May 18-25, 2014 Celebrity Century Vancouver-Alaska-Vancouver 7 day cruise review

The ship

The Century is a bit of a grande dame at the end of her refurbishment cycle and as such has a few age spots. It is a moot point now that the Century is leaving the Celebrity fleet in 2015. Indeed the décor and the interior spaces are not comparable to the Las Vegas opulence of the mega ships. Many Century cruisers have negatively commented on the state of the Century giving the impression the ship is in a state of shabby disrepair. This is not true. Yes there are rust spots here and there; some faded signs, patches on the pool deck and upper deck walking areas and a few anomalies in staterooms such as chipped laminate or blemishes in bathroom tiles however the ship is very clean and the maintenance staff are very visible in their daily chores cleaning interior and exterior spaces.

Century is not a small ship but it is dwarfed by the Solstice class. Century takes 1850 +/- passengers aboard but in our 7 days we never felt crowded with the exception of glacier viewing and that’s true aboard any ship.

Century is an ideal ship for port intensive itineraries. It lacks the abundance of onboard distractions of the larger ships which can leave a lot of spare time during seas days. During our 2 sea days we kept ourselves busy by “whale walking” which was walking the perimeter of the ship to burn off calories while spotting whale spouts and porpoises. We engaged our fellow passengers who were extremely approachable and we had many fun conversations.

Stateroom

We had aft balcony stateroom 8233 by pure luck. We had booked an inside but saw a deal we couldn’t pass up to upgrade to a veranda guarantee. It is a family veranda stateroom and the oddity is the double bed is against the wall on one side. It cannot be separated. One person has to climb over the other to get out of bed which can result in some interesting and rudely awakening hand placement in the middle of the night. The other half of the stateroom features a fold out couch and upper berth folded against the wall. A sliding panel can separate the two areas. At 194 square feet it is larger than the 175 square foot standard port or starboard veranda staterooms with the same sized veranda at 49-ish square feet. The concierge suites have deeper verandas, not wider.

Why did we like aft versus port or starboard?

The aft cabins give 180 degrees views from port to starboard and they are protected from the wind. The sound of the propwash is calming white noise like ocean waves. It was odd that of the 40 or so aft veranda cabins we only saw 2 or 3 others in use and we sat on ours a lot. Go grab a blanket from the pool deck. Drape over your lap during cooler days and we had a day where we wore shorts on our veranda which was incredible for May.

Vibration and noise. There was some concern that the aft staterooms would be susceptible to vibrational noise. This was not true except on our very last night where we suspect something “broke”. At 1:52 AM the ship began to shudder and did so until we tied up at 6:45 AM. The MDR staff were surprised as well. They had to straighten up all the cutlery that had vibrated around the tables.

Deck 8 aft staterooms are directly above the Crystal Room lounge and if you are the type that goes to the early (6PM) dinner seating and toddles off to bed by 9:30PM then directly above a lounge may not be the ideal choice. One deck separation in that location would be better. We like the 8:30 PM seating so we are not rushed and by the time we got back to our cabin around 11:30 PM there was 4 or 5 muffled songs then at 12 midnight it all shut off. It did not bother us a bit.

To veranda or not veranda in Alaska

This question is asked repeatedly in every forum. My simplest answer is yes if it is acceptable within your budget. The views at any time of day can be worth it especially if the weather is good. We originally had an inside cabin but saw a stupid good deal and rolled the dice on a balcony guarantee. We felt we won for what we paid in comparison to what we got. If you do have an inside cabin then get up on deck or to an upper lounge. Those places have the same view as Aqua, Concierge or veranda for less money. The point of cruising is to cruise and see things.

What we noticed aboard the Century

All the seats, beds, sofas are low. You felt like you were at the kids table in the MDR. It could be a bit of an effort for those with mobility concerns or whom are more senior to get in and out of chairs and/or bed. We are in our mid-40s and there were a few grunts getting out of a chair. Perhaps those grunts were enhance by the sheer amount of food we shovelled in.

