Soltice currently and on the desk we have two grounded US plugs and one European.  We have a couple of multi plug, no surge plugged in and have lots of devices.
2. 
   I really do love these corner rooms.  Someone, I think a previous guest, put strips of glow in the dark tape on the poles.

4 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I guess not... I started reading a long Oceania live today.   I haven't been on that thread since this trip began.   I've only made it through page one when Lunch time hit.

 

Celebrity has rolled out their new menus on Solstice and really enjoy some of the new items but o course miss some of our favorites that are now gone.  

 

Today I had a nicely constructed Mediterranean Turkey Club Sandwich - Slow roasted Turkey, herded Focaccia, Fontina Cheese, charred Broccoli Rabe, and calabrian pepper ailoli    f   In my opinion --- too much bread in the Bread and I had it open face instead.

Glen took the broccoli out.  Lately, he's just been having appetizer and main, and me just appetizer and dessert.  There only so many 3 course meals you can eat.