Solstice Alaska - Aug 9-16

We just returned from our first Alaskan cruise and wanted to return the favor and provide a review of our trip. We benefitted from so many others who shared so generously.

We’re a married couple with a 14 year old daughter from Maryland. My wife’s sister and her husband from Las Vegas traveled with us.

We arrived in SeaTac within 5 minutes of each other. We used Century Car Service to get from the airport to the hotel and again from Pier 91 back to the airport. They were great. Once we had our luggage they were curbside immediately. Car and driver were great. Great value for the five of us and all our luggage.

One warning – there are vehicles and drivers who try to take passengers at the airport and cruise pier. They will pretend they are the car service you booked and you won’t realize they aren’t until it is too late.

We stayed one night pre-cruise at the Marriott Waterfront. Our rooms were ready when we arrived. At check in we booked a shuttle for $7 pp to take us from the hotel to Pier 91 in the morning. Another great value and it worked out perfectly.

We liked the hotel a lot. Very pricey but can’t beat the location. It is right across from Pier 66 (too bad Celebrity is now sailing out of Pier 91). I used Marriott points for both rooms. Right next to the hotel is an elevator that takes you up towards Pike Place Market. Saved most of the climb up.

After dropping off our bags we headed to Pike Place Market. We had lunch at Pikes Chowder and it was superb. Great place to eat and one of many tips from a Cruise Critic member.

Wanted to go to the original Starbuck’s for a mug only sold there but the line was too long. We went back pre-cruise early the next morning and it wasn’t as long.

We visited Rachel the Pig, Lowell’s, the gum wall, the fish tossing, etc. Spent far too little time there but can’t do everything. Quick stop at Hard Rock Café for a pin and to see the retired General who has become their unofficial mascot.

We then walked to the Underground Tour. Long but reasonable walk from the market. Interesting tour and we all enjoyed it.

From there we took the train and monorail to the Space Needle. Had a bit of a wait for our time up. Beautiful day and had a rare view of the mountains.

Headed to dinner at the Crab Pot. Bit of a wait for a table but enjoyed the dinner.

Next morning we had breakfast in the hotel, visited Starbucks and then caught the 10 A.M. shuttle to the pier. Bag drop off was smooth and easy and check in was just as good. We had a short wait to board the ship but were on board by 11.

After a quick stop to turn on charging for our daughter, get holes punched in the Sea Pass cards for lanyards we headed to Bistro on Five for lunch. The $5 charge seems to keep a lot of people away. It wasn’t busy then and for most of the cruise. We enjoy it and had a great meal.

This was our second time on the Solstice and first for my in-laws. We booked this cruise while on the Solstice 16 months earlier. Last time we were Starboard and this time we were on the Port side. I believe Starboard is slightly better for viewing.

By 1:15 the staterooms were ready. Bags didn’t arrive until after the muster drill. We had Concierge Class staterooms on deck 10 right on the rear hump. Nice rooms and we really liked and needed the extra storage over the bed.

That night we ate in Murano. 20% first night special. We loved it and the lobster was great. Will go again.

We also had the Premium Non-Alcoholic Drink Package. We enjoy the freedom to order drinks anytime. We paid for the few alcohol drinks we had and that worked well for us.

My brother in law gets sea sick and hasn’t been able to cruise. Between using a patch and the smoothness of the ship he never had a problem. The weather the entire cruise until the last day was spectacular. Warm and sunny. We had some rain during the day on our way to Victoria.

Brent Nixon was the Naturalist on board. We attended all his shows and ran into him a couple of times on shore. Spectacular. We really enjoyed him – even my daughter. His advice helped with ensuring we knew what to look for and when and where.

First stop – Ketchikan. We did a private Hummer tour with Alaska Hummer Adventures. They have five Hummers with drivers who can take up to five people on a tour. We had a great tour guide who took us to great places. It was a great way to see a lot of Ketchikan.

We got up very early to see Tracy Arm. My daughter and I braved it out side on deck 14 at the very front. Cold and a bit of wind but worth it. My wife and her sister spent most of the time in the Sky Lounge right below us on deck 12. It is warm and you can hear narration from Brent Nixon. You can’t hear it outside but it was worth the extra view.

Our cruise tendered in Juneau. Tender tickets were supposed to be available at 1:30 which is when tendering is supposed to begin. We got in line at 12:30 and were about 15 people back in the line. At 1:15 they began handing out tender tickets and we got #8. Just enough time to grab our stuff and head to deck 2 for a tender. I think if we had waited we would have been stuck longer on the ship and we wanted to enjoy Juneau as much as possible.

I spoke to another cruiser on board who took a private whale watching tour with Orca and Brent Nixon was on board as the naturalist/narrator. Very fortunate. Not sure if that happens all the time or just that one time.

We booked another private excursion with Harv and Marvs for a private whale watching tour. Just the five of us with Captain Liz. Can’t say enough good things about Capt Liz. Very warm and professional. Got to know each of us quickly. It was an amazing trip with a great Captain. On the way back to the ship we stopped at Mendenhall. Saw several bears and although it was too short of a stop we were enjoyed the time. Ten thumbs up for Harv and Marvs. I liked that we didn’t have to fight with other people for views and pictures. In Victoria on the Orca trip it wasn’t as pleasant and caught several pictures of the back of people’s heads and their arms pointing.

