Celebrity Century Alaska

[Advise]

Hello Fellow Cruisers

 

I am wondering if anyone who has been on the Alaska cruise on the Celebrity Century can give me a bit of advise.

 

I have booked the cruise for late August this year and have booked a balcony cabin.

However, although I requested a balcony on the right of the ship, I have been given a balcony on the left.

 

My idea was that if I had a balcony on the right, it would give me good views and photo opportunities on approach to the Hubbard Glacier from my balcony as, from what I have read in a review, the top deck on the ship does get very crowded on that day. My wife is quite happy with a cabin on the left and says that we can always take pictures after the ship has made its u-turn to head back to Vancouver.

 

Also, as we have booked the cruise as part of a holiday to the Canadian Rockies, we have only been given 23kg luggage allowance. This means limited clothes and I was wondering how formal the formal night dressing is on the cruise. I want to try and avoid taking too much formal wear and hopefully leave a bit of room for shopping and souvenirs.

 

Any advise and tips would be very much appreciated please, as this is supposed to be a holiday of a lifetime and I want to try and prepare as best as possible for it.

 

Thank you.

Jim

[Scrapnana]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

If you don't get all of your questions answered, you might want to post them on the Celebrity forum. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=28

 

You might also want to join the roll call for your cruise. Here you can "meet" some of the other people on your sailing. If you are on the August 25th sailing your roll call is here.

 

Hope you have a great cruise!

[Keith1010]

As mentioned I would post this on the Celebrity Board.

 

You can also get a tremendous amount of advice on the Alaska Board.

 

As someone who has sailed Alaska many times on various cruise lines including Celebrity unless you have any physical issues the best place to view the Glacier and to get the best of photos is to spend as much time as you can on the open deck rather than the verandah. That was you can walk from side to side to get the best views and photos.

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

We have found that the port side (left) of the ship faces the glaciers the longest -- about 98% of the time.

Check out the Alaskan ports here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

[subtchr]

 

My idea was that if I had a balcony on the right, it would give me good views and photo opportunities on approach to the Hubbard Glacier from my balcony as, from what I have read in a review, the top deck on the ship does get very crowded on that day. My wife is quite happy with a cabin on the left and says that we can always take pictures after the ship has made its u-turn to head back to Vancouver.

 

 

I am curious why you think the right (starboard) side will have better views on approach to Hubbard than the left (port)?

 

The best view approaching Hubbard would be looking forward, but after arrival most ships seem to try to do a few slow 360s to allow all areas of the ship to get good views, as long as conditions and timing allow.

 

I was aboard Radiance of the Seas last month, and although we could only get as close as 5 miles to Hubbard because of a heavy ice field, I watched the approach from the bow on the helipad, then went to our aft balcony to take photos and relax for the couple of slow revolutions we did. It was a lovely day. But my point is that starboard has no better views than port, in any case.

[Advise]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

If you don't get all of your questions answered, you might want to post them on the Celebrity forum. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=28

 

You might also want to join the roll call for your cruise. Here you can "meet" some of the other people on your sailing. If you are on the August 25th sailing your roll call is here.

 

Hope you have a great cruise!

Thank you Scrapnana - I've posted in the group as well.

Jim

[Advise]

As mentioned I would post this on the Celebrity Board.

 

You can also get a tremendous amount of advice on the Alaska Board.

 

As someone who has sailed Alaska many times on various cruise lines including Celebrity unless you have any physical issues the best place to view the Glacier and to get the best of photos is to spend as much time as you can on the open deck rather than the verandah. That was you can walk from side to side to get the best views and photos.

 

Keith

Thank you Keith - you've given me confidence to venture out on the deck on the day.

Jim

[Advise]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

We have found that the port side (left) of the ship faces the glaciers the longest -- about 98% of the time.

Check out the Alaskan ports here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Hi Krazy Kruizers - thanks for your reply and tips/link - it was very helpful, as I am quite new to this site.

Jim

[Advise]

I am curious why you think the right (starboard) side will have better views on approach to Hubbard than the left (port)?

 

The best view approaching Hubbard would be looking forward, but after arrival most ships seem to try to do a few slow 360s to allow all areas of the ship to get good views, as long as conditions and timing allow.

 

I was aboard Radiance of the Seas last month, and although we could only get as close as 5 miles to Hubbard because of a heavy ice field, I watched the approach from the bow on the helipad, then went to our aft balcony to take photos and relax for the couple of slow revolutions we did. It was a lovely day. But my point is that starboard has no better views than port, in any case.

Hi Sue

Thank you for your replay and explanations. I have just been admiring your pictures - wonderful views - I am now looking forward to the cruise even more.

 

Even though 5 miles away, I am guessing that due to the vastness of Hubbard it must have seemed that you wee closer than 5 miles.

 

Loved your Juneau pictures too - I wasn't sure about the whale spotting excursion - but after seeing your pictures - I will probably book it.

 

Thanks again.

Jim