Main Dining Room

MDR - We’ve only cruised Royal Caribbean to compare. Both lines offered excellent service in the MDR but the food was one “tick” above on Celebrity; just enough to notice a difference. Many cruisers commented that the services seemed a bit smaller. As an example rack of lamb was a choice one night and it came with 3 ribs and 4 would have been perfect. I noticed the steaks were not as good and a bit sinewy or fatty. This was not enough to complain about but something we all “just noticed”. That being said if you wanted two entrees you could have them and it we shared all the time if we wanted to try another entrée besides our favorites.

Murano

Murano specialty restaurant. Definitely not worth it in my humble opinion. We’ve done fine dining land-based and aboard other ships and while I cannot fault the food or level of service of Murano I found the whole experience a bit pretentious and, to be forward, a cash grab. The wine menu is more expensive than MDR and you cannot get the same choices. Many are attracted to Murano for the Five Senses menu but, like us, are taken aback when the $89 USD wine pairing fee is additional and mandatory to the $45 USD table fee.

We enjoy a fine dining experience. It is one of our guilty treats beyond the cruise itself. We did not enjoy Murano. It is not a complaint of budget but the overall experience left us feeling as if the side show barker had taken our money, lead us into the tent to see the bearded lady. It was further compounded by fellow passengers telling us that they were approached and offered a 30% discount and a free glass of champagne to book Murano. The restaurant was not fully booked for our cruise. French cuisine does favor tableside preparation and, at times, it felt as if we were there for the staff to pay attention to their show.

The table next to us, contrary to our experience, was enjoying a second night at Murano. Some may enjoy Murano while others may not. I cannot recommend it based on our overall experience.

Crew

The officers and crew are very visible and approachable EVERY day. I saw the captain many times night and day walking about the public spaces mixing and mingling with guests.

Crew were genuinely nice and always had a smile. Cleaning was constant.

The ports

The real Alaska? No. You’ll see the tourist Alaska but you won’t regret it. The views are worth it and if you have never experienced West Coast rainforest cruising or even a walk in the woods then you’ll be thrilled.

Icy Strait Point – a tiny stop which will be enjoyable to those who have never experienced a West Coast rainforest environment. If you’ve lived in the big city, or places such as Texas, Arizona or the Midwest all of your life then this will definitely be a change. At the very least go walking about and experience the shoreline and the nature trail. It will be a pleasant distraction for a couple of hours. The zip line is pricey. Some do. Some don’t. The choice is yours along with your wallet. And always with any E-ticket ride there’s the gift shop at the end.

Hubbard Glacier – worth the price of the cruise especially if the weather is good. Good means not raining or foggy. Any improvement from there is an absolute bonus. Get out on deck. Listen to the glacier cracking and believe me it does. Enjoy the sight. An insider tip is go to the promenade on deck 7 aft. No one goes there and you can walk from port to starboard as the ship spins and not be in the elbow to elbow top deck area. If you watch it from inside than you are missing 95% of the experience.

You may hear the naturalist exclaim that “this is the closest they’ve gotten to the Glacier this season”. Take it with a grain of salt. We were the first ship in this season and got to the ½ mile legal limit of the glacier and we got the “this is the closest they’ve gotten to the Glacier this season” line. It’s part of the show and by no means diminishes the experience. Sorry to burst anyone’s bubble.

Juneau – like Ketchikan it is a tourist shopping mall. Native Alaskan moccasins made in Canada, overpriced 12-14” high totem poles, 3 for $9.99 T-shirts and the Caribbean jewelry stores. There are some treasures to be had and it all depends on your tastes and expectations. The tram to the top of the hill is $32 USD tax in and debatable for what you paid for. Yes it is a nice view and yes there are a few trails and a gift shop. I would not have felt I have missed anything if I did not go up. Then again I live on the west coast in Vancouver BC so it’s sort of my back yard. For those from other non-mountainous, non-rainforest areas…get out in nature. It really is just a cool thing to be in it even if you have to pay a bit.

Tracey Arm Fjord excursion

We did do the ship excursion to Tracy Arm Fjord with Allen Marine Tours. Yes ship excursions are pricier but we chose this excursion because the boat has a two level top viewing platform area. Plenty of room for the 40 passengers to get happy snaps. The other non-cruise line company has aft and bow viewing areas which looked a bit crowded. We got to both Sawyer and South Sawyer glacier, saw a bear and stared and the seals lazily sunning themselves on the ice flows. Tracy Arm Fjord is magnificent scenery when the weather is good. I don’t have the experience to say if a ship or an excursion can always or does always make it all the way to the glacier. I’ve read a lot in these forums and am still debating if it is a time sensitive decision or ice sensitive decision for ships to stop short.

