Northern Aurora

Regarding museums, the Alaska State Museum should be on their winter hours in October; those hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM to 4 PM. Their budget is such that I doubt they have the ability to pay overtime to employees. The Juneau Artists Gallery (an artists co-op) is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 AM to 5:30 PM.

Canadian authorities also limit the number of bars which can be open while in port. At least in Canada the Retreat Lounge/Michale's Club was considered private, and was exempt from the number count. It operated normally.

It is cumulative over duration of the cruise -- so remember to log out.

Given the schedule of our preferred airline we stay overnight at a Vancouver airport hotel and fly out the next day. And US citizens need to remember that they clear US Immigration before departure.

Alaska is experiencing a severe labor shortage in general, and an incredibly severe shortage of folks who have Commercial Drivers Licenses. The issues with school bus service across the state are amazing and I am just thrilled that we don't have kiddos who are too young to drive themselves. And Fairbanks has a better handle on the school bus problem than several other large districts. That being said, there is a large hotel in Fairbanks which for a number of years (over a decade if not two decades) offered a fixed route shuttle service which served their several properties and a number of tourist attractions. Well -- the summer of 2022 no shuttle service because of the shortage of folks with CDLs. Before assuming the shuttle to the Alaska Native Heritage Center is operating folks will need to contact them.

While the Millennium is the oldest ship in the current Celebrity fleet you would never know it. The ship has been "revolutionized." We have done Celebrity itineraries including the RT out of Seattle, RT out of Vancouver and the one ways between Vancouver and Seward. I am of the opinion that the one ways between Seward and Vancouver are the stronger itineraries. I rank the RTs out of Vancouver second with the RTs out of Seattle last. I haven't checked the Edge itineraries.

I am a little late to the discussion, but did a B2B in June (same cornerSky Suite 1 for both legs) and another B2B in September (a Pacific Coastal in a Celebrity Suite and the first Mexican itinerary in a corner Sky Suite 1). While the Solstice hasn't been "revolutionized," and the color scheme is definitely dated the ship is in good repair. All three of our suites on the Solstice were in good shape with some clearly having new soft goods. Staff and crew were great. While we were in corner Sky Suites so were not under the Ocean View Cafe so no comments on a noise issue. I would book the Celebrity Suite for the additional space.

We almost always do at least B2B cruises, and generally longer series. Our loyalty level updates happened while on B2B or longer series. Talk to the Captain's Club host shortly after boarding and give them a "heads up" that you will have a CC loyalty level change whilel on board, and they will ensure that you will be granted the extra perks on the next leg. Don't assume it they will automatically upgrade your perks.

I would have to pull out our cruise history for the actual number of Med cruises we have done but we definitely have done more than seven. Celebrity is an American cruise line (despite where the ships are registered), and my experience is that the bulk of the passengers have been from North America followed by folks from the UK. And I also wonder if our OP has ever ever been out of North America. I suspect not.

I have actually tendered at Port Stanley. My experience was that this is a port where essentially the entire ship wants to get off that ship right NOW. At the time we were Elite+ (did not reached Zenith until a few months later). We used our Elite+ tender priority and were able to make it to our Patrick Watts tour to Volunteer Point with few problems. As I recall we were not on the first tender, but on the second or third. For those not on X tours there will tender tickets issued by number. If you don't have priority tender due to Captain's Club status you will pick up the tickets and wait until your number is called. But this is an unusual port and almost everyone will want to get off.

We did a paid "Behind the Scenes" tour on the Solstice in September, 2022; no video was allowed. Several years ago we did a paid "Behind the Scenes" tour on a M-class ship, and again no video. We have been on the bridge of several X ships, and video has never been allowed. But still photos are fine.

@Michele035: The Luminae breakfast menu will be the same every day, but it is large enough that isn't an issue. Both lunch (on port days) and dinners have a fourteen day menu rotation, plus some everyday items as mentioned by jelayne. Make sure that you obtain a X Captain's Club account. RC and X don't combine loyalty points, but do recognize (up to a point) their sister line loyalty status. I can never remember what RC Diamond Plus converts to on X. Someone else will chime in with the correct answer.

I will also be following. We will be on the April 6, 2023 South Pacific cruise, which will be the last leg of a B2B2B2B. We have spent significant time on the Eclipse, with the last time being April, 2022.

NCL will certainly have options to transfer from Seward to Anchorage. Cruiselines do Alaska Rail Road chartered early morning train runs from the Seward cruise terminal directly to the Anchorage Airport (not the downtown ARR terminal) on ship days; this charter will not be listed on the ARR time schedule as it is a special charter and can only be purchased through the cruise line. The cruise lines also offer bus charters. You will not be left outside the Seward cruise terminal.

@NeepierRoad: While you haven't posted your itinerary (or may be I missed that post as I have just skimmed this thread), but it is important to have a plan of action for these ports. All of the SE Alaska communities have a visitor's bureau (often combined with their Chamber of Commerce). Use google to find their respective websites. Lots of ideas on those websites.

Regarding the maximum number of items in a particular bag my memory is that the max is 30. However, there are periodically cruises with water restrictions (ie, the Baltics or occasionally an Alaska itinerary) in which the maximum number of items per bag is 20. Doesn't happen often, but has happened.

While we all realize that time marches on, it is still so distressing when our Celebrity family looses a member. So sorry that our beloved Mrs. Chemmo is having to go through this.

Celebrity did RTs from San Diego to Hawaii for several years on the now long gone Century. We did one in 2012. The ship overnighted in Honolulu and if my memory is correct (and it may not be) also did an overnight in Lahaina. Some folks actually did them B2B so San Diego back to San Diego and then did the route again. To comply with the PVSA the ship did a four hour stop in Ensenada. Passengers were allowed to leave the ship. This route seemed popular and generally sold out. In 2012 we booked about four months before the sailing and had very few choices regarding staterooms. I've always wondered why they were removed from Celebrity deployments.

Just ask your stateroom attendant for wine glasses. And yes, you can walk around the ship carrying wine glasses -- just be careful not to spill on your fellow passengers.

I have never heard of Celebrity NOT offering the train transfer option. I wonder of the X rep didn't understand the question.

The no alcohol lattes, espressos and so forth at the Cafe al Bacio are priced around $5 so are easily covered by the classic beverage package. While I don't drink the coffees with added alcohol it seems to me that several (not all) of those may be covered by the classic package too. There are a number of non-alcohol drinks (cocktails) offered in the bars which are quite delicious. My particular favorite is the minted lemonade -- tart sweet with bruised mint and lovely on a warm weather cruise.

With your beverage package you will hand your sea pass card to the bartender. As long as the beverage is covered by your package there will be nothing more to the transaction, and you will not be charged a 18% gratuity. If the beverage cost exceeds your package the bartender will tell you and give you the option to exceed the package. If that happens you will be charged the difference on the drink and 18% gratuity on the amount of difference only.

I would also check the app for an upcoming cruise. Luminae menus are pretty standard. For example, their version of a lobster roll (more like lobster salad served on a roll) is standard on the embarkation day lunch menu.

It is clear that our OP was booking a non-refundable deposit. We generally book with NRD but fully understand Celebrity's cancellation policy.

Jim explained the long standing Zenith perk to you in his post #20. And yes, you are clearly not a reader.