Just off the Solstice - 6/20-6/27

[BuckeyeMark]

Just got off the Solstice this morning in Seattle. Wonderful boat and a wonderful cruise. The boards here have been so helpful to me I'd be glad to try and return the favor by answering any questions I can about the boat and cruise. A few notes:

 

* I don't drink so I can't answer any questions about bars, drinks, drink packages, etc.

 

* We did Ketchikan, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Skagway and Victoria. Great ports.

 

* The boat is amazing and wonderful. We enjoyed it a bunch. Doesn't mean it's perfect (hey - not much is!) but we think this cruise and this boat is about the tops. No negativity here.

 

* Had an interior room on deck 7. Can't help much with balcony questions.

 

So fire away and I'll do the best I can to help out. Thanks everybody.

[Keith1010]

Glad you enjoyed the ship and the voyage. Welcome home.

 

Keith

[CoopColbie]

Hi ... Glad you had a good time ... We loved Alaska when we did it. I have a question about the specialty restaurants. Did you notice whether any specials were offered during the cruise for these places?

 

 

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[stitch4me]

I'm on this cruise in 27 days! How was the weather and the seas? Should I prepare for rough waters?

[KirkNC]

Welcome home, glad you enjoyed your cruise.

[aussiecruzer]

Was it easy to get tender tickets to disembark at Juneau? I understand those on Celebrity tours get preference. What time can other passengers disembark ?

[drarill]

Welcome back!! glad you enjoyed your cruise.:)

[BuckeyeMark]

Hi ... Glad you had a good time ... We loved Alaska when we did it. I have a question about the specialty restaurants. Did you notice whether any specials were offered during the cruise for these places?

 

 

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Yes, they offered specials the entire week. Seems like I saw two for $60 a couple of times.

 

We did eat in Murano's (lunch) and enjoyed it.

[BuckeyeMark]

I'm on this cruise in 27 days! How was the weather and the seas? Should I prepare for rough waters?

 

the first sea day was mildly rough, meaning you could fill the boat pretty good and that some of our group needed the sea bands and the patches. I didn't think it was all that bad and heard plenty of stories of other cruises with rough seas where drawers were flying open and you couldn't stand, etc. it didn't seem too bad to me and there were few complaints.

 

the weather was classic AK: rainy. poured in Ketchikan, skies were grey and threatening in Juneau (not much rain though), prettier in Skagway. didn't really see the sun good until we got to Victoria.

[BuckeyeMark]

Was it easy to get tender tickets to disembark at Juneau? I understand those on Celebrity tours get preference. What time can other passengers disembark ?

 

Very easy ... because we docked at Juneau. :D

 

We were at the AJ Dock. I loved it because I sure don't like tendering!

[Groovybusybee]

We depart home on Tuesday for Fridays sailing, we are all getting pretty excited.

 

Do you recall if there was any offers on laundry, such as a bag for x dollars?

 

We are travelling for three weeks and will need a 'pitstop' clothing wise.

 

Thanks Debbie

[BuckeyeMark]

We depart home on Tuesday for Fridays sailing, we are all getting pretty excited.

 

Do you recall if there was any offers on laundry, such as a bag for x dollars?

 

We are travelling for three weeks and will need a 'pitstop' clothing wise.

 

Thanks Debbie

 

Sorry - I don't recall seeing anything like that. That said the daily activities paper always had a couple of flyers folded into it that didn't get a lot of my attention (translation: right into the trash can) so there may have been such a deal and I just didn't notice it.

[Mrspeachykeen]

Glad to hear you had a great cruise. We leave on the same ship next Friday.

 

 

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[Mrspeachykeen]

Did you go out on deck when the ship was cursing the Tracy fjords? Just curious how cold it was? Trying to figure out what to pack for that morning. Also thought about using the track and running then since the views should be great, but wonder if it will be to crowded to use the track.

 

 

 

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[BuckeyeMark]

Did you go out on deck when the ship was cursing the Tracy fjords? Just curious how cold it was? Trying to figure out what to pack for that morning. Also thought about using the track and running then since the views should be great, but wonder if it will be to crowded to use the track.

 

 

 

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I did go on deck some before we moved over onto the catamaran that took us further up the Tracy Arm. A couple of thoughts:

 

* It was pretty cold that morning. The fjord is narrow and full of floating ice. It's cool.

 

* The deck wasn't too crowded but the deck was wet most of the cruise. I am a runner and I don't think there were many days I would have been comfortable running on that slippery deck. The running track is clearly marked on the deck but it's not some radically different material, like rubber, that makes it okay to run on even when wet. I think it is some kind of paint or marking.

 

It rained a LOT and the deck was wet virtually all the time. And - you won't believe this - but the deck isn't flat. Deck 14 has a hill on each end where it slants down to the stairs. Kinda different. All in all, I spent time on a treadmill, not running on deck.

 

* If you want UP CLOSE views of the glacier you need to book the Tracy Arm cat excursion because the ship cannot get up close to the glacier. Apparently that happens in Glacier Bay but not in TA. We saw the glacier but at a distance. It was very nice to get on a smaller boat and go see the glacier.

[atanac]

I was on the same cruise and thought I would add a few things I noticed. Call it nitpicking.