Was it worth it even at the higher shipboard excursion cost? We had a beautiful sunny day so yes and more yes. It’s different viewing from a smaller vessel 2 foot off the water than 12-16 decks above.

Ketchikan – 1600 feet this way or 1600 feet that way. You’ve seen Ketchikan. It’s a shopping mall with the same stores as Juneau. It is okay to walk about and poke your head in the stores. Go see the logger show if you’ve never seen anything like that in your life.

Cruising the west coast

It is uniquely different than anywhere else. While it is home for us other passengers from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Midwest and so on were stunned by the scenery. It wasn’t lost on us either. It can be a great way to travel but cruising may not be for you if you want to have control over where you are going each day and how long you stay.

Bears, whales, porpoises and dolphins

Everyone wants to see them. Everyone who pays expects to see them. There are a few who never do.

Whale Watching excursions – while mostly successful the amount of success varies. No excursion wants to honor a money back guarantee. The whale you spot may only be the spout or glimpse of a tail. Some fellow passengers had great success on an excursion spotting upwards of 15-20 in the group with a half dozen “great tail shots”. We kept our eyes open aboard ship and spotted whales upwards of 20 different times during our cruise which varied a distant spout or tail from a 1-2 miles off to a whale 100 feet off the aft of the ship while we were anchored at Icy Point Strait. Mostly they were off in the distance but were our “freebee excursion” aboard ship. We saw many groups of dolphins and porpoises. You learn to spot the difference. One very lucky evening a group of 50+ frolicked in our wake as we passed. Yes 2 or 3 dolphins leapt out of the water in forward summersaults. We were extremely fortunate. We saw one small bear ½ mile off on the shore from the Tracey Arm Fjord excursion boat before it hustled back into the treeline.

The trick is to keep your eyes open. Get out on the deck and watch. Eventually you will start to spot spouts or fins off in the distance from time to time. When you see your first one the rest will follow. It won’t be up close and personal but you will see them. Wildlife doesn’t wait around for you just because you paid and there are no Disney animatronics waiting for you to pass.

What to wear

Another question that is asked repeatedly. I’m not an expert but I can say with all confidence bring clothing for rain, sun and one day of cold at the glacier. Layers are the key. One heavy jacket is a mistake. We had gloves and a toque (Canadianism for Sock Hat for you southern US folks) for the glacier days. It can be very cold on deck. It rained 3 inches in Ketchikan the day prior but we enjoyed warm sun while in port; shirt sleeves and jeans. Bring suntan lotion to protect your face against wind burn and/or sunny ship/excursion days. I wandered about the ship comfortably in jeans and short sleeves during the day and business casual at a minimum during the evening. For me cruising is about dressing up a bit in the evening but that’s my choice.

Alaska weather is a lottery. If you wake up and it’s sunny and warm then you are enjoying a bonus. If you are prepared for rain then you are wise. If you dress in layers then you can always be comfortable. It could be swimming weather, foggy, rainy, sunny, warm, cool, cold or anywhere in between. We went in May and the week before it was rain. It predicted rain during our week but we had 80% sun. You rolls the dice and you takes your chances.

Embarkation – debarkation

Our experience was smooth and trouble free in Vancouver, BC. We were on the ship in 20 minutes and off of it in less time including customs. It all depends on how many ships are in at Canada Place and Ballantyne Pier that day. The day before 14,500 cruisers came in and out making for a frustrating day for both passengers and staff. Our embarkation-debarkation days saw less than half that amount. We arrived mid-morning, customs line was 10-15 minutes, another 5 at the check-in desk and then we walked right on board. Debarkation was even easier. We waited for our number, walked off the ship, handed our declaration form to customs, walked past the welcome to Vancouver sign and there was our luggage in the terminal. We are local so we took the skytrain home however the taxi cab line appeared to be 30-60 minutes long. Canada Place isn’t confusing. Follow the signs. We too hadn’t taken a cruise from this port so it was all new, and relatively painless, for us. YMMV depending on the day, how many ships are in, when you arrive and your attitude.

