tangerinebunny

We were also taken back to the ship. We did the evening whale watch in Juneau and it was the highlight of our cruise.

You don't have to spend big on shore excursions to have a great time in Alaska.

I agree that Michelle and Island Wings are the best, but if you want a less expensive Ketchikan activity, check out Tracy Wolf and Wild Wolf Tours. A trip with Tracy (a local native - in both senses) and a walk around town on your own would also be a fun day. (Check out Tracy on TripAdvisor.com.)

If you're going during good whale viewing times, please consider a Juneau whale watch. And by all means, attend a few of the naturalist talks on board Solstice. They're very helpful. And viewing the orca pods outside Victoria isn't a big ticket item either. That's on our to-do list.

There's not much to Skagway, so the train is a good option. I'm not a train person, but my husband loved it. (And I want full credit for being a good sport.)

Relax and accept that it would take a long stay to enjoy everything Alaska has to offer. We've booked our fifth trip and we know that it won't be our last.

Thanks, Helen. Now to book....

I've done several searches and keep getting conflicting information. So...

Is smoking currently allowed in the Solstice Oceanview Bar? And, if so, which side?

I'm asking to aid in cabin selection. I've learned here it's better to plan ahead than to complain (or at least my travel companions will think so!).

We're looking at 2137 on Deck 12.

It must depend on the ship or staff. We're not Elite and, while in a CS, have gotten invitations to the Elite events and even a helio pad departure.

I wouldn't count on, nor would I rule it out.

Our opinions here at CC seem to reflect the results of the Reuters/Ipsos poll that I read about today:

"Of those aware of the virus, 41 percent said they were less likely to travel to Puerto Rico, Mexico or South America in the next 12 months because of Zika, the poll found. Some 48 percent said Zika had not changed the likelihood of their visiting those destinations, while others did not know.

Six out of 10 Americans aware of Zika said the virus concerned them, including 18 percent who said they were very concerned, according to the poll."

We have a wait and see attitude toward our December 2016 cruise.

If a woman is already pregnant, is there a time where the fetus would be past danger if the mother was to be infected by Zika ?

The New York Times has a Zika question/answer article. This is what it says about your question:

Earlier in pregnancy seems to be more dangerous.

The most dangerous time is thought to be during the first trimester – when some women do not realize they are pregnant. Experts do not know how the virus enters the placenta and damages the growing brain of the fetus.

Closely related viruses, including yellow fever, dengue and West Nile, do not normally do so. Viruses from other families, including rubella (German measles) and cytomegalovirus, sometimes do.

I was told by a Captain's Club rep before our last cruise that the screen she was looking at (with my account) and the one that I could see were different.

But that as long as her screen had the correct facts, the on-board people would see that and the perks would be as ordered. She was right.

btw, we did Aqua for Alaska one year and our priority boarding consisted of being at the head of yet another line that simply stood still. The ground workers could not have cared less. Our Aqua check-in worker was simply busy(?) elsewhere. And no one called our line for over 20 minutes.

Seems to me that the Solstice had like cricket chirping or something. Lovely Ante room, I always stopped to enjoy on my way through.

Yes! It's clever.

These are my favorite places on any Celebrity ship. Love the one on Silhouette best.

The bedroom is well decorated, so the lack of outside light isn't really a problem.

I have to agree that it's nice to be have that second space; I stay up late, my spouse rises early.

Both suites are good choices, unless it's a rough crossing, then the CS will be the better choice.

The Aqua Spa Cafe is usually open. It's a light lunch, but you could go back for seconds or thirds if desired. Service is quick and there's a seating area.

We did the Juneau whale watch through Celebrity (and Allen Marine) last summer and it was one of our best excursions ever. You might want to read up on that.

Some excursions do book fast, so you're wise to start researching now.

If you're looking for a small plane excursion in Ketchikan, Island Wings is a good choice. The bear watching trips from all vendors also tend to fill up fast.

My husband and I are cruising out of Fort Lauderdale in March. Our passports expire in April . We should have been more proactive, but by the time we thought about it, we were worried we wouldn't get them back in time, we will be renewing the day after we get back!

You may want to look into the express service now. Some countries require that passports be in effect for six months after entry to their country. Check the government website for more complete information.

We renewed this month; it took about three weeks at regular (not express) speed.

Since you're in a suite, talk to the MC's host about your situation. She can better explain your options.

I was actually the first person off in one self-disembark. It's an easy off and the line moves fast IF you're at the front.

We did the whale watch trip in Dominica this December and it was a great deal of fun. The boat is smaller than the ones used in Alaska, but the whales were very plentiful. In there were even mothers and calves.

And food truly is relative. We left HAL after six cruises because of the food as much as the smoking policy. We like Celebrity's food (but we never dine in the main dining room so take this for what it's worth).

Did the Celebrity rep you spoke to on-board fail to explain the 60 minute government requirement?

If you're not being treated fairly, what are your options?

We used the gym several times this past December. It was never crowded. You can visit on the first day and sign up for the fee-based classes.

There's a fair variety of equipment, but, of course, on a smaller scale than our local YMCA.

We had a good view from the treadmills since the windows were unobstructed.

Agree about the CS tub. Getting in and out is awkward. And the balcony is very shallow. But the locations/service are great.

Blu dinners can be easily arranged through your butler or MC.

Hi - how do you insure just the cost of your deposit? And with whom? Thanks very much.

Try the tripinsurancestore.com. Steve provides information on his website that may help you.

Is it worth the switch? If your dining experience is important to you, it may well be. We've tried both Aqua and suites, and will never go back to anything less than a suite now that we've eaten in Luminae.

We liked the ambience and more personalized service. And the food is far superior to any other Celebrity dining experience that we've had.

The larger cabin and MC don't hurt either. But Celebrity has a winner in this smaller, more upscale dining venue, and the staff was working very hard to keep it that way on our December cruise.

Another positive Captain's Club vote here! We had problems with our OBC and only the CC rep was able to correct it. And they're not only quick, they're pleasant.

Like all of us, some do a better job than others. But I doubt if any worker really wants to be BFF with their clients.

I suggest asking once for what you want (ice bucket, towels, etc.), then if that fails, place a pleasant call to housekeeping. "I know that our cabin attendant is very busy, but we need a daily refill on our ice bucket....).

In all honesty, we have found that the more we've paid for our cabin, the better chance we have of great cabin service. And no, that's not in the brochure.

The 'delectable' afternoon snacks may well go the way of the 'locally sourced' suite restaurant food. (It's all a dream of dieting PR hack.)

It does help to ask your butler for the kind of snacks you want.