Once on board we had a late night snack in the Oceanview Café.

Next morning was Skagway. We booked a tour with Chilkoot Charters. We picked the bus up and train down tour at 8:30. Great tour guide and we had a close up with a bear on the drive up. For us a much better option than getting on the train first. Plenty of room on the train down. We saw them loading the train going up right next to the ship and between the Solstice and other ships right there it was packed.

The train ride was beautiful and everybody enjoyed it.

Enjoyed a nice sea day on the way to Victoria. Weather started to turn but still had a nice day. At 10-1 there is spectacular brunch in the MDR. Not sure if they had that on our Caribbean sailing since it is hidden in the daily schedule. It was a great meal with ice carvings everywhere.

Thursday is a like a sea day until Victoria. The final show is at 4:15 and dinner in the MDR and Oceanview start at 5 so you can eat before getting off. I was surprised they don’t offer specials for the specialty restaurants since so many people get off. Murano does offer a lunch that day.

Originally in Victoria we were going to do a City Tour however, on the 2nd sea day we decided to change it to a Whale Watching trip. No time to book something privately so we went with the ship. They use Orca Spirit Adventures. It was a great trip and crew. We saw several Orca.

Between my daughter and I we must have over 2500 pictures. Thanks to digital we caught a lot of action.

Unfortunately our trip was over far too soon. We woke up, had breakfast and de-boarded. Customs could not have been any smoother and Century was there within moments of our getting curbside. I could see the other Suburbans trolling the area looking for passengers.

We enjoyed this cruise so much we booked to do it again same week next year. So much to do and not enough time to do it all so we have to go back.

Un packing is done and laundry is underway. Packing for Alaska is tougher than a Caribbean cruise. Layers is the key. We also didn’t realize we’d only need to dress nicely for dinner 5 nights since you’re in Juneau on one and Victoria during another. We didn’t go to the MDR either of those nights.

We ate in Tuscan Grill on Skagway night. Service was great, food was okay. If they could couple the Tuscan service with the Murano food we may have gone every night.

Saw whales and dolphins from the ship several times. Disappointed they don’t make announcements about sightings so you don’t miss any. Saw more eagles this trip than in my entire life and each of them were amazing.

Now on to planning next year’s excursions.

Enjoyed a nice sea day on the way to Victoria. Weather started to turn but still had a nice day. At 10-1 there is spectacular brunch in the MDR. Not sure if they had that on our Caribbean sailing since it is hidden in the daily schedule. It was a great meal with ice carvings everywhere.

 

Thursday is a like a sea day until Victoria. The final show is at 4:15 and dinner in the MDR and Oceanview start at 5 so you can eat before getting off. I was surprised they don’t offer specials for the specialty restaurants since so many people get off. Murano does offer a lunch that day.

 

Originally in Victoria we were going to do a City Tour however, on the 2nd sea day we decided to change it to a Whale Watching trip. No time to book something privately so we went with the ship. They use Orca Spirit Adventures. It was a great trip and crew. We saw several Orca.

 

Between my daughter and I we must have over 2500 pictures. Thanks to digital we caught a lot of action.

 

Unfortunately our trip was over far too soon. We woke up, had breakfast and de-boarded. Customs could not have been any smoother and Century was there within moments of our getting curbside. I could see the other Suburbans trolling the area looking for passengers.

 

We enjoyed this cruise so much we booked to do it again same week next year. So much to do and not enough time to do it all so we have to go back.

 

Un packing is done and laundry is underway. Packing for Alaska is tougher than a Caribbean cruise. Layers is the key. We also didn’t realize we’d only need to dress nicely for dinner 5 nights since you’re in Juneau on one and Victoria during another. We didn’t go to the MDR either of those nights.

 

We ate in Tuscan Grill on Skagway night. Service was great, food was okay. If they could couple the Tuscan service with the Murano food we may have gone every night.

 

Saw whales and dolphins from the ship several times. Disappointed they don’t make announcements about sightings so you don’t miss any. Saw more eagles this trip than in my entire life and each of them were amazing.

 

Now on to planning next year’s excursions.

THANKS for the review!

Thanks so much for the awesome review!!! We leave August 30th for our Solstice cruise....so excited!

Thanks for your review.

Our cruise tendered in Juneau. Tender tickets were supposed to be available at 1:30 which is when tendering is supposed to begin. We got in line at 12:30 and were about 15 people back in the line. At 1:15 they began handing out tender tickets and we got #8. Just enough time to grab our stuff and head to deck 2 for a tender. I think if we had waited we would have been stuck longer on the ship and we wanted to enjoy Juneau as much as possible.

 

Thank you very much for nice review!

Thanks,

Thanks for the review, we leave in 5 days!

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Thanks for your review.

Keith

Thanks for your great review! As we'll be doing Alaska on the Solstice in 2014, it's so nice to read about others experiences.

Thanks for the feedback.

It was an amazing cruise that I'm confident you'll enjoy.