Overall conclusion

Alaska cruising can have an age group stereotype. The majority of passengers on our May 18-25th cruise appeared between 45 and 65. It would most likely skew younger during July and August or on Mouse ships.

We are 43 and 48 and felt we fit right in. Fellow passengers can really make a difference in a cruise. Be friendly. Be talkative. Engage each other. You’ll learn new things about other parts of the world and make new friends. Smile and say hello. It really makes a difference. You don’t normally do this at home so make the most and more of the experience by doing it at sea.

Saying “excuse me” or pardon me in a line goes a long way. You know who you buffet grabbers and reachers are.

If I had a criticism it would be the constant upselling by cruise lines. It's not the debate I wish to spark but I would gladly play an acceptable percentage more to have less of the "for a fee" experiences aboard. It seems more prevalent now for add-on charges at every turn. I'm sure it's offloading from the fare to remain competitive and it's definitely not limited to Celebrity. It used to be only 1 restaurant and now it is becoming half aboard the larger ships. Yes it gives a cheaper option to those who don't want those services but it makes me feel as if a cruise line has their hand out at every corner. Oh well....not a debate I wish to spark at this time.

Would I do it again? Yes.

It may be another 5 years but we certainly found the out and back to the same port darn convenient for us. I may hesitate about a north or southbound with the fly our or fly back element but I’m local to Vancouver. In reality how different is that really from cruising elsewhere in the world?

Count every good weather day as a bonus not a demand. Enjoy your fellow passengers and spend as much time outside in Alaska. The views are free.

thank you for making it all the way to end of this lengthy post.

Thank-you! I will be on the same cruise in July and I really appreciate the time you took to write this. The tips were great.

I have some additional questions if you don't mind?

Did you watch any of the entertainment on board? Do you care to comment on those?

What days were your formal nights in the MDR?

What time did you board the ship in Vancouver?

What time did you leave the ship in Vancouver? Did you have time for breakfast on board?

How much luggage did you take (we will be skytraining it as well...)?

BC Rose

The formal nights were the 2nd and 5th night. In days of the week and presuming you are a Sunday to Sunday cruise then the formal nights were, for us, the Monday and Thursday nights.

We arrived at Canada Place around 10:30 am. The ship doesn't open until 10:45 - 11:15 depending on how smoothly the previous debarkation goes. We had lunch on board on embarkation day and the ship pulled away from the pier at 4:30pm. The less crowded place to be for the pass under Lions Gate Bridge is up on the top most deck directly in front of the basketball court. It isn't as crowded and you get the full perspective of the ship passing under the bridge in photos.

You can check the cruise ship schedule for your day here

http://www.portmetrovancouver.com/about/cruiseandtourism/cruiselineschedules.aspx

If there is only one other ship in on your embarkation day it will be a breeze. If you have a couple of larger ships (2500+ passengers each) plus Century then bring your patience. You could dip into it a bit.

On debarkation day we scheduled a 8:45-9am debarkation. Every passenger is supposed to be out of their staterooms by 8AM and we had plenty of time to go up to the very crowded buffet for breakfast. Breakfast on debarkation day was from 6:30 am to 8:30 AM. One last time to pack on the calories.

Luggage? Too much as per usual for us. 1 large suitcase and 1 roll aboard each.

Some packing tips

two pairs of walking shoes in case it rains and one pair gets soaked. Nothing fancy. However many dress shoes you can't possibly live without. For men...1 pair. For my DW it was 3 pairs. I formal suit for men plus second dress slacks and shirt combinations. The only time I wore a tie was on formal nights and in July you can get away without having a sports jacket. Nothing you are going on is hiking boot worthy though, if it had of rained heavily, then water resistant hiking boots would have been ideal. Better than a soaked pair of shoes that won't dry onboard.

It's a seven day cruise so you can pack for not having to do laundry on ship. For me that's seven days + 1 of undies/socks. The amount of dress and casual shirts is up to you.

Two pairs of jeans/walkabout pants. You have a clean pair for aboard ship in case one gets dirty from rain/mud puddle splashes.

