Celebrity Solti e to Alaska

[BR47]

Has anyone been on Celebrity Soltice to Alaska? Trying to decide between Crown Princwss and Celebrity Soltice. It looks like Celebrity does a port stop at Tracy Arms and then cruise on inside passage.

 

Any comments will be appreciated.

[maggie.1008]

I was on the Solstice to Alaska last month. Loved it so much going back on the Solstice next month to Honolulu. The Crown is very nice also.

[dkjretired]

Has anyone been on Celebrity Soltice to Alaska? Trying to decide between Crown Princwss and Celebrity Soltice. It looks like Celebrity does a port stop at Tracy Arms and then cruise on inside passage.

 

Any comments will be appreciated.

 

Tracey arm is not a stop for anyone, it is a Fjord that the ship sails into and up to Sawyer Glacier, the ship gets as close as possible to the glacier depending on ice conditions. We went at the end of August and got probably a few hundred yards from the glacier. We did take an excursion off the ship onto a Catamaran which took us to the other part of Sawyer glacier which the ship can't get to. We then sailed back up the Fjord and on into Juneau where we met the ship. Great excursion, saw lots of seals and whales.

[loupana]

I'm sure you can't go wrong with either one, I just did the Solstice in June and loved it. I posted a very photo intensive review if you're interested...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2230637

[flyingv4me]

Got off the Solstice to Alaska a couple of weeks ago. The trip is amazing, even though the weather wasn't cooperative for our cruise. Highly recommend the catamaran trip which takes you to both South Sawyer and Sawyer glaciers. We got up close and personal with both!

 

The ship is in great shape and the staff top notch. It was my DB and SIL's first Celebrity cruise. They enjoyed themselves so much they booked a cruise for next summer while onboard!

[micruiser12]

We also just returned from a cruise to Alaska on Solstice a couple of weeks ago. Love the ship and Alaska is amazing!

We booked private vendor tours with Michelle of Island Wings in Ketchikan (for bear viewing, but she does a wonderful tour of Misty Fjords too), Orca Enterprises in Juneau for Whale Watching and saw lots of humpback whales including two bubble-net feedings and took the 7 1/2 hour train/bus with Chilkoot Charters in Skagway to the Yukon. Very nice experience. Also, we did do one Celebrity tour to Butchart Gardens in Victoria where you can walk around the beautiful gardens independently for two hours.

 

Seattle is a nice area to check out too if you have never been there.

 

Hope you have a wonderful time!

[lovecruzin]

Solstice also has the amazing naturalist, Brent Nixon. According to his website he'll be onboard in 2016.

Another vote for the catamaran trip at Tracy Arm and float plane trip with Island Wings. I haven't sailed with Princess but I understand they do Alaka very well.

[misha1]

Solstice also has the amazing naturalist, Brent Nixon. According to his website he'll be onboard in 2016.

Another vote for the catamaran trip at Tracy Arm and float plane trip with Island Wings. I haven't sailed with Princess but I understand they do Alaka very well.

 

I agree with the Brent Nixon comment...I was amazed at his stories and photos. Cannot wait to see his show again in September of 2016. Did you book the catamaran thru celebrity? Did you miss the time on the ship?

[Lois R]

I sailed Solstice to Alaska back in May and had a wonderful cruise:)

[dkjretired]

I agree with the Brent Nixon comment...I was amazed at his stories and photos. Cannot wait to see his show again in September of 2016. Did you book the catamaran thru celebrity? Did you miss the time on the ship?

 

Don't believe for that particular excursion you can book with anyone else but Celebrity. What happens is the Catamarans come up from Juneau and meet the ship where you disembark. Doubt Celebrity would allow you to disembark onto a private boat directly from the ship. You will see the same things on the Catamaran and more than you will see on the ship.

 

I third the comments about Brent Nixon...

Edited August 27, 2015 by dkjretired

[lovecruzin]

Don't believe for that particular excursion you can book with anyone else but Celebrity. What happens is the Catamarans come up from Juneau and meet the ship where you disembark. Doubt Celebrity would allow you to disembark onto a private boat directly from the ship. You will see the same things on the Catamaran and more than you will see on the ship.

 

I third the comments about Brent Nixon...

 

I believe when there are ships in port you can only book the catamaran thru the cruise line. We went in June and the ship only got as far as Tracy Arm then turned around and headed back after we got off. We were able to get fairly close to Sawyer glacier on the cat. On the way to Juneau we did some whale watching.

We didn't miss being on the ship, when we returned everyone else was disembarking (tendering) and we enjoyed a leisurely afternoon onboard.

[jakers]

Just returned from a cruise aboard the Solistice to Alaska. We have sailed on both the Crown Princess and the Solistice. The ships are almost equal all the way around. Last year we sailed to Glacier Bay, so we wanted to do Tracy Arm this year. I much preferred Glacier Bay. We didn't get within sight of the glacier in Tracy Arm. Two boats met the ships and passengers boarded to get up close and personal with the glacier. If you don't take the boats you cannot count on seeing the glacier. I agree that Brent Nixon is amazing. As we sailed up the fjord he had a running commentary that was piped into the TV in the cabin. In my opinion, the fjord without the glacier is not worth the trip. To each his own.

[dkjretired]

I believe when there are ships in port you can only book the catamaran thru the cruise line. We went in June and the ship only got as far as Tracy Arm then turned around and headed back after we got off. We were able to get fairly close to Sawyer glacier on the cat. On the way to Juneau we did some whale watching.

We didn't miss being on the ship, when we returned everyone else was disembarking (tendering) and we enjoyed a leisurely afternoon onboard.

 

We went end of August and actually what you did miss was going to the other Sawyer glacier which the ship can't get to under any conditions. We met the ship in Juneau at almost the same time it arrived and spent the afternoon on another excursion.

Edited August 29, 2015 by dkjretired