 

-This was the first cruise I've been on where trying to get served a drink was difficult. Over and over we had to flagged down a bar steward or just order at the bar and bring it back to our table. -

 

-Our room steward did not greet us upon arrival or go through the emergency drill procedure. We had to call guest services to learn Celebrity didn't require you to bring the life jackets. -

 

-We also didn't learn for several days that the flat screen TV pulled out from the wall and could be pivoted. We only noticed it when another cabin was being cleaned and the door was open. -

 

-The martini bar was a really cool space with a frosty bar top to keep drinks cold while resting. Unfortunately, the olives they used were tiny so not fitting for a $12 martini. My friend ordered

his martini on the rocks and it came with a lime wedge and a straw! -

 

-The captain's accent is so strong you won't understand 90% of whatever his announcements are.

 

As I said nitpicking but correctable. Otherwise great ship and cruise.

[flag fan]

-The martini bar was a really cool space with a frosty bar top to keep drinks cold while resting.

 

This is the first I've read that the Martini Bar has been fixed; I read a while ago that it had been broken for a while. Glad the frosty top is back for my cruise (in September).

[Luvtravelin315]

Very easy ... because we docked at Juneau. :D

 

We were at the AJ Dock. I loved it because I sure don't like tendering!

No tendering, awesome. We're on this ship 7-11. Hope we get to dock.

 

Also really looking forward to the Tracy Arm excursion.

[nativetexan]

We are on the TA catamaran tour as well. I'm a little concerned about what to wear - any suggestions? Is there room to bring a bag for binoculars, sweater, etc?

 

Glad you loved the ship! We will be there at the end of the month and can't wait!!

[BuckeyeMark]

We are on the TA catamaran tour as well. I'm a little concerned about what to wear - any suggestions? Is there room to bring a bag for binoculars, sweater, etc?

 

Glad you loved the ship! We will be there at the end of the month and can't wait!!

 

What to wear? Layers, layers, and more layers! I wore lined blue jeans and loved'em. Wore a long sleeve shirt, fleece jacket and a longer wind/rain stopper coat over that. Enjoyed my gloves too. It gets icy up close to the glacier. I think the naturalist said the water temp was in the thirties. COLD!

 

The cat is a really nice boat. It has airline style seats inside a warm cabin. They even had drop down trays to set your coffee or hot cocoa on! Then you can go out on deck on the back of the second level or - when the captain says - even on top on the third level. It's pretty chilly up top!

 

There is a galley with food and free coffee and cocoa. It was very nice, and that's good because you're on that boat a LONG time. We boarded around 8 a.m. and got to Juneau and the Solstice at 1 p.m.

 

By the way, the boat supplied binocs.

[aussiecruzer]

Very easy ... because we docked at Juneau. :D

 

We were at the AJ Dock. I loved it because I sure don't like tendering!

 

Lucky you :) When we first booked Solstice was showing docked in Juneau, but later changed to tender. Anyway, we are also doing the small boat Tracy Arm tour - glad to hear about the free hot coffee and cocoa and binoculars :)

[dkjretired]

We are on the TA catamaran tour as well. I'm a little concerned about what to wear - any suggestions? Is there room to bring a bag for binoculars, sweater, etc?

 

Glad you loved the ship! We will be there at the end of the month and can't wait!!

 

Could you give me the actual name of the excursion and where it can be found on the web site. I went into the excursion area and the computer will not give me any excursions for Tracy Arm. I did the filters a couple of times and all I get is Juneau excursions, nothing for TA. It says there are 95 of them but they are nowhere to be found. Celebrity's wonderful web site strikes again. Thanks for any info.

[Lois R]

I was on the same cruise and thought I would add a few things I noticed. Call it nitpicking.

 

-This was the first cruise I've been on where trying to get served a drink was difficult. Over and over we had to flagged down a bar steward or just order at the bar and bring it back to our table. -

 

-Our room steward did not greet us upon arrival or go through the emergency drill procedure. We had to call guest services to learn Celebrity didn't require you to bring the life jackets. -

 

-We also didn't learn for several days that the flat screen TV pulled out from the wall and could be pivoted. We only noticed it when another cabin was being cleaned and the door was open. -

 

-The martini bar was a really cool space with a frosty bar top to keep drinks cold while resting. Unfortunately, the olives they used were tiny so not fitting for a $12 martini. My friend ordered

his martini on the rocks and it came with a lime wedge and a straw! -

 

-The captain's accent is so strong you won't understand 90% of whatever his announcements are.

 

As I said nitpicking but correctable. Otherwise great ship and cruise.

 

Sorry you had so many issues......:eek:

 

Question.....was this your first Celebrity cruise?

 

I look on the back of the door to see where my muster station is....can't

remember the last time my cabin attendant gave me that information.

 

Life jackets? Haven't needed to bring them with you in at least 2 or 3

years.

 

TV screen?......I am guessing this was your first S class ship?

 

As for the Captain's accent? They are Greek:)

Edited June 29, 2014 by Lois R

[dkjretired]

Sorry you had so many issues......:eek:

 

Question.....was this your first Celebrity cruise?

 

I look on the back of the door to see where my muster station is....can't

remember the last time my cabin attendant gave me that information.

 

Life jackets? Haven't needed to bring them with you in at least 2 or 3

years.

 

TV screen?......I am guessing this was your first S class ship?

 

As for the Captain's accent? They are Greek:)

 

Hi Lois, also the procedures are in the daily which is in your room and if I remember correctly very specifically says you do not need your jackets.

[Cruise Junky]

This is the first I've read that the Martini Bar has been fixed; I read a while ago that it had been broken for a while. Glad the frosty top is back for my cruise (in September).

 

It was fixed on our cruise at the end of April