Shorts and bathing suit. It's July. You could get some decent weather days.

Bug spray - just in case.

Yes we packed heavy. Skytrain to Canada Place was relatively easy and painless. You just had to be coordinated with your luggage. It would be impossible if your roll-aboard could not strap to your main luggage. The roll-aboards had a clothing change, and 1 smart casual attire and personal necessities as well as valuables such as DW's jewellery. I have seen it once where passengers made it onto the ship but luggage didn't. Surprising I know but I did not want either of us to be caught without at least the bare minimum.

Entertainment

The entertainment was geared for timing of the 6PM MDR seating rather than the 8:30 PM seating. I'll explain. Alaska cruisers seem to go to bed earlier. Maybe it's the sea air. Maybe it's their maturity. Just sayin'

We like the 8:30 PM seating because we aren't rushed. Plenty of time for an excursion or a pre-dinner libation. To get to a 7PM show didn't suit our timing preference. The second show started at 8:30 so the 6PM seating got that. There was only one 10:30 PM show and that was for the comedian.

I have found the singer/dancer acts are not to my preference. I credit their talent and many cruisers really enjoy the shows but I have found most to be "really good high school musical" level of production. (not high school musical the TV show but a high school musical) If that semi-pro sing song appeals then you may enjoy them. The comedian that was on board for our cruise was enjoyable and had a clean humor act. He was funny.

The forums are alight with onboard activity discussions where people get in a rage about if trivia is being taken away, how loud the music is, no piano player, DJ only...etc. etc. etc. Have fun on those threads.

The around the ship entertainment was good. Have a $5 cup of tea or coffee and sit in the Cova Café and listen to the piano player if that's your thing. The rendezvous lounge always had singer and a 4-6 piece band (piano, horns, guitar, drums and singer) which was kind of loud for that small space. Enjoyable music for all but you listened...you couldn't socialize with people next to you. The Crystal Lounge (Deck 7) and the Hemisphere Lounge (Deck 12) also had trivia and nightly music but it depends on the cruise. Crystal Lounge shuts down at 12 midnight and the hemisphere was never busy at night. We often went up for a look and there were 3 staff for only a couple of late night cocktail drinkers.

The shows can be much bigger and fancier aboard the mega ships but for the most part they cater to a broad range and what one may enjoy another may not find as good. Tastes and expectations vary.

To drink package or not to drink package

Before anyone asks we did not do a drink package. You do have to drink a LOT of everything to make it pay for itself. We are social drinkers with a bottle of wine per dinner and 2-3 cocktails per day for most days except, of course, debarkation. We would have to shower in liquor to make it pay on the standard drink package and bathe in booze for premium. You have to drink a lot of bottled water, specialty coffees, and wine/beer to break even. I'd probably go from caffeinated and jittery sober to cocktail sauced each day for 7 days to make it a financial benefit. Whereas some of our Auzzie and UK fellow passengers we met put a good dent in Celebrity's profit line with their drink packages. No offence intended. They were wonderful people.

On Board Shopping

Some flock to it like locusts. If you want a free show then watch the masses dig through the pashmina scarves, watches, Russian nesting dolls and Pandora knock off charms. Yes this cruise and this cruise only...until the next cruise.

Park West Gallery art auctions - I shall reserve comment because my mother said if I can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all. If you love it then art is in the eye of the beholder and wallet. Smart shoppers don't buy art on ships.

Hubbard Glacier –Get out on deck. Listen to the glacier cracking and believe me it does. Enjoy the sight. An insider tip is go to the promenade on deck 7 aft. No one goes there and you can walk from port to starboard as the ship spins and not be in the elbow to elbow top deck area.

We had lunch on board on embarkation day and the ship pulled away from the pier at 4:30pm. The less crowded place to be for the pass under Lions Gate Bridge is up on the top most deck directly in front of the basketball court. It isn't as crowded and you get the full perspective of the ship passing under the bridge in photos.

Wow, most interesting! I was on the same cruise, and I also went to Deck 7 aft to view the glacier, as well as having enjoyed the departure from Vancouver from the vantage point of the top deck in front of the basketball court. We must have rubbed elbows at both times. You obviously know the ship as well as I do.