Next morning was Skagway. We booked a tour with Chilkoot Charters. We picked the bus up and train down tour at 8:30. Great tour guide and we had a close up with a bear on the drive up. For us a much better option than getting on the train first. Plenty of room on the train down. We saw them loading the train going up right next to the ship and between the Solstice and other ships right there it was packed.

 

The train ride was beautiful and everybody enjoyed it.

Thank you for the review. We leave in 3 weeks on the Century.

Which excursion did you pick with Chilkoot? There seem to be a few that offer the Bus/Train option.

Thank you for the review. We leave in 3 weeks on the Century.

 

Which excursion did you pick with Chilkoot? There seem to be a few that offer the Bus/Train option.

It was just the bus up and train down.

They offer several other tours that do something after the train but ours was just up and back.

Believe it is called the White Pass Summit Bus and Rail Excursion.

Enjoy your trip.

Thank you so much for all the great information. We are on the Aug 23rd sailing and I am now more excited than ever.

It was just the bus up and train down.

 

They offer several other tours that do something after the train but ours was just up and back.

 

Believe it is called the White Pass Summit Bus and Rail Excursion.

 

Enjoy your trip.

OK, thank you so much! Now, could you tell me the cost pp of the tour? I cannot seem to find any prices on their website.

Please disregard my questions on Skagway. :rolleyes: I just realized that my cruise doesn't even go there! :o

And probably a stupid one, but can't find info on my itinerary. Does the ship actually stop at Tracy Arm Fjord? I'm thinking no, since there are not any ship excursions, but wondered why times are listed? Same question for Alaska Inside Passage? Assuming that is just where we are traveling, but again wondered why times are listed? We are trying to pack in every minute with excursions, as there is so much to do. As opposed to my beach cruises, where I usually just lounge, this one is going to be busy. Thanks!

And probably a stupid one, but can't find info on my itinerary. Does the ship actually stop at Tracy Arm Fjord? I'm thinking no, since there are not any ship excursions, but wondered why times are listed? Same question for Alaska Inside Passage? Assuming that is just where we are traveling, but again wondered why times are listed? We are trying to pack in every minute with excursions, as there is so much to do. As opposed to my beach cruises, where I usually just lounge, this one is going to be busy. Thanks!

It's a very reasonable question that i didn't understand either.

A Fjord is essentially a cut through the mountain caused by a glacier. Tracy Arm is a long arm shaped Fjord that the ship travels through almost all the way to the Sawyer Glacier. You travel through the Fjord from about 5:30 until 10 with a turnaround about half way through.

My daughter and I experienced it on Deck 14 at the front of the ship. Cold but spectacular. You can't hear the naturalist from there but we have some spectacular pictures. My wife and her sister watched it from the Sky Lounge on Deck 12 (which is below 14) through the glass. Warm and comfy and they could hear the narration by the naturalist. My brother in law watched from his balcony and could hear the narration on the TV.

It's a must do experience in my opinion.

In my opinion the starboard side view was better but you do go in and out so both sides eventually see both sides.

I can't say enough about the naturalist on board Brent Nixon. Fascinating. Even my teen enjoyed his shows.

They offer a small boat excursion from the ship into Tracy Arm for $199 PP. It doesn't show up in the excursions on line but is listed on the PDF of excursions. It's on a large catamaran and it goes closer to the glacier and drops you off at the end either in Juneau or on the ship.

I would have liked to do that but never saw it offered on line. We probably had to book it on board.

My description of the Fjord is my own and not the scientific version. Just sharing.

Rick

Thanks for the great trip report; we leave on this cruise (our first ever) on Sept 6. Thanks also for the heads-up on the care needed to avoid the scammer cars at the airport and port!

Sounds like a great trip. I imagine that the Solstice class ships are a good fit for Alaska. I still want to try one. Thinking of doing the westbound transatlantic on Eclipse next year.

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And probably a stupid one, but can't find info on my itinerary. Does the ship actually stop at Tracy Arm Fjord? I'm thinking no, since there are not any ship excursions, but wondered why times are listed? Same question for Alaska Inside Passage? Assuming that is just where we are traveling, but again wondered why times are listed? We are trying to pack in every minute with excursions, as there is so much to do. As opposed to my beach cruises, where I usually just lounge, this one is going to be busy. Thanks!

there is a shore excursion that take you while the ship is cruising Tracy Arm. Your board the smaller boat and go closer to the glacier and also go to the Sawyer (something like this) glacier. I went when it was raining and cold and was awesome!

Great review...we are cruising next Aug 7 on the Solstice! Thanks for the tips! Good to know take the bus first then the train! Wondering about helicopter to glaciers in Juneau or small boat to glaciers. Also wondering about the Glass musuem near the Space Needle in Seattle. So much fun to plan! :)

We cruised again to Alaska this August.

We did the helicopter glacier tour with dog mushing experience. Probably the best excursion ever. Expensive but worth it.

We also did the Tracy Arm excursion which was great too. Our float plane and Taku Lodge excursion was cancelled due to weather.

In Ketchikan we booked a private salmon fishing trip. Still eating salmon we caught. Great trip.

You'll have a great cruise. Enjoy.