I enjoyed the cruise as well, as the weather was among the best ever and the sea was amazingly calm for the most part. :)

Donald.

Wow, most interesting! I was on the same cruise, and I also went to Deck 7 aft to view the glacier, as well as having enjoyed the departure from Vancouver from the vantage point of the top deck in front of the basketball court. We must have rubbed elbows at both times. You obviously know the ship as well as I do.

 

I enjoyed the cruise as well, as the weather was among the best ever and the sea was amazingly calm for the most part. :)

 

Donald.

Yes the weather was fluky (no pun intended). DW and I just dropped our jaws in amazement each day the weather was sunny., We felt the horseshoes dropping out of our...well...a lot of them dropped.

There weren't many on deck 7 promenade for Hubbard and only two DSLR photographers with sizeable lenses attached. I was one of them with a big 400mm black lens. No point and shoot for me.

On sail away I had a 10-17mm wide angle which allowed me to capture ship and bridge shore to shore in one frame.

My DW just rolls her eyes at me when I pack all that "camera stuff". Some people have golf. I have photography. One good shot = 1000 bad shots getting there. :)

There weren't many on deck 7 promenade for Hubbard and only two DSLR photographers with sizeable lenses attached. I was one of them with a big 400mm black lens. No point and shoot for me.

I remember seeing the quite enormous black lens. :D Unfortunately my camera did not function on that day at Hubbard Glacier, and I had to purchase a charger in Juneau the next day. However, I had taken lots of pictures during my numerous visits in the past, so this time I just concentrated on enjoying the view of the spectacle. We were fortunate to see plenty of calvings of the ice face. On some cruises there were none at all.

Donald.

Thank you for a very well thought out review! I could relate to everything you were saying. :) Glad you had a good time. Alaska is one of my favorites.

Yes the weather was fluky (no pun intended). DW and I just dropped our jaws in amazement each day the weather was sunny., We felt the horseshoes dropping out of our...well...a lot of them dropped.

 

There weren't many on deck 7 promenade for Hubbard and only two DSLR photographers with sizeable lenses attached. I was one of them with a big 400mm black lens. No point and shoot for me.

 

On sail away I had a 10-17mm wide angle which allowed me to capture ship and bridge shore to shore in one frame.

 

My DW just rolls her eyes at me when I pack all that "camera stuff". Some people have golf. I have photography. One good shot = 1000 bad shots getting there. :)

I do the same thing when my DH pulls out his camera stuff. He will be the one with the fancy Nikon and lens on our trip.... and I will give him the tips about the proper decks for the best views.

Another question: After tracy arm fjord excursion (we booked the same one), did you have time to do anything else in Juneau?

And Thank-you so much for your informative and entertaining review!

MediaMan

From one ''local'' to another: thank you for a well written and comprehensive review.

We've done Alaska times 7...and it's amazing every single time.We've had fabulous days at Hubbard.....and one where we couldn't even get into Yakutat Bay ( ice pack in the middle...and heavy mist...).

You give readers a sense of knowing very much what you're talking about ( I suspect you indeed do )...and do it well.

Glad you enjoyed the Grand oldLady of the fleet.

Cheers

I do the same thing when my DH pulls out his camera stuff. He will be the one with the fancy Nikon and lens on our trip.... and I will give him the tips about the proper decks for the best views.

 

Another question: After tracy arm fjord excursion (we booked the same one), did you have time to do anything else in Juneau?

 

And Thank-you so much for your informative and entertaining review!

The excursion got us back to Juneau around 3:15pm so yes. We rode the tram up and poked around a couple of stores. The ship left at 8pm. See my comments about the tram earlier on in this thread.

Tell DH that he'll need 300mm minimum to get good glacier shots and put the camera into rapid shot mode to catch any calving. I had a 120-400mm for long reaches and an a 16-50 for landscapes, 10-17mm for fisheye wide angle and a 50-135mm for the hell of it. You and my DW can begin rolling eyes about....now.

I saw a couple of photogs working on transferring pics and colour correcting while on board. Bring sufficient memory and do that at home.

....I had taken lots of pictures during my numerous visits in the past, so this time I just concentrated on enjoying the view of the spectacle.

I envy your good fortune to cruise so often. My DW believes she even spoke with you. You can meet the nicest people on a cruise.

The excursion got us back to Juneau around 3:15pm so yes. We rode the tram up and poked around a couple of stores. The ship left at 8pm. See my comments about the tram earlier on in this thread.

 

Tell DH that he'll need 300mm minimum to get good glacier shots and put the camera into rapid shot mode to catch any calving. I had a 120-400mm for long reaches and an a 16-50 for landscapes, 10-17mm for fisheye wide angle and a 50-135mm for the hell of it. You and my DW can begin rolling eyes about....now.

 

I saw a couple of photogs working on transferring pics and colour correcting while on board. Bring sufficient memory and do that at home.

:o I haven't a clue what you just said but I copied and pasted the info for my DH to look over at his leisure. He has at least a half dozen lenses so I am sure he has some of the ones you mentioned....:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Thank you Mediaman. The most concise and useful review I have read on CC to date. I appreciate all your comments as we leave in 9 days for our Alaska cruise. Are you a writer or reporter?

Thank you for the review.

Thanks for a very informative and enjoyable read. I like your writing style and classify you as a true "realist" with regard to many of your comments and observations.

Just one question for you if I may.....

The round trip cruises to/from Seattle (and also San Francisco) don't truly sail through what I consider the Inside Passage (the waters along the eastern side of Vancouver Island when sailing north out of Vancouver). But in your case, did you get to experience the scenery in this area either the day after departing Vancouver or the day before returning (or both?)

Thank you so much for your review and your insights! We are on this sailing in a few weeks and cant wait!

Thank you for taking the time to post such a great review. Love both your writing style and perspective on things. I was on the Century end of March and sadly I have to agree with your assessment of Murano's. It is horribly overpriced now for what it delivers.

I will be boarding the Century myself in a few days for Alaska so your review, plus the great weather we're having here right now, has whet my appetite that much more. :D

Just one question for you if I may.....

 

The round trip cruises to/from Seattle (and also San Francisco) don't truly sail through what I consider the Inside Passage (the waters along the eastern side of Vancouver Island when sailing north out of Vancouver). But in your case, did you get to experience the scenery in this area either the day after departing Vancouver or the day before returning (or both?)

Of course you may ask one if not more questions. I'm glad to help.

Cruises that embark/debark out of Seattle go to the west side of Vancouver Island and are exposed to the open Pacific. Not much scenery comparatively during that stretch. Doesn't matter as northbound is at night.

The northbound cruises coming from Vancouver leave late afternoon between 4-5pm so they pass through that narrow stretch from Campbell River to Port Hardy on the east side of Vancouver Island at night....between 9-11 pm so you only see the lights from the towns to indicate where you are.

I cannot comment when southbound cruises originating in Alaska for Vancouver pass through that stretch. I can only assume that it would be similar to the cruise I took which YES...they did pass through that stretch during late afternoon daylight hours.

We tailgated the Oosterdam through that area. It is quite pretty and narrow. Not Panama locks narrow but, perhaps, 1/2 a mile wide. Very pretty even in overcast conditions.

It was funny to think that by dinner on our last night we were passing Nanaimo which is a 2 hour ferry ride to Vancouver. Cruise ships putter the distance in 7-9 hours and sometimes do a slow circle to burn up time.

It has been reported by some cruisers that the outer part of Vancouver Island can be at risk for choppier seas. I'm not saying it will be but at risk. I don't think it would continue if it were common. Not to worry about it. The inside route on the east side of Vancouver Island is, obviously, a little more sheltered but I've been tossed about pretty good off Port Hardy in a small boat in October. All I saw was sky, water, sky, water, sky, water in the swells. But that was a 30 footer in an October small storm and not a 1000 foot cruise ship during the placid June-September months.

You won't miss "everything" by taking the outside route from Seattle if it is more convenient for you or has the ship your prefer. Think of it like going to Disneyland and not getting to ride on the teacups. It's only one "ride" amongst the hundreds Alaska offers.

Thank you Mediaman. The most concise and useful review I have read on CC to date. I appreciate all your comments as we leave in 9 days for our Alaska cruise. Are you a writer or reporter?

I'm flattered. Thank you. There are many posters here who have imparted useful and valuable information. My background is marketing, television writer/producer/director for commercials/corporate/web video and web design. I tell everyone that I don't lie for a living...I creatively omit details.

Enjoy your cruise. My laundry is done so I'd love to hop back on the ship again.

My DW said it best when observing some "less content" guests. We all are on the same ship but each of us is having a different cruise. I hope you are one who looks at the ocean as half full, enjoys your fellow passengers and stops to smell...well...out in Alaska there isn't the smell of the city. No traffic, exhaust, stupid drivers, congestion (Except at the buffet), missed buses and 9-5.

Take good rain gear. Get outside even if it is drizzling. What's the worst thing that could happen to you? You can't melt. DW and I weren't stopped by a drizzle. We changed our minds about walking through a heavier downpour in Icy Strait Point though.

Follow the TV director's code

1) NEVER talk about the weather until the end of the day. If you say "it looks like it is going to be a nice day"...it will pour. Always say it and the end of the day "That was certainly a nice sunny day". Refer to rule 3 if you doubt me.

2) Better to have what you need and not use it than need what you don't have. (EG rain gear)

3) Karma - don't tease her. She's good friends with Murphy and his law.

Thanks for your reply regarding routing East side vs. West side of Vancouver Island.

We've not sailed along the East side of Vancouver Island since 2005 and I'm ready to do it again. So it's nice to know you spent daylight hours in this area the day prior to disembarking. For the time being, I've done enough cruising along the West coast of the island on Princess sailings out of San Francisco.

MediaMan,

Thank you so much for this comprehensive review. I was scrambling to find an alternative cruise before I read your review. Now I realize that the negative reviews on CC are exaggerated. Your observations and details provide enough information for me to come to the conclusion that our Alaskan cruise on the Century will be just fine. Please consider posting your review in the CC review section.

Thanks!

MediaMan,

Thank you so much for this comprehensive review. I was scrambling to find an alternative cruise before I read your review. Now I realize that the negative reviews on CC are exaggerated. Your observations and details provide enough information for me to come to the conclusion that our Alaskan cruise on the Century will be just fine.

I think your Alaskan cruise on the Century will be just fine too. Go with an open mind, expect rain, be thankful for sun, enjoy your fellow passengers and set your expectations to that of an older ship by today's standards. There isn't an 800 ft. interior mall, quacker water slide, flying bars, circus acts or 75 different restaurants. The Century has her quirks but so does every ship. We were on the Grandeur of the Seas a month after refurb and some of our stateroom drawers were broken already and the shower leaked.

Everybody can be in such a rush to go, see and do as much as possible within the day to add perceived value to their vacation. Sometimes on your Alaska cruise it can be nice just to sit, read, talk, have a favorite drink, cup of coffee or tea and just watch the world slide by. DW and I would sit and watch the world outside for an hour prior to dinner cocktails. I also turned off my cell phone before we boarded the ship and it went into the safe. I turned it on when I got back home.

Enjoy your cruise. Go walk in the woods. Stop and really look at something for 5 minutes. See the world like a photographer. look for the "artistic" photo. Suddenly new worlds will open up right in front of your eyes. Look for whale spouts. Smirk at genuine Alaskan moccasins made in Canada.

And don't take things too seriously. My DW reminds me of that every day.

I sail in less than a week with my daughter. We are so excited. We are Maritime gals looking forward to our first west coast adventure!

Loved your thorough, thoughtful evaluation. I appreciate your honestly. Thank you for, even though you had a somewhat negative experience in Murano, not trashing the rest of the ship. I have heard so many mixed reviews and read some pretty mean comments! We are definitely the glass is half full kinda people! I'm sure everything will be above and beyond our expectations!

Thank you for your wonderful review. My husband and I are going on the Century in July with our daughter and son in law. They have never cruised before, and we are hoping that once they get to enjoy the Century and all Alaska has to offer, they will be hooked. Your review was so informative and answered many questions that I had. Thank you again!

I am counting down the days!!!!

Loved your review I read it because it was written by you and I am now a fan! I'm glad that you're getting so many positive responses on what you